#hunters -> hunted forsaken au

[vertical-tacos]

cover art added

C00LK1DD - SURVIVOR CONCEPT

INFO

BACKSTORY: after being separated from his father, he eventually ran into the “survivor encampment” via ‘s help.

RELATIONS

With Jason: Thinks he’s cool, but also scary.

With John Doe: Scared of him due to 007n7’s stories about him as a kid (Builderman convinced the press that John was the one to go nuts, only to vanish publicly himself as his corruption took hold). John is slowly gaining his trust. Slowly.

With 1x1x1x1: Slightly unnerved but tries his best to understand the (ex)god’s plight.

With Guest 666: Actually likes them, sees the demon as a “big brother” and likes following them around. Will in fact duck behind them if trouble or arguments rise in the encampment.

With Azure: His struggle is too complicated for a 10-year-old to understand. All he knows is that “his friend became a bully and Azure had to do something bad in defense”. (He is not allowed to know more)

ABILITIES

PASSIVE: “CHILDLIKE WONDER”. C00lk1dd will receive half the damage when first hit, but twice on the second (his sense of innocence in this place just got shattered, shucks).

ABILITY ONE: “COMPLIMENTARY DISH!”. C00lk1dd will summon a single pizza clone that will automatically “latch onto” (follow close behind) the nearest survivor. When it makes contact, it will instantly apply regeneration to them before disappearing. If the survivor is at full health, it will either find another survivor, or if everyone is at full health, it will linger behind C00lk1dd. If it does nothing for 20 seconds, it will disappear. 30s cooldown.

ABILITY TWO: “SCAREDY-CAT”. C00lk1dd will disappear in a cloud of smoke (literally), gaining Undetectable and Invisible II for 5s, as well as gaining Speed II for 7s. He will gain Weakness II for 15s after. If he is hit while under the effects of Invisible and Undetectable, he will receive twice the damage.

STATS

DIFFICULTY:★★★☆☆

HEALTH:85

REGULAR SPEED: 12

SPRINT-SPEED: 28

STAMINA: 135

STAMINA-LOSS: 15

STAMINA-GAIN: 30

VOICE LINES

When passive is activated (first time)

- "Huh? what was that?"

- "Did you just tag me?"

When passive is activated (second time)

- "OW OW OWW!!"

- "I DON'T THINK THEY'RE PLAYING TAG!!"

When "Complimentary Dish!" is used

- "Go help them!!"

- "They need that!!"

- "Order up!!"

When minion heals a survivor

- "You're being promoted for that!!"

- "Great job!!"

- "make sure to give 'em a good rating!!"

When "Scaredy-Cat" is activated

- "I gotta get outta here!!"

- "Go away, meanie!!"

- "Leave me alone!!"

Bonus Facts

- He's a little kid ofc he has a tooth gap, it's not in his front teeth though- it's right next to his left canine

- naturally warm to the touch

- sometimes this changes with emotion, like fear or excitement making him much warmer very suddenly (at least one survivor has gotten burned bc of this)

- suffers from recurring nightmares of his dad (they have in fact seen him during one of his rage-induced sprees)

- "Isn't that the pizza guy from a while ago? Awww, they look sad...! maybe if I- 'KID NO DON'T GO NEAR THAT MONSTE-'"

[forsaken-huntershunted]

//reblogging is too scary all of a sudden. so uh...

//live 007n7 reaction to that information:

- edit: fixed screenshot so that it had credit, mb yall

[localjohndoe]

-> the... was that really the same grieving father of a survivor seen before? it... didn't seem like it... approached, before stopping a few paces away and quietly speaking up.

"...You..You look different..Why do you look like Builderman...?"

- @dont-take-my-son ( :3 )

-> John takes a look at 007n7, and notices the glitched code near his arms and legs.

“So you’re from that other universe! Do I really look like Builderman…? Anyways, what do you want from me?”

[notaflyingdog]

An oc i made, inspired by @vertical-tacos and @forsaken-huntedtohunter

“Aw shucks, looks like I’m just a survivor this round…let’s fix that, shall we?”

made my oc bloom into a forsaken oc for this, heavily inspired by @vertical-tacos.

info under the cut

BLOOM SURVIVOR + KILLER CONCEPT

INFO

BACKSTORY: Bloom is a traveler from another world who got here by accident, but decided to stay because of her friends. She doesn’t really care for any of the killers or the survivors except for Jason, because they both came from different universes. Her relationship with the other survivors isn’t that great, since she has snapped each of their necks in the past. Bloom is just here to have a good time.

COST: $5000 + Level 25 on all killers

ABILITIES

green abilities = survivor

red abilities = killer

Passive 1: 50/50

If she gets chosen to be a survivor, Bloom flips a coin. Heads means she’ll replace the current killer, tails means she’ll remain a survivor. Her malice will not be reset during this!

Passive 2: Debt Collector

If Chance is the killer for the round, his location will be revealed to her for 3s.

Passive 2: Bet On Red

At the start of the round, highlights a random survivor’s location for 10s. If Bloom doesn’t land a hit on them within that time, she will get Slowness III for 6s. If it does land, it’ll deal 40 DMG and inflict Glitched IV + Burning I for 7s.

LMB: Omnislash

Bloom pulls out her tipped dagger and slashes forward 2 times, dealing 15 base damage per hit. The second hit has an 60% chance to inflict Poisoned I. Arc hitbox, CD 4s. Gains a charge for House Always Wins if the hit lands.

Ability 1: Emergency Signal

When in chase, Bloom pulls out her radio and starts blasting music on it, revealing her aura to all survivors for 5s while also gaining Speed II for 2s. Can be used 3 times per round, CD 30s.

Ability 1: House Always Wins

Bloom highlights the location of the nearest two survivors and sends out projectiles to them that always deal 20 damage and inflict Slowness II for 3s if the hit lands. She then forces both survivors into a smash button minigame after the hit lands. If the survivor wins, nothing happens. If they lose, they will be stunned for 3s and Bloom gains Speed II for 2s. CD 15s. 3 Omnislash charges needed.

Ability 2: Crash Landing

Bloom enchants her skates using her magic and gives herself Speed IV for 5s, but switches to ice physics. If she hits the killer she deals 50 damage and they’ll get stunned for 4s regardless of whatever passive they have. If she doesn’t hit anyone/hits a wall, she’ll get stunned for 3s, Weakness III for 5s, and her aura will be revealed to everyone in round for 2s. She also gains a charge for House Advantage. CD 45s.

Ability 2: Rolling Frenzy

Instead of her skates, Bloom grabs another pair from a corrupted file she has (yes she can do that what about it), and starts zooming towards the nearest survivor for 6s. She can change directions during this. If Bloom crashes into the survivor, she deals 50 damage and they’ll get stunned for 4s. If she doesn’t, she takes 100 damage and her screen will be scattered with corrupted bits of code for the rest of the round. CD 20s. The arc hitbox for this is larger than her normal attacks! (she can kill herself with this ability if she fails too many times…be careful when using it!)

Ability 3: House Advantage

When her HP falls below 20, Bloom will gain Resistance II for 7s, and she will be able to stun the killer for 5s from any distance. It will hit 100% of the time, but only with direct line of sight (if her back is turned towards the killer/a wall is hiding the killer from her, this will not hit). This can only be used once per round, and requires 3 Crash Landing charges.

Ability 3: Nat 20

Bloom readies her cannon, and shoots towards the nearest group of survivors. A 20-sided die is then rolled. If she rolls a 1-5, her location will be revealed to the survivors and she will get stunned for 4s, while also getting Slowness III and Burning II for 6s. 6-15 means the cannon will fire off as normal and deal 35 damage, while also littering the survivors’ screens with popups that last for 3s. 16-19 means the cannon will explode on impact in a 100 stud radius, inflicting a Bleeding II debuff on the survivors for 5s and deal 45 damage. If she manages to roll a 20, Bloom does a short wind-up, and the cannon will insta-kill anyone who gets in the 125 stud radius. Keep in mind that if she rolls a 20, all survivors will get a warning on their screens beforehand. CD 35S

STATS

DIFFICULTY: ★★★★☆

DAMAGE: 15

HEALTH: 70/1200

REGULAR SPEED: 10

SPRINTING SPEED: 22/28

STAMINA: 115

STAMINA-LOSS: 10

STAMINA-GAIN: 20

VOICELINES

Idle

Light humming

When activating 50/50

“Hey, I wanna be killer too!”

“Don’t mind if I do!”

When activating Debt Collector

“I don’t care if you’re killer, I still need my money.”

“Pay up!”

When using Emergency Signal

“I could really use some help here!”

“Local radio station, coming to you live!”

When using Crash Landing

“Watch out!”

“Sorry, coming through!”

When activating/using House Advantage

“I’m not going down this fast. That’s cringe.”

“Try me.”

When activating Bet On Red

“What’s life without a bit of risk?”

“Your beginner's luck won’t last long.”

When using House Always Wins

“Place down your bets!”

“Why not test your luck, hm?”

When using Rolling Frenzy

“Outta the way!”

“Weeeee!”

When using Nat 20

“RNG gods, heed my word!”

“Roll for initiative!”

(if 1-5) “Uh oh…”

(if 6-15) “Eh…could’ve rolled higher.”

(if 16-19) “Finally, these dice actually work for once.”

(if 20) “JACKPOT!”

KILLING LINES

When killing Jason

“No hard feelings, man.”

“Sorry about that…”

When killing John Doe

“Oh look, it’s the jobless bald guy.”

“Whoops, my hand slipped!”

When killing 1x1x1x1

“Gods can die too.”

“You can’t just give admin to every player you meet…no wonder why you’re not a deity anymore.”

When killing C00lkidd

“Looks like someone got abandoned~”

“I’ll be sure to tell Elliot about this!”

When killing Azure

“The doomed yaoi didn’t work out, huh?”

“Wonder where the spawn point went…”

When killing Guest 666

“I think we know who the stronger guest* is now!”

“For a myth, you’re not very strong, you know?”

*Guest 1337

[forsaken-huntershunted]

"haii!!! wow!! there sure is a l0t of pizza guys here!! " (c00l) -> they seem happy to see the pizza minion, even if its not the one they usually see when they help the survivors.

"w0w!! you guys look really fam1liar.." (c00l)

@forsaken-huntershunted

(p.s. searched up a number roller between 1- 100 because of the "for coolkidds interacting" thing and got 74, use that as you will idk)

bet, minion that can say something other than pizza be upon ye)) One of them turn around and kneel down. "Hello there!" They smile.

[my-final-sh0t]

"COMMUNICATION!? HELLO!? tsk.. How great.."

< This is a Forsaken Hunter -> Hunted ask blog featuring The Infantry from the famous Dummies Vs Noobs game! >

If you don't like this ask blog then block me and scroll away. If you decided to give me a hateful ask. Just to let you know I DONT FUCKING CARE.

- < The Mod is under 18! >

- "What? No ew Don't talk to me like that idiot. I'm here to SURVIVE not 'romantic story'"

- "If you're that problematic. I will willingly kick you off."

The Infantry information:

- Has a darker and greyish appearance than "Noob?". Also wears a bulletproof vest, helmet and a night vision visor.

- 25 yr

- Used to be friends with a ex-cloaker unit before getting dammned.

- Most likely to be on night watching duties.

- way faster than other 'Killers?"

Here's a reference picture of them down here.

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

The Infantry speaks like "this"

Actions are spoken like } [this] {

The Moderator speaks like > this <

The Moderator is @frozen-cola444-phoneedition

Custom #'s are not done yet. Please be patient with me since I'm on my phone.

[moonlightcycle571]

My Take On Evil Captain Marvel / Shazam / Shazamily

In an AU where all the heroes are villains, and all the villains are heroes, I like to think Captain Marvel is like the Poison Ivy but for the Magical Community.

So we all know Captain Marvel is the Champion of Magic, and as such he has duties, be it a hero or a villain. Now picture this:

Homeless Billy Batson, fresh out of being struck by a Magic Lighting, gets taken in by the magical community (be it the fae, a witches coven, magical creatures, or smt). He develops a love for the mystic realm and is thus more active as Champion. They have shown more love and kindness than any human ever has, and eventually sees himself as a magical being / well of magic more than he sees himself as human.

But then, tragedy, and he sees people hunting down members of his beloved community for the sole reason that they have magic. They see creatures under HIS domaine being captured and sold in the black market. He sees butchered remains and fur of his friends being hung as trophies.

So seeing as that there are NO magical protection laws, and knows deep down that Adults Cannot Be Trusted (if his time on the streets taught him anything, it’s that), he takes matters into his own hands.

He hunts the hunters for fun. He rips apart ANYONE who DARES hurt those under his protection. He destroys countries who normalises the destruction of the mystic. He sends plagues and lighting. Those so called ‘Heroes’ who try to stop him aren’t any better, for they stop him from doing his Duty as The Champion.

He gets noticed by a group of individuals who wish to recruit him (evil JL). He joins, not because he actually cares about their goals, but they promised to leave anything magic alone, and even help him take down his adversaries. Morality is something he has long given up on.

The Gods don’t care either. From their point of view, humanity has long forsaken them, and makes a point to destroy what they have created. Hecate is especially supportive, she created most of the magical creatures, of course she has a fondness for them.

Mary, Freddy, Tawny (who in this au might be a creature that Captain saved) and the rest of the Shazamily join in, as they too much prefer magic over humans. Maybe in this au, they were put into more abusive environments.

Fawcette becomes the center of the magical world, and is known as the most protected place if you are of the mystic.

It’s a shame that cursed Black Adam did not join them, his time trapped made him soft, and developed a fondness for people (it’s what his son would have wanted). And really, he ought to get over Kahndaq. Sure, they destroyed the country, but they had it coming! They were trapping a bunch of Gods!

Anyways, this is just me rambling. I might make a part 2 if the inspiration comes to me.

[frozen-cola444-phoneedition]

Woe upond ye.

Get isekai into Forsaken Hunter -> Hunted au. ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡—

yapping and abilities down here.

Used to be friends with a Cloaker.

Got a huge back wound form one of the Dominions throwing their shovel at him.

Okay nothing more. :3c

Edited: you better not fuck up again Tumblr 🥲

[justrainbowish]

Bright eyes most loyal one. Hunted to hunter au theory :)

Hello Internet welcome to blog theory >:). So like yk the ask blog @forsaken-huntedtohunter (Idk if I spelled it right also sorry for the mention)

well I have a theory, so it was mentioned that Bright eyes is making sure that noli is being kept dead bye bright eyes’s “most loyal one”

it was never mentioned who was her “most loyal one” is and no it’s not shedletsky

while I was looking at guest 1337’s profile till I saw this

Who would promised him a safe exit? Who would malupilate him to do the deal? who had the power to do that? It’s the one and only Bright eyes. Bright eyes would definitely do all of that, making him to kill them for her own entertainment. (I didn’t say revenge because of this ask for her). Hey now it’s just a theory, A BLOG THEORY. See you at the next post :).

[vertical-tacos]

PLEASE PLEASE I BEG OF THEE DRAW HUNTERS -> HUNTED C00LKIDD AND 007N7 HUGGING EACHOTHER-

THEY DESERVE THE HUG :[

hell yeah

[forsaken-huntershunted]

"..."

"..."

".. something is here."

"..someONE is here."

-+-+- -

"If you're gonna mess around, feel free to take your leave." <[ no NSFW or hateful asks, if I find something weird I'm just straight up gonna delete it ]>

"We've got enough things to worry about, keep your reality warping to a minimum..." <[ magic anons are permitted to an extent. you can gift small items but not big things like medkits*, guns, subspace tripmines... you get the idea ]>

*if it's really needed and I see enough people asking for it, then yes. I will let people collectively gift a medkit.

"We're not just sitting around all day. supply runs take a bit, yknow.." <[ please don't expect your ask to be instantly answered, I cannot dedicate my entire life to a tumblr blog ]>

"play nice, please?" <[ people or anons can interact physically with survivors... or killers? have fun not getting killed with that- but insta killing or torturing is not permitted. medium amounts of mental warfare is, though. ]>

-> actions look like this

dialogue will be marked with initials for each character (I don't have enough colors to customize them all)

Survivors::

Jason: Fri13

1x1x1x1: 1-4

John Doe: J.D

c00lk1dd: c00l

Guest 666: 6

(keep in mind guest 666 doesn't talk much as it doesn't speak overworld very well- pay more attention to its actions)

Azure: Az

Mafioso: Mafi

-+-+- -

Killers::

Noob: OffBrand

Elliot: Ell

007n7: 7n7 (obviously man idk)

Guest 1337: 1337

Chance: XVII

Two-Time: T-T

Builderman: B.D

Shedletsky: WWCD!! (WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!)

-+-+- -

Misc::

Jane Doe: JN

2x2: ███

//ooc stuff below

This is a swap au blog for the game Forsaken :)

not to be confused with any other forsaken blog, ofc.

tags go as followed::

misc post:: "a break from it all."

ask:: "A sudden visitor."

Anon ask:: "mysterious... help?"

text post:: "Audio-only.."

Art post:: "Oh-! we can see you..!"

RP:: "The story trudged on..."

Plot hint:: "Calm before the storm.."

Fanart:: "Oh look..a gift...!"

Sent ask:: "is anybody there..?"

OOC:: "man who is this mf?"

ok that's it for now

[msbigredmachine]

TARGETS - 27 - In The Mouth of Darkness

Roman Reigns is an agent in the secret organization The Authority and one of the world’s deadliest assassins. When he crosses paths with a mysterious woman during an assignment, he makes a life-changing decision that switches his role from the hunter to the hunted.  (AU Espionage Story)

TARGETS MASTERLIST

--------------------

Roman leaned against the wall of the van he was ensconced in, staring dully at the heap of clothes in front of him, seeing them without seeing them. His mind was somewhere else, spinning with a million thoughts - all of them centered on his love.

It seemed impossible that six hours had elapsed since he had last seen Jasmine; six hours since she left Leona's house. Since then, he'd replayed their last encounter several times in his mind, reducing it to the fragmented haze of sight and sensation that all treasured memories seem to consist of. He recalled what she said before she left, remembered what she had been wearing - heck, he could still remember the warm softness of her lips beneath his as he kissed her, the determined look in her eyes before she walked out that door. If he'd known this would happen, that that psychopath would take her, he'd have barricaded the doors and kept her inside and in the safety of his arms.

That Corbin had Jasmine, frankly, terrified Roman. If that bastard had his way, he would never see her again. If he lost Jasmine today, he wouldn't know what to do with himself, he honestly didn't. But he could not allow himself to think like that. He knew firsthand that his girlfriend was a firebrand, a fighter. There was little doubt in the Samoan’s mind that she was going to survive Baron and be reunited with him.

Roman had hitchhiked on a laundry delivery truck, hiding out among the dirty clothing. It wasn't a problem for him, as he'd staked out in worse places for agonizingly long periods of time. He recalled his phone conversation with Dean and Seth a couple of hours ago.

"What exactly is the plan, Reigns?" Dean asked. "After this...after you rescue Jasmine...what are you going to do?"

"We're going to bring the Companies down," Roman answered him, "both of us."

"What?" Seth and Dean exclaimed, their voices so loud that Roman actually had to hold the phone away from his ear.

"Bring the companies down? You tellin’ us you wanna bring down F.L.O.R.A. and the Authority?" Dean repeated incredulously, "Have you lost your fuckin' mind? How the hell do you expect to bring down two groups of the world's deadliest assassins all by yourselves? And need I remind you that even if you do rescue Jasmine intact...Corbin would have done some serious damage, you know that. She may be in no shape, physical or mental, to do anything by the time he's through with her."

Roman wished he could explain himself further. He knew they both wanted in on the action. But he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let them get in harm's way. Not for him. "There's a plan in place, don't worry," he assured them. "But right now, the less you know the better. And if Jasmine and I do make it out of this mess, we've got a one-way ticket to Jamaica. And if we don't make it..." He watched their eyes widen. "I've asked Leona to head there if she doesn't hear from me. I want you to do the same. Both of you."

"You're joking," said Seth, stunned. "You want us to run?"

"Not run. Walk away. Start over. Skip town and this God-forsaken life behind. You deserve better lives than this and you both know it," Roman replied fiercely. And the silence that followed proved him right.

"Still...Dude, let us help you. I can get Dean to turn the car around right now," Seth pleaded.

"I can't let you do that. This is my fight. I got into this mess all on my own. I can't get you involved any further and have them chasing after you for the rest of your lives."

"Meh, they know we're involved already. We’ll take our chances," said Dean, "Corbin won't be in that building without backup. You need us, man."

"I don't care how many people are in there; I'll kill them all for hurting her." He paused and swallowed hard, the emotion threatening to take over again. He finally understood why sentiment was outlawed in this business; the pain of losing someone you cared about was overwhelming, all-consuming, and almost impossible to recover. But the former Authority agent knew he needed to put that aside and focus on getting this done, like any other assignment.

"Remember, boys. Jamaica," he reminded them. "I will meet you there as soon as possible."

"Your ass had better be there," snarled Dean, "You got a week to show up, and if you don't, I swear to God I'll come right back to the States and take out your fuckin' ghost."

Roman nearly laughed at the threat. He was sure he meant it, too. "I'll be there. We’ll both be there. I promise."

"Good. It’s about damn time we met the woman that’s stolen our boy’s heart,” Seth said with a deep, resigned sigh. “Get rid of the phone the moment you can, alright?"

"Will do. I'll see you soon, boys." And with that, Roman had hung up.

-----------------

He sniffed the air, and was instantly taken back in time. He knew exactly where he was. It took a bit of effort, but he broke out of the laundry truck and jumped out, relieved that he hadn't hurt himself as he did so. Looking across the road, he was spot on with his calculations. Roman could feel his fingers itch with eagerness. Shaking his muscular shoulders, he set off towards the building. In other circumstances, he would have given more time for to scout the area, but time was something he was lacking right now. Every second lost took Jasmine further away from his reach.

His walk was somber, subdued but determined, and a reminiscent chill swept through him as he crossed the tarred road. Yeah, this was it. This was the very place where he'd first got involved with The Authority. Unfortunately the ‘meeting’ hadn't gone very well; He was a bystander then, a hungry punk kid fresh out of prison and finding his way around Vermont, looking for some food to get him through the day. The warehouse looked like a good place to start. He ended up stumbling on an active ‘interrogation’ and the sight of a man in a chair covered in blood. Kevin Owens spotted him. He remembered fighting for his life against Owens, remembered the helplessness he felt as Owens stood over him, a bloodthirsty look in his eyes, sadistic enjoyment practically oozing off of every word he spoke...

"Sorry, man; you're at the wrong place at a very wrong time..."

That night changed his life forever. But by the time all of this was over, they would wish they let him go. They would regret ever crossing Roman Reigns. Every single one of them. And he would start with Corbin. That was a promise.

He dragged his beanie hat over his tied-up hair, hands in pockets, looking like just another pedestrian. He watched as a hooded man slipped in through the lone door at the side of the building and shut it behind him. Locked, surely. Approaching the door, he began working on the lock, looking around a number of times to make sure no one was watching him. The door opened successfully after a couple of tries. The area was blanketed in darkness, stuffy and uncomfortable. Perfect conditions for him. He navigated inside, his eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness. He made his way quietly down a flight of stairs towards the basements, where he had deduced Jasmine was being kept. Just as he thought, there were people standing guard; two men and a woman. He recognized them all; former Authority recruits. One of the men, Trick, if he recalled his name, stood there at the bottom of the stairs, oblivious to the intruder behind him. Withdrawing his gun, Roman aimed it at the back of Trick’s head and fired, the silencer giving nothing away. He stepped over the agent's body and kept walking like nothing had happened.

He made quick work of the other two, Dijak and Jakara, the woman. Their presence meant that Roman was at the right place. Both had dark hoodies slung over their heads and guns in their grasp as they patrolled the long, straight corridor. Roman moved quietly, ensuring to remain in the shadows. His footsteps were silent, invisible to the naked eye or ear. He approached Jakara from behind, locked his hands around her head and twisted it brutally to the side. Dijak received a bullet in the head for his troubles. He confiscated their weapons and continued on his way.

As Dean had shown him, there was a long line of doors along both parts of the corridor. Roman resolutely picked open the locks of each one, his heart pounding with anticipation and hope. But each door produced nothing. Time after time, hope after hope was dashed. And Baron was still nowhere to be seen.

He had pushed open the very last door, almost certain that he'd been too late, when his gaze landed on the slender figure dangling in the middle of the room. He recognized the person instantly, and shock flooded his body.

Her red wig was gone. Her dark hair was limp and dirty and tinged with blood. She was suspended in the air, heavy chains binding her arms above her head, her feet off the floor with her legs shackled together. Her half-naked body exposed the cuts and bruises littering her skin. There were deep, nasty-looking gashes along her stomach and both of her thighs. Corbin had hurt her. Badly. And Roman would make sure he paid if it was the last thing he did.

Rushing into the room, he aimed his gun and fired at the chain holding her arms hostage. He caught her before she dropped to the ground. Gently cupping her head, a sob nearly escaped his throat when he took a look at her face for the first time. It was battered and streaked with blood, and her eyes were swollen shut. Roman placed a gentle palm on her cheek. "Jasmine, wake up. It's me. Please wake up, baby."

She stirred, a small groan emanating from her. Squinting through swollen eyes at him, she gasped with surprise. "Roman?" she whispered. Her voice was incredibly weak. Roman felt the tears sting his eyes. "Oh, thank God," he breathed, bringing his forehead to hers.

Tears filled her eyes. "You're here. You found me."

He pushed his lips against hers and stroked her lank hair. "Of course I did. I told you I would." His bottom lip trembled, and it was all he could do not to break down in front of her. He couldn't describe the relief he felt that she was alive. "I'm so sorry, baby girl."

"Don't be," A sad smile tugged at her full lips. "Just get me out of here, and hurry. I don't know where he's gone or how long for."

"I'm on it. Is anything broken?" he inquired, just to make sure.

"No." Jasmine winced and hissed in pain when she brought her arms to her front. She was hurting everywhere; her entire body felt like she had third-degree burns, and it didn't help that this was the first time she could move in over six hours. Roman came back in front of her and unshackled her legs. His gaze drifted to the spot on her thigh where the branding iron had struck her, leaving an ugly wound that looked like it was infected. As he gingerly touched the area, Jasmine violently flinched with another hiss, and he regretted causing her pain. He eyed the bruises on her inner thighs, and looked up tentatively at his girlfriend, already dreading the answer to what he was about to ask. "Corbin...did he…do anything else?"

Jasmine swallowed hard, tears of shame rising. "He...touched me…He…put his fingers inside me," she clarified meekly. The heartbroken look on his face made her want to actually cry. "I'm sorry...I tried to stop him, I swear-"

"Hey, hey!" His hand was back on her face, his lips on her bruised cheek, soothing her, assuring her, "It wasn't your fault. You hear me? He did this." Jasmine's head was bowed as she nodded. Roman trembled with fury and hatred. "And he gon’ fucking pay. I'll kill him," he growled. "I'll rip his fucking balls out and feed them to him."

"Not if I kill him first," Jasmine told him, and Roman smiled as that familiar fire of hers flickered again. "Come on, let's get you to your feet," he said. "I can carry you out of here. Can you move for me?"

"I'll try." She glanced up, her gaze immediately drifted to the door. "Roman, look out!" she screamed.

The sound of the gunshot echoed all around the room.

-------------------

Thoughts?

Credit to the owners of the pics and the gifs.

Please leave comments. I love comments!

[destielfanfic]

from the inbox, #3

There’s a backlog of unanswered asks in our ask box and, since answering them privately takes a lot of time without any guarantee that the answer will actually be delivered, I decided to answer some asks that would benefit a wider audience here.

hi! I was wondering if you knew of any estranged Sam fics where for whatever reason Dean and Sam have a falling out, and when they decide to work things out, Dean is already in a relationship with Cas? I've read Shifter (thanks for the rec!) and New Heaven Over a Brand New Sky (vvv good, I finished it ~2hrs ago), but most blindsided Sam fics have him finding out they've been secretly hooking up. thank you in advance and thanks for the amazing work you guys do here!!

Fics mentioned in this ask -  All Things New Again series by sullymygoodname ( New Heaven Over a Brand New Sky is the second work in this series) and Shifter by LadyLini (submitted rec)

ok so i’m a slut for fics where dean and sam are estranged, especially where dean is the wronged party and sam has to make amends. i’ve read everything relevant in the reunion tag and i’m jonesing for more. i especially love the no monsters aus where sam storms out of john and dean’s lives only to realize later that dean was john’s victim too, and comes crawling back only to find dean free of john and living his best life with cas (and co). if y’all have any suggestions i would be so grateful!! love u guys and al u do <3

Soooo, you are gonna love our asks about jealous jerkass Sam!

ask about fics where Sam doesn’t understand Dean and Cas relationship and is being bitchy about it

Sam is unsupportive of Dean and Cas relationship

Sam and/or Gabriel’s actions harm Dean and Cas’ relationship 

And here is a short rec list with emphasis on Dean and Sam having a strained relationship or serious falling out, reuniting at the end of the fic; few recs are from Sam and Dean Reunion ask, ask about Dean figuring out his attraction to men by himself, and ask about solo hunter Dean. 

bloody, but unbowed (unofficially recced here) by shootingstarcas - Sam stayed at Stanford, Dean has a hunting buddy (SU AU)

The Dance of Inanna by peppermintwind - Sam has hard time to let Dean to be with Cas. (season 8)

Take Me Home Country Roads by saltyfeathers - well, not falling out really, just, when Sam realized that Dean is a demon, he bailed and returned only when Dean was human again. (SU, post season 9)

These Forsaken Lands by destielpasta - Mark of Cain!dean is avoiding Sam and solving a monster case with Cas. (SU, season 9)

Asunder by rageprufrock - estranged but the fic is about mending their relationship (AU)

Empty Spaces by schmerzerling - heed the tags! Dean is mistreated by everyone except for Cas, John is a POS and Sam left Dean to deal with him. (AU)

Fortunate Son by atheclena - Dean and Cas are engaged and Mary, John and Sam are total jerks about it. (AU)

it’s a lot like life by LoveIsNotAVictoryMarch - Sam messes up Dean and Cas’ secret affair. (Historical AU)

Master of Reality by peppermintwind - teens Dean and Sam are homeless, Dean does his best to provide while Sam sometimes is ungrateful (AU)

Moonshine Lullaby by akadougal & tiptoe39 - Sam is condescending and homophobic (Historical AU)

And not to be accused of hating on Sam too much, here’s an ask about destiel fics with more than usual focus on Sam ;)

After John's journal came out, I've really been in the mood for fics where Castiel beats up John Winchester - like in the fic "In Lebanon" and surely plenty of others. I've browsed "John Finds Out" tags but are there any other recommendations out there? Dean deserved better and I want Cas to go avenging angel on John's hide.

First fic that comes to mind is  a turn of the earth by microcomets, but that is really just one scene in a 95k long fic. And if I remember correctly, Cas rather  spectacularly punches John in Something Unexpected by cloudyjenn. [Link to #John Finds Out tag.]

For a more recent recs, check out this “Dean or Cas confronts John” rec list made by @dadstiel! 

[alons-ycreeper]

(The Solitary Clone got me to revisit the last installment of my Clone²AU and rewrite it. Here are parts [1] and [2]. Enjoy!)

- Order 66 went out but Cody was able to fight it off for just a little while, long enough to hide Omega and stumble away far enough to stun himself with his own blaster as he feels his control slipping. When he wakes up next, it's been 2 months since the Temple raid and his daughter is not where he left her.

- Cody had been contemplating going AWOL since he gained his own consciousness again. Then he finds out Crosshair is alive and holds out a little longer. Seeing and fighting beside Crosshair again makes Cody have hope, but then younger clone crushes that hope when he brings up the Jedi. Cody wonders if Crosshair even remembers Omega.

- After being captured by Rampart, Cody is quietly transported back to Kamino. Now two decades older than when he started but chronologically only half of that, the former commander spends his days on Timira City on his forsaken homeworld training imperial cadets. He thinks they're worthless yet they've attached themselves to him and the nat-born CO he's been given is a creep that puts Cody in uncomfortable situations.

- The Third Sister requests for him specifically. She's going hunting—hunting for Kenobi. Her chase leads them to Daiyu. To add insult to injury it's rumored that Kenobi has been seen with a child who may very well be Force-sensitive. Cody wants to have hope so badly but even if he just finds the old master he'll feel some small peace.

- He finds Kenobi along with a little girl who shares Cody's face. They see him and freeze. Kenobi's eyes know him instantly, pushing the girl behind him. Many things pass through the clone's head only to end up saying "You need to hide." They're running as fast as they can. Kenobi's hand gripped tightly in his while Cody carries Omega and she clings to his unless stormtrooper pauldron. The Third Sister jumps down from the rooftops, saber blazing bright red. Cody is too focused on how they're going to get out of there that he doesn't register Obi-Wan talking to someone on his commlink. Then suddenly the Havoc Marauder is in front of them but he has no time to question it because the young Inquisitor is right behind them and she's pissed.

- Coming face to face with the Bad Batch after a decade of not seeing each other is awkward. They don't know if they can trust Cody or not but Omega ultimately makes the decision for them. She wants to know her father and she's letting anyone take him away again. The Batch reassure her that they never intended to get rid of Cody but his chip is a danger to both them and himself. (Hunter makes a comment about already losing one brother protect Omega and Obi-Wan and how they're not willing to lose another. Cody notices that Crosshair still isn't with the group.) Tech searches for the nearest Rebel base and heads for Jabiim.

- Once on Jabiim, Kawlan Roken talks with Ben about Omega and Cody. "That's really his daughter you've been raising?" "Yes." "Will they be going through the Path?" "No. I can protect us." "You sure about that?" "I already lost him once I'm not losing him again." Ben knows Roken is just trying to make sure he's got a clear head about what he's doing, but Ben had already up his mind the moment he saw Cody standing at the other end of that alleyway.

- When the Imperial cadets heard their commander had been stolen by a Jedi they rally and volunteer to aid the Third Sister in her hunt for Kenobi. They vow to bring their commander home.

- Vader has other plans for the commander. Ones that involve watching Kenobi beg for mercy as takes the last bit of his light from the galaxy. But before he can do that he must extract vital information from the clone regarding the whereabouts of his beloved captain.

- Meanwhile on Tatooine, Rex sits in the dark of his and the twins' bedroom. Luke and Leia are fast asleep as he watches a holo message from Bail Organa. The Alderaan senator has been kind enough to send updates on Ahsoka whenever he can. It eases Rex just a little knowing his first kid was somewhere safe in this horrifying galaxy.

(This is where I'm ending it because I've got nothing else.)

[rubyinasnuggie]

Au headcanons of what the heroes fear? I can see Yang being afraid of bugs because they get in her hair.

okay this is actually one i've thought about a lot!! i'm sure a lot of u have heard of it but i listened to the magnus archives in 2019 and ever since i've been assigning things and characters to the different entities!

ruby is the slaughter

the fear of unpredictable, unmotivated violence. The fear of pain coming at sudden, random moments.

manifests as people driven "mad with Slaughter," soldiers, music that either induces Slaughter or warns that Slaughter is coming. Often manifests in imagery of war or murder, and can appear wild like a frenzied killer or calm and regimented like soldiers firing on the battlefield.

weiss is the lonely

also called Forsaken, The One Alone.

the fear of isolation, of being completely cut off and alone or disconnected from the rest of society.

manifests as fog, large rooms, silence, crowds of faceless people.

blake is the hunt

the animalistic fear of being chased or hunted; the primal fear of being prey.

manifests as predators, predatory monsters, animal instincts, animalistic traits.

takes hold of apparently "normal" people after they are exposed to the need for The Hunt. Self-proclaimed monster hunters might become 'Hunters' and proceed to develop a need to hunt and kill monsters.

yang is the desolation

also called The Lightless Flame, The Torturing Flame, The Devastation, The Blackened Earth, The Ravening Burn, Asag.

the fear of pain, loss, burning, and destruction, especially with a senseless cause.

followers are enriched by destroying the lives of people who had things to live for, and destroying things before their potential is realised.

manifests as fire, wax, heat, burns, destruction of potential

i think these are mostly self explanatory, but yeah, these are the deeply rooted ~thematic~ fears i think they have

HOWEVER! for things more like phobias:

Ruby used to be afraid of blood, but she's had enough exposure therapy she's not anymore. she's still afraid of bridges and the dark. she also has recurring nightmares about wandering ruined ranches and villages

Weiss is afraid of dolls and germs

Blake is afraid of spiders, cucumbers, and dogs

Yang is afraid of bugs (lol), heights, and deep sea creatures

(entity descriptions taken from the magnus archives wiki)

[seventhstrife]

SubScorp Week 2021 Day 3: AU Part 2

I hate that I have no self-control and have to make multiple posts for this lolololol

On AO3.

Part 1

When Hanzo woke, he knew immediately that he was not alone.

His eyes snapped open and he lurched upright, disoriented and tense.

His surroundings were unfamiliar, a fact that filled him with certain dread. His last memory was of trying to leave the bed of snow he'd been pushed into, how the dragon had only allowed him to stand so that it could nestle him into its side and curl up as if for a long rest. He remembered the deep, content cadence of its sigh as it settled with its huge head on Hanzo's lap.

As cold as it was, smothered in the dragon's hold, he'd been oddly...warm. And while Hanzo was no one's pet or prisoner, he was not so foolish as to disturb such a fearsome creature when its mood was in such a mercurial state, weakened and tired as it was. He'd resigned himself to being a dragon's pillow and had fallen asleep right there, hopeful that he could slip away in the small hours of the morning.

But waking up in an entirely new place had not been part of the plan. He barely took in the dark, polished stone of the room he was in or the thick furs that covered him across the lavish four-poster bed.

His surroundings were terrible for their strangeness, but what was worse was the man seated on the bed beside him, legs crossed, watching him. It was hard to see in the scant light that poured through the window as the sun just barely began to rise, but he thought he could just detect a small smile on those bearded lips.

"Good morning," the man greeted in a low, pleasant tone.

Hanzo went rigid. His hand snapped down to his side, but his weapons were gone—of course.

He risked exposing himself, but allowing capture was worse.

He summoned his flames, of a mind to send the man across the room with a ball of fire before he could so much as twitch—but the moment his light banished the shadows from the man's face, Hanzo stilled.

...It was his eyes. Pale white, nearly translucent, but in the flickering pulse of Hanzo's flames, they shined with a breathtaking iridescence that shifted with countless colors.

Pale-skinned and broad-shouldered, muscular arms bared by his dark robes, thick black hair pushed back from his face and beard trimmed short—he truly was a stranger to Hanzo in every sense of the word.

But, that scar. Those eyes. Hanzo knew those eyes.

The man's smile grew slightly, as if he knew exactly what Hanzo was thinking, and he threaded his fingers together, planted his elbows on his spread knees and perched his chin atop his hands, as if to better study Hanzo.

"Do you recognize me, pyromancer?"

Hanzo pursed his lips, wary. But even when he glared harder, tried to see some sort of flaw or deception, his eyes continued to scream a single truth.

But he did not have to admit it.

"I—I am clearly unwell," Hanzo said instead.

Without taking his eyes off of the man, he backed up until he was at the edge of the bed and quickly stood, head darting around as he tried to get his bearings, find the door. He looked back to the stranger and curled his fingers into a fist, flames threatening on the horizon.

"Why have you brought me here?"

"As impressive as your fire magic is," the man answered, "You would have succumbed to the cold. I thought it best to bring you to my home."

His home? Just judging from the simple, yet refined furnishings and ornate, carved walls, Hanzo assumed he was in some sort of palace.

His brow furrowed. This was making less and less sense. Some traveling lord had stumbled upon Hanzo and had simply—taken him in? In what appeared to be his own chambers?

No nobleman was that kind or giving. Hanzo knew.

Hanzo's skin itched with the desire to flee. Unfamiliar surroundings, unfamiliar company—he did not have any wish to linger here, at the mercy of this strange man and his stranger (familiar) eyes.

"Whatever you intended by bringing me here, it does not matter." Hanzo's face hardened. "You will not keep me here."

"No," the man agreed softly, making Hanzo pause. He was still smiling. "I imagine you do not succumb to anyone's will but your own."

The words caused a flicker of uncertainty to pass through him, though he did not allow it to show on his face. Why was nothing about this man proceeding as he expected? If Hanzo woke up, kidnapped to some strange, impossible palace in a snow-plagued, forsaken mountain, he should be caged. His captor should be talking to him through the bars of a prison, in his personal dungeon, not casually and comfortably sitting on his bed while Hanzo threatened to burn him.

...Somehow, some way, this is a trick. It must be.

It felt safer not to speak, so Hanzo did not. His eyes darted to the door, waiting across the room and, unfortunately, behind the man.

"Your weapons are there," the man said, gesturing with a wide sweep of his arm behind Hanzo, and indeed, when he warily glanced over his shoulder, he saw the overlooked table tucked into the corner of the room, where his blades had been laid neatly and carefully across a length of soft cloth. "Forgive me for taking the liberty, but I thought it best to divest you of them so you could rest more comfortably."

Hanzo glared at the man for a long moment. He only slept comfortably when he was armed these days.

Still, Hanzo accepted the invitation to take his things and he did so in quick, efficient movements, keeping the stranger in his line of sight at all times—not that it mattered, as the man did not so much as a twitch from the moment he'd awoken. His eyes tracked Hanzo without a blink and it was perhaps that which kept Hanzo on his guard. His utter stillness, the watching—Hanzo was rested, armed, and could think of a dozen ways to incapacitate this man in a few seconds, yet he felt overwhelmingly like an unwitting creature, soft and vulnerable, ignorant of the hunter in his midst, readying for the pounce.

Hanzo glanced at the door, had no more than thought of taking his first step towards the exit when the man spoke once more.

"Of course, you may leave whenever you wish," he said genially. "But you did not answer my question, pyromancer."

Hanzo's lips thinned. Uncertainty and unease blossomed in his chest.

"...no, I did not. I will not."

The stranger's head tilted and an expression of open amusement alighted on his face.

"Is it so terrible to accept?"

"It is impossible," Hanzo stressed, eyes narrowing. But, despite himself, his determination to fight faltered. He could not deny a certain curiosity, for all that he did not believe in magic such as this.

The man shrugged, affable as ever. It made Hanzo glare at him even more fiercely. It was irksome, how agreeable he was being...

Finally, the man moved, gave his back to Hanzo as he swung his legs off the bed and rose. Hanzo tensed when the man faced him and approached.

"That is far enough," Hanzo said in warning, raising two burning fists when the man was just outside of arm's reach.

"I have sheltered you and returned your weapons," the man pointed out. "Can you not accept I mean you no harm?"

"That remains to be seen," Hanzo replied, stiff.

Still, the man only seemed amused. He placed a palm on his breast, directly over his heart, and bowed, deeply.

"Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Kuai Liang."

A strange name for a strange man. It was oddly fitting.

Kuai Liang rose and those pale eyes of his fixed on Hanzo with the same intensity that had yet to lessen since Hanzo had first met them.

"May I know your name, pyromancer?"

Hanzo almost refused him, simply on principle. But...Kuai Liang had sheltered him in his home, had given him back his weapons, and he had shown no sign of wishing harm upon him.

It went against every instinct within him, but slowly, warily, Hanzo lowered his arms as the flames in his hands gutted, leaving behind smooth, unblemished skin.

"...Hanzo. Hanzo Hisashi."

Kuai Liang's eyes brightened with pleasure.

"Hanzo Hisashi," he repeated. The way he seemed to savor it—Hanzo could feel his hackles rising once more. "It is a pleasure to meet you." Kuai Liang stepped to the side, gestured with an open palm to the door. "Allow me to escort you," he said. "I'm afraid you will be easily lost without a guide."

Hearing that this building was that great a size did nothing to ease Hanzo's unease, but he supposed he had no choice.

"Very well."

Kuai Liang smiled.

Hanzo had hoped for a quick, silent walk, and to be able to put this entire strange encounter from his mind forever. Instead, when they'd only just left Kuai Liang's chambers, his stomach gave a loud, insistent cry.

Hanzo kept his gaze firmly on the ground, mortified as Kaui Liang turned to him in a sharp, surprised movement.

After a slight pause, Kuai Liang offered, "I have food if you wish—"

"No." Hanzo took a deep breath, tried to will back the rise of heat he could feel on his face. It was more important to leave this place. He could hunt for something once he was gone. "I am fine."

And, of course, his body chose that moment to betray him once more with another growl, sudden and painful enough he could not check the urge to hold his aching stomach. He could not remember the last time he had a decent, filling meal...

"I'm afraid I must insist," Kuai Liang said in a tone that brooked no argument. "I would be a poor host if I did not see you fed and prepped for your long journey down the mountain.”

Hanzo attempted to protest, but it was a losing battle and he was forced to follow after Kuai Liang, lest he truly be lost in his vast palace.

It was harder to remember the urgent need to be gone from this place when the smell of cooked meat grew stronger the further they went, and then impossible when Kuai Liang opened the door to a small cooking room, where a large flank of meat was still roasting over an open fire against the far wall.

The smell was heavenly and Hanzo was briefly hypnotized by the sight of hot, sizzling fat dripping from the meat, how it fell into the fire with a soft hiss and caused new bursts of the incredible aroma to permeate the room.

Perhaps...there was no harm in eating—so that he would not collapse on his hike, of course. It was only sensible to accept a meal when it was offered freely.

He tried not to seem too eager when he sat at the small wooden table Kuai Liang beckoned him to, but when Kuai Liang carved a generous portion of meat onto a large platter and served it to him, his smile twitched, threatening to grow wider at whatever expression Hanzo had.

It was slightly embarrassing, being caught so obviously, but Hanzo did not care the moment the meat first touched his tongue. Hot, tender venison, succulent and delicious. If he were a weaker man, he might weep.

For a while, there was only silence as he ate. It was not until he'd partially satiated his aching stomach that he realized Kuai Liang had not served himself.

He glanced up, unnerved to find Kuai Liang watching him, chin propped in one hand, a slight smile still lingering on his lips.

He appeared so...satisfied, by the sight of Hanzo eating. It made Hanzo freeze.

He glared.

"...Stop watching me," Hanzo demanded.

Kuai Liang's smile widened, but he acquiesced, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. He tilted his head back against the back of his chair and closed his eyes, looked for all the world as if he were simply meditating.

The way he kept instantly accomodating Hanzo—it was very annoying.

Hanzo resumed eating but did not stop glaring at Kuai Liang, trying—in vain—to puzzle him out. If Kuai Liang was aware of his staring, he did not seem bothered by it in the least.

This vast palace, Kuai Liang's own status, seemingly that of a man of wealth and power—he did not make sense. In Hanzo's travels, he had never heard of such a person having domain over this corner of the land, and yet here he was.

Who are you, truly?

His curiosity could not be denied, no matter how much he tried to quell it.

"Where are the people?" Hanzo finally asked.

It was perhaps not his most pressing question, but it was the one that was safer to ask. Down the labyrinthine halls to this modest cook's area, Hanzo had not seen nor heard so much as a whisper of another soul. Even here, in what was clearly a servant's domain, there was no one else to be found. Yet, a palace so large would need a large staff to maintain it.

Kuai Liang's eyes opened. "There are none."

Hanzo frowned, chews slowing, but Kuai Liang did not take back his words, just watched Hanzo back.

"...You live here by yourself?"

Kuai Liang inclined his head.

"How is that possible?"

Finally, Kuai Liang glanced away from him. His eyes dropped and his entire demeanor was suddenly—dampened, somehow. A subtle sort of sadness crept over Kuai Liang and it made Hanzo forget all about the sharp hunger pains that had burrowed into the pit of his stomach.

"Like you, I am the last of my kind."

...Oh. It was no secret that Hanzo's people were long gone—hunted to the brink of extinction for nothing more than sport. Mercenaries and outlaws, lowlifes and lords alike had participated in the massacre, eager to boast their fighting skills and claim the prestige of slaying an exotic, powerful pyromancer. If any of Hanzo's people still walked the lands, Hanzo had not met them. He hoped he never would. They were safer—he was safer, alone.

A life of constant movement, never settling anywhere, never staying in one town long enough for anyone to learn his name—it was a life he'd resigned himself to, one he thought, perhaps, suited him, even, but there were times when he felt the aching bite of loneliness. Of a muted, mourning despair that he would pass from this world without a single soul to notice his absence.

It was not a life he would wish on anyone.

"I...I am sorry," Hanzo finally said. At least he traveled, could outrun his feelings when they threatened to unmake him completely. To walk the same empty halls, day after day, ceaselessly reminded of a time they were full of life—he shied from even imagining it.

Kuai Liang blinked and a rueful smile replaced the understated, melancholic expression. Somehow, the smile made Hanzo's chest ache more.

"It was a long time ago," Kuai Liang dismissed.

Hanzo was not placated. He looked straight into Kuai Liang's eyes.

"But it is still difficult," he observed quietly, and Kuai Liang's smile, absurdly, stretched just a little bigger.

"You see right through me."

He stood, took Hanzo's demolished plate and returned to the roasting spit.

"No man is a fortress, and I am afraid I am no exception to this rule."

His voice was soft and steady as he refilled Hanzo's plate with another generous portion, but even when he set the dish before him, Hanzo could not move his eyes from Kuai Liang, aware of how something more lingered in the air, the same something that had remained unspoken since he'd awoken.

Kuai Liang did not return to his seat. He stood, looking down at Hanzo, and the impression that his next words would be important grew.

"I rarely leave my home. I hunt what I need and want for little else. But I have grown weary of solitude. And, if you'll forgive my forwardness," and here Kuai Liang broke eye contact, straightened, and crossed his arms behind his back. He took a moment, and Hanzo found himself all but holding his breath.

"I came down from the mountain in search of a mate." Kuai Liang's pale eyes met his, and the earlier look of determination intensified. "And I have found one. You."

A ringing silence stretched.

Hanzo's mouth opened, closed. Opened again. But there were no words. He could not think of a single thing he could say to such a proclamation.

His face felt hot.

Kuai Liang's head tilted. "Have I broken you?" he asked, amused.

His tone finally snapped Hanzo out of his shocked stupor and he stood, his chair scraping loudly against the wood floor.

"I—You—NO."

"We are well-suited for one another," Kuai Liang argued.

"You know nothing about me and—" Abruptly, Hanzo realized how completely absurd this conversation was. "Absolutely not."

"I know that you are brave, honorable, and compassionate." When Hanzo opened his mouth to protest, Kuai Liang stepped closer, just past the bounds of propriety, but Hanzo could not muster the will to burn him. "It would have been easier to leave me to die, but you intervened on my behalf, and even tended to my wounds. What more proof do I need of your worthiness?"

Hanzo stared at Kuai Liang, stricken. He had been ignoring the obvious, glaring fact that had been shouting at him since he'd first met Kuai Liang's eyes, but now that truth refused to be ignored.

His brow furrowed and he stared into Kuai Liang's eyes, wished he could doubt his own, but could not.

"You...you really are the dragon from before..." It was impossible, ridiculous—but the evidence was too plain to ignore.

Kuai Liang smiled. "I knew you were the one the moment we looked at one another." Another step closer, where their chests nearly touched, and Hanzo told himself he would push Kuai Liang away and run—in just a moment. "My ice, it can be unpleasant for a normal human. And in moments of passion, even harmful."

Kuai Liang raised his hand, slowly, tentatively, and though a part of Hanzo's mind, defensive and wary, screamed that he use his flames, now, he did not want to harm Kuai Liang.

The gentle, cool touch of Kuai Liang's fingers brushed across the stubble on his cheek, whisper-soft.

"But with your abilities, you could withstand me." Kuai Liang's eyes fell, hooded and dark with desire. His gaze seemed to pierce straight through. "Yes, you could withstand me well. You are very strong."

"We are complete opposites," Hanzo argued, because clearly he was the only one who had not taken leave of his senses.

"Opposites, yes," Kuai Liang agreed. "But also equals. Compliments. I would have it no other way."

"Well, I will not have you," Hanzo claimed hotly, and his eyes narrowed in a fierce glare.

Far from seeming dismayed by his refusal, Kuai Liang only watched Hanzo as if he were an intriguing puzzle.

"You find me unsuitable in some way?" he asked. "Or, perhaps, you bear the claim of another?"

"I—" It would have been better, to lie, but that was one skill Hanzo had never possessed. "That is not—"

Triumph surged to Kuai Liang's gaze. "If I must prove myself, you need only say so. I can offer you much."

Hanzo finally pushed away Kuai Liang's touch with a sweep of his arm and took a few steps back. He would not hear any more.

"I do not want anything from you. I do not belong here, with you, in—that way. Whatever you believe you see in me, you are mistaken."

"I see only that which you have shown me." Kuai Liang watched him steadily, so sure. "You could have a home here. You would no longer have to hide who you truly are, or be forced to run any longer. You could be free."

Hanzo sucked in a sharp breath, shook his head harshly in the next instant. "You—you can not promise that."

"I can," Kuai Liang simply said.

He pushed Hanzo's chair out of his way, closed the distance between them once more. Hanzo flinched away the first time Kuai Liang reached for him, but Kuai Liang only paused, waited patiently, before resuming the movement. And the look in his eyes, gentle yet firm, kept Hanzo still when he took Hanzo's hand.

Kuai Liang raised Hanzo's hand, placed his palm atop it so he cradled him in his grip like something precious. Hanzo could not recall ever being touched in such a way. He wanted to hate it, but he did not.

"A few days," Kuai Liang proposed, voice a low, beseeching murmur. "Stay with me here, for just a few days. Let me show you what it could be like to share a life together. If you still wish to leave after that, I will respect your wishes. I will take you down the mountain myself."

An automatic denial sprung to his lips, but one look at Kuai Liang's eyes—pleading, soft, and filled with lonely, naked longing—killed the words before he could draw breath.

Hanzo looked away, to the strong, slightly cool and affectionate clasp of Kuai's hands around his. The weariness he always battled in his long journey, heart-sick from constant flight and avoidance, bloomed to an almost unbearable degree, threatened to swallow him completely.

"...A few days?" Hanzo eventually asked, voice unsure and wary.

Kuai Liang squeezed his hand and hope brightened his gaze.

"That is all I ask."

If Hanzo had not been wavering before, that expression would have unmade him; never, had he been beneath the force of such great, bare hope. To say anything else would be cruel.

"...Very well." He darted a quick look at Kuai Liang, glanced away immediately at the sight of his warm, wide smile. "Do not make me regret this," Hanzo warned.

Kuai Liang raised his arm, only smirked when Hanzo's eyes went wide, and placed a gentle, unbearably lingering kiss on the back of his fingers.

"I would not dream of it, Hanzo Hisashi."