#hes an old oc at this point but my love for him is unending

[strawby-fields]

everyone’s favourite (my favourite) winged guy!

cant even begin to describe my love for my stupid little oc. <3 you can be silly AND full of The Horrors at the same time!

[arkainea1911]

Hey everyone! Thank you for dropping by my writing blog! I hope you enjoy yourself, and please feel free to message me at anytime! I always love to hear from people. It might take a minute, but I will get back to you!!

Prompts and request are open!!

If you have a prompt or request for a fic idea I'm all ears! I'll try to do or get as close as I can to what you ask, but they are some things not comfortable with and will tell you if that's the case.

Warning!!!

I do write fics that are sexual in nature and have tried my best to mark them as such and while I can't stop underage people from reading my work, please DNI if you are underage! It makes hella uncomfortable, and seriously I'm 31 and old as shit I'll bore you with my new-found love of appliances and random facts that I learn from my bf who never stops talking.

I do plan to finish all my long-running series and AU's at some point, but my brain will come up with what it wants, so I have no idea when that will happen.

SFW

Codywan (Cody/Obi-wan Kenobi)

All That You Mean to Me

The Undiscovered Husband

Ca'nara Brokar Gaa'taylir Ner Runi

Rexakin (Rex/Anakin Skywalker)

A Little Domesticity (or whatever counts as it)

What Keeps Me in The Light

Kar'taylir Darasuum Echoy'la

Reader Insert

In the Eyes of the Emperor (Sith Obi-wan Kenobi/ Female Reader)

Rhythm of My Heart (Obi-wan Kenobi/ Female Reader)

Under a Violet Moon (Ruler Obi-wan Kenobi/ Female Reader)

When We Came into Each Other's World (Darth Maul/ Female)

If Only For One Night (Gree/ Female Reader)

Letters of Love (Continuation of If Only For One Night)

When a Sith Dreams of a Jedi (Darth Maul/ Female Jedi Reader)

A Tender Touch (Wolffe/ Reader)

Castles of Light Create Dark Shadows (Ruler Obi-wan Kenobi/ Female Reader)

A Sugar Trap (Prince Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Skywalker, Reader)

Pop-up Short Stories

Rhythm of the Night (Obi-wan Kenobi/ Female character)

Deep in the Halls (Sith Obi-wan Kenobi/ Female OC)

A Galaxy of Bubbles (Darth Vader/ Firmus Piett/ Female OC [platonic])

As Long As I Burned, He was Safe (Firmus Piett/Darth Vader)

When He Burned, So did I (Firmus Piett/Darth Vader)

As I Watched HIm Burn, He Sealed My Heart (Firmus Piett/Darth Vader)

Don't Give Up on Me (Firmus Piett/Darth Vader)

A Lover's Tomb  (Firmus Piett/Darth Vader)

The Wanderer  (Rex/ Reader)

What Could Never Be (Darth Maul/ Rex/ Reader)

A Soulmark's Vow (Anakin Skywalker/ Female Reader)

A Soulmarks Affidavit (Continuation of A Soulmark's Vow)

One Wish (Rex/Darth Vader)

A Dumb Master (Jedi Maul/ Obi-wan Kenobi)

Working Hard or Hardly Working (Rex/Anakin Skywalker)

Miscellaneous

My Moonlite Angel (Luke/ kinda Female OC)

Her Nails are Calling (Plo Koon/ Woffle/ Female OC)

Whore of the Empire

To be A Chrisom or A Cerement (Cody/ Darth Vader)

Obi-wan's Apprentice (But Not Really)

  NSFW

Codywan (Cody/Obi-Wan)

His Heart and His Obsession (Complete)

First Time with A Darth Lord

The Mobster's Lover

Rexakin (Rex/Anakin)

Of The Things You Do to Me

Gods I want you (your fantasies are enticing)

I'll take what I want (with your permission, of course)

A Simple Little Date (The First of Many Such Things)

An Omega's Blight

Love, Unending.

The Lover's Game

Plo Koon/ Wolffe

A Simple Touch

Mace/Ponds

For The Fun of the Game

Reader Insert

Cold But Kind (Moff Tarkin/ Female Reader)

Lips of Blood (Palpatine / Female Reader)

Capture The Eyes of a Sith (or two) (Prince Obi-wan Kenobi/ Emperor Darth Maul/ Female Reader)

Oh, My Starlight! (Emperor Anakin Skywalker/ Female Reader)

To Desire A Killer (Armitage Hux/ Female Reader)

Miscellaneous

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body. (Cody/Darth Maul)

Mate & Bond (Darth Maul/ Gar Saxon)

A Darth's Desire (Sith Obi-wan Kenobi/ Rex)

An Effortless Evening (Anakin Skywalker / Padme Amidala)

A Night to Remember (Darth Vader/ Firmus Piett/ Female OC)

The Emperor's Collection (Emperor Obi-wan Kenobi/ Clones)

Their Nails and Claws are Calling (Sequel to Her Nails are Calling)

A Story in the Life of Thrass ( All OC Character)

Pop-up Smut Stories

Cravings & Lust (Firmus Piett/Darth Vader)

Vader's De-Stressor (Rex/ Darth Vader)

Music to My Music (Hunter/Echo)

A Late Night Coupling (Wreaker/Echo)

Agony & Ecstasy (Darth Vader/ Darth Maul)

Lips of Blood (Sheev Palpatine/Female OC)

Mate & Bond (Darth Maul/ Gar Saxon)

Waking Desires with Morning Eyes (Armitage Hux/ Female Reader)

Ongoing Series

The Emperor & The Warrior (Emperor Obi-wan/ Female Reader)

The Commander, The Captain & The Girl (Vader/Piett/ Female OC) (Part 1 - 8 up)

His Soul & His Passion (Rex/ Sith Anakin Skywalker)

Vader's Harem

Companion of The Sith (Emperor Anakin Skywalker/ Empress Padme Amidala/ Female Reader) (Darth Maul/ Female Reader)

Lord Vader & Lady Thrawn

Random Fics By Two Random People

Completed Series

The Lost One, Found Again (Emperor Obi-wan Kenobi/ Reader)

Earn What You Desire (Emperor Obi-wan Kenobi/ Reader)

His Heart and His Obsession (Cody / Sith Obi-wan Kenobi)

Other Works

The Fate of The Burned (Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen/ Female Reader)

A Lesson in Seduction (Brock Samson/Rusty)

My Mortal (Original Story)

[dolorum-magne]

Decided I should probably make a post to pin about me and my content so here goes nothing!

About me:

-I love nicknames so feel free to use one if you want to, but you could always call me by my url or just call me Jay!

-I'm a trans guy and my pronouns are he/him

-anything I reblog or post about is likely to be the glass scientists, blue exorcist, drwho, marble hornets, my movie 14, the witcher, the lost boys 1987, and other fixations and interests I have! Most of what I post is fandom related lol

-my art requests are usually only open for fandom related requests unless stated otherwise, I usually won’t take requests for ocs unless I know you. For requests I don’t do anything nsfw.

-I’m a huge fan of slenderverse series’! I’m always looking for more to watch! I’ve currently watched marble hornets, everymanHYBRID, ECKVA, part of DarkHarvest, and I’ve been meaning to start watching whispered faith and Mlanderson0 at some point. I have seen tribetwelve but after everything Adam Rosner (creator and actor for Noah) did and the accusations that came out about a year ago I can’t enjoy it anymore which is really unfortunate because it was a really interesting series. Either way I don’t support tribetwelve or Adam Rosner. If you missed what happened or got into it after everything happened I’d suggest googling it, you’ll probably find something.

-I'm an artist and occasionally will post my art, I'm also an aspiring writer so hopefully I'll be able to write something and actually post some of my stories at some point.

-asks and pms are always open unless stated otherwise so feel free to talk to me!

-please ask me about my aus and characters, it's my favourite thing

My aus (will be added to as I make more. I’ll hopefully get around to making master posts for all of them eventually)

-marble hornets + over the garden wall au! Tim and Jay find themselves lost in the unknown. At first they think they’ve just gotten lost in rosswood but things start getting weird when they realise there’s no way to get out, they can’t remember how they got there, and begin meeting the strange inhabitants of the seemingly unending forest. Things only go further down hill when they discover they’re being perused by a monster.

you will probably find this au under the name “over the marble wall” Or under “marble hornets au” tags until I come up with a special tag for it.

-the glass scientists monster au!

Basically, an au where everyone at the society is some kind of monster or sorcerer. An example of these is Henry being a shapeshifter and Robert is a cervitaur!

The original post describing it can be found here:

You can find posts on this au listed under the tag "tgs monster au"

-The glass scientists mermaid au!

Exactly what it says on the box lol. There are a few variations of this au I'm currently working on but in both variations, all or most of the characters are different types of merfolk!

In one version, all the characters are merfolk (including side characters like moreau and the lodgers), in another version some of them are human marine biologists and/or sailors (mainly Jekyll, Lanyon, Jasper and -because I like adding my ocs to my aus-my oc Artemis), merfolk (characters like Rachel, most lodgers, and Hyde) or even merfolk hunters (mainly frankenstein)

Ocs:

I'll link their reference sheets and basic info on them below. Please ask about them if you're interested! I'd love to talk about them!

Artemis Brooks - the society's new cryptobiologist/pychologist (Tgs oc)

Ailill - a dullahan who used to travel the countryside with his significant other, Muir. (Tgs oc + works as a stand-alone character)

Muir - a kelpie who travelled with his s/o Ailill for several years before eventually moving to London (Tgs oc + works as a stand alone character)

Erica Frost- a 21 year old caffeine addict with attachment issues, and anxiety aiding in an investigation about her missing friends, strange occurrences, and a mysterious eldrtich monster lurking in Rosswood that is currently trying to kill them. (Marble hornets oc)

(all reference sheets linked are currently up to date)

[yuri-cocaine]

6.2 msq thoughts under the cut!

WIFE CITY WIFE CITY WIFE CITY

ZEROOOOOOO AND IIIIIIII WILL AAAAALLLWAYYYYSS LOVE YOUUUUUUUUU

idk anything abt ff4 so i did some research: zeromus/zemus is actually manipulating golbez in that game. zero...zeromus......whats goin on.......

i also got to thinking about pashtarot, one of the MIA ascians that’s still supposedly alive after ew. in ff12, pashtarot is the scion of light in opposition to the esper zeromus, named after the ff4 zeromus

pashtarot’s title is also knight-star, and the golbez of the 13th is referred to as a knight. idk if there’s any connection here 

completely unrelated trivia, but knight-star is the name of a kind of lily, and the flower that grows out of zero’s eye in drakengard 3 looks like a lily 

primals in the 13th are called eidolons bc summons in ff13 are eidolons!!!!!!! yeahyeaheyah ff13 refrances my beloved

the voidsent are all so endearing and cute ;w; the sin eaters are way scarier bc they’ve become 100% feral, but the voidsent still retain a bit of humanity and the low-rung voidsent act like cartoon minions hehe

is scarmiglione’s mortal form a catboy bc he hisses??? also he’s cowardly, which makes him a.....scaredy cat!! :3

also LMAO at the debuff scarmiglione gives us being called “brain rot”

the blobby quests show the backstory for scarmiglione and barbariccia and it looks like scarg comes from somewhere that looks like lakeland and barbariccia def comes from the 13th’s version of the black shroud. there’s even the same heavenspillar trees!

barbariccia is hot af wlw stay winning this patch

im so enamored with zero i hope she’s not an azem shard bc then wol might absorb her and we will never see her again like ardbert

speaking of azem, the azem crystal entry in unending codex says emet-selch made the crystal out of “lingering affection” ;w;

who is the ancient golbez was killing in the flashback???? i can’t think of any significant ancients in plain weenwoon robes that aren’t already accounted for. there’s some theories floating around that it might be versions of the watcher on the moons of other shards, but if golbez was killing the watcher to free zodiark, why is he making big moves now AFTER zodiark is already dead? 

he mentions a “prison of passivity” which sounds like the moon? is there something else worth getting at on the moon other than zodiark?

he also says “how ironic that the blessed damned should set us free” during the still image of him about to kill a weenwoon so blessed damned could refer to A) memoriates B) echo bearers C) ascians/ancients???

this patch left me with more questions than answers tbh but!! im so glad we met zero i got lonely thinking that the wol doesnt have scions with her all the time and also new old friends hyth and hades are still in the aetherial sea

also re: hades, zero’s meditation so she doesnt forget herself reminds me of how emet rarely took over bodies and if he does he has to mold them to look like how he looked in the ancient world so he doesn’t forget himself. 

Pandaemonium thoughts:

themis is so cute and cool! “say my name” you’re elidibus!!!! 

oh....but then knowing what his fate is.....it makes me so sad again ;-; 

pandaemonium showing up in the present day lifestream makes me think we’ll see elidibus in the aetherial sea for the last segment of the raids! 

also azem is becoming more and more like their own character and less of an extra oc that we can have. they do a ton of stuff outside of player control, and it’s confirmed that they have tabs on wol the whole time

so what was azem doing during the final days???? there’s no way they’ll simply let it happen in order to preserve the timeline and ensure wol’s existence. they must have tried to find a different way, and i think there’s a definitive answer to what they were up to, bc at this point i don’t think we can simply imagine it for ourselves. azem is like.....a fire emblem MU now lol we can headcanon what they look like but ultimately they are their own character

so athena was the shittier parent all along............boi

both the msq and pandae have a theme of how merging yourself with others makes you lose individuality. the voidsents become influenced by other voidsent souls they devour, and lahabrea was infected by athena’s mad scientist proclivities 

we also finally get to see an ancient child! child erich looks just like every other kid npc in the game but now hopefully we can finally end the themis is a minor discourse. themis is young, but he’s not a child!!!

lahabrea seems very.....okay....with wol being azem’s weird familiar. he just stated that creating souls is nigh impossible and yet here we are lying that we’re azem’s familiar. if i were lahabrea i’d go back to amaurot and shake azem for answers 

themis also mentions a belief in gods, but i thought the ancients only conceive of gods purely for the sake of debate ?_? regardless, this is cool and gives more insight into their culture

claudien looking for the crystal that resonated with the one he found and then going missing in azys lla is worrying D: azys lla is where our lahabrea got killed. he’s going to get possessed isnt her

i still think claudien is an erich shard. erich is the “perfect test subject” so if he got away in pandae, then lahabrea/athena will just have to nab his shard. 

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

So I adore your character Frank. I mean Adore him with a capital A. I started reading your fics when I was like 13 or something and now I am 21 years old.

I re-read your fics for nostalgia's sake a few days ago and. . . I have to tell you that I think Frank was and is one of the most influential characters in my life.

I know he isn't a huge character, but Frank just set up my type of favorite character going forwards in life. Due to this fic, I have always gravitated to 'whipped' characters, to character whom really should be terror in and of themselves but have been rendered harmless towards or for a singlar person.

I might have any ways, but I KNOW Frank at least cemented this in me. He just. . . Has intrinsically interwoven himself into my psychic.

I have named my ocs after him, basied characters off of him, compared all my favorite characters to him. Hell. My girlfriend wanted to talk about baby names, and I suggested Frank in at least partially love for this character (It is also a family name, But your fic sweetened it additionally)

I mean this, completely truthfuly, that your oc Frank has been my favorite fictional character for many years. I hunger for Frank content like a starving man hungers for a bit of roast beef.

I love your other characters too.

Lilly? Superb.

Rabbit? Fancy.

Lenin and the many Toms? Thats what I'm talking about.

But Frank? Frank to me is special.

So. . . I was wondering if you could tell us a little more about Frank? In anyway I mean. Or perhaps not at all. Whatever you think is most appropriate.

Frank?

You’re not alone, I’ve gotten a lot of people who really like Frank and definitely wish he wasn’t such a minor character. That said, if Rabbit wasn’t my answer to South Park’s Towley then I feel like Frank would be. He’s great and all but he’s just... well, he’s not a main character.

But I have to say I’m very flattered by, well, all of this. First that you’ve stuck around for seven years (Jesus I’ve been here too long), that you reread my stuff, and that Frank has had such an influence in your life.

And with a plea like that I really can’t say no, can I?

So, first off, I’ve mentioned this off and on but I am writing an original fiction version of “Lily and the Art of Being Sisyphus” and yes I know I’ve been saying it for years but I really am almost done with what will be the first novel at this point. With that, Frank is a much larger character in that story than the original fic, still secondary but an important secondary character. So, it’s a little weird for me to go back and talk about the fic version. But given I’d have to get into the whole world building of that we’re just going to go ahead and ignore that. Just dropping this that, if all goes well, we do get more Frank than usual.

As for Frank himself from the fic... Well, the thing is we don’t really know too much about HP vampires except that they’re kind of a joke and taken less seriously than even werewolves. I don’t think they have any magic in and of themselves (maybe weird vampire magic that doesn’t really stand up to a wizard with a wand) and are probably about the strength of Buffy vampires. They kind of got the short end of the stick. I imagine they’re all desperately poor, living off blood pops, and just passed out in Knockturn Alley or running around eating pedestrians in Albania. And this is pretty much Frank’s existence before Lily says, “I want to be a drug dealer! Help me vampire man!”

For Frank himself, a lot of what I’ve wanted to say about him can be found in the various side fics. “Lily and the Narcotics Emporium” from way back in the day has pretty much all my world building on him.

He’s not all that old really, I think I dated him around the 1800′s, and is desperately poor. He’s basically a starving, drugged out, mess in the 1940′s when Lily finds him in the literal gutter. As a result, Lily Riddle is the light of his life, she pulls him out of the pit of depression and poverty and gives him not only purpose but hope for his people’s future. He poisons and kills wizards all day, it’s great! This is how he kind of ends up in his yes-man/whipped position. I mean, Lily is also terrifying so that certainly helps, but it’s mostly fueled by this weird devotion/unending gratitude that Lily doesn’t know what to do with.

Further, Riddle Inc. is really Frank’s show. Lily has some ideas but it’s mostly him that does all the work and certainly keeps it going for DECADES in her absence. Which really makes it clear that he could have done all this by himself, pretty much any time he wanted, but he’ll never actually figure that out because Lily Riddle is great and would she like coffee today. So, Frank really should be the head of it himself, but he insists to everyone without directly saying it that he’s just the secretary. And everyone believes because, my god, does he act like it.

And I think my favorite part of Lily and Frank interacting is that Lily also has no idea what to do with all of this or why they’re even like this. Lily has no idea how important she is to Frank and just how much she changed his life. She’s starting to get an idea that drugs are bad and maybe she was a terrible influence on the wizarding world for half a century, but she really doesn’t understand just why Frank is her secretary. So every now and then he drops some “we are eternally grateful” type line and she sort of just stares because from her perspective he’s just always been around and of course she found him in the gutter. Where else would one pick up a Frank? That was very convenient.

That’s about all I’ve got off the top of my head. Anything anyone want to ask specifically about Frank? 

[socksual-innuendos]

Dunno if that was asked already but 01. Emi x Raul

when I started shipping it if I did:

As a guilty pleasure because of how close those two got in canon lol. Friends to be all end all ride or die. They slot together well and sometimes its nice to be able to fully let down your guard. 

my thoughts:

I think both are aro in ways that don’t make them a ‘romantic’ ship but they still work out in a proper ‘ship’ regardless. There’s more to relationships than romance and fluffy feelings and I think these two really illustrate it well. I however am not good enough with words to really explain this in depth lol.

What makes me happy about them:

Couldn’t articulate it well I don’t think. I am really not so good with words outside of technical aspects. Its more than just ‘same hat’ with regards to traumas, or being the elder sibling of a pair. They’re both old and kind of break the expectations of that, and both get a kick out of doing so. Both can be irresponsible and rather detached but they stay drawn to each other. I think it may be because they embody a relationship I wish to see more of? They don’t need each other, and they don’t need to be around each other all the time. They have their separate spaces, separate goals, drives, and needs but this doesn’t stop them from becoming and staying close. They’re both highly guarded, and I rewrite Raul’s canon just a bit based on a canon line he has (I truly think he should have been ‘Miguel’ to the player until he starts opening up, just because he doesn’t care to correct them assuming about the name tag), but they still work past that and can find their own peace when opening up to each other. Emilia herself isn’t the reason he becomes the ghost vaquero, he figured that out all by himself by late night talks and wanting to travel with her, and Emi finds someone that just lets her be. Not expectations, no judgements, just her inconsistent self. 

What makes me sad about them:

I guess that Raul finds someone he can have vulnerabilities around but basically is going to lose her in the next 20ish years. I actually don’t see this adding to his Male Angst though. With both of them, a lot of their pain from loss I think comes from having something they’ve loved suddenly ripped from them, and I think him being able to anticipate/prepare for the loss and being able to let go after a fulfilling life is a refreshing take of death for him. Its sad in the immediate, but I think he’d look back at it with peace. 

things done in fanfic that annoys me:

Since it’s an OCxCanon ship I guess the fact that Raul is always delegated to the ‘wise crackin abuelito/tio’ trope? In general taking older characters and making them fit some Adult Family Figure role bothers me. Raul has a lot of complications about himself and I don’t see him just adopting any scamp riley enough to break him out of Black Mountain. Its a disservice to his character to only chalk him up to that role, although there are instances I don’t mind it when people flesh out his relationship (not romantic in this case) with the courier.

things I look for in fanfic:

I guess as stated above. There’s a LOT to Raul that doesn’t get explored because he’s either not one of the top shippable characters or because people default him to some naturally nurturing role because he’s an old man and had a sister once. While canon evidence shows that he takes care of his own (and can even be foolhardy while doing so), I think he doesn’t bond with just anyone, and while I don’t see him being particularly guarded about attachments, I don’t see him just taking in anyone. Especially at this point, he is very comfortable with people passing through his life and understands that good company doesn’t directly equate to unshakable bonds. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

I think them staying friends is where I am most comfortable? I don’t really see them getting into the same sort of relationship with any other canonical character, and I don’t often see OCs shipped with him/OCs that fit the same bill for Emi. Those two share a unique understanding and support of each other, and it transcends any arbitrary definition of romance. 

My happily ever after for them:

I’d say if Emi ever ends up ghoulifying, he, Cam, and Emi just sort of stay this tightly bound group for the rest of their natural ghoul eternity. I don’t necessarily like this ending but I entertain it sometimes.

I think though him coming back after a few years of his vigilante work to see how Cam n Emi are doing back at Vegas leads him to stay a while. His one ending makes it seem like he just goes off and becomes this unending force of raider bane, but my take is that he also has a new understanding of how he takes value from life. He enjoys Emilia and Camila, they’ve gotten close with him, and he misses the company. He also knows Em’s human, and she won’t be around forever, and I think between that and knowing Camila’s independace is important, he decides to just...help watch/help with Emilia as she ages. She’s almost 60 when New Vegas starts, so I guess they sort of speed ran growing old together lol. That said I do think after Emilia dies he comes back to Vegas to check on Cam. Those two are good friends, and he values it, but he knows she doesn’t need or want babysitting. I think he keeps a general eye on her, and on the occasion is like that neighbor that comes over to fix your dishwasher when it acts up, but otherwise he has no reason to stay inside of Vegas and his shack stays his home in the Mojave.

who is the big spoon/little spoon:

This switches around a lot, but I think Emi likes shoving her face in ghoul tiddies. 

what is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Being these two

[pxjiminsi]

Prettiest Smile

Chapter 2 from the Series : Before you go

Synopsis: Wanting to escape the unending criticism from your peers and parents about your life choices, you flew to L.A to figure out your life. On the same flight, you encounter an early debut, full of dreams, Bangtan Sonyeondan. Not knowing that that encounter will change your life forever.

Pairing: Jimin x reader, Taehyung x reader, Jin x OC, OT5 x reader platonic love

Fic Type: Slice of life au

Word count: 1.6k

Genre: slice of life, fluff, mild smut, and a healthy amount of angst

Warning: few cuss words 

A/n: Hi! This will be my first BTS Au in tumblr, I’ll be also uploading my old works here! Friendly comments and criticism from my fellow writers and readers as I want to improve my writing further on. I hope you enjoy my series.

Updates are every week, or as fast as I can!!

“We have the whole house to ourselves for the week, so feel at home!” Soo Yun exclaimed as she threw you a water bottle from the kitchen, dehydrated from that 45-minute drive from LAX to her home. “We have so much to catch up on, how’re your parents? Thank God they let you go on this trip huh? How’s Jae? You’re already what? A year in a relationship?” Her questions were non-stop and as much as you missed her after so long, you’re not that excited to answer all those questions as the main reason you went to L.A is to get away from them and your life in Korea as far as possible.

“They’re all great.” holding a tight grip on your bag and with a smile on your face to avoid answering her bombarding question of how your life has gone downhill since you entered University. “I’m jet-lagged and I’d like to take a nap before we go out for lunch, can you show me where I'd stay?” “It’s upstairs, first door on your left! I’m going to take a shower, but call me if you need anything.” Soo Yun said as you disappeared carrying your luggage up the stairs. You plop in your bed sighing, finally realizing that you’re going to start your new life in this foreign country and no one’s going to help you but yourself. You doze off wondering when your life will begin.

“Y/n, y/n!” Soo Yun nudged until you half-opened your eyes “Your phone’s ringing non-stop! How can you sleep through that noise?” Still disoriented, you answer your phone “Hi please tell me you have my bag” You get confused if you’re still dreaming and wonder why someone is looking for their bag when you’re asleep the whole time. “Hello?? My group went back to the airport because I think we switched luggage. Mine’s in neon pink, please tell me you have it?” You almost fell out of bed and rushed to see the tag on your bag, “Kim Seokjin?” you whispered out of confusion. “Yes, that’s me, and you’re y/n, right? Can we meet to exchange luggage? We can meet somewhere public, I'm not a bad person, I promise I just need to get my stuff back” you can hear his desperation in his tone, but he snickered when he heard you groaning your brains to your pillow from your stupidity back in the airport.

“Yes, of course, I need my stuff back too. We can meet at Shake shack in Hollywood blvd. I’ll be there in 30 mins.” impulsively suggesting as you’ve been craving burgers since you saw shake shack on your way here and Soo Yun’s planning to get lunch anyway. Hearing this Kim Seokjin’s angelic voice, maybe it’s safe to meet him. “What will you be wearing?” he asked, but you bet he didn’t think his question through “I mean of course to recognize you, I didn't mean anything bad with that, I'm sorry” he panics. How cute. “I don’t think it matters because of our matching bright neon pink bags, we might go blind if we see each other” you sarcastically said, being equally embarrassed with your bright luggage. You heard his laugh and you immediately softened. “Okay, see you in 30 mins.”

You run to the bathroom to wash your puffy face from your 2-hour nap, put light make-up on, and brush your hair. “Wow, first day in L.A and I'm going to get kidnapped… by a man who loves neon pink” questioning his taste while putting on your oversized black denim jacket with your white crop top and high-waisted shorts. First of all, you didn’t have a say when your parents bought that luggage in a sale at the mall and that’s the only luggage you have big enough to bring almost all your life away from Korea. “Soo Yun, I’m ready, let's go.”

It's been 10 minutes since you and Soo Yun arrived at shake shack, almost wanting to switch restaurants for their unbelievably overpriced burgers and fries. You glance at your friend and she seems to not be bothered by it. Maybe after 5 years of being in the states, capitalism will take over you. Succumbing to your growling tummy, you order the cheapest burger and fries meal. You devour your fries like there is no tomorrow while you almost choke on your coke at the sight of Park Jimin entering the restaurant together with Jeongguk and their friend whom you’re not familiar with, dragging your bag.

Jeongguk saw you and pointed in your direction. Your heart almost dropped at the sight of Jimin, thinking that you had seen the last of him in that plane and you’d just see him reach his dreams on television. A huge smile appeared on his face when he saw you, almost sprinting to get to your table with Jeongguk behind him. “It’s only been a few hours you missed me that much huh?” He looks at you then proceeds to wave his hands to the roaming eyes of his friend. The fact that you’re happy to see him again was written all across your face, but you tried your best not to show it as it may stir feelings inside you and confuse Soo Yun. She’s already baffled at why you’re already friends with people, good-looking people you may add, you mismatched bags with. You gave her an I’ll explain it to you later look as she nodded bewildered and continued with her food.

“Jin-hyung, I found the culprit.” Pointing at you while seating at the empty seat in front. Seeing that you made this man who looks like an angel, by the way, struggle with your luggage made you feel sheepish. “Finally we meet. I'm sorry for the hassle I have caused you. I’m Kim Seokjin” He brushed his hair up while catching his breath. “No, I'm sorry, I should've paid attention that I took the wrong bag at the airport.” you try to avoid Jimin’s stare as you pull your luggage to your side switching with Jin’s “I’m y/n and my friend, Soo Yin” you both held your hands as he reached for them to shake. 

“What’s in that bag anyway? It’s so heavy.” Jeongguk asked, taking a fry in your tray and popping it in his mouth. You falter at his question, uh my whole life in Korea is in that bag and I don’t intend on coming back if I can. “Just a lot of clothes.” You shrugged focusing on the cars passing by outside. Jimin sensed that Jeongguk’s question made you uncomfortable. “Let’s go now, everyone’s waiting in the car” he gets up as Jin and Jeongguk said and waved goodbye to you and Soo Yin. “Good luck with your training, I’ll make sure to watch your videos on the internet” Soo Yin stood up waving at Jin and Jeongguk looking so mesmerized by the two. They waved back for the last time before disappearing outside. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” Jimin held his hand but you just nodded overlooking his help and signed at your friend that you’ll just be gone for a minute.

“I didn’t know I'd get the chance to see you again,” he said almost whispering. You’re not looking at him so you can’t tell, but you can hear the nervousness in his voice “Well, I think you knew we’d see each other again because you didn’t tell Jin that we knew each other and that I got his bag by mistake.” calling his bullshit as you take a peek seeing a smirk forming in his lips knowing he’s enjoying this. “Okay, okay” he held both of his hands up surrendering to you, slightly laughing. “But this feels like fate, don't you think so? I would very much like to have your number. I’d get it from your suitcase or Jin-hyung but it doesn’t feel very gentlemanly if I did that without your permission.” You look up to him this time. Giving you a glimpse of his sincerity and timidity you didn’t see before.

You debate to yourself whether to give in because it’s him. For the first time in a very long time, your heart fluttered again. You laughed again. You didn’t sleep tired from crying. For the first time, someone listened to you without pity. You felt like yourself again. He made all that happen in just a few hours. You began to ponder if you do believe in fate. Is this what fate feels like?

Thinking about all the possibilities, but you already had an answer in your mind.

“No, I have a boyfriend back home.” What you said is true, but why does your heart feel like it’s breaking. You see the way his face twitches, feeling guilty if he feels like you lead him on. “Oh, I didn’t know, I’m sorry.” sounding like a wounded puppy, you endure the temptation to pull him closer and hug him after hearing his tone. “I have to go, they’re waiting for me in the car.” For the first time, it’s him avoiding your eyes. He turned around and started to walk. You don’t say anything. You don’t have to, you just stare at his back wondering if you made the right decision. He stopped walking and turned to meet your gaze “You know, your boyfriend is very lucky to have you. Please support us in the future” He smiles the prettiest of smiles, then he’s gone.

[aimee-maroux]

Sexual Curse Tablets

The first time I ever heard about curse tablets was when I visited Bath and its namesake Roman bath. The curse tablets found there were written in Latin and addressed to local goddess Sulis, identified by the Romans with Minerva.

A curse tablet, called tabella defixionis or defixio in Latin and katadesmos in ancient Greek is a small tablet, often made of lead, stone or baked clay, asking a god, spirit or dead person for help. The tablet was then secretly buried or hidden in a significant place.

Curse tablets were a popular type of magic throughout the Greco-Roman world used by both, men and women. And of course people back then cared just as much about sex and love as they do today. The ones in Bath dealt with the return of stolen possessions, with the exception of one:

"Qui mihi Vilbiam involavit sic liquat comodo aqua. Ell[…] muta qui eam involavit si Velvinna, Exsupereus, Verianus, Severinus, Augustalis, Comitianus, Catus, Minianus, Germanilla, Iovina."

"May he who carried off Vilbia from me become liquid as the water. May she who so obscenely devoured her become dumb, whether Velvinna, Exsupereus, Verianus, Severinus, Augustalis, Comitianus, Catus, Minianus, Germanilla (or) Jovina." Bath / Aquae Sulis, England, 43-410 CE

This curse tablet also deals with a theft, but it's the theft of a girl named Vilbia. Whether Vilbia was actually the writer's slave, or only his concubine, either would make sense here.

A Love Affair with Eterna

The only curse from Britain with a truly erotic context was found in Old Harlow, Essex:

"Mio M(ercurio) dono ti(bi)‌ negotium Et-‌ern(a)e et ipsam,‌ nec sit i(n)vidi(a) me(i)‌ Timotneo sangui(n)e suo."

"To the god Mercury, I entrust to you my affair with Eterna and her own self, and may Timotneus feel no jealousy of me at the risk of his life-blood." Old Harlow, England, found together with 3rd-4th century pottery

Mercury or Hermes is the god of thieves, magic and spells (among many other things) and as the guide of dead souls he moves freely between the world and the underworld. Hermes, Charon, Hekate, and Persephone were most often addressed to bring about a curse tablet's spell.

In comparison, this excerpt from a curse found inside a wax figurine in Upper Egypt, is far more dramatic:

"[...] Rouse yourselves, you daimones who lie here and seek out Euphêmia, to whom Dôrothea gave birth, for Thêon, to whom Proechia gave birth. Let her not be able to sleep for the entire night, but lead her until she comes to his feet, loving him with a frenzied love, with affection and with sexual intercourse. For I have bound her brain and hands and viscera and genitals and heart for the love of me, Thêon..." 5th century CE, Upper Egypt

The following, similar spell is also from Egypt. It was inscribed in Greek on a lead tablet that was rolled up around some strands of brownish red hair and inserted into the mouth of a mummy, to whom the spell was apparently addressed:

"Aye, lord demon, attract, inflame, destroy, burn, cause her to swoon from love as she is being burnt, inflamed. Goad the tortured soul, the heart of Karosa...until she leaps forth and comes to Apalos...out of passion and love, in this very hour, immediately, immediately; quickly, quickly...do not allow Karosa herself...to think of her [own] husband, her child, drink, food, but let her come melting for passion and love and intercourse, especially yearning for the intercourse of Apalos." Eshmunen, Egypt

Another spell of the same kind, but from a woman this time:

"Ad(iur)o … per magnum deum et per (An)terotas … et per eum, qui habet archep-torem (= accipitrem) supra caput et per septem stellas, ut, ex qua hora (h)oc somposuero (= composuero), non dormiat Sextilios, Dionysi(a)e filius, uratur furens, non dormiat neque sedeat neque loquatur, sed in mentem (h)abiat me Septimam, Amene (= Amoenae) filia(m); uratur furens amore et desiderio meo, anima et cor uratur Sextili, Dionysi(a)e filius (= filii), amore et desiderio meo. Septimes, Am(o)en(a)e fili(a)e. Tu autem Abar Barbarie Eloee Sabaoth Pachnouphy Pythipemi, fac Sextilium, Dionysi(a)e filium, ne somnum contingat, set amore et desi derio meo uratur, (h)uius spiritus et cor comburatur, omnia membra totius corporis Sextili,  Dionysi(a)e filius (filii). Si minus, descendo in adytus Osyris et dissolvam τὴν ταφήν et mittam ut a flumine feratur; ego enim sum magnus decanus dei magni, dei AXRAMMACHALALA.E."

"I forswear you, the great god [i.e. Osiris], and Anterotes [Anteros, god of requited love] and the one with a hawk head [i.e. Horus, the Egyptian god of death], and the seven stars [i.e. planets], from the moment I put this tablet [into the grave], may Sextilius, son of Dionysia, not sleep, may he burn [with passion] in madness, may he not sleep, nor sit, nor speak, but bear in his mind me, Septima, daughter of Amoena; may he burn with love and longing for me, may the mind and heart of Sextilius, son of Dionysia, burn with love and longing for me, Septima, daughter of Amoena. And you, Abar, Barbarie, Eloe, Sabaoth, Pachnouphy, and Pythipemi, make Sextilius, son of Dionysia, unable to sleep, but burn with love and longing for me, may his spirit and heart, as well as all limbs of Sextilius’ body be consumed by love: if not, I will descend into the shrine [grave] of Osiris, open his grave and throw him [into the river], so that he is carried away by the current; because I am the great decan of the god, mighty god AXRAMMAXALALA.E." Sousse / Hadrumetum, Tunisia, 2nd century CE

Separation Curses

Many curses written for erotic motives aimed to drive a person desired away from their current lover, husband or wife and to direct their love towards the commissioner of the tablet:

"Of [Theti]ma and Dionysophon the ritual wedding and the marriage I bind by a written spell, and of all other wo[men], both widows and maidens, but of Thetima in particular, and I entrust to Makron and [the] daimones, and (only) when I should dig up again and unroll and read this, [?] that she might wed Dionysophon, but not before, for I wish him to take no other woman than me, and that [I] grow old with Dionysophon, and no one else. I [am] your supplicant: Have pity on Phila, dear daimones, for I am (a) dagina? of all my dear ones and I am abandoned. But guard [this] for my sake so that these things do not happen, and wretched Thetima perishes miserably. [...] but that I become happy and blessed." Pella, Macedonia, 375–350 BCE

"Makron" is most probably the name of the dead man in whose grave the tablet was deposited to deliver the message to the chthonic spirits of the underworld (the daimones).

Of course, those curses also targeted same-sex lovers:

"I turn away Euboles from Aineas, from his face, from his eyes, from his mouth, from his breasts, from his soul, from his belly, from his penis, from his anus, from his entire body. I turn away Euboles from Aineas." Nemea, Greece, 4th century BCE

Everlasting Sex

Cursing rivals with impotence and sexual misery and to attract a lover were also common motives. The culmination of the process was often envisaged as everlasting sex:

"I bind you, Theodotis, daughter of Eus, by the tail of the snake, the mouth of the crocodile, the horns of the ram, the poison of the asp, the hairs of the cat, and the penis of the god so that you may never be able to sleep with any other man, nor be screwed, nor be taken anally, nor fellate, nor find pleasure with any other man but me, Ammonion, son of Hermitaris. For I alone am LAMPSOURE’ OTHIKALAK’ AIPHNOSABAO’ STESEON’ UELLAPHONTA’ SANKIST’ CHPHURIS’ ON. Make us of this binding spell, employed by Isis, so that Theodotis, daughter of Eus, may no longer try anything with any other man but me alone, Ammonion, and may be subservient, obedient, eager, flying through the air seeking after Ammonion, son of Hermitaris and bring her thigh close to his, her genitals close to his, in unending intercourse for all the time of her life. And here are the figures:" [Features some images of a god holding a staff, with a snake at his feet, a crocodile to the upper right of the snake, a cat at the extreme right, two figures (perhaps a ram and the woman) above the crocodile, and other magical signs and letters and obscure drawings.] Egypt, 2nd-3rd century CE

I bind Theodora to remain unmarried to Charias, and I bind Charias to forget Theodora,and I bind Charias to forget . . . Theodora and sex with Theodora. And just as this corpse lies useless, so may all the words and deeds of Theodora be useless with regard to Charias and to the other people. I bind Theodora before Hermes of the underworld and before the unmarried and before Tethys. I bind everything, both her words and deeds toward Charias and toward other people, and her sex with Charias. 4th century BCE

The person performing the spell, presumably a woman who wants Charias for herself, wishes that Theodora be as incapable of having a sexual relation with Charias as the corpse into whose grave the tablet has been deposited. Graves and tombs were considered a gateway by means of which the curse would reach the dead or underworld deities charged with its execution.

Calling on Aphrodite

A curse intended to affect a person's sexuality oftentimes called upon those chthonic gods alongside a sexual deity—Aphrodite and Eros were quite common, as was the goddess Isis from the Egyptian pantheon.

An example of a sexual curse comes from a man named Pausanias (no, not the ancient historian) who wanted to bind a woman called Sime:

"Pausanias binds Sime, daughter of Amphitritus (may no one but Pausanias undo this spell) until she does for Pausanias everything Pausanias wants. May she not be able to get hold of a sacrificial victim of Athena, nor may Aphrodite look kindly upon her, before Sime embraces Pausanias." Akanthos, Macedonia, 4th or 3rd century BCE

The Penis Curse Tablet

This curse tablet from Cyprus’s old city kingdom of Amathus went straight to the point:

“May your penis hurt when you make love.” Amathus, Cyprus, 7th century CE

Pierre Aubert, head of Athens Archaeological School in Greece said the tablet showed a man standing holding something in his right hand that looks like an hour glass. Perhaps most surprising is the young age of this tablet: The inscription dates back to the 7th century CE when Christianity was already well established on Cyprus. While many of the old pagan beliefs had disappeared or been suppressed by this period, it is clear that people’s love of — and need for — sex-curses had not gone anywhere.

Today, we may not write our curses on lead tablets anymore, and fewer people will ask Hermes or Hekate for help. But the secret wishes to separate a desired partner from their spouse, attract a lover or rain impotence and disaster on a romantic rival are as alive as they were 3000 years ago.

Author's Note: If dates or places are missing beneath the curses, I was unable to track this information down. Despite this shortcoming, I hope to have given an enjoyable overview of the colourful curse tablets of ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome.

Sources

Curse Tablet Entry on Wikipedia

Getting even in Roman Britain: The Curse Tablets from Bath (Aquae Sulis) by Carly Silver

Ancient Roman Curse Tablets Invoke Goddess Sulis Minerva to Kill and Maim

Curse Tablets from Roman Britain - Introduction: cicrus and court, sex and stealing

Curse Tablets from Roman Britain - Images of curse tablets

Roman Inscriptions of Britain - RIB 154 Curse

Roman Britain Britannia IV 1973

Supplemental Material - Georgetown University

Pella Curse Tablet

For All Time: An Examination of Romantic Love Through Curse Tablets by Alicia Deadrick

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered - Erotic Magic in the Greco-Roman World by Radcliffe G. Edmonds

Archaeology Magazine: When Spells Worked Magic by Christopher A. Farone

Oracles, Curses, and Risk Among the Ancient Greeks by Esther Eidinow

Latin Curse Texts: Mediterranean Tradition and Local Diversity by Daniela Urbanová

Atlas Obscura presents six sites with a sexual history

Mentalfloss: 7 Ancient Roman Curses You Can Work into Modern Life

  Further Reading:

Curse Tablets and Binding Spells from the Ancient World by John Gager

Ancient Greek Love Magic by Christopher A. Faraone

Roman Religion by Valerie M. Warrior

Oracles, Curses, and Risk Among the Ancient Greeks by Esther Eidinow

[aerialflight]

One Piece Fic Recs

Okay I’ve been obsessing over One Piece lately and I have a need to spread the One Piece love with these fics that I recently found and can’t stop thinking about now. Hope you all enjoy!

-

Sleeping Arrangements by Altiria 

Ship: Law/Luffy

Nightmares plaguing Law keep him awake most nights, an unusual arrangement keeps him blissfully dream free. Some miscommunications form from the result.

(listen, LISTEN, this summary doesn’t do this story justice when it comes to showing the sheer hilarity and chaos that happens in this fic. this is basically a story of Luffy doing his best to try and marry Law and everybody gets dragged into it. and when i say everybody, i mean EVERYBODY. this is the funniest fic i’ve read in ages and i guarantee you won’t be able to breathe at some points when reading this fic.)

True Love's Kiss by Altiria

Ship: Law/Luffy, Marco/Ace

The Whitebeard crew converge upon Marineford to rescue one of their own. As they arrive, they and everyone nearby is cursed by the powers of the fairy-tale fruit. Luffy, the only one with his memories intact, now needs to find a way to break them all out of the story with the aid of almost stranger; who deeply regrets his involvement.

Starring: 'spontaneous singing', 'definitely not a princess,’ 'I'm too old for this,' and a group of pirates who are never ever going to live this down.

(discovering this author was the best thing that happened to me this week, so i had to rec two of her fics in a row. i swear there are some scenes in here that i can’t unsee and it’s burned into my memory now. and i absolutely do not regret it cause just thinking about it has me cackling like a mad man.)

A Test of Endurance by RememberThePetrichor

Ship: Doflamingo/Crocodile

It’s strange the things that tie people back together. A backwards glance. A rash decision. Or in Crocodile and Doflamingo’s case, a severe psychotic episode in a dank alleyway at three in the morning. [Dofladile anthology with a tiny dollop of smut, now also with plot]

(never in a million years did i think i would ever like this ship, yet here we are. the fic explores these two unexpected, jagged people together and it’s amazing how well they fit. and crocodile is so emotionally constipated and i’m laughing at him the entire way. a smitten doflamingo is an image i didn’t know could exist, yet the author somehow managed to bring it into the world. it’s brilliant and i definitely rec this if you like complicated, stretched out timeless romances. will continue to keep an eye on this.)

Prospects by BrambleFuzz

“I might end up having to kill you. That makes me an enemy, don’t you understand?” “But enemies are supposed to hate each other, right?” Straw Hat questioned, drawing his eyes back to Katakuri’s face. “Do you?”

(Luffy is insistent that he and Katakuri are friends, and Katakuri is insistent that they are not. One of them is very much in denial, but perhaps for good reason.)

(no one is safe when it comes to luffy’s unending charisma and stubborn insistence of friendship. it’s beautiful and i love this.)

Heed the Siren's Call by missmungoe

Ship: Shanks/Makino

Rumours on the tide say he's got a girl in every port, but sea-sayings tend to exaggerate. There was only ever one port—and the one girl.

Pre-series. Bookish and wilful, Makino is not even twenty when her legal guardian leaves her on her own, and with a bar to boot. And it figures he'd choose the greatest personal upheaval in her life to make his entrance. After all, he's that kind of guy.

Part 1 of Shanties for the Weary Voyager

(i don’t know what’s up with me reading shipping fics, i usually go to gen when it comes to one piece but i definitely don’t regret it. wow, this fic was honestly a journey and it’s stunning. i honestly can’t unsee the potential of this ship now and god, i wish this is canon. i really, really do. also, this is part of a series and i’m going to be honest, it’s Sea Songs that completely won me over. it’s the sequel to this story and it’s what made me completely fall in love with this series and this ship. But, reading the first of the series definitely adds more depth to their relationship and is the beginning of everything, if i have to be dramatic about it. which i do, cause it deserves it.)

Unwritten by missmungoe

Ship: Mihawk/Hancock

She's used to flattery and pretty words.

What she gets from him is...not that.

(bet your didn’t expect this, cause i sure didn’t. but man, this ship just works and i love it so much. you have no idea how much i digged for more fics on this pairing and it’s disappointingly low to say the least. can’t regret it though. honestly, the author is just so good at shipping two characters i don’t expect to work, yet it does.)

sic itur ad astra by donutsandcoffee

Humans can make out patterns out of nothing. Like discovering shapes in the cloud, or images between the stars. If you listen to static noise long enough they start to form meaningful words, even when there isn’t any.

This is the closest approximation to how Ichiji feels things.

It is almost fascinating, then, for him, to watch Sanji, who seems to feel everything with his entire being, so visceral and open and raw.

(such a fantastic character study on a character that isn’t explored much. ichiji is so complex here and the author gives him more nuance in how he rationalizes emotions and who he is as a person. his relationship with sanji is given more depth and i’m so happy! definitely read this!)

Memoirs of a Suicidal Pirate by alkhale

Getting murdered while trying to kill yourself is bad luck. Getting reincarnated after that is just a bad joke. But Toonami reruns and cheap commissions info have taught her this world has plenty of chances to get yourself killed. It can't be that hard.

"So you're actually trying to die?"

"Yes."

"You know you're his nakama now, right?"

"So?"

"...Good luck with that."

(this is a fic that i’m literally waiting at the edge of my seat for to update. every time it does, my heart soars and my day, no, week improves instantly. i swear, the worldbuilding in this is top notch and if i didn’t know one piece at the back of my hand, i would absolutely believe the OC self-insert character was a real character in One Piece, i am not kidding. the author hits the tone, the WORLDBUILDING, the characters, literally everything that makes One Piece what it is, right on the nail. i laughed, i cried, i felt incessant rage at the very One Piece existing cruelty of the world, i really felt like i was reading canon One Piece, and that’s no easy accomplishment. seriously, please for the love of god read this. @adelmortescryche and i freak over this all the time and i need to spread this fic like a wildfire to other people, god.)

[higuchimon]

[fanfic]  Embrace of Fate:  Chapter 6

Juudai slipped out of his dorm, shivering for a few moments in the early morning air. Duel Academia tended to being warm even this time of year, but until the sun came up, temperatures could still be a trifle nippy. He stifled a small yawn and headed down the path briefly before he turned and darted into the woods.

Where he ended up at the end of this was a place he visited infrequently, usually on those rare occasions when he wanted to think by himself. He wasn’t sure if Shou or Kenzan or anyone else had ever followed him here.

Once the trees thinned out, the ground led downward to a white-sanded beach, with large rocks peppering the ground. Juudai climbed up on top of one of them and stared at the ocean. Here it still was kind of dark, though if he tilted his head, he could see streaks of gold and blue spanning the sky.

Juudai wasn’t sure of how long he sat there, thinking of nothing in particular, breathing in the scent of the salted air, before Hane Kuriboh appeared next to him, trilling a greeting to someone else. Before Juudai could turn to see who’d interrupted his silence, Ruby Carbuncle pounced onto Hane Kuriboh and the two of them began one of their already familiar tussling sessions.

“Ruby...” Johan muttered as he stepped out of the shadows. Ruby Carbuncle didn’t even look up, mouth instead closed around one of Hane Kuriboh’s wings, as the other one battered at the tiny creature.

“Johan,” Juudai greeted with a raised hand. “What brings you out here?”

“Ruby did, sort of.” Johan laughed as he came closer. “Said you were here and I thought it was a little too early for you to be up, so I came to see if everything was all right.”

Juudai turned back to look at the rolling waves. “Yeah, mostly. I come out here sometimes when it’s early.” His right hand rested against his left for a few heartbeats. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say about that. He thought – he knew – that he could trust Johan, but this was still something else altogether.

Johan caught the movement and turned gem-bright eyes on him. Juudai tensed; he’d had other people ask before. Even Shou had, back in first year. He hadn’t been the only one. Before he’d broken apart, Daitokuji-sensei had three entire lectures about how soulmates and alchemy went together.

But Johan didn’t say anything. At least not about Juudai’s mark. Instead, he came a little closer and stared at the ocean for a few moments. “This is really nice. Almost reminds me of being back home. Only warmer.”

“What’s it like for you?” Juudai asked, breathing a mental sigh of relief that he didn’t have to deal with being asked those questions again.

Though it almost made him want to answer them regardless. Maybe Johan would have answers that he didn’t and that no one else seemed to have either.

“Home? You’d probably call it chilly. Even cold.” Johan launched into describing his home, how it differed from here and how much he liked it there. He didn’t mention family of any kind, though, except for the Gem Beasts.

He never had. In the three weeks since his arrival, Juudai didn’t think that Johan had ever mentioned mother or father or siblings of any kind. Sure, they didn’t know each other that well yet but he thought Johan might have said something. Unless there wasn’t anything to say.

“And I’ve got about eight more months on my timer and there wasn’t anyone at home that had one going down at the same time,” Johan said at last. Juudai hadn’t paid quite as much attention as he should have, but that wasn’t unusual with him. He rather liked letting people ramble on about themselves without his input anyway. “What about you?”

Juudai blinked. That simple question wasn’t one that he’d expected. He glanced at his arm again before he made an extraordinarily quick decision and pushed his sleeve up. He intended to introduce Johan to the hot springs at one point so Johan would see it then anyway. Might as well get it over with.

Johan peered over, a curious expression on his face, and nodded. “You’ve already met yours? That’s awesome! Can I meet them? Do they go here?”

“Not really – not that I know of, anyway.” Juudai fidgeted, casting a brief glance to the ocean and back to Johan. “I don’t remember them. I’ve had the mark since I was really little. I think about six or seven. But I can’t remember them and I don’t know where they are.” For a few moments more he hesitated, before he started to talk.

He spoke of the vague memories he had of being sick and of how his parents hadn’t told him anything more, only that this was all for the best. He hadn’t known how to argue about it and he’d eventually stopped worrying about it. Until he’d come here, he’d barely thought about it at all, and even then, not until that strange night when he’d met Saiou.

“Later on, after I beat the Light of Ruin, I asked him about it.” Juudai remembered. “Only he didn’t know anything about my soulmate or where they could be or anything. So – I don’t know. The Neo-Spacians don’t know either. No one I know does.”

Johan nodded slowly. He rested a comforting hand on Juudai’s shoulder. “You’ll find them. Or maybe they’ll find you.” He started to stand up. “But you know, I think it’s about breakfast time, isn’t it?”

Juudai’s stomach chose that moment to roar at him, reminding him that soulmate or no soulmate, he needed to eat, and it would be such a shame to miss Tome-san’s cooking because he moped around. He shook off the brief sad mood and bounced to his feet.

“You’re right! Hey, race you to the cafeteria!”

“That’s just going to get you even hungrier!” But at the same moment Johan suited action to words and the two of them hurried back along the barely visible trail.

In the depths of the shadows, an awareness watched, barely more than the flicker of an eye and the wrath of a demon.

Thief. Thief. Thief.

How dare this thief, this mongrel, this foul creature dare to so much as speak to their Juudai? How did he dare to steal Yubel’s own form from the past and pass himself off as a friend?

If Yubel had more than one claw, they would have used them to shred Johan in that moment. But they swore, this state of affairs would not last forever. Juudai would be theirs again and Johan would be nothing but a bad memory.

Yubel. It was Yubel.

Juudai slammed his fists harder and harder into the pillow, a choked off sob tearing out of his lips, tears staining his cheeks and spilling down to the blankets.

Yubel. Yubel.

That meant all of this – everything that happened in that other world, the fact that Johan could very well be – that he might be -

Juudai didn’t want to think the word. If he thought it, then it could become real and if it were real then it couldn’t ever be taken back. No way to make it better. No way to get him back.

Dead was dead. Dead never changed. Dead meant you never saw them again.

Slowly he rubbed at his eyes. He wanted to think about this. He wanted to figure out an answer, but nothing appeared that wasn’t smoke and shadows.

He’d infuriated Yubel. He’d sent them away – he’d had a reason for it, hadn’t he? He thought he did. Those memories remained vague and hazy but he thought that was true. He’d done it for a reason and it seemed like a good one at the time.

Only now Yubel utterly hated him because of what he’d done and not only hurt everyone that he cared about now but Johan as well. Johan, his new best friend, almost as close to him as his soulmate.

That point did shine above the others as well. Yubel wasn’t just an old friend, the spirit from his childhood that he’d forgotten for whatever reasons.

Yubel was his soulmate. The one that he’d forgotten and missed without even being aware of it. The one that the Light taunted him with, teased that it watched over for so long.

Was that why Yubel hated him? Was it because of whatever reason he’d sent them into space? Or was it because of the Light?

Juudai rubbed his forehead and the back of his head, straining to remember what had happened so long ago. Try as he might, nothing wanted to come clear. He could recall vague images of sketching the Neo-Spacians, the sort of thing he’d remembered from the moment when he’d met them again, with the added feeling of Yubel’s presence there. He’d drawn them when Yubel was there, watching over him. He knew that for certain.

But why? Why was all of this happening? Why did Yubel hate him so much? They hadn’t always. Juudai knew that as well as he knew anything else. The mark on his arm confirmed it – the chains denoting that they loved one another, deeply and truly. But try as hard as he could, he didn’t remember enough to know what it felt like to love Yubel.

Oh, but he wanted to. He wanted to remember whatever times they had together, to remember what it was like to gaze into those eyes and love. He wanted to remember so much and nothing, nothing refused to come.

Undying rage bubbled in the deepest depths of his heart. He couldn’t feel the Light’s touch on this but what else would want to keep them apart? What else even could keep them apart?

No one. No one else. This was all the fault of the Light of Ruin and whatever else happened, he would find a way to save Johan from Yubel and Yubel from it.

No. Matter. What.

Yubel paid little attention to anything else but the captive that they’d taken. Johan lay slumped against the wall, eyes following them as they prowled, fingers knotted against his palms, breath coming in faint gasps as he tried to recover.

He could if he wanted to. Yubel wasn’t going to let him go anywhere. He didn’t deserve freedom. He deserved only pain and suffering – but not the kind of pain and suffering that meant Juudai’s sweet, unending love. No. While what Yubel inflicted on him would mean their love for Juudai, showing what lessons they’d learned from him, what it would mean for this horrid thief would be something far worse.

“Who are you, really? What do you want?” Johan finally snapped. Yubel knew how alone and afraid he must be. They’d taken his deck before he woke up and hidden it where he could never find it. Whatever bonds he had to those spirits would do him no good here. Here only Yubel ruled. Here only Yubel’s words mattered.

“What I’ve always wanted. What is mine and has been mine and will always be mine, as I am his.”

Johan tensed, fingers tightening even more. Yubel savored the fear in his eyes. So delicious. They wanted more. So much more.

“Juudai. You’re talking about Juudai.”

“Of course I am, thief.” Yubel circled, leaning in closer. They quite enjoyed having their body rebuilt. Johan had contributed far more to that than once Yubel thought he might. His intentions to help Juudai only made Yubel’s return that much sooner. “Juudai is my soulmate.”

Yubel extended their left arm, the mark showing clean and clear even against their dragon’s skin. Perhaps, they thought, that mark was why the largest part of their destroyed form left was that particular arm. They didn’t know but such a thought pleased them greatly.

Johan’s gaze dropped to the mark then back up to Yubel. “Why doesn’t Juudai remember you, then?”

“Because he doesn’t want to! He threw me away and refused to even think about me again!” Yubel all but shrieked in their rage, claws scraping so close to Johan’s skin that a pale line of red followed their touch.

Then they pulled back. Juudai would come. Juudai thought that he loved this filthy thief. Juudai would come, either to avenge this or to get his thief back, and then Juudai would be theirs and all the rest of creation could burn forever for all that Yubel cared.

“You’re wrong.” Johan murmured, raising one hand to touch where Yubel’s claws skittered. “He’s been worried about you – he told me. He doesn’t remember you but he knows that he’s forgotten and he doesn’t want to. I swear it.” He rested his right hand over his left arm, where his own counter ticked. Yubel had seen it before. They’d checked when taking him, to reassure themselves that fate hadn’t somehow tried to play a cruel trick on them all, binding Juudai to another while they still existed and still sought to win him back.

But no. The thief’s counter unwound itself as any other would and Yubel knew that Juudai and he had spoken and touched one another before. If he were in any way a soulmate to Juudai, then the counter would have reacted.

Yubel wondered if his counter would react if they tore his throat out. The existence of the counter could mean that he lived through all of this and made it to whatever that future meeting was. But Yubel found themselves quite tempted to find out otherwise.

“Keep your lies to yourself, thief. I know the truth. Juudai can only love me. Whatever he feels for you or anyone else is purest falsehood. I have the evidence – as does he.” Yubel rested both claws on the thief’s shoulders and leaned forward, gazing into his mind with their own. “And you’ll not confuse him with your foolishness.”

Johan looked as if he were about to say something else but Yubel refused to listen. Soon Juudai would come searching and Yubel intended to be ready.

“Do you think he has one?”

“Of course he doesn’t. This is Haou-sama. He doesn’t need a soulmate.” Guardian Baou slammed his tankard down on the table and gestured for a refill. He cast a brief glance toward the door to make certain that Haou-sama wasn’t there before he kept on talking. “Even if he did, could you imagine what they would be like?”

Chaos Sorcerer sipped at his goblet with a trifle more refinement than Baou did. His cup contained some of the finest wine available, compared to Baou’s preference for well-made beer. “A demon, most certainly. One far more loyal to him than anyone else.” Something touched his lips that wasn’t a proper smile. “You have noticed, I’m sure, of what he does to traitors.”

All five of them shuddered at that. Skull Bishop leaned forward. “Did you hear what happened to Angmar last week?”

The other four tilted closer, eagerness for gossip and tales of what their relentless liege could perform bright in their eyes. Skull Bishop took a long drink of his own before he answered.

“Angmar saw him without his armor. I think Haou-sama does have a soulmate mark of some kind. I wasn’t close enough to hear what he said, but Angmar did say something about it.” Skull Bishop shook his head slowly. “I think Angmar wanted a promotion. He – he challenged Haou-sama.”

The collective shudders resembled more the reaction if a blast of ice wind swept throughout the room. Skilled Black Magician and Skilled White Magician exchanged a single glance before the dark-robed twin spoke.

“How long did it take Haou-sama to end him?”

Skull Bishop sampled his drink carefully before he answered, clearly enjoying having all of this attention on him. Then he said two words.

“One turn.”

Again they stared in surprise, and a few moments of envy that Skull Bishop managed to be close enough to even learn that much. Chaos Sorcerer considered for a few heartbeats.

“What happened?”

“All I know is that Haou-sama allowed him the first turn,” Skull Bishop revealed. “And on his first turn, Haou-sama finished him completely. I wish I could have seen more of it.”

They all did. Such a sight would have been impressive beyond all words. Haou-sama’s dueling could only be described as amazing and whatever else the five of them were, they were duelists.

Guardian Baou sampled his drink again. So Haou-sama did have a soulmate. Exactly who this might be, none of them had the faintest idea of. At least not that they’d indicated to him. He wondered if it would be possible to catch sight of the mark and see if that would reveal anything.

Best not to make the attempt. Haou-sama will let us know if we need to know.

Armored footsteps echoed and all five of them set their drinks down and drew themselves to their feet, ready and waiting as their lord stepped into the room. None of them had ever seen him without his armor, and Baou’s gaze fell briefly towards Haou-sama’s left arm. He jerked away as quick as he could, straining not to be detected. His throat dried when Haou-sama stared at him, golden eyes glinting.

But Haou-sama said nothing at all. He strode over to the head of the table and turned his gaze to all of them.

“I’m adding these targets to our list. One is a deck – the user of the deck was killed in Brron’s arena. But their duel disk and the deck could still be around and if they are, I want them. The deck itself is known as the Gem Beast deck. If found, bring it to me at once along with anyone who dares to use it.”

The five bent their heads in perfect unison. Whatever Haou-sama’s reasons for wanting this, he would be obeyed in all things. Chaos Sorcerer dared to speak.

“As you command, my lord. What of the other target?”

Guardian Baou thought that perhaps Haou-sama hesitated. But if he did, it was only for a few scant breaths, not even time enough to comment upon.

“A being known as Yubel. They are taller than any of you, with great wings – a demon and a dragon made into one. Their hair is two toned and they have three eyes.” Another few moments, this time far more noticeable. Then, Haou-sama removed the armor from his left arm and turned it so everyone there could see the mark upon his wrist.

Guardian Baou did not attempt to breathe. He only stared at it to memorize it. A mark that he recognized as the symbol of darkness – not the kanji itself but something that he thought he recognized from history lessons he’d once had – combined with a dragon’s wing – or perhaps a demon’s. The two were bound together by a violet chain, with tiny thorns poking up from it.

“Yubel has the same mark as I do. No one else will have that mark.”

Yubel is Haou-sama’s soulmate.

Baou wasn’t entirely certain of what to think about this. It hadn’t been that long ago that he’d doubted if Haou-sama even had a soulmate in the first place. Now the evidence lay before them.

“We’ll find them, Haou-sama,” Chaos Sorcerer promised. “Both the deck and Yubel-sama.”

A wise phrasing, Baou thought, as he added his own voice in agreement. If this Yubel were Haou-sama’s soulmate, then they would be at least as powerful as Haou-sama. A few thoughts formed as the group departed, Chaos Sorcerer to lead a division of the army to crush a particular annoying village claimed to be the center of a rebellion, Skull Bishop to contact someone that he swore would be a fine spy, and the magicians twins doing some recruiting.

Guardian Baou himself didn’t have anything to do at the moment so he settled himself into his room and considered. He’d never seen anyone like Haou-sama described this Yubel and he suspected that whoever used the Gem Beast deck was responsible for Yubel not being there in the first place.

He didn’t stay in his room all that long. He set out to explore several locations where demons and dragons hid themselves. If he found this Yubel, then Haou-sama would be greatly pleased. And perhaps he could even find this mysterious Gem Beast deck.

He’d done it all wrong. He’d tried to find Yubel. He’d given up on Johan even being alive, when the only evidence he had for that was the word of Brron. He’d killed so many people in his search for any sign of Johan’s deck, for any sign of Yubel, or for anything that he could do to protect those of his friends who’d still been alive at the time.

Part of him didn’t regret it. He’d made so many bad decisions and done so much that he could never make up for, but he wanted to try. But that little spark deep inside didn’t regret what he’d done for the sake of his soulmate and his friends.

If Johan had been really dead, if everyone else had been dead, then he would have done it all again. What he regretted was that he’d believed lies.

And now he stared across at Yubel, who raged endlessly because of more mistakes that he’d made. Now memories flickered back into place, slotting into where they belonged. It hadn’t been the Light that kept his memories from him – it had been his own parents, trying to take care of him in a mistaken way. He’d sent Yubel away to try to help them, to infuse them with the power of the Gentle Darkness in the hopes this would keep Yubel from hurting others.

With his own power. He knew who he was now. He knew who he’d always been: Haou, the one who carried the power of the Gentle Darkness. How Yubel linked to that he wasn’t certain, but he remembered now how his counter expired the moment he’d received Yubel’s card.

He fought. He fought with Johan’s power added to his own and he fought with the Neo-Spacians at his side and the Elemental Heroes as well.

Rainbow Neos struck against Yubel, finally being able to damage them. Juudai wanted to find a way heal Yubel’s Light-tormented mind and he wasn’t at all sure if this would work or what else he could do…

Memory flooded him with that single strike, memory that he’d never before imagined. All around him there rose a palace and outside the palace was a city and outside the city was an ocean, the salt thick in the air, and the cries of seagulls sharp in his ears, and he could see Yubel speaking to another, a tall man with a long ponytail of black hair, and a woman with rich dark brown hair and warm eyes.

And he was there as well. Juudai didn’t recognize the clothes but he knew himself when he saw himself and there he was, standing next to Yubel, their hands entwined about one another. He moved, without being aware that he moved or how he moved, and when he brushed through himself, even more memory rushed inside.

Kuragari. My kingdom. Our capital: Shadowhaven. And they – they were my parents.

King Aodh. Queen Kaien. Soulmates, just the way that he and Yubel were. He’d met Yubel at his Soulmate Party and they’d saved his life from an attacker. In due time they’d admitted that they did love each other, quite deeply, and Juudai swore that he would love no other, no matter what. Yubel was his soulmate.

Somewhere in his mind, a wall he’d never known existed fell. He could remember. Far more than just what happened between him and Yubel in this life, but what happened between them in the life before as well. Long days when they’d walked together, sometimes in the forests, others by the ocean, in the marketplace. The way that Yubel used to love certain fruits – mostly strawberries – that Yubel couldn’t get where they came from, and how he made certain that every year on the anniversary of the day they met, they had strawberries.

Yubel introduced him to fried shrimp. It had always existed, but he’d never bothered eating it until Yubel brought him some, and he’d loved it from that moment onward.

Together, after Yubel healed from their transformation, they’d visited Yubel’s old home. Given that Yubel had been a knight there, it was only proper to visit and offer something to make up for Yubel now being his soulmate and future consort. They’d brought along a reasonable chest of treasure and several other knights who wished to take a chance on a new life in a new place.

Bandits attempted to attack on their way. Said bandits learned quickly that not only had Juudai learned well how to use his powers but he’d been taught to fight with sword as well. Not to mention that he and Yubel made quite the deadly team.

So many memories and so many events that reasserted one firm awareness in every part of him, something that he’d looked forward to since he’d begun to remember Yubel in the first place.

Juudai remembered what it felt like to love Yubel. All along he’d wanted to heal Yubel’s mind, and now he knew exactly how to do that. They’d never had a full official wedding – they’d pledged to one another, of course, but the Light ended up ruining everything before they could do anything else.

It was time, and past time, to change that.

When his vision cleared, he could see Yubel across from him, head hanging, exhausted, but no more ready to give up than he was. Slowly they stirred, raising their head and staring at him. Juudai could feel the Light’s rage flickering there. Did it know that he’d regained his full memories? If it did, Juudai did so hope that it knew that what he was about to do couldn’t be stopped.

He’d set one card already, aware that Yubel sought to get Super Fusion into their hand, and wary about what they intended to fuse. His plan at first had been to divert it to fuse to create something he could use to win.

Now he had another idea altogether. Now he chose Super Fusion because he wanted Yubel to have it, because he wanted to choose something other than monsters that he could fuse.

“I activate Super Fusion! Make mine and Yubel’s souls one!”

The End

Notes: I never thought I’d end this anywhere else. There will eventually be some fourth season fics set in this world. I’m also fully aware of who Johan’s soulmate is and I may well write that one day. I’m also not ruling out the thought of writing out Haou vs Angmar as well.

[dramaplustautology]

Samesies

I love Aco and Solan!! I’m like the old person asking them “Hey, dude. What’s going on?” “Teenage Rebellion.” “Hell yeah, stick it to the old people.”

And I’m at a block for writing other things so I did another scenario to freshen up and also have my OC interact with Ryunn’s in a sort of non-canon/AU way? Anyways, Tariche is a doctor that works for the Thorn and the twins visit him.

I’ll have a bio later, probably. (note that ryunn doesn’t have a bio up so this is just my....omg my fanon of them? nice).

3K Words. Book 3

Examining the newly fastened cast on her broken arm, Aco took her attention back to the doctor and his trailing coat.

“What’s that?” She asked him.

“This?” He finished the scribble on the cast. “So many of you come in here broken and squished, I can’t keep track of who has to keep their casts on for how long. And I hate paper work,” The doctor wiggled in his chair, excited over his drawing. “Instead, you all get pictures that I can remember you by. Look, this is you, me, and Solan. All the little hearts around us mean that we’re in love.”

Aco grabbed the doctor’s marker and drew Xs over his doodle version’s eyes.

He gasped, pushing his rolling chair away from Aco with his hands covering his heart.

“Now it’s a doodle of you both thinking how dead cute my corpse looks!” The doctor tsked, wiggling his finger at her. “Naughty children!”

Grabbing his hand, Aco twisted it and pointed at the lapel of his oversized white coat.

“Tariche, I was asking about what this was.”

The Doctor looked down at the crooked name tag Aco was jangling with his own finger.

“Didn’t you know? Tariche is short for Gregor McScully,” Tariche ballooned a cheek and shrugged. “The trendy way of shortening it at least.”

“Is it still cool when all of your fingers are broken?” Aco’s lips twisted into a wicked smile, about to flatten Tariche’s fingers against the back of his hand.

The Doctor leaned forward, placing his chin on his trapped palm, neither pained nor annoyed.

“You tell me, bloodbag. You and your brother still want my poison?” Tariche mirrored Aco’s expression to an impossibly sharp degree. The only difference between them was black to blond and midnight purple to starry golden vista.

That was suspicious.

“Pfft,” Aco made a satisfied noise. She hated having to ask for things, even after all these years of only demands. "This why you always stand to Solan’s right?”

“Nah, he got wise a long time ago. I just do it to keep him on edge.” Tariche slid his chair away and yelped when Solan caught him from behind.

“Your roots are showing,” Solan smirked, spinning the Doctor’s chair and kicking it towards his twin as the ‘blond’ tousled his course hair. “That trendy too?”

If for only a moment, Solan took some gratification from catching their Doctor off guard. The shorty was a lot like his office; filled to the brim with tools and texts too complicated for plebs to understand, stinking with flowery perfume to mask the sterile bitter smell of disinfectant.

Good thing there were two of them, one to distract and the other to take a stab.

“Did you know Gregor?” Tariche asked, having already collected himself by the time his chair reached Aco. He pressed a small case, not unlike a container for spectacles, to Aco’s lap.

“We picked him up from the weenie factory,” Code for blackmailing him into leaving the Rose’s main base of operations to work for the Thorn. Solan went to his sister’s side and the two shared a high five over Tariche’s head. “He used to squeal when I flapped my eyepatch at him.”

Trying to do the same at Tariche got the Doctor to leap up and attempt to stick his finger into the slit. Slapping his eyepatch back on, Solan just about chomped Tariche’s finger off.

“You must be happy then, no more Gregor to bore you and all of Tariche to—“He took a small vial out of his coat, shaking the clear pills inside. “—Help you leave an impression,” The vial disappeared into his sleeve and he stretched out his arm. “For a fair exchange.”

The twins didn’t need to share a glance to sync up.

“How about you trade those for our threats?” Aco leaned her chair on the door leading outside, about to cross her arms behind her head. The cast cracked and she pretended not to notice, letting it rest and using her good arm as a pillow.

“Hey, Theano? Did you know your kids can’t flex on those poor innocent spindly elves without speed and strength boosters?” He pulled his gloves off with his teeth, spitting them into the trash can by Solan’s boots. “Magic boosters?”  

That trash can was sent flying over Tariche’s head, courtesy of Solan stopping himself short of tackling him to the floor.

“You told us they were regular pills.” Aco stood, getting up to circle Tariche’s chair like a lion closing in on a light meal. The Doctor could hear the leather of her gloves stretching from the strain of keeping her hands to herself.

And the Doctor knew why. Aco knew herself, of course. And Tariche always knew the hard facts others grappled with.

“Regular for Lore,” Tariche clarified, tilting his head to the side. “Magic isn’t dead yet. Not that you need magic to dunk my head into an incinerator.”

Suddenly, Solan was right up against Tariche, hauling him out of his spinny chair and smashing him into the wall.

“I could do that without arms.” Solan growled and it sounded like a promise.

“How long would that take? A few hours?” Tariche’s eyes sparkled with literal stars, about to make his pitch. “With a little boost, you could do that in a minute with five inches of dental floss. Wouldn’t that make your murder pageant dad proud?”

Solan thrust the Doctor at the wall, smacking his head for insulting their Commander. All it did was make the stars flash wild.

“You’re not human,” Aco leaned into the exchange, grasping Solan’s shoulder, advising caution with a mere touch. “Typical magic types. You can’t hide your flashy bits even under pain of death.”

“Me? Afraid of my partners in crime? But I trust you so much!”

Trusted them to want his handiwork; that much and more Tariche knew.

The twins glowered, stepping away to let Tariche slide down the wall and back on his feet.

“What’s this then?” Aco asked, raising the rectangular box Tariche had given her.

“How you’re going to pay me this time.” Tariche dusted himself off and made sure to squish between the twins to get by them. He appreciated how hard they made it for him, refusing to budge.

He made it to his desk and pulled open a drawer filled to the brim with glass flasks. The multicolored potions sloshed and he roughly fished through the fragile ware for a particularly bubbly blue one. Swishing the contents around once to get the concoction mostly homogenous, Tariche popped the cork and drowned the drink.

“There’s a syringe inside the box,” Tariche gestured at the container. “That’s the antidote.”

Blinking at him, the twins struggled to understand what the Doctor had done.

“Did you poison yourself?” Solan gaped at the emptied flask.

“This is a new invention of mine. I came up with it all by myself!” Tariche explained, starry eyed again. His audience was captive after all. “It’s strawberry flavored this time but you can slip it into enemy supplies without notice. That’s whole communities if you hit an important well,” He winked and the twins could hear the literal twinkling sound his eyelid made. “There’s some time between ingestion and visible effects that I haven’t figured out yet but it should keep the fair and magic folk alive long enough to find out we have the antidote.”

And that they had to turn themselves into the Rose if they wanted to stay alive.

“Not sure why you want me to give you the antidote but I’d be happy to stab you.” Aco tossed the box and fiddled with the cathartically long needle. Tapping the bubbles out of the barrel on the corner of the cabinet, she playfully aimed it at the most tender part of the good Doctor. It was a hard decision considering how the Doctor was tender everywhere but his heart.

“How nasty are the symptoms?” Solan asked, scratching his chin as he looked Tariche up and down uncomfortably close. He could see the Doctor’s black roots. It seemed that the twins and Tariche shared the same shade of hair. Gross.

“My orifices are going to burn and squirt blood. All that horror stuff to really scare us clean and pretty magic folks, as far as I know,” Tariche tugged on the corner of his eyes to check if it was leaking. His heart was racing from the rush of not knowing for sure. “Luckily, I’m a masochist. You have to be if you want to enjoy getting into medicine.”

Past that, Tariche had nothing to say.

He usually did whenever he had one or both of the twins strapped to a cot, at the mercy of his unending stream of difficult nonsense.

Oddly, neither of the twins were comfortable with the utter quiet. Maybe it was how the Doctor just stared straight ahead, staring at nothing like it was everything on the page of a novel. They could see his pupils vibrate under those weird fairy sparkles.

“And you’re fine with siding against your own people?” Solan asked, orbiting around him with curiosity. Was one of the symptoms making his teeth heavy?

Rolling his head back on the chair’s backrest, Tariche considered the question.

“I don’t know them. Who cares?” He sighed, lingering on the words left hanging in the air. “If you’re wondering if I’m angry at ‘magic’ in general. No, I’m like you.”

“No.” Aco said.

“Please, no.” Solan shook his head at the same time.

“I don’t need to know everything to see that I see the same face in the mirror that you see on each other,” Tariche steepled his fingers on his belly, tapping them as he began to become impatient for the physical pains. “I love not knowing. It makes new books amazing even when they turn out to be puerile garbage. The only thing I don’t know for sure is my mom and dad issues.”

“How did you—“

“Dang, was it the mom or the dad?”

Instantly, the twins clammed up, wondering if Tariche had spoken up to save them from giving up too much.

“Anyways, my mom was the magic one, which is the simplest way of putting it,” He chewed on his cheek, wondering if it was a nervous tick or a reaction. “I didn’t find out about it until we met for the first time after I hit my teens.”

He looked like he was still in his teens, if not younger than Aco and Solan. Then again, both knew what it was like to grow old in the middle of childhood.

“She asked me if I had a lot of people, and I could have if I tried. Didn’t tell her that though,” He kept chewing on his cheek, close to drawing blood. “Mom said that it was good. If she stayed with me, I wouldn’t have anyone and my life would be lonely. Worse, she told me her life would have been better. Full.” Red began leaking from his mouth. “We didn’t know that for sure.”

Stock still, Solan glanced at Aco and watched her slowly stand with the syringe at ready.

Then, Tariche got up too. He had gone from waaaaaay out there to squared shoulders, standing at attention.

“Commander Theano, what brings you here?” Tariche asked.

The twins span around, finding the door still closed.

“I hate needles!” Tariche cried, taking advantage of their confusion to sprint past them and out of the quarantine office.

The Thorn were going to go from having one bad medic to having no medic.

“Crap!” Aco and Solan jumped into action, tearing through the door and past the rows of occupied beds. A gnome strapped to one of the cots struggled in their restrains and Solan pulled the blanket over the head to shut them up.

There were at least four rows of beds for Tariche to hide under until he croaked. He wasn’t going to crawl out easy if he was more afraid of needles than he was death.

Oh but the Doctor loved to blab.

“You weren’t finished,” Aco kept her voice steady, at conversation volume as she padded past the beds. There was enough light to see the Doctor’s prone silhouette. “What does joining us have anything to do with fixing your mommy issues?”

“I’ve read the history books. I know what kind of trouble she got up to. It took long for her to get it together but the effort was admirable. Her taste in lovers? Disagreeable.”

Aco heard his nonsense and pinpointed the cot he was hiding under, tugging off the blankets to find no one but a very upset elf.

“Quit crying!” Aco shushed the prisoner, catching sight of a few drops of blood across her way. She locked stares with Solan in the other aisle, nodding in the direction of the gory trail.

“Trust me,” Tariche couldn’t stop himself from speaking up. “I know what I’m doing. There’s nothing to be afraid of when it comes to your precious Commander either.”

“If he catches you, I’ll be happy to skin you myself,” Solan goaded him, closing in on the Doctor. “Blackmail or not, he knows who’s in his corner.”

“Theano doesn’t care about loyalty. In fact, the scariest part of this entire situation is how he wants—“Tariche was wracked by a violent cough. The twins weren’t sure if it was because of the poison or if the Doctor was faking because he had no idea. “Doesn’t matter. It wasn’t me but I was caught before and now, I live again.”

‘The poison’s going to his brain,’ Solan mouthed to Aco. ‘Can’t we let him stay like this for a bit longer?’

The curtain hiding the bed directly beside Solan swung open.

“But this time, I know how to throat punch you.” Tariche got the jump on Solan but the boy’s gut instinct lead his eyes to the angle of the Doctor’s arm.

Seeing it coming from miles away, Solan raised his hands to shield his neck and allowed Tariche to imbed his fist on his rock hard stomach.

“Need a medic?” Solan grinned as Tariche cringed from the blunt force trauma he afflicted on himself.

“Right here!” Aco jumped behind the Doctor and stabbed the needle into his neck.

Wailing like a murdered ghost, Tariche was too shocked to move before Aco pushed the plunger down, injecting the antidote into, miraculously, the right spot for it to act quick.

If it weren’t for the twins catching his arms, Tariche would have broken his nose to top this entire humiliating spree off.

“Look!” The doctor flailed, still disoriented from the effects of that messily cooked poison. “I can fight now! I used to only know how but I can actually do it with my own hands!”

By all means, Aco and Solan were allowed to sneer at the disgusting display. But, if only for a moment, some form of impossible fondness.

“Same.” They whispered together.

All of a sudden, Tariche lifted his head.

“Your friendship means a lot to me.” He said before his head lolled to the side.

And the twins were about to drop the Doctor on his face when they heard the footfalls of boots they had come to memorize. The Commander wasn’t going to happy with the only Doctor on site, who was definitely not Gregor, going out of his mind on bad blue soda.

“I know who that is!” Tariche turned his chin up, almost as furious as the Commander was going to be. “I read the obituaries!”

Each of them slapping a hand over Tariche’s mouth, they thought fast and not hard.

Having heard the Doctor’s shriek, Theano entered his wing to see if a prisoner had escaped. Smartly, he left the trailing Thorn members outside the room to find Solan in the nearest bed with an extremely bloated stomach under his blanket.

“Aw man, I ate so much,” Solan complained, rubbing his writhing belly. “Why, good morning, Commander Theano. The eggs were bad today.”

His belly tried to yell, barely held back by Aco restraining him under the sheets.

“Remove that blanket,” Theano ordered, patience thinner than the starving mage strapped to the other bed. “Now.”

“It smells pretty bad, just saying.” Solan lied, sweating bullets as his Commander’s frown deepened.

“Remove. The Blanket.” Theano wouldn’t repeat himself.

“You know what’s also bad?” Tariche managed to yank Aco’s hand off of his mouth a little late to the right cue. “You at oral exams!”

In the space of a fraction of a second, Theano’s face when through all hues of shock, realization, rage, and steeled stoicism.

“I don’t understand what that means.” Solan admitted, more interested in his Commander’s actions than at Aco’s one armed wrestling match with Tariche happening right next to him.

Theano breathed in, then out.

“You have ten seconds to come back to reality.”

Solan stole a peek under the blanket, betting a face full of blood vomit.

“We need ten hours.”

The Commander had already slammed the door shut.          

[kenzieam]

Sera Shadow - Chapter 2 (Ivar X OC)

Rating: M - Mature (angst, swearing, violence, murder, smut)

Genre: Drama, angst

@fuckyeahalexhoghandersen @my-emotional-self @bloodyivar @lupy22 @fortress-fiction @heathensisterwives @kduran04 @charliexowrite @angryschnauzer @rachiieee @ivarinleatherpants @ivars-heathen-army @neonxwitch @theheathenqueendickubus @dangerousvikings @zpandaqueen @irishhiggins @romanchronicles @didiintheblog  @mercy1997 @kawennote09  @iammarylastar @sparklemichele @son-of-anubis  @beltzboys2015-blog @paranoia-love  @captstefanbrandt  @ivars-valkyrie @fullpeanutkoala @ruler-of-helheim @poopercoot @magical-mischief-makers

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*If you want to be added or delete to the above list, let me know*

Holy shit everybody! Thank you so much for the support!!    

***************************************************************************************************

Plenty o’ angst today my lovelies.......

************************************************************************************

Ragnar turned, eyes wide with grief; behind him was the wave that was going to drag them down, about to crest. Sera had watched him pick Ivar up and lash him to the mast when the waves had begun to grow too strong, and now it was too late; Aslaug’s dream was going to come true. Ivar would be dragged down by the sinking boat, dragged to his death and there was no time to change that. Sera stood at Ivar’s side, facing Ragnar, and their eyes locked. So much pain and regret in Ragnar’s gaze, it stole what was left of Sera’s breath. Beside her Ivar began to yell, a wordless cry of fear and dread and Sera reached over, took his hand and squeezed. Ivar turned his head to look at her, rain and tears soaking his face and Sera managed a gentle smile. Good-bye, brother.

The wave hit like Thor’s hammer.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************** Ragnar leaned back, the bars biting into his spine. He was a prisoner, stuck in a cage, sitting across from Ecbert and a large part of his heart, the part that had died when he’d searched frantically along the beach for Sera and not found her, remained black and cold. He was going to trade his life for Ivar’s, offer himself to be given to King Aelle in exchange for Ivar’s safe passage home. Fresh tears pricked his eyes as he unwillingly remembered scanning the beach desperately, Ivar laying beside him, searching for Sera; she’d not been part of the bodies washed ashore, not been part of the small band of survivors that had stumbled towards him. She was gone and the guilt that Ragnar felt at seducing her to her doom weighed heavy on him, helped validate his decision to sacrifice himself. Ivar would be safe, would return to Kattegat less his father and foster sister, but he would live to avenge Ragnar, to stir his brothers to rain Hel down on the Saxon pigs.

His attempts to lull Ecbert into friendship were working, in a short time the old King would grant Ragnar’s request and Ragnar would be handed over to Aelle and his ruin, Ivar placed on a boat and sent home. Ragnar pushed aside his sorrow for Sera, comforted himself with memories of their time together, the first time she’d called him father, snuggled under his arm on a cool night to watch their small fire spark and snap, listened to his stories of Odin and Ragnarok. His loss of Gyda, his unending anguish of losing his only daughter had been tempered by Sera, healed the parts of his heart he’d thought dead and now she was gone too. He hoped the gods would be merciful and reunite them together in Valhalla.

A scuffling and thundering footsteps broke through his reverie; Ecbert turned just as one of his guards scrambled into the room, eyes wide.

“Lord King, Lord King!”

“Speak!”

“We’ve found a survivor, one of the heathen raiders!”

Ragnar’s heart jolted in his chest, who?

“Who?” Ecbert demanded.

“A girl-”

Ragnar sagged against the cage, his pulse hammering.

“She’s half-drowned and half-dead but we are bringing here, Lord King, as per your orders.” The man was panting with exertion, dropped to one knee, falling all over himself to bring his King this news.

Ecbert turned to Ragnar; in his pursuit of gaining the king’s trust Ragnar had told him of his daughter’s death, meaning to sweeten Ecbert’s heart, soften him for Ivar’s benefit.

“Your daughter?” Ecbert asked.

“Perhaps,” Ragnar whispered.

“Take her to the boy, fetch the doctor and have him examine her.”

The guard scrambled away.

“I wish to see her.” Ragnar asked, mindful of his place; he had to play a careful game to keep Ecbert willing.

Ecbert waved his hand impatiently but called for guard nonetheless.

“I suppose if it is your daughter, and she lives, you’ll want safe passage for her too?”

Ragnar nodded, doing his best to look grateful and humbled.

Ecbert nodded mildly. Ragnar’s devotion to his children, rather than making him appear weak to the Saxon king, made the heathen instead look more human, a father appealing to a father, with the added benefit of giving Ecbert the opportunity to be the charitable Christian, granting a final request and showing how much more civilized Saxons were than their pagan lessers.

After a minute, a group of guards surrounded Ragnar’s cage, and he let them pull him out, guide him less than gently to a small room. Ivar sat at a distance, watching the doctor lean over a motionless figure. Ragnar raised his brow at his son, received a nod and tremulous grin in confirmation; it was Sera.

“How is she?” Ecbert asked.

The doctor stepped back, turned to face the king. “She is close to death, half-drowned and broken in a dozen different places. A shipwreck?”

The king nodded. “Will she live?”

“I cannot say right now.”

“Do your best to spare her.” The king glanced at Ragnar. “You can go to her.” He nodded at the guards and Ragnar leapt at Sera’s body. He ignored Ivar’s pointed look, his wordless demand to use this to their advantage, to whirl and attack the king and his guards, fight their way to freedom. That was not his fate anymore.

Ragnar dropped to his knees at Sera’s side, reached up with his shackled hands to smooth her hair back from her forehead. She was pale, ragged as a half-drowned rat, face bruised and marked, her breathing irregular and Ragnar lowered his head.

“My daughter, forgive me. I want you... I need you to live, to go back with Ivar to Kattegat. It is not your time, Valhalla is not ready for you, my child.” He pressed a kiss to her cold skin, rested his cheek on her forehead and murmured. “I love you, my daughter, forever.”

The guards pulled him away and Ragnar craned his neck, catching one final glimpse of Sera’s still body before the door slammed behind him.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************** It was time.

Ivar was brought to Ragnar and sat in the chair across from him. He did not yet know what was going to happen, what Ragnar had promised to save him.

“Sera?”

“She lives still, she’s developed a fever.” Ivar answered quietly.

“You and Sera are going home.” Ragnar stood and moved to stand in front of Ivar.

“I’m not going without you.”

“They aren't going to release me, I have to die.”

Ivar scoffed. “Then I will die too, I’m thinking of being burned alive.” The tremble of his chin belied the bite of his words.

“Don’t be stupid, I don’t want you to die. It is far more important that you stay alive.” Ragnar stood wearily, shuffled towards his son. “People think that you are not a threat, but I know differently. Out of all my sons, it was you I wanted to bring here. You and Sera. And it is you two that I believe are the most important to the future of our people.”

Ivar leaned forward. “I am just about prepared to believe you.” The false front of a frightened son now realizing that he had just gained his father back, only to lose him again.

Ragnar grabbed his tunic, his voice sharpening. “Shut up and listen, idiot. You have many gifts. Use it, what is in here,” he poked at Ivar’s head, “is a gift. You do not think like other men, you are unpredictable; that will serve you well. Use your anger intelligently and I promise you, my son, that the whole world will know and fear Ivar the Boneless.”

“I wish.... I wish I wasn’t so angry all the time,” Ivar confessed quietly.

“Then you would be nothing.”

“I might have been happy.”

“Happiness is nothing.”

“I was only joking, idiot.” Ivar’s hand struck Ragnar’s temple roughly, a caress of affection.

Ragnar groaned, leaned his head forward to press to his son’s, a Viking goodbye. Suddenly he became more furtive, leaning closer to whisper his true message. “Ecbert is handing me over to King Aelle, who will kill me.”

“If this Aelle is going to kill you, then me and all my brothers will seek for revenge and you know that.” Ivar growled in return, tears beginning to glint in his eyes.

“Yes, oh you must seek revenge, but not on Aelle.” Ragnar leaned closer. “On Ecbert.” He murmured in Ivar’s ear, meeting his son’s darkening glare evenly.  

Ivar nodded, pained eyes betraying his emotions.

“Everyone will always underestimate you. You must make them pay for it.” Ragnar pulled two rings free from his arm, pressed them into Ivar’s hands. “For you and Sera.” Suddenly he pulled Ivar closer, gripping the nape of his son’s neck to whisper feverishly to him. “Sera.... I’ve seen the way you look at her, the hunger in your gaze. Remember she is not truly your blood. Take her to wife; breed her. She will give you many strong sons. You are matched by the gods and the world will marvel at your bond, fall at your feet. She will help you rise to greatness.”

Ivar exhaled unsteadily. “I will, father.”

“Be ruthless.” Ragnar breathed in Ivar’s ear, cradling his head, his own voice breaking as he pressed one last kiss to his son’s head, as the guards pulled him away.

[unpickingthetangles]

#squad and photo album for that OC ask thing! Love you so much!

Thanks for the asks, my wife! It is still REALLY EARLY for me, so this is more of a word dump than a comprehensive answer. 

#squad– who’s friends with who? what are the squad dynamics like?

(bigger image) 

(Opps, I missed the ‘h’ in Loathes! I am a dingle berry if there ever was one.) 

I can’t believe I had to do this, baby, you absolute cheese ball. Looking at it now, I even missed a few connections! One of the themes I am trying to pick up and run with is that everyone is connected, so this was a FUN RIDE to think about. 

The strongest friendships are easily Hadrian and Gretchen/ Seymour and Raif. And I just now realized how both of them have pretty wide age gaps? I wonder why that happened? Geeze. 

Gretchen good for Hadrian and vice versa. Hadrian’s unending forgiveness and support really helps lift Gretchen up during a transformative time in her life. Gretchen, in her own right, quietly carries Hadrian as he returns to who he really is. They don’t judge each other’s past mistakes and continue to silently understand one another. I love their friendship and I love to write it. They are ride or die from the start. Literally, they ride a crashing ship together and almost die.  

Raif and Seymour are just two bros who are just different enough from each other that they fit together. They share vaguely similar cultural backgrounds, having both come from the islands, and both are clever enough to keep the other on his toes. Raif is far more worldly and cynical that Seymour, and Seymour has a stout heart and a dreamy air to him that reminds Raif that he should check his bluster. They really compliment each other. 

photo album: describe one of your OCs’ favorite memories.

Since I’m writing this scene in it’s entirety: 

The first time Douglas and Hadrian met would be a moment in Douglas’ mind that he would turn over, again and again, for the rest of his life. It isn’t an explosive meeting, in contrary, it is that quite connection with another person that Douglas had been looking for when he went out that night. 

Douglas is huddled on the floor of the bookstore, completely overwhelmed by the number of people on the streets for the festival… and he can’t see over that hill yet. He crumbles like paper, believing he is going to be alone for the rest of his life with the kind of certainty only a teenager can have (being a dramatic 15-year-old at the time). 

But then Hadrian comes down the stairs, dressed as a pagan trickster god in folds of linen and drapes of ivy, a crown of literal lit candles on his head, and he catches Douglas’ eye. Its like a burst of sunlight in the middle of the night– literally, he glows like the sun with that crown at festival celebrating the moon and its well past midnight at that point.

And Hadrian comes over and makes sure he is okay. He jokes with him (”a bit dark for reading maybe I can– *leans head over as Douglas laughs*) and talks with him as he would anyone else, which means the world to poor isolated Douglas. Then he invites him up to meet his friends celebrating on the roof— and it brings Douglas out into the world. It would be his happiest memory for a long, long time, until Hadrian has to go and taint it by inconveniently dying. 

[parviocula]

i love the screencaps of your dragon cult oc's!!! could you tell us more about them?

Sure! I’ll put them under here since it’s probably going to be a list.

After Signia lost sight in her right eye, she ended up being left-side dominant. She’s also extremely skittish and easily startled when things come up from her right side.

Joorhahkren is about half of Signias age. She’s the one who preserves knowledge and history through text and books. She mostly stays in the library in the Fortress. 

Pahlok is the only Argonian Dragon Priest in their ranks. Pahlok traded herself in to save her family from slavery and eventually became a spy for Signia after years of servitude. Pahlok does not regret her choice, even though she outlived her family.

Signia has no big dealings in the event of Skyrim. She mostly stayed hidden and had her underlings sniff out secrets and weak points (specially during the civil war)

Xalitrat is the offspring of Signia and Nahkriin.

When Signia was given the rank of “Vith” she developed an unending hunger, similar to the Serpents of old. 

Klonaas developed magical skills that allow her to nest under hot dunes and sands to strike at unsuspecting victims. She’s hoping to one day figure out how to develop it further so the Dragons can use it. 

Silvana is considered a High Priestess but she mostly keeps to Signia and herself along with her Dragon friend. Silvana is trying to decipher how Alduin resurrected Dragons.

Signia highly considers Alduin a father and at times, has almost called him by that title. I like to think Alduin knows but doesn’t really care. Or maybe he does, I can never make up my mind.

[pale-silver-comb]

Personally, I'd rewrite the whole thing from season one with a romance-of-the-three-kingdoms style conflict to allow Scott, Derek, and Stiles to all shine in their own ways. I could pit them against each other in a sort of Game-of-Thrones style alpha v alpha v sarcasm, with both alphas trying to seduce Stiles (and Stiles' forces) to their side. I'd use the separated groups to send smaller and weaker groups after minor threats, keeping tension up in smaller fights, while also making larger (cont)

fights more cathartic, as the three armies are working together in a much larger scale battle. I’d have the three armies’ forces increase as time goes on, with the divisions between the three sides keeping the cast manageable. I’d have the sides skirmish as a means of highlighting the differences between the armies’ leadership types and organizational structure. I’d probably focus on tactics and strategy, especially from stiles’ side. 

I think I’d move away from the show’s focus on the supernatural world. I wouldn’t go out of my way to rewrite the TW supernatural underground, I just wouldn’t make the incoming threats the instigators of all of the plot. The plot would move forward with the conflicts of the three armies regardless of outside supernatural threats, with the threats as a source of additional strain on our heroes, and multiple threats forcing even the separate armies to divide themselves further to fend off multiple attacks. 

I think I might go for a Percy Jackson-esque “knowing about the supernatural causes it to try to kill you” approach to explain why BH is such a weird magnet, and the same idea could explain why there are so few people willing to tell them about it. I think I’d remove the “you’re teens but you know the supernatural you’re special” part of the show in favor of an atmosphere of “yeah you know about the supernatural that happens, it’s the fact that you LIVED that’s interesting”. 

I’d want early wins for the gang to be more dumb-luck, skin-of-their-teeth flavor stuff that takes maximum effort from EVERYONE to survive. This could keep the series from growing into a DBZ style power-level measuring contest. I’ve been thinking about OCs to fill in the gaps in the rosters for the three armies, particularly in Stiles’ army. I’m thinking about giving Stiles’ army a gimmick of supernatural abilities that are inherently human in nature. 

An example is Jae Nguyen, an OC I’ve been playing around with in my head. Jae is a former MMA world champion who retired in his glory to avoid retirement forced by injury. Should encounter the supernatural, his fighting spirit would be reignited, and he would throw himself into training with a ferocity never seen before. The idea is that Jae is “called Oni,” or in other words has surpassed or eventually surpasses what should be physically possible for ahuman. 

At the same time, he isn’t “beyond human.” He’s more human. To anyone looking for human qi, Jae is like a blazing beacon of humanity. Jae could add to the story by being either able to go toe-to-toe with alpha werewolves or even easily defeat beta after beta in hand to hand. With a character able to easily defeat werewolves without the weakness to wolfsbane, this could give some much-needed focus on the wolves’ other abilities, like enhanced senses and even more, regenerationwhile also removing any chances of that “flailing around with claws” style that the show is so fond of. Jae’s greatest rival in hand to hand combat would probably be Derek, as I imagine a born wolf like Derek would have training in martial arts. 

The combination of alpha power and martial arts would be more than enough to overpower Jae, which would push Jae’s fighting spirit into overdrive. The same fight could set Jae up as a nice stable-big-brother figure for Stiles as well as herself without breaking a sweat. She’d be a mentor to Stiles’ gang in place of the cryptic Deaton, with her to-the-point advice, hands-on approach, and indomitable will. She could also teach Stiles about qi.

 As the second continuation to my Three Armies AU, I want to talk about sparks. Generally, the idea of a “spark” in TW has been a kind of magical talent possessed by a spellcaster. I’d like to take it into a different direction. I read one fanfic where Stiles played around with his spark while it was outside his body like a ball made of light. I wanted to run with this idea because Stiles’ army’s gimmick is their adherence to humanity, so any supernatural powers are actually human abilities that aren’t normally tapped into. Stiles’ army is supposed to be so human that they actually repel minor spells and resist major ones.

If a dark spellcaster were to enchant the entirety of Beacon hills with some kind of unending sleep spell, Stiles’ army would be able to resist with some difficulty, at least until they grew fatigued. To contrast, Derek’s trained supernatural insiders and Scott’s circle of chosen ones would be out like lights the moment the spell was cast, while theaverage human might take a minute to crash. On the far end of the spectrum, the ultra-human Jae and his equally if not more ultra-human grandmother might feel a little more drowsy than usual after twenty-four hours of nonstop combat 

Not to discount the massive wells of courage already in Stiles, Lydia, and John Stilinski. I’ve also thought about Jae’s yet-unnamed grandmother, a spry little eighty-year-old woman and fellow “oni” martial artist. She would practice Tai Chi as a combat art, and would be able to systematically destroy opponents much stronger and faster than  

To continue the Three Armies AU, there was this one scene where–okay, I’m really tired all of a sudden but there’s this girl who’s captain of the BH basketball team who got attacked in the bathroom by a vampire and she broke his ankles and bolted then learned about the supernatural. Then she learns qi powers and gets to naruto run up vertical surfaces and her fighting style basically amounts to the sickest streetball game and dunks known to all of humanity, gosh I’m tired

With this in mind for my Three Armies AU, I want Stiles’ spark to be less like a magical ability, and more related to qi control, like old Chinese stories about monks, scholars, or warriors that could use qi for telekinesis or to make “qi arrows”. Stiles’ spark would be something like a qi arrow, but with a more tai-chi bent to it. Stiles could use Tai Chi to change the jing, which is like a state of qi, of his spark, so that it can do things like pass harmlessly through allies or curve to hit multiple opponents. So Stiles would have a kind of toned-down DBZ ki blast, except he’d throw it like a baseball. 

I remember reading some fic where Stiles was a baseballer and the idea really fit with him, so between his wits, bat, and qi fastball, I’m playing a baseball motif with him. I remember writing a song about baseballer Stiles, the lyrics went something like:

“S-L-G one thousand–slug it all the way/ R-B-I on you– I’m watchin’ ev'ry day/ 3-6-5 ain’t average–hear them ‘bout to say/ Frozen rope comin’ at'cha–best get out the way/ The batter’s up to plate–this batter’s up to plate// "No boots, no gloves, no helmet/ No rules, no ump here to tell me/ My team colors are black and blue, and I’m not gonna rest until they’re all over you!” But that’s incredibly digressive of me. Next ask, I'mma talk about this girl OC.

Holy hot damn. I think this is the longest fic idea anyone has ever sent me???

Seriously, what are you doing in my inbox??? I don’t even know how to begin replying to this one??? All I can say is GO OUT THERE AND WRITE IT. This definitely could be a whole thing and I love the elements you have given to Stiles’ character??? I am such a sucker for fics where Stiles is a major badass/wields his spark in the most impressive of ways. Honestly love *pats your back big time* - now go out there and make it happen! YOU CAN DO IT.

*shakes pompoms*