#let's write more fanfics for this serie !

[shadowofahope]

Love Revocation

Pairing: ImperialGuard!JungHoseok x Princess!Reader

Premise: Only your brothers would be willing to step in and try to change your future. But history isn't easy to overcome, even if it is all but forgotten.

Word count: 3.5K

Author's note: I've been watching a lot of historical k-dramas and c-dramas lately, and I can say it's an addiction at this point! If you have any favourites feel free to share! I'd love to watch your recommendations as well as talk about any mutual ones we love!

masterlist

One foot infront of the other, the crisp air of the afternoon breeze through your robes and hair, the light chatter of people in the market; it all gave you a bittersweet taste of Deja vu. Times like these felt right, but you had the feeling that nothing looked as it should. It could be the small taste of freedom mixed with the claustrophobic fear being chained somewhere. However, where the other end of the chain was you didn’t know. Or you did once, but it was lost with the rest of your memories from all those years ago. 

You stopped trying to remember after the first two season changes, then you accepted your circumstances and adjusted yourself to where you were. 

Arms full, you smile gracefully at the passing merchants and village people, the ones bowing at you when recognization transpired. You all but skip down the back path heading towards the palace again. 

You promised mother you’d finish her painting of the place father asked for her hand today. You had beeen working on it for her birthday, but you were too excited to wait. So it may have been promised 2 weeks earlier then her day.

However, a shroud voice catches your attention before you make it to the next corner. You stop in your tracks to listen. If living in the palace taught you anything it was ‘to always know the concerns of your people’, were fathers exact words. In otherwords you took it as a sign that it was ok, in most situations to eavesdrop… at least a little. 

“She is being forced to marry the oldest son of the emperor and empress. Her bloodline will muddy just as theirs already is.” A sinik male voice mocked. 

“What do you mean by that?” You heard your brothers fiance ask. She was a headstrong woman. Not only that but she was radiant. The type of woman your brother deserved. 

“Everyone knows the young lady is unfavoured by the gods. So if you bear a child with him your children will be inflicted with the same inability.” This time a female voice chimed in. Just as distasteful as the males.

“The princess is kind, witty, social, politically intelligent, well read, impactful, understanding and unworldly beautiful. Our children will be blessed to have her as their aunt.” Tayla lists, you smile to yourself. She didn’t have to defend your honour so seriosuly, but you silently thanked her none the less. 

“You have your doubts. There is no way you do not feel some worry about tarnishing your family name. Its reputation will be dragged through the land if your children fail to develope as she has. They will be cursed as she is.” 

Anyone talking about your family members however, you just couldn’t let it slide so easily.

“My brothers children will develop into the strongest blood line of these past 1000 years, we are in no need of your concern.” You step in, rounding the corner of the building. Your voice and demeanour remain calm, a smile on your lips as your mother had taught you when it came to political arguments. Remaing calm when the opposing side could not, as strategy she had learned in her youth.

What others said about you didn’t really bother you anymore. As a young child you always felt the sting of their harsh words. Like they were hoping you’d choke on them. But it had the opposite affect. It only drove you to try harder, to learn the ways of the palace. To push yourself past the limits that this life had given you. 

“My lady!” Many courteous greetings are followed by formal bows. “Wha-what are you doing here?”

“I was out for a walk through the village to get a few supplies.” Holding up the items in your hands, you sidle up to your future sister in law. Taking a step between her and the small circle of ill intended pupils.

“We didn’t mean anything by it. We were just worried she hadn’t thought it through. Or raised concerns” One of the young males spoke quickly. You stifle a scoff, but continue to maintain your composure.

“I’m sure you are.” You eye him carefully, if you weren’t mistaken he was one of the many candidates who wanted Tayla’s hand in marriage. “However as I am not my mother and fathers birth daughter, you’ll be happy to know my genes will die with me.” 

“You are not the child of the Emporer and Empress?” The small crowd gasps in unison. You could laugh at how comical their faces became. 

Even so, amongst the mumbling in front of you there is a faint call from behind you, you turn to her.

“Mother and Father saved me when I was young. Knowing I could not cultivate nor could remember where I had come from or how I ended up where they found me, they showed compassion and mercy upon taking me in and raising me with their children.” You explain to her alone. “I am blessed beyond measure. And your children will hold the greatest of titles. ”

--------

A few days had past since your unexpenctant, informal announcement of your lineage. A very important matter had taken your attention, so you had all but forgotten already. You hear frantic footsteps approach your room. You brace your mind for the inevitable impact that would be your brothers. Your hand doesn’t still as it continues to write on the parchment of your lessons from today. Your doors burst wide open, not bothering to look up at them.

“Are you really planning to take the tether serum?” Your youngest brother demands breathlessly. 

“You’re here earlier then I expected, I am almost surprised.” You smile to yourself. If you had placed money on them discovering your plans, it would not have been until at least a week had past.

“Don’t make light of this.” Your eldest brother scolds from the rear, coming up behind your younger brother, closing the doors to conceal your conversation.

“Why would you make such a thing?” Taehyung's bewilderment is something you had became accustomed to. He somehow always seemed shocked by your actions. Considering how long you had been in the family now, you would have thought he had understood you at least a little.

You let out a deep sigh, the air from your lungs feels cold as it leaves your body into the warm air. 

“I want to be of use to mother and father in the end. Is that so outrageous as to incur your unmistakable wrath?” You choose your words carefully, not wanting to sadden them with todays ongoings but at the same time you know Seokjin’s fiance has already informed him of the other day. 

“We both understand greatly how indebted you feel towards them, but to tether your lifeline to them as someone still young is unheard of.” Seokjin reasons, still standing in the middle of the room, you can see his robes out of your peripheral. Taehyung sits down in the place next to you, trying to get your attention.

“Elder brother is right. If they both pass then so shall you, your soul cannot be separated. You shall serve them into death and upon new life.” His tone turning sorrowful. 

This time you look up at him, then towards your elder. 

“My dear brothers, It’s no secret that no one would marry me before and now with my birth being admitted, I have somehow lost whatever leverage I may have had.”

“That’s not true.” You see the hurt in the youngers eyes, but what you've said is true. You all know it. You give him a sad smile, letting your hand drop the brush, and placing it over his on the table.

“I cannot cultivate. I have no sense of magic or any prowess. My soul has been deemed weak and now people know that I am not the Emperor and Empress' true daughter.” You direct your smile towards Seokjin. “I have been preparing myself for this outcome since we were young. Please, if you cannot understand me then at least accept that this is your sisters wish.”

--------

“The last time the two of you bowed this deeply to us was when you were young children and you and our son had broken a priceless family heirloom while you were training in the halls.” The Emperors longest friend muses from his seat. Him and his wife had known your parents since they were young, they were as close as family. Including their son, who happened to be the same age as you. So all four of you had grown up together.

“Uncle. Auntie. We are here to request an inordinate favour from you. One we know may be impossible for you to agree to, but we must ask this of you.” Seokjin’s whole body is tense. Everything he can do to save you from tethering yourself is hanging on this outcome. 

“What is it?” Your aunt is more curious then worried by their request. Seeing them kneel before them was a shock bigger then they had ever expected. 

Your brothers sit up straight.

“Our sister. As you know she is unable to cultivate. She has no skill in combat. Many have deemed her unworthy to bear our family name.” Seokjin’s voice comes out strong, but his hands are trembling slightly. “However, as you also know. Our sister is competent in the kitchen, and with chores of the home. She is patient and nurturing when she takes care of the palaces many children. She has beautiful skills in the way of art and embroidery. She is generous beyond measure and courteous to others. She deserves to have a future.”

“We both agree. She is a diamond amongst pebbles. But what brings this tone of concern?” Uncle is concerned.

“Our sister has decided to take the tether serum and serve our parents.” Taehyung explains. “We do not know if you have heard the word circling about our sister not being of our blood. But we are here to confirm it. Our parents took her in when I was newly born, she is all I’ve known to be an older sister.”

“We are aware of the talk. We were also there the day your parents found the young lady.” The Uncle assures. “You do not need to worry about our thoughts towards the princess.”

“I am curious to this favour. What do you wish to ask for?” Auntie pushes. 

“Our sister wishes to tether herself for she believes no one will marry her.” Seokjin explains. They bow again in unison, as if they had practiced their movements and speech before appearing. “We ask of you to please propose a marriage contract to the Emporer and Empress between our sister and your son.”

Taehyung cuts in quickly before they can be dismissed.“We know he is your only son, but we beg of you. She respects your son and you, uncle and auntie. There are many things she may be useful for.”

“Useful? She is enough as she is. We know that very well.” Uncle states, making eye contact with his wife. The look of understanding flashing between the two, unseen by the young princes.

“Just as we know our son. He has felt feelings of affection for the young lady for quite some time. You might not know this but she was the reason he decided he wanted to join the guard.” The older woman conceals her giggle behind her hand. “I had never seen such a rambunctious boy turn so serious.”

“He knew?” They both shoot up in surprise. Their friend had never mentioned having any knowledge of your sisters situation. But then again, they had never spoken of this either. 

“Yes. Our son was adamant that he would protect the princess. We could not sway his mind. Though we did not try to. We have never looked down on her because of her situation. She has become a well rounded beautiful woman, our son would be blessed to take her as his wife.” The Lord nods, 

“Does that mean you will agree?” They feel giddy. They could save you.

The older couple share a fond smile. 

“There is something our son has been drawn to since he was a young boy. We believe your sister is the key to his happiness.” 

--------

“Hoseok, what are you doing here?” You beam, controlling your feet to not skip your way over to him. A lady never skips…at least not in front of others.

“Princess” He greets you with a bow and warm smile as he always does. “I was summoned by the Emperor and Empress. Why have you come?” 

“I was requested by Uncle and Auntie to meet them here.” You explain. “What is going on? Do you think its about Mothers birthday feast tomorrow?” 

“I’m not sure, but we should not keep them waiting. Let us go in.” He opens the doors and waits for you to enter first.

You hurry in, smiles directed at your parents then your uncle and aunt. 

A large round table adorned with vast plates of food, both your fathers sat near the far end laughing and chatting away, raising a drink to eachother. Your mothers seated next to their husbands also tremendously cheerful. 

You share a quick glance before bowing. 

“Emperor. Empress.” He greets first.

“Uncle. Auntie.” You greet directly after. 

“Children! Come in! Have a seat.” You father cheers happily. Your aunt waves a hand over to you for you to sit next to her. 

You bound over to sit next to your aunt. Which just so happens to be next to Hoseok as well.

“We are celebrating this evening.” Your mother informs, her attention on him.

“What are we celebrating Empress?” Formality laced in his words. It made you smile, even if he was like another son to your parents he highly respected them. 

“Lord and Lady Jung, have come to us with a proposal contract and we have agreed.” The Emporer boisterously exclaims.

“I’m sorry, Father and Mother I fear I do not comprehend.” You express, eye brows coming to meet in a frown. 

You see a flash of something cross Hoseoks face, but you stay focused on your looking between your parents. 

Your Aunt grabs both your hands, placing them in the space between you and forcing you to face her.

“The Emporer and emperess have accepted our proposal for our son and you to be wed.” She cheers brightly, hands giving yours a light squeeze.

“I’m to marry-?” You look back at him. Scared to see panic or disgust or even rage on his dazzling features. But there isn’t any sign of darkening. Only red tinted ears give away any emotions he’s feeling. That in itself leaves you astonished adn shaken. 

Words of wedding ceremonies are abrupt in your ears. The pattern of the bedding for your marriage suite. 

“But, Uncle, auntie. I’m not worthy of marrying your son.” You say it like it is a definite fact, interrupting their excited remarks. 

“Nonsense!” Your father bellows, a bright smile never leaving his face, he places his arm around his long term friend, who shares an equally blinding smile. “You two shall be wed! It is a beautiful idea, one I wish we had thought of sooner.” 

The laughter from the elders erupts once again, leaving you shell shocked. Remaining quiet you can’t bring yourself to look at anyone, opting to stare at the oak table in front of you. How did these events happen? You had just made the choice to…

A sinking feeling hits you all at once. Your brothers. They were the only ones that knew of your plans, other then the physician you had asked the tether serum about. They would be the ones to try to stop you. 

You’d deal with them after this dinner. You’d confront them and talk to Hoseok about his rejecting the marriage proposal. 

You just had to sit nicely until then.

--------

“What did you do?!” You stormed into the study room the next day, you knew your brothers had hidden themselves away. They always resided in the same place to try to escape you when they had done something they knew you would be unhappy with. You had been followed by Hoseok on your way there when you mentioned you were confronting your brothers, upon meeting him that morning.

“Sister. This is a study room. Please refrain from raising your voice.” Your oldest mock scolding you, book in hand.

“Then answer me. I know it was the two of you that have provoked the marriage idea.” You were pulling back your seething temper, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. 

“Princess~” Hoseok calls calmly from behind you. You could feel him close behind you, not touching but close enough that you felt like you could breathe.

“What all of our parents decide to do we do not hold any influence over. You know as well as anyone.” Seokjin scoffs. The audacity he had to play ignorant at this moment was appalling. 

“We may have brought up the idea of a union.” Taehyung supplies from the far end of the room. 

“Why would you do this?” Exasperation seeps out of you. There was no point in hiding your displeasure or annoyance at these two. “You know I wish to be tethered.”

“Tethered?” Hoseok speaks again. “Who were you to be tethered to?”

“Mother and Father.” You state, angry eyes set on your brothers, but also not wishing to elaborate. This isn’t how you wanted him to find out. You were all childhood friends, you wanted to tell him yourself when he had time away from his duties in the guard.

“She believes no one shall love her because she is unable to cultivate. She believes she is not worth dotting on.” Your elder brother chimes in, closing his book and sauntering over to you. “But that’s not true. Is it Hoseok?“

“No. It’s not.” Your childhood friends voice is stern, you had never heard it like this before, at least not targeted at you. It sends a shiver down your spine. “Is this why you wanted me to talk my parents out of this marriage?”

“I wanted to be tethered to mother and father because I wish to serve them for eternity.” Your jaw tense. Your core feeling as it had turned into stone. 

“Look at me.” You have never heard his voice so cold and low, not even when he was at work. Something in you makes it impossible to deny him, so you do as he orders. You can see the fire behind his eyes, before your allow the flames to consume you you look towards the chilled marble ground. You hear muffled voices of your brother behind you but you can’t react. You feel warm fingers gently push your chin up ever so gently, forcing you to make eye contact. “Princess. Y/n. Is that really why?”

Your voice catches in your throat. A cough threatening to scratch its way out of you. “I am not like others. I cannot contribute to a high class home as I should. I’m…. broken.”

You had never felt so weak as you did in that moment, not since the days yo uhad been found. You could never lie to him. Not once. 

He studies your face, searching for something. “Is it the worst to be betrothed to me?”

“What?” His question catches you off guard. You blink at him in confusion. Of course, you knew he would be angry at your decision, or at the very least angry with you for not trusting in him to discuss it. 

“I can understand if you wish not to be wed to me because you do not think I’m adequate.” His voice soft like the look in his eyes. Soothing your anger towards your brothers in a instant, your only focus on him and the sad smile on his lips.

“That is ridiculous. I would not want it to be promised to any one else in this entire kingdom.” Why do you feel breathless? 

“Good.” His hand slips away from your skin. For a mere second, you miss the contact before realizing what you said. Your face burns with embarrassment, your eyes scrunching closed at how idiotic you sounded to yourself. Had you lost your mind? “Then I will discuss with our parents for the ceremony to be held as soon as possible.”

The shock brings you back out of your inner reprimanding. But before you can formulate words he’s bowing to your brothers and then you and he’s gone.

“W-what just happened?” Your mind struggles to catch up. 

Hearing your brothers snicker at you doesn’t’ help, you’re still frozen in place. Frozen staring at the now closed doors that Hoseok, your childhood friend, had left through. 

Seokjins full laugh fills the room. “Looks like you’ll be a little bride faster than I will be a groom.” 

masterlist

[aqua-turbulence]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Malevolent (Podcast) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: John/Arthur Lester, John/Noel | Charlie Dowd, John/Arthur Lester/Noel | Charlie Dowd Characters: Arthur Lester, John (Malevolent), Noel | Charlie Dowd, Kayne (Malevolent) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Murder, sorta?, John has a Bad Time, im too tag to tired

Summary:

Arthur’s fingers continue to dance along the piano keys. Kayne’s voice makes for a horrid accompaniment, “How would you like a break, Artie?”

The playing stops. Arthur at last speaks up, “...What?”

“From John.” A beat of incredulous silence, “Oh, come on now, don’t look at me like that! I would never even think about separating my favorite dream team permanently. Just until you find the Black Stone. Then bing-bang-boom you’re back together! You get a reprieve from mister lies-a-lot, I get the Black Stone, and John. Well…John gets what’s coming to him.”

[atanxdoesstuff]

nejisasu doodle! a universe where the hyuuga's slavery bs doesn't get ignored and Neji and Sasuke are better off for it (and also they're married)

[sinvulkt]

Version française ci-dessous.

Nemo snatched the rifle from the dazed shipwrecked sailor and fired. One shot. Two shot. The bullets ricocheted off the monster's skin, without harming it in the slightest. The giant eel shook its head as if to rid itself of an unpleasant tingling sensation, then rushed at the sailor Nemo had just disarmed. The man didn't have time to utter a single cry before he disappeared down the creature's throat.

Nemo took a step back, his heart beating wildly. Blaster and Humility were approaching the beach now, without having noticed that he had stopped to distract the monster. Soon they would have reached the ship and Nemo would be free to run after them, or the eel would be dead under his fire. He refastened his rifle.

A vicious, hate-filled eye stared back at him, daring him to fire. Nemo obliged.

The shot went off, hitting the creature on the soft skin near the eyelid. The monster writhed in pain. The trees shuddered under the power of the blows, shaking them like an earthquake. The ground seemed to give way under Nemo's every step, causing him to stumble as he tried to move away from the deafening sound. A continuous buzz filled his ears.

Before he had time to regain his balance, the giant eel had opened its mouth wide in fury and pounced on him. Nemo's heel caught in the roots of a tree and his rifle went tumbling through the air. A warm breath brushed his face in a foul reminder that the monster was getting closer. Seconds passed both slowly and quickly as Nemo struggled in vain to dislodge his foot. He finally gave in: he wouldn’t be able to dodge in time.

Using his last recourse, he raised the pistol he had kept at his waist and fired again. And again. And again. To no effect. The maw remained wide open, like an unstoppable yawning abyss, no matter how many blows pierced it. He reloaded. Already the monster stood less than one meter away, the trap of its jaws masking the sunlight. Then, just as Nemo fired the last bullet straight into the esophagus rushing towards him, a convulsion shook the creature’s body. 

Sharp jaws with teeth as long as its forearm closed around him, plunging him into total darkness. Nemo blinked, expecting the jaws to clamp down at any moment, crushing him under their fangs or suffocating him in stomach acid. But, against all odds, the silence stretched on, not even broken by a wheeze. The fetid air around him stayed stagnant.

The monster was dead.

Nemo tried to lift one of the teeth. The jaw was heavy and, sunk deep into the ground, it didn't budge. Nemo readied himself. His feet spread, his pelvis lowered, his muscles tensed and, with a superhuman effort, he pushed. A ray of light rewarded his efforts before the mouth heavily fell back, once again trapping him. Nemo choked on the dust and the putrid atmosphere of the mouth. Memories of his cell in Kalpani chattered in his mind. For every second he spent in this cadaverous trap, he seemed to become a little more claustrophobic. Driven by the energy of despair, he resumed his efforts to lift the tooth. This time, the jaw parted, leaving a deep trail in the sand. It was barely enough for Nemo to crawl out, which he did.

He was just starting to free himself when he noticed that the flesh of the snout had stuck to his fingers. He shook his hands, but to no avail. The whole snout seemed to be stuck there. Nemo pulled with all his might, uselessly. A touch of anxiety tightened his features. He put his foot against the jaw for support and, letting out a curse, pulled so hard that he dislocated his shoulder. The monster's skin stretched like an old rubber band, deforming the eel's triangular head, but it remained stubbornly attached. As soon as he stopped, panting and exhausted, his arm sank deeper with a disgusting noise into the creature's skin, up to the elbow.

His hand was burning. Nemo gritted his teeth against the wave of pain that shot up his wrist. It felt as if the limb had been dipped in acid. Given the supernatural nature of the creature pinning him down, who knows if that wasn't the case. Nemo stared at the swarming mass of flesh on his arm. In a few minutes, it would have reached his shoulder.

His heart hardened. He reached into his belt and pulled out his dagger, then stuffed the bottom of his shirt into his mouth. The blade, perfectly sharpened, cut into the flesh with ease. It didn't take long for it to hit a nerve, causing him to let out a muffled scream. Nemo gritted his teeth so hard that if it hadn't been for the sweaty shirt he'd slipped between his jaws, he'd already have cut his tongue.

A sudden spike of pain in his foot stopped him in his agonizing tracks. He looked down. The foot he had placed on one of the creature's teeth for support was no longer resting, but embedded. A twitch in his ankle confirmed what he had feared. Sweat ran down his forehead. His foot was as stuck as his arm, as if the ivory had melted around his shoe and the latter was slowly sinking into it. Already, a burn similar to the one devouring her wrist was igniting her leg.

He could no longer feel his fingers or toes.

The dagger slid limply from his free hand. Nemo stared blissfully at his limbs being devoured, as if staring death in the face. Then, seized by a feverish burst of rightful anger, he bent down to retrieve his blade and attacked his shoulder again. Nemo did not fear death. Most of the people he had loved were waiting for him there, in the afterlife, and dying would simply be joining them. But Nemo’s lack of fear for the grim reaper did not mean he would go down without a fight; not as long as the Company still existed and his family remained unavenged.

Sadly, it was too late, far too late. Nemo had barely made a dent in the bone when the swarming mass covered his dagger, then his other hand. That strange flesh was taking over his crotch, his pelvis, his torso. The pinkish foam climbed up his neck, then his face, cutting off his breath. Nemo laid motionless, paralysed in this organic prison that seemed to be digesting him alive.

The substance rose against his eyes, depriving him one by one of taste, smell, sight, hearing and touch. Everything became a tingling, acrid burn, so widespread that he couldn't tell whether the sensation was real, or the echo of a memory taking over his imagination. Nemo was completely unable to distinguish where his own body ended and the swarming mass around him began. Not that he had to worry about it for long. Emptiness soon embraced him.

-------

Nemo woke up, his vision a blur.

His mind was in slow motion. He was standing on this faint border between wakefulness and sleep, where we still remember the supernatural of our dreams and don't yet question the absurdity of reality. He vaguely felt that he had died, devoured by the corpse of a gigantic reptile, but the idea seemed so preposterous that it was hard for him to believe it was a memory, and not the effect of some hallucinogenic plant from the island.

He tried to flutter his eyelids to clear his vision, but no muscles responded. His body, heavy and numb, responded only by twitching. Nemo felt as if his arms and legs were trapped in a huge sack, hindering any attempt to move. He finally managed to turn his head. A shiny white shape closely resembling a tiny human skeleton reflected in his pupils when he did, catching his eye.

A tingling sensation drew his attention. Nemo sniffed the salty air, deeply regretting the way the sun’s strong rays hit his sensitive eyes. He was overcome by the strange certainty that the tingling sensation corresponded to the members of his crew, and that they had reached the edge of the sea.

His body moved between the damp trees, instinct guiding him in his contortions. He didn't question the strangely reduced size of the vegetation, nor the faint sensation of the earth cracking and sliding under his skin, nor the new tingling sensation that guided him. Nemo's sleep-fogged attention was focused on the idea of finding his cabin on the Nautilus, and finally leaving this accursed island.

He reached the beach and stopped, lost. The tingling had stopped. After a moment's searching, he managed to make out a blur moving across the water: a boat. Nemo opened his mouth to call to them, but only a weird purr came out. A few moments later, shrill, distorted voices burst from the boat, painfully hitting his eardrums. Seeing that the blur was not getting any closer, but was instead moving further and further away, Nemo leapt into the waves.

The water slid deliciously along his body. It welcomed him like an old friend, flowing effortlessly down his neck, his torso, his tail. It filled his gills, expelling the air that had been painfully trapped there, and Nemo had the sensation of breathing for the first time.

Confusion mingled with fear. Nemo didn't have a tail, he had legs. He didn't have gills, he had lungs. And he had never, ever swum so fast.

A shock a hundred times stronger than the tingling sensation that had guided him earlier swept through his brain. It was as if a lantern in the shape of the Nautilus had appeared before his eyes, calling to him like a torch attracting an insect. Nemo rushed to the area resembling the deck, hoping to find the hatch. He found a frightened scream instead. The shipwrecked woman who had helped them earlier was looking at him with an expression of terror.

Confusion filled him again.

It's me, Nemo!

A growl was the only sound to escape his throat. The woman ducked and disappeared inside the ship. Shortly afterwards, the familiar sound of the Nautilus engines filled her ears. 

A desperate pang twisted his heart. They were going to leave without him. 

The Nautilus is mine!

His body reacted of its own accord. Before he knew it, Nemo had wrapped himself tightly around the Nautilus, his long, sinuous body looping several times around the vessel. It occurred to him that if the Nautilus was so small and he was so big, he would never be able to get through the hatch. And yet he could easily see himself stretching out his arms, turning the wheel that sealed the door, then slipping inside the ladder that would lead him to his ship.

His head stuck to the bay window at the front of the submarine. Several spots of colour stared back at him, unmoving. 

I'm your captain!

One of them suddenly surged forth, rushing towards the area containing the controllers. The bay shield began to move with a frightful screeching sound that sent shivers through Nemo’s eardrums. He jerked away from the horrible sound, thus allowing the shield to close. Nemo stared at the metal for a moment, dumbfounded by the impudence of his crew, his tail still wrapped possessively around the rest of the ship. 

That’s when he noticed the reflection in the polished surface. The creature staring back at him had no hair, no beard, no ears. It had no arms or legs, just a long, sinuous neck covered in scales that was lost in the ocean. It was the triangular head of a faceless monster, similar to the one he had slaughtered earlier.  

Years earlier, during his long months of imprisonment in Kalpani, he had laid his name to rest beside the immaterial tomb of his wife and daughter, and chosen a new one. A name that would separate him from the agony of the past. A name that promised to dedicate his life to his vow of vengeance.

Nemo...

The Latin name he had been so proud of now seemed ironic. After all, who would take the time to consider the human nature of a sea monster? Now, in the eyes of the world, he really was 'Nemo'.

Nobody .

[klainelynch]

I love fandom because seeing other people get so excited about the things they create and my engaging with those creations makes me want to create more too. Part of me gets nervous when I feel this way because I've felt it before, and then have tried to level up, and I've fallen flat on my face more than once. And part of me is nervous because I've become less confident in myself in so many aspects of life, and whereas I used to be better about creating for me, I'm now more emotionally dependent on validation from others. But still—I love being a part of fandom, and there's no feeling like being able to add something of my own creation to it.

[ash--00]

Chapter 1: Freshwater and Giant Spider

He hate this island - no, hate is too soft of a word. He loath this island.  

Every nook and cranny seems to harbor a new threat. How many times has he told Blaster not to touch anything? How many times has he heard the boy complain after injuring himself handling the treacherous vegetation? Honestly, Nemo has stopped counting.

His bare feet are clogged with mud, and  itchy leaves cling to them, loosening their grip only for a few moments of peace. As for the nettles, they seem to have taken a particular liking to him, their incessant stings burning his ankles for hours. They're not about to leave this cursed spot, let alone find drinking water. A lake, a pond, something! How can an island be so arid?

Humility walks beside them, watching over the child with almost maternal vigilance, which deeply annoys both men. She goes on and on about her passion for discovering new species and her desire to be, once again, superior to the others. But neither Nemo nor Blaster find the energy to ask her to keep quiet. It's not them, but fate that finally silences her, as she suddenly rolls down a hill that's a little too steep. But what comes next is not the expected sound of falling on hard ground, no, it's the sound of splashing water, mingling with the song of cicadas and the murmur of wind-blown branches. 

Water. And too far from the sea to be salty - it has to be fresh water.

The next moment, Blaster, having glanced back to where Humility had fallen, almost exclaims with joy. Without hesitation, he launches himself after her, skillfully avoiding both ground and plants to plunge straight into the lake. The depth of the water is revealed when it takes him several seconds to surface. “Nemo! Fresh water! We can take it back to the Nautilus!” The interested party nods. Of course, he's delighted by this discovery, but he has to remain realistic: they'll still have to find the time and strength to carry enough water to last a month, maybe two, at most.

The lake is isolated, far from the beach, but Nemo knows that with careful organization, he can mobilize his crew to form an effective human chain. By optimizing everyone's efforts, he's almost convinced they can get enough fresh water to the submarine and ration the Nautilus in less than a day.

He continues walking, plotting the most direct route to the lake on foot. Once there, he's sure that with twelve men, the human chain to transport the water will be both competent and fast, provided everyone pitches in. By placing the company's traitor between Kai and Jiacomo, he hopes their presence will be enough to dissuade him from any sabotage attempts. With any luck, this strategy will secure the water supply without incident and-

“What are you pondering about?” Humility interrupts him in his musings, and Nemo shakes his head to refocus.

“To efficiently organize the rationing of the Nautilus. With twelve men, we should be able to supply ourselves with water in a day.”

“Provided we don't start now, right?” 

Nemo is well aware of reality, and he doesn't need to be reminded. The sun is already beginning to set, and by the time they return to the beach, it may be dark. He sits down against a fallen tree to clean his feet, trying not to scratch the hives covering his ankles from the nettles.

[...]

Find out more on Ao3!

And here for a French translation!

[daddyplasmius]

this is let grief do its work, a fic (currently unedited rip) I started as a kind of sister fic to hand on my stupid heart, another fic I'd written earlier and uh. yeah. you guessed it. haven't finished. I'm working on this on the side, Flying Over the Pit of Death + its sister fic & my original novels being my main focuses right now. I will most likely continue lgdiw sometime in the future, it just isn't my main priority. Like all of my fics, this idea is free for anyone to take & run with. if/when I finish this fic, the edited version will go on ao3. For context: this is just a prologue of sorts, depicting vaguely what is happening on the human side of the Portal the month after the Accident. On Danny's side, he's been chillin' in the Ghost Zone, where he ended up after half-dying, believing he's fully dead (he's not) & only realized he's still alive after it was too late for him to tell everyone what happened cuz like, awkward & embarrassing lol. HOMSH takes place a year later, when things come to a head. I feel it's important to reiterate that, although Danny isn't actually dead, the characters think he is & act accordingly. okay author's infodump note complete, fic under a readmore

“when they first go, let yourself think every selfish, no-good, dirty, angry, filthy, horrible thought. let the waves of anger wash through you. let grief do its work.” ーCaitlyn Siehl; Grief Counseling

On the first day, Sam had thought that, maybe, Danny was just busyーtoo busy to answer their texts, and their calls, and everything else. But then Tucker called her. It was a horrible game of telephone at first. Danny’s parents told Jazz, who told Tucker, who told Sam, and that’s how the communication went for two days until she and Tuck had enough.

They went to FentonWorks, the big, ugly building on the corner of Mockingbird and Cedar, and were surprised to find no one home at all. Not even Jazz. And, for the first time since they’d known the Fentons, the doors were locked. And when they tried to talk to Jazz later, they would find that they’ve officially filed a police report.

ー

Danny Fenton is missing. The last time Sam talked to him she was making fun of him, for being too scared to go check out the Fentons’ new Ghost Portal. She knew he was freaked out by stuff like thatーby ghosts. Now she doesn’t know if she’ll ever see him again.

There’s just no way. He can’t be gone. She literally saw him on Saturday. His empty seat in homeroom on the first day of school is the thing that does it. There’s this gap in the desks where he should be, but he’s not. Like he’s already haunting her.

It makes her sick. Everythingーeverything in her head, everything she knows. Despite what Dash and his asshole friends say, Danny wouldn’t run away. And the longer a person is missing, the more likely it is that they’reー

Sam doesn’t wait for the bell. She leaves Tucker in homeroom, goes straight to the bathroom, and wipes her face down in the sink, water turning black. Suddenly, everything macabre, everything dark and creepyーit just disgusts her.

She goes home early. No one even says anything, not the school, not her parents, not Tucker. Alone in her room, Sam starts to shake. She sobs once, something seething just under her skin. She stalks over to the wall where most of her horror movie posters are taped and starts tearing them down, one by one.

ー

Danny Fenton has been missing for a week, and Tucker, staring at the sweater his best friend forgot at his house, laid across his computer chair, thinks he’s starting to feel it.

Opening his phone, he feels it again. Looking at his texts, he feels it again, and again, and again.

Saturday • 4:47 p.m. Danny Phantom: xD Danny Phantom: not playing tonight, ghost portal opening night 👻 Danny Phantom: can play tmrw tho Too Fine: hell ya txt u then Danny Phantom: 👍 Sunday • 10:20 a.m. Too Fine: yo still up 4 doomed Too Fine: dued Too Fine: dude* Too Fine: you there Sunday • 10:21 a.m. Too Fine: txt me when you wanna play Sunday • 11:58 a.m. Too Fine: you up?

Tucker lets his phone fall on his bed. He doesn’t bother checking in with Sam. She’s been out of school and ignoring him for the last three days. It’s almost been a week sinceー

He gets up and stumbles to his chair. He sits down, careful not to mess up Danny’s NASA hoodie. Tucker turns on his desktop, types in his password, checks his emails. He messes around for as long as he can before he literally cannot take it anymore. He just can’t ignore it.

God. His best friend is gone. Is he coming back? Is heー

It’s like something inside his chest cracks. Without thinking, he pulls the NASA hoodie into his lap, and then over his head. It’s been here too long. It still has that smell of ozone and copper on it, though.

Tucker leans back in his chair and stares at the wall.

ー

Danny was home. That’s the thing. The last time Jazz saw him, he was inside the house, and she never saw him leave. He must have, at some point. She has no idea why, or for what, but he must have. It’s the only rational explanation. Danny left. Something happened. He never came home.

She feels the panic rising, gripping her throat again. She puts the candle down on the bleachers. Wipes her face. Whoever is speaking to the crowd of students holding vigil is a mess of white noise in her ears. It doesn’t help. It should and it doesn’t. A lot of things are the opposite of what Jazz knowsーthought they are.

She almost wishes it had just happened at home, been a little less drawn out.

As soon as it pops into her head, she feels sick, disgusted at herself.

But no one goes missing this long and lives. A very small percentage do. And if it had been some accident in the lab, like she always feared would happen, at least they’d have a body to mourn. At least they would know.

ー

Sam’s parents pretend they aren’t happy. They have to look worried, grieving, because what would the neighbours think if they didn’t? She can see through it, unlike them. They always hated the Fentons. They always hated Danny. They always hated Sam’s fascination with the macabre.

Well. They got what they wanted.

It’s like he’s in everything. She isn’t even looking for him, and he’s still there, still everywhereー

Sam rubs her eyes on her sleeve before she can properly cry. There’s no body. He could still come back. A month is a lot, but he could stillーhe could show up. Someone could find him alive. He could be alive.

Her parents look at her from across the lavish, stupidly large, solid wood table. She should know what type of wood it is but it’s like the information is behind a fogbank. She can see the silhouette. She just can’t make it out. Mom places her cutlery down neatly, dabs her mouth with a cloth napkin, and clears her throat.

“Sammy-kins…” She starts, and the rage inside Sam bubbles up like lava bursting through rock. “There’s been… We…”

She looks to the side for help, from dad. He looks incredibly awkward for a moment before turning to Sam with an expression she hasn’t seen since grandpa died.

“Saman… Sam.” He says, simply, slowly, and the lava in Sam’s gut turns cold, and heavy. “They’ve found evidence that has given them reasons to believe that… your friend is gone.” He’s never spoken this softly. Ever. His voice is barely audible above the blood rushing in her ears. “They’ve called off the search.”

ー

Tucker didn’t expect nightmares. He wakes up and he panic-cries into his pillow and hopes to whatever god or deity is listening that ghosts in dreams aren’t real. He can’t explain the fear. Everything is incredibly normal, more normal than his dreams ever have been, and then Danny walks in.

He would give anything for this to happen, right now, in real life. He’s afraid, though. In his dreams, a sheer terror overcomes him. He can’t get away fast enough. He can still hear his own voice echoing in his head. “You’re dead! You’re dead!”

It’s a wrongness he can’t quite graspーor doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to be afraid of his best friend. Tucker wants him back so badly. But his brain knows the truth, even if Tuck is digging his heels in and refusing to budge.

Someone knocks on his door, and he tenses.

“Tucker, sweetie? It’s…” Mom takes a deep breath. “It’s time to go.”

He grits his teeth and shoves his face into his pillow so hard he can’t get air. He stays like this until he can’t. He gets up.

Tucker walks across the floor like a zombie, barely aware of what he’s even doing. He manages to put on the suit his mom put out for him yesterday, and goes downstairs. He refuses breakfast. The three of themーmom, dad, Tuckerーgo out to the car, and drive to his best friend’s funeral.

ー

Jazz stares at the closed casket. There’s a pair of police officers out of uniform, or maybe detectives, standing in the corner by the photo album laid out on a table looking haunted. Aunt Alicia, uncharacteristically wearing a plain, black dress, sits with mom and dad at the other side of the room. Jazz stares at the casket and she tries to imagine that it’s not empty. That it isn’t making her scream inside with the frustration of it all. Her baby brother is gone. They couldn’t even find him. And probably never will. Because that’s how these things end.

Tucker walks into the room. Dark bags circle his unfocused eyes. His parents are right behind him, his father’s hand on his shoulder. Tucker looks at the casket. He turns away, catching sight of Jazz, and when his parents break off to meet hers, Tucker walks over.

He picks at his sleeves. Says nothing. Jazz tries to pick at the grief counseling she knows she’s studied for fun, but finds herself falling short.

She doesn’t see Sam or Mr. and Mrs. Manson walk in, but suddenly they’re there as well, smiling tightly and giving their condolences to Jazz’s parents. Sam doesn’t walk over. She stands in a corner and stares at a wall with purpose.

Jazz breathes slowly, willing her heart to stop pounding. She counts the stages she can see in front of her.

Too much Acceptance, all from strangers who never even knew him personally. She glances at Dash Baxter, tugging on his tie and looking annoyed. She can feel Anger in her. But also Denial. Bargaining. Depression.

And somehow, Acceptance, too.

They’re not stages. She never really got that before. You feel them all at once, all the time, and they don’t go away. The intensity changes, turning from a background hum to bright bursts of emotion at any little reminder.

She looks at Tucker out of the corner of her eye. She wonders if he’s feeling that way too. Being bombarded by the stages of grief in a way no one prepared them for. Is this why mom and dad never let them get any pets? Besides Danny’s gerbil, which promptly disappeared before she could even get used to the rodent’s smell. What happened to it? Was it rehomed, or is its body still somewhere around the house, unfound, unlooked for?

The stages start over, skipping between Depression, Anger, Denial, the emotions falling over themselves. She wished the cops would leave.

Not soon enough, it’s over. The funeral home employees usher them out, the rooms and halls now empty. The drive home is simultaneously the longest and shortest ever. She stares up at the brick and all she wants to do is sleep. She heads inside intending to do just that.

She takes her shoes off at the door. Mom and dad take off their jacks and move to settle in the living room. Mom is holding a tissue to her eye. Jazz hesitates for just a moment.

Should she do something? She feels like she should do something, anything. She wants to suggest therapy. She’s afraid to open her mouth, though. Jazz can feel the blame on the back of her tongue, ready to spill out. That would be the worst thing for her to do, and she doesn’t know if she has the strength to hold it back, because for fucks sake, if they just watched their children, this wouldn’t have happened.

Jazz turns to the stairs and starts climbing them. She doesn’t get halfway before she’s blinded by drywall dust and knocked off her feet.

[originalwinnercheesecake]

Hearing about the Hunger games continuation and thinking about all the Story continuations/prologues I wish we could get for The Underland Chronicles

Gregor's dad

I want To know what Gregor's dad (Who I want a name for... Steve, Lee, Heidi... What is his name? ) first trip to the underland was like. How was he found and brought to Regalia? We know he met Vikus and Luxa's Parents, SO what did he think of them? The Books say he stayed in Regila for two weeks (During which time he was very worried about his pregnant wife, children, and mother) and that he took a BB gun from the Museum. So I am guessing he knew about the war with the rats, but his family was in hell and he felt he had to get back soon. What happened during his capture.

I don't really want to know about his torturous time with the rats, but I would like some on how he was able to keep both hope and his humanity, the interesting relationship he is hinted to have had with Ripred in book 3 (He says Ripred used to feed him sometimes. He also was not scared of Ripred, Even though he was a rat and was "pretending" to attack his son). And lastly I want to know what coming home felt like for him and why, unlike his wife, the experiences did not make him fear or hate the underland.

Ripred

Speeking of Ripred I want All of his backstory, being a pup and growing up with his litter mates. Going into battle and finding out he is a Rager. How this made him famous all around the Underland, but also made him hated by enemies, and feared by allies, unless they needed him. What was going on when He tried to "Take over the fount with an army of Lobsters"? Seriously the Rat's don't even want The Fount. It is surrounded by rapids and sea monsters! What did was your interest Buddy?

Also I want to see his Mate, their family, and how their loss first broke him then made him change his stance on the war. Him building his relationship with the human side. Going up to the Overland to visit Libraries. His view of his relationships with Gregor and Lizzie and how it feels to him to being taking care of kids again after so long.

Hamnet

Up Next is Hamnet. Solovet and Vikus son, the beloved twin brother to the wife of the King/Queen, Brother in Law to the King (recently reread has me thinking they had more of a business relationship than a familiar one), the Regalian Army's most skilled soldier, and for a long time he was Solovet's heir to becoming captain of the Army, because everyone thought he was just like his mother. This is what everyone thought, but they thought wrong. Unlike Solovet Hamnet felt guilt. Guilt that drove him to speak against his mother in a war meeting to which she locked him in the dungeon for a month. When he was finally let out he went back to being obedient to her and buried his grief down, let it eat away at him, until one last horrible act (As a solider) destroyed him.

But give me Hamnet's complete story. Show him being a ruthless soldier and a fearsome killer on the field of battle, then coming home to be a loyal son, good friend, loving brother, and doting Uncle; becasue that is how many soldiers have to be. Show me him not being Okay but doing his best to hide that because that is all he could do. Then show me when everything went to far, and when he decided to leave Regalia, everything he knew and loved and run to a place that he and all his allies feared, for good reasons. Show me him missing his former friends and family. But also show me him meeting Frill and her deciding to take a chance and help him, him also taking chance and letting her (The books generally imply he wanted to leave his old life but did not expect to make anew one). Give me him learning about life in the jungle. How the animals there do not attack each other and instead employ a method of survival where first you hide, then you try to give a warning, then run. fight last. Show me him finding an overland women lost in the jungle and helping her. With the pair eventually forming a relationship and going on to have a child. Why did she never return to the Overland? Hamnet is a good father to Hazard, but you cannot tell me that he wasn't terrified during the entire pregnancy. Anything about Hamnet has to end where he ended. Having to once again fight in a pointless battle on behalf of Reglia, that the city once again brought on itself and got nothing out of. Our tragic beauty

Ares

Speaking again of Tragic Beauties I want Ares to. What kind of Stuff did he get up to to earn the reputation of a reckless, rule breaking, ...thrill seeker?...strength tester? To where he bonded with Henry to be able to get away with more. What were things like in the time HE and Henry were together. I don't think it was all bad. The Books clearly state that what hurt Luxa, Ares, Aurora, Nerissa the most was that they had loved Henry and could remember good things about him. Things that no longer felt the same after he betrayed them, and things they struggled with only becoming memories in the wake of his death. But the also show me his side of his and Gregor's bond, of him coming to love Gregor like he once loved Henry, and how their friendship helped him move on from the Trauma Henry put him through.

Nerrisa

This last one will never happen because its not really Susanna Collins style, but since none of this will happen, I want more Nerissa. What is it like for her loving her family and people so much, but knowing with her frailty and the Kingdom consistently being on the brink of war she cannot protect them. Show me what her visions are like for her. Note whatever we learned about Sandwhich I do believe Nerissa is an actual visionary. Her Visions of a bad and mysterious fate happening to Henry, Hamnet living for 10 years and building a diverse family, and Gregor being secretly being hidden away in the dungeon by Solovet...all came through.

Knowing that I have another question: Did she know suspect that Sandwhich was a fraud? Nerissa spends more time in the Prophecy room, analysis them than any other character. Many of the "misunderstood translations" are later "explained" by Nerissa. She got Gregor and the other questors off death row by replacing Boots with the Bane as the aforementioned "Baby" in the prohpecy and telling everyone: "they actually did complete the prophecy, you are are safe from the imaginary threats Sandwhich illueded to. Let them go and let's get back what's actually going wrong." When Greogor sobs about not understanding what the point of the journey to the jungle was (It had no point) and how him fulfilling the prophecy did not make everything better, Nerissa twist the prophecy to being about a war for the cure and reminds Gregor that because of what they discovered in the Jungle the council was forced to give the Gnawers the cure instead. Lastly she loves the one Prophecy that suggest hope for peace, even though its title is the only suggestion of it. On the day of the surrender she knowing her cousin will want to make the wrong choice about how to end this. So when she see's Ripred marked himself with an X (If Gregor and Luxa knew he did it himself there was no way Nerissa did not, she was always smarter than the pair of then) she decided to lend him a hand in getting everyone to believe he is the peacemaker, and they need to have peace. I really love the theory that Nerissa had realized what Sandwhich and the prophecies were and spent the books studying them, so she could try and mitigate the damages they caused.

[saintrocklee]

For the prompts (I’m probably super late I’m sorry OTL) “it’s not my fault, it’s 4am and you’re fucking yelling at me!” For Kakuzu please! Also your writing is amazing and I hope your muse returns pronto! Good vibes from me to you ✨

💰 kakuzu x reader 💰 supernatural (ish) AU part one | part two | part three | part four warnings: brief mentions of past abusive relationship. finger sucking and minimal sexy thread times. also - this is a special guest episode, as a treat. special message to the anon who requested this literally 72 business years ago: i am so sorry. i hope this was worth it. ily.

this is part four of my kakuzu prompt series. i recommend reading parts one, two, & three (linked above) before indulging.

The next day you’re distracted. Very distracted. You were typically pretty well put together but you felt as if your head was stuck in a permanent fog. Last night played on a loop in your mind, and you know ... you know Kakuzu had almost kissed you.

I broke my rules for you.

The apple you’re looking at slips from your grip and you blink back to reality. Embarrassment curls up your spine as you glance around to see if anyone saw. When you’re sure no one noticed, you bend to pick up the fruit and add it to your basket. You were doing some light grocery shopping, but so far you’d bumped into two different people, walked down the wrong aisle multiple times, and now you were dropping things.

God, you were like a teenager all over again. Just a silly little girl with a crush. You honestly hated the word, it didn’t seem to adequately describe your situation or your feelings. An infatuation? You were definitely attracted to him. You liked talking to him. You wanted to know more about him. And most importantly of all, he made you feel safe.

Next time, girl.

The shame curling in your gut from being clumsy was slowly being replaced by a simmering, now familiar heat. What did he mean, next time? Did that mean when he saw you again, he’d ... what? Kiss you? Explain? Kill you?

You know the latter is completely untrue, but for some reason it was much easier to imagine Kakuzu taking your life. You can picture Kakuzu killing, you know he’s done it before, and his aura alone was stifling and intimidating. But … kissing? Being intimate? Your imagination stops there but it doesn’t keep you from wondering. From wanting.

You never thought you would fall for a mountain of a man after spending a good portion of your life afraid of men, but here you were. Falling for a monster. Your monster. Who, by all accounts, should scare the absolute living hell out of you.

But he didn’t.

You’re able to check out without issue and start your walk home with two small grocery bags. It’s a nice day and fall was coming, leaving a nice breeze in the air to help clear your mind. You switch your bags to one hand and hold your sweater a little closer, managing to nod and smile at a gentleman walking by. Every day your confidence grew around strangers, and every day you’re thankful for Kakuzu. For your deal. Your spine felt harder, straighter. You rarely had panic attacks anymore, and found yourself leaving your apartment without constantly looking over your shoulder. You were stronger, self-assured, and self-reliant. You felt good.

A low whistle catches your attention and just like that, your courage fizzles to nothing. It was a catcall whistle, something meant to be derogatory, and it reminded you of your ex-husband.

“Wow.”

There’s a very male voice coming from behind and you stiffen, heart jumping to your throat. You don’t want to turn around but you stop walking, listening intently as footsteps approach you.

“I think I get it now.”

You blink, now confused and nervous, and turn your head to see who’s talking to you. Maybe they weren’t even speaking to you, maybe you misheard. Your rampant paranoia was still present and maybe —

Nope. He’s looking directly at you.

You’re visibly shocked by him, mouth parting muted awe. He looked … not like any man you’ve ever seen. Vibrant lavender eyes hold your own with an intensity you’re not used to receiving from a stranger, and his mouth is twisted into a cocksure grin that showed teeth. Silver hair was slicked back with a few strays curling slightly on his forehead, and the open jacket he wore revealed way more chest than you wanted to see. Your eyes immediately flick down to watch his hands and your anxiety kicks up a notch when you see them stuffed into his jacket pockets.

Hidden hands meant trouble. Your ex was proof of that.

It’s the first time in awhile you’ve felt trapped; cornered like some animal. The stranger’s posture was relaxed but the look on his face was anything but. You tried to keep your breathing calm, but your gut instinct was telling you something was off about this guy. He didn’t seem totally crazy, he just seemed … abnormal. Intense. Unpredictable.

“You checkin’ me out, girl?”

Your back stiffens and you snap your gaze back up to his face. Girl. Kakuzu called you that and it never bothered you, but coming from this man? It felt like an insult. Like you were beneath him.

Still … the way he said it. The tone reminded you of your monster. Something about how he said it. Like you were different from him, like you were in a category of your own.

“Do you need something?” you ask, attempting to keep your tone level. Not quite friendly but not quite scared. You were extremely aware of the fragility of the male ego and didn’t want to set this guy off, but you wouldn’t cower. Your question seems to ignite something in him and you frown as he throws his head back and laughs. It’s loud, boyish; and when he snaps his head back up his eyes find yours immediately. The wicked gleam there has you fighting off the urge to bolt, but somehow you know running would make things worse.

“Nah I’m just,” he pauses, taking another step toward you; to which you respond by taking a step back, “curious.”

“About?”

Something about you must amuse this guy a great deal. He’s grinning at you now, assessing you like you were an exhibit he didn’t quite understand. You glance to your right, only to inhale nervously when you realize you’re completely alone. You could have sworn there were other people on the sidewalk with you, and the street you were on was typically a busy one. But there wasn’t a soul in sight, just you and this man.

You suddenly wish Kakuzu would appear.

“Couldn’t fuckin’ believe it when I heard. Had to make a trip back just to see …” he trails off, taking a step to the right to start circling you. It reminded you of a wild animal, circling their prey.

“I don’t understand.” You breathe, body twisting to keep him in your sight. Lavender eyes once again meet yours.

“Don’t suppose you would.” His tone is light, and you can tell he’s having fun. You’re thrown back to being in elementary school, watching other kids participate in game you didn’t know how to play.

“What do you want?” You ask, some of the carefully hidden irritation making it’s way into your tone. Amusement falls from the stranger’s face and you blink when he’s suddenly in front of you. You could have sworn he was just standing behind you, how did he -

“As much as I’d love to ruin that bastard’s day, a deal’s a deal.”

You hold your breath and fight to not visibly shake. The playful demeanor he held was now lined with something dangerous and the air around you seems thicker. He bends his head towards you and your spine stiffens when his next words are whispered directly into your ear.

“Tell the old man Hidan says hi.”

Your mouth parts, more questions forming on your tongue, but just like that he’s gone. A gust of wind hits you and you jump, the sound of cars and people bustling on the street hitting you all at once. The once still and silent street was now full of noise and life; and you blink helplessly as it all washes over you. Where had everyone gone? You were sure the street was just empty.

You tighten your grip on your groceries and decide to just book it back to your apartment. You felt breathless and a little dizzy, no doubt due to some of the leftover fear and adrenaline in your system. You start moving, keeping your head down as you make your way back to your apartment.

Just get home, you chant to yourself. You purposefully move the command around your brain, even going so far as to silently mouth the words to keep from thinking about what just happened.

Just get home.

Soon you’re back in your apartment and quickly putting your groceries away. The next thing you do is check to make sure all of your doors and windows are locked, and then you check again. You're shaken to your core and now that you’re back in your home, in a space you consider safe, your mind is reeling.

Who was that?

You immediately start listing off people you knew, to try and figure out who he was talking about. He said the old man, you didn’t know any old men -

Except your ex.

Was he - did that guy know your ex-husband? Was he sent to you, as some sort of sick joke? You didn’t know anything about your ex-husband’s whereabouts, you just knew he was alive, and that was enough for your panic riddled brain to latch onto.

The anxiety you feel is building and you move to your bedroom while trying to do the breathing exercises your therapist had taught you. Inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds. Before you know it, you’re in your bed, back against the headboard - trying to just breathe.

Inhale for four seconds.

Hold for four seconds.

Exhale for four seconds.

It calms you, after awhile, and you swallow against the dryness in your throat. You feel heavy, emotionally drained, and you just want to sleep. You move slowly, changing into shorts and an oversized shirt that's warm but comfortable. Your bed welcomes you back and soon you’re under your blankets, mind still doing a slow tumble through your day. You can still hear the stranger’s laugh, a loud cackle that sends a shiver down your spine. You shut your eyes tight and try to think of something else.

Someone else.

Lavender eyes and silver slicked back hair are replaced with green and black. You think about Kakuzu, about what happened last night, and soon you’re drifting off; thoughts of inky black thread and unfinished promises sending you into slumber.

You wake with a gasp and sit up, throat sore and wetness pooling in the corners of your eyes. You had been with your ex, he’d cornered you, he’d been drinking and had come home and -

It takes you a moment to realize it was a nightmare and the next breath you take is ragged. You were home. You were home and that was years ago, you were safe now, you made a deal with -

“Calm yourself girl.”

Your head snaps up and stiffens when you see Kakuzu standing in the corner of your bedroom. The streetlights from outside along with your blinds shine an interesting pattern on him, and you’re surprised to see that he’s uncovered. Black hair hangs freely around his face and his arms are crossed across his chest, his stitches straining against his muscles. Swallowing thickly, your hands fist in your sheets and you frown when they start to move underneath you. 

When you glance down, you’re surprised at the black threads that are tangling around your fingers. There’s so much of them and you carefully turn your hand over, watching intently as inky strands continue to dance across your palm. More investigation reveals that his thread is covering both of your hands and moving carefully up your arms, stroking back and forth carefully like a caress. It clicks suddenly, and you bring your head back up to look at him.

“You woke me up.” You murmur, throat still dry, and Kakuzu’s eyes narrow, confirming your suspicion. You look away to glance at your clock and frown when you see it reads 3:47am.

“Thank you.” You whisper and Kakuzu shifts his shoulders, his arms unfolding and resting at his sides. His thread starts to pull back and you turn to watch as they slide away from you, off the edge of your bed, and disappear into the darkness that cloaks him.

“Anything to cease your endless whimpering.” His confession is sneered at you and you have to drop your chin to your chest to hide a fond smile. Ever so grouchy and grumpy.

You lift a hand and rub at your eyes, fighting back a tired yawn. Kakuzu steps closer and you still your movements when he speaks again.

“You met a man today.”

Your head snaps up, tiredness forgotten, and frown. Inhuman eyes hold your own, and there’s an edge to his tone, to him that you’ve never seen before.

“H-how did you - ”

“Did he touch you?”

What?

You blink once and then twice before opening and closing your mouth. You were trying to find the right words to respond, trying and failing to come up with something to say. Your brain, poor thing, was still lagging from being woken so suddenly, leaving you somewhat slack jawed and intelligible.

Kakuzu snarls in response to your silence and leans over, hands coming to rest at the foot of your bed as he looms over you. 

“Answer me, girl. Did he touch you?”

Your brow furrows in response.

“How did you know I met a man today?”

Judging by the incandescent glare you receive, you answered wrong. Even so, you feel none of the fear you felt earlier, none of the anxiety or panic. Distantly you register that the protective streak you’re witnessing is causing molten heat to stir in your belly, but you’re tired and agitated from your nightmare and being abruptly woken up.

“I won’t ask again.” He snaps and you swallow, eyebrows pinching together in frustration.

“No, he didn’t. How did you know?” You snip back and Kakuzu pushes himself off the bed.

“That is none of your concern.”

You bristle in response.

“None of my - how is it none of my concern?”

Green cat-like eyes stare at you impassively and you’re hit with the childish urge to throw something at him. If you weren’t so disorientated you might have.

And then -

“Wait, is he like you?”

Tell the old man Hidan says hi.

You feel the sudden urge to move and start to slowly uncurl your legs from your blankets. Kakuzu doesn’t answer but it doesn’t deter you.

“He told me to tell the old man hi. Are you who he was talking about?”

Your feet meet the carpet and you stand, fingers drumming against your bare thighs. Details from your encounter start to resurface and everything slowly clicks into place.

“He ... he made everyone on the street disappear. Told me he was curious, wanted to see for himself. He’s like you, right?”

Kakuzu’s mouth twists into a snarl.

“Don’t ask stupid questions.”

Your hands tighten into fists.

“I wouldn’t have to if you just told me the truth.”

You watch as what you can only describe as irritation flashes across his face. He moves towards you and you dig your heels into the carpet, ready to stand your ground.

“I don’t have to answer to you, human.”

Something visceral burns through you.

“Why are you mad at me? I didn’t do anything, it was your friend who just showed up —” A low rumble similar to a growl warns you to stop but you keep going, your hands emphasizing your frustration as your voice rises, “it’s you who’s snapping at me, I don’t even know what’s going on —”

“You are the one who cannot answer a simple question. Idiot girl.” Kakuzu’s sneering at you, now close enough to bend his head to look down at you. You throw your hands in the air and let out a humorless laugh before going to shove him back.

“It’s not my fault, it’s four in the morning and you’re fucking yelling at me!”

You don’t expect him to so much as budge when your palms meet his chest, but it feels good to make contact with something. With him. You know it wouldn’t hurt, you know he’s probably laughing cruelly at you, but you couldn’t take him standing there looking down at you when he had all the answers and you had none.

What you don’t expect is for him to grab onto your wrists and pull you closer. You immediate reaction is to flinch, to protect your face by ducking down, and the breath in your lungs stills. You wait for something, for him to yell, to shove you off, but nothing happens. The weight of his hands is heavy, and your brow furrows in confusion when you feel him lift and turn your wrist. You chance a glance upwards and watch as his eyes skim up and down your hand, your arm. When his inspection is complete, he turns to the other one, once again lifting your hand away from his chest. When he speaks, his tone is deeper, and the heat that you’ve come to associate with him once again makes it way through your chest.

“There is no one like me. Hidan is merely an immortal who uses blood magic. He would just need a drop ...” His sentence trails off as he finishes inspecting your arms, only to lightly push you away to cast his gaze down at your legs. Your toes curl in your carpet under his scrutiny and when he drops your wrists you tangle your hands together.

“I’m fine.” You try but Kakuzu cuts you off immediately.

“You wouldn’t know.”

You bristle again, still buzzing with frustration, but the gravel in his tone digs up under your chest and starts to break it up.

“It presents differently, in humans. You wouldn’t even have felt it, if he pricked you.”

Oh. You exhale through your nose.

“So ... he’s like a vampire?”

Kakuzu snaps his head up to meet your eyes and lets out a snort. You blink at the foreign noise.

Did your monster just laugh?

“Idiot.” He scoffs, straightening to his full height. You narrow your eyes and fight a smile.

“What? Demons and immortals are real. You’re real. But vampires, that’s stupid?”

You’re rewarded with an arched brow and finally feel all the anxiety and frustration from earlier fizzle into nothing. The warmth in your tummy starts to kindle and you glance around your room as memories from the previous night start to hit you.

I broke my rules for you.

“He will not bother you again.”

You nod and turn back to look at him, meeting his stare head on. You had other questions about your encounter with Hidan but you knew the answers he’d give you would do nothing to satiate your curiosity. You're not sure how much times passes, all you do know is neither of you are making any sort of move to leave. It makes you bolder, knowing that something kept him here. That he wanted to be there.

Next time, girl.

So instead -

“So, is this the next time you were referring to, or ... ?”

The air around you changes and a thrill shoots through at the way Kakuzu tenses. Like a coil, almost. His eyes somehow burn brighter and he takes a step towards you again, large hands flexing at his sides. Your chest heaves with effort and the smirk that curls across his face is anything but friendly. Dangerous.

It's consuming, how much you want him.

"You know not what you ask, girl."

You tilt your chin up to hold his gaze as he looms over you. His hair falls from his shoulders, surrounding you, and you feel the telltale trickle of his thread around your ankles.

"Just a stupid human girl." You murmur, and those green eyes narrow at your tone. You feel thread in your hair and let your head be pulled back, baring your throat to your monster who seemed to be wrestling with something as he looked at you. His gaze trailed from your neck, to your eyes, to your mouth; as if he were looking for something. Waiting for something. You don't move, you don't speak and finally he stills his movements completely, eyes boring into yours as if to burn you in place.

"You understand what you're asking of me?" He hisses and you blink. He waits for your answer and you swallow before finding your voice.

"Yes."

"You understand that I am not like them." He sneers the last word in disgust, as if even needing to state the fact that he wasn't human was beneath him.

"Yes." You breathe, the warmth from your tummy spreading. You were beginning to feel light headed and your hands twitch with the need to touch him.

He pauses, taking you in, and then you feel it. Strands and strands of inky black thread coiling around your thighs, your waist, your neck. You close your eyes and part your lips with a gasp at the way his thread move across your body. They're under your shirt and skirt the edge of your shorts, feather light strokes becoming bolder and bolder with each touch.

Your eyes fly open when you feel his hand curl around your chin and stutter a breath as thread moves just under your breasts. His thumb strokes your bottom lip and wetness begins to pool between your thighs. Your heart beats a furious rhythm under your chest and Kakuzu inhales at the sound of it.

"Open." He commands, voice deep and unwavering. Your mouth parts slowly, and you shudder as the tip of your tongue meets the pad of his thumb. The thread around you tightens upon the contact, flexing against your thighs and pushing up against your breasts. He presses down, holding you in place, while simultaneously tilting your face up. He's so close now, hair tickling the sides of your face, and you swear you see a triumphant glitter in his eyes.

"So pliant." Kakuzu taunts, nose nearly brushing yours. Your eyes narrow and before you can think better of it you close your mouth around him and suck.

Your reward is a snarl and the wall meeting your back.

He's quick about manhandling you, large firm thigh slotted between your legs, thread tightening enough to keep you still without hurting. He presses his thumb further into your mouth, eyes now transfixed on how it disappears, and you glide your tongue along the ridges of his knuckles before sucking him in deeper. He hasn't actually touched you anywhere else, hasn't even kissed you like you wanted him to, but that doesn't stop your body from reacting to everything. To him.

The whimper you let out is pathetic and needy.

He opens his mouth, no doubt ready to degrade you or boss you around even more, but something on his face changes. You pinch your brow in confusion as his head turns sharply, eyes unfocusing as if he's thinking. When he cocks his head ever so slightly you realize he's listening and you strain to hear what he heard.

Only there's nothing.

Kakuzu pulls away from you sharply, taking his thread with him, and you hear him growl in a language you'd never heard before. You take a step forward to regain your balance, only to be once again manhandled to look up at him. You can still feel your saliva on his thumb as he grips your chin, and you're taken aback by the intensity you receive.

"We are not done here."

He spits the words at you, eyes narrowing until you nod in agreement. His gaze flicks down to your overly wet mouth and you're once again introduced to a language you don't understand. He sounded angry, strained, and he meets your eyes once more before taking a step back and disappearing completely, once again leaving you alone.

[loststarphounix]

Quick Persona 5 thing *putting on the Persona mask*

I love the dynamic of Ryui/Akira and Ryuji/Yusuke, but my favorite ship has to be Ryuji/Akechi because it hits that subsection of Strangers to Frenemies to Lovers to Tragic Enemies that I crave at times, which is the inevitable betrayal of trust and loyalty and the spiraling of obsession.

Persona 5 spoilers below

Like imagine Ryuji meets Akechi before the beginning of the game, he just thinks this guy is overly nice because he’s secretly a creep. He has no idea is Akechi is an actual celebrity and Akechi finds this immediately amusing and makes use of this by using Ryuji as a soundboard of sorts - gauging his reaction to certain key phrases and words to see what the average teenager is thinking and the trends of the day.

They are passing friends at first: seeing each other at the train station but going to different sides of the platform or heading out the station, seeing each other in the crowded streets after school and track practice where Ryuji is heading to the arcade or the ramen shop. Then they start to actually meet up on purpose, at the park or by the movie theater to enjoy whatever mindless action film was playing because that was Ryuji’s favorite genre. Akechi even visited his home a few times and was invited to stay for dinner with the family. It was nice…domesticed in a way he always dreamed. And more and more, Ryuji became his favorite person to text or call on days when he’s at his lowest or when the adults around him had pushed his buttons with their self importance. He was like a balm that soothed his heart. It was around this time, that Akechi realized that his affection was turning romantic, but he didn’t stop it. In fact, he decided to let it grow - after all he deserves love, like any of the other normal, more stupid teenagers their age. He could make Ryuji fall for him he was certain: he was attractive, not too tall, attentive and intelligent. He just had to make strategic moves to ensure their relationship evolved in the way his mind envisioned and it would be perfect.

But after second year, after Ryuji is attacked and subsequently kicked off the track team, things change. Ryuji is still his sunshine self, but it’s muted somehow, like the light was almost snuffed. Akechi hates that anything in this disgusting world tried to take the light from his only source of happiness. How dare it even think of touching Ryuji! The blond was his and the world had no claim to him.

Akechi makes himself more available to Ryuji, who even though is very much in pain and recovering, is badgering the young detective (“ have you eaten anything other than pancakes? Like I know I have a ramen obsession, but yours outdoes mine!” “You’ve been sleeping right?”) and it endears him to the blond. He wants to help, but Ryuji insists he can handle Kamoshida on his own and that his mom has enough to worry about than some other teen sticking his nose into their lives. But this doesn’t satisfy the brunet, because he cannot believe this goofy, lovable oaf wouldn’t want his money and connections to make his life better; even if he doesn’t know who Akechi actually is.

This leads to him planning on making Ryuji want to spend more time with him, promising himself that he’d reveal who he actually is and make Ryuji and his mom’s lives so much better. It wasn’t like it was going to be hard, Ryuji became his schools pariah after Kamoshida disbanded the track and field team. He was lonely, lost…in desperate need of a friend. And Akechi was that friend, giving him attention and love. And soon, with time, Ryuji would see that he didn’t need any of those idiots. He could have all he ever wanted, being by Akechi’s side.

But then Akira comes along and ruins everything Akechi worked on for the past year. How could he have predicted that the delinquent who transferred to Shujin Academy after assaulting and upstanding adult? And that Ryuji foolishly would see this thug as a kindred spirit?

Ryuji was spending more and more away from Akechi, to be with that scum. The light seemed brighter now, soaking the world in a warm glow that emitted from him every time they squeezed five minutes together. But it wasn’t from him. And it made Akechi want to scream at the injustice if it all. He was the one who found Ryuji first - the one who saw him as he was. Why can’t he be the cause for this warmth? Why was he not good enough to make Ryuji bloom again?

And after his cover being blown by this Akira and Miss Ann at the tv station, he can see the appeal…kind of. Akira was smart, he’ll give him that; clever too with how he almost trapped Akechi on live television with his questioning. Ryuji looked so impressed by his new “friend”, it made Akechi want to vomit. But he wasn’t Akechi, who knew how to sooth Ryuji on his bad days and knew just how to help when his leg started to acting up.

Then he finds out the truth about Ryuji and the Phantom Thieves - that his little sunshine was apart of that group of thugs? It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair.

And when Ryuji discovers his secrets - who Crow really is - and falls right into that criminals arms, it drives him to the breaking point. He decides that he’ll use the Palaces and Mementos to create the world that always should been his: him happy and loved and in love with Ryuji by his side, with Akira chained and humiliated; forced to see Akechi touch and claim what was never his again and again for all eternity.

Ryuji would be a little upset at first, but he’ll forgive Akechi. He’s foolishly kind like that. And he’ll understand in time why the other did what he did. He will…Akechi will make sure he will.

[the-one-who-lambs]

The Risen/Fallen chapter lineup so far...

Inspiration hit me like a fucking truck today, so I might have Chapter 2 up tomorrow or the next day, much more quickly than I anticipated for a brand-new chapter!

Anyway, my plotting document for this series revival is an absolute monster right now. I'll share the current list of chapters I have planned out. New chapters with new content are bolded.

How Narinder Takes His Tea (posted on Tuesday)

Crown

Ray

Not Quite Paradise

Daydreamer

How to Be a God For Dummies

The Apple Murder Case

Satisfying ASMR: Cat Purring to Help You Fall Asleep

A Friend and a Catnap

I'm Jelly Baby

Shine

Ordinary Happiness Is Not Enough

Dice-Roll Observation

Until You Wake Up

With You

To the Endless Blue Sky

Coloring

Break

Scars

Our Love Song

I'm pretty sure I'll keep it to twenty, but with a plethora of details/character interactions/a couple subplots I want to add, we'll see. Once I have a chapter posted, how quickly I post the next chapter will heavily depend on whether or not it's a rewrite of a chapter I wrote for the first publication of this series. Newer chapters will obviously take more time. Though there's much more I want to add to existing chapters, the rewritten ones will probably come out more quickly.

[athousandbyeol]

i'm just a monster, not your saviour [topmew fanfic]

"i saw ray with sand today." top knows where this is going. and he doesn't like it. but he keeps the flow moving, rides the tide expertly before it can pull him away from the beach of his sanity. "and?" "...i don't feel so good." me too. "why?" the silence is overpowering. top can only hear the thunder in his heart. the honks from the midnight cars. the faint music from his next-door neighbour, a slow jazz. the tick tick tick of the mind bomb. the end of it all.

it's another night of top reminding himself that there's nothing special between him and mew.

chapter 1; because what is love, anyway?

chapter 2; but i know, the abyss within me.

[many-gay-magpies]

man apparently now that i don't have school assignments to feel guilty about not doing i construct things to feel guilty about not doing. like wanting to work on merlin fic when i still havent finished part four of triptych

[gamingstar26]

Yes, you are exactly right about totk!! A lot of my own complaints come from the story (or lack thereof). To be honest, it's a rare LOZ game that has a particularly complex or nuanced story, but in my opinion, the best ones more than make up for it with their characters.

My favorite game that I've played is Skyward Sword, and I desparately want to play Wind Waker, because the both of them have such fun and compelling characters that I don't really mind the simplicity of the narratives (and Wind Waker even hints at nuance the other games won't dive into!)

Tears of the Kingdom tries to use plot driven storytelling, but... expects us to be far more invested than most of us ever really are. There's hints of character driven story in there, but it all just falls flat in the end and feels really superficial, ESPECIALLY when you look at how they treat the women in this game. Zelda is JUST the sacrificial maiden (again) whose only autonomy comes from choosing to give up her autonomy. Mineru is JUST the smart character who magically technobabbles the solutions. Purah is JUST the scientist that tells you where to go. Most indicative of Nintendo's attitude in this, to me, is with Riju. The way they treat her, it's clear they want her to fill the role of the sexy one, but they know that won't go well if they go all out because she was canonically a young child in the last game. Still really gross, Nintendo you're not subtle.

All this to say that TOTK thinks it's more clever than if is, and fails to pull its own weight in any meaninful way.

All of this!!

I’ll add a bit more that I forgot to add:

Yea usually zelda games have simple plots overall (with some expectations of course) but they do make up for it with memorable characters, etc, etc…

My favorite zelda game is Ocarina of Time cause of the lore (also gameplay of course) and the how interesting it is to me and the overall themes it goes into being tragic and relatable, even tho the surface story is simple overall.(the hero of time games being my favs cause of the story driven nature yet also have fun gameplay) Also other games like skyward sword having a good engaging story with good characters (Groose is the best), wind waker being a simple coming of age story, but also having the king and ganondorf both cling on to the past, etc.

Like you said totk thinks it’s clever and fails to deliver on making us invested in a meaningful and exciting narrative, in a way it’s using tropes from previous zelda games like oot, botw, SS and link to the past without even knowing why they worked in the first place. While failing to reuse tho tropes in a more unique way like previous games have done. It’s true there are hints of character driven story it’s just ignored or mentioned in a half assed way.

Also like I said in the post the lack of consequences with the main story at the end, like Link’s arm just being restored even tho furry rauru had said it was beyond saving, and zelda being recalled back to normal, so her “sacrifice” was not worth it at all (master sword is also worse somehow like wtf zelda)

I’ve also noticed the way totk treats the main women it’s very not good, like you said with zelda she’s just sacrificial maiden turned into a dragon, mineru being exposition dump lady cause that’s all she does tbh, also has the worst Sage ability in the whole game, etc.

zelda being the worst one. (Tbh botw/totk zelda is mixed overall she’s overrated) cause she’s dumb as hell didn’t even recognize that Ganondorf and Calamity Ganon could be related, she does nothing until furry rauru and sonia are dead. Also being a terrible princess, she didn’t even do any meaningful things to hyrule’s rebuilding efforts other than build a school and some small memorials and fuck around doing whatever the hell she was doing pre totk. Also she stole links house damn it.

there’s also the way the gerudo are treated in the zelda series as a whole, but that’s a whole other topic others have done better at that. Like with totk and botw (mostly totk) being helpless yet also warriors needing help from hylians to even survive in their own home?! Like how ingame they explain that zelda of all people was the one to help them get to know the desert and how to survive better wtf? And the secret heroine side quest end, how it’s just some random hylian guy to be the hidden 8th. (There goes the 7 sages and the 8th being the hero of time theory)

Also the way the botw events are treated. they just pretend that none of the ancient tech never existed at all and refuse to mention anything about botw, only in small passes. And the side quest with the Hateno school mentioning the original calamity.

The depths having potential to be better but we’re just empty and massive instead, I like the bargainer statues those are cool as an concept. And the sky islands being boring and copy paste the same few islands throughout.

Holy shit this game makes me write entire essays of complaints. I’m sorry if I repeat myself I’m terrible at explaining stuff at times.

Now I’m going to play the zelda games I’ve never finished to cleanse myself of totk.

[zeethenecromancer]

If you told me 8 months ago that I would have a pvz fic series as a side thing I would've laughed but now I would cry

[ash--00]

Chapter 2: Eight-legged Ghost, Eight-stage Fever

The days tick by inexorably, but the specter remains, just as Turan's fever continues to burn. They press on, determined to reach their goal, but under Benoit's orders, they stay close to the coast, ready to dock at any moment to offer Turan the care he needs on dry land.

The crew can't ignore what is becoming increasingly obvious, and Boniface is the first to perceive it: their captain hasn't been the same since the attack by the giant spider. His neck twitches frequently, and his hands frantically rub his legs, as if trying to chase away an invisible presence. He seems to be elsewhere, jumping at the slightest word spoken to him, and as soon as he relaxes his vigilance, his whole body starts to shake. Yet no one dares speak of it, and although concern for him is growing, the top priority remains to look after Turan.

☽◗ ● ◖☾

It's late by the time Boniface approaches Nemo, where he usually never is: at the helm. He stares out at the ocean, his face bathed in a cold, dark blue glow that accentuates the hollows in his features. His hands move ceaselessly, rubbing his legs, his arms, then his face, in a never-ending loop that never seems to end.

Boniface watches in silence, struck by his captain's condition. Nemo, usually so in control of himself, seems to be in an agitation he can't contain. His hunched shoulders bear witness to a deep exhaustion, an invisible weight that seems to crush his once proud stature. His usually piercing gaze is now veiled, lost in the black immensity of the ocean, as if desperately searching for something in the darkness of the waves.

The dark circles under his eyes have become darker, almost purple, contrasting with the paleness of his skin, which seems to have lost all color through exhaustion. His hair, usually neatly combed, is a mess, rebellious strands falling over his strained forehead. His lips, drawn into a thin line, betray the pain and anxiety he's trying so hard to conceal.

Nemo rubs his hands compulsively, a nervous gesture that's out of character for him. His fingers, once so assured, tremble slightly, betraying a nervousness he can no longer control. He repeats this movement over and over again, as if to convince himself that it's all an illusion, a mere momentary anguish. But deep down, he knows it's something else, something much darker, more dangerous, that's clinging to his mind.

Boniface, though concerned, doesn't dare break the silence. He knows that Nemo is a man who keeps his torments to himself, preferring to carry the weight of his burdens alone rather than share them with his crew. The captain has always been like this, an impregnable fortress, imposing with his quiet strength, but today, this fortress is showing worrying cracks.

“Captain...” finally murmurs Boniface, but his voice quickly fades in the heavy night air.

Nemo doesn't respond, doesn't even turn his head. He continues to stare at the ocean, his mind carried away by thoughts Boniface can only imagine. After a long moment, Nemo finally speaks, but his voice is weak, almost broken. “Don't worry about me, Boniface. It's nothing... nothing but a bad dream that refuses to go away. Keep looking after the crew, that's all that matters.”

Boniface nods, although he knows it's not that simple. He backs away slowly, leaving Nemo to his torments. Part of him would like to insist, to push the captain to confide in him, but he's known Nemo too long for that. If the captain says there's nothing to fear, then the crew has no choice but to trust him. Yet, as he walks away, Boniface can't shake off a dull worry, an intuition that something darker lies behind Nemo's words. Then he hears the captain whisper, in a voice so soft and exhausted that it seems to belong to an entirely different man: “And then, be the captain I can't be... Right now. I trust you.”

This sentence, imbued with an unusual fragility, unsettles Boniface. This is not the Nemo he knows, not the stubborn, fearless captain, always ready to brave storms and dangers without a word of doubt. Yet Nemo's tone is so sincere, so vulnerable, that Boniface feels his heart clench.

[...]

Find out more on Ao3!

And here for a French translation!