#he feels relatively powerless to do anything

[reginrokkr]

𝐂𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. Aftermath of escaping the demonic curse.

In Dain's HSR verse, even if he's rid of the curse laid on him by the gods and he could bring salvation to others by dealing with the Abyss Order and fixing for good the issue with the Abyss being toxic to the world as part of redeeming himself for being unable to do anything to save Khaenri'ah, he's not without struggles.

The fact that the curse is no more is great, but it's undeniable that he outlived far more than he should have and he continues to do. He's exhausted and he's been leading a self-imposed solitary life for as long as he lived too, a life that he didn't enjoy one bit, a self-imposed punishment if you will.

He owes nobody anything now even if in all his kindness he does want to see where forbidden knowledge truly came from and for the most part, he's at peace with himself for his achievements in Teyvat. But that loneliness still affects him, and oftentimes he struggles with a real purpose to be. He's no longer in a place where he desires to end it all, but he isn't necessarily enjoying his life either. In moments like this where he could give himself a break and enjoy his life, I feel like what he'd enjoy the most is to find someone he can commit to. And someone that hopefully could do the same with him if they find him worth doing so for him. Once again he'd be pouring his all in someone else that isn't him, but at the same time the yearning that someone does the same for him is there and he no longer restrains himself from doing so as he otherwise would in Teyvat.

All in all, his desire would be to share his life with someone. It doesn't have to be just one person nor limited to romance alone.

[dreameralive]

i think one of the most noteworthy things about Blaise that i haven't really seen anyone discuss is his tendency to liken others to children, his weaponization of it, its relation to him being a child abuser, and its relation to his defeat.

one of his first lines of dialogue, before he even introduces himself, is him humiliating Franziska by calling her 'little von Karma', and then bringing up something retroactively embarrassing she did as a little girl.

he frames this as genuine nostalgia, but to me, it's pretty clear this was a purposeful, and almost sadistic, powerplay.

there's also these lines. these aren't too strange, out of context - "let's all play nice" is a relatively common phrase, and in the second screenshot where he's discussing Kay and Edgeworth's friendship, they are literally youths (well, compared to him). but in context, it's clear that this is part of him attempting to assert his dominance over everyone else.

he wants to let everyone know that he is the adult here, and all they are is children - and thereby, they are completely powerless to his end-all authority, so they shouldn't even bother attempting to resist. this is further emphasized during his logic chess segment.

he calls Edgeworth 'my boy', he reminds him that he is his 'senior in life', he tells him he's being naïve. he threatens to never give back his prosecutors badge if he doesn't stop trying to question his authority. he asks him, mockingly, if he's scared. then, while grinning, he tells him that there is nothing he can do, and he should give up already.

he once again, more blatantly this time, is attempting to force someone else into accepting that they are the weaker party and that he could do anything he pleased to them, and once again, he is weaponizing the societal power imbalance between a child and an adult to do so.

i could go on and on for a while with more examples of this, but then that would make this post really long and rambly. so, instead, i'm going to discuss what his behavior ultimately results in.

this is probably one of the most disturbing interactions in Ace Attorney.

he does this purely so Sebastian will feel humiliated and ashamed in front of his colleagues, people he respects and who in turn are supposed to respect him. he does this to remind Sebastian that he is his father, and Sebastian is his child. to Blaise, that means he has complete control over him. and until this point? he actually does.

he has controlled every aspect of Sebastian's life to be exactly how he wants it. his path in life, his school, his tests - even Sebastian's constant usage of his surname serves as a reminder that Sebastian's only purpose to his father is to be an extension of him, a tool to feed into his ego. an object. something he owns.

note how, in their sprites, Sebastian is typically tilting his head slightly downwards, and in his crying sprites, he's leaning down. meanwhile Blaise stands high, and in his grinning sprites, his head is tilted up, as to literally look down on the person he's talking to.

but in the end, right before Blaise is convicted, right as Blaise tells him he should just remain his idiot son, Sebastian is looking up as he tells him goodbye. a way of saying that he's not beneath him, and he won't let him act like it anymore.

Blaise is immediately infuriated by this, and says all you've ever been able to do is depend on me. he screams Sebastian's name in anger - but it's cut off.

in fact, there is no more dialogue from Blaise after this. because he has no more authority, no more ability to scare Sebastian or anyone else into submission. in the end, Sebastian has finally taken back his autonomy that Blaise has robbed him of. so has Kay. so has Simon. all of them are children he has mistreated, threatened, and jerked around for his own selfish gain, but ultimately, they all still have more power over their own lives than he ever will again.

there's a lot more i could say on this, but these are all my thoughts i could organize. thanks for reading.

[merthosus]

Desperation

Summary: After Five has gone to hell and back to prevent the end of the world and save his whole family, it drives him insane to do it a second time. Despite all his efforts not to let humanity go to ruin, it feels like an endless loop. After a long evening of martinis and some more martinis, he stumbles through the hotel door of a stranger. Not only is he surprised that the face behind the door looks familiar, but also the fact that she was just getting ready for bed.

Here a sexy poster from Five I fell in love with! With every purchase you automatically support me :) https://amzn.to/3yGK6Fm

"So her beauty would be never forgotten no matter in which timeline"

The terrible feeling of powerlessness made Number Five reach for the glass again and again. No matter how many times he tried, no matter how great his efforts, it was hopeless. The thought of giving up plagued him more than he thought. But he had to be strong, not for himself, but for his siblings. The only place where they still felt safe was this hotel, a collection point for criminals of all kinds who didn't want to be found so quickly. You met all kinds of people in the corridors. Be it the woman who treated her dog like a child or Diego's son, who left a trail behind him with his leaking ear, just like in Hänsel and Gretel. Behind every hotel room door was a different personality that you definitely wouldn't have expected.

It was relatively difficult for Five to stay on his feet, and not just this evening. The usually so dressed up Five stumbled from corridor to corridor, searching in vain for his bed. He actually had a good feeling for how much alcohol he could drink, but after having to return to his young body, he had forgotten that his liver was not quite the same as that of a sixty-year-old. His hair, usually so tightly pulled back, was disheveled and strands were hanging out. His shirt was anything but pressed and his bow tie hung loosely around his neck. The only thing he had in mind, was his cozy bed, waiting for him in one of this many bedrooms.

He didn't know exactly why, but he was drawn to a particular door, number 45. The door was no different in any way from the other 123 he had seen on his tour, but like a moth to a lantern, he was drawn in that direction. The temptation to simply walk past the wooden door without paying attention to it was impossible for Five. He wondered whether it was really his gut feeling or perhaps the few drops too many. He decided not to think about it any longer and took a step towards the door. His long, thin fingers gripped the knob and Five felt no resistance. The door was only ajar. This couldn't be a coincidence.

He opened the door as quietly as his alcohol-soaked body would allow him. Then he leaned against the doorframe. He couldn't believe who was standing in front of him. His mouth was agape with astonishment, but also with admiration. His thoughts no longer had any self-control. The usually rational Five couldn't stop the thoughts flowing through his head. Y/n stood a few meters in front of him, his former colleague from the commission who had disappeared at some point. Five had never expected to see her again, especially not half naked. Still his mouth wasn't closed, admiring what was standing in front of him. She's lifting her long armed shirt, stretching her torso. He was leaving none of her body parts unwatched.

Her shining thighs, which doubled in size when she sat down. Oh God, how many times Five had had to sit differently to hide his arousal, how many times he had negotiated with the handler to go on missions with her instead of alone. Years of suffering, years of unsatisfied lust, years of concealed love. Five didn't move an inch to not draw attention to himself and scare her off. Five wondered how long he could hold out. He would stand at this very door for hours, starving, just to keep looking at her. Her stretch marks, which piled up on her like the waves of the sea. Her beautiful back which was covered in tattoos. Everything about her was as perfect for Five as the stone carved figures from Greece. Every time he looked at her, he remembered the beautiful figures and vowed to, one day, carve one of her. So her beauty would be never forgotten no matter in which timeline.

The more he focuses his thoughts on her, the less control he has over his body. He stumbles forward and barely manages to hold on to the Anden doorframe with his left hand. Suddenly, Y/n's head shoots up and she has just tried to pick up her T-shirt. Startled, she presses the scrap of fabric against her unclothed upper body. It feels like she is swallowing her air when she sees the drunken Five standing at the doorway. "Five…" she whispers to herself. "Mademoiselle Y/n," Five bows, trying in vain not to fall over. "W… what are you doing here?" she asks as she quickly pulls her T-shirt over her head. "You shouldn't be in this timeline," she mumbles to herself. Five laughs to avoid showing his true emotions. "So you're still working for the Commission. Funny, after you just disappeared like that," he says as he closes the door behind him and takes a step towards her.

"Five I needed to… It was this or killing you. The handler gave me no choice. You turned against her, what else was I supposed to do?" she asked. Five thought before walking towards her with quick yet shaky steps. He stopped just before her and tapped her heart with his finger. "You could have stayed with me. I can't believe it, after everything we've been through together," Five shakes his head. "Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about you, Five," Y/n confesses, looking at him. Despite the transformation back into his youthful body, Five was taller than her, Y/n struggled to look him in the eye. So much pain was reflected in them. "I've been looking everywhere for you Y/n," he breathes it out rather than saying it.

Thank you for reading love :)

[galvanizedfriend]

Klaroline Fanfiction Masterlist

It's been a minute since I last updated my masterlist so I decided to go ahead and start a new one. Yokan // ▪ Multi-chapters

. The Wolf Series [I, II, III and Outtakes - Incomplete] When Caroline wakes up shackled, powerless and very far away from Mystic Falls, she knows she's in serious trouble. But when a woman named Sophie Deveraux reveals the reason why she's been kidnapped and taken to New Orleans, she realizes things are far worse than she could've ever imagined.

[The Originals rewriting where Caroline is a witch and gets pregnant with Klaus' child. Seasons 1, 2 and 3 complete, season 4 coming.]

. Vice and Virtue [6/6 - Complete] As the second son of a Duke, Klaus Mikaelson has the means and all the time in the world to indulge in every manner of wild activity with very little respect for the regiment of polite society. That is until his brother decides he's had enough of his vulgar ways and gives him an ultimatum. Caroline Forbes is a young debutante in search of true love and adventure. Except her aunt wishes for her to marry a somber Viscount who's already buried three wives. When their paths cross, they realize they might yet strike a deal that could satisfy their relatives and benefit them both.

[AH Regency!AU inspired by Bridgerton and a dozen other period novels I have been reading lately.]

. Pedulum [2/2 - Complete] This is what Klaus Mikaelson knows: death isn't the end for him. From the moment he is brought into the world to his final shuddering breath, Klaus' life is pretty much the same as everyone else's. The difference lies in what happens after he dies: he goes right back to the beginning, a child in London with the memory of dozens of lives lived before. Nothing ever really changes, including the fact that no matter how hard he tries, he can never save Caroline Forbes' life for too long.

[AH/soulmates!AU with a slight magical twist. Technically a one-shot, chapter 2 is just an alternate ending.]

. We'll Always Have New Orleans [3/15 - Incomplete] Caroline wakes up in a world where everything looks exactly the same, only nothing really is. For starters, she's no longer a vampire, and no one else in Mystic Falls has ever heard of witches, vampires or werewolves - no one except for Klaus, who woke up just as human and twice as angry about it. Their search for answers and a way out takes them all the way to New Orleans, and Caroline could never anticipate how much this crazy fake world was about to alter her reality forever.

[Canon-divergence!AU. Set right after TVD 4x18.]

. Speed Dating [3/4 - Incomplete] Klaus is having a bad month, so Caroline decides it's a great idea to drag him along to a round of Speed Dating. Other men in the room do not approve.

AH/AU fluff that was inspired by an episode of House (yes, it is fluff, I promise).

. Gasoline [2/2 - Complete] "He doesn't apologize, of course he doesn't. He doesn't care. He calls everyone love. It's not meant to mean anything. Except it did, once, and it makes Caroline's stomach churn away inside, as she feels Klaus crawling underneath her skin like he never left at all. I've still got you."

AH/Band!AU. Two years after Klaus walked out on his band - on her -, Caroline finds herself in her least favorite place on earth - New Orleans. She really did try to stay away from him, escaping an event just to keep off his radar. He finds her anyway.

. Like It's Christmas Again [2/2 - Complete] As Christmas approaches, Caroline Forbes, a New York-based event planner, is sent to a quaint small town in Virginia to organize their holiday festival. But her plans are momentarily hindered by the presence of Klaus Mikaelson, the Mayor's brother and a grumpy billionaire lacking in any holiday spirit, who's in town to close the sale of his family's manor - the charming estate she was hoping to use as a venue.

[AKA that time when I committed Christmas fic. AU/AH inspired by a Hallmark movie, I kid you not.]

. Spin [5/5 - Complete] Since she was seven years old, Caroline Forbes has been preparing herself to become President of the United States. But before she gets to the Oval Office, she needs to win the election for senior student president at the prestigious Saint Sebastian High - which would be in the bag if only goddamn Klaus Mikaelson hadn't decided to run against her.

[AH/AU lovers-to rivals-to-lovers The Politician!AU where everyone takes school elections way more seriously than they should.]

. How Far I'd Go [2/2 - Complete for now] Set in TVD S6/TO S2. Unable to control Caroline after she turns her humanity off, Stefan reaches out to the only person he can think of for help.

[Slices of moments of Klaus in Mystic Falls while Caroline has her humanity off.] ▪ One-shots

. The Sound of Settling Klaus hates his job at Mikaelson & Sons. He hates wearing a suit. He also hates his brothers constantly butting into his life. Everything will be better once he gets his much desired transfer to the New York branch. Caroline Forbes is the owner of Mystic Café, and when Klaus accidentally wanders into her coffee shop, his whole perspective changes. [AH/Coffee Shop!AU where Klaus is a lawyer. Fluffity Fluff. Lots of Mikaelsons and some Carenzo friendship.] . The Witch Queen Caroline always knew she was different. She was keyed into her own otherness very early on. Strange things happened around the Forbes women. Her mother never really had to spell it out to her, give it a name. Caroline could always sort of feel it, and then at some point the feeling blossomed into comprehension, and comprehension hardened into fact. And with that came an altogether different kind of certainty: this was not a secret she'd be able to keep forever. One day, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, everyone would find out. And when they did, they would come for her.

. Worst Things Have Happened Klaus Mikaelson is a prince with a very dark secret that threatens to destroy his family's legacy. Caroline Forbes is a sorceress whose job is to make sure his secret remains buried. But would it hurt him to put some clothes on? [Royal!AU, with a magical twist.] . The Unexpected Grace of Falling Apart The whole incident was bound to go down as a funny anecdote to be shared among friends, a Oh, you think you've had the worst hook-up ever? Hold my beer kind of story. Provided, of course, that she never had to see him ever and could just wipe him out of her life and memory for good. Given that they live in different time zones, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

That is precisely why Caroline is livid when she emerges from the arrivals area at Richmond airport to find Douchebag, in the flesh - sunglasses indoors and all, like the proper jerk that he is - holding up a sign that readsClarisse.

[AH/AU. It's Tyler's wedding weekend and Caroline is back in Mystic Falls for the first time after the most traumatic and depressing year of her life. And it's about to get even worse as she's made to share breathing space with Klaus, The Worst Guy Ever. Except they might have to join forces to save the wedding, and to the discovery that things might not be what the seem. As Caroline teeters on the edge of a breakdown she'd been trying very hard to conceal, an unexpected savior appears to help her through the haze.]

. love, the monster's got me now [Canon compliant. Set in TVD S03E09 Homecoming.]

"Don't run," he says calmly, sounding almost bored, but with a clear warning. "I'm in the mood for a chase. Little spoiler: you can't outrun me." His eyebrows twitch up when he finally turns around to face her, lips curling into an amused grin. "Tyler's girl," he states, gesturing towards the now empty yard. "You missed out on the celebrations, I’m afraid."

[Or: the missing Klaroline scene between "There's your pretty little girlfriend, Caroline" and "There's a whole world out there waiting for you." Klaus and Caroline meet after Homecoming.]

. When It's Gone Suddenly, Caroline hates how nice the bed feels. How soft the pillows are. How smooth and cool and expensive those goddamn sheets are against her skin. She hates the giddiness in her belly, like she's a stupid schoolgirl when she's not allowed to be one anymore. She hates how right the space between Klaus' arms felt, how easily she molded against him. His lips were as full and as soft as they looked, but his hands were gentler and more reverent than they had any right to be, and Caroline hates it. Hates it, hates it, hates it. She hates that it suits her, hates that she wants it, hates that none of it is hers to keep.

[Set after TVD S04E19 Pictures of You. Caroline hears about Klaus' impending departure after a mysterious letter and decides to have some words.] . Wishing Each Sigh Might Be the Last The first time she sees him, Caroline thinks he's an angel.

[Set in 1800s New Orleans. As Caroline lies dying, she prays for God to send help or end her torment and save her soul. She thinks an angel has come for her. But he's no angel at all.] . Feel the Madness Closing In Set in TO S3. Caroline is in New Orleans when Lucien and the Ancestors make a move against the Mikaelson family - and they know exactly who to target in order to get to Klaus. Paranoia sets in, sending him to a very dark place, and Caroline finally learns the price of being loved so profoundly by a monster. . Issues When Klaus' Hollywood career takes a down turn after a nasty divorce and a viral mug shot, his manager decides his life is not yet miserable enough, bringing in a PR company famous for its high-profile damage control cases.

[AH!AU where Klaus is a problematic movie star and Caroline is a PR agent with no time for his BS.] . Urban Legend "I hate myself for saying this, but I have to agree with Little Miss Sunshine," Caroline cuts in. "This is Whitmore. Nothing ever happens here. Least of all a possession that leads to a massacre of slasher movie proportions."

"Thank you, love," Klaus returns brightly. "Very flattering to be validated by you."

"Bite me, Klaus."

"Find me later, after my shift, and we can see to it," comes the shameless rejoinder.

[Or: Caroline tries to navigate life in college having the worst roommate ever, a douchebag who cannot take a hint and a nosy journalist whom she's definitely not attracted to. Never in a million years.]

[year2000electronics]

For the reformed(?) Bill au, how did he end up with the Pines family? And on relatively chill terms with them? After all the manipulation and betrayal and torment, I wouldn't think they'd ever trust him, even if he oresented himself as a powerless human. (He could be lying! It's what he does!)

Did they just find him in a sad little heap somewhere? Did the Axolotl themself droo him off and ask them to keep an eye on him for therapy purposes? How did it come to pass that they even tolerate his presence after all he's done?

OKAY SO. a lot of people have reformed bill aus and a lot of people will give you different answers to how he ended up there, but this is my personal take on it and the au i like to call the funcle bill au!

i really don’t like it when people have the axolotl unceremoniously dump bill on the pines or the mystery shack without warning. it feels like the pines get demanded to do a lot of emotional labour for someone who really hurt them with no consulting them beforehand, and i just feel like that’s just so not my style :(

so what i like to imagine is that this au takes place a year after the summer we see in the show, so that everyone has had some time to breathe and reorient a little! it’s around this time that the axolotl starts visiting them in their dreams, just to, y’know, check them out. bill talks about the pines family a lot and axie wants to see what the family who defeated bill is like. but of course, the conversations slowly go from very detached and info-gathering only to the axolotl actually kinda befriending the family :) their enthusiasm is infectious

so sometime after that, the axolotl confers with all the zodiac in a shared dream and basically asks “hey. i have bill in the theraprism where he can’t hurt you anymore but i wanted to ask you if maybe you guys wanted to take him because he’s being really stubborn and has already cut off all his friends and the lack of connections is only making him worse. he would be human and have no powers and if he causes you enough distress i would take him back to the theraprism but i think the weirdness and positive spirit of this town might be able to help bill where the theraprism can’t. only if you want to tho ✌️” and all the zodiac spend a LONG while discussing it in the days after before agreeing, especially as both sets of pines twins are staying in town again for the summer

so bill gets dropped off in human form and gets a job at the shack, typical stuff, and he knows he has to behave otherwise it’ll be BORING GROUP THERAPY CHATS AGAIN. the road ahead is long and arduous and there’s DEFINITELY a lot of tension between bill and the rest of the zodiac, i just haven’t really had the creative juices to show it because i think it’s a very long and complicated process and requires some very skillful writing. just know that bill isn’t just getting auto-forgiven it’s just that most of that stuff is currently happening “offscreen” for me :V

BUT YEAH. mostly it’s my excuse to have bill and the pines hanging out cos i really do believe that more than anything else, that family is the closest bill had to true companionship. the henchmaniacs were his friends but also his enablers, his parents are super dead, the axolotl probably was wary of him due to his mean streak, but he sees himself in each pines and loves to bother them more than any other human. and i think there’s potential there. but i think it would require respect and patience from the axolotl, a “don’t try anything or you’re going in the time out corner” for bill, and the willingness to reach out a hand for the pines

^funcle bill and axolotl’s human disguise

thank you for the question!!

[barblaz-arts]

It’s confirmed the Vee’s are the main villains of Season 2, I can already guess your thoughts on Val, but how do you feel about Vox and Velvette so far?

I like Vox as a character. Very entertaining. Even if I found him a lil annoying to a certain extent in the final ep. Like, why am I suddenly watching a YouTuber react to Hazbin Hotel rn... He's so pathetic and has absolutely terrible taste in men, it's so funny.

Velvette is a hoot to watch too. I hope we get to see her clash more with Carmilla. She seems to be the brains of the group, so im really curious to know what they have planned. If the "the future of Hell belongs to the Vees" line is anything to go by, I'm a lil afraid of the possibility that they're stoked about the discovery that angels can be killed because this means LUCIFER can be killed.

I also noticed that all three Vees are absolute brats to some degree, with Valentino's possessive toxicity, Vox's petty rivalry, and Velvette's haughty attitude. It's a good way to show just how much younger they are than the other Overlords, aside from the fact that their domains are relatively modern things. Also love that their domains are all different addictions.

I'm also curious to know what Alastor's jab that Vox "would be powerless without the other Vees" means. Like, did it mean that Vox is the lowest in their power hierarchy(combat wise) or a reference to the fact that Vox is the media outlet who would be nothing without the content Valentino and Velvette provide? Or both.

[jennay]

I've Changed

Request: Hey, angel, I read (and cried too much) what you wrote to the anon-older-relative and I would worship you if you wrote something almost in the same tone, like, Noah arriving home, seeing the reader's father screaming insanely at the reader and how he would interfere seeing how terrified the reader would be.... Sorry if it's too much. Kisses kisses kisses 💋

Noah Sebastian x reader

Word Count: 2800ish

Warnings: Verbal abuse (from a parent) insinuating physical abuse. Talks of childhood trauma. Lot of angst with a fluffy ending.

An: please do not read if any of the above things will trigger you. It goes straight into it.

Noah Master List

Growing up was a nightmare when you lived in a world of chaos, especially when the ones who were supposed to protect you were the ones who made you feel the most afraid.

You couldn't understand it. Why did he single you out? What did you ever do to him? Was it because your mother left him, and he saw her face every time he looked at you and felt rage? Was it because he blamed you for his loneliness and misery?

It wasn't your fault that you were the spitting image of your mother that you smiled like she did, or you had the same eye color and freckles.

You remember late nights waiting for him to get home from the bar. You'd be watching TV in the living room, and he would thank you for helping with your siblings and tell you how helpful you were, but the next day, if the twins weren't up on time, he would scream at you, belittle you, and tell you how you acted just like your mother.

How confusing for a child.

You were twelve the first time he decided to let you know how worthless you were. How ungrateful you were when you forgot to empty the dishwasher, how you couldn't do anything without him having to tell you twice. You weren't overwhelmed because you raised your siblings and met their needs. You were just lazy.

It was almost like he forgot you were a child still needing a parent.

Salty tears would pour down your red, flushed cheeks, landing on your trembling lips. You'd look away, feeling embarrassed by the awful things he'd say to you.

You learned over the years how to tune out the broken plates thrown on the ground. The beer bottles hit the walls—the screams he directed at you to get his point across.

You'd race down the hallways, entering your sibling's room, slamming the door shut, locking it, and pushing the dresser in front of it. You shouldn't have had to know to do those things.

When you were sixteen, you already started showing symptoms of PTSD, and even though you hid it the best that you could, it started to show through your personality; counselors kept an eye on you at school, and teachers often made notes about the changes in your grades, the way you talked, the way you acted. You refused to admit it, so they were powerless to help.

You got your first job that year and vowed to save every penny until you could escape.

The guilt you felt when you did leave was almost unbearable. Telling your two younger siblings was like swallowing razor blades. Each word was a jagged piece of glass, cutting into your throat with every syllable.

You should've been happy to turn eighteen but weren't because you were no longer allowed in his house and didn't know if your siblings were safe.

You remember being black-out drunk at a party with strangers when you were hardly nineteen. You told someone about it all. You didn't mean to, but it all came out when you were drunk and tired and didn't want to fight anymore. You were ready to give up. The person you told became your best friend; luckily, he never judged you or thought of you any less. He once told you he admired how fucked up you were, and back then, you guessed it was a nice compliment.

Noah often helped you through hard times, whether listening to your problems, cheering you up, or comforting you.

You were attached to him but in a spiritual way. You felt safe with him, something you rarely experienced with men, and you didn't want to risk ever losing him but often felt one day you'd fuck up and lose everything you worked for.

At age twenty, your younger sister and brother lived with you. You became a parent without any legal rights, and because they were still underage, you couldn't legally control the situation.

Sometimes, your dad would go weeks without saying anything about your brother and sister living there, and other times, he would pull a control card and force you to bring them home at one o'clock in the morning.

You grew tired of the random phone calls and the threatening text messages. The way your dad would randomly show up at your house, but you couldn't make it stop. You'd ask him to leave, and chaos would begin just like when you were a kid, shooting you into this weird panic-like state, and you couldn't do anything about it.

This cycle continued for the next year and a half, but it was worth it to you. You needed them to know they were loved and wouldn't abandon them. You wouldn't give up hope, and they could always find safety with you, and they did.

The three of you eventually found an apartment together when the twins hit eighteen, and even though it was hard, you always had backup from Noah.

He'd often come to hang out at your apartment with the twins, even when you weren't home. He wanted them to feel safe and like they didn't need you there every second of the day; he wanted them to know they could trust him.

Noah and your brother, Luke, bonded over music, sharing their favorite songs and artists and sometimes jamming together on the guitar. Your little sister felt like she had an extra protector who cared for and defended her from bullies and dudes who tried to fuck with her.

Noah gladly took that role, knowing what the three of you had gone through, and treated you like his little family.

Later, your relationship with Noah changed, and you noticed he acted differently around you. He became more affectionate and attentive, holding your hand, complimenting you, and giving you meaningful gifts. He stayed the night in your bed and looked at you with a different intensity in his eyes, making your heart flutter. You knew what was happening but were afraid of what this meant until you realized you felt the same way.

You couldn't trust anyone else like you trusted Noah. He was your best friend and your soulmate. He eventually convinced you a year later that the twins were old enough to handle the apartment independently and that moving in with him would be a good idea so you could grow with one another happily.

Noah promised to take care of you in every way possible, to support you emotionally, physically, and even financially if that's what you wanted. He said he would always be there for you, no matter what, and loved you more than anything. All you had to do was say the word, and he'd make it happen without any complaints.

Today looks much different from back then. You picked up your sister from her apartment and brought her along to get decorations for your and Noah's home.

You wanted to surprise him by sprucing up the living room while he was out. You had been living in the house for a year and a half but never had the time to make it cozy. It was time to change that.

"I can't believe it's taken you this long." Your sister teased you as you drove back home. "I remember at our old place, you always had decorations, and our home was like a walking festival every holiday."

"I know, I know. But Noah is always busy with work, and so am I." You parked the car in the driveway and grabbed the bags. "Life gets too busy sometimes."

You feel fear as you notice the front door is ajar. You exchange a worried glance with your sister and gesture towards the entrance.

Whoever broke in must have known the security code because the alarm didn't go off.

You quickly text Noah and tell him what's going on. He replies that he's on his way home as fast as possible.

"Are you crazy?" Your sister screams. "Don't go in there! That's how people get killed!"

You ignore her warning. You think it's unlikely that the intruder is still inside; they wouldn't have left the door cracked.

You gently push the door open and step into the living room. Everything looks normal until you hear a clinking noise from the kitchen.

You cautiously peek around the corner, your heart pounding in your chest. You're ready to scream at the sight of the intruder, but you're shocked when you see your dad opening a beer. What the hell?

You let out a sigh of relief, but you forgot to text Noah that it was a false alarm. "Hi?" You say, confused. "It's dad." You tell your sister, Brianna.

"Hi." He says, slouching against the counter and waving casually. "You're late today. Don't you usually get home around 3 p.m.?"

You drop the bags on the wooden floor. "Are you spying on me now?"

He laughs at your remark. "Well, I know I'm not welcome here when your boyfriend is around, and sometimes I like to see my daughters."

"Yeah, right." You sneer. "If you wanted to see us, you could just call me like a normal person instead of breaking into my house."

He gulps his drink. "It's not breaking in if I know the code. Using your birthday is pretty obvious." He smirks, "You're not smart enough to use something people won't guess?"

You feel anger. Old familiar feelings come back, reminding you of his abusive nature. "Go upstairs," You tell Brianna. She hesitates, wanting to stay with you. "GO!" You yell at her, and she nods, running up the stairs to your and Noah's room.

You want to protect her from any cruel things he might say.

"You're not her fucking mother." Your dad says to you with a bitter tone. "Though you've always thought you were."

"Maybe because you treated me like I was her parent?" You take a deep breath, feeling his gaze burn holes in you. You wished you wouldn't have said anything.

"I never fucking did that. You took the kids away from me and made them hate me." He says, walking closer to you.

You shake your head, feeling yourself shut down; he's backing you into a corner like old times. He stops before you, barely inches from your face, and laughs.

"Fuck." You mutter, shaking at your core.

"What, do you think I'm going to hit you?" He asks, stepping closer to you, his hand slightly raised. "I haven't seen you in two years, and you're still that same pathetic, scared little girl." His hand falls to his side, but he remains towered over you, using his height to intimidate you. "You'd think you would have grown up by now?" He notices you glancing at the front door, "Waiting for someone? That boy is a twig. Do you think I'm scared of him?"

You back away, stumbling on the rug and falling onto the floor. Your hands burn from trying to brace yourself but only hitting the hardwood with your bones.

You hear the front door squeak open, and Noah's voice fills the house. "Babe?" He calls.

Noah's eyes widen at the sight of you on the ground. He quickly runs over to you, lifting you into his arms and holding you close to his chest. His hand comes to your face, searching for signs or evidence you were just hit.

He doesn't know what he would do if that were true. Your heart beats fast in your chest, making you feel faint like you'll pass out. Your face has gone blank, and your breath comes in short gasps, showing Noah your panic.

He helps you stand up and creates a safe space around you as his arms wrap you in a protective hug.

"I think it's time for you to go," He says, his voice low and steady, already annoyed from having to leave the studio for something that wasn't an emergency.

"This is none of your business." Your father says, puffing his chest. "I'm trying to talk to my daughter."

"It is," Noah replies, stepping before you to shield you from anything he might do. "This is my girlfriend and my home, and you're not welcome here. That's why you broke in like a thief."

The air is thick as Noah glares at him, challenging him to make a move, not budging or losing his nerve. Protecting you was his primary goal.

"Can you tell him to chill out?" Your dad sneers at you, trying to get under your skin. "It's like dealing with a mad dog."

Noah mockingly laughs. "You're at least thirty years older than me, breaking into my place trying to bully my girlfriend and constantly terrorizing Brianna and Luke, but I'm the crazy animal?"

You touch Noah's lower back with your hand, looking up at him. You know you don't have to be here for this; it's probably better if you aren't.

"Brianna's upstairs."

He nods knowingly and watches your dad as you walk up the stairs.

When you enter the room, she's reclining on the bed, scrolling on her phone. "Is he gone?" She asks softly.

You sit next to her. "Not yet, but Noah's holding him off. I doubt he'll stick around much longer." You hear muffled shouts and tempers flaring, but you refuse to go back down there.

You get up, pressing your ear against the door. Noah's rough voice says, "Look, man, you can either leave, or I can call the cops. I don't think you need another charge involving one of your kids."

It's silent, and then the door slams shut.

You hear Noah's footsteps on each stair, and he carefully opens the door. "It's just me." He says. "He's gone." Noah joins you on the bed, pulling you close to his chest and stroking your hair. "Are you guys ok?" His eyes land on Brianna as she flops down on his computer chair.

"I hate him so much." She whispers, leaning forward and burying her face in her hands. "I don't know why he can't leave us alone." She mumbles quietly.

Your eyes water at her words, and you realize how much emotions you've been suppressing. You kiss Noah and thank him before you slowly walk to your sister, telling her to stand so you can hug her, and she's glad you do.

You feel a soft sigh from her as she wraps her arms around you, and you cuddle her like you used to when you were kids.

You sense Noah standing up, and he sandwiches you in between them. "I'll call the security people tomorrow and change the locks. I'm gonna call Luke." He says, trying to comfort you. "Maybe we just need to move the twins in with us…and go somewhere further away."

It wasn't a terrible idea, but you couldn't tell if Noah was teasing or serious. "That sounds a little dramatic."

You separate from the two of them, and Brianna sits back on the chair. "You wanna play mom and dad?" She teases Noah. "It's gonna be weird when I explain to my friends my parents are only in their 20s."

"Would it be that different from now?" He says smirking. "We've been doing this for how long?" He says, looking at you.

"So long." You laugh.

"You know what? I'm just gonna pick up Luke, and we can all chill here tonight, watch a movie, and slumber party in the living room. It's easier for me to watch everyone that way."

You laugh at his reply and appreciate his willingness to please your clan. "Wow, you're such a hot nanny." You tease him.

He gazes at you, lifts your chin, and gently kisses your lips, making you swoon in his arms. "Careful." He cautions as he retreats slightly to meet your eyes sparkling with affection and happiness.

You lean in, kissing him again. Something about this side of him could make you worship him; you almost forget Brianna is in the room.

"I need protection for my eyes. You're gross." She complains while running out the door. "Go get Luke!"

"Don't be rude to your parents!" You chuckle.

"My fake parents! You know, pretty soon, you'll have your own brats to deal with. Not that I want to hear about any of that!" She screams from the living room.

Noah shakes his head, feeling his cheeks flush; he presses his forehead against yours, rubbing his nose against yours. "I love you and these little monsters that came with you."

You wrap your arms around his waist and hug him as tight as possible. "Well, that's good news cause I think we're kind of attached, and we love you too."

[wumiings]

The thing that really gets me about Merlin and Arthur’s dynamic re: being simultaneously friends (implies equality) and master/servant (unequal) is the way they both understand what this means so differently.

Like, Arthur is not deliberately cruel as a person. He sometimes lashes out in anger— particularly to cover hurt, fear, or insecurity— and is not above using his and Merlin’s relative stations to his advantage in the moment. But while this is certainly not okay, it does not characterize most of their interactions.

Most of the time, when Arthur insults Merlin, or roughhouses with him, or assigns him too many chores just to be petty, he clearly seems to think of it as friendly banter/play. And when Merlin insults him right back, or complains without real heat, or half-asses the chores, Arthur takes it as confirmation that they’re on the same page.

Because here’s the thing: when Arthur says, “You’re my servant, so we can’t be friends [paraphrase: but under other circumstances, we might be],” what he means is that they are obviously friends but they’re not allowed to call each other that, or act like it. It’s against the social rules of their environment to acknowledge their friendship.

But that is not what those words mean to Merlin. He does see Arthur as a friend, but not in the sense that they’re just playing along with the roles of servant and master. Because unlike Arthur, there is an inherent threat to Merlin’s safety and well-being implied by any reminder of those roles.

“You’re almost like a friend [except you’re my servant]” doesn’t just mean they can’t use the word. It means “I have power over you, and in moments when it’s inconvenient to treat you as a friend (see: the anger), I can and will use that power to put you back in your place.”

It’s a reminder that Arthur has fired, overworked, struck, imprisoned, threatened with exile, and held a sword to Merlin’s throat before, and so long as Merlin needs to keep his magic a secret for the sake of staying by Arthur’s side, he is powerless to do anything about it. It could happen again.

Merlin insults Arthur because he knows he can get away with it (as long as he stops when more serious threats are invoked). He complains but allows those complaints to be taken as jokes/exaggerations, because he doesn’t expect his hurts to be taken seriously and doesn’t feel comfortable making himself vulnerable to Arthur about how his actions affect him.

The chores situation in particular aggravates me to no end, because Merlin is routinely expected to do things that do not by any means fall under the purview of a personal servant. Why would he be mucking out the stables?? Surely there are stable hands who are paid to do that. And why does he do the laundry himself instead of delivering it to the laundress?

All this in addition to apprenticing with Gaius (or working as a fully qualified physician post-4x08) and going along on patrols/missions/etc. doing what I’m pretty sure would normally be a squire’s duties? As none of the knights seem to have one??

Admittedly, Merlin sometimes insists on going along on missions for Protecting Arthur Reasons, which is not Arthur’s fault, but still. Arthur knows the kind of hours Merlin is putting in. Which makes moments like in 3x01, when he undervalues, belittles, and then intentionally undoes Merlin’s hard work (cleaning the floor) so frustrating to watch.

But again, Arthur is not cruel! I never get the sense that he truly enjoys causing Merlin real emotional distress. The problem is that he consistently underestimates the amount of distress that Merlin is actually in — partly because (as previously stated) Merlin often undersells his own feelings.

TL;DR - Merlin is Arthur’s friend! His only/closest friend!! Arthur looks at Merlin and sees someone brave and loyal and absolutely worth risking his life for. But his privilege blinds him to the ways in which he fails to treat Merlin like a friend should. Outside of life-or-death situations, he doesn’t often behave as though he values Merlin (his time, his effort, his capabilities, or his friendship) particularly much. And that’s a fucking tragedy.

[water-to-drink]

The Great Vampire King’s Day Out

(Pairing): Al haitham x gn!reader

(Synopsis): The day after your faithful encounter you have to deal with some errands with a vampire following behind you

(Tags/Warnings): Foul language, dialogue heavy, reader lives in an apartment in a big city, reader can drive, mentions of blood, Al haitham is taller than reader, (if I missed anything lmk)

(Word Count): 3.2k

(A/n): This is for @winter-world who wanted a part 2 almost a year ago, sorry it took so long

Part one

Images of a monster with red eyes staring down at you plague your dream, you want to move to run away but no matter how much try your body won’t listen to you. You see the thing get closer and can see the details in it’s eyes and horrifyingly enough, the sight of sharp teeth stained with blood also enters into your view. The primal side of your mind is screaming for you get as far away from this predator, this monster! But your body remains frozen in place, powerless to stop it. The creature opens its mouth and chops down

You open your eyes and see the familiar furniture of your bedroom

“Oh that was just a dream,” You sigh while burying your head into the pillow. “just a really weird dream…” You begin to doze off until you see a man standing over you

You accidentally fall off of your bed trying to get away from the intruder, expecting to feel your body collide with the cold hard floor you instead feel a pair of muscular arms wrap around you

Opening your eyes, you get a closer look at the supposed intruder, the same man from last night. Albeit he doesn’t have blood on his lips anymore, but has dried blood on his clothes. Know that you think about it, he’s pretty handsome when you’re not scared shitless

He gently seats you on the bed and kneels down in front of you

“Are you alright?” He asks voice a lot less raspy than last night, you merely nod and he accepts that answer. “You weren’t too vocal last night and when we entered your home you just went to bed without saying a word. I feared you were ill so I kept an eye on throughout the night.”

“Thanks… I guess…? But people don’t randomly die in their sleep anymore, well they do but it’s not that common.”

“Hmm, That’s good to know.”

“So… that guy you saw last night, what did you do to him?”

“I killed him.” His nonchalant answer causes you to freeze, “If you feel any sympathy for him don’t, that man was a heartless killer. This world is a lot better now that he’s gone.”

“H-how do you know that?”

“When I drank his blood I saw the atrocities he committed for his own pleasure, you would have been one of his victims if you hadn’t entered the basement when you did.”

“Ohh…” Was all that you said when your head away from the vampire

“You humans are strange creatures, giving sympathy to those who hurt them yet attacking blindly anything they perceive as a threat.” He said while standing up

“I, I don’t know…” He seems to sense your plight and despite not understanding it he sits next to you on the bed, almost as a way to comfort you. “Hey, I never got your name. I don’t know if I should call you ‘your Majesty’ or something like that.”

“Al haitham is fine.”

“Okay, Al haitham.” Your eyes lowered down to the man’s clothes and see the blood soaked clothes that have long dried out and now is rusty color. “You seriously need a new change of clothes, I think I have something that might fit you.” You stood up and ushered your new roommate to follow you. “I might not be what you’re used to but you can’t be walking around like this.” You opened your bottom drawer and pulled out a pair of sweats and an old graphic tee that used to belong to a male relative who would crash at your place, also picking some clothes for you to wear. “You can change in the bathroom, I’ll be in the bathroom.” You handed the clothes and left your room to the bathroom

You went through your morning routine and now with room to breathe you think back on the series of events that happened not even 24 hours ago, a fucking vampire is living with you! This sounds like something that would happen in a YA novel that was written to cash in on the vampire craze brought about by Twilight. Is this really happening, or is this some hallucination caused by the trauma. Even the water hitting your face does nothing to bring you to reality, but it feels like there’s something’s else you have to do, it might not be important. If it was you’d remember it

You put on the new pair of clothes and step out of the bathroom. You see your guest looking out the window, so he can be in sunlight, interesting

“Hey…” You greeted

“Hello.” He greeted back

“What, uh, are you looking at out there.” God, this is so awkward

“These stone and metal monoliths, what are they?”

You make your way over to the window. “Oh these buildings are for homes and businesses.”

“And these men wearing helmets and yellow clothes, are they soldiers?”

“Who, them?” You look down to see a group of men down on the street talking to each other. “Ohh, those are construction workers. They build or fix these buildings, the yellow is so they’re visible to not cause accidents.”

“Interesting…”

“Also these iron chariots that aren’t being drawn by horses, what are they?”

“Those are cars, they don’t need animals to pull them because they have this thing called an engine that gives the cars the power to move on their own.”

Cars

Cars…?

“Shit! I forgot I was supposed to return the rental!” You yelled out startling the vampire right next to you

You ran into your room and started getting dressed, grabbing your bag and the rental keys you’re about to head but feel the presence of someone behind you

“What are you doing?” You asked turning around to see the vampire peering down on you

“I’m coming with you.”

“What? No! Stay here!”

“No.”

“I don’t know if you’re gonna go on a bloody rampage, I can’t have the lives of people on my hands

“I just got out of my casket prison, going on a ‘bloody rampage’ would bring attention back onto me and I do not intend on going back.”

“You promise?”

“You have my word.”

Reluctantly you lead the vampire to the rental you were supposed to return yesterday and rode in silence. Out the corner of your eye you see Al haitham looking out of the window, intensely watching the cars and people pass by. His face is stoic as ever, it’s hard to pin point what he’s thinking or feeling, but he must be confused out of his mind. A man from an ancient civilization suddenly transported to a world with tech that almost seems godlike, you don’t know if he’s in awe or disgusted by the modern world

“These vehicles, they resemble a basterna but don’t have any mules drawing them. Why is that?” The sudden inquiry somewhat caught you off guard

“These vehicles are called cars, they don’t have animals because they have a little machine that acts like one. These machines are called engines and without them the car would wouldn’t move.” You explained as you can in basic as you can

“A ‘machine’? What is that?”

You explained tried to explain what machines were (keyword try), this lead you to talk about the Industrial Revolution and how nearly everything is made with machines and how it’s rare for certain things to be made by hand. When you finished explaining something Al haitham would ask another question and it would turn into a cycle, you were so ingrained in the conversation you were almost surprised when you arrived at the rental office

“Can you sit here while I deal with the rental? I promise I won’t be too long.” You assured as you went to begin the process of returning the rental

Al haitham sat in the seat facing the window, giving him the perfect view of people going on about their day. Some things don’t change couples walking side by side, children running down the street

It almost feels like he was back in own era, familiar yet so different. Iron basternae he just learned the basic mechanics, stone monoliths one has to crank their head in an attempt to see the top, and glowing slates seemingly everyone has

“Now what is a young man like you doing here?” An elderly man asked sitting a couple of seats away from the vampire

“I’m waiting for my acquaintance to return the rental.”

The elderly man nodded. “You look troubled, what could be troubling a young lad like yourself?”

“This world is confusing.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Everything is so fast paced and it feels cutthroat.”

“Well it’s not all bad.” The elderly man adjusted his glasses. “When you get to my age you learn how to see the beauty in everything, especially people. We only have but so much time on this earth.”

Al haitham simply nods and the two continue to watch the people from the window until you walk out of one of the many rooms

“Okay, I finished returning the rental. Let’s get of out here.”

“It was good talking with you.”

“Likewise.” Al haitham gave his goodbye

The two of you walk out of the car rental office and walk in a semi comfortable silence, or at least that’s what you think. The man next to you was as stoic as ever

“Who was that?” You asked

“Just an elderly man, he was nice, I hope I can meet him again.”

“That’s good to hear.” You said as a moment of silence passed. “So, I didn’t have my daily intake of caffeine, so we’re stopping to get some.”

Once the both of you step into your usual coffee shop, you’re greeted with the sight of many caffeine deprived people waiting for their coffee. Glancing at the grey haired guy you notice that his usual stoic demeanor is replaced with one of discomfort

“Hey, Al haitham, what’s wrong?”

“The noise.” Was all he said as his expression soon turned into one of pain

You quickly reached into your bag and fished out your headphones

“I’m going to put these on, don’t panic.”

You quickly put the headphones on his head. Taking your phone out of your pocket you put them on noise cancellation and put on some soft jazz. The vampire looks at you in bewilderment and hesitantly touched the headphones that are filling his ears with music

“Is everything okay?”

“Y-yeah, what did you just put on my head?”

“They’re headphones, I’m surprised you can hear me since it’s on noise cancellation.”

“I can still hear but it’s not overwhelming, thank you.”

You smiled at your companion and proceeded to get in line. “So do you eat human food? I mean, can you eat food? If not then-”

“Just get me a black coffee.”

“Okay.” You turned and look at the menu to see what you want, but stop when you realized something. “Wait, you can read? I mean, you can read the menu?”

“Like I said, I gain the memories and abilities of the person whose blood I drank, the more I drink the more knowledge I acquire, skills especially.”

“I remember you telling me that. So if that’s the case, what did you get from my blood?”

“I just got you entering the estate up until your encounter with me, from the tiny amount that I licked off your arm”

“So the more of my blood you drink the more of my memories you get?”

“Theoretically.”

“Ohh…” Was all you said, ending the conversation, you don’t know how you feel about Al haitham getting more and more of your memories each time he drinks your blood

Once in front of the cashier you order your drinks and getting your coffee you two walked out of the coffee shop and make your way down the street

The two of you walked in a comfortable silence and you took a couple of glances at your companion. He just looking around but his face remains stoic, you wonder what’s going on his mind. You want to ask him but you decide against it

Out of the corner of your eye you spotted a supermarket and remember that you’re running low on food back in the apartment

“Uh, I have to do some food shopping, wanna come with?” You asked

“A trip to the market sounds interesting.”

After crossing the street and entering the building you see a shift in demeanor in your vampire companion’s, amazed by the sheer size of the medium sized building

“This is a supermarket! This is where people purchase food items and some non food items like stuff for cleaning!” You explain while taking a shopping cart

Al haitham looked around, absorbing the sights and the knowledge you’re dropping on him. The two of you head to the bread section and Al haitham watched as you carefully inspected the two packets of bread before turning to him. “You only need to drink blood to survive right?” Al haitham merely nodded, “Oh thank god, that rental really threw my budget outta wack so I need to be more cautious about my spending.” you said as you chucked the cheapest option into your cart

You kept shopping and Al haitham put things in your carts that apparently looked interesting to him. You two head to the produce section and it seems like something caught the king’s eye

“What… what is this?” Al haitham asked you as he showed you a fruit he’s holding

“That’s dragon fruit.”

“Hmm, ‘dragon fruit’ how come I’ve never heard of such a fruit before?” He asked as he put it in your cart

“That’s because the fruit originates from Mexico.”

“Mexico? This land, is this modern Rome?”

“Uhh no.”

“Is this city a part of the empire?”

“The empire fell like a thousand years ago…”

“Thank the gods.”

You chuckled at the unexpected response from him and spotted the grapes

“Damn, they have these!” You gasped as you held a packet of grapes. Turning towards your companion you showed him the bag. “You had grapes right? These grapes are modified to taste like cotton candy!”

“Cotton candy?” You nodded

You watched as Al haitham opened the bag and plopped a grape into his mouth. You can feel the glares from a couple of employees burning holes in the back of your head

“Hmm, I have no reference to what cotton candy tastes like, but it taste sweet.”

“Glad you like them.” You took the bag of grapes and reluctantly place them in your cart, at least they’re not the expensive ones, but it still hurts.

You look into your cart and see that you accumulated a sizable amount of food, most of it from the grey haired vampire putting items that interest him

“Hey Al haitham, don’t you think we should put some of this stuff back?” You said hoping that he would agree with you

“I don’t see the point in that, and besides you promised that you would guide me through this world and that includes trying foods.” He stated coldly

Defeated you made your way to the cashier and put your items on the conveyor belt. You watched as the cashier scanned your items and the amount rising with each swipe across the scanner

“Is something wrong?” Al haitham asked

“It’s just this is a lot more expensive than what I originally expected, I wish this stuff could be like $12.” You joked

The vampire lets out a hum of acknowledgment and turned his attention towards the cashier. You watched curiously as he his eyes turned into a bright shade of red and he slowly waved his hand in front of the worker. The poor cashier’s face turns blank like they’re in a trance, their eyes also a bright shade of red

“Forget about the price and let us take our items for $12.” He commanded

The helpless cashier took many items off and the price reader only said around 12 dollars. You wanted to protest but you bit your tongue and paid with your card

Once the both of you exited the supermarket you let out a sigh

“What was that?!” You whispered yelled

“I only took temporary control of their mind to reduce the price of your items.”

“You can also do that?! That’s scary, not knowing when you’re under the control of someone else. You’ll never put me under that, right?”

“You have my word.”

The two of you walked in an awkward silence until Al haitham asked about the conveyor belt back in the supermarket. You explained to him what it was and explained other things that caught his eye. It gave a nice distraction to the thought of not being in control of your own body whenever the man walking besides you feels like it

Finally you and Al haitham arrive back to your humble apartment and after you put the food away you turned towards your new roommate

“So, sleeping arrangements? How is that going to work?”

“I don’t need to sleep like you do, I’ll just sit on the couch and read.”

“Okay, I’ll explain any question you have tomorrow, but I’m really sleepy and can’t explain things that good.” You said as you walked into your room and come out with a notebook and pen. “Here, you can write down everything you what to ask me and I’ll answer them in the morning, okay?” You gave Al Haitham the notebook and thumbs up before retiring for the night. “G’night.”

“Goodnight.”

With that you went to bed

Next morning you came out of your room groggy and with crazy bed head

“Heyy…”

“Good morning. I take it you’re well rested.”

“Yeah, surprisingly slept good last.”

“That’s good to hear.” Al haitham said as he closed the book he was reading. “Tell me, what is alpha tocopherol acetate?”

“Huh?”

“It was written on one of the items you purchased yesterday.”

“I have no idea what the hell that is.”

“I don’t understand how you don’t know the ingredients of the foods you consume?”

“I’ve never heard of whatever the fuck you just said! Wait. That sounds familiar…” You begin to search each corner of your mind to remember what it was he was talking about. “Wait! That’s vitamin E!”

“Why does it have a second name?”

“I don’t know?! Nobody pays attention to their chemical names!”

“You know coffee’s chemical name, so why don’t you know what alpha tocopherol acetate is?”

“Caffeine is a lot easier to say than whatever just came out of your mouth.” You began to make some coffee until your actions were halted at a sudden realization. “Hey Al haitham, d-did you write every chemical name on the ingredient list?” You asked horrified while peering over at the notebook the man’s hands

Dear lord, he did, pages of chemicals puts you in a daze

It’s way too early in the morning for this shit

[radiaurapple]

Lucid Dreams of New Orleans: Chapter 12

CHAPTER SUMMARY: IN WHICH Alastor finally learns the truth.

FIC SUMMARY: Lucifer has always kept his distance from sinners. It’s what keeps him (relatively) sane — if he gets too close, he is haunted by visions of the tragic mortal lives that landed them in Hell. But in his new life at the Hotel, it is more difficult than ever to stay away — and when it comes to light that his daughter’s insufferable facilities manager is gravely wounded, it falls to Lucifer to deliver his soul from Death. In so doing, he falls headfirst into the sins, past lives, and heartbreaks of the one human whose contradictions he is powerless to resist.

it's saturday so it's new chapter time!!! I went outside of my comfort zone for the art this time (with mixed results) but i really wanted to capture this moment this chapter!! ALSO we have a teeny lil discord server now for brain rot related to the fic so feel free to join in!

[AO3 LINK]

Chapter preview below!

Humanity has conceived of many delightful inventions over the eons. Lucifer could spend ages listing his favorites: the printing press, engines, soda, aqueducts, cereal with little prizes inside. But of all the surprises over the years, he’s pretty sure nothing tops electricity. 

The manipulation of electromagnetic fields has always been second-nature to Lucifer — he just never got the point. He was fine with living in a Hell lit by flames. Then humans discovered electricity, and Lucifer was blown away by all the potential they saw in it. Their little contraptions won Lucifer over immediately; over the years, he’s created hundreds of generators to support Hell’s burgeoning electrical grid. 

Which is to say that making a generator for the hotel is second-nature to him, even though he’s exhausted and the work involves a bunch of fiddly little parts. He’s only been at it for an hour and he’s already made good progress, working half in the hotel and half in the palace workshop, thanks to the portal he’s opened in the center of both rooms. He leaves it open so he’ll be able to hear if Alastor or Charlie come by while he’s in the palace, or if something implodes while he’s in the hotel — a very real possibility as he’s currently got the vacuum pump depressurizing the generator’s antimatter chamber. 

He gets up from his workbench in the hotel, trips on an empty wire roll, and stumbles through the portal into his workshop in search of motor oil. All of Lucifer’s creation stuff is piled at random on the floor-to-ceiling shelves that line the far wall of his workshop; he unfolds his wings and flits up to rifle through the bottles on the top shelf. 

“Lucifer?” 

It’s Alastor. 

“In here,” Lucifer says.

Alastor pokes his head through the portal just as Lucifer sticks his hand in something slippery and mysterious — he jerks his hand back and an assortment of solvents topple off the shelf and splatter on the floor. Alastor laughs; Lucifer scowls over his shoulder. “Not a word.” 

“What an utter mess,” Alastor says pleasantly. 

“Right,” Lucifer says dryly. He flaps his wings and alights on a table in front of Alastor. “Do you need something?” 

Alastor steps through the portal with a mug in his hands. He isn’t smiling — is this how it’s going to be from now on? Has Alastor decided he no longer needs to smile when they’re alone?

“I’ve brought more coffee,” Alastor says. “Though I’m not sure you should accept it in your present state.” He glances pointedly at Lucifer’s hand. 

Lucifer glances down — his fingers are dripping something thick and blue onto the tile floor. He groans and magicks the stuff away.

Alastor holds out the mug. “It’s a wonder you’re able to accomplish anything amidst such chaos.”

Lucifer takes the coffee and glances around at his workshop — at the overflowing shelves, the pile of random lithium-ion batteries in the corner, the charred remains of an exploded rollercoaster car for Lu Lu World which he’d never bothered to clean up. How long has it been since anyone visited the palace? Has it really been a couple … hundred years? 

“Hah — I get by somehow,” Lucifer says. 

Alastor steps around the table, studying the machinery around the edges of the room. He pauses at the narrow unmade bed tucked in the corner. Lucifer’s face heats — he’d forgotten about the ducky quilt. 

“Do you spend most of your time here?” 

“Um,” Lucifer says. “I sleep down here, yeah. I’m usually making stuff when I’m at home. This is where I work on the big stuff. Engines and … whatever. I have a smaller workshop upstairs where I make the, uh — the ducks.”

“May I see it?” 

“You want the tour?” 

“If you please,” Alastor says.

“Uh, okay — sure. I can do that. Yep.” He crosses the room and opens the door to the hall. “Right this way.” 

Lucifer heads for the entry hall. Alastor follows; their footsteps echo on the tile. The main hallway is lined with red doors, most of which have been shut for years. The palace is larger than the hotel, but for as long as Lucifer has lived alone, he’s used only a small fraction of its rooms. 

“Where do these doors lead?” Alastor says. 

“Oh — nowhere,” Lucifer says. “Just rooms that haven’t been used in a long time.” He points at the closed doors. “That one used to be Charlie’s playroom — on the right here was the music room. This was Lilith’s office. And this was Charlie’s classroom, back when she had a tutor.”

They step out into the entry hall. On their right, a wide marble staircase leads to the second and third floors; Lucifer leads Alastor past it, through the wide archway beside the stairs. 

“This is the kitchen,” he says. “I’ve got a bunch of snacks from Earth in the pantry, if there’s anything you want to try — I put a spell on the whole room to keep food from going bad.” 

Lucifer sits on one of the barstools at the kitchen island and watches Alastor peruse his collection of sugar cereals as though it were a shelf in a library. 

“Which cereal is your favorite?” 

“Hoo boy — that’s a tricky question. Um — I’ve definitely got a soft spot for — see that blue box on your right there? That’s Cotton Candy Crunch.” 

Alastor pulls the box off the shelf and regards it with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes! That one. It’s so good — but they discontinued it a couple of years back.” 

Alastor opens the box, pours a couple of pieces into his hand, and pops one into his mouth.

“Hm,” he says. 

“Yeah, they’re, uh — they’re pretty sweet.” Lucifer hops down off the barstool and slides the cereal from Alastor’s hand into his own — their hands brush together, and Lucifer’s kitchen becomes Alastor’s, in the yellow house. There’s a pile of dishes in the sink, a layer of dust over Alastor’s mother’s cast-iron pan. This memory is near the end of Alastor’s life, when he lived alone. 

Lucifer glances up and meets Alastor’s hazel eyes. Alastor is older than usual; orange evening light filters through the kitchen window and catches in the strands of gray in Alastor’s curls, glints off the copper frames of his round eyeglasses. Lucifer struggles to place this memory among the hundreds of evenings at the end of Alastor’s life in which he came home to an empty house, made a sandwich, smoked on the porch, and then went to sleep. 

Lucifer studies the faint lines that were just beginning to appear at the corners of Alastor’s eyes in his early thirties. What might Alastor have looked like, if he’d had the chance to grow old? Lucifer’s body might as well be carved from stone; it has never aged, never changed, apart from the switch flipped when he fell — but he knows enough of human souls to envy the terms of their existence, where time is precious and the world is always in motion. Alastor’s thirty-one year human life had passed, for Lucifer, in the blink of an eye; the time had meant nothing to him, and so he had slept it away in complete isolation, wandering the palace halls and watching rubber ducks fill up its empty corners.

Alastor is still studying Lucifer with that intensity that always makes Lucifer feel utterly transparent. Some corner of Lucifer’s mind prickles with the urge to turn away, to crack a joke, to make a passable attempt at hiding the jumble of emotions playing out across his face — but Lucifer can’t move — he is transfixed by the way the sunlight catches in Alastor’s eyelashes, like paint in a paintbrush.

“Um,” Lucifer says.

The memory dissolves; they are back in the palace kitchen. Lucifer remembers the cereal in his hand and pours it into his mouth — no point in letting perfectly good Cotton Candy Crunch go to waste. 

[sapphireluci]

Colored my cursed Reala x Amigo and NiGHTS x Ulala fan children, Nuria and Endri 😍😍😍

Some insight on their character if you’re interested:

Nuria (Strawberry gremlin on the left):

Nuria is a highly optimistic and friendly ten-year old who loves her family greatly. However, she is also incredibly noisy, hyperactive, and can be pretty annoying at times (which might be normal for a kid like her, but she takes it to the max). Despite her chaos though, she can be very clever and sneaky at times, picking up patterns and new skills relatively easily.

She’ll eat practically anything, including things that are mostly inedible, but her favorite food is the banana pancakes Reala makes.

Although she can’t fly like Reala, she is very quick on her feet, and can climb pretty much anything. She also has a pretty strong grip and can pack a mean punch (or an even meaner CHOMP).

She can paraloop things (and people) by sprinting in quick circles around them (she has done this to the furniture in the house many times, much to her parents’ dismay).

She has a great love for music thanks to her other dad, Amigo, and loves to dance along with him when he plays the maracas. She also knows how to play quite a few instruments herself, including the cymbals, trumpet, piano, and her favorite, the accordion.

One of the very few things that can nullify her chaos is a fruit costume, like if you were to put a cat in a sweater lol (her parents realized she looks like a strawberry when she was a baby, so they put her in a strawberry costume, which she has since paralooped to who knows where).

She likes to color, terrorize children at the playground, and wants to be a dancer or musician when she grows up, like Amigo.

Endri (Bubblegum menace on the right):

Endri is a very charming and charismatic fifteen year-old who knows just what to say to either make someone confident in themselves, or to make them feel like a powerless bug (he often prefers the latter). He can be very sassy and full of himself at times, but he genuinely cares for his friends and family and especially his cousin Nuria, with whom he is closest.

He’s a rather picky eater, not daring to touch something that looks anything less than presentable, his favorite food being Space Filet Mignon with potatoes. He does enjoy a good ice cream sundae every now and then, however.

He’s capable of flying like NiGHTS, which he makes sure to do with grace and precision. He’s familiar with using Chu and Hey rescue beams like Ulala, and can hold his own in a funky dance battle, preferring that compared to hand to hand combat. However, if it’s necessary, he won’t hesitate in getting physical.

He knows how to Drilldash and Paraloop, but has trouble controlling his ability to do so, which frustrates him to no end.

He’s almost always wearing his headphones, making sure he’s well informed on the latest gossip and drama going on.

Hates space calculus with a burning passion but loves English and history classes. He excels in his dance classes in school as well.

He wants to be a Channel 5 reporter similar to Ulala when he grows up, but moreso on the side compared to his main dream of being a bigger live streamer.

Teehee

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Near Death Experiences: A Shadowgast Rec List

This week, we have fifteen fics that have to deal with Caleb and Essek nearly (or temporarily) dying under the cut! Lots of hurt/comfort in this one. As ever, if you like them, don't forget to Kudos or comment!

Of Broken Plans and Places to Be by ThreeGremlinsInATrenchcoat (8856, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek catches a fatal disease in Aeor designed to resist clerical healing. Caleb must take care of him while the rest of the Mighty Nein race to find a cure.

Reccer says: Another excellent sick fic, this time with Essek as the patient.

The Mind and the Malady by SaltCore (38941, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence, some body horror in the form of coughing up bloody flowers

Hanahaki fic where Essek falls so hopelessly in love with Caleb post-97 that it's literally killing him. He could cure himself, but the price (reverting back to the man he was prior to meeting Caleb) is one that Essek would rather die than pay. That he could be cured by Caleb ever loving him back is, of course, a laughable notion.

Reccer says: A beautifully written example of not-actually-one-sided pining, with literal life or death stakes. I don't normally care for hanahaki fics, but I reread this one often.

Zedrinset by LuckyOwlsFoot (4599, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Essek is kidnapped by a monster that promises a fate worse than death. Caleb risks everything to save him, and Essek is powerless to do anything but watch

Reccer says: Another good execution of a relatively simple premise. Caleb goes absolutely feral in Essek's defense in a very sexy way

Tomb of Rust by LuckyOwlsFoot (23682, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Caleb and Essek go through the wringer in Aeor, stumbling from near-death-experience to near-death-experience

Reccer says: Caleb and Essek go through the *wringer* in this one, with lots of wonderful tender comfort at the end

A Fire Frozen in Ice by Professor_Rye (5755, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb catches a deadly disease that's slowly freezing him to death, Essek struggles to keep him alive andfind a cure before it's too late

Reccer says: Very tasty sick fic with Essek as the caretaker

Contrapasso by SaltCore (4856, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Temporary character death and resurrection

Canon divergence AU where Essek is kidnapped and magically imprisoned by Ludinus as a hostage against the Mighty Nein. Essek has to let Caleb mercy kill him in order to escape

Reccer says: This fic was written for the Whumptober 2021 prompt "Trust Fall" which is a good description of what reading this fic feels like, emotionally.

bow shock by SaltCore (4613, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Caleb is very nearly murdered in his bed by a Trent loyalist, Essek saves him at the last moment.

Reccer says: A skillful execution (pun intended) of a very simple premise. Essek goes feral over Caleb's safety in the sexiest, sweetest way imaginable

heliopause by SaltCore (5035, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence

A direct sequel and companion piece to bow shock, with the same basic premise, only this time Essek is the one in mortal danger and Caleb is the one who comes to his rescue

Reccer says: This one is great for all the same reasons bow shock is, I highly recommend reading them together

A Very Silent Night by Professor_Rye (7324, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Modern AU, Caleb and Essek get into a car accident in the middle of the night on a lonely mountain road in the middle of winter. Essek is badly hurt, and Caleb has to cuddle with him for warmth to make sure he survives the night

Reccer says: A simple but very well done fic where the two pining idiots in love have to share body heat to survive, with a thoughtful examination of fantasy racism on the side.

the only way out is through the ditch by SaltCore (6971, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Temporary character death and resurrection

Essek is caught in a deadly trap in Aeor, and Caleb can do nothing except watch him die a slow and painful death, praying that he will be able to revive him later. (aka: Wrath of Khan, Shadowgast edition)

Reccer says: Absolutely agonizing to read in the best way possible, with a wonderful catharsis at the end. Also one of the most creative (if gruesome) depictions of a transmutation wizard's version of raise dead that I've ever seen

infinity in the palm of your hand by mousecookie (5752, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Major Character Death

Canon divergence for episode 116 where the M9 find Essek - seemingly dead - in an Aeorian corridor with the rest of the Kryn adventuring party. Tagged MCD because of how it's framed but also Temporary Character Death.

Reccer says: I liked it!

we never do go over (we always gotta go through) by Chrome (17169, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Five times Essek woke up with level(s) of exhaustion and one time he didn't.

Reccer says: It's a classic 'Essek sacrifices himself nearly to death, then the Nein comfort him back to health' fic. Wonderful hurt comfort.

Sending for aid by TormentaPrudii (1449, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: Choose Not to Warn

Cad receives a frantic Sending from Caleb and has to walk him through first-aid to stabilize Essek long enough to rest and Teleport to the Grove.

Reccer says: The outsider POV and only getting twenty-five word glimpses into the wizards’ situation really hammered the tension home in the best way

rumors of my demise by words-writ-in-starlight (6184, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Choose Not to Warn

Essek is arrested by the Dynasty and sentenced to death. He doesn't want his friends risking their lives in a rescue, so pretends like nothing is wrong. His friends turn out to have opinions about that.

Reccer says: Another Whumptober inspired fic where Essek gets to learn just how far his friends are willing to go for him. Features temporary character death and resurrection of that's your jam

Hold Me Close, Cut Me Deep by CatgirlTheCrazy (14192, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek falls victim to an incubus, and it turns him on Caleb

Reccer says: Pitch perfect angst and drama as the wizards fight, and then fight over who uses their limited healing options

Aeor is for Lovers is an 18+ Shadowgast Discord server. The above fanfic recommendations were pulled from our community for this weekly event. All fics, unless otherwise specified, will primarily feature Shadowgast.

Have any questions about what this is? Check out the FAQ! Next week, we’ll be back with hand kink!

[gentleoverdrive]

[September/1 of 3] Just... really tired.

I guess it only took 1 moderately shitty month to finally break me, but it happened. August started with my toilets needing to be replaced and it ended with my most beautiful boi passing away and one of the people who have provided me with a roof many, many times during my stays in Texas needing surgery or they might die. Well, no: My August actually ended with some careless dipshit t-boning us while he was busy staring at his fucking cellphones. Yes, the wife and I both are physically OK, but I must confess: I feel like such a lightweight, depressed coward right now.    All my big talk in the past about walking tall and trying to be better in general, of “being there” for people, but I let 6 or 7 things go wrong in a month and I'm ready to throw the fucking towel. I've spent all of last weekend and most of this week so far staring at the ceiling of our room (got the week off work due to the accident) and realizing how powerless I feel.     And I tried to fight back against the hopelessness, cheese fucking knows I tried. Writing. Composing. Shit, I even tried to proofread something that was due in the editorial job, but I couldn't do it. My therapist thinks the t-boning accident might have given me PTSD, but honestly, I think I felt much more overwhelmed and in despair when my doggo passed away and I drove like 90 minutes to give him a proper burial (he passed away peacefully, surrounded by us, his partner & daughter, thanks to the vet and her medication plus a small procedure to relieve him of some of his pain due to gases).    I've jokingly mentioned to some of my online friends that I am so glad that August is over... but honestly? I don't fucking know what to make of myself after the dust settled and I had gotten discharged from the hospital on Friday (the accident happened on Thursday morning).    I wasn't even seriously wounded! All that happened was a shard of glass had gotten superficially lodged into my right knee. They took the glass out in like 10 seconds and gave me like 3 stitches and I was fine. I didn't even require anesthesia. My wife got a slight cut on her forehead. The doctor even jokingly said that I'm just "built different". Neither of the X-Rays showed anything.    But I'm still writing this whole thing and just... overwhelmed by grief, sadness and I don't know what the fuck else. Is it because of my dog, for my relative prepared to go under the knife, or is it for the stupid things that needed to get fixed around my house? Or is it just an accumulation of decades of telling myself "It's probably fine" and just... never getting around to addressing that whole noise?    And... yeah, there you go. Around 500 words about an old man having a big sad. Toodles. 

[writeriguess]

Hello, can I request Gojo Satoru x Okkotsu Yuta (Jujutsu Kaisen) fanfic? Gojo is 30 years old and Yuuta is 25 years old. Gojo proposed to Yuuta but Yuuta refused because he thought he was not good enough for him. Gojo was angry. After that, Gojo somehow convinced Yuta and proposed to Yuta again in the rain. Ending with their wedding, full of friends and relatives attended Thank you very much, have a nice day ♡.

The afternoon sun filtered through the windows of Gojo Satoru's apartment, casting a warm, golden hue across the room. Gojo, with his usual carefree demeanor, sat on the edge of the couch, a small velvet box resting in his hand. His heart raced in anticipation, not something he was accustomed to, but this moment was different. He had made up his mind, and there was no turning back.

Yuta Okkotsu, now 25 and more composed than the timid boy he once was, walked into the room. His presence brought a sense of calm to the space, but Gojo could see the tension in his eyes. Yuta had always been perceptive, but what Gojo was about to say was something he had not anticipated.

"Yuta," Gojo began, his voice softer than usual, "there's something I want to ask you."

Yuta turned to him, a curious look on his face. "What is it, Gojo-sensei?"

Gojo chuckled, "You don't have to call me 'sensei' anymore. We're both adults now, Yuta."

Yuta smiled faintly, but his eyes remained wary. Gojo took a deep breath, and before Yuta could react, he got down on one knee, opening the velvet box to reveal a simple yet elegant ring.

"Yuta Okkotsu, will you marry me?"

For a moment, the world stood still. Yuta stared at the ring, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never imagined this, never thought that someone like Gojo Satoru would want to spend the rest of his life with him. But as the shock wore off, doubt began to creep in.

Yuta shook his head, taking a step back. "I… I can't, Gojo-sensei."

Gojo's smile faltered, replaced by confusion. "Why not? Don't you love me?"

"It's not that," Yuta quickly replied, his voice trembling. "I do love you, more than anything. But… I'm not good enough for you. You're Gojo Satoru, the strongest, the one everyone looks up to. I'm just… me."

Gojo's expression darkened, a rare sight for anyone who knew him. He stood up, his eyes narrowing as he tried to understand Yuta's reasoning. "So, what? You think you're not enough because you're not as strong as me? Because you're not some invincible sorcerer?"

Yuta winced at the harshness in Gojo's tone, but he stood his ground. "It's not just that. I don't want to hold you back. You deserve someone who can match you, who can stand by your side without feeling like a burden."

Gojo clenched his fists, anger and frustration boiling over. "That's not for you to decide, Yuta! I don't care about any of that! I want you, just the way you are. Why can't you see that?"

Tears welled up in Yuta's eyes, but he refused to let them fall. "I'm sorry, Gojo-sensei. I can't."

Without another word, Yuta turned and left the apartment, leaving Gojo standing there, the ring still in his hand.

Days passed, and Gojo couldn't shake the anger that lingered in his chest. He couldn't believe Yuta had turned him down, that he had doubted himself so much. Gojo was used to getting what he wanted, and for the first time in a long while, he felt truly powerless.

But Gojo was also persistent. He wasn't one to give up easily, especially not when it came to something—or someone—he cared about deeply.

It was a rainy evening when Gojo found Yuta again. The younger man was sitting on a bench in a secluded park, his head bowed as the rain poured down around him. He looked lost, defeated.

Gojo approached him, not caring that the rain was soaking through his clothes. He stood in front of Yuta, who looked up in surprise, his eyes red from crying.

"Gojo-sensei—" Yuta began, but Gojo cut him off.

"Enough with the 'sensei,' Yuta," Gojo snapped, though there was no malice in his voice. "I'm not here to fight. I'm here because I can't let you go. Not like this."

Yuta opened his mouth to speak, but Gojo held up a hand. "Listen to me, Yuta. I love you. Not because of how strong you are or because of what you can do. I love you for who you are—the kind, brave, and selfless person who always puts others before himself. But you need to start seeing your worth, too."

Gojo knelt in front of Yuta again, the rain running down his face as he held out the ring. "So I'm asking you one more time. Marry me, Yuta. Let's face the world together, no matter what comes our way."

Yuta stared at Gojo, his heart aching with the love he had tried to deny. How could he refuse when the man he loved was standing before him, drenched in rain, yet still offering everything he had?

Tears mixed with the rain as Yuta nodded, finally allowing himself to smile. "Yes, Gojo-sensei. I'll marry you."

Gojo's expression softened, relief flooding through him as he slipped the ring onto Yuta's finger. He pulled Yuta into a tight embrace, both of them drenched but not caring in the slightest. The rain continued to fall, but for them, it was as if the world had finally cleared.

The wedding day was nothing short of magical. The venue was adorned with white flowers and soft lights, the atmosphere filled with joy and love. Friends, colleagues, and family members gathered to witness the union of two souls who had fought against the odds to be together.

Yuta stood at the altar, looking more handsome than ever in his suit, his nerves only slightly calmed by the familiar faces in the crowd. Then, the doors opened, and Gojo walked in, his usual blindfold replaced by a pair of glasses that allowed his striking blue eyes to shine.

As Gojo joined Yuta at the altar, they exchanged a look that spoke volumes—of love, of understanding, and of a future they were both ready to embrace.

The ceremony was simple but heartfelt. When the officiant finally declared them married, Gojo pulled Yuta into a passionate kiss, to the cheers and applause of everyone present.

For once, Gojo Satoru had found something that even he couldn't have foreseen—a love that was as fierce as it was tender, with a partner who, despite his doubts, was more than worthy of standing by his side.

And as they walked down the aisle together, hand in hand, both knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together—stronger and happier than ever before.

Requests are open.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb: June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history. Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever seen:

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

Review:

A girl willing to go to great lengths to rescue her sister from an evil king soon finds herself working together with the king's half brother in order to stage a coup and destroy the king. Based and inspired on real historical events/figures, the story is set in 1506, Josean, in which the evil tyrant King Yeonsan rules. Known for his cruelty and horrific abuse of women and girls, King Yeonsan will kidnap married women and young girls to abuse, traffic, and use as playthings. When seventeen year old Iseul's older sister is taken to become the king's latest prey, Iseul will do anything to get her back. The king's power is absolute and to challenge him would mean certain death. Prince Daehyun has not only witnessed but committed many horrifying acts in order to simply survive in his half brother's rule. He has been forced to shut his emotions off in order to just survive... having to watch King Yeonsan's rampant executions and abuse of people... and Daehyun has been bidding his time, patiently waiting to stage a coup and dethrone his brother. Daehyun and Iseul's path cross and despite their dislike for one another, their deeper hatred for the king will bond them together as they seek to free themselves of this monster. All the while a different monster is on the loose, a killer known as Nameless Flower, prowls the street, leaving behind dead bodies and messages to the king. Can Daehyun and Iseul make it out alive or were their chances impossible to begin with? This was such a heart wrenching and brutal read, especially since it is based on real history and on real atrocities committed. I cannot even begin to imagine the horrors that had occurred. The story was a fantastic look into this moment in history and despite how hard it was to read at some points, I was absolutely gripped until the very end and was so happy with how things turned out. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who enjoys stories based on history, heart wrenching stories, and just a good read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[arealphrooblem]

A Favor for a Favor Part 6

Part one here

CW for the fic overall: kissing/fade to black off screen sex, mentions of non-consensual drugging, non-graphic wound care, off screen murder mention

Synopsis:

When Roxanne -- Agent name Rocket -- is back-stabbed by a friend and given a serum that drains her of her powers and leaves her helpless, she has no choice but to turn to the one person she can't trust: Her nemesis -- a politician and king of the underworld. With her powerless and in the palm of his hand, what he decides to do with her is greatly influenced by their chance meeting as teenagers that neither of them have been able to forget.

The Present

His soft footsteps  crunched over the gravel path. She didn’t look up from her huddled form on the deck chair. A blanket dropped over her shoulders, smelling powerfully of his soap.

“Did you ever find out why he did it,” she asked softly. 

“Will you believe me if I tell you?”

“I don’t know what else to do. You’re all I have right now.”

“It’s terrifying , isn’t it? Having to trust the unknown.”

He sat down on the chair next to her, legs stretched out. 

“You are eating this role reversal up, aren’t you?”

He paused for a moment. “I don’t like seeing you this way. I much prefer you obnoxious and sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

She snorted at that.

“For someone so active in the Agency, your arrest record is relatively small. The criminals you catch serve community service hours or house arrest or time in mental hospitals and rehab centers more than jail.  Why is that?”

She looked up at him finally, brow furrowed. What did that have to do with anything?

“Just answer the question,” he said softly. 

“My mom,” she answered. “You know she was a defense attorney. She always told me that the systems we have help a select few and hurt the rest. She saw more people trapped and desperate, people who never stood a chance, than people who were just malicious. I never forgot that. And I never forgot you. You were living proof of that. At least, until you became this.”

She waved a hand over his designer clothes and at the penthouse terrace. 

“That’s what he hated,” John told her. “He considered you unfit because you were too soft. Crime would only increase under you because you never made an example of anyone. They didn’t fear you. He acted on his own to solve the problem because the Agency refused to hear his concerns. I won’t get into the particulars of how he discovered my serum. But rest assured it won’t happen again, by him or anyone else.”

“That fucking bastard,” she whispered. 

He had been the loudest voice about civilian safety, cleaning up neighborhoods, fighting gang activity. Sometimes it bordered on the insensitive, the oblivious and childish idea of black and white morality. She never thought he would stoop to this.

“He still should have had a trial,” she said, but the bitter part of her heart didn’t believe it anymore. 

“I can’t have anyone else knowing what I created. I don’t feel guilty about it.”

“If it's such a risk, why the hell did you even make it? As far as I know, I’m the first Agent to get hit with it. You could have dismantled the whole Agency. Or sold it to the highest bidder who would do the same.”

“You love your power. I can tell how lost you are without it even without reading your mind. I depend on mine and it protects me. But there are people who have powers that do nothing but cause them misery. People whose powers make them a target everywhere they go. People who can’t hide. I made it for them.”

“Oh.”

It sounded too magnanimous to be true. 

“They pay for it,” he assured her. “A favor for a favor.”

That sounded more like him.

“Can it . . .be reversed?” She forced herself to ask it. The answer terrified her. 

“Theoretically. I have an antidote. It’s just never been tested before. It will be here tomorrow.”

Hope exploded, bright and overwhelming, in her chest. 

“Are you serious?” she squealed. “Tomorrow?”

She launched herself at him, crawling in his lap and wrapping her arms around him, with a force strong enough to push them both back against the chair. He made a small oomph beneath her, arms flailing awkwardly at his side. Her ribs protested painfully but she didn’t care. She pressed her face in the juncture of his shoulder and neck and squeezed him. 

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he said grimly. “There’s no guarantee it will work. We may have to experiment with it. You may need to stay at the lab for a while.”

“I don’t care! Oh my God!”

She pulled back enough to look down at him. He could still be lying. It could still be a trick. But she decided to choose hope instead. 

Slowly, ever so slowly, his arms came up to cradle her back. His hands bled warm through the thin t-shirt. She realized, suddenly, that she was almost straddling him. Face growing hot, she started to get up when his hands tightened their grip. 

His gaze bore into her, dark and inscrutable. John Park was an untrustworthy, manipulative selfish bastard and she wanted nothing more in that moment than to kiss him.

“You should do it,” he whispered.  

She didn’t need any further encouragement. Her hands fisted in the front of his shirt and she kissed him fiercely. To her surprise, he kissed her back with equal enthusiasm, rising up to meet her. His hands slid up her spine to cup the back of her head, fingers tangling into her hair. She nipped at his bottom lip, grinning against his mouth when she felt his fingers tighten in her hair. 

For years, Roxanne never saw John without his mask fixed perfectly in place. He was always collected, always in control, always unaffected. He walked into every interaction holding all the cards and he knew it. 

Which was why every hitched breath, every beat of his thundering pulse under her roaming fingers, every bold, desperate slide of his tongue, felt like a victory. In the court of desire, it was undeniable proof that he felt something back. Every scrap of her yearning, attraction, fascination with him burned through her blood as pure, unfiltered need and he matched her with equal ferocity.

His hand crept under her shirt (his shirt), the feather light trace of his fingertips up her spine at odds with the sharp, sting of his lips sucking a bruise in her neck. His teeth dragged up the column of her throat to latch around her earlobe. A whine tore from her throat. 

“This, Roxanne,” he breathed against her ear, “this is where I want you: fierce and needy and begging for me to touch you.”

 He brushed over her ribs like a gentle breeze and she shuddered against him. 

“Just like that.”

His other hand caressed up her thigh, stopping just short of its apex, and squeezed. She bit back a protesting groan.

“Can I have you, Roxanne?”

It sounded almost innocent, like she was a lollipop he plucked at the check out register. Except for the ragged edge of his voice, as if his self control was moments from slipping through his grasp. Or for the way his fingers swirled infuriatingly against her inner thigh, just the barest inch away from where she needed them most. 

Her fingers clenched in his shirt. She had never been more turned on in her life. “Yes. Yes. Oh my God, please.”

A long time later, as she drifted in and out of sleep against his chest, he whispered something to her. 

“What?” she murmured.

“It’s Ji-won,” he repeated. 

“What is?”

“My name. My birth name.”

“Ji-Won,” she repeated, smiling sleepily against his chest. 

The Past

Halfway through dinner, Roxanne dropped her fork and shouted, 

“Oh shit!”

Cornelius jerked to his feet, gaze darting around. 

“What?” he demanded, hand wrapped around his steak knife.  

“My project,” she shrieked. “I forgot all about it! It’s due tomorrow and it’s almost my bedtime!”  

“ . . .okay? What’s the big deal? Can’t you type that out in like thirty seconds?”

He slowly sat back down, glowering at her. She probably gave him a heart attack. And she’d be a little sympathetic to that if she wasn’t harboring her own heart attack right now.

“Yeah but I don’t think fast. I still have to finish the research, organize everything, get all the labels . . .”

The weight of all that work felt crushing. She thought she’d have two days -- not a few hours!

“Then skip school.”

She gasped, horrified. “I’ve never skipped school in my life.”

“Why am I not surprised?” he muttered. “Guess you’re pulling an all-nighter.”

She groaned, fingers threading nervously through her hair.“I’m not a night owl. I’ll crash by midnight, no matter what. I’ve never even seen the ball drop for New Years.”

“How old are you -- five?”

“Shut up, Cornelius. Having a consistent sleep schedule is good for you.”

“I wouldn’t know,” he said. 

“Yeah that much is obvious from the raccoon eyes you always have.” She fought the urge to cry. “Dude, I am so screwed. This is worth so much of my grade!”

Silence stretched out taut as a bow string between them. Then Cornelius sighed and stood up with his plate in his hand.

“No you’re not. I’ll help you. Finish your dinner and let's get this over with.”

Roxanne tried her best to hold out, but even with coffee she found herself nodding off just before one AM. Eventually she woke up to a hand gently shaking her shoulder. 

“Go to bed,” came Cornelius’s voice softly by her ear.

“I can’t,” she mumbled. “I have to finish . . .the . . .thing.”

“It is finished.”

That jerked her awake. “What?”

She lifted her head off the kitchen table and peered around. While she slept, Cornelius had painstakingly drawn and labeled the majority of her project. It stretched out beautifully on the poster board, looking like it came from a professional. 

“You did all that?” she gasped. 

“Who else?”

“It’s gorgeous! You should be an artist!”

“You don’t have to pander to me to say thank you,” he said, arms crossed tightly against his chest. 

“I’m not!” She leaned in to get a closer look at  the poster. “This is detailed and so neat. Seriously, you should go to art school!”

He let out a bark of bitter laughter. “Yeah, okay.”

Her smile faded as she straightened back up. “Well, what is your grand plan, Cornelius? If art school is out of the question, what are you going to do with yourself?”

“If I tell you that, you’ll probably become an accessory to a crime.”

“I’m serious,” she said. 

“So am I.” He gave her a half-hearted smirk. “Don’t worry about what I’m going to do. Worry about yourself. You clearly need to,” he added, gesturing to the poster board.  

“How can I not worry about you?” she demanded. “You know, I could talk to my parents. We have that spare bedroom, we could --”

“Don’t even go there,” he said. “Your family is not going to adopt me or take me or what the fuck ever.”

“Yes, they would! My mom is a defense attorney -- she meets kids like you all the time. And you’re like, what, a senior by now? We could get you enrolled in my school; they have credit recovery programs and --”

He stepped forward and wrapped his fingers around her wrists. The sudden proximity, the pressure of the pads of his thumbs resting right against her pulse, the dark wells of his eyes, caught her voice in her throat. 

“It’s very . . .kind of you to think about that,” he said stiltedly. “No one’s ever .  . .but it’s not possible. It’s just not possible.

She swallowed, trying to find what would break through his thick, edge-lord,  I Have To Suffer skull.

“It’s possible, you know. Lots of things are possible for you. You just have to let yourself believe you can have it.”

“Maybe for you. Not so much for me.”

She yanked her hands from his grip. “And why not? Lots of people who were born poor go to art school! Or law school. Or whatever else they want.”

“It’s not just about being poor, Roxanne.” He looked at her as if she was so painfully naive. “ I’ve already made certain choices, started down certain paths. There is no going back. There is no do-over.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t. The world is the way it is regardless.”

“It’s not fair,” she cried, petulant, like a little child. 

“Life is never about being fair. Whoever told you that lied.”

“Well, I hate it.” Her throat grew tight, eyes stinging. “You deserve to have everything I have. Better, even. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t have it.”

A stray tear fell, and then another. Roxanne bit her lip against them, feeling every bit the naive kindergartner in a PBS cartoon. Her parents never told her the world was fair. They knew it wasn’t. But it felt different, now, when she could see it in front of her, instead of just hearing about a statistic on the news. 

Cornelius slowly cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs swiping away a stray tear.

“Go to bed, Roxanne,” he murmured. “And stop worrying so much about me. I will have the future I want. And I will be okay.”

Part 7 here