#i drew a bird ONCE and i didn't love how it turned out

[science-lings]

I wish I knew how to draw birds bc I have so many ideas for how I want Phoenix!Phoenix and Phoenix!Ryunosuke to look but animals in general are hard and I feel like I can never quite get the results that I want no matter how much I try and one of these days it's going to drive me crazy

[kurogane2512]

Man, i just finished the main story and all i can say is CANTARELLAAAAAAAAA 😭😭💞💞💞 she's actually surprisingly chill the entire time she's onscreen and i love that she's so affectionate around girls like!! wow!!! calling them "my dear"!! all those time she'd cup their chins!!!! my heart can't take it!!!!

Although, mine did break while doing her companion quest like........pls.......i know you're strong......i know you're resilient..........but you don't have to hide your pain and bear responsibilities alone..........at least not while you're around rover...........

I invited her to go on a boatride and all her voicelines are so aaaaa 💞💞 so what about f!rover taking her out on a boatride date and maybe bringing her to a picnic spot afterward?? Up to you if you wanna bring some smut in but i just want to spoil her, man.....

THE URGE TO SPOIL HER IS SO REAL LITERALLY NSIDJFHWEI She's so mother all the time but she deserves that love and care in return 😭😭

Game: Wuthering Waves

Characters: Cantarella x fem!reader (Rover)

Type: SFW, Fluff (slightly suggestive in some parts)

The afternoon sun cast a soft glow over Thessaleo Fells, but there was a chill in the air that didn’t quite match the warmth of the light. The tall grass swayed in a gentle breeze, and the path stretched out ahead, winding its way toward the distant silhouette of Porto Veno Castle. The land was quiet, save for the soft rustle of leaves, wanderings of Tacet Discords and the occasional call of birds in the distance.

The scent of flowers mixed with the salty tang of the sea as you walked, each step drawing you closer to the castle. Its commanding yet eerie silhouette seemed to watch from afar, standing steady against the fading light, as if waiting for your arrival. The world around you felt peaceful, yet there was an unspoken sense of anticipation in the air, like something was just about to begin.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Cantarella." you spoke once you reached the boundary of the castle grounds and spotted Cantarella standing near under her parasol.

She turned to face you with a gentle smile on her face, her lavender hair swaying through the breeze.

"Not at all. You are right on time as scheduled, Y/n."

You smiled in return then walked closer to her, extending your hand.

"Shall we?"

She softly grasped it with her own, interlacing your fingers together as a smirk drew up her face.

"Well, may I know what arrangements you have made? I cleared my schedule for the day as you asked, but I haven't prepared for anything else."

"Uh, well...." you scratched your cheek shyly, "....I wanted to take you out somewhere. You said you wanted to sightsee around Ragunna, right?"

Your words surprised her for a moment, her eyes widening just so slightly before softening them.

"I see.... very thoughtful of you, dear. I have indeed been going out more frequently now since a major responsibility was lifted from my shoulders- by none other than you~"

She smirked then stepped closer to you, leaning near your face.

"So, where are you taking me for this date?~"

The emphasis on 'date' made you shiver briefly. Of course, you thought about it being like that, but didn't want to name it.

"A-Ahem, well, Gondola rides are quite the tourist attraction here. How about we go around in that?"

"Oh, a little voyage on the sea? Hehe, if you wish. Gondolas are such private escapes. Any commotion fades into the water~" she hummed with a chuckle, "In that case, we can take the Gondolas parked here at the castle and start our journey now itself. Unless, you have made other arrangements, of course."

"No, it's fine. I thought to take one at the city, but this is better."

She smiled and lightly tugged your hand, beckoning you to follow her.

"Wonderful, let us leave at once."

You sensed some eagerness from her which made you slightly relieved and confident about the plan. You then followed her to the waterside outside the castle where 2 gondolas were parked. You boarded one first then offered your hand to help her board, which she accepted by keeping one hand on yours and holding up her dress with the other, gracefully stepping onto the gondola. You sat down on the respective seats, facing each other.

"So, what's our first stop?~" she asked with a playful smile, resting back on the seat and elegantly draping one leg over the other.

"Hmm, shall we go to Whisperwind Haven through Nimbus Sanctum? The surroundings are quite good in them, and we can sit down at Whisperwind Haven later to take a break. Or, we could also go to the city through Egla Town. Any option is fine with me."

"Hm~ You seem to have thought about this quite a bit, I'm impressed~"

Your cheeks reddened a little, "Of course I have, I wouldn't invite you without a plan...."

Cantarella softly chuckled, "Indeed, I know how you are, dear. I'm pleased. Well then, I find the former option better. However, we will have to make a stop at Egla Town to change the gondola. This one cannot go beyond that."

"Sure, that's okay."

You patted the gondola echo and it gave its acceptance then began moving towards the waterfall.

"Ah, the waterfall.... You should brace yourself, Cantarella. Or, hold on to me if you'd like."

Cantarella smirked, "Tempting offer that I'll have to reject since there isn't enough time to move to you. Don't worry, I can handle it~"

You nodded with a smile and braced yourself as the waterfall neared, then with a sudden thud the gondola jumped before descending down the waterfall and falling into the lake with a splash. You shook off the water from your body, running your hands through your wet hair when your gaze laid on Cantarella's drenched form and you became entranced- her wet clothes clung to her body giving a translucent view of her skin and her lavender hair shone brighter as she dried them off.

"My, this never fails to give an adrenaline rush, hehe~" she chuckled as she squeezed water out of her hair.

"Y-Yeah, it's thrilling....!" you averted your gaze with a blush, realizing you were staring at her.

Cantarella smirked and looked at the scenery around her, taking in the sights. A gentle breeze picked up as the gondola stirred across, her luscious hair swaying with the wind.

"Well, how have you been recently, Rover? Saving more lives, as usual?~"

You chuckled, "Not really, I have just been helping Cartethyia settle into her new life."

"Oh, is that so? So, you finally found some time to take out for me?~" she narrowed her eyes with a grin.

"N-No, it's not like that. I assumed you'd be busy with your family affairs...."

She chuckled, "Relax, I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Helping Cartethyia is more essential, indeed. We must also prepare for our next move to uncover the schemes brewing in the shadows."

"Yeah, I will soon get in touch with Carlotta about it."

"That will be apt. This time, I don't plan to take a backseat either, this must be resolved once and for all."

She gazed into the distance with a unwavering look, clearly determined to set things right.

"Don't worry, everything will turn out fine."

Cantarella turned to you with a smile, "With you here, I don't doubt that at all~"

You smiled back with a blush, "Without you all, I cannot do anything."

She softly laughed, "You are always so endearing, Y/n~"

Your face turned redder at her compliment, "H-Hey, it's the truth—!"

She hummed in defiance and looked away again, the smirk not leaving her face as she glanced at you from the side.

"Hm, seems we are approaching Egla Town soon." she noted.

The gondola stopped at the port of Egla Town after a few minutes and you both stepped out, taking a moment to gather yourself and look for the next gondola. Cantarella opened her parasol and walked around the port for a bit, gazing up at the hustle-bustle of the town with a smile.

"Cantarella, we can take the next one in 5 minutes." you came up to inform her and she nodded in understanding.

"Oh, is that.... big sister Cantarella and Rover?!" a familiar cheerful voice called out to you both and you turned around to face the person.

"Chloe.... it's been a while." Cantarella greeted the girl with a smile.

"How have you been? You haven't come to meet us at all." Chloe chimed with a pout.

"Ah, I have been busy with some things. You tell me, how is Jojo doing?" Cantarella replied.

"Oh, he's better than ever! His treatment went well."

As you conversed, you heard the gondola call out to you as it was time to depart.

"Oh, are you both out on a date?" Chloe asked with an excited look, catching you off-guard.

"N-No, we are just taking a stroll...." you replied bashfully, your face turning a little red.

Cantarella chuckled at your side, "Indeed, this is just a stroll. Don't go around jumping to conclusions this way~"

Chloe nodded with a pout then Cantarella continued, "Well, we will take our leave now. Take care of yourselves and Jojo, and don't hesitate to contact me in case you ever need help."

"Of course, big sister. You also take care of yourself. At least you have Rover to keep you company!"

You blushed again then were about to turn around to leave when Chloe tugged your arm, urging you to lean towards her. You watched Cantarella walk towards the gondola and went closer to Chloe who leaned to whisper in your ear, "Take care of her, big sister~"

Your face flushed at the provocative tone and choice of words, "L-Leave it to me...."

Chloe giggled, "Hehe, let me give you a little token of gratitude. Take this and share with her during your date!~"

She handed you a packet and you looked inside to find some fruits of various kinds.

"All freshly harvested, I'm sure she'll like them."

You smiled, "Thank you, I will. Goodbye."

"Bye-bye~"

Chloe waved at your departing figure. You kept the packet in your backpack before you reached the gondola, wanting to make it a surprise for Cantarella. She was already seated in the gondola by the time you reached, patiently waiting for you.

"What did she say to you?" she asked.

"Nothing much, just general welfare. Let's go now before it's late."

You patted the gondola and it began to move. She looked at you with suspicion but didn't question further.

"So, are we headed to Nimbus Sanctum next?" Cantarella asked.

"Mhm, the scenery should be good there around this time."

She nodded with a smile and calmly took in the views around her.

"Have you visited all places around Ragunna before?" you asked.

"Hmm, a few times. As a child, I mostly stayed confined in my house in order to study the ways of the Fisalia family, and then I was sent for the trials and eventually chosen as the next head. During my time as the head, I went to every place at least once for miscellaenous purposes. However, it's been a long time since I went anywhere other than the city as I spent the last few years travelling to foreign nations, and also refraining myself from public appearances due to the family's reputation."

"I see, I hope you enjoy this little 'stroll' then."

"Hehe, I already am. In fact, I'd enjoy doing absolutely nothing as long as it's with you, my dear~"

Your heart fluttered at her words and you simply nodded, feeling quite embarrassed. You soon approached Nimbus Sanctum as thick fog started clouding your vision, blanketing the entire region as far as the eyes could see. You approached closer to the center and the fog finally cleared up enough to see the surroudings, a serene sight occupying your vision now. Cantarella looked all around with wide eyes and took a deep breath to relish the atmosphere.

"A beautiful sight, made even more so in your company~" she commented.

She relaxed herself as she basked in nature's presence, a soothing melody flowing in her ear.

"Oh, is that.... Lorelei singing?"

"Mhm, it is. Have you heard her sing before?"

"Once.... a long time ago. Though, the melody from then is still fresh in my mind due to how divine it was."

The gondola moved closer to the atrium then stopped near the arch. You remained seated inside and listened to the pleasant music until Cantarella noticed something different.

"This song.... isn't the one from before. It's familiar...." she mumbled as she focused on the singing then became a little surprised, "This is.... Y/n, is this your doing?"

You nodded with a smile, "I asked Sebastian and Carmilla about your taste in music...."

Butterflies erupted in Cantarella's stomach at the revelation, the song currently enveloping her was her favorite and it was made all the more better by Lorelei's angelic voice. She became speechless for a moment then regained her composure and gave a sly smirk.

"Oh my, to make Lorelei sing to your choice.... for me?"

"I just wanted you to enjoy and relax...."

She softly chuckled, "When did you even get the chance to ask Sebastian and Carmilla about this?~"

"Well, I have my ways~" you said with a grin.

She chuckled more, "Thank you, I'm utterly grateful for this surprise~"

"No need for thanks, this really isn't much."

She smiled and tilted her head a little, "What matters isn't the action itself, but the thought and intention behind it, my dear~"

You smiled back with a light blush and basked in the music and nature together.

"Oh right, before I forget...." you took out the packet from your backpack, "Chloe gave me this to share with you. I figured this is a good time." you offered it to her.

"Oh, how sweet of her. They all look so fresh." she reached into the packet to grab some cherries.

"Mhm, she said it's freshly harvested."

Cantarella held up one cherry then stuck out her tongue to taste it, and a sudden shiver immediately went down your body looking at the alluring dispaly of her engraved tongue playing with it. She glanced at you staring at her and narrowed her eyes playfully then bit the cherry and pulled out the stem before seductively swallowing it.

"Mmm, delicious~" she commented before continuing to eat the rest.

Well, your best option was to look away for the rest of the duration.

After some time, the gondola started moving away towards the other end of Nimbus Sanctum.

"So, Whisperwind Haven next?" she asked.

"I thought to have lunch there, but are you hungry right now?"

"Oh, that's no trouble. We'll have to walk quite a bit to find a quiet place, I'm sure we'll build an appetite by then~"

"Alright, let's go then."

As expected, you indeed had to walk for some time after deboarding the gondola to find an empty, quiet place devoid of Tacet Discords and other disturbances. You almost reached the other end when you finally decided to sit under big tree. You laid out a blanket and asked her to sit while you took out several dishes from your backpack one by one.

"Huh, to think you were carrying everything in there all this time...." she noted with a chuckle.

"Abby gets hungry a lot so I made it a habit. But today, all this is for you."

"Oh, please, I cannot possibly finish everything on my own~"

You gave a soft laugh then settled down beside her, offering her some of everything.

"I see a lot of these dishes are my favorite.... Was this from Sebastian and Carmilla too?~"

"Mm, a little bit. I remembered what you said about preferring simple dishes due to your dormant tastebuds so I took some advice from them to make these."

"Wait, you made these yourself? Everything?" she asked wide-eyed.

You blushed, "Y-Yeah, it's not so difficult...."

Cantarella couldn't help but feel immense gratification, her hand automatically reaching out to gently cup your face.

"....Why are you doing this, Y/n?"

You looked at her in shock then softened your expression and cupped her held out hand with a smile.

"As I said earlier, I just want you to relax and enjoy."

"Is that all?" she probed with a tilt of her head.

The words were on the tip of your tongue but before you could reply, you heard some commotion nearby and quickly looked to the side, only to find a group of wild Tacet Discords approaching you both. You felt Cantarella's hand retract as she slowly stood up to face the approaching monsters, her parasol drawn out to as she prepared for battle.

"Please, give us some privacy, would you?~" she mocked with a smirk, preparing to unleash an attack but stopped as you stood up and pushed her parasol down.

"Let me handle it."

She was about to refute but couldn't get any words out as you already walked ahead, summoning your sword in hand. Her eyes widened looking at the sword- it was the sword she gifted to you, Bloodpact's Pledge, a sword that was passed down in Fisalia family for generations and symbolized an immortal bond. She smiled to herself and retreated as you asked, she knew there was nothing to worry about.

With a single sweep of concentrated energy, you decimated the monsters in a flash and the fight was over before it even began. You then turned back to face Cantarella who watched with a contented look and patted the place beside her, wanting you to sit. You nodded and sat down then were about to say something but were held back as she suddenly rested her head on your shoulder, cuddling into you. You blushed and tensed up, finding this action quite surprising.

"C-Cantarella?"

"Shh, just rest now~"

You composed yourself and eased your nerves, tilting your head to lightly lay on hers and closed your eyes. The leaves whispered softly overhead as sunlight filtered through in golden patches. The world was still— only the quiet murmur of the stream nearby and the flutter of petals in the breeze broke the silence. Birds sang faintly from distant branches, their songs laced with calm. You didn’t speak; there was no need. The warmth of her closeness, the hush of nature around you— this was enough. In this moment, everything was soft, serene, and exactly as it should be.

"For as long as I can remember...." she spoke in a soft tone, still laying her head on your shoulder and holding your arm, "....I had always been in that big, empty house. I would walk from one end to the other, knowing every tile on the floor and every potion bottle on the shelves. The house was gray, dark, and quiet. The only time it ever felt alive was when a bird flew past the window."

You narrowed your eyes, "Do you mean Porto-Veno Castle?"

"No, I lived in a different manor before I went for the trials. I used to the watch the bird flutter its wings until it became nothing more than a dot in the sky. Beyond that, the sky turned a clear blue, and the trees shone a bright green. It was such a beautiful sight. That was when I would wonder… what was happening in that thick forest? Maybe a princess was having an adventure."

She smiled and raised her head from your shoulder, keeping her eyes locked to yours.

"I'd imagine a clever princess who knew how to spot a poisoned apple. When a snake chased her, a little bird would swoop in to save her, carrying her high into the sky. There, she would find a girl in red shoes who couldn't stop dancing and save her. Then, they would dive into the sea to rescue a siren who was on the verge of turning into foam. In the end, the bird would carry them all, flying as far as it could until it could fly no more, finally landing in a castle… But what was the castle like? I only hoped it wasn't like the manor I lived in—big and boring."

She softly chuckled, making you smile in return. Her gaze lowered as she reminisced further, opening up a rare vulnerable part about herself.

"Sorry, that probably sounds all over the place, doesn't it? Well… Mother and Father always said that girls from the Fisalia family didn't need to read silly fairytales or have strange ideas like that. We were supposed to read books— books like The Complete Guide to Poison Recipes, The Fisalia Family's Secret Elixirs, and 108 Poisons You Never Knew About. They were interesting, but after reading them too many times, they became dull. Still, Mother and Father insisted that I memorize everything so that one day, I could save myself, or perhaps even become a Maiden or the family's leader. It sounded like a huge responsibility. I didn't really understand it yet, but I did what they told me."

You reached out to tug a strand of hair behind her ear, gently tracing her cheek.

"What do you feel now? Has the princess finally had her adventure and gained freedom?"

Cantarella smiled and extended her hand to brush a leaf on your head then cupped your face and leaned closer, her lips merely inches away from yours.

"You already know the answer to that, don't you?~"

Your eyes hooded as she leaned closer, "Well, it gives reassurance to hear you say it."

She softly chuckled, her breath brushing past your lips and her thumb tracing your bottom lip, "Indeed.... I have soared into the sky and the castle is no longer dark and brooding. And the bird wasn't a bird but you, Y/n, a savior of not just me but countless others."

Your face turned redder and Cantarella smirked, leaning even closer which made your noses touch.

"How adorable you look this way.... Show me more, would you?~"

And with that, her lips met yours in a soft yet firm kiss. You froze for a heartbeat as Cantarella's lips pressed against yours, the touch like the first bloom of spring after a long winter. The world narrowed to this single point of contact— her warmth seeping into you. It’s nothing like you imagined, and everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Her lips were surprisingly plush, yielding to yours with a delicate pressure. You mirrored her touch, your lips softening, deepening the kiss.

Her hand, previously resting on your cheek, moved to the back of your neck, her fingers threading through your hair. A small moan escaped your lips, and you felt her smile against your mouth. The kiss deepened further, becoming more insistent, more demanding. You responded in kind, your own hands finding their way to her back, drawing her closer until there was no space left between you.

An eternity may have passed when she finally pulled back with a soft sigh, the sensations and feel of her soft lips still lingering on yours. You breathed against each other, her hand coming forward to caress your cheek. She smiled and kissed the corner of your lips then leaned near your ear to whisper, "Thank you for this, for everything."

Her arms wrapped around your torso in a close embrace, her head now resting on your shoulder and feeling your touch. You slowly wrapped your arms around her and hugged her back, gently caressing her back in a soothing manner.

"There's no need to thank me. This wouldn't have been possible if not for your own choices, you said it yourself."

Cantarella hummed in agreement, "I'm aware. But, it wouldn't hurt for you to accept gratitude once in a while, would it?~"

She released the hug and drew away from you, gazing at you with a smile.

"U-uh, you are welcome...." you stuttered bashfully, face growing red once again.

She chuckled and pecked your cheek then turned to the side, "Well, let us eat before these go anymore colder. I don't want to spoil your effort~"

You nodded then continued with your meal, savoring the moment together. The sun began setting by the time you finished, a cool breeze with warm sunlight accompanying you now.

"Where would you like to go after this, Cantarella? Or shall we call it a day if it's late for you?"

"Hm, it's still rather early. I don't have a curfew, per say. Let me think..." she pondered for a moment then looked at you with a slightly excited expression, "Do you remember the Lake of Spirits in the Inverted Tower?"

"Of course, it was a beautiful place. Do you want to go there?"

"Unless you have something else in mind.... I figured it's not a bad place to revisit?"

You nodded with a smile, "Sure, I'm happy to go anywhere with you."

She chuckled, "Our feelings are mutual~"

You made your way to Avinoleum, to the Seminary where the door to the Lake of Spirits existed. The journey was rather long but still enjoyable as you talked and explored along the way, stopping by to look at the scenery or simply bask in nature, even having to do some fighting along the way. It was late evening by the time you reached the place, but the effort and time spent was worth it for the beauty of this place.

"Exquisite.... such a calm and delightful space. How pleasant it is to be eneveloped by a sea of stars from all sides...." she hummed with a smile, relishing the scenery as you strolled on the lake in the gondola.

You gazed at her gleeful state, the smiling expression and excited eyes. You didn't realize when you became entranced once again, your eyes unable to leave her. Her lavender hair swayed with the wind and the hues around perfectly complimented her style.

"May I take a picture of you, Cantarella?" you suddenly asked, making her slightly surprised.

"Oh? Go ahead. This makes me think we should have taken more photos throughout the day."

She turned to face you and adjusted herself, smoothening her dress and hair then assuming a natural posture.

"We can take some while going back, or any other day as well." you replied as you waited for her to be ready.

"That'll be good. Is this pose okay?"

You nodded then brought up the camera and clicked some pictures of her with the sea of stars in the background.

"Wonderful. Here, I'll take yours now."

She stood up and walked towards you, asking for the camera.

"O-Oh, it's okay. I have taken pictures here before."

"Oh, I see.... Shall we take some together then?~"

You blushed and nodded then stood up to stand beside her. You tried to hold up the camera facing you to take a selfie but it proved to be difficult. That's when your Tacet Mark started glowing and Abby came out abruptly.

"Just leave it to me! You both just pose together!" he held up the camera and waited for you both.

"A-Abby, at least give me a warning next time."

"Don't waste time now! Come on, scootch closer!"

He probed you. You stepped a little closer to her until your shoulders touched then smiled at the camera. Abby took a few pictures then appeared dissatisfied.

"Mm, this doesn't do. Make a better pose. Y/n, put your arm around her waist!"

"Oi, Abby!" you exclaimed in embarrassment while Cantarella chuckled.

"I don't mind, dear. Go on, touch me however you like~" Of course, she wouldn't back down from the teasing either.

You pursed your lips then slowly slung your right arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer, your bodies flush against each other, so much so that you could feel her ample breasts pressing against your side. Abby gave a thumbs-up and clicked some photos.

"Ok, next pose! Cantarella, put your arms around Y/n's neck and look at each other!"

"Abby?!" you exclaimed again, "This isn't some photosho—?!" your words were held in your throat as Cantarella swiftly wrapped her arms around your neck and pulled you towards herself, your bodies once again flush against each other and her face extremely close to you.

"Like this, Abby?~" she asked playfully with a smirk.

"Perfect! Y/n, put your arms around her waist now!"

Both of them banded together to tease you, you knew it. Although, Cantarella seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself. You composed yourself then wrapped your arms around her waist and gazed into her azure eyes, a light blush covering your cheeks and you noticed even Cantarella's face was a little flushed. Abby clicked some pictures from different angles then gave the okay for you to release the pose.

"Hmm, for the next one...." he pondered.

"I think that'll be sufficient, Abby..."

"Oh, are you sure? What do you think, Cantarella?"

You turned to look at her with a pleading look and she smiled, "Indeed, this is satisfying enough. Thank you for the assistance."

Abby let out a sigh then nodded and went back inside your Tacet Mark. You scratched your head and looked at her with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry if that was uncomfortable...."

"Not at all, Y/n. I mean every word I said~"

Your face flushed immediately. You knew what she was referring to. An unspoken air of tension engulfed you as you gazed at each other. Then, you suddenly lost your balance as the gondola pushed up from your side and made you tumble towards her. She quickly opened her arms and cushioned your fall, your face landing in her soft plentiful breasts as her arms securely wrapped around you.

"Oh, are you okay, my dear?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm so sorry!" you looked up at her and were caught off-guard by the closeness and the intoxicating scent radiating from her body, not to mention the supple feel of her breasts.

Your face flushed again, and so did Cantarella's. Her hands moved to cup your face and she pulled your face towards hers then pressed your lips together. The initial shock was quickly replaced by feelings of affection as you melted into the kiss, your bodies mending into one. You soon found yourself pushed down on the floor of the gondola with Cantarella's body on top, straddling you, your lips still locked in a heated exchange.

Her hands fumbled with your clothes, impatiently roaming here and there as if she wanted to desperately take them off. She adjusted herself on your lap more, now sitting on it properly as her arms snaked around your neck and she deepened the kiss. Her engraved tongue licked your lips, seeking entry, which you were too eager to give. Your tongue mingled with hers, soft moans resounding in your ear.

"Mmh, Y/n.... more....~" she hummed and came even closer, pushing her tongue deeper to completely enrapture your mouth, aching to explore every corner.

You melted into one under the sea of stars, creating yet another night to remember.

[strawbabysimp]

Locked In || Dom!Murasakibara x Reader

Genre: Smut, Dark Content

Category: Dom!Murasakibara x GN!Sub!Reader

Warning(s): Fingering, Non-Con, Manipulation Tactics, Unhealthy Attachment, Penetration

Request(s): "hello! I love your knb stuff and was wondering if you could write a noncon, rough and I mean ROUGH murasakibara x reader smut, taking place in a locker room, right after practice? Some propts i'd like to see are, dirty talk, humiliation and degradation. If you are uncomfortable or want to scratch out any part of this request, feel free to do so! Hope you are interested in writing this <3 Happy new year!"

"Please can you make a heavy smut with Murasakibara"

A/N: I had to repost because Tumblr posted it half-done but shout-out to @twilight-blu3 for one of my all-time favorite requests. I'm really thankful for all those in my inbox there to inspire me and the way you wrote your request SPOKE TO ME, I ADORE YOU

You always thought he looked so graceful, his arms like the wingspan of a bird, soaring across the court in grandeur. He drew you in. You found yourself going to games outside of home, cheering him on from the sidelines as he blocked the other team's plays effortlessly, then smiling as you watched him snack innocently between playing time.

This was the night. You were finally going to confess. Another win for your team at their home game was a sign of good fortune, you thought to yourself.

You approached the locker room with anxious fervor - it was now or never.

All the other members had left but Murasakibara had been rushed with cameras and fellow fans before he had the chance to get to the locker room. You ignored the slightly stale smell of the space and sat down on one of the benches. You weren't supposed to be in here but you figured if you caught him before he was changing then there was no harm in the location (it would be a little weird to confess to him while he was half-naked, no matter how welcome the sight would be).

Think of the Devil. Murasakibara walked through the swinging doors, his steps heavy and echoing in the near-empty room. You fiddled with your hands as you slowly turned toward the direction you figured he'd come through.

You spotted purple strands high above your own head before you took note of the rest of him. He spotted you quickly. When your eyes reached his face he was already meeting your gaze.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned apathetically.

"I wanted to give you this."

Your hands held out a box of chocolates neatly wrapped with a bow, a traditional way of confessing. He hesitated in accepting but decided to fairly quick.

Murasakibara didn't eat the treats yet, opting to hold them between his large fingers instead as he peered at you waiting for more.

"Why?"

"I like you Murasakibara."

His eyes remained the same but you thought you saw his lips twinge upwards for a moment.

He approached you slowly, stopping once he was directly in front of you. The man didn't say anything, studying you for a moment. Murasakibara broke your gaze, unraveling the box's ribbon gracefully before plopping one onto his tongue faster than your anxious mind could process.

"I accept," the object of your affections stated simply. You couldn't believe the words. His emotionless expression made it even harder to trust the sincerity of his acceptance.

As your mind raced, he reached out for you, encompassing your body in his arms, tucking you against him.

"What?" You breathed.

"Isn't this what couples do?"

You smiled away from his gaze, enjoying the security of his chest when suddenly he turned you around to face the lockers.

"Murasaki-"

He cut you off. "Isn't this what couples do as well?" The purple-haired giant goaded.

You felt the bulge of his balls make contact with the top of your ass cheeks as he forced himself against you.

Your eyes widened in shock. You hadn't been expecting such an act by him, and weren't welcoming to his sudden change in demeanor. It was unfamiliar and frightening.

"Wait, can we just talk for a second?" You pleaded with the locker that pressed against your cheek.

“I thought you wanted to be with me? Was I wrong?” The towering man asked innocently.

Red flags flashed in your mind but you had wanted him for so long, you should feel grateful for his touch.

“I do,” you mumbled, your nerves restricting your throat, making it hard to move in general. Your body felt hot in all the wrong ways. It shouldn't be like this, you found yourself thinking.

"Good," he whispered against your ear, lips grazing the flesh in a taunting manner. You felt him grind deeper against the cusp of your ass and gasped.

His fingers made quick work of your pants, pulling them down along with your underwear. Murasakibara pulled your ass cheeks apart to gaze at you unabashedly. You felt your face heat up beyond what you thought was possible and a deep shame formed in your belly.

You felt him move back from you, shuffling his own clothes. You were still too immobile to glance behind you, face no-doubt marked by the locker's cruel edges.

"How long have you wanted to be with me," he asked, the ego clear in his voice.

"I've always been a fan of yours, since your middle school days. I always thought you were beautiful," you told the truth, no point in secrets as his cock tip graced your entrance.

You shuddered at the thought of the sudden intrusion before a sudden giggle caught you off guard.

"I'm not that cruel Y/N."

Your eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"You think I wouldn't notice the same person at every one of my games, arriving early and leaving late. I got curious and asked around."

You blushed at his words, ashamed of your own desperation now.

"No matter, I found your loyalty cute - in a pathetic sort of way."

Wettened fingers were inside you before you had time to process, the sting of the two large digits stretching your hole out painfully and fast.

"Ahhhhh!"

You screamed against the metal, your arm reaching back in an attempt to grasp his wrist. He didn't allow you to, his quick limbs halting your attempts and holding you in place with ease.

You felt him twist the digits inside of you, presumably his spit easing the way despite your body's resistance. You groaned as tears sprung to your eyes.

"It's okay to be loud," you heard the smile in his words, "I blocked the doors before we started."

You felt hope you didn't know you had leave your body. This was it. You were going to be raped by the man you had nothing but love for.

You had been so stupid.

"You're so tight. Never done it before? Or am I just that big?"

Your hole clenched down on his hand and you heard a sinister laugh from the man behind you.

"So needy," Murasakibara mumbled apprehensively, "I guess I'll have to do something about that."

You felt his fingers leave you and this time you heard the wet sound of him lubing up his dick. You gathered your last bit of will to meet his eyes, but he wasn't looking at you - only at your parts.

He intended to use you to your fullest extent and you knew it.

"Please don't," you whispered.

"Don't? You wanted me so bad before and now you're changing your mind? Don't be selfish, it's too late for that."

He grasped the back of your skull with ease, turning you back to face the locker. You squeezed your eyes shut but they burst open when you felt the first inch of his cock enter you.

"You're so tight," he moaned, "you're gonna tear it off at this rate."

His humorous comment gave you no amusement and you felt your body tighten further as he sunk deeper into you.

"Almost there," he said in a comforting tone. With one final push, he was balls deep in you, his fingers digging into your hips as he pulled your ass up in the air to accommodate his height.

Never giving you much time to adjust, Atsushi began a steady pace of harsh slaps against your flesh as he pulled you apart on his dick.

It wasn't long before he fell apart himself, heavy breathes parting the hair on the back of your scalp as he huffed into the strands. You felt your wetness grow, his cum spilling out into you adding to the lubrication.

He pulled out with a wet noise, the emptiness only increasing as his seed soon began to spill down your thighs.

"I guess accepting your confession has its perks, right?"

Tears stained your cheeks, face still hidden against the locker.

"See you at the next game."

[precure1ove-archive]

must be the season of the witch w. cater diamond

byi : secret witch reader, no magic au except for reader, cater being weak to pretty people, non graphic mentioned animal corpses

a/n : A LOVELY BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR MY MOST AMAZING FRIEND @ceruleancattail ₍^ >ヮ<^₎ .ᐟ.ᐟ!!

Cater sighs, checking his phone once more despite it being ultimately useless as were the other times he tried before. It was just his luck that everyone decided to cancel on him with half-assed excuses; perhaps he should've known by the looks on their faces when he first asked.

It's not his fault that everyone was posting about that new trendy pumpkin latte so of course he had to join in or else he'll lose his status as a social influencer, even THE Vil Schoenheit posted about it.

Cater finally tucks his phone away, looking around at the street he ended on or the one he was supposed to meet up with his friends. Rows of the same high quality modern shops though one caught his eye it was a tucked shop with a sort of ‘witchy’ vibe.

 He didn't know what drew him towards that shop, maybe it was magic but he quickly shook that thought out of his head after all magic is fictional.

The door gave off a little ring as Cater took a peek inside the shop, the realization set in that it wasn't that far off from being every teenager's witch phase come true. As he explored every shelf the store had to offer, corpses of cats, rabbits, birds stuffed and posed for the artists desire, unusually labeled jars—seriously why was one named ‘drink me’ and nothing more—he realized how the shop seemed so much bigger than it looked on the outside, maybe it really was magic.

He snorted quietly in his hand, magic, yeah right. He passes by a section full of charms, this was more his style, objects to match with a bracelet or decorate his phone. Cater let his hands drift carefully from charm to charm, one shaped like the skulls he saw earlier, others from the stuffed animals. However one caught his eye, a crescent moon hanging off a diamond he traces the delicate patterns carved on the object, entranced by the object as if it put a spell on him. 

Cater didn't know how long he stood there admiring the mini charm but it was long enough that a teasing voice pulled him out of trance.

 “If you're gonna stare any longer i can ring it up by the register so i know you won't steal it”

He turns towards the noise, only to be met with a huge white hat, his eyes glance downward and there you are, an amused smirk paired with a smile that could only scream mischief. Embarrassment swelled within him, was he really acting like a shoplifter from being spell bound by a witchy charm—a small part of him is now glad that he was alone, he would of never lived this down if his friends were here— a nervous laugh escaped from him “Im..uh sorry i wasn't going to steal this i swear.”

 You laugh out loud at his nervousness and Cater swears that was its own magical remedy. His heart stuttered as he gaped at you, words dying even before they dared to make a sound out of him, you truly stole his breath away, like a real enchantress.

Your laughter turned to quiet giggles, twisting away beckoning him to follow, the charm tight in his grasp. You both ventured deeper into the shop, an opening appearing ahead with a register on top of a desk with small knick knacks to decorate.

He watches you skip behind the register, a ding welcoming you as you smile back up at him, he places the charm into your hand, “So- what made you want to work in a place like this?”

A hand scratches his cheek, contempt in simply observing you after handing in the money you asked for. “Witchcraft has been an ...interest of mine for some time so I thought why not make a hobby out of it! Long story short, I found a ramshackled building, fixed it up and ta-da my own shop!” A grin plastered on your face, Cater returns a smile of his own, lifting the charm as it dinged together up to his eyes receipt deep in his pocket,

“Well my dear little witch, what does this charm mean?” 

An exasperated look was on your face at the word ‘little’ but you complied with his question anyway, reaching over the register for a closer look. 

“Desire and protection.”

A hum of acknowledgement made its way out of him, grasping the charm in his hands again, he glimpsed up at you busy with packing away certain items, a smile once again presenting itself on his face. His phone vibrates in his pockets, checking it he sees another post about the forgotten trendy drink, crap.

“A-aha… it was great coming here! But i best be off, gotta update my magicam!♡” You look at him just as he blows a kiss at you then saunterinnering off quickly, the bell door rang throughout the shop, signifying his exit. 

A couple streets over Cater whines miserably, why had he acted like such a fool in front of such a , where was his normal happy go lucky attitude. He stops walking, realization settled in…

.…HE FORGOT TO ASK FOR YOUR NAME?!

⠀

EXTRA

You sigh again, a light pink dust over your cheeks as soon as the shop bell confirms you of the pretty man's exit. You giggle to yourself, lifting up a diamond charm hanging off a crescent moon.

You had no faith in that soulmate spell you casted out of pure boredom but surprisingly it had worked. A giddy feeling fueled you, you had found your soulmate and he was surprisingly cute, hopefully by now he would find your name and number written on the receipt.

And he did after venting to his notes app, especially how your phone was now always full of notifications and a date was planned for the following day to try out a new trendy drink.

likes & reblogs appreciated

masterlist⠀ — ⠀ request here

[owlwithanapple]

Bird & Fox

Chapter 17

Late at night, the cold wind blows through every corner of your body. The noisy and destroyed city, criminals are restless everywhere, the vigilantes maintaining justice. Any crisis in Gotham City is a daily cycle known to heaven and earth. Looking at the distant and fearless night from the top of Wayne Tower, the beautiful scenery is like a picture, but there is no ominous omen with a foul smell.

In Gotham City, you are called Gotham Runner, and you have helped GCPD and Batman's revisionism. In Japan, you were an important chess piece in the SHINOBI organization, but you were exiled because of different beliefs. You are a person who coexists with justice and evil, you are also a contradictory person.

You are an exiled chess piece, drifting in a strange city. There is no mission to speak of, no orders from elders, no guidance from mentors. The hands were once stained with blood no longer have any, only traces and memories. Ninjas are all alone, without these, you are what you are now.

A community where justice and evil coexist, the marks on your body are like confusing on the edge of confusion. You used to be a villain, drew your sword and killed. But after meeting Jason, you seem to have changed your mentality a little. For a moment, you will arouse the desire to protect and defend the people.

You sat silently on the edge, expression hidden in the fox mask, every bit of skin was covered by the equipment. You were used to the life of a ninja. Every side of ninja just like your own shadow, but in fact you can't tell your true face.

A strong killing intent surged in heart, the movement of drawing the blade was undisguised, the sound of sharp blade was stretched out from the scabbard. A familiar feeling emerged in your mind, under the illumination of the night light, you saw his shadow covering you. The breathing rate was normal, the person behind you was too calm and powerful to make you feel scared.

"The fox symbolizes a happy love, sandwiched between hypocrisy, treachery and cunning. What an unlucky existence. Kitsune."

A line spoken only to you, that familiar low but steady voice. Someone you know, once competed with him, the result not ideal because you were on the losing side, an experienced person in the fighting. You tilted head back saw it was Deathstroke, whose real name was Slade Wilson. "It's been a long time since we last met, how have you been recently?"

"I thought they would kill you without mercy, but they just banished you to this city." His blade pointed at your back, you could feel a cold and dangerous smell coming.

You stood on the edge with ease, back facing the distant dark city, your eyes hidden under the mask staring at Deathstroke's face, the sharp blade turned to point at your chest. "I’m sorry for disappoint you so much. But you, Deathstroke, I’m so scared, especially your murderous intent increased more than before."

He laughed hoarsely, the blade approaching you. "You say scary, who knows what's behind that mask. The Kitsune I know is a woman who has the guts to fight me head-on. Not the idiot you are now."

You chuckled and tapped his blade with your fingertips. "People always change, even me. I am an ordinary woman now."

He used the tips of blade to slightly lift your mask, just to see your lips. The moment that made him laugh was your smug smile, he sheathed the blade. "A fox in sheep's clothing, cunning as always. Long time no see, Kitsune."

"I think it's been 2 years since we last met. Did you threaten some ninjas to get information about me?" You adjusted your mask to cover face.

"I didn't see you last year in Japan. That dead fox wasn't running on the roof. I thought you were dead or alive somewhere else."

"Hahaha. There is indeed a suspicion. However, Kitsune is dead. The one who survived now is a contradiction." You pointed at your mask.

"If Kitsune were dead, you wouldn't wear this equipment and mask, you would discarded them long ago." His cold and vicious murderous intent rushed into your heart, like a knife piercing your skin.

You sighed helplessly turned away. The cold wind blew your hood away, your long white wig fluttered in the wind. You used ninjutsu light a flame on your index finger. "Maybe it's an occupational disease. Or maybe I still have Kitsune's will.”

He put on your hood to cover your wig. When he turned around prepared to leave, he took out a kunai and threw it at your back. You turned around quickly and kicked it into the air. You caught it before it fell. It was one of the weapons you used before, and he still kept it on him.

"A good weapon should return to the hands of its owner." His figure was about to leave.

You spun it in hands, recalling the past and the skillful use of the weapon in your hand. You pointed the sharp weapon at him. "Indeed, I almost forgot that this was one of the weapons I used to stab you."

"Kitsune, a piece of advice. Be careful of the people around you. They are just like you. Don't let them bite off your fox tail." He left you with this creepy sentence.

You clenched the kunai to stop your trembling hands. Just this sentence, like a piece of advice or a warning, instantly ignited your inner vigilance. Just now, you vaguely saw a sinister and dangerous expression on the corner of his mouth and disappeared into the dark city.

"Fox tail... I want to see who will bite me..." You raised index finger and middle finger together to perform ninjutsu, turning into a black mist and disappearing somewhere else.

When you landed somewhere, still lost in thought, thinking about Deathstroke's advice. A loud roar of the engine brought you back to reality. In the darkness, Batman drove the Batmobile on the road, chasing his prey at lightning speed.

You kneel down to hide, your right fist on the ground, look in that direction, raise your eyebrows and whistle excitedly. You are really shocked to witness the speed of the Batmobile. The screams continue to come, Batman mercilessly bringing the bad guys to justice and continue to move in another direction.

"How cool." You murmured.

Then you raised your hand to fire the wrist hook, at this time someone on the roof next door took out a grapple gun. The two of you moved in the same direction, ended up bumping into each other falling to the ground. Fortunately, your equipment has the effect of reducing damage, otherwise several bones would be hurt to death.

"Hey, hey, hey, how are you going to compensate me for bumping into me—ah." You were surprised. The person in front of you was Nightwing, the man who had disturbed your thoughts. Since his last confession, you still didn't know how to face him. You rejected him once, but he kept moving forward to you.

"Ouch—ah—Kitsune." He stiffened and was a little frustrated. He reached out want to touch you but stopped. He turned away from your sight. He still cared about your rejection of his affection, but didn't know how to express it.

You felt overwhelmed, but fortunately you had a mask to cover up expression. You stretched fingers and pinched your palms to brew what you wanted to say, mumbling "Thank you for saving me last time. I had a cold at the time, and I didn't want to infect you so I didn't let you take me back."

He was a little hesitant but secretly happy. He stole a glance at your mask. When you avoided his sight, he took your hand and intertwined it. When you turned around in surprise and wanted to shake him off, he put his arm around your waist and pulled into his embrace. "Hahaha, you're welcome. I caught a cold too. We were lucky not to be frozen to death that day. But...Kitsune..."

"You're an idiot. It's not winter and the sea water won't freeze us. But Knight, what's wrong with you?" You were confused, complaining about him while carefully asking.

He leaned in and buried his face in your shoulder, breathing a sigh of relief. The muscles on his body were no longer tense. The hand that stayed on your waist couldn't help but gently caress it. "I'm so glad you're safe."

His words made you feel awkward but a little happy that he cared about you. You gently squeezed the intertwined hands and said, "I'm not easy to getting into trouble. Don't worry about it."

He chuckled softly and held you close. He didn't flirt with you, but instead calmed down. You could still feel his breathing even through your equipment, he smiled, "I'm worried even though you said no. Maybe you've already smiled under the mask."

His words seemed to be a declaration to you, his face moved away from your shoulder and his lips showed a smug smile as if expressing his inner excitement. He disturbed your heartstrings. You have never been exposed to such a rich emotional world, and for a moment you were speechless.

The mentors said emotion is one of the fatal weaknesses of ninjas, don't touch that boundary or it will disrupt your pace. However, you are no longer the same person as before, no longer a pawn in the ninja world, and you feel the warmth of the human world for the first time. It makes you timid but you can't help but want to break through that layer of shackles.

"Hey. Are you okay? Why aren't you moving?" Nightwing gently shook you to try to wake you up.

You struggled to break free from his intertwined hands and turned away. You lowered your head slightly and murmured calmly, "Kitsune is an ominous existence, a cunning and hypocritical animal. Don't be fooled by me, Nightwing."

A pair of hands hugged you from behind, and he leaned his chin on your hood, with a smile on his face. "Thank you for your advice, but foxes also represent happy love. I don't know which one you will be. The only thing I can do is to take it one step at a time."

"You will suffer. Trust people like me."

"Hahaha, bring it on."

When you wanted to retort and criticize his stubborn and confident appearance, he lifted your hood to reveal your white wig. You were wary of him removing all your disguises, you pulled out a kunai from your sleeve prepared to fight back. Unexpectedly, he gently kissed the back of your head and let you go. If it weren't for the mask covering your expression, he would have seen your confused look.

He pointed at you and smirked confidently, "Listen to me, Kitsune. You continue to lose yourself, I will continue to chase your fox tail. Until you fall into my abyss and fall with me, be prepared."

After this, you were speechless, didn't understand what he was hiding. You could only stand there stupidly waiting for yourself to react. But his communicator rang, he answered it and left without looking back.

"Huh? What did he mean just now?" At this time, you finally uttered a word.

Nightwing Pov

When I lifted her hood, I could already feel her murderous intent bursting out without any disguise. Even though she had already drawn weapon, I was not afraid. I bet that she was emotionally disturbed not really want to kill me. I left a kiss on the back of her head because I wanted to feel her presence. She could disappear at any time and I didn't want to miss this beautiful moment.

After receiving the signal to gather at the assembly point, I left her immediately. I was flying high with the grapple gun, there were many confusing thoughts in my mind. But I felt that it was enough, this was enough. It didn't matter if she didn't understand what I meant, just let her be confused by my words. Because I could feel that she had some different feelings because of some of my words.

"Why don't you just tell her you want to court her? Aren't you tired of beating around the bush?" Tim's voice came from the communicator.

"I think that's enough. I feel she has no idea about emotions. I guess her past have made her emotionless. Even I confess, she won't understand." While talking to Tim, I swiftly climbed over the edge of the roof.

"Haha. When did you learn to observe women's hearts like Bruce? Be careful that Kitsune will ignore you in the next life." Tim teased jokingly.

I stopped and looked up, clenched my fists and chuckled softly, "Maybe I'm confused too, whether I should like her or not. But... I'd be heartbroken if she disappeared and rejected me."

"You're so fucking annoying! Just grab her shoulders and shake her hard and say. Hey, you dead fox, listen to me, I, Nightwing, like you. Be my woman. Isn't that all?" Suddenly Red Hood interrupted the communication conversation.

"What about you, Babybird? Why don't you wake Y/N up and tell her? You still have the nerve to say that to me? Great Lord Red Hood." I teased him with thorny tone.

"I said pure friendship! Y/N and I are satisfied with the pure friendship boundary! You know my situation!" I turned down the volume because Red Hood's voice hurt my ears.

"Every contact is as strong as an electric shock. Humans are very selfish. You will want more." I stared at my palms, clenched fists and pressed them on my lips, missing every moment of touching her. The smell of her body, every move she made, and wanting to see the panic expression hidden under the mask.

"Fuck you..." Red Hood's voice seemed to be gentle.

"TT. Can you guys hurry up? Stop pretending to be a romantic." Robin suddenly intervened in the communication conversation and complained impatiently.

"By the way, doesn't this mean that Nightwing's rival in love is Robin? Because he likes and hates Kitsune." Red Hood's complaints made me unable to hold back my laughter, I hurried to the point.

"Asshole! I didn't! I wanted to tear that fox into pieces!" Robin felt humiliated and began to quibble, and he might have blushed.

"Everyone, pay attention. Now on patrol." Batman listened to everyone's conversation on the communicator the whole time, but he just kept silent.

Red Hood and Robin stopped talking back as soon as they heard Batman intervene in the conversation. Thanks to him, my ears were much quieter. Red Robin must have been working hard on the computer with a large screen, the keyboard was ticking. I was not used to the silence, I laughed loudly.

"Hahahaha, sorry. Just a little distance away. Bye." I cut off the communicator and continued to the meeting point.

Unconsciously I looked back and saw a black fog spreading in the night sky from the direction of Kitsune. I murmured, "My lovable little fox."

The End

Ao3: owlwithanapple / Previous chapter

Like and repost it to motivate me!

[feral-renaissance-cat]

Who Defines True Love Anyway?

At first the curse had stuck dread into the hearts of everyone at court, a harsh reminder of why manners are important even with unpleasant guests, but the mercy of the other fairies removed the threat of death and the room breathed a collective sigh of relief.

And so the king and queen began preparations.

Princess Aurora was doomed to prick her finger on a spindle at the age of sixteen and fall into an unwakeable slumber unless freed by true love's kiss. One of the king's advisors suggested they burn all spindles in the kingdom and ban the trade of them so Aurora could never encounter one. That advisor did not keep his job long. Everyone else knew better than to disrupt such a vital industry. Instead Aurora was taught to spin from an early age. She pricked her fingers many a time, and never so much as yawned afterward. However, she did gradually learn how to handle the tools of spinning and weaving safely, and by the time she was nine she was making clothes for her dolls and gifts for visiting dignitaries. The kingdom received many visitors as part of the second phase of the royal couple's plans.

Once a week, the castle opened its doors to the children of its kingdom. Aurora was encouraged to mingle with noble heirs and farmers' sons and doctors' daughters and anyone with whom she may someday fall in love. The doors were also always open to visitors from neighboring realms who were eager to strengthen political ties. Aurora, naturally, didn't get along with all of the children, but she was never short of friends and as she grew older she had several whose company she requested more than others, including all three children of the emperor from the other side of the mountains. The two brothers were older than she but the sister was only a month younger and also enjoyed weaving. The brothers, regardless, were happy to accompany Aurora on her excursions through the woods to find ingredients for dyes.

It was when she was thirteen that her parents first sat her down and told her of the curse. “Is there anyone you hold dear in your heart?” her mother asked.

Aurora thought a moment, then said, “I hold you and father dear. I hold my nanny and tutors dear, except maybe strict old Professor Caslo. And I take joy in my time with Elyse, whose parents run the bookshop. She knows so many stories and she tells them wonderfully.”

The king and queen exchanged a glance. “Is there anyone you find handsome? Or beautiful?” her father asked. “Is there anyone you see who makes your heart flutter like a bird preparing to sing?”

Aurora grinned. “Yes! Whenever the merchants come with wool and flax and cotton I can spin, or silken thread, or baubles I can weave into my projects, my heart leaps and dances with excitement!”

With heavy hearts, the king and queen explained to her that this was not true love. It was love of someone’s company, or a love of learning, or a love of her craft, but not a love that could break the curse. She needed to find someone she could give her heart to, so that in return they could wake her with a kiss. Aurora despaired, for she loved nothing more than the company of her friends and the lessons of her tutors and the art of weaving. How could she possibly love a single person more than any of those?

For the next three years Aurora strained her heart. She looked for qualities in all her friends that drew her more to one than the other. She had Elyse secretly whisper tales of romance to her so she could try to understand how two people could fall so deeply in love that it forsook all other loves. She asked the princes from over the mountain to tell her of their own affections for other princesses, which they gladly did for their whole journey out into the woods. Aurora listened to their words and barely understood any of them. It sounded to her that both the princes and the authors of Elyse’s tales were being silly and making things up. How could one look from another person turn your insides into bubbles? How could one become so obsessed with the color of someone’s eyes or the shape of their hands? How could thoughts of a person make you lose sleep at night as though they were an idea for a new pattern you were eager to figure out before morning so you could start work on it at once?

The day of her sixteenth birthday dawned with dread. Aurora dared not touch even her loom for fear that she might bring the curse upon herself. She had not found anyone she loved the way she was told she should. If she pricked her finger now, she would surely never awake from the magical slumber.

Aurora tried and tried to love as she was expected to love. She hoped that, perhaps, if she devoted herself to someone, love would follow. She chose the middle son of a merchant, who sold his father’s nettle and hemp thread but was happy to gift Aurora with as much as she desired. In exchange she made him all sorts of tunics and trinkets with it, relieved that she did not have to spin it herself. She liked the smile he gave her when she presented him with her latest work, and convinced herself that that was love.

Her parents saw these smiles and gifts exchanged between the two and were at peace. Surely this was a perfect match, or rather as perfect as it would get. They would have preferred if she gave her heart to someone of nobility, but this meant that their precious daughter was safe from the curse.

Aurora did not feel safe. She felt trapped in a performance, the script of which she did not know but everyone else seemed to have memorized. She played her part the best she could, all the while fearing the day she got it wrong and had to admit that none of it was true from the start. The worry and grief ate at her day by day. Eventually she could take it no longer. She lay down in her bed with her favorite spindle, and pricked her finger upon its point.

There was a great stir in the castle when the princess’s sleeping body was found the next day. The king and queen called for the merchant’s son at once. He knew nothing of her curse, and so was distraught to see her lying as still and pale as a corpse. “It is only magic, boy!” the king assured him. “A kiss will wake her!”

But the kiss of the merchant’s son did not wake her. Neither a chaste kiss on the hand nor an impassioned kiss to her cold lips made any difference. What was once a stir became a panic, and then a frenzy. A decree went out that anyone who loved the princess with all their hearts should come to the castle at once.

A slew of suitors whom Aurora had brushed off as nuisances were first at the door. The queen recognized them as ones her daughter had complained about and sent them away; it could not be true love if it were one-sided.

Elyse came with the words of her stories emboldening her heart. She could very well be a hero from a romantic tale, for she did love her time with Aurora and how the sweet princess had listened to her with such rapt attention. With a dashing swish of her traveling cloak she knelt to kiss Aurora. Nothing came of it, and Elyse walked home in disappointment.

The royal children from beyond the mountains came as soon as they received the king’s desperate plea. The princes regarded Aurora as more of a second sister than a true love, but they tried nonetheless. Even the princess gave Aurora a teary kiss as well, though more to say farewell to her favorite weaving partner.

When that did not work, the king fell to his knees and wept. He kissed his treasured daughter on the cheek in hopes that perhaps their familial love would suffice, and continued his weeping anew when Aurora remained in slumber.

The princess from beyond the mountains saw that Aurora still clutched her spindle as she slept. The queen, who was on the verge of collapse from sorrow, explained that Aurora held it too tightly for anyone to take it from her without force, and none dared to possibly harm those skilled fingers. The mere thought was too much for the queen to bear and she fell beside her husband at the edge of Aurora’s bed. The foreign princess thought back to all those hours she and Aurora had spent at their looms and spinning wheels, the way Aurora was in her deepest throes of emotion either when a finished project brought her sincerest joy or some error of the machinery frustrated her until she turned bright red in anger, the excitement with which Aurora would show her some new method of spinning her thread to enhance its strength or color. Carefully, the princess from beyond the mountains lifted Aurora’s arm and brought the spindle to the sleeping beauty’s lips.

The silence that fell as everyone watched in anticipation was so absolute that the gasp Aurora made upon waking seemed, by comparison, as loud and howling as a hurricane’s gale. She sat up in bed and beheld the scene around her; her parents all but prostrate upon the floor, the princes at the foot of her bed, and the foreign princess standing above her, holding her hand as well as the spindle within it. Thinking it was the other princess whose kiss awoke her, Aurora blushed with guilt.

“If it was you whose love saved me,” she said, “I am sorry to say that I only ever thought of you as one of my dearest friends, and I desired nothing more than that friendship.”

The princess from beyond the mountains laughed with relief and told her, “As I desired nothing more from you. It was the spindle’s kiss who saved you.”

Aurora stared at the spindle, then looked to the mark on her other hand where the point had pricked her. “But it was the spindle’s kiss that cursed me,” she said.

One of the princes shrugged in the dramatic way of young noble men. “What is love if not a curse that ultimately saves us?” he said.

Aurora took this as another of the prince’s silly remarks, and yet she finally felt the truth of it, for she did love nothing as much as her work, despite her wish that she could love a person so well, but which she would not give up for the world.

The kingdom then rejoiced, for the princess was saved. She later married a lesser prince by law only, because he too had love only for his studies although he admired and praised her work, and whose family feared he too would never find a wife. She in turn found him to be of good wit and almost as good a storyteller as Elyse to keep her entertained at her loom. Just as it had been in her childhood, Aurora kept the castle open for children of all manner to gather and socialize. She and her husband adopted several orphans from these gatherings as their heirs, and Aurora taught them all to spin and weave. She loved her husband and children as she loved her mother and father and all her friends, but throughout her life it was known in her kingdom and all others that her true love was the spindle.

[banisheed]

TIMING: Current LOCATION: The Pines PARTIES: Cairn (@cairnivore) & Siobhan (@banisheed) SUMMARY: Cairn takes Siobhan to one of the mysterious tents. CONTENT WARNING: N/A!

The crisp morning air clung to her skin, the sky a lightening shade of deep blue as Cairn moved through the forest. She had made note of a few entry points - paths that someone unfamiliar with the forest might find without too much trouble. She understood not everyone could read nature as she did. She was still figuring out the language of this forest as well.

So, this rusted, worn down abandoned bus stop was perfect for strangers to locate as they came down the winding road. The bench was sun-bleached and weather-worn, its metal frame rusted through in places. The old sign above it, faded and dented, bore a scrawl in black marker: “stop to hell.”

Cairn arrived as the sky fully lightened; the world was still quiet. No birds. No breeze. She crouched in the underbrush, low, back to the forest, waiting for any sign of anyone coming up - a car, a person. Anything. Time passed.

Then. Movement she could finally hear.

Still, she didn’t move. Not until… finally. She could see the person. Might not have been the one she spoke to but Cairn paused, and upon not hearing any other footsteps, figured she was alone. She moved from the brambles without sound, the leaves whispered against her but no branch snapped, no dirt betrayed her weight. She stepped out and into view as if exhaled by the forest itself.

“I’m here. No need to look around.”

⛺️⛺️⛺️

Deciphering the pain-in-the-arse’s messages had been easy, though Siobhan didn't appreciate how suddenly they transported her back home. Fae loved their cryptic words; Siobhan less so when they were directed at her. She knew that they meant the old bus stop, she didn’t know where the fuck the bus stop was, exactly. She’d seen it a dozen times but where? Wandering around with increasing frustration Siobhan groaned when she noticed it was beside the road. Of course. Where else would one find a bus stop? The tents were getting to her. 

“Fuck!” Siobhan reflexively drew out a switchblade and flicked it open. “Where the fuck did you—I didn’t bloody hear anything—Fate, don’t do that again.” She tried to calm her heart; she hadn’t had a scare like that since she was a child. The tents really were getting to her. She flipped her knife shut and stuffed it back into her pocket. She pulled on the lapels of her leather jacket. “It’s rude to scare a woman,” she said. “Give me a second.” She breathed in, she breathed out. Her heartbeat was steady, her mind was empty, but something was still wrong. 

It felt wrong the way a rotten smell did in the pit of her stomach; a queasy unease that had nowhere to go and no source. The air was clean; her breakfast was beer and an apple which was healthy by her usual standards. Siobhan raised a brow, raking her gaze over the…child? Online, the cryptic words painted a more elderly image. Who exactly was this person? “I’m Siobhan,” she said. “So you have something to call me, at least. Lead on, leanbh.” 

⛺️⛺️⛺️

Cairn didn’t flinch. She never did. The knife reflected the morning light for a second and then it was gone again. Her eyes followed it only once, just enough to mark the shape, which pocket, and the way the woman moved. The words came sharp and fast, strange like something from a different place. Instead of making her observation noted out loud, she mentally stored it. Another time, another place it may be of importance. Not now.

“…Siobhan,” she echoed quietly, like a test. She didn’t offer her own name. If the woman called, she wouldn’t come and Cairn didn’t need her name shouted to call her to attention. 

She let a pause settle between them before turning back toward the woods and beginning to walk further in. She didn’t tell the woman to follow, but she walked slower than usual. Her boots moved silent over the leaf covered ground, the morning dew having dampened the leaves enough to quiet them. She didn’t look back.

Not because she trusted the woman. But Cairn would hear it if Siobhan moved wrong. A shift in weight. A breath pulled in too tight. The scrape of a boot over bark. People thought they were silent in the woods, but they weren’t. Not really.

After a while, Cairn paused mid-step, her head tilting slightly, as if catching the edge of a sound. Or lack thereof. A long silence passed. The forest held its breath. Then, a clear, fluted bird song cut through the quiet. The forest exhaled. Cairn shifted. Permission. She moved again, deeper into the trees, as if the bird had said yes.

“Almost there.”

⛺️⛺️⛺️

Was the child a murderer? Siobhan grumbled at the clichéd setup: lead a poor, sexy woman into the woods with the promise of tents and then stab her. Oldest trick in the big book of murder scenarios her grandmother had started and never finished. She said there were too many murder scenarios. An infinite number, by Siobhan’s safe estimation. Still, somehow, this one was a cliché but it was better to think about that than the unbearable not-stink. She pinched her nose only to remember that it wasn’t a smell at all; she held her breath and still the unease chewed at her stomach. She screwed up her face as if she could scare the sensation away but it followed them just as Siobhan followed behind the child. 

It stole her attention. She would be watching the child—the way they seemed to listen to the forest—and then she would think about the sensation again. The child was every nymph’s dream, Siobhan thought, and then it was right back to the accursed feeling. It was so distracting that she didn’t notice the rock. Her toe hit it and she stumbled forward and smashed into a tree. 

“How much further?” she asked, as if the child had put the rock back there and then the tree here. Her nose stung. “Some of us…” she closed her eyes, trying to become the wind in that way her grandmother had taught her. Her old wisdom was: “Think o’ the wind in the worm’s hair.”. It wasn’t helping. 

Siobhan continued through gritted teeth, “some of us…don’t get along with the forest like you do.” 

⛺️⛺️⛺️

Cairn turned at the shift in sound just in time to see the woman stumble and collide into a tree. She watched in all, the stumble, the smash, the adjustment. That must have been painful but Cairn wasn’t one to ask a question she already knew the answer to. The woman was agitated, Cairn could discern that much.

“A few more steps,” she answered. “Might be more if you stumble again.” Not to criticize but just to remind the woman to be careful. “Stay close, I won't mislead you.”

She waits for the woman to catch up, eye briefly scanning her gait, checking for any sign of injury. Whether or not she found one, Cairn slowed her pace. 

“And I don’t get along with the forest.” She remarked as Siobhan neared. “I just haven’t made it mad yet.” Cairn didn’t get along with the forest. Not the way the woman had meant it at least. She just knew how to listen, how to not upset it. 

“What will you do if the tent isn’t there?” The woman seemed irritated enough, what would happen if the tent had gone and the trip seemingly for nothing? 

⛺️⛺️⛺️

Siobhan did a poor job of suppressing the long, pulled-from-her-agitated-depths groan; it came out as a crackling garble. “I know some people in Ireland that would love you.” She rolled her eyes. Knew, she thought. She needed to acclimatize herself to the past tense. “And since you’re such a sweet—” Siobhan stabbed the word out, spitting. She smiled thinly. “—human, they might even let you keep your head.” Just as they hadn’t let Siobhan keep her wings. She shivered. She didn’t like people that were better than her, she hated it more when those people were human. By all metrics, the stranger should be inherently inferior and yet, she was the one navigating the forest with ease, in conversation with nature, fearless and sure. 

Siobhan picked a chip of bark off her dress. “Stab you, probably. Or would a tree smite me on the spot if I tried?” The sensation of wrong hadn’t passed, but the longer she stayed inside of it, the easier it was to ignore. Or perhaps, it was simply one of those things that an angry distraction could override. “You’d better hope the tent is there. I don’t like being out here. It’s too…” Siobhan sighed, trying to think of the way someone like the stranger would say it. In the end, all she could offer was honesty. “I’m a fish that’s forgotten how to use its gills. Does that make sense? The forest rejected me.”

⛺️⛺️⛺️

Cairn stopped walking, not abruptly, just enough for silence to settle between them. She let the woman’s words sink in. Bitter, angry, and for reasons Cairn didn’t understand. But there was something raw in her voice that didn’t quite match the sharpness of her words. Cairn had every reason to just walk away, leave this woman in the forest alone. Maybe she would have, if the tent hadn’t pulled at her curiosity. If she’d felt fear. But she wasn’t angry. She wasn’t threatened. So, she stayed. Turned. She looked at Siobhan. Really looked at her. Not scanning for danger, but seeing her. The tired shape of her, the tension sitting in her shoulders, the way upon second glance, her bitterness clung to her, weighed her down. 

When Cairn spoke again, her voice carried something else. Something that didn’t come from her, but from the one who raised her with gentler truths. “Have you ever seen a fish caught in the wrong stream?” She asked but didn’t give a pause for a response. “Don’t mean it’s broken. Just not where it’s supposed to be.”

A fish that forgot how to use its gills wasn’t dead. Just disoriented. The gills were still there. It could still learn to swim again. Learn to breathe. Maybe… someone just needed to show her how to remember. Cairn turned and kept walking. She didn’t look back. But she was listening. There was something sharp in Siobhan’s voice, something that didn’t come from right now. Cairn didn’t understand it. Not really. Her own experience with loss had been quiet. Her pama had loved her the whole way through. What was gone had once been good. Whatever Siobhan lost, it sounded different. It sounded like being torn out of something that once held her. Like being told she didn’t belong anymore. Cairn didn’t know what that felt like. But she knew how to listen. 

And that would have to be enough.

“Up ahead,” Cairn instructed gently, catching sight of the tent’s color through the trees. She stopped a few feet away. It didn’t look the way it had before. It looked like it had been ransacked. Stripped. Whatever had been in there, was there no longer.

⛺️

Siobhan could feel the stranger’s gaze—though where others tunneled into her, this was more of a washing down, like rain. It pricked her skin all the same. She thought about turning around and challenging the stare, but she couldn’t; she didn’t want to see. Whatever the stranger was discovering about her, she knew that it wasn’t what she wanted her to. Whatever she would find in the stranger, it would spur an envy she couldn’t swallow. Siobhan made a show of watching the ground: the dead leaves, the dirt, the twisted roots leading back to their homes. She caught one with her gaze and tried to follow it back to the tree it belonged to but was lost in grass and insects. The root vanished as soon as her attention left and she couldn’t find it again. Then the stranger spoke and she was glad for it—she hated silence. 

“And is this not where I’m supposed to be?” Siobhan laughed. Fae were creatures of the natural world and banshees were no different. Many creation stories were put forth and debated, but Siobhan liked the myth her family held: that the first banshee was molded by Death from the dirt. Her bones were sediment, her lungs were ant burrows and her hair was the white webs of a spider. Death named her Fate and bid her to call souls to the Last Embrace. “I was born here,” Siobhan said. “Well, not here—I was born in Ireland. You get the point.” 

The trees parted and there was the torn blue tent. Shreds of fabric were strewn about and the inside was hollow. Siobhan rubbed the polyester under her fingers. You can’t have a funeral for a tent. “Thank you,” she said, turning to the stranger. “For showing me. You’ve done me a great service today.” Her sharpness was gone and her memories of wanting to stab the child went with it. She turned and began breaking the tent, snapping its metal frame. “Can’t…” she huffed, “…leave this here. It’s bad for…the…grass…” She groaned and hissed and in the end, the metal pinged at her and remained in tent-shape—a fluorescent stain against nature. 

“I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong,” she said. “How do you? Why does Nature want you and not me? It should want me. It made me. Why doesn’t it..” Why didn’t anyone want her? Siobhan clenched her jaw. This stranger, who had some sort of metaphysical stink, was more fae than her. This stranger. That child. Them. Her. It. “Go on, laugh. I know you want to. Yes, it’s my damned tent. Yes, I don’t know how to fish or call a bird or…” She gestured around them. “Listen to a fucking tree. But you’re a child of the forest—you see, you hear, you listen. I get it. Very funny. Laugh now.” 

⛺️

Cairn didn’t laugh. She watched Siobhan break the tent down with more fury than strength, her gestures wild and brittle. Cairn’s eyes lowered, not out of pity, but recognition. “I remained,” she said, her voice quiet and even. It wasn’t pride. It wasn’t proof that the forest had chosen her. It hadn’t. She remembered the cold nights where the bark wouldn’t peel, the storms that didn’t care how small she was, the roots that tripped her, the animals that didn’t look twice. She remembered being hungry and trying to mimic bird calls just to hear something answer back, and nothing ever did. The forest gave her no kindness. But she stayed. Not alone at first, but still, she stayed, finding a home in it.

Over time, Cairn had learned either from experience or her pama, where to sleep without waking up soaked, what leaves not to touch, which paths didn’t try to lose you. She figured out how to survive its silence. She stopped asking it to hold her and instead learned how to press herself into the dirt like she belonged there. If it didn’t want her, it didn’t matter–she’d learned how to read its refusals like lullabies. She’d made its cold shoulder feel like shelter. “I don’t think the forest wants me,” she added, eyes steady. “I just think it got tired of trying to push me out.”

She didn’t say it cruelly. There was no accusation in her voice, no weight. Just the simple truth of someone who’d long stopped waiting for an invitation and chose, instead, to endure. “You’re still here too,” she added after a moment, finally looking at Siobhan. “That means something.” Cairn didn’t touch her. Didn’t offer any kindness beyond the quiet of standing beside her. But her presence didn’t carry mockery. Only truth. Only stillness.

Cairn said little, her voice low and steady. “You don’t have to be the forest’s favorite or its friend anymore. You just have to keep moving through it. That’s enough.” She looked at the torn tent, then back at Siobhan. The loss in the woman’s voice was something Cairn could recognize, not the cold distance she was used to, but a sharp, aching absence. It wasn’t just being unwanted. It was losing a place she once belonged to.

At that moment, Cairn thought about what that must feel like. The fear of being cast out, the anger of having roots ripped free. It was unfamiliar, she usually kept such things locked away, emotions were a tool for survival, not for understanding others. Still, beneath the sharp edges and bitter words, she sensed something fragile hanging there. A hope buried under the weight of grief. Cairn didn’t know how to reach it. She only knew she had to keep moving, through the forest, through the pain, through whatever came next. Maybe that was enough.

⛺️

Siobhan scoffed, but the laughter never came and soon, her bitterness had to be laid down. As the child spoke, Siobhan stood beside them silently, her head bowed. What the stranger gave was a greater kindness than anything given to Siobhan in some time. She was reminded—terribly, but warmly, like the distant rumble of thunder and the sudden lick of humidity in the air—of her great-great-grandmother. Her gravel-filled voice, her untamed red hair. Her listening, her hearing, her words—which were never much—and the gentle way she offered them. The child wasn’t the same in every way—she lacked Rónnait’s wild-dog laugh—but it was enough for her, in that moment, to remember a woman she loved. 

She’d told Siobhan once that the heart was a forest, it cultivated whatever entered it. Siobhan had made her saplings, and they’d grown tall, and she was no lumberjack. “I used to love a river. Something about the flow of it, all those smooth gray rocks; so much life in one place, rushing, and so much stillness too. And you sit down and then you’re a part of the grass and then the animals come and they go.” Siobhan smiled. “I’m not sure I want to move through it. I miss when it moved through me. I miss when it was a home. I miss home.” 

Siobhan stepped around the child, careful to avoid the twigs strewn around, seeing the twigs strewn around. “Come on then, I’m sure there’s some water around here somewhere. We can stare at it for an hour before I get bored and try to push you inside. And then we can go our separate ways and never mention tents again.” 

[bedoballoons]

Hello I suddenly had a idea since it's October

And thought of the anemo boys finding out that

Reader is a werewolf because of a full moon

Ahhh apologies you didn't get this in october! I hope you still enjoy the idea though because I loved writing it! Thank you for your request! <3

─⊰⁠⊹ฺ🍂𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤⊰⁠⊹ฺ🍂

{༻~Awoooo~༺}

CW: Slight fear in the characters, reader is a werewolf, fluffy in most but angst in Wanderers!! Xiao has a bird form!!

(Includes: Venti, Kazuha, Heizou, Wanderer, and Xiao!)

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

𑁍༄Venti:

"Are...are you okay?" Venti reached a hand out to you, his face pale and body shaking with the cold of the spooky night. He could barely make out your shadow in the light of the full moon, you were groaning in pain...body shifting before his eyes in ways his brain didn't know how to handle. "H-hello?"

Your head turned, no longer that of a humans, but of a ravage beast with almost glowing yellow eyes and sharp teeth. He was petrified in place, unable to move even a inch as you drew closer... you could never hurt him...you wanted him to know it was okay. "I'm...not dangerous...I swear."

He fell to the ground, back against the tree as you closed the distance, gently tapping your nose to his knee and hoping with all your heart.. he'd still accept you after finding out your big bad secret. He closed his eyes tightly, reaching out a shaky hand to touch your soft fur. Once he did he seemed to ease up...still finding the whole situation jarring, but no longer scary and definitely not enough to end what you shared.

𑁍༄Kazuha:

Kazuha was trying his best to stay calm, but seeing you in the bright moonlight with fur that ruffled in the wind and hearing your howl when you caught the look in his eyes...it was alot for him. "W-what's going on? What h-happened to you?" He had goosebumps all over his skin and his heart was pounding so loud that your sensitive ears heard it like a beating drum, but he still kneeled down in front of you...wanting not to run away...but make sure you that you were alright, even though he was scared he still cared about you.

"I'm okay...I promise. I just...don't want you to think I'm going to hurt you, just because I'm like this doesn't make me a monster..."

"I know you won't, I guess my mind got the better of me...no matter if you have claws and sharp teeth or soft hands and sweet smiles, I will always love you."

𑁍༄Heizou:

𑁍༄Wanderer:

"I knew it..."

Those words were anything but what you were expecting...had he really found out your secret before the moon had even been full. "H-how could you possibly have known? I know you're a-a detective but-"

"But I know you and I love you, so obviously I tend to notice things about you more often than you do. I wasn't entirely sure if my hypothesis could be true...I just had a inkling."

"And...do you hate me for it..?"

"Not in the slightest, you're the love of my life and if anything it just makes me all the more curious about you. I want to learn everything."

"W-what are you? Why do you look like that?" Wanderer looked at you...something almost like betrayal painted on his features while you stared back at him with wide yellow eyes,..unable to ease his feelings. "I'm...a werewolf...and I look like this because of the full moon, but I promise it's not bad. I don't want to hurt anyone or be a monster, I didn't even want you to find out..."

"I wish I hadn't."

𑁍༄Xiao:

Xiao kneeled down in front of you, his eyes meeting yours as he watched you intensely...you were shocked to see him unfazed by your change from the moon. "Xiao...you're not... surprised?" He shook his head, slowly reaching out to touch your fur as he whispered quietly under his breath, "I wouldn't say not surprised... it's more like...I understand."

"What.."

He sighed, pulling away so you could watch in awe as he changed too, his body shrinking into that of a birds and dark teal feathers now taking place of his normal skin...he was more like you than you ever could have known.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚~Have a nice day~*⁠.⁠✧

[emperor-palpaminty]

Peace, For Now

In which you (GN) and Echo discuss next steps. Takes place at the end of TBB. Sweet and fluff and a love confession on a beach??? Whaaaaat???

(also lemme know how you like the "you" vs third person reader inserts. I'm currently writing Cat and Mouse pt 4, so I'm trying to decide how I do that! I personally don't like "you" when i read, but if yall do I am flexible!)

The beach was a ways away from the middle of town, but you could still hear the sounds of celebration. Your toes dug into the sand, the gentle waves filling the holes they left behind. It was surreal. Your body felt empty and light, but also... tired.

You were done. For now.

Unanswered questions looped around your mind again. Sacrifices were made, and they could not be undone after the war. It was always hard to come to terms with, but somehow coming to terms with the end was harder, in ways. If your largest battle was finished, was it a gulp of fresh air or the finale of an aria?

What did you even know outside of war at this point? The breeze that tugged at your face promised a vague hint of hope, but...

"There you are."

You didn't bother turning all the way- you knew Echo's voice anywhere, even across a ship full of his brothers. You smiled, softer than you felt. "I needed a breather."

"I could tell." There was a soft scuff, shoe against a rock, and a soft thump that followed as Echo landed softly in the sand. "It's quieter over here, anyway." He padded over gently, moving meticulously. That was Echo as everyone knew him. Quiet and thoughtful, but brave, honorable, independent. Sassy when someone needed it, and he had a sense of humor that could appeal to everyone. Echo was loyal to a fault- dying once and then being willing to die again for the brothers that took him in.

He was legendary among clones. But he was just... Echo.

You finally cast him a glance, smiling when he met your gaze readily. After a shared moment, a pause, you chuckled and shook your head softly. "What are we, Echo?"

"What do you mean?"

You closed your eyes and tried to stead yourself. The waves were moving, lapping closer, but not quite reaching the two of you in the close moment. It was a welcome guest, but you were fine that it hadn't invaded the intimate space yet. You steeled yourself, blinking quietly as you fought off a prickle of tears at the corner of your eye. "All I've ever known- and all you've ever known, I would think- has been war. Fighting. Being soldiers." The shrug you gave was helpless.

The words hung in midair. They stayed for a while, the silence of them almost louder than the incoming tide or birds flying by. You blinked, a hand reaching up and touching your cheek to pull away with a wet tear. "Oh," You said, not quite realizing you had been crying.

Echo reached out quickly. He touched your back, the human hand landing on you. "Hey." He said. "There's no rush."

"I know, but-"

"Fighting will always exist. You'll find something to fight for." He licked his lips, brows narrowing in determination. "Tomorrow."

Your lips drew into a smile. You nodded, faith falling into place. "Yeah," You muttered, as sound returned to the world. "Tomorrow."

[waterdeep-weavemoss]

Leaving

Self indulgent silliness. I quit my PhD this year and wondered if professor Dekarios would hate that or not. Here's my answer.

Doe felt her heart sink lower with every step. It was a beautiful spring day, crisp and blue, the sunlight falling like water onto the cobblestones of Blackstaff Academy. She had just turned from its imposing front doors and walked away; the lightness of the time of year, its cheerful birds and easy laughter from Waterdhavians on the street, could not match the tangle in her chest.

It was but a short walk along the seafront back home. The Dekarios tower loomed, at once imposing and also somehow feeling held together by a wish.

And perhaps it was. The wish that rose into her throat, a point of light. She opened the door with trepidation, though the strike of her cane on the floor would announce her arrival even if she tried to be stealthy.

It didn't take long to reach Gale's office; he'd moved it to the ground floor for her sake, installed magical means to traverse the floors to save her from stairs. But this was where he was most often- he insisted on her comfort, and so he was just at the end of the entrance hall, sequestered away.

'Gale?' Doe knocked, cautiously opening the door. 'I have something to tell you.'

He was buried in a book as usual, fine gold glasses perched on his nose. 'One moment please, love. I'm reading about a very tricky potion involving hollyphant feathers and soul coins...'

'I... don't think I want to know,' she said lightly, though his face fell slightly as he looked up at her. 'I was only joking- I mean, what in the hells could require ingredients like that?'

'You're upset.'

'Not at all, I just meant that-'

'No, I mean,' he said, closing the book gently and rising to his feet. 'Something's happened. Tell me.'

'That obvious?' she sighed.

'I make it a point of utmost importance to understand when you are out of sorts, my love.' His warm brown eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled softly, extending a hand. 'Tell me.'

She took it and he drew her in, warm hands wrapping around her, cocooning her in safety. He smelled of sandalwood and incense, sweet and clean.

'You're going to hate me.'

'Nothing in all the realms could make me hate you,' he said, drawing back to frown at her. 'I love you.'

Doe bit her tongue, tears welling. 'I quit. Blackstaff, I left, I walked away. I'm a failure. It was never a good fit for me, I should've realised at the time but I- I thought I could do it. I thought I could be as brilliant as you, and change the world, but-' She dissolved into tears, crying into his robes.

'Shhh,' he soothed quietly. 'You silly little rabbit. I've been hoping you'd leave for months now.'

'Wh- huh?'

'It's not everything you know. And changing the world... well. Some can do that from a classroom. But some people, like your beautiful self...' Gale took her face in his hands, brushed away her tears with his thumbs. 'You're meant to be free. Out in the world, running headlong into any scrap of danger you can find. How can you think you're a failure when you're the most determined creature I've ever known? If anyone can carve out a space in this life out of pure tenacity and spite, it's you. And to be truthful,' he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 'I've been thinking of resigning, too. Maybe this is just the push I need. So. What I want you to do, is choose anywhere on the map. Pack a bag.'

'Seriously?'

'Seriously. I'd go anywhere with you. Let's go on an adventure.'

Tags:

@bluerosetarot @further-than-forever

@forget-me-maybe @poetryvampire @sasha199 @wandawillow

@boufsy @owlseeyoulaterpal @lanafofana @amorgansgal

@aryancunin @miradelletarot @marlowethebard

@crimson-and-lavender @reeseykins @medra-gonbites

@roguishcat @weaverofnetheril @galedekarioswifey @hyperfixationstation128

@astarryvamp @feedthepheasants @dabigstinky @dreamingofthewild @ladyofcrowsandcoffee

@dr-demi-bee @spooky-lil-bee @12thhouse-sun

[ltleflrt]

Ltleflrt's Writing Year In Review

Not a lot of writing got done this year, but considering the level of burnout I've been experiencing in the last 3-5 years, I'm very happy with what I've gotten done :)

Total 2023 Wordcount: 67,799

Total 2023 Kudos: 247

Total 2023 Hits: 2,734

My 2023 Fics:

Peace: 18,643 (WIP)

Fenris didn't have much reason to smile and laugh in his life, until he came to Kirkwall and Hawke gives him a reason to. Fenris doesn't want to disrupt the fragile sense of peace he's found by putting his heart in the hands of another mage, but Hawke's flirting and kindness are difficult to resist.

This is a rewrite of my very first fic Peace Begins With A Smile, and technically most of the wordcount is from there. But I've got many more chapters written than posted, and I know for a fact that I added AT LEAST 10k words to the original story, so I'm keeping that posted wordcount for this year's stats :D

Peace began as a writing exercise, just to keep my creative muscles from atrophying. I had replayed DA2 early in the year, and fell down the Fenhawke rabbit hole again, and it made me want to re-read my own story. I hadn't read it in like 10 years, so it was very eye opening to see just how much I've improved and how much my writing style has developed in that time. I wanted to rewrite it with my new skills, and wow it's a BIG difference.

Reaching Out: 22,825 (WIP)

Everyone knew Malcolm Hawke was a good man. A hero in the eyes of his wife and children, and a respected pillar of the community. At least until rumors of magic started to circulate, and he had to move his family in order to protect them. He'd do anything to keep his family safe, a responsibility he passes on to his eldest son when illness takes him away. Mal Hawke not only bears his father's name, but also the weight of his father's legacy. Everyone, including himself, expects him to step into his father's role, to pick up those responsibilities and carry them with the same steadfast strength. An expectation that is tested when the Blight hits Lothering, and is strained to a breaking point by the lawless and chaotic City of Kirkwall.

This is my biggest 2023 project, all original words. Once again, DA2 infested my brain, and I got an idea for a new version of Hawke that has me really excited. Plus, I have always wanted to write a Fenhanders fic, so this is going to be it! I got stuck, and have been distracted by BG3, but I still have big plans for this fic. (SO big, omg this story is going to be so long lol)

Something to Hold: 14,733

He did not hear the telltale clank of Templar armor behind him. It was probably a local. All Anders needed to do was act as if he were a simple traveler passing through. Nothing remarkable. Nothing worth mentioning to any searching Templars who might follow. Don’t run, act natural, don’t run, act natural, he thought firmly as he forced himself to keep an even pace. The only sign he gave that he recognized he was no longer alone on the road was to move to the edge to give the approaching stranger space to pass him. His heart beat like bird wings against the cage of his ribs as the sound of horse hooves and cart wheels grew closer. His fingers began to tingle with magic, and he curled them inward to hide any wayward sparks. Anders tried to keep his shoulders loose instead of tucked up tense around his ears. When the wagon drew up alongside him, Anders kept his eyes forward and prayed to the Maker that the stranger would ignore him. As was the case with most of his prayers, the Maker didn’t listen. On one of his many escape attempts Anders meets the Hawke family. And forms a special connection with the eldest son.

This was an excuse to write porn lol

I love "what if they met before canon" fics, and I decided to write one of my own. It turned out longer than I thought it would (shock!), and planted the seed for Reaching Out. It can stand alone, but I'm treating it as a prequel :D

Bathed in Starlight: 3,336

“You should have brought a torch,” Gethin scolds lightly as he comes to a stop next to Astarion’s discarded armor and clothing. It’s folded neatly, the armor stacked methodically. Astarion affects an air of carelessness, but he keeps his few belongings tidy and organized. Gethin suspects it’s his way of exerting a modicum of control over his life. “Or stayed closer to camp.” Astarion flashes a fanged smile at Gethin over his shoulder, seemingly unsurprised at his presence. “You know how much I enjoy a nip of danger, darling.” When Gethin’s lips tighten with disapproval, Astarion’s smile droops into a pout and he sighs dramatically. “There was nothing to worry about, was there? Here you are, with enough light for both of us.”

OMG a new fandom! *excited bounce*

I picked up Baldur's Gate 3 on launch day because the bear sex scene in the trailer hooked my interest (yes, I'm a closet furry), and the game has taken over my life. I did not expect to fall in love so hard, with the characters, the story, the gameplay, with my OCs, and one particular elf. But here we are, and I'm gonna fic about it.

This is just a canon conversation that I needed to write from the POV of my Dark Urge OC. Nothing special about it. And of course it had to include bathing. If I never wrote anything else for BG3, I needed to make sure I added my signature to the fandom :D

The Sun, The Moon, and The Night: 8,262 (WIP)

Caelnir and Kestrel are half brothers who were swept up by the mindflayer nautiloid at the same time. When they crash back to Faerun, they meet a pale elf who manages to snare both of them with his charms.

This is the bastard that has distracted me from my other WIPs. Yeah, yeah, I'm mad about it too, but I'm also gonna keep writing it lol

I don't normally create OCs. Like, there's Gabe Hawke and JM Shepard, but they've got more of a canon framework than most RPG playable characters. I have no emotional connections to any of my Dragon Age wardens, and the one inquisitor I care about has just the baaaarest hint of backstory. I can't even think of OCs I've created for other RPGs, because I don't care.

But oh boy, I care about Kestrel and Caelnir. A lot. Mostly because I created them with the same face shape, and I thought it would be funny if I somehow made them brothers even though one is a high elf, and the other is a drow. But they're half elves. What if their mom was just a slutty slutty human who traveled a lot? BOOM. The boys came to life, and now I'm writing fic. And since they both romanced the same character in the game, it's a poly fic. I love the challenge of poly fics, and I also hate the challenge, WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF??

Oh yeah, because Astarion is my blorbo, my boys are precious and special, and I'm the self insert slutty slutty human mom ;D

My writing in 2023 has been nothing like previous years. The fics I've written have gotten very little attention compared to what I'm used to, even going back to my very early days of posting, but I'm having fun and I've got a few friends who are intensely interested in the stuff I'm creating. I'm just happy to be writing!

My plans for 2024 are to keep plunking away at the WIPs in this post. I don't see myself going back to any of my Destiel WIPs, posted or otherwise, any time soon. I think my brain needs a break from the Winchesters for now.

(Of course, there's a shitload of Winchester Inspiration in some of my new OCs, but like...they don't have American accents, so they're TOTALLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE LOL)

Anyway, Happy New Year! Here's to many more fics, both written and read, in our future! 🍾🎆🥂

Previous Years

[naushtheaspiringauthor]

~Child Of The Storm~

Nikolai Lantsov x OC

Image by - @brokendreamtale2

Warnings- none

A/N- FIRST CONVERSATION RAHHHH also i love my girl so much shes such an icon. Anddd let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist!

Taglist- @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @sirisuorionblack @nadeleine123n

Ch-23 ~Estranged soul~

That night, they’d been invited to dine with Sturmhond in his quarters. The meal was served by the steward, a servant of impeccable manners, who was several years older than anyone else on the ship. No matter the presentation, the food was better than Anaya had in weeks, fresh bread, roasted haddock, pickled radishes, and a sweet iced wine, which she drank more than she'd anticipated.

Sturmhond mentioned the shipment of arms he was bringing back to Ravka. Then he seemed to perk up and they spent the rest of the meal talking about guns, grenades, and exciting ways to make things explode. A kind of conversation Anaya had no intention of joining. Thankfully, none of the crew members seemed to pay much attention to her, except for the captain, the boy seemed to keep his eye on everyone.

She decided to inspect her surroundings. Everything was gleaming wood and polished brass. The desk was littered with charts, the pieces of a dismembered sextant, and strange drawings of the hinged wing of a mechanical bird, just what was this boy planning to do? The table glittered with Kerch porcelain and crystal. The wines bore labels in a strange language. 

After what felt like an eternity, they all bid their farewells and retired for the day.

..............................................................

Anaya spent half of the night tossing and turning in the hammock, she didn't seem to have any hint of sleep despite the exhaustion. She noticed Alina and Tamar silently creeping out of the quarters, but she chose to ignore it. At least for a while. After a while, she could feel the ship rocking much violently than it had been. She quickly pulled her kefta on and went outside. 

A massive burst of light erupted from somewhere on the ship. Anaya rushed to see that it had been Alina. The girl had worn the sea whip's fetter. The power grew more violent, but the she didn't seem to stop. People began to shout and bellow, but it had no effect on her. 

"Alina" Mal called out, but she did not respond

 "Alina!" he suddenly wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her back with a hard grip. She finally released the light, revealing the night sky once again. 

She drew the last scraps of light together and wove them into a soft sheen that pulsed over the deck of the ship.

Sturmhond and the others were crouched by the railing, their mouths open in awe. Anaya was surprised to find herself having a similar reaction.

Mal still had the girl wrapped in his arms. 

Mal,” she said quietly. “Mal, I can’t breathe.”

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked down at her. She finally dropped her hands, the light disappearing entirely. He then eased his grip on her. Tolya lit a lamp, and the others got to their feet. 

Sturmhond dusted off the gaudy folds of his teal coat. A girl that might have been a Fabrikator, looked sickly, she might've been the one to secure the amplifier.

“Well, Summoner,” said Sturmhond, a slight wobble to his voice, “you certainly know how to put on a show.”

Mal bracketed Alina's face with his hands. He seemed to kiss her wherever he could reach, then drew her tight against him once again.

“You’re all right?” he asked. 

“Yes,” she replied.

Without saying a word to anyone, Anaya went back to Tamar's quarters

.....................................................................

Anaya shuffled in her hammock. She usually had trouble sleeping, but it seemed to be worse tonight. Se silently crept out of Tamar's quarters in just her shirt and pants of the same colour. She went near one of the railings and leaned, placing her arms on it. This part of the ship was almost empty apart from the few of the crew members who'd been on watch.

The cold salty air brushed on her skin as she closed her eyes. The sea had a different sense of calmness and peace that was nowhere else to be found. 

She was still baffled by the fact that she was alive, still. She herself couldn't believe what she'd done back at the whaler. Something she never knew she was capable of.  

Her trail of thoughts was disrupted when she sensed silent footsteps behind her. She quickly readied herself to form an icicle, but stopped herself remembering she couldn't possibly be attacked on the ship. She turned around to see Sturmhond making his way to her.

She turned to look at the sea once again as the boy approached her. He leaned against the railing alongside her, and finally spoke. "I've been meaning to talk to you"

She looked at him raising an eyebrow, "Why?"

"I wanted to thank you, for helping us back on the whaler. What you did was really unexpected" He smiled, his features gleaming in the moonlight

"I didn't even expect that myself"

The boy let out a small chuckle

There was a short pause before he spoke again, "Why did the Darkling made you his tracker?" He asked, "How did you know about the creature's whereabouts?"

"There's much you don't know about me" 

"I think we can change tha-"

"And I would very much prefer to keep it that way" she cut him off

"I respect that" he pursed his lips

After a long moment of silence, Anaya spoke "There's a lot I don't know about you either. I mean, how do I know that you won't take us to the fold and throw us offboard then feed us to the volcra whom you might be taming the whole time?" She shrugged

"Don't worry darling, I promise I won't do that. Besides, you're too beautiful to be fed off to Volcra" he winked at her, making her roll her eyes

"Do pirates not sleep at night?"

"A- Privateer" the boy threw his arms in exasperation. "And we do, but usually not when there are guests around"

"Alright" Anaya responded, a corner of her mouth slightly turning up. She left the deck, leaving the privateer all by himself

[umbralsound-xiv]

Gift.

It had been longer than she would've liked when she last wandered this path, even if the reason had been a pleasant one. Sayuri's ears flickered to the occasional birdcall that echoed between the trees, uncertain whether it was the Karahli, or actual birds - it could be either, really.

A small smile settled on her lips as the Willows came into view, her steps drawing ever closer. Once she reached the door, a hand extended for the handle and she began to push it open, making her way inside the home.

Bexy's ears flick at the sound of distant footfalls, slowly turning and raising as they drew closer, nearer. No sooner has Sayuri entered the Whispering Willows, Bexy has already abandoned her slice of rolanberry tart and made it to the doorway to throw her arms around Sayuri. "---I thought you were never going to come home!" Bexy laughs, half-serious, as she regarded her sister and friend. "Welcome home, Sayuri!" She beams, almost too-wide. "I hope you're here with plenty of good tales to tell?"

Gods, it feels like forever since i saw her last... Since before the change of cycle, i... ...I missed her, of course. Even though i knew she was well, likely having the time of her life in some far flung land.

Sayuri's own arms coiled around Bexy in return, a soft laughter leaving her in return to the comment. "I promised I would, didn't I?" She beamed. "Thank you. I'm glad to be home. And I have a few, at least!"

"Well, i will be glad to hear them!" Eventually slipping away from her, Bexy moves to the stovetop, then. "Tea? Something to eat? Tell me of the adventures of the new Mrs Fellfrost!" Excitement hung on her every word, tail dancing at her heels. "You have been missed. In case that wasn't quite apparent."

"Some tea would be nice." Sayuri smiles. "Well, we explored Radz-at-Han a bit, considering I had never been there before and it had been quite some time since he last was. Went shopping and.. actually met people who had known him before, even if both had been.. quite young, at the time. We had a picnic, visited a meyhane, watched some dancing.." She pauses, as a tiny pout settles on her lips before she continues. ".. Picked flowers and put them in each others hair.." The sentence is more mumbled shyly than spoken aloud, as she's certainly not the first person who openly speaks about adorable things she gets up to.

"So he spoiled you rotten, then?" Bexy asks, head turned over her shoulder. "He'd best have. What was it like? Just as colourful as i've heard?" Quickly returning her attention, she begins to prepare a pot of tea; rolanberry as always. "I'm glad you had fun. Gladder still that you're home, and you get to tell me about it. Take a seat, hm? I'll be with you in a moment."

"I'm the one with the mountain of coin, Bexy. If anything, I spoiled him." She grinned, letting her feet steer towards the table, settling herself upon the bench by it. "It was! It was a very lovely city, pleasant people.. Even if.. one Raen was a touch too.. excited about my.. predicament. Even so, we had a great time."

"Mountain of coin or not, you can still spoil someone. He'd better be a good husband." Bexy half-teases, bringing over two mugs and the teapot. "Raen? Excited how? Was she one of those who knew him before?" Bexy asks, head tilted, joining Sayuri at the other side of the table.

"He is, believe me." She smiles, one ear drooping down a touch. ".. The night before my nameday, I.. had a nightmare, one that brought out a rather violent reaction from my aether.." A brief pause, as Sayuri's hands intertwine with eachother. ".. Eir took me to their alchemists, to see if.. anything could be done for me. The woman we spoke to was.. quite excited about the uniqueness of my condition, I think."

Pouring out the tea, Bexy listens intently, offering a short nod every so often to indicate that she was listening, gently sliding Sayuri's tea towards her. "…Suppose from a purely educational perspective, it's interesting enough." Peering over the rim of her teacup, Bexy takes a sip. "…And? Could they do anything…?"

Not that i have abandoned my search for answers here, but... In case Q'kura isn't quite as smart as he thinks he is, it doesn't hurt to have a backup.

Sayuri's hands unlinked and reached for the cup, head nodding in thanks. ".. She.. managed to make some kind of potion that helped, but.. by no means cured me. I could use some aether without pain, exist without this constant dull ache. I had almost forgotten how it felt like." She shook her head faintly, raising her cup to take a sip. "I have some vials left of it, but.. Once I've run out, that's it. She used some of Eir's aether for it and.. he already has so little, I don't want to ask him to go through that again, even if I have no doubt he would if I did."

"…He would, you know this. Wouldn't you do the same for him?" Bexy arches a brow, considering. "…Though i understand the want to protect him, especially if he has so little to give. Still…" Bexy seems to contemplate something quietly, hanging in a short pause before she continues to talk. "I cannot exactly say i have been sitting idle in your absence… I too, have been looking into ways to address your condition…"

".. Of course I would, but I have an abundance of it, he doesn't." She mumbles, tapping at the cup with a claw before lofting her brow. ".. Have you.. found anything..?"

"I…" Bexy flicks her gaze up, and back to the cup for a moment. "…Something like that?" There's a hesitant pause, briefly thinning her lips to a line, fighting the tugging smirk. "Think of it something of a late namesday gift." She takes a small sip, then. "I'll show you after your tea."

If i told her, she would storm down those stairs, i am certain. Better to hold off for a few moments, surely...?

Sayuri blinks twice, eyes narrowing into a squint at Bexy. She nonetheless raises her cup to drink from it. "..Can you tell me about it, at least..?"

"I don't want to spoil the surprise." Bexy states more plainly, taking another drink. "Just that… It's promising. And i went through a great deal of effort to get it for you. Information brokers… Bloodshed. There is nothing i wouldn't do for my little sister."

There's another pause, ears slowly drooping as she takes in the given information. "You.. hunted, while I was away..?"

"I'm fine, don't worry. I didn't kill anyone important." A dismissive gloved hand is slowly waved. "I wasn't going to just let you suffer, Sayuri. I know what your aether means to you. I… Can't guarantee anything. And if it doesn't work, i'll keep looking."

Sayuri shook her head slightly. "I care for your well-being, not whoever you would've killed." A faint exhale leaves her. ".. I hope you were not alone. The thought of being unable to be at your side in battle, to leave you to fight my battles for me.." Her features draw into a small frown. ".. It drives me mad."

"…I know. I know…" A warm, gentle smile is given in Sayuri's direction. "I wasn't alone, don't worry. But that doesn't mean i don't want you back fighting by my side. Even in your condition, i know you're not defenseless. I just know it isn't… The same. It's instinct to use our aether." A small sigh, as Bexy drains most of her tea, and raises to her feet. "…Come on. I was never very good at holding back surprises, anyway."

..But in the end i suppose it is only a cup of tea. And i am terrible at surprises, especially in this manner.

".. I may as well be defenseless, the way pain can cripple me if I get emotional enough." She huffs. The cup is lift to her lips while she stands, dutifully draining her cup and setting it down.

"…I know you'd still push through if it came to it. Hopefully though, that won't be necessary." A small sweep of her hand encourages Sayuri to join her as Bexy descended the stairs.

".. I would. I also have. And it crippled me badly enough that I needed support to walk, and then got carried." She mumbles a touch bitterly, steps following Bexy's as they descend the stairs together.

Bexy descends the stairs, wordlessly. Approaching her room with the same pace, she suddenly turns on her heels, bringing an index up to her painted lips in a shushing motion. "Sayuri." Bexy whispers. "…Promise me something?"

A wordless Q'kura lifts his ears. One set of footsteps he'd learned to expect. The one that followed… Had he heard voices above…?

Sayuri pauses, slowly raising a brow at Bexy. Her head tilts, being offered as a mute question.

Vex, in her usual spot next to the cell, sits and juggles a little ball of fire between her hands to entertain herself, now capturing the flame in one hand and letting her ears perk up.

"You can't kill him. Not until you're cured. It's the best chance we have." A small, sincere pat was given to Sayuri's shoulder, before she leads into her bedroom. Unusually, the bookcase was already open, catching the dimming light of Vex's flames. "Greetings, Vex."

I was sure she wouldn't She might hurt him, sure enough. She'd be entitled to, after all he's put her through. But he was useful, still. I was certain enough that she most likely wouldn't kill him...

Q'kura takes a sharp breath in. He knew Bexy wasn't alone… And had his assumptions as to who the company might be…

She remains quiet, her thoughts visibly beginning to run as she tries to figure out just exactly who she should expect. She follows, gaze moving to the bookcase to catch a glimpse of Vex, not quite yet visible to Q'kura.

Vex flashes and immediate grin upon seeing the two, raising one hand in an overly enthusiastic wave. "Hey!" She greets, in an incredibly jovial tone.

Bexy plucks a candle from a nearby book as she rounds the corner, settling it on holder and dutifully holding it out for Vex. "She returns. Finally." The word was met with some faint laughter, then.

Q'kura slowly begins to shuffle into the far corner of the cell, ears low and flat on his head. He knew this would happen, sooner of later. Already, his breath hitches in his throat.

Vex flicks the flame already in her hand the candle's way, letting it settle there.

Then, Sayuri finally steps in, greeting Vex with a small smile. A smile that disappears into nothingness, the moment her mismatched gaze falls to Q'kura. The previously, relatively happy look in them turning into sheer hatred in a the matter of seconds.

Holding the candle, Bexy simply offers Sayuri the key. "Just remember what i said."

Q'kura's eyes are wide, dragging a shrill, terrified sound out of the back of his throat. "S-Sayuri! I--- I---" He began to stutter already, unable to speak any further for the moment.

Vex shoves herself up to stand, just in case.

Sayuri reaches to grasp onto the key. ".. I will." Her tone is kept quiet, hand soon enough reaching over to unlock the cell door, and nigh tear it open in order to step inside. ".. Q'kura." His name leaves her akin to a curse word, dripping with spite.

Bexy remains at Vex's side, then. Watching. Waiting.

"S-Sayuri! It-- I-it… I…" He couldn't shuffle any further against the wall if he tried. "I'm sorry! I---- I didn't know--! I swear, i'm sorry for what happened!" He'd thought of what he might say, of course, in the intervening moments between his capture and this moment. But all turned to ash now, confronted with the reality of the situation.

Cold clings to the air in Sayuri's immediate vicinity, increasing in intensity the longer she stares at Q'kura. ".. And what.. exactly.." Mid snarled speech, Sayuri swipes a hand down, seeking to snatch onto the collar of Q'kura's robe to yank him up to her own height. ".. did you NOT know?"

Q'kura yelps as he's dragged up, failing to find purchase on the ground with his bad leg. "I-- I d-didn't know i-it would turn out like this! I w-would have never… I-i…" Struggling to swallow, he gasps. "I a-am… S-sorry…"

"Oh, well.. if you're sorry.." She begins, almost sounding calmer.. Almost. She suddenly bares her teeth to the point her fangs are on display. A shard of ice forms in her free hand which she promptly lunges forwards, slamming into the wall just next to Q'kura's head.

A shrill sound escapes him, flinching as the ice narrowly - and purposely - missed him. "I'M SORRY!" Q'kura screams, writhing in her grasp. "Y-your aether! I--- I can help! I can fix it! I-- I can try to fix it, i know what they did, please, please, don't kill me!"

Despite trying to choke down her own pain of using her aether to not let it show, a twitch in her eye is the biggest telling sign, as well as the grip of his collar tightening. "Your shit excuse of an apology does not undo what you fuckers did to my -HUSBAND-." She snarls.

"I--- I didn't do a-anything!" Q'kura pleaded. He was wrong. "I--- I healed him! R-remember? You were in the cell, you were close! I fixed his legs! Vex! Vex, you heard me too! Please!"

Only a long, slow sigh makes it out of Bexy's nose. She was confident enough Sayuri wouldn't kill him, of course. At least, so she liked to think.

This is warranted. It would be somewhat unforgivable to dismiss her anger, deny her of what she wanted. She is my sister, of course.

"-YOU- lead his bloody capture. None of this would've happened if it weren't for -YOU-." The dagger tore out of the wall, moving to instead point directly at Q'kura's throat. "-You-, Keely, and that bastard of an Elezen that was boasting about it." She snarled. "The only goddamn reason I have not torn your goddamn throat out yet is because you -will- fix me."

Vex's lips draw into a thin line. She doesn't back up Q'kura, and merely shuffles on the spot.

"I will! I will!" Q'kura does his best to jerk his head away from the dagger, strangled, terrified sounds spilling from his lips. "I s-swear, i'll fix you, i will! She promised! Your sister promised i'd be free if i did!"

Bexy's icy gaze says nothing. No denial. No affirmation. Just cold silence.

Sayuri silences herself for a moment, merely staring at Q'kura while her anger seethes. She leans herself just a slight bit closer, keeping her head close to Q'kura's. The next words that leave her carry an almost empty tone, devoid of the rage that still burned in her icy glare. "My sister would not promise you your life, when it's not hers to promise." She tilts her head. "She wouldn't promise you anything, if she wasn't completely certain she could keep it."

"B-b-but she--- S-she…" Q'kura casts a helpless gaze in Bexy's direction; anything to flee from those peering, mismatched eyes of Sayuri. Not that Bexy's were any better.

Bexy's gaze narrows, and a long sigh is given from her nose. "I said might, Q'kura." Though her words are certainly not unkind, there's some edge to them. "Why don't you elaborate on what we spoke about, hm?"

"E-elaborate? I--- I d-don't know--- Oh!" Q'kura wrestles his expression into a smile, looking back in roughly Sayuri's direction but not at her eyes. "Th-the others! Inside! I---I can help. I c-can get back in. C-can help get the others out…"

Sayuri arches a brow, icy stare burrowing into Q'kura's own if he dared to look. "Is that so?"

Q'kura half dares a look, immediately filled with regret; the very sight of her so close brings a short cry of alarm from his throat. "Y-yes! Th-there are others, V-vex can't get back in, th-they don't trust her, but me, i… I can, i…" His words stutter into half-sentences, unintelligible and terrified. "P-please, S-Sayuri…" He puts some emphasis on her name, daring to meet her eyes again. "I w-will f-fix you… I s-swear…"

"I can get in if I want. Getting out again is the problem." Vex corrects, pouting. Missing the point there, lady.

".. I know of one other." Sayuri spoke quietly. "A Seeker I was about to kill during our escape."

"D'khoreh." Vex chimes in.

Sayuri's gaze briefly left Q'kura in favour of giving Vex a stare, slowly creeping back to the Seeker still held at knife-point. "You phrase it as if you have a choice in the matter, Q'kura." Her voice was disturbingly calm, now. Eyes narrowed into a cold glare that showed little emotion other than annoyance. "I do find it curious that you'd be willing to stab Grym in the back, considering his reputation.. And that he certainly doesn't lack the will to kill you if you wrong him."

Vex's words earn a look from Bexy, somewhat accusatory but not unkind. And then, a small nod to Sayuri. "You're right, of course. But Q'kura doesn't know where we are, and knows nothing of us. He either tries to free them and succeeds, tries and fails, and Grym kills him, or decides to try and turn on us, and we kill him. He doesn't have a whole lot of options… But certainly one that is less terrible than the others."

Q'kura still hangs from Sayuri's grasp. Despite his struggling, he'd not attempted to harm her in any way, even going as far to hold up a hand. "P-please…" Teary eyed, he looks up to her. "A-at least g-give me a chance…" He pleads, in a whispered, airy breath. "I d-did with your Husband. I-in the arena. I c-could have just lied, a-and let him die…" Another anxious swallow, then. "B-but i didn't."

Vex's ears swivel, and she returns a look Bexy's way; offering another pout but keeping her silence.

Sayuri's eyes narrow further, ears pinning back. "You could have. And you can thank whichever God you believe in that you saw enough sense not to, or I would not let you have breathed a single word."

"I-it was y-you…" Q'kura babbles out between breaths, looking to the ice that was ilms from kissing this throat. "Y-your i-ice. He s-should have been dead. N-no one could h-have survived th-that, b-but… Your i-ice…" Q'kura swallows again, unsteady. "It s-stemmed the blood. N-not only with sealing the wound, b-but… His pulse was s-so… Slow. S-stilled, b-by your ice." Q'kura's terrified features slowly knit into something a little more steely, if only for a moment. "V-Vairg was wrong. You d-did s-save him."

Sayuri's expression softens, eyes widening just a touch as she processed what Q'kura said. ".. I.. saved him..?" She half whispers, eyes sinking down to her dagger, which lowers slightly as to not be an immediate threat. ".. My-.. My ice.. saved him..?"

Bexy stares at the revelation. Confusion and… Joy? She doesn't say a word, though the look on her face was enough to know she had much in her thoughts.

That is... I... I don't know what happened there, in that moment. But to know that it did something more than destroy... That it helped. I can't imagine how Sayuri feels, but i know it's probably some kind of relief. Those words... Probably saved Q'kura a lot of hurt, too.

Q'kura doesn't nod, suppressed though he was, and now willing to put his head any closer to the dagger, lowered though it might have been. "Y-yes. I-it… C-could not have been a-anything else. H-he had lost… S-so much blood. W-what little he h-had left was kept within him, k-kept slow. I-it was a… M-miracle he survived. A-as much as i… Healed him. S-several times, m-might i add… It was you… Y-your ice, that saved his l-life."

Vex idly scratches at her cheek with a lofted brow, clearly not having been aware of such details.

Sayuri remains almost eerily still, a deep, half-shaky breath being drawn before she bites back the rising emotion, not wishing for her vulnerability to show in front of what she considered an enemy. She seems to be at a loss for words.

Half held, half standing, Q'kura stares. He hadn't known the woman well enough to determine whether her reaction was a good one or not, and merely keeps still, half holding his breath. "I-it is as your sister says. I… I don't have a lot of options. B-but…" Blinking, Q'kura does what Sayuri didn't; tears slowly spill down his cheeks, then. "P-please, at least g-give me a chance."

Sayuri kept a steady stare upon Q'kura, ears pinned back. There's a long moment of silence before her head turns, a much kinder gaze seeking out Bexy and Vex, as if requesting their general thoughts about it.

"We have plenty to gain, and nothing to lose." Bexy's remark is plain, offered with a small incline of her head. "He heals you. Then, we let him go. From there, he has a few options. He can go running back to Grym's side. If they decide to kill him, it's no loss to us."

The way Bexy spoke sees Q'kura wilt again. A sob, though he fights to stifle it for what good it will do.

"If he lives, he has two more options. Side with Grym, do… Whatever it is he's been doing, and we'll kill him with the rest. Or, help us. Free the others, get us information… That sort of thing. If he fails, they'll kill him and he'll no longer be a problem. And if he succeeds… Well." A small, indifferent roll of her shoulder. "It's your decision, Sayuri. And i stand by whatever you choose. He will heal you regardless. Anything less than perfection, i will have him begging for death long before i give it to him."

".. He does have a talent to talk himself both in and out of shit." Vex muses. ".. And allies tend to pop up in real weird fucking places, apparently."

Sayuri listened, to both Bexy and Vex, nodding along briefly to the woman considered her sister, before her brow arched at the younger Seeker. ".. Your deal with us, and his deal, is vastly different, Vex." Sayuri spoke quietly.

"Oh I'm not talking about Q'kura. 'S one that sure as fuck didn't have a single deal with either of us. And still helped."

A moment of silence, then, as the piece of the puzzle fell into place, Sayuri's ears pinning back. She knew who Vex meant, and was still uncertain how to truly take the scenario that had happened. Her head then turns to Q'kura, eyes narrowing. "The people. They are of.. what Vex called Distrusted, yes?"

"Y-yes." Q'kura manages the faintest nod he could muster. "…D'khoreh. He…" A small sigh from the man, then. "D-does not deserve his fate. He h-helped heal the Viera after Vairg…" The sentence trails. Even Q'kura didn't enjoy talking about it. "Th-there are others, too."

Bexy slowly pulls her lips into a line, glancing to Vex with a nod, and then back to Sayuri. "…There's something else you should know that he told me. We have no reason to believe he's lying. At least, not about this." Bexy's gaze flicks to Q'kura, who offers a deep, almost lamenting sigh.

"…I have not tried r-run. N-not escape. I h-have been a good… C-captive." The word seems to wound him to speak, eyes closing. "…S-should you wonder why, you need only look to what i'd be going back to." An anxious swallow, then. "…Vairg. He's the new l-left hand. N-no one is h-happy about this. Perhaps s-save Grym."

"I met D'khoreh. He was collared, same as Vex. And I am aware of the fact he aided my husband, and that Vairg tried to force him into harming him for it." The Viera's name leaves her dripping with spite, the anger she held and tried to contain bubbling to the surface before being choked down again. "You. You are the exact opposite of their ranks. Why would they believe that you were trying to help them, and not simply guide them into a trap?" Sayuri's gaze wandered back to Bexy, head tilting ever so slightly, until Q'kura speaks again and regains her attention. ".. Vairg.. was promoted..?" She lofted a brow. ".. That sadistic asshole is only happy when he's inflicting pain and suffering, but I suppose.. promoting that bastard counts..."

"It's been awful. A-at least here, i can eat my meals in p-peace…" Q'kura blinks trying to still the tears in his eyes, leaning further away from Sayuri's grasp. Balancing on one leg had begin to creep beyond discomfort for the mage. "I… I d-don't know w-why they would believe me. I h-have to think of something, b-but…" Q'kura takes an unsteady breath. "O-one thing a-at a time. I need to heal you f-first."

Vex hums thoughtfully to herself, tapping a finger against her own chin as she does. ".. I'd say convince D'khoreh first, but.. he aint the one you gotta convince. That's D'nhehli."

Sayuri dissipates her dagger and simply lets go of Q'kura, having no intentions to set him down gently. "I despise the thought of letting you do anything to me, but I know my sister would kill you if you even dared to consider causing me more harm."

He would beg me to kill him. He would be so lucky if he would be stupid enough to hurt her.

Q'kura drops with a yelp, slumping against the wall, and slowly easing himself down to sitting with a wince. "I w-won't hurt you. W-we both know Grym will l-look for you. I h-have no intention of t-telling him a-anything. B-but… I-in the event he or V-Vairg or… Someone finds you again. I would m-much rather it be when you can d-defend yourself." Taking a simpering little breath, he slowly rubs his hand over his broken limb. "…I h-have… I-ideas for h-how to fix you. Only theories, b-but… Good ones…"

Sayuri's eyes narrow with clear suspicion, tail thrashing to the side with her frustration. "..Theories." She repeats, seemingly not all too happy about the fact there isn't an immediate known cure.

"G-good theories! I-it isn't as though i've had chance to test them! But they will w-work, they h-have to work…" Q'kura seems to half convince himself, taking a deep breath. "I w-will need s-samples. A-and… Things to work with. O-or an alchemist that can follow instruction, o-or my grimoire. But i promise you, i a-am the best chance you have." A pause then, as Q'kura's gaze falls on Bexy. "A-and i'll need things from you too. Y-you are sisters, yes?"

Bexy pulls her lips into a line. "…As good as. But not by birth. We share no blood nor parentage, for a blessing."

Q'kura shakes his head. "T-that… Makes it a little more difficult. But your aether is… Similar? Are there differences?" Seemingly, talking about anything other than his possible demise or his immediate captivity seemed to bring some sort of… Calm to the Seeker.

A small frown settles on Sayuri's features, ears remaining pinned back. One hand reaches for the wrist of the other, idly rubbing along the inside of it to quell the mild discomfort her own mind and memories caused. ".. There are differences, yes."

"Th-then, sometime soon… I-i… I would like to hear those. As much as you can tell me. It… It does not have to be now. J-just know that… I will try to fix you, S-sayuri." A small note of pride is barely flickered across his face. "I w-was a doctor before i was a…" Quick to replace it, a frown lingers on his features. "…Whatever i am n-now."

".. You will do more than try, Q'kura." Her tone was low, tail swatting to the side while her gaze remained locked upon him. "A slaver? A person who has fucked up so royally that he finds himself almost in the very situation he has brought others into?"

Q'kura wilts at the scathing words, eyes cast away, ashamed. He had no reply for that, and knew she was right, besides. "I w-will do my best…" Came a meek voice. Content that she'd no longer kill him; or at least, not right now, he seems to calm just a little. "…W-whenever you give me the information i need, i'll formulate a course of a-action."

Content with that, Bexy sinks her head into a nod. "I'll give you mine in writing, at least. Sayuri?" Bexy asks, head tilted. "…If you've anything more to ask him, now is the time."

She spent a moment in silence, contemplating.. Slowly shaking her head before turning on her heels to walk over to the wide open cell door. ".. The longer I'm near him, the more I want to hurt him." She muttered quietly, yet she clearly didn't care if Q'kura actually heard her or not. She then draws a deeper breath and sneers over her shoulder. "Do not think you're off the hook for the suffering inflicted on my husband, caused by your actions."

"I…" Q'kura nods. He's partway through curling in on himself, regardless. "Hah, i… I don't think… Y-you'd let me. Or your sister." Taking a deep breath, he gives a long, shaky exhale. Whatever words he has, he keeps to himself.

"We need him in some workable shape if he's to heal you, hm? Save the anger for later. Or for someone else." A comforting pat on her shoulder was offered, as Bexy locks the door behind Sayuri. "I'm rather glad you didn't kill him. He took some getting into this little box, i'll have you know."

"I helped!" Vex announces, proudly.

Sayuri huffed, grumbling beneath her breath. "I have enough anger for the entirety of the compound, but I will leave him be.. For now." She casts a glance Vex's way, then to Q'kura once more, to slowly drag back to Bexy. ".. So he can fix the damage caused, and aid those Vex deem in need of rescue." A sharp exhale leaves her, head shaking. ".. Trust me, it was tempting. He's the last one alive of the trio who took Eir that sun."

"You did!" Bexy beams proudly to Vex, before she offers a small dip of her head to Sayuri. "…And i wouldn't have begrudged you if you'd have just ran him through and let him die. Perhaps a little stuck for how to help your aether, but not angry." She moves back from the door; Sayuri could leave the cell area on her own terms if she wished, or remained.

Regardless, Q'kura keeps his head low, brows knit; clearly deep in thought.

"As much as I want to kill him.." She glared over her shoulder at Q'kura, before looking back at Bexy with a much kinder gaze. "..I want my aether fixed. And the only other person I'd consider getting would be the asshole herself who did it to me, but I already know she wouldn't cooperate, and would offer a fight." She extended her right hand to her left arm, idly dragging her fingers along the cloth which covered the lightning scar beneath. Sayuri briefly glances to Vex and offers a dip of her head before moving to step out of the cell area.

Vex raises a hand and waves, a big grin on her lips as she does.

Bexy offers a wave to Vex in turn, moving in stride with Sayuri, then. "…I thought you would. I thought about putting a bow on his head and telling you happy late Namesday, Starlight, and congratulations on your wedding all in one, but i thought that might be a little indecent." Still, a small smirk tugs at her lips. "…He will fix you. You know this. I will make him fix you. I wasn't going to stop at getting your back. I plan to take back everything they ever took from you."

I'm somewhat surprised no blood was spilled, but suppose it does hurt her to use her ice. He will fix her. I will make him fix her.

An audible snort of amusement leaves her, head shaking. ".. I would've had a laugh from it, and I'm sure Vex would too." She passes a glance in the direction of the cell area. ".. I'm glad to see she's still around." Her gaze slips back to Bexy, head sinking into a slight nod. ".. To know you will be watching over me is the only reason I'm letting him do anything to me. I know you'd never let him harm me, if that was something he considered. But judging how frightened he is.. even I am doubting it."

"…It's been so… Strange. He's never even tried to break out. Hasn't even pleaded to be released, only for us not to kill him." Bexy ascends the stairs, voice quietened as to not let their captive overhear. "…If anything he's been the model prisoner. Something tells me he isn't well liked. Or at least, has some kind of difficulty, there. No wonder he jumped at the chance to some kind of glory. Though it's all but backfired on him now… I can't imagine what he'd contend with if he goes back."

".. Vairg." The name was snarled, her ears pinning back anew after having just returned to a more perked position. ".. I remember him being called to heal Eir, by Vairg. I.. don't remember word by word what Q'kura said to him, but I remember that Vairg threatened for Q'kura to join him.." She briefly shut her eyes at the memory's intrusion, shaking her head. ".. Not to mention that Grym certainly has no trouble killing his own, but.. I do not know if that was because that man was trying to kill me or for going against his orders.. Maybe even both." Sayuri's brows furrowed, a small frown settling on her features. "..And being a healer, he responds to Eanwin's orders.." She glanced downwards to her left arm, letting her hand grasp onto the sleeve to slowly roll it up, putting the lightning scar on display. ".. And she did this to me."

"…Some healer. Gods…" Something about the lightning scar makes Bexy purse her lips in discomfort, gently settling her hand on Sayuri's shoulder after she'd finished ascending the stairs. "…If he's killed when he returns… If he returns, suppose it's no great loss to us. But he won't be leaving that cell until you're healed. I know that. He knows that. As for Vairg, we'll deal with him when the time comes. As left hand, i imagine he has his hands full, which means… We likely shouldn't be seeing him around. Hopefully."

She manages a weak smile Bexy's way in response to the hand settling on her shoulder, her sleeve being released and rolling back down to cover it all. ".. I don't trust him, but I would like to be able to help those who are in the same situation Vex was.. And the only other person from there I'd imagine might do something to help is.. one I do not want to see ever again.. Despite the fact that he helped us during the escape. Still, part of me doubt it was out of the goodness of his supposed heart." She exhales a slow sigh, nodding faintly. ".. My aether restored, and some training.. Then I will happily face off against that bastard on a more even ground.."

"Gods, some training. We're long overdue a sun or two in Coerthas. Or Garlemald, if it comes to it." An encouraging smile offered to Sayuri, Bexy seems all the more full of confidence. "There's much we don't know. Why Ketenblaet helped you, for one. What i do know is that we have the upper hand, and i much intend to keep it that way. We will get you everything you can back, and for the things we cannot, we will make them pay in blood."

"Well, my honeymoon was just a slight bit extended.. Sorry about that." A faint chuckle left her, head sinking into a nod. ".. It's almost disturbing that he did help us, considering my history with him.. And I just can't understand why." She raised her head a touch, offering another nod. ".. They will pay. One way or another."

"…Guilt, perhaps? Or an ulterior motive, as you said." A small shrug of her shoulders… Before Bexy's expression warms into a grin. "Oh, please don't. After everything you two have been through, you deserve it. I did get you something for your namesday, mind. Nothing too fancy. But i know you'll like it."

"At least you weren't too lonely in my absence." Sayuri smiled, tilting her head curiously. ".. You did?"

"Lonely? No. Not lonely. But you were missed terribly, and i'm glad to have you home." Moving to a small stack of boxes beneath a set of stairs, Bexy pulls out a box. It's flat, light, and gift-wrapped with a dark red and gold bow. "And of course i did." Bexy muses, offering it to Sayuri. "Better opened with Eir, i think." A pause, then. "---And it's nothing like that, in case you're wondering."

Pyjamas. She so often wears his, i thought it would be nice to get them another pair to match. Same size and everything. Whether she takes these for herself, or they end up wearing whichever ones that come to them, i do not know. So long as she's happy and it gets a chuckle from her at the gesture.

"I missed you too. And as lovely as our trip was, I am glad to be home." A curious gaze follows Bexy as she retrieves the box, hands slowly reaching out to accept it. ".. I figured you'd warn me if it was." She laughs.

"Precisely." Bexy grins, humming. "What did he get you, for your namesday?" A pause, then. "He did get you something, yes?"

"Well.. He sang to me, when I awoke from my nightmare and I was in such a large amount of pain." Her fingers idly tap against the box, a small smile settled on her lips. "We spent the entire sun on a date, creating memories together. So while it was no material gift, it's one I will hold incredibly dear."

"It's… Thoughtful." Bexy considers, quietly. "What to get the woman who could buy most anything she wants? Something money cannot buy. He's smarter than i give him credit for." Bexy teases, humming. "…I'm glad you had a good time. I was starting to get worried that you weren't coming home…"

"I promised I would! And I am sure you'd come all the way to Thavnair to make it so if I didn't let you know we were extending our stay." She laughs, smiling. "I just.. had to make sure we could get some things with us… That Eir doesn't know about yet."

"I would." Bexy wasn't joking, and Sayuri would be able to tell. "Oh? His namesday is… Soon, yes? What better things to get him than the things from home, mm?"

"In about a couple of sennights." She smiles, pausing. "..A home?"

"Hah, i suppose you could! You have enough coin for one, certainly!" Bexy half laughs, smirking. "What did you actually get him?"

Sayuri's smile only increases in size, offering no other words.

"…Sayuri." Bexy begins. Her eyes widen, brow knitting. "---You're serious?"

".. I may have bought a house."

"A house?" It takes all of Bexy's willpower not to raise her voice. "B-but--- Where are you going? Are you moving to Thavnair?" Her voice turns pleading, lips curled into a frown, hand settled on her shoulder. "You're moving away from the company…?"

She... She is moving away? But i... Not far, i hope? I don't.. I don't want her to be too far away...!

"A house, in the Lavender Beds. If anything, I'm moving closer to you!" Sayuri laughs, raising a hand to settle it atop of Bexy's.

There's no small sigh of relief from her nose as Sayuri gives her answer. "I'm happy for you, obviously! Just-- I can visit, yes? I'll call ahead of course!" A small wrinkle of her nose. "…We'll still go out training? You'll still come to contracts?"

"You're my sister, of course you can visit. And yes, everything will remain the same. We'll train, I'll come to contracts, and continue our daily meets if that is what you wish. And I will make sure to stock up on rolanberries for your inevitable visit." Sayuri grins.

Bexy's expression slowly curls into a grin, then. "Good. You had me worried, then. My little sister, getting married and having her own home…" A pleased sigh, as Bexy's tail danced at her heels. "…I'm happy for you. Truly. You deserve this, though i know the present is mostly for him. Does he know?"

"I'm not going anywhere, Bexy. This is where I belong, and it.. has been a long time since I felt like that about any place." Sayuri smiles, tilting her head. "He.. does not. I am hoping to have it set up by his Nameday. But he'll likely whine at me for spoiling him." She laughs.

"Oh, let him whine. He can whine in his cosy new home with you. I look forward to seeing it, hm? Do let me know if you need any help?" Head tilted in much the same was as Sayuri's, Bexy gives a pleased hum.

"And he will. Just like he did when I paid for a very expensive room for our stay in Thavnair." Lips curled into a grin, she offers a nod. "I will be sure to let you know."

"Coin is simply a tool. The best things can't be bought with it, so we might as well use it on something more… Frivolous." Chuckling, Bexy shakes her head. "…Spoil him. His happiness is yours. Remind him of that next time he's pouting."

"Oh, I intend to.. He can't stop me." Sayuri muses, ears wiggling faintly. ".. I will tell him that when he inevitably whines."

"Good." Bexy chirps, tilting her head. "…I have missed you, sister. But i won't keep you here all morning. We can catch up proper tomorrow, hm? You can tell me all about your honeymoon."

"I missed you too. And we will. For now, I.." A brief pause, Sayuri's gaze lowers to the box on her arms. ".. I'd like to go hug Eir, I think."

"I'm certainly not going to stop you. Go to him. You might start suffering withdrawals, it's been a bell or two." Bexy teases, offering a warmer smile a moment later. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sayuri. Until then, yes?"

"Oh, -hah-!" Sayuri pouts, only to immediately smile afterwards. "I'll see you tomorrow, sister." With that, she heads for the door.

She is happy, and that is what matters to me. With her new husband, with her new home. And, Gods willing, her aether too, when we manage to repair it.

[wardenred]

Sapphic September 9: Time Warp

Yet another free writing exercise, pretty much.

There's this one magical summer evening that is going to last forever. I go there every time I'm sad. Sometimes, I mess things up, but that's fine. I can always come back again and fix things. As long as that time distortion behind the old oak tree exists, nothing can stop me.

* * *

On that evening, we keep meeting for the first time, Erin and I. Every time I step around the oak and open my eyes, I'm seventeen again, and so is she. She is sitting on a bench between two blooming bird cherries, her legs stretched out, her guitar case propped against her thigh. In her hands, there's that phone that now looks ancient to me, a glossy red thing with a flip screen and actual buttons. She's poking at it, a small frown creasing her brow. She is beautiful. 

Then she looks up and sees me, and her frown turns into a tiny surprised smile, and I fall in love at the first glance all over again.

* * *

I like visiting that evening when we fight. It doesn't happen often, mind you, but sometimes, things get out of hand, you know? Our friends think we're this super solid ride or die couple, but once you've been together for a decade and a half, stuff tends to amass. Little grievances, silly hurts. Sometimes, life gets stressful and we unload all of that on top of each other, and then I cry, and Erin sulks, and we stick to the different parts of the house for a while.

Sooner or later, I head off to the park and walk around the tree. In the past, everything is simple and sunny and we have no history yet. Only a big, bright, everything-is-possible-and-nothing-hurts future.

* * *

Sometimes when I'm in the past, I try out different things. I wear fake personalities like gloves: one time I'm a manic pixie dream girl, another time I'm an aloof goth princess. I flirt more than I would have known how at seventeen—and frankly more than I would these days, too. I call Erin by her name before she introduces herself. I tell her I'm from the future. I tell her I'm her soulmate. I do all sorts of crazy things.

About half of the time, I end up having fun. We end up having fun. We laugh together, we stay out after dark, we explore the city. Some of those starts feel even better than the real one. But when I come back around the oak, my present life is never the way I left it. My keys don't match my locks. I can't get into my own phone. The barista at the coffee shop across the street doesn't recognize me.

There is no Erin.

It's like there was only ever one way for us to click for life. It was a miracle, really, how we drew that single lucky ticket on the first try.

So most of the time, I simply reenact our original first meeting. Over and over. Over and over.

She looks up at me and smiles. I duck my head and remember how I asked myself why I blushed. I ask her for the time. She asks me why I'm soaking wet. I tell her I just jumped into the fountain. She asks, "No shit?" I shrug. She asks me why. I lie to her and tell her it was on a dare, and then I spin a tale about some friend who pushed me to do it.

This is the part I most wish I could change. That friend, you see, is imaginary. There was no dare. I only jumped because I wanted to see what drowning would be like. If that was something I might like. I had this notion that maybe it would feel nice, like letting go, and that maybe I would stay under until everything was over. I didn't want to die, but I didn't not want it.

I was seventeen and slightly unhinged. My life was drama. Don't sue.

Anyway, I came up for air in under a minute. And then I met Erin and dying was the last thing on my mind.

But that's the one lie I've told her and never cleared up: that I was there with some friend who was visiting from another town, that it was my friend's idea. Back when everything was still new and nebulous, I wanted to tell her the truth but I didn't know how. And then when things got more solid, more real—well. I knew even less. Because by then, my non-existent friend Tricia was kind of a fixture in our lives. I kept mentioning her. It seemed like a good idea. Erin asked questions. Tricia got a life. A personality. Then moved to Australia to explain why she never visited.

We still bring Tricia up sometimes, even though she and I have officially lost touch. Just the other day when we were celebrating our anniversary Erin said how strange it was she never got to meet the person who'd essentially brought us together.

So, yeah. This is my least favorite part. The one I've most often tried to tweak behind the oak. But every time I tell her the truth, I come back home and my life has no Erin in it.

* * *

What does it say about us that our one lucky ticket is made of lies?

I don't know. When I think about it too hard, we end up arguing. Like this morning.

I guess I'm going around the oak later today.

[pankomako]

holy FUCK this blew up overnight. really cool hearing everyone's answers, now i wanna share

this deer skull found just outside the cabin my parents used to own & rent out in the Appalachians

my double-jointed left thumb (but not my right for some reason. im so asymmetrical lmao)

on my family's first trip to Germany like a couple years ago, we concluded it by spending a weekend in Paris and that's when we went inside the Eiffel Tower. the stairs were BRUTAL. i dont have any pictures from the interior but here's a couple i took

my dad's parents divorced and both remarried and that's how i have 6 grandparents. it's been that way my whole life and i didn't realize the situation until like sometime within the past few years LOL. luckily they're all in Louisiana so we get to visit them all on the same trip

i have a friend who's done stuff with jerma. it's this guy

he was also in dougdoug's shufflemania. yeah the big funny-looking dude. i've known the guy for about 7 years and been one of his mods for maybe close to 5. he's a goofy idiot and he's super super nice and i love him :)

i'm not from Florida but i've been there plenty of times so i certainly have seen wild dolphins there. and maybe in South Carolina too idk

as for the alligator there used to be a cajun restaurant my family liked to visit every once in a while (unfortunately now closed) and i tried some fried "alligator bites" there once as a kid. was pretty good and yeah kinda like chicken. i was born n raised in Virginia but both my parents are from Louisiana so ✌️

was HUGE on angry birds at one point in my childhood. i played a lot of the games, watched all the shorts, even drew the characters. this was before the movie when they were going HAM with the spinoff games. truly the peak of the series i lowkey miss that era

my brother (who's turning 13 in a few days!) LOVES trains. has done so pretty much his whole life. he nitpicks about trains and train sounds in media and gets excited any time he sees a train. definitely not something i'm into but i cant bash his interests

the man with the yellow hat's actual name is ted shackleford. i dont remember where specifically i got this information but i certainly know it. also the original movie is literally so pretty art-wise can we talk about that. (my brother likes the sequel. guess why.) (the third movie was so boring and unnecessary why did they make it (yes they made a third one genuinely dont bother with it))

as always, reblog to get more eyes on this post. :P

[the-gc-record-club-blog]

WHAT A DEVASTATING TURN OF EVENTS (RACHEL CHINOURIRI)

Selected by Vanessa

CALVIN'S TAKE

Favorite Song: What A Devastating Turn Of Events

Spit Yo' Game / Talk Yo' Shit: No notes, breathtaking. This album randomly reminded me of a Viola Davis IG post she captioned: "Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter.” Looking it up it turns out she was quoting Achebe. I would tweak it a little bit in this case to say "Until the lion gets the opportunity to...". Let's go. There are some narratives that need to die, and some people with them.

Lit-mus Test: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

OBELLA'S TAKE

Favorite Song: Garden of Eden

Spit Yo' Game / Talk Yo' Shit: So first, I need to give an honorable mention to 'Never Need Me' which is a smash hit. Pop banger. Literally phenomenal. I chose Garden of Eden as my favorite, however, because I think it's maybe the most emblematic of the whole record. Rachel gives the quirky Black girls(/kids tbh) a coming of age album that talks poignantly about reclaiming your sense of self-worth through very vulnerable and honest storytelling via her songwriting. A well constructed project too without question, the flow is really nice, any songs I might have fallen off steam the slightest bit during my listen (sorry, 'My Blood' the writing is still great) were immediately met by the next track which would grab me again; and it's a solid 50 minutes which is within my certified perfect album timeframe (less than 53 (but I've recently extended to 55)). I should also note that I think Rachel has some high quality chops. I'd like to see her in concert to confirm this but I think she has showcased her range exceptionally throughout the album while still maintaining the uniqueness to her voice.

Lit-mus Test: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (and a half for good measure)

VANESSA'S TAKE

Favorite Song: So My Darling - Acoustic

Spit Yo' Game / Talk Yo' Shit: This was my pick, and I listened to it a few times at the start of this (very long) GCRC cycle, but a funny thing happened because of how long it took me to write a review - spinning it again to refresh my memory, I realized that my appreciation declined since that original run. I love Rachel Chinouriri's pop-rock sensibilities, and her music wakes up a lot of nostalgia for a certain era of my life when this sound was more prevalent, which is what drew me to the record after hearing a clip of "Never Need Me" on the bird app in early 2024. The instrumental compositions are great, but the vocal quality on some of the songs isn't really hitting for me anymore; I don't have the right terminology to explain it, but I connect more with the ones where the voice comes from the diaphragm rather than top of the throat and there were too many instances of the latter. Still, it is a nice project with some absolute gems. "So My Darling" is gorgeous and I almost didn't choose it as my favourite since it's an older song that was stripped down for the album, but it really did blow me away. Honourable mention for the title track to balance it out! Overall, despite a few cracks, this is an album to feel good about and I'm rooting for her specifically to carry the torch for this generation of rock n rollers. 

Lit-mus Test: 🔥🔥🔥

OCHIENG'S TAKE

Favorite Song: 

What A Devastating Turn Of Events

Spit Yo' Game / Talk Yo' Shit: I read a quote once somewhere that said something along the lines of "A medium will ultimately be defined not by its strengths but by its idiosyncrasies." It's the reason why when we remember the classic video games of the PS2 era, the number one thing that comes to mind are the (now) wonky graphics and physics that we still remember fondly. To this point, I really feel like this album was able to accurately capture the feeling of the 2008-2011 pop-punk era. I found the instrumentation especially to be extremely enjoyable, which seems to be a consistent theme with a lot of the black London talent of today. I will say that some of the songs lost me for bits of the runtime but the ones that kept me in totality really transported me to another place. The title track especially I rinsed that one badly over the last year or so. I had fun with this one and I'm looking forward to when I can take some time to catch with what Rachel has dropped since this one.

Lit-mus Test: 🔥🔥🔥 (and a half for good measure)