#i always fuss about whether or not what i write is in character

[dipperscavern]

i have to be real, i feel like ur the only writer on here who GETS the characters. ESPECIALLY cregan (as a cregan girl all because of you)

stop it thank u so much 😞🫶🏻 i try !! couldn’t do it all without my lovely cave dwelling winter council <33

[noellefan101]

Silent Living

Characters: Noelle, Kinich, Lynette, Beidou, Diluc x mute GN!reader

Summary: You're mute, and cant talk? not a problem for your partner, they can find other ways to communicate, and honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

Warnings: mute reader, most of them dont know sign language but there are people where i think they would either have learned it already or will learn it for you, gn reader as always

Note: hehe its kinda hard to write for Noelle tbh, i just can't see her romantically if that makes sense, its like a platonic obsession i have for her. but i chose to write for some girlies bc i felt like it, luv you :P

Noelle

She's a sweetheart and i fully believe she would try to learn sign language the day you meet for the first time. but for the sake of the cute gestures lets pretend she barely knows any words in it, or that you arent the best yourself despite probably needing it heh.

(she would teach you some if so, or learn with you)

In a classic Noelle fashion, she does literally anything for you, though people would normally just have to speak her name, you can't. so she always keeps an extra eye on you to ensure she's there when you need her help. that may be a given, but its truly what shes best at doing.

Loves writing little notes for you, whether its just so you can remember something or if its to invite you anywhere, she loves it. and she has definitely not been carrying pen and paper with her for weeks so you could write notes for each other, no no.

I dont imagine her being the best with words, but is always very good at comforting. so if you need some reassurance or just comfort you can come to her. and you can let her know to be silent by putting a finger over her mouth if you like the silence more. she wont be offended don't worry.

Kinich

Not very good with words and likes silence when possible, so it's very common for you to sit in silence doing an activity together. he's best with actions at least, both giving and receiving, so just doing a tiny chore for him would mean more than words could.

Though it may be difficult to do anything for each other since he's quite busy, and so could you be. but he always has time to sit with you for at least 30 minutes a day and just spend quality time together.

if you ever need anything from him, he has a notebook on him at all times that you're free to write in. Although Ajaw has made a fuss about it being annoying to wait for you, but he'll shut up if Kinich locks him up.

Lynette

She loves the silence you bring. being around her brother all the time can get annoying, no matter how much she loves him, so a quiet tea time with you is often just what she needs. she knows you can feel out of place or left out even since you cant communicate as easily with her siblings. but she is always ready to talk for you.

No matter how much she hates public speaking, and how often she gets her brother to speak for her, she'll speak for you. if there's anything you'd like to say, just write it down and show it to her. she might even know what you wanted to say, by how you stand and how your muscles move. so she will sometimes speak for you before you even get to start writing it down.

She has made sure you're a part of the conversation, not just there and looking around. she might have some knowledge about sign language, but she knows many do not and makes sure everyone understands you.

(she might even ask father if they can get classes in sign language, or at least the siblings of hers that you interact with most often)

Beidou

Maybe not the best at silent communication, but she tries her very best. if she doesnt know sign language she'll learn it, mostly because she feels it would make you more comfortable, but its also something that she may find interesting.

She is very good at dealing with different kinds of people though, so expect yourself to feel right at home wherever you are on her ship. she might even have started teaching her crew how to talk with you properly, whether thats getting you something write down on or learning them a bit of sign language that im not sure of.

Unfortunately it all goes in weird directions when she's drunk, while she talks for you it might be hard to get her to pay attention enough or even speak your thoughts properly. Kazuha is your savior in this case.

Diluc

He has made sure every single maid and anyone he hires learn to speak through their hands. he might even have prepared for it before you started dating, and even some of his staff you have never met before just knows how to speak with you.

Its a given that you're going to be well treated at the dawn winery, but Diluc makes sure you feel the most at home you'll ever experience. you have at least 1 maid whos ready to tend to you in a seconds notice, whether its jsut that you need something to write on or you need to know where you lover is.

Will literally drop anything for you with just a finger on his shoulder. whatever you need, he'll do it. need a hug? no need to even gesture it he knows, someone doesnt understand you at all? he's ready to talk in your place for hours on end.

I might have written it weirdly again sry, im not mute and i just like writing, Luv Ya- Masterlist

You are welcome to reblog and like any of my posts, but you CAN NOT translate, copy or hate on anybody for liking my posts

[thegoldencontracts]

Hello hello! I’ve got an interesting request (I think)

(*ﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ

How would Lilia, Riddle, Ruggie, and whoever else you wanna add react to the normally shy and sweet reader breaking sone creep’s wrist? Like, some guy is being weird, maybe even touchy, so reader breaks his wrist, and after character takes reader away, reader breaks down saying how scared they were.

Hello! Thank you for the request :3! This was a new concept to write about for me, and it was very refreshing. And, of course, as a massive Azul fan, you know I had to do include him.

Justice Of One's Own

Summary: You've always been a shy, unassuming individual. So, when he sees you break the wrist of someone harassing you, it's quite the shock. How does he react? Trigger Warnings: Mentions of sexual harassment, mild depictions of violence. Characters: Lilia, Riddle, Ruggie, Azul Genre: Hurt/Comfort (Reader being comforted)

Lilia Vanrouge

He's not particularly shocked.

After all, he's seen how you get when he jumpscares you, and, well, you've always had that hidden strength.

He can tell you're rather shaken emotionally, of course, so he finds an excuse to get you away. Diasomnia really gets you, you see.

Afterwards, when you break down, he's understanding. He offers you comfort, and surprisingly good advice.

He's seen this sort of thing play out before, and he knows what it's like to be in the receiving end of harassment himself, considering his own looks. People - especially people who mistook him for a woman - could get extremely touchy.

He might offer to cook for you. In that case, as appreciated as the offer is, you might want to turn him down.

The creep in question gets a nice... "talking to". What happened shall be left to the imagination, but it's safe to say the individual in question is even more terrified around you than they were after the broken wrist.

Riddle Rosehearts

The very sight of such harassment, so crude, so clearly in violation of the rules already had Riddle absolutely outraged.

He himself was just about to intervene when he heard the cracking sound, and the bastard's wrist went limp. It's quite apparent what you've done.

In all honesty, he's shocked - you were always the quiet, meek sort. He never knew you had it in you.

Although before his overblot, he might be somewhat outraged by your own behavior, afterwards, he'd be guilty for ever letting that thought cross his mind. He knows the staff members of the school; they'd never punish you for such a deed.

Seeing you sputter in a panic, he collars the person so brazenly harassing you, giving them a long talking to. It's safe to say they'll be wearing the collar for a while.

Afterwards, he attempts to offer you comfort the best he can, though he is admittedly a bit awkward about it.

Expect to see the person that harassed you collared for quite a while.

Ruggie Bucchi

Ruggie always could tell you were stronger than you looked.

It was the way you'd knock over weights by accident, the sheer strength with which you once decked him after he snuck up on you - You were so apologetic about that it was hilarious. He got a bunch of donuts out of it too.

Although Ruggie absolutely feels bad for you, watching the fucker creeping on you get what's coming to them is hilarious. He took a picture.

He says something about you needing to help him get Leona's favorite food, or whatever. Anything to put whatever this is to an end.

Honestly, Ruggie isn't very openly comforting, but you can tell he's worried. He keeps asking if you need anything, if you're okay, fussing over you like a mom.

He even gave you donuts. At that point, you were beginning to wonder whether he was sick or something. Although, this behavior from him is really heartwarming, and it does distract you from your own lingering discomfort.

Afterwards, Ruggie's got a new target whenever he wants someone to pickpocket.

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul was already in a terrible mood, and witnessing some charlatan harassing you did nothing to change that. In the Lounge? This was supposed to be a gentlemanly environment, he cannot have his reputation be tarnished by these sorts of insolent individuals!

That's what he tells himself, at least, the reason he plans to state before having the fool who treated you so terribly escorted out. Truth be told, he's also outraged on your behalf, terribly concerned for your well-being.

It's quite the pleasant surprise when you take care of the issue yourself. Your hand is swift and merciless, leaving the little prat with a broken wrist. He knew you had that sort of strength, really, he just never anticipated you having it in you to perform such an act.

Afterwards, you're clearly panicked, struggling to handle the situation, so he strolls up and 'kindly' informs the pervert they've been banned.

He offers you a free meal for your troubles, able to be claimed right now. Additionally, he advised you to eat in the VIP room, since there aren't any clients there, and you'll prefer the privacy after what just happened to you.

While you're there, he observes you to see if you're alright. He might not admit it outright, but he's incredibly concerned for you. How has your emotional well-being been impacted? Is there risk of this harassment spiraling even further?

Whichever fool thought it a good idea to mistreat you quickly finds themselves on the receiving end of Azul Ashengrotto's wrath; every single misdeed of theirs dug up and put on full display.

[sharkorok]

heeseung w/ an inexperienced s/o

cw/genre: this is fluff!!! fluff!!, headcanon format, cursing, fboi au, campus au ig…(?), like one dirty joke or whatnot teeheehoohoo, informal writing, that should be it (I think)

requested: X

a/n: this grown man has me so delulu so take this 😋

•-•-•-•

-u are well known for being notoriously bad at expressing affection or being in relationships

-you can’t do casual relationships this man once said “hey baby” and you were like “so I think we should lowk end things cuz why u calling me bby…kinda weird dawg…”

-UR JUST SO AWKWARDDDD ITS EMBARRASSING (I’ll write ur character development soon dw)

-anyways so you go to a party and you see heeseung who is notorious for being the craziest charmer ever like he could see an acorn on the ground and seduce it

-he strikes up conversation with you to see what the fuss is all about, he saw a person once talk about how ur so hot w a cold heart but he immediately realized you’re just awkward skssksksks

-he realizes he literally fell in love with you the second he tried to flirt and you were just …? while laughing awkwardly

-so after a month of you flitting around his charming gestures, looking down shyly or avoiding eye contact when he tries to rizz u up, he gets the courage to just straight up ask, “do you like me?”

-and when you explain that u don’t rlly know and u don’t really get into relationships he’s like OKKK LETS TRY THEN!! because he’s so madly in lov w you cuz ur so cute to him

-ok so boom dating!

-he purposely pushes your buttons to see just how much you can squirm, watching you stammer when he has you pressed against a wall gives him a power trip he didn’t think anyone could be this adorable

-and also u as a person…he’s so in love (dreamily)

-no one understands your relationship like, “how does y/n survive heeseung they can’t even say the word baby without cringing”

-ur not innocent or anything ur just new to affection and stuff so it freaks u out a little!!

-he always asks about boundaries before hand or makes sure you’re comfortable when you two are hanging out. the first time you two were cuddling he would ask every now and then if you were alright

-“you just make me nervous, hee” “don’t be nervous baby, it’s just me.”

-you didn’t realize how nice it felt to be loved within your comfort zone, and how nice it was to have someone hold your hand when it was pushed a little

-he’s gonna tease u tho sorry “loser virgin s/o and popular fboi boyfriend what wattpad story are we coming from”

-defends you to death if anyone criticizes the way you two date, he’s happy with you and if anyone tries to say otherwise he’s all up for arguing with them in a parking lot (￣▽￣)

-he loves you so so much and he dgaf about how slow he has to take it!!

-he takes you on lots of different dates to see what you like and what you don’t like, slowly initiates PDA to see if you’re okay w it or what freaks you out, he’s okay w taking the lead

-got him proud when you explain yourself tho, it means he’s doing a good job as your boyfriend if you’re comfortable explaining your boundaries and understanding them!! (in the least patronizing way possible)

-one time you two were making out and you put your hands on his chest, looking up at him and shaking your head, “I don’t think I want to continue yet.”

-and like a good boyfriend he is he reassured you he dgaf and that you two can just cuddle on the couch for the rest of the night or he could sit five feet away from you and not speak!!! whatever you say he listens bae

-never pushes you for affection, it pisses him off when people say the relationship is one sided, he doesn’t get insecure about whether or not you love him dw

-you say “I love you” every now and again later in your relationship to reassure him just in case tho, which is always super special to him and makes him fly over the moon *bawls eyes out*

-I did not mean for this to be this long ok anyways he’s yours and he knows it and your his and he knows that too <3

[frodothefair]

You know what's interesting?

I may have posted about this before, but the literal number one piece of feedback I get about The Flowers of Mordor is "I was skeptical about the premise, but now I'm sold!"

Which is great. It means something good about my writing - that I've been able to tell the story in a convincing way, that the characters acted in believable ways, and won the reader's hearts.

What I still don't understand, however, is why the premise seems to go SO much against the grain.

After all, I can't be the only person who wishes Frodo could have healed in the Shire. I can't be the only person who wants to ship themselves with Frodo. (Let's face it, canon/OC is sometimes, though not always, a vehicle for self-shipping, and that's totally fine! Fandom is all about wish fulfillment, and I am all for it.) In the end, I can't be the only person to wish Frodo could have found his happy ending with someone else besides Sam-maybe-eventually-in-Valinor. (Yes, sharing Sam or a poly arrangement is an option, and so is Rosie-as-a-beard, and so is erasing Rosie, but none of those approaches have felt satisfying to me, and again, I can't be the only one who holds this opinion).

Yes, I get that Frodo/FOC is not canon, but canon/OC rarely ever is. (And yes, I know I've made a fuss before about how Marigold is not an OC, but she is quite similar to an OC: she is mentioned briefly in canon, but all of her character development in FOM is my own).

Also, there are many non-canon premises that people absolutely go wild for, such as Boromir lives, or Thorin lives, or even Boromir and Theodred, so why exactly is it so difficult to see Frodo with an OC? It's been done with almost every other character, even ones who have canonical partners.

I mean, yes, to begin with, Frodo is positioned in canon as a confirmed bachelor, and Samfro is a very popular ship. But at the same time, Sam and Frodo are written and portrayed ambiguously enough that there is room for interpretation. They could be lovers, there could be unrequited pining, it could be one-sided on either of their parts, or they could be good friends. All of those things are possible. And similarly, Frodo could be a confirmed bachelor for a number of reasons: perhaps he is asexual or gay, or he is too much of an oddball, or he had a relationship that didn't work out, or it's the Ring's doing, or he senses he will someday follow in Bilbo's footsteps and is reluctant to put down roots. All of those things are possible.

So I have to wonder: maybe Frodo/OC or Frodo/someone besides Sam is not the most common ship, but why exactly is it such a hard sell? I just don't see it.

In fact, Flowers of Mordor is in part written for much-younger me, who first encountered the books and movies and genuinely wondered whether things could have been different if Frodo had found a nice hobbit lass to love.

Granted, at that age I was probably too young to understand the import of Frodo's burden, and the scars it left behind. Today, I understand that the ending was tragic but necessary, but a part of that hopeless romantic remains: I wish it could have been different. I wish Frodo could have found love. I wish that love could have conquered all. And as I said before, isn't fanfiction all about wish fulfillment?

[magravenwrites]

Do Not Go Where I Cannot Follow:

Part 1:

Finan x Reader

A/N: A massive thank you to @axe-does-writing for beta reading this for me, you're the best 🥰

This is set during season 4 as the Coocham squad are travelling through Mercia to avoid the sickness.

Warnings: symptoms of sickness, angst, keeping secrets, established relationship

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or GIF

You had lost count of how many days you had been travelling, trekking through Mercia on foot with the children, trying to avoid danger and the dreaded sickness.

It was only due to Eadith's bravery that you had managed to survive for this long; standing up to her brother so that you might escape.  Though this brought you all some semblance of safety, you knew it would not last.  Not if Edward’s men caught you.  With this in mind, you decided to keep moving until you could find somewhere safer to rest.

Your feet had begun to ache, and Aelfwynn had started to become a dead-weight in your arms. It was a strain you weren’t sure you could continue with in your present state, but you were determined not to say anything until you absolutely had to; everyone had enough to deal with without you becoming a burden too.  

Releasing a slow, measured breath, you adjusted Aelfwynn in your arms, trying not to show how much you were struggling.  Luckily, with only Osferth behind you, you had managed to avoid detection.  

Until now.

“Give her to me.”

Looking to your left, you found Osferth had sped up to walk beside you, already holding his arms out ready to take Aelfwynn from you.  The look on his face brooked no argument and you could not find it within yourself to disagree with him.  For all he was such a sweet and caring man, he could be very stubborn, a trait you were sure he had picked up from your husband, Finan. Without any complaints, you carefully transferred the young girl into his arms, making sure her head was comfortably settled on his shoulder before continuing to catch up with the others.  

You hadn’t realised how much your slow pace had caused you both to fall behind.

“Are you alright?” he asked gently as you walked.

“I’m fine,” you smiled.

“Y/N, don’t lie to me, you’re as pale as a ghost!  You’re getting sick aren’t you?”

“Keep your voice down!” you berated him, glancing to the front of your group to see if anyone had heard him.

You knew it was true, you had begun to feel progressively worse over the last two days.  Your whole body ached, you had a persistent headache that had started to pound behind your eyes and you were sure you had the startings of a fever.  Truth be told, all you wanted was to curl up in a ball and sleep for a week, but you knew that wasn't going to be happening any time soon.

“We don’t know if it is the sickness, it might pass in a day or two.”  You weren’t sure who you were trying to convince, Osferth or yourself as you twirled your wedding band around your finger.

Osferth noted the action, guessing where your thoughts had led you.  “He deserves to know.  If you are unwell - if it is the sickness - he would want to know. He would be heartbroken to think you could not tell him.  Do not ask me to keep this from him.”  he begged.

Releasing a long sigh, your gaze lifted to your husband at the front of the group, watching as he carried Aethelstan atop his shoulders.  Your heart squeezed in your chest, overflowing with the love you felt for him.  He had been excellent with the children during the journey.  You hoped that one day you would be blessed with your own children, he would make an excellent father.

“I know, but I can’t tell him, and you cannot either.  He would freak out, he needs to focus on Uhtred, the children and getting us all to safety; he cannot do that if he is fussing over me.”

“Finan always worries for you regardless, it is his nature to worry over those he cares for.  You know, when we are away, you are all he talks about, all he can think about is you: what you would be doing that day, whether you were well, or thinking about the day he can return home to you.” he lectured.  

It made you smile to know that even when you were parted his thoughts still turned to you, the same way yours turned to him.

“Even so, I beg you not to tell him, if this does pass in a few days then there will be nothing to worry about.”

“And if it does not?”

“Then I will cross that bridge when I get to it.”  You ended the discussion, seeing a small village come into view up ahead, hopefully where you could get some rest for a while.

With everyone on edge already, Finan's sour mood and near constant anxiety about the sickness had started to grate on everyone's nerves, though everyone knew he didn't mean it - he was just terrified, having seen its effects before.  

Having reassured him multiple times over the course of your journey, you had discovered what really had him in such a state of panic: The one thing Finan wanted to do was to protect his family. To protect you, and make you happy.

But this? This he had no control over.  That is what terrified him.  That he could not protect you from this.

That was your main reason for not telling him of your illness. To know that you, his own wife, had the dreaded sickness.  It would break him. You would not do that to him. 

— Time Skip — 

You had all safely settled into the village of Wulfrunetun, having managed to gain a few hours of rest while you planned out your next move.  Aelfwynn’s condition had deteriorated in the last few hours, the poor girl barely able to keep her head up from exhaustion.  You all hoped that with some rest she might start to feel better.

You had managed to get some rest in the shade outside, where it was cooler, trying to reduce your progressing fever.  You felt rotten, your skin felt slightly clammy to the touch, and you were certain you could feel a bubbling in your chest whenever you breathed too deeply, but couldn’t decide whether that was just your overactive imagination and fear of the sickness playing with your mind.  Surely the sickness wouldn’t progress this quickly?  It had only been a couple of days since you had started to feel unwell.

“Ah, there ya are.  I’ve been lookin’ for ya.”  Your thoughts were interrupted when your boisterous husband came bounding through the door, heading over to you once he had caught sight of you, a grin forming on his face.

You forced a smile onto your face, standing up from where you had been resting under a tree.  Finan’s arms immediately encircled your waist as soon as you were within arms reach, and you couldn’t help but fall into his embrace, leaning your head against his chest, letting his steady heartbeat soothe your anxiety.

Finan rested his head on top of yours, and the pair of you took a moment to simply enjoy each other's presence.  

“You feel warm, are ya feelin’ alrigh'?”  he asked, pulling back just enough to look at your face, his eyebrows drawn in concern.

“I'm fine”

“Are ya sure?  You've been spendin’ a lot of time with Aelfwynn, I don't want ya to get sick.”  He reached a hand to cradle your face.

You let your cheek rest against his palm for a moment, before pulling away and teasingly swatting his hand away from his fussing.

“I promise I'm fine, my love.  I have just spent too long in the sun, is all.  I would tell you if anything was wrong.”  

Liar.  The words tasted bitter in your mouth.

“Has Lord Uhtred formed a plan yet?”  You asked, hoping to distract him.

“Aye, he has.  Uhtred has decided we must travel back to Aegelesburg; Sihtric and Young Uhtred are going to search for Aethelflaed and Aldhelm and bring them to meet us there.  We will be leaving soon.”

“What of Aelfwynn?  She is not strong enough to travel any further.”  ‘Neither am I’ you silently added.

Finan grumbled to himself for a moment, heaving a sigh through his nose. “Osferth and Eadith are goin’ ta stay ‘ere to look after her until things calm down in Aegelesburg, it wouldn’t be safe for her there, even if she wasn’t sick.”  He pulled you in closer.

“Then I will stay here with her.” 

“Absolutely not!  You’re coming with me to Aegelesburg and as far away from this sickness as possible.”

You shook your head, pulling his arms from your waist so that you could hold his larger hands between yours.

“Finan, listen to me.  I am still tired from travelling, and I would be glad for some rest.  I would be of more use tending to Aelfwynn than I would be to anyone in Aegelesburg.  Besides, the situation is still volatile, what happens if it turns into a siege?  I would be safer staying here, and coming to you once it is safe.”  

“Y/N, do not make me part from ya, please.”  He begged, bringing his forehead to rest against yours.

It took everything in you to not break down into tears, but you knew it was better for him to be away from you, at least until you got better.

“I know, I don’t want to part from you either, but you must go, and I will follow as soon as it is safe enough to do so.  It won’t be for long.”  You murmured.

“Alrigh’”  He reluctantly agreed, pulling away and pulling you into a bear hug, his arms completely enveloping you.  You felt him press a kiss to the crown of your head.

“I love ya.”

Your heart felt fit to burst, and you blinked away the tears that welled up in your eyes.

“I love you too.  Now go and get ready.  The sooner you leave and sort this mess out, the sooner we can be together again.”  You pushed his shoulder jokingly.  He chuckled, letting his arms slip from around you as he headed back inside.

As soon as he was out of sight you slouched, coughing into your elbow to muffle the sound.  You could feel the burn of it pulling at your chest, you could taste faint traces of copper in your mouth.  It was definitely better that he leaves now.

— Time Skip — 

The men were tying their saddlebags to the saddle of their horses, preparing to leave any minute.  You watched as Sihtric helped Young Uhtred with his saddle, making sure everything was properly secure.  He must have surely been missing his own children, his own wife.  A pang of sorrow went through your heart at the thought.  At least you got to travel with your husband, to say goodbye to him.

You wrung your hands as you continued to stand on the outskirts of the action, there had been something plaguing your mind over the last few hours, something other than the sickness you could feel creeping deeper into your bones and your secrets from your husband.

“Sihtric,” you called to him, your eyes darting to Finan briefly to make sure he was out of earshot.

Sihtric quickly finished helping Young Uhtred, clapping him on the back as he moved away to talk to you.

“I just wished to say goodbye...”  you exhale nervously.  You had to ask him - why was it so difficult to ask him?

His mismatched eyes studied you silently for a moment. 

“Goodbye”  he answered, half a laugh falling from his lips, unsure of where this was going.

Your gaze moved over Sihtrics left shoulder, falling onto Finan as he moved back and forth, finishing his preparations.  It was for him you had to ask this.

Sihtric followed your gaze, looking over his shoulder, before looking back at you, questions now very present in his eyes.

“...I know you are not going with him now, but… look after him for me.  Lord uhtred will give him something to follow, a purpose perhaps - but he will need you to lean on.”  Tears rose in your eyes at the thought, making sure Finan had people to carry him forward if the worst should happen.  

“Y/N, what is this about?”

“Just promise me!” 

“Of course! I swear it, you don't need to ask.” He looked visibly shaken by your panic, stepping closer to make sure you were ok.

“I know. Thank you.” You breathed a sigh of relief.  You needed to pull yourself together, you weren’t gone yet. 

“Y/N, please, what is wrong?  How can I help?”  

“Nothing just - in case things go badly.  There is so much that could go wrong.”  you answered evasively.

You weren't sure if he quite believed you, there was still the lingering question behind his eyes.  

You knew he could tell something was still wrong, he always saw more than was shown, heard more than was said.  You supposed that's why he made such a good spy.  Thankfully he did not press the matter, instead bringing you in for a hug.

“Everything will be fine, you'll see.  Lord Uhtred has not failed us yet.”  He looked so sure as he pulled away, for a moment you allowed yourself to hope.  Perhaps things would be ok after all.  You would fight this sickness with everything you had.  For Finan and the rest of your family.

“I know, but you can forgive a wife for worrying.”  You joked.

“Speaking of, might I borrow my wife so that I may give her a proper goodbye?” Finan interrupted, a sly grin on his lips.  The same flirtatious grin that you had fallen for so many years ago plastered across his handsome features.  Sihtric laughed easily, backing away to give you both some privacy.

You fell so easily into your husband's waiting arms, reaching your arms around his shoulders to bring him closer. 

You saw Sihtric climb up onto his horse, not moving from your place in Finan’s hold, you call out to him once more.

“Sihtric!  Be careful.  Look after yourself.”  

He nodded at you, looking between you and Finan.  

“You as well, both of you.”  With that, he urged his horse forward, joining Young Uhtred on the road to find Aethelflaed.

“Well I knew I might have to ward off some men vying for your attention, but I did no’ think I would have to count Sihtric among ‘em”  Finan tickled you, just under your ribs, causing you to let out an undignified squeak.  

You give him an unimpressed look, before smacking lightly on the arm.  You cleared your throat, hoping to make it sound like you were just composing yourself, rather than staving off the coughing fit you could feel burning your lungs, no doubt induced by your scream.

“Oh please, you know I only have eyes for one man.”  

“Oh aye?  And who might that lucky man be then hmm?”

“Osferth of course!  Why else would I be staying behind with him?”

You couldn't help the chuckle that crept past your lips at his shocked expression as he pressed his hand to his chest in mock hurt.

“You wound me!  Are ya sure there isn't anything I can do that could convince ya to bestow your affections onto myself?”

“I suppose I could be persuaded.”  you raise your eyebrows in suggestion.

“I am nothing if not persuasive.”  he lowered his head closer to your own, his lips a hair's breadth away from your own as his tone deepened.  The very voice he knew you loved, that could make your toes curl and your pulse race.

Despite the fact you could feel yourself getting hot under the collar, a feeling you were quite sure had nothing to do with your illness at present, you retained steady eye contact, not letting him know how much he had affected you.

“Well, I shall look forward to your attempts to win my favour upon our reunion, husband.”

His eyes lit up a fraction, enjoying the reminder of his title to you.  As you watched him, your overdramatic, funny, fierce, loyal and ever-loving husband, you felt yourself fall for him all over again.

“I shall relish the challenge, wife.  I will send word soon.”  He closed the distance between you, capturing your lips with his own.  He cupped your chin with his finger as his thumb brushed over the swell of your cheek, reluctant to part with you. 

You deepened the kiss, attempting to pour all of your feelings into it, trying to convey all the love you felt for him and all of the things you could not say.

Eventually, the voice of your lord interrupted your final moments with Finan.

“Finan!  Put your wife down and let us be on our way.”

You finally parted from each other, opening your eyes to look at your husband once more. You tried to banish the tears that rimmed your eyes and you prayed this would not be the last time you saw him.

“Be careful,” you whispered into the space between you.

He pressed a final kiss to your forehead, murmuring into your hairline “You too, I love ya.”

“I love you too”  you told him as he began to move away, letting your arms slip away from his frame.

He mounted his horse, and Uhtred lifted Aethelstan so that he sat in front of Finan in the saddle before checking on Stiorra and making his way to his own horse.  

You watched until the four of them were out of sight, and you felt Osferth’s presence at your shoulder.

“You should have told him.”  he chided quietly.

“Perhaps,” you conceded, wrapping your arms around yourself at the sudden chill you felt in your arms.

“I am going to rest awhile, wake me if there is any change in Aelfwynn.”

He watched you go back inside, a feeling of trepidation sinking in his stomach.

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

Tags: @axe-does-writing @solinarimoon @morosemagick @emilyhufflepufftlk @lauwrite1225 @madrielite

Hope you enjoyed it!

Part 2

[rosemariad]

THE BITTER END | SPN 15x18 DESPAIR: About that Destiel moment in 15x18

Oh boy…the scene that sailed a thousand memes (and counting)…the scene that made us all go feral in the midst of a contentious presidential elections in one of the most disruptive, chaotic years in recent memory (2020 you son of a bitch)

Now i am super late with this since it’s nearly been 4 years since this was aired live on TV and posted like crazy all over the internet BUT…y’all Destiel shippers got robbed. Not just with this scene but the whole Destiel ship in general - just done so dirty.

I started watching this show on and off back in 2021 and I finally got to finish over the summer this year (2024) taking my sweet time, even rewatching certain episodes (for some fanfic writing 😁). I went into this to settle the debate for myself - is this Destiel stuff legit? Or was it taken out of context? Misconstrued.

No. It really wasn’t. They (the powers behind SPN) tried it, tried to pull the wool over people’s heads, with certain fans chiming in (the destiel haters, the homophobes, the anti-mishas, etc.) but no. The SPN showrunners fucked all this up.

From the beginning….

So it’s 15x18 despair - we’re in the last act - shit’s popping off, everything’s going tits up - Billie is trying to hunt Dean down, calling him chaos incarnate. Dean & Cas get trapped in a room with no apparent means of escape or defense - probably should’ve headed for the exit - but I guess since it’s the 3rd to last episode and the execs clearly want things to go back to the status quo 🙄 now’s as good a time as any to cash in on that plot thread from last season and kill Castiel once and for all 😭 (as 1 person pointed out, given the prior context they probably could've just waited Billie out, since them being trapped in that room - Cas was the one that blocked the door anyhow - but I get it SPN showrunners you wanted to get rid of Cas somehow - what a mess)

If you haven’t watched it - here’s where I gasp and scoff in disbelief - please watch it https://youtu.be/l_r9GZeQl1w?si=uVox8PlXByYEYKci

Basically Cas tells Dean he’s the greatest guy he’s ever known, that he fights for love and that Cas lurves Dean 😭 and he’s not the bad things enemies say Dean is. That he’s more than the worst parts of himself - oh Cas.

This was Castiel’s one moment of true happiness - telling the one person whom he adores more than anyone or anything else in the entire universe - that he is loved by Castiel himself.

The confession that triggers Castiel’s demise to go with the empty, takes Billie with him and before Dean can process the massive TRUTH BOMB Castiel just dumped on him, Castiel is gone.

Despair indeed.

They made too many fucking cuts to this scene, at least for Jensen’s coverage. Like if you don’t want Dean to reciprocate…fine. Don’t. But let him fucking respond! Let him use his words. Castiel just told Dean he was in love with him, that is one of the BIGGEST things you can say to somebody in your life. EVER. Especially on TV. And yes it was in love, like romantically. Not platonically because why make such a fucking fuss over fucking platonic friendship! There’s always been a tension between these 2 characters, it hung over between them since season 4. They just made it into a joke, never expecting to get the traction it did over the years. They even tried writing Cas off the show for good back in season 7. But they got stuck with Cas and never really made proper use of him. They literally just waited until the last minute to get rid of him in a way that couldn’t get the show cancelled until that decision had already been made by the network. to make things worse - COVID happened

So don’t tell me the confession doesn’t merit a response, either for or against on Dean’s part - whether he returns Castiel’s affection or not is another story but dammit let Dean speak! How could you not? Cowards!

And Would it be so terrible if Dean did feel something MORE than friendship for the only other individual that has stood by him for so many years? Like really? A relationship doesn’t demand sex (but let’s be honest, Cas probably wanted to fuck the shit outta Dean 🤣) it’s whatever the people in the relationship want! Dean isn’t young by the time s15 rolls around. Older people tend to just want someone to come home to, settle down with. Companionship. Cas fits that to a fucking T. When Dean dreamed of a future, Cas was right there with him (and Sam, cuz Dean always wants his family close as much as he can, given how he grew up).

Couldn’t find a gif of Dean talking about taking some time off after all the craziness of the hunting they do but I’m not crazy I know he wanted it.

The team behind SPN could have finished Dean’s narrative beautifully as man who was driven by fear all his life and opens himself up to a relationship he never saw coming but when the time came he didn’t run because he grew to love more than fear (and choose to live a life of peace after stuck in one of violence for so many years).

This is why Hollywood is shit! Great beginnings, shitty endings. But in this case, it was because they consistently chose NOT to indulge in queer-like narratives with enough care (aside from some other problematic stuff like the treatment towards women being more negative than positive, the inconsistent writing for characters and plot, etc.)

BUT not when it’s the main character 😡 Charlie can be gay AF but not Dean, seriously? That’s fucked. Like at least let him fucking explore/consider it. So people stop watching it who gives AF?! I never even watched the show when it was on air for 15 years, tons of people didn’t. There are still people out there watching SPN for the first time today! People who started but stopped because it’s a show that ran WAAAY longer than any other normally does.

Idk who made it so that Dean couldn’t explore his sexuality or fucked up the Destiel of it all but they SUUUUUUUUCK! You really shat the bed! at least explore it cuz at the end of the day, it may not work out. Gay relationships aren’t that different from straight relationships in that sometimes it just doesn’t work out BECAUSE we’re ALL people. And who knows maybe they could’ve been happy but we’re not allowed to know that canonically because Destiel was never given a CHANCE!

I mean if it was REALLY that big a deal – why introduce it? By making these little suggestions that (in a way that's funny but why would Dean be queer be haha funny - no that's not okay, queerness shouldn't be a joke) furthermore we’re talking about a show on basic cable - all it would’ve taken was fucking hand-holding or the same routine of staring into each other’s eyes like they’d been doing for 12 fucking years already! Just not shying away from the queerness that time. Legend of Korra did it. That 1 Disney show did it (i don’t remember the name). No kissing would’ve been necessary - nice, wishful thinking but not necessary if the kissing became an issue (but seriously it was 2020 man but ofc - that is a year where a pandemic that required social distancing decided to kick in during the final arc of this show) - just so we’re all clear COVID cock blocked Destiel lol jk 🤣

All those times they had Dean & Cas stare into each other's eyes – the forces at work – showrunners, writers, directors AND editors & the network who is showing this to audiences – if its such a big fucking deal - Don't leave it in. By leaving it in, you're allowing people to make assumptions about the relationship – it happens literally every time in every story ever told. You put 2 people in a scene and they're not family (though not always the case) or JUST friends (explicitly proven) there's a chance SOMEONE is gonna wanna ship them no matter how likely it is (OR NOT) they'll hookup or become a couple. That's just how it is. So don't fan the flames and then turn it around on fans that they're wrong, crazy or misinterpreting. If Wincest can exist, so can Destiel and any other ship. That being said, y’all Destiel shippers were ROBBED but I don’t need to tell you that.

I don’t think the relationship would’ve been perfect or smooth sailing - their friendship as it was on the show sure wasn’t. And Dean wasn’t the only one with issues - Cas had some bad qualities too - the angel liked to lie and for a while there he was extremely averse to conflict. And Dean…he gets real fucking angry 😬 not a good mix for a relationship- hell even a friendship.

But the two had a profound bond, with a great deal of affection for one another and that’s what got them through betrayal, fights, amnesia, curses, apocalypses, and all the ugliness in between. They could’ve made it. Or they could’ve just had Cas and Dean stay friends - but we’ll never know since Cas was pretty much omitted after 15x18 - there were references - like only 2 though 😒

Really SPN? 😒😔 so lazy. But sure, go ahead, blame COVID. It’s not like phones exist. It’s not like the actor couldn’t have just recorded Castiel’s voice nope. Totally not an option 🤦🏾‍♀️ same goes for the other characters - Jody, Donna, Eileen - you know all the other characters Sam & Dean cared about but sure - fuck ‘em too. Status quo is the only thing that matters - SMH.

[purple-plum-petals]

⊱ TWST Characters and the Orange Peel Theory ⊰ || Multiple Character Scenario

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮        Character(s): Ace Trappola, Deuce Spade, Trey Clover, Cater Diamond, Riddle Rosehearts, Jack Howl, Ruggie Bucchi, Leona Kingscholar, Jade Leech, Floyd Leech, Azul Ashengrotto, Jamil Viper, Kalim Al-Asim, Epel Felmier, Rook Hunt, Vil Schoeinheit, Ortho Shroud, Idia Shroud, Lilia Vanrouge, Silver, Sebek Zigvolt, Malleus Draconia (Twisted Wonderland)        Reader Type: Human, Ramshackle Prefect (Gender-Neutral Pronouns)        Warning(s): Nothing! I also always use the Japanese TWST Terms (Dorm Leader instead of Housewarden, Madols instead of Thaumarks, etc.) in my writing.        Genre: Scenario, Fluff, Attempt at Comedy        Word Count: ~1530 words        Scenario: What do the TWST boys do when you randomly turn to them, holding an orange in your palm as you ask, “Could you peel this for me?”        Author’s Note: I’ve been having a hard time motivating myself to work on requests as of late and, given the state of some of my friendships irl at the moment, I wanted to write about the TWST boys and whether or not they would “pass” the Orange Peel Theory relationship test (probably because I need some comfort right now lmao). For those who don’t know, the Orange Peel Theory is a theory that, if someone loves and cares about you, they will do the smallest of tasks for you with no fuss; this “test” is supposed to show whether or not the care and respect in a relationship are mutual (another one of these “tests” I saw was asking your friend or partner to tie your shoe for you). This was written to be read as platonic, but it can be interpreted as romantic if that’s your jam.

→ If you enjoyed my work, please reblog it if you can! Exposure on Tumblr is based on reblogging content rather than liking it, so your support would be much appreciated!  ♡ ╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Looks at the orange in your hand before giving you a warm smile in return, taking it from your grasp and peeling the outer rind with no comment. He even offers to feed it to you, holding one of the pieces of fruit between his pointer finger and thumb as he gently brings it to your lips. Will only take a piece for himself if you give him explicit permission to do so; after all, he doesn’t want to ask to have some of your lunch since you looked so excited to eat the orange when you asked him to peel it for you (you were more excited about the fact he agreed to peel the fruit for you rather than the orange itself). Passes the test with flying colors.

Silver

Peels the rind from the flesh of the orange with a small smile while continuing to talk happily about whatever subject you two had been discussing prior to your question. He doesn’t ask why you suddenly needed the orange peeled since it doesn’t really matter to him; you asked him for help and he was happy to deliver (he was even touched you were comfortable enough to ask him to do that for you). Passes the test perfectly.

Kalim, Rook

Peels the orange with a level of perfection you didn’t even know was possible. You’re left absolutely astounded when he returns the newly-peeled fruit in your hand with a smile, not a single ounce of pith left on the flesh of the orange slices; it was the best orange you’ve probably ever eaten in your life. He passes the test and you honestly couldn’t ask for a better person to peel an orange.

Ortho

Is a bit curious as to why you asked him to peel the orange for you since he’s seen you do it before, but he doesn’t say anything as he takes the fruit from your hand to peel it. However, he ends up overestimating the amount of strength needed to remove the outer rind from the flesh, so now the both of you are splattered in orange juice and pulp. Your laughter at the ridiculous situation makes what happened a fond memory rather than something to be embarrassed about. While he technically passes the test, you now have no orange to eat (it has been reduced to atoms). It’s the thought that counts, though.

Jack, Malleus

Agrees to peel the orange for you, but he does want a couple pieces of the fruit in exchange for his services; he doesn’t just do things for free you know. He peels the orange for a price, but it’s a reasonable deal at least. You agree to his terms and watch as he happily and easily peels the orange, humming all the while. Once the rind has been removed from the flesh, he takes three slices of the fruit for himself to snack on before giving you the rest. Even though he peeled the orange for you, he technically fails the test since he wanted something in return.

Ruggie, Azul

Plucks the orange from your palm, but asks why you’re not able to peel it yourself. Are you not feeling well or something? He then begins to ask if you’re eating an orange because you need extra vitamin C as he proceeds to ask if you’re coming down with a cold; he definitely overthinks why you asked him to peel your orange for you. So, while he does peel the orange and successfully passes the test, you’re starting to think that maybe he cares about you a little too much with the sudden worry about your well-being.

Deuce, Riddle

Demands to know why you’re asking him to peel your orange for you since he’s seen you do it plenty of times before (keep in mind, he’s asking this while actively peeling your orange for you)! He then proceeds to ask if you’ve been eating properly and taking care of yourself if removing the rind from a piece of fruit was too strenuous on your human body; he even offers you to come and join him while he trains since his vigorous routine would be sure to give you enough strength to peel the orange on your own. He passes the test, but is the lecture something you truly want to have to sit through?

Sebek

Knows and is aware of the theory since he has seen it circling around on social media as of late, but he’s happy to peel the orange for you nevertheless. He even thinks it’s super cute how you asked him out of all your fellow classmates to try this viral test with (he’s actually kind of honored)! He of course passes the test since he already knew about it, but he would have gladly peeled your orange for you even if he didn’t know about it; you’re just that special to him.

Cater

Also knows about the theory from social media, but doesn’t really want to get his hands all sticky and potentially ruin a nail while trying to remove the outer layer of the fruit. Thankfully, he came prepared in case you asked him to do this “test” since he’s not one to disappoint, pulling an orange peeler from his back pocket as he separated the rind from the flesh. However, if push came to shove, Vil wouldn’t be against ruining his nails or getting his hands sticky with orange juice if it meant he could show you how much he cared for you. Passes the test since he doesn’t mind getting a little messy if it means he can express his appreciation toward you through small gestures such as this.

Vil

Takes the orange from your hand to peel it for you, but will be teasing you about it the entire time. Why are you suddenly not able to peel an orange, hmm? Why didn’t you ask another one of your friends? Were you waiting specifically to ask him of all people? My, now aren’t you adorable! He technically passes the test even if he’s kind of mean about it. Keep in mind that he will bring up your strange and sudden inability to peel your orange up in the future to tease you.

Trey, Jade, Lilia

Agrees to peel the orange, but is a little curious why you picked an orange to eat for lunch since you usually preferred having one of the apples he’d bring (he even started bringing an extra one just for you). A little bit upset you didn’t want an apple today, but he peels the orange for you with only a single comment about your lackluster choice of fruit for the day. Passes the test and peels the orange with no problem, but he’s kind of disappointed you didn’t want an apple; he can peel an apple faster than he can peel an orange.

Epel

Straight up says no and that he knows you’re capable of peeling it yourself. Why would he bother getting his hands all sticky just for you to be able to eat some fruit? If you want it, you can go through the mess it takes to get past the outer rind. However, he immediately notices your shoulders sag in disappointment as you bring the fruit to your body before you begin to peel it yourself. He rolls his eyes and lets out a huff before snagging the orange from your grasp, peeling it himself before handing the fruit back to you without a word. Technically fails the test, but at least he peeled it for you after seeing how downtrodden you looked.

Ace, Leona, Jamil

Nods his head and takes the orange from your hand but, alas, he can’t even peel the orange. You both knew he wasn’t exactly the strongest or healthiest individual on campus, but neither of you thought it was this bad. After his pride is wounded and his face is a deep shade of red, you gingerly take the orange from his grasp and peel it yourself, offering him a piece of fruit in the hopes it will cheer him up. Passes the test even if he was unable to garner enough strength to actually peel the orange; he makes you promise not to tell anyone about this.

Idia

His reaction truly depends on how he’s feeling at the moment. If he’s in a bad mood, he’d either tell you no or – if someone had done something that day to really piss him off – crush and/or throw the orange. If he’s feeling a bit playful, he’d pluck it out of your hand and hold it high above your head while you pleaded for him to give you your snack back. However, if he’s in a good mood that day (and if he’s not trying to hide his slight soft spot towards you), he’d gently take it from your hand and peel the orange with ease, handing you back a perfectly peeled fruit for you to eat before asking if he could have a piece. He either fails the test exponentially or passes it with flying colors; it honestly all depends on his mood at the time.

Floyd

[shamefilledsnzblog]

A Roll in the Hay

Blame @boxofbeezle for this. Not so much sneeze kink as itching kink, but threw some sneezing in anyway because I'm a whore like that. First time writing an adjacent kink, not sure how it turned out...

Characters are newcomers to the Perry-verse, joining him on the second expedition to the Underdark. Leofric, a half-elf paladin and the most stubborn creature alive, and Ruben, his bookwormish cleric lover (will update OC post to include them soon)

“HhHRASHOO!”

“Blessings. Is the hay still getting to you?”

With a frustrated snort, Leofric took one hand from the reins and removed his helmet. Tucking it under his arm, he assaulted his prominent nose with one gauntleted fist. Riding behind him, Ruben was, as ever, lost in a book, not even bothering to hold the reins, simply trusting his horse to follow Leofric’s. Turning a page, he took a handkerchief from his sleeve and held it out.

“Here. Blow, don’t go assaulting your nose like that.”

“I don’t need to blow, I need the damned thing to stop… HURRSCHOO! SNRF! … Itching.”

Maddeningly serene, Ruben tucked his handkerchief back in his sleeve and turned another page.

“I told you meeting in the hayloft was a bad idea. You know what hay does to you.”

Leofric snorted again, rubbing and pinching at his nose, alternating between the rough leather and cool metal sections if his gauntlet. True, something about getting too close to hay always set him sneezing, but that was the least of his problems right now. Sure, he was probably turning his nose an irritated shade of pink, but at least, whether by rubbing or sneezing, it was an itch he could scratch.

The hayseeds against his skin were another matter entirely.

Places for an intimate rendezvous in the temple were few and far between, but Leofric had been determined to have at least a short time alone with Ruben before they set off on their latest assignment. Traveling together with a party, camping in the Underdark, would mean few chances for privacy. Best to seize what moments they could get now, and if that meant Leofric sneezing as he lay with Ruben in his embrace, so be it.

The problem had arisen when they had been called to set out earlier than expected, and Leofric had donned his clothes in a hurry. Some hayseeds had clearly clung to his shirt, sharp and irritating against his skin. Not such a problem, had he only been in his shirt. He could easily have scratched at the maddening prickle through the fabric. But in heavy plate armour, his hands might as well have been tied.

The itch burned and prickled, like an insect biting, and there was nothing Leofric could do but squirm. Doing so created a metallic rattling, causing Ruben to look up from his book at last.

“Leo? What’s wrong? You seem uncomfortable.”

Leofric fought to keep from squirming again, feeling one of the hayseeds prick just beneath his shoulder blade. Even without his armour, it would be an awkward place to scratch, and gods above did he need to scratch. He felt Ruben’s warm, concerned eyes on him, and forced himself to remain perfectly rigid in the saddle. Once Ruben started fussing, he tended not to stop.

“It’s nothing. Lingering dust from the hay.”

That was true enough. There was still a tickle somewhere back in his sinuses, waiting to be sneezed out. But it was nothing compared to those damned seeds… Another pricked him around his lower back, and against his will, he gave a sudden twitching shudder. Gods, had half the haystack managed to cling to his shirt?

Ruben, never one to be easily fooled, tucked his book into the saddlebag, and guided his mount forward until he was riding at Leofric’s side. Even if he hadn’t been desperate to writhe in order to try and ease that damned burning prickle, Leofric might have squirmed slightly under the scrutiny from those green eyes. He rolled one shoulder, trying to bunch the fabric beneath his armour in such a way that it might dislodge the worst of the seeds. Instead, it only fueled the itch, and he found himself grimacing in discomfort.

“Something’s wrong. Are you too hot? It’s a warm day, it must be a nightmare under all that armour.”

It was, though not for the reason Ruben had suggested. Though now that he brought it up, Leofric felt a bead of sweat trickle down his back, adding its irritation to the itching. He rolled one shoulder again, then both, and gave a grunt of annoyance.

“It’s nothing for you to fuss over.”

Ruben tilted his head, and his eyes widened a little as he realized the nature of the problem.

“Wait, you’ve got an itch under there? Is that why you’re in a mood?”

“I’m not in a mood!”

“You most certainly are. Let’s stop, and you can get your armour off and see to it.”

“I’m not stopping our journey an hour in just to scratch an itch! I once rode six hours with an arrow in me, and never complained once!”

“Yes, yes, you’re terribly brave and stoic, the very picture of dignity. And if you keep squirming like that, you’re going to fall off your horse.”

“I am not…”

Before he could protest that he was very much not squirming, the itch grew in intensity again, becoming a ferocious, burning irritation. He was unable to suppress a convulsive shudder, his armour clanking at the sudden movement. Ruben arched an eyebrow.

“Not a word. Go back to your book.”

Ruben did no such thing. Picking up the reins, he kept his horse abreast of Leofric’s, looking up at him and clearly settling in for a good long chat. Leofric recognized that spark in his eyes. ‘I can wait you out’, it said.

“Actually, I find myself rather tired of reading for the day. Come on, break the gloomy silence. What do you think our fellow travelers are going to be like?”

Leofric fought to keep from scowling, all too aware of what Ruben was doing. Forcing himself to remain still, he grunted a reply.

“Scholars and nobles. Don’t know what they’re in for. Don’t get too attached.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Serafina DeVille has a reputation for being an accomplished duelist as well as a musician. She might prove more handy with a blade than you!”

Leofric felt one shoulder starting to move against his will, and forced himself to straighten it. Phantom itches began to spring up across his back, begging to be scratched. He bit the inside of his cheek, feeling Ruben’s eyes on him all the while.

“As for Sir Peregrine and Miss Brightburn, they’ve survived one expedition already, supposedly with even less protection. They must be somewhat capable. I found some of Sir Peregrine’s work in the temple archive. It never occurred to me that there were so many uses for fungi.”

Ruben waited for a response, and Leofric struggled for something to say. He had barely been listening. If he arched his back, ever so slightly, one of the seeds lifted away from his skin. He could only imagine what it must look like. Red, irritated, tormented…

“You won’t be too surly with them, will you? I’m sure they’ll be quite lovely, and I suspect I’ll have a lot to learn from them. Sir Peregrine suggests some interesting medicinal applications for the mushrooms he studies, and that alone could be quite useful, and… You’re not taking in a word, are you?”

“Hm. Mushrooms. Medicinal. Fascinating.”

Ruben sighed, and stirred his horse forward, riding in front of Leofric and coming to a halt. Leofric grunted and tried to guide his horse around him, only for Ruben to block him again.

“Stop being childish. Let me through!”

“You’re one to talk. Stop being a stubborn fool, take a break, and take off your armour. I’m not going to spend the rest of this journey being grunted at because you’re too pig-headed to scratch an itch!”

Leofric sighed, and slipped out of his saddle. Slow, careful movements. He was stopping because Ruben demanded it, after all. Not because the promise of relief was so very, very close…

Ruben took the reins from him and set about tying up the horses, while Leofric removed his gauntlets. Gods, his hands were shaking from the urgency… The itch flared again, sending out another wave of prickling phantom itches, and he bit back a moan as he began desperately unbuckling straps.

“Here, let me help you. You’re going to snap those laces like that.”

Ruben carefully unlaced Leofric’s armour from the attachment points, removing his pauldrons and breastplate. As soon as he was able, Leofric tore off his gambeson with such urgency he heard a seam tear, and clawed frantically at his back. There was no holding back the moan of relief as his nails scraped across the itch at his lower back, not the snarl of frustration as he struggled to reach the one beneath his shoulder.

“Stop squirming. Let’s get this off, and see what’s the problem.”

Finishing removing the armour, Ruben pulled Leofric’s shirt over his head and tutted softly.

“No wonder you’re in such a state. This is full of hay! Let me get this cleaned out…”

Leofric grabbed Ruben’s arm before he could step away.

“Wait. Can you…”

“Oh? You do need help?”

Leofric sighed.

“Itch. Below the shoulder blade. Please!”

Ruben smiled, and set his short, neat nails to Leofric’s back. Leofric let out a moan that bordered on obscene as the ferocious prickling was scratched into submission. Feeling the tension begin to ease from his muscles, he allowed his head droop in relief.

“I take it I’m in the right spot?”

“Mm… Now a little lower?”

It was as if an army of ants was being brushed from his skin, and the bites they had left behind soothed. Ruben clucked his tongue sympathetically.

“You’re all red in places from the hay. It must have been driving you mad. I think I’ve a salve that might soothe this… Hold on…”

Ruben opened his satchel, and to his immense embarrassment, Leofric actually let out a whine as he stopped scratching.

“Oh, hush, this won’t take a moment. Let me see…”

As Ruben rummaged through his various cures, Leofric twisted around, trying to reach another itch. Now that they finally had his full attention, they refused to release it, new phantom itches springing up everywhere. Even the prickling in his nose returned with a vengeance, and he gave an irritated snort as he scrubbed it with his fist.

And then, the blessed touch of something cool on his back. He stilled at last as Ruben’s gentle hand rubbed the salve in, spreading blessed, cooling relief.

“Hhnng… You truly do have a healer’s hands.”

“And you truly are as stubborn as a mule. It didn’t have to get this bad.”

Lacking any argument, Leofric sighed and knelt down in the grass. Ruben knelt next to him, continuing his ministrations, until Leofric ceased making moans and whimpers of relief. This done, Ruben took up his shirt and grimaced as he looked over it.

“No wonder you were in agony; you’ve enough hay in here to last our horses the full journey! Did you not think to shake it out?”

“The abbot was yelling for us, I didn’t have time to fuss.”

“Well, we’re not continuing until I’ve got this cleaned out. I’d rather you not go into another sulk over something so avoidable.”

Leofric gave a dignified huff of annoyance.

“I do not sulk, thank you very much!”

Smiling fondly, Ruben took a stalk of hay from the inside of Leofric’s shirt, and flicked it playfully across his nostrils. The last itch that remained unscratched returned with a vengeance.

“Hhh-HH-HRAHHSHOO! Fiend!”

“Blessings. And you definitely sulk!”

“And you tease.”

“How could I not? Now sit and relax while I clean this. And next time you feel like some alone time with me, we’re going nowhere near a hayloft!”

[glazesunflower]

may i ask for some dating headcannons with focalors the hydro archon? :3

Dating Furina/Focalors Headcanons

Characters: Furina/Focalors x GN!Reader.

Warnings: None that apply!

Notes: I was waiting to play the first Fontaine Archon Quest to get a grasp of her character before writing this. I have to say, I absolutely love this gremlin and bratty Archon. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I had writing it. (The last ones are my favorite <3)

Furina is flamboyant, imprudent and she lives for the thrill of the drama and the validation of those around her, so you’ll have to be very understanding and patient with her and the fair amount of mishaps that she will surely cause. So be prepared!

.

She doesn’t really voice it, she’s too proud for that, but she absolutely loves the way you’ve become her anchor, helping to balance out her impulsive nature with your calm and understanding demeanor. When she's on the brink of making a hasty decision, you're there to gently guide her, reminding her to consider all perspectives and consequences before acting. And she takes your advice to heart, be proud of that!

.

She struggles internally a lot with the pressure of her public image. Of course, she doesn’t say this directly to you, but you can see how it affects her, and so you write for her heartfelt letters whenever she's facing a tough situation. She doesn’t really make much of a fuss about them, but internally your words of encouragement and reminders of her strengths become her source of comfort, and she rereads them many more times than she’s willing to admit. She even has a special box where she keeps them all. But don’t ask her about it!

.

But it’s not all sappy stuff, your relationship with her is very adventurous and fun! Furina absolutely loves a good thrill and an outstanding performance in everything she does, so you’re of course expected to tag along in all of her endeavors. Whether it's exploring a new case that’s just taken place, trying out quirky local restaurants, or taking impromptu road trips through Fontaine, you both find joy in the thrill of the new things you try together!

.

Furina absolutely thrives on positive attention and affirmation. She is always very touched by your heartfelt compliments and words of encouragement (she probably won’t say it, mind you, but she would engrave your words in her mind to always come back to them). Express your admiration for her skills, charisma, and unique qualities and Furina will glow, feeling appreciated and loved. Keep them coming, she can’t get enough!

.

After some time of her being with you, Furina will slowly (and I mean, very slowly) feel comfortable enough with letting her guard down around you. And that is no easy feat! She’s constantly thinking that she will be judged by whatever she says wrong, so you should feel immensely lucky that she’s willing to trust you with her innermost turmoils! (Her words.) In time, you create a safe space where she can express her insecurities without fear of judgment, because you’re kind like that and you love her. You encourage Furina to have a ton of heartfelt conversations, and slowly you help her understand that she doesn't have to be perfect to be loved. It’s still a work in progress, but she’ll get there.

.

Furina is a sucker for gifts. After all, what better way for others to express their admiration for her, right? But the ones she loves the most are yours, of course. The gifts and tokens of your affection hold special meanings, since you picked them out knowing she’d like them. Like a charm to remind her of her resilience or a piece of art that reflects her flamboyant personality and you thought, “Oh, this reminds me of her!”. Keep doing that. She can’t get enough of it.

.

Knowing how much she loves and treasures positive attention, you organize surprise events or gatherings to celebrate Furina’s accomplishments, no matter how small they are. She doesn’t make a big deal out of it (She deserves all the praise and attention, after all!), but you see the brightest smile dancing on her lips the whole day, and that’s how you see how much she values these moments. These thoughtful gestures show Furina that you genuinely appreciate her efforts and want to support her in all aspects of her life. She will try even harder this time, if only for you to praise her more.

.

Your relationship with her is also full of laughter. You tease each other constantly, at all times, sharing inside jokes, and find humor in the quirks of everyday life together. Furina knows you have an ability to make her smile even in challenging times and she silently appreciates you so much for her. Still, you tease her too much. And she is the embodiment of the divine, she can’t have you teasing her in public!

.

With the passing of the time by your side (and I mean, at a very slow pace!), Furina starts to overcome her need for constant validation from others. She slowly becomes more confident in her abilities in the court and outside of it, and she learns to embrace her imperfections (her impulsivity, childlike temper, the constant bravado and drama, the list goes on!), understanding that you love her for who she truly is. Really, how could you not? She’s impressive and heavenly! It’s only natural you’re head over heels and completely in love with her! (She’s working on her arrogance, too).

.

Furina loves the spotlight more than anything else in the world (well, she only likes you more, and that’s saying something!), so sometimes you plan extravagant date nights that cater to her love for the spotlight. Whether it's a private outdoor performance under the stars or a playful evening of reenacting dramatic scenes from her favorite plays, you keep the excitement alive for her. And she thrives in every minute of it.

.

When it comes to physical touch, Furina is by far not used to it at the very beginning, so she’s fairly unsure when it comes to it. But she’s quick to realize that your gentle pats on her back, walking around with linked arms, or even a reassuring touch on her shoulder during moments of stress in the courtroom make her feel so much better instantly! Is this some kind of heavenly magic? 

.

Furina quickly starts to associate your touch with positive emotions. Holding hands with you during a thrilling adventure or wrapping an arm around your waist while watching a dramatic play becomes something she really, really likes doing. 

.

And when you introduce cuddling to her, Furina finds a whole new world to explore and enjoy. Whether it's lounging on your couch or stargazing, Furina wants to be in your arms at all times, if she has any say in the matter! Let her nuzzle into your neck and stay there for a while, she feels the safest she’s ever felt.

.

Furina enjoys your touch very much. She does not enjoy, however, how you playfully tease her with light touches, tickles, and gentle bumps! She’s the embodiment of justice, you can’t just have her wiggling and choking on laughter beneath you, how unsightly! (She absolutely loves it).

.

Furina has associated your touch with comfort and safety, so don’t be surprised when she comes to you after an especially hard day. Yes, she messed up in the courtroom today, but you’ll let her rest against you, won’t you? Your hugs and embraces become her safe haven. Sometimes she will open up and admit what happened that day. Others, she simply wants to enjoy your arms holding her tight in silence. In either case, she deeply appreciates you being there for her. She won’t voice it, of course, but you’ll know in the way she presses her forehead closer to you and the angle of your neck.

.

She also finds that physical touch is very useful! She starts using her own touch on you as a way to express her emotions. A soft kiss on your cheek in the morning, a warm hug after a long day, or even a surprise tackle or an affectionate nudge as you tease each other becomes her way of saying "I care about you" without needing dramatic and flamboyant words. How practical! She will keep showering you with her divine affection for many more years to come!

.

Having Furina as a significant other is no easy feat, it takes a lot of courage, determination, and most of all, a big amount of patience and understanding. Still, she is the most vibrant and colorful part of your life, so you wouldn’t have it any other way. With her, you become her partner in both the thrilling moments and the challenges of her life. Your love and support help her navigate her insecurities and embrace her true self, helping to nurture a romance that's passionate and tender and all the beautiful things in between.

If you enjoyed this, please consider liking or reblogging it <3!

You can check more of my writing on (this link!). Thank you!

[virtues-end]

Hello, so excited to see you active and working on this IF again! I hope this means you are doing better on a personal level too because I remember you telling us you were not feeling up to writing and working on this as you were in a bad mental and emotional state. So I hope things have improved on that front too! 😊

I love the new and updated story and demo. I was just curious whether there are any changes to the characters or story. For example, I remember male Shea was trans and female Elixis was trans. Is this still true? What about the rest of the ROs? Are they still included? I remember you said you had to cut some of them off the story as they were way too many to write and account for. Same with our backstories, I remember you said you were considering altering/cutting some of the possible entities we can choose to be bound with. Sorry for all these questions, tumblr search is just notoriously bad so I can't find any answers to my questions.

Hello! I've been doing a lot better these past few months, thank you. I reached out and got help when things got really bad, and it's helped immensely. :) Though there are always days that are harder than others, of course, but I've been doing pretty well overall, I would say! Hope you're doing good, also. 💜

The majority of the main plot has remained the same 'behind the scenes', so to speak. I was thinking of cutting out a few of the helspawn entities when I first started the rewrite but ultimately chose against it--it just didn't feel right to change those! I did end up having to cut a few of the main companions, however, as it just was too much work for me at the time. I'm hoping to add a few of them as minor characters in the future, and for the others, I've incorporated some elements of their backstories and personalities into the remaining four (Elexis has some traits from Eiri and Sinclair now, for example, and Shea some of Sutton).

Regarding gender identities, female Elexis is trans, and nonbinary Elexis is always feminine leaning. Male Shea is not trans, however, though Penrose is a trans man. Shea looks and acts fairly masculine in all their forms, but they're pretty agender and not too fussed about it. Idris is... Idris. :)

[half-dead-writer]

hello I am in fact not dead I've been sick and lacking the motivation to write but hopefully I'll get into the groove again, I got so many requests I'm itching to get done but no strength to do it at all grrrr at first I tried to write a drabble but it just wasn't coming out right so I settled for the short headcanons - as a bonus you can see what I wrote for it below

Kim Pine with a shy and nervous S/O

character: Kim Pine (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) words: 261 reader: gender neutral warnings: none

𝔯𝔲𝔩𝔢𝔰 + 𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱 / 𝔖𝔠𝔬𝔱𝔱 𝔓𝔦𝔩𝔤𝔯𝔦𝔪 𝔗𝔞𝔨𝔢𝔰 𝔒𝔣𝔣 𝔪𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱

she thinks your nervousness is cute, to an extent

Kim isn't nervous or shy herself, but she can understand where your worries come from

if you're visibly stressed during a social gathering, she won't make a fuss out of it, instead taking you somewhere where you can cool off

Kim having the patience of a saint plays a big role in your relationship

even if you ask her a lot of times whether you done something wrong (whether it's an issue in your relationship or during an event where you're stressed about something you did during interacting with others) she'll always calmly reassure you and chase away your worries

that doesn't mean she won't be blunt about it, though

she will point out whatever you did right (or wrong) in her usual flat fashion

she doesn't mind re-explaining to you her logical reasons, as much as your anxiety makes you doubt her words

at the end of the day, she loves you, even if your confidence is lacking at times

if your love language isn't as open and not easily perceived, little gestures like holding her hand, staying close, no matter how small it may be - she sees it and appreciates you

the type to come up to the McDonald's counter and ask for extra fries they forgot to pack into your happy meal when you're too shy to ask for them yourself

will argue for/defend you if you need it, but also makes an effort to slowly make you come out of your shell, one step at a time

Seeing the look of pure passion on the drummer's face was enough to keep you occupied throughout the whole session of the band playing. You didn't wanna be a creep, of course, so you kept your staring at a minimum. You couldn't deny Kim held you tight in her grasp, though. She just seemed so cool. Somehow, her sarcastic remarks did not push you away, even if they poked holes in your already weak confidence.

Since you started working at No-Account Video, you made it your goal to get to know her better. Learning Kim was in a band was your best chance at showing your eagerness, as awkward as it was from your side. Your attempts at being social at work usually fizzled out after a few minutes, right after you used all of your small-talk dialogue options. Interacting with people didn't come easy to you, but you had to learn somehow, right? Thankfully, Kim accepted your request of seeing her playing live. Perhaps she took pity on you, seeing how hard it was for you to even utter the question.

The girl lowered her drumsticks, wiping the gathered sweat on her forehead. She grabbed the leftover soda from the nearby table, taking a sip. Briefly acknowledging your presence, she glanced your way.

"So? Do you think we suck?" Stephen asked, furrowing his brows with anxiety and hope, trying to gauge your reaction before you could even respond. He assumed the worst, per usual.

"I think- I think that was awesome." You hoped your smile, even if a bit shy, conveyed your excitement clearly.

"You don't have to be nice just because you don't wanna hurt Stephen's feelings." Kim commented with her usual flat tone, not bothering to sugarcoat her words. She knew they most likely sucked.

"No, no, I- I really think you're cool. Um, all of you." You clarified quickly, obviously overthinking your simple words.

"That's a relief." Her tone was ambiguous, most likely sarcastic, but somehow you managed to pinpoint a bit of sincerity in her words. Perhaps she did care at least a little bit of the opinion of her co-worker.

[parvulous-writings]

Dear Friend // Vander x Piltover!Reader

Summary: There is a silent friendship between you and an Undercity dweller.

Warnings: Brief mentions of violence and injury (not explicit)

Words: 2.7K

Notes:  My requests are currently open! My pinned post (found here) contains both a list of characters I write for, and a masterlist!  Original character list - please request for these too!

Not my gif

The Bridge of Progress may have been built to unite two people's, but most saw it as something that partially furthered division between the two cities. On both sides, the people's knew it was safer not to cross, to stay far from the bridge, lest the guards on the bridge are particularly crabby. Which they almost always were - no one wanted to be stationed there for any length of time. The complaints were always the same; the air was thicker with smog the closer you got to the bridge, there was always this smell of... Mustiness, that came along with it. No one enjoyed it. At least, that was Topside's view of the Bridge. Something to keep away from, to avoid, to not think about it, if it could be helped. For the dwellers of Zaun, however, it was something quite different. It was constant, looming reminder of what they were to Piltover. Nothing more than the things down below - not even people to most of them. Most Zaunites either were entirely indifferent to Piltover and it's so called progress, or held a deep-rooted disdain for each and every person Topside. You, however, weren't like your fellow city-livers. You didn't hate those who lived below you - you didn't see them as less-than for being born into something far beyond their control. Though, that could be in part because of a strange connection you had formed with one of the Zaunites. You knew nothing about him; not his name, his life, none of it. You didn't even know his eye colour - neither of you had dared to venture closer to one another, to close the gap over the bridge, for whatever reason. Whether it was the fear of repercussions from the watching enforcers, or fear of one another you had never really managed to put your finger on. You just knew that it had become an almost ritual for the two of you. Thankfully, the enforcers had never asked what you were doing, visiting the bridge almost every day, at the same time. They didn't care, so long as you left them alone, and didn't cause a fuss.

Today, the fog towards the opposite end of the bridge didn't seem to be as thick. It was still there, of course - it always was - but you could see through most of it, down part of the practically defunct cobble road, but your vision was soon rendered void as the road disappeared into the darkness of the city below. You sat down in your usual spot, about a quarter of the way along the bridge, waiting for your 'friend' to make an appearance. He always turned up after you, but he did turn up at the same time every day. Maybe it was because he knew you'd already be there, waiting for him. There had only been a handful of times where he hadn't shown up. And those days you'd spent as long as the enforcers would let you, sitting in your spot on the bridge, waiting, hoping that your friend was alright. Of course, so far he'd always turn up in a day or two - you came to realise he was probably sick. You'd never really thought how bad conditions down there must have been, and how often illness must've made it's rounds in the populous - it simply wasn't a thing in Piltover, it was something you had always really taken for granted. Everyone did, no one imagined a life without the healthcare that the citizens of Piltover were given. You supposed, for your friend, and any family he may have, that was their reality. No help, besides whatever home remedies they could scrounge together. You pitied them, but you didn't think there was much that you could do.

Whilst deep in your thoughts, you caught a shadow lumbering up the road in the distance. The broad shoulders - even though tiny from how far they were from you - were familiar enough. You sat up a bit straighter, trying to see if he was okay, without exchanging a single word with him. He looked more run down than usual - and even with the space between you, you could see the dirt on his face, the tears in his clothes. His shirt was torn in several places, exposing his skin and a few wounds here and there. His nose was battered and bloodied, and one eye seemed to have swollen shut. You felt your jaw practically drop at the sight. You had seen him recovering from illness before, you had seen him with some minor injuries, but this... This was something else to you. You had no idea what to make of it - was he the one to instigate whatever brawl he had been in? Was he jumping to someone's aid, someone's protection? You had no idea. For all the time you had spent with him, you had never said anything to him; never learnt his name, or who he was beyond his appearance. He could have been anyone - from Zaun's most vicious criminal, to their sweetest habitant. In the state that he was, though, vicious man or not, you were surprised that he had still come. You glanced over your shoulder towards the enforcers standing at your side of the bridge, to check if they were keeping a close eye on you. Of course they weren't - they hardly did, you caused no trouble, so why have cause to believe you would now?

Biting the bullet, you pushed yourself to your feet. Warily, you made your way further down the bridge than you ever had done before, taking yourself closer and closer to your friend, and by proxy, Zaun. At first, your friend didn't notice you. He was preoccupied, trying to rub his hands clean of the grime and blood that caked his knuckles. A fighter, clearly a rough one. You drew close, and crouched down beside him. "How badly are you hurt?" You ask him, your voice as gentle as you could make it, but it still made him jump a mile. So much crossed his face in that moment - fear, surprise, relief, scepticism. He had no idea what to say to you. Why were you this close to him? Why were you talking to him? You give him a moment, to collect his thoughts and his composure, but he still doesn't say anything. He just stares at you, as if you had asked him something unthinkable. "Are you okay?" You ask him, hoping that maybe this time he'd respond to you. "What happened?" He continues to stare for a while longer, before clearing his throat quietly. "Fight..." Was all he responded with, as if that was the most difficult thing to figure out about his current situation. "I see that..." You answer slowly. "But... What happened? How badly are you hurt?" You asked again, now that he seemed to be responding. He looked at you for a moment, seeming to be... Analysing something. Perhaps if you would understand, as a Topsider. "Someone was bein' less then courteous to a mate of mine... Wanted to stick up for him..." He told you - and for some, odd reason, this struck you. You'd never considered that fissure folk would fight for more than just trivial things and necessities. The man must've seen the look on your face, as he scowled a little bit. "What? Think we don't look after each other down there?" He asked, gesturing with his head towards the way he had come. "Well-" You started, though you weren't even sure what you were going to respond with. "Well we do. We're not savages, we're people." He told you, clearly this was something he had more of an opinion on than yourself. You supposed, as you crouched there beside him, that the bridge, and the separation of the cities was something far more prominent in the lives of the fissure folk, than it was in yours.

You snapped out of your thought-filled daze, patting yourself down, your gaze flitting this way and that, as you look for something, anything, that could help him. In a flash of what you thought to be genius, you tried to rip off part of your shirt to wrap his hand; it was something that you had read in adventure novels that seemed to work every time. When you attempted it, however, nothing happened, you couldn't even make a small tear in the fabric. The man just watched, his gaze moving between your hands, and your face. The corner of his lip twitched upwards slightly, clearly he was trying not to laugh at you. You sigh quietly, "Listen, I've not-" "Done this before, yeah, I can tell..." He replied, "I don't need bandages, these'll heal by 'emselves..." He told you, "'S not the first time this has happened, I'll live." "But you're bleeding-" "So? We all bleed. It's only a little, anyway. I'll be fine." He reiterated, shaking his head slowly. "I've had worse." Worse? Worse?? The man looked like he had crawled through hell and back just to sit on the bridge with you, and yet here he was saying he'd had worse? Your jaw when slack, and he huffed in laughter, "Don't s'pose you see much like this often, do you?" You shook your head. "Um... No..." You replied, your voice was soft, almost meek in comparison to his. The pair of you lapsed into silence for a while, sitting the way the pair of you normally did, just much much closer than usual. It was quite surreal, actually. Though you had often thought of the way the gap between you might one day lessen, you had never for one moment thought that this would be how. A few more minutes pass by, and as the midday sun starts to hit the top of the bridge's pillars, an idea strikes you. You start to rummage deep in your pockets, eliciting a strange look from the man beside you. You grasp at many small coins - just spare change you had grabbed and left in your pockets. To be honest you were surprised that there was any still left there, the amount of times you go to get something from your pocket and lose several coins. "Look-" You start, shoving the coins into his bruised and broken hands, "I know it's not much, but it's something, right-?" You hurriedly say to him, and his brows furrow. "I don't need your pity money." He tries to hand back what you had given to him, but you refuse. "I've got enough of it - I can get you some more, if you want-" "I just said-" "I know!" You cut him off, "But... It's just hit me how different our lives are, you know? Like... How much... Better, I have it." The man looked... Unimpressed. "You're joking, right?" Of course, to him, the differences were obvious. They were something thought about and discussed often, unlike with you, where it was a train of thought often shoved away, something that was not discussed in polite conversation. "It only just occurred to you?" You shrugged lightly in response, and he just sighed. "Listen... It's not that I don't appreciate it. I do. But..." He paused for a moment, "I can't just... Take your money, no matter how much you may have - it's not right." "You're not taking it!" You assure him, "I'm giving it to you... You need it a lot more than I do." And at this, he just... Looks at you. You couldn't really tell what he was thinking - then again, he didn't even know what to think in that moment. Were you just doing this out of pity, or was it genuine kindness? His mind logically went to the former, but something in his heart wanted to settle on the latter. A small glimmer of hope within him desperately wanted to believe that you weren't doing this just because you felt sorry for him, but because you genuinely wanted to help him. "I can bring some more tomorrow..." You told him quietly, glancing over your shoulder as if the guards would hear you. You knew they almost certainly wouldn't, not that they really cared anyway. "It's not a lot, but I'll get you more..."

"You didn't even have to give me this…" He mumbled, finally seeming to accept your gift to him. "I know… But you need it… I'm… I'm not going to miss it.." You admit to him, and he's just… Astounded. Not missing money? He could hardly fathom the idea. It just wasn't a concept in his day-to-day life. It was a small difference between your lives, but at the same time, it was something that had such an impact on both of you. There's a beat of silence as he considers this. "You sure?" He daren't pass this opportunity now - the one time he's found a Top-sider who seems to have any sort of empathy towards him and others like him. You nod, completely and utterly certain in your actions. "Yeah, I'm sure. You need it." "Thank you." The words are quiet, not quite ashamed, but appreciative. Truly and deeply grateful for this kindness, even though to you it was only small. There's another beat of silence, as he considers what to say next. "Name's Vander." "Huh… Suits you." You smile back at him, and Vander just watches you for a moment, almost expectantly. "You going to tell me your name?" He asks you, and you consider doing so for a moment. "Maybe." You reply, a smile playing on your lips. "But… Maybe we should be on better terms first…" "What, so you're now my mysterious benefactor?" He asks, shaking his head a little bit. "Come on… It's just your name…It's not like I'm askin' for your whole life story now, is it?" "Well, no.. but… Well you offered your name first, and I was totally fine to keep things anonymous between us… That's how it's always been, and… I don't know if I'm ready to take the leap out of that mystery just yet…. You know?" You turn to look at him, and after a moment, he begins to nod slowly. "Yeah, I think I know what you mean…" He replies slowly. There's a beat of silence before he speaks again. "I respect it… I won't pry. Could be… Fun, I s'pose… Though I don't know if telling folks back home that I got this money from 'a mysterious topsider' will go down well…" Before you could reassure him about the situation, and give him something to tell the other people back home that wouldn't get him in trouble, he spoke once more. "Ah well… I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, eh?" "You could always say it's from a dear friend?" You suggest to him, and Vander shakes his head. "They'd never believe that, not in a million years… I think the mystery will probably serve me a little better, might be able to make some story with it…" He nods thoughtfully at his own words. "Well, so long as you're sure…" "I am." Vander replies assuredly, clearly despite the inconvenience of the lack of information you've given him has had no effect on his confidence at the moment. "Besides, I think people'll be more concerned about this." He chuckles as he holds up a fist. There's another moment of silence between the two of you. Content, almost friendly. Then, Vander puts his hands on his knees, pushing himself to his feet. You follow suite, and he turns to you. "Well, um… Thank you." He tells you, almost awkwardly. It's clear he's not entirely sure what to say to you here. "I've… Got to get going… But I'll be back, tomorrow, like always… If you are, of course…" "I've never missed a day." You respond with a light chuckle. "You take care of yourself, alright? Try not to get into anymore fights?" You ask, like a concerned parent worrying about their rebellious son. "No promises." Vander laughs quietly, before slowly starting to plod away. "I'll catch you next time…" By the time you've glanced at him to say your own goodbyes, he's gone too far down the path for you to follow. At least today. Perhaps, you think as you turn to start on your own way home, you may be able to summon the courage to cross the bridge at a later date. But for now, you're just happy you have your own little meeting place, with Vander. It'll do, for the time being.

[promptedwordsmith]

LADS Prompt

LADS guys on your birthday, my birthday is coing up and i needed to write this. I don't know Zayne very well, I don't interact with him very much so I apologise if it isn't in character, I tried! XOXO

Rafayel:

Buys tons of presents and then struggles to choose between them.

Sometimes experiments by exposing you to different things over the weeks before your birthday to see what holds your attention best.

He is a god at wrapping things, goes above and beyond. Bows, ribbons interesting folding patterns and even includes little tabs for you to pull on for easy opening.

He does prefer using nautical themed wrapping paper but for your birthday he might even design his own pattern relating to something you’re interested in at the time.

Is a big believer in spoiling the birthday person, goes a bit harder each year, treats you like royalty all day, will do anything you ask with little to no complaint, possibly because he knows he’d get similar treatment from you on his.

When you wake up, he has decorated the living room and kitchen, and the ceiling of your bedroom is covered in balloons, you better believe he’d rather die than tidy it up though so as a last birthday present, he’d hire a cleaner to come.

Will work on a painting each year for you varying in size and subject and forces you to accept it regardless of the fact it would probably be worth more than you could ever even earn.

Xavier:

Understated excitement, he is buzzing to spend the day with you. He is his usual calm self, but he has this invigorated energy thrumming under his skin all day that makes him seem livelier even though he acts the same as usual.

Gets you incredibly meaningful presents. If he has a nickname for you, they may be related to that as well.

Is clingier than usual, he’s just so freaking happy that you want to spend your special day, your birthday with him, spends a lot of the day doing little acts of service for you and giving you affectionate little touches.

Is good at basically everything… except wrapping presents. He covers everything up so you can’t see the present with in but uses way too much, using an entire roll for four small to medium presents. Wants it to be secure so nothing breaks or if it gets ripped before your birthday there’s plenty of other layers to keep the surprise.

After a few birthdays you convince him to just start using bags, which he starts taping them an unnecessary amount, so you can’t peek.

Decorates the living room and kitchen differently each year which he keeps a surprise but doesn’t realise he isn’t as sneaky at decorating the bedroom while you sleep, pushing the balloons through the door which makes a squeaking noise. You never have the heart to tell him, and it becomes a fun little tradition for you.

You would find out years and years later that it was on purpose, when you’d catch him staring at you through the crack in the door, he wanted to build the excitement for you.

Zayne:

Zayne is definitely a wine and dine kind of guy, he doesn’t have much time off, or even time out of work full stop so every second he has with you he wants to be special. Every year for your birthday he would book a day off work so he could give you the works to make up for it.

Makes an itinerary, wake up later than usual, cook you your favourite breakfast, do an activity of your choice, take you out for a picnic for lunch, take you to an outdoor (like the museum or aquarium), take you back to change and then take you out for a five-star meal at a place he booked months in advance. Though if you don’t want to do anything he will immediately adjust for you.

Like one year you don’t feel up to going out at all, feeling a bit under the weather, he immediately drops everything, even the reservation, without so much as a fuss and doesn’t give you any grief about it ever, he just wants to spend time with you whether you want to be wine and dined or just loaf on the sofa all day.

Wraps meticulously and efficiently, it is always neat, and usually a solid colour packaging, with a few bows or ribbons distributed between them.

The same for decorating the house, he uses your favourite colours to decorate and usually has a theme every year.

His favourite thing is to spend time with you so every birthday he is by your side like glue, he is never clingy other than on your birthday and Christmas.

His favourite thing to do for your birthday is take you away somewhere, whisk you away to a spa or a bnb in a different city, loves knowing his time with you won’t be interrupted.

[nkjemisin]

Hi!

I’m currently struggling to go to sleep the night before a big solo performance for a school event, so I figured I’d ask one of my favorite authors a couple things I’ve been wondering about. (Does flattery still work on people?)

So, I believe I remember you saying something along the lines of “people ask me why I write about weird sex magic. It’s because I read Greek mythology, and it has a lot of weird sex magic.” And I’m paraphrasing that horribly, but I was wondering, what things *have* you drawn inspiration from? I’m in love with the way magic is portrayed in both the Dreamblood books and the Broken Earth trilogy (I’ve yet to read the inheritance series), and I was wondering what inspiration you had? They feel kind of different to me—dreamseed and it’s counterparts seem really rooted in the four humors and the way some older mythos have a big fuss around the seed of gods and all that fun stuff, but the magic in Broken Earth feels a lot more . . . introspective, I guess? It seems like you’ve written it to be much more focused on the individual’s own perception of it, and that influences what they can do/how they do things. And I don’t really think I’ve seen anything that leans into that angle, as far as mythos goes. (Though I really, really cannot claim to be knowledgeable in that.)

And for the second thing: do you have any tips to becoming a good reader? I can read *fast*, but I really feel like I don’t get more than just the surface and shallow ideas about the message/themes the author might intend. It always seems like people are able to come up with very introspective, in depth dissections of their favorite characters and books, and I can’t help but look at those sometimes, and go, “wow, what was *I* reading?” I guess that it might be a learned skill, but I don’t really know where to start. I guess I also wanted to ask about what themes and such you wanted to incorporate into the Broken Earth trilogy (that was my introduction to you, then Dreamblood, then the Great Cities), but that’s really just a secondary thing to this question.

Well, regardless of whether or not you answer, I just wanted to ask so I could stop thinking about it constantly. I can’t wait to jump into the Inheritance Trilogy next time I buy books.

Flattery doesn't work on me, but I do love to talk shop, so... 😄 Cutting for length:

To your first question, about the different ways I depict magic -- first, it's not just Greek mythology that I use. There are soooo many cosmologies and cosmogonies out there that show gods as rowdy, horny, petty, and basically human, just with weird magic powers on top of that. The Dreamblood books are specifically informed by ancient Egyptian mythology and culture. I did some research into ancient Egyptian medical texts -- in particular the Edwin Smith Papyrus -- so I drew from those to create Gujaareh's four dream humors. I wanted Gujaareh to feel like an ancient Egypt that might have developed if magic actually worked... and if its own version of Imhotep had been a manipulative megalomaniac who decided to start a magic-controlled theocracy. tl,dr; Ancient Egyptians had a thing for humors and surgery and gods that were into sex lettuce, so that's what I claimed for Gujaareh.

With the Inheritance Trilogy I ranged more widely in what I mooched from existing cosmologies, because I wanted to build a belief system that resembled real-world stuff but wasn't just our world's gods in costume. For example, I noticed that lots of systems suggested that existence or human genesis begins with gods banging or fighting (or both), so I came up with a creation myth chock full of gods banging and fighting. Familiar hanger, new clothes on it.

But the Broken Earth books aren't about gods. There's a mythic frame "explaining" the Seasons and past disasters and Father Earth and so on, but that wasn't the focus. I was more interested in the ways we apply myths to people, treating some marginalized groups as simultaneously superhuman and subhuman... but never simply human. Same for the Great Cities books. It's meaningful that other cultures have discovered the existence of city avatars and worked them into their cosmologies, but only as a bit of detail to make the world more complete. Again, the mythology isn't the focus there.

I can't help you on becoming a good reader, sadly, because I am a very bad reader these days. I have a lot of trouble shutting off my "inner editor voice," which is a thing that I've heard a lot of other pro authors (and editors, and reviewers) mention. People in my business spend years developing the ability to spot problems in writing... and the inner editor is what happens when you stop being able to shut that ability off. The typos, the clichés, the patches of language that could've been trimmed out, all of it just starts to glare. The thing is, all books have issues like this, and most of the time they're not even errors, just... pecadilloes. The little things that are part of reading work made by human beings. They mean the writer was tired and didn't proofread as closely as they should, or maybe the writer was waffling on word use and inadvertently ended up using one a little too much, or maybe they were having a fight with their copyeditor about spelling and missed a grammar flub. Just part of reading. But if you, like me, have an inflamed inner editor, then instead of taking in the whole picture of whatever the author is trying to show you, you get nitpicky. You get irrationally angry at typos. You hyperfocus on the author's tendency to use one word too much. (A writer friend told me I use too many "plinths," for example.) You spend time thinking about structural issues and not noticing the language, or vice versa.

But since I'm currently in self-imposed reading rehab, maybe this will help you: For me, it helps to move away from what's familiar. I read a lot of stuff outside the SFF genre, because it's easier to shut off my inner editor when I'm less familiar with the tropes, the styles, the concepts. I've also really gotten into audiobooks, for example, because when I can't see the text I can't critique it, or at least not as instantly. So that's all I can suggest. If you've developed the habit of gulping down books, find a way to throttle the flow, so to speak. Try playing audiobooks on half speed, to train yourself to patience. Read outside your comfort zone, which will force you to slow down and take things in because of the unfamiliarity. Maybe try ebooks with the text blown up a lot, so that you have to turn the page more often; I don't know, just spitballing now. Maybe folks will have better suggestions in the comments. Hope it helps!

[natasha-in-space]

High Enough

Unknown/gn!reader;

For day 1 of Mystictober: favorite character/dance. I will be doing only a handful of these this year around, depending on which promts get me inspired enough to write something! This one's very self-indulgent. I always thought of what would have happened if you got a chance to interact with Unknown in the game. What if he shows up at the party?

"I never would have expected to see someone as mysterious and broody as you in the middle of such a posh event, Mr. Unknown."

You only laughed as your dance partner tightened his hold on your hand in response to your little jab, his cold eyes narrowing at you in a silent warning. A warning that only encouraged you to get ever bolder with your relentless teasing.

It's common knowledge to avoid playing with fire, unless you want to get burned. Alas, you were never good at following this saying. After all, who in their right mind would listen to a complete stranger and go to some remote location with minimum fuss? You didn’t know whether you were really that stupid, naive, or you simply didn’t care about your own life anymore. Perhaps, the truth was somewhere in the middle, as it often was. Either way, your every choice lead you to this very moment: with you now swaying to the soft jazzy melody, a man you met face to face for the very first time as your partner.

And, despite all the glaring red flags, you felt oddly at peace with it.

It was hard to see any red when all your eyes could focus on was this beautifully harsh mint that pulled you in, like an enchanted lake would lure some poor traveler's soul in those old-timey tales you would read as a child.

You knew that you should probably try to notify Seven of the presence of the very same hacker that has been tormenting their organization for days now. You knew that what you were doing right now was stupid at best, and outright dangerous at worst. You knew that this wouldn't end in your favor, regardless of how much fun you were having in the present. But, you also knew that you wouldn't do the right thing here. You had every opportunity to contact Seven and relay all the important info to him, once Unknown contacted you again for the first time a few weeks ago.

Yet, you didn't. You never did. Not even once. Not a single slip of the tongue left your lips about your secret guardian angel who was watching over your every move and word. Or, was he a devil? His smirk was certainly devilish, in the best way possible.

Instead, you indulged in this mysterious man's attention, cryptic messages sent between you two leaving you reading in between the lines, hungry for answers you knew you wouldn't find. You were just a plaything to him. A tool. His eyes. And yet, something about that left your heart fluttering in your chest, much to your own bewilderment and curiosity. You were connected. What you saw, he saw. What you heard, he heard. Something was alluring about knowing that someone was watching over your every move with such precision.

Maybe, you just weren't right in the head.

You brought up the idea of him going to the party as a joke, really. In hindsight, you probably should have known Unknown doesn't do jokes. Despite everything, you were unsure if he would arrive up until the very last moment. That is until you got a message from him. In a classic Unknown fashion, it was something that would surely make chills run up your spine if you were someone of sound mind. Nothing but the short: 'I see you ^^', that left you looking around the ballroom, as if you forgot where you were for a second. He wouldn't reveal himself to you for another 20 minutes or so, pulling you along for a frustrating game of cat and mouse. And, despite you supposedly being in the role of a cat in this game, you never felt more exposed. Much to your disappointment, he didn't let you find him in the end. He came to you instead.

When it came to Unknown, the game was always rigged from the start. He was the one in control, holding all the cards, and he didn't try very hard to hide that from you. In fact, you were pretty sure he found your little games exciting in his own strange twisted way. He enjoyed toying with you, and you played right into his hands every time. Like a good little tool, you were.

His appearance definitely blended well with the party. No one would suspect that the young man the party coordinator chose as their dancing partner for the night was of any threat at all. Truth be told, the moment he finally revealed himself to you fully, you found your breath getting caught up in your throat as you took him in, no physical barriers or mind games stopping you this time around. Unknown wore a captivatingly dark tailcoat adorned with mint patterns, and, if you squinted very hard, you could make out an eye or two between the thin intertwined lines. It was somewhat funny. As if he just couldn't help but make a point of him keeping his eyes on you at all times. The captivating mint accents on his black tailcoat certainly brought out his eyes of the very same odd color, making it that much more easier for you to get lost in them. You wondered if he wore contacts. Such eye color didn't seem natural. Then again, Unknown was always unpredictable, full of mysteries you would never solve, unless he let you. The plain white button-up he wore underneath his tailcoat was unbuttoned at the collar just enough for you to see a slick black choker around his neck. You certainly didn't have any naughty thoughts of hooking your finger under it to pull him closer to you, until he was pressed flush against you. Not even once. His white hair with pinkish ends was messy, not at all styled to look neatly combed like the rest of the guests here, and you couldn't help but marvel at the way his slightly curly locks would sometimes fall over his eyes, making the desire to reach in and brush them aside almost unbearable. He was simply exquisite to look at. A lovely treat for your eyes. Or, was he more like poison? Luring you in with this irresistible facade, only to capture you in his claws once you were too close for comfort?

No matter what he was, you hoped he felt the same way about your party outfit as well. Maybe it was just your wishful thinking, but you swore you caught him occasionally looking you up and down, the intensity in his gaze increasing ever so slightly, as he would then swiftly pull you close in your dance, making your body brush up against his ever so slightly. Judging from the low chuckle that would rumble in his throat whenever he did that, he knew exactly what he was doing to you. So, is that really such a crime to pay him back a little?

"You sure have a lot of sass for someone who's supposed to be so seemingly perfect, party coordinator." Unknown hissed just loud enough for you to hear, suddenly dipping you as you gasped and stared up into his eyes, completely taken aback by this unexpected move. He didn't have to do much to leave you breathless. And you didn't really try to conceal that fact from him. Just as quickly, you were brought right back up, with him now twirling you around, your back pressing up against his chest. His hands playfully slid down your sides, until they gripped onto your hips, leaving you trembling in place, your face suddenly growing too hot for comfort. You barely managed to suppress a choked whimper as his breath ghosted the shell of your ear in such a delicious way. "You're in no position to tease me, Y/N. But, I admire your boldness. Makes it that much more tempting for me to tame you. Oh, but you probably would like that, wouldn't you? That's why you left those bastards in the dust without a second thought. You know your place."

Fuck, what are you even supposed to say to that? In fact, it was becoming difficult for you to even think straight, not with the heat of his body against your back making you feel all hot and bothered. You gulped. "...Is it too early to take you up on that offer of yours?"

Both of you were well aware of what you were referring to. It was the very first message he sent you after you foolishly stepped into Rika's apartment at his request, essentially sealing your fate.

'It'll be really fun from now on. Enjoy your time with everyone. I'll go get you soon.'

Your chin was tickled by a gruff chuckle as his thumb caressed your hip. God, this man was driving you wild. "Patience, dear party coordinator. The end will be the same either way. But, if you do a good job for me... I might consider giving you a reward once that time comes."

"A reward?"

As his chapped lips briefly brushed against your cheek, you could only gasp, trembling in his arms like the silly butterfly you were. Except, this butterfly landed into the spider's web willingly. You wondered what that meant for you.

"I'll personally welcome you to our eternal party. Consider this your personal invitation to paradise, prince/ss."