#game of thrones crossover call of duty

[witchthewriter]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 & 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐬

a/n: crossover that I really wanted to do. I've used dragons from every timeline.

gif cred: @gameofthronesdaily.

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ | ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ ᴵᴵ

I wanted to make this as simple as possible, so I'm not going into backgrounds or Houses or the wheres, whos and whys. But if you'd like me to make backstories for them, let me know in my inbox!

(but p.s. I can already see Kyle being a Velaryon Prince and Simon a Targaryen because of their natural features.)

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 | 𝑴𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒚𝒔

There's something very regal about John - he holds himself with dignity and grace. He walks with pride and knows his rank/his place. Because he's earnt it.

Meleys, who was once known as the quickest dragon in Westeros, also holds herself the exact same way John does.

She is the Red Queen, vicious, fierce and unyielding. She is royalty - looks it too.

I'm not quite sure she'd like a male rider - there would have to be a lot of winning her over. All her other riders have been female, and very bold. Yet, when Meleys saw the bravery of John, she allowed him to mount her.

But the two of them together would be an absolute force to be reckoned with. Intelligence mixed with tactics, and planning - they would soon become one of the most feared rider and mount in history.

𝐊𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 | 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈

Known by a lot of positive traits, the first one being: understanding her responsibilities. Silverwing is the perfect dragon.

Great with people, friendly, and elegant. She knows when eyes are on her.

In the same way that Kyle can make a friend wherever he is. People find him very charming.

Both are great at socialising. This reflects how a dragonrider usually has similar traits to their mount.

Know their duties, but also know when enough is enough. They don't let others walk all over them.

𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 | 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓

Ooh boy, okay so these two bonded over being grumpy and moody.

While Vermithor used to be the mount of one of Westerosi's greatest Kings, I think he would like Simon a whole lot more.

Simon, who would never make him do anything Simon wouldn't do himself.

Both of them hate too much company.

And the only way to truly get away from people is in the air.

Vermithor might be considered an old man, but he's still got that passion within him, and damn anyone who says what he can and cannot do

The pair could be gone for weeks. Only relying on one another for company, aiding each other in getting food and Vermithor being wonderful at finding bodies of water.

Although they do usually go to the same places now.

Sometimes Simon forgets how formidable Vermithor is - and that in the past anyone who approached him would burn to death by his flame.

But really Simon only sees a big lizard with wings who snores when he sleeps and grunts when he's angry. Oh, and watch out for his tail because he will try to knock you over when he's irritated.

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐓𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐡 | 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒙𝒆𝒔

Let's gather what we know about Soap: intelligent (obviously, no one in the army reaches that level by being a complete tosser), he's active and ready to be in the field i.e, now the air.

Meraxes is known for being an avid flyer. Her first and only rider, Rhaenys the First, flew her mount so much - some say it was the collective amount of both her brother and sister riding their own beasts.

Johnny is the dragonrider who is constantly scowering for dragon eggs. If he finds them, he cares for them like they're his own children.

Johnny would literally be the Father of Dragons. Would 100% do a Dany and walk into fire to see if the eggs will hatch (don't worry the other boys look out for him and Meraxes would never let him be so stupid as to willingly hurt himself.)

If you have a different opinion I'm more than happy to hear it!

[bone-trash]

COD Headcanons #5

Fantasy AU - Part 1

Kingsguard!Ghost x BratPrince!Soap

(GOT/HOTD inspired — continued in my series The Hunt on AO3)

Prince John is not first in line to the throne, though as the “spare” to his father’s heir he must be protected at all times.

He’s disinterested in the political goings on of court life and is the epitome of a degenerate royal, drinking and whoring all he can with the most beautiful girls and boys available and generally being a twat

He picks out his bodyguard personally, the Knight in question had been a bastard once but was relegitimized due to his valor in battle and many wins on the jousting fields

The Ghost is a weapon in combat and a vision to see. Sword arm thrusting through the enemies’ shield as though it were butter, blood splatter bright against the ebony armor, (gone rusty at some edges if John is honest with himself, better fix that right away the look of the knight will reflect back into him) faceplate depicting the vision of Death itself, a grinning skull molded across his helm

When he wins his match and is bade to come close and kneel before his new Lord, The Ghost does, but with visible tension in his shoulders and removes his helmet as requested. Though his eyes are downcast John can see the fire of indignity as clear as day (hmm may need breaking in then)

Still, he’s pretty enough despite the unfortunate scars, a fresh slice above his eye drips a crimson line downward and looks lovely against the paleness of his brow. The wide set of his shoulders and thick corded muscle of his neck testify to the brute strength hidden below the hand-me-down armor

When the tourney ends Prince John retires immediately to his rooms The Ghost following rather somberly behind, helmet securely in place again

John, though his reputation is cruel, has had enough of the game and drops his robes almost immediately, striding up to his new Guard and wrapping his arms around the gorget at his neck, pressing a chaste kiss to the grim faceplate.

John has him there on the furs in front of his grand fireplace. Like many of the men sworn, or hoping to be, to his father’s service The Ghost (or Simon as he so prettily begged to be called instead) had been unspoiled. There on the floor, miles of pale scarred flesh spread before him like a palace feast, and John can hardly believe his luck (Hm, maybe not so hard to break after all)

He leaves behind cruel bites and bruises all over the taut muscled thighs and firm chest of his loyal lapdog, the whining beast already half in love with John before the spend even dries on his stomach. Nectar sweet noises of pleasure die in his throat as John gets up and redresses without ceremony

Eyes gone cold again The Ghost reaches for his shorn mail as well and makes to take his post back outside his Lord’s quarters when John snatches for his hand, still uncovered by his left gauntlet, and presses his warm lips to Simon’s knuckles. He can’t let this be the last time.

He’s always had a fondness for pretty things

[thedovesaredying]

Flames of Green | CoD x GoT/HotD | Simon "Ghost" Riley x F!Reader x John "Soap" MacTavish | Part 1.

Artwork by Elizabeth

You're the heir to the Iron Throne, the eldest child of the current king with the blood of the Targaryens flowing through your veins. Unfortunately, you're due to be married off to a mysterious Northern lord by the name of John MacTavish. At least your closest friend and member of your guard, Simon Riley, will be by your side throughout it all.

A/N: I'm back in my House of the Dragon era, so I'm mixing hyperfixations. The Cannibal doesn't get enough love, he's a nasty bastard and he deserves to cause some chaos. It will eventually be a Ghost x Reader x Soap relationship and likely a bit of a slowburn. Literally just for my own entertainment, but I hope y'all enjoy.

Warnings: None

Masterlist: CoD Masterlist

Next

It’s times like this that you mourn the loss of your youth. Forced to sit in silence while discussions are held by old men around a table, weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of your future marriage to every potential high lord in Westeros. Your opinion is never considered, let alone asked for by any of your father’s advisors, your compliance expected regardless.  

If you had been born a man you could have your pick of any woman in the kingdom to take as a wife, but instead, you’re forced to simply accept whatever man is placed in front of you. Such is the burden of being the princess and heir to House Targaryen. You will be made to give up the right to rule the kingdom to the high lord assigned to you, never to touch the ever-elusive Iron Throne that should have been yours by right.  

You had never really taken the prospect of marriage too seriously in your youth, always considering it a problem for the you of the future to deal with. You didn’t care to forge lasting alliances with other ladies and lords, too busy dragging your poor best friend, Simon, through the gardens and dirtying your extravagant dresses. 

But those days were over. 

Talk of wedding a powerful lord and bringing forth the next line of Targaryen children is all that fills your ears now. You’re forced to entertain every man, young and old, that wishes to gain your favour with a polite smile and feigned interest. You don’t even have your dear Simon to offer you his companionship and a break from the cruel realities of the world. No doubt he would have entertained you with his dry remarks about each man set before you.  

It has been years since you last saw Simon. He was taken from the Red Keep by his father and sent to squire for another lord in the hopes of teaching him the art of warfare. Lord Riley was a foul man, constantly berating his son for spending his time with the Princess rather than roughhousing with his fellow boys. He considered the boy too soft and squeamish at the sight of blood to make a good future lord of their keep.  

You disagreed, of course, Simon was perfect just the way he was; gentle and kind to all those around him. Your friend couldn’t hurt a fly, but he was still one of the bravest people you knew.  

You dread to think just how much he would have hated being drawn into battles, forced to kill other men with his own hands. The letters he occasionally wrote to you always steered clear of depicting the violence you were certain he must have been subjected to, but you’re far from naive enough to hope he has yet to participate in any bloodshed. As the years dragged on, word from him has grown scarce, however, to the point where you can hardly remember when you heard from him last.  

What you do know, is that he had been sent to offer assistance in maintaining peace throughout the Stepstones, killing raiders and pirates that would endanger trade routes to King’s Landing.  

But that was almost six months ago, and there has been little else to soothe your vexed nerves over his safety. He had made a promise to you the day he left, that once his training was done he would return to your side, this time as a knight who would offer himself to your Queen’s Guard once the time was right. Never again would he leave you, more than happy to forfeit the ruling of his own homeland if it meant he could keep you safe.  

You had clung to that promise every day for years after his departure, but with each passing moment it become harder to hold out hope of seeing him again. After all, what is one promise between children in the grand scheme of things?  

It’s a blessing when you’re finally relieved from the meeting, escaping from the suffocating air within the council chambers and fleeing to the safety of your room. You don’t even pause to ensure one of your guards is following you, getting straight to stripping from your dress and replacing it with your riding gear.  

As the carriage carries you away from the city and toward the Dragon Pit your nerves begin to settle. The constant odour of sweat and excrement quickly gives way to fresh air the further away you get. It’s a beautiful day, with hardly a cloud in the sky and wildflowers blooming all along the road. It’s a genuine shame that your day has started so poorly, otherwise you’d have loved to wander the palace gardens and enjoy the midday sun.  

The ground is rocky outside of the dragon pit, and you’re jostled around a bit until the carriage comes to a stop. Although this is your destination, the dragon you seek is not here. Your dragon is far too large to be housed within the Pit.  

Unlike your younger sister, you were not blessed by the Gods to have your dragon egg hatch while you were in the cradle. All throughout your childhood you sat next to it and prayed for the hatchling to come forth, promising you would care for the creature and love it more than anything. But the baby dragon never arrived.  

Many said that it was a sign from the Gods, that you were unfit to be the heir if even your own dragon refused to hatch for you. It was a heavy sentence hanging around your neck, weighing you down and making you feel as though you are worthless, despite the fact you have more power than most of the people laughing at your situation.  

None of them are laughing now.  

You see your dragon stretched out atop one of the nearby ridges. He’s so large that his wings and tail drape over the edge of the rocks, entirely unconcerned by the humans fearfully gathered beneath him as he snoozes away in the warmth of the sun. His scales are like coal, absorbing every ray of sunshine that he can.  

The Cannibal may not be as large as Vhagar, but he’s far older and, as many would argue, far meaner than the old girl. Where most dragons have vibrant, golden eyes, you’re greeted by a pair of sinister green the moment you draw near. His go-to reaction to most things is aggression, and you’ve seen many people meet their end in a blast of emerald flame for merely disturbing him.  

It’s for that precise reason you’re stunned to see someone standing beside the grumpy old beast. There’s only one person other than yourself who could get anywhere near the Cannibal without immediately being swallowed whole. The man pauses his rubbing of your dragon’s scales the moment he sees you, only to earn a displeased whack from the Cannibal’s snout. You bite your lip to force down the grin that’s threatening to spread across your face when the man drops down to one knee, his head bowed respectfully.  

“Lord Riley,” you nod, “I do believe that’s my dragon you’re touching.” That earns a groan from the Cannibal, his massive head twisting away from you both, as though already bored of the conversation.  

“A thousand apologies, princess,” Simon grins, his eyes sparkling with mirth, “your dragon was growing impatient.” The dragon in question huffs, his tail twitching like an agitated cat.  

Simon looks so different from the last time you saw him. He’s both taller and broader, completely filled out with muscles. When he stands again, you’re face to face with the rather intimidating bone mask adorning his face. You’re not certain if it’s real bone, but at that moment you could have cared less, throwing yourself at the large man.  

He catches you easily, holding you tightly against his larger body. It’s entirely improper and if anyone other than your guards witnessed such an interaction there would no doubt be whispers abound. Perhaps it’s a good thing Simon decided to meet you somewhere so private.  

“When did you get back?” you ask, leaning back just long enough to look him in the eye.  

“We docked late last night,” he answers, and you can feel the way his chest rumbles with each word. His deep voice soothes something within you, your stress dissipating like mist at dawn. “We received word that the King’s Guard now has an open position,” he continues, and then much to your shock adds, “I’m here to fill that position.”  

You pull away from him almost completely, only your hands still gently curled around his gauntlets, “but I heard that your father was recently taken ill, don’t you need to return home?”  

While the mask hides the majority of Simon’s face, you can still see the way the skin around his eyes crinkles slightly, “I made a promise to serve my future Queen,” he takes your hand from his arm and presses the back of your palm to where his lips are beneath his mask, “if you’ll have me, princess.”  

You can feel your face burning with the intensity with which Simon stares at you. “I’m certain my father will be delighted to have such a well-regarded warrior in his service,” you smile, gently pulling your hands away from the knight, despite the urge to keep holding onto him.  

Before you can continue the conversation, the Cannibal turns his head back to your again, nudging at you with an irritated huff. His breath is scalding against your skin, yet it doesn’t burn you, thankfully. You place your hand against the beast’s snout, feeling the thick scales shift under your leather gloves. “Gīda,” you coo to the dragon, waiting until he lowers his wing to the floor to provide you with a way to climb onto his back. He’s far too large for you to mount the same way you would a younger dragon.  

Once settling into the Cannibal’s saddle, you grin down at your friend, “I look forward to seeing you in the keep, my lord.” You only have the time to see Simon’s quick nod, before your dragon is leaping from the edge of the ridge, forcing an end to your conversation. You can feel his clear exasperation through your bond and ensure to give the old dragon a scratch to the neck.  

[could-they-be-a-pro-wrestler]

THIS WEEK’S EPISODE OF NXTB (Next X-Treme Tumblr Blorbo)

THE NXTB CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Previously, it was decided that the NXTB Championship match will be a Fatal 4-way between current titleholder Adonis Creed (Creed), Ren Amamiya (Persona 5), Jim Halpert (The Office), and Tyler Owens (Twisters).

Ren is still recovering after being attacked by an unknown assailant. Because of this, the ABW management has decided to hire security guards for the four competitors’ protection…

[theguywithaplan]

List of Video Games turning ten (10) years old in 2025

Alone in the Dark: Illumination (if you thought the AitD game from last year was bad, check this shit out).

Angry Birds 2 (yes, there was a 2).

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer

Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival (two AC games from 2015 and neither of them were what people wanted).

Assassin's Creed Syndicate (the Bri'ish one).

Atelier Shallie

Axiom Verge

Batman: Arkham Knight

Battlefield: Hardline (the last game from Visceral Games, the guys who made the Dead Space series).

The Beginner's Guide (the second game from the creator of The Stanley Parable).

Bloodborne (anything for the 10th anniver-- no. Never gonna happen).

Broken Age

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash

Cities: Skylines

Crypt of the NecroDancer

Devil's Third (one of the rarest Wii U games ever).

Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance

Disney Infinity 3.0

Dragon Ball XenoVerse (the first one. not the second).

Dying Light

Evolve (these guys would go on to make Back 4 Blood).

Fallout 4

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD

Game of Thrones (the Telltale game)

Guitar Hero Live

Halo 5: Guardians

Hatred (a game so edgy and terrible that it got itself kicked off of Steam).

Helldivers (the first one).

Heroes of the Storm (the Blizzard MOBA).

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

HuniePop (for all you pervs out there).

I Am Bread

Just Cause 3

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (the quintessential VR game)

Kerbal Space Program

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (one of the few Wii U games that hasn't been ported to the Switch. And probably never will be).

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Lego Dimensions (a crossover game with about a billion different franchises).

Lego Jurassic World

Life is Strange (controversial opinion: I sacrificed Chloe and felt nothing).

Mario Party 10 (the only MP on the Wii U)

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (back when the 3DS was single-handedly keeping MH alive)

Mortal Kombat X

Need for Speed (the reboot)

The Order: 1886

Ori and the Blind Forest

Pillars of Eternity

Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

Prison Architect

Rainbow Six: Siege

Rare Replay

Resident Evil: Revelations 2

Rise of the Tomb Raider

Rock Band 4

Rocket League

Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (RIP Volition. You were too good for the modern day).

Shadowrun: Hong Kong

Skylanders: SuperChargers

Soma (the best horror game ever made. Play it if you haven't yet).

Splatoon

Star Wars: Battlefront (the EA reboot).

StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void (RIP StarCraft. You were too good for modern day Blizzard).

Steven Universe: Attack the Light!

Story of Seasons (the very fight one)

Super Mario Maker

Tales from the Borderlands (the best thing that Telltale EVER made).

Tales of Zestiria

Tembo the Badass Elephant (published by Sega and developed by Game Freak... the Pokemon guys).

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5

Total War: Attila

Transformers: Devastation (RIP PlatinumGames. You... kinda started sucking after Astral Chain).

Undertale (yep, it's happening).

Until Dawn

Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (just in time for the 4th game)

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (remember, kids: Nazi lives don't matter).

Xenoblade Chronicles X (finally escaping the Wii U this year).

Yakuza 5

Yo-Kai Watch

Yoshi's Woolly World

[rei-ismyname]

X-Manhunt Chuck Hunt Omega Review

It's been a short and baffling road that's led us here to the finale of Chuck Hunt, but fortunately it's very easy to sum up for anyone coming in blind. Charles Xavier received a distress call from his Shi'Ar daughter Xandra and escaped from prison while affected by a brain tumor. Inconveniencing various X-Men along the way, he resurrected his long dead wife, Lilandra, and brought her up to speed. He's fucking off to space (again) with his imperialist bird wife (again) to heal a sickness (again.) It doesn't make any sense at all, so join me in the absurdity of disconnected action scenes and OOC moments before a big goodbye. Like Game of Thrones season 8, it looks great and makes little sense while blowing stuff up.

Frankly, I've found this event really frustrating. Chuck visited most of the X-books for an issue but the character and relationship payoffs have been slim. Exceptional X-Men handled it best by not having him appear at all, Red Skies Crossover style. Xavier has had a tremendous impact on everyone's life but he's only engaged with them performatively and superficially. It feels like he doesn't really care about the chaos he leaves in his wake, which is nothing new, and the resolution of his mission has been spoiled by solicits. I'm not mad about it, it's so ridiculous that I have to laugh.

In what's becoming a hallmark of From The Ashes, a flashback recontextualises the inter X-Men team dynamics. Scott thinks Xavier should stay in prison; Rogue disagrees and thinks Scott has some scheme requiring his absence, for reasons. Scott's dream speech is hilariously nonsensical while Rogue is just being obnoxious.

Gambit interjects before Scott can finish a sentence and Magik says what I've been thinking - 'what did Scott do?' What's the fucking problem, yo? We've seen in Uncanny that, yes, it is personal. Scott's name has been used as an insult. They relitigate the fall of Krakoa for some reason, with Rogue having an interesting summation. 'Taking out Phoenix' had only the broadest relationship to Krakoa's fall. Xavier surrendered due to ORCHIS sneaking a kill switch into Krakoan drugs, then he forced everyone through the gates. Rogue had the best view of anyone, as she carried Xavier to Krakoa where he broke down over thinking he'd killed everyone. She missed the rest because of Avengers duty.

The characters and the readers are both being gaslit into swallowing this tripe. I don't have room to show it, but Mystique is here to look sad. Mystique hates Chuck, and she should. Melee, Bronze, and the Outliers are here crying over a dude they've never met. Magneto has nothing to say, nor does Juggernaut. X-Manhunt has been a mishmash of discontinuity with motivations changing from page to page, let alone between issues. It's simply unbelievable that anyone would believe the narrative Chuck is selling, but that's what's on the page. There's no resolution here, no nod to history, recent or otherwise. Chuck is leaving and that's that, delusional goodbye speech and all.

I find it helpful to imagine circus music playing in the background of this discussion. Rogue has conspiracy theories, Gambit backs up Rogue, Scott is rendered speechless, and Magik tries to be the adult in the room. The only thing they achieve is a tentative alliance, something they probably had anyway. The best part is that none of this matters even a little bit. By the end they'll all be herded to where Chuck, ringleader of this circus, wants them.

Ilyana has multiple swords now, and Scott powers one up with optic blasts for THE RED SURFER! She could just teleport, but this is looks cooler. Why show tactics when you can go fucking cowabunga dudes! Lilandra is having a yarn to Chuck while giving him brain surgery, lol. It's standard curriculum for all Shi'Ar rulers. Gladiator could do this but he doesn't want to. She talks about her and Chuck feeling pain but it's overwhelmingly his 'children' that suffer. Obviously Yana is blown out of the sky, only to be caught by a demon Kaiju she summoned. Obviously.

Sage appears out of nowhere with John Wraith in tow, who has a robot Kaiju Sage borrowed from Storm. Yeah, Storm has Evangelion shit on her spaceship. Anyway, John speaks entirely in bible verse. They have a Kaiju fight, which wasn't on my Chuck Hunt bingo card, and Magik gets fucked up. SCARLET SCATTERSHOT! No onomatopoeia here - we're naming moves because it's just so 3P1C!!!1! Magik is explicitly said to be bleeding out but nobody takes it very seriously. She'll be fine.

Magik easily teleports Scott onto Mr and Mrs Avian's fleeing ship, so yes they could have done this at any time. In a Hallmark moment, Scott removes his visor with a single tear streaming down his face. That's how we know this is emotional. It's been ten minutes and the brain surgery is nearly done lol, but it's kinda irrelevant because Chuck sends his astral form to just talk to Scott.

Xavier says the most insane shit possible in his speculation as to why he's being pursued. 'I'm trying to bail on all my responsibilities after fucking you all over. Why are you chasing me?' Scott's muzzle is finally removed so he can tell this man how delusional he is. Xavier comes clean about his moronic schemes and then claims that he's sacrificed so much for others. Probably not the best argument for a child soldier whose life you controlled since he was 15. Who's spent his entire life bleeding for your dream, which you're giving up on. Chuck is actually mad that Scott doesn't get it, when he's kept everything a secret. What's more, Scott has zero reaction to this revelation. None. Chuck is leaving and there's no time to payoff even the meagre emotional stakes that were setup. Don't worry, they'll get shit on even further.

Obviously he's yeeted off the ship by an unnamed move. How can we tell what it is? My suggestion would be END OF ACT 2 BEAM! As Scott plummets to his death, the ringleader cracks the whip and X-Men come tumbling out of a clown car. Rogue catches him, in a completely unearned moment of solidarity. It's surprising, yes, in the same way a baby is surprised at peek-a-boo. There's no object permanence here as people just appear where they're needed for the next bombastic moment. Instead of being relieved, Scott feels that he's failed. That they'll be blamed for the mess Chuck left behind. It's a valid position, considering The O*N*E came for them over a lot less than this. He has a panic attack and starts shooting optic blasts everywhere. That's not how they work, but it doesn't matter. Just pretend everyone has a red nose on as the circus music intensifies.

Yep, that's definitely the most appropriate way to handle Scott's very real mental health issues. Stab the motherfucker. Only the homoeroticism of Logan gently penetrating his ex gives it any kind of grace. Circus music clashes with 'intimate violence in the rain' vibes but that's what Chuck Hunt is - disparate scenes that would be powerful with setup and context smashed together to elicit unearned emotional response.

I'm not even going to touch Logan's lengthy Super Saiyan speech. He says some dumb shit then stabs Scott in the gut. Rogue could have stopped this far more safely. The point is that Chuck is gone and they have to make their own way. Scott already knew that, in fact he knew it twenty years ago. Scott's dead and Xavier is in space.

Good news everyone! Scott is totally fine, despite the very lethal gut stabbing. Ilyana too. Xavier's tumor is fixed like the trifle it is and he's back already, having summoned an arbitrary group of mutants for an unearned goodbye. The guard that killed his family and the entire city of San Francisco? Fuck them, somebody else's problem. It takes some gall to make us jump through all these hoops and present dire problems (like Xandra) only to not pay them off at the end. In fact, they never mattered in the first place. Xandra is barely mentioned, just a McGuffin who's probably having her teeth pulled out with pliers.

We also learn that Xavier had some great soup here once. Nice!

Logan doesn't want to fight. Growth! He apologises for the trivial wound he gave Scott, who shrugs it off. I don't care what Brevoort says, this is flirting.

Xavier has the balls to say that mutants are choosing to fight each other, when that's clearly not true. It's also the reason he formed the X-Men - to beat down mutants who weren't behaving themselves. They were fighting because of you, buddy. For some reason nobody challenges this, nor his claim that he never wanted to be a general. Scott didn't either - you made him one. Shit, maybe we're still in Graymalkin and this is all a hallucination. It doesn't look anything like reality. I suppose it's a small price to pay for being rid of Chuck for a few years, but it's an audacious misrepresentation of X-Men history.

It's cost you? YOU? Motherfucker that is a terrible apology. 'Well, it's been tough for me, which I'm sorry for, and that's why I'm leaving. Good luck living in the mess I created. Catch you later when the MCU synergy comes.'

Emma kisses him on the cheek and tells him he deserves it. Why not? It's not like she hates him or anything. 🙄 Kids who have never met him or heard of him are crying but Scott has zero reaction. Nada. Contradicts everything we've been shown, even in this event. If that's what it takes to get rid of Chuck? Sure, see you later dude. Scott should start a school, you say? I know a great place for that, but it's been turned into a ghoulish prison due to someone's actions. Scott is at war with the USA - fortunately DOOM is building schools. Let's go with that. Maybe he's just exhausted with this man and his schemes within schemes. He should have known the chessmaster had a ruse going, one that gave him PTSD and fucked everything up.

There's so many things I could be mad about, but who has the energy? We jumped through flaming hoops to get here and ignored character moments that make any sense in favour of dizzying spectacle. As Gambit does cartwheels, the circus music plays Chuck out, and I choose to clap like a walrus. X-Manhunt wasn't very good - it wasn't trying to be good, but maybe the X-books can figure out a new Chuck-less thesis or identity. Imperial should be fun, and really we're just playing a familiar beat - Chuck bailing to space while the X-Men get on with their lives. Nice to see he's recovered quickly from brain surgery too. Good for him, and nice work Lilandra.

[the-californicationist]

twenty questions for fic writers!

thank you for the tag @crashtestbunny 🩷 i've been looking forward to this questionnaire!

here's my AO3 link if anyone needs it

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

91

2. what's your total ao3 word count?

503410

3. what fandoms do you write for?

Call of Duty (AO3)

Game of Thrones (AO3)

Blacklist (AO3)

Doctor Who (Private)

True Blood (Private)

Firefly (Private)

Star Wars (Private)

4. top five fics by kudos

Guile & Guilt (COD: Soap/Reader)

The Window (COD: Poly141/Reader)

Gunslinger (COD: Price/Reader)

5. do you respond to comments?

Yes! I try to respond to all my comments. I miss them sometimes, but for the most part, I try to get to every one.

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Budapest (COD: Price/Reader) TW: Major Character Death

7. what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Good Fences (COD: Price/Reader)

8. do you get hate on fics?

No. I would cry. Keep the hate to yourselves, please. I'm like an unguarded marshmallow of a person.

9. do you write smut?

I think that's the only thing I can write.

10. craziest crossover:

Gravitational Shift (COD/Star Wars: Price/Sith Female OC)

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

No, luckily I'm not famous enough for that.

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! Gunslinger (COD: Price/Reader) is available in Russian.

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

The Sin Eater (COD: Monster!Price/Reader) is co-authored with the illustrious @vampirekilmerfic. When our lives calm down, we'll be finishing the damn thing. 🩷

I am also working on a Regency!Price fic with @ofdivinity01 TBA soon. 🩷

14. all time favorite ship?

SanSan

15. what's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I will finish them all.

16. what are your writing strengths?

Dialogue

Descriptions of dicks

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

Pacing. I'm always in such a hurry.

Lack of variety. I'm addicted to the HEA.

18. thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I have my PhD in Linguistics, so any chance I get, I love to include languages and dialects different from Standard English.

I spent about a month researching the difference between German and Austrian for Guardian (COD: Konig/FemOC). Probably should've spent some time researching the actual video game, but I was too horny.

When I read fics with other languages in them, it makes it feel more realistic to me, and I really enjoy it when authors throw in any locale-specific socio-cultural information as well.

19. first fandom you wrote in?

Harry Potter

20. favorite fic you've written?

Goldfish (GOT: Sandor/Sansa). I love it. I'm so proud of myself for what I was able to accomplish with that fic. Horrible reception, though.

In my COD collection, it would have to be Gunslinger, but I think Ursa Major might give it a run for its money.

NPTs: @vampirekilmerfic // @kit-williams // @deadbranch

[mariacallous]

Group chats, including at least one of mine, can’t get enough. #KateGate—loosely, a collection of theories around the whereabouts and well-being of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales—presently seems to be occupying more brain cells than oxygen.

Gossip has been flying ever since January, when Middleton took a step back from public life for abdominal surgery. For a while it was just mindless chatter, but then Middleton posted a photo on social media, purportedly taken by her husband, Prince William, that news agencies determined had been manipulated. Then, speculation—that she’d Gone Girl’d, that the royal family was hiding something—turned fully conspiratorial, and turned the conspiracies into a cultural moment. (See also: crossover memes showing Middleton at the weird Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow.)

It is as though, two decades later, the British royal family is just now learning about the Streisand effect. Back in 2003, Barbara Streisand sued a photographer for releasing a picture of her home that few people had seen. But the suit itself, which Streisand ultimately lost, led far more people to the photo than probably would have otherwise seen it, and now there’s a whole effect named after this incident. The royals released an altered photo and now it’s part of a “-gate”: #KateGate. By trying to relay that everything is fine, the photo lured even more people into questioning what was happening with Middleton.

Bottom line: If you’re, say, a member of the monarchy, and you don’t want them thinking your “abdominal surgery” is code for getting a Brazilian butt lift, your best bet, in 2024, is transparency. Anyone with an internet connection now has the kind of bullshit detectorsthat Area 51 believers could’ve only dreamed of—or they act like they do—and they’re going to figure you out.

Granted, they may not find the “right” answer or the “truth,” but they will know when someone is trying to pull a fast one. Thirty years ago, Buckingham Palace may have been able to throw snoopers off, but the internet of 2024 will investigate like no other. We got Taylor Swift conspiracies and QAnon. People wonder if most images are AI-generated for at least a second. Going onto X (formerly Twitter) now feels like stumbling into the writers room of a CSI spinoff—everyone thinks they’re a forensics expert. If anybody, including Middleton, thought no one would notice a doctored photo on Instagram, they were sorely mistaken.

On Monday, TMZ and The Sun released a video showing the Princess of Wales out shopping with Prince William. She was seemingly alive and well. The Sun said it was releasing images of their stroll “in a bid to bring an end to what the Palace has called the ‘madness of social media.’” It did nothing of the sort. Interest in Middleton peaked the next day on Google Trends. #katemiddleton and #whereiskate now have millions of mentions across social media platforms. The madness has not calmed.

People pay attention to the British royal family for the same reason they pay attention to Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon: They love mess. Monday’s grainy footage just made the mess worse. TikTok is full of breakdown videos attempting to debunk the images. Others just wondered aloud if they’d been fully sucked in.

“This was fun for a while, and now I am genuinely at a loss,” one TikTok user posted. “I don’t know if this is how you feel when you actually lose the plot in a conspiracy theory and like five years from now everyone’s like, ‘That’s the moment when we lost them,’ or if we’re like actually watching an insane cover-up take place.”

Following the release of the shopping video and images, “friends of the royals” told The Daily Beast that Middleton would resume her public duties with a “big bang” on March 31, Easter Sunday. On Wednesday, The Cut, which previously wrote that the Middleton affair was a “crisis,” reported that Buckingham Palace was looking for a communications assistant. (Mind you, this is Buckingham, not Kensington, but same operation.) Queen Elizabeth II used to say the royal family must be seen to be believed. That may not be true much longer.

[mycharacterlistandwipdump]

The Plot Synopses of The Silver Chronicles

WILL UPDATE WHEN NECESSARY AND WHEN THERE'S MORE TO ADD!

Main Stories

Silva's Hope (Far Cry 5) - Junior Deputy Silva Omar, despite being two months into the job, is selected as part of an arrest party by the Marshal and Sheriff to bring in the cult leader of the Project of Eden's Gate, the infamous Joseph Seed; a so-called prophet who can hear the Voice of God. Unsuccessful in the arrest attempt, the cult takes over Hope County, and Silva is tasked to form a Resistance to bring down Joseph Seed and his family. Although up to the task at first, the longer the war goes on, the further the sorrow she hides unravels, to both allies and enemies alike.

La Última En Pie (FC5/The Bone Season/Mermaids Of Eriana Kwai/The Priory Of The Orange Tree/The Locked Tomb/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure crossover) - Set three years before Silva's Hope, Sylvester has managed a stable life in Hope County, raising her five-year-old daughter Persephone on the principles and morals she was taught. However, this life is shaken after a familiar presence re-enters her life... but he's changed, and will change her too.

Old Dusk (Far Cry: New Dawn) - It has been 17 years after the bombs dropped in America, and Ezekiel, a Captain of Security, joins Thomas Rush around the remaining states of America to begin rebuilding; including one distressed message from what was once Hope County. Surviving an ambush set by the Highwaymen, Ezekiel aids the citizens of Prosperity into fighting back against the Twins, Mickey and Lou, as well as their anonymous benefactor. Ezekiel finds out more about the history of Hope County... and reunites with an old friend.

Call To Arms (Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Original + Reboot) - This duology will follow the missions of Taskforce 141 through the eyes of Nadi "Quokka" Sinclair, a sharpshooter of the 22nd SAS Regiment. The first fic will focus on Nadi and John "Soap" MacTavish as they are mentored by Captain John Price and Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick as they double tag against enemies such as the Russian Ultranationalists and the Al-Qatala. The second fic focuses on Nadi and Soap as the latter leads Taskforce 141 in their search for Price, hunting down Makarov and avoid World War 3.

Ain't It A Joy? (We Happy Few) - Alexander Khaos was born and raised in the lively city of Wellington Wells, the happiest place in England. He lives his day with a smile on his face and positive attitude; as long as he takes his daily dose of Joy! But what happens when his Joy takes less and less effect on him... and the city he lives in doesn't look so lively anymore...

No One's Safe At Home (Welcome To The Game) - The Deep Web is full of sick and deranged individuals; a cesspool where evil crowd and hunt unsuspecting prey. And yet, if the monsters hunt on the web, is it safe to say someone can use it to hunt them back?

How Good Is A Heist If It's Improvised? (The Grishaverse) - Down on their luck criminals Isiah Popov and Gemini Teal reluctantly take up a gig together after master thief Kaz Brekker lends an offer they couldn't refuse; to aid the Dregs in the heist of Ketterdam's richest criminal kingpins by breaking into the toughest prison to retrieve their money-maker.

Unnamed Bloodborne Fic - Tobias Jäger accompanies his younger sister, Caroline Jäger, to the one place that can give her the life-saving treatment she needs; Yharnam, the city of blood ministration, governed by the mystic Healing Church. Both brother and sister sign away their lives in order to save the other pain... only to discover they are now indebted to the call of the Hunt, and the madness of the long night ahead. Only the Gods, pray they have mercy, can decide how their fates end.

Unnamed Elden Ring Fic - Awoken in a world breaking apart from the decay of war and despair, the Tarnished are called back by Marika's Grace to ascend the throne of the Golden Order, as the Elden Lord who will mend the Elden Ring, after they slaughter the Queen's Demigod children, all blinded and maddened by their ambitions. Some Tarnished seek glory. Others seek redemption. And Chiwa doesn't know shit on what's going on nor how the fuck she got there in the first place. And yet, the All-Seeing Mage, another Tarnished by the name of Selke, believes against all probability that Chiwa is the Lands Between's best hope. Torrent approves. Chiwa and Melina do not share Selke's and Torrent's sentiments.

Additional fics below the cut are of questionable canon are mostly oneshots or AUs that certainly expand the world but do not follow same continuity of the events of the main fics above:

The Deputy Side Stories/Alternate Universes

The Years In Hope County (Far Cry 5) - A collection of slice-of-life short stories of the occupants of Hope County, following the 2023 September Prompts challenge.

Boa Lurking In The Bliss Year Of The OTP 2025 - 2025 prompts for my favorite OTP of this series, Boa Lurking In The Bliss, also known as Silva Omar x Faith Seed.

4 Times Silva Unintentionally Exposed Herself To Faith (And The 1 Time Faith Did It Herself On Purpose) - Four times Faith found Silva exposed in a compromised state, and the one time Faith resolved the sexual tension herself.

A Difficult Choice To Live With - Joseph Seed offers Silva a choice; marry John or Jacob. In a panic, Silva makes an impulsive decision.

A Real Family - Jacob was dying. Then he wasn't. Fate seemed to look kindly on Jacob for once as he's saved from certain death by the local recluse, Silva Omar and her adopted daughter, Azriel. Unbeknownst to Silva, this earns her the Seed Family's favor.

Two Tales Of Two Rooks - Rook joins the Hope County Sheriff's Department as a Junior Deputy, and is mentored by Deputy Silva Omar. However, when conflicts with Eden's Gate worsens, ideals clash, especially involving one Joseph Seed.

A Trial Of Faith - Deputy Silva Omar is knee-deep in a war between the local Hope County residents and the Project at Eden's Gate, and the most concerned she gets is when the visage of the very much alive Seed's sister, Faith, begins haunting her.

A Truce, As Null And Void As Yourself - During a truce meeting, Joseph proposes an outrageous offer; peace in exchange for Silva's hand in marriage with the eldest Seed brother.

Again And Again (Until It's Done Right) - Silva dies and lives and suffers and pushes against the loops of time as she tries everything she can to save Faith (and by extension, her brothers), to end an unending war that only she can experience.

All Yours - Silva seeks out a prepper stash in an old mine in Holland Valley, only to fall in a cave filled with Bliss. Experiencing what she believes to be hallucinations of Faith, she gives into the chance to indulge in a sexual fantasy... or is it?

Always The Last One Standing - The Collapse came, and Silva is captive in a bunker stolen by Joseph Seed. She wants to escape, to get back to something, using whatever she can to get Joseph to release her... including the true fates of his siblings and their whereabouts.

Awaiting The World's End - A month has passed since the death of Persephone, and Silva wishes for this suffering to end. On a cliff side, she encounters one Faith Seed, and offered a place into the paradise called Eden alongside the Seed Family.

Back To Me (As It Was Meant To Be) - Imagine Silva's surprise that her ex-girlfriend joined the cult lead by a man she's supposed to arrest... and how feelings may not be so dead after all.

Before The New Dawn - What if Silva followed the events of the canon game?

Behind Those Angel Eyes (Is A Devil In Disguise) - With Joseph's pressure on her shoulders, and the Resistance pushing against Eden's Gate further, Faith targets a weakness Silva has... an attraction for pretty green-eyed girls.

Blessed Are The Avenged, For Their Retribution Shall Bring Solace - Father Adam Omar publicly executes Silva as a show of power, only to unintentionally strengthen the ties between the Resistance and Eden's Gate with one mutual mission in mind; vengeance

Be More Open Minded, I Still Have Feelings - What if Eden's Gate wasn't as accepting as canon? Well, Silva's about to raise hell in a different way.

I Came Back For You - After a rather harsh dispute, Silva doesn't return to Kamski's Clinic for weeks on end. Which is fine! Kamski's not worried at all. He's very much not fearing for the worse, nor does he think Silva is in any danger at all. Kamski only has his radio on in case he hears Eden's Gate closing in on him, not to hear any word from the silence Silva is giving him. Not at all.

Delightful - Silva learns why Faith calls it "The Bliss".

Earn Each Breath - Faith wants to try out breath-play. Silva... isn't against it.

Faithful - Silva Omar has always had a complicated relationship with faith. In her childhood, her adolescence, to her time in Hope County and during the Reaping. Seventeen years after the Collapse hasn't changed much... or has it?

The Silver Chronicles Drabbles - A collection of small oneshots for many characters throughout the stories of The Silver Chronicles.

The Silver Chronicles Smut Drabbles/Kinktober Prompts - A collection of smut drabbles with various characters from The Silver Chronicles.

Fate Tempts You - When Elsa dies at eight-years-old, a nine-year-old Silva is left alone with her abusive and neglectful father in a house that doesn't feel like home. Until one night, which will be the beginning of many more, she hears the song of the Fae... and makes a friend in spite of the warnings.

Gasp For Air - Waterboarding isn't sexy, Silva concurs. At least, not when John does it to her. Faith, on the other hand...

Generosity - Silva's wounded, and Faith offers a hand. They ignore the tension that emits around them.

Hands On Bare Skin - The first thing Faith notices about Silva, with nothing hiding their naked bodies from their searching eyes, was not the undamaged skin. No, it was the lack of that caught her notice.

Heed To The Sound Of Her Call - Silva can't risk Faith being harmed during the arrest. So she betrays her morals; and her loyalties.

I will not harbour thoughts of Death nor Carnage as your Harbinger, nor will I judge as a Judge of your making - Nadi and Alexander team up and manage to tag and bag Silva on the night of the arrest. The Seeds begin the recruitment process with her, which proves to be easier said than done. Meanwhile, Joey begins to build up a Resistance, while holding Kamski back from laying waste to the county.

I'm Broken (Put Me Back Together Again) - During the Confession with the elusive Deputy, John inadvertently sets off a trauma trigger, a horrifying experience for both her and John alike.

In Our Memories - Silva dies, and everyone who knew her don't know how to grieve... or move on.

Isn't It Lovely (All Alone)? Heart Made Of Glass (Mind of Stone). Tear Me To Pieces (Skin The Bone). Hello... (Welcome Home...) - The scars that Silva harbors inside and out become noticeable far quicker than expected.

It's Only Ever Been Me - Alexander Khaos has lived a life of falsehoods the entire time he's been alive. So can anyone blame him when he lies to Jacob in a panic that his soulmate's initials isn't JS?

Judgement and Solace - Aria Seed is the daughter of the Prophet, Joseph Seed. All she has known is the comfort of the walls within Eden's Gate. However, when the Deputy her father prophesied would bring either salvation or damnation finally arrives to break the First Seal... a temptation to sin manifests.

Lost Wandering In Hope County - While on a break, Silva explores the beautiful landscapes of Hope County, and compares it to the other environments she's survived in. Joseph's commentary over the radio though is very unnecessary.

The Little Blessing - Nadi's journey after Call To Arms and her initiation into the Project at Eden's Gate under John's guidance.

No Snake, Only A Boa In The Garden - The Voice discovers its muse has chosen to become a Coroner instead of a deputy and out of spite tells Joseph that she's the "Mother" and to marry her so the Reaping & the Collapse can begin.

Only One Person Can Frustrate Me (And That's You) - Silva had thought that, after cutting off her first soul mark, she'd be free to choose her own love. However, a random encounter with Faith Seed leads the Deputy to discover a second soul mark. Can these two find love with each other in spite of their reservations and making the best of this fate? Or will they deny their destiny and lead to an ugly end?

Peace Of Thy Soul - Silva doesn't sleep often. When she does, her dreams imprison her in a confusing and tormenting sequence of events. Some familiar. Most unfamiliar. But when the arrest of Joseph falls apart, how come the visions seem closer to truth than a manifestation of her traumatized mind?

Sanctuary At Last - The Project at Eden's Gate have a set rule of standards and customs that Joseph was told by the Voice to follow; Alphas are the dominant power, Omegas are subservient to their Alpha's with the expectation to bear their children. And Betas? Well, there's no room for Betas in the New Eden. And yet... the Hell That Follows The White Horse... the one to join the Seed family through a union... is exactly what he was told to dismiss. Silva is a beta who challenges Eden's Gate customs.

Seeking Some Kind Of Redemption - Silva wakes up at St. Francis Veteran's Center, apparently with a massive loss of memories in several small moments in her life. Alexander, her commander, informs her she is a Chosen apart of the righteous Project at Eden's Gate, lead by a family who aim to save as many people as possible, while pushing back against an enemy threat. While Silva somewhat accepts this, she is given clues and guidance from an outside source that make her question her place.

Sombre Passion - Deputy Silva Omar spares and detains Faith Seed. However, she is unable to discreetly transport the Seed sister to the Jailhouse, so she utilizes her hermana's lodge, until they're both snowed in. In the wait of the blizzards to slow down, Silva and Faith stave off boredom however they can... even if it means talking to each other.

Stay Close (It's Gonna Get Hot) - Faith has developed aphrodisiacs in some batches of the Bliss, and wants to experiment with it, so she asks Silva for her help in taste testing.

Strawberries - In a moment of impulse, Nadi kisses John. This causes unexpected consequences. Involves a budding and anxiety-inducing romance between Nadi and John, Silva kidnapped more frequently in Holland Valley to be forced as John's romance mentor in exchange for tips on how to woo Faith which Silva never asked for, Jacob wishes Miller had eaten him so he doesn't have to watch this joke of a romcom, and as usual, Joseph is none-the-wiser. Alexander and Holly disapprove but Hannah ships it.

The Boa Amongst The Garden Walls - Silva fights Eden's Gate to ensure the freedom of the local residents of Hope County. Even if she has to endure John Seed's obsession with her. John Seed wishes to make Joseph proud, and to save many people from their sins by embracing the Father. Even if it means he has to put all his resources into converting Silva to their family.

The Cans And Don'ts When Dealing With One Silva Omar - Gavin Turquoise is the closest thing to a friend that Silva Omar has. Unbeknownst to the deputy though, this lawyer views their "friendship" as something else entirely.

The Failure Of Your Fathers - In a chance meeting, Silva finds out her second soul mate is Jacob. Neither are thrilled, and while Silva is adamant about no romance... she lends a hand of friendship instead. This proves to be a mistake, one the Voice counted on.

The Final Judgement Of Hope County - Silva thought she killed them all. The Apostles of Zachariah had taken her hija, and she had hunted each herald down right up to Paul. She thought this to be truth, until a ghost she encounters turns out to be more real than anticipated.

The Most Wonderful Of Mistakes - Faith lures Silva into the Bliss to use a more aphrodisiac form of Bliss so the deputy would seek out a brother of hers and finally become apart of the Seed Family. This backfires, but she can't deny that she enjoyed the action. (...Until the consequences, that is).

The Soft Heart Behind All That Wrath - Moments in which the Resistance and the Guns For Hire see glimpses of the person Silva Omar is underneath; the pain, the compassion, the sorrow, the courage, and the strength in spite of the suffering.

The True Sinners - Silva is unknowingly the Voice's Muse, however, she is not a deputy. But that isn't a problem; as long as the Seeds have her present for Joseph's arrest, then the Reaping can begin. What they do with her afterwards... the Voice doesn't give a fuck. Meanwhile Kamski actually managed to make friends with one person and that's Tammy Barnes; everyone else either tolerates or endure him.

The Underestimated Efficiency of Compassion - The discovery of Ernesto Stallone's presence in Hope County causes Kamski to cash in favors from Isiah Popov and Gemini Teal to protect Silva. The Seeds and the Resistance temporarily put their differences aside to look out for Silva as her importance is too valuable for varying reasons.

The Wrath Of Hell Can't Compare To My Own Ire - While scavenging, Azriel and Mercy are caught by the Highwaymen. Silva and Faith may be older, but neither are out of wrath to spare against those who threaten their family.

To Be Right - Alexander Khaos reflects on his choices thus far, his loyalty to Jacob and his thoughts on Silva.

To Serve, To Protect - Silva visits an Eden's Gate picnic and meets the Seeds early. Not much changes.

Weaponizing The Obstacle - Alexander has become disillusioned with Jacob's leadership; said man seeks to become a martyr to be sacrificed in the name of his brother more than the survivor Alexander once understood. When he captures the Resistance's most effective obstacle, the skilled Deputy Silva Omar, Alexander finds an opportunity to win the war and create the perfect leader.

Wedded Brides - Come, one and all, join the official wedding between my beloved Mama, Silva Omar, and her nagging love of her life, Faith Seed. Officiated by the power invested in I, Azriel Omar!

We're Goners - Silva and Faith don't make it out of the Henbane when Adam's Guard bomb the territory.

We're Primal Beasts After All - Silva Omar had only three objectives; build a Resistance, dismantle Eden's Gate operations, and neutralize the Seed Family's threat. Plans shift three-quarters through as her sanity descends after talking to God.

Where Four Bickering Seeds, Three Screw-Ups, Two Rampaging Sisters, One Feral Child And An Entire County Become A Family [A True Story!] - Silva's adopted hija, Azriel, is kidnapped by the Seeds during the Reaping while under the supervision of trusted amigos, and somehow that leads to peace. An AU where Azriel is adopted early, Elsa is alive and the Collapse doesn't occur.

Where She Belongs - Azriel's journey from meek, quiet Aria to Silva's chaotic adopted hija.

You Don't Know Me - Silva has the Guns rendezvous at her residence to plan their next attack, however Silva runs late, and that gives the Gun's enough time to discover the passage to her bunker.

You're Almost Like Family - After an attempt to convert Silva leads to her unexpected death, John finds himself at the beginning of the night of Joseph's arrest, and finds that any time he or Silva dies, the loop resets at certain points in the Reaping. He intends to keep Silva alive, but that's easier said than done when she keeps involving herself in dangerous stunts... and is being murdered by an unknown third party. John hasn't figured out he's not the only Seed trapped in this loop.

The Judge Side Stories/Alternate Universes

A Blissful Welcoming - The Judge gets lost in the Bliss, but Faith is more than willing to be of service if it means the quiet woman stays.

A Judge's Tale - How Silva became the Judge in this AU.

Blessed Is The Judge, For Their Compassion Holds No Bounds - How the Judge wins the war by having a good heart - all through Jacob's POV.

Certain Rumors Circulating Around - Snippets of the Resistance members in each region, the Guns For Hire, the Seeds, Eden's Gate members and non-affiliates hearing about the most absurd things the Judge has done in the county.

Count Down To Zero - Soulmate fic where Faith has a soulmate counter that reaches zero when she meets the Judge while out and about in a Henbane field... except the love of her life is utterly clueless of their fated love.

Don't Upset The Pecking Order - The Fae are summoned to begin the Hunt on their newest victims; the Project at Eden's Gate, specifically the heads of it, the Seeds. All would have gone to plan... if only they didn't wreck the shrine honoring Judge Silva's deceased daughter, Persephone.

Envy - Faith gets a little envious when the Judge's attention is on her ex-girlfr- I mean, ex "best friend", Tracey Lader, instead of... you know... her?! She's determined to rectify this misgiving.

I Will Defend You - A Judge's Vow is a sacred thing, Faith comes to learn.

Justice And Discipline - Judge!Silva in a Viking/Ragnarok AU.

Maybe A Little Bit - Faith is amused by how easily Judge Silva can get envious and possessive over the fawning attention of the other members of her clan towards her beloved.

Mortality Is Overrated - Judge Silva is immortal and the last to know. Everyone in the Resistance is either in denial and pretending everything's fine or are understandably freaking out. Eden's Gate... just takes this as a "divine sign".

Only Heartfelt Pain - What a terrible fate... to be the last of your clan. A fic detailing the sorrowful loneliness of the Crown... until he finds a wounded Silva.

Only Her (Can Do Right By Us) - Inspired by SAO Abridged and the voices in my head.

Purple Passion Fruit - Instead of Pratt being sent to St. Francis, it is instead Joey Hudson. She's a hard nut for Jacob to crack, so he uses his trump card and has her be taught under Alexander Khaos' tutelage.

Reserved Purity (Only The Worthy Can Claim It) - The Resistance and Seeds harass the Crown for his Judge and his own allegiance. He straight up fucking lies to their faces and tells them "whomever can successfully woo the Judge may bare the fruits of her labor" or some shit like that. Everyone forgets about war while all attempting to woo the Judge. Crack taken seriously fic.

Reverence To Faith - The Crown dies early, so Judge Silva must find a new master to serve. They must be honorable, hold only the benevolent of intentions, and great moral convictions. So why does she choose the deceitful, spiteful and self-described "morally neutral" Seed sister who runs the Henbane like a drug kingpin? Well, you see... pretty woman with pretty green eyes.

Sharing With Faith - Disputations between the newly-weds over what belongs to who.

Studying Faith - This is totally not what Faith intended to happen when she offered a bible study on Joseph's Word with the Judge. Nor was it not what she totally wanted to happen either.

The Left Hand Of The Judge - Will Boyd is left for dead by his former brethren of Eden's Gate... only to be found and recovering under the gentle hands of the Judge and her Crown.

The Truly Unorthodox Judge - Jacob is on the verge of a mental breakdown over the Judge's general existence while Alexander and Hannah just don't help him.

The Voice's Judgement - The Voice has a tamper tantrum once more as Silva, yet again, ruins its plans in another one of it's worlds.

The Judge's Duty - Main fic. The Crown sends his Judge to enact judgement on the Project at Eden's Gate and its prophet, Joseph Seed. Unbeknownst to them, the disgraceful Deserters have found their way to Hope County, led by Grimes the Cruel, with an eye on the Eden's Gate' bunkers.

Thou Shalt Not Kill, Not Without Proper Peace In Thy Mind - Judge Silva avoids killing at any circumstance. Only when she's put to rest her haunted past 17 years after the Collapse, can she finish her judgement on the man the Crown had sent her to judge in the first place.

To Find Faith Is To Let Go Of Judgement - Faith's POV on the Judge through their various courting practices.

Uphold Duty, Practice Honor - Joseph's POV on Judge!Silva.

What Are The Chances? - John and Jacob get lost in the Henbane woods while on the precipice of a storm, only to bump into the most unexpected of aid.

You're The Man, And Yet I Have The Power - The origin of how Grimes stopped being sexist. Involving Silva kicking his ass so badly he now respects women.

The Harbinger Side Stories/Alternate Universes

Hold Me Please (I Need Comfort) - The Harbinger getting well deserved hugs from friends and family and enemies alike.

Liberation Of A Lost Harbinger - If the Harbinger had been found by Elsa and her family a little earlier with some Resistance help.

The Harbinger's Salvation - Main fic. Upon the night of his fated arrest, Joseph Seed is shocked to not see the Deputy from his visions attend the arrest. However, his arrest is still interrupted by other forces, and he meets the exiled Saint Matilda and her dreadful monster. The Resistance finds allies in Elsa Omar and her boyfriend Ezekiel, in return of the protection of Elsa's niece, Persephone. Joseph gets flirted with by both Elsa and Ezekiel. With the county at war, and both Elsa and Ezekiel flirting with a flustered Joseph, all are none-the-wiser of the infiltration of the Prophet Hunters in the county, who only have two goals; retrieve Saint Matilda and her newest weapon, and kill the rival prophet in the area.

You Were A Victim (It Wasn't Your Fault) - Faith is the person who surprisingly manages to get through to the person underneath the Harbinger, and is the only person there to comfort the tortured soul inside.

El Industrial Side Stories/Alternate Universe

A Moment Of Weakness - Silva has a surprise visit from one Faith Seed in her office. They discuss about the Reaping warring outside the Blind Spot's doors, and enact on their own passionate desires.

Always Powerful - An AU where El Industrial!Silva didn't die and ended up stuck with Joseph in Dutch's bunker together. Trapping two extremists in the same room isn't recommended.

Awkward Intervention (Clarifying Understanding) - The Resistance has... concerns with Azriel's destruction, and Silva exasperatedly deals with their critiques as best as she can.

Azriel's Promised Tumult - Across the 17 years that occurred after the Collapse and her Mamá's death, Azriel rounds up the surviving Tumultites and achieves the dream her adoptive madre and her adoptive abuelo spent decades trying to make a reality; bringing about the construction of Tumult.

Deep Rooted Scars - The Tumultites do not let fate determine who they should love, Silva the most prominent amongst them. She has three self-imposed scars where her soulmates words used to be to prove it. It seems, though, fate had a very different idea in mind for her.

Determination For Tumult - The Seeds and the Tumultites have amicable interactions instead of instantly hating each others guts AU.

Don't Be Foolish (there's always a third option) - The Cougars expect Silva to kill Faith Seed after the attack on the Jailhouse causes the deaths of the Marshal and Virgil. The older woman is determined to find a way around this.

Don't Underestimate My Power - Silva is held captive by the Seeds. Their attempts to convert her to their cause is met with a lot of resistance and philosophical questioning.

Dragon Fruit - Nadi and Alexander have discovered a unique way to get the enemy to join their side; flirting. However, it's only a onetime use, as both discover with Holly Pepper and Staci Pratt respectively.

Emerge From The Waters (Reborn) - John Duncan meets the Tumultites and is convinced to join their cause. Almost a decade later, he encounters what his brothers have been up to in Hope Couny.

El Industrial's Reign - How Silva became the woman she is in this AU and rose to power in the Underworld.

FC5 characters watch What Lives Below The Surface (Will Rise Up Again) - FC5 characters react to the future aka watching this AU's main fic on the big screen by some god or whatever, you know the drill with these fics.

Forsaken - Azriel's time spent alone in the bunker after the bombs drop and her Mamá's death by her hands.

Givers And Takers (Saints And Sinners) - A letter manages to make its way to the Underworld, one which is detailed one Silva and Azriel Omar. The contents of the letter reveal that Azriel's blood father, Joseph Seed, wishes to meet her in Hope County. Neither madre nor hija are excited by this, but it did present an opportunity that the Tumultites could not waste.

Home (a place where I can go) To Take This Off My Shoulders (someone take me home) Someone Take Me - A very different take on how this AU could have gone. Involves the Congregation of Adam's Guard (led by their captain, Oscar Lapis, instead of Father Adam Omar).

How Azriel Prevented A Holy War - Silva and Azriel are invited over to a dinner with the Seeds. Azriel notices that their tea are spiked with Bliss, and although she's too late to warn her Mamá, she does swap her tea with the Seed's smug sister while no one is looking... to interesting results.

How Slanderous Your Words Are (Care To Repeat Them?) - Oneshot on one unlucky Underworlder pointing out the clear physical differences between Silva and Azriel, and making the poor decision to question Azriel's validity as an heir to the Tumultite Movement within earshot of the very woman raising said girl.

How To Properly Handle A Yandere Family - A Hope County Guide From A Disgruntled Crime Lord - Industrial!Silva about to have an aneurysm from interacting with Yandere!Seeds.

Of Mother And Daughters - The prequel fic to What Lies Beneath The Surface (Will Rise Up Again), detailing when Silva found Aria, the latter's journey to become Azriel, and Silva's time spent raising both Azriel and Persephone in the Underworld, with occasional flashbacks to the Archipiélagos.

Only Our Bliss - Smut fic between Silva and Faith.

Open Confession (Anonymous Listeners) - While having dinner, the Seed's radio accidentally picks up Silva's as she speaks with Sharky. She shares more than she should.

Rejection Of The Status Quo - How Nadi, Alexander, Gavin, Isiah and Gemini joined the Tumultite Movement.

Spare Us Heathens Some Change - Silva and Jacob are old friends AU.

Teacher's Pet - If Tracey and Rachel laid low at the Tumultite Movement instead of Eden's Gate.

The Eye's Chem Heiress Of Tumult - In which Rachel's father sells her out to some criminals in the Underworld in order to save his own skin, however is saved and brought under the protection of the Tumultite Movement.

The Eye's Promised Tumult - AU in which Silva got to live to New Dawn and see the fruits of her labor.

The Eye's Tale Of Revolution - Detailed journey of Silva's time spent in the Archipiélagos and the conflict between the Tumultites and the Congregation of Adam's Guard decades later.

The Left Eye Of Tumult - More details on the Tumultite Movement's conflict with the other criminal of the Underworld.

The Life Of Jannah - The story of the first Tumultite Idealist herself, the Progenitor of the Tumultite community, the woman who brought chaos and change to the Archipiélagos centuries before Silva, Paul and Adam were born.

The Necessary Change To Move On From The Pain In The Past - What if Industrial!Silva and the Seed brothers were pen-pals.

The One-Eyed Boa's Step-By-Step Guide On How To Convert A Cult Into Tumult - It involves seducing the cult leaders for three of the Tumultites. But in Azriel's case it's revealing she's Joseph's very much alive daughter.

The Only Boss Around Here - Jacob got caught snooping around the Blind Spot, breaking several valuables, and is now indebted to the local mob.

The Power Of Faith - In which Faith communicates to Industrial!Silva via haunting/Bliss hallucination like in A Trial Of Faith. Unlike that fic though, this Silva is constantly surrounded by people and is a lot less subtle at keeping it hidden than her Deputy counterpart. In which from everyone else's perspective, their boss is suddenly talking to no one and flirting with walls. Azriel knows what's up but no one else believes her. She's very sus on Faith's intentions and like in every other AU, beefs with Faith, only this time people think she's jealous of someone who doesn't even exist.

The Voices Inside My Head (Scream For Blood) - In which Azriel learns Joseph is her father early (and before Silva does) and does not take this well.

Time To Let The Monster Out - Silva focuses on bringing Faith to the Tumultite's fold through power moves, mutual manipulation and seduction. As well as showing her position as the Seed's sister may not be as secure as she thought.

Tumult's Little Blessing - Silva's been held captive by Eden's Gate (as usual) and the Tumultite Movement don't seem to engage... until the Seeds learn it's because they're staying out of the way of Azriel's warpath towards the cult.

Us Lonely Girls (Against The World) Let's Build A Better One (Our Promised Tumult) - More details on Silva and Azriel's time spent in Hope County building their Movement for Tumult.

What Lies Beneath The Surface (Will Rise Up Again) - Main fic. The gap between Eden's Gate and the Tumultite Movement reach a breaking point on the night of Joseph's arrest, and leads to the Tumultites joining the residents of the county in countering the cults Reaping.

Why Don't You Love Who I Am (What We Could Have Been) - Faith and Azriel get a moment to bond while reflecting on their shared and frayed connection with Joseph Seed.

Worth It - There are many benefits to seducing the Siren of the Henbane.

You Have The Right To Shut Up - Azriel is badgered by the Voice and both Silva and Joseph put aside their differences in trying to help Azriel through this.

The Reverend's Side Stories/Alternate Universe

A Blessing And Yet A Curse - Sylvester discovers through multiple "deaths" that she has something living inside of her.

A Day For Mourning (No Cheer To Be Found) - 17 year after the bombs dropped, Reverend Silva and her family celebrate the beginnings and ends of the life and people before and after the Collapse on December 25th.

A Leap Of Faith - Sylvester follows Phillip's advice on following the pilgrimage and taking the Leap as an act of trust towards him.

A Push Over The Edge - The Seeds witness exactly what the Curse inside Sylvester is capable of.

A Stranger's Return - Sylvester returns to Hope County five years after tragedy struck, following the advice of a voice that's been with her since childhood.

A Tale Of Revenge - The Curse wants Joseph dead, no matter what. POV is the Curse's perspective.

Always Someone Better - The Collapse comes and Joseph was right... except Phillip is eyeing a newer, better prophet for his goals.

Bad Trip - One particular encounter with the Bliss triggers the Curse within Sylvester and suddenly Faith finds herself in a survival-horror flick.

Blessed By A Curse - Main fic. 18 years after the heretic's who killed her family in their Reaping had brought about the Collapse that left the world in flames, Carmina Rye is 15-years-old and desires for one thing and one thing alone; to cure her godmother, the Reverend Silva (who returned magic to the world along with Phillip, God himself), from the dreadful Curse that eats at her mind and soul every day. To do this, she must infiltrate the criminal rebellion that was founded under the heretics formerly known as Eden's Gate and the traitors of the Resistance. In her time infiltrating these rebels, she comes to learn that not everything she was told had been the entire truth.

By Her Side - Holly Pepper becoming the number two of the future Reverend who'd rule over Hope County 18 years later.

Hail To The Empress' Coven, Bow And Behold - Reverend Silva's (reluctant) journey into becoming the magical empress under Phillip's tutelage.

I Don't Belong Here - Oneshot of Sylvester angst over the Curse while Phillip attempts to comfort her.

I Will Always Be There For You - Silva comforts her wife, Faith, over a nightmare she had.

I'd Rather Be With No One Else But You - Silva and the Curse's journey in barely getting along.

If You Insist - Smut fic where Faith surprises Silva with nothing underneath her robe.

Indisposed - The prequel fic to Blessed By A Curse. Deputy Sylvester Omar fails to arrest Joseph Seed, and is forced to fight in a war she never wanted to be involved with. It isn't until she starts hearing her imaginary friend Phillip again that things get... weird. Not to mention the beastly Curse that forces her to become it's host.

Letting Old Friends Go - Five years after the Collapse, Tracey and Faith have one last talk before the former leaves the county for good.

Never Took You For The Jealous Type - Mercy is surprised by how jealous Carmina can get.

No Harm In Looking (No Harm In Touching Either) - Azriel and Schrödinger have a moment together in the showers after a day of wrecking the rebels.

Roles Have Been Broken - Carmina's thoughts on her godmother/maternal figure/future mother-in-law.

Standing On Old Foundations - Silva gathers her flock and begins plans for rebuilding, and Phillip's existence to back her up.

Taking Away What You Don't Deserve - How Silva ended up adopting Mickey and Lou.

The Beginning Of The Reverend's Legend - Sylvester's life spent on the Archipiélagos with her imaginary friend, Phillip.

The Curse Got A Hold On Me - Alternate take on this AU where Sylvester manages to save Joey but the Curse is even more aggressive and shows what would happen to Sylvester without Phillip's help.

This Cursed Blessing - Twice Silva had been at Carmina's birth...

The Faithful Administration - Former Eden's Gate members adapting to the life of the Empress Coven.

The Lost Lenore - POV snippets of character mourning Sylvester. Then their reactions to the reveal from one announcement by the Reverend.

The Rain Will Fall (On Us Too) But I'll Keep Moving On (Proud And Strong) - Faith centric to the events past and present and having a loved one who suffers from an "illness" that puts their body in pain and shifts their mood erratically.

The Reverend Mother And Her Cherished Faith - Uh... freaky smut between this version of Silva and Faith.

The Righteous Hand Of God - Joseph's POV is hilariously tragic when you think about it.

The Reverend's Rule - Disconnected chapters on how the daily life of the Reverend's citizen's and enemies goes.

The Serpent's Daughter - The life and death and rebirth of the Curse. Originating as far as the Garden of Eden to it inhabiting Silva to it's destruction to it's second chance at life.

This Cursed Beast Within - More angst between Sylvester and the Curse.

Tomorrow's New Chapter - Starting the restart of civilization with a wedding!

United As One (Together As Family) - What if Reverend Silva managed to bring in everyone under her fold, the Seed Brothers and Resistance members alike?

We're More Ghosts Than People - Kamski being a decent human being and actually bonding with people?! Not clickbait! Read for more!

When All Those Unknown Chemicals Finally React - The rediscovery of magic.

Why Does It Matter If I'm Gone? - Instead of sticking around while being inhabited by a dangerous Cursed creature, Sylvester attempts to make as much difference between herself and her allies to keep them safe. Shame she never anticipated her absence would force the Seeds and GFH's to put on a temporary alliance to search for her.

Wildflowers (Blooming In A Field) - A fic centered around the various shenanigans of Silva's children/wards. (NOTE: These children include her and Faith's daughter Mercy, their adopted children Azriel, Ethan, Mickey and Lou, and finally Silva's goddaughter, Carmina Rye. Also Schrödinger but they're Gavin's kid so yeah).

The Silver Chronicles Alternate Universes

Bad Deal - What if Taskforce 141 were able to find a connection between Makarov's Ultranationalist group and Zhan Tiri and then Paul Yellowjack? In other words, Nadi meets Paul and has a terrible time.

Jannah's Promise - A fic centered around Silva adopting Azriel early and the ridiculous consequential repercussions of such a thing.

An Assassin's Pledge - Ernesto Stallone centered fic.

Clarification - Silva attends the same therapy group as the Seeds. No Cult/Collapse AU. Just therapy.

Revelation Of A Lifetime (but far too late now) - An AU where Azriel never learns Joseph was her father in the Industrial!Silva AU and Joseph loses his chance to tell her once he's alone in a bunker after the bombs drop.

Taunts - Silva goes comatose and the Bliss gets really fucked up AU.

The Angel Of Death - Azriel hasn't reincarnated yet and one of her jobs as an Angel of Death is to hunt down Joseph AU.

To Become Whole - Prequel fic for Logan the Vagabond of No Renown waking up earlier than all the Tarnished and learning compassion and what true sacrifice is.

A Dangerous Stranger In Town - FC5 Western AU. Silva's the swiftest quickdrawer in town, and gains the attention of the local church.

Domination - What Selke's intentions were... less than benevolent when guiding Chiwa to the Elden Throne. Darkfic. Somehow darker than the actual fic.

The Apostle's Rise - What Paul did once he accepted "The Call" and how he built up the Apostles of Zachariah.

I'm Cursed, But I'll Still Let The Morning Light Shine In - Fairytale/Fantasy AU where Silva is cursed with being unable to love in exchange for the abilities of some spiritual dragon/lobster/catfish while the Seeds are cursed into monsters (Joseph as a lich, John as a troll, Jacob as a man-beast and Faith as a siren) by a malevolent Voice of God, and the only way to break their curse is with the power of love which Silva significantly lacks at the moment.

Jannah Wrought Tumult, Adam Plagued Eden - Coroner!Silva but during the Reaping

Toeing At The Edge Of The Ledge - Silva's going a little psycho but that's fine, it's just a moment.

A Mix Of Heaven And Hell - Silva is an eldritch abomination without actually knowing and everyone is just trying to not freak out.

An Inquisitive Tale - John Duncan has to publicly defend Silva in court for crimes she totally committed.

At The Precipice - Huntress Caroline makes the poor decision to join Micolash and the School of Mensis while being on the verge of losing herself to bloodlust.

Do You Know Her? - In which Silva gets amnesia.

Edge Of My Mind - What if the Seed's pushed Silva a little too far?

Famine And The Inquisition - Alexander Khaos meets Nadi Sinclair and Taskforce 141 while they snoop out Wellington Wells.

The Darkness I Feed On - Paul's all alone in the dark.

The Devil, You See - If there's any drabbles where Paul meets my mutual's OCs, this is where they're gonna go.

The Real Threat - Silva's got a bounty on her head and every enemy imagineable (e.g. Congregation of Adam's Guard, Apostles of Zachariah, the Deserters, the local Witches' Coven, the Prophet Hunters, Saint Matilda and the Tarot Card Holder) has come to Hope County to claim it. Only Eden's Gate can keep her safe when she's trying to avoid being flayed, conditioned, drugged and preached by them.

The Inquisitor's Chime - Detective AU. Silva's a detective. She's not really good at her job since she keeps making out with the perp's sister.

A Little Unconventional (I Know) But Mama It's Me (I'm Home) - Mercy Omar-Seed and Carmina Rye are somehow sent back in time travel back to 2018 during the Reaping in Hope County. Carmina gets to experience plane rides while Mercy accidentally messed up the past a bit but all good, she'll just try to set her moms up (under different alterations) without having one kill the other.

The Merciful Rogue - Mercy's life throughout the 13 years spent outside the bunker.

A Tale Of Two Omar's - What if Elsa lived and was with Silva during the Reaping?

The Venerable Protectress - What if Persephone lived and was with Silva during the Reaping? (Spoilers: Persephone and John bond through their shared love of planes).

Let The Skyfall (When It Crumbles) -Bodysnatcher AU where Paul sends one of his supernatural wasps to take over Joseph's body and engineer the Reaping so Silva ends up back in his awaiting arms.

Lady, running down to the riptide (Taken away to the dark side) - Bioshock Infinite inspiration AU?? Paul joins the arrest of Joseph Seed since the latter lures the Sheriff's Department to the Compound with a hostage by the name of Silva Omar. Paul manages to rescue her and now both have to avoid Eden's Gate and get along... also foes who seem familiar led by a man named Ernesto Stallone are really determined to take Silva.

Vengeful!Silva AU WIP - Silva was passed along from Paul to Priestess Lillith to Joseph Seed before she found out Joseph planned on making her the next Faith and left to a city far away that the Voice proceeded to activate an ICBM that was left in a military bunker underneath the city and dusted off it's hands with that loose end out of the way. Around seven years later, on the night of Joseph's arrest, he (and the Voice) finds that Silva survived the destruction of the city (albeit not unscathed) and since she doesn't believe in God, she believes Joseph made the attempt on her life. So during the Reaping, she's hellbent on making Joseph suffer, joined by ex-Prophet Hunter Margarett and street urchin by the name of Aria, or rather, Azriel.

Bloodborne AU WIP - FC5 but Bloodborne style.

[brinkworth]

Hi! I'd love to hear more about Troy! ✨️

Troy! My Roman empire! I'll be honest, this one is a heartbreaking choice for a prongsfoot lover! 💔 (But I have less heartbreaking prongsfoot snippets here and here). It's an HP/Song of Achilles/Illiad crossover type fic. It's technically Jily (James as Hector and Lily as Andromache) and Wolfstar (Sirius as Achilles and Remus as Patroclus), but it is not super romance focused. It's more about James and Sirius as mirrors in a very tragic way. The premise is that Peter (who is James' brother in this) steals something important from Regulus, who then essentially wages war against the Potters in return. Sirius is duty bound to support him, just as James is duty bound to support Peter. There are a lot of things pulled from the original stories with prophecies, morally grey characters, magical creatures, etc.

Including a snippet from Remus' POV below!

They arrived at Hogsmeade to freshly fallen snow and an army waiting just beyond the walls, watching as they soared through the sky.

The thestral under him lifted, and Remus braced for impact as it landed hard onto the ground, snow billowing up around him as the rest of their own army landed, the sound of hundreds of thestrals hitting the earth and echoing through the valley like rolling thunder.

Remus suppressed the urge to reach out and touch the falling snow, settling for watching the flakes as they landed on the jet black fabric of his robes and the tips of his eyelashes. He’d never seen snow before, having never been this far north.

As the gates to the city slowly opened, revealing the meandering cobblestone streets beyond and rows of cottages covered in snow, Bellatrix dismounted, motioning for the others to meet her at the front. Remus adjusted, shoving his hands into his pockets for warmth, assuming he was to stay put with the rest of the army. As the horse beneath him shifted, the snow crunched beneath his hooves. Remus wondered what snow felt like to a thestral and if they could feel the cold.

“Remus,” Sirius called out, nodding toward the village. “You’re coming with us.”

Tension built with every step they took toward the parley and the massive castle, Andromeda, Bellatrix, and Regulus in the lead, cloaks waving through the air behind them. While Sirius’ gaze stayed straight ahead, Remus could feel his attention shift, taking in the details of their surroundings and the pull of his magic through the air around them. The witch who escorted them had insisted they could not Apparate inside the city walls. Bellatrix glanced briefly at Sirius, who lifted his chin almost imperceptibly in return. He could remove those protections in a matter of minutes.

Inside the castle, the witch escorted them into the castle’s great hall, where Fleamont and Euphemia sat on carved oak thrones at the head of the room. James and Lily stood to Fleamont’s side, just as imposing as Remus had heard them to be.

James’ eyes tracked Regulus as if he’d just let a venomous snake in through the front door. If he knew of the prophecy, he’d know it was Sirius he should fear instead.

***

By the time they’d returned from the castle, the army had set up camp in the forest, with tents strung between the trees for as far as the eye could see. Remus barely contained himself until the tent flap closed behind them before his exasperation boiled over.

“Your brother is going to get hundreds killed, because he’s been slighted. This doesn’t need to happen!"

Sirius sighed, tossing his wand on a nearby table and running a hand through his hair. “It’s too late, Remus.”

“You know what will happen if you fight James! Your brother has no stake in this war. He has nothing to lose!”

“Relax,” Sirius said, draping himself over a pile of cushions, giving Remus a maddeningly casual smile. “He's given me no reason to fight him. We have their little village surrounded and their army is powerless compared to ours. We’ll be home within the month.”

wip ask game

[tabathastan]

Main masterlist⇩

𝗆𝗒 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗎𝗆𝖻𝗅𝗋

Masterlist pt. 2

Anime

Bungo Stray Dogs

Black Butler

Fairy Tail

Jujutsu Kaisen

My Hero Academia

Magi - The Labyrinth of Magic

Hypnosis Mic

Tv Series/Movies

ATLA/LOK

Descendants

Mcu

Dc

Game of Thrones

House of the Dragon/Fire & Blood

Hazbin Hotel/ Helluva Boss

Harry Potter

TVD/The Originals/Legacies 

The Walking Dead

My Little Pony

Monster High

Voltron

Shera

Supernatural

Ever After High

Twilight

Jurassic Park/World

Books/Comics

Percy Jackson

School Bus Graveyard

The Cruel Prince

Games

Aphmau

FNAF/Security Breach

Genshin Impact

Honkai Star Rail

Resident Evil

Call of Duty

Legend of Zelda

Entry’s | Masky x Reader

Buddies | Ticci Tody x Reader

HOTD & X-Men Crossover

Poems

Natsu Dragneel

[bone-trash]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Call of Duty (Video Games), Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: John "Soap" MacTavish/Simon "Ghost" Riley, König/Simon "Ghost" Riley Characters: John "Soap" MacTavish, Simon "Ghost" Riley, König (Call of Duty), Shepherd (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Inspired by Game of Thrones, Knight!Simon, prince!johnny, Power Imbalance, Praise Kink, Degradation Kink, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Power Bottom John "Soap" MacTavish, Service Top Simon "Ghost" Riley, Dom John "Soap" MacTavish, Sub Simon "Ghost" Riley, Puppy Play, its metaphorical but also horny, POV John "Soap" MacTavish, Swordfighting, more this time, John "Soap" MacTavish Doesn't Have an Accent, Toxic John "Soap" MacTavish, but we love it, flip fucking, Kind Of, konig is a jerk in this i'm sorry, implied sexual history between konig and simon, might be explored later, Chair Sex, Fighting Kink, for johnny just a bit, Teasing Series: Part 3 of The Hunt Summary:

“Silence cur,” The Prince’s face was truly stormy now, “Dogs, don’t talk. They snarl, and bite and beg. Trained mutts like yourself are supposed to be obedient and heel to their masters. If you are incapable of that, maybe I am due for a replacement.”

The Ghost faces off against someone from his past and there's unusual tension between them, Prince John knows his hound well and decides to investigate.

~~~ The next part in my Fantasy Ghoap AU series The Hunt! 

[erenyuuta]

Ice & Fire - Chapter 12

Series Masterlist

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Glossary & Character List (contains spoilers)

Main Pairing: Eren Jaeger X Yuuta Okkotsu

Minor Pairings: Megumi Fushiguro x Rika Orimoto, Satoru Gojo x Suguru Geto, Toji x OC, other pairings TBA for the sake of spoilers ❤️

Genre: Fantasy AU, romance, smut, angst, fluff, a crossover between Attack On Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen, loosely influenced by Game of Thrones and Eragon. Crack taken seriously 😉

Series Summary: Yuuta Okkotsu, the kind-hearted firstborn prince of the kingdom of Nymeria, finds himself stranded on an island that had been thought to only exist in legend. It is there he meets the last of the Valyrians, a dragon-blood named Eren Jaeger. While their days on the island are happy, they can’t last forever. Yuuta has a duty as prince to his kingdom that he must fulfill, and it is this duty that ultimately tears them apart.

Content Warnings/Themes: BL/Yaoi, hybrids, monsters, magic and other supernatural elements, polytheism (gods, demons), infidelity, power imbalances & classism, period-typical misogyny & homophobia, warfare, graphic depictions of violence and death, brothels/sex work, explicit sexual content (blow job, anal sex, rimming, cunnilingus, exhibitionism, monsterfucking, knotting, foot play, heat cycles, 69, cum-eating, spit play, deep-throating, double penetration, sadism, masochism, blood consumption, use of weapons during sex, choking/asphyxiation kink, master/slave kink, handjob, drunk sex, orgy), dub-con, non-con, pregnancy, virginity loss, drugs (alcohol, smoking, poisons), traumatic backstories, mentions of torture/genocide/experimentation on people, unrequited love, arranged marriages, drowning, murder, suicide, yandere tropes, corruption arc, major character deaths

Co-written by Aleks from @alekstraszas and Kana from @ficsforeren/@sundaysundaes

The poster for this chapter was commissioned by Aleks from @/belvishaio on twitter

The Illusion of Love

It is sometime later during that first week of his training, when Eren, flocked by Megumi and Todo at his sides, makes his way towards the servants’ quarters. He typically never has reasons to go this way, as he’s still very much treated as if he were a high-ranking noble within Yuuta’s palace (at the prince’s insistence), but today, he comes along at Megumi’s request.

“Why are we going to help with the deliveries? Isn’t that something the servants would do?” Eren asks aloud.

“Well, yes, but yesterday the farmer mentioned that there would be an especially large delivery today, so he needs all the hands he can get,” Megumi replies.

Megumi doesn’t offer much more of an explanation; he’s a man of few words, as Eren has come to learn over the last few weeks. If it wasn’t for his behavior in the company of Princess Rika, Eren would wonder if Megumi ever spoke at all.

When they arrive outside the servants' quarters, stopping at the side of the palace in which the farmers and craftsmen make their deliveries, they see a tall young female servant carrying small carts of vegetables. She has long black hair that cascades over the plain cloth dress she wears, rosy pale skin, and eyes that shimmer a golden yellow. To anyone else above her station, she would have just been another servant girl who worked in the kitchens, as besides her cheery personality, nothing remotely unique stands out about her. But Eren is able to recognize her right away—if only because of Aoi Todo’s having taken a liking to her. Or rather, a borderline obsession.

“Lady Takada!” Todo calls out to her, and it is obvious by the way she hesitates and squints that his calling is unwelcome, not that he would understand the meaning of her gestures (or if he does, he ignores it). He rushes ahead of the men, and with his burly arms, quickly scoops up the crate she had been dragging toward the doorway. “You shouldn’t carry such heavy things. Let me take these for you, my lady.”

“Ah,” she smiles, though it looks rather forced, as she bows her head. “Thank you, Ser Todo.”

Todo is in such a rush to help her that he ignores the farmer who had been standing nearby offloading crates of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Takada takes a few cloth bags of persimmons from the cart brought by the farmer as she walks with Todo away from the group, bringing their handful of foods to the kitchens. She peeks into the bag and notes to herself with a smile that the persimmons are quite beautifully ripened, shining with their bright orange skins—the perfect fruit for the beginning of the fall season.

When Megumi and Eren arrive, trailing behind Todo, the farmer looks up in their direction. Recognition dawns on his features, a smile breaking out over his lips as his soft brown eyes lock onto Megumi.

“Fushiguro!” The farmer calls out. Eren’s never seen him before. He’s a young man, just a tad shorter than Megumi, with blonde spiky hair and distinctively tanned skin—the marking of a man who works in the sun. 

“Itadori,” Megumi greets the man. “Still need our help?”

“Yeah! The palace has ordered so much food since the prince returned. Is there a banquet happening or something?” he starts. Megumi shrugs as Yuuji points a thumb in the direction of the entrance. “By the way, who was that guy with Lady Takada just now?”

“Oh, Todo?” Megumi asks, disinterested. “He’s another one of the knights. He loses focus whenever Lady Takada’s around… He’s somehow convinced she will marry him.”

“Oh?” Yuuji’s eyebrows lift up in surprise. He speaks to Lady Takada often, as she works solely in the kitchens and assists in his deliveries, and has heard nothing of the sort. “She has never spoken of being betrothed.”

Megumi’s flatline expression doesn’t even waiver when he replies, “That’s because she’s not. She rejected him. Many times.”

Yuuji frowns as if Todo’s unsuccessful pursuit of love wounds him personally. “Poor guy.”

It is then that Yuuji’s eyes wander to Megumi’s side as he sets down the cart of goods he had in his arms. He notices Eren standing beside the knight, and his very first reaction is to be shocked at Eren’s stature.

“Who’s this big guy? I’ve never seen him before.” Yuuji asks, craning his neck to meet Eren’s gaze. Though Yuuji is a man of average height, Eren and Todo are more than a head above his stature, something he notices with both of them right away.

Eren replies to the farmer with his name, his voice surprisingly deep and his accent quite thick. He says nothing else—despite how he never seems to be able to shut his mouth around Yuuta, Eren is the opposite around strangers: observant, and rather quiet. He never knows how they may react to him, the only dragon the realm has ever known, so he nods and gives up nothing but his name.

Yuuji’s perplexed by his accent, his brows threading as he questions what he hears. “Are you from another kingdom? You don’t sound Nymerian. Wait!” Eren’s eyes widen while the farmer raises a hand, the dragon confused as Yuuji shouts. The farmer’s eyes sparkle with recognition. “You must be that… that… what did they call it?” He pauses for a moment as he squints, stroking his chin with a perplexed hand. 

Eren parts his lips, beginning to speak. “Drago—”

Yuuji suddenly clasps his hands together, finding the word he was searching for: “Lizard!”

Eren frowns. “Lizard?”

Megumi quickly clears his throat, stifling a laugh, as Yuuji gets more animated than ever. Though Megumi himself had thought the same thing upon first seeing Eren’s dragon form, he would never say the thought out loud.

“Yes! The whole village’s been talking about it!” Yuuji makes a gesture with his hands, flattening them out and pushing them through the air as if he were about to dive into a pool of water. “The massive green-eyed lizard-man that flew through the sky and brought home our prince! It’s amazing! My father, he saw you fly over our land with himself. You’ll have to fly again someday because I missed it and I wish to see it with my own eyes.”

“And where were you?” Megumi asks.

“On the toilet,” Yuuji shrugs.

Though it is not as if Eren is walking around advertising that he is a dragon, the nearby village spreads rumors faster than in a blink of an eye. Soldiers who come and go from the palace, the City Watch, servants, laymen—over the last few weeks, all of them have spoken the tale of the day a dragon swooped in from outside the realm with the missing prince on its back, only for it to transform into a man himself. Who else would this incredibly tall man, new to the infantry yet strong enough to be placed as the Lord Commander’s esquire, with an accent Yuuji had never heard of be, if not the dragon?

“I didn’t realize I was the talk of the town,” Eren says. “They’re all wrong though. I’m not a lizard. I’m a dragon. From Valyria.”

“Is that a village in the west or something?” Yuuji blinks.

Eren, annoyed, opens his mouth but Megumi speaks before Eren can utter a word, in an attempt to keep the peace. “Let’s just get everything inside, yeah? You can chat later.”

Despite Yuuji’s confusion and Eren’s glare, the three men lift the wooden crates of fruits and vegetables, carrying them over the threshold of the entryway and into the kitchens. It is there that they find Lady Takada and Ser Todo in the middle of a conversation, Todo with his big, burly shoulders sunken downward.

“I’m sorry, Ser,” she says, now with an audience. She bows her head apologetically. “But I’ve told you before… I’m already in love with someone, my lord.”

The maid moves on, leaving the awkward atmosphere in the kitchens as the men who had just walked in had to stumble upon Todo’s rejection. Todo, despite it not being the first time she's done so, has eyes dampened with tears as he faces his fellow knights. Eren and Megumi are used to such a sight, ignoring the conversation to stack their vegetable crates amongst the other items in the kitchens.

Yuuji, frozen at the sight of Todo’s rejection, catches Todo’s line of sight. At once, Todo calls to him with an accusatory finger, “You, farmer.”

“Y-Yes?” Yuuji looks panicked at once, the crates in his arms feeling heavier with Todo’s stare. Todo’s so much bigger than him, a fist to the face could knock him out cold.

“Lady Takada always says she’s in love with another man, yet she never says their name. What do you think? Do you think she means me?”

Megumi and Eren, from behind Todo and out of Todo’s sight, signal to Yuuji with their hands to nod and play along to Todo’s game, as they always do. But Yuuji, ever oblivious, ignores their gestures.

“No, man,” Yuuji replies, to Todo’s surprise and the other knights’ horror. “If it were you, you’d know it. I think you’re just going about this all wrong. It takes more than just a proposal to woo a lady.”

“What do you know about wooing a lady?” Megumi asks.

“Well—nothing, actually, since I’ve never tried. But if I were to try it would be with flowers and praise, prostrating myself before her like worshiping a goddess. You have to wonder if you are even worthy of her glance before thinking about asking for her hand in marriage!”

“What nonsense are you on abou—”

“Wow,” Todo gapes. “This farmer has to be an expert on women.” He grabs Yuuji’s hand, albeit way too tight, and gives it a shake so hard Yuuji's entire arm moves with it. “Tell me…”

Todo looks expectantly at Yuuji, waiting for him to fill in the gap. “Yuuji. Itadori Yuuji.”

“Itadori Yuuji, tell me. What is your ideal woman?”

Megumi, exasperated, slaps the heel of his palm against his face. Eren grumbles, “Not this again.”

Yuuji’s eyes light up as if he had pondered the answer to this question his entire life. His voice takes on a mystical quality as he answers, staring up at the ceiling wistfully. “A woman with eyes as blue as a cloudless sky and hair shining gold like the summer sun. Fair, smooth skin, like an angel had dropped down from the heavens. Oh, and best of all—a huge ass.”

“Gods, he’s helpless,” Megumi mutters.

“Amazing,” Todo utters, in pure unadulterated joy. “What a man of taste you are, Itadori Yuuji.”

“What do you lot know about women anyway?” A voice breaks through the small gathering forming in the kitchen, the source somewhere across the expansive room. When the men turn towards the sound, they see another knight of the same rank as Todo, Kinji Hakari, walking into the room with amusement prominent across his features. “If I had to wager, you’re all a bunch of virgins.”

“Not everyone wants to lose their virtue to a common whore in the Dryads, Ser Hakari,” Megumi replies instantly, a bite to his words. Though, with the flush on his cheeks, it seems as if his mind is somewhere else, or perhaps, with someone. “We’re busy enough as it is with training. Or at least, we should be.”

“Well in my case, I’m saving it for the day I meet a special lady. Women care about that, you know.” Yuuji says, his thumb pointed to the center of his chest, proud of his noble pursuit in saving himself for the day he meets the perfect woman. 

“I wonder if Lady Takada cares about that too,” Todo murmurs, mostly to himself.

Eren ventures to stay quiet this once. Though he has never done so with a woman, he is most certainly not a man of virtue. But he knows saying that out loud will reward him with too many questions he doesn’t wish to answer. 

“Listen to yourselves,” Hakari crosses his arms over his chest. “You’re talking like a bunch of pussies. Just down a pint in Tyrrosh, spend a couple of gold coins, and get it over with at the Dryads.” He wags a finger in Yuuji’s direction, “Women don’t care about virtue. Hell, the more experienced you are, the more you can please them. Doesn’t that sound more like pleasing a goddess, blondie?”

Both Todo and Yuuji marvel at Hakari’s words, as if he had just imparted the most harrowing of wisdom upon them. 

“And what’s the Lord of Tyrrosh’s son doing spending his off days in town when he could marry any noble lady he could wish for?” Megumi asks him. It is true that Hakari, being of noble blood, could have spent his days being an Earl or a Lord, pissing away his money and surrounding himself with luxuries instead of joining the infantry. And Megumi, who perhaps spends more time than he should pondering how his life would have turned out if he were of noble blood, has always wondered why Hakari would squander it.

Hakari brings a hand to the back of his head, scratching it as he mutters, “What are you, my father?” A round of laughter is heard amongst the men in the room before Hakari adds, his tone a bit more serious, “I wanted to be more than just some Lord wandering around Tyrrosh with nothing but my wealth.” He turns towards Megumi, his dark eyes meeting Megumi’s greens. “Maybe you’re too young to remember, but when Princess Yuuri was captured and murdered—that was the first time Nymeria had ever been attacked like that in hundreds of years. I was a teenager then but I couldn’t sit back and watch. I’m sure it was the same for you, Todo.”

Todo nods. “Though I’m from a smaller house, it was the same for me. Drican stealing our beautiful princess from right under our noses—despicable. I joined the infantry right away.”

“Ah, so it wasn’t all about impressing the ladies, then,” Yuuji muses.

“Well,” Hakari shrugs, a smile dancing across his lips. “Having the ladies fawn over us is a bonus.”

As Hakari, Todo, and Yuuji continue their chat, Eren is surprised out of his stupor to hear Megumi’s voice directed at him.

“You don’t believe all those things they say about impressing women with experience, do you, Eren?” It’s rare that Megumi is the one to initiate conversation—so rare Eren wonders if it’s the first time, even.

“Hmm… Well, if it’s someone you love—”

“W-who said anything about love?” Megumi huffs, a warmth crawling up his neck. Certainly, he was not entertaining any thoughts about love—or any person in particular, for that matter. He was only… curious… if all ladies had such sensibilities. There was definitely not a specific person who came to the forefront of his mind. At least, not one whom he would admit to thinking about even by the threat of a dagger to the neck. He adds, seeing Eren’s scrutinizing look, “It was simply a thought.”

Eren quirks a brow but doesn’t comment on Megumi’s floundering. “Is that not why you would want to bed someone? Because you love them?”

“Well… I guess, but not always,” Megumi gestures towards the other men in the room, who are currently speaking of one of Hakari’s many conquests. Anything to get Eren’s eyes off of his face which grows more flushed by the second. “Like Ser Hakari said, often these men do it just for pleasure."

“Well, in that case, perhaps they would prefer experience?” Eren shrugs. “I never really thought about doing anything like that. I’d only be interested in lying with someone I had feelings for.”

Megumi’s normally stoic look is replaced with one of genuine shock. “Really? Every soldier I’ve met always talks about women as if they were things to be conquered. I thought I was the strange one for not having an interest in their competitions.”

Eren shows Megumi an earnest smile. “I guess we’re alike in that way, then. It’s not something to be ashamed of. I think if there are feelings between you and the person you want to be with, it would be even more special if you were each other’s firsts. When you love someone, and they save that part of themselves for you, it’s—” Eren quickly realizes by the scrutinizing look in Megumi’s eyes that he may be getting carried away, and he stutters. “I-I just imagine it would be special to share that with the person you love.”

Megumi stays silent for a moment, absorbing Eren’s words. Then, “Eren… Do you—”

“Fushiguro! And the lizard-man!” Yuuji calls out from the doorway, waving an arm in the air to grab their attention. “There’s still some more food to bring to the kitchens. If you could lend a hand.”

“It’s dragon,” Eren grumbles, turning to the blond. Louder, he adds, “Just call me Eren!”

“Fine, Eren, if you would so kindly lend a hand,” Yuuji beckons him with a hand outside. Eren begins to move forward while Megumi finds himself staring at his back. For a moment he wonders just how would Eren know those types of feelings without having experienced them himself. And when he, too, resumes helping the farmer with the delivery, his mind wanders back to his princess, as it inevitably sometimes does. With a frown, he realizes that perhaps he may have a reason for understanding those feelings too.

***

It is one crisp autumn day, the greens of Nymeria’s lush landscape tinting shades of orange and brown as the fall settles in. Yuuta spends the afternoon with his advisors discussing matters of the realm. His dragon, as is typical of him when he is not training with the infantry, spends his time alone. Today, he opts to spend it in the solar. The room is large and open, with beautiful views of the scenery surrounding the palace—reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn. Warm sunlight pours in through the windows. Though this room is typically one of those spaces saved for the nobility of the palace, Yuuta has given his explicit permission for Eren’s presence. It is here that they often spend some time alone, and it is here that Eren feels most comforted in Yuuta’s absence.

Eren sits at a wooden table, seeds and berries spread before him on its surface. He smiles to himself as his companion for the afternoon—the small Valyrian bird that Yuuta had so affectionately named Vhagar—chirps away, picking at the seeds and taking apart the sweet berries with the tip of his black pointed beak.

“I stole them from the kitchen,” he snickers, pinching a berry between his fingers. “I know they aren’t as sweet as our kasta berries but I hope you like them, Vha—”

“Who are you talking to?”

Eren jolts in his seat, surprised to hear a soft feminine voice breaking through the quietude of the solar. When he looks in the voice’s direction, his eyes grow wide in surprise as he realizes he’s face-to-face with the princess. He stands from his seat immediately, as if he were a child caught doing something naughty. 

“Good afternoon, princess,” Eren says in greeting. His eyes quickly dip down to the table where Vhagar sits munching away at the seeds. Eren picks up the bird and hides it between his large palms. “I-I was just talking to myself.”

Rika giggles at his antics. She walks closer to his table, her soft lilac dress swaying with each step. She looks regal, as always,  with her long brown hair styled perfectly, and her dress ornamented with pins and beautifully stitched designs. A thin golden circlet rests on her crown just behind her bangs—a piece of jewelry to signify her status, as is custom.

“You don’t have to hide the little guy,” she says. “I’ve caught my brother talking to him too. You two spent a little too long on that island, didn’t you? Talking to birds as if they are people.”

Eren lets the bird back down to the table with a nervous laugh. “Perhaps.” As Rika comes up to stand beside him, he notices that she holds a book in her arms. “Are you here to read, Your Highness? I’m sorry if I am disturbing you.”

Rika’s smile is as charming as ever as she gestures for Eren to sit back down. Little does he know the way her heart leaps in her chest as she gets excited over the chance to finally speak to the dragon alone. She would not admit it aloud, but something about him has piqued her interest from the moment she met him. A mixture of his handsome looks and his strange mannerisms, perhaps. Or, maybe it is the fact that he is someone new to the kingdom, that she wishes to understand him, to be able to read him as easily as she can read about and understand the men in her romance novels. He’s different from all the men she’s met before—and different is interesting.

“Nonsense, Eren. Don’t worry about me. We can sit together, actually. I don’t mind.”

Eren nods, sitting back down in his seat. “Thank you, princess.”

They both sit beside each other, Rika settling comfortably into the chair as she opens the book over her lap. Eren, curious, opens his mouth to speak. “What kind of books do you read, princess?”

When she turns toward Eren, his big green eyes are so earnest and soft as he stares at her. She finds his questioning gaze really cute. Noblemen always look at her as if she were less than them, judgment and secrecy amongst other feelings radiating from them, but Eren naturally has such honest emotions in his stare. His mannerisms are incredibly endearing, even more so up close.

“U-um…” She stutters, lost in the childlike wonder held in his gaze. “I like to read a lot of romance stories… I hope that doesn’t sound too strange.”

“I wouldn’t have pinned you for a romantic, Your Highness.”

Rika quirks a brow. “And why’s that?”

“Your brother always speaks about relationships within the kingdom as if they are simply duty. It doesn’t sound like your people are very romantic.”

She giggles at his words. If any other man had spoken such a thing, it’d come across as an insult. But from Eren, it’s simply an observation. 

“Well, it is true that for people like me and my brother, we don’t have the luxury of falling in love with a person of our choosing,” Rika says it so matter-of-fact, but to Eren, hearing this fact repeated again and again always feels like a knife to the chest. “But I like to dream sometimes that one day things could be different. Reading novels feels like getting to play pretend for a little while. I think falling in love is beautiful. Even if you can’t be together, that feeling of loving another person, it’s what everyone hopes for, right? I mean… Perhaps it is just me…” She trails off, worried that she has been rambling to a man who wouldn’t care for such feeble emotions. But Eren only nods in agreement, his features expressing both understanding and sympathy.

“Does it always have to be that way? Duty over love?” Eren asks.

“I’m not sure if Yuuta has learned of this yet, but the young king of Seomor—Hajime—he recently took a commoner as his wife.” At this, Eren’s face melds into earnest surprise. Rika nods, “It wasn’t without opposition, of course. None of the nobles were happy about it. There were many noblewomen who could have married him. But he had fallen for one of the maids in the palace, and refused to take any other woman as his wife.”

“That sounds very courageous of him,” Eren replies.

“It was. He had to defy his council and reject many women’s hands to marry her. I attended their wedding last spring before I returned to Nymeria. They looked so happy as they spoke their vows. I’d never seen Hajime smile as much in all my years in Seomor than how much he did that day.” Rika smiles as she remembers the royal wedding of Hajime and his maid-turned-queen. “I wish that one day I could have that for myself… Commoner or not, I want to feel that kind of joy and love with someone.”

Eren’s eyes are trained on his fingers on the table, the fingertips brushing over one another to soothe the feelings that well up in his chest. He can’t help but remember just how happy he had been the day he had traded vows with Yuuta. Though he’s itching to say it aloud, he doesn’t. Instead, he simply says, “Yes. I wish that for you, princess. And for your brother.”

“I wish it for Yuuta too… But soon he will be crowned. I’m not sure if it can be helped, Eren. Since I won’t be the crowned heir anymore, I hope that maybe Yuuta will let me delay it for a while longer. He’s promised me he won’t force me to wed… Yuuta’s such a kind brother,” Rika smiles fondly. “I have hopes… Yuuta does not have much of a say in his betrothal but… there’s hope for me, I think.”

“What if your brother wanted to be like Hajime? To marry someone he shouldn’t?”

“Has he said anything like that to you?”

Eren averts his gaze from Rika’s as he lies. “No… I just… wonder…” His words fade as he looks at the table pensively.

“Hajime had to be strong-willed to do what he did. My brother, he has always been weak-hearted,” Rika replies. 

Eren frowns—he doesn’t think that Rika’s words are true at all. Eren feels as if he is the one who is weaker of the heart than Yuuta, knowing how easily he succumbs to his emotions.

She continues, “I would be surprised to hear of him defying our traditions like that, Eren.”

“I see…”

Rika reaches out toward Vhagar, smoothing one of her fingers over the soft feathers on the bird’s head. The bird chirps in delight at her touch. 

“You sound so saddened by my brother’s situation. Does it bother you?”

Eren scratches his cheek with one of his fingers, looking away to avoid her gaze once more. If there’s anything about the princess, it seems as if she always knows exactly what to say to make people nervous in her presence. At least, that is what Eren thinks, seeing how Megumi acts around her, and how he feels around her right now.

“He carries such a burden being the prince,” Eren replies. His long hair thankfully covers the heat that pools at the tips of his ears. He remembers how his mother used to often tell him that his ears would turn red when he’d lie. “I just wish for him to be happy…”

“You don’t have to be so sad for him, Eren. Yuuta is a kind man. There is no way that he wouldn’t feel love for his queen. Perhaps not at first… but he would. And any woman would love to have him as a husband. No matter who will be the Nymerian queen one day, they will cherish each other. I’m sure of it.”

Unbeknownst to her, her words only drive the knife deeper into his chest. “Right, of course. I’m sure they will.”

After a bout of silence, Rika says, “I don’t think I’ve told you before but… I’m glad my brother had your company all those years.” Eren straightens up, looking toward Rika with a curious stare. “These past six years I wondered if he was safe… or if he was even alive. I prayed for him every day.” Eren sees how her eyes waver, glistening with unshed tears at the memory. “I’m glad he’s alive but I am especially happy that he had someone like you there to care for him. Thank you for bringing him home, and for being his friend, too.”

All this time, the thought of returning to Nymeria from Valyria always made Eren full of regrets—there was nothing for him to gain from leaving the sanctuary of his island. If anything, all leaving had done was drive a wedge between him and his beloved. But seeing Rika’s emotions on display like this… Eren can see why Yuuta couldn’t stay with him in Valyria. Yuuta didn’t leave just because he felt he had to, but because there are so many people here who cared for him, and he couldn’t go on living on the island knowing that all these people worried for him. Rika would have lived her entire life thinking Yuuta was dead had they never left. The wound on her heart would have never healed, and the thought of being that selfish causes a pang of pain in Eren’s chest.

He reaches over and takes her hand into his palms. Rika, surprised, looks up at him with the softest of blushes tinting her skin. Eren is so warm, her palm feels as if it were being held over a fire. 

“I’m glad I was able to bring Yuuta back to you, princess,” Eren softly smiles. “He worried about you every day, too. I caught him praying often for your safety just as you prayed for him.”

She clears her throat, swallowing the feeling of worms crawling beneath her skin. She’d met many noblemen over the years, but never had a man caused her to feel so nervous. She looks down at his large hands, savoring their warmth.

“Thankfully, I spent the last six years in Seomor away from our father. There was fear that he would hurt us like he hurt my mother… but I was safe in Seomor.”

“Your mother… She was from Seomor, right?” Eren asks, remembering this fact when Rika speaks it aloud.

Rika’s other hand is wrapped around the spine of her book. She sets her novel down on the table. Eren releases her hand and she places both her hands over her lap as he watches her with interest. She idly smoothes down her dress—anything to keep her hands distracted from wanting to feel his warmth again. 

“Yes. My mother was a highborn lady from the kingdom of Seomor. It’s the westernmost kingdom in the realm, full of lush greenery and surrounded by beautiful beaches made of golden sand. My mother’s noble house is small—it’s a wonder my father chose to marry into it at all. But I like to think he simply married her because he loved her. My mother was quite beautiful and so kind to us. My brother, even though he looks so much like my father, he is a lot like my mother.” 

“Your brother used to say the opposite of you,” Eren recalls with a faint smile. “When he’d speak about you, he’d always say that you looked like your mother but you were way too bold like your father.”

Rika laughs. On instinct, she covers her lips with her hand—it’s more ladylike, she had been taught. 

Eren, because he had never spent time in the company of noblewomen, questions the gesture. “Why do you do that, princess?”

Rika blinks, confused. “Do what?”

“Cover your face when you laugh.” He leans in closer, and Rika’s breath hitches in her throat. “You shouldn’t hide it. Then no one can see your smile. It’s pretty.”

Rika’s stomach flips at the words, spoken with such sincerity. She immediately opts to deflect the conversation, to soothe her nerves and warming cheeks.

“H-has my brother taught you much about the other kingdoms at all? I-I can tell you a bit about each of them.”

Eren ponders the question, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, sometimes he would talk about them when we were in Valyria, but it was hard for me to picture them. The island was all I knew. I didn’t understand something as vast as a kingdom when all I knew were villages and forests.”

“Well, Nymeria is the kingdom farthest to the east. Then to the northwest is what was once Drican. It is part of our kingdom now after we won the war. To the southwest is Parryn, a kingdom ruled by the Yoshino clan. To the west of Parryn is Xentis, and to the west of Drican is Avahan. Avahan is ruled by the Kamo family. Xentis and its neighbor to the west, Themiscyra, are both ruled by the Zenin clan—each kingdom is ruled by one branch of the family. And to the south of Themiscyra is where my mother is from, Seomor. Their current king is the one who I mentioned before: Hajime Kashimo.”

Rika begins to fiddle with her braid as she speaks, her words tumbling out one after another in her nervousness as she rambled. Staring at the man beside her makes her stomach feel like it may cave in on itself, as if her chest is filled with nothing but warm air and butterflies. Mentally, she chastises herself at the word vomit that left her mouth. Swooning over a man feels very out of the ordinary for her, but perhaps it can’t be helped; the dragon is so different from other men she’s met before. His words never have any hidden meaning, nor does he have any motives to lie or use her. Everything he says—his feelings, his compliments—it’s all genuine from his heart.

Eren ruminates in silence for a moment before letting out a weak laugh. “Forgive me, princess, but it’ll be hard for me to remember all those names.”

“I know,” she giggles, relieved that Eren doesn’t seem to notice how he’s affecting her. “It takes time to learn them all. I’ve been studying my whole life to remember such things about the realm. Especially if I’ll have to wed a prince someday…”

Eren notices the way Rika’s smile falters toward the end of her words. He asks, “Have you met the princes from the other kingdoms yet?”

“I’ve met a lot of noblemen in Seomor but with my father’s reputation… I have yet to meet a man who offered to marry me. Well, except one. The prince of Parryn, Junpei Yoshino.”

“Did you not wish to marry him?” Eren asks Rika, surprised.

“I had met Junpei before but never with the intention to marry. Not until… Well, actually, it was just before the day that you and my brother returned. I’d always been curious about him, but once I spent more than a few minutes with him, I didn’t like him at all.” She scrunches up her nose at the memory, earning a chuckle from the dragon. “Lord Nanami had suggested the match in talks with Junpei’s father. They wanted to unite our kingdoms, since Parryn has always had a close relationship with Nymeria but… Junpei was quite… unapproachable, to put it lightly. If you and my brother hadn’t returned… I probably would’ve been preparing for a marriage ceremony as we speak.”

Rika seems so relieved once she says the last line, and Eren can’t help but smile. Eren had never had a younger sibling, and speaking with Rika now feels comforting, as if Yuuta’s younger sister were his own. Rika sees this smile, one that he displays just for her, and it makes her feel warm. Happy.

“I’m glad Yuuta’s return has made things better for you, princess. I hope that it will be as you say—that you’ll be able to marry whenever and whomever you wish.”

Silently, though every fiber of his being wishes to say it aloud, he hopes that it will be possible for Yuuta, too.

Rika is confused by the emotions she sees in his eyes. She doesn’t understand why he looks at her with both sadness yet longing. Is he wishing for that so wholeheartedly for her sake too? 

She agrees with a nod, encouraged by his words. “I do hope so too, Eren.”

***

The sounds of the Lord Commander’s boots clacking against the marble floors echo loudly off the walls with each step he takes down the familiar halls towards the emperor’s residence in the palace. The royal wing is nothing near strange territory for him—perhaps so familiar that he can paint each brick, each wooden panel, each piece of marble and tile from memory onto canvas if he ever so chose. Many moons ago, before all Nymeria’s infantry came to be under his command, these simple halls were the only kingdom he knew. Whether it was (reluctantly) gallivanting with the young prince in his youth, later trailing behind the emperor as his Sworn Protector, or even these days, with his regular visits to the emperor’s chambers as his Lord Commander, the steady, regular sound of leather soles against polished marble always sounds the same.

Most days the halls just before the king’s chambers are strictly traversed by servants and healers. Due to their fear of the Mad King and exaggerated, frightful rumors of his curse, the servants stay away from this area of the palace, scurrying like skittish mice being chased away by a predator whenever they are called upon to tend to the King. The sounds of Toji’s steps approaching the royal chambers rattle louder and louder in his ears as he approaches the heavy wooden door through the empty halls and passages, interrupting the stillness. The guards at the door, elite kingsguards under Toji’s command, nod and step aside for their commander, allowing Toji into the room.

“Good day, Lord Commander.” Toji is greeted by one of the healers with a curt, respectful nod as soon as he steps into the entryway, his heavy leather boots scraping against the wooden floorboards. 

“Maester,” Toji nods in return, a man of few words as always. His eyes quickly dart to the grand bed in the center of the room, his arms moving to remove the sword in its hilt at his side. He leaves it and its scabbard in a receptacle in the entryway as it is custom to shed his weapon when in the chambers of the king, hastily making his way across the room as the healer begins to scramble and clean up his potions and tools that were laid out at the side table.

At the king’s bedside is an armchair upholstered in dark velvety fabric trimmed with braided gold thread at its edges. The chair matches the long, opulently gold-trimmed curtains hung before each window as well as around the king’s bedposts, though now they are pulled back at the midsections with a golden rope, fringed at the end with long golden tassels. 

As Nymeria’s autumn season is beginning to show its head, the servants have lit the fireplace across from the king’s bed to keep the room warm, knowing that even with the bedsheets as thick as they are, the now frail king often suffers from chills. To the Lord Commander, the man as bulky and large-framed as he is, the room is just teetering on the edge of hot, with the scent of ginger and lycium—healing herbs—heavy in the air and deftly plugging his nose. He takes a seat in the armchair at Yuuki’s bedside regardless, prepared to weather the stifling atmosphere in order to spend this time with his closest friend.

When Toji settles into the seat and the healer scurries away, Toji finally allows his pale green eyes to take in the sight of his king: Yuuki’s laying down in bed, head propped up by feathered pillows, and his body covered with dark heavy bedsheets up to his collarbones. He’s asleep, eyes closed with dark hair framing his face, his pale lips just slightly agape. Yet, the man doesn’t snore—not anymore, not the same way that Toji used to tease him for in his youth whenever he’d catch the prince dozing away, avoiding his lessons. The Yuuki he knew back then… That cocky smile, his rosy complexion, his eagerness for sparring, jousting, and all things debauchery—that Yuuki is simply a memory, the man before him a ghost of the once so-called Gallant Prince. 

Although during the war and in the years after, Yuuki became someone whom the realm grew to fear, whom even his own subjects began to whisper rumors of madness and evil, it wasn’t always that way. Toji has known since the day he came to live in the Nymerian palace the extent of Yuuki’s kindness. Perhaps that is why, even now, Toji doesn’t feel any fear in his heart, not like the others do. He looks over at his king with a gaze heavy enough to drown in, the room in which they are both in now bringing back memories that the Lord Commander often wishes he could forget.

It was once in this very room, almost seven years ago now, that Toji saw for the first time the true extent of the spell—no, curse—that the witch had placed upon Yuuki. His descent into madness was sharp and swift; it had been no less than half a dozen months since the murder of Princess Yuuri that the Queen had followed her sister-in-law to the afterlife. Unlike Yuuri’s death, perpetrated by a foreign land bent on starting a war, Queen Haruka’s had been at the very hands of her loving husband, the king who sleeps just an arm’s reach from Toji now. Perhaps that night had been the only time that Toji had ever been afraid—not for himself, but for his king.

Yuuta, much too young to do anything but run away, had fearfully witnessed with his own two eyes the death of his mother at his father’s hands. And Toji, moments later, had seen the same fear in Yuuki’s eyes: the king’s own fear that one day he would do the same to his children. That night, as Haruka’s limp body still warmed the sheets of their bed, Yuuki’s mind, warped and damaged by the witch’s spell, knew that he was a danger to those around him. Nothing had made it more clear in his mind than the sight of his son and daughter cowering in their bedroom, hiding from him.

His first thought after his mind had cleared of the power-hungry state that it had been in, was ending his life before it could become any worse. He feared for those around him whom he cherished so dearly: his son, daughter, friends, and closest advisors. Hell, his entire kingdom. Who knows the depths of warfare and bloodshed that he would subject his kingdom to if he were willing to go as far as killing his beloved wife? He feared the monster that he had become in his quest to defeat Drican, and at that moment, had considered that the kingdom would be better off if his life were to end now before the spell could continue to rot away at his mind.

Yet, that night, before he could leave his kingdom behind to his Lord Hand and his children who were much too young to rule, Toji was there for him. Toji, his closest friend and most loyal knight, was there to convince Yuuki that they would find a cure for him. That he, even with the evil he had just committed, was worth fighting for. Though it was Toji who had always felt as if Yuuki had saved him, at that moment, it was Toji who had saved Yuuki. In the days after Yuuta and Rika were sent away, when word of Yuuta’s disappearance had reached the palace, it was Toji, along with the aid of their master of ships Lord Higuruma, who served as a rock for the king, grounding him and assuring him of Yuuta’s safe return, ensuring that Yuuki’s fragile mental state was quelled and the palace did not delve into chaos as they mounted searches by land and by sea. Amid the restoration of peace, and the loss of the kingdom’s first-born prince, Toji was there to support his king as his Lord Commander, but most importantly, as his closest friend.

Toji knows as well as Yuuki that the only reason Yuuki is still alive now, despite the toll that forbidden power took on his body, and despite the many thoughts (and attempts) that Yuuki had of taking his own life, is because of the affection Yuuki still holds for him, his family, and his kingdom. Even with his memory existing in fragments, and his body being so weak he can barely move from his bed, it is always so clear in his words and his actions that those he loves most exist at the forefront of his mind. Could a man deemed so evil by others really be the same man who still holds so much affection for them in his heart?

“Toji…”

Toji’s head snaps up at the sound of his name, his eyes previously fixated contemplatively on the bedsheets just in front of him. His eyes meet Yuuki's, an ocean of deep blue waters, just as he had always remembered them to be. There was a time when they were so dark and tumultuous, like the crashing waves of a stormy sea but that was years ago, a time when Yuuki wasn’t himself. 

“My king,” Toji bows his head. Yuuki sends him a look that Toji knows all too well. Toji adds, in a softer voice, “Yuuki.”

Yuuki begins to shuffle in bed, moving to sit up from his laying down position. Toji instantly gets off the armchair, one of his arms looping around Yuuki’s back, gently lifting him. Yuuki can’t help but let out what sounds like a chuckle, defeated, letting his friend assist him with something as simple as moving around in his own bed. There have been many times in the past where Yuuki has voiced his distaste for this situation he is in—‘it’s as if I’ve become a man more than twice my age’ he’d once said. Yet today he chooses not to comment on it.

Instead, he starts by asking Toji about himself. With a palm laid over one of Toji’s arms, his touch so cold Toji stutters upon contact, he asks, “Toji… Are you well?”

“I should be the one to ask you.” Toji takes the king’s hand, so thin and frail now, into his own palms. “I’m fine, Your Highness. It is you we worry for. Are the healers helping you feel any better?”

Yuuki’s thin, pale lips curl upwards but his expression couldn’t be further from a smile. “You know I am afflicted with… something which cannot be healed, Toji.”

A stretch of silence passes, the king’s deep breaths causing his chest to rise and fall. Toji knows better than anyone that there is no way to break Yuuki’s curse—if there were, he would have found it long ago when the witch Nobara was still within his grasp. Perhaps it is a sense of hope—or an illusion of it, more likely—that has Toji wondering if anything the healers can do would improve the king’s condition. These past years of visiting the royal chambers have never borne any fruit in that regard. But perhaps Toji’s asking is part of the formality of it all, now—less out of hopeful thinking and more out of decorum.

“Well… You look well,” Toji lies, in hopes of lifting the king’s spirits. He studies Yuuki’s face as he speaks. Except for the pallor of his skin, and the length of his hair, the thinness of his body—he’s still very much the Yuuki he’s always known. “Your hair’s gotten a bit longer—are your servants not tending to it? Or are you trying to look more like your son? It doesn’t suit you.”

At that, Yuuki genuinely laughs. “Hmm… Perhaps the latter. The Grand Maester told me… that seeing Yuuta for the first time felt as if he were seeing an apparition… that of my younger self.”

Toji, remembering when he had seen Yuuta climb off the back of a dragon, knows exactly how that felt. “He was right. Your son has always looked like you, even as a child. But perhaps even more so now that he’s a man in his own right.”

“How is he? My son?” Yuuki asks, shuffling in bed to sit higher up against his headboard. Toji sits straighter, lifting a heavy boot to cross one ankle over the other. “He does not frequent my chambers… as much as I’d like him to.”

“You would have never guessed he was living on an island but a month ago. He’s smart, tactful even.” Yuuki grins then, relieved. “He’s already caught up on much of the politics and relationships with the other kingdoms in the realm, and he’s already acting on your behalf during meetings with your council. The prince is quite…” he pauses as he searches for the words. “Calm and level-headed, I’d say. Not like a certain little pig-headed prince I once knew.”

Yuuki chuckles—a laugh so thin you’d miss it if you weren’t familiar with his weakened gestures. 

“Of course… He is Haruka’s son, after all,” Yuuki murmurs, to which Toji shakes his head.

“You forget what a brilliant king you once were, Yuuki.” Yuuki blinks back at Toji’s words, listening intently. “I remember the day you told your queen just how much you cared for your family and your kingdom—and that you’d do anything for their prosperity. I think your son is just the same. He cares for our kingdom, much like you do.”

Yuuki’s gaze travels to his hands in his lap, his hands that in his mind are so disgustingly tainted with blood and all the evil things he’d done. But they were all done in the name of his kingdom. “I’m glad that… there is at least one man who still… thinks so highly of me…”

“Try not to let that big head of yours grow any bigger now.”

Yuuki turns toward Toji and sees fondness in his gaze. Toji’s always looked at him the same, no matter what they’d been through over the years, and the thought warms his heart immensely. Even if Toji never puts words to it, even if his words are laced with thin insults and sarcastic jabs, the look in his eyes has always been enough to reveal the truth.

“I often hope that… one day my son will have someone as devoted as you are, Toji…”

At his words, Toji crosses his arms over his chest, turning his face to hide the flames of embarrassment that begin to creep up his face. “I’m just speaking truthfully, Your Highness.”

Yuuki laughs entirely too hard at Toji’s flustering, enough that he has to pause to cough and clear his throat. Concern quickly takes over Toji’s features, but Yuuki simply holds up a shaky palm to quell the question poised on Toji’s tongue.

“You were never one… to be honest about your feelings… were you?”

Toji avoids the question. If it’s out of embarrassment, or out of fear of putting words to the feelings they’ve never discussed aloud, he wouldn’t dwell on it. “I do think your son has someone who will dedicate himself beyond just a knight’s oath. The dragon who brought him here, he’s been placed as my esquire. I’ve heard it for myself—that he says he is willing to die for the prince. He seems like he means it honestly.”

“Ah…” Yuuki smiles. Those words are not too far off from Toji’s vow, so many decades ago now. “Has he… taken the oath?”

“Not yet, but I think by the time of the ceremony, he’ll be ready.”

The ceremony, which looms over everyone’s mind these days, is a reference to Yuuta’s coronation ceremony as the crowned prince and Yuuki’s heir, which is set to occur in a few weeks’ time. It is at his ceremony, just like his father’s, that his set of kingsguards will be appointed. Any soldiers set to be promoted to knights will do so by being knighted by their newly crowned prince, as is custom. And though Eren has only been part of their infantry for a mere couple of weeks, his strength combined with his experience and his ‘special circumstances’, as previously discussed by the council, have left little room for doubt that he will be selected for the kingsguard. At least, that was the intention when the council had granted Eren permission to join the infantry at the last meeting.

“I wish I could be there… to see the ceremony…”

At this, Toji’s eyes widen in surprise. “What? Do you mean you won’t be in attendance?”

Yuuki gestures towards his lap, as if the answer was so obviously written across his body. “In this condition..?”

“But your subjects, the crowned princes and nobles of the realm—they’ll all be in attendance. You have to—”

“I won’t.” Yuuki’s words are stern, even with the weak timbre of his voice. Final. “What will they say… about the Mad King’s first public appearance since… since…” His words trail off, and Toji knows exactly what it is that Yuuki wishes to say. Since I killed my wife. “I don’t want… my son’s crown to be… tainted by my hands… I wish for him to be crowned… without me.”

“Yuuki…” Toji looks for any doubt in Yuuki’s eyes but finds none. This has to be something Yuuki has thought about for quite some time, as it is tradition for the current emperor to crown his heir. To forego this tradition… the guilt that Yuuki feels seems insurmountable. And Toji knows that Yuuki’s sins are not something that his words alone could erase, much less ease. He needs to earn forgiveness, not from him, but from his children whom he feels so strongly that he wronged.

“Wouldn’t it be better for him to understand you?” Toji tries to reason. “He was a kid back then. He doesn’t know why you took that spell. He’s naive still—he hasn’t learned anything of war. All of this… It was all because of this war. Because of that curse.” The last two words are spat out from behind gritted teeth.

“No, Toji… It was I who was too foolish… who ignored her warnings… who coveted power above all… It’s my fault… entirely my fault that this happened… that my children… hate me. I deserve it… for what I’ve done.”

“I think if he understood you, he would forgive you.” 

He hears Toji's words, yet, all Yuuki remembers is his first meeting with his son, how Yuuta had said that he didn’t know if he ever could forgive, much less forget what Yuuki had done. 

“I don’t expect his forgiveness… I just wish to absolve him of what I'd done… It is my wish, Toji… for Yuuta to become king… of his own right. Not in my shadow… it is what’s best for the kingdom… for him.”

A bout of silence passes, before Toji chuckles, breaking Yuuki from his wallowing reverie.

“What is it?” Yuuki asks.

“Good luck telling lazy bastard Nanami that he’ll have to be the one to crown your son.”

Yuuki join Toji in his mirth, laughing at the thought. Nanami, not one to perform unnecessary duties, would loathe having to be at the forefront of such a ceremony. Speaking of Nanami, Yuuki recalls a recent conversation he had had with the Lord Hand. Well, recent in his mind, which is clouded with misplaced memories. He says, “The Gods know that… Lord Nanami already has his hands full with my daughter… rejecting the hand from Crowned Prince Yoshino…”

Toji leans back against the chair, a sigh leaving his lips. Just the mention of the princess eases whatever thick air of tension had previously settled in the room when speaking of the coronation. Toji’s grateful for the change of subject. “Yes… I think perhaps the years away have made her forget her role in our kingdom. That, or the princess is simply as stubborn as a mule.”

“Is that so?” Yuuki shouldn’t be amused at the insult his daughter had unintentionally made at their neighbor and long-time trade partner, but he is. He, as the king, could force his hand; he could be enraged with his daughter for declining such an advantageous union. Instead, his eyes still sparkle with warmth. “Well… courting a woman is more interesting when… there is a challenge involved… I’ve always thought that… stubbornness can be charming.”

“I wonder where she got such a trait from,” Toji muses, his eyes wandering until they land upon Yuuki’s. It is not lost on him the way Yuuki’s lingering affection for his wife can still be heard in his voice, how it glimmers in his eyes.

Yuuki can’t help but smile faintly when their eyes meet. “Maybe she gets it from her mother.”

Toji chuckles softly. The sarcasm drips off his tongue when he replies, “Maybe.”

Yuuki suddenly becomes solemn again, his voice hushed as he asks, “Toji?”

“Yes?”

“You… and your son Megumi… protect her… She was lucky that Parryn had been… so gracious and forgiving. Another kingdom… they may not take such an insult lightly. She might have been too young to remember… just how dangerous these politics can be.”

Toji’s eyes widen at the King’s words. He knows, having experienced what tragedy had fallen upon the kingdom, why Yuuki says this to him. The last thing anyone in this kingdom would ever want is for Rika’s fate to be that of the late Princess Okkotsu.

“Of course, we will. The prince and the princess are both under my protection. So long as I am Lord Commander nothing will happen to them. I promise you.”

Toji’s words help quell the uneasy feeling in Yuuki’s chest—brewing, yet unexplainable. He smiles at his longtime friend as he lays back down against his bedding, weary from such long conversation. It’s a miracle Yuuki was as talkative as he just was, Toji thinks, resigning himself to the plush cushions of his chair. Yuuki’s eyelids grow heavy. His last words before he succumbs to exhaustion come out as a murmur: 

“Thank you, Toji.”

***

Tags: @brujaovermoxy @aki-and-saltfish @starry-supernova @itsalicewickedmcgee @jaeger-xo @whore4jean @broken-freedom @raechulashleigh @fqiryspit 

Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! or hit notifications for the blog <3

[book-of-baba-fett]

OC Appreciation June 2022

A huge thank you to everyone who submitted OCs! This post wouldn't be possible without you. Feel free to share, and check out all the great OC content below the cut!

* indicates 18+/NSFW Content. If you notice a NSFW fic is not tagged as such, please let me know and I will edit.

✨ Nat's Recs - some of my own personal favorites

Fanfiction:

✨Across the Stars* by @djarrex (OCs -Priya, Gelissa, and Garran Gayiyla)

The Bad Batch: Trespass by @shadestepping (Multiple OCs)

Bonsoir* by @kaminocasey (OC - Cassia Nu aka Cash)

✨ By Any Other Name* & What Blooms in Thunder* by @rowansparrow (Clone OC - Rose/Gol'Chek, Nautolan OC - Quill, Human OCs Athena and Kiran, Garbak (Original Species) OC - Ju'Lah.)

✨Call Me Home * by @twistedstitcher27 (Jedi OC - Orr'Sinda Perth)

Call the Twi'Lek Midwife* by @ficsnooneaskedfor (OCs - Citali, Melita, Izel)

The Clone Wars Gets a New Victim by @thechaoticfanartist (Jedi OC - Grim)

The Duty of a Captain by @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life (Clone OC - Doc)

✨From Where We Stand* by @djarrex (OC - Ahri)

✨ Halo* by @rowansparrow (Nautolan OC - Quill, Human OCs Athena and Kiran, Garbak (Original Species) OC - Ju'Lah, Clone OC Rose/Gol'Chek.)

✨ The Hunt* by @moonstrider9904 (OC - Rose)

Illicit Affairs by @book-of-baba-fett (Jedi OC - Talia Riva, Clone OC - Captain Storm)

Insatiable* (Game of Thrones series) by @starwarslove16

Moonwalker* by @moonstrider9904 (OC- Sarah Adhara)

Not Saying Much by @clydesducktape (OC - Sola Korraay-Gideon)

One Step at a Time by @wild-karrde (Clone OC - Chuckles, Twi'lek OC - Arni, Pantoran OC - Nita)

Paradigm Shift (The Bad Batch/Expanse crossover) by @eyecandyeoz (OC - Emilia Chatham)

Pieces by @teletraan-meets-jarvis (OC - Issa Straun)

A Prince of Dathomir* by @kimageddon (Nightsister OC Zaiya Valessa, Mandalorian OC - Adaji Treshan)

✨Starlit Murder by @thebitchformerlyknownaskenobi (Pantoran OC - Kau'ra)

Stars in Their Multitudes by @jedi-valjean (Multiple OCs, feat - Com Narcom, Koss, Aberon Halmath, Kaltha, Tarkay, Leela, Korma, Sister Risuno, Unal Munir, Broque.)

Sins of the Father by @kimageddon

Artwork:

✨82nd Darkwatch Platoon by @zoruui

Ailani Réillata by @queen-breha-organa: Ailani in the Beach Dress by @gimmeyoursnacks Ailani Sketches by @maybe-murphy Ailani at Sunset by @d3epfriedangels ✨

✨Amaya by @amikoroyaiart

✨Cala by @thefact0rygirl, art by @maygalodon

✨Cherise by @cyarbika, headshot by @calamity-aims, art by @maulpunk

Captain Storm by @book-of-baba-fett, art by @elledjarin

✨Chad by @milfreva (there is literally so much Chad art and I love it all)

Dara Idella by @spacerocksarethebestrocks

✨Eya by @galacticgraffiti, art by @pinkiemme, art by @sar-arts

✨Kau'ra by @thebitchformerlyknownaskenobi, Starlit Murder fanart by @kimageddon

Lena Orim by @ilikemymendarkandfictional, art by @rebekahs-art

✨Locks and Urudyk by @cyareclones

Mari Gildow by @penguinkiwi

Omura Vane by @certified-anakinfucker

✨Priya Gayiyla by @djarrex, with Papa Rex by @howie-ner-cyare

Quill Cawthon by @rowansparrow, art by @space-b33

Sola Koraay-Gideon by @clydesducktape, moodboard for Not Saying Much by @princessxkenobi

Talia Riva by @book-of-baba-fett, character concept art by @deliahscrush2003 art by @elledjarin, by @deliahscrush2003, art by @space-b33

Creator Spotlight:

This section is for some OC creators in general - folks who share OC appreciation/have too many cool OCs to list them all here.

@ailani-reillata

@arrthurpendragon

@cyareclones

@circadianx

@darth-caillic

@deliahscrush2003

@eyecandyeoz

@findswoman

@justalittletomato

@just-some-girl-92

@kimageddon

@kote-wan

@milfreva

@moonstrider9904

@night-watch-trespass

@purgetrooperfox - Leo deactivated but I got so many shoutouts for their OCs and couldn't link anything but still needed to shout them out.

@rowansparrow

@wild-karrde

[little-engineer-who-cant]

Ao3 Master List

Running master list of my Ao3 fics that are currently posted.

Never In My Wildest Dreams (Bridgerton) - Following the scandal of her aborted wedding to Anthony Bridgerton, Edwina Sharma wants to have a quiet Season. The world has different plans for her.

look into the eyes of damnation and bare your teeth (Skyrim) - The adventures of Alla Stoneshield in Skyrim, featuring custom followers.

Act I: Into the Breach

Act II: Rising Until Our Souls Shatter in the Sky

Act III: Call Your Rage Peace

Wolf's Den (Skyrim) - Farkas runs afoul of a Vigilant of Stendarr and stumbles upon a cottage in the woods. Gwendolyn is trying to scrape out a living in the Rift, then a dying werewolf collapses outside of her door.

sirens scream names forgotten by tomorrow, laid to rest in infinity (Batman / Percy Jackson and the Olympians) - Follows Jason Todd and Silena Beauregard in Gotham City.

Under the Red Hood Lies Jason Todd’s Shattered Dreams

Our First Date was a Walk in the Park

There’s a Waystation in Gotham

The Water Under the Bridge to Elysium is Still the River Styx

Orpheus, Don’t Turn Around (i know you will, you always do)

Screaming Past the Limit, Never to Slow Down Again

I Needed a Shovel to Love You (and now i’m digging up your grave)

Fallen Angels Holding onto Demon Collars

The Garden of Eden, Built in Sunwarm Sheets

Screaming to Delphi for Salvation

Robins' Nest

Fighting for the Light You Drowned Long Ago - Part 1 of Injustice

Are You Coming to the (Hanging) Tree? (Black Sails) - One shot Canon Divergence where Abigail Ashe  joins the pirates and Charles Vane teaches her how to survive them.

You’re the Torch I’ll Use to Burn this World Down (Black Sails) - Pre-canon Black Sails AU featuring a chance meeting between Charles Vane and Miranda Barlow. What if they talk? Written for the Built On Sand Creative Event.

Dead Doesn't Mean Gone (Resident Evil) - A short rumination on Leon Kennedy's infection post-Resident Evil 4.

Down Into the Sea and Back Out Again (Resident Evil) - Piers Nivans survives Lanshiang. An ongoing collections of vignettes about the consequences.

Duty-Bound for Hell, So We Make this World Our Heaven (Game of Thrones / House of the Dragon) - Dreamsharing AU featuring Myrcella Baratheon and Aemond Targaryen.

What If I Knew Of You? (Black Sails / Pirates of the Caribbean) - PoTC and Black Sails crossover where James Norrington ruminates on Captain Flint.

[mylesimeblr]

I'm already 12 pages into that Game of Thrones Byler crossover. I wanted to write it "M rated" and I tried to write "mild dialogues" and in the end I'm already going full Tyrion Lannister mode. I had this "reader" yesterday who told me that there was something deeply wrong with me. And yeah, maybe there is. But fuck, I like that.

Sometimes, Mike stayed far into the night, after all the other clients had either gone home or paid the services of a slave. There were times Will went off with clients too and Mike’s heart grew heavy with pain, especially when Will was followed by several soldiers. There were times, Will stayed, cleaning the tables as Mike finished his pinte, just the two of them. Steve was never far but when it was so late, he had duties of his own that called him away.

“You’re from Dorne, right?” Mike asked, watching the slave wipe ale stains from the wood.

“I was born in a village near Sunspear, yes,” Will answered and it was strange talking to him without games.

“Do you remember it?”

Will shook his head, “Not much. I was sold by my father when I was nine so I was pretty young when I came here.”

Mike nodded, “I was sold too. General Tarly saw me at the Market and took me to work for the Lannister army as a stable boy.”

Will stopped wiping his table and gave him a small knowing smile, “I was found at the Market too. Lord Baelish saw me and bought me to bring me here.”

Mike swallowed. They didn’t say it but they knew. It all came to meeting one person, one day. Had they met the other one, on another day, they could have been each other’s substitute. His brain suddenly conveyed the image of the boys carried around in the cart leading to the King’s Landing slave market that day, all those years ago. Through the fog of memory, he saw a young boy with caramel skin and big green eyes, sitting across the bench, hands tied and his heart grew heavy again. What were the odds, indeed.

“Where were you from, before King’s Landing?” Will suddenly asked, taking the image of small Will away.

Mike blinked, confused, “I don’t remember.”