#is this just a name ypu given me

[bolszaja-miedwedica]

cat mama save me.......Bastet pls.........save me cat momma ......spare my life

[mydearlybeloathed]

── 𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: you're less than pleased to be marrying the arrogant noble your parents arranged for you. On the day of your wedding, you cross paths with a pirate who seems keen on ruining your big day, and you couldn't be more thrilled.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: luffy x fem!reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 8k

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: minor alabasta spoilers, arranged marriage, I kind of went ham on the descriptions and readers backstory in general, violence, mother issues

𝐚/𝐧: *arises from where i fell off the face of the earth and throws down an offering* greetings.

𝐎𝐏 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

“Respectfully…” You took a moment to compose yourself, sipping from your teacup and raising your eyes to settle on your soon-to-be husband. “You are the scum of the earth, Mr. Toleson.”

Mr. Toleson, quite used to this, only rolled his eyes and moved to pour you more tea. “Pray tell me what I have done to receive such contempt, Miss?”

That question could not easily be answered. Did your contempt stem from your lack of choice, or from Mr. Toleson’s less than agreeable disposition? Or perhaps from society’s overall decision that whatever may happen, you should sit still and be merry. Who cares if your marriage is loveless and your life unfulfilled?

You dropped another sugar cube in your tea and stirred it around. Maybe it was everything all at once. And Mr. Toleson’s… superiority in age didn’t help matters either. The rickety man just reached his late fifties, his hair reaching a color not yet gray, but most definitely not the brown of his youth. You’d seen pictures. He was a handsome boy twenty years ago, when you were but a lemon-shaped babe in the womb.

“I had plans,” you answer at last. “Plans that do not include you.”

His eyes twinkled like the idea was preposterous, his mustaches curling with his lips. Mr. Toleson gazed at you like a child, only discomforting you even further about the idea of sharing a marriage bed. “What plans, Miss?”

“It doesn’t matter,” you snapped back. “I’m going to be chained to you all my life. Even after you die, which I assume will be soon given the state of you, I’ll be forced into widowhood. I look awful in black, you know, and pretending to grieve would do nothing for my mental state—oh, where are you going?”

Mr. Toleson had thrown down his napkin, face hot and brows screwed together. He peered down his nose at your poor attempt at hiding a smile. “When you’re my wife,” he said, tone even and dark, gaze even more so. “You’ll do well to learn manners, Miss.”

There was a threat in there somewhere, for certain, and you wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. Mr. Toleson huffed out his too-small nose and spun on his heel, barking at a poor attendant to fix the table’s preposterous flower arrangement.

You gave the young boy a sorry look and stood to leave when a sharp voice filtered in from the next room. 

“Mr. Toleson! Where are you going—?” Your mother’s shrill tone cut short, a growl of your name soon to follow.

“Shit.” You whirled on the attendant boy with a pointed finger. He froze, eyes wide as several petals fell loose onto the table. “Please,” you hissed, pressing your palms together. “Ypu must help me.”

The boy dropped the flowers back into the vase, splashing a bit of water. With a single nod, he beelined for the window, unlatching it and swinging it open. You rushed over, his hands pushing you outside. “This is the only way out, my lady.”

“I’ll fall—wait!” You were swinging your legs over the sill before you realized what you were doing. Heart pattering in your chest, you cast him a look, but he was already shutting the window and drawing the curtains behind you. “Oh, dear.”

Down below, about twenty feet down and beyond the hedged yard, were the streets of the city, carts pulled by mules and passersby tracking dirt and mud and other materials across the dirt roads. You glanced around the outer wall of Mr. Toleson’s house. A trellis ran down the side just one window away, which you could use to climb down to then jump into the hedges. Stealing a breath, you began to inch along the window sill, setting a delicate foot on the wide declarative trim running from each window to the next. When it didn’t crumble beneath your foot, you went on, barely breathing as you clung flush to the wall.

Reaching the window, precariously making a step up to the next sill, you nearly tipped backward when you caught your mother’s back through the window. Feet slipping, you scurried down the trellis, losing your grip every few seconds and clinging to the wall. Eventually, you touched the earth, dusting off your dress as you faced the garden wall. Ivy ran all along it, but you’d done enough exploring whilst avoiding Mr. Toleson’s advances to know that a gate hid behind the green. It led right into a damp, drippy alleyway. You cringed down at your custom-made shoes, costing a fortune for certain. Sacrifices had to be made, and today, your shoes paid the price. 

Your wedding was a day away, and with it the end of your happiness. Not that anyone cared about your happiness those days. Expelling a sigh, you wandered the streets till nightfall, returning to the grand house in the dead of night.

Your mother paced the entry hall when you stepped inside, the tall door booming shut behind you. Her eyes were on you like a hawk, her words sharp knives. “Where have you been?”

“Uptown,” you drawled, tossing your now dirtied shoes across the carpet. “Downtown. Midtown. Where haven’t I been is the real question.”

She looked close to exploding, cheeks inflated and lips pinched together. “You embarrassed me—You embarrassed Mr. Toleson!”

Waving an absent hand, “I couldn’t care less, woman. Now let me be before I drop dead of melancholy.”

A stiff utterance of your name struck the air, the impact on your back fleeting as you swept upstairs. Again and again, she cried your name till it sounded more like a beg than an order, and it halfway made you desire to face her. But facing your mother and having her see you had long been a futile task. 

Her voice struck your back until you reached the top of the stairs and darted down the hall, whipping open your bedroom door and slamming it back behind you. Swiftly locking it, you clawed at your chest, skin constricting and choking you out. That woman… your mother could never understand.

Once, you hoped maybe she could. Your oldest servant, a frail woman who’d been serving your mother for a decade, told you that your mother went through the same unfortunate situation as you. She walked an aisle leading to shackles, just as you would at tomorrow’s soon-coming dusk. But time had turned that woman cold, making her hellbent on sentencing you to the same fate.

Eyes scanning the room, you gave a shaken sigh. Tomorrow you would be forced into a similar room, but that one you would share with Mr. Toleson. Your skin crawled. “At least he only wants my money. He cares for nothing else.”

You slipped into bed, unsure of the next good sleep you’d receive.

જ ⁀ ➴

Up with the sun, you dressed quickly and slipped out of the house, careful not to make a sound as you exited onto the street. There was ample time between sunrise and the ceremony, each second passing with a daunting swiftness. Soon, the morning bells rang throughout the city, signaling that noon had fallen. 

You stared up at the sky as the chimes fell silent, chest constricting. This walk around the city had done nothing to quell your distress. In anything, it made it worse; people on the street beamed and congratulated you on sight, offering you flowers and well-wishes. You received them all with practiced kindness, even as doom lurked behind you.

“Just a few more hours,” you mumbled, taking refuge in a damp alley. “I can visit the old pond… perhaps the frogs will be out.”

Nodding, you slipped back out with a ducked chin, walking quickly through the crowds until so little as three people were around and the the stone streets faded into soft dirt paths underfoot. Through sparse trees and lonely wood, you made your way to the duckpond on the outskirts of the city. Not a soul around; perfect.

You plopped yourself on the ground and hugged your knees to your chest, oblivious to the dust curling around you. Maybe, if you stayed right there all day, no one would find you. You could sit through the whole ceremony—through the whole year, till weeds crawled up your limbs and rocks were surfaced by the winds. You’d become part of this pond when the rain fills it beyond the banks, dissolving into an urban legend of what happens to heartbroken young women.

You smiled for the first time in many weeks. That fate sounded as lovely as anything.

The reverie broke as voices crept up behind you. Peeking over your shoulder, you spotted two entities: the first being the constable, and the second farther behind him. This group of people was more like a gaggle, or perhaps a rabble, their boisterous tones causing the constable to cast them a glare.

You jumped to your feet before he could face forward again and darted toward to big oak tree you used to climb in your youth, skidding to a halt right behind it. The constable was good friends with your fiance and would surely escort you back home the instant he saw you. 

“Are you sure we can fish here?”

“I’m sure no one’s told us we can’t.”

“Sanji!”

One of the voices, presumably the one called Sanji, laughed in reply while their counterpart grumbled under their breath. Part of you felt the need to jump out and warn them against it, because surely the constable would be quick to apprehend them. But then he would also surely apprehend you.

“Sirs,” the gruff voice of the constable barked, right on cue. “Fishing in this pond is strictly prohibited. It’s for viewing only by law.”

The one called Sanji clicked his tongue. “Is there some sort of sign we missed? Because there’s no warning stopping us.”

Oh, dear. “I’m here to stop you. Now please, put away your tack and gear.” There were a few indignant huffs, but no rustling of a confrontation. Good, good… 

“Right. Now, have either of you gentlemen spotted a young woman about?” The constable proceeded to give your exact description, spiking a panic within you. The search party had already begun. “No? Drat. Perhaps I’m at the wrong pond… Good day to you…”

You remained behind the tree for five long minutes, listening to the constable’s steps fade away and the conversation between the two men go on. Peeking out, you saw a tall skinny blond and a man with dark skin at the pond’s edge, fishing of all things.

Puffing your cheeks, you stepped out with crossed arms. “He told you it's not allowed!”

Their heads swiveled around, eyes wide and startled. The blond was the first to recover, his hold on the fishing rod slackening as an easy smile slid across his face. “My, my, what kind of nymph are you?”

Your cheeks warmed as his eyes scanned you up and down. “The angry kind.”

The other man quirked a brow, quicker than the other. “Was that guy looking for you?”

Alarms went off in your mind. “Never mind that, just don’t fish in my pond.”

“Whatever you say~”

“Sanji!” 

Satisfied, you trudged off, letting their bickering be drowned out gradually. With the knowledge that the whole city now knew to look out for you, probably thinking the aloof noble girl just lost track of time, you took the long way around, slinking through dirty alcoves you once called your kingdom some years ago. 

This whole city was your empire, in your mind. You and the other young girls and boys traipsed about without a care, creating your own world only the lot of you could see. You, of course, were high empress of all alleyways.

Growing up like this meant your mighty empire was toppled. All your old friends had new lives now, time ticking by with mundane tasks and masks to keep up. Many of them would attend your wedding,  but they might as well be strangers now. Such was the way of your city. You get old and you lose your life. 

A subtle burn welled up behind your eyes as you rounded a dark corner and found the old crates you’d formed into a palace, untouched and frozen in time as the curling alleys of the city grew dusty from neglect. You stopped short at the sight, quickly snapping back to reality and darting away, running as fast as you could to get away. Left and right, you were reminded of how expansive these alleys really were, and how easy it was to get lost in them.

Not that you would ever get lost; you’d cling to your memories as long as possible. You knew this place like the back of your hand, so it was a surprise when instead of a dead end, you turned to find a long alley leading out to the market. The scent of the baker’s stall and sweet rolls being sold wafted down to you, providing a momentary calm—before that laugh broke it all down.

Creeping back around the corner, you waited for the laugh to stop, peering around to find that you weren’t alone. Near the mouth of the alley, a boy stood clutching his chest, laughter fading even as he glanced out onto the street. For just three whole seconds, you swore he was something out of a novel.

Pretty face  scarred on one side, but it didn’t make him any less to look at. Hair windswept despite the stillness, clothes ratty in some places and newly stitched up in others. Whoever he was, you’d never seen him before, so where exactly did he come from?

“Hey.” You blinked widely, realizing quite too late that you’d been caught. Locked in severe eye contact, you ever so slowly retreated back around the corner, flattening yourself against the wall. Maybe if you didn’t breathe, he’d think he hallucinated and walk away.

“Hey,” that boy said again, closer now. “What’re you doing?”

You didn’t make a sound, flush against the wall as if trying to disappear even when his face appeared in your peripheral. He blinked, waiting for you to do something. “Why’re you being so weird?”

“I, well…” You glanced around, anywhere but his face. “I was taking a walk.” You tensed up, held your breath, and blurted, “I don’t talk to strangers!”

You stared hard at the ground, hoping that he’d think you were crazy and walk away, but then the boy laughed at you. Gasping softly, you raised your head and gazed at him softly, lips parted slightly. Nobody had ever laughed at you before, at least not to your face like this boy, heaving as his chuckles faded. 

“You’re talking to me anyway.” He had you there. His eyes glinted despite the sun being obscured by the tall buildings. 

“I…”

He thrust out his hand suddenly. “I’m Luffy.” His hand, his face. His hand, his face. Your eyes darted back and forth until you finally settled on his hand. Dirty, that was the first thing you noticed, and then the callouses. You’d only seen hands like that on a sailor. 

You blinked back up at his face, locking in on his eyes. Sailors weren’t to be trusted. They took young girls’ hearts, along with something more personal, and set back off to sea. That’s what your mother said, but you had a feeling your mother had never seen someone like Luffy before. You’d never seen anyone like Luffy, so bright he could’ve been the sun itself. You took his hand quickly, shaking it firmly, and introduced yourself. 

Luffy chuckled. “Now I’m not a stranger.”

You couldn’t help but crack a grin. “I suppose not. Do you sail?”

“How’d you know?” Luffy tilted his head, leaning back on his heels, and you forgot how to speak. Luffy wasn’t too bad to look at. He was unlike any of the handsome boys you’d seen in court, sure, but that didn’t matter. Perhaps it endeared you more. Luffy, whoever he was, was different from everything you knew.

“You hands, I suppose. They’re like a sailors’.”

His laugh was odd, like a shi-shi-shi sound, prompting a stifled snort out of you as well. “Yep! I’m a pirate!”

Instantly, your whole face dropped, frozen in place. “Oh… that’s… something.”

Pirates were very different from regular sailors. They stole and pillaged and plundered and did many other terrible deeds. Your great-grandfather had been killed by a pirate… but you’d never known him. It’s all hearsay. Besides, Luffy didn’t look like he would ever think of maiming you. He looked like your next good friend, even if just for now. 

“Your crew is here, then?” you asked, moving to sit atop a set of crates along the wall. Luffy jumped as he followed, plopping in the dirt in front of you instead. 

“Mhmm. They’re… somewhere.” He snickered. “We just left Alabasta, y’know.”

You leaned forward to gawk at him. “So you saw what happened? With Crocodile? It was crazy.”

Again with that strange laugh of his. “Yep. I’m the one who beat his ass into the ground!”

“You—huh?” Tilting your head, his smile infected you, tugging at your lips. “So, you’re the savior of Alabasta? Not that marine?”

You sat in awe as he told you everything, going so far back that you learned exactly how he met Princess Vivi. By the end of an hour, you were on the edge of your seat, knees snug against your chest as Luffy described it all in grand detail. 

“Wow… that sounds amazing. Not the part where you nearly drowned in sand, but you know.” Resting your chin on your knees, “You must feel so… free out there.”

Luffy nodded quickly, eyes unfocused for a moment, staring at the unseen. “Yeah. It’s amazing.”

Your smile grew dim and melancholy. The bells of evening rang in the distance. “Thank you for telling me your story, Luffy. You didn’t have to do that.”

He shrugged one shoulder, his expression one you could only call cute. “You wanted to know… what’re you so sad for?”

You hummed, startled. “I’m not sad.”

“Are too,” he said, eyes narrowed. “So what is it?”

For some time, you didn’t say another word. Luffy stood now, hands planted on either side of yours knees as he stared right at you. It wasn’t threatening or seductive, simply curious in a way you’d never witnessed. Like he truly wanted to know. And so, you told him.

“I’m getting married. Today.” You shut your eyes and grimaced. “And I don’t want to, but I have no choice.”

“So… don’t?”

You reeled back. “Did you not hear me? I have to.” Luffy only tilted his head as you scoffed at the sky. “My only choice is to comply with the path set before me. If I stray too far… I can’t stray too far.”

You hardly realized how angry you’d gotten till Luffy’s finger poked at your forehead once, twice, three times. You blinked slowly. “What?”

“I don’t really get it,” he said. “But you seem pretty sure.” He was right in your face, oblivious to the fluster rising in your face. And then he smiled a beaming smile. “Hey, why don’t you—”

“There you are!” A coil formed in the pit of your stomach, eyes slowly drifting to the mouth of the alley. The constable stalked toward you looking as relieved as he was pissed off. “Your mother’s been sending everyone out for you, miss. Have you lost your mind?”

“Sorry, sir,” you mumbled, ignoring how Luffy stared at you all perplexed-like. “I’ll… I was looking for some flowers for the parlor. Didn’t find a patch in bloom. I’ll head back now.”

The constable stepped forth, not yet noticing Luffy. He began to loom over you, and only when Luffy inched closer to your side did the constable’s gaze flicker to him. Disgust was the only word to describe how the constable looked at Luffy. “Let me escort you home, miss. Wouldn’t want you to lose your way again.”

You looked between the two of them nervously. “Of course, sir.” You stood from the crate and moved to follow the constable, hoping beyond hope Luffy would forget the entire ordeal, for his sake. The constable was going to forget all about your new friend, if only Luffy stayed quiet.

“Hey.” You tightened every muscle in your body. “Who’s she marrying anyway?”

The constable jerked to a stop, his deepset brow furrowing.

“Only the most powerful man around,” the constable replied very carefully, very calculated. He sized the boy up. “She’s very lucky to be marrying Mr. Toleson.”

“Let’s go, sir,” you insisted, daring to hook your arm through the constable’s and nearly drag him away. He dug his feet in. “Introduce me to your friend, miss.”

“He’s—he’s not my friend,” you blurted, eyes glued to the ground. “Sir, let us go. I’ve made us late enough. I have to prepare—”

Luffy took a daring step forward. “You shouldn’t have to marry someone if you don’t want to.”

The constable gritted is teeth, hand closing around your arm. “What would you know about what she wants?”

“Let’s go—”

“She doesn’t like this Tole guy,” Luffy persisted. Your eyes pleaded with him, but he wasn’t looking at you, sight set on the tall man beside you. “So she shouldn’t marry him. Tole-y can find someone who actually likes him if he’s so desperate—”

“Shut. Up.” Dangerous. Your tone was dangerous, wide glare moreso. Luffy silently eyed you, looking right through to your soul. “Goodbye. We have to go. Places to be. Come, Constable.”

Halfway turned, the constable kept one eye on your friend, feet slowly following after you—when Luffy reached out, grabbed your shoulder, and tried to tug you to his side. You whipped around to smack him, but your palm swiped at air. 

Luffy stood five feet back, his arm stretched beyond comprehension and latched onto your shoulder.

“What the…” Head foggy, you barely registered the click of a gun till it rose in your peripheral. Everything went by far too quickly, and suddenly you stared down the head of the constable’s pistol, gasping like you hadn’t a clue how you’d got there. 

“Get out of here, Luffy,” you ordered, not taking your stare off the constable. “I won’t say it again.”

He was gone when you finally chanced a look over your shoulder. The constable swiftly took your arm in a vice and led you onto the street, holstering his gun and muttering, “Street rats have no place here.”

“Sea dog,” you corrected absently, quite out of your own head. “He’s a pirate, so, sea dog.”

As if that would cease his endless muttering.

You were shut inside your house and shuffled away to a sunny parlor, tended to by maids you’d known since birth, their chattering unable to draw you out of your stupor as they powdered your face and tightened a corset round your waist till the room started spinning. 

Meanwhile, a pirate boy returned to his friends, not sparing their newly caught fish a second glance as he asked Robin if she’d heard anything about a wedding in the city. The archeologist grinned as if she knew precisely what had transpired in that alley, though she couldn’t possibly have.

At any rate, the notorious Straw Hat pirates now prepared to act on their captain’s whim, not one of them questioning when he said his “new friend” was in trouble.

જ ⁀ ➴

The carriage ride to the chapel was so you bumpy you were half convinced the driver did it on purpose. You sat wobbling from side to side, eyes glazed over, and you let your mind drift away—you became a specter, wandering blindly till you blinked, and you stood in a sunny side-room, waiting to be fetched for the altar.

Your arms like gooseskin, you peered into a spotless mirror despondently. Your hair was done up prettily, face caked in different powders and creams. The sickening scent of rose perfume surrounded on all sides. The dress fit nicely, not too tight, not too loose. Perfect. Not a thing was out of place.

It all set in at once; by the end of the hour you’d be Mrs. Toleman. Your mother would receive all the benefits, all the praise. She’d smile and really mean it. Your husband would be free from bankruptcy, your family’s massive inheritance given to him the moment you say, “I do.” You’d stand on his arm the rest of his life, the perfect ornament, so quiet and dull. 

An older woman fussed over the tears dotting your lashes, roughly swatting them away with her handkerchief, chastising you for such childishness. 

“If my daughter were in your position,” she said after nearly gauging your eye. “She’d be ecstatic.”

You gazed quite darkly. “Your daughter was in my position,” you whispered, causing her to freeze putting away her handkerchief. “I’m sure you recall her escaping to the circus very clearly.”

A sharp gasp. A drawn hand. Your mother stepped into the room, flustered beyond compare, and the maid resigned to fume quietly. You wished she would slap you. Perhaps the strike would redden your face so much that the whole thing was called off. 

“Well,” your mother exasperated, eyes raking down your form. “I hope you’re ready. Look pleasant.”

She weaved an arm through yours as a bouquet of lilies was shoved in your hands. A sneeze crawled up your nose and died as you held your breath, for the next moment you faced two long and full rows of people you’d never met and would never see again. 

Despite the petals and music and lovely weather, it felt very much like a funeral march. The empty faces of the guests chilled you to the bone, not one of them sparing even a grin. A few checked their watches. One boy tugged on a young girl’s pigtail, and the girl was swatted for disturbing the peace. A ginger girl fought with a green-haired male in one of the farther pews. Against the far wall a blonde caterer absently smoked a cigarette. Somewhere, a bird sounded like it was dying, crooning a sad song.

This damn city. These damn people. You’d die here, physically, spiritually, and mentally so. White hot panic welled up within you, but it was far too late to even think of darting for the door; you stood before your groom, gazing blankly into his chest.

You felt as if you were dying, a life so short flashing before your eyes as your hands were taken into the clammy grasp of Mr. Toleson. He wore no smile, no warmth upon his face. Only cold indifference. You hoped you looked the same, lest he spy your terror. 

The officiator droaned on meaningless words, warbled by your dazed mind. Only when your hands were squeezed harshly did you refocus, blinking widely.

Clearing his throat, the officiator shuffled uncomfortably. “Do you take this man to be your husband?”

Were you at this bit already? Heart thundering, you didn’t dare to look at Mr. Toleson, panicked gaze flickering to the now bated audience. Every eye stared at you, boring into you fiercely, only worsening your condition. 

“I…”

Mr. Toleson gripped you tightly, painfully. He gritted out just for you to hear, “You what? We haven’t got all day…”

“I–I…” A gulping breath. A flash of red ribbon and straw. Cutting your eyes across the room, you settled on a boy near the back of the pews, a grin emblazoned on his face. He caught your eye and held it fast. You hardly believed your eyes, yet understood in an instant.

“Miss,” said the officiator.

Luffy tilted his head, as if asking are we doing this? You chanced a flicker of a smile. 

You ripped your hands from Mr. Toleson’s sweaty grip, eyes wide and childish smile inching across your face as the room filled with sharp gasps. Gaze flickering up to Mr. Toleson’s aghast expression, you lurched back three, four, five steps till your heel met the edge of the raised platform. As you slipped to the floor a hand settled on the small of your back. The caterer planted his feet beside you, face grim as he gritted down on his cigarette. 

“Are you alright?” he muttered. You gave a quick nod.

The point of no return had come, and you’d taken the path once blocked by a landslide, the path you’d dismissed entirely just an hour ago. Your mother gasped your name, a hissed out word, drawing your gaze quickly. She was deathly pale, like she was about to be sick. No sympathy of yours rose to meet her, none at all, and the freedom of two words boomed from your chest. 

”I don’t!”

Silence. You heaved in a breath of air, and no one said a word. Like time had stood still. A litheful, frightening laugh ripped through the church and everything sped up all at once.

“Why… you…” Mr. Toleson’s face rivaled the ripest of tomatoes. He hadn’t so much as taken a step when the caterer whirled around and kicked him right in the chest. He blew his hair out of his face and stomped out his cigarette, looking like he’d done this twelve hundred times before. You started to think he wasn’t a caterer at all. 

“I’ve seen you before,” you thought aloud. Chaos erupted all around, guests rising from their chairs in a panic, and you just couldn’t put your finger on it. “Oh! You were at the pond!”

Sanji, that was his name. He dodged a punch from one of the quicker, bolder groomsmen, an easy smile on his face. He faced you with his hands shoved in his pockets. “That’s your priority, love?”

You flushed, whether from the tease or endearment, you didn’t know. “Well—”

“You!” your mother’s shrill voice cut the air. You turned just in time to catch her pouncing at you, her hand clawing for your arm. Her nails barely got close to scratching you when a hand branched out of her chest and drove her back by a vice around her neck. Somebody screamed as guests began a mad rush to escape the inevitable fight; everyone had the same guess—pirates.

You’d never been so happy, even with the disembodied hand issue.

Mr. Toleson rose to his feet, nursing his chest, his eyes aflame. He whirled on the groomsmen. “Don’t just stand there!”

Just like that they broke out of their daze. Not just the groomsmen; the constable shook himself out of his shock as several other burly men of the town rallied together.

You inched backward as dozens of eyes settled on you, heart quickening, when out of nowhere that ginger girl from before rushed up with a bow staff and gave several groomsmen severe head trauma. The green haired man drew out three swords. That other man from the pond jumped over a pew, a slingshot in hand. And a tall, graceful woman stared down your petrified mother. 

Only those willing to put up a fight were left, leaving only the rougher men of the town and the pirates--Luffy's pirates.

Sanji flung an attacker off his back and sent the guy flying your way, wiping the smile from your face as you yelped and dodged. You scurried off to the side, nearly tripping head over heels in your dress, having to hike up your skirts as you twirled in and out of the swiftly rising rabble.

Luffy’s marksman remained unscathed at his vantage point, lining up a shot and letting it fly. You gasped delightfully when the constable was nailed right in the forehead and hit the floor unconscious. You found a place flush against the wall, and you beamed at the destruction.

Pews turned to splinters under the power of the swordsman. Refreshments scattered across the floor as the ginger was thrown into a table and jumped back up again. Flowers fluttered around as the raven haired woman used some kind of magic to extend her reach. And Luffy—he laughed through it all. People jumped at him with fists and clubs, yet he threw them all off like it was nothing. Perhaps to him it was.

You stifled another smile behind your hands. The people of your town were absolutely demolished by these pirates. These glorious, heroic pirates you would be thanking for the rest of your life—

“You did this.” In an instant your wrists were captured by your ex-fiancee. “Witch. Where’d you get the money to pay them, huh?”

“Let go,” you bit back, jerking away only for his hold to tighten, prepared for your escape this time. 

He yanked you closer. “After everything I’ve done for your family—” 

You spat in his eyes and kneed his crotch, watching satisfied as he crumbled to the floor. “Family my ass.”

You darted into the chaos without another word. Men lay unconscious every few steps, their bloody and bruised faces staring up at you. You tripped over someone’s leg, growled sharply, and took hold of your skirts. One by one you ripped off the layers of tulle, leaving you in your knee-length bloomers, dress reduced to the lacy bodice and shreds of fabric at your hips. Finally you yanked your heels off, hopping on one foot and then the other. 

Right as you were about to drop your left shoe, the man of honor, some guy called Henry, made for you swiftly. Gasping, you gripped the toe of the heel and clubbed him over the head.

Someone grabbed your shoulder a second later. You shrieked and dropped to the ground, slipping out of the grip and rolling to the side. The swordsman appeared suddenly and cut the man down in one move. The body dropped beside you. You blinked, gasped, and let a delayed scream flee your lips. The swordsman reached to grab your wrist and hoisted you to your feet. “You okay?”

“Y-you killed him!” you cried.

“Relax,” he rolled his eyes. “I hit him with the hilt.”

Sure enough, the man only had a gash on his temple and some head trauma most likely. The swordsman looked you up and down briefly. “Watch out for the ero-cook lookin’ like that.”

You hardly cared if you looked indecent. “Where’s Luffy?”

He didn't get to answer—a laugh you quickly grew to recognize had you whipping around, eyes peeled. 

His profile shone in the evening light bleeding from the windows. He stood with his head thrown back and eyes tightly shut, a blinding smile on his face. Transfixed, you wondered, not for the last time, if he was more than human.

When his laughter died down Luffy held his fists close to his chest and looked around as if searching for another fight, his gaze finding you. Your heart skipped, but his smile dropped deathly fast. You didn’t have the chance to wonder before his fist zipped a hair's breadth away from your cheek. You hit the ground instantly, head ducked between your knees. You might have remained there forever, wondering just what possessed him, if you were stupid for trusting him, overwhelmed by something akin to heartbreak—when two sandaled feet entered your sight.

“Hey,” he said, giving you deja vu. “What’re you doin’ on the floor?”

Eyes wide, chest heaving, you sprang to your feet and got nose to nose with him. Luffy merely blinked at you. “What’s wrong with you!? First, you help me, then you try to hit me! Why—Don’t touch me!” 

He gripped your shoulders and spun you around in one fluid motion. All your sputtering got caught in your throat. Two feet away Mr. Toleson lay flat on his back with the worst bloody nose you’d ever seen. 

One. Two…

You couldn’t help it; you laughed. Ugly laughed. Louder and more all-consuming than you ever had before. You tried to choke on it, only making the sound sizzle into harsh snickers. 

Luffy felt like he was in a trance, watching you dazedly as he broke into his own fit of laughter.

“Gah!” Your mother bolted for the door, throwing a fretful glance over her shoulder. She paused, wove around a man limping for the exit, and dragged Mr. Toleson to his feet. Coughing, your would-be fiancée set his grim sights on Luffy. Your mother tugged him with her, more forceful now. “Come. She isn’t worth your life.”

Really, it shouldn’t have bothered you. She’d never done anything for you, yet—her words struck you oddly, fiercely. They were gone before you recovered. You glanced around at a loss as Luffy stood a strong pillar in your peripheral. Your eyes darted to meet him as the final pieces of your world crumbled to dust, and you found nothing but cool assurance; you sighed out a breath you’d been holding since you were ten. 

“Good riddance,” you choked. Luffy’s lips ticked up in a smile. The figures of his friends came into focus as they gathered around in the wreckage of the church. Emotion tingled in every corner of your body. “Thank you, all of you. I’m… forever in your debt.”

That wasn’t all you wished to express by far. You’d been thinking it the whole while, perhaps even from the first moment you learned he was a pirate. The request teetered precariously on the tip of your tongue when the caterer cut you off.

“No need, madam,” he said with a flourish of his wrist. “Always a pleasure to assist.”

His eyes took you in gratefully, and he was quick to wipe away the small bit of blood leaving his nose. You grinned, almost grimacing, and gave an awkward laugh. “Of course…” Luffy’s shoulder brushed your own, drawing your gaze to him. His bright eyes had you wanting to reach up and brush his messy hair out of his face. Somehow, you refrained. “Just what kind of pirates are you? I didn’t think your lot were in the business of wedding crashing.”

Luffy shrugged his shoulders, barely smiling as he replied, “I like you.”

You choked on nothing. “Well—that’s—indeed.”

The silence of the room, only some harsh breaths breaking it, had you questioning what came next. Your adrenaline crashed all at once as your eyes got heavy and your shoulders sagged all at once. You rubbed at your eyes and suppressed a yawn, shivering as a breeze drifted by. 

The ginger girl noticed the change at once, moving to your side despite her own exhaustion. “Let’s get you cleaned up. That can’t be comfortable.”

For some reason, you didn’t jerk away from her touch, so gentle and kind as she took your arm. “Yeah. Uhm, I can go to my servants’ quarters. They won’t say anything…”

The girl scoffed, catching your eye. “No way. You’re going to our ship.” She blanched a second later, backtracking. “If that’s okay with you.”

You watched for any sign of falsehood, and found none at all. You shook your head quickly. “No, that’s fine. Can we go now?”

The girl—Nami, you later learned—giggled and swiftly ushered you out of the wreckage and into the sun. You gave a soft laugh of your own, still very reserved yet filled with the tentativeness of someone realizing that everything would be okay. 

And Luffy watched you leave, his lips tugging upwards subconsciously. He stood solidly as each of his friends followed after you, till only Robin remained. She had her arms crossed, head tilted low and eyes scrutinizing. She took in Luffy’s stance, his twitchy fingers, his eyes transfixed on empty space. All usual features on her friend; it was his dopey grin that gave it all away.

“Captain,” Robin spoke. “Everything all right?”

“Yeah,” Luffy nodded. He didn’t even stutter, his reply instant. “Why?”

She nearly chuckled, holding back if only to humor him. She nudged his shoulder with her own to spur him into motion, and the pair walked slowly into the streets. 

“What do you know about your new friend?” she asked as they passed under a bakery sign squeaky as it swung with the wind. 

He paused. “She’s fancy… and unhappy.” Luffy kicked a pebble and watched it skip all the way to the end of the sloped path. “Very unhappy. She’ll be happier with us.”

Robin’s heart went tender as she looked away, hiding a smirk. “Have you told her that?”

Catching her eye, Luffy smiled. “She knows.”

They caught up enough to spy the others as Usopp and Nami had their arms around your shoulders, bickering absently whilst you snickered quietly between them. Robin nodded, for who was she to argue? Besides, maybe you did. The smile on your face may have betrayed just that.

જ ⁀ ➴

You still heard the boisterous laughter of your new friends even as you swept away from the galley, heart beating a little too fast to be comfortable. They were amazing, sure, but overwhelming at best. All you needed was a moment and you could return unnoticed to the good food and warm company. As soon as you got some air.

You instinctively reached to pick up a skirt as you rose the stairs to the deck, only to grab at air, look down, and grin at the sight of Nami’s brown trousers. 

The cool night breeze hit you like a wall the moment you stepped outside, shooting shivers down your spine. The saltiness of the sea clung to your skin and clumped in your hair, filling your nose with every deep breath of air. 

The deck felt odd against your bare feet, grating against your skin just enough to make you wary of splinters despite the apparent fine craftsmanship of the wood. You leaned into the ship rail and gazed down upon the rolling waters. A soft and steady kussshhh kussshhh greeted you, a gentle sea spray kissing your cheeks.

So far, the sea was far greater than you’d ever conceived. Freedom rippled in every gust of wind billowing in the sails; the waves sang songs of grandauer; the stars winked secrets you couldn’t hear but felt in the creak of your bones. The music of the world had finally included you in its symphony, and you would never go back. 

Never.

You heard him before you saw him, his bumbling, careless steps thumping against the deck. Luffy came up out of the belly of the ship, gazed around once, and settled his sights on you. You met eyes and simply existed; he smiled first; you returned a grin. Luffy approached with all the familiarity he shouldn’t have given you in such a short time. 

“You disappeared,” he said too loudly, threatening to break the perfect silence settled around you. 

“I did,” you whispered back. After pursing your lips, you turned back to the sea and waited, assuming he would take the hint. It took two seconds longer than you anticipated, but Luffy’s shoulder soon bumped against your own. 

When he spoke again, he was softer, “How do you feel?”

You sucked in a lunfull of cold air and laughed it out. “Free. I didn’t think I’d ever feel like that again.”

He nodded, because he wanted to say so many things but at the same time had no clue what to say at all. Luffy had never experienced this before, being at a loss for words; all evening he’d dwelled in this confusion that only grew every time you smiled and he lost his breath. What was so different about you that all his words felt terribly redundant? 

“Wow.” He turned his head quickly, blinking at you. You were already looking right at him. 

“Huh?”

You shook your head, shy smile dripping in tease. “You’re quiet. I didn’t take you as someone to just dwell like this.”

How many minutes had passed? Luffy wasn’t sure, but you looked content, so he didn’t really care. His eyes danced all over your face, puzzlement laid in his brow. You tilted your head and began to worry about the cloudy look on his face.

“Can I ask you something?” you said. Luffy gave a wordless nod, still looking so lost. You wanted to touch him, the realization setting in suddenly, hand itching to grip his arm. “Why did you help me? You didn’t have to.” Crossing your arms, you turned to watch the curling white foam ripple off the ship. “It certainly made things harder for you. They might tell the Navy, and I can imagine that’s plain hell.”

“They won’t catch us,” he scoffed, catching your eye. “And like I said, I like you.”

Your lips pursed before you let slip a chuckle, face far too warm for your liking. He probably didn’t know what he was saying. “Right. How could I forget. Is that all?”

“You’re… funny.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Real funny. Odd. Makes me feel funny.” He said it with such nonchalance you wondered if he was joking, but the longer you stood and stared at your feet the more aware you were of his presence at your side. Finally, you lifted your head, finding him staring out to sea. He was one to talk about being odd. You hardly understood what was so odd about you; you felt fairly normal if you said so yourself—but that wasn’t exactly the point. 

Because Luffy was confused after all, just like he looked to be. The conflicted boy never strayed far from your shoulder, his hand brushing yours every few seconds. You hardly knew him—you didn’t know him—yet you couldn’t deny the overwhelming trust clawing its way into your heart. 

So, really, there wasn’t much more debate on whether you should ask. 

“Let me stay.” “Join my crew.”

The pair of you whipped your heads around suddenly. Eyes wide, you smiled, bursting into laughter with him, leaning into his side so he was half holding you up, your forehead hitting his chest—you missed hugs, sighing deeply as his warm hands brushed your skin and—

Cold rushed up your spine. You jerked away, an apology on your lips, when Luffy grunted and reeled you back in. You hit his chest with a thump as his arms wrapped around you three times. Eyes wide, body stiff, his deep breathing enveloped you till all you heard was in and out, in and out, that steady yet unsure rhythm. 

“I’d like to join your crew,” you said after a while. 

He focused on the space ahead of him, hold loosening bit by bit. “I’d like you to stay.”

You pulled away, and this time he let you. “Somehow, I feel I’m making a grave mistake.” He tilted his head all puppy-like, so you reveled in his puzzlement. Spinning out of his arms you faced the sea again. “You’ll most likely get me killed, Captain.”

Luffy blinked rapidly, heart thudding at the sly grin planted on your profile. Captain. He liked that. He always did, but now especially—when it came from you. 

“I won’t let that happen,” he said with such casualty. He stepped into your line of sight. “You do want to stay, don’t you?”

As if you had a choice, you mused. Even if you didn’t, it wouldn’t change a thing in your eyes. You smiled softly at him, a spark of wild excitement in your eyes. “More than anything.”

It started small, only a grin until it grew too wide to remain shut, his teeth shining seconds later. His eyes squinted, head thrown back, and you swore his laugh echoed to the very depths of the sea, encircling your whole being.

He fascinated you, filling you with this sense of freedom you’d never known before. Luffy was larger than life, and you stood there to witness his existence. Somehow, even then, you understood the gravity of who he would become. 

What an odd pair the two of you made. Him so unrestrained and you so proper—though surely the longer you spent with him the less true that became. Neither of you really cared either way; you found the other wildly fascinating, and in that moment on the deck as he blinded you with his smile, that’s really all that mattered.

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @100520s @kryscent

[14dayswithyou]

The 14DWY brainrot is real... >_< were ypu planning on sharing koi ren's design here too or is it discord only for now? remember to drink lots n lots of water today 🐸☔️

i don't rmbr if i included this but can you share any koi crumbs too?

✦゜ANSWERED: aaaaa I'm 14 years late to this ask (/silly), but thank you for reminding me!! I'll add the new Mer Ren design to da queue >:3

I'll also put the Koi Ren (I'm rocking with this new name!!) crumbs under the cut!!

"Stop rocking the boat, Ren." Without sparing a glance in his direction, you continue to stare out into the vast, open lake. "You'll scare away all the fish."

Had you turned around, you would've seen the faux-deadpan look on his face as Ren takes in the irony of your words. As if to prove a point, he gently swishes his tail in the water, which causes small ripples to form and (eventually) disturb your bobber. "I don't think the boat is the problem here."

"Okay, how about this... One more fish, then we can go back." You finally look back at your scaley companion — who was still leaning against the edge of your tin boat with a lazy smile — and give him a resolute nod. "Promise."

"Sure," Ren casually reaches into the boat to pick and pluck at some of your live bait. "But you said that about the last three fish."

"This will be the last one. I swear."

"You... swear?" You try to ignore the way Ren swallows up one of your minnows as if you weren't using them for bait as he continues to speak, "Like... curse words? Humans sure are weird creatures."

As if realising his comment, Ren's ocean-blue eyes widen slightly and shift towards your form. "N-Not... Not you, though."

With a laugh, you playfully try to nudge him off of the boat. All it does is cause it to tip slightly, but Ren steadies it when you show signs of losing balance.

"Alright. One more fish, then?"

You nod and cast your attention back to your rod once more. You don't even notice the silence — nor Ren slipping away — until you suddenly feel a tug on your line and call out to your companion in excitement. "That was quick!"

Quickly reeling it in, you wonder what kind of fish you'd just caught — it's definitely stronger than you anticipated, given how the rod drastically bends and snaps at every movement from the fish. And just as you see the shadow from the murky depths get closer, the ripples get bigger and cause a stir underneath your tin boat. Standing up now, you try with all your might to reel it on board...

...Only for a mess of black hair to emerge from below and peer up at you with a smug look.

"Ren!"

"Looks like you got a big one."

"C'moooon." You practically whine, though you allow Ren to haul himself into your tiny boat and rest his head in your lap. You can still feel his body shake from underneath your touch, no doubt still laughing at his poor attempt at a joke. "This doesn't count."

A beat passes before your fishy companion responds. "...Hm? Fine then."

Another moment of silence follows before he slithers back into the water without another word. Half of you worries that you might've said something to offend him (there was still the tiniest hint of a language barrier between you two). Still, it ultimately leads to nothing as Ren soon emerges once more — only this time, he's hauling the biggest largemouth bass you'd ever seen into your boat.

"This good enough?" He looks at you with wide, blue eyes. "If not, I can probably find a sturgeon and—"

"It's bigger than my boat!"

"Is this what your kind calls... exaggeration? Because your boat is big enough even for me to—"

"—Arghh! It's getting water everywhere! Put it back!"

It was almost comical how Ren tossed the fish over his shoulder and back into the water without breaking eye contact with you.

Another wave of silence hits, yet neither of you seems to move or break the awkward staring contest you'd somehow started. It's then when you notice Ren's grin get bigger — most likely at your resignation and embarrassment — which causes you to fall back into your seat in defeat.

"Fine. Enough fishing for today. Let's head back." Busying yourself with the bucket of fish and tacklebox in front of you, you secure your gear and pack everything away. But it seems Ren had other plans, seeing as he took it upon himself to climb back into your boat and rest his arms on your legs. No longer able to move as freely, you have no choice but to indulge in his carefree whims.

"But you caught me. Aren't you going to bring me home too?"

"As much as I want to," Truly, you do. You've always wanted to show Ren the world outside of Lake Bluemoss. "There's no way I'm carrying you all the way down the mountain."

"You never know until you cry."

"Try." You correct him. "Until you try."

"Your kind sure are funny." Ren nuzzles himself closer. "Perhaps another time, then... Stay here tonight."

Your body pricks up at his words, and you spare a glance at the abandoned boathouse near the dock. Despite its rough and rugged exterior, you and Ren actually made it quite comfy. It had some of your old blankets and sheets thrown over one of the boats to make it comfortable to lounge in — alongside a giant empty tank that you and Ren filled with water for him to sit in as well. Despite the lack of human traction, the place still felt homey and well-loved.

"...I guess I could."

"Then what are we waiting shore?"

You had to roll your eyes at his attempt at a pun.

[lazyneonrabbitt]

Found

Daryl Dixon & adopted daughter

Request: Heyya, so Ive been reading some of your fixs and idk if your inbox is open rn, but if you can can ypu make one with were daryl? Like where he finds a lost child (who didnt know shes a werewolf too) and kinda raises her? If not that is fineee :)

With winter approaching fast the group had set out to a large store lot further off, knowing there was a bed store somewhere on that lot and they needed to stock up on anything they came across.

Except when listing 'anything', none of them had 'a child' in mind.

When the group raided the supply area, Daryl had set out to the front and rummage around only to find empty cans.

At least one empy can that wasn't even a day old, seeing the remains hadn't dried out yet. He quickly hid and took in his surroundings better.

There was only one bed clearly in use. Others had stuff thrown on them or were still too neat and all dusty, but still he was wary.

Rustling further down the store caught his attention so he stalked towards it, quickly catching the source of the noise which turned out to be.. a child?

"The hell?" He kept the young girl at arm's length and gave her a once over. All her clothes were torn and hanging loosely over her worn out, hollow frame. "Where's yer group?" He got only a sad scoff in return. "Nowhere."

He gave her another good look, sneaking in some sniffs to see if she was sick and left behind because of it, but he found none of that.

Just a faint whiff of wolf. It was barely there so he didn't think it came from her, maybe she stole the clothes from someone who happened to be a werewolf.

"C'mon. If yer alone I'm takin' ya home, we got a big place ta live in." He watched the kid calm down at the end of his outstretched arms, already out of his grip and nodding. "Please, being alone is scary.."

"Name's Daryl. You?" He held out his hand to shake, taking his time with her.

"Sarah."

Daryl had asked her all kinds of questions as he was given a tour of the store. "How long habe ya been here?" He wondered with how difficult it was for a single child to survive longer periods in this world. "Just a few days. Wait!" She stopped before turning to face her new friend. "Do you have electricity? Batteries?" Daryl nodded in return. "Yeah we got solar panels, why?" But he didn't get an answer, instead she swayed and disappeared around a corner. Daryl stalked after her, cursing her out for disappearing without a warning until he saw where she headed. In a far corner she had grabbed an abandoned cart and was stacking boxes in it. "Whatcha got, kid?"

She didn't reply, just waved him over as she kept piling the cart full of..

Electric blankets. Between the two corner shelves there was a stack of them, extras for easy access when restocking. "Ya just earned yer place at home. I'm fightin' anyone who disagrees." His comment earned him a laugh and a soft thanks. She didn't know why she felt so comfortable around the old man, he was a stranger which should have her wary but instead there was a strange familiar feeling that had her stay close.

After grabbing any and all usefull items from the front of the store they made their way back to the back, both with a cart piled high.

Daryl went first to announce his findings. Which included a new party member that made herself known by slowly appearing from behind the two carts of items.

She hid behind Daryl and peeked at the people, introducing herself after some light persuasion but the attention on her quickly faded with all the items they brought back.

On the way home she shared thebcar with Aaron. They sort of chatted about all kinds of light subjects, but she'd constantly be focussed on Daryl who rode his bike up front all the way to the gates of Alexandria.

Once home Daryl was dismissed to go take his new friend to the infirmary to get a quick checkup and get settled. Denise let her go with the instructions to eat well and she would be good, so Daryl took her to his place to raid Carol's meal prep and let her stuff her face with as much as she wanted.

After finding Carol and doing some intruductions Daryl took her back home to clean up while Carol went to pick up some new clothes and toiletries for her.

"Oh man!" Daryl caught her voice from the other end of the hallway. "I missed hot water! I love this place!" He laughed as he continued clearing the spare room that was now more of a storage of random possibly useful items.

Meanwhile Carol had dropped by and left a fresh set of clothes at the bathroom door and brought the rest over and put it all in the cabinet and helped finish making the bed.

Aa they were finishing up the bathroom door opened and a waft of moist, warm air flowed onto the rest of the floor.

"I wanted to stay in there forever." She quickly went quiet again when she saw Carol, new people were still a bit scary.

"Saw you enjoyed the food I cooked." Carol tried some small talk, and small it stayed while Daryl let her explore the house some more.

That night after Sarah went to bed Daryl went to find his best friend and have a talk.

"I think I brought home a wolf cub." The sentence was an easy one, no misinterpetations possible but still Carol looked at him like he had three heads. "Sarah, I'on think she knows but it explains why she's stickin' to me like tha'."

"I think it's best to wait for her to mention it. If you can sense her, then she should sense you too, or something."

Daryl huffed a laugh at her attempt at logic, but she was right. He would wait it out and hear from her when she was ready to share.

Except weeks passed and she never did. Sarah's wolf scent did get way less subtle over time but still hadn't mentioned it.

Until Daryl had enough one evening when they both sat in the living room, her with a book and him carving new bolts.

"What's up witcha? Ain't feelin' well?" He didn't even look up from his work when he asked, sensing full well what was wrong with her. Daryl kept the curtains drawn, but with them not being fitted there was always a little peek of moonlight coming through. Right where Carol usually sat with a book, using the light to read just like Sarah was right now.

"Come on outta that chair, girl. Sit here." If any other man would have told her that she would have ran, but she listened to Daryl.

But with the first movement of her leg she winced in pain, book dropping to the ground and her doubling over in pain. Daryl was up in a second, his work discarted on the couch as he moved the curtains so there was a larger illuminated spot on the floor. He couldn't take her outside where people would watch, and the bedrooms all had windows on the other side of the house so this was his best option.

"Alright kid I know this is gon' sound insane, but ya gotta stop fightin' the pain." And oh he hated him for those next words. "Ya also need ta lose the jeans. Tight shirt too." He finally got a look of disgust at his crazy words, but something in her mind told her to listen. Daryl somehow knew what her pain meant and he'd help. He'd be there.

"Y..heah. Blanket?" Oh. Right. Daryl moved to grab her a blanket to crawl underneath and worm out of her clothes.

"Daryl.." she spoke through winces of pain. "Why's there a voice?" She got a soft smile in response, not knowing exactly how to explain it in words and thus deciding to show her.

"M'gonna show ya wha's happenin' to ya. Jus' keep yer eyes on mine, yeah. M'gonna have ta get outta these tho." He pulled at the hem of his hoodie and tied it loosely around his hips before sliding his sweats down and off. His shirt went last before he kneeled and let the change he had been fighting ever since he stepped into the moonlight finally take over.

Sarah stared at his eyes like daryl instructed and watched them shine bright blue. And then he opened his mouth as she watched fangs appear. His ears pointed and his face changed.

His entire body looked like it-- no, it was bulking out. And fur sprouted over his skin and.. That's a tail.

"Holy shit.." Enthralled by the other's form changing into that of a beast she had barely felt her own starting to change. When she looked back at her hands there were claws where her fingernails were, and her tongue grazed past sharp teeth.

Daryl stared at her as she took deep breaths, trying to ignore the sudden spike of pain as her bones started to shift.

He reached a paw to rest on her shouder, softly squeezing the muscles as he spoke.

"Ya got this. It hurts like a bitch the first few times. M'sorry." He prayed she understood him and didn't just hear grumbles. With a saddened look she carefully crawled from underneath her blanket to curl up against Daryl's fur. He held her close as she cried, feeling her bones crack and heal, her muscles snap underneath steadily furring over skin. Her face was pressed in the bend of his arm where he felt her snout portrude against his skin, now wet with drool and tears.

Only when she stilled did Daryl pull away to look over her, checking if she properly shifted and softly kneaded at some muscles in hopes she'd respond well.

"Hurts.." She whined as her paw came up to swat away his, but failing as it stopped right in her view.

Daryl let her go entirely and stepped back, looking at her wobbly frame. "Ya look like a baby deer with yer shaky skinny legs."

Daryl laughed at her grumbles as she stood on all fours, padding around in place to get to know her limbs. "So weird.." she spoke as she stared at her hind legs and wiggled her toes. "So, werewolf?" She knew about monsters, what kid didn't at her age? She watched Daryl nod and stand up on his hind legs, motioning for her to try the same.

He watched her think as she slowly rose to her full height, which wasn't that much more than before. "How'r ya feelin?"

He didn't know anything about first time shifting for younger wolves. He never had someone teach him but his instincts luckily helped him take care of the pup he took under his wing. He saw her skinny frame and his only thought was to go hunt a deer and let her chow down. But he knew he couldn't take her out tonight. Their best option was to rest and let her get used to her new body.

"Feeling okay I guess. My legs are weird." She hobbled around, almost losing balance with every step and laughing at her wacky movement. At least she seemed to be having fun instead of cowering away and adapted really quick. He could only guess she was a lateblooming born wolf. His early shifting never went as smooth as hers and he surely wasn't up and bouncing on his feet fhe first moon.

"Ya look good, fer a scrawny lil' pup." She felt proud when he comlimented her in his own, dismissive way and couldn't help but grin, baring her teeth at him in glee.

"My head's no longer weird to me. Like we're friends now." Her paw went up to tap at her head, stopping as she poked her ear instead and took a moment to feel around at their new place on top of her head. Feeling her ears she seemed to think of her tail too, furning to look at it and making at least three full circles before realizing she was chasing her own tail and stopping instantly, looking up with an embarrassed look. "Don't tell anyone I just did that." Daryl sputtered as he tried not to laugh but failed as he rolled over in laughter. "Yer too cute, pup."

She faked hurt and plopped down onto the floor next to him, stretching her muscles with a long yawn and slumping against the hardwood floor.

"M'tired." She mumbled against her arm. "Can I sleep here on the floor?"

"Nah." She rolled and leaned on her elbow to look at her mentor. "Yer sleepin' in a bed. Can't have ya nude on the floor when ya shifted back." She sighed in defeat, not wanting to get up anymore, but Daryl made a good point so reluctantly she sat up and tried to get back on her feet as swiftly as possible without stumbling.

"Well, goodnight then." She turned to head upstairs but didn't make it two steps before being grabbed by the tail. "Yer not sleepin' alone either. Downstairs with me." He had sat up as well by now and easily stood up. Sarah stidied all of his movements and compared his hunched over stance with her more straight posture. "Ya know ya can think out loud, yeah? Ask away."

It was cute how he could feel the buzzing energy coming off her and wasn't surprised in the slightest she got tired so quickly. First time shifts are tiring, and all these new senses and strange proportions took quite something to get used to but she was adapting really well.

"Does it hurt when you turn? You look so.. heavy."

Heavy huh. He did bulk out way more than her, who still looked like a stick on legs.

"Only on full moons. Cuz it makes me turn. When I decide to I's all good." He went down the stairs first so when she'd trip over her own feet he'd be able to catch her, but she made it without falling.

She was doing so much better than him at that age.

His couch was big enough for her to snuggle up in the empty spot between Daryl and the back rest. It was so nice and warm against his form she fell asleep quickly, Daryl only allowing himself to sleep once he knew she had drifted off completely.

He carefully draped a blanket over her form so she'd be covered once she'd be turned back by morning while he kept his shifted form.

Next morning came fast with both of them sleeping so deep it barely felt like an hour had passed when they woke up.

Daryl had moved off the couch already, grabbing some clothes and heading out of her vision to change back and get dressed before going to her room to grab her clean clothes while she got some time to properly wake up.

Once dressed they shared breakfast and went over Sarah's experience from last night. From the feel of shifting to the intensity of her new senses, they discussed it all.

They also planned to stay outside overnight.

After spending their day as normal as possible they went out to the edge of the woods where Daryl knew he could protect her and maybe could catch food as well.

"Yer feelin' good about bein' out here?" They walked past the treeline far enough so the guards wouldn'f see them anymore.

"Yeah. It feels nice here. Makes my head howl. Does that make sense?" She felt like she asked way too much, no matter how often Daryl had told her over the day it was good of her to ask that much.

"Yeah, s'good yer head howls. Says ya got a good bond with yer wolf side."

The sun would set soon, so they killed some time with another fun outdoor activity.

Strength training.

Daryl decided to have her see how much stronger she was now that she had fully developed her lucantrophy. And also, he was curious and wanted Sarah to amaze herself some more with her new abilities.

"Try 'n lift tha' one." Daryl pointed at the broken off, fallen tree trunk to which Sarah just shook her head. "You're insane. No way I can lift that."

She got a look of disappointment before she huffed and padded over to the tree. With both her feet planted onto the forest floor she chaneled all of her strength into lifting the giant log. While lifting it wasn't entirely happening, she did manage to dislodge it from the ground it had gotten stuck into and moved off to the side a foot or two. It mostly rolled, but it was impressive she even got it to move at all. They did some more breaking of branches and practiced some basic fighting in case she'd be alone against people and she proved quickly that no human could easily capture her.

She was a natural out here. Daryl was almost jealous of how quickly she channeled her feral side.

"Are you feeling all jittery too?" Sarah hopped around Daryl, shivering despite the evening warmth.

"S'yer wolf sayin' s'time ta change." Daryl nodded up at the sky. "Find the moon, say sonethin' nice to 'er and let it wash over ya."

He got a confused look, what did he mean with 'saying something nice'?

Weird old man talk.. But she did it anyways and this time her shift hurt less. Something about being nice to people if you want them to be nice to you or something.

Daryl shifted along with her and once they were both fully turned they ran.

Daryl took easy paths and avoided higher shrubbery she could get her legs stuck in and they ran.

All the way down to the river, where Daryl showed her how to fish and then back, stalking a bird on the ground and took a squirrel out of a tree.

Sarah admired his hunting skills and quickly begged for lessons that he agreed to without a second thought.

People already were convinced Daryl had adopted her, but he felt like he now truly did.

He never felt like he'd have a pack of his own, he wasn't enough of a wolf for it.

But then Sarah showed up.

And now that he thought of it, Carol.

Michonne, Jude, Aaron.

His family was his pack, and Sarah helped him finally realise that.

A/N: I hope this is what you had in mind! I disn't want to write it as a reader insert as I pictured the girl as being in her teens.

[thatonefatgumsimp]

alr ykw

liveblogging my reaction to tadc episode 3, let's

Goooooooooo!!

So ready to get autistic over my blorbos /sillyyyy

under the cut for ease of scrolling past :p

"and Zooble turns straight" I CAN'T, I'M- 💀 NAHHHH BRO HAD TO HAVE KNOWN WTH HE WAS DOING WITH THAT ONE

"What do you, the viewers, think it is?" You scrunch into a tiny bunny ball and get short. Final answer.

THE WAY CAINE'S FREAKING EYES NO CLIP THROUGH HIS TEETH, I'M- 😭 CAINE WHY /lhsilly

AWEHHHH GHOSTLY 🥺

✨z o o b l e g o e s t o t h e r a p y✨ /sillyyyyyy

That's a cool bee, you're doing great sweetie (probably still listen to Zoob tho)

Pomni really said let me innnn LET ME INNNNNN!! /sillyyyyy

"I love that it's locked ):<" me-core

"Do not let the head out of your sight" OH SHI-

THE 2D ANIMATED EYES!!!!! /POS I'M GOIMG TO EXPLODE

AUGH THE EYES!! THE CREEPY EYES BEHIND THEM! POMNI! POMNI TURN AROUND!!! POMNI IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YPU POBNI!!!!!

"Any torment I inflict is 100% accidental!! Just like any good war criminal." LMAOOOOOOO, CAINE- I'M- YOU'RE KILLIBG ME HERE, BUDDY- literally iconic line frrr, he acknowledges his warcrimes. We love a self-aware king /sillyyy

"I'm trying my best to remember what you and my brain won't tell me!!" He's so real for that tho...ADHD gang rISE UP! /sillyyyyyy

"What…what you're saying is that…I could be bad at the only thing I'm good at…and…that'd be…" It's OK to have a mental breakdown, bud, let it all out. There there...

Caine existential crisis arc while Kinger and Pomni are going through the horrors™ smh…/sillyyy

"How's about we take his gun?" KINGER GUN ARC POG?????

"Looks like we've got two shots…let's make it count" What if Kinger with a gun kinda scares me a bit /lhsilly ...like, he sounds so calm and composed, it's...unnatural for him...kinda unsettling...fits with the spooky vibes of the ep tho

"Which is what I would be saying if it wasn't one of God's angels" WHAT. WHAT. WHAT???!! BI- WHAT?!????? THE FREAKING PLOT TWIST- I'M- My brain is melting

"And your bodies will be my only means of doing so" HOLD UP. WAIT A MINUTE! SOMETHIN AIN'T RIGHT-

"I HATE THIS STUPID ADVENTURE!!" real…✊😔 Honestly a fair reaction given the current situation...although mine woulda been worse I think-

Awehhhhh 🥺 girl's tea party ✨, so real for that actually

"You know how men are…always having the silliest priorities" "don't I know it" *turns to Jax tied up* I WOULD say 'free my boy, he's done nothing wrong', but we all know that's a lie, he's a war criminal just like his dad Caine /SILLYYYYYYYY

"I wonder how long that'll be" probably a while, Gangle…

"How could I not be in literal hell right now???!?" First digital hell, now this smh…/sillyyyyyy

FRICK! NOOOOO MY GIRL'S BEING POSSESSED!! NOOOOOOOOOO- POMNI-! 😭

"YOU GET OUT OF HER, YOU DAMN EVIL SOULS!" 🗣️🔥🔥 YOOOO HE SAID DAMN, THAT'S ALLOWED HERE??? LET MY BOY COOK!! 🔥🔥🔥

"HOW'S YOUR WIFE, KINGER?" THAT'S EEEEEEVIL D: WTH, BRO HE'S ALREADY DEALING WITH THAT BUZZ OFF-

O.O wait...the breath holding from the beginning of the ep…QUICK, POMNI, BECOME RGB KEYBOARD!! KINGER, BECOME FLASHLIGHT!

"Why have you been acting so different lately?" NO, CUZ THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYINGGGGGG /lh

NOOOOOO- CHECKMATES (idk their ship name, shhhhhhh edit: it previously said chessboard, changed BC of the socks iykyk) ANGST NOOOOOOO- GOOSE. GOOSE HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME- I'M- 😭

"She was funny, creative, really into entomology" STOPPPPP I'M CRYING, THE WAY HE TALKS SO LOVINGLY ABOUT HER, I'M- HOLD ON, I NEED A MOMENT…WAITWAOTWAITWAITWAIT- I'M-

…CHAT I NEED TO WRITE AND OR DRAW AND OR READ SOME CHECKMATES FLUFF, THIS IS KILLING ME /lhsilly

"I used to hate bugs, but…she somehow got me to like them" AWEHHHHHHH-! 🥺 GOOSE. GOOSE WHAT THE HECK, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME CRY- /pos Chat, I'm melting into a puddle, help-

"But it's not. Not if you have people who care about you." I'M- GOOSE STOP 😭 SOBBING- I WAS PROMISED PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR, NOT THERAPY /sillyyyyyyyy

"In this world, the worst thing you can do is make people feel like they're not wanted or loved" OMG REAL!! 🗣️🔥🔥 ...and on that note, ily, moots and followers 🫶💖

"Maybe we can get through if we don't breathe!" CHAT. CHAT THEY FIGURED IT OUT!! KINGER, MY BOY!!!! YOU'RE SO SMART!!!!!!

AUGH KINGER GIVES SUCH DAD VIBES /POS I NEED A DAD-FRIEND LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE FRR-

OMG WAIT- KINGER HOLDING HIS BREATH IS THAT ONE MEME

THIS ONE-! QUICK, SOMEONE GO EDIT THAT!! /SILLYYYYY /NF

"Hey, Ragatha…I just wanna say…thanks for always being concerned about me" EXPLODING RN, CHAT- CERTIFIED BUTTONBLOSSOM MOMENT????? /SILLYYYY

"Did you remember to get my comedy mask?" "…F**K-!" KINGER SWORE??????? OMG???? REAL, LET HIM COOK- LET HIM COOOOOOOK!!

CAINE IN THERAPY LMAOOOOOOO REAL

"quick, pretend we weren't having a therapy session!" LMAOOOO?? CAINE IS SO SILLAYY-

"Wwwwwelcome back, my meowing milkmaids!!" "…don't ever call us that again." Lmaooooo Jax-

...

Screaming

Crying

Clawing at my cage

That was so good- I'm-

Hold on, chat, I'm going feral rn /sillyy

[mayullla]

Hey there! Can I get Venti with 🍀? And 🐝 reader please :)

If its okay ofc, ypu dont have to :D

Title: Different View

Character(s): Venti (Genshin Impact)

Summary: What was once a normal life soon came crashing down the moment you realized that you were nothing but a future playable character in this game.

Warnings/tags: Yandere themes, Gn!reader, Sagau but opposite where you are the character

[ - A little present~! Event - Closed - ]

You wondered when you started to fear the cheerful bard who would sing songs and recite poems for angel's share.

"I can't wait for you to be playable so that me and you can join hands and travel the world! Nothing can stop us." Venti the bard name said in good cheer as he sips his dandelion wine. His gaze never left you, slightly closed from the gleeful smile on his face. "Don't you think the same?"

You don’t. You wish that you would never be playable, you wished that you would never fall into his hands.

You thought that this was your life a bartender in Angel's share. Growing up finding interest in the way of making drinks while also picking up a weapon to train in. You thought that this was it. That you could never ask for any more than this, satisfied with this peaceful life. Yet you were proven wrong the moment when everything became but a screen that you could not reach while the other side could do what ever they want to your world.

You felt pain and anguish when you found out that you were nothing but a character in a game. Something that wasn't even real that your life and feelings were all just something made up for the sake of being behind that large screen, an entertainment for others.

You absolutely hated it. Yet you could not do anything about it, no matter how many days you stayed in your house stuck in your bed that Diluc your boss had to give you a break because of how he saw the dark circles under your eyes and your tired frame…. How broken you were from this news while others weren'tas affected. He tried to give you advice, but what was given and not taken cannot be recieved.

You were glad that you were not one of the first many characters to be playable, that your kit unlike others was still not even created. Something that was basically where they would tie ropes and strings to you so that you would follow each and every single command from this device the other side used.

That fact was the only thing keeping you from going insane. That you had time to appreciate what would soon be gone from your hands.

Unlike others you still had time. You still had your freedom so slowly you pulled yourself up wanting no more than to continue your life acting as if nothing was the matter as you told your boss Diluc that you can come back now to angel's share.

As a bartender you watched your fair share of drunken customers in the bar. Some were noisy if not a bit rowdy you always found comfort in the fact that your boss could not stand violent behavior in his shop and the fact that there were always the Knights of Favonious stationed around to make calling for help easier if someone decided to throw a bottle or two.

Yet this particular drunken bard was different. Someone who you used to ignore in the past you now notice because of the vision that he had on his cape. He was a "playable character" or so that was what the other person said. You never really noticed him till now too busy with your own job creating drinks for the next order but you do remember having appreciated his poems and songs that he made and sang in exchange for a bottle of dandelion wine.

He was one of the early characters to be playable when everyone found out they were nothing but a game. You thought that you would find comfort in each other's presence and that maybe he too would have felt suffocating at the fact they were nothing but puppets.

Really it was a naive thought of yours.

Something you never noticed before you noticed now.

You were wrong to ever assume that there would be people who would think like you. Your boss himself accepted this new view of the world so quickly when you always thought he was more stubborn than to accept it so quickly… so easily.

When you looked at the others with visions they too quickly accepted the fact, acting as nothing has changed. When you watched Diona just continue her search for ingredients to make the worst cocktail possible. How Jean would continue to help Monstade’s people to the point she overwork herself. Or how Kaeya and Rosaria would continue to come to the drinks their day away. Sometimes they would drink to the point they could not walk yet never once was the reason they drank because of this new view in life that they were nothing but playable characters was hard to accept.

You felt alone…

“Ah! Bartender I am back got any dandelion wine for this bard? I will pay you with stories of my quest with the team and tell you of the wonderful sceneries that I happened to come across!”

However it only got worst... you notice a certain gaze of a certain drunk bard who was gleefully smiling at you. Something you never noticed until now, when you were so sensitive to the world around you one odd pin drop will make you look up, one odd sound... tone... gaze... you were so sensitive to everything.

When did he start looking at you? You don't know.

When did you notice his poems mixed in with poems of freedom mix in with songs and poems of another world, another view, another kind of love...

He played his harp with a light smile on his face yet you could see his eyes. Dangerous your mind warned you, his eyes looked as if it was swirling with madness and obsessions hidden but the shine of mischievousness.

“What I think of the user? That this isnt freedom? Hmmm well that depends on the people and their thought. If this is something that they choose on their freewill to follow the user I see no problem with it!”

Nobody noticed how his poems of innocent love turned into poems of obsession. Nobody noticed his eyes cheerful and bright was more heavy, deep and knowing.

“I quiet like the adventures I have with the user tho and while my team is rather fun... I do miss angel share sometimes.”

He didn't stay long, usually busy as a character that was pulled by the human behind the screen he was needed in a team of 4. Those were the moments when you could breathe. But he would always come back, humming a new tune as he told you about his adventures with the team.

He told you about Imazuma's archon how he got to meet her again and how she almost killed him or how the Sumeru desert was so hot he didn't think he would make it out alive.

“Right now I wish I was sitting on the top of a tree with you, waiting for the user to come back so that me and you can go back to adventuring and finding inspiration. With a cider in hand or any of the finest liquor in other nations in hand. Dont you think it is like a dream?”

Always he would bring a present for you, a pearl he found at Watasumi Island, Sumeru rose, or maybe a small Cor Lapis from Liyue. He also made them into poems for you and others to enjoy but he would always look at you with hoping that you found the poems and rhymes as beautiful as he does.

You knew why.

"I wonder when you will become a playable character? It would be fun to see the world with you!" Venti smiled at you, he was waiting. Waiting to drag you into his arms, forced into a team with him, he was waiting for the moment when you and he could not be pulled apart as you traveled the world with him by your hip.

You never wanted anything like that.

[thevoidscreams]

Pretty words

The other idea I had for @liar-anubiass-blog 's ask in which the reader is a diplomat with the imperium of man.

"I think that went quite well." Sanguinius smiled and reclined into his office chair, relaxing for the first time in days.

"Only because you were there." You laughed softly and joined him at his side, organizing your report of the interactions taken over the last week to peacefully bring this world into compliance.

"Why do you say that? You're a wonderful speaker and negotiator." Sanguinius insisted sincerely.

"They could hardly take their eyes off of you, I don't think they heard a word of what I had to say." You explained, not bitter but something like it. Bit not for the reasons you anticipated. You couldn't care less that the other diplomats didn't look at or hear you. But a gross jealous little pocket in your heart swelled as you thought about how in love a few of them looked. Not just awed but like they were experiencing love for the first time ever.

"Well, all that matters is that the meetings went well." You said precisely and tapped your slate as you put those people out of your mind.

A massive arm pulled you in and Sanguinius lifted you with no effort at all into his lap.

"Something is bothering you, my love."

It was impossible to hide things from him. So you usually didn't try, but it was embarrassing to admit you didn't like other people looking him up and down the way they had been.

"It's silly, and I'd rather not talk about it."

The angel tilted your chin back with one finger, and your eyes met his. You utterly crumbled under his gaze.

"Fine," you sighed as you set down your slate, "I didn't like how a lot of the other delegates were staring at you is all. Their gazes were so hungry, and I didn't like the idea of them wanting you. It made me jealous, which, I know, is a bit unreasonable, given that we're together and it didn't matter, but my feelings were getting the better of me the whole time and I wanted to climb into your lap to make them all stop."

Ypu took a breath, and Sanguinius chuckled. "So it was you as well then?"

You glanced up at him quizzically. "Hm? What do you mean?"

Sanguinius's hold around your waist grew tighter as he held you against his chest.

"I'm talking about that older man. What was his name?"

"Hugo Vantora?" You supplied, there was only really older individual out of all the delegates.

"Yes, him. The way he kept isolating you during breaks and suggesting it would be nice to 'Go find some peace and quiet'." Sanguinius huffed, his feathers abnormally fluffed.

"Yeah and? The guy needed a nap, I just don't know why he didn't take it."

"He was after more than just a nap unless you consider sleeping with another person a nap."

"No... you're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?" You breathed in disbelief.

"I wouldn't lie to you, my dearest. But you were tired yourself. I can see why you didn't immediately pick up on the advance."

You thought on his words for a minute, confused as to why he'd tell you all this. Then it clicked.

"Oh my throne! Sanguinius? Were you jealous of some old guy?" It was hard not to chuckle.

He sighed and nuzzled his perfect face against the top of your head. "Of him? No, but he did take a good bit of your time up, and his ability to openly make suggested of that nature to you was... irksome. And I was," he swallowed his pride to admit it, "jealous that you spent so much time with him."

He leaned down to kiss your cheek and neck. "All I wanted all week was to steal you away where he wouldn't state at you and remind you of how much I love you."

He continued to kiss your neck, and you shivered.

"Well, there's no one to stare at either of us here."

"No, indeed, there's not." He purred.

You both spent the rest of the night reminding the other why neither of you had any reasons to be jealous.

[huntunderironskies]

hi sorry to bother ypu again but i wanted to ask How would werewolves that still keep their old religion syncretized them together ? Especially when in regards of judaism

Okay, uh, this got really long, wow. Hopefully that makes it clear you have absolutely no reason to feel like you're bothering me because I love this stuff.

I do really hesitate to answer for Judaism because pre-Nicene Christianity and mysticism (and to a much lesser extent Sufism) are my focus areas so I am not an authority at all, but I can try. Also I've specifically taken a class on theological philosophy done by a fairly authoritative figure in free will theology so I think about the relationship between people and god/s a lot which means I can kind of give a generalist answer there. I'm primarily familiar with monotheistic faiths and those are the faiths that are going to have to do some extra theological legwork to explain everything so I'll focus on that.

This is SUPER long so I'm going to put it below a cut, I'll also talk a little about my OCs to give some ways that I've had characters hold syncretic beliefs in case that inspires some ideas.

Content...warning....???: Lots and lots of existential matters, big thinks on salvation, theology talk, etc.

First things first: I am very biased since religious mysticism is one of my academic interests but I think mysticism and in particular ecstatic mysticism would square nicely with werewolf existence. Mysticism is much more personal and visceral than more traditional faith paths and the sense of uncomplicated joy that comes with ecstatic practices would be a really welcome break from the usual werewolf things. For more tame forms of mysticism, the sense of unity and peace would be nice too but it's easier to imagine a werewolf drifting towards the more active forms.

Onto actually talking about syncreticism. This is something that Christianity and also to some extent Islam* is concerned about, but it's very easy to justify other powerful beings that aren't God if you've been faced with seemingly undeniable reality that beings more powerful than humans exist. You do have to kind of grapple a lot with the idea as humanity being God's ultimate creation but if you're a werewolf you're sort of faced with that idea already, I'll have to return to that point briefly later. The methodology given to me that metaphysicists use to justify the qualities of being truly worthy of all worship, henceforth referred to as a capital-G God for simplicity's sake, are that this hypothetical God would have maximal qualities, meaning that God would have the greatest possible power in all attributes.

You might be more familiar with the term omnibenevolence, omniscience, etc. in this case but for whatever reason maximal qualities gets used more. I would imagine because it's more directly indicative, it gets you out of the mire of having to explain that, no, omnipotence does not mean that God can create a rock that he can't lift. Trying to define maximal attributes** does get you into some weird places outside of the "rock you can't lift" trope, I know one thing we talked about in my classes was with regards to how omniscience could be defined. The ultimate conclusion was "holding all possible knowledge" but "all possible knowledge" didn't include every possible thought because it would not be reasonable for God to have the same knowledge that you or I might of "I am [name]," as that would imply that God is you or I and also everyone else who has any self-awareness. This is perfectly fine if you're a pantheist (as with the very confusing love of my life, Anne Conway, who I would conduct necromancy on just to pick her brain) but less so for most traditional monotheistic faiths.

All of this is to say: a werewolf who wants to hold onto monotheistic faiths can justify it easily and not have it be totally logically inconsistent. It's not that Luna, the Firstborn, or Father Wolf are false gods, nor are they Gods, they're just very powerful beings. You don't have to and in fact shouldn't worship them, they don't have the necessary qualities that are deserving of worship. You can emulate them to some degree, you can acknowledge they helped create you, that's fine. But your God is the one who has earned your worship. You don't start bowing before the first Rank 5 spirit that crosses your path, do you? Just because something is powerful doesn't mean it's worthy of your love and devotion.

And, I mean, maybe there's kind of a point in there. Any werewolf who has ever talked to a Lune can tell you that Mother Moon is kind of unstable. There's also the issue that Father Wolf is, you know, dead, no matter how badly the Pure Tribes wish that wasn't the case, so you can't do a whole lot with that.

Monotheistic pantheism or religiously focused panpsychism*** (which isn't out of the question for Christians, at least, Alfred North Whitehead and Anne Conway were panpsychists while Baruch Spinoza was a Jewish panpsychist) also provides a pretty easy out there and even kind of has some grounding since panpsychism and animism are closely related. If you're going with a Conwayist (this is a word I have just made up as one of the five people who really like Anne Conway) interpretation, you could have fully sapient Rank 6 spirits be another sort of middle-nature conduit between werewolves and God. Spirits can grant the omnipotent powers that God has, making werewolves more like-God, but they lack the omnibenevolent qualities and remain imperfect and not-like-God. Again, not things you should emulate, but part of God's perfect plan.

...actually I think I'm onto something here, I might have to double back to work on this later and make a Lodge with this as their viewpoint.

So on the upside for people who want to hold onto their original faith path, the thing about a lot of religions is when that magic is effectively real, suddenly miracles get a lot easier to explain. Prophets could be otherwise ordinary humans inspired by God but they could also be supernatural beings. Or you just start having your own miracle-workers who are supernatural beings guided by God. The Storm Lords in one game I ran were very connected to the Catholic Church and had their own secret saints they venerated, some of whom were Storm Lords, but not all. Storm Lords are very Catholic in general in my opinion. Big focus on stoically enduring suffering and trying to attain a greatness you'll never be able to really achieve. That's neither here nor there though.

Under this paradigm, Gifts are basically little miracles you can perform. Yeah, they're kind of grim sometimes, but so are the ones in saint stories. I mean, you get things like people carrying their own decapitated heads. Acts of God don't need to be tame or gentle or clean. Werewolves would absolutely be the more blunt-force instrument of divine power in this sense and it's something that a werewolf who believes this would want to embrace.

I think it also kind of helps out werewolves to know how closely connected they are to humanity and that a huge chunk of sapient supernatural beings (I would personally not say that God-Machine angels, spirits, most goetia, honestly kind-of-sort-of the True Fae, etc have both free will and sapience as a philosopher might define it but we are REALLY getting out into the weeds there) are born as humans. Some of them might still think of themselves as human, just either cursed or blessed by God, which still leaves humanity as the ultimate creation of God as suggested by the Bible. This is really more a Christian concern than anything else, though, I'm pretty sure Imago Dei is almost exclusively Christian as a theological concept.

That said there's definitely room to go the Lancea et Sanctum route and become incredibly self-loathing and see yourself as fundamentally damned or undeserving of whatever reward humans might eventually get. Living a life of extreme violence when most monotheistic faiths are generally against excessive violence would be a problem. Most faiths account for righteous wars of some kind (some Christian denominations would not, you'd really struggle as a Quaker werewolf) and the issue comes more in the form of Death Rage being indiscriminate. Directing violence at those who've earned it is fine, but you can't always do that. It's really hard to pull yourself away from the idea of being uniquely evil in that regard.

There might be a tendency to skew towards the Flesh due to that. Death Rage is fundamentally a werewolf's spirit-side coming to the front. They're not really a person anymore, they're a person-shaped conduit for death because they're in part spirits of the hunt. I think it'd be easy for a monotheistic werewolf to see their spirit-side as the "evil" half of their being and for in particular Christian werewolves...possibly also Sikh werewolves since I know that rage is one of the Five Thieves.

I did do a paper on Sikhi practice (I would have gotten to visit one of the few gurdwara in my region in-person and didn't because of the pandemic and I am still super bitter about it,) so I can touch on that a tiny bit as well. Sikhi syncreticism for werewolves would probably focus a lot on trying to control and overcome Death Rage. I cannot imagine there being a lot of Blood Talons among Sikh werewolves and the ones that are there would really, really, REALLY lean in hard on the "learning to control your Rage" aspects of being a Blood Talon.

Quick note on another consideration. For Muslim werewolves or any other Muslim supernatural being, the idea that anyone could become a prophet after Muhammad would be a huge theological no-go. Less of a big deal in the other monotheistic faiths, though. But a cornerstone of Islam is that Muhammad is the final prophet. I think your average Muslim Cahalith could and would make a case they have supernatural insight, but it's not necessarily God telling them how to guide humanity. I know that by Sufi folklore a few wali were supposed to have incredible awareness of events going on around them (the story I'm thinking of is an anecdote of a wali whose name escapes me who saw a bird suddenly fall to the ground dead and knew this was a sign that a sultan had died) but these miracles were not supposed to make them speak for God. Point is, I cannot imagine a Muslim Cahalith ever thinking of themself as being part of a prophet class from my admittedly still limited understanding of Islam.

Oh, Muslim werewolves would also have a leg up in the sense that it's acknowledged in the Qu'ran that anyone can become a Muslim, even jinn...or werewolves, and they'll still attain salvation so long as they follow God faithfully. I think you would see more self-loathing amongst Christian werewolves than Muslim or Jewish or Sikh werewolves, in short.

Also, not an expert on Zoroastrianism other than having a vague awareness of its influence on the other monotheistic religions and knowing the fun factoid that sometimes Zoroastrians were counted among the People of the Book early on in Islam's history, but I think that Zoroastrian werewolves would have a unique niche here in being able to justify their beliefs. From my limited understanding you could potentially qualify the Firstborn as being ahura while a lot of nastier spirits and ESPECIALLY Wound-related phenomena as being Aka Manah. It feels like a huge missed opportunity that there wasn't a Zoroastrian Lodge or that the Lodge of the Savior didn't have at least some Zoroastrian presence at some point or another. In its defense, the concept of the Maeljin being corrupted versions of werewolf Renown didn't exist until 2e (and to be perfectly clear, is a fantastic idea that makes the Maeljin and Bale Hounds more focused around werewolf concerns.)

Bloodless hunts would be super appealing to monotheistic werewolves as well. Claiming territory from wicked people, tracking down lost knowledge, that kind of thing. You'd also have to work a lot harder to make sure you're killing someone who deserves it. If they're sapient. Which, again, things like Shards and spirits arguably aren't. You can logic yourself into the position that the reason that murder is bad is because it's inflicting pain on someone pretty easily, you don't have to take a commandment at purely face value. If you explore why God has forbidden something, that gives you a lot more loopholes to work with. Ideally you want to be consistent with your logic, but not everyone is. The one issue is the Hunt has to be proactive by definition, while the most cut and dry examples of justifiable violence in these traditions comes from self-defense.

To get into how I've had my characters deal with theological issues...my only two still-Christian werewolves are Philippe (pictured in my avatar) and Levi (I've posted art of him a few times.) I'll talk mostly about Levi since his personal theology is the most complex and gives an idea of how weird theology can become if you're a werewolf.

Levi is a member of the Lodge of the Savior and is actively convinced that the material world is Hell while the Shadow is just another circle or facet of that. A lot of this is because the Flesh seems to have a direct link to whatever is inside Wounds, and it's way, way too easy to rip open a hole there. He can also see the God-Machine (long story) which really isn't helping.

Like most Thebans he's committed himself to hunting Malejin, killing Bale Hounds, and closing Wounds. He doesn't think salvation is beyond reach, but the way he's reasoned the world being as bad as it is is because in his personal theology, well, God can't help you if you're in Hell.

Most of this is heavily influenced by a regional cult called the Church of the Night Angel, which he is technically a member of. They believe that all sapient monsters are gifted their miraculous powers by a servant of God they call the Night Angel (who gets syncretized with a lot of minor deities and also is sometimes, albeit rarely, identified as Vahishtael,) but those gifts have been corrupted by a being known as the First Lie, the Spire, the Adversary, and about a dozen other epithets into what they are now (translator's note: the First Lie is the God-Machine.) The God-Machine, being jealous of God's wonderful creations, stole humanity from Him and trapped them in Hell.

They still have the chance to choose good, it's just harder than it should be. As such the highest duty they have is to fight the servants of the First Lie. These are defined as demons (beings without free will created by the First Lie to serve It,) the Pretenders (natives of the material world who try to deceive others into following them over God or His servant who has come to free everyone from Hell, the Night Angel, but ultimately serve a greater purpose in the world) and the Fallen-of-Purpose. The Fallen-of-Purpose are the worst of all these. The Pretenders and demons can't help what they are, but the Fallen-of-Purpose are monsters who make the active choice to do what the First Lie wants them to do by submitting to the evil parts of their nature.

Oh, to be clear as an aside, when I say material world I mean everything in the Fallen World. This includes places like the Hedge, Shadow, and so on. Those are just a different kind of Hell.

Note that as a supernatural taxonomy, this is a really bad one due to how loosely defined the categories are especially when you get really trigger-happy around things that aren't "of the Night Angel" and the Angelaltrists tend to speak very authoritatively about other monsters in extremely simplistic ways. Their attempts to fight the God-Machine also end up with a lot of splash damage and they kill both capital-D Demons and Angels without discrimination (and yes, under their taxonomy, Angels are demons. Don't think too hard about it.) You would be very hard-pressed to find an Angelaltrist who would take a Demon at their word that they've broken free of the God-Machine because all of them consider anything of the God-Machine to be ontologically evil by the transitive property. Things that are of the God-Machine are not of God and not of the Night Angel. QED.

Malejin are pretty definitively demons under this theory, and I'd almost say Levi is more an Angelaltrist than a Hound of God even if he kind of takes aspects of both. As a Storm Lord he primarily focuses his efforts on people who are being Ridden by Wound-corrupted spirits and people Claimed by the Wounded spirits, and of course to close Wounds as a preventative measure. He doesn't have to deal with any real regret for killing Claimed either. The person is long dead and the spirit killed them. You're just destroying a shell.

It's a matter of figuring out if the spirit should be eliminated for good from there. If it's a Wounded spirit, you're just conducting an act of euthanasia. It's destroying a rabid animal, nothing more or less. Better it die fast than letting it live through the pain of falling to the Maeljin.

He sees Mother Moon as being just one aspect of the Night Angel and a representation of her fiercer aspects, while Winter Wolf is an early creation of the Night Angel who is especially powerful and has attained something close to living sainthood. That's why he hasn't died yet (read: why his Avatars are still wandering about.) He's strong enough he's chosen to continue living and fighting, rather than taking the offer of eternal repose in the Night Angel's paradise that all good monsters are offered. This just makes Winter Wolf even more of an ideal to live up to.

Philippe is still trying to deal with the whole monster thing. After a very delayed rite of passage (which involved switching Tribes from the Storm Lords to the Hunters in Darkness) he's sort of settled comfortably-ish into his new life with some trepidation. He largely sees the Firstborn as being more or less real, but not possessing maximal qualities worthy of worship. Black Wolf is the kind, gentle mother you can always talk to but she's not God-- she kind of takes the place of Mother Mary here, or just a really, REALLY powerful patron saint. And when I've written them, I've had the Hunters in Darkness be pretty guilty of putting Black Wolf above Mother Moon and Father Wolf, sometimes to the point of thinking she's now surpassed Father Wolf as a hunter even when he was at the height of his strength. So he doesn't really dwell on them very much. Father Wolf is dead and Black Wolf is alive. Mother Moon doesn't really call that often.

He definitely sees himself as not necessarily of humanity but not undeserving of salvation because the idea of not being able to be saved doesn't square with an omnibenevolent God. Was the blood sacrifice of Jesus meant for him too? Well, probably. He can make the active choice to follow Jesus. He's making every effort to do good in the world. If you're looking at this from a process theology standpoint, the Bible was written from the perspective of humans, so of course they're only thinking from a human perspective and not including beings of free will that aren't human. That doesn't mean that God can't love someone who isn't human and that God won't save someone who's made the free choice to follow Him.

He's very focused on killing Hosts, unsurprisingly. It's pretty easy to justify killing them, they set themselves up as false gods, aren't really whole beings anymore, and like, when you get down to it, you're only committing one-one-millionth of a murder so that's like, a venial sin at worst. But do you feel bad for every blade of grass you step on? Do you feel bad for taking an antibiotic to kill a disease? It is technically killing something. But you can't keep living if you don't walk, and there's more blades of grass out there than you can count. You'll die if you let an infection spread and then you'll take other people with you because you were too soft. God understands that.

Also it's Wilmington, so he's in a target-rich environment. The Uglathu are a huge problem there and the whole region has been in an ecological death spiral for decades in part because of them. Otherwise he'd have to worry about diversifying into things that are harder to justify more often. He does avoid hunting humans and werewolves, all that said, and thinks it's generally the wrong thing to do except in the most extreme cases like Bale Hounds or Slashers. Especially for human criminals, that gets more into the area of things that only God can judge for. It's not a werewolf's place to intervene.

Well. Maybe you can gently nudge the human authorities in the right direction. But even that makes him feel a little guilty. It doesn't feel natural.

Sorry if this doesn't get into legalistic concerns much at all, I'm more focused on the metaphysical aspects of religion so I can't speak a whole lot to that. Werewolves being able to eat spirits would probably cause a lot of concern over what spirits are halal or kosher and what methods of killing them would be acceptable, but I have no clue how to answer that. I like thinking about how it is possible for something to become infinitely more full of light but not jurisprudence.

*post-script here to say that I had one of my professors, who is an expert in pre-Nicene Christianity and someone I admire a lot, say that generally speaking it was Christian theologians who really kicked off obsessing over what the qualities of God might be in the sense of "when we say God's hand is in something, are we giving human attributes to God and therefore suggesting God is like humans and not divine?!" type stuff. Rabbis tended to be more chill. I'll admit I've kind of taken what he says at face value since he's read a lot more material from that time period than me and also Saint Augustine had a huge impact on theology and he's the most neurotic man who ever lived so I would believe it. Him and his pears.

** another post-script to say that under this paradigm the God-Machine doesn't qualify as a God, we see plenty of proof the God-Machine is arbitrary and eminently fallible. While Its knowledge is obviously very far-reaching, and It's clearly acting with goal-focused behavior, you would have an incredibly hard time arguing Its actions are anything approaching benevolent and most free will theologians would take the fact It uses beings without free will as Its primary servants as hard proof It cannot be good

***yet another post-script to say that panpsychism is herein defined as all things possessing some level of mind, and that material differentiation are either inconsequential or purely illusion, if memory serves Conway was more in the first realm while Spinoza was in the second-- this will seem familiar if you've got any level of familiarity with Buddhism and after asking a few experts there's some consensus that Spinoza at least had some awareness with Buddhist philosophy and was influenced by it. It's less clear with Conway because we know way less about her life, sadly, and that's why I'm learning necromancy.

[dark9896]

Day 17 [Steven/ Lucky/ Daniel]

Prompt: Working with an EX

Steven

This was going to be a tense situation. Steven knew that he'd have to work with you. Things hadn't ended nicely, the two of you last saw one another after a massive argument. Heated words and a few breakable things were thrown around like confetti.

It still ate at Steven.

Thankfully you were laying nice, for now. Steven was just waiting for the knife to drop, the first tense thing would be the worst. And Steven had so many things swirling in his head. Possible apologies he would say, the time he took to ruminate and found that he was the one in the wrong.

He blamed himself for--

"I guess that's it then." You turned to leave, "If Klaus needs me for another mission, he knows how to contact me."

"[Name], can we talk." Steven wasn't expecting you to just break everything abruptly, "Please?"

"Please doesn't sway this wicked and twisted soul darling." You looked up at him, "And why do you even want to talk? Don't you have to rush back to work?"

Steven rubbed the back of his neck. Yeah, that had been the whole argument in a nutshell. But he wasn't going to give up on this, he missed you.

.

Lucky

.

This was basic torture to Lucky, having to ask you to help after everything the two of you went through. Sure, things ended decently enough, but he still felt guilty about why the two of you broke up.

And here you were, helping him infiltrate a masquerade party as his date. The familiarity and comfort he felt as you held his hand, as you danced a slow waltz with him...

He should have done more to keep ypu in his life.

Even the way you instinctively leaned against his shoulder filled him with regret.

"Look over my shoulder." You whispered, "By the black double door."

The lack of animosity gave Lucky some hope things could go back to how it used to be. The whole mission had been a success, after all, the two of you still worked perfectly together. Lucky wasn't quite ready to let go.

"I should've been there for you when you needed me."

Him suddenly saying that caught you off guard. Turning to look at the older man, you tilted your head.

"Blitz." You didn't want to fall back into the same old routine with him, "Please don't start. We just weren't right for each other. And that's okay."

Daniel

Blinking after a quick double take Daniel couldn't believe that you were still around Hellsalem's Lot. Though you were part of Libra, so it wasn't that unreasonable...

But having to work with you for this. You being an informant between Libra and the HLPD and all. Even though right now, you were escorting him on a stakeout. Meaning the two of you were trapped in the same car... for hours.

"Listen [Name]," Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, "I know we didn't always see eye to eye. Given how we work for two different companies and all..."

"The worst part was the lying." You admitted, "I was always having to lie to protect you Danny. We can't go back to that. It wasn't healthy."

"My favorite lie was when you told me you love me."

You looked Daniel in the eye, unmistakable that the words had come from him.

"That was never a lie."

[wild-wombytch]

I'm relatively new to this scene but I'm (trying, failing) bodybuilding and FOR REAL. Like I can tell this was catered to the male gaze, just like lesbian porn isn't really for lesbians, you know? Well, bodybuilding/fitness/yoga/gym videos aren't for women who want to work out either. It's for men jerking off, and a lot of the comments are men sexualising them more than, say, other women asking for advices and such.

And it really sucks because when you have actual workout women seeking actual workout advices, they're immediately pornified and men will comment on their ass or have extremely toxic and misogynistic comments and the women will just kinda leave discouraged.

Anyway, as I said I'm relatively newly super into it (was working out but not in workput culture before), but here are some cool shits, not female-only, but I'm trying to center females as much as possible:

➡️ On Insta :

- Toxicfitnessculture

- Celeste Barber (she's mocking this unecessary sexualisation and how it doesn't work out for literally any average woman. She's funny as hell imo)

- Shana Coissard (well given ableist culture see disabled people as sexless and unappealing, that explains that BUT she's been super inspiring for me both as a woman not seeing other women pornified -and focusong on her skills instead!!- and as a disabled person. Like, it's powerful to see a woman in a wheelchair lift more than I currently do and encourages me to listen to my own limitations and not able-bodied's people)

- Jason & Lauren Pak (the dude does the explanation and often the woman the lifting, so I can see soime metaphor of heterosexuality here, but let's pass 🫣. So here ma'am isn't all sexualised and also I'm putting this on the list because it has legitimately very good advices and small exercises)

- RedHeadMuscles (well there are some skimpy mics since she competes, but mostly it's just her flexing and doing her hobby and it's not looking like softcore porn. Like even in her bikini she's normal about it and ypu can feel she cares more about showing off muscles than having men jerkin'g off her. Also no steroids 💪)

- Virginia MacColl (local coolest Influencer. She's an elderly woman!! Doing gym!! Like her bio reads "My first pullup was at age 63 & salmon ladder at 69". You can't beat that cool!)

- StrongerByScience (focused on education, gives good infos!)

- And do I need to introduce SwoleWoman (aka Casey Johnston)? Her newsletter She's A Beast is FREE! And what got me into this in the first place because she answers clearly newbies questions. Also she's super fun and has like, you know, normal hobbies and life and shares memes. She's centering women in her workout, have fun debunking gymbros bs and I almost screamed in joy when I first read her content because FINALLY someone who tells you the truth, namely that YOU NEED TO EAT to build muscles and calls out toxic fitness practices and diets. She also had an eating disorder so she gets us and how eating and changing your relationship to food isn't easy!! Here's her non-Insta website where you'll find her newsletter! She very often provides links to studies and other websites, so it's fairly easy to pick up new sources from her.

ETA :

- Marci Braithwaite (a fat woman & runner. She has great vibes and incites people to just enjoy their body and exercise, even if the goal is not to get thinner/more muscular and it's just to enjoy endorphins and nature and have a chill walk/run if that's what your body finds more comfortable)

- Dr. Lisa Folden (a wonderful doctorate of physical therapy, she's anti diet and toxic fitness culture and she's extremely pro body acceptance ! She helps people recovering from eating disorders. Here's a link on her website's bio. She's also a public speaker.)

To my knowledge the subs r/XXChromosomes and r/FlexingLesbians are also good places to ask for links and find solidarity! Also check out this website Girls Gone Strong ! I don't know what it is exactly worth yet since I haven't had time to dig into it, but it's run by a woman and one of the last newsletter was about menstrual health and all. Part of it seems free. Honestly if I was to invest in a program I'd give my money to support the work of a woman anyways (hey insurance money, can you hear me not so subtlety call after you?)

I propose that if you gyns have any other resources/social medias accounts that are about legitimate fitness/workout/bodybuilding and not a literal circle jerk for men, that we trade links! As a treat! We should be able to access spaces like gym or online workout resources without being degraded and sexualised! (I would especially really love to see more melanin in my Insta, but unfortunately the WoC accounts I've been recommended so far are especially sexualised :/ -same with openly bi/lesbian bodybuilders)

Women's fitness content online is so fucking pornographic

Women with 9 to 5 will share their routine and position the camera right between their ass crack or facing their pussy. It's literally soft core porn

Has objectification become so ubiquitous that women aren't even questioning why the fuck are they doing that ? Aren't you tired of being a sex object everyday of your life even while exercising? I do not want to be that close to your pussy. Be normal! Give the self objectification a rest for 10 seconds

I can't believe some women found a way to make ass off putting. I'm so tired of how pornographic everything is it's not even sexy. I'm tired. It makes me feel heterosexual for women.

[luvendiary]

the advisor / edmund pevensie

edmund pevensie x Reader

a/n: hiii. i've been aching to write for him for a while now, and due to the lack of content for him i decided to take it into my own hands. it might be a little rusty at parts, but i like the idea of it, so i hope ypu enjoy. as always, let me know what you think. requests are open &lt;3

summary: being the king's and queen's advisor came with many surprises

Your arrival to Narnia had been fortunate for the King’s and Queen’s reign. You had arrived one fateful day, after having fallen asleep on your backdoor patio while reading. When you eventually woke up, you were not in your patio anymore, instead a tall figure mounted on a horse stood a few feet away from you. He was wearing a silver shimmering crown that glowed as the sun hit it. You immediately shuffled back as you tried to get as far away as possible from the man in front of you.

“Don’t be afraid,” the man said as he dismounted his horse.

That didn’t stop you from being very much afraid. You couldn’t bring yourself to say anything, so instead you frantically dragged yourself backwards while simultaneously trying to reach out for a stick or something you could defend yourself with.

“No- stop that, I wont hur-” the man started, however, his words were cut short as you pointed a branch at him. He simply raised his hands in a bored way, prompted by his actions you stood up, without lowering your weapon.

“Can I talk now?” he asked.

“Where am I?” you replied.

“You’re in Narnia,” he said. Up close, and without the sun blinding you, you could see that he was actually rather handsome. He had dark brown hair, kind blue eyes, and a sharp jawline. He was dressed in weird clothes -beautiful, but weird-, he wore a thick dark green cape that was embroidered with intricate silver patterns over a white silk shirt, and brown trousers. Overall, he exuded an air of regency, (which could be mostly given by the fact that he was also wearing a crown), however, you would not allow yourself to lower your guard.

His reply only prompted more questions. How could you have fallen asleep in your garden, and have woken up in the forest?

“Have I been kidnapped?” you asked.

The man laughed, and he lowered his hands, to which you jolted your stick at.

“Put that down, will you, if I had wanted to harm you, I would’ve already done it”, he said, as he swiftly swept his cape away, so that a seathed sword came into view.

“I really don’t understand how that is reassuring,” you replied, the branch not leaving your firm grip.

He sighed and just extended his hand. You eyed it for a second, and then looked at him before returning your gaze to his hand as you promptly shook it.

“I’m Edmund Pevensie. It’s nice to meet you”.

“I’m not telling you my name Edmund Pevensie, for all I know, you might just be a well-dressed murderer”.

“He did say you were quite ‘peculiar’,” Edmund said as he chuckled. He turned his back on you and went to mount his horse again.

“Wait. Where are you going? Are you leaving me here?”

“That’s what you wanted, didn’t you?” he asked in a mocking way, as he sat on top of the horse.

You lowered your weapon and sighed, “Well, not really. I mean, you brought me here -beautiful place, by the way- but I’d like to go home now, please.”

“I didn’t bring you here, Y/N.”

“Then who di-?” you paused as you came to a sudden realization. “How do you know my name?”

“He told me. And He told me where to find you as well”.

“You do realize that most of the things you’ve said at this point haven’t made sense, right?”

He laughed once again, you seemed to amuse him, “You are breath of fresh air. I’m sure my siblings will have no problem getting along with you,” he said. “Now, if you wan’t answers, you can come with me, if you don’t, you can stay here,” as he gave you your options, her extended his hand towards you.

You pondered your options for a moment: mounting a horse with a total (handsome) stranger, or stay here, in this (admittedly, beautiful) forest. Unfortunately for you, you would have to choose the first one. You sighed and dropped the branch before making your way to him. Before taking his hand, you eyed his silver crown and then looked at him.

“Am I supposed to bow?”

He chuckled, endlessly amused by your behavior, “I think we’re past that now.”

You chuckled as well before taking his hand, and being pulled up by him to mount the horse. When he was sure you were secured, he turned his head to the front and patted the horse’s neck. “Take us home Phillip, please”.

The horse apparently understood, as it neighed and apparently nodded before turning around and galloping to God-knows-where.

That had been nearly two years ago, when Edmund was merely an 18-year-old boy. Now, you were running around the castle grounds, making sure that everything would be perfect for his birthday ball, where single ladies form all around would presents themselves to him as future possible wives and queens. He didn’t have to choose a wife, however it was now a tradition since Peter had had one the year you had arrived, at the request of the Beavers.

“At least give it a try My King,” Mrs. Beaver had said. And so he did, however, he didn’t chose a queen, something that disappoint every available lady in Narnia and beyond.

So now, here you were trying to make ends meet so that Edmund could have a nice birthday, and he could pick a queen.

“Do make sure the trees are happy, they look their best when they are,” you said to a maid.

“Yes, My Lady,” she replied.

Even though you weren’t exactly royalty, being their advisor/ representative/ local magic healer, amongst other unofficial duties, you were treated like the next big thing.

“Oh, and also the food must not go in the ballroom, but rather in the conjoined rooms. The satyrs have agreed to pass out drinks, haven’t they?”

“Yes, My Lady.”

“Perfect, and the centaurs will be receiving the guests, right?”

“That has been taken care of already, My Lady,” a voice interrupted the usual affirmations of your female companion.

Edmund stood in front of you with a grin. The maid immediately excused herself, not before wishing him a happy birthday, to which he offered her a sincere smile and a gracious vow.

“Good morning Ed, I suppose you’re getting ready for your big event,” you said as you flipped through the stack of papers in your hands which were filled to the brim of things you had to take care of.

“Actually, I was about to ask you if you wanted to go for a ride,” he said as he joined your side.

“Ah, I wish I could, but unfortunately, I have a lot of things to get done for the party,” you replied, taking a quick glance at him.

“Phillip does miss you,” he said.

“I’m sure he does,” you said in a sarcastic tone. In reality you could imagine he actually missed your mare, Kamaria.

“Come on-” he started,but he wouldn’t get the opportunity to finish his thought, since you heard a voice calling to you from the other side of the gardens. It was Susan, who has pointing at her wrist, indicating you were late.

You groaned softly, “God, I have to get my dress fitted,” you said as you covered your face with the papers. “I’ll see you tonight!” you spoke as you started to make your way to Susan, to which Edmund wanted to say something, but a sudden thought halted your steps.

You ran up to Ed once again and threw your arms around him, “Happy Birthday, your majesty,” you said up to his ear. You felt him wrap your arms around your waist and hug you tighter. You eventually let go, praying that your face wasn’t as red as it felt. You looked at him one last time and as you ran towards Susan, you looked back and yelled “Save me one dance, will you?”

You saw him laugh softly, before going to face Susan.

“Oh Edmund, please dance with me!” she said in a sing-song voice.

“Be quiet,” you hushed and gently nudged her.

“Just kiss already.”

The night had been lit up by the various candelabra that gave life to the ballroom, as well as the stunning gowns and dress robes that the guests were wearing.

You stood by the King’s and Queen’s thrones, always at their left side. You were wearing a beautiful gown that had been tailored just for you, which made you feel like a star. However, you knew that was not the case, this night was not about you, it was about Edmund, and the girls that came here to be courted.

Once everyone was settled in, trumpets sounded throughout the room, which prompted the guests’ attention to move towards the thrones. Peter, Susan, and Lucy stood up, and the room cleared out for them in a semi-circle. They were to choose their first dance now.

Lucy went first, she immediately went up to one of the satyrs that were passing out drinks and asked him to dance. He happily agreed, as he set down the platter on his arm and bowed to her. Susan went next, she graciously picked one nice looking guy from the crowd, and curtsied, he returned the gesture by bowing. Last, was Peter, you saw as the girls in the crowd straightened their posture. You smiled at that, knowing that if you were in their position you would’ve probably done the same, it filled you with endearment towards the girls. However, you soon saw their posture deflate, and their eyes fell on you. You came to the sudden, and mortifying, realization that King Peter the Magnificent was standing in front of you.

Your eyes went wide, and as much as you wished to ask for an explanation, you couldn’t.

“Can I have this dance?” he asked, a shit-eating grin on his face.

You saw Susan trying to hold back her laughter at your reaction as she gave you an encouraging nod.

Turning your attention back at Peter, you felt as if your blood has been drained; you were used to being the center of attention, however, this felt different, it was as if you were being judged by your own people. “Peter, what the fuck?” you whispered harshly, as you offered him a tight-lipped smile along with your hand.

Since having arrived to Narnia, you’ve abstained yourself from cursing, mostly because you knew that people here weren’t as used to it as you were back in the twenty-first century, however, sometimes you just couldn’t help it.

“Ah yes, always with the sailor mouth,” he chuckled, as he led you to the center of the ballroom. “You don’t see that a lot back home.”

“So you’ve told me, but what you haven’t told me is what are you doing.”

“Is it so bad that I want to take my advisor out to dance?” he asked, positioning his hands on your waist.

“Not at all, my king, but I’d rather not be the target of the death glares coming from the fine ladies here,” you replied just as the music started to fill the room.

“Then you’re going to hate what comes next,” he said, you could hear the grin on his voice. You tensed under his touch, and he felt it immediately, as he spun you around and smiled. “Enjoy yourself Y/N, don’t worry. You’ve been doing that a lot lately.”

“What do you mean Peter? What are you guys up to?” you were starting to get worried now.

“You look beautiful,” he said as a reply. “I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing.”

You remained silent, a silent confused noise was the only thing that escaped your mouth as he spun you around again. It was obvious that he was playing a game, and he was refusing to give you any answers. From the corner of your eye you saw Orion, his usual stoic expression seemed a little off, he was looking at Edmund, who was now making his was to the stairs in front of the four thrones, meaning that he was now going to choose a woman to dance with. Not just any woman, but the one that could possibly be his next wife.

Right on cue, the music came to a swift stop, and Peter set you right gracefully. He then bowed and offered you his arm as support.

You knew Peter, and you knew the Pevensies. You knew they would never do something bad to you, or something that would make you uncomfortable in a way that you couldn’t handle, so why was it that you felt dizzy with nervousness?

“Relax,” Peter whispered reassuringly.

“I’m trying,” you whispered back.

“Just so that you know, you never had to worry about anyone else,” he spoke. “He only has eyes for you. Ever since he found you in the forest.”

You gasped softly. The sudden realization about who he was talking about all along dawned on you. But it couldn’t be, could it? You were so lost in your thoughts, that the gasps of surprise, as a certain king approached you didn’t seem to faze you.

“Would you do me the honor, of conceding me this dance?” Edmund said, as he asked for your hand. His blue eyes were soft, and they shimmered with the light of the room. A small (and beautiful) smile adorned his features.

Peter smiled at him, and then at you. Shocked was a small word to describe your state at the moment. Never would you have imagined this was how the night was going to go. Still in your state of shock, you were barely aware of your hand moving to be in his, and of how his fingers wrapped around it as if they were welcoming you home.

“You look beautiful tonight Y/N,” Edmund said while taking you in.

“Ed…what is this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“I’m afraid not,” you whispered as the music filled your ears once again. “When I asked you to save me a dance, this wasn’t what I meant.”

Edmund inclined his head a little, so that he could look at your eyes, “I’m mad for you Y/N, and this is my way of telling you that. I wanted to sort of give you a heads up, and maybe even propose today when I asked you to go for a ride with me.”

“Ed, listen…if this is a joke…”

“What? Why would you think this is a joke?”

Your eyebrows furrowed, it all seemed too good to be true. You knew your relationship with him had always been sort of playful, borderline flirtatious maybe, but you’d never thought that your feelings were reciprocated.

Lucy was the first to find out about your feelings for Edmund, albeit it was not because you had wanted her to, but because the young Queen was so observant that nothing went unnoticed by her. Of course, after Lucy found out, Susan did as well and she was not going to be subtle about it. So one day, as you were making some jewelry as a gift for the fairies for your upcoming diplomatic trip, Susan barged in and demanded to know everything, Lucy rushed behind her, trying to get her to calm down as to not frighten you. You had thought that Peter didn’t know about your ‘secret’ but after tonight, you were starting to think that you were a little more oblivious than you had previously thought.

“Ed, I- I don’t know. I just… this is,” you tried to explain whatever it was you were feeling. You were confused, overjoyed, overwhelmed, you felt weak and powerful at the same time. You felt as if you had been put on a pedestal the moment Edmund chose you, as if the fact that he had picked you in a room full of beautiful girls made you worth looking at, but you also felt exposed, as if the same fact meant that you were now like a piece of meat on display.

Edmund’s eyebrows furrowed. “Listen Y/N. I don’t want you to force you into anything that you don’t want to do. I don’t know how you feel about me, or if I misinterpreted our relationship. What I do know, however, is that this is not a joke or a prank, this is truly how I feel about you, and that I will make every effort in me to make sure that you have the life you deserve, whether that is with or without me. I know that there’s no one else in this room, or in the entirety of Narnia or even Archenland, for that matter, that compares to you. I want to spend the rest of forever with you Y/N.”

You were left speechless, and the silence was loud. The music had dissipated along with Edmund’s words. He kissed your hands and with an adoring gaze got down on one knee as he took out a beautiful silver ring from his pocket. The ring had an amethyst in it, your favorite stone, and your birth-stone as well. You gasped, and your hands flew to your mouth, the room gasped along with you.

“My dearest Y/N, would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

You saw Peter, Susan and Lucy beaming at you. They stood by their respective thrones, Lucy held on to Peter’s hand tightly. You looked down at the dark-haired boy in front of you. His eyes never seemed to leave yours. Your chest filled with warmth and you allowed yourself to relax, a soft smile appeared on your face as soon as you gave him a soft nod.

You would be honored to be called a Pevensie.

“Yes my King, I would love to be your wife,” you replied as you extended your left hand, were he slid the ring into your nuptial finger. He promptly stood up and swept you into his arms as he spun you around.

The whole room exploded into applause and cheers.

“You are unbelievable Edmund Pevensie. You know that back in my world, skipping the dating stage is unforgivable, right?”

He laughed and pressed his lips to yours, “It’s a good thing we’re not there then, yes? Because now I can tell the world how lucky I am to call you my wife.”

You giggled and burrowed your nose into the crook of his neck, “Not yet charming, we have to go through the actual ceremony.”

“Yes yes, formalities my love. If it were up to me I’d have it done tonight.”

“You’re starting to sound like Peter there Ed, maybe marriage will make you more impulsive,” you replied as you giggled into his neck.

“Maybe,” he said as he pulled back a little, just enough to see your face and press his lips against yours once again.

“I love you Ed.”

He smiled, and his eyes took you in, he didn’t need to say it back, you knew he had already. In every action, and every moment you had spent together. But he did, and your heart soared.

[monocatariarchives]

More about my modern bsd AU: Dorms edition!

Okay so after several months and a lot of traction on some posts I made with little factoids about this AU, I have finally decided (aka remembered) to post a bit more about it! (The AU doesn’t have an official name, so if anyone has any ideas feel free to suggest them!) This AU takes place at YPU (Yokohama Port University), where most of the main cast are studying. It’s based off of UK university, since that’s where I live and what I know, so the characters all live in flats in dorms together. Below is a terrible little sketch of the rough layout of where they live*:

(* = This may not be accurate to the final product. I drew it in MS paint)

Living in flat 1, we have:

Chuuya

Dazai

Katai

Fyodor

Atsushi

Higuchi

Gin

And in Flat 2, we have: 

Kunikida

Nikolai

Sigma

Akutagawa

Louisa

Nathaniel

Mark

It’s just as chaotic as you think it is.

Kunikida is the floor ‘mum’, constantly running around after the others to try and get them to clean, goddamnit!

Dazai is horrible at cleaning his stuff up, much to the bane of everyone else around him.

Gin goes over to visit Aku regularly, and Higuchi often tags along. Aku has on multiple occasions pretended to not be in when they do this.

Nikolai loves ot invade the other flats. Nobody knows how he does it, given that he doesn’t have a key, and Sigma or Kunikida always have to go there to drag his ass back to his own flat.

Nathaniel lives in the room between Nikolai and Mark. He is suffering.

Katai has horrific insomnia, and is so nocturnal that his flatmates had no idea he even lived there until Chuuya and Dazai walked in on him eating peanut butter out of a jar at 2AM while wrapped in his futon.

Mark is a whore and constantly brings people over to the flat. This results in a lot of creative attempts to get him to stop being so loud, including performing an exorcism in front of his door to ‘remove the horny spirits’.

Louisa, Gin and Katai have an informal book club where they talk about their favourite romance novels. Higuchi tried to join, but they kicked her out when she brought a Colleen Hoover book.

Chuuya and Dazai argue. A lot.

Dazai tries to get Atsushi to do most of his chores. Chuuya whacks him every time he does.

Dazai and Fyodor are the most passive aggressive flatmates to ever exist. Dazai will swap the sugar for his tea with salt and Fyodor drinks it while looking him dead in the eye, and asks for seconds.

Dazai once managed to swap Fyodor and Chuuya's hats. There are photos of the incident in the kitchen, as well as the grizzly aftermath (they teamed up and tackled Dazai to the ground until he apologised)

Louisa and Sigma are drinking buddies who have Suffered Enough at the hands of their flatmates.

Akutagawa has a tea shelf. Mark has mistaken the tea leaves for a really shite salad. Three guesses as to what he tried to eat for lunch.

Their fire alarm constantly goes off, and it is almost always Nikolai's fault somehow. Nobody knows how, including him.

I love posting about this AU, and I have a few others I'd love to talk about so as always if you want to hear more please let me know by liking and/or reblogging!

Part 1 hcs

Part 2 hcs

[shannonsfanfics]

ENHYPEN 8TH MEMBER

Meeting Enhypen

February 20th 2021 is when you were announced to the rest of the Enhypen members that you were going to be the new addition to their group.Unware that you were a girl

'' So, members, someone new will be joining the group'', stated their manager in the boardroom.''Ah really? what's his name? '' questioned Jake, '' That person will be here soon,in the mean time let me explain your next concept for your comeback and where this individual comes in''

'' So basically this person is a vampire too, she's been through-'' '' She? '',asked Jungwon but their manger ignored his query. '' THIS PERSON has been through the same trauma as you during given or taken, well before actually, but was too scared to save you during that time period, understand?''

All the members nodded, but some still showing doubt at this 'She'. "So,in drunk dazed this vampire finally tries so save you, from the woman and everything else🙂"

"Wow, i'm actually nervous to meant this person", uttered Sunoo. There was a knock on the door. Who was it? Everyone looked to the door. "Must be the person" said the manager. And there you walk in. Short black hair, beautiful eyes, bright but shy smile, you greated the members 'hi im soyeon'. They stare in confusion, shocked that you are actually a 'she'.

''Well um, you' ll be having vlive where you will ask her questions about herself so that you and the fans can learn more about her,and also you'll move to a new dorm where heesung and jay will be roomates, jake and sunghoon will be together, sunoo, niki and jungwon will be toghether. Soyeon you'll have your own room''

You were nervous, you thought they didn't like you because they haven't uttered a word to you.Thinking that maybe they'll never accept you.

But Sunghoon couldn't stop staring at you. Obviously you didn't notice, but in all honesty they all were staring at you while your head was down.From that day on, they swore to each other that they'll protect you, because they knew all you'll get, would be hate comments.

28 February it was announced that a new member would be joining with this video

NEW MEMBER SOYEON

Fans were mostly outraged that the new member was a girl.You'd see hate comments on twitter and YouTube, telling you that you don't deserve any of this.You felt sad.You knew people would say these things but it hirt to actually see it.

VLIVE

'' 1,2,3 CONNECT! Hello we are Enhypen'',chanted everyone."Hi everyome today we will be introducing and getting to know our new member. Soyeon", stated Jake with a big smile. "Hi, I'm Soyeon, the member, nice to meet you Engenes😊"

Everyone smiled. "Ok, first question, can ypu speak any other languages besides korean" questiond Jungwon

"Ah yes, i speak english and i am trying to japanese for future use hopefully, because i love Japan and I'd love to visit someday."

The comments flooded with hearts throughout the live, until tou spotted a few comments calling you a whore, and people saying you should leave the band before you steal the boys.But all you want to do is sing and dance to make people happy and to fulfill your dreams of being an entertainer.You got gloomy and the members and staff noticed it too. One of the staff gestured to Sunghoon to end the live.

"Okay Engenes, we had a nice time but i think we should end the vlive here and thank you for showing your support to pur new member,byeeee", then everyone waved goodbye

Don't mind the comments noona, they can't do anything to you, said Niki.

And just like that you and enhypen started yoir journey of becoming great friends

Btw this was your ✨outfit✨

[fandom-blackhole]

and to be nosy, instead of doing my work, 4 19 24 27 31 and 47. I now have an urge to yell out BINGO!

4. What piercings do you want?

I want several, but they are mainly just basic. I already have one lobe piercing on each ear, but I want to get one more on one ear + a cartilage and two more on the other ear so something like the picture i doodled lmao. I have also been thinking about some kind of nose piercing, maybe two loops on one nostril?? And on a spicier note, maybe some titty piercings???

19. If you could change your name, would you? What would you change it to?

See this one right here is hard, my name is kind of just my name?? I just dont think anything fits me better than Hannah, like I cant even get nicknames to stick, im just Hannah 🤷‍♀️

But, if given the chance, bc there is alot of family history and opinions and a long ass story im not going into, I would not even think twice to change my last name to my grandmother's maiden name, Julich

24. What are three places you want to travel?

1- the ocean, idc where just the ocean. I've never seen it and I just wanna see it

2- Aotearoa (New Zealand)

3- Germany

27. What’s your pet peeve?

I have several, chewing noises, people interrupting me, people butting into conversations they aren't a part of....I'm gonna stop here before I end up ranting lmao

31. Do you like paper books or ebooks better?

Paper paper and paper, I like the feel of real books

47. If you could marry any celebrity, who would you pick?

Ik, I've answered it already but I will say it again Josè Pedro Balmaceda Pascal

I mean how could ypu not want this??

Anyway I hope you all enjoy the shifty self portrait I did in my notes app, bc that distracted me for at least a good 20 minutes :)

Be Nosey??

[alkali-is-sleeping]

The Dog Star 2

[cw: some shouting, anger, could be triggering for some]

<previous chapter>

If my little brother — a Death Eater who made Walburga, our mother very proud — had not gotten himself killed at the hands of the Dark Lord, I most likely would not have inherited my family’s home. Twelve Grimmauld Place loomed below us. The House of Black had never been welcoming, but I needed to make this Hari's home; its needed to welcome him.

I revved again as we made our descent, careful to make sure that Hari was still safe as we landed.

But there was a shadowy figure at the door. I wrapped Hari with my jacket, separating his sleepy head from what may lay ahead, panicking at the thought that he may be taken from me, or worse...

I neared cautiously, I daren’t say fearfully, my life had overflown with it for too long and I needed my courage more than ever now. The closer I got, the more I became certain that this was someone I knew, but the pressing fog in my head made it impossible for me to say who until —

Fearful amber eyes turned to me, lowered on the slowish breathing lump in my jacket and glistened under the light of the street lamps and the stars — I was named after the brightest one — and the no longer full moon.

Remus teared up more and more the closer I drew. He reached his hand out, once I was near enough, as if to touch Hari, but retracted it just as quickly, thinking better if it.

I did not want to let go of the baby. He was a lifeline then, keeping my head over water, stopping me from drowning in the grief and the mess and the truth and —

Remus had always been the best at gauging my emotion, my confusion radiating to him perhaps, permeating his ever calm demeanor, telling him that my hands and this baby were, at least for now, surgically attached. He tapped his wand to the door causing it to clunk painfully through the soundless night, and pushed it for us all to get in.

He lit the fire in the drawing room, all the candles and lamps and eventually took to standing in a far corner of the room staring at sleeping Hari, occasionally wiping his eyes with his tatty jumper sleeve.

“W-why didn’t you tell me you weren’t the Secret Keeper?” I started at the sound; it was the first voice I’d heard all night aside from Hari’s cooing and babbling.

I lifted my eyes to Remus’s; red and bloodshot, just like mine probably.

“Forgive me... we didn’t think we could trust you... Voldemort had so much he could have offered you in exchange for...” I gulped. The mistake I had made, it cost my best friend and his wife their lives and I could hardly bring my self to telling Remus.

“I went to Peter’s hiding place,” I continued, “I was supposed to check if he was still ok, but he was gone. No struggle, nothing to suggest he left against his will even... it was my idea to make him Secret Keeper...” I whispered the last bit, tears rolling down my own cheeks, landing on Hari’s little blanket.

Remus hurried next to me, wrapping his arms around me and the baby, his tears mingling with mine.

“No one blames you,Sirius. Peter, well he...”

“Talentless rat,” my voice filled with anger suddenly, burning and smoking just like the Potters’ cottage... “Must have been his proudest moment, selling out his friends and their baby son...” I sobbed drily. “Lily was pregnant again... she and James told me last week, while you were recovering from the moon. They were going to tell you, once you were better and... and...” I trailed off. I didn’t want to stop talking, not when there we’re still so many truths wanting to get out, squirming and rioting in my stomach. I wanted to let them all out, to talk and talk until this was all a distant memory. But Remus’s eyes. His eyes were wide and they had stopped leaking. They were staring at me and for a second — perhaps it was my own paranoid mind, perhaps I imagined the contempt — he did blame me.

I think he was going to say something else before the fire had glowered iridescent green. We both took out our wands and and stood abruptly, Remus in front of me, me covering Hari. Ready for the worst.

A purple wizard’s hat, followed by a great mass of flowing silver-white hair which hid a benevolent old face and then the rest of the purple clad body. Dumbledore.

"I thought I might find you all here." His voice, a seemingly perpetual tone of casual amusement, irked me. My best friends were dead and he had the nerve to stand in my house and tell me, matter-of-factly, he knew he'd find me here? "I'd asked Hagrid earlier tonight to bring young Hari to me," he said, sitting, uninvited, on the nearest armchair. I was shooting daggers at him, but he seemed not to care, looking only between Remus and the baby I held. "But by the time he got there, the baby was gone, taken, the locals told him, by a man in a leather jacket and a flying motorbike... I knew, instantly of course, that his godfather must have taken him to safety."

I shifted my feet uncomfortably and redistributed Hari's weight in my arms. Why was Dumbledore here? What did he want?

I looked at Remus, who was in turn looking at Dumbledore, who was finally looking at me.

"I'm not sorry," i said, chin lifted in the airin defiance, daring him to make me apologise for having gone against his will.

"No one is asking you to be bu--"

"And I am not giving him to you."

My interuption was punished by silence, broken only by a dry cough from Remus. Dumbledore's eyes, bright moonstone, penetrating to the depths of my soul...

"Sirius, from what I gather, as Hari's guardian, you wannt what is best for him. However, you do not seem to have the full measure of things," Dumbledor was now making a dome with his hands, leaning forward on his seat. "I have good reason to believe thathis mother's sacrifice, Lily'sbloodshed for her son, has formed an unpenetrable protection on Hari. This is little understood magic, magic which is the sole reason Hari got away from Voldemort's attack with only a scar."

It was his turn to shoot me daggers; he most likely didnt mean it, but his gaze made me want to run and run. I didn't want to hear about what really happened, I'd seen enough, endured enought, I did not want anymore.

But he did not care, he kept talking, telling me everything, feeding me more and more dark, worm like truths.

"This is why i believe Hari needs to live with his aunt and uncle, blood relations of Lily's." I stared.

"WHAT?!" I bellowed, unable to control the sudden influx of anger bubbling over the surface. Hari woke at the sound, fussing and sqirming. remus made to take him from my grip, but I pushed him away, making him nearly-stumble back,eyes wide.

I rocked the baby slowly, allowing him to ease back to sleep.

Instead, I took to a menacing whisper; "You mean to send him to live with Muggles? People who dont even know him? Did you know Lily never wanted him to meet Petunia and..." I struggled for a name, "Whats-his-face? You want to send him to a place where, perhaps for most of his life, he won't know who he is or where he came from? A-and can't ypu imagine what that'd do to him? That no one will have bothered to tell him about his parents?" I panted as if I had shouted; I said all of that in one angry breath.

"I suppose I'm an easier book to read than I imagined." He was wiping his glasses with the hem of his amethyst robes and, my, did I want to throw stones at him just then, to watch him and his stupid, calm face, shatter into a million pieces, leaving only his delicate, half-moon glasses.

"I'm his godfather. I was the one James and Lily appointed as his guardian if they..." I couldn't say it. Maybe tomorrow could wake up, take some Fire Whiskey down to drink with James as we laugh loudly, like we did in schoool, before the war, laugh about the pathetic dream I'm having...

"Isn't... isn't there some magic in that?" I pleaded, finally defeated perhaps. Dumbledore paced the room twice round, Remus' eyes on him the whole time while i closed mine and imagined James grin, full of laughter and love and... life.

"Perhaps... But more than anything, I think I am to trust the Potters' judgement and their own trust in you, for now. I will decide if this is really a good choice after I have gathered enough information. Until then, you are not to leave this house under any circumstances. Not until I have good reason to believe he will be magically protected from teh Death Eaters out to avenge their fallen Master. And, I am also to understand, given that you are both here, that Peter Pettigrew was the spy the Order had so many whispers about, correct? You are not to search for him either, as I am sure you might be tempted to."

Remus and I just nodded deftly. I could not have cared less about this sentence at Grimmauld Place, though the fleeting urge to go after Peter, to throttle him and rip him limb from limb, did possess me for seconds. But Hari was just so much more important to me, and every second with him was precious, like little glittering pearls gathering in my hands.

"That concludes my bussiness here, and my welcome has been long over stayed, so I shall leave you to it." He Dissaparated.

The next moments all blurred into one,and i cannot say how, by sunrise; the pale greenish orange promisisng a cold, summer's morning, we found ourselves laying in the guest bed, Hari between us, still fast asleep. The both of us staring into space, our pillows damp and salty.

Despite the growing sunlight, Sleep's teder fingers caught up to me...

[A/N: gods this one was long, im sorry it took so long to post, ill try to be faster with chapter 3 (which mind you is longer still than this). i hope dumbledore moral ambiguity shows, dont worry if it doesnt, it really will further on. hope you enjoy and thanx for reading!!]

[thekidultlife]

Word prompt request pls? Minghao and hands?

(A/N: I uh...if you guys have been following my blog and Leanne's, we've been watching an anime called A Certain Scientific Accelerator and have been going crazy over it for a past few days. I always loved that series and took the time to read the novels, so this was directly inspired from it....i know you guys wanted some fluff but im in a mood for horror these days 😂 -Hyeri)

◇

"Just a little bit more."

In this deep dark underbelly of a certain city of science, lies a dim luminance amidst the abyss. Light reflected from the human-sized cylinder filled with an unknown liquid, illuminating the large room with a freakishly green glow.

"Just a bit more...with these hands..."

A young man whispered to himself little encouragements as he continued to dance his fingers on the keyboard. His monitor was showing various stats as cables big and small wrapped around him and the cylinder in a snake-like hold.

Despite the speed of his hands, the young man was holding back sobs, puncturing his voices of encouragement like a pierce through the heart.

"I'll...I'll grant your wish..."

In this deep dark underbelly of a certain city of science, a different kind of flower had bloomed.

Years before everything had happened, life was much easier and uncomplicated.

He was Xu Minghao back then, a talented neuroscientist who came to the city lured by generous research grants and advanced technology. There wasn't any downsides as he began his research on dementia and neurological diseases. It was the greatest time of his life surrounded by people who thought like him and appreciated what he was seeking. It was paradise.

Yet when Minghao thought it couldn't get any better, you came along.

"This is test subject 00 - 1a."

You were introduced to him the day, the first of his human volunteers.

"Call me Y/N though! Being called a test subject is pretty awful," you told him as soon as the other head scientist walked away.

Minghao smiled, he had feared you'd be as stoic as the name given to you, yet it seemed those fears were unfounded.

"Then nice to meet you too, Y/N. I'm Minghao," he replied and you grinned, flashing your bright full smile.

"I'll be in your care, doc!"

Y/N was someone who was easy to work with, as Minghao had noted in his logbook. You were nice, cooperative and friendly, and little did he realize how he was slowly growing attached to you.

"Looks like your vitals are fine, Y/N," he told you one day after a regular checkup after a round of tests. "I'm wondering though, why did you become a test subject for this kind of research?"

To his question, you had only grinned. The dull teal green gown on you flowing like the wind as you moved, making him look elsewhere.

"Now, now, doc~ Are you curious?" You asked with a teasing look, "Haven't you found out anything in your research?"

Minghao glanced at you with a frown. "You seem pretty normal, apart from your sudden bouts of unconsciousness."

Smiling, you replied with a twinkle in your eyes. "Looks like you aren't from around here, are you doc?"

It didn't take him long to warm up to you and your bubbly personality. It was the only warmth he could feel down in the desolate and freezing labs, the only one who could make him feel less like a bastard for experimenting with humans and more of a doctor trying to help someone.

"You like to paint, doc?" You asked, munching on a sandwich as you watched him type on a computer.

"From time to time. Why'd you ask?" He replied as he looked up to you.

"Your desktop wallpaper. I felt like you drew that."

"Oh?" Minghao raised his brows, piqued by your comment. "You're quite intuitive, aren't you?"

"I have level 1 telepathy. It's more than enough to sense a few things," you told him with a slight giggle.

"That's amazing. I didn't realize the extent of your abilities," Minghao remarked, to which you only waved your hand in dismissal.

"Not as amazing as others out there," you continued, as your tone went to a downcast turn. "I'm a level one and I can't see a day without suddenly collapsing. Here in this city, people like me are called liabilities."

That was the first time he had heard you open up to him. Minghao gazed at you with heaviness in his heart as you made a bitter and cynical smile.

"I wanted to be useful, just for once in my life. Even if that means I have to be a test subject, at least I can help other people with conditions like me, right doc?"

Despite the smile on your face, Minghao felt the pain and the hurt you had endured all your life. He hated it. He hated how much life had robbed you of the light; a light which you were now ironically seeking at a place where it never shines through.

"It's ok, Y/N," Minghao told you as he wrapped ypu in a tight hug. "I'll help you with your dream. I'll make sure that this research wouldn't be in vain."

With that promise, Minghao began to work extensively. He wanted to remove that painful look on your face as you smiled at him, waving as if it was normal to sit inside a large machine trying to manipulate your brain. It was a sacrifice you were willing to make, and he was determined to achieve your goal.

It was for you. All for you.

Minghao wasn't stupid. He knew you were dying. The bouts of fainting and collapsing was getting more and more frequent. Each passing day, you had grown weaker and he was becoming more and more desparate.

"Her condition is worsening, Dr. Xu. What do we do? She's the most successful of all test subjects."

There was no need for asking.

"Let's move to phase two."

He hadn't thought of it at first, but he had already sunk himself knee deep into the mud without even knowing. He had never realized how twisted this city was and how he had submerged himself in its dark, dark abyss voluntarily.

The first time he saw it was during a failed test.

A huge forced slammed around the thick concrete walls of the room, creating a slight tremor. The glass separating the scientists from the test site suddenly cracked, reflecting the horror on Minghao's face as he saw you pick up a stray iron bar and walked towards a weakened attendant with an uncomprehensible expression on our face that was akin to wicked delight.

"Die. Die. Die. Die! Die!!!"

You screamed, hammering the attendant with the iron bar hard enough to draw blood.

"N-no...stop it! Y/N stop!"

Minghao was the first one to scream as he raced down the testing room, bursting the door open and stopping you before you could commit murder.

He had never recovered from what he saw that day, yet he didn't have the strength to stay away from you.

"...what happened that time, Y/N?" Minghao asked, interviewing you.

You gazed at him, eyes tinged with panic.

"I...I don't know. I'm sorry..."

Minghao could feel the anxiety in your voice, the guilt of killing with your own hands. He didn't want this.

"Y/N, let's just stop this..."

"No!" You shouted, which then turned into soft sobs. "No...no....not now, please, doc. I don't want to be like this anymore...I don't want to be sick anymore."

"Y/N..."

"Please...would you grant me my wish?"

And he did.

And it came with a terrible price.

"No, h-help! Help me please!"

Screams were heard inside the testing room, blood was splattered on the wall. Yet Minghao had become tolerant of it. It was ok. It was for you.

"Who would've thought overlaying a Level 5 esper's thought patterns would make her more stable, though a bit violent. This is good data, Minghao. Congratulations."

He could hear the grant sponsor greet him yet his face remained stoic. He glanced at the folder beside him, not noticing that the research had changed names over the course of several years.

"This marks the first step to the project. Thank you for your work, Doctor."

He was congratulating Minghao as if it was the end. No, it isn't the end. Not yet.

In the deep dark underbelly of a certain city of science, Minghao walked towards the testing room. He could hear water dripping in irregular beats, his steps echoing across the lab.

It was once clean and bright, but now it was in disarray. Abandoned and empty after an incident years before. Minghao had moved on to other projects as well yet he still came back.

"Hi, doc," you greeted him with a bright smile, hands bloody and uniform stained red.

"Hi, Y/N," he replied, his eyes were now heavy and exhausted. Xu Minghao had changed over the years. "How's school?"

Grinning, you pushed the body of a female classmate out of the way so you can reach him.

"It was great! I made some friends, but they didn't really like me..." you pouted, seemingly innocent. "So I made them like me!"

Minghao made a small smile. This was fine. At least you were happy.

In the deep dark underbelly of a certain city of science, a murky darkness filled with despair existed.

-Hyeri