#everywhen you look

[le-chevalier-au-lion]

everywhen you look: rosquez [g], part 1

1997-2025

“You really aren’t going to tell me anything.” Valentino flicks his leg irritably, kicks up a wave.

The man brushes the chlorine from his face and snorts. His name is Marc, he’d said, among other incredibly useless trivia facts such as, this is Madrid, it’s March of 2025—which sounds like a fake, sci fi year—and i Nerazzurri are leading Serie A by one point.

“Eh, it’s for the best.”

Valentino mutters under his breath, eh, it’s for the best, in a mockery of that Spanish accent. Marc only looks up at him bemusedly from the water, through his wet lashes. He’s being very evasive.

It would have been considerably more annoying if he weren't quite so handsome.

If he hadn’t been stuck at home, with snow coming down in buckets—too much to ride, too much to sneak out for a little while. The baby had been crying—crying, crying, crying. Luca is usually a very good kid, not fussy, but he’d been angry. Neither he nor Stefania could calm him down. Stefania said he might be colicky.

Valentino had felt a little like Graziano, sitting on the couch, watching her try to make Luca stop howling for five minutes, please baby, we’ve got you.

So here is better. No snow. The pool is nice, very rich people, perfectly warm. A little further away, the house seems odd, a sharp, gray block, but he supposes nothing there costs less than a hundred lire.

And Marc is interesting.

“But you know me,” Valentino tries again, a different approach.

Marc’s expression of vague delight doesn’t flicker. He keeps staring at him with unblinking intensity. Someone should tell him it’s kind of creepy when he does that, but also—Valentino’s hands spasm at the edge of the pool, and he has to look away first. Heat prickles under his skin. He wants to keep bullshitting to see how far he can take it, how much Marc can figure out.

“Well, obviously. I thought we had gone over that already.”

It’d been the first thing he’d said when he emerged from the deep end. Valentino? A quiet, overwrought noise, a bit like he’d been slapped, suddenly looking very young. No matter how much he tries, Marc refuses to slip like that again.

He’d guessed the year it should’ve been for him on the first try, too.

“From racing,” Valentino suggests.

“It’s 97 for you, no?” Marc raises a pointed eyebrow. Valentino runs a hand over his hair just as pointedly—dry, creaking and bleached. “You know you’re a good rider.”

“Good as in a couple of lower-class titles or good like Mick?”

Marc swallows, wastes a moment too many just staring at some point over his shoulder before sighing. Valentino might’ve found a way to twist the knife resting between them—the one Marc is studiously squirreling from naming—by accident. There’s no triumph to it, the way he imagined there’d, just that uncomfortable feeling of being wrist deep in a cadaver.

It’d have been incredibly helpful to know what is wrong, exactly, to only make it hurt if he wants to make it hurt.

“Don’t worry, you’re going to enjoy your career,” Marc says, his voice low and cryptic.

Valentino’s eyes narrow. “You’re fucking with me.”

Marc just leans back, his grin stretching wider, an edge more infuriating. What are you going to do about it? in no words at all.

He doesn’t mean to, but frustration spills out in groan. Valentino thrusts his foot out, jabbing it toward Marc. “I’m already asking vague questions,” he mutters, scrambling against himself to not sound sullen. “You could at least give me something.”

Marc opens his broad mouth and cackles. Valentino can see inside it, his large, pink tongue and the white straightness of his teeth. It’s an ugly, honking noise that comes out, quite shameless. In Tavullia, or in the lower classes, Valentino would’ve made fun of him for it. Too loud, too weird, too much, but Marc—handsome, and difficult, and probably thirty—doesn’t look like he’d care.

Might go cute, Vale, the way Norick does, sometimes.

Which—

This nameless disquiet tugs in his stomach, red-hot, unwanted. He presses his lips together, drums his fingers on the floor. Restlessness makes him fidget, a little mean with nowhere to put it.

Marc grabs Valentino’s ankle as he tries to poke him again. His hands are leather-thick, rough like sandpaper. Strong, he notes, swallowing an embarrassing, reedy hiss when he tries to haul his leg in and Marc squeezes his ankle, keeps him pinned in place. He makes it hard to stay bothered.

“You’re going to—ah, I don’t know, get in trouble. Might fuck your timeline up.”

A splutter churns in his mouth, half offended, half playing it up, right until Marc lets go of his leg and gets up, hauls himself half out of the pool to stand braced against the edge, the skin of his arm brushing against Valentino’s jeans, getting it wet.

He’s got nicer tits than a good half of the girls he’s fucked. Fat enough that he thinks he could push them together and put his dick between them, like he’s seen guys do in porn.

“Who? Me?” Valentino goes wide-eyed, puts a hand over his heart. Pretends to not have been staring.

Marc shakes his head. “See what I mean?” But the corners of his lips twitch up, stubborn. Fond, mostly despite himself—Valentino is familiar with the look.

Like this, he’s close enough to count the few moles scattered on his collar. Catch the seesawing jerkiness of his shoulder and the raised, pink lines on his arm. Either he let them scar badly, jaded, ugly edges, or they were bad injuries.

Valentino sweeps his eyes over him again—Marc, waxed smooth, meticulously posed, built like an anatomy study given life. Bad injury it is.

“Well?” Marc’s hand slides over to Valentino’s knee, fingers digging in lightly.

Valentino’s leg jerks, a reflex, but Marc’s too close now, his breath searing against his skin. The sudden proximity catches him off guard, heat rising in his chest. Annoyance slices through him, a dull, serrated cut at the chuckle Marc lets out. This squirming thing gnaws at his ribs, pries open his mouth before Valentino can plan his next move.

“You’re a racer too,” he says, clumsily, too quickly.

“Am I?” Marc tilts his head to the side, widens his eyes until he looks ridiculously coy.

A begrudging amusement tugs inside his guts like a fishhook. He’s being talked in circles, the way Uccio tells him the press likes, politely, inoffensively. If he hadn’t been paying so much attention, he would’ve been swept along, would’ve been happy with it. And Marc finds this whole dance hilarious. Easy.

Or he’s an excellent liar, which Valentino knows he is.

 “Yeah, duh,” he huffs, looks down at Marc, at the tanned, broad shape of his back glinting under the sun, flexing. “But are you a good one?”

Marc preens under his gaze, smirks—very well pleased. If he’s going to show off, Valentino is going to stare. “You could say so,” he hums, chin tilted lazily.

Valentino scowls. “What does that even mean? Are you one of those guys who thinks, hey, I got to the 500cc, it’s basically like being a world champion?”

“Are you going to be very disappointed if I am?”

His stomach churns. Yes, sort of. He hadn’t expected Marc to be boring. Had hoped, maybe—that he wouldn’t be a movie star in that gray block of a house who shows up to the track from time to time and expects to be pampered. Or one of those fancy Spanish kids that come around, sons of racers’ sons, just enjoying the ride and fucking around.

“For all I know, you’re a bad rider.” The words slip out before Valentino can stop them, soap-like, oily.

It might make him angry. Might wrangle another laugh out of him. Either way, it’s going to give him an in. He wants to crack Marc open against the ground, see if anything interesting spills out. People don’t usually give him this much trouble. As a rule, any audience is simple—fold or break, charmed or about to be.

Marc’s lashes flutter slowly, casting a shadow over his eyes. It’s a minute flicker—a tiny, tiny shift in his expression. Valentino feels sized up, dissected. Like Marc knows an important secret he doesn’t. There’s a deliberateness in that stare, an inside joke Marc’s forgotten to share.

“You would say that,” Marc mumbles.

He’s smiling, still. Valentino doesn’t trust it one bit.

[artsymephy]

Them again😌

[birdiebirdjay]

What is Love?

BABY DON'T HURT ME

[ionlylikemycat]

when martha jones is dying, all sorts turn up on her doorstep. mickey sent out messages everywhere to everywhen, and they all came. people she’d helped, friends she’d loved, the odd alien or two who’d wanted to whisk her away for a romance across the stars

captain jack harkness is the last of all of them

she isn’t sure how long it’s been for jack, he looks ever the same. she saw him last a few years ago when he left earth for some adventure, but martha knows time travelers, knows the look on someone’s face when it’s been a hundred years since they last saw you

sad and happy and regret and just plain old love

jack tells her stories. makes her laugh. holds her thin hand in the night when she’s shaking and cold under three blankets but mickey needs all the sleep he can get

he loves her just as plainly as he always has, because it was never about her youth or her beauty but about her, about the universal Force that is martha jones

and she loves him, because she always will, because when you fly through the time vortex with people they get stuck in your heart and never leave you

martha spends three days debating with mickey if she should tell jack. about new new york, and the motorway, and his actual, permanent death. they wonder if it would help him, that there really was going to be an end someday, or if it’ll just hurt knowing he’ll have to spend billions of years forced back to life before he’s allowed to rest

jack leaves on the fourth day. martha and mickey wave goodbye from the garden steps. jack kisses them both on each cheek and then the mouth, a last goodbye for when the word just isn’t enough

“jack!” martha calls out as his vortex manipulator beep-boops an incoming teleport. he turns back just as the light surrounds him, “you are not alone.” jack raises his arm in a salute, and that is the last they ever see of him

she dies two weeks later, home on earth with mickey and tish and leo beside her, with the sound of all the kids and grandkids playing floating up to her window from the garden below. and she knows. knows that the time will come and the universe will turn on and on and on, and one day

martha jones and captain jack harkness will be together for the final time, again

continuation of this post

[tired-truffle]

Even the Gods Cry For Us

A Viktorxfem!reader fic

Chapter Word Count: 6.9k

Part 17/17

Tag list: @im-just-a-simp-le-whore @potatointhedirt @dedicated2viktor (if anyone else would like to be tagged with future updates let me know!)

“You have me. Until every last star in the galaxy dies. You have me.” - Amie Kaufman

Masterlist

Burning and shredding, you felt yourself being torn apart and remade, your mind split and shattered only to be pieced back together again.

You were everywhere and everywhen at once. Threads, intersecting and glimmering spread out before you, like a hundred violins smashed together, strings overlapping as they cried a haunting tune. Your hand reached out, brushing against the gossamer strands, and visions unlike any other flooded your mind.

You stood atop the ruins of Piltover, your hand intertwined with Viktor's. His mask was gone, revealing a face covered in glowing Hextech augmentations. You wore a crown of twisted metal and crackling energy, your eyes ablaze with power. The city below was a spectacle of gleaming chrome and pulsing light, every citizen augmented and connected to a vast network. You had remade the world in Viktor’s image, free from the tyranny of emotion and human frailty. But as you looked upon your perfect creation, a hollowness echoed within your chest where your heart used to be.

Another thread pulled you in, and you were beset by rage and grief. Piltover burned around you, great plumes of smoke rising into the blood-red sky. Your magic, fueled by anguish, tore through the city like a hurricane. Buildings crumbled, bridges collapsed, and the screams of the dying filled the air. You kneeled at the epicentre of the destruction, tears streaming down your ash-covered face as you cradled Viktor's broken body. Sobs heaved from your chest, strings of spit strung between your teeth as you cried, open-mouthed and feral. He had died trying to stop you, and in your madness, you had struck him down. As the last remnants of the city fell, you realized too late the cost of your vengeance.

Tossed again like a doll held by a rambunctious little girl, you were thrown into a jarringly different scene. Piltover was saved, but at a terrible price. You stood before a cheering crowd, hailed as part of the city's saviours. Jayce stood beside you, his face grim but grateful. But Viktor was gone. You had stopped his plan, prevented the destruction he would have wrought, but in doing so, you had lost him forever. As the crowd's adulation washed over you, you felt nothing but a numbing emptiness, a black hole in your chest that sucked in everything that made you, you.

You pulled back, gasping, overwhelmed by the intensity of the visions. But they kept coming, each one more vivid than the last.

In one, you and Viktor worked together, using your combined powers to heal the rift between Piltover and Zaun. You saw yourself mediating disputes, your empathy tempering Viktor's logic, your magic able to give him his emotions back and keep him level. The two cities flourished, technology and humanity in perfect balance. But the constant struggle wore on you both, and you saw the light in Viktor's eyes dim with each passing year, slowly becoming more machine than human, going too far for even your magic to reach.

Another showed you alone, wandering the world as an immortal being of pure magic. You had absorbed so much power that your human form had burned away entirely. Centuries passed in the blink of an eye as you drifted, searching for meaning, for connection, for anything to fill the Viktor-shaped void in your heart.

Thread after thread, timeline after timeline unfolded before you - for that was what they were, all possible futures. In some, you ruled. In others, you destroyed. In a few, you saved the world. But in none of them did you truly have Viktor - the man you loved, whole and happy and by your side.

Ethereal and serene as freshly fallen snow, Soraka's voice echoed through the swirling chaos of timelines, gentle yet insistent. "You must choose a path," she urged.

You hadn’t expected to hear her again, and though you couldn’t see her through the haze of the shimmering strands, you found an odd comfort that she was there with you, at the end. She had made this all possible in the first place, hadn’t she? It seemed only fitting.

But you had suffered enough and you refused to accept a future without Viktor, without the love and happiness you both deserved. With grim determination, you reached out, not to grasp a single thread, but to gather them all in your hands. The timelines thrummed with power, vibrating against your skin like living things.

"I will make my own path," you declared, your voice resonating with newfound purpose and the lost dreams of those who should have lived to see them come to fruition. "I'll carve it from the bedrock and brimstone if I have to."

The how was yet to make itself clear, but you could feel the immense power that ran through the threads, magic calling to magic, begging to be used.

Soraka appeared by your side, but she was no longer the same as when you last saw her. Her once violet skin and warrior's attire had been replaced with an otherworldly form, one that radiated with divine power - one that befitted a goddess.

Her skin, pale as the morning sky, glowed with soft moonlight from within. Robes of the finest silks in shades of gold, azure, and white adorned her slender frame, her large sleeves giving her a royal air. A horn crafted from emerald stone sat atop her forehead, framed by an ornate crown and the soft tresses of pure white hair. Her gown cascaded down to cover her legs, the skirt shimmering as though it was made of gently flowing water.

Her eyes, filled with infinite compassion, met yours. "You walk a dangerous path, little one," she said softly. "But I cannot deny the strength of your love."

A single tear rolled down her cheek, glowing with celestial light. As it fell, she caught it, holding it out to you. "You will need this," she said, her voice tinged with both sorrow and hope. "A fragment of divine essence, freely given. May it provide the last piece that you require."

You took the tear, feeling its warmth pulse against your palm. "Thank you," you whispered, your voice thick and trembling.

Soraka smiled. "Good luck," she said simply, before fading away, leaving you alone with your monumental task.

You clutched the threads and the tear, feeling their power buzzing against your skin like a heartbeat. With a deep breath, you closed your eyes and let yourself fall into the cosmic tapestry.

The threads wrapped around you, a story of infinite possibilities. Soraka's tear dissolved, seeping into your soul. Power surged through you, raw and primal. It was like swallowing a star, your body incandescent with energy.

You were the eye of a hurricane, the calm center as madness swirled around you. Memories and futures crashed together like tectonic plates, grinding and reshaping reality. Your mind expanded, consciousness stretching across time and space.

You were the stars, the inky vast expanse of nothingness that cradled them in its hands. You were the sun, the moon, the wishes that children made when light streaked across the sky. Your hair blended with the cosmos, your eyes alight with their eternal shine. Hope and love and dreams made real. 

This was what you were meant to be; a bringer of comfort, a being of protection. 

Colours you'd never seen before painted your vision. Sounds beyond human comprehension filled your ears. You tasted stardust and felt the birth of galaxies in your bones.

Souls burned like small golden balls of flame all around you. Everywhere you looked you saw them, drifting, floating, winking out as others took their space. Your teeth rattled with their rage, their terror, your lips tingling with their joy and love and laughter. Curiosity plucked at your ribs, grief squeezed at your heart. It was chaos and confusion, a little boy lost in a bustling city, crying for his father, a young woman navigating her new school campus, afraid of being away from home for the first time in her life. It was the warmth of putting one’s feet up by the fire after a long day out in the snow, a cat curling up in their owner's lap, digging their nails into soft flesh as they purred their satisfaction - even as it hurt. 

It was everything, and by the gods it was beautiful. 

Like floating down a trickling stream, you turned, seeking, searching, reaching out with the love that tangled like vines around your heart, grown into the steady beat until it became one. 

And the flow of your love was met with its reflection, the love that was given so freely to you - once lost, but found again. You would have sobbed your relief, made rivers form from mountains as you eroded the weathered rock with your salty tears, but contentment took its place. 

Swooping towards the pull of your mirrored heart like a bird fluttering in a gentle breeze, you came upon the ethereal golden glow of the two souls that belonged to those you held dear. 

“—must go, Jayce, and take Milá with you.” The unmistakable accent of Viktor’s voice floated through the stars, through your fingers and up to your ears. 

“We finish this together, and you know she would never abandon you either.” Jayce, firm in his conviction, his soul pulsing with the strength of his belief. 

You chuckled, the sound reverberating through the emptiness as the souls turned their attention to you. As swift as the wind at the front of a storm head, you closed the remaining distance, and blinked, the souls glowing softly in one moment, and in the next, floated the two men on the precipice of ending this war. 

Jayce, with his flowing locks and scruffy beard, watched you with awe in his dark eyes.

And Viktor, your lovely, sweet Viktor, looking just as you remembered before the changes - his hair shining a startling white, but beneath you knew the waves of chestnut remained - reached towards you, hand outstretched and curious. But you were much too large, your form stretched across the night sky, and his palm took up no more space than a freckle upon your cheek. Still, you leaned into his touch, into the soft curves of his fingers, his calluses.

“Milácku,” he whispered with reverence, eyes wide and lips parted.

“He’s right,” you said, your voice falling over them like a rain. “I’m not going anywhere. You do your work, and I’ll do mine. Deal?” 

“A team, like always,” Jayce agreed, holding his hand out for Viktor, arcane stone in his palm. 

There was nothing left for you to say, and as Viktor reached for his partner, you stretched and grew until they sat in the palm of your hands, glowing souls that collided in a blinding array of sparks. 

You wove your magic around them, a shimmering cocoon of starlight and dreams made real. As they burned brighter, you felt their souls pulsing with power, their essences intertwining. Your cosmic fingers gently cradled them, keeping them safe as the energy built to a new height.

You watched, breathless, as streams of magic curled around Viktor and Jayce, binding them together in a dance of light and shadow. Their forms blurred, becoming indistinct as they merged with the arcane energy.

Colours exploded outward, each hue carrying a memory, an emotion. You saw flashes of their shared past - late nights in the lab, heated arguments that turned to laughter, quiet moments of understanding. Love, frustration, hope, and determination. It was all there, and it was stunning.

The light grew blinding, forcing you to squint even with your cosmic eyes. You felt the surge building and your heart raced, a staccato rhythm that echoed through the vastness of space.

With a soundless roar, Viktor and Jayce's combined energy erupted. The force of it threatened to tear reality apart, to scatter their souls. But you were ready.

You tightened your web of magic, wrapping it around them like a net. The threads of your power, woven from galaxies and divine tears, held firm. You poured every ounce of your love, your hope, your unwavering belief in them into that protective barrier.

When the explosion finally subsided, you were left holding two softly glowing orbs - Viktor and Jayce's souls, preserved and protected, shining with the same light blue hue as your magic.

Tears of relief and joy streamed down your cheeks, each droplet a newborn star. You had done it. They were safe, plucked from the edge of extinction and held in your palms like the most precious of pearls. 

You breathed deeply, your inhale rippling across reality like a stone cast into still waters. You needed somewhere to go, somewhere where you could all finally get the rest you were owed.

"Go forth my child,” Soraka had whispered to you as you’d fallen through the void for the first time. “Like a blazing comet streaking through the darkened sky. Your mission is clear: to mend their broken bodies and souls, to rescue them from certain death. You hold the key to their salvation, the only hope for a future free from destruction."

You had thought you’d failed, had allowed death and destruction to reign, but perhaps you’d been looking at it wrong. Death would happen no matter what you did, it was the cycle of life. But after life…nothing but oblivion. That was, until you.

With a gentle exhale, you willed a new reality into existence, fuelled by your magic. The cosmos shimmered and parted like a curtain, revealing a realm of breathtaking beauty. Rolling hills of soft, luminescent grass stretched as far as the eye could see, each blade swaying in a breeze that carried the whispers of a thousand lifetimes. The sky above was an ever-changing background of colours, auroras dancing in mesmerizing patterns.

Crystal-clear streams meandered through the landscape, their waters gleaming with memories of joy and laughter. Trees with silver bark and leaves of spun starlight dotted the hills, their branches reaching towards the heavens - though, you supposed, this was as close to heaven as one could get. Beneath their canopies, shimmering flowers bloomed, each petal a fragment of a cherished moment.

You felt a stirring in your chest. The three souls you had gathered - the warmth of a friend, the love of a father, and the curiosity of a child - began to float towards this new paradise. They drifted from your heart like dandelion seeds on the wind, each carrying a piece of your essence with them. They would be the first to enjoy the afterlife you had created, but they would not be the last.

Opening your hands, you freed both Jayce and Viktor from your pull, letting them fall like leaves in autumn towards the haven that awaited them. It would all be over soon, you could rest, be free from pain and suffering at long last, and—

Viktor’s soul remained unmoving, his brilliant light dim and pulsing, the taste of rain on a gloomy day hitting the back of your tongue. You returned your hands to holding him, but where he’d once felt like determination and fear, he now felt like the screaming anguish of someone who’d lost everything at their own hands. And with all your power, the magic that flowed over and through you like a dying star given rebirth, you couldn’t cure his self-blame. But you were still you, even made of starlight and the memories of millions, and perhaps, that was what Viktor needed most; not the goddess, but simply you, his miláčku. 

You inhaled, deep and expansive, your lungs filling with the nothingness around you, and when you exhaled, you released pieces of yourself into the galaxy, shrinking down until you’d returned to your human height. Were you still human? 

Existential questions could wait, what was most important was Viktor, his soul, tinged in your protective blue glue, floating before you. With a wave of your hand, you returned his form back to him, channeling your magic. He could communicate - you think - in his soul-form, but whether he knew how, or could express as much was not clear. 

He was exactly how you remembered him on the day of the council explosion; his hair swept back and curled around his ears, devoid of any metal, thin, but entirely himself. The only difference being the press of guilt sitting heavy on his shoulders, curling them in, and the dullness of his once brilliant eyes. 

Without thinking, you reached for him, hand outstretched, needing to feel him, to know he was real. But you came to an abrupt stop when he flinched, not meeting your gaze, head hung. 

Silence stretched between you, the distance becoming a gaping canyon. You wanted to hold him, to offer him comforting words, but not before he was ready. 

And maybe your own anger over your own loss had you hesitating to try. 

“They’re gone, aren’t they?” His eyes flicked up to meet yours, your form of starlight and the darkness of space shimmering at the edges. 

You didn’t need to confirm it, he already knew, had felt their souls disintegrate when he took over their bodies. 

He sucked his teeth, shaking his head. “They came to me for healing, they were vulnerable and desperate and I-I used them,” he spat. “I burned their souls out of their bodies and they are lost forever because of me.”

“Viktor—“ you started, but he was quick to cut you off. 

“I do not deserve what you have made,” he turned towards the space you’d carved out of nothing, where you’d laid the foundations for something better than non-existence. “It…radiates goodness and purity, I cannot go there.”

It was simple to keep your face carefully blank when it wasn’t a face at all, and merely a collection of constellations. “Sulking out here won’t bring them back.”

His head turned to you with a sharp twist of his neck, incredulous disbelief in the curve of his brows. “How do you not despise me? Charlotte, you loved her, and I destroyed her.”

Your chest bloomed with a swirl of blue and violet stars, your grief laid bare. “Yes, you did,” your voice wavered, “I…am angry and hurt but it’s not directly solely at you - there were many factors that led to Charlotte’s death and the destruction of her soul. I blame myself too, I blame Piltover and their lack of care for the citizens of Zaun, I blame Jayce for killing that last piece of your humanity you had left, and yes, I blame you, though it is unfair to say there were no other circumstances that led to this ending. Your mind was corrupted, and I do have some experience with what that’s like. With time, I will heal, but you will have to exist with that guilt forever. There is nothing you can do, no one left to pardon you.” 

It was harsh, but honest, and you did not have the energy to shield the truth from him, nor did you believe it would help. Still, the agonized grimace that twisted his lips, the tears gathering in his eyes, had your limbs tingling with the need to hold him tight, to soothe your hand down his hair and tell him everything would be okay.

“I don’t want that.” He pulled back his upper lip in a sneer, his teeth clenched. 

“Too bad,” you shot back. “You don’t get to shy away from the things you’ve done, to drift off into nothingness because it would be easier than facing it. I have never known you to be such a coward.” He flinched again and you stopped yourself, your hands clenched into fists. Taking out your anger and grief on him while he was already in such a vulnerable state would not benefit anyone.

You inhaled deeply and exhaled the stars. “Viktor, I…do you remember what I said to you on top of the Hexgate?”

His eyes swam with sorrow, deep pools of molten gold. “Every word,” he whispered like a promise. 

Your heart ached to see him like this, a shell of his former self. “We all played a part in this; if I hadn’t used the Hexcore to heal you, none of this would have happened. If we had died when we were supposed to, maybe we could have saved a lot of people from suffering. But there are too many ifs and buts and frankly, I don’t care enough to catalogue them all, nor would it change anything. I meant what I said, that I don’t regret a second of our time together, even through it all. I can’t bring myself to wish I could change it.”

Viktor’s eyes darted between yours as though he was searching for your sanity and could find no traces. “You absorbed thirty Gemstones, surely you have lost your mind and you do not truly mean that.”

You giggled, unable to hold yourself back. “It was closer to forty, but I think I’ve always been a little crazy when it comes to you.”

Seeing that he wasn’t going to persuade you to leave him to rot with those tactics, he changed his approach. “Milá, you made an afterlife, such a feat…it boggles the mind. You are…” he sighed, heavy and tired, affection swirling with the sorrow in his eyes. “You are a goddess, radiant and powerful and the most magnificent being in all of creation. And I…what good have I done?”

The answer was simple, it came to your tongue like breath to your lungs. “You loved me, for starters, and without you I never would have made it this far.” 

He opened his mouth to argue, but you held up a hand. “Wait, I’m not finished.” And when he reluctantly crossed his arms over his chest, you continued, “You were a kind and loving friend, you taught others the value of science and how to apply it which I’m sure will lead to all sorts of wonderful advances. You made me laugh when no one else could, and even though you hurt them in the end, you healed so many, provided them relief for the first times in many of their lives. But your value isn’t only what you can provide to others. You fought for yourself, for your right to live. You pursued goals others could only dream of, and you did what you had to survive. You couldn’t have known how it would end, neither of us did, not fully.”

He twisted his lips, his shoulders tightening, unable to meet your gaze. “I essentially killed you—“

“And I essentially killed you,” you countered, watching as his mouth opened and shut in rapid succession as he failed to come up with a rebuttal. 

“If you had never met me, you would still be alive,” he managed at last. 

You smiled then, sad and gentle. “Not without you, not in any ways that matter.”

His eyes widened, jaw slack in disbelief. Silence settled between you once more, but this time, you felt peace. The anger was still there, your grief simmering beneath the surface. Charlotte had been…like a mother, in the short time you’d known her. Losing her so completely had torn your heart in two. But you would have time to sort through that pain, right now, Viktor needed to get to a place where he could begin mending. You’d both been through enough, you deserved a happy ending. 

“I-I used a whole commune, I tore out their souls.”

“You did,” you floated forwards, stopping when he pulled back. “And that does not change how much I love you.”

Panic, fleeting and sharp crossed his angular face. “I aligned with a military, invasive force that killed hundreds.”

“And I love you,” you countered, moving closer again, only a few feet between you.

“I was going to subjugate the entire world, to remove their ability to choose in the pursuit of perfection!” His voice had raised an octave, but he no longer pulled away when you continued to float closer. 

“And I love you.” A few inches now, and you stopped, hand raised to cup his cheek in your stardust palm.

“But I…” his breath came in sharp pants, tears shining in his red-rimmed eyes. “I hurt you.”

“Sometimes we hurt the ones we love, but love isn’t about never making mistakes, it’s about how we handle them when they happen. Even the big ones.” Charlotte’s words of wisdom floated from you with ease. You tilted your head, running your fingers through his hair and watching with rapt attention as he shivered. “Viktor, I have loved you through life and death and rebirth. I will love you for eternity. So please, let yourself be loved.”

Like the breaking of a dam, Viktor crumbled. He fell into your arms, his body colliding with yours, two celestial bodies drawn together by gravity. You enveloped him, your cosmic form moulding around his. He curled into you, face buried against your chest as he wept. You held him tight, one hand cradling the back of his head while the other traced soothing patterns along his spine.

As you comforted him, comets streaked from your eyes instead of tears. They blazed brilliant trails across the inky void, each one carrying a fragment of your shared grief. The comets sailed past distant nebulae and newborn stars, their fiery tails painting the darkness with your sorrow.

Viktor's fingers dug into your shoulders, clinging to you as if you were the only solid thing in a universe gone mad. His tears soaked into your starlight skin, creating ripples of iridescent colour that spread outward like rings in a pond. You felt every shuddering breath, every choked sob as if they were your own.

Time lost all meaning as you floated there, two souls intertwined amidst the nothingness of space. Galaxies spun lazily around you, their spiralling arms seeming to cradle you like those of a loving parent.

Ever so slowly, his sobs began to subside. His grip on you loosened, though he made no move to pull away. You felt the tension gradually leave his body as exhaustion took hold. His breathing evened out, punctuated only by the occasional hiccup or sniffle.

You continued to hold him, one hand stroking his hair while murmuring soft words of love. The comets falling from your eyes grew fewer and farther between, until at last they ceased altogether. A sense of peace settled over you both, as delicate as spun sugar but no less real for its fragility.

“I want to take you home,” you whispered into the shell of his ear - though home had always been anywhere with him.

Viktor slowly pulled back, his amber eyes rimmed with red but no longer overflowing with tears. He gazed at you, wonder and hesitation warring on his face. You cupped his cheek, your celestial flesh warm against his skin.

"I would like that," he whispered, barely audible even in the vast silence of space.

Relief flooded through you, setting off a cascade of shooting stars across your form. You took his hand, intertwining your fingers, and gently tugged him towards the paradise you'd created. As you descended, the universe seemed to contract around you. Stars rushed past in streaks of light, galaxies blurred into swirls of colour.

Your feet touched down on soft grass that glowed with a gentle inner light. The blades bent beneath your weight, releasing a sweet scent that reminded you of summer evenings and childhood laughter. Viktor stumbled slightly as he landed, unused to having a physical form again. You steadied him, your hand on his shoulder.

For a moment, you both stood still, taking in the breathtaking beauty of your creation. The ever-changing sky painted everything in soft, ethereal hues. A warm breeze caressed your skin, carrying whispers of joy and contentment.

You closed your eyes, focusing inward. Your cosmic form buzzed with energy, too vast and powerful to be contained in a human shape. Slowly, you began to compress that power, folding it inward like origami. Stars collapsed into neutron-dense points within your chest. Galaxies spiraled down into the marrow of your bones. The vast emptiness between celestial bodies became the spaces between your atoms.

It was an odd sensation, like trying to pour an ocean into a teacup. Your skin tingled and stretched as it struggled to contain your new nature. You felt simultaneously infinite and impossibly small. Memories of countless lives flickered through your mind - births and deaths, triumphs and failures, love and loss - before settling into the background hum of your subconscious.

When you opened your eyes again, you found yourself standing on solid ground, in a form that was both familiar and strange. Your hair floated around you as if suspended in water, each strand containing a glimmering nebula. Your skin shimmered, constellations mapping themselves across your body in ever-shifting patterns. When you breathed, stardust escaped your lips in glittering clouds. And as always - your constant companions - the blue balls of light that belonged to your sparks floated lazily around you.

You turned to Viktor, but before you could take in his wide-eyed expression, a blur of motion caught your eye. Without warning, someone launched themselves at you with a delighted squeal, wrapping you in a tight hug, arms around your neck. The sudden impact sent you staggering back a step, your body rippling with surprise.

For a moment, confusion reigned. Your mind, still adjusting to its new vastness, struggled to process this unexpected development. But familiar sensations washed over you - the tickle of dark curls against your cheek, the scent of sunlight and tender friendship that could only belong to one person.

"Sky," you breathed, your voice cracking around the syllable of her name.

As if your recognition had unlocked something within you, your legs gave out, and you sank to the luminescent grass. She went down with you, refusing to let go even for a moment.

Sobs pulled from your chest in painful tears, your body shaking and weak. Sky held you through it all, her small frame surprisingly strong. Her hands rubbed soothing circles on your back, leaving trails of warmth that felt like home.

"I've got you," she murmured, her voice thick with her own tears. "I've got you, and I'm never letting go again."

How had you not recognized her soul when it had sat so snuggly in your chest?

You clung to her, your fingers digging into the fabric of her sundress as if she might disappear if you loosened your grip even slightly. Flowers sprouted and bloomed around you in a rapid cycle, their petals opening and closing like a visual representation of your racing heartbeat.

You cried for everything you'd lost, for the agony you'd endured, for the impossible choices you'd been forced to make. But you also cried with relief and joy at this unexpected reunion, at the miracle of having your dearest friend back in your arms.

Gradually, your sobs subsided, replaced by hiccupping breaths and the occasional sniffle. You pulled back slightly, just enough to look at Sky's face. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, but her smile was as bright and warm as ever. Her eyes, filled with love and understanding, met yours without flinching from your new, otherworldly appearance.

“The whole time,” you whispered, your bottom lip quivering. “You were with me the whole time.”

“You kept me safe. Even when I didn’t know that I was, well, me, you held my soul until I could come back to myself.” She laughed, breathy and tear-strained. “You are amazing, Milá. I can’t wait to hear about everything I missed.”

You laughed through your tears, the sound tinkling like broken glass. "I've missed you so much."

A gentle cough drew your attention. Viktor stood awkwardly nearby, shifting his weight from foot to foot. His eyes darted between you and Sky, a mix of emotions playing across his face - relief, guilt, uncertainty. Gone was the glowing blue aura of your magic. He was simply Viktor, no Hexcore metal, no sickness lingering in his lungs, cane held lightly over his forearm.

Sky noticed him too. Her grip on you loosened slightly as she turned to face him. For a moment, tension crackled in the air like static electricity.

Then Sky smiled, warm and welcoming. "Hello, Viktor. It's good to see you again."

Viktor's eyes widened in surprise. He opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. "I…I'm sorry, Sky. For everything."

Sky's expression softened. "I know. And I don’t blame you."

Those simple words seemed to lift a great weight from Viktor's shoulders. He sagged visibly, exhaling a shaky breath.

Pushing yourself up to stand, you took Viktor’s hand in yours. His skin was plush and warm beneath your touch, and his fingers intertwined with yours as he gave you a small smile.

As you drank in the sight of him whole and unburdened, movement over his shoulder caught your eye. In the distance, beneath the boughs of a tree with silver bark and twinkling leaves, stood a figure you had only ever seen in your dreams. Vander, his face creased in a gentle smile, knelt beside a little girl, dyed blue hair lovingly tied back in twin braids. Isha, you realized with a start, her round features lit by the soft glow emanating from the grass beneath her feet.

Vander placed a comforting hand on Isha's shoulder, and you watched as she smiled shyly up at him. The sight tugged at your heart, a bittersweet ache of recognition flooding through you. These were the other two souls you'd carried with you, nestled safely within you until you could bring them to this place of peace.

Your moment of reflection was interrupted by a familiar voice calling out. "Hey! Wait for me!"

You looked up to see Jayce jogging towards you, his gait slightly uneven but determined. He was cleaned up, his beard neatly trimmed and his hair combed back. The only evidence of his past ordeals was the leg brace he still wore.

Jayce slowed as he approached, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry I'm late. Got a bit turned around in this place." His eyes widened as he took in your new look. "Wow, Mila. You look…different."

You couldn't help but laugh, genuine and relieved to see him in one piece - and back to himself. "It's been quite a journey."

Jayce nodded, his lips pursing. "I can imagine." He turned to Viktor, extending his hand. "Partner. It's good to see you back to yourself again without the imminent threat of arcane destruction."

Viktor hesitated for a moment before clasping Jayce's hand. "And you, Jayce. We have much to discuss after…all that.”

“We do,” Jayce agreed, “but I’d like a minute just to, uh, process it, if that’s alright with you.”

Viktor inclined his head. “Of course.”

"So," Sky said, antsy as the tension pulled taut between the two men. She turned to you. "What's it like being a goddess?"

You chuckled, grateful for the distraction to take the pressure off of Jayce and Viktor. They had plenty of time to work through their issues, jumping in right away would only lead to further strife. You’d all had more than your fair share of that. "Overwhelming. Beautiful. Terrifying." You paused, considering. "I'm not sure I'd call myself a goddess, exactly. More like…a cosmic caretaker?"

Viktor's hand tightened in yours. "You created an afterlife," he pointed out, awe colouring his tone. "If that's not goddess-like, I do not know what is."

You leaned into him, savouring his warmth. How close you’d come to losing him…you didn’t want to think about it. "I couldn't have done it without you. Any of you. Your love, your friendship, it gave me the strength to reshape reality. Thank you."

Sky beamed at you, her eyes sparkling. "Well, I for one think you've done a wonderful job. This place is beautiful."

As if in response to her words, the sky above you erupted in bright aurora-like waves of light that danced across the heavens.

"It's incredible," Viktor breathed. He turned to you, a hint of his old curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "How does it work?”

"I'm not entirely sure yet," you admitted. "It's all still so new. But I think…" You paused, reaching out with your newfound senses.

The realm pulsed around you, alive in ways you were only beginning to understand. You could feel the ebb and flow of energy, the intricate webs of connection between all things. It was gorgeous and frightening, like holding a living star in your hands.

"I think it's responsive," you said slowly, "to emotions, needs, and desires. It's not just a static place, but something that can grow and change."

As if to demonstrate your point, a cluster of flowers suddenly bloomed at Viktor’s feet. Their petals were translucent, catching the light in rainbow hues.

"Fascinating," Viktor muttered to himself, releasing your hand to kneel and examine the flowers more closely. "The potential significance is staggering. An infinitely adaptable environment, capable of providing for any need."

Even in the face of the miraculous, Viktor's scientific mind never stopped working.

"Well," Jayce said, clapping his hands together, "as amazing as all this is, I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a drink and a very long nap."

Sky laughed, her dress swishing in the breeze. "I second that motion."

You looked around at the faces of those you loved most - Sky's bright smile, Jayce's easy grin, Viktor's intense gaze softened by wonder. For the first time in what felt like eons, you felt truly at peace.

"I think I can arrange that," you said with a wink, and with a wave of your hand, a cozy-looking cottage shimmered into existence nearby. It was nothing fancy - just a simple structure with a thatched roof and climbing roses around the door. But it radiated warmth and safety.

"Shall we?" you asked, gesturing towards the cottage.

As your little group made their way towards the house, Viktor began to trail behind. You matched his pace, watching as Jayce and Sky chatted animatedly ahead.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked softly. "About me?"

You linked your arm in his, resting your head on his shoulder. "More sure than I've ever been about anything," you replied. "We've been through hell and back, Viktor. We deserve some happiness together without the threat of death looming over us. You know, since we’re already dead."

He nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. As you walked, you noticed the grass beneath his feet sprouting tiny blue flowers - forget-me-nots. Had that been your doing or his? Either way, you couldn’t imagine forgetting even a second of your time with him.

Sky and Jayce entered the cottage, their laughter drifting back to you on the gentle breeze. As they disappeared inside, you pulled Viktor to a stop, your fingers curling around his wrist.

"Viktor, I…" The words caught in your throat, a supernova of emotion ready to burst from your chest. You bit your lip. How could mere language possibly encompass the depth of what you felt?

To hell with words, you thought. I'll show him instead.

You pulled Viktor close, your hands cupping his face as you pressed your lips to his in a searing kiss. The contact sent shockwaves through you, ripples of energy cascading across your skin like the surface of a disturbed pond. Viktor stiffened for a moment, surprised, before melting into your kiss.

The grass beneath your feet erupted in a riot of wildflowers, their petals unfurling in rapid time-lapse. The sky above blazed with shooting stars and you tasted stardust on Viktor's lips, felt the heat of a thousand suns in the press of his body against yours.

When you finally broke apart, breathless, you found that your feet were no longer touching the ground. You and Viktor floated several inches above the flower-strewn grass, held by your magic as it glowed around you.

A smile tugged at his lips, boyish and carefree in a way you hadn’t seen in years.

"I love you," you whispered. "We made it, Viktor. We're here, together. Our friends are safe, and when the rest are ready, they will have a place here too."

In response, Viktor pulled you close again, resting his forehead against yours. You closed your eyes, basking in his affection, in the simple miracle of his presence. The universe may have been vast and unknowable, but in that moment, your entire world was contained in the circle of Viktor's arms.

Lowering yourself, you made your way towards the cottage once more. Viktor entered first, but you paused at the doorway, looking back at the vast expanse of your creation. It felt surreal to be there, like a dream come true. In time, you’d figure out how to usher other souls to this place, to make it a true beacon of rest and safety. And maybe, just maybe, you could find the shards of Charlotte’s soul and piece her back together. Anything was possible when you had the power of infinite universes at your fingertips.

You stepped into the cottage, leaving the door open for Vander and Isha if they decided to make their way over, and were greeted by the smiling faces of your friends as they settled into the new space. Jayce, Sky, Viktor, and soon-to-be countless others are at your side. You knew in the depths of your never-ending soul, that this was where you were meant to be.

Epilogue

(Click on the picture for full resolution)

A/N: I can't believe its over!! It's crazy to think that its been three years since I posted the first part, and the entire time in between I was thinking and brainstorming about how I wanted it to end, only for Arcane to give us such a beautiful ending I couldn't bring myself to change much of it. But now they get to all be happy together in the afterlife for eternity, no more fighting or pain, just getting to be together in all the ways that matter ❤️

Thank you x1000000 for coming on this journey with me, its been a blast!! I'd love to hear what you think, even if you're reading this months or years later, I'm always looking for more inspiration to write more!

I may at some point post a very short epilogue so let me know if you still have any questions and I will try to provide answers. (Jinx isn't here because I think she's still alive)

Love you all!!!!

Spotify playlist

[pluralsiffrin]

Triptych // Cliptych

Wrote a poem about the characters CLIP.EXE and Cricket from @venomous-qwille 's Ghost in the Machine AU, cause the new special interest needs to express itself.<3

Note: we've only read up until the end of chapter 11, so sorry for any potential canon inconsistencies / contradictions. Content warning for allusions to: illness, injury, surgery, and dental malpractice.

1 Let me give you some advice, doll:

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. So is love. So is fear. So is <WHERE DO YOU HEAR WHILE YOU LOOK AT ME?> <WHEN DO YOU SMELL WHILE YOU TOUCH ME?> <WHO DO YOU FEEL WHILE YOU SWALLOW ME WHOLE?>

<AM I BLIGHT, DO I IGNITE, FIZZLE ON YOUR TONGUE, LINGER PAST MY EXPIRATION DATE?> <DO I CONFUSE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, PRUNE YOUR NEURONS, INDUCE NEW ALLERGIES?> <DO I BREED CHILLS, CAVITIES, TINNITUS?> <AM I YOUR IMPOSTER SYNDROME, A FUSE FOR CARDIAC ARREST, OR MERELY THE EPHEMERAL JITTERS OF A COFFEE PAST MIDNIGHT? <AM I SLIME AT THE BACK OF YOUR THROAT YOU ARE TOO POLITE TO COUGH UP IN PUBLIC, A SPIDER BITE YOU HAVE THE WILLPOWER TO NOT SCRATCH EVEN IN YOUR SLEEP?>

<I MIGHT BE A WAD OF GUM YOU TREAD ON BY ACCIDENT, A TICK HITCHING A RIDE ON A DEER, TOXOPLASMOSIS LURING YOU TOWARDS THE CAT.> <I’VE DIRTIED YOUR FAVORITE PAIR OF SHOES. BUT THEY’RE YOUR ONLY PAIR OF SHOES. SO YOU WEAR THEM EVERYDAY, SMEARING ME EVERYWHEN YOU GO.>

<I MIGHT BE A CUCKOO’S CHICK, GUILTY OF BREAKING A FEW EGGS TO SERVE YOU THIS OMELETTE, BUT, DOLL, YOU’RE NOT THE ORIGINAL NESTLING, EITHER.>

2 Let’s play a game of <MEMORY>, sweet tooth. Maybe you’ll finally beat my record.

You turn over <FLUFFY PANCAKES WITH MERINGUE> and <BITTER COUGH SYRUP>. They <MATCH>. You keep those cards.

You turn over <COTTON CANDY FLAVORED ICE CREAM> and <BROKEN FERRIS WHEEL>. They <MATCH>. You keep those cards.

You turn over <STAR SHAPED SUGAR CANDY> and <RUSTED TIME CAPSULE>. They <MATCH>. You keep those cards.

You turn over <RED LICORICE THREADS> and <GLASS DISPLAY OF EXTINCT BUTTERFLY SPECIES>. They <MATCH>. You keep those cards.

You turn over <TAR BLACK FIZZY DRINK> and <NOSEBLEED>. They <FACIAL RECOGNITION FAILED, UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN RELATIONSHIP>. You do not keep those cards.

So close. Better luck next time, sweet-tooth.

3 One more game, gumdrop, then I promise to get out of your head. I’ll fill in the top line, so you can fill in the bottom.

Just say whatever comes to mind first, okay?

<PROXIMITY> is to <INTIMACY> as <TRACHEOSTOMY> is to <LUNG FAILURE>.

<FAMILY> is to <CHILDHOOD> as <VICE GRIP> is to <WISDOM TEETH>.

<NOSTALGIA> is to <MEMORY> as <GLITCH> is to <SYSTEM SHUTDOWN>.

<AMNESIA> is to <PAST> as <SUBDUCTION ZONE> is to <LITHOSPHERE>.

<CRICKET> is to <ARCADE MACHINE> as <BUBBLEGUM> is to <HUNGER>.

<HOME> is to <HEART> as <I> is to <YOU>.

[arielthedaydreamer]

Ineffable Infinity - Good Omens oneshot

Aziraphale was done.

Done with the Metatron, done with archangels. The Apocalypse, Armageddon, the Second Coming, the struggle, the abyss between him and Crowley, the hellfire burning right in front of him. Inexistence. The end. He didn't want to think about it. He wanted it all to stop.

And in that moment, right about to be burned for his final act of treason, he realized that he did not need to want. He could stop. If not the hellfire, or time itself, then his time. He could stop. With a simple miracle. Who would notice? And he did.

He closed his eyes. The fire disappeared. Everything stopped.

He was in a dark and timeless space, behind his eyes, within. But he was not alone. He wished there to be light.

-Welcome, Aziraphale. -Said the familiar voice, in perfect synchrony with the light's arrival. It was good. -My clever, clever angel. You found me.

-...God?

-The one and all.

-I'm...gonna die now, won't I? The hellfire... or... am I dead already?!

-You are, -Said the Lord, - and you are not. Both at the same time. You are out of time, and out of space. Only here, and now, can one meet me.

-Was... this in your plan?

-Well, yes, of course.

-All of it? The Second Coming? And me thwarting it? Armageddon too?

-All of it.

-Why?

For a moment, there was silence.

-If only I could make you understand...but if you could, you would become...

Aziraphale felt, for a moment, that he might have had this conversation before. It lasted a single instant, and God's voice returned.

-No matter. You can't really understand.

-Inneffable. -Sighed Aziraphale. -I know.

-Inneffable...-God hesitated. -Perhaps... But I will give you another word.

-Another... word?

-Endless.

-Endless?

-Yes. Completely endless, Aziraphale. The possibilities are, have always been, endless. I can see it right now. As I talk to you.

-And... what do you see?

The angel was becoming less and less afraid of asking questions to the voice he once feared. Here, now, he understood why mortals called The Lord "father", or "mother". It was familiar. Giant, but welcoming. He knew it. Not entirely, but a tiny, infinitely tiny bit of it, he knew. His mind conjured the image of a drop of water, in conversation with the ocean. It was enough for him not to fear.

-I see -Responded God,- your first breath. I see you gain consciousness, in darkness, no Earth, no light, before everything. Do you remember it?

-Yes. - Said Aziraphale. The feeling was welcoming, all over him. He did remember his birth.

-And I see the end of the world. -Said God. - I see it end with Adam, as the nuclear bombs explode and the war between heaven and hell begins.

Aziraphale, puzzled, looked up. As if God was up. Was God up? Could She be down? Or around him? Or everywhere? He never questioned it before.

-Fantastic. You begin to grasp it! -Said God. -Though you never will finish to grasp it, of course. But you are right. I am everywhere. And everywhen.

Indeed, you cannot see that ending to the world. You and Crowley, and Adam himself, and many others chose to miss it when you averted the apocalipse. But there is another universe, many other universes in which you did not avert it, and I can see them right now.

Do you understand? Just as I see you and Crowley arise from divine matter, in what you call the past; I see you and Crowley dissappear forever, him in holy water and you in hellfire, in a moment you call "never". Because you both avoided it as well. But I can see the world where you didn't.

And I see your eyes shine in a fiery red as you join Crowley, both falling from heaven as one. And I can see Crowley's white wings soar in heaven, a heaven that he rules, with you. Oh, I see you and Crowley living a human life. Falling in human love. Dying a human death.

You don't understand it, do you? I see pain. I see joy. I see grief. I see love. I see death and birth. I see the future, the past, the present, and the multiple versions of "never". And it's all in front of me, really, at this very moment. I suppose I could look at it through every existing eye, feel it with every existing soul, all at once, in this moment.

But even for me, Aziraphale, that would be too much.

That is why I choose to focus. Here. With you. Right now. Both of us, blissfully unaware of infinity.

None of this multiverse, this endless infinity, is a plan, Aziraphale. It is my existence. I simply am. The creator, the creature. The observer, the observed. Above, below. As I opened my eyes so did the cosmos. As I once gained consciousness, so it all began.

Do you understand now? Even a fraction of it?

-I'm... trying. -He smiled.

-Yes. And you are doing perfectly well.

Then you may begin to comprehend, Aziraphale. I could promise you, that you will leave this conversation and fall not towards death, but into Crowley's arms. I can see it happen, in endless moments, endless universes. But the worlds in which you die will always exist.

Understand it. For every world in which you live, there is one in which you die. For every world ended, there is a world being born. For every moment of love, there is another moment of grief. For every smile in your face, there is another face covered in tears. And it's all in front of me. I see it all, I am it all, always. So it's my turn to ask you: why? Why would I interfere with any of it?

-But why must there be tears at all?

-How could you love someone you've never longed for?

Aziraphale was quiet.

-The choice is yours, Aziraphale. You are perfect as you are, as you have always been, to make that choice. What do you long for? Which world will you travel to? Which ending will you see?

If you want Crowley, my dear, run to him. Do not ask me for permission. Your possibilities are endless, and I am merely all of them. I have no single plan. But you do. You have chosen your path, now follow it.

Aziraphale's angelic head spun in attempt to understand. But he could not. Yet, he knew, felt what he needed to do.

For once in his life, he would follow his plan.

And as with that thought, he felt his entire body burn.

He knew he had crossed the hellfire. He was now lying on the cold ground, beyond the pyre. He felt a pair of arms embracing him. He felt tears, heard sobs. When he opened his eyes, he saw Crowley.

[lulubelle814]

Some of my favorite fics w/summary

A Startling Realization by @muddyorbsblr

Summary: Oakley returns to campus after a trip with his mates and steadily comes to realize he's developed feelings for you

Feels Like Mine by @muddyorbsblr

Summary: You wake up in a bed that isn't your own, living a life that seems to be pulled straight out of your wildest dreams

The Lakes by @lokisgoodgirl

Summary: Based out of a tiny and remote cottage, your reluctant role as the resident 'outdoors expert' is put to the test by the frustrations and temptations of your recent ex-, Loki

The Proposal by @michelleleewise

Summary: You had the perfect life. A perfect fiancée, pursuing your dream in culinary school, had a beautiful apartment……until it all came crashing down around you. You were on the tip of financial ruin when your friend suggested a way out…….you had no idea what you were in for when you filled in your information.

Follow the Crow by @gigglingtiggerv2

Summary:

Ragnarok has happened, is happening, will have happened - time gets a little murky around cataclysmic events such as this.

Asgard has been destroyed, the Gods are dead or dying, but Fenris is not done yet.

Freed from his imprisonment, Loki must save the remaining realms and bring his unruly off-spring to heel. In order to do this, he will have to find his way to the 'Everywhen' and take back control of events.

Easier said than done, for the Everywhen lies deep in the shadowy space between the realms, where even Gods fear to tread.

What he needs is a guide - but do any of the original guardians remain?

Double Cross (Eighth Circle Series - Book One) - by @gigglingtiggerv2

Summary: In Dante’s inferno, the Eighth Circle of Hell was reserved for liars, panderers, thieves and murderers.  For the criminal underworld it is an opulent London club, representing neutral territory where deals can be made, grievances aired and scores settled. 

For the owner, Thomas Cross, it is his own private kingdom, one where he makes the rules and wields absolute authority. Recently, however, that authority has come under threat.  In order to maintain his standing and the Club’s ruthless reputation, it is imperative he find the perpetrator.

In this violent place, where lies are currency and everyone has their own agenda, who can he trust? Certainly not Verity Williams, the talented thief who has her own reasons for infiltrating his organisation.  

Neither can deny the sparks that fly whenever they’re together, but if he’s not careful, will those sparks burn down everything he’s created?

My Best Friend by @vbecker10

Summary: What you thought would be a relaxing girls night quickly turns into an interrogation by Nat and Wanda about your non-existent relationship with Loki. After denying you are anything other then friends for as long as you can, you finally tell them how you really feel about him... and why you know he will never feel the same. The night goes from bad to worse when you realize Loki overheard you talking to them and you try to hide from him.

Language by @vbecker10

Summary: Captain Rogers thinks you curse far too much at work so he came up with a way for each word to cost you fifty cents no matter where you are in the Tower. You are desperate for it to stop and go to Loki to see if he has a spell that can help you outsmart J.A.R.V.I.S.

Down Under by @superficialdomina

Summary: Oh no! Hydra has released a sex-pathogen in the Australian outback! Can a small band of Avengers prevent a mass outbreak of a dangerous, if nonsensical, bioweapon?

The Redbridge Hunts by @fanficshiddles

Summary: Claire moves to Demsdale to take up a new job as an assistant teacher for one Loki Laufeyson. She’s also very intrigued with all of the rumours within the borough of Redbridge. However, as she starts to fall for Loki’s charm and good looks, she also learns that all of the rumours might not just be rumours after all.

Addicting Temptations by @fanficshiddles

Summary: Alphas Tom and David run not only the city but a health insurance business with a darker side to it too. At one of their elusive parties, they take a liking to an already mated omega. But mated or not, they always get what they want. 

Dangerous Night by @fanficshiddles

Summary: Melissa catches the eye of Jonathan Pine while on holiday visiting her friend. Her friend warns her of Pine and Roper, of their gang. But Melissa finds the thought rather thrilling. Jonathan invites her back to a hotel for the night, she can’t resist the offer. The one-night stand leads to more, because who could deny the handsome Jonathan Pine. Not to mention the luxurious lifestyle he can offer his new princess…

This Wasn't Part of the Plan by @fanficshiddles

Summary: Melody is struggling to keep up with her college work. Working three jobs just to get by, she doesn’t have much time to study and do homework. Her rather nasty teacher, Mr Hiddleston is very blunt when he finds her work not up to par. In desperation, she turns to a sugar daddy website. When she goes to meet with one who reached out to her, she is shocked to find it’s none other than her teacher, Mr Hiddleston.

Covenant by @meowmeow-motherfucker

Summary: With the five year anniversary of the attack on New York approaching, Odin and Fury come to the agreement that an arranged marriage between Asgard and Earth would show good faith toward all future interactions. When Odin refuses Jane’s candidacy, Agent Coulson is tasked with finding a suitable wife for the prince of Asgard.

[ventiij]

companion!scara x traveller!reader

not requested js felt like writing this

okay but imagine: after helping Lord Kusanali out, he has nothing to do. just free time 24/7 (now he’s just like those oldies that watch contruction works), how will he even take care of himself? then you pop up and change his lifestyle, you litterally said ‘you’re not living like that under my watch.’ and in a snap of fingers he was wandering with you all over teyvat.

-he’s so the type to make shitty comments abt every poor soul that passes by.

-visiting a new nation you know almost nothing about? good, he’s the only one capable to help. throw Paimon away, here Scara comes.

-“go to bed. right. now. I’ll wake you up at 6:53 tomorrow morning, which means you’ll have exactly seven minutes to prepare for the day. we’ll start like this-“

-shitty ahh shedules everywhere everywhen

-once, a fight with some fatui agents was taking too long for his liking (or so you thought) and he just lifted you up in his arms and brought you to the location you were supposed to be at a quarter of hour ago.

-“but they’ll hurt somebody if we don’t stop them!” you say and Scara responds with something like “that somebody could’ve been us, thank me later.”

-that’s when you realize he genuinely cares!! isn’t that cute?

-soo cat-like personality ughh litterally scarameow. how can you deal with it? anwser: tease him more!! being caught soft makes his cheeks flush red? now your sight is on him only, waiting for the occasion. you initiating physical touch flusters him? do it more often. he’s trying to tease you back? tease him until you’ve shut his mouth.

-wait, your touch flusters him?

-another day, after you’ve been paying too much attention to Paimon; you noticed how he got grumpier and grumpier each second.

-“uhh.. Scara? you okay?” you spoke, he gave you a death glance and replied “yes.” as he kept staring at you, then looked at Paimon with half closed eyes, rarely blinking.

-so you started to question his behaviour.

after taking all the small hints he subconsciously kept giving you about his crush on you (such as these), you decide to try and confront him about it.

part 2? 😱🔥 (send help it’s school time again)

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

In the Wings

Past =-= Next

Author's note: Next Part of Claude in Husbandry. Thanks for @sleepyfan-blog for letting me borrow Ash'val and Cedric.

Summary: Claude gets settled into the Imperial Fist and Salamander Base.

Warnings: Let me know if I need to add more

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams

Tagged: @sleepyfan-blog, @whorety-k

Claude had told them that Cedric had left confinment to find and bring him back, and that he'd accept punishment on Cedric's behalf. Because it was due to him that Cedric had left the confined to base punishment to one of the Officers in Charge of Cedric's punishment. Captain Ash'val had a neutral expression on his face and had said, "Thank you for telling me Claude. You and Cedric will share some tasks for a month, after you finish healing."

"Yes sir," Claude said with a nod. He left after Ash'val had dismissed him.

Salamanders really are soft, at least compared to how the Mechanicum would have reacted to what Cedric had done. Or how he'd heard that the Black Templars would have responded to Cedric pulling what he did, especially for a cousin instead of a brother. He isn't going to complain. He is continuing to move when he spots something that his ice trace down his spine. He spots teal and silver and the twin heads of the Hydra serpent. He shifts his path to go in a different direction back to Cedric. While also keeping watch on the Hydra. Who- from the ways the others are interacting with him didn't realize his true colors.

Claude had quietly told Cedric what he'd spotted, he knows from what he told about the Alliance between the larger War bands, and the Companies, but it still filled him with dread to spot Hydra interacting with others. They were not to be trusted. Tricksters, face-stealing, duplicitious and two faced are the Traitor Hydra. Who's claws are eyes are every where and apparently everywhen. Cedric had taken his warning with due seriousness and has asked him if he knew the name that the Hydra used that wasn't "Alpharius".

"Luitenant something," Claude said with a self deprecating shrug, "I didn't want him to know that I realized what he was."

"Makes sense," Cedric says as he continues to count inventory of the medbay. Claude helping by putting back the items in the places that his brother- no, cousin indicated they should be put.

He was on light duty, whatever that meant, even though he's fully healed, only needing some minor surgery and his own rapid healing rate helping to patch him up. The rations were of better quality and taste than he remembers them being. Claude continues to help Cedric when he can, not being an Apothecary there isn't much he can do other than hold this or that, and keeping out of the way. His eyes flick from one side of the room to another, and he spots yet more teal. This one acting, and having the equipment of an Apothecary.

"Zariel" is the name the Hydra was being called by and fondly so by some of the visiting Ultramarines. Claude relaxes his vision and the teals changes to Ultramarine blue and gold heraldry for a moment, beforing going back to Teal. he's tried to teach Cedric and the other Primaris Marines that don't have his True Sight ability, not that it seems to work. And none of them know why.

"Claude," Cedric says suddenly, having glanced at his face for a moment before deliberately looking away, "eyes."

Claude closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath as he keeps a clear image of what he's supposed to look like, dark eyed, light skinned and dark haired. He opens his eyes again and lightly taps Cedric with one of his feet carefully who looks at him.

"Better," Cedric hums as they continue to work on medbay inventory. "See something."

"More Teal," Claude says almost silently, making sure not to move his lips as much as possible as he turns his face away from where the Hydra Apothecary pretending to be an Ultramarine is at. "Apothecary Zariel."

"Ah," Cedric replies, trying not to scowl in the direction of Apothecary Zariel of the 'ultramarines'. "We are finished with doing inventory in this med bay, lets go to the next one on the other side of the base Claude."

"Yes Cedric." Claude said with a nod following after his broher.

While most bases built by Imperial Fists followed the same standardized format, it was still a new base to Claude and he didn't want to get lost. He'd missed Cedric a lot once they'd been seperated into their different Chapters and had grieved when he'd heard that the other had gone missing. Slowly, one by one plenty of his brother Primaris Marines had fallen, in battle or have gone missing in the void. Perhaps they might be found one day on Ancient Terra? That would be nice, if that was the case, but the Galaxy was rarely so kind to a creature such as them. They continue to do their duty tasks, pausing to take breaks occasionally, lunch break, which was an indulgent hour long affair, had been nice.

"Do you know if they do Vespers?" Claude asks Cedric.

While the First Born Raven Guard weren't as religious as Black Templars, it was seen as good fortune and to be considered pious to hold Vespers at least once a week. Cedric shifts a little and says, "The First Born don't do Vespers in this base."

"Oh," Claude says struggling a little with that revelation, "Not at all?"

"No, but there are some places that… once my punishment is over," Cedric explains, "We can go to, in order to attend Vespers."

Claude nods at that, while he was allowed to leave the base for missions and for his leisure time, he tended to stay in the base to stay with Cedric more often than not. He… was trying to be friendly with other Scouts, but nearly all of them are First Born Scouts and tended to be… Odd, and very noisy and Boisterous. And they tended to cause Mischief and would complain that he was too much of a 'quiet stick in the mud about harmless pranks.' His face soured at that. If he hadn't stopped them, the prank would have, could have, hit the highest-ranking Chaplain on the base and he did not want to suffer the group punishment that would have doled out.

[binomech]

“Waaaaait. So do you think there are partial transit events? Are there some kaiju getting, I don’t know, lost to the vacuum or smeared into superstrings or what have you? Like, could you start a transit and not tick the probabilistic tick boxes? And also on a related note, if the whole thing is a spectrum of probability does it mean anything to say the breach is ‘closed’?” Hermann looks away, out at the ocean, because he’s smiling again, and he can’t do that and look at Newt, obviously; that would be poor form. When he finally gets his face under a little more control, he looks back, still extremely pleased, and says, “Newton, each of those questions would take hours to answer appropriately.” “Hmm,” Newt says, looking at his watch. “We should probably get dinner then, what do you think?” Hermann looks tragically undecided, and there are times when Newt could almost believe Hermann’s antipathy toward the world is a weird sort of armor; offense toward anything as defense against everything. But people are complex and fundamentally unknowable, so even if he did develop this as a working theory of Gottliebian psychology, which he won’t, there’s no way for him to ever verify its veracity. It’s not testable. Trying to understand what’s going on in anyone’s head is both a colossal waste of time, and sometimes, paradoxically, the only thing that seems to matter. It sucks to live like this, Newt is coming to realize, holding this depth of uncertainty about everything all the time. Are kaiju good or bad, in a Manichean sense, and should Cait-Science fight them? Does Hermann like Newt or not? Are they living in a computer simulation? Is light a particle or a wave? Are thinking and action causally coupled or is consciousness a neurologic epiphenomenon? Is there a point to any of this? Trying to live, waiting to die? Lightcap has God, and that’s great for her, but what does Newt have, really, at the end of the day? Nietzsche? [Editorial note: as company goes, Friedrich Wilhelm isn’t exactly the life of any given party.] Nothing matters. And, at the same time and for the same reasons, everything does. Hermann thinks that way. He must. He very obviously believes everything matters. So. Newt can take a page out of that book. He’ll make an effort. We will, in fact, make The Effort. Here, and everywhere. Now and everywhen.

Aftermath: The Sequel/Prequel by cleanwhiteroom

[artsymephy]

How would grown up modern Philip will look?

Ooo good question.

Not entirely sure.

I think he’d wear something that belongs to Caleb, maybe something like his varsity jacket (since everyone in the show had one)?And he’d keep his hair short to not stand out too much, though I like to think Luz would encourage him to grow it out again.

[michiyo-japan]

【京都個展、前日】

今日は搬入日。

今から新幹線に乗っていざゆかん京都！です。

画像は今朝まで描いていた、出来たてほやほやの新作「バッカス」。

酒飲みはご存知、ローマ神話に登場するお酒の神様です。豊穣とブドウ酒、そして酩酊と狂乱の神でもあります。豹、虎、牡山羊などを聖獣とし、葡萄や酒杯、豊穣の角などが象徴として挙げられます。

次の一杯を狙っている豹の姿はまるで自分の姿を見ているかのよう…搬入が終わった後のお疲れの一杯がいっぱいにならないように気をつけたいと思います😅🍷

———

「ミチヨ スクラッチ絵画展 〜神話伝承 古今東西〜」

7月17日(水)〜23日(火)※最終日午後5時閉場

京都大丸店 アートサロンESPACE KYOTO

【Kyoto solo exhibition, day before】

My solo exhibition opens tomorrow.

I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

This image is my new work, "Bacchus", which I had been working on until this morning.

Bacchus is the god of drinking in Roman mythology. He is the god of fertility and wine, as well as drunkenness and madness. The leopard, tiger and male goat are his sacred beasts, and his symbols include grapes, drinking cups and fertility horns.

The leopard's eyes looking for the next drink are like watching myself... I'll be careful not to fill up on a tired drink after the work😅🍷.

———

Michiyo Scratch Painting Exhibition - Mythological ＆Lore, Everywhen and Everywhere.

Wed 17 - Tue 23 July *Close at 5pm on the last day.

Kyoto Daimaru Art Salon ESPACE KYOTO

[maeve-is-annoying-about-books]

This Is How You Lose the Time War

Holy shit.

I feel like I could make eighty posts about this book, I could preen through the words like I would care for a garden. That each one I tend to will be a seed that will bloom into a new flower for my satisfaction, and for the world to see. I adore these letters, this setting, these two wonderful, thorough characters of Red and Blue.

Really, I can't overstate enough how these words sank into me, I feel like I might understand more now what a horrible beauty it is to be written a letter in a sting, or have your lover sign her affections to you in a toxin that will unmake you. Where can I even hope to begin a review on this book? Every place I try to start it loops back into the future, and then suddenly I'm chasing the past again, desperate for some loose thread I can latch onto. So that I can insert my own words and feelings, as is the self-imposed charge of all of us critics, livereaders, and editors.

I think I'll start outside of events and causality. I don't think those kinds of things matter when you— fall in love? No, falling is way too trite for this book. When love whets itself on you and burrows in to become your hunger. We can see what love does, it dyes your past in its colors, it changes what's happened before into a new now. And I think I've always known that, but to hear it spoken? It struck me like a piano hammer, and I haven't stopped humming since it hit.

Love is such a feral, vicious thing in this book. Bites and ruins, a one-woman arsenal that makes modern weapons look like flint spears, a six-legged wolf that tears everything in her path apart. It's so visceral, so heightened from the absurdism of the setting.

That's the problem in curtailing this book. It's infinitely inventive, and I love all the times seen everywhen we go, but there's so growing absurdity in the background. Suddenly everywhen is a very strange concept being fought over by two giants that care nothing for the tiny truths of two people. It's all so ridiculous in the face of what's inside these letters. The genuine interest, the fae taunts, learning, seeing, fighting, hoping to be bitten, wishing to be ruined, dying to be loved...

It was so worth it. I don't even want to talk about the ending, and the absolute beauty of it, I feel like I would be stepping on the beloved lavender in order to show off the violet I cherish in the middle of it all. If I explain it outside of its context, its seed, then it'll all unravel, and cease to be. And I can't get to the seed either, the way the text loops in and folds on itself.

It's such a beautiful book in so many ways. The idea, the prose, the Möbius strip of its structure. It's amazing. I expect its taste will linger for a long time to come.

[repressedjason]

Location: Lakeside | @mysterytold

there was a different sort of freedom here. at least, that was how it felt to jason. somewhere removed from what had happened, a lessened eye upon them. and while he would love to be enjoying the freedom offered by the lakeside, there were still eyes here. always. everywhere, everywhen. it's why, with the sun beginning to dip on the horizon, he chose his moment to slip away from the crowds and just... breathe. not linger on thoughts that had no place in his head for the next week. while it wouldn't be true freedom, he could take it as a breath of fresh air, maybe.

"you know following somebody in the middle of the dark after a classmate was murdered really isn't a good look, right?" he'd heard the snap from behind him a minute or so prior, but decided to at least start leading himself back toward one of the houses before raising his voice. head turning to look over his shoulder, and awaiting something of a reply.

[nerdythebard]

#55: Elizabeth [BioShock: Infinite]

(Art Credit: Irishhips on deviantArt) ---

Welcome back, my friends!

I forgot to credit our requestor of the previous build, but luck would have it they also requested this one, so many thanks to our lovely family member, @nerdybear91 for both Harry Dresden and Anna DeWitt aka Elizabeth from BioShock: Infinite. Now, let's see what true Multiverse of Madness looks like!

Next Time: Let me solo her!

What do we need to survive navigating a giant floating city filled with brainwashed cultists, until we can finally reach Paris?

Everything & Everywhen (All At Once): Elizabeth's ability to manipulate Tears allow her to perform a multitude of multiversal effects. We will have to flavour a lot to make it look like we have control over all realities.

It's Big Brain Time: Having nothing to do but read, Elizabeth became familiary with a variety of subjects including medicine, music, arts, literature, etc.

Sneaky Supplier: Another interesting skill of Elizabeth's is that she can pick almost any lock we ask her to, and decipher any message. She's observant and can support Booker with resources and money during combat. Also get out of harm ways pretty well despite sometimes standing in the middle of thew fight.

---

Elizabeth is a Human. Although her innate powers to manipulate the Tears would qualify her as a Variant Human, we're gonna take it a step further and give her the Mark of Passage from Eberron: Rising from the Last War. We get a +2 Dexterity and a +1 to one ability of our choice (Intelligence), ability to speak Common and one language of our choice, thanks to Courier's Speed our standard speed is 35 feet, with Intuitive Motion we can add 1d4 to any Acrobatics check used to operate and maintain a land vehicle, and if ever we gain the ability to cast spells we get some additional Spells of the Mark. Finally, with Misty Passage we can cast the Misty Step spell once per long rest (with Dexterity as our ability modifier).

Being left alone for so long and having nothing to do but reading made Elizabeth quite a Sage. We gain proficiency in Arcana and History, two languages of our choice, and the Researcher feature; we can now lead Booker around to the right place when trying to find a piece of information (such as code for a lock).

ABILITY SCORES

We're starting with Intelligence; we've spent so long in seclusion with nothing but books. Follow that up with Dexterity, to help us with lockpicking, stealth, and platforming across Columbia. Constitution will be next, we can survive a lot of running and experiments in alternate timeline.

Wisdom will be next, what good is book knowledge if you do not apply it in real life. Charisma is on the lower end; Elizabeth had so little human interaction, she didn't have time to perfect her persuasion or intimidation skills. Finally, we're dumping Strength.

CLASS

Level 1 - Rogue: Running away from your adopted-but-not-really father who was using your powers to control the entire brainwashed city sounds like a good definition of going rogue. We start with a d8 as our Hit Dice, we get [8 + our Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, proficiencies with light armour, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords, and thieves' tools. Elizabeth doesn't have any armour or weapons in the game, but consider giving her at least a dagger. We'll cover the armour later. Our saving throws are Dexterity and Intelligence, and we get to pick four class skills from the list (Investigation, Perception, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth).

Rogues start by honing their skills even further with Expertise. We select two skills we're proficient in (or one skill + thieves' tools) and we double our proficiency bonus (not our ability modifier) when using those skills. We're gonna get better in Stealth, to make sure we are unseen in dangerous situations, as well as thieves' tools, to make sure no lock poses a challenge.

Rogues also get the abilit to Sneak Attack. Once per turn, if you have an advantage on your attack (and use a ranged weapon or one with the finesse property) or your target is within 5 feet of another creature hostile to it, you can add 1d6 extra damage to your damage roll.

We also learn Thieves' Cant, a system of words and phrases that can be used to convey a hidden message to others who also speak it (for me, it's always Cockney Rhyming Slang).

Level 2 - Rogue: We learn Cunning Action. From now on, we can transform the following Actions into Bonus Actions:

Dash - We gain extra movement for the duration of the turn, equal to our ground speed;

Disengage - Moving away from the target's melee range does not provoke an attack of opportunity;

Hide - We make a Stealth check to hide.

Level 3 - Rogue: Here, we pick our subclass - our Rogue Archetype - and for the smart and observant Elizabeth, I can think of nothing better but the Inquisitive archetype. With our Ear for Deceit, we can treat any Insight check roll that's lower than 7 as 8. With Eye for Detail, we can use a Bonus Action instead of an Action to make a Perception or an Investigation check. Always useful to find extra ammo, salts, or money. We also master Insightful Fighting, which lets us make a contested Insight check against the target's Deception; if we're successful, we come up with a good positioning and strategy, and we can apply Sneak Attack damage even if we don't have an advantage.

Speaking of Sneak Attack, our bonus damage now becomes 2d6.

Level 4 - Rogue: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement. We're gonna put one point into Constitution for better Hit Points and one into Wisdom, as we slowly come to the realisation something's not right in Columbia...

Level 5 - Wizard: Now it's time to play with port.. err Tears. Multiclassing into Wizard gives us... nothing, unfortunately. We do, however, learn Arcane Recovery: once per day (during a short rest), we can recover some spell slots we've expended. The spell slots can have a combined level equal to (or less than) half of our Wizard level rounded up.

Related to that, we now learn Spellcasting. Intelligence is our casting ability, and we know cantrips, regular spells, and rituals. Wizards can write new spells into their spellbook (or perhaps pulling those spells from other timelines) and they start with a few spells of their choice: three cantrips (for us it's Create Bonfire, Mending, and Sword Burst) and six 1st-level spells (we'll get Alarm, Detect Magic, Distort Value, Mage Armour, Tenser's Floating Disk, and Unseen Servant). From our Mark of Passage we also learn Expeditious Retreat and Jump.

Level 6 - Wizard: We pick our second subclass here, our Arcane Tradition. To make our Tears and multiverse manipulations more stable, we're going to pick the School of Conjuration. Since we are now a Conjuration Savant, the time and money we spend when copying Conjuration spells to our spellbook is halved. With Minor Conjuration, we can conjure an inanimate object in our hand or on the ground within 10 feet radius. The object must be no bigger than 3 feet on a side and weigh up to 10 pounds, be non-magical, and when conjured it sheds dim light for 5 feet. It lasts for 1 hour or until taken or dealt damage, and we can only create one object at the time.

We also get to pick two more 1st-level spells: Silent Image and Snare.

Level 7 - Wizard: At this level we unlock 2nd-level spells. From our level-up we can get two new spells (Arcane Lock and Borrowed Knowledge) and from our Mark of Passage we get Misty Step and Pass Without Trace.

Level 8 - Wizard: Time for another ASI. This time, we're putting two points in Constitution, to get some better survivability. We also get a choice of a new cantrip (Message) and two more spells (Locate Object and Mirror Image).

Level 9 - Wizard: We unlock 3rd-level spells. Let's get Galder's Tower and Melf's Minute Meteors from our level-up, and we will get Blink and Phantom Steed from our Mark of Passage.

Level 10 - Wizard: Halfway through the build and we get Benign Transportation. We can use our action to teleport into an unocupied space within 30 feet of us. Alternatively, we can pick a space occupied by a Small or Medium creature and (if they're willing) swap places with them. We can do that once per long rest or until we cast a Conjuration spell of at least 1st-level. And speaking of Conjuration magic, let's grab two summoning spells here: Summon Fey and Summon Shadowspawn.

Level 11 - Wizard: We unlock 4th-level spells. From our level-up, let's grab Banishment and Fabricate. From our Mark of Passage we also get Dimension Door and Freedom of Movement.

Level 12 - Wizard: Time for more ASI. For now, let's improve our Dexterity by two point for some better Initiative, AC, and hiding skills. For our spells, let's gram Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum and Summon Construct to call some more support

Level 13 - Wizard: We unlock 5th-level spells. From our level-up, let's grab Legend Lore and Wall of Force. We also gain our last spell from the Mark of Passage: Teleportation Circle.

Level 14 - Wizard: We get to pick our final cantrip (Mage Hand) and unlock next subclass feature. With Focused Conjuration, when we're concentrating on a Conjuration spell, our concentration cannot be broken. For this level's spells, let's pick Mislead and Rary's Telepathic Bond.

Level 15 - Wizard: We unlock 6th-level spells. Let's grab Arcane Gate and True Seeing to detect the smallest of Tears.

Level 16 - Wizard: With another ASI, we can bump up our Constitution by two more points here. For this level's spells, we can actually get back a bit and grab Far Step and Scrying.

Level 17 - Wizard: Unlocking 7th-level spells here. Time to finally start exploring other worlds and timelines with Dream of the Blue Veil and Plane Shift.

Level 18 - Wizard: We get access to our final subclass feature. Durable Summons give all creatures we summon or create additional 30 Temporary Hit Points upon summoning. Let's bring the image of another world to us with Mirage Arcane and summon another Elizabeth with Project Image.

Level 19 - Wizard: We unlock 8th-level spells. We can now create our own little worlds with Demiplane, and it's finally time to call an old friend with Illusory Dragon.

Level 20 - Wizard: Our capstone is Wizard 16, where we end with an ASI. So let's get some more Dexterity for that nice-looking 20. For our final spells, let's take Maze and Mighty Fortress.

---

And that's our Multidimensional Marvel, Elizabeth. Let's see what we came out with:

First of all, this is clearly a support character. Their purpose is to hide, sneak, move around the battlefield, and provide assistance to the party by conjuring additional reinforcements. With enhanced ground speed, several teleporting spells, and proficiency in stealth, we should be able to provide long-range support without risking detection or damage.

Our AC is 15 (18 with Mage Armour), +5 to Initiative, and average of 142 Hit Points.

Unfortunately, we don't have a lot in terms of direct offense, both magical and physical. While our Dexterity managed to reach 20, we still have a negative Strength modifier and our Wisdom and Charisma are on the lower end; this could be problematic, since those are two of the more used saving throws.

---

Oh, wow. That took way too long than I wanted. I actually scrapped the entire build (originally it was Echo Knight Fighter with Illusion Wizard) and watched several playthroughs to get a feel for Elizabeth, but I hope in the end I've created something playable.

Unfortunately, a lot has happened during the time I was away, my loves. As of today, I've lost my job for which I've moved cities to live on my own. Silverlining, I will have time for you, so I guess we're back in action. I'll see you in the next one, my friends.

-Nerdy out