#inside of Soren despite everything

[stuck-in-jelly]

Mine eyes were swift to know thee, and my heart As swift to love. I did become at once Thine wholly, thine unalterably

.....

There, thou and I Read Kindness in our eyes and closed the match.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

[bitterbutblue]

xueyi!!

in your arms tonight ☆ xueyi x reader

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

~ xueyi hurt/comfort + fluff because god knows this girl needs a BREAK omg she and hanya r just going through it...

how are u all doing! i hope u liked the tingyun/fugue angst i had a lot of fun writing that one.. remember me 1999 episode 4 will be out some time next week, so stay tuned!

song: soren - beabadoobee ~

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

One of the few things Xueyi never found herself able to even process the idea of was love. After being punished, practically reliving a living hell, she might as well consider herself barely human. No, she's not even barely human. Her heart is synthetic, a piece of plastic that can be destroyed over and over again but as long as she stays with the commission she has to continue feeling like this- like her body is her prison.

Yet every time you kiss her cheek, shoulder, neck, hand, anywhere, she feels herself begin to melt. Her body she once hated was a body you worshipped like none other- the way you touched her was so warm, so welcoming. She found herself craving for your touch because it made her actually feel for once something other than dread or pain. When you say her name, she feels her heart that she once despised beat faster. She feels what she never thought she could ever feel in this life time.

When you kissed her for the first time, some part of her actually melted in your arms and she felt some part of her become some part of you that day. Her lips were cold against yours, but all you could focus on was the way her breath hitched slightly and how she froze a bit. The way her hands hesitantly moved to rest against your hips as she pulls you in closer, an eagerness within her you had never seen before. She pulls away with a the first smile she's shown since she's been put in this body. A smile that you want to keep forever close to your heart, a smile that makes you want to kiss her into oblivion.

That was the day you knew you were in love with her, and there was no getting out of it.

That was the day Xueyi vowed to work even harder, despite her hatred for her job, because all she wanted was to spend eternity with you.

"I really think we should get a cat."

She looks up at the sound of your voice, raising an unamused eyebrow.

"A cat?"

"Yeah." You nod, moving to sit down next to her on the couch. Xueyi continues flipping over the documents as you lean your shoulder. She can't show you exactly how she feels, she can't explain that this body is a limit to everything in her life but she feels her heart warm up and her body lighten slightly. She feels more human, just from the touch of your hand.

"Why cats?"

"I like them."

She doesn't say anything, not really knowing what to do or say as you further move to snuggle your head in the crook of her neck. She has grown used to your actions and if anything, you already remind her of owning a cat. Needy, cuddly. Overly affectionate at times.

"I see."

You pout at her response.

"You don't want a cat?"

"I want whatever makes you happy." She shrugs lightly.

You just let out a soft hum in response.

"You make me happy."

Xueyi freezes slightly, unsure how to fully respond in that moment. What is happiness? Is that what she feels whenever you kiss her? Is that what she feels whenever someone just mentions your name? Maybe the lightness in her chest is happiness, the fluttering in the cavity of wires and bits and bobs where she shouldn't feel such giddiness but she does.

"It still confuses me how you can blush."

"Huh?"

She snaps out of her thoughts, looking over at you with a mildly confused expression.

"What?"

"Your face. It's pink again."

Xueyi looks away, quickly reaching up with one hand to touch her cheek. It feels warm to the touch again. She's still unsure of how her body functions but according to you this is a human reaction. And knowing that she can react like a human makes her feel a bit calmer inside.

"I like it. Pink suits you, you're adorable." You mumble as you press kiss to her jawline. She feels a lurch in her chest, as if the motors are going haywire. Every time your lips press against her synthetic skin she feels like she's going slightly insane, as if her body was failing to process whatever was going on.

"Thank you." Is all she can mumble out, and you laugh to yourself at the response.

"Gods, you're adorable." You whisper, pressing a kiss to her neck. She doesn't understand why she gasps softly, or why she feels the need for more as move to straddle her lap, kissing down her neck. There's a lot she doesn't understand about herself, there's a lot she knows she used to hate but doesn't anymore. But the one thing she's sure of is that she wants all of you.

"Xueyi?"

She lets out a soft hum of acknowledgement, wrapping her arm around your back as you lay next to her, resting your head on her bare chest as the covers keep you both from the cool winter nights.

"Did you know you could feel like this?"

She tilts her head to the side.

"Like what?"

"Like... love? Did you know you could fall in love?"

The question has her pondering slightly. She didn't think she could feel the way she used to feel anymore until you, and she's never been more grateful.

"No, but I'm glad I can, to an extent." She responds quietly, feeling your finger trace shapes upon her skin, tracing each little groove on her synthetic body that holds it together. "I'm glad I've met you."

You look up at her, and she can feel herself falling again at the look in your eyes. Who knew a simple look could convey words that neither of you could form in the moment, but somehow was able to understand each other completely?

"Do you want to get married?"

The question comes out of the blue, tumbling out of your mouth like an unstoppable boulder going down the hill. It comes out of your mouth like desperately, as if it was a question you had pondered for too long and you just wanted to let out as soon as possible. She feels the same caving feeling in her chest as when you first kissed her, when you first told her you love her.

"Married?"

Her own voice sounds shaky as she searches your eyes for an answer, for your answer to your own question. Your eyes stayed glued onto hers, looking for the same. Neither of you knew the answer to the question, what you truly wanted was still unknown even to yourself and she can see that in your eyes but what she could also see was the overwhelming love.

"Baby?"

She doesn't understand why you suddenly seemed to grow worried.

"Xueyi, are you okay?"

"Yeah?"

"You're crying."

It's only when you point it out that she realises her face is wet and her eyes are stinging slightly. Crying. A human response to an overly emotional trigger, a response she shouldn't be able to show as she is not in a human body. So why is she crying?

"Darling, what's wrong?"

She shakes her head, not wanting to worry you because she doesn't know either- all she knows is that she feels a tornado in her chest and she feels too much that she feels like she shouldn't be able to comprehend but she can. She understands it all despite it being so foreign and it feels like home. It feels like you.

"I love you."

Your gaze softens at her words, the first time she's ever said them out loud to you was in the sanctuary of your bed in your home.A home you've managed to make her feel safe in for the first time, a home she wants to return to. When you kiss her, she just holds you close. No words could convey what you were feeling and she knew she wouldn't be able to convey much either. But she knew she wanted you, for as long as she can have you.

She can't ever really tell you how she feels, she can't write a poem like those authors on the streets that show off the emotions they can feel. She can't tell you how you mean the world and more to her because she can barely even get herself to smile when she's happy but she would try forever to get you to see how much she truly cares for you. Even if it means going to lengths she never did before.

So she just texts you one day:

Come to the kitchen.

You were worried when you got that text, leaping out of your chair to dash down to the kitchen, afraid that something had happened. Was it something you did? Did she want to talk? You couldn't help but overthink- it was hard with Xueyi. The walk was only thirty seconds or less, but you felt your panic grow in each second passing.

"Xueyi, what's wrong-?"

You were quickly cut off when you see the sight in front of you. Xueyi stands in the kitchen in her oversized hoodie that she took from you, holding a black little kitten in her arms with round red eyes. You couldn't help but let out a gasp, rushing up to her and the kitten as you look down at the little creature in her arms.

"What? How did you-"

"You wanted a cat."

The smile on your face when she said those words made her realise it was really all worth it. She never understood the need for little living creatures but seeing the way you grinned and bent down slightly to coo at the cat, her face relaxed slightly from her usual emotionless scowl to a softer expression- the closest she can show to emotion.

"It looks like you."

She furrows her eyebrows at your comment.

"How can a cat look like me?"

A soft giggle escapes from between your lips, she's fallen and long gone now.

"It just does."

[classicanalyzer]

Dragon Prince S6 Thoughts

"Sometimes the line between mercy and cruelty can be thin." Aaravos and Startouch Elves

Well holy shit, that opening really went from wholesome Viren (who is alive) hugging Terry and celebrating Aaravos’ supposed “lie” to OH GOD CLAUDIA KILLED A CHILD. God, it's really terrifying seeing Claudia give so much to save her father...it really hits home how Viren felt responsible for leading her down this route. The tragic thing is that I think Viren knows deep inside that as of now, he can't help her...but he hopes he can inspire her to turn back. Despite everything she did, Claudia's actions to save her father were all for nothing. She lost a leg and her soul (it is yet to be seen if her soul can be brought back) and yet by the time she reached home, her father died yet again...this time for good. Claudia's screams were really chilling and sad.

At least, Terry is always there for Claudia...though I'm worried about what will happen to him given Claudia's increasing mental dive into darkness and insanity. He rightfully points out how revenge is different from love and how it drove Aaravos to the deaths of God who knows.

I really love that Viren didn't choose to reveal what he did to heal Soren. It would've just caused Soren more grief and pain. That's one of the most best things Viren could have done before his sacrifice. He carries on the absolute shame (I felt chills when I heard how he obtained the last part of the spell) that he caused rather than “pass it on” so to say to Soren.

Viren’s true death feels fitting for him. All this time everyone close to him ask if he was willing to risk his life for another. Dark Magic has ruined so many lives and yet also saved so man in some cases. There is a price to be paid. But finally, he proved that he was willing to do that rather than find some other way to pay the price or back out. This time he paid the price and did a truly selfless action where nobody had to get hurt...other than him. He lived his whole life choosing what he felt was pragmatic and selfish with only a few moments of his good self showing...he chose to finally die a servant of his home. While Soren will understandably never forgive him for what he did to him and the world, he will remember him for his last act of unselfish genuine goodness and living up to his desires of atonement rather than going back. I also love how his last words are the last words spoken by Harrow to him.

"I am a servant. I am a...servant." Viren's last words

That entire ship episode is so hilarious with the meta-commentary. The Celestial Elves were a really cool sub-ect of Skywing Elves. I also love the parallels between dealing with Ice Behmeath in the present and the Magma Titan in the past. Instead of killing the beast which left people killed, they found what made it so sad and everyone lives.

Also Callum and Rayla are back together! So happy and I wished we didn't have the break-up personally but still finally.

I now understand the Soren and Corvus ship, and I approve.

I'm so happy that Amaya and Janai finally got married at last. Too bad Karim had to ruin all the vibes temporarily, thankfully, the two were able to salvage it. Amaya and Janai truly deserve the world.

The build-up to when Ezran and Corvus realizes the true plan of Karim is really chilling.

S6 really has me lowkey ship Ezran and Aanya haha. Two badass, wise, and compassionate young rulers who lost their parents...speaking off, I can't imagine seeing Ezran in S7 now that he knows his kingdom is destroyed.

Sol Regem really is responsible for the events of the show. While it is dark how he died and it's horrible how he was responsible for his soulmate's death, I can't say he didn't deserve his death at all. He was the one who laid the seeds for humanity's conflict with elves and utterly despises humanity. He literally choked and burned on his own element.

Katolis being destroyed made me sad since it was our primary setting in the human realm for 6 seasons.

The Startouch Elves gave me so many Collector vibes. Aaravos really is the Ardyn of Dragon Prince with a bit of Collector and I'm all here for it. Now all that is needed is for him to get a stylish hat and turn the sky into an eternal darkness. Also, Aaravos was really that big in his natural mortal form...which made S5's horrifying reveal of what he said make a lot of sense.

A major theme of S6 and the show is how revenge won't get you anywhere but further metaphorically drown yourself. Another major theme is love (platonically and romantically), whether familial, platonic, or romantic.

S6 really is an amazing return to form, and it felt like the quality of the first three seasons was consistent. I cannot wait for the final season of this saga. I did hear about them wanting to make three more books and I wonder how they can go from here...but I trust them to do right based on S6.

[stranger-angel0401]

Come Back to Me

Pairing: Soren x Reader

Description: When Soren joins the good guys, reader is angry at him for abandoning them in the past. When the battle rages on, the only thing Soren cares about is finding you, alive.

WC: 2.5k

CW: Blood, death

When Soren first appeared at the storm spire, you were relieved. You weren’t sure you’d see him alive again, and if you did, you were certain it would be on opposite sides of a battlefield. When he’d first laid eyes on you, he’d asked if this was the afterlife. He couldn’t imagine it was real life. You were standing in the corner, eyes fixed on him. Your sword was in your hand, and he couldn’t help but realize how strong you looked, and how beautiful you were. 

Now that you’d had time to process Soren’s return, you were angry. He had abandoned you, betrayed you. He’d broken your heart.

After Soren had revealed Viren’s plans, you’d retreated to the pinnacle. Rayla and Callum knew better by now than to follow you. You needed space. Soren, unfortunately, was not so smart. It had only been a few minutes when he’d climbed the stairs to find you. Despite the short time, it had been long enough for you to stew in your anger.

“Hey, we need to talk.”

You don’t turn to face him.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

Staring out at the clouds, you miss the way Soren’s expression falls.

“But I- I came all this way. I came back for you. To fight with you! To save the world! I risked my life t-”

“You abandoned me!”

You spin to face him, sword pointed at his chest. You did not intend for the words to come out, but they do.

“I begged you to come with me, to help me! And you chose him, after everything he’s done! After what he did to me!”

Soren is not oblivious to the pain behind your anger. He’d only recently learned exactly what Viren had taken from you. It was not a battle for the kingdom that had killed your father.

“He’s my father, what was I supposed to do? How could I choose betw-”

“My father is dead! And it is Viren’s fault!”

Something in you snaps, and everything you’ve held inside for weeks comes out.

“How could you do that to me? You told me you’d do anything for me, but when I needed you most you left! How can I trust you again?”

You sob, and Soren steps towards you, but you thrust your sword towards him.

“I have nothing to say to you Soren. Go.”

You expect him to keep trying to talk to you, but instead he turns.

“I know I messed up. But I’m here now. And I’ll never leave you again.”

His words bounce around your head as he leaves you. You watch him walk away from you again, and somehow, it hurts worse. He is only a staircase below you. He is a million miles away. Your knees buckle and you cry, a luxury you haven’t allowed yourself in your travels. You raise your sword before piercing the dirt with it, using it to support your weight as you sob. You never want to see him again. You need him. 

By the time the sun sets, you are lying on the ground. You’ve resigned yourself to sleeping here, despite the loneliness that fills your bones. You sit up and pull your knees to your chest. It would be so easy to go down, to find your friends. It would be weak. Soren’s words echo in your ears.

I’ll never leave you again.

You almost trip over him at the bottom of the stairs. Soren is lying there, asleep on the ground. His pillow is covered in drool, and he is mumbling something in his sleep. He is beautiful.

“He insisted on sleeping there. Couldn’t stand the thought of you up there alone, in the open. He swore if anything tried to reach you, he’d take them down.”

Callums voice takes you by surprise. You stare at him blankly, before looking back at Soren. He whispers your name in his sleep. You want to brush the stray piece of hair out of his face. Callum sighs.

“I know you’re angry at him, and I know Viren did horrible things to you. But Soren is here, and he cares about you. He’s hurting, and he loves you.”

You shake your head. You know how seriously Soren takes those words. He does not throw them around.

“Soren does not love me. He- he does care for me. I just..”

You give in to yourself and bend down, sweeping a single strand of hair out of Soren’s face. He’s grown stubble during his time in Xadia, and you think you like it.

“I need time.”

You came down for comfort, for companionship, but you return to the pinnacle alone.

The next morning is a blur. Your group goes over the plan, but it feels hopeless. General Amaya has made a new friend, a sunfire elf, who has brought her armies. Ezran is going to get help from the dragons. It still does not feel like enough. `

You keep catching Soren sneaking glances at you. You want to run to him, to tell him it’s okay. You can’t find the strength to.

The plan is solid, but when you see the army approaching, your knees buckle. You don’t stand a chance, but you’ll fight to the end to save Zym. 

As the army approaches, your forces stand together. You are all prepared for whatever is to come. You are prepared to die at Viren’s hand. 

One soldier surges forward first, the rest following soon after. The battle has begun. For a moment, you feel like maybe you can do it. And then the explosion hits. 

Initially, you crumple to the ground, holding your ears as a loud ringing sounds. You feel like your head is exploding, and your vision spins. You feel someone kneel by your side, and when you look up, you meet concerned blue eyes. He offers you a hand, and reluctantly, you allow him to help you up. You lean against him for a moment, and he steadies you. For one, horrible, selfish moment, you allow yourself to relish in his touch once again. There is a battle to be fought. You look to Soren and he nods at you.

We’ll do this later.

You take off into the battle.

The fight is a rollercoaster. You are losing, then with the help of the dragons, you are winning, until the dragons are captured. When Opeli and Corvus show up with Queen Anya and her army, you let yourself believe you will win. Your hopes stay high until you feel a sharp pain in your shoulder. When you turn, Viren is in the distance, staring at you. A bloody knife rests in the dirt at your feet. You raise your sword, and you charge. You’re ending this. 

By the time you reach him, Viren has disappeared in a cloud of smoke. You decide to channel your anger. You fight, taking down monster after monster. You almost don’t realize when the battle has ended. Your knees buckle, and you collapse. There are bodies lying all around you. You can’t tell if they are alive or dead. Only one thought crosses your mind.

Soren.

Your shoulder burns, your leg too. You realize your leg is bleeding, dripping from a large gash. You stand anyway, bracing yourself against your sword. You cry out his name, choking back a sob. You cannot see him, You don’t know if he is alive. You stagger forward. Several soldiers stop you, insisting you receive medical attention. You refuse, and continue on. Your calls become chokes, fading into sobs, until your throat is raw. You wonder if he’s dead. Your legs are ready to give out again, until you hear something.

“S-soren?”

Your voice is hoarse and fading, but you hear it again. Your name being called across the battlefield. You see a glint of silver, and suddenly you’re running, despite the pain in your leg. You manage to hold out until he reaches you, and you collapse into him. You throw your arms around his neck and sob against him as he lowers you to the ground. 

He holds you tight as you cry, as you choke out soft apologies against his neck. He rubs your back gently, pulling you impossibly close. You relish in the warmth he shares with you.

Soren shifts, and you yelp, causing him to flinch away. When he sees the blood dripping from your arm and your leg, he panics. He pulls you into his arms and takes off, searching for anyone who can help you. He whispers in your ear as he runs.

“It’s gonna be okay. Please don’t leave me.”

Your eyelids grow heavy, and you find yourself losing the battle to keep them open. If these are your last moments, you’re glad they’re in his arms. You wish you could tell him that.

You hear him before you see him. Soft sniffles beside you. When you open your eyes, even the light from the moon is too much. You groan, and reach out to him. He nearly jumps out of his skin when your fingers brush his arm. He stares at you, an unreadable expression on his face. 

“H-hey.”

Your throat is raw, and your voice is hoarse. It’s enough for Soren’s walls to crumble, and he sobs.

“I thought- they didn’t know if you would wake up-”

You realize you’re back on the pinnacle. Did he carry you all the way up? Your wounds are still sore, but it is tolerable. You shift, and Soren gently pushes against your uninjured shoulder.

“No, no no, don’t sit up. Rest.”

You scoff and shove his hand off, and for a moment he looks like a kicked puppy. But then you fling yourself at him, burying your face in the crook of his neck. He tenses for a moment, surprised by the contact, but wraps his arms around you. He’s no longer wearing his armor, only the gray shirt and black pants he wears underneath. You take advantage of this, take advantage of the fact that there’s no cold metal between you. You press yourself against him, practically sitting in his lap, and you cry in his arms. You need him here forever. You do not deserve him. 

It feels like hours have passed when you pull away from Soren’s embrace. He is crying, but he wipes his face when you look at him.

“Soren, I-”

He shushes you gently.

“I know. We can talk tomorrow, after you’ve rested. I just needed to know you were okay.”

He stands, and as he starts to walk away, you panic. You don’t understand why, but you can’t let him leave. You feel like you’ll die without him. You try to stand, but when you put weight on your injured leg, you cry out. Soren turns, and catches you just before you hit the ground. You cry and sputter for a moment, before managing a single word.

“S-stay.”

He almost sobs. The way you’re looking at him fills and breaks his heart all at once. He’s missed you. He’s hurt you. 

“Okay.”

Soren lays you down before sitting down next to you. You try to say something, but you can’t seem to form the words. You settle for an indignant grunt, reaching out for him. You feel like a child. He’s never loved you more.

He allows you to take his hand, yelping as you yank him forward. You ignore the pain radiating from your arm as you do. He lies next to you, but does not touch you. You grimace as he lays his head against the hard ground.

“Soren.”

It comes out as barely a whisper, but he understands. He’s always understood you so well. He shifts until you’re nose to nose, gently wrapping his arms around you. He is careful, offering you a way out if he’s misunderstood. You pull him closer and tuck your head under his chin. The warmth overwhelms you, he overwhelms you. 

“Soren.”

He hums lightly, his chest vibrating against your body.

“S-sorry. I’m-”

“I know.”

You shake your head.

“No. Soren, I’m sorry. I wasn’t fair to you, I- of course you picked him, he’s your dad. I should’ve never expected you- a-and you did the right thing anyway and I still-”

He shushes you again. There is no malice behind it. You battle against yourself for a moment before committing. You reach up, ignoring the pain it causes you, and rest your palm against his cheek. You pull him closer, silently asking permission. He doesn’t back away.

When your lips meet, you’re crying again. You think he is too. It’s 18 years of friendship, 6 of pining, 1 of heartbreak, all coming together in a single moment. It’s too much and not enough all at once. You can’t breathe, and you don’t care. You need him next to you for the rest of your life, you’ll die if he leaves again for even a moment.

When you pull away, he stares at you, eyes flicking back and forth between your own. He’s beautiful. 

“C-callum said something to me yesterday. A couple things actually. I- why did you sleep at the base of the pinnacle?”

He takes a shaky breath. Okay, we’re doing this.

“You were up there all alone, unprotected. I- I couldn’t bear the thought of someone or something reaching you.”

You nod, and suddenly Callum’s words hit you like a ton of bricks. He hadn’t lied about that. Why would he lie about this?

“He also said-”

“That I love you?”

You freeze. Those are not words Soren takes lightly. They are words he so rarely heard growing up, he almost doesn’t know how to say them. You’ve never heard them come from his mouth.

“He was wrong.”

You want to push him away, to sob in peace, alone, but he brushes a bit of hair from your face, and you feel like you’re melting.

“I need you. I breathe for you. Everything I do, everything I have ever done has been for you. Losing sight of that is the worst thing I’ve ever done, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for that. I love you, but it’s so much more than that.”

You sob, and he kisses you again. Despite the warmth his body provides, you are shaking. He will protect you from the world.

“I love you too. Please don’t leave me again.”

He pulls you into him, and the message is clear.

I’m here forever.

It’s not the first time you’ve fallen asleep next to him, it’s not the first time he’s laid awake, determined to protect you. You both relish in the contact. Even long after you’ve fallen asleep, Soren plays with your hair, he rubs your back, he holds you as close as he can. He is afraid if he lets go you’ll disappear. He’ll hold you for the rest of his life if he can.

When he looks up at the sky, he understands that Viren’s love was not what he needed. He understands that you are all he needs. He’ll never deserve you. He’ll spend the rest of his life fighting for you.

[sorinethemastermind]

Pinned Post

metas & theories | Edits & AMVs | Fics & AUs | Spotify

Hiya you can call me Soren / Thief till I figure out what my name is. This is the blog of someone who knows very little about themself other than their fandom so expect changes to everything except my level of nerdiness, which will only continue to grow. I aspire to someday be an androgynous, whimsical autumn fairy, but right now I'm only human. Either way, I prefer they/them pronouns.

I'm a virtual assistant by day, aspiring author also by day because sleep is important and I have the bedtime of a grandma despite being in my twenties. I love stories more than anything in the whole wide world (other than my family, love yall). So on this blog expect to get heavily, and regularly, inundated with Dragon Prince fics, edits, and theories.

I'm not a hater, so please don't come at me with that negativity. I'm trying to keep the vibes good in my little corner of the internet. I ship a lot of ships and I have a lot of headcanons, so be aware of that. You don't have to interact with any that you don't like, but let's keep it positive regardless.

I do take fic and edit requests, and my ask button is always open, so feel free to message me stuff. I will usually try to reply because I'm chronically online. However I've also always got at least 27 irons in the fire at once (specifically that number) so if I reply super duper slow it's not cause I hate you or anything, it's just cause I suck at time management.

I am a witch so if you're mean to me I will put a hex on you. You've been warned.

hub blog (chaotic) | image library

My Tagging System

➭ Spoilers = tdp s[#] spoilers ➭ Season Theories = tdp s[#] theories ➭ Arc Theories = tdp arc [#] theories ➭ Correct Theories = theories that became fact

➭ My Favorites = favs ➭ My sis' stuff = S is for Superb Sister ➭ Mutuals = [name] ➭ Masterposts = masterpost ➭ To Listen = to listen ➭ To Read = to read

Characters & Content ➭ Characters = [character name] tdp ➭ My OCs = [character name] (my oc) ➭ Other People's OCs = [character name] ([person name] oc) ➭ External Sources (comics, short stories, ect) = [source title] ➭ Ships = [ship name] ➭ Episodes = [#]x[#] ➭ Seasons = S[#] ➭ Arcs = Arc [#] ➭ Interviews / Cast & Crew / Tweets = behind the scenes ➭ Conventions = [con abbreviation] [year]

➭ Soren, Rayla, Callum, & Ezran = dragang ➭ The Orphan Queen, The Jailer, Akiyu = the first dragang ➭ Soren, Corvus, & Ezran = ezran's guard ➭ Soren, Callum, & Ezran = soren & the broyals ➭ Rayla, Callum, & Ezran = rayla & the broyals ➭ Callum, Ezran = broyals ➭ Bait, Hat, Jellybug, & Sneezles = baitlings ➭ Soren, Claudia, Viren, Lissa, (sometimes Sir Sparklepuff) = magefam ➭ Rayla, Runaan, Ethari, Lain, Tiadrin, (sometimes Stella) = moonfam ➭ Janai, Karim, Khessa, Amaya, (sometimes Gren), Miyana, Kariyana Twins = sunfam ➭ Callum, Ezran, Harrow, Sarai, Amaya, (sometimes Damian) = crownfam ➭ Soren & Ezran = the knight and his king ➭ Soren & Claudia = lost sibs ➭ Soren & Viren = the failed son / father ➭ Ezran & Zym = another brother ➭ Claudia & Viren = what you taught me ➭ Harrow & Viren = like a brother ➭ Claudia & Aaravos = like a daughter ➭ Viren, Harrow, Sarai, & Lissa = once upon a better time ➭ Aaravos & Leola (sometimes Sir Sparklepuff) = starfam ➭ Rayla, Callum, Ezran, & Zym = Team Zym ➭ Terry, Soren, & Corvus = The Terrestrio ➭ Kariyana Twins = Little Heirs ➭ Soren, Claudia, Ezran, & Callum = katolis kids

Organization of Analysis ➭ My theories = my theories ➭ My Meta = my meta ➭ Metas / Analysis Posts = thoughts & theories ➭ Big Metas = major meta ➭ Smaller Metas = mini meta ➭ Headcanons = headcanons ➭ Unorganized Thoughts = inside the mind of a me ➭ Theories / Predictions = theories & predictions ➭ For Later Reference = thinking time Creative Pursuits ➭ Memes: crownguard soren's comedy hour ➭ Incorrect Quotes: incorrect quotes ➭ Edits: tdp edit ➭ Edits (music): tdp lyric edit ➭ AMVs = amvs ➭ Gifs = gifs ➭ Phone Wallpapers = tdp phone wallpaper ➭ Computer Wallpapers = tdp computer wallpaper ➭ Profile Pictures = tdp icons ➭ My Fanart = my art ➭ Fan Art = A is for Amazing Artists ➭ Moodboards = tdp moodboard ➭ Playlists = tdp playlist ➭ Cosplays = tdp cosplay ➭ My Cosplays = my cosplay

Parallels & Topics of Analysis ➭ Parallels = tdp parallels ➭ Rayla & Soren = parallels: warriors of the heart ➭ Claudia & Soren = parallels: the son and the moon ➭ Claudia & Rayla = parallels: eclipsed moons ➭ Viren & Soren = parallels: however dangerous ➭ Viren & Claudia = parallels: however vile ➭ Callum, Viren, & Claudia (sometimes Aaravos) = parallels: mages were his prey ➭ Callum & Viren: parallels: high mages & mirrors ➭ Callum + Viren & Ezran + Harrow = parallels: and you should stand next to me ➭ Harrow & Ezran: parallels: the king my father was ➭ Viren & Runaan = parallels: I had become a monster ➭ Karim & Viren = parallels: false kings ➭ Ezran & Claudia = parallels: creatures & kings ➭ Callum & Claudia = parallels: not anymore ➭ Rayla & Sarai = parallels: there is no monster to slay ➭ Aaravos & Claudia = parallels: because I too had a daughter ➭ Claudia & Leola = parallels: unique and quirky ➭ Viren, Claudia, & Soren = parallels: hearts of cinder ➭ Viren, Harrow, & Ezran = parallels: heavy is the crown ➭ Viren & Harrow = parallels: the servant king ➭ Truth & Lies = theme: truth & the half moon ➭ The Cycle & Destiny = theme: destiny is a book ➭ Dark Magic & Corruption = theme: snakes & monsters ➭ Death & Rebirth = theme: with my eyes open ➭ Love & Sacrifice = theme: a song of love and loss

My Campaign for Arc Three ➭ All Campaign Posts = for the saga ➭ Fandom Events = fighting for the saga ➭ Countdown Posts = countdown for the saga ➭ Episode Appreciation Series = reflection for the saga ➭ Showdowns = showdown for the saga

CommunityContent TDParc3Week | Snake Boi Callum Week 3.0 | SorvusWeek2024 | Fluffcember 2024 | Whumpuary 2025 |

➭ Posts I'm tagged in = thanks for the mention! ➭ Replies to Asks = thanks for the ask! ➭ Replies to my Asks = thanks for the reply! ➭ Fandom Events = fandom event ➭ Brackets / Votes = showdown ➭ My Fandom Events = my fandom events ➭ About the Fandom = the greatest fandom

Fanfic Content Aftermath Fic | Remnants Fic | The Book of Destiny fic | Foundations Fic | Two Birds on a Wire fic | Dragon Falls fic | Call the Darkness fic | it's quicker and easier to eat your young fic | the book of destiny fic | Dragon Falls AU | Primal AU | ➭ Tiny (oneshot) = drabble ➭ Medium (oneshot) = ficlet ➭ Long (oneshot) = fanfic ➭ Standalones = oneshot ➭ Smut = sandwhiches ➭ Gore = an ancient and disturbing practice ➭ All Modern AUs = modern au ➭ My Fics = my fic ➭ Co-Written Fics = co-written fic ➭ Other's Fics = W is for Wonderful Writers ➭ Six Sentence Sunday = six sentence sunday ➭ WIP Wednesday = wip wednesday ➭ Writing Prompts = writing prompt list ➭ Writing Prompt Replies = thanks for the prompt! ➭ Fics about a certain ship = [ship name] fic ➭ Fics about a certain character = [character name] fic Each of my fanfic universes will also have a specific title under which all of them are filed. You can find more information on my fics here

[chessmaton]

thinking about cassie rose after a good while now, read some actually decent fanfics with her in them,, and i was thinking about her relationship with the old builders. i do like the hc that she was just.. left as a baby at their door and they didnt know what to do. but i had another idea.

the old builders worked together a lot despite hadrian insisting he'd rather work alone.

mevia is trying to get everyone to do things her way per usual, and isn't taking anyone's suggestions.

otto is trying to be the peacekeeper, trying to solve the problem and incorporate everyones ideas into it - but its increasingly becoming overwhelming.

soren has no thoughts just scribbling down key points in the experiments down.

harper is trying to suggest ways to continue safely rather than mevias obviously hazardous ways of doing things,,

eventually they stop, leaving everything for the time being, they didn't expect it to pan out how it did.

eventually they become wary of the results, watching as a blob in the middle of the glass box starts moving, there's pumpkin seeds in it, they've multiplied from the one that was planted.

upon closer inspection, it has eyes. it freaks everyone but hadrian out, who's fascinated by the blob.

only hadrian visits from now on, and eventually, shouts the rest of them in to see it.

a huge pumpkin covered in roses has grown as an outer shell - but it's not the normal orange that is usually grown outside by the people that lived there, it was white. the thing inside the pumpkin looked like a human. wine red hair which they'd never seen before from someone. but was it a person? or had they just accidentally made something they'd regret. she was tiny,, they'd somehow created a life from all this. it was insane for them to even be seeing with their own eyes - a breakthrough of some kind?

hadrian was the first to hold a hand out, and the baby instantly grabbed his finger. it suprised him in a way, but he immediately picked her up, pulling off leaves that were tangled around her head, green mixed with the red of her hair, making her look similar to a christmas wreath. only the pumpkin wasnt keen too happy about having to let her go, it broke up, becoming rotten, and the roses instantly wilted and grew thorns so sharp, mevia found herself getting a scratch across her finger.

the baby instantly started crying, bits of dirt covering her from where she was just moments ago.

the roses were only wilting faster now, melting in a way that none of them had seen before, turning into a thick substance that bubbled strangely.

they decided it was best to leave it, as they didn't know what these things actually were.. nevermind the things they were capable of.

but the word rose stuck, and she was named cassandra rose. cassandra after someone distant in ottos family, someone who had been a great influence on them all, her writings and knowledge being key to everything they had built together.

cassie was like any other person,, so no one assumed anything about her origins,, just that she had been adopted into the old builder's lives. the only problem was the roses stuck, they'd need trimming often as they grew around her and while she didn't seem to care about them, they were such a nuisance to everyone else. when she'd learned to walk, they would assist her, catching her when she fell which was something else entirely.. and it hurt when they were trimmed because they were a part of her, so often she'd cry - mevia hated crying children. if left too long pumpkins would start growing too and that wasn't good.

they continued assisting her as she grew up. hadrian wanted to enroll her into school, but harper who had taken in cassie as her own at this point with soren spoke against it. she may look like a child but they still weren't sure what she was, she'd never interacted with anyone besides them either. hadrian however wouldn't take no for an answer, and she was taken to the nearby school.

kids weren't nice,, asking constant questions about the roses attached to her skin. once one child had started tugging at them did cassie soon get mad. it hurt her which caused the stems to start wrapping around the kids' throat, tightening until he couldn't breathe.

she was never allowed back after that. the child was fine but if this would be a common occurrence, she couldn't stay there. so she was taught at home instead.

sometimes the roses would have negative emotions of their own which would hurt cassie herself. sometimes they'd have positive emotions too, making sure she was warm at night or wiping away her tears when she cried.

the experiment didn't die down either, hadrian and mevia would record events and keep it all in a diary. they saw her as the experiment rather than a kid. they even had positive emotions when she'd attacked that child on her only day at the school which very much disturbed the others.

the only people that treated cassie like an actual child were harper and soren. soren would sing to her, hold her in his arms and spin around which made her laugh. and harper would teach her things,, she'd draw with her too as she soon saw cassies passion for art. in turn, the roses saw harper and soren as trusted people and they loved them as much as cassie did.

[httyddragonfox]

The horror of Callum's Possession

Sorry this is so late, but I just started this account earlier this year. Anyways, I was imagining what it would be to be in the shoes of fictional characters. Specifically characters who go through hell, (is it me being a masochist or empathetic [shrug]). Thinking about what Callum must've gone through in his possession scene...

Callum only just learned who Aaravos really is, only briefly hearing about him before in his step-father's letter to him. Soren warned him that the mirror can change people, like his father. If I was Callum I would not be too worried, I mean 'I connected to the sky primal even though people said I couldn't.' He probably thought he'd be fine, worried about the evil coming, but fine otherwise.

The group decides to check on Aaravos and see if he's still trapped, or if he's planning anything. Callum is nervous in the scene, as this is a great evil they're looking in on, but otherwise thinks they'll probably be fine. 'Aaravos is in there, we're out here.'

With a single gesture, Callum starts choking in pain. If I were Callum, I'd be scared for my life here. 'So Aaravos is actually dangerous, and he's attacking me!' Suddenly, Callum loses consciousness, then becomes blank as Aaravos lifts him up like a puppet. He then takes over his consciousness. According to Callum, he was aware of everything happening.

I imagine if someone else was to override you like that, your body would feel numb, like it was asleep. I've been briefly hacked before, the mouse moving on it's own. It was so scary I shut the computer down. Imagine your body moving against your own commands. Your own body is the only place you can feel safe, because you know your thoughts and your actions are your own. Callum is all about his own agency, he connected to the sky primal! Getting his agency removed like that would be terrifying!

He'd forced to be a mouthpiece for Aaravos, in other terms...Has anyone read or seen Lord of the Rings? The Mouth of Sauron anyone?! Him acting as a mouthpiece is already an act of claiming him as his agent.

As his mouth, he's forced to insult the Dragon Queen, his brother, his old flame, and his new friend Soren. They'd argue of course it wasn't him, but he probably wouldn't see it that way. Not to mention, this great evil took him over easily despite the vast difference of space. Callum would probably be scared out of his mind that when he walked toward his friends he'd be forced to hurt them, physically. If I were him, I'd be screaming in my head, 'Get away from them! Don't hurt them!' I'd be doing this repetitively.

Then there's Aaravos' final claim, that he actually likes Callum, and because he's tainted by darkness Callum will one day 'Play into his hands,' which means 'Do what I wish of him' which basically means 'He'll be mine.' He's then forced to bow. These lines, and this act, Ultra Terrifying. They're right now planning to go against him, Ibis is dead because of him, many have suffered because of him, he's proven he's no friend of Callum's friends, and basically said "You'll be joining my side one day, Callum." Also, the tainted by darkness thing, he'd be kicking himself for that act of dark magic three years ago enabling Aaravos like this.

In that moment, you feel like any agency you have is gone. I'd be constantly wondering if I'm playing into his hands with everything I'm doing, even if I'm going against him. I'd try to keep it together, but left alone with my own thoughts I'd be falling apart inside. No wonder he asked Rayla to kill him if things went bad. I haven't seen Season 5 yet but I hope things improve for the better. Callum needs a break.

At the same time I'm a bit of a sadist being a writer, so if they do make him suffer, I'm wondering how they'll do it.

[kira-the-whump-enthusiast]

Day 12 - Search and Rescue

Synopsis: Mailys goes to save her former captor from a torment she unknowingly resigned him to.

Content: Prison escape woohoo, possibly even a search and a rescue, vampire whump, captivity whump, aftermath of torture <2, a lot of angst, whumper turned whumpee, (past whumpee turned caretaker, very sad broken resigned whumpee, mentioned sun burning, fear of said sun burning, also fear of being murdered/tortured, and a lot of begging, probably more but honestly this stuff is tame by my standards, cuz there's some comfort <2

Tagging: @whump-in-the-closet @dismemberment-on-a-tuesday-night @eric-the-bmo

—

Mailys still couldn't believe she was actually doing this.

She had planned out every little detail of this breakout, but now, standing in front of the cell door, she didn't feel the least bit prepared.

Trying to steady herself, Mailys took a deep breath and slipped the key out of her pocket and into the door's lock. It took her a couple of tries because her hands were shaking so badly.

Why was she here? Why was she doing this?

Mailys let go of the key, leaving it sticking out of the lock. She had half a mind to turn back, to forget about everything, to just go home and never have to see him again. Truth be told, she might not even feel that bad about it. The cell door was plain and heavy, with only a number affixed to it and no way to look inside. That could be anyone's cell. Anything could have happened inside.

But it wasn't that easy. Her friends would probably understand if she walked away, but to even get down here, she had told the warden things that could not be taken back so easily.

And besides, she couldn't leave anyone to this fate, to be hurt and broken and tortured indefinitely. Not even Soren Espinosa.

That bastard. She would never forgive him, but she wouldn't be complicit in his suffering.

Mailys sighed and turned the key, hearing the quiet click of the opening lock.

—

All Soren could think about was how much it hurt.

It always hurt, of course; Soren could barely remember a time when he wasn't in pain, but this? He could barely think straight, and he couldn't muster up the energy to do anything more than fall in and out of consciousness.

Not like he could do anything more than that, even with the energy. His wrists were chained to the wall, over his head. His arms ached horribly, his wrists burned from the silver cuffs, and he couldn't move, but there wasn't anywhere to go in the first place. Soren missed being able to wrap his arms around himself, though. Now he just had to let the whip scars on his chest bleed out.

No human would survive this, but he was cursed to live despite the agony and the pleas for relief. Or maybe he wasn’t living. Soren was half-convinced that he was in hell, and he just didn't remember dying.

The other half was terrified that when he died and went to hell, everything would be worse.

Soren was about to pass out again when he heard the click that meant someone was coming inside. As quickly as he could manage, he shifted into some semblance of a kneeling position. His legs ached and protested every movement, and he just felt so irritated.

Gods, he couldn't take it. He really couldn't take it. He knew that Kastor only brought pain with him. The best that could happen would be release from the chains, but that would come with a price. And he couldn't—it hurt, it hurt so much, and just wanted to be able to close his eyes and pass out or die or anything else. Just as long as the pain fucking stopped.

Bile rose in his throat, and his heart started to race as the door creaked open.

Soren squinted as bright light suddenly flooded the dim cell. His heart skipped a beat. Something was off. Something was terribly wrong. He blinked a couple of times to clear his eyes, but he couldn't deny it.

The person in the doorway wasn't Kastor. It was someone more important, a certain human with purple hair. The one he regretted hurting more than anything. He thought he'd seen the last of her. And yet, that was Mailys Renault. Standing in the doorway.

This had to be a nightmare, right? This only happened in his nightmares. The ones where he woke up screaming and shaking and in a cold sweat. His heart raced and his head hurt with all the questions spinning in his mind. Didn't she say that she never wanted to see me again? What does she want?

In his heart of hearts, though, he knew the answer. She must have found out about what really went down in this cell, and now she wanted to join in the fun.

Mailys sighed and started walking towards him. Soren whimpered, pressing himself into the cold wall despite how much the rough stone scraped his lacerated back. It sent pricks of pain through his worn out nerves that put him on edge.

She put a finger to his mouth, and Soren’s eyes widened. Stupidstupidstupid— She didn't want to hear anything from him. He shouldn't have made a sound in the first place.

Please, please, have mercy on me, Soren begged in his head.

She was dangerously close now, the perfect distance away to bash his head into the wall. Or pull out a hidden knife and cut him into ribbons. He shut his eyes tightly. He didn't want to see it coming.

Soren braced himself for pain, but instead, he heard a key turning in a lock, and the clunk of his shackles as they opened, freeing his wrists from the firey silver. His arms dropped to his sides, and the throbbing in his shoulders subsided just a little. He wrapped his arms over the worst of the deep cuts on his chest, careful to not put too much pressure on his wounds and his bruised ribs.

Breathing heavily, he opened his eyes and saw Mailys standing over him, the key in her hands.

She knelt to make level eye contact with him, something that struck Soren as very strange.

She spoke in hushed whispers, and Soren had to strain to hear what she was saying. "Okay, you've got to listen to me, alright?"

He nodded. He wasn't planning on doing anything else. He was too scared not to.

Mailys took a deep breath, and then she imparted to him a sentence that he'd never thought he'd ever hear in his life.

"I'm going to get you out of here."

There was silence as Soren replayed the words again in his head, trying to process what she said.

"…What?" he breathed, in the quietest of murmurs.

Her expression was one of obviously practiced stoicism, but Soren wondered how someone could deliver such unbelievable news with a face like that. It couldn't be true, right? It couldn't. Not from Mailys of all people.

He remembered the last time he saw her very well.

You're right, there's nothing you can say to convince me.

I don't think you'll ever truly change for the better.

I'm tired of these hearings. I won't forgive him, now or ever, so there's no real reason to keep the offer of amnesty on the table.

When he learned that he no longer had any chance at pardon, Soren felt like he'd fallen into a hopeless, twisting thicket of vines that threatened to swallow him whole.

But that was probably nothing compared to what Mailys felt, having to face the vampire who'd tortured her for months.

"I'm getting you out of here," Mailys repeated, louder than before, and that brought Soren out of his thoughts and into the present. He froze. He wasn't listening to her for a moment. Could she tell? What would she do to him, for that? Why hadn't she done anything to him already?

Oh.

Getting you out of here.

Soren understood.

He couldn't say he hadn't been waiting for this moment since the first months of his captivity. But living suddenly mattered so much more now, knowing that death was right in front of him. Like it did every time he thought death would take him.

But just like there was nothing he could ever say to convince Mailys to give him amnesty, he knew there wasn't anything he could say to save his life.

Soren didn't want to know what the next world held for someone like him.

He shut his eyes again, retreating into quiet, empty darkness, and he nodded, resigned. Hot tears ran down his face and neck and soaked into his pathetic excuse of a shirt.

"Okay," Soren murmured. "Take me."

—

Mailys didn't know what to expect, but to say that she was shocked would be an understatement.

The vampire chained to the wall looked nothing like the one she was expecting to see. He was obviously starving, judging from his prominent ribs and bony limbs. She might have been worried he’d try to bite her, but his fangs were gone. Someone must have pulled them out. And his body was covered in bruises and cuts, dark blood congealing in some particularly nasty wounds on his chest.

Soren stared at her with pure terror in his eyes, and he was trembling violently. What in the world had happened to him?

Coming closer, she noticed that he was missing two fingers on his left hand. Considering how vampires healed, it had to be a recent injury. A sick feeling settled in the bottom of her stomach, and she fought the urge to throw up.

How could she have left anyone to this fate?

Logically, she knew it wasn't her fault at all, and that she didn't even know this was happening to him, but guilt washed over her in waves.

It was apparent that Soren couldn't stand for very long in his state, let alone walk. So she was resigned to carry him, one arm under his knees and the other under his back. Lifting him was worryingly easy like she was carrying a pile of sticks and not supporting the weight of a person.

He quivered in her grasp and shut his eyes tightly when they crossed into the overbearing fluorescent light of the hallway from the darkness of the cell.

Was he in pain? Well, who was she kidding? How could he not be? At the very least, she hoped that she wasn't making it worse by putting too much pressure on his wounds.

Blood soaked into her sleeves and dripped onto the tiled floor. She'd arranged for a friend to take care of his injuries later, but she hadn't expected that they'd be this severe.

Thank god they were almost out of here.

Kastor had given her a keyring and directed her to use a back route down an empty hallway in the guards' wing. There was some forgotten exit at the end, and Jakao was waiting outside that exit with his car.

Mailys was worried about being spotted and having to answer awkward questions, but the hallway to the exit was truly neglected—dust gathered on the floor and half the lights were burnt out. It made it easier on the eyes, at least.

Soren was looking more and more nervous with each passing minute. Instinctively, Mailys wanted to reassure him, but she thought better of it. What would she even say? Would he really believe her?

The door to the outside was rusty and windowless, adorned only by a complicated lock. She'd need more freedom of movement to get this one open—so she set Soren down on the floor. He scrambled to a kneeling position. She was used to people bowing in her presence, but this…this made her distinctly uncomfortable. Maybe it was the fear in his eyes. Maybe it was the memories of when he was the one standing over her.

She turned her attention to the lock, taking careful glances at Soren every now and then. Mailys didn't think he'd try to run or attack her—but she didn't trust him. She could never trust him. Soren shrunk in further on himself.

Finally, she got the lock open with a loud clunk. The vampire jumped and stifled a shriek. Mailys started, almost hitting her head on the wall.

"Hey…hey…there's nothing to be afraid of," she reassured in a shaky voice. More for herself than for Soren.

The vampire was backed into a corner, arms wrapped tightly around his chest. He was trying to speak, and it took him a few tries to get the words out. Mailys tried her very hardest to not share in his fear.

"Please…please…what-what time is it?" he sputtered.

Oh. Did he really think she was going to bring him out into the sun.

"8 pm. It's fully nighttime," she stated, trying to coax her voice into something soothing.

Soren…didn't seem to trust her. No matter. She wasn't lying to him, and he'd know that soon enough.

She opened the door to a purple night sky, dotted with stars and soft lights.

The vampire, almost imperceptibly, leaned closer to the door.

"It's—it's been years… since I've been outside…" he whispered so quietly Mailys almost couldn't hear him. She faltered—was that her fault?

No, it wasn't, it couldn't be, and if it was? Then she was making up for it. Right now.

She held her hand out to Soren, the man who ripped her to shreds, the person who needed her help right now.

He wrapped his shaking hand around hers, and she scooped him into her arms again.

"Let's go," she sighed, something akin to a smile on her face.

They walked into the gentle moonlight together, and for the first time, Mailys saw hope in Soren's eyes.

—

A/N: You don't even know how long this took me to write. I am dead and dying and murdered. Enjoy sad vampire man and angsty princess <2

[narrans]

A Tall and Small Collection | S2.36 | & Everyone Needs a Little Hero :: Crossover :: Saving Our Hero pt. 2

This was bad!

This was really bad!

There were so many questions, and yet none of them mattered more than the overwhelming declaration that Hero Rafter had just been seen and captured by a human!

Raze Pinch, a Borrower in the community, had seen the whole interaction.

He had been watching this apartment for the past few days, borrowing as furniture and boxes were moved out. He loved when humans moved. They could misplace practically anything and blame it on the move instead of the Borrowing community. He managed to grab an entire box worth of straight pins from the mason jar as well as a couple of popsicle sticks. From the pantry, he snagged five Borrower sized bags each of chips, dried fruit, and some of the dried goods like rice and sugar packages.

He had returned to watch from above because he heard the humans fighting with who he assumed was the daughter. Something about not wanting to move and leaving behind friends and a guy she was interested in.

How dull.

The struggles of humans. They get to bring everything with them in luxury and she’s worried about leaving behind friends.

Just make new ones! Borrowers did it all of the time.

He watched in horror from the top trim piece as Hero Rafter, son of Casper and Prim Rafter, boldly walked out onto the desk and made eye-contact with the human. Raze didn’t know who this “Austin” boy was, but what he saw next was more bone chilling than the thought that someone had mentioned the existence of Borrowers to another human.

He watched as Rey, the boy rumored to be one of the “human pets” to a human known as Ashlynn, managed to get Hero free from his trap in the mason jar.

Alas, it did not last. Raze watched the boys vanish under the desk and then saw the human girl drag out Hero once again. Her finger was bleeding profusely as she held Hero aloft.

“That little rat!” she said as she cursed under her breath and began sucking on her wound like some kind of monster. “And you! You’d better not try that little stunt again.”

Raze heard Hero shout in pain as, with horror, Raze heard him speak.

“N-n-no. Please. I don’t know why you’re doing this, but you don’t have to. Please! W-w-we can be friends!”

“Oh, we’re going to be friends alright. You get to be my live-in friend – and you’re coming with me,” said the girl as she opened the top drawer of her bedside table, dumped the contents onto her bed, and shoved Hero inside.

“N-no! Please!” pleaded Hero as the girl snapped the drawer shut.

Raze immediately ran for the Rafter’s home.

He needed to tell them what he just saw.

They needed to know!

This wasn’t good!

This really wasn’t good!

~~~^*^*^~~~

Soren quickly darted through the walls and across beams until he reached the massive elevator shaft. He didn’t have time to wait. After listening to Rey recount what happened to Hero, there wasn’t much time left.

Soren practically leapt down each set of stairs as he delved down further into the community. He swore he could feel their eyes on him as he passed. There was little doubt the Borrowers who attacked him had spread the rumor that he, as well as his family, were human pets.

Pathetic.

He understood their fear, but couldn’t they put together that if something were going to happen to them by Ashlynn’s hands that it would have already happened? Wouldn’t he have already told Ashlynn where to find them? Wouldn’t they already be captured if that was his deal with her?

Soren didn’t have time to explain everything to them. He didn’t want to try and convince an entire community to accept Ashlynn, despite how much it pained him. He was once like them, believing that humans would only seek personal gain if they were revealed. His mind would not be changed about most humans being dangerous, but it was hard to believe after getting to know Ashlynn and Hero’s tales about Sam and Eliza that all humans were bad.

Now, however, was not the time to argue with anyone that humans had the capacity to be good.

Now was the time to tell the Rafters what happened and offer every ounce of help they could spare.

Soren made his way through the walls and passageways until, finally, he arrived at the Rafter family door. The moment he did, however, he could feel that something was off. He heard sobbing from the other side of the door as well as some of the Rafter children speaking loudly.

A hollow feeling sank into Soren’s middle as he reluctantly raised his fist and knocked on the door. It took a moment, but soon Soren heard stomping footsteps approach the door. It was wrenched open to reveal the oldest Rafter son, Atlas, looking angry and distraught. Soren could see the bitterness in his eyes. There was something loathing in his eyes as he looked at Soren, obvious tear stains on his cheeks and in his eyes.

From just behind Atlas, Soren saw Casper sitting at the table, hunched over and his head in his hands. Prim, their mother, had collapsed onto their Borrower made sofa, sobbing and muttering hopeless nonsense that Soren couldn’t quite understand. Cali, Tiron, and Winnie were all at their mother’s side, tears streaking their faces too.

Soren also saw another Borrower who he had seen around the community standing just in front of Casper, but Soren couldn’t recall his name at the moment. He had wild blond hair that frayed out on either side of his head and made him look like he had been in a windstorm. His pale blue-green eyes were completely fear stricken. He looked at Soren with apprehension before backing away a few steps.

Soren didn’t have time for this. He turned his attention to the eldest boy.

“Atlas, I know now is probably not a good time, but I need to speak to your father,” said Soren briskly. Shoulders shaking with anger and fear, Atlas stood aside and let Soren pass. He shut the door forcefully behind Soren, trapping him in with the distraught sobs of the family.

This was no time to feel out of place. This was the time to act – for Hero’s sake.

“Casper,” said Soren cautiously as he approached. “I…”

“You’re here because of Hero?” asked Casper, his voice hoarse and strained. “Because he was caught?” Soren’s fears were true. This other Borrower, whoever he was, must’ve seen what happened and already told the Rafters what happened to Hero.

“I… I’m sorry, b-” Soren was interrupted by Casper suddenly leaping up, seizing the front of Soren’s shirt, and charging forward until Soren slammed into the far wall. Soren grunted in pain as his chest and the back of his head were slammed into the hard wooden wall. The sudden aggression caught everyone in the room off-guard, and everyone seemed to quiet despite their desire to continue crying.

“Sorry? You parade around as a human’s pet and you come here to say sorry? You and your family infected Hero with the idea that humans are safe, and now he’s been captured!” growled Casper. “I knew I should ha-”

“With all due respect, sir,” interrupted Soren boldly, daring not to grab onto Casper for fear that Casper was one wrong move away from pounding Soren into the ground. “But my family didn’t infect Hero with this idea. He came up with it on his own. We’ve been trying to tell him that humans are dangerous.”

“Liar!” roared Casper and pulled Soren off of the wall only to slam him back into it. Soren dared not fight back and merely tensed, trying to fight off the swirling in his head.

“Why would I lie about it?” grunted Soren, now feeling Casper twisting his shirt. It tightened against his throat. “Hero came up with this idea himself. He’s been talking to humans for a while now. He has humans he considers friends!”

“Shut up!” Casper shouted as he forced his fist higher into Soren’s throat. “It’s not true!”

“If it’s not true, then ask yourself why Hero walked out into the open when a human was in the room. Ask yourself if you know where he’s been going when he says he’s helping the community? Did you ask him who he was helping? Did you ask the other Borrowers if they saw him around?”

Soren was starting to see stars swirl in his eyes. His vision was swimming and definitely trying to fade around the edges. He dared to struggle a little against the father’s grip, which seemed to slacken ever so slightly before tightening again.

“You saying I don’t know how to take care of my family? That I don’t know what my own family is into?” demanded Casper. Soren swallowed dryly as his vision swirled again.

“Of course not. Casper, please, you have to believe me when I say we were trying to prevent Hero from meeting with his human friends. Rey was going with him on his ‘helping the community’ campaign to keep him from going and talking to humans,” said Soren in the most factual, level tone he could manage. His heart was starting to pound frantically in his chest though, and every instinct was starting to flex, daring Soren to try and pry Casper’s hands away from him.

“Sir,” interrupted the new Borrower. “Based on what I saw, it seems to make sense. Hero was the first up, and the other Borrower, who I assume was Rey, managed to get him out of the jar. Rey was hiding and looked like he was trying to get Hero to come back. I… I don’t want to side with the pet, but….”

“I am not a pet,” spat Soren. “And I’m not working for Ashlynn to capture other Borrowers. I’m here to inform Casper that we, Ashlynn and my whole family, are doing everything we can right now to get Hero back from the human.”

There was a stunned silence that followed Soren’s statement. Soren swallowed again and just as his vision was starting to darken around the edges, Casper relinquished his grip. He slumped to the ground, utterly defeated, and sucked in what Soren assumed was about to be a sob.

“My son… my youngest son… captured… talking to humans…” muttered Casper. He turned his blue eyes onto Soren. “You said he has… humans… who he thinks are friends?”

Soren, trying to keep himself from gasping for air, nodded and composed himself.

“Yes. Ashlynn knows one of them, a young boy about Rey and Hero’s age. His name is Sam, and he is apparently one of the good humans according to Ashlynn. Sam isn’t the one who has Hero though. It is apparently some girl who seems to be moving out today.”

Casper, looking hopeless, looked away from Soren and glanced backward at his family. In that moment, Soren knew exactly what Casper was feeling – uncertain. It was the same look Soren knew he had when Brady, his stepfather, left him for dead as Soren was trapped in a mouse trap. It was the dread of the uncertain. It was the hopelessness he felt when he was completely alone, forced to endure whatever was going to happen next.

Soren, taking in several more deep breaths, dared to lay a single hand on Casper’s shoulder.

“We’re working on a plan to get him back. Ashlynn is doing reconnaissance now, but we need help. We can’t do this on our own,” said Soren. “Anyone who you trust, we could use their help. If… if you want to help, we are working out a plan to get Hero back now. We’re stronger together. Will you help us?”

Casper looked Soren deep into his hazel eyes. There was still a hint of distrust in his eyes, but it was understandable. Soren sighed.

It would have been nice to have their help, but we can manage on our o-

Soren’s thoughts were interrupted when Casper forced himself to his feet and nodded.

“I won’t ask others to risk their lives, but I’m coming with you. I’m going to get my son back,” said Casper.

“I’m coming too,” said Atlas. “Don’t even think about stopping me, dad. I should have paid more attention to Hero and his movements. He’s my little brother. I’m helping.”

“Me too,” said Tiron.

“Same. Mom, I’m sorry, but I’m getting Hero back – and then I’m going to box his wooden ears for not listening to our warnings,” said Cali. The family approached one another and embraced. Soren turned away, feeling like he was interrupting some kind of private moment between the family members, before they broke away and turned to face Soren.

“If you double-cross us…” warned Casper.

“I know, and I’m not. Now, get everything you think you might need. We’re going right now,” said Soren. He watched as the family delved into their stores for hooks, line, wires, blades, and a number of other tools that could possibly help. With everything prepped and ready, Prim gave her children another kiss on their foreheads before kissing her husband.

“Bring him back,” she whimpered. “Please, bring back our boy.”

“I will,” said Casper.

With that, Casper and his oldest three children followed faithfully and silently behind Soren. Some of the Borrower community saw them walking together, but many of them dared no approach. The air around Soren and the Rafter family seemed to chill their surroundings. There was a sense of determination filling them as they marched up the stairs and into the hallways leading to Ashlynn’s home.

Soren hoped Ashlynn had some information for them because, if not, things were going to get messy fast. At the moment, Casper and his family were working with him. He didn’t want to fracture their already fraying trust. How long would it last? More importantly, how were they going to get Hero back?

~~~^*^*^~~~

Hero huddled in the back corner of the bedside table drawer. He felt completely sick, but he had already thrown up twice out of sheer panic and anxiety.

What was happening?

Why was this happening?

He just wanted to help.

Why wasn’t the human listening?

Why wouldn’t she let him go?

She refused to give any kind of explanation, only to say again that this “Austin” guy had talked to her once or twice about why he made traps. He was keen to catch one and keep it for scientific purposes.

The thought made Hero sick.

The stories were true. He curled in on himself, tears pricking the corners of his eyes, as the sinking feeling of realizing the stories were true really sank into his mind. His mind was moving a million miles a minute, and there was nowhere for those thoughts to go except to spiral over and over in his head.

Hero looked at the seam of the drawer. He had already tried to pry himself out and there was no way for him to open the drawer by running and throwing himself against the seam of the drawer. His bruised shoulder reminded him of that.

He heard footsteps on the other side and the muffled voices of the girl and another human voice. By the sound of it and the way the girl called the woman “mom,” it was easy for Hero to conclude this was the girl’s mother. For a moment, he thought she was going to show him to her mother, but it sounded like they were preoccupied.

“Mom! I told you I don’t want to go! I’m staying right here,” spat the girl.

“Lily, I can’t change anything about it either. You are going to stay with your grandparents while your father and I move,” said the woman.

“You mean finalize the divorce. It’s what you really mean, right? I’m almost an adult! You can call it what it is!” shouted Lily.

“What your father and I are going through is not the same. Now, start packing your things. You haven’t even started. Corban and Aven are almost finished and ready. You need to set a good example and get ready,” scolded the mother.

“Oh, I need to be a good example? You’re one to talk,” shot back Lily. The two of them continued to argue loudly, each accusing the other of not understanding.

Hero hunkered down and drew his limbs in tight to his chest. Terror forced his heart to skip the next few beats as he held his breath.

So, the girl is moving? That’s why she wants to bring me with her? So, she has someone to talk to? I can’t leave! I don’t want to leave!

Hero felt fresh tears drip down his face as he buried his face into his arms, but not a lot came out. He felt exhausted and dehydrated, mouth dry and feeling like sandpaper. The two continued to fight while he cowered in the back corner. Hero knew he needed to work on an escape plan. He knew he needed to try and fight his way out, but Hero couldn’t summon the energy to even stand.

He felt drained and hopeless.

Everything he thought and everything he believed – that humans would never actually try and trap a Borrower and turn them into a pet once they knew they were sentient – was wrong.

What else was he wrong about?

Were people really not as good as he thought? Who else was like Lily? Ready to change on a dime…

~~~^*^*^~~~

Ashlynn stood outside in the lobby and watched as movers negotiated the main doors. She made the excuse that she was waiting for a delivery herself and kept holding the door open for the movers. In the meantime, she paid attention to who was going in and out of the building.

Based on what Rey said, Ashlynn had a good idea of what the girl looked like. Even if she didn’t have a name, she could still be on the lookout.

With each passing moment, Ashlynn felt sickness plaguing her. What was Hero going through? Was he alright? Was there anything else they could be doing to rescue him?

Ashlynn’s head was spiraling out of control when something caught her attention.

“Oh, hello Miss Ashlynn.” Ashlynn looked over to see Sam exiting the elevator. It looked like he had a key in his hands. Most likely, he was helping out with his chores and retrieving the mail. His bright smile was a momentary distraction, but Ashlynn suddenly felt as though she had been punched in the gut.

Sam didn’t know about Hero. He didn’t know what kind of danger his friend was in.

For a moment, Ashlynn thought about disregarding her notion to tell Sam when a brilliant thought came to her.

Sam could help get Hero back.

Yes, it would require her telling Sam that his friend was in danger, but Sam could also be the perfect lookout. He could ride the elevator and warn if someone matching the description Rey gave came into the elevator.

Ashlynn watched as Sam continued to the mailroom and, as he did, Eliza rounded the corner to her own mailbox. Sam managed to dodge out of the way before addressing her in his sweet voice.

“Hello Miss Eliza,” said Sam.

“Oh! Hey there, Sam. Sorry. Did I almost bump into you?” asked Eliza, withdrawing her white stick and bringing it closer to her body.

“Nope! I mean… no ma’am. I just thought I’d say hello and see how you were doing,” he chirped.

Ashlynn couldn’t believe her good fortune. This was absolutely perfect! Eliza and Sam both knew about Hero, and both would care that he was captured and needed help. Ashlynn hesitated just for a moment. Would the other Borrowers approve? She doubted it, but they needed all the help they could get – and they, as humans, were the perfect distraction for other humans.

Acting on pure instinct and impulse, Ashlynn abandoned her spot by the door and prayed that the person she was looking for wouldn’t arrive at that precise moment. She approached Eliza and Sam, who were discussing the weather, and dared to approach the topic that she swore to secrecy.

“Hey Eliza. Hey Sam,” she said, hoping no one sensed her anxiousness.

“Ashlynn? Hey! Seems like everyone is getting their mail at the same time today. How have you been?” asked Eliza. Sam gave a little wave and a smile to Ashlynn.

“Pretty great until today actually,” Ashlynn replied, keeping her voice low. She saw both Sam and Eliza’s brows furrow in the exact same way.

“Oh? Something wrong?” asked Eliza.

“Yeah, and I’m thinking you two could help,” said Ashlynn, almost whispering.

“Ashlynn, why are you whispering? You’re not in trouble, are you?” asked Eliza.

“Umm… I should…” Sam started, but Ashlynn shook her head.

“No. I need you both. Here. Come over here to the mailroom really quick,” said Ashlynn. Curiously, the two of them stepped back into the mailroom, Sam a bit more hesitant than Eliza. Ashlynn pulled the door slightly shut before looking back at the two of them.

Her heart was hammering out of her chest. She felt like she could barely breathe. There was no going back now. There was no time for doubts, and she had to trust she was doing the right thing.

“Okay, I’m going to cut to the chase,” said Ashlynn quietly. “I know you both know about Hero.”

Ashlynn’s statement obviously took them both off guard. Eliza, looking stiff, tried to play it off.

“I… what? What Hero?” she asked. Sam, looking nervous, kept glancing from Eliza to Ashlynn. It was clear he was trying to keep his word to Ashlynn that he wouldn’t reveal what he knew about the hand-sized teenage boy.

“Eliza, we don’t have time for this. Hero told me that he introduced himself to both of you some time ago. He’s been helping other humans around the building, and now he’s in trouble,” said Ashlynn. There was so much that needed to be said and explained, but there was no time for it. Ashlynn felt her chest tightening with anxiety. This was the first time she talked to another person about knowing about the Borrowers.

“You… know about him? But… how?” asked Eliza. She was obviously working through what Ashlynn said, almost as if she didn’t believe that this kind of conversation was happening.

“Hero’s in trouble?” asked Sam, now disregarding the previous bit of the awkwardness and delving into the heart of the matter. “What kind of trouble?” Ashlynn was more than grateful that Sam was keeping them on track.

“Yes, he’s been captured. There was a girl who saw him and now she has him,” explained Ashlynn. “I’m working to get him back, but I can’t do it alone. I need you two to help me. Please.”

“Wait, Ashlynn. Slow down. How can we help? And how do you plan on getting him back? Can’t you just ask the girl to let Hero go?” asked Eliza.

“I wish it were that easy,” muttered Ashlynn. “Apparently, Hero tried to reason with her, but she wants to take him with her. She’s moving out today and will most likely lie in order to keep him.”

“Count me in!” said Sam. “If Hero’s in trouble, I want to help. What can I do?”

“Wait… how do you know this?” asked Eliza. Ashlynn grit her teeth. She thought something like this might come up. Taking a partial breath, she decided to be just obscure enough while also telling the truth.

“Let’s just say that Hero isn’t alone,” said Ashlynn. “Now, please. Will you help me – us – get him back?”

“Hey! I said I’m in! What can I do?” asked Sam.

“Alright, I’m in too. What’s the makeshift plan?” asked Eliza. Thinking on the fly, Ashlynn came up with the first thing that popped into her head.

“Sam, you have your phone, right? I need you to ride in the elevator and let me know if you see a girl who is older than you, but younger than me. She was wearing a lot of make-up and will most likely be carrying something that will be big enough to carry Hero. When that happens, Eliza needs to run interference. Find some way to distract them and keep them in the building. I’ll be down as soon as possible to try and help.”

“Wait, then where are you going?” asked Eliza.

“I’ll be right back. I have to give an update and then I’ll be right back looking for her. Okay?” said Ashlynn. The two of them nodded after a moment of consideration. “Good. Then man your positions and I’ll be right back. Sam, here’s my number. Plug my number and Eliza’s number into your phone. Call us immediately if you see someone. Okay?”

“You got it!” said Sam, looking more determined than ever. Eliza went back to her apartment to get some supplies, undoubtedly ready to stumble out of her apartment and spill everything to distract anyone going through.

Sam and Ashlynn rode the elevator up to her floor and she darted back to her apartment. She hoped Soren would be understanding that she roped them in. They needed help, and there were no better people to ask than these two. The main question now was how they were actually going to get Hero back.

~~~^*^*^~~~

            Soren and the others marched forward through the walls and over beams to get to Ashlynn’s apartment. It seemed like the most logical choice to make it there before proceeding. At any rate, they needed Rey to tell them where to go and how to get to the right apartment.

Soren felt a terrible guilt knowing he would be subjecting his youngest brother to this horror once again. It felt like the incident with Dorian’s friend all over again, but they had all been close and managed to get his friend back before anything terrible happened. Now? It sounded like this human could be leaving any second with Hero, and if that happened he would be gone forever.

None felt the gravity of the situation more than the Rafters, especially Casper. His mind swirled with every terrible notion and the pain of his child being in pain and danger. How could he have not known what his son was up to? How did he not realize that Hero had been talking to humans for so long? What kind of father was he, to not know what was happening with his youngest son? What kind of example was he setting? What were his children thinking of him now?

No…

That didn’t matter now.

What mattered was getting Hero back home safe and sound.

Soren continued to lead the way silently until, finally, they reached the permanent line that led down into the kitchen – Ashlynn’s kitchen. He quickly descended the line and touched down just inside of the wall. To make room for the Rafter family, Soren went ahead and stepped out onto the counter.

Just as he did, he heard the front door close and the sound of footsteps.

“Ashlynn?” Soren called.

“Soren? You’re back!” Ashlynn returned the call. “Boys, do you want to come over to the counter?” Soren heard a faint “yes” that was undoubtedly from Rey. There was a slight pause before Ashlynn rounded the corner with Soren’s brothers and daughter cupped carefully in her hands.

“How did it go? Did you talk to the Rafters? Do they know?” She asked as she set them down on the counter. Soren nodded before he started speaking.

“Yes, and they knew as soon as I got there. Someone else told them. They saw the whole thing happen,” muttered Soren. Rey’s eyes widened, jaw slackening.

“They did?” he asked, shrinking in on himself ever so slightly. He pulled his blanket over his shoulders a little tighter.

“Yeah,” said Soren. He glanced over his shoulder. Did he just see two of the Rafter children duck behind the electrical cover? “They decided to come and help get Hero back.”

Ashlynn and Soren made eye-contact, hazel against blue-grey, and Ashlynn immediately knew what Soren meant.

“Oh… right… okay… um… well…” Ashlynn stammered. “Well, I have a bit of news of my own.”

“Yeah?” asked Soren. Ashlynn nodded before glancing at the electrical cover and then back to him.

“Okay, Soren, I don’t want you to be angry, but I got a little bit of help,” said Ashlynn quietly. Soren’s eyes widened. He suspected this was coming, but he wasn’t sure the Rafters, who were mere inches away, were prepared to hear something like this.

Sadly, they would have to accept reality quickly if they were going to get Hero back.

“Who?” asked Soren, glancing over his shoulder, hoping the Rafters weren’t changing their minds in helping them get their son – their brother – back.

“Eliza and Sam. I saw both of them when I was down there, and they are helping out right now. Eliza is preparing a distraction and Sam is in the elevator making sure no one matching the girl’s description gets in. He’s going to call if he sees her,” explained Ashlynn. “They were two of the humans who Hero was friends with, so… it was easier to get them to help.”

Soren nodded slowly, only glancing back one more time to see if he could see any of the Rafters.

Then, Ashlynn sighed and folded her arms.

“Okay, let’s just cut to the chase, okay?” she said. Soren felt his heart jumped into his throat, and he was absolutely certain the Rafter family was on the verge of losing their minds with fear and anxiety.

“Ashl-”

“No, Soren. We don’t have any time to lose,” stated Ashlynn. “Look, I know you’re scared. You’re terrified what might happen to your son. You don’t know what’s going on right now with your brother. You have a million questions, but now is not the time. I’m not asking you to trust me blindly or saying you need to trust me outright. What I am saying is that I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I’m trying to help. I’m not the enemy. Right now, we need to work together to get Hero back. You can be angry at me later when Hero is safe.”

The entire time, she was looking directly at the wall cover.

There was complete silence in the home. Soren wondered if the Rafters had gone, left so they could handle the situation themselves.

But they hadn’t left.

Casper and his children were on the other side of the electrical cover absolutely petrified with fear. The human, Ashlynn, was talking directly to them. She revealed two of the human’s names who Hero had become friends with.

Casper felt himself shaken to his core. Hearing it from a Borrower and then hearing it from a human were two entirely different things.

Still… Ashlynn was right…

They didn’t have time.

Casper looked back at his children, who looked at him with the same reflected fear that was in his eyes. He looked back at the electrical cover. An entire world was just beyond the piece of plastic and drywall beside him. Humans and danger were mere feet away, but it didn’t matter now.

What mattered was, for the moment, working together and saving Hero.

Casper looked back at his family, hoping he was making the right decision.

“I know,” said Casper as loudly as he dared. “I’ve been watching all of you… and I know you are just trying to help.” His children looked panicked that their father had spoken directly to a human, but none dared to raise their voices against him. He smiled at them in some wise way before turning his eyes back to the electrical cover.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, Casper stepped out from behind the electrical cover and stepped out onto the kitchen counter. Ashlynn’s eyes widened as she stared at the older Borrower, daring not to move. “Please,” said Casper. “You’ve earned my trust. Now, help me save my son.”

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

::_____::

A Tall and Small Collection

Continue

Previous

A Tall and Small Collection | Soren

ASK ME ANYTHING

::_____::

Everyone Needs a Little Hero

Continue

Previous

Beginning

Prompt

ASK ME ANYTHING

[bardandbear]

So I wanted to yell a little into the void about my Tav's backstory...

Black sheep doesn't begin to cover it. I'm the deformed, malshapen aberration on the otherwise perfect family tree. It's a wonder they didn't take me out back and put me out of my misery. It would have been kinder. They don't do kindness.

Born in Neverwinter in 1460 DR, Morgwynn is the second eldest child of Gahelion Belaine - a high elf wizard - and Sorene Belaine - a half drow, half tiefling sorcerer. The Belaine family is an old, elven bloodline obsessed with one thing: magic. Gahelion married Sorene out of an admiration for her sorcerous bloodline, something he was desperate to pass on to his children to outdo his own siblings.

The couple were overjoyed in fact, to have born a tiefling child from Sorene's lineage, until it quickly became apparent that Morgwynn seemed to lack any innate magical talent beyond her infernal cantrips. Her older brother Galamor was showing his magical aptitude before he could walk, and it was a hope that her magicks would eventually manifest themselves that saved her from the worst of the disdain in her younger years.

Once it became apparent that magic did not flow in her veins however, the coldness became outright resentment. She was treated poorly by her parents and siblings both, even the youngest being taught their parents' cruelty without understanding it. Denied food, water, clean clothes and human contact, Morgwynn tried desperately for years to earn the approval of her parents before bitterness and despair set in.

After lashing out more and more in her teen years despite the futility of it, Morgwynn gets sent far away from the family estate to Baldur's Gate where she is enrolled and promptly fails at wizard college, before being sent to bard college as a last resort. While she's better at it: the charming, the talking, the politics, she still can't spin a tune or capture the magic of song whatsoever, and it's largely pity and sweet talking that keeps her from failing her last chance.

She does make 'friends' however, and gets drunk on the attention she'd been starved of, no matter where it came from. Falling into every indulgence of the flesh and alcohol that she can get her hands on, she eventually happens upon a succubus while out with friends and becomes obsessed with the power and confidence she exudes - she's everything Morgwynn isn't. After months of trying to impress her she eventually offers the succubus a deal - her soul's eternal service in exchange for warlock powers and a night of passion.

The plan is flawless, for a time. Morgwynn can finally call upon the magic that had never answered her, and the gnawing pit of emptiness inside her is quieter. But it comes crashing down when the bard college finds out she's cheating by using warlock magic, and she's expelled. She is disowned by her family in the same day, and left to drift - even after selling her soul she's still not enough. She spent a decade buried in bad relationships and liquor to try and feel anything, and probably would have died that way if she hadn't been plucked for a mindflayer's experiment.

The oblivion of ceremorphosis wasn't something that Morgwynn necessarily feared, she almost welcomed it, but she'd always been too stubborn to surrender quietly. So instead, she does what she's always done best: survive out of spite.

[madou-dilou]

I am sad because these parallels led to like, nothing. I wish they interacted. Or recognised themselves in each other. Or idk something.

Callum, after experiencing first-hand what Aaravos can do to someone, could think that this was what happened to Viren. And still be attracted by the cube because he is that desperate for answers.

Viren could understand the Star Arcanum, Fate, as opposed to Callum who understands the Sky, Freedom. (after all, it corresponds what Kosmo tells Callum "dark magic left a hole inside you but the star ritual can fill the darkness with light")

Viren could look at Callum and Ezran and feel... idk something.

Callum could excuse Viren by blaming all of his actions on Aaravos, and Viren, despite being given a golden-paved road to excuse, could refuse it and instead take full accountability for what he's done.

Or them being constantly and utterly exasperated that they are mistaken for father and son.

Viren could ask Callum a portrait of Soren, and Callum could call Viren out on treating Soren so poorly, and Viren go "wait. What did Aaravos tell you ? His exact words ?" "Easy enough. "The failed son whose father wishes he was never born." ".............." "What ? it's not true ?" "... Well. It is true. But it's not what you think." "Enlighten me then. You monster." "There. You said it. The monster. I am the monster. Aaravos was talking about me." "Well, of course he... Oh." "Yes." "Oh." And Callum understands this because he also feels like he's rotten from the inside and destroys everything he touches.

Or they could bond over their girlfriends leaving them and not being able to cope with it.

Viren could watch horrified as he sees Callum doing similar mistakes to his, and Callum could first refuse to listen to him because, duh, that's Viren.

I dont know. I just liked the dynamic between Jim and Strickler in Tales of Arcadia and thought something similar could be done with these two.

At least we can hope Callum will eventually parallel Viren's death scene -but recovering from it, though, because he is the protagonist.

This has probably been commented on before but I love Callum’s “I’m afraid, Rayla. What if I’m on a path of darkness?” “Then take a different path, dummy.” And then Viren’s “I find myself here at these horrifying crossroads because I have followed a dark path.” “No matter where you are on the path, no matter what you’ve done before, every step forward is a choice.” The Callum and Viren parallels are truly insane

[samueljkim]

Edges

"I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history.” - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It's been difficult to write about this latest album. I think because it came more from an emotional place rather than a concept. It wasn't easily captured and circumscribed in words. In fact, I think I needed some time away from this album to fully understand it. Perhaps it was only until this week after Martin Luther King Sunday that perhaps something became clear.

I still remember one of the key songs that started this album, "Hunter" was recorded at the end of 2021. Seattle was stopped in snow and freezing cold, there was a death in the family, and we were all unsure everyday if we were still in the pandemic or not. I recorded this seeing the unrest and anger in my soul towards the state of the world and the state of my inner soul. I was not at my best and I had no compassion for myself and the world around me. There was a moment at that time of making this song I felt so profoundly alone. I don't fully understand all the lyrics of "Hunter" myself but in that moment, it captured the state of my heart and expressed it better than anything else could.

Much of this album is lashing out in frustration at the hypocrisies and inconsistencies of politics, religion and the heart. I kept encountering zealots in all three worlds and found many had no regards for those on the edges and for how we were all tearing each other apart. Even worse, I saw that same lack of integrity in who I was. I had no idea what to do. When we went through a worldwide crisis, we didn't come out better. When people are being dehumanized we don't do the right thing. When we can't even collectively acknowledge that it is better to cease fire rather than killing innocents in schools and nations, we keep pressing on with our self-righteousness. Most galling of all were the religious zealots of our time pushing out their narratives of justification in the name of their higher power. Despite my vitriol against dead institutions of religion, I felt a twisted kinship with the archaic prophets who wanted everything to burn: but why? What's the point when you can't trust what will be pulled from the ashes? I felt like I was trapped in a downward spiral of judgment and loathing. Is all that's left to do is to let it go and disappear? The allure of pessimism was all too appealing.

These was a paradoxical spirit of anger and disengagement that coursed through the songs of "Edges". I certainly felt like I was on the edge of something and I didn't know what would happen if I fell off or jumped.

The words of Soren Kierkegaard felt right for this album:

"To live is to feel oneself lost..."

"These are the only genuine ideas: the ideas of the shipwrecked... all the rest is rhetoric, posturing, farce."

As I was writing "Move Away" I knew that these words were completely in line with what was churning inside even though I didn't even fully comprehend it at the time. Maybe this struggle to confront ourselves is the most important and vital thing we can do, yet who wants to take on this difficult and murderous journey?

I think if I could identify the sonic spirit from which the album was birthed, it would be from anger. I realized I mastered the mix pretty loud but I felt it was necessary because it needed to be heard with volume over fidelity and subtlety. The post-punk disillusionment of bands I loved like Joy Division were the soundtrack of this season and are obviously present in spirit throughout this album. I wanted icy and angular melodic lines fused with cold drum machines beating into an empty cavern of reverb. I wanted the vocals to be distorted, warbled and harsh. The tempos needed to be frenetic or lethargic. I knew the album would be exhausting to listen to in some ways but it felt like anything else would be dishonest.

It was only a month after the release of the album on Martin Luther King Jr. Day when I was listening to King's Nobel Prize acceptance speech that I was given a momentary gift of clarity: when I heard these particular words I felt like my soul was grabbed still: "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history.”

Yes, that was it. That was the source of the anger: all of the ambiguity! The lack of conviction. The absence of truth. The forsaking of vision. The void of compassion. The uncertainty of our collective future. The lack of right-ness. I was railing against all the ambiguity I was steeped in. I was cornering my soul to decide on its final response to the universal ambiguity so palpable to me.

And who knew it as well as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King?

Dr. King saw things and stood against things we will never see as closely as him, but he still was able to say to the nations "I refuse to accept despair."

This line haunted me throughout the night. I felt rebuked gently and devastatingly at the same time.

He showed me a path forward.

It's up to me to see if I will step off the edge and join him.

Edges.

[atypicalsenerio]

Be Festive Or Else (This Is “Else”)

Soren had had enough of the festivities before they even began. He didn’t care that much for sweets, he didn’t feel like dancing, and his mood was more of a storm cloud than usual over the dining hall being closed and therefore forcing him to go to town for food and witness people having fun.

Couples having fun.

Jealousy was a useless emotion, and when he discarded it all he found underneath was loneliness. Even if Ike had been there, he might’ve only wanted to eat the spicy sausage soup, but Soren would have been content at his side. He didn’t want to think about Ranulf. He didn’t want to think about Pelleas and Micaiah and their… thing? Maybe they were dating, maybe they weren’t, but Soren was still baffled at his own insistence to Pelleas in the bridalwear shop to not squander what little joy his life had left in it.

Soren kicked a pebble, scowling as he stood in a soup line. He hadn’t bothered dressing up and was only in his student uniform. He’d get his meal, go to his room, and pretend he of all people needed to study while actually just sulking.

Fate had other ideas.

To be specific, a gaggle of ladies dressed as witches with little pumpkins and bats all over their summer festival costumes swarmed him.

“You look quite grouchy dear, is everything alright?”

“Come on, be festive!”

“If you don’t have a costume, we’ll help.”

Soren’s best withering glare didn’t scare them off. “I don’t care. I-“

It happened in a flash. He suspected someone had dared used a Warp staff on him. In a blink, he was standing on the other side of town and there was a fluttering of fabric from all sides, despite his confused protests. When he could see again he got the impression he was practically in a suit of heavy armor, except it was exceptionally light and roomy, perhaps with air magic inflating the exterior. He was looking out of his new headpiece, and right into a mirror.

“…”

The festival staff were delighted. “You’re so cute! We’ll help you out of it later, but go on, spread some cheer-“

“No, I demand you get me out of th-“

“You’re a beloved character from Adrestian storybooks, okay? You don’t have to talk or anything. The little paws come off too so you can get your dinner. Go get em, Thunder Mouse!”

Soren stared as his undeniably adorable reflection. Well… at least no one would recognize him from inside.

“…pay me for this.”

The witches exchanged glanced and one shrugged. “Sure! You’re spreading festival fun for this!”

It was impossible for them to tell that he was flipping them off from inside the giant Thunder Mouse costume, but he did it anyway as he left to go out into the festival.

[ersatz-anomaly]

The entire point of his character in the show is that he was an awful dad. He did Dark Magic to save his child, but in doing so he broke his family in pieces (given that he needed the pained tears of his wife among other ingredients), and left himself with the hole in his soul that all Dark Magic users experience.

He then blamed his son for it all and treated him terribly to the point he was willing to sacrifice him for power (“if you have to choose between Soren and The Egg…. Choose the Egg” and “I trust you’ll know What You Should Do”) and ambition while leading his daughter down the very same footsteps of tragedy and selfish ambition. It literally took him DYING and getting a reset post-resurrection for him to realise how deeply he dragged his family into his own stupidity.

His son he ruined his marriage for despised him and rightfully so, his daughter he shaped into a mirror of himself and realised he ruined her life, he betrayed his own kingdom by using Dark Magic to assassinate the other leaders and frame Xadia, everyone saw him for the husk of a man he used to be.

Dark Magic and his decision to stick with it despite even his mentor telling him the price was too steep to ever be worth it, it hollowed him out and he was so removed from his humanity only death made him whole again.

And after all his actions and life choices he couldn’t really say he amounted to much. Yes he helped use the Magma Titans heart to save 2 kingdoms but he also stole Queen Sarai’s last breath to *maybe* use in the future which resulted in the murder of Avizandum and the theft of Azymondas egg. For all his ambition he only ever made things worse.

Which is why he sacrificed himself to save the citizens of Katolis and, more importantly, finally do SOMETHING right by his son who he mistreated from childhood. He knew he could never truly pay for everything he did, but he could do something Selfless for a change and die knowing his last act was for someone other than himself.

He’s an awful man who realised far too late he could actually do better, and it took death restoring his soul and a new Context to see Dark Magic in for him to realise how it rotted him and how he Could say no to the spiritual form of Flesh Eating Bacteria.

Also Dark Magic is incredibly thematic. Taking the magic of another and destroying them to suit your own purpose, leaving you empty inside like Aaravos. But also that you are STEALING MAGIC FROM ANOTHER TO SUIT YOUR OWN PURPOSE, JUST LIKE THE STAR COUNCIL STOLE THE MAGIC FROM AARAVOS HEART AND DESTROYED HER FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES.

Viren is an abuser.

Abusers exist in many forms, his looks don't changed the fact that he hurt his wife and his children.

I can't believe i have to say this, but there are people who just don't understand. Lissa had every right to leave, he hurt her. Also Claudia choose to stay with Viren, neither Soren or Claudia hate their mother. They just don't know why she left, that's the whole point.

Viren defenders are worse than aaravos defenders. Viren literally admits to being in the wrong and having regrets and yall are still like, hE,s a GoOd daD.

[illustrator-dani]

My only contribution to @raayllum Hiatus Hoadown! Hope you enjoy this fluff/crack fic.

Also happy birthday to the sassiest moonshadow elf we know and love, Rayla.

"Daddy, what does momma like for her birthday?" Eliot asks, tugging on his fathers coat as they walk back to the castle. "Uncle Ezran says that she loves adoraburrs but there aren't any around here."

Callum chuckles at his five year old sons statement and squeezes his hand. "Well, what does she like the most?"

"You and me."

"Yes and?"

"Uncle Ezran, Soren, and family!"

"Yes, would you like to draw the family portrait this year?" Callum asks, hiding his smile as he sees his little boys face light up.

"Yes daddy!" He squeals when Callum picks him up and head towards his office where he stores his paint supplies.

Silver hair, small horns, and green eyes, Eliot is everything that Callum could've wanted. What started as a fight for his life, ended up being a second chance for Eliot to become something greater, someone greater.

Even though he no longer had arcanum inside him, little Eliot has been loving bows and bonding with Grandpa Runaan. Despite what Callum feels about his little boy running around with a bow an arrow at five years old, he wouldn't have it any other way. Having his son and wife with him everyday is everything he has ever wanted.

"Daddy, mommy is coming back!" Eliot shrieks in his fathers ear and the mage lets go of the boy to let him run over to Rayla. Callum follows and watches as Eliot dives for Rayla's legs and was amused when she scoops up the child instead. "Ahhh, mommy nooooo! You messed up my stealth practice!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Mommy won't mess with your training again." Rayla says, glancing at Callum who shakes his head in amusement. "What were you doing with daddy, Eliot? You know he is very busy this time of year."

Eliot frowns and looks over at his father for help. Seemingly forgetting about his many duties and promises of helping Ezran have a successful harvest festival this year had him on the verge of panic. Still, today is important and they can wait.

"I can manage a day off to celebrate my wife's birthday, don't you think Eliot?" Callum asks earning a small smile from the little boy.

"That reminds me! Daddy, distract mommy so I can finish her present!" Eliot yells and proceeds to push the two adults out of Callum's office. With the door shut and lights in, the five year old was left with paper and paints.

What chaos can a five year old create without adult supervision?

A lot.

Never will Rayla leave Callum alone with Eliot ever again. No painting without supervision. The staff were hard at work to clean up Eliot's giant picture of his family on his fathers wall. Not only was the paint hard to wash out, it was directly in front of a window overlooking the kingdom.

Eliot, with paint in his hair and face covered in paper cuts, laughs at his mommy who was trying to rub paint off his knees as gentle as possible. Callum helped by providing rain for all three to soak in. They were in the forest for privacy reasons, it also may not be because Soren and Ezran were laughing this butts off at the couples circumstance.

"Happy birthday mommy!" Eliot says, beaming at his mother who stares at him with horror when he wraps his little arms around her. She smiles at Callum and his face goes white.

"Eliot, wanna hug daddy with paint?" She says smiling.

"YES!"

Callum, Rayla, and little Eliot had to take a bunch of baths to get the paint off their skin and out of their hair. Turns out moonberry juice helps a lot to get xadian oil paint out of one's hair.

Bonus:

"What do you mean we used all of the moonberry juice that Katolis had gotten six days ago? You mean that we used every single drop to get the paint off!" Rayla screams at Soren who attempts to keep his face straight.

"Yep." He says with a smug smile as the elf takes out her swords with a sigh.

"Time to smuggle some from poor Runaan and Ethari. They wouldn't mind if I come dragging the body of my husband right?"

"Umm, probably the-"

"That wasn't a question, Soren."

[sqrensq]

𝐃 𝐈𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

-> never thought i'd be writing this, but as requested a me x alex fic.

cw: nsfw ( minors & females dni ), verbal humiliation (name calling such as slut and whore), face slapping, fingering, choking, spanking, unprotected sex, sir k.

taglist: @benis-boi1

“Strip,” Alex's voice commanded. Soren could tell from the tone of it that it was going to be one of those nights; the nights they craved constantly, where he surrenders themselves to his dominance.

They already felt aroused as their cunt tingled at the thought of what was in store while their mind ran away with him.

“I’m sorry, did you not understand? Do I have to dumb it down so that you’ll know what I meant?” He was using the tone of voice that people would use when they were speaking to a little kid, and they're instantly craving more as it cut them out of their reverie. “You’re going to take off your clothes and get on your knees.”

“Sorry sir,” they mumbled, their cheeks heating up with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. His words seemed to travel directly to their core. Soren pulled their shirt over their shoulders and threw it at the chair in the corner of the room. Their pants and briefs soon followed, and they toed off their boots and socks. They slid down to their knees in front of him so fast that it’s a wonder they didn’t get carpet burn.

“Well,” Alex mused, cocking a half smirk down at them, “it’s great to see the little slut doesn’t have a problem with doing what their told.”

They shuddered, eyes closing slightly and legs unconsciously spreading. His voice was by far his greatest weapon, deadlier than any gun or blade. And here he was using it against them so casually. He made it all sound so simple.

“My my, aren’t you just an eager little whore,” he squatted down to look them in their eyes, making them feel even smalldespite the fact they were taller than he was. He slipped a hand out and caressed their cheek; a silent gesture to show that this was just a scene, and under the tough exterior Alex loved them. He slipped his thumb into their mouth and they eagerly sucked it in. Soren's tongue lapped at the pad of it, and their head bobbed slightly while they sucked. He let them roll their tongue around it for another few seconds before he was taking it out and slapping them across the face.

It wasn’t hard, enough to leave a bruise shape of his hand but nowhere near as strong as it could’ve been had he put even half his strength into it. They shivered and clenched their thighs together to try and relieve some of the pressure.

“Do you know why I hit you?” He asked, and his voice was deep and gravelly.

“No, sir.”

“That was because you’re mine. You’re my nasty little slut, and if I want to hit you, I will. And you don’t have a problem with that, do you?” The way he was grinning at them made them want to cum right there on the spot.

They wordlessly shook their head. You weren’t sure if anything you said would make sense at this point. Your cheek was still tingling from the hit and your knees were starting to grow uncomfortable from the rough carpet.

The most present sensation out of everything they were feeling right now, though, was the ache between their thighs. They just wanted him to bury himself inside of you, but they wanted, no, needed to hear him demean them more. This was what they craved at the end of a hunt. Not candles and rose petals, but bruises and tear tracks. And Alex knew that. Hell, he craved it as well. That’s what made the two go so well together. They both understood and reciprocated each other’s needs.

He stood back up to his full height and slowly unbuckled his belt, and Soren wouldn’t be surprised if their tongue was hanging out eagerly at this point. He pulled himself out of his pants and sighed at the relief of being taken out of the tight confinement.

He rumbled out a laugh that was low and menacing when he saw how eagerly they eyed his cock. He lazily stroked it, twisting his hand at the head and thumbing at the building precum. They licked their lips, eyeing how shiny the head was growing.

“Look at how desperate you are for me,” he whistled. “It’s not often you get a whore as pretty as you for free.”

They whined, torn between looking up at his face or his cock. “Please, Alex, please let me suck your cock. I need to-”

“Oh, you need to?” Now he was full blown laughing, no quiet chuckle. Their face flushed even more and they were pretty sure there was a puddle on the floor in between their legs.  "I’m in charge here. So why don’t you sit there and look pretty.“

Soren felt embarrassed, they were completely bare and exposed on the floor while he stood tall and imposing over you, fully clothed except for his dick which he was currently fucking into his fist. They leaned back to sit on their heels to get more comfortable, deciding to just sit still and wait him out.

They could tell he was getting close, theu you idly slid a hand between your legs. If he wasn’t going to touch them, they'd touch themselves.

"Oh no,” he laughed when he looked down and saw your hand between their legs.

Alex let go of his cock and reached down, grabbing them from under their arms and tossing them onto the bed. Theu landed with a light bounce, chest heaving as you watched him stalk over to you.

“The only person who gets to touch this slutty pussy,” he broke off to cup it, “is me. I own you, little boy.”

His hand jerked back only to crack forward, landing an open-palmed smack to their cunt. They let out a cry and clenched their legs tightly around his hand to prevent it from happening again. “Alex!”

His hand slid up and down between their thighs, moving easily from the amount of slick they'd managed to produce ever since they walked into the bedroom. His fingertips brushed against their clit and they bit their lip to keep themselves from moaning out. He pushed their legs open and climbed in between them to keep Soren from forcing them closed again, and then he traced two of his fingers around their hole.

“This what you want?” He asked with an eyebrow quirked up.

They nodded eagerly.

“Yeah? You want my fingers in this slutty cunt?” They nodded again and planted their feet on the bed to hold their legs up. He slid two fingers in and they groaned at the stretch. He shallowly thrusted them in and out, not even attempting to brush them against their sweet spot. This was about stretching them out for him, not their pleasure.

They gripped the sheets on each side of them as he added a third finger. It burned slightly but it was probably the most comforting feeling in the world to them, full of promises of what was going to come.

“Think you’re ready?”

They nodded eagerly. “Yeah, Alex. I’m fucking ready.”

His hand slapped their cunt again. “Watch your tone, whore.”

They winced. “Sorry.”

He stood up to kick his pants and underwear off and flung his shirt somewhere behind him before practically diving back up and onto the bed.

They felt the blunt head of his cock against their hole before he was thrusting into them without warning. Their hands reached up to claw at his shoulders, despite his fingers they still felt the burn of his cock as it stretched them apart. “Holy fuck!”

He leaned his head down and kissed their neck, alternating between soft kisses and harsh sucks. Suddenly he pulled his hips back before slamming forward with so much force that they were pushed up the bed a little. He set up a punishing pace, and it felt like they were getting bruised from the inside.

One of his hands trailed up to their neck and squeezed tight enough to constrict their breathing. Their hands automatically reached up to grab his wrist, your body’s default reaction; but he kept his grip strong while he continued to ram into them.

They were pulsating around him and everything felt heightened by the lack of oxygen.

“You gonna come?” Alex grunted into their ear. He was slamming into them hard, fast, and oh so deep. Their body was being forced to accommodate him and it was the best feeling in the world.

White spots started dancing across their vision and they felt themselves veer towards the edge. Suddenly he pushed in as deep as he could and ground his hips into their clit. They were coming before they even realized what was happening, and his hand loosened around their neck to let them breathe again. After they had calmed down he began a quick pace of shallow thrusts, and it didn’t take him long to come after they had squeezed him so tightly before.

“Fuck, Soren,” he panted against their neck, and they felt streams of his cum paint their insides. It was the best reward they could have gotten. After he finished, he pulled out and rolled onto his side, keeping them in his arms. “You good?”

“Fuck yeah I’m good.”