#i hate everything about heir to love and lies

[holylulusworld]

Torn in two (1) - Angstober 19

Summary: It should’ve been the happiest day of your life.

Pairing: Mobster!Steve Rogers x fem!Reader, Mobster!Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader (platonic for now)

Warnings: heavy angst, Steve being the worst, cheating, lies, deception, sadness, arranged marriage, unrequited love

Square filled for @steverogersbingo 2023 (expired): E4: Unrequited

Square filled for @steverogersbingo 2024: D3: Crime/Mafia

Trope: angst

Kinktober vs Flufftober 2024

Should’ve. Could’ve. Would’ve. You never understood the meaning of the song until today. What a difference a day can make, huh?

Not hours ago, you twirled in your white wedding gown, giggling like a schoolgirl because you were about to marry the man you loved and adored for so long.

Everything seemed perfect. Your wedding gown. The ceremony. Your husband. For a moment, you believed you’d get your happily ever after.

That was, of course, until you discovered the truth behind his commitment. Not love and devotion but greed and power hunger were the reasons for his proposal.

One day earlier, after your wedding ceremony, …

You smile as Steve holds your hand tightly. Even though your marriage was arranged by your father, Steve promised you could make it work. You never doubted that your marriage would be anything but happy. For years, you have been hopelessly devoted to Steve, and your heart only ever belonged to him.

He was the one who needed time to confess his love to you. Your father doesn’t need to know that you would’ve married Steve, with or without his involvement.

“My love,” Steve whispers lowly, “we should welcome our guests at the party. How about you greet your friends? I’ll talk to Sam and James.”

You nod but hate that Steve lets go of your hand to walk toward his friends. Sighing, you look around the crowded room.

While you walk around the crowded room to greet your guests, chatting with them, Steve, Sam, and Bucky leave the room to talk in private.

You frown. Why would your groom leave his party to talk to his friends? He can speak to them any other day.

Curiosity is getting the best out of you. Before one of the guests can stop you from sneaking out of the ballroom too, you excuse yourself, lying about using the bathroom.

“You must be all over the moon." Bucky can’t hide the jealousy written all over his face. Steve Rogers, the golden boy, always seems to get the best in life. “You’ve got this pretty wife, and to spend a honeymoon with her on an exotic island.”

Steve huffs. “If only you knew.”

“What do you mean?” Sam furrows his brows. He believed his friend got his happily ever after, only for Steve to look like someone kicked him in the guts. “You do not look happy for a newlywed.”

“I’d look happier if my bride was Peggy, not that spoiled brat.”

Bucky cocks his head at Steve’s words. He didn’t expect his friend to talk like that about you. “What the fuck, Steve! You just married the woman. She’s sweet and pretty. I’d kill to get a wife like that!”

“Well then, take her,” Steve spats. “I never wanted to marry her.”

“Steve, are you drunk?” Bucky grabs Steve’s upper arms, shaking him lightly. “Because if you’re not, I gotta punch the stupidity out of you.”

“Her father wanted this bond, okay. If I want to take over his empire one day, I must give him an heir. I agreed. Y/N isn’t Peggy, but she will do. After her father retires, I can divorce her and marry someone else.”

Sam’s eyes widen. He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. The business is not new to him, but hearing Steve talk so lowly about you makes him sick.

“I got to go.” Sam turns on his heels and storms off, not looking back.

“Punk, you can’t be serious." Bucky looks his friend in the eyes. “Please tell me you tried to be funny, and we can laugh about your not-funny joke.”

Unbeknownst to the friends, you stand a few feet away, clasping one hand over your mouth. Hot tears spill from your eyes as you try to fathom what you just witnessed.

You put a brave face on and hold your head high. This is your wedding, and you won’t let anyone see how torn your heart truly is.

After hearing the truth and crying for half an hour in the bathroom, you freshened up your makeup and decided not to give anyone in the ballroom the satisfaction of laughing about your predicament.

Even if you despise Steve now, you let him ask you for the first dance as husband and wife. You don’t look him in the eyes; instead, you look around the room, finding a similar pair of blue eyes.

Bucky watches your lips wobble, and a single tear run down your cheek. His stomach drops because he can see you trying so hard to not show the hurt.

“You look beautiful tonight,” Steve lies through his teeth. You can see it in his eyes when you look up at him. “I like the gown.”

“Sure,” you reply with venom in your voice. “How about you dance with Peggy next, because she will be the second Mrs. Rogers, won’t she?”

He looks like someone slapped him across the face, and for the first time since he broke your heart, you smile.

“What? Got nothing to say, Steve?” You huff. “Oh, I forgot. You discuss your betrayal only in private with your buddies.”

Dropping his hand, you step away from Steve and size him up before you leave the ballroom, excusing yourself.

Now, ...

Half of town was looking for you. After you ran from the party, you were nowhere to be seen for a day. I felt like the ground opened and swallowed you whole.

That night, you should have laid in Steve’s arms; instead, you were sitting at your old apartment, crying yourself to sleep because he didn’t even try to find you. You left your phone on, and he knew where you were living.

Steve simply didn’t care enough to look for his missing wife. Maybe he even spent the night with his former lover, Peggy Carter. The woman he wanted to marry instead of you.

You can’t blame him, though. Your father loves to make promises he doesn’t intend to keep. He promised to never use you as a pawn in his business. But here you are, sitting in your wedding gown, with messed-up makeup and a broken heart.

“Doll?” Bucky sighs because he finally found you. He didn’t believe you had come to your old apartment. It’s empty except for the old armchair Steve hated and didn’t want to keep. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same,” you reply.

“You heard—” Bucky bites his tongue when you sniffle. “Hey, I’m sorry. Maybe Steve didn’t mean it that way. He gets a little intense sometimes.”

“I don’t think so,” you snap at Bucky. “He said loud and clearly that he wants to marry Peggy Carter after he took over my father’s empire.”

You angrily wipe the tears off your cheeks. “There is nothing to get wrong, James. Steve hates me. He lied for months. He never loved me. He'll never love me. I thought—" You look at Bucky with tear-clouded eyes.“ I waited for him, James. All those years I waited for him to see me, and when he did, I was the happiest.

“Oh,” Bucky nods, understanding your feelings very well. He has been waiting for someone to require his feelings for years, too. Only for you to marry his best friend.

“I was a fool to believe Steve Rogers could ever love me.” You raise your hands and drop them again. “How could he? I’m nothing like Peggy. She was all a man could ever want.”

“Doll,” he steps closer to crouch down next to the old armchair you’re sitting in. “What are you going to do now?”

You dip your head to look at Bucky. “I’ll get my life back. My father, Steve, and everyone else in my life always told me what to do. It’s time to stand up for myself. Don’t you think?”

Part 2

Tags in reblog.

[tervaneula]

If it's alright for me to suggest: how about Leo & usagi begin the hier of their clans?

Some AU where people outside the clan (for example: hidden city folks) talk about how scary, intimidating and horrific the hamatos are because they have a Japanese style of mansion/house and they spin lies about Leo saying he's this and that... But in reality? He's a sweet, sensitive man who doesn't hurt people for the joy of it.

Imagine his surprise when the same lies goes about Usagi a samurai rabbit that makes him look like an antagonistic character while in reality? He's so gentle and sweet man just like Leo.

The plot am thinking of is kinda like: oh this guy is somewhat awful because of the rumors talking 'bout how of an awful man he is but i fall in love the moment i know all these rumors are lies and he's so sweet!!

Like imagine how cute it is if people said "he hates sweet" but see him drinking a smoothie or milkshake. Another says "he has muscles and well fit" but in reality he has those cute chubs on him 🥺

I'MMMM AJSHGASDJFGHJSDFKGG

YOUR BRAINNN OH MY GOD. I WANT TO WRITE THIS??!!?

Holy shit that's so good. Amazing. Wonderful and brilliant and sweet and everything I could ever want from an AU like this. And let's put them like a few centuries in the past so word-of-mouth is the primary way people share information :D

And shdgfhsd here's my take on an edgelord Usagi, but wait. Can it be. Is he actually a sweetheart under all that edge??? AAAAAAAAAA THIS IS MAKING ME [incomprehensible]

A somewhat reclusive clan with an heir who everyone thinks is a crime lord or something equally unsavoury?

A wandering ronin with an ill reputation and looks to match?

Will they meet and test their mettle in a battle TO THE DEATH?! Uh, wait what do you mean they just went out for tea and mochi cakes–

[kairos-polaris]

a small study on how John could have asked Kiriona to be his cavalier

it's also on ao3

---

He brings it up casually, on one of the many occasions he invited you to have tea with him (he said it’s important to spend time with your children, that he is making up for the years he didn’t know about you). John Gaius says: "What do you think about being my cav? Wouldn't it be neat for you, my kid, my heir, to be my sword?" He looks at you and smiles at you kindly, the way you always imagined your mother smiling at you as you told her all about your life on the Ninth.

It is a sudden and unexpected question that makes you want to make stupid jokes. "One flesh, one end," your foolish mouth wants to say but you choke down on the words. You think about her and the time you swore yourself to her. You think of giving her your flesh, your end and your life. So, there is no need to mention the oath God wouldn’t care for anyway, not like you have anything else to give. Everything you have is owed to him anyway.

To be his cavalier, huh. You try not to think of his previous cav, no, you remind yourself, his current one. If he is offering he must not want her anymore, right?

Your dad takes your silence as a refusal so he smiles in that awkward manner unbefitting for God, his now familiar attempts in pretending he is just a guy. He takes your hand and squeezes it gently. He says: "Of course I understand if you would rather not. I know how much Harrow means to you and how devoted you are to her. I do not mean to try to take her place in your heart."

Except he is, you think absently, God wants you to turn to him and to love him the most because he is a selfish man who has lost everyone who has ever loved him (his own fault, really an incessant voice buzzes in your head). What does he even know about the depth of your devotion to her?

Take her place.

God, your Resurrector, turned your body into a perfect construct, the final expression of the art of the Nine Houses; you are dead and you don't need to breathe nor can you cry. And the sole mention of her is enough to cause you to choke and your eyes to burn with tears they cannot shed.

"No! I would like that," you say and try to smile but the muscles in your face refuse to obey you. Your body is a construct that does not belong to you. "It would be neat," you reassure him and yourself, "to be your sword. An honour."

Your dad beams at you and holds his arms open. He is giving you a choice, he thinks, whether to accept his touch or not. But there is only one option for you. He will accept your rejection yet the sadness on his face will cause an all-devouring pit to open in your chest, a desperate need to apologise and take back your words. A need to please, to be good to your father, your God. And to avoid that feeling you are willing to accept his touch, to endure it, and to choke on the revulsion (he is your father and you love him as you know how to but he caused her pain and that you can't forgive. He was the one to say forgiveness does not exist, so maybe you can love and hate him all the same.)

And so you hug him (more like collapse into his arms and let him hold you for as long as he pleases; a pliant doll with limbs to arrange and position to his liking). It gets easier to bear with time. It's not like you don't want to be touched or hate being hugged. No, you hunger for it, crave it like a starved man craves food, dream of it like a man in a desert dreams of water. You want to be touched, even by Ianthe. It's just that there is a voice in your head that is more Gideon Nav, an indentured serf of the Ninth, than Kiriona Gaia, Her Divine Highness, the first of the Tower Princes. And that voice reminds you over and over of that night and all his lies revealed. You get better at silencing it the more time you spend with your God, your Resurrector, your father. You get better at fitting yourself into his arms. You wrap your hands around him tightly and rest your head on his shoulder.

"I would love to be your cavalier, if you'll have me," you repeat it just to hear yourself say it. You don't have to look to know he is smiling and a part of you, a treacherous, childish part of you, is happy he is pleased.

"It would be my honour," he says softly, casually and all you can do is lean into him further. "I love you," he says and all you can do is wish you could cry.

Later, he pulls away and tells you of what you will have to accomplish to become his cavalier. Open the Tomb, awaken Her and kill Her. “With your blood, you will succeed. You and only you can do it,” he says, his hand still on yours.

“You won’t be God if She dies,” you blurt out without thinking and cringe at yourself. He just laughs softly.

“I have been God for over a myriad, I am ready to become a man once again. And I don’t mind becoming mortal for you. Not God, just your father,” John says. “And your necromancer, but that’s not as important,” he adds a second later.

You feel dizzy and lightheaded. This is what you want, isn’t it? To be accepted by your father? To be chosen by someone, anyone? Your father is offering all of that and all you have to do is kill Her. Not like you haven’t thought of it already. He says, you can do it and you must believe him.

“I thought you loved her,” your foolish mouth says anyway and God sighs before you can take back your words.

“I loved her once, my Annabel Lee, but you are my daughter,” he says as if it explains anything. As if it means anything. “It is time for me to step down from the divinity she gave me and only you can make it happen. Make it quick, but kill her.”

He gently cradles your face and smiles at you. “I love you, Kiriona,” he says and, in his infinite patience, does not begrudge you when you don’t say it back.

[redrose10]

Yoongi X Female Reader. CEO/Arranged Marriage AU

Summary: You were selected to marry the wayward CEO/Billionaire/Heir, Min Yoongi. You went into it with an open mind and heart determined to try and make it work. Yoongi on the other hand had no intention of ever letting you in let alone allowing himself to fall in love with you. Slowly you start to associate the smell of cinnamon and vanilla with the feelings of hurt and sorrow.

Word count: 2,531

This chapter will touch on some darker subjects so I highlighted the specific trigger warning in red. In the story it’s not really detailed or any thing and is really minor but I still wanted to make it known just in case.

Warnings: (May get updated as chapters progress): Arranged marriage, cheating/infidelity, hints of smut (Probably won’t get very explicit but we’ll see how it goes), Sexual Assault, Very brief allusion to suicide, Brief mentions of death, Reader grew up an orphan, General Angst, Swearing

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

Alright here is chapter 9! Thank you to everyone that has read this story and for the comments and messages. I tried to add everyone to the tag list that I saw but I feel like I missed people and I apologize for that. I was never good at keeping tabs of a tag list.

Tag list: @gimeow @kam9404 @viankiss @baechugff @gaby-93 @kayleefriedchicken

You stared back still in shock from everything that had just happened to you. “Y/N are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

You shook your head as Yoongi wrapped his suit jacket around you gently pulling you into a hug. The cinnamon and vanilla scent that you’d come to hate was somehow comforting in that moment. After a few seconds he pulled you along with him.

“What about him?”, you asked looking back at the man still lying on the ground.

“Don’t worry about him. I’ll handle it later. Let’s just get you out of here.”

He quickly had a car ready and got you inside while he got in after you advising the driver to head to Jimins.

“Yoongi who was that guy and how did he know so much about us?”

He ran his hand through his already ruffled hair. You noticed the bruise on his knuckles starting to form.

“It’s a really long story Y/N.”

You scoffed, “Yoongi he just assaulted me and knew a lot of my personal information so I think I deserve an explanation regardless of how long the story is.”

“You’re right. Once we get to Jimin’s I’ll explain everything.”

You looked over at him noticing how disheveled he looked. You wanted to reach over and smooth his hair and comfort him, but you decided against it after remembering everything that happened between the two of you recently.

“How did you know where to find me?”, you asked stop kind of surprised that it was him who came to your rescue.

“Well I saw you leave out the front entrance when I was talking to Taemin and I was going to go after you then but I figured you’d want some space so I stayed back. After you were gone for a while I started to get worried and began looking around and then I got a call from Jungkook?”

“You’re intern Jungkook?”

He chuckled, “Yeah, apparently he had met a new friend during the auction and was in the backseat of a car that was parked on the street with that friend and he saw you. He called me and said you were with a guy but he wasn’t sure if you were l with him willingly or not because you looked uncomfortable so I started running towards where you were while I stayed on the phone with him and he kept an eye on you and that’s how I found you. At first I was just going to leave you be because if you wanted to be with another guy I have no right to stop you but when Jungkook said you looked uncomfortable I knew I had to at least check on you and then I heard you telling him to stop and that’s when I decided to step in.”

“Oh well I’ll have to tell Jungkook thanks for looking out for me next time I see him.”

Once back at Jimins you quickly showered and changed into some comfy clothes and headed back towards the living room. Yoongi had borrowed some clothes from Jimin so he was comfy as well and he walked over handing you a mug of warm milk. Smiling you accepted the glass.

After he took a seat next to you he started flipping through channels on the tv.

“Okay Yoongi enough stalling. Tell me what’s going on.”

He let out a long sigh and set the remote down, “Alright, soooo the guy that attacked you is Suri’s brother, Hwan.”

“I’m sorry what?!”, you asked in between coughing on the sip of milk you just swallowed.

He continued, “Yep. I’ve known Suri and her brother since we were kids. We all went to the same school. He’s a year younger than us. Not long after everything fell apart with Mia I developed a friends with benefits relationship with Suri but I was clear from the start that I never wanted anything more. I knew rather quickly though that she was developing feelings for me so I tried to end the relationship but she made an offer. And then I got really selfish.”

“Yoongi what did you do?”

“Remember how I said that at one point I had dreams to be a music producer and rapper?”

You nodded.

“Well Suri’s dad happens to own Bangtan Records, one of the most successful labels in Asia. After trying to break things off she promised me she would get her dad to release my mixtape if I kept seeing her. I know now that I should’ve just walked away but at the time I was hurt and going through a lot of shit mentally and emotionally and I thought it was a great idea. I lost my dream of marrying Mia but maybe I could still achieve my dream of making music. I gave her a copy of the tape and we continued on with our friends with benefits relationship.”

He paused to take a deep breath. You looked at him wide eyed waiting for what was next.

“Anyways after like a year or so she still hadn’t given her dad the tape. I was in a better place mentally and I had started focusing on the company more so I didn’t really care about releasing music at that point. Honestly, I kind of forgot about the whole thing until a few months ago when I told her that I was ending things for good. I told her I was married and wanted to be a better husband and that included not sleeping around with anyone any more. Obviously she didn’t take it well and brought up the tape again. She said if I didn’t continue the relationship that she would have it released.”

You sat there really confused by the whole story and you didn’t mean to let out a laugh but you just couldn’t stop it.

“Yoongi please forgive me for saying this but that seems like a really dumb reason to keep going through all of this. Why don’t you just let her release the mix tape? What’s the worst that could happen? People make fun of you for some cringy lyrics you wrote a long time ago. I mean you’ve embarrassed yourself enough over the years anyways so this shouldn’t be anything new. It would probably blow over in a few weeks and then you could move on with your life free from Suri.”

You realized your words may have been a little harsher than you intended when you noticed the redness of his cheeks. He scoffed, “It’s not that simple Y/N. I wrote most of those lyrics at a really dark time in my life. I talk about hating my parents and the life I was forced into even though I’ve been very privileged since birth and have never had to worry about money or any real world problems. I talk shit about capitalism but now I own a company that feeds into it and runs off of it. I’d be the biggest hypocrite out there. Theres a song where I rap about hooking up with any woman I see and I say something about tongue technology and going to Hong Kong.” You bit your lip to try and hide a chuckle for that one but Yoongi sees it. “I was young and dumb and thought I was cool. Okay?”, he said with raised eyebrows before continuing again, “I mean there’s even a song where I talk about how many times I thought about just ending it all so I wouldn’t have to feel anything any more and I could stop being a failure at everything. If that tape gets out it’ll ruin me and my business and everything that I worked hard to build. We’ll loose investors and business partners which will mean millions if not billions of dollars gone. I’ll be the laughing stock of the corporate world and the company could crumble. I’d be an even bigger embarrassment to my family than I already have been.”

“So what are you going to do Yoongi? Keep sleeping with her just to shut her up?”

“Honestly, after you walked out I thought about it. Not wanting to hurt you any more was the only reason I ended things with her to begin with so if you weren’t going to be in the picture I didn’t see any reason why I should stop. But I just don’t want to do it any more. I don’t want to hurt you any more and I don’t want this to keep hanging over my head.”

“Okay so if you ended things with her then why did she send you that text that I saw at the cabin? About last week being fun and the lingerie?”

“She had been insisting that I either meet up with her or she was releasing the tape. So the week before you and I went on our anniversary trip I did meet up with her just to shut her up for a while.”

You gasped, “So you did lie to me?” He went into panic mode grabbing your hands into his.

“No no no Y/N it’s not what you think. I didn’t meet up to sleep with her. We got dinner at that Japanese restaurant that had just opened down the street from my office. We had a private room and she ended up storming out of the place leaving me there. You can even ask the staff. They saw it all. I told her again that I wasn’t interested in that type of relationship any more and that her and I were over with. I offered her money. I offered her jewelry, or a car, or a penthouse to just go away. She wouldn’t accept any of it. At the end of the dinner she told me that not only would she release the tape but she’d make my life miserable in every way possible that she could, including making sure that you were miserable as well and then she left. She had been texting me like that the whole week leading up to the trip. Different photos and videos and messages. I think she was hoping that you would eventually see the message and get upset which is exactly what happened. I would always just delete them when they came through and never responded to any of her texts but I’m just too afraid to block her right now.”

“And what about her brother? How does he play into this?”

“Well Hwan never did like me to begin with. He’s always had this weird inferiority complex with me. He always has the need to prove that he’s better than me or to have what I have, even when we were younger. Anndddd I also might have slept with one or two or maybe three of his girlfriends over the years.”

You began rubbing your temples, “Seriously Yoongi? Is there anyone in this country that you haven’t slept with?” He just shrugged his shoulders before continuing, “I’m assuming that him and Suri saw it as a winning situation for both of them. They knew that hurting you would hurt me, you’d get upset and want nothing to do with me leaving me available for Suri, and Hwan would also get the satisfaction of taking something or someone that I love away from me so that’s why he went after you today.”

“Okay then and how did he know about Namjoon? He mentioned something about how Namjoon might actually care for me?”

You didn’t miss the eye roll that Yoongi gave at that question but you chose to ignore it in the moment. He ran his hands over his face, “I really don’t know Y/N. I’ve never mentioned him to either of them.” The thought that maybe this guy had been stalking you a lot longer than just tonight made your skin crawl. You didn’t know of any other way he could know about you and Namjoon.

This was all so much information to take in and you could feel a headache coming on but if this had you so stressed you could only imagine what Yoongi felt like.

“Yoongi I’m sorry I didn’t let you explain yourself sooner. Even though I was upset I should’ve at least given you the chance.”

He shook his head, “No no I completely understand why you did what you did. I was really upset too because just when I had decided to try and we were making a little progress I thought it was all going to be taken away from me. I should’ve chased after you but I didn’t want to hurt you any more than I already have. I am really sorry Y/N. For everything. You would be so much better off if you never came here and married me. You deserve so much more that what I can offer. I’m sorry you’re stuck with me.”

You noticed his hands shaking slightly. You gave them a little squeeze being careful to not be too hard on the bruised spot. Rubbing your thumb over the area you whispered, “Thank you for buying that painting for me today. You knew it was exactly what I wanted. And also thank you for, you know, saving me tonight. You really were my hero.”

“So does that mean I get moved up to Harry Potter status now or am I still Voldemort?”, he said flashing you a gummy smile you hadn’t seen in so long.

“Whoah slow down there. You still have a lot more groveling to do before I 100% forgive you for everything and give you Harry Potter status.”

He chuckled, “Understood. I will work on it.”

You sat in silence for a while trying to figure out how to proceed. Finally you asked, “Yoongi she’s blackmailing you which is pretty illegal. Why don’t you just go to the police or get lawyers involved or something? You obviously have the money and power.”

“It’s not that simple Y/N. I signed away the rights to that music so even if I do go after her the label can still release it and then it would be all for nothing with a legal battle on top of it.”

“I don’t know Yoongi. I feel like there has to be a way around this other than you just continuing to sleep with her. Which by the way is not going to work for me, so if you want this to work then we need to figure something else out.”

Before he could speak Jimin walked in dropping his bags at the entrance while being completely oblivious to everything that had happened during the last several hours. He curiously looked at the two of you sitting next to each other while holding hands.

He sat down on the other couch while pointing a finger at the two of you, “Soooo I’d love to know what’s going on between the two of you and why you’re holding hands in my living room right now. But I just saw something even stranger downstairs. Suri and her brother are currently down in the lobby with two police officers. Any idea why?”

[iridiss]

I want a (non-canon compliant) Narinder whose gentle.

I want a Narinder who was once a kitten, newly crowned immortal, under Shamura’s careful mentorship. Who grew up the hard way, who learned you have to be rough, loud, mean, manipulative, and maniacal, you have to be bloody and violent and cruel, in order to survive in this world. In order to survive against Leshy and Heket’s brutality and Kallamar’s back-handed cunning. He learned from a family cruel and cold that love was a fool’s game, that sentiment was insignificant, that caring was weakness. So he scoffed at caring for anybody at all and learned how to break and toy with people as if they were dolls, made only for his own consumption and desire. That’s what his siblings told him, that’s what Shamura told him, that’s what his subjects and the fight to survive told him.

But he never saw his toys fit for anything more than the most necessary use, he never let them come any closer than professional arms-reach business, and he made sure to throw them away the second they were no longer strictly necessary. And he hated the cruelty of his siblings. He hated how they treated him, he hated how they made him fight for his fair share. And then he kept rebelling against the doctrine of the Old Faith. He would take the cruel, old, traditional rules of how one was supposed to act, and he would take them more as loose suggestions than anything severely concrete that you had to live by. He would start making up his own rules, or ignoring other rules that he simply didn’t like or deemed “inconvenient.”

He quickly became the black sheep of the “family.”

And then the Gods of The Old Faith betrayed him. And everything he was ever taught became a horrible lie. Everything became unjust. Everything turned into a false, corrupted kingdom that had to be torn down, that he could fix, that he could replace with something better. He tore it all down, violently lashing out against the family he had trusted, the family he had followed to the end of the road at his own expense, tearing them apart with his own two hands, because the scars he bore over the years became far too fucking loud to bear. Because everything had been a lie all along. Everything had been wrong, this whole damn time.

And they killed him for it. He screamed so loud about their lies that they simply had to smother the sound. They murdered their own brother—if he was ever a real “brother” to them at all, or nothing more than another religious heir to a crooked throne.

He was a God turned exiled heretic.

So he’d make his own fucking kingdom instead. He would undo everything, and start anew, following the doctrine he always knew was better. What he thought was superior. But problem is, it’s not that easy to shake off the entirety of one’s religious upbringing overnight. He was still clinging on. He would scream and shout about the incongruities and arrogance of The Old Faith all damn day—but then he’d keep Aym and Baal, a gift from his old mentor and oldest sibling, close to his side. He would call them fools and tyrants and wretched liars, but he’d remember the Darkwood flowers with a fondness, yearning to stand in his brother’s flower fields again someday. He would stay in the Lamb’s cult, when he could easily become a constant dissenter and leave like any other follower, when he could attack them, maybe even kill them, at any given moment. He doesn’t. He stays. He clings on to the fondness. He never fully let go of that old sentimental feeling.

I want a Narinder who doesn’t understand what love looks like, because the closest thing he’d ever known to true, honest love growing up was the scraps he’d receive from a withdrawn and uncertain Shamura. Those rare moments where Shamura was kind, warm, gentle, full of love, when he’d listen to the lullabies and the poems that they would weave to put him to sleep, when he’d be wrapped up in the blankets of their webs and their nests. When they would give him gifts.

When they gave him their final gift.

He doesn’t understand love. He was trained to view it as weakness. He still feels deeply, severely insecure about showing said weakness, he doesn’t want to face the severe and violent consequences of welcoming it. There’s a part in him deep down that understands devotion, that already internally understands what real trust, respect, loyalty, and integrity looks like. But it’s buried deep, under layers upon layers of indoctrination, manipulation, fear, insecurity, doubt, ungodly amounts of pain, and rage. He has enough of a natural moral compass to be able to tell when someone’s entire belief system is flawed or fucked up, and he has enough justice in him to want to tear the entire damn world apart from the ground up. Even if it’s just in the name of avenging the kitten in him that was forced to die all those centuries ago.

He isn’t aware of it. He doesn’t understand what’s going on inside of him. He’s never even taken an introspective glance at himself and why he feels everything that he does, he’s never even asked himself why everything hurts so much beyond the simple “my siblings betrayed me, therefore they all must die as they killed me” surface level. Frankly he’s too scared to look, so he pushed it all away and easily leans on the grinning, devilish, mean mask he always depended on before.

Then I want a Lamb that’s everything he ever needed. Literally, yes, as the vessel prophesied to save him, but also emotionally.

The Lamb had everything taken away from them by The Old Faith. They were killed and thrown away to Narinder’s feet like a broken toy. They want to destroy the doctrine of the Old Faith, they want to rip the world apart from the ground up and completely start anew. They share Narinder’s moral core, his drive for justice, his drive for revenge.

But they also learn, through their own cult, how to rule with love and mercy. They save and spare each follower individually, they marry their own followers, they cook for them, clean for them, house them, decorate for them, they love their followers. They learn that there is value and strength in utilizing the “sentiment and care” that the Bishops deemed as weakness. Literally: one of the best and most overpowered mechanics of the game is building your friendship level with your followers. You can’t live without them. You are their servant as much as they are one to you.

And when Narinder demonstrates his upbringing at its fullest by betraying Lamb and throwing them away like they were nothing more than a toy—The Lamb spares him, too.

I want to express to you how much that means, especially to him. I mean, hell, Narinder wasn’t spared by his own family. But instead, this tool, now proven Almighty God, gave him a level of grace that he wasn’t even allowed to fathom before. There couldn’t be a stronger, faster way to take a wake-up-sledgehammer to someone’s childhood manipulation. The Lamb was sent to destroy every last trace of the Old Faith, and I don’t think Narinder ever considered the extent of what that entailed.

He’d been lied to his entire childhood, being told that heart was weakness, that kindness would be his downfall, that sentiment was heresy. And yet here was a God besting him and every other deity/bishop in the land, and still cleaning up their servants’ shit with a broom. And I like to think that Narinder would undergo a massive change during his time in the cult.

He’d start off hostile and vicious and mean, because he’s still convinced that the Lamb betrayed him and “betrayal” is kind of a very emotionally heated topic for the guy right now. Even if the Lamb actually did the opposite of what his siblings did to him. He’s also terrified, confused, lost, and he certainly doesn’t trust any of the flowery, overly friendly mortals getting all touchy-feely with him.

But maybe he starts to show a little more wistfulness and nostalgia through his side-quests, maybe he’s trying to gauge how trustworthy the Lamb is by asking them to bring him special items from his childhood, and when they follow suit, he dips his toe in the water and shows just a little bit more of his heart, a tiny, itty bitty fragment. And then they don’t hurt him for it. They treat him with the same kindness they give to all of their followers.

And over time, he starts to see that the Lamb’s dominion is one of safety. All of their safety had been violently torn from them in the hunt for the last lamb, so now they do everything in their power to make their cult a home. And they welcome Narinder into that home, and Narinder is safe, and he’s loved, and he’s taken care of, and he’s respected, and he becomes one with the community. The Lamb is able to rule like this and still keep their power. And actually, their power is tripled by their bond with their people! Their kindness literally becomes a strength, and Narinder has never seen anything like it before, but they pull it off! In fact, the Lamb literally defied and beat Narinder into the ground because they weren’t willing to give up their home and their people.

I think he’d come to see The Lamb very differently over time. He’d go from seeing them only as an insignificant weapon for someone else’s use (possibly projecting a lot onto them), to bring in total awe of them, to learning that they’re trustworthy and safe, to seeing them as an equal.

I think they’d be two halves of the same whole. They understand each other in ways that no one else ever will. They’re the Gods of Death, past and future, they belong to the same power. They sit on this throne together. They teach each other everything they ever needed. They’re immortals together. Lamb once served Narinder in total devotion, then Narinder served Lamb in total devotion, and now they’re equals in every conceivable way. They have literally trusted each other with their lives. They were forged in very similar religious trauma and bloodshed, they were there at each other’s darkest time, working as a team. They’re vengeance-bonded. They saved each other. They spared each other, gave the other a second chance. They made each other better. Bonded in blood, divine vows, death, and resurrection. They are THE POWER TEAM.

As their bond grows, Narinder would end up letting his repressed soft side shine through. I can see him allowing himself to be kind for the first time, learning to recognize that not only is it safe for him to care here, it’s fully embraced and encouraged. The Lamb will punish him if he’s too mean to one of their followers. He can be gentle here, he can let his guard down and unwind. So he does, and he becomes a whole new cat. The Lamb eventually trusts him with leadership positions in the cult, until they’re ruling side by side, as they should. Narinder moves on from any desperate reach for power, because he’s secure enough in himself to know he doesn’t need to fight for it anymore. He would fight and die for Lamb as much as they would fight and die for him. They’ve given him true sanctuary, true family. True devotion.

[hellaverse-critical-confessions]

Best ending for the show... Octavia cuts contact from BOTH of her parents... OR she STILL sides with her mother. I have heard that "She's too old.. she should've noticed that her mother is evil" Like... DUDE. You UNDERESTIMATE how STUPID, BLIND, and STUBBORN people can be. There are people who are unaware of abusive relationships for YEARS before they leave. My mother's friend was MARRIED to someone for YEARS and FOUND OUT that he had LIED about everything and even had a secret family SOMEWHERE else. Even though Octavia would still be there.. for ALL intensive purposes... Stella is STILL HER GODDAMN MOTHER. She (for all her faults) was THERE for her. SHE didn't abandon her for a (in her eyes) a fling and a hoe. But based on the way it is, Viv will somehow get Octavia to reconcile with her daddy. And since Octavia is the cautionary heir... I would think Stolas may try be like "I wanna be with my Impy-Whimpy... so dear daughter... would you pwlease take back my pwausistion so that I can be with him."

Oh yeah, her taking over so he can live a lovey-dovey domestic life free of princely duties with Blitz I can feasibly see happening. (Though his title is still revoked for the next century, so unless he's allowed it back he wouldn't have that other option anyway.)

Stella has been written so cartoonishly over-the-top that at this point it's impossible to imagine her acting like a normal person, keeping her abusive and hateful ways civilly under wraps in front of her daughter (or, heaven forbid, being loving to her). Because of this assuming Via's failed to see through her cellophane facade all along feels insulting to her intelligence, though yes, she is a kid who's only recently starting to really grow up and have certain realizations about her family.

I think she should get to take the book, run away and start life anew in another realm (Earth, maybe... somewhere with clear skies to see the stars at night). She deserves a fresh start away from this whole dumpster fire.

[holdmytesseract]

moodboard by @chennqingg <3

Rules To Break

Jotun!Prince!Loki Laufeyson x fem!Æsir!Princess!Reader

Summary: Prince Loki of Jotunheim - son of King Laufey and heir to the throne is assigned to train a bunch of Asgardian men, in order to turn them into warriors. What happens when Odin's daughter, Princess Y/N crosses his paths in ways he would've never expected? While the Prince is completely unaware, the Princess struggles to keep up her several masquerades...

Warnings for this Chapter: Odin being the best father ever *coughs*, swear words, mutual pining?

Word Count: 2k

a/n: Okay... First things first. I split the originally last chapter up in two, so that means there's gonna be another chapter after that! 🥳

Divider by the lovely @fictive-sl0th 💚

Tagging: (Y'all in the comments again!)

Ice Flower Masterlist ❄ Masterlist

Chapter Four / Chapter Six

Chapter Five

Almost Four Months Later

You sighed, as you sat down on the windowsill with your book in hands, watching the birds fly by and the sun shining down on Asgard. You could see the blooming trees and flowers of the royal gardens from here. It was beautiful - if you were only allowed to go outside.

After what had happened at the training camp almost four months ago, your father was more than just angry. His wrath was so big, that he didn't talk to you for over two weeks. Your punishment was cruel. You weren't allowed to leave the palace - for at least a whole year. You had to stay in your room and were only allowed to come out for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It was horrible - and yet you had no other choice than to accept it. In the time you weren't eating, reading, sleeping or staring aimlessly out of the window, you were thinking... Thinking about the traitorous asshole which called himself prince Loki Laufeyson. You hated him for what he did. At least a part of you did. The other part was still reminiscing about the intimate moments you shared with him at that damn lake. You just weren't able to get him off your mind. He was always present – in some way.

A knock against the door of your chamber brought you back to reality. You looked up, "Yes?" and clapped your book shut. The door opened slowly, revealing your dear friend Estrid. She was carrying a tray with two small golden bowls. In one were nuts, in the other grapes. "I thought you could need something to eat, my princess." Estrid was your saviour. Your ray of sunshine on cloudy days. "Thank you." You smiled up at her, as she placed the delicacies on your desk beside the window. The young woman gave you a nod, and stayed for a moment, looking at you intensely. "What?" You asked, lifting an eyebrow. "Something is on your mind, I can tell. Or rather someone...?" Of course you told Estrid what happened back in the camp and the lake. She was your best friend after all. You sighed, defeated, rubbing the heels of your palms in your eyes. "I just can't forget him, Estrid. Even after four months, he's constantly on my mind, bothering me. I just don't know why..." The maid cocked her head, smiling. "If I may be so bold to say this, but-" "No, no, no. No. We already had this conversation – twice! I told you. I am not in love!" Your friend giggled. "Well, your mind can't seem to forget prince Loki... and the way you are denying it so vehemently, I think it's very clear that you are in love, your highness."

You just scoffed, shaking your head. "Why won't you just admit that you fell in love with him?" "Because I do not love him, Estrid, I-" You cut off your own sentence, averting your eyes; jaw clenching. "You what, my princess?" Estrid asked, stepping closer. "May I?" She gestured to the free space beside you on the little sofa. "You may." You gave her the permission to sit down beside you - what she did. "I understand you, Y/N, but I also don't understand you. Where lies the problem? Loki is everything your father wants as a future husband for you - as far as I'm concerned. He is a prince, future king. He's of status. The son of his closest ally. He's a warrior - a fighter. Why not give in to the love? Marry him." You swallowed at her words. Yes, you asked yourself. What even is the problem? Estrid wasn't wrong, was she?

"I-I don't know, I... I highly doubt that he feels the same." The maid placed a hand on your shoulder, smiling. "I highly doubt that he doesn't feel the same. After what you told me..." She said, standing up. "This sounds like a story of love to me." Her lips curled in another smile, before she left the room; closing the door silently behind her.

"And therefore, the next hunt is planned to be-" Laufey's eyes landed on his son's, who sat across him at the table. He was staring aimlessly across the dining hall, poking around in his meal. The king frowned. It wasn't the first time his son seemed to be very absent-minded. It happened a lot recently. "Loki." No reaction. The king balled his hand to a fist and slammed his fist on the stoney table, causing the prince to flinch. His gaze landed immediately on his father. "Have you heard a single word I just said?" Loki nodded, eagerly, "Of course, I-" but the critical gaze of Laufey silenced him. He knew. "Haven't, father. Apologies." The king shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "What is bothering your mind, son? You've been absent-minded all the time recently. Tell me - and don't say it is nothing!" Loki swallowed hard. He knew exactly what was bothering him. He hoped to hide it from his father, but it was no use. He couldn't. So why deny it longer?

"I..." Loki started, clearing his throat. "I am afraid I fell in love, father... And now I can't stop myself from thinking about her." Laufey looked at Loki like he had just seen a ghost; completely in disbelief. His son falling in love? A thing the king never thought possible. "You are what?" He needed to hear it again to truly believe it. "In love, father... I'm in love." The king blinked, still a bit taken aback. "Well, I'm surprised, but happy for you, son. I do hope she is of royal blood, though. Or well, at least of high status. I won't allow you to court a mere mai-" "She is, father." Loki jumped to interrupt him. "You even know her. Princess Y/N, daughter of Odin." Laufey's eyes widened. He definitely hadn't seen that coming. "Princess Y/N?" The young Jotun nodded. "Did you meet her on your trip to Asgard?" "Yes, but that is a story for another time. I have to go to her. I have to see her; talk to her. My heart is aching; in desperate need to see her." Loki closed his eyes for a moment as he paused, before taking a deep breath. "And... And I wish to marry her. Please, father." Laufey was still kind of shocked, but nevertheless gave his blessings. "You may - but this isn't just my decision. You have to speak to the Allfather; ask for the princess's hand in marriage." The prince nodded. "I will, father, I will. Do I have your permission to leave tomorrow morning for Asgard?" "You have my permission, son."

Loki wasn't able to find sleep that night. A trillion thoughts were running at lighting speed through his head; thinking through every possible scenario. What if Odin rejects me and won't allow me to marry her? What if I'm not enough for her in his eyes? What if she's already promised to someone else? What if she doesn't love me? But the signs have been clear, haven't they? Or did I read them wrong? What if she doesn't want to marry me? What if I screwed it up with rejecting her like I did?

His mind just wasn't able to settle down and rest. So, he tossed and turned; literally waiting for the morning to arrive. When it did, the young prince was up early, of course. Standing up with the sunrise, he prepared everything for his journey and visited his father, before he left.

"I'll be going now, father." Laufey gave him a nod, just having some breakfast. "Good luck, my son. Princess Y/N will be a good future wife and queen." Loki nodded approvingly. "She will. I'm certain of it." Taking a small bow, the prince backed up, on his way to leave, when the king held him back. "And son?" Loki looked over his shoulder, expectantly. "Yes?" "I'm proud of you. After every discussion we have been through… You, finding love is a true blessing." He couldn't help but smile at his father's words. "Thank you."

Not much later, Loki stepped out of the Bifrost, faced with the guard of Asgard - Heimdall. The Æsir gave him a nod and a bow. "I saw you coming, prince Loki." Loki winked at him. "I bet you did. Is the Allfather...?" "In the palace, yes." "Thank you." So, Loki made his way to the palace. After explaining to the guards that he was here to talk with Odin, they let him in and another guard accompanied him to the golden doors of the throne room.

"Prince Loki, son of Laufey..." Started Odin, as he laid his eyes upon the Jotun prince. "What brings you here on such a beautiful day? I hope nothing bad." Loki shook his head and got down on one knee, taking a deep bow, just like it was taught to him; upholding his good manners. "Rather the opposite, Allfather... I hope to bring good news." The king of Asgard gave the Jotun a nod, "Speak." looking at him expectantly. Loki swallowed and took a deep breath. Was that nervosity he felt? "I wish to marry your daughter, princess Y/N." Odin's expression changed. He couldn't hide that he was more than surprised. "You wish to marry my daughter?" "Yes, your highness." The king looked at the prince for quite a few seconds, literally staring him down, before he spoke up again. "Well... You are a of status - a prince, with good manners. A great leader and warrior, future king and the son of my greatest ally... How could I turn such an offer down? You may marry my daughter, prince." Loki couldn't suppress the bright smile which threatened to cross his face. So, he lowered his head in order to hide it. "Thank you, Allfather. I promise to be a good husband for her - but... I have got one more wish. Am I allowed to speak?" "Speak." "I... I don't want this marriage to be arranged." That was Loki's 'condition'.

Yes, he loved you and yes, his father and your father agreed to this, but he didn't want to force you into marrying him. If you didn't love him and didn't want this, the prince wished to accept your decision. Sure, he would be heartbroken, but forcing you to be his wife - to love him, wouldn't change a thing. Loki wanted you to be happy - even if that was the prize he had to pay. He would pay it in a heartbeat.

An almost high-pitched laugh escaped the Allfather's lips, as if Loki just said something scandalous. "You wish this marriage to not be arranged?!" Loki nodded. "Yes, my king. I beg of you." "Why?" "I want princess Y/N to be happy and not bound to a man she doesn't love, because..." The prince paused for a moment, took another deep breath. "Because I truly love your daughter. With all my heart." Once again, Odin just stared at him for a moment. "I owe you and your father. You trained my people to become excellent warriors. Therefore, I'll agree. If my daughter doesn't wish to marry you, she won't." Odin's answer took a load of Loki's mind. He was definitely relieved; took another bow. "Thank you. May I go and speak to her?" "Of course. After all, she is your future wife - perhaps."

That was, what Loki did. A guard led him all the way to your chambers. "I thank you. Leave now." The guard obeyed, bowed and turned to leave. Loki had to take a few deep breaths, before he was ready to knock on your door. Before he was brave enough to knock on your door. After all, a lot had happened between you and him. Not to mention that it was kind of his fault, that you were trapped in your room. He regretted it, but he also had no other choice back then and was hurt as well... Nevertheless, he had to talk to you and take a chance. Otherwise, Loki feared to die, because his heart was aching so painfully for you. So, he knocked; and when your delicate, sweet voice echoed from the other side of the door and told him to come in, a pleasant shiver ran down his spine. It was almost therapeutic to hear your voice again. Taking a last deep breath, the prince stepped inside.

[thecountesstribe]

House of The Dragon 2x8 Spoilers and Review.

This is gonna be a rant but I'm still putting a spoiler warning cause some people were waiting for the entire season to drop before they watched. I was spoiled during the week and I'm mad as hell about it. Yes we all know it's fuck book canon atp but at least make sure the story flows and make actual sense.

The finale was mid. I felt like there were a lot of things missing and it was kinda confirmed. We're gonna have to wait 2 long years and knowing season 3 is about to just be the assassinations of characters because season 2 didn't really do anything, nothing moved story wise except the death of Jaehaerys, the sowing of the dragons seeds and the death of one of the realest women in Westeros. It was just glorified fanfiction and most definitely not the good kind.

I'm begging Ryan and Sara to please read or at least have someone else read the source material before they get back in that writers room.

Lucerys, Visenya and Jaehaerys deaths were supposed to haunt the narrative for the entirety of the season, how they could fumble it so bad that it just feels like a drop of water on your hands while washing it is beyond me. Blood and Cheese felt insignificant as fuck considering it was also a major event that led to the destruction and death of one of the most prominent houses in Westeros, majority of the Targaryen's lineage and the death of most of the dragons. I should've known when they started promoting the 2nd season as Alicent vs Rhaenyra instead of Rhaenyra vs Aegon II, y'know the usurper, that it was gonna be some bullshit. The other major events in the second season, Rhaenys' death also felt brushed aside. This is why the show needs to be at least 12-14 episodes. Abolish the 8-10 episodes shit.

I'm gonna get hate for this but could they please let this Rhaenicent relationship go! For the love of everything that is holy, let it go. Season 1 focused on them, fine. Season 2 you gave them a reunion, crazy but okay. There was literally no reason for a second reunion. Sure the scenes were beautiful, shout-out to the actors but let it go. The plot already felt cheapened when they chalked up the dance to one big misunderstanding. Which is crazy considering, Otto and the small council literally had this entire plan set in motion since Rhaenyra was named heir and even a little before. I need Ryan to understand that sometimes friendships just end. Sometimes your friends cross the lines one too many times and you just need to let them go. Alicent overstepped and crossed the lines with Rhaenyra it was downright disrespectful for Rhaenyra to even be in her presence at all tbh. This is the same woman who made her life a living hell, raised her children to be vile, hateful, spiteful little shits towards their own sister and her children, embarrassed her and tormented her in court, started and participated in the rumors and smear campaign about Rhaenyra's character and children, essentially ran her out of her own home, lied about the death of her father and the news didn't come from her or the council immediately but after and that's only because they were holding her former mil hostage and she got away. Alicent knew Viserys was addled and delirious and out of his mind when he was rambling about the conqueror's dream (she didn't know about the prophecy but still), so nothing he said was supposed to be taken seriously and just because he said “Aegon” she decided to be spiteful/hateful and usurp the throne knowing it would've hurt Rhaenyra. I don't know why people gloss over this fact either. Aegon said it himself, his father had years to name him heir and he remained steadfast to Rhaenyra's claim. Aemond said it again this season, the small council and his mother plotted to usurp the throne. What more was there to talk about? The only talking that should've been happening is Rhaenyra signing her and the council's execution warrants for treason. This all started because Rhaenyra omitted the truth about who took her virginity btw. She didn't lie, she never slept with Daemon in that brothel. Not to mention that Alicent son also killed her child!! Let it go!

I'm gonna reiterate this point but we didn't need to spend all that time with Daemon in Harrenhal and his hallucinations. That should've taken 3 episodes top and then they could've had him work on his relationships with his family instead. Especially his daughters. The only thing I liked coming out of the Daemon hallucinations is the prophecy. DAENERYS STORMBORN TARGARYEN IS THE “PRINCE” WHO WAS FUCKIN PROMISED!! NOT THAT BUM JON SNOW. Fuckin finally. We could lay the discourse to rest. GRRM could've posted it on a billboard for the entire world to see and it still would've had the select few that will insist on Jon being the one who the prophecy was talking about. The events in the show and the book supported this btw so I don't even know what the argument was about but let's lay it to rest now. Although show wise it doesn't fuckin matter either way because D&D fucked the last seasons but book lore wise this is what GRRM intended or intends. Still waiting on the next book! The term “prince” was gender neutral. And everybody celebrates. Daemon swearing allegiance to his Queen, as he fuckin should. Raising the army in her name as he should. He's got voices in his head now apparently. Also he has a new friend in Alys, good for him.

Aemond did what he was supposed to do this season. He's still an unhinged psychopath, absolutely no one is surprised. No complaints on my end. I need him to keep his grubby hands to himself though. Helaena gave him his death notice and rubbed in the fact that nobody gave a damn about him in the end, she did that for me.

Criston even though I hate to admit it, same thing. He's still a woman hating piece of shit though and I want him dead immediately. We didn't need all those alicole sex scenes though. We got it, they were fuckin, kudos.

Larys and the small council did what was also expected.

Aegon is still fried. Now he's apparently heading to Essos. He wants to usurp the moniker “Realm's delight” too and to that I say absolutely tf not. That is reserved for pretty women only. Aegon has officially been castrated!! That was for all the women in the realm. It's what he deserved. I don't believe for one second that Sunfyre is dead. I think that'll be a swerve.

I wished we focused on Helaena more though. Her grief was explored a little more than Rhaenyra's but it was also brushed aside. Why? That would've been important to her characterization. Also why did they have Helaena astral project into Daemon's dream? She was so cool as well, like that man didn't have a hand in the death of her son.... You can't make this shit up. The scene was essentially “you killed my kid cool but since you're so good at killing could you get my brother next?” I'm convinced they are doing this shit on purpose. Why do they keep making the female characters in the show this peace seeking, docile beings when they were just as and even more chaotic than their male counterparts (with reason might I add). The men just do the most unhinged shit for glory and in the name of war sake and the women gotta be the peacekeepers even though they're the most wronged.

Alicent's character didn't deserve half the screentime she got because if you cut her scenes in half the majority of them contributed nothing to the moving along of the plot. Absolutely nothing. We already had limited time as is.

Baela and Rhaena I am so sorry you have incompetent people telling your side of the story. Sure they got more lines this season and that's a stretch but they're lacking characterization as well. Ryan and Sara scrapped the Nettles plot, okay (that was fuckin stupid). Nettles had a major role to play. Gave her story to Rhaena in the last two episodes and we still didn't even see her claim Sheepstealer. It's up in the air. Also one of the princesses of the Realm managed to escape and you mean to tell me nobody is looking for her? She just fucked off and that's it. Yeah okay. Also I hated how they wrote her relationship with Jeyne. She was so kind to her in the books and Rhaena actually had a story in the books when she went to stay with her. Sure she would've been living her princess core era life but it's what she deserves. It would've helped flesh out her character as well, led to her hatching Morning and her life after the dance.

Baela lost the majority of her characterization as well even though she's inherently more fleshed out than Rhaena. Baela was chaotic as hell in the books. They swapped her personality in a sort of way with Jace, although he does have a temper (and rightfully so. They did kill his little brother and sister and he seems like the only one who cares) but Baela is supposed to be more unhinged than him. We only caught a few glimpses of her book personality and that's it. Again why are they writing the female characters as these docile, peace seeking beings? They also completely brushed aside their grief concerning their brother/betrothed, sister, mother and grandmother. I'm tired. We kinda got something for Baela in her grief but it was the bare minimum and it was barely mentioned again. Rhaenys was a parent to those girls (more than Daemon at least) and she got a fuck all remembrance. We totally should've gotten even better Jace and Baela's relationship development. We got her being more of his support system though they were each other's. Baela's feelings weren't explored more besides her hating her dad. Unless they're planning to explore it more in season 3 but well y'know 💔. Her telling Jace to stop pouting though and him insisting he's not even though he totally was🤣🤣😭😭. She gathered him and rightfully so. Also their unspoken conversation during the dinner scene with the dragonseeds. Peak wife and husband behavior. I hope we don't have to mourn for what could've been more than we will already be doing.

Rhaenyra character this season was all over the place. They only stick to what her character was from season 1 in episode one and then after that it was like she did a 180. She was destroyed by the grief of her son, daughter and father. They completely forgot that and had her doing the stupidest stuff. She had one of her biggest supporters die as well and it was just cast aside. Development wise we got to see her more open. I'll give them that. They also brushed aside her grief. It felt like Lucerys didn't matter to her in some instances. I have a feeling they're gonna go down the “mad Targaryen” role for her as well. If a woman has to be in power then she has to go crazy. That's what that cult Rhaenyra vibes is giving. I'm not tripping, you guys see it too right? I touched on the second reunion between her and Alicent but her whacking her this last episode was satisfying. I don't trust Alicent's plan and Rhaenyra knows and hopefully she sticks to it. She knows that she has to kill Aegon now. A son for a son. This is who I wanted to see this season. It's like she got back her personality traits in the last episode. She still needs to work on her standing as queen. She had that bum Ulf disrespecting her at the table and she needed to have his tongue expeditiously. Mysaria and her are doomed yuri confirmed. Mysaria has her ear but is only telling her what she wants to hear and that is going to be her downfall. I still can't figure out her angle though but we'll see in season 3. She inadvertently hurt Jace again when she chose Addam to go to Harrenhal. It's like one step forward and then 3 steps back with them. I'm hurt knowing the possible outcome of this situation. Daemon and her reunion were good. I like how she didn't fall back into his arms. Stand on business and continue to stand on business Rhaenyra.

Corlys grief was brushed aside. He didn't really do anything this season besides deny his sons, lie to his wife in his last moments and try to make his legitimate granddaughter heir after laughing off the idea of making his other legitimate granddaughter heir. His ship is finally fixed though. “The Queen Who Never Was ” is the new name of it. I had tears in my eyes, I could admit it. I'm not ashamed. Everything that he's doing now he's doing it for Rhaenys. 😭😭😭😭😭😭 Why did he wait so freaking long to honor her properly though 💔. There is no denying he loved his wife, he just could've loved her better. I'm glad Alyn dragged his ass for being a deadbeat though. Gave his ass a reality check he so richly deserved. He hurt those boys and he deserved to know. Imagine your father could've made your life easier but he decided to be a coward while favoring his other children, a tongue lashing would've been the least he got, I would've fought him. They're on to meet the triarchy though.

Jacaerys character was developed stellar this season. He didn't have plenty of screentime and he was mugging down for most of it but the rage, the grief, the despair was all palpable. He lost a part of his soul in Lucerys and it was there for everybody to see. He didn't get anything to do until the later half but when he got to go he did. I said it before and I'll say it again I love his and Baela's relationship. Him resting his hand in her lap after her scolding and her gently massaging it. Yeah those are real lovers. His beef with Ulf is so personal to me. Like yes threaten that uncouth vermin some more. Really reminded me of his fathers there. It's crazy though how Addam and Jace parallel each other though. Two of the best boys in Westeros that deserve the absolute world. Fate was unkind to them both as well.💔

Shout-out Simon Strong. One of my favorite characters this season along with lil Oscar. I love how he didn't let that traitorous snake Alfred slide. He let his queen know immediately. I love a loyal diva.

Tyland and the triarchy were funny though. Who would've thought I could've shown a Lannister besides Cersei love?!

I'm wrapping up this rant cause it's already so long-winded. The show is only slated for 4 seasons though btw. LMFAO.

Until next time folks. Take care of yourselves in the meantime.

Until season 3 folks.

[bunnymermaidwrites]

pls tell me about odette and why you want to trap them in a snow globe and shake them until they’re concussed?

the fact that you compare hilbert to odette makes me already quite fearful

Hi!❤️❤️❤️

Okay, so Odette... Odette very much deserves to be trapped in a snow globe and a lot more if you ask me, but I'll let you be the judge.

While her crimes might not be as bad as Hilbert's (attempted murder of child and gaslighting vs genocide and I'm sure a lot of other stuff that I'm unaware of), the emotional wounds she causes are just horrible.

Let me give you a (hopefully) very quick rundown of what's going on here (if you have any questions here's my wip intro with links to all storts of things including characters or you can always ask):

The majestic country of Galla is floating in the sky, put there by the doves themselves to protect the humans from what lies beneath. The Black swamp, a place filled with monsters, fear, and madness.

Odette at 19 years old is a triarhist, one of three future rulers of Galla. They may be humans but their powers are devine, all powerful, that exist for one purpose alone: To protect people.

She is kind, clever and compassionate. She loves her people with everything she has and even as a young child she took her duties very seriously. She is also selflessness, always willing to help another.

She would do anything to keep her people safe like she's supposed to.

Odette, when she was little, was terrified of the Black swamp, of the stories about the place. Of having to be the one who stand been it and her beloved people if it comes to that. So she came up with an idea:

Build a machine and destroy the Black swamp for good.

However, her father disapproved, saying that what she wanted to do was way too extreme, that they were safe where they were. So Odette hid her plans, deciding to bide her time until she is officially crowned on her 20th birthday.

But someone found them... and Odette had to keep them quiet.

You see, Odette has a boyfriend, another triarhist, just like her. Endre. They love each other, understand one another better than anyone.

Endre has two younger siblings: Adél, the main character (15 yo) who idolizes Odette, she wants to be just like her, and Ákos (10 yo).

Sweet, little Ákos: smart, extremely curious, but unfortunately still naive. He was bound to find a secret drawer, with Odette's plans hidden deep within. He was bound to be confused and even frightened.

And Odette looked at him. The kid she helped teach how to read... and she pushed him off the edge of Galla and he fell...

All

The way

Down

Into the Black swamp below.

Anything for her people, right?

There are many reasons I hate Odette. Tiny things that just make everything worse.

Odette is selflessness, she doesn't care what happens to her as long as her people are safe.

Her selflessness stretched so far and so so thin that her sacrifice somehow became Ákos.

And she thinks she did the right thing.

😁Now let me just list a couple of my favorite (maybe petty) reasons to hate Odette:

Why I want to trap Odette in a snow globe:

Ákos for a long time blames himself for what happened partially because Odette was so perfect.

Ákos in general is just so confused about the whole thing. It's very hard for his young mind to wrap around the fact that someone that loved him could hurt him like this.

Like I said Adél wanted to be just like Odette. Now, she will spend the rest of her life fearing that she succeeded.

Endre lost the only person who could understand what he was going through as an heir!

Ákos was wearing a cat mask that Adél made when Odette pushed him. He looked adorable and innocent, and she still did it! Seriously, how can someone look at this and hurt him:

If put in the same situation, Odette wouldn't hesitate to do it again because she thought it was necessary.

I could go on, but for the sake of simplicity here, it is.

Tldr: She looked at a kid who saw her as a big sister and went: YEEET!

Thank you so so much for this ask! It made me really happy! I hope I answered your question well enough! ❤️

[starlightsinger32]

457 King!Inho and Commoner!GiHun Fanfic Scene

I HAVE to get this fanfic scene out of my head so I can actually finish 'Caged' and not get dragged kicking and screaming into a new hyperfixation!

INFO: King Inho is a tyrannical ruler who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of his own people, and who always wears a black mask. Under pressure from his uncle (Il Nam) to produce an heir after the death of his wife and child ten years earlier, In Ho stumbles upon happy go lucky, rosy cheeked, commoner Omega Gi Hun, and is immediately obsessed. You guys know how he is, he's like: "I want THAT one" and no one can talk him out of it.

However, since Gi Hun hates the King for being the direct cause of the deaths of several of his loved ones, In Ho goes under cover as visiting merchant Young-il. He successfully wins Gi Hun over, and six months later, when Young-il (In Ho) proposes, Gi Hun says yes. Literally the next day, he wakes up in the palace and discovers that the man he hates and the man he fell in love with are one and the same.

THIS is the aftermath:

"Gi Hun." In Ho called softly, slowly approaching his omega, who was sitting with his back to him, looking distantly out the window of his bedroom.

He had learned to let Gi Hun know he was coming after the man had very nearly hit him out of panic when he crept up behind him. He'd never reacted like that towards Young-il.

But when he reached his fiance, something wasn't right. For a brief moment, the king wondered if an imposter sat before him, but he knew Gi Hun's honey scent after many nights with his nose buried in the other man's neck, and the scent lingered.

That didn't mean that the man hadn't under gone a significant physical change. Gone were the soft, wavy curls that framed Gi Hun's smiling face, the ones that In Ho loved to thread his fingers through when they kissed.

Gi Hun's hair was short now, not shorn directly to his head, but certainly shorter, flatter, and with sharper edges. The haircut made his oval face look thinner, his eyes empty and sad.

Before he could stop himself, In Ho spoke: "What have you done?"

Gi Hun didn't look at him, instead still staring into space. Almost mechanically, he answered: "I cut my hair. That's what I do when it gets long."

In Ho hadn't given permission for that! "No. Why would you do something like that? Your hair looked so beautiful!"

Somehow, that comment seemed to light a small spark in the omega's eyes. "Does that mean...you don't want to marry me anymore?"

Any outside observer would have easily recognized his emotion to be hope, but all In Ho saw was his omega, frightened that his alpha was about to leave him.

Teeth gritting in anger, the king grabbed Gi Hun's hands. "Do you honestly think I would ever cast you aside based on the way you look? I love you, Gi Hun, I would marry you tomorrow, regardless of what your hair looks like."

"Oh." Was all the response he got. Gi Hun went back to staring sadly out the window, but his fiance wasn't done.

"When will we get married? I know that everything that has happened has been a big change, but we really should get started on preparations."

Gi Hun tried to pull his hands away, but the king wouldn't let go. "You lied to me."

"About my name and my job, nothing else." In Ho finally did release the other man's hands to take his black mask off. When Gi Hun wouldn't look at him, he gently but firmly turned the other's chin towards him. "I'm still me."

The omega just looked at him, brown eyes full of sorrow. "I love Young-il. He's not you."

"Yes, I am. If I told you my real name,you would have known who I was immediately. And I wanted you to love ME." One hand grabbed Gi Hun's left one, fingers tracing over the gold ring on his finger. "And you do. You said yes to ME."

There was a pause as the other man digested his words. In Ho remained at his side, calmly waiting for the logic behind his words to sink in.

He didn't have to wait long.

"Okay...I'll marry you."

In Ho fought down a burst of joy. It COULDN'T be that easy.

"Truely? You've changed your mind?"

Gi Hun gave a little nod. The expression on his face was far from the unbridled joy when In ho had first got down on one knee, but he no longer looked like a broken doll. His eyes were firm and determined.

"Yes, but if I do, I want you to give me something.

"Alright." The king just barely held himself back from saying: 'Anything!' That statement might lead to himself dumping the entire riches of his kingdom in front of the omega to do with as he wished. "What do you want, darling?"

"My friend, Sae-byeok, I want her to come to the wedding."

His words gave In Ho pause. He knew that name from somewhere...something wasn't right.

Gi Hun kept talking. "I've known her and her mother for many years, she's almost like a sister to me, so I want her to come-oh wait! She can't, she died three years ago; killed by a street gang for pickpocketing so she could afford to feed her brother!"

The omega shook his head, laughing at his own foolishness as though he had forgotten Sae-byeok was out of town. Then he slapped himself in the forehead.

"Sung-woo! Of course! My childhood friend, how could I forget about him, I want him to come to the wedding instead. But, wait a minute, oh no, he can't come, either!"

In Ho didn't like where this was going. "Darling-"

Gi Hun ignored him. "He died right in front of me, he killed himself, actually. He was a wanted man for embezzlement from the Royal Caucas, and he knew that his mother would never be safe unless he was dead. I tried to stop him, but Sung-woo was always stubborn..."

More laughter, this time a little more deranged.

"Gi Hun, stop this!" The king commanded, but the omega suddenly sat straight up, eyes wide.

"Wait, but I know what I really want now! I want my mom to come. She'll be so happy that I'm getting married again, she was so sad when I got divorced because she didn't want me to be alone." He nodded with satisfaction. "Yes, that's it. If my mom can come, I'll marry you."

There was another long pause. In Ho waited for the other shoe to drop, but the commoner continued to look up at him with earnest eyes. The king exhaled.

"Of course your mother is invited, I would never dream of-"

"I don't think she'll be able to make it, though." A shadow had fallen over Gi Hun's face, his gaunt cheeks hollowing as he gritted his teeth. "Given that she died of diabetes three years ago, on our kitchen floor."

"What?" Somehow, this was the first In Ho was hearing of this tragedy. Why had Gi Hun not told Young-il?

"Ask me where I was." Gi Hun's low, angry tone could rival that of an alpha's. When no response came from his fiance, he repeated:

"ASK ME WHERE I WAS!"

Before In Ho could speak, he shouted: "IN JAIL! I saw some of YOUR guards bothering some kids who were taking food out of a garbage can. I stood up for them, and they arrested me! Threw me in jail overnight! And when I got home the next morning, my mom was DEAD!"

Furious brown eyes met In Ho's hard ones. "So can you do that, for me, YOUR HIGHNESS? Can you give me my mom? And I don't mean her body, I want HER."

The king released a heavy sigh. Finding all of this tragic information out during such an emotional time was proving to be extremely inconvenient. Nonetheless, he explained:

"Darling, I can't bring back the dead. You know that. But I can give you ANYTHING else you wish for."

"I want my family and friends. You took them from me, and I want them back."

"And I cannot do that."

The two men shared a hard stare, but Gi Hun eventually returned to his original position, albeit with his back turned further towards In Ho. "Then I won't marry you. So you should give up now and let me leave."

"Why would you want to leave?" The king could not conceive why his beloved would want to once again condemn himself to the cold, struggling, selfish world outside when he had the choice to remain with In Ho and be cared for and adored for the rest of his life.

"I want to go home." Was all Gi Hun said.

"This is your home." Here, Gi Hun could be kept safe, and the hardships that had taken his loved ones would never touch him again.

"Then you need to leave." The commoner's voice trembled a little, but In Ho could not see any tears fall. "I'm allowed to be alone in my home if I want to be."

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

I'm NOT continuing this but if I did, it would go like: Something, something In Ho being upsetti-spaghetti for 3-4 chapters that his wifey won't marry him, Gi Hun sticking it to the man until-BOOM-turns out he's pregnant (he slept with Young-il). Featuring all the Season 2 players as various palace workers, Geum-ja mothering everyone except In Ho, Il Nam mothering In Ho, and Gi Hun and Jun-Hee being pregnant together while their alpha follow them around trying to atone for their mistakes. (Myung-gi has a SMALL chance. Good luck, In Ho).

[theanoninyourinbox]

I need to know about Brambleclaw in your Longstar au. Tell me everything about that traitor! Please.

Bramblekit was normal, as kits go. Small, maybe a little rough with Snowkit and a bit selfish, not noticing if others were affected by his misadventures or little clawed swipes, but no one save Speckletail and Goldenflower noticed anything amiss. When the fire struck camp, and Fireheart bravely saved him from the flames, he seemed starstruck. Wanted to be a brave warrior who saved everyone!

And then his Father left.

The clan seemed to turn on him all at once. They all hated him! Just him!! (He never saw Goldenflower shudder her tears away, never saw his sister flinch at the stares and whispers. He never saw Fireheart try to shield him, or Longtail glare down the elders. His greatest flaw was never seeing how others felt.) Darkstripe brought him to see Tigerclaw, who promised that HE was protecting Bramble from the horrors of a weak clan, and whispered to the malleable kit lies and half truths and just play along until I take control. So Bramble did.

Then Tawnypaw LEFT HIM TOO. How dare she, he would say to others, how dare she go to the terrible cat and his terrible clan! (How dare she go, he would say to himself, it was supposed to be me! Now I am watched, and cannot meet my fatherteacherleader!!

And in his dreams, Tigerstar came to him. For you, my true heir, the true training of a strong leader. The Miretrees welcomed him with grasping claws, and he relished it.)

(Any guilt or morals were lashed away by the thorns and the shadows of a thousand hateful cats.)

He played his part - saving Whitestorm, mourning the dead and verbally disavowing Tigerstar (he did not fail he still yet lives in the Mire of nightmares), becoming a Brawler (all the better to defend my clan, he says to Longstar) (give me Claws, he says, to redeem the naming of my father, he says), dotes on his mother, hunts and fights and returns in the night to his bloody-bellied fatherkingruler.

He becomes defined, in the secret bloodybeatingcloying spaces of his heart, in the shadows of his mind, by three things.

Pride. Envy. Wrath.

He is Proud of his prowess, of his acting, of his untouched pelt (the claws of the Dark Forest are too slow for him, only catching on his soul) and his place of honor - he is TRUSTED by the falsefoolishleader Longstar, to watch his kits and protect them from danger. HE is the danger that no one sees! HE will sink his teeth into the unprotected spines of the clan! But not yet. Brambleclaw waits. He is Proud to have a true leadershadowboundruler like Tigerstar, the cunning to Brambleclaw's battle skills. He is Proud. And that is a piece of his downfall.

He is Envious, of Longstar and Flamewish. Of Tawnypelt and Foxpaw and Swiftpaw and Darkpaw. And eventually of Hawkfrost and Mothwing and Crowfeather. He WANTS the power to command a clan to move, and be obeyed at every turn! (He does not see the elders balk, Whitestorm advising, the historians and tacticians guiding the clan as well) He WANTS the love of a mate, one who is devoted only to him (he misses the work that Longstar and Flamewish put in to their relationship, their arguments and apologies, the devotion going both ways) (He misses how his sister is loved, by her clan, truly trusted, how Rowanclaw is her FRIEND before her lover) He WANTS his father to be there, to be watching him grow effortlessly (he misses the little spats, the drama, the fears, and does not see the love that the family cultivates) (He could have been another son to the leader, or even the deputy, but it is far too late for that) (He barely recognizes that Goldenflower loves him, cherishes him, and is Proud of him. She does not matter. Mollies' opinions do not matter, his father taught him well) He WANTS a sibling relationship like Hawk and Moth, he WANTS to be cherished by many clans like TadpoleCrowfeather (He is blind to how Tawnypelt loves him, how Stormfur asks for his advice, how Feathertail flirts) (His plans for Foxpawflight are NOT ruined by her affections for ShrewpawLeg he WILL be her mate) He is Envious. And that is a piece of his downfall.

He is Wrathful, his hate of the Clan he was born into catching on his ribcage and twisting in his intestines, burrowing into his marrow. He claws the turf to pieces in fury, how DARE his father leave! He knocks eggs from their nest is rage, how could Tawnypaw leave him too!? He tears the pelts off of rogues and loners, MY FATHERLEADERKING IS NO FAILURE!!! He scatters stones on the cliffsides, why won't Foxpaw realize she's MINE!? He screeches as he drives rogues away, MY BROTHER!! MINE!! He is Wrathful, and that is one piece of his downfall.

He stands over the foolishfalseidiotLongstar, his truebrotheronlyally looking upon him and their prey. Join me finally, Brambleclaw crows, join me and we can be what we were meant to be!

(He has always missed how Hawkfrost looks at Tigerstar, looks at him. With building horror and regret)

And Hawkfrost

Says

No

Brambleclaw is Proud (he trust his battle prowess, but Hawkfrost is quick and lean and won't hoLD STILL)

Brambleclaw is Envious (you are MY BROTHER he screams, and the denial from Hawkfrost cuts through his blackening heart)

Brambleclaw is Wrathful (red tinges his vision, his father's voice in his ears stop him stOP HIM KILLHIM)

The silvery spike in his throat tastes like failure

[thesunfyre4446]

I tend to be more of a fandom spectator, since I am team neutral and I like to look at everything from an external perspective and analyze the motives of each team, but in recent times I have been observing a lot of hypocrisy from team black, who deny that we ,the neutrals, exist, yes, they can be that arrogant. But without a doubt what catches my attention the most is that they believe they are feminist activists when at the first opportunity they disregard Helaena's pain because unlike Rhaenyra she "only" lost one child (apparently it is a small matter). They call her a useless depressed woman who abandoned the rest of her children, and honestly I find it a disgusting way to address a woman who is going through something like that, they ask for respect for Rhaenyra in her pain (with which I agree) but they don't extend the same courtesy to Helaena, each person faces things in a way that Rhaenyra didn't let herself sink should not serve to belittle the pain that leads a person to commit suicide.

The girl literally saw how her son's head was cut off, her being depressed is not strange at all. They also think that they are the defenders of house Targaryen, calling Alicent's children mudbloods when their candidates for the throne are illegitimate boys that have no real right given the social context of the time and who would still reign with the surname Velaryon (because in the book they would not change the surname to Targaryen upon ascending, this is an invention by Condal that makes no sense, at that time there were no such levels of feminism, and also the importance of political alliances lies in this type of things, Corlys was also lying about the boys paternity just to put his name on the throne an his blood through Baela). They criticize the bond between Sunfyre and Aegon when they have Rhaenyra in the opposite position, we do not see a real connection with her dragon, she was the youngest rider but it was of no use and Syrax's death was not a big problem for her.

And I say that I am neutral because I am happy that Aegon III was king, but they say that they are so they can say oops the blacks won, but the truth is that they hate this boy and also his brother Viserys and they criticize them constantly, from what I have seen they use them only to serve their half-brothers and feel guilty for them. They try to impose the idea of the united family when that is far from true, the same Corlys they sell as grandfather of the year as soon as he was able to legitimize Addam and Alyn as Velaryons discarded Joffrey as heir and at that time Jacaerys was still alive, because they love to think that Corlys did this because since Joffrey would now inherit the throne he could not also rule driftmark, because of course if this child was actually his grandson and he saw him as such Corlys would renounce the power that this position brings to his house ( Apparently this man was stupid and I didn't know), I suppose it's normal to prefer the bastards you've had with a girl from Hull than the boy your son had with a princess. In the end what they wanted is for the Strong boys to reign over all the legitimate heirs that already existed, they have not achieved that.

And the thing about usurping and breaking the law too, because in my humble opinion, Rhaenyra was Visery's legitimate heir, but her first children should not be heirs, they immediately call you bastardphobic, obviously I don't care about anyone's origin, nor do I think that that makes you less worthy, but it is a fact that in the universe of Westeros it is illegal to pass bastards as legitimate children (which is not in itself an insult but an adjective to designate people born to people who are not married).

Then it can be stated that the claim of these boys was a usurpation of all the boys and girls of the family who were legitimate and bore the Targaryen surname, including all of Daemon's and Alicent's children. But this is not interesting to talk about. It is better to sell that it was essential that they exist because there were no more heirs available for either House Targaryen or House Velaryon when both things are not true, it is simply a question of power and the path to obtaining power is not always fair and that is seen on both teams.

thank you so much for this lovely ask! sorry for taking forever to answer.

i really don't know why team black hate people who say that are natural. i've said it before and i'll say it again - being natural is the best way to watch this show.

the double standards with helaena and rhaenyra is my villain origin story. i hate hate hate the way team black talks about helaena. and i'm sorry, the psychological torture helaena suffered in B&C, in additional to her son's death - is, thankfully, not something rhaenyra ever had to endure.

yeah i don't get TB using the fact that the targtowers are only half targs & at the same time saying that blood doesn't matter wrt the strongs.

and the aegon and sunfyre antis? please. sunfyre was able to sense aegon and return to him. they have one of the strongest dragonrider \ dragon bonds ever. and for those who say that aegon wanted to replace him??? he tried to hatch a dragon because rhaena had morning. he knew that if the blacks have a dragon and the greens don't then it's over and him & his entire family will be killed. so what was he supposed to do? let everything he and his family and loved ones (including sunfyre) suffered and died for be for nothing? of course not.

and rhaenyra and syrax? i mean we really don't know much about their bond. syrax didn't fight at all during the war, killed her riders son and died. syrax sucks lol (never beating the secret TG agent allegations).

the idea that the blacks are this big happy family is hilarious. corlys and rhaenys literally believe that daemon and rhaenyra killed their son. corlys supports rhaenyra to get his "blood" (name) on the throne. rhaenyra is loyal to herself and her children. corlys has his own interests. rhaenys is there for her granddaughters, and daemon's also doing his own thing. there's so much distrust and hate between the TB "family".

[lyrakanefanatic]

I just realised that literally everybody in the inheritance games series is traumatized in some way ☹️☹️

nash: had to watch his mother neglect him and then continue giving away his brothers while he couldn’t do anything about it

jameson: his mother neglected him, he was manipulated by his grandfather to make him think that he was nothing, and the whole Emily situation

grayson: neglected by his mother, had to carry the weight of the heir apparent, was forced to be perfect and not show any emotion, the whole Emily situation and just so much more

Xander: again, his mom neglected him, and he was lied to about his father from Tobias

Avery: her mother died when she was 15, she was nearly killed like 3 times, she had to carry the weight of being the heiress, was used as a target by Tobias, and a lot more

Libby: was in a mentally and physically abusive situation, was stressed out a lot when Avery was written in the will but didn’t wanna worry her, was constantly at the blame of all her relationships, and gets used because she’s “too nice”

Max: was disowned by her parents and not even allowed to talk to her own brother, had no one to talk to about it because Avery was written in the will so she was completely alone, and didn’t want to burden Avery with all the stress she had because she was already in the will and everything, and since Avery was maxs only friend she had no one else to talk to about it. (I kind of repeated some stuff but whatever u know what I mean 🙄)

Rebecca: Was living in her sisters shadow, never really felt like she had her mothers love, was constantly overlooked by her mother, was never allowed to date the one person she loved because she was afraid Emily would find out, and was blamed for Emily death by her mother (🙁)

Thea: Her best friend died, was forced to fake date a guy because she thought Emily would disapprove of her real relationship, and all her concerns about the Hawthorne family were overlooked as she was forced to spend time with them when they were the only ones with her best friend the night she died (ik Grayson and Jameson didnt kill Emily, but she literally told everybody how much she hated the hawthornes bc of “what they did” and was completely overlooked)

Eve: Okay I know everybody hates eve, but you can’t say she wasn’t traumatized. She was forced to have ugly haircuts and was forgotten just because she looked like the guy her mom had an affair with. Her existence ruined her family as her mom and dad fell apart because of the affair that her mom had, and she was ignored by her entire family but the second that Avery gets written in the will, THEN her half siblings decide that they want to contact her. She was used, just like Avery. Yes, she was a bad person, but she was alone her whole life and so when Vincent Blake was introduced, ofc she wanted to work for him, he was the only one who had ever shown her praise or even acknowledged her her whole life, and since she didn’t have any attention as a kid, of course she wants it now. She wanted to constantly be the best and do as he says because he didn’t want to let him down like she let down her family (just for existing, by the way.) so she did all these horrible things because she was afraid if she messed up, every ounce of attention she had gotten from Vincent would have been wiped away, and she would be alone again. Eve is actually a very layered character, but I feel like people dismiss that bc she hurt Grayson. And yeah what she did to him was horrible but nobody tries to see both sides bc people fangirl for him too much 🙄 (not hating, I do the same thing 🤭)

[teaberrii]

Chapter 26: Where it Ends

You've been Cupid for as long as you can remember. You've brought countless soulmates together, yet you've never found love.

When you're assigned to bring two childhood friends back together, it should be simple until you unexpectedly catch feelings for the mysterious and cold Ph.D. student, Dan Heng, the man with a soulmate… the man with answers to your past.

Dan Heng/You

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

“You should’ve come to me years ago with this proposal,” Jing Yuan said flatly. “I would’ve accepted it on the spot. But now, I think you're out of your mind."

Young’s eyes flashed in the dark. “You can’t hide your real identity forever, Jing Yuan. If Mother's plan goes through, whose side are you going to take? Will you expose Mother and her ugly lies? Or, will you continue living amongst the humans who cannot accept your real identity?"

Jing Yuan sucked in his teeth. "And what about you? You're the fucking heir to the Middle Kingdom. Don't tell me no one is going notice that you just suddenly vanished."

"...Which is why I plan to erase their memories."

"Erase their...?" Jing Yuan scoffed. "You're going to erase your existence? For a woman? Pathetic." When Young said nothing, Jing Yuan sighed. "I'll hear you out. Just make it fast."

Your body is slightly shaking. Young chose to die? You already hated your parents and society, but it was Young’s death that drove you over the edge. He had been your heart and soul, and he chose to die so you could continue living in the very society that robbed you of your happiness.

“That day…” you begin quietly. “You knew that your mother used a concealment spell. You knew that she thought Jing Yuan was going to kill me. You knew…” Your voice breaks as you say, “You were going to die.”

“...When the execution happened, it was supposed to trigger a spell to eventually wipe their memories of me.”

You take a small breath as you try to keep your mind sound. “And was that supposed to solve everything? You dying… Your mother believing I was dead… forgetting about you…" A pause. "No. When she tried to kill me, she remembered you.“

“That was not supposed to happen,” Young says quietly. “By then, the spell should already take effect, but I don't know what went wrong. The plan was to keep you alive… but also have Mother slowly let her hatred go.”

“That still doesn’t make sense!” You clench your fists. “You said she wanted to enslave the humans. Fine. But how was keeping me alive and forgetting about you supposed to stop that from happening?”

“Jing Yuan.”

“...Jing Yuan?”

“Jing Yuan came to the north to take revenge for what your parents did to his father. He and Mother share the same hatred. If Jing Yuan killed them, he could take control of the north. He’s also respected in the south.”

You scoff and look away. “He’d become the ruler of the Kingdoms. Is that it?”

Young puts his hands on your arms. “That’s why I needed his help. There would be no war. You would be ali—”

“I would be alive, yes,” you say through gritted teeth. “Jing Yuan eventually made my life a living hell. Even before you two came up with this little plan. I… I can’t—”

“Jing Yuan came to the north to kill your parents. But… because they’re your parents, he put off his plan.” Young briefly closes his eyes. “He fell in love with you.”

“Do you think I’m going to thank you?” There are tears in your eyes, and you clench your fists. “I loved you… I loved you so much that I cursed people. I bet you and Jing Yuan didn’t have that in your plans, did you? You thought I was just going to have a little heartbreak and then move on?" You glare at him. "Oh, wait. I guess I was supposed to forget about you, too."

Young wants to reach out to you but the sheer anger in your eyes tells him otherwise. “...What happened was beyond anything I could’ve imagined. It was not supposed to happen.”

“Well, I guess I’m just full of surprises, huh?” You take a small breath. “It’s too late to say this now. But, we should’ve fought. The war your mother wanted to happen… it should’ve happened. Then…” You can’t stop the tears from falling now. “...Perhaps we would’ve died together. That would’ve been the best outcome.” You aren’t looking at him anymore. “Did Jing Yuan know everything? About why you tied your soul to this locket?”

“...No. He never knew about any of the magic imbued in that locket.”

“Here’s another question. You asked Pom to put a protection spell on this locket. What was the point of that if you and Jing Yuan were working together in the first place?”

“This wasn’t something we were planning from the beginning. Jing Yuan and I were still enemies when I went to Pom.” Young slowly hugs you. “...I know you’re angry, and I’m sorry. I should’ve told you. I—”

You close your eyes and exhale softly. “Do you know what I’m most upset about? You know… besides the whole oh-my-God-I-literally-cursed-people?” You pull away and give him a little, sad smile. “It’s that you didn’t confide in me. Whatever your mother was planning… She could've been planning to summon the God of Death or King of Hell, but I wished you could’ve talked to me instead of trying to protect me by yourself.”

The look in Young’s eyes tells you he understands. 

But, maybe this is also fate.

Suddenly, your phone buzzes with a message.

Pom: Found Caelus!! At hospital!!! Get chur butts ova here.

By the time you and Young arrive at the hospital, you see Jing Yuan sitting in a waiting area with a bloody bandage on his arm. When he sees you, he only nods at a door where you assume Caelus is.

“What are you doing here?” you ask.

“That’s what I’m wondering myself,” Jing Yuan mutters. Then, he sighs loudly. “I knew I shouldn’t have taken that damn shortcut today.” Upon noticing Young staring at him, Jing Yuan slightly narrows his eyes. “Is there something on my face?”

“...It’s been a long time."

Jing Yuan raises a brow. “Not long enough for you to be saying that. What’s—”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Jing Yuan slid a hand into his pocket as he stared at his half-naked brother who would be dead in the next couple of hours. “Do you know I’ve had dreams about killing you? But looking at you now…” Jing Yuan sighed. “I’ve been too into my head about hating you.”

"You say this now when I'm going to die."

Jing Yuan crossed his arms. "We love the same woman, but you're literally dying for her. I don't know if I could top that."

Young looked down and smiled. "...Hard to say."

"How did you find out? That we were related?"

"My father. If he didn't tell me his story about him and Mother, I probably would never have found out." 

“What made you ask? Something must’ve prompted you.”

Then, Young quietly said your name.

“Were you really stupid enough to say her name in front of your father?”

“I told him there was a girl I love so much that I want to marry her. But… due to circumstances, it’s impossible for us to be together.” Jing Yuan looked away. “I couldn’t tell him everything… but after all that, he said I should marry out of love, something he never got to experience.”

“...And that got you asking questions,” Jing Yuan muttered. Then, out of curiosity, he asked, “Does he hate humans as much as Mother?”

“His hate does not run as deep as Mother’s, but the pain of the war that happened many years ago… that cannot be easily erased.”

“And here we are now…” Jing Yuan sighed. “If Mother had taken a different path… things would’ve turned out differently.”

Young scoffed with a small smile. “Yes. We'd be fighting over the same girl instead of trying to save her life.”

Jing Yuan put a hand on Young’s head. “We did fight over her, and in the end, she still chose you over me. Now, here I am… making her hate me even more as I kill my brother and the fucking man she loves. What a joke.”

“It’s not like you to cry.”

“I’m not!”

“Right. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything.”

“Smartass.” When noises could be heard outside, Young heard his brother say his name. The half-dragon looked at his brother as he said, “...She won't forget about you, you know.” A small pause. “I won’t forget.”

“I liked you better when you were trying to assert your dominance.”

Jing Yuan glared at him. “Don’t make me walk out there with your head in my hands.”

Young looked down, and with a small, sad smile, he said, “It’s time, Brother.”

Jing Yuan stares at Young in shock, but before he can say a word, the door suddenly opens. Caelus’s father is the first one out followed by a nervous-looking Pom. As soon as Caelus’s father sees you, he frowns.

“...You.” He walks up. “What did you do to my son?”

Pom quickly slips between you and Caelus’s father. “Sir, it’s—”

“You’ve said enough,” Caelus’s father interrupts. “Now, move.” You don't get a chance to say anything as he shouts, "Explain why he keeps saying you're the reason why he's sick!"

Before Caelus’s father can grab you by the shoulders, Young quickly steps in, glaring at him. “Touch her, and you’ll be sorry.”

“Y’know,” Jing Yuan says, “I’d like to know why your son attacked me at the park. You don’t see me barging in there and grabbing at him.”

Caelus’s father glares at him. “He mentioned you as well. Something about you betraying him. How do you know my son?”

“...Dad.” Stelle comes out with Lan. “Stop.”

“I just want some answers, Stelle. I’m sure you do, too. Caelus isn’t supposed to be here! He’s—”

“He wanted to keep it a secret,” Lan says. “All of us”—he nods towards you—”we were looking for ways to help him because this cannot be solved using normal means.”

“How do you expect me to believe that my son is cursed? That is utterly ridiculous! I—”

“It’s true,” you say, and everyone turns. “...I was the one who cursed him.”

◆◆◆

A scream. A slash. A thud.

By now, the curse had taken over all three kingdoms. There was chaos and destruction at every corner. There was no order, no royals, and no titles. Everyone was strangely equal, but the situation still favoured those with wit and strength.

Just as Luocha pulled out his sword from the throat of an infected, he saw three of the infected swarm on top of a guard. Having no choice, Luocha fled and eventually sought shelter in his father’s room. The room still smelled like blood.

Luocha had just closed his eyes when he heard a light creak behind him. He spun around, his sword raised, and his eyes widened when he saw… you. He quietly said your name, nearly dropping his sword. A black veil covered half of your face, revealing nothing but your sharp eyes. Your clothes, a mix of white, gray, and black, were nothing like what the other women your age wore. Yours were fit for battle.

“How… Why are you here?” Luocha asked.

“I was curious.” You glanced at an ink-painted portrait of your family with bloody fingerprints all over. “...How everyone was doing.”

Luocha narrowed his eyes. “...You knew about everything that was going on."

“Stop trying to get a confession out of me, Luocha. Just say what you want to say.”

“You used magic… disguised yourself as Jing Yuan’s handmaiden and cursed our father.”

You looked down and chuckled. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you were the one to figure this all out. How long have you known?”

“For father’s health to suddenly deteriorate like that… it wasn't normal. After weeks of trying to treat him, I had a hunch this was because of black magic.”

“And from that, you suddenly decided that I was the one responsible?”

“No. Rather, I thought Jing Yuan was the one behind it. But, when his wife was cursed, I started to think it was you. I never thought you'd give up studying magic. You also had Young teaching you when he was alive.” Luocha walked up to you. “It’s been years, Sister, but you haven’t changed. At least, your thirst for knowledge never fails to surprise me.”

“Are you going to kill me? For killing Father?”

“You should’ve stopped there.” You glared at him, but Luocha didn’t back down. “Was Young so important that you had to get innocent people involved? He wouldn’t have wanted this to happen.”

Your sword was now at the side of his neck. “...Young was my happiness. Why should I continue living in the very society that turns a blind eye to injustice? What did we do that was so wrong? Young had every right to live as much as everyone else. Yet, his life was taken away, and for what? For me? Because of the political rivalry?” You scoffed. “I doubt we’re the first, and we won’t be the last.” Your blade drew closer. “...I want to end all of this political bullshit.”

Luocha was silent for a moment until he said, “And are you happy with the outcome?”

“I’m not finished.” Luocha briefly closed his eyes. Then, you quietly said, “I trusted you. Yet… when everything was happening, you did nothing.”

He could’ve preached that he was trying to protect you, but he knew he wasn't. Looking back, all he did was follow the status quo. So, he told you to stay away from Young, knowing well what would happen if you got caught. But, it wouldn’t be his fault. He warned you, after all. You just didn’t listen. Even when Jing Yuan banished you, Luocha remembered how he wanted to say something. But, what if he ended up getting banished with you? What would become of him? His status as a doctor? Would all of his hard work go to waste? Deep down, Luocha knew that he only wanted to protect himself.

A vial appeared in your hand. “I was saving this for you.”

“...Are you not going to use it?”

Then, you smiled wryly. “I don’t know… Who do I hate more? You or Jing Yuan? If you were Caelus or anyone else, I wouldn’t be having this conversation with you.”

Luocha suddenly grabbed your hand that was holding the vial. He popped the vial open, and the mist wasted no time snaking up the glass and into the air. “I may have failed you as a brother, but know that during the time you were gone, I always hoped you were well. And…” Luocha neither flinched nor stepped back as the mist swiftly crawled into his eyes. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees, and the sound of swords hit the ground. When Luocha looked at you, the whites of his eyes were already turning blood red. “...And that I was proud to have a sister like you.”

You watched your brother fall to the floor, his mouth opening and closing as if he were a fish out of water until someone said your name.

“I found him.”

You stood just as your brother turned eerily quiet. But, instead of answering Pom, you picked up your sword. With both hands, you held it over your brother.

Before Luocha could regain consciousness without any humanity left in him, you struck the sword through his heart.

Luocha has one hand on the sink, the other is clutching his heart as he stares at his reflection in the mirror. You had killed him to spare him from turning into a horrendous creature. But the pain remains. His heart feels as if it’s engulfed in flames. When he closes his eyes, he sees you and then collapses to the floor.

◆◆◆

“...My son is dying in there,” Caelus’s father says, pointing to the closed door. “Do something!”

Then, the rest of the group walks out of Caelus's room, and March closes the door behind her. “He's finally asleep,” she says.

The doctor who had taken over for Luocha looks as white as a sheet. “I don’t know how long the sedation will last given his current state. Let me try to get in touch with Doctor Luocha and see if he can come in to help.”

“...Don’t think the guy will be much help,” Jing Yuan mutters.

“Dad.” Stelle puts a hand on her father’s shoulder. “...I can stay with Caelus tonight. You should go home, and get some rest.”

Before he can answer, his phone goes off. With one look at the screen, he walks off and answers it. “Yes… Yes… I know. I’ll deal with it…”

“Sounds like he’s got a lot on his plate,” Gepard says, watching the man round the corner while looking down.

“He’s been stressed,” Stelle says. “Not sure about what… but—”

“You really don’t know much about your father, don’t you?”

March puts a hand on her hip. “Are you saying you do?”

“I know my clients like the back of my hand, sweetheart.”

“Clients?” Gepard asks, raising a brow.

“He asked you to do something about that article about The Withering, didn’t he?” Stelle asks.

Jing Yuan smiles. "You're a smart one."

“L-Look,” March says after a sigh. “There’s too much going on right now! What are we going to do about Caelus? What happens after he wakes up? He’s not just going to… I don’t know… bust outta here, right?”

“...What can we do?” Gepard says quietly. “Let’s just wait if Luocha can do something about this.”

“Yeah, if you’re talking about the tall, blonde, pretty boy, you’re out of luck,” Nanook says, sitting on a nearby chair.

Stelle quickly looks at him. “...What? Did something happen to him?” Then, she looks at you. “What happened to Luocha?”

Jing Yuan steps in front of you and Stelle and says, “He’s fine. I can get in touch with him.”

Stelle frowns. “Don’t tell me he’s associated with you, too.”

“Take a guess.”

Stelle’s father comes around the corner and looks at his daughter. “...Stelle, we’re going home.”

“What?” Stelle looks at Caelus’s closed door. “But, what about Caelus?”

“It’s not like you can do anything if you stay.”

Gepard frowns at Lan. “Did you really have to put it like that?”

“It’s true,” Nanook says, looking at Stelle. “There’s really nothing you can do for him at this point.”

Stelle’s eyes land on you, and she walks up. “I may not know exactly what happened between you and my brother,” she says quietly. “But, isn’t that all in the past? I hope… I hope you can find it in you to help him.”

Then, she walks away with her father.

“I’ll keep an eye on Caelus,” Nanook says. “He won’t be going on any murderous rampages under my watch.”

Gepard and March are the first to leave. Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood, Jing Yuan turns toward the rest of the group and says, “Does this mean I’m officially off the radar? No more babysitters?”

Young finally turns to Pom. “You’ve been fidgeting for a while. What’s wrong?”

Pom quickly turns to Young. “M-Me? Oh, um, well…”

“I’ve noticed it, too,” Lan says. “Is there something you’re not telling us, Pom?”

Pom takes a breath and looks at you. But, before he can say anything else, they hear another voice. “Yes, Pom, don’t you think it’s time to stop keeping secrets to yourself?”

Nanook frowns at Sampo who’s suddenly sitting in a chair next to him. “How long have you been eavesdropping?”

Sampo shrugs just as Pom nervously says, “There’s a way to stop the curse.”

“How?” you ask.

Pom slowly looks at you, but it’s Sampo who breaks the news. “You die, Cupid.” Then, he stands and walks over. He leans down so he’s at eye-level with you. “...This is the choice you have to make.” When you look Sampo in the eyes, it’s as if he’s compelling you not to look away. “To live or to die.”

“...So, if she dies, the curse will go away?” Jing Yuan asks. "Everyone will live?"

“Correct.” Sampo leans upright. “You’d better decide quickly, dearie. Because time is not on your side.”

Then, he looks over his shoulder and sees Jing Yuan standing behind him. But his gold eyes are fixed on you.

“...What are you doing, Jing Yuan?” Lan asks.

Jing Yuan pushes past Sampo and suddenly grabs you by the hair, forcing you to look at him. 

“You’re at a disadvantage,” Young says sternly. “Let her go.”

“I thought we’re all on the same team here. We want this curse gone, don’t we?” Jing Yuan shoots you a look. “And now we have an answer.” Without turning his head, Jing Yuan looks at Young. “You must be the one I’ve been hearing so much about. Cold Dragon Young.”

“...If you really wanted to kill me,” you say quietly. When Jing Yuan looks back, he sees you glaring at him. “You would’ve killed me that day.”

Jing Yuan had his sword drawn. Something creaked behind him, but when he turned all he saw were the shadows of the candles on the walls. After he and Luocha split up, he ended up seeking refuge in your old room to escape the chaos outside. Ever since Jing Yuan banished you, he didn’t let anyone use your room, not even his wife. Sometimes, he’d pass by, and the night when he first tried to woo you almost always came back to him.

It was the night you had been drinking with Jing Yuan and Luocha. You had a little too much, and Jing Yuan ended up giving you a piggyback ride back to your room.

“...Young…” you’d whispered. “I miss you.”

Would his name ever leave your lips like that? Jing Yuan slid your door open, walked inside, and went straight to your bed. He gently put you down, but his hand was also itching to grab the knife hidden inside his hanfu. It would be so easy to kill you. One slash to the neck. One stab to the heart. You were completely vulnerable. Yet, before he knew it, Jing Yuan was leaning over you, his face dangerously close to yours. He could smell the alcohol, and he was fighting the curious urge to taste it on your lips.

Your eyes slowly opened, and you quickly sat up as if the sight of him made you sober.

“What are you doing?” you asked, holding the blanket over you.

“You passed out,” Jing Yuan answered calmly. “I took you back to your room.”

“...Okay, but why are you still here?”

Jing Yuan decided to take a risk. “Because I’m curious.”

“About what?” You frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re curious about a girl’s room.”

“You kept muttering a name. Young. Don’t tell me it’s Young, heir of the Middle Kingdom?” Jing Yuan knew, but it was your reaction that he was looking for. You’d stiffened and looked away. “...Looks like I was spot on.”

"Thank you for taking me back to my room, but if you could just leave—"

“Race aside… It’s not wise to waste your time on men who play with your feelings.”

Your gaze hardened. “He’s not playing with my feelings."

“So, you’re pathetically pining over him?”

“...Get lost.”

Jing Yuan grabbed your cheeks and forced you to look at him. “...I could make you forget about him.”

“You’re crazy. I think you’re the one who had too much to—”

His mouth was on yours, hard and rough. One of his hands held your wrists, and when he nipped your top lip, he raised your hand to the side of your head. He gently pulled your lip with his own and repeated the caress on your bottom lip before your lips finally parted. Jing Yuan wasted no time. The heat that began at his mouth had unfurled so fast that he needed more.

The alcohol tasted even better on your tongue. Your bed dipped when he climbed on top. Soon, his body was flush against yours until he heard you say, “...Stop.” Jing Yuan broke away. He had you on your bed, hands on either side of your head. The sight had sent his nerves on fire, but your face said a different story. " This isn’t right.”

“Who said?” You looked away, so Jing Yuan continued, “You aren’t his.”

“I’m not yours either.”

“But, you didn’t resist, which means… you also feel something for me.”

“I don’t want this,” you muttered. “Get off me.”

“...Say it while looking at me.”

You finally looked back at him. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Then, his mouth was on yours again.

Another creak made Jing Yuan spin around. Except this time, a sword pierced just next to his heart. Jing Yuan instantly fell to his knees. He could feel the tip of his blade scratching at his heart like fingernails on a chalkboard. This was deliberate. The placement was planned. With shaking hands, Jing Yuan put his hands on the grip until he saw you emerge from the shadows of the room.

“...We finally meet again.”

“I remember now,” Jing Yuan mutters. “You tortured me that day.”

Nanook looks at you. “Tortured and cursed?”

“No,” you say, without looking at him. “I didn’t curse him.”

Lan and Nanook glance at each other. “...Why not?”

Young has a hand on top of Jing Yuan's, and the man lets out a short scream before releasing you.

“Because once the person is dead," you say, "the curse won’t work.”

Jing Yuan couldn’t move. A small knife had pierced his hands, forcing them together. With every small movement, he felt the tip of your blade press against his heart. You were standing in front of him, your eyes cold, dead, and beyond saving. He was shirtless with blood and bruises all over.

“...I didn’t want to believe it was you.”

“And look where that got you, General.” You heard something crash outside. “Fire. Destruction.” Your eyes landed back on him. “Revenge.”

“This… This is all for Young, isn’t it?”

You twirled a knife in your hand and teased the blade down the side of his neck, drawing a thin line of blood. You walked behind him, stabbed him, and slowly dug the knife deeper… and deeper, taking great pleasure in hearing his painful groans.

“Why couldn’t we just get along?” you asked, leaving the knife inside of him and another one appeared in your hands. “...Your initial kindness was just an act.”

“...No,” Jing Yuan managed to say He took a breath. “Do you know why I came to the North?” At your silence, he forced a little, painful smile. “Your family took everything from me. My childhood. My parents. The life I could've had. And for what?” He looked up at you. “Because they couldn’t stand that my father fell in love with a woman from the Middle Kingdom.”

Was it ironic or a cruel twist of fate that Jing Yuan suffered a similar fate?

“I could’ve killed them earlier… but seeing how you were their daughter”—a small scoff—”I started rethinking everything.” Jing Yuan screamed in pain as his hand slid across the blade until it was finally free. But now there were two gaping holes in the middle of his palms. The blade fell to the floor just as he grabbed your hand with the dagger. “I want to stop this. For you. For Young. For myself.” Upon pulling you closer, he felt the tip of the dagger against his abdomen. “...My brother and I wanted to protect you, but I guess we failed.”

As if sensing it was coming, you tried to stop him, but with the last of his strength, the dagger impaled him. With the amount of force you felt, you knew he was gone.

Sampo looks at you. “Your revenge ended with Jing Yuan, but the war raged on. Nothing could stop the monsters you created.”

“Pom,” Nanook says. Then, he eyes Sampo. “Is that what you wanted to tell us? You knew she had to die for the curse to be over?”

“I had a dream about it,” Pom says quietly.

“That may have been true, but perhaps not anymore.” Everyone turns to Young, but he's looking at you. “...There might be another way.”

Chapter 27

End notes: I think a lot of people are probably wondering about why/how Cupid became a God. Well, our dear 'ol Sampo is going to reveal that in the next chapter lol now that all this revenge has finally come to light.

Tag list: @suoshiii @lordbugs @lxry-chxn @seirenspinel @nqctre @tanspostsblog @theprinceofkhaos @lunavixia @akwardbiscuit @sunsethw4 @hiqhkey @n8mareee @vintagepoetryluna

[autisticlancemcclain]

fic rec friday 32

welcome to the thirty-second fic rec friday! where, on friday, i rec five of my favourite fics.

1. A Dragon’s Treasure by @wittyy-name

As heir to the kingdom, Lance always thought he knew exactly what life had in store for him. That is, until a dragon kidnaps him at the age of sixteen. Suddenly his life is a lot less parties, lessons, and castles, and a hell of a lot more barren mountains, grumpy dragons, and boredom. From heir to prize, in just one night.

So now he’s stuck living in a cave with an adolescent, grumpy dragon who doesn’t seem to want him there but still won’t let him go. Not to mention his annoying habit of defeating every suitor who tries to come rescue Lance.

As much as he hates to admit it, he’s probably going to be here for a while. So he might as well settle in and get to know this dragon named Keith.

i accidentally lied last week this one is the last one from my rereadables collection. and for good reason!! dragon beauty and the beast tbh. and wittyy-name ALWAYS nails the complicated i-love-you-and-feel-trapped-by-you, complicated relationships kind of thing. and i fckn love it so so much 

2. Needle and Thread by VulpesVulpes713

Based on the prompt "kisses meant to distract the other person from whatever they were intently doing ". Keith tries to fix a tear in his jacket. Lance just wants some attention. The end result? Feelings.

this one is so cute they are so in love u know?? they just like to be around each other. always a fun read. vulpes is very good at klance with a crush on each other regardless of whether they’re already dating lol

3. Plans Are Overrated, Anyway by @chyeahlex16

"Lance, I-" "I know, I know," Lance said as he bustled around his nearly bare bedroom, tossing shirts out of drawers and pictures off of walls into his open suitcase on his bed. "I totally procrastinated till the last minute, just like you said! I don't need to hear the 'I told you so,' a little help packing would be nice!" "Lance-" "I bet you're already packed," he went on, oblivious to his best friend anxiously shifting in his doorway in frustration and anxiety. "Man, I can't wait until we get there-" "Lance! I have something to tell you!" Lance blinked, stilling his movements. He'd never seen his best friend so... guilty and anxious before. His brows pulled together in concern. "What's up, buddy?" "I'm not going to the Garrison with you." ~ In which I project onto Lance about things that I'm currently going through because I need to vent lol

HUNK AND LANCE HUNK AND LANCE HUNK AND LANCE. we do NOT have enough of it in this here fandom, ESPECIALLY prekerb, early relationship, and what a shame! i have always loved this fic’s exploration of their relationship and the ways they had to learn to grow into themselves, the starts and explanations for the way they were when we saw them. i love them

4. With These Hands by @azapofinspiration

Despite all the trouble they'd been through, Hunk figured everything had turned out all right. After all, he and Lance had managed to return to the castle!

Then Hunk sees the bruises and knows that things are not as good as he thought.

bro a-zap has always KILLED early season dynamics and their missing moments series is everything!! ive always needs three hundred percent more context on the mermaid episode and this fic provides not only that but also some excellent hunk & lance moments, with hurt/comfort that isnt imbalanced or infantilizing on either paladin’s part which is a low bar but awesome anyway 

5. Not As Clueless by @azapofinspiration

Pidge had always thought it was strange that despite being quite observant, Lance had completely missed the fact that she was a girl. However, it seems that that wasn’t really the case.

from the same series i just mentioned! lance IS observant, thank you very much, and i loved this take and interpretation. as much as lance does have a tendency to be dense about things, he also tends to be very observant bc hes a walking dichotomy. he notices things but his conclusions are often different than what others would make, and this entire concept is nailed in like 1.5k words

that’s it for today!! i’ll see y’all back next friday for the next fic rec post!!!

[reinieseason]

we're all hung up over the ending so here's some limoreau au ideas super long post tho

royalty au - there's already one of these on ao3, where marie is a princess and jordan is a heir to a company. absolutely a banger, hope to see more of this au from other people but also from the creator themselves (the more we lie (the more we love) by secretshare is the au)

spiderman au - i'm gonna need someone to hear me out on this one. hear me out. jordan, born male, out of nowhere develops superpowers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. now, they have to figure out and balance their new powers - which aside from invincibility, waves, and like spider shit also includes gender shifting and they have to confront and navigate with their parents the identity that their parents didn't wanna face because it's become increasingly real. and this to me is like mcu ish. anyways, they also have to uh navigate their crush on marie moreau (gwen stacy of the world). hear me out.

rival TAs au - bringing this one back from my last post, jordan as brink's TA, they're a 3rd year ranked number two. but there's a professor that brink works closely with who just chose their new TA, it's the 1st year that jordan's been in hot water with marie moreau who is everything jordan hates. if jordan is a hard worker, who takes their time, marie is a genius who gets what she wants just because she's a genius. there's a rivalry but they're forced to work together when their professors start... look i don't have a justification as to why but they just do.

period piece au - i'm talking bridgerton, little women, pride and prejudice. rivalry, enemies, tension but forced to keep the tension under wraps and present a united and kind front but everyone knows they hate each other. the sexual tension of it all. lingering glances, fleeting touches. it is perfect for a couple like marie and jordan who love having a stupid big brown eyes off every episode every possible second

debate club au - look i was the HS debate captain i'm in college debate you have to hear me out . jordan as the captain of the team, marie as the new student who's a prodigy, rising star- she's a genius who's quickly put herself on par with the best team in the club. and now for nationals, the coaches put her and jordan together. the tension, the proximity, the trust, and the communication. whispers in hallways, cheering when they place first, the tension of finals. cuhrazy stuff.

figure skating au - OKAY ALL OF THIS IS LOWKEY STARTING TO SOUND THE SAME BUT IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS BUT STILL. the tension. jordan just lost their partner after a life changing injury, their coach pulls up with new star marie moreau who was beginning to dominate the solo scene but out of nowhere dropped out and now she's going duo with jordan li how mysterious. the training, the hands, the stunts, THE PROXIMITY. (my favorite word today) the anger and the arguments when they mess it up, but the fear when it seems like something bad happened. imagine both of them on the jumbotron thingy bracing for their score and it like breaks a record i mean. think about it. this is growing to be a fave.

hockey/figure skater au - jordan is a hockey player, jordan needs to be more precise, more agile. their coach talks to the figure skating rink coach and gets a tutor for jordan, marie moreau figure skater. i will not elaborate, i do not need to- mostly because it's the same shit i mentioned before but slightly different but Still.

volleyball au - if you have amazon prime, you have access to cinemalaya's rookie which is a Filipino indie film about a junior basketball player who moves to a new catholic all girls school and starts playing volleyball (because there's no girls basketball team), she falls in love with the team captain, who hates her sm. it's so fucking good, now imagine it as limoreau. imagine jordan li as the team captain who has to take care of this new member, marie who yeah she's tall and she has like whatever basics but she sucks at volleyball and for some reason is so out of it. plus plus plus volleyball tension, the other couple that gives a constant big brown eyes off is ace and jana.

gossip girl au - another hear me out, marie who's always lives her life in lowerclass new york as an orphan is adopted by victoria newman and now has to navigate life in a new school with upperclass new yorkers. she's thrown into the midst of it all and has to deal with being a fish out of water plus jordan being like wary of her. andre brings her into the group after she saves him from a tough situation with a teacher or a quiz, cate and emma are so down to welcome another girl, luke has a nice heart to heart with her and welcomes her in, and if luke and emma let her in, sam is down, but jordan- jordan is the only one who doesn't want her there and she doesn't know why. look i just watched only 1 season of gossip girl i do not know shit but still

okay yeah those are all the aus off the top of my head <3 add some more if you'd like, brain dump with me over shit I'll never write