#like EVERY young person in Aus is aware of and talks about this

[didnt-hear-cold-as-you-live]

It is really amazing and really beautiful they put this up but uhhhhhh wait til they hear about the land they played all those US dates on

[candycandy00]

Once Upon a Time - A Sukuna x Reader Fanfic Part 2

Retold fairytales featuring the JJK men! This is Sleeping Beauty featuring Sukuna! After your parents are killed, leaving you as the young queen, you hire the mysterious and violent Sukuna to be your Captain of the Guard to protect you from an evil fairy’s curse. You’re in love with him, but he just keeps refusing you! 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Read Gojo x Cinderella Here!

Smut. 18+. Fem Reader. AU. Reader as Sleeping Beauty, Sukuna as her Captain of the Guard. Somnophilia (sort of). Paralysis (sort of). Rough sex.

Any feedback is adored! Dividers by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more and @benkeibear.

It’s a very strange sensation, falling into your supposed “deep sleep”. You can still hear everything going on around you, Sukuna yelling your name almost angrily, as if he can intimidate you into waking up. You can still feel everything too, his arms holding you, then lowering you to the floor. It feels like he’s cradling you in his lap, but that would be ridiculous. You suspect that if your eyes were open, you could see everything too. 

It’s not so much a deep sleep as paralysis. You can’t move, can’t speak, can’t even open your eyes. But you’re very much aware of everything. 

You feel Sukuna’s palm tapping your face in a light slap. “Wake up!” he shouts, then grunts as if frustrated, then calls for more guards. You listen as he commands one of them to fetch a doctor and another to inform your advisers. 

“Is the assassin still in the castle?” one of the guards asks. 

“It was the fucking cat!” Sukuna yells. Then he says, “There it is! Grab it and snap its neck!”

No! Briar did nothing wrong! He didn’t understand!

You want to scream the words but you can’t. 

You hear a sigh next to you. “Wait, she likes the damn thing. Just find the needle in its fur and let it go,” Sukuna says. 

You feel immense relief. You’re sick of things dying because of you and your curse.

“I’ll put her in her bed,” he tells the others, and you feel yourself being lifted and then carried. A few seconds later, you feel the softeness of your bed beneath your back. You miss the warmth of Sukuna’s arms though. 

Over the next hour, multiple doctors and advisers visit your chambers, some trying to help, others just curious to see the curse in action. 

Sukuna stays in the room, occasionally speaking even though he rarely talked to these people before. Is he… doing this on purpose? To let you know he’s still here, watching over you? No, he doesn’t know you can hear him. 

At some point one of the advisers asks another, “Should we try waking her? The former king and queen told us about that method.”

A hush falls over the room, then Sukuna says, “So you know how?”

The other adviser says, in an uneasy voice, “Her parents were told a specific method, and they told us, in case something happened after they died. It’s a bit of a sensitive topic.”

You listen intently. You knew there was some secret method of waking you in this situation, but no one would tell you what it is. Instead, your parents and later the advisers had looked extremely uncomfortable as they told you not to worry about it. 

The first adviser who broached the topic clears his throat. “To awaken the queen, a man must… lay with her… intimately.”

What?! 

You hear Sukuna’s voice again. “So someone needs to fuck her?”

“Er… yes, Captain. That is correct. We find it uncomfortable to discuss, as you can imagine. She is unconscious after all, and cannot give her consent.”

A third adviser, a woman, speaks up then. “Remember what she told us before? I believe her exact words were, ‘I don’t care if the method involves letting every person in town piss on my face, do whatever it takes to wake me’. I think we should honor her wishes, regardless of how distasteful we find it.”

Yes! That’s the choice I would make for myself! 

One of the male advisers asks, “Who will do the deed?”

If you were able to, you would be holding your breath. There’s a pause, then Sukuna speaks again. “I will.”

!!!

“You?!” one of the advisers asks incredulously. “We can’t allow a violent barbarian we know nothing about to-“

“Wait,” the lady adviser says, cutting him off. “This ‘barbarian’ has saved our queen’s life more times than we can count these past three months. And everyone in the kingdom can see that she has a certain… affection for him. I believe she would choose him herself if possible.”

Yes! Yes! Please don’t let anyone else touch me! It has to be Sukuna!

After some more discussion, the advisers finally all agree to let Sukuna try to wake you. You hear their shuffling steps as they leave your chambers. 

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

Sukuna looks down at his sleeping princess. Laid out on her bed, dress spread around her, she looks more lovely than ever, more innocent. 

“Hey, you’re not really asleep, are you?” he asks, standing over her bed. 

She gives no response. Of course she doesn’t. 

He leans over her, placing his knee on the bed beside her and his hand on her calf, slowly sliding her dress up. Her cheeks redden, and Sukuna laughs. 

“I knew it. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been with you too much lately, or if it’s a side effect of the curse, but your thoughts are coming through to me. Maybe not in words, but I’m feeling the gist of it. Like earlier with the cat. I felt that you didn’t want anyone to kill it.”

His hand moves further up, dragging the hem of her dress up high enough to reveal the fresh set of frilly panties she’s wearing. “I also felt it when you got all excited about me waking you up, how it has to be me.”

Her skin feels hot. He can feel her sense of embarrassment. “Oh? Getting bashful now?” he asks, untying the laces of her corset. “If you prefer, we can let someone else do it. Or we can just let you sleep for a while…”

The word “no!” flashes through his brain, radiating from her. He grins. “So I’m good enough to wake the princess? I’m not gonna lie, having you so helpless, unable to move or speak, is turning me on.”

He rips open the corset and pulls it off her body, then pulls the dress over her head, moving her limp body as he needs to fully strip her. Once she’s completely naked, he stands back to look. 

She’s more beautiful than he imagined in those nights when he jacked off in his bed, picturing her whimpering beneath him. The night he saw her pleasuring herself, the room had been dark enough to conceal much of her form. But now, with every lantern in the room lit, he could see her in all her glory.  

“Don’t tell me not to stare,” he says, sensing her thoughts again. “I’ve been waiting to get a good look at this soft body, bare and spread out for me. My eyes are feasting.”

Her whole body is flushing. She looks so delectable. How did he resist for this long? When he heard the method for waking her, he knew it had to be him. Despite his reluctance to bed her, the thought of any other man touching his adorable princess, seeing her in such a vulnerable state, made him want to stab the nearest living creature. 

And he knew what she wanted. Even without her thoughts somehow flowing into his mind, he knew she would rather die than let anyone else see her being weak and helpless. 

He strokes one hand over her face, wishing he could see that defiant look in her eyes again. He leans his face down close to hers, remembering how she looked earlier when she thought he was going to kiss her. That look of anticipation, of longing… it had almost made him crack. He can feel her emotions now, flooding his own thoughts. She wants this more than anything. 

He kisses her lips, pressing his tongue into her mouth to lick every inch of it, savoring the sweet taste of her. While still locked in the kiss, he slides his hand up and gently pulls one of her eyelids open. 

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

The light almost hurts your eye, but you adjust quickly. As you guessed, you can see when your eyes are held open, and right now you see Sukuna’s face hovering right over yours as he kisses you, his own eyes looking straight into your one open one. 

He grins into the kiss, then pulls away. “Your pupil just dilated. So you can see too.”

You wish he hadn’t broken the kiss. You’ve been craving it for so long. But then he releases your eyelid, letting it close before you feel him climb onto the lower end of the bed. His hands appear on your legs, spreading them apart. Ah! It’s embarrassing to be opened up so lewdly before him, even if you’ve wanted him for months. 

“I bet your sense of touch is much stronger with your eyes shut, huh? Every sensation that much more intense…”

His voice is like velvet as you feel his thumb rubbing up and down your slit. “You’re dripping, princess. This pretty little pussy is drooling for me.”

Your heart is racing, your breaths coming quicker. 

“It’s just too bad I can’t hear that sweet voice of yours moaning while I do this,” he says, then his fingers part your folds, and you feel his hot, wet tongue glide over your open pussy. 

If you could move, you would be arching your back, bucking your hips from the electrifying pleasure that shoots through you. His tongue circles your swollen, defenseless clit teasingly, one of his fingers sliding inside you. Your rapid breaths are getting louder, your body desperate for his tongue to hit the right spot. When he laughs, you feel the vibration of it, and you think this must be some form of torture he’s devised. 

“Getting impatient, princess? This poor little clit feeling neglected?” 

If you could, you would be begging him to get on with it, to just lick your clit already. But you can’t, and his tongue continues to move all around it. Finally, his tongue withdraws, and a second later, you feel his teeth graze over the tender little bud. 

Your body sucks in a sharp breath, the pleasure almost too much to bear. Then his lips close over it, suckling it as his tongue runs over the tiny tip. All the while, his finger is plunging in and out of your tight hole. 

You cum right then, your helpless body twitching beneath him as pleasure washes over you in waves. Oh, how you wish you could cry out his name. 

Sukuna withdraws his finger and moves off the bed. You hear fabric rustling, and picture him undressing. It’s not fair! You’ve wanted to see him naked this whole time! 

He laughs again, and you remember that he can sense what you’re thinking. “You want to see me that badly? Maybe I’ll be nice and show you.”

His fingers are at your eye again, peeling back the lid to let you see him standing over you. Only his bare torso is visible, but it’s enough to get you heated again. He’s absolutely gorgeous, with a perfectly toned, muscular body and those tantalizing tattoos running along his whole torso. 

“There’s something else you need to see,” he says, and his voice seems to drop the teasing, almost playful tone for a moment. “There’s a reason I kept turning you down. I didn’t want to wreck you. But now we’re in this situation, and there’s no avoiding it.”

He lets your eye close for a moment, and when he opens it again, he says, “Have a good look, Princess. Still think you can handle me?”

It takes you a moment to process what you’re looking at. He’s holding something in his hand, something that should not be that big. Something the size of his arm. It’s an absolute monster of a cock, hard as stone and pointing upwards, clear fluid leaking from the fat tip. 

Oh god, forget wrecking you, that thing could kill you! 

As he lets your eye close once again, you feel him climb back onto the bed. He must sense your fear, because he pushes your legs up and apart and says, “I’ll try not to hurt you. Too badly.”

This position is too obscene! He holds your legs back, your knees nearly touching your shoulders, leaving you more vulnerable than ever. You feel the tip of his enormous cock prodding at your slick little hole, and you shudder. 

Then, he begins pushing the massive organ into your warm, soft, pliable body. 

Ahhh, it’s too big!

You feel one of his hands on your face. “What happened to all that bravado from before?” he asks. “You were so desperate for me to fuck you, so sure you could take me. Now you’re getting what you wanted.”

There’s a softness to his voice that doesn’t match his taunting words, and despite it all he’s moving slowly, slipping into you inch by inch instead of plunging in all at once like you imagined. 

Even so, the stretch is painful, and a whimper escapes your lips. 

“Giving up already, princess? I thought you were tougher than this.”

I’m not giving up! I want you even deeper!

He opens both your eyes this time, his thumbs sliding your eyelids up. 

“You sure about that?” he asks you, red eyes looking as wild as the day you met him. 

Yes!

He grins. “There’s my brave little princess.”

I’m a queen, not a pri-

He suddenly shoves in, still holding your eyes open, still staring into them, as his cock fully sheaths itself inside you. Your body jerks, your breath catches in your throat. If you could scream, the whole castle would hear it. 

“Your pupils are really dilating now!” he says. 

It hurts, but at the same time, the feeling of being so full of him excites you. He lets your eyes close again, and for a few moments he remains still. Then, he begins moving, slow and easy at first, but giving way to deeper, harder thrusts. 

He groans above you. “You’re tight as fuck! I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold back if ever stuck my dick in this little virgin pussy!”

He hits a spot that has your body spasming around him and tears leaking from your closed eyes. 

“There it is… I found your weak spot,” he says. “You like it really deep, don’t you?”

Oh god… it feels so good! 

Your mind is going blank, pleasure and pain mixing so deliciously as he does whatever he pleases with your body. 

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

Sukuna can’t stop himself now. The feeling of her unbelievably tight cunt clenching him everytime he plunges in is overriding all his willpower. 

“Fuck… never had a virgin… take me this deep before…” he grunts out, intentionally hitting the spot that has her limp body shaking. 

Her thoughts are spilling out, broken and choppy, barely comprehensible: “want more… want you… love you… hurts… feels so good… go deeper… cum inside me…”

He reaches up to caress her face again, leaning in to run his tongue across her lips. “I will, princess. I’ll fill you up so good.”

She cums again, her pussy clenching him in a vice grip, her mouth gasping for air, and it’s the most lovely sight in the world. 

“It’s time for you to wake up,” he says, his voice going uncharacteristically soft. “Your kingdom is waiting for you. I’m waiting for you, my queen.”

He thrusts in so deep, it feels like he’s become a part of her, before releasing his seed, shooting his thick cum into her quivering pussy. 

Her eyes snap open, she breathes in deeply, staring at him in wonder. Then her arms wrap tightly around his neck as she leans up to kiss him. When she pulls away, she gives him that haughty look he’s come to enjoy. 

“Took you long enough,” she says. 

He grins. “You’re acting awfully high and mighty for someone who just came on my cock with tears running down her face.”

She flushes and averts her eyes, and he realizes he can’t feel her thoughts anymore. Ah well, not like he needs that to know how she feels. 

He slowly pulls out and sits up, looking down at her exhausted body. She’s still shaking slightly, breathing hard. It makes him want to take her again. But he has other pressing matters to take care of. 

“I’m going into the woods to find the old fairy,” he tells her. “And I’m gonna chop her fucking head off. She’ll be sending regular assassins now that the curse didn’t work. She’ll never leave you be until you’re dead.”

His queen sits up in bed, grasping his arm. “Take me with you!”

“Of course. I don’t trust these weaklings to protect what’s mine. Let’s go on the offensive!”

[holylulusworld]

Windfall

Summary: You are the last unmarried lady. A spinster.

Pairing: Royal!Stucky x Royal!Reader

Warnings: 30+ reader, modern royal au, old fashioned society when it comes to the age of unmarried women (kinda), polyamorous, throuple marriages are allowed in this world, mentions of rejection, the reader is a loner, bitchy ladies, established mlm relationship,

Square filled for @allcapsbingo: B5: Loneliness

Words: 940+

The ladies sneer when you pass them by. You don’t spare them a glance, aware that they do not like you.

People always fear what they do not understand. Like a woman who wants more in life than being her husband's arm candy.

“I don’t know why she holds her head high like that. She’s the last unmarried daughter. Even her younger sibling and almost every cousin are engaged to a gentleman. The last one will be married soon and the poor soul not getting the chance to marry one of the younger ones will settle for the windfall.”

The other women giggle at Lady Dorothy’s words. “You’re right. No one wants the old spinster. A man wants a young woman, a beautiful innocent blossom. Not a withering rose.”

You don’t take their words to heart. They are not wrong. All the gentlemen roaming your parents' house only came for your sister or the cousins your father took in after their parents passed away.

“Lady Y/N,” you sigh when Lady Sharon makes her way toward you. At least she’s kind enough to talk to you in public. “There you are!”

“My dear,” Lord Loki, Sharon’s husband greets you. He bows and presses a chaste kiss to your hand. He’s one of the few men seeing you as more than an old spinster. Loki appreciates your wit. “How have you been?”

“Fine, Lord Loki,” you reply. Unlike the other ladies in the room, you look him straight in the eyes. You’re not the kind of woman cowering in front of a man only because he has a cock between his legs. “I hope you are well too.”

“Very well,” he smiles at his wife. “My brother finally got engaged.”

“Again,” Sharon adds. “He’s a little fickle when it comes to courting for a woman. He should grow up and settle for one lady.”

“I understand him well,” you nod thoughtfully. “It isn’t easy to find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. You should choose with your heart and mind.”

You barely escaped the nagging ladies and their gossip. Now you are hiding at the library to read another book. Loki and Sharon wouldn’t mind. They invited you to use their library when you are around and read as many books as you want to.

Nose burying in another book you don’t recognize someone sneaking inside the library.

“Stevie, you look so good today.” Your eyes flit up when you hear voices behind one of the shelves. “I can’t wait to put my hands on you.”

“Buck, we can’t. Not here.”

Frowning you listen closely. There is commotion behind the shelf, and you are sure, the men are up to no good.

You close the book and get up to find out what’s going on. If someone tries to steal Loki’s books, you will stop them at all costs.

Silently sneaking toward the shelf, you practice your speech in your mind. You’re not shy, but two men can be intimidating. Especially when they try to commit a crime.

You round the shelf, stopping in your tracks as you face the men. Your breath hitches in your throat because the men do not try to steal Loki’s books. No. They are kissing each other passionately.

You recognize the men. James Buchanan Barnes and Steven Grant Rogers. You heard rumors about them being in a relationship but never talked to them before.

You swallow thickly. What can you do? Say something? Tell them to not do such a thing at Loki’s library.

The only thing you can do is turn back around and walk toward the armchair to read your book. If you leave the library now, they will know you saw them. If you say something, they will get mad.

So, you sit back down, open your book, and start reading. You can still hear them kiss and moan but try to blend the noises they make out. It’s inappropriate to listen to their lovemaking. Not to mention sinful and forbidden.

You close your eyes and bite your lower lip. Their moans go straight to your lower half, the sacred garden you only touch at night, hidden in your bedroom.

“Aw, Bucky. Look at that pretty angel touching herself for us. Do you think we should help her out?”

Your eyes snap open as you feel eyes on you. You didn’t realize that the book slipped from your fingers and that you bunched up your skirt to slip your hand into your panties.

“I-no. I didn’t,” you lick your dry lips. “I wouldn’t… no. This is a misunderstanding.” You furiously shake your head.

The men watch you move your fingers, smirking as you cannot stop yourself from touching your clit.

“Doll, you are rubbing your sweet pearl for us, huh?” Bucky’s eyes are glued to your spread legs. “Tell me, did you like watching Stevie and me?”

You nod.

“Did it make your petals all wet?” Steve husks. “Did you touch yourself because you wanted us to touch you?”

You nod again.

“Stevie,” Bucky whispers lowly. “Do you know who she is? The angel no one dared to marry. It’s said that she’s a fiery little thing. Untamable and mouthy.”

“I’m not!” You grunt. “How dare you say such a thing!”

“Fiery and naughty, my beloved,” Steve cups his lover’s face to kiss him deeply. He moans into Bucky’s mouth, making you gasp loudly. “I guess she needs two strong pairs of hands to tame her.”

“Indeed,” Bucky smirks. “I bet her father will be so happy when she gets married to not one but two Lords making her an honest woman…”

Tags in reblog.

[daisiescomelate]

Soulmate au where you see in black and white until you see your soulmate's eyes and only then you can see in full color.

Reader is a servant to the Gojo family and has been raised in the Gojo state along with Satoru their whole lives. Reader is well aware of who their soulmate is, they have known since they entered the state at age ten, but Gojo Satoru has no clue, since there was never a reason for him to look at a mere servant.

story starts when Saturo and Reader are children

when very young Reader truly had hopes of a future something with Satoru but they were shy, still they left him gifts in his room after cleaning it, they listen attentively to him when he talked about his likes and dislikes, and kind of purposely always stand where Satoru could easily see them if he wanted to

in one occasion, Reader talked to Satoru directly through the shoji [the paper-like screens that separate different ambients of a traditional japanese house] and got really excited about it. It was the first time they ever talked to Satoru and they were very happy, and then Satoru called out and talked some other times to them when he saw Reader's shadow pass next to the room he was sitting in. But that was it. He never talked or looked at Reader if it wasn't through one of the screens, he never even asked for their name.

With time Reader got bitter, Reader and Satoru were in the same room pretty much every day and even as the years passed, he never looked at them. So not only Reader gave up on Saturo, but they started to resent him. They didn't want anything to do with this person that never had the dignity to look at them.

After losing his best friend, Satoru left the Gojo state and moved out on his own, returning only rarely when the clan needed him to take care of something. Reader did what Saturo has always done with them, he completely ignored his presence every time, keeping their head down so he could never look into their eyes.

[nevertheless-moving]

Hesina Willshaper AU

Step one canon divergence: Amaram's army doesn't do the kind thing. Kaladin's listed next of kin are sent a letter stiffly informing them that their son is a deserter and, thanks to the highmarshall's mercy, has been sold into slavery.

Step two canon divergence: a light spren has started following Hesina around.

The letter reaches hearthstone.

Hesina cries the bones of the first ideal through labor pangs. Their wretched diamond lamp grows slightly dimmer during childbirth.

Hesina and Lirin discuss if there's anyway they could possibly find their son and pay his slave debt. They're not optimistic.

Hesina talks with her lightspren.

Lirin and Hesina talk again about trying to find their son, now that Oroden is starting to be weaned.

Hesina appears to have grown taller. No one but the two of them seem to be aware but they're worried other future changes might be more noticeable.

Hesina and Lirin realize that she can mold rock as if it was clay with stormlight. A spark of hope for freeing their son emerges.

The two leave town.

They find a slave market in the nearest city. They see other parent's sons, but not their own.

Hesina swears to free those in bondage. Stormlight starts coming easier.

They make a tunnel. Rebellion follows. Lirin is horrified by the violence (the violence is not actually that bad all things considered. a couple guards dead. some bystanders frightened. Fair amount of property damage as they rob the military barracks food supply, steal every sphere that's not nailed down. and also steal the spheres that are nailed down. (Lirin won't admit it but the stealing from lamps part is kindof fun.)).

Many of those they freed flee. Some return to slavery willingly, scared of retribution. Many decide to follow the Radiant woman who has vowed to see others like them freed.

The group proceed to the next town. They find another slave market. They make a tunnel. There is more resistance than last time, clearly they were warned something might happened. Hesina kills a man.

Lirin is terrified by what his wife is becoming.

Hesina swears to shelter those without homes. The lightspren forms an unbreakable hammer, perfect for knocking crem free from buildings. And for knocking down men.

A now larger motley group seeks shelter in a mountain town razed in one of Alethkar's many skirmishes over the last decades. Hesina builds homes. Lirin begs her to stay here, to stop fighting before she goes to far down this path, not to go to war. The slaves they've freed are split, many wanting to stay, hide, some wanting to fight and free more, with a radiant at their head, there's a real chance to change things. Hesina lingers, practicing, spends some time falling in and out of shadesmar.

Lirin and Hesina separate.

Lirin stays with Oroden and the noncombatants. Hesina leads those who want to fight to another city, still trying to find their son, still trying to free everyone's children.

The town settles into a routine. Hesina and Lirin miss one another. This is the first time they've gone longer than two days without seeing each other in the last 25 years, and the two days was only when Lirin had to travel to where someone had overturned a cart on the road nearby and Hesina had to stay and watch the children, too young to travel. besides that, it had been every day. they keep turning to talk to each other.

While the army is gone, the free town is attacked by those trying to reclaim her property.

Hesina swims deliberately through shadesmar for the first time. reaches lirin just in time.

Lirin accepts that not fighting won't stop the violence. (It breaks him just a little bit)

Hesina shouts that one person's freedom ends where another's begins. She vows to fight against powers which would rather see their people in cages then homes. A thousand light spren rise up to grant her strength.

(yes I know she's moving fast through the oaths. but she's always been a thoughtful woman and she raised two children who asked difficult questions and now shes mother to another several hundred. honestly she had already worked through some of these concepts before they became actionable on such a grand scale.)

Lirin vows to support his wife through whatever trials the Almighty seems inclined to put her through.

The lightspren, who has started to get some memories back, remembers Oathgate Spren not terribly far from here by physical realm measurements, guarding a hidden human city

the stone remembers the way the radiants once traveled.

The path to a kingdom in the sky is slow — there are many cages to break on the way.

Kaladin doesn't know it right away, because people weren't exactly telling slaves about the freedom riots, but slave wagons start having harder and harder times reaching the shattered planes after him.

Someone mocks Lirin for having a wife so determined to pursue the masculine art of war. Lirin gets pissy and decides to show them by learning to read and write to help support the administrative side of his wife's kingdom wide asskicking.

The highprinces lead a fairly successful misinformation campaign about the slave riots, lots of accusations of rampant violence, the dregs of society lashing out, you can probably imagine

The ongoing rebellion is large enough that word trickles to the bridge crews, encouraging bridge four's hope for escaping, while also making it substantially more daunting, as the crews are even better guarded than canon.

Rumors of a female radiant swirl around. Most people assume it's a woman in shardplate with some sort of tunneling fabrial, which is still pretty crazy, but several major players Take Note

A very large and tired huddled mass of people reach Urithiru. there's just enough squires, and two new willshapers with their own oaths, to make tunnels through the shattered planes and reach the oathgate without being seen by the alethi armies

the parshendi army is another story, but some are willing to take a chance listening to the neshua kadal, and come with them.

The political implications of Dalinar freeing 1000 slaves is slightly more complex, especially considering the rebellions have been impacting Sadeas the hardest

About a week after being freed, Kaladin hires a spanreed intermediary to write home and find out if his hometown is alright (again, a lot of misinformation and rumors about the violence of the riots)

Is informed by Laral that his family left town looking for him shortly before the riots started, were presumed dead

Kaladin is under the impression that 1) his parents are dead because of him 2) the Rebellion is not the righteous fallback plan that he and the men were hoping it was.

Hesina has many reasons to go to the shattered planes. Nearest part of the trade network for food and necessary goods. Many slaves to be freed from there, and a part of her still hopes to find her son, even thought its been so long. Home of Alethkar's political leaders, the source of Alethkar's slavery.

I have spent. A LOT of time imagining many possible reunions between kaladin and his mom in my highly specific high oath hesenia au. She has a couple faces she could wear when visiting the planes. Brightlady. Radiant. Cagebreaker. Queen of Urithiru (not her real title, they're tentatively trying the Listener council model, but they know what the Alethi will understand). Even darkeyed mother, if she and Lirin approach slowly from a different direction. Honestly, pleased as I am with all of the above, a lot is flexible, the key here is kaladin going "MOM??" In some fashion One possible Reunion Here

Thank you @sorchasolas for conversation and the urithiru ideas and for leading me to actually write all this down <3

[littlecrittereli]

Hello, me again, your Guardianship AU has latched onto my brain and won’t let go so I have more questions

First, how much does Chris know about the CPS hounding Martin? Does he understand that there’s a real possibility he could be removed from his brother’s custody? In the comic you made, when they were younger, Chris was pretty oblivious about it all (mostly cause Martin didn’t wanna worry him and didn’t tell him any details) but now that he’s a bit older, has he picked up on certain things? ‘Cause you’ve also mentioned that the AU has decent resemblance to Lilo & Stitch, but in that movie Lilo seems very aware of their situation which isn’t the case for Martin and Chris, especially because Martin’s personality is pretty opposite to Nani.

Second, and I totally get it if you don’t know, I’m just an over-thinker, but how would the parents have died in your AU? Because I can see the cause of death being pretty traumatizing depending on what it is, especially for Martin who was old enough to understand what was going on followed by the responsibility of raising his younger brother who is basically the only family he has left. Maybe even for Chris, though as you mention he was too young and doesn’t remember them much anymore.

Once again, love your AUs, Guardianship AU is clearly my favorite but I’m a sucker for sibling dynamics, especially the trope “brothers-against-the-world”.

Chris is definitely more aware of Child Protective Services than he was when he was a kid. They aren’t AS much of a threat anymore which is why Chris isn’t really worried about them. Martin has custody of him, and he just gets evaluated every so often to make sure he’s taking care of Chris and providing him a healthy and stable environment. (CPS is very concerned about chris traveling in the Tortuga but mostly leave them alone now) Martin definitely gets hella stressed when these evaluations come along, but he’s been doing this dance with CPS for so long by that point he’s not as worried. When he was 17, and freshly emancipated he was fightin for his life in those courtrooms 💀

Chris knows about it now, but in his eyes, Martin is the best guardian ever? He cannot fathom the idea of Martin being an “unfit guardian” so he can’t even imagine a situation where CPS would have a reason to take him. Which is also a small point of tension for them? Because on one hand Martin is glad his brother isn’t worried and trusts him, but also feels frustrated by Chris not taking it seriously or understanding the weight of it like he does.

But Chris is honestly more worried about Martin getting sick of having to drag him around and giving up custody of him. But those are repressed emotions to unpack for another day.

And I don’t actually have a reassonnn for the parents death yet. In the hypothetical fanfiction that I have not written yet, I don’t want to explicitly state it. Its something they dont like to talk about. And they probably get really nervous/jittery around any subjects related to the cause. I’m leaning more towards something like a car accident. Something that could happen to anyone, but also very tragic. It’s technically not decided for sure though! So im open to any suggestions at the moment.

[naughtystiel]

DEANCAS AU FIC REC MASTERPOST

Although I loved all of these fics, the ones with stars next to them are my absolute favourites! Happy reading! ♡

One million fires burning ☆

Dean Winchester teaches three classes a day, tutors after school, and chairs the English Department for Lawrence High School. He does enough.

Unfortunately, his boss doesn't feel the same and informs him that he has a new job: co-coaching the school's trivia team. His co-coach? None other than the school's golden boy, Castiel Milton. Who Dean can't stand, for various reasons, all of which are valid, thank you very much. And the fact that Dean can't stop talking about the stick up Cas's, sorry, Milton's ass?

Completely irrelevant.

Should have just asked ☆

Despite their age gap and differing social circles, Castiel has struck up a warm friendship with Mary Winchester, a wealthy widowed socialite. When Castiel needs a place to stay, Mary invites him into her house, where there’s loads of spare room. Castiel’s aware that they make an odd pair, but he doesn’t fully realize how things look to outsiders, especially to Mary’s eldest son. All Dean Winchester sees is that his mom has apparently hooked up with a hot young guy (who is totally Dean’s type) and that makes things… weird.

Living in agony ☆

Dean Winchester's life is... well, it's not great. He's a gym teacher, he's in his thirties, and he can't seem to keep any part of his life straight. When the aftermath of a one-night stand goes awry, Dean is dragged kicking and screaming out of his cozy little closet and into the harsh light of reality.

Enter: Castiel Novak, the new history teacher, who knows full well that life gets crappy when you don't allow yourself to live it in the way it needs to be lived.

The last great race

There is a race that takes place every year in Alaska called the Iditarod, a thousand mile journey across the Alaskan wilderness by dog sled team that has come to be known as "The Last Great Race on Earth”. It is a test of endurance, of the relationship between dogs and their people, traversing mountain ranges, frozen rivers, forest and tundra.

When writer Castiel Milton is forced to spend two and a half months in Alaska at Winchester Kennels to cover the race preparations and the Iditarod itself, the only person more dismayed than he is Dean Winchester, one of his hosts. Castiel views his assignment as a punishment and is less than impressed by his surly host, and Dean distrusts the sheltered city-born writer who has invaded their home and their lives. But soon, as the Winchesters prepare for their race and Castiel learns about sled dogs and what a musher’s lifestyle is all about, they forget to hate each other and their relationship evolves into something neither of them expected.

Starstruck ☆

From the outside Castiel Novak looks like a regular guy: a good job, two teenage kids, a nice house and a crappy car he’s way too attached to.

But there’s one thing no one knows about him: that, over twenty years ago, he used to live next to none other than Dean Winchester – back then a brash and loud-mouthed boy and nowadays a huge movie star and Hollywood’s sweetheart.

Castiel never bothered to tell anyone about his childhood friend because frankly, who would believe him? Probably even Dean himself already forgot about his former awkward and weird neighbor, so Castiel seriously doesn’t see any point in mentioning the whole thing ever.

But then an interview on national TV happens where Dean reveals way more about his past than ever before … and Castiel - as well as the rest of the world - suddenly realizes that he left a much bigger impact on Dean’s life than he originally thought.

Russian to the altar ☆

“I need you to marry Castiel.”

They weren’t the words Dean expected to hear from his business partner’s mouth before their bakery-slash-chocolate shop opened for the day. He’d been quite happy being single—and who the fuck was Castiel, anyway?

It turned out that Castiel was a Russian erotic novelist in need of a ticket to America, and Dean… well, Dean was a last resort.

I wanna get outside (of me) ☆

Dean is a novice in the dom/sub world asked by his employer as a desperate last resort to be a sub for his recluse of a brother, Castiel. Castiel is a diagnosed OCD suffering from PTSD and agoraphobia, mysophobia, and dystychiphobia. Needless to say—he’s a mess who hasn’t stepped out of his home in literally seven years. The only times Gabriel can see traces of the way his brother used to be is when he feels in control—specifically when he has control over a sub. However, due to his idiosyncrasies and paranoia, keeping a sub around has been impossible. Enter Dean, who’s not a very traditional submissive, to try his hand at subbing for the hermit.

Painted angels ☆

Author Castiel Novak has finally hit the big time, with a book based on his failed college relationship with a brilliant painter. He's put all his pain behind him, but at a book signing, he comes face to face with Dean Winchester for the first time in twelve years, and the reunion doesn't go like Cas hoped. Dean's a broken man, with a lot of scars and secrets, shoulders weighed down by his demons and self loathing.

Cas sees a second chance with the man he's never stopped loving, but Dean's moved on, and is about to get married. Sam launches a "brilliant" plan to reunite his brother and his best friend, but Cas is worried it will all blow up in their faces, and he'll go through the agony of losing Dean a second time.

Texas state of mind

Dean Winchester was once an award winning country music star, but fame came too early. Now, he’s fifteen years sober and owns a ranch in western Texas. He’s happy with his life. He has horses, a nice herd of cattle and so what, if he’s alone. He tells his friends that he’s happily single. Back when he was touring, men and women threw themselves at him – but he knew they only wanted him for his fame.

Cas Novak just won his fifth CMA award. He loves singing, but the touring was getting old. Living in a bus nine months out of the year was slowly destroying his creativity. He hasn’t written anything new in over a year. Then he hears an old song on the radio. He vaguely remembers the handsome singer and wondered whatever happened to him. Before he knew it, he'd written a new song. The only problem was…it was a duet. A duet that could only be sung with a voice like Winchester’s.

After locating the man’s ranch, Cas makes a surprise visit. Will he be able to talk Dean into joining him on stage after all these years? Will the two men find what they’ve been looking for all their lives – someone to share a future with?

If angels were men

Castiel Novak was raised by a hunting father, but he left that life behind for college and a flower shop. When his father is killed by a demon, Cas jumps back in the game and finds himself constantly running in the presence of the Winchester brothers, who are searching for their own father. They seem to be everywhere he turns, and at some point they become friends, then a team, then, maybe, in the case of Dean Winchester, something more.

Vagabonds ☆

Dean is a sheriff in a tiny town in Colorado, restless and unsatisfied with his life. It's not like what he's read about in the dime novels since he was little, capturing dangerous outlaws and being the last word of the law. More like tossing the town drunk in a cell to sober up when they get a little too rowdy.

But Dean's chance comes when a thief rolls through their town. He pursues the thief, which puts him right into the path of Emmanuel, a notorious outlaw. When he is captured by the outlaw and his gang to be held for ransom, Dean starts off on a journey he could have never envisioned, and learns that perhaps there's more to Emmanuel than meets the eye.

Four letter word for intercourse ☆

As a grease monkey turned college freshman, Dean's constantly three seconds away from being stressed out of his mind. It hardly helps that he's finally figuring out his sexuality in his thirties.

What might help with that stress is a little phone number (and a big credit card bill). If he can't figure out how to be bisexual in person, he can at least give it a go over the phone, right?

(It's probably a bad idea, but he really can't help himself.)

Any little heartbreak ☆

Dean Winchester knows everything there is to know about the human heart.

Well.

Anatomically speaking.

Get some

Very slowly, Dean turns. 'How'd you know I was here about a room?'

'Power of deduction,' says Castiel, leaning against the doorway. 'I mean, you're not after pot, and I'm pretty sure we haven't slept together.' He grins wolfishly, gaze sliding over Dean's body. 'You, I'd remember.'

Dean's been hit on by guys before, but never so blatantly, let alone by a semi-naked dude in a kimono. A hot blush warms his cheeks, and he covers his shock with cockiness, tilting his head and grinning. 'Sorry to disappoint you, Cas, but I don't swing that way.'

Castiel throws back his head and laughs. 'And you want to live here? What, did your friends put you up to this?'

'Actually, yeah.' Dean raises an eyebrow. 'Is that a problem for you?'

What i need

A joking phrase commonly heard between a surgeon and his tech is "Give me what I need, not what I ask for." Dr. Novak and his tech Dean will soon learn the impact this phrase has on life outside the operating room.

Mad at your dad? ☆

Dean wasn’t sure why he was even scrolling through Craigslist. Especially not the casual encounters section. It was four days before Thanksgiving. Not like he was gonna try and hook up with someone before that shitstorm. After, sure, but not before.

He kept scrolling, though, not clicking anything until a title caught his eye.

Alone on Thanksgiving? Mad at your dad? I am a 28 year old male felon who has no degree, but has studied enough theologies of the world, behavioral psychology, and philosophy to set your whole family’s teeth on edge—no matter which way they lean, politically, religiously or in terms of neuroses. I drive a van the same age as me that’s got a mural on the side of an angel holding an orgy. I can play between the ages of 20-30 depending on whether I shave. I live off an inheritance, and sell weed on the side. If you’d like to have me as your strictly platonic date for Thanksgiving, but have me pretend to be in a very long or serious relationship (monogamous or polyamorous, whichever sounds most like it would freak out su familia) with you (and/or others), to torment your family, I’m game...

(dis)affection ☆

When Dean and Castiel are tricked to go on a date, neither is happy about this. To get back at their deceitful friends, they hatch the perfect plan: pretend to be dating, and gross out their friends with their over-the-top, disgustingly cute romantic relationship – and then break up in the most despicable manner imaginable. As it turns out, you can learn a lot from someone just by pretending affection.

Ninety one whiskey ☆

In the spring of 1944, the 104th Medical Battalion of the United States Army is disbanded, and its men reassigned to various infantry companies in preparation for their invasion of occupied France. For First Lieutenant Novak, this is less than helpful, as he has so far met his platoon’s designated medic a grand total of twice, and has both times found Sergeant Winchester to be the optimum combination of reckless, arrogant, and downright insufferable so as to make cohesive platoon function near impossible. When the time comes to move out, however, Castiel has to reconcile himself to the fact that men are going to go down and trust that Dean Winchester may well be the only person who can put them back together again. WW2 ETO infantry AU.

The breath of all things

Dean Winchester was twenty-six years old when a car accident killed his father and left him paralysed from the waist down. A year and a half later, Dean is in a wheelchair and lives in a care home in Kansas, where he spends his days waiting to die. It's only when Castiel Novak starts volunteering at the care home that Dean starts to wonder if a changed life always equals a ruined one.

If you'd have been the one

A boy sits on the front steps, his dark hair a wild mess. A gingerbread boy, Dean thinks. Dressed in pressed slacks and a sweater-vest to match his father’s. He looks about Dean’s age; maybe they’ll be in the same class. That wouldn’t be too bad, unless he’s mean. He could be mean; a lot of kids are mean to him, so he has to be mean back.

He hopes this one is nice.

...

In the year 1986, at seven years old, Dean Winchester meets Castiel Novak.

Eleven years go by, then eight, then three.

Somewhere along the way, things start to change.

Spirit of the west ☆

Dean grew up on a horse farm and can't imagine any other life. There are drawbacks to working for his father, but they're worth it if it means remaining with his beloved horses. Besides, between his broken arm and his lack of prospects, he hasn't got much else.

Something of an outsider, Dean always feels like there's something he's missing. But this tense summer brings back a figure from his past: years ago, a teenaged Cas worked for a season at the Winchester ranch. His return could change everything.

If you ever wanted a 90s horse girl book, but starring a young Dean Winchester, this is your fic.

Guns and wings

Dean Winchester is the sheriff in the small town of Sioux Falls, along with his deputy (and brother) Sam. Life there is calm and normal, easy to manage with the occasional problems. That is until the Garrison gang sends an assassin to kill one of their beloved citizens. Dean is ready to hang the man for his crimes, when the outlaw gives him a deal he can't pass up. The whole Garrison gang. Dean and the criminal, Castiel, set off to find the gang; enemies working towards a common goal. Dean is determined to hate Castiel, but the longer they journey together and the more he finds out about the outlaw the harder it becomes to deny the feelings he begins to have for the man. But he's the sheriff and he has a job to do, he can't fall in love with a criminal... Right?

Life was a willow

When Dean’s favorite author becomes a regular at his bar, Dean knows he’s done for. He never could have anticipated the intense feelings that blossomed for the talented Castiel. There’s just one thing standing in his way of being with Castiel the way he truly wants: Castiel is waiting for his soulmate.

Dean has spent his entire life hating the concept of soulmates. He just wants to live his life without the universe intervening. If the only way he can keep Castiel in his life is by swallowing his feelings, then that’s what he’ll do.

300cc ☆

300 Complementary Characters: a forum on Kansas City University’s student website. You can write whatever you want, but it has to be 300 characters or less.

Dean is crushing hard on Sam’s TA, but it feels different than it has before; it feels like he needs to do it properly, to have a grand declaration and to prove that romance isn’t dead. What better way to profess his feelings than posting a poem on 300cc?

Castiel is torn. There’s no mistaking the poem is for him, but who could be posting them? Despite being very tempted by the very attractive new light and sound engineer that will be working on the play he has written, Castiel can’t ignore the feeling that he and the anonymous Poet are meant to be together.

A comedy of errors, mutual pining, and erotic poetry.

Satin and sawdust ☆

When Castiel moves out of Jimmy's house and into his own place for the first time, he saves money on buying a home by investing in a Fixer-Upper. He knows nothing about how to fix the many problems the house has, but he figures he's smart enough to figure it out. Unfortunately it's not too long before he learns that he's way in over his head.

Thankfully his new neighbor Dean is a handyman, and agrees to help him out. He knows Dean has a bit of a crush on him, but he's not taking advantage of it, really. Dean's a great guy, and quickly becomes a good friend.

But a flash of satin under Dean's toolbelt changes everything.

Stay with me, sweetheart ☆

“Alright Cas, here comes the hard part. We’re gonna get you out of here, but we’ve gotta take the roof off and while we do that, we’re gonna have to cover you with a sheet to protect you from the glass. I’ll be right here though. I’m not going anywhere.”

As he starts to drift away, he suddenly feels the press of Dean’s forehead against his own through the rough fabric and hears that warm, sunlit voice murmer quietly in his ear, too low to be overheard by the firefighters currently working to remove the SUV’s roof, “Stay with me, Sweetheart.”

A single moment's distraction ends with a serious car accident that leaves Castiel trapped in his vehicle. Fortunately for him, fire fighter Dean Winchester is there, never leaving Castiel's side as the rest of his company work to free him from the mangled remains of his SUV.

When the two meet again in the ICU, Castiel finds himself just as drawn to and comforted by the handsome fireman as he was during his accident. Dean is certainly attractive, but single father Castiel doesn't have time or space in his life for a romantic relationship.

Then again, there's no harm in making a new friend, is there?

And this, your living kiss

Only a very few people in the world know that the celebrated and reclusive poet Jack Allen is just Kansas mechanic Dean Winchester, a high school dropout with a few bucks to his name. Not that it matters anymore; life has left him so wrung out he never wants to pick up another pen.

Until, that is, a string of coincidences leads Dean to auditing a poetry course with one Dr. Castiel Novak. The professor is wildly intelligent, devastatingly handsome...and just so happens to be academia's foremost expert on the poetry of Jack Allen.

Sometimes you'll find that i'm out of my mind ☆

Castiel returns from the Empty, and Dean worries obsessively. Dean also sleeps on the floor in Cas' room, which he admits is weird, but at least he's sleeping.

[tired-fandom-ndn]

I love obsessed oisin but I can't help but imagine quieter but equally obsessed adaine, pouring over ancient and probably cursed books looking for forbidden rituals to make oisin a full dragon or forcing him to adventure until he's a high enough level to get true polymorph to be a full dragon so that he can live as long as possible with her. seeing her grandma kissing the skull of the dragon she loved the most and imagining she won't even get a tenth of the time they had together before she's doing the same with oisin, unless she takes matters into her own hands

Anon, I ADORE this.

I love obsessive and creepy Oisin with Adaine being into it, but Adaine also being obsessive and creepy in her own way? Perfect, amazing, they're a match made in hell.

She's so much subtler about it than Oisin is, but she grew up with the awareness that nothing in the world belonged to her and then, later, that she would outlive the people she loved so she clings to everything she has with the desperation of someone who knows how easily it can all be taken away. I think, in this scenario, Adaine would've already been looking into how to extend lifespans, part of her desperately hoping that she cold crack that kind of magic and convince her friends to stay by her side.

Reconnecting with Aelwyn lessened that desperation a bit, with the assurance that she won't be completely alone as the centuries pass, but she would stil absolutely jump at the chance if any of her friends showed even the slightest bit on interest in that. With Oisin though. . . . . .

Adaine knows he's the one, the person she wants to be with forever. She spent much of her childhood listening to her grandmother wax poetry about her late wife and Adaine feels echoes of the things her grandma talked about in her relationship with Oisin, that sort of intense and burning love that makes everything else fall away. In her visions of her future, he's the one with her, the father of her children, her soulmate. And she also sees him grow old, scales getting rougher and duller while she stays young, and she knows that they'll only have a few decades together before she's alone again.

Decades. 50, maybe 60 years at the most. Adaine thinks about the thousands of years she has ahead of her and the idea of him being just a brief moment in her life is. . . devastating.

Instead of just accepting that that's her lot in life, Adaine does what she does best and starts researching. She looks into every possible way of expanding lifespans that she can think of, chasing even the tiniest lead, unearthing ancient manuscripts to pore over and looking into both "acceptable" magics and the most taboo spells possible. Deals with demons, blood sacrifices, whatever, there's no line she won't cross if it keeps Oisin by her side.

Most of her leads ended up being dead ends or methods that had to be taken off the table for one reason or another, either because they wouldn't work like she needed or because the risks were too high (like a lich ritual). Something like him changing into a true dragon would definitely be an option, but I think Adaine would only consider it if there was a way for him to be able to switch forms. She loves Oisin, loves the way she fits in his arms and loves being able hold his hand and even loves his dorky glasses. She doesn't want to completely change him.

For this AU though, since you brought up Grandma Abernant, I think she'd have her whole family's thousands of years of research into this exact topic at her disposal, her grandma more than happy to help Adaine's quest and getting the best magic users in their family on board. The fact that many of them have mortal loved ones means that pretty much everyone is eager to help.

Adaine would do her best to hide all this from Oisin, because she (ironically) doesn't want to freak him out or scare him away. Joke's on her though, once he finds out (by finding her notes in her tower or seeing correspondence from one of the other wizards she's working with or even when she breaks down after a particularly rough night and tells him everything), Oisin is fucking THRILLED and puts 110% behind helping her. He'd always known that their time together was limited by his own lifespan and though he always wants her to be happy, the idea of leaving her widowed and then her finding love with someone else is enough to make him spit lightning and rage worse than when he had the shatter-star; knowing that she wants him just as much as he wants her is a weight off his shoulders. Even becoming a full dragon is on the table as far as he's concerned, though obviously he'd prefer something a bit less. . . incompatible with Adaine's own body.

With the two of them, and their many contacts and their families' wealth and hoards of knowledge, they'll figure it out eventually :)

[justarandomlambblog]

mmm thinking about an au where Narinder runs away after being defeated and eventually finds himself being taken in by a kind soul in a distant village beyond the borders of the Old Faith. He begins to learn how to just... be, after a rocky start. Slowly easing into village life, taking over the kind person's role once they get too old to continue working (Narinder quickly realizing he himself isn't aging) and somehow accidentally fitting himself into the role of this person's son.

Years pass by and he's fully settled as a member of this godless village, unaware of the power vacuum left by the crowns and the war the Lamb (& Co, he's unaware that his siblings have been brought back) are fighting, watching the generations being born and aging. Maybe a whole generation has come and gone in the time he's been there, and over those ~100 years he becomes a pseudo-leader/protector for them.

Maybe a stranger comes to the village one day. A stranger from outside. Narinder was once a stranger from outside too, and like the kind soul who took him in he does the same, and something... starts between them. Something warm, something he's never felt before. Painfully aware of his own mortality, yet.... a family sounds nice. He's watched everyone around him start their own, he's even helped widowed parents and orphaned children....

So he starts a family. And they're happy.

Until they're not.

The power struggle from the land of the old faith spills over their borders, wannabe gods looking to expand their power, and in the dead of night Narinder's peaceful little village is attacked.

so much is lost- not a kit, thankfully, Narinder protects them with everything he has, and by now he has discovered he can still use magic so protect them he does. But the village is under attack and Narinder's partner is among those who are lost.

He lashes out with his magic, essentially rotting every heretic in the village alive in his grief, and afterwards they rebuild with a few dozen new graves, well cared for, with Narinder pretty solidly stepping into the role of leader. He doesn't introduce the idea of gods to these people- they're his people now, and they don't need gods. He can take care of them himself, god or not.

Those who are capable of magic, he teaches to use it. Those who are not, he teaches to use weapons and runes. He won't let the outside world harm them again.

Fast forward ~15 years, the village is thriving and the people are happy. His kits are teens/young adults now and his people are capable enough to defend themselves, so he's started joining hunting parties and trade groups, interacting with other villages outside of the Old Faith lands (they're spread apart, and Narinder's village is at this point the most prosperous... due to magic reasons, not that Narinder will reveal this). He very, very much refuses to go anywhere near the Old Faith's lands, and has in no uncertain terms forbidden his kits from even approaching the border.

No one knows who he really is. Unfortunately, skeletons don't stay in their graves when the Old Faith is involved.

Narinder is away with a trade group when the Lamb and the Bishops, who are searching for a rogue heretic faith that attacked their cult, stumble upon the village. It's the only one for miles, having been days since they've seen another village (Lamb laments the fact they can't just teleport out here, since there's no warp stones set up out here). The villagers are cautious but friendly- very clearly not warriors, but clearly not about to lie down and let themselves be harmed.

They talk amongst themselves, knowing the people out here don't speak their language, when someone greets them in their language. It's Narinder's oldest kit, a polite thing who definitely plays the rules on their lines; "Father says we cannot go into the Old Faith lands but he said nothing about inviting them to dinner." Ofc this kit has no idea who these people are, and they have no idea who she is, but she greets them nicely and lets them know her father is the village's leader and they cannot offer anything more than water for the road but there is room at their table if they would like to join them.

The Bishops and Lamb are tired and have been on the move for weeks now, trying to hunt down the rogue heretics who managed to escape, and honestly, dinner and a place to safely sit sounds nice, and it's not like any of them can actually be killed if things go south (Lamb would just bring them back and they know it). So they agree to stay.

And then Narinder returns. Impromptu family reunion :)

[an-au-blog]

Thought: so many merman buggy aus out there and so little merman Shanks. I get it, Buggy lends himself to being a pretty bluehaired merman and the clownfish pun is too good to ignore. But god I love the idea of kid Buggy getting thrown overboard and almost drowning until a mysterious redheaded figure saves him. Buggy waking up on shore and seeing someone sitting crosslegged with their back turned to him, stumbling to get up and drowsily walking over to said figure, who turns around towards him and Buggy’s eyes are still foggy, but those pants are extremely baggy and he tries to wrap his mind around how this guys sitting „Oh thank god you’re awake! Almost thought you wouldn’t make it.“ Buggy’s eyes focus and he takes in the young boys features. Red hair, tan skin, pretty brown eyes, not wearing a shirt. And then Buggy comes even more to himself as the boy continues babbling on „Easy! Sit down for a second. I don’t know if walking is supposed to look like this but you’re pretty wobbly.“ That kid has a really sharp set of teeth… and there seems to be something wrong with his hands, his fingers connected by a paperlike membrane up to his knuckles. And finally Buggy’s eyes fall down further and he notices the reason why he couldn’t make out how the other guy was sitting for a second. „… I can’t believe it.“ most people were lucky if they ever got a glimpse of merfolk once in their life. Now Buggy is talking to one eye to eye.

Just… let Buggy fall in love with creature!shanks for once. Let that clown be swept off his feet by a handsome merman! You could even have OG Shuggy breakup angst in there. Shanks basically becoming a member of Rogers crew right away when he brings Buggy back to ship, being an invaluable asset due to his abilities, which Buggy grows incredibly jealous of, especially since he is still cursed with his Chop Chop Abilities. And then it goes to shit after Roger’s dead because Buggy learns that Shanks wants to become HUMAN, even tough Buggy would slit a throat to be a merman like Shanks and Shanks doesn’t even want to go after the One Piece? It feels like a slap to his face. Shanks meanwhile has been wanting to become human for ages just because he feels him being a merman has kept him from his chosen family for too long. Rogers death just cemented that in his brain even more. He was never able to see the same places all of his friends did, he was the one waiting by the ship when everyone boarded land and went exploring. He was keenly aware how different him and his best friend were not just in personality, where they balanced each other out he felt, but on a fundamental level as well. That’s why he never took the initiative to take Buggy’s hand when they where both laying on the beach and talking about the future. That’s why he never asked to kiss Buggy because he feared the rejection. If he could just be human things would be easier. He could dance on the deck and drink with his best friend and he could help Roger fight and he could- well he just could have all he ever wanted! He would miss diving and the ocean and the way he could just FEEL the weather change with just a slight change in current, but even if he lost all that, it would be worth it.

And then he gets what he wants just to see his father figure get executed and watches Buggy storm away in the rain and he balls his fists at his side in despair because how was any of this fair?

Yyy i adore this! I like how it's a switch-up in the usual au standard ::D

I love the idea of having Buggy kinda swoon at first sight. Mermaids are already fabled to be these magnificent beings, rivaling the beautiful of any land dweller.

Shanks is a sight to behold. And yes, Buggy had never seen a mermaid, but even if he had, he doubts they'd like him. His charisma, his shine, his entire existence made Buggy gawk in awe.

When he became part of the crew Buggy was so happy. He couldn't even believe it! He was happy because not only does he get to see his new friend every day, but he actually gets to have one.

Slowly he realizes it's... well, to say it lightly, not as idealistic. Still, one of his favorite things was when they swam together. Whenever Buggy's feet touched the water, be could never stay truly mad at him. Shanks was an undeniably better swimmer, but he would take him to the prettiest reefs, the coolest fish, and the best views. Maybe even one time, they were under water for so long that Buggy forgot he needed air, so Shanks shared his own. He could breath under water so it was a bit like giving first aid mouth to mouth, but Buggy always liked to thunk of it as their first kiss... No one else thought of it as such. He couldn't even dream of asking but it was a delusion that kept him satiated.

He loved the ocean. And he loved Shanks. And their life was bliss at sea.

But then the unspeakable happened and he ate something he was never supposed to. No... he didn't eat it, he was forced to because of Shanks. That was something he would never forgive him. From then on seeing Shanks swim was only a painful reminder. It felt like salt in a wound.

To make it all worse, he finds out Shanks wanted to give it all away? Everything they had? Their legacy, the sea! And for what? A pair of boney legs???

On the other hand...

Shanks had felt Buggy slowly getting more and more standoffish towards him and he couldn't do anything about it. He could never be with the crew, not in any meaningful way. There were so many things he wanted to do on solid ground. And of course the crew got to do all the exciting adventuring, but all he got to do hear about it. To top it all off, even when his captain was being executed, he couldn't be there for him. He felt like a liability more than anything and he hated it.

So when Buggy came back upset, Shanks decided to tell him what he felt, open up. Let's say it went less then ideal. Buggy left for good, his father figure was dead and he couldn't even be with him in his last moments, he was cursed with this damn tale when the ones his heart went out to where on land.

... He was lost.

A decade or so, Buggy almost drowns. He fell in the water and could feel his consciousness simmer down. He was dying and must have been hallucinating, because he felt a pair of strong arms hug him from behind and then he woke up washed up on the shore.

The amount of salt water must have been inhumane because on top of that, for a second he thought he saw an adult version of the same merman who saved his life so long ago in the same manner. But he also knew it was impossible. The oceans were a vast and dangerous place. The chance of Shanks being there - same place and time as Buggy was close to none. Not to mention how festered the waters were with sea kings. No matter how fast a swimming one is, there's no way of our swimming a sea king.

Still... it was odd that there was a sudden income of driftwood with supplies. Oddly specific and useful supplies.

Buggy felt like even if there wasn't whatever he saw, there was someone... or something there. He decided, why not, and shouted a "I can see you there," (he couldn't) "you can come out now."

He didn't expect anyone to appear. And he definitely didn't expect his old cremate - Shanks. Shanks who had changed so much... he was well built, one armed, scarred and... was he... was he wearing pants?!

"Hey, Buggy... it's been a while..." Shanks smiled.

...

Okay, sorry, I have this hc that Bughy loves swimming, or I gues... used to... and I added the mouth to mouth thing because when you have a crush you read into everything too much and idk... sorry if it sounds like I'm retelling what you wrote, I love your idea <333

[writingforatwistedworld]

For Vil: H, I, J, please! I’m very interested in the Housewarden’s mindset as a yandere

Self-aware au

I do not take any responsibility for you reading this no matter which age group you are from!

WARNINGS: Yandere themes, manipulation, imprisonment, murder, poison, unhealthy relationship

H, I, J

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Being put on a way too high pedestal

It’s not like Vil would do this on purpose

It’s actually the oppesite

He praises you constantly, telling you how perfect you are

It’s nice and all when your partner tells you that they love every single part about you but nothing comes close to the extent Vil does

For a normal person like you it is absolutely impossible to be what he envisions that you are

And when you tell him that this is too much he is going on and on how humble you are

Safe to say you will never be able to climb this mountian

Vils fans

Many of them understand that Vil is also just another human being who wants some love in his life

And then there are also like “DON’T TOUCH MY VI-VI!”

To be fair, Vil also dislikes those fans a lot but there isn’t much he can do

So he does try to keep your relationship private but there is only so much someone like him can do

If you didn’t have the same experience as the NRC cast (aka meeting your vessel Yuu, getting to know you through Yuu) it can be a bit hard to figure out at first glance that you are the Overseer

So even that isn’t necessary some sort of protection for you

Just avoid crowds and learn how to make yourself look like someone else entirely with make-up

Vils fretting over you

“OH MY GOODNESS IS THAT A PAPERCUT??!”-Vil Schoenheit, model with 5 million followers

To say that he is always worried would be an understatement

He just wants to make sure you are always taken care of, ok?

Well guess who isn’t so thrilled about that? Ding ding ding! Ten points for the right answer! You

I’m not talking about a few minutes of attentio. I’m talking about him coming back to Pomefiore and then it starts for the entire rest of the day

And it’s not like you can tell him that it’s too much

That would be just rude and we also don’t want to know what happen if you ever were to take that “privilege” away from him

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

A “normal” relationship

You know, getting registered on the paper, being able to go out with you, yada yada

Sadly he is not able to enjoy this at the moment since he has to shield you from the more problematic part of his following

Why the “ “?

Well because in that vision you are not really having any contact to anyone besides him

Unconscious manipulation is also a normal thing, the world is evil you know? Only he is on your side

Maybe if you ask nicely he will get you a goldfish or somethign like that. You know, to talk to

One where he isn’t interrupted

At the moment the young model still has to study and also take care of his more or less dormant career

So “sadly” to your joy he can’t be there all the time

If worst would come to worst he would step down from his job

He has so much money he could probably pay easily for everything Ruggies family needs for fifty years

Man just wants to spend every minute of his life with you

Whether you want it or not does not matter

One in which you love him enough for him to stop feeding you secretly potions

Have you ever wondered why you are still here with him even though he is so overbearing?

Well congrats! You just broke through the effects of one of Vils potions

He hates it, ok? He hates it to always tiptoe around you so he can put it in your drinks

Vil thinks he has no chance with you, perfection itself, so he sees no other way but to cheat a bit

So the next time you see him with a heartbroken look on his face you know what he just did

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

Easily jealous

I would like to remind you that he has a background as an actor

This means you won’t even know that he is jealous… until it’s too late

The sight of others being around you, looking at you, being close to you, potentially taking his spot besides you

It makes his blood boil

If he didn’t have a reputation to uphold he would have fed all of them apples a long time ago, and those do not keep doctors away

If you look really close and are Rook you might see his muscles being a little more tense than usual so… Nah, no way you can spot this sign early enough

Bettering himself

Vils jealousy stems from a place of fear

What if you were to find someone better than him?

So he takes it out on himself… and a teeny tiny bit on you

He wakes up earlier, runs longer in the morning, sees something ugly in something totally normal

You know, the unhealthy stuff

With him raising his standards for himself he also raises his for you

Suddenly that papercut isn’t just a papercut (to which he already reacts way too much) but a stab wound in your side

He goes from mother hen to Bridezilla before a wedding… just in a caretaker sense

Snapping

If you don’t see the signs even then he will snap

Full on reenactment of Snow White

No need to worry why he gave you that apple. It’s good for your health!

Two seconds before catastrophe struck

So whilst you lay there, your vision going dark, you can still see his visage torn by a unnatural wide smile

If he can’t have you no one can

And if eternal sleep is the only solution to you never leaving him then so be it!

[johnslittlespoon]

Hello, gorgeous!

First of all, thank you for the joy of reading the first chapter of Tough And Sweet (Like You And Me).

I just have one question: Will future chapters show us Gale’s POV as well? Personally, I’d love to see young, shy Bucky through the eyes of an older Gale.

HIII sweetest human!! <3 no thank YOU for reading omg and for the kind words plsss :')) and for giving me an excuse to talk ab this LOL. tldr: future chapters no, future parts/drabbles yes!!

i was actually so indecisive about this when i started plotting the fic because while i enjoy reading fics with alternating povs just as much as fics without them, i've never written one with them and i wasn't sure if i'd enjoy/be good at switching mindsets like that!

i ultimately decided to stick to john's pov for that reason, but also because i thought as the reader, having to see things through his eyes and only being able to guess about gale the way john does would be more intriguing, especially with john's view of the world/interactions warped and/or rose–tinted by youth, inexperience, emotional dysregulation, etc.

BUT sooo much of what i have written in my drafting doc is from gale's pov because i love picturing this bucky through his eyes too, it's just such a fresh and new dynamic for me to explore as someone who primarily writes mota–verse buckbucky, and what we see from john's pov is so different from how gale sees things of course lol.

like it drives me insane thinking about how this poor man was literally just living his peaceful life, fine with being solo, going through the routine every day of work and then bike club and then home, and suddenly he's got this golden retriever of a boy attached to him like a magnet, and he's being kept on his toes dealing with the bundle of energy, and each day is now unpredictable and as exciting as it is stressful and he has no one to blame but himself lol. and the way we don't get to see the self–restraint he has to have and the struggle to be responsible and do what's 'right' while also dealing with his own feelings, because john isn't aware that's going on inside gale's head!

i could go on and on about his side of things aughghgh so i think eventually i'll end up doing a pretty lengthy oneshot sorta thing of certain events in the actual fic through gale's eyes (kinda what i plan on doing with yadiym for john's pov) bc goddd i have so many thoughts about how all of this would be playing out from his perspective!!! if not a oneshot, then drabbles like this one i hope.

if i had the time and if it wouldn't be boring to read i would honestly just rewrite the whole fic from gale's pov once it's done because with every scene i write, i'm like ooo i wanna dive into his pov and talk about what he's thinking and seeing so BAD but i can't bc we're in john's head </3 i just love analyzing john through his eyes and ik i've yapped ab this so much in past posts but gale does see so much of his younger self in him, that's why he has a lot of patience and takes a liking to him so fast, even if he doesn't realize that right away. :')

at the very least i definitely want to write pwp oneshots/drabbles set in the TAS universe from gale's pov so i can gush over describing how pretty and sweet and mouthy john is LOL i'm sure i'll add the fic itself to a series like with my dog–coded fic so that i can build on the au with oneshots once it's done >:-)

this is such a longwinded response (what else is new!) but you poked the bubble in my brain that's been agonizing over wanting to delve into gale's pov so <3 this is much more rambling than your question warranted but thx JSDKG

[sparklenothing]

'cause when you know, you know

summary: you liked james. james liked lily. that was clear as water, right?

tags: james potter x reader ,, fluff  ,, some unrequited love ,, little bit of angst ,,  modern cafe au

warnings: stubborn stupid jokey characters

a/n: english is not my first language. i haven't written anything in so long, and this is probably vague and not very on character, so constructive criticism is welcomed:)

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

every time you’d allow your gaze to go over to him, amidst a group conversation, you were hoping to find him looking right back at you. but he never was, his eyes were forever fixed on the girl with the beautiful ginger hair. you couldn't blame him, you worshipped her as much as the next person. she was sunshine inside and outside, smart and funny, loving, caring, everything one would hope to be or get to love.

that didn't take away from the fact that you were also smart, funny, loving, or caring. but on her, it looked better, according to your rotten mind. right?

you could've spent the entire night, now with your eyes stuck like knives on the wooden table before you, but an arm sliding above your shoulders made you look up. remus, aware of the feelings you were destined to take to your grave, sent you an empathic smile. naturally, your body sank against him, and your hand grabbed the one on your shoulder.

“you could try n talk to him, you know?” he whispered to your ear, knowing that if anyone found out, you would act like it was the death of you.

“i’d rather choke on my own vomit, thank you, rem.” his body beneath you vibrated because of the laugh he seconds later tried to push back.

anyhow, james and i are just friends, nothing else will ever become of it.

on your other side was sirius, holding your free hand and twisting the rings you wore, joining the conversation to begin babbling about how unfair it was that remus would hug you like that and not him. of course, the young man was met with nothing but jokes about his jealousy.

true jealousy was watching from the other side of the table. crossed arms, lips pressed into a fine line, frown in forehead, and chest puffing rapidly by the way his breath was speeding up.

james could not bear the sight, his two best friends fawning over you, while he was stuck between peter and marlene’s childhood inside jokes. needn't worry, soon enough they would follow his eyes to find you laughing while remus kissed your forehead and sirius your cheek, your face turning bright red.

“you’re such a loser.” peter stated, shaking his head. marlene just nodded and shrugged her shoulders when he looked at her saying you should be on my side.

“stop pretending to be in love with evans to hide away from the fact that this time you like someone who likes you back.” marlene got up, grabbing her wine glass. “honestly, your lack of bravery is a disgrace to gryffindor himself.”

peter gave him a final pat on the back and followed the blond woman to the kitchen, where lily and mary were.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

a week had gone by. marlene's words were still loud in his head. since the moment he met you, he knew. he knew he only cared to spend the rest of his life with you, loving you, caring for you. but the idea of messing up a reliable friendship and maybe causing turmoils in their group had been enough to continue with the charade of pursuing lily. she was aware it was a joke, it had been a joke between them since one drunk night she confessed to only liking women. from that night on, they would find each other to crush on you. their eyes would link whenever you smiled, laughed, or did anything that required no effort yet made james’ heart skip a beat.

of course, lily found you simply cute. so she would tease james non-stop, about how shy and quiet the loud golden retriever boy would get.

“hey!” a well-known female voice got him out of his head.

there you were, smiling at him from the order line of the little coffee shop they all took small shifts at, owned by remus. today it had been a slow and boring day. it read 20:10pm on the clock, five minutes away from closing.

“hi. what are you doing here? we are almost closed.” he greeted you, feeling his demeanor fall into straight panic and anxiety.

“had to drop off some stuff, and don't worry about closing i'm probably gonna stay here for dinner.”

stop pretending. that was it, that was his only chance to be alone with you and finally build up the courage to speak up about his very well-hidden feelings.

fifteen minutes went by. you had finished organizing the boxes you had to drop there. doors were locked, most lights turned off, and james had finished his night shift. but he was still there. you didn't wanna be annoying and ask, even though you were friends and it was okay.

“what do you wanna eat? i’ll make it. i’ll join you for dinner.” james said, walking into the back kitchen.

half an hour, two sandwiches and two cups of coffee later, you were both laughing at a recent memory of sirius' jealousy outburst when remus had opened the door for a girl at the cafe, and not him.

“even as a jealous person myself, i thought he was being a little dramatic.” james said, winning an incredulous look from you. “what?”

“you’re not a jealous person. i’ve never seen you flip out at evans because of anything.” you answered. there it was.

“that’s cause i’ve got no reason to be jealous because of her.” james watched the look on your face shift into something that looked more like confusion. “... cause i don’t fancy her.”

that was news to you. thinking, you ate the last bit of your sandwich, giving you a moment to think how to phrase the million questions that ran through your mind.

“i’m confused. haven't you liked her for like ten years now?” you said almost laughing, like a joke. but you were actually dying. needing to know more, but you wouldn't pry.

to your unfortunate self, james didn't answer immediately, he just looked at you in a way you couldn’t figure out.

studying his face to find clues, you found nothing but more questions. did he like someone else? did he like another girl? was this his way of coming out maybe? did he like no one at all?

“i imagined myself punching remus and sirius when they were all over you the other night.” he said.

your heart sank, and your only reaction was to stare and blink at him in disbelief for what felt like five straight minutes.

“what?” your voice barely made it out your mouth, in a whisper you weren't sure he’d heard. “it’s not funny, james.” you tried to laugh it off, but the scared look on your face betrayed you.

“no, it's not funny. it's not funny that since i've met you i've spent every one of our hangouts hoping for you to be there. and if you were, that i would find myself sitting by you so i can tell you stupid jokes that will make you look at me with pity, but then you'll laugh or smile at me. no, you’re right as always. it's not funny. ” he stood up, taking the plates off the table and taking them to the kitchen.

he came back and sat in front of you again. earning a blank stare from you.

“no.” you said, shaking your head.

he shot a smile at you, making you smile in return. you crossed your arms and looked at him, raising your eyebrows, signaling him to continue.

“i haven’t liked lily for a while now. almost two years ago, she and i became strictly platonic friends. well, i always was that to her.” he wouldn't air out lily. besides, the years of rejection had humbled him enough already.

“and when i met you, something clicked in my brain and i’ve been denying it because it was easier. it was easier for me to love someone who didn't care to love me back than to love you, 'cause merlin knows your ability to love everyone goes above and beyond.”

the coping mechanism part of your brain almost made you blurt out an im sorry, why are you so sure that i love you back like that? but remus had probably already taken care of that part in one of his weekly desperation rants about how stubborn and stupid you were being, and seeing james' side of the story you were sure he had gotten at least twice of those.

“so… we’ve wasted like a year because you’re a coward?” you joked, without being able to help it, you loved teasing him as much as everyone else.

“excuse me? you could have done something too!” he answered, pointing at you.

“no, i'm not the one from the house with the trait of being brave and courageous.” you rolled your eyes in fake annoyance, sighing.

he walked towards you and grabbed your face in his hands, smiling at the sight of your face so close to him.

“i apologize, maybe we should start making it up for the last year now.” james answered, leaving a soft and short kiss on your lips.

now you had to get ready for when your friends found out and started annoying both of you for at least one more year.

[peachywritess]

Unmei | OT7

bangtan (OT7) x fem!reader

01 - what i need...

☁️ unmei – 運命 (うんめい): a noun meaning 'fate' or 'destiny' in Japanese. ☁️ genre: royal!AU, OT7!AU, reincarnation!AU ; smut (eventually), angst. ☁️ Unmei will deal with very delicate and quite dark themes, so please if you are a minor, DO NOT interact. I will always put a trigger warning at the start of every chapter, so if you feel unconfortable DO NOT read. ☁️ ☁️ author's note: hello lovelies, author here! "unmei" has been in my head for a while, and i kept thinking about shaping my thoughts into words; i do realise that this story, per se, is quite ambitious but i really hope you will enjoy reading it. ☁️ chapter's TW: panick attack, mentions of death (side character). ☁️ word count: 3,5k

next >

☁️ taglist @shabbamadapot @jnghs

! disclaimer - This story is a work of fiction. I do not own BTS and the description of them in this story does not want to reflect nor portray them in real life.

Crystal chandeliers, shining glasses of the finest wine, and chords intoning classical melodies. Fingers intertwining as gowns kept swaying, strangers chattering about politics, war, and sometimes about passions, literature, and secrets… 

Overly-dressed up women, whose make-up was classy and whose voices were soft, whispered into each other’s ears as young men passed by.

The high society, the aristocracy - the world you were fated to be born in and to live in.

The corset you wore was too tight on your abdomen since you could not eat more of the cake. You always finished dessert - and the sponge cake had strawberries inside, so this was very unlike you. You were sitting down - back straight and shoulders relaxed as your mother had taught you - while the other young women danced in the hall. You could also see your father talking to another short, long-bearded man, and you had hoped the topic was indeed not you.

That was the first, and probably the last, time you had agreed to accompany your father to a Grand Ball; he perfectly knew you didn’t fancy celebrations or big events, but he had insisted so much over the past month your mother had begged you to go with him.

“Just this once, darling. You know how men are, especially your Father!”

You had convinced yourself it was part of her plan to finally get rid of him for a night. Even the Queens needed a day off, and you were aware of your father’s antics: the King was really needy, and loved being taken care of… Just like a boy.

Nevertheless, you could no longer lie to yourself: you strongly suspected something else had led your father to this event. You had just turned twenty-one years old, so you were still too young to marry, weren’t you?

A few months before your birthday, your father had requested to speak to you about an important topic concerning the crown, and you knew that he wished for you to find a man to marry, so that you could inherit his place on the throne. However, as soon as the word arranged left his lips, you had already stormed off. You were not going to spend the rest of your days with someone you barely knew, and didn’t like.

After that discussion. your father never brought up the matter publicly, but you perfectly knew he had already informed your mother about it. To you, it wasn’t fair: they had married for love, and not for the crown. Their marriage was not decided by someone else aside from them, so you thought you deserved the same treatment they got when they were young.

What your father did not know was that you already loved someone. You knew that if he ever found out about your relationship, he would be furious, but since your teenage years, you had become cunning and knew how to lie.

Knowing how to lie and avoiding getting caught were two plus points, especially for a princess whose life got constantly suffocated by people who wanted to pry into your privacy. Not that you had one, of course.

Kim Taehyung. He was your bodyguard, the person you trusted most in the world. Just imagining his face sent shivers down your spine, certainly not with a negative implication. From the first day your father introduced you to him when you were only sixteen, you had fallen head over heels for him.

For most of your time together, your love had remained hidden, mainly because, in front of everyone's eyes, Taehyung remained formal and silent. However, when you were alone together - although it happened rarely - he revealed his true colourful identity: he talked about art, how much he loved to paint and how you, in his eyes, were the perfect subject to depict.

"If only I could, I would paint you. That way, even when we are far apart, I would be able to admire you as many times as I want."

Taehyung was an extremely gifted and articulate speaker. He always used the perfect words for every situation, and his voice, so deep it made your heart flutter, made it easy for him.

Maybe it was the way he squinted his eyes every time he laughed or the way his gaze was always focused on you. But you knew you loved him.

What you didn't know, however, was whether he loved you.

You sharply inhaled, moving the remaining piece of cake with the silver fork, debating whether to eat it and feel sick or leave it there.

“Is this not to your liking?” 

A male voice suddenly awoke you from your thoughts, and you turned your head in order to connect it to a face. Your heart skipped a beat when you finally saw him: he was beautiful, really. And not the kind of beauty that intoxicates you, that weighs you down, but a beauty so delicate that it leaves you speechless for a moment.

“I hate it.”

You replied, batting your eyelashes repeatedly, as it would have been impolite not to answer him immediately. A proper young lady never stutters - you could hear your mother’s stern tone in your head. 

Instantly, you noticed his dark-brown eyes, and you swore you could lose yourself in them.

His full lips curved into a heart-shaped smile - different from the ones you were used to seeing, those fake, mechanical laughs - and his eyes shrank to pretty half-moons. 

“The Ball, or the cake?”

His question was innocent, yet you could hint at a spark of curiosity in his gaze. You took a brief moment to admire him: his dark hair was neatly combed back, and he wore a slightly unbuttoned white silk shirt and black trousers that seemed to fit him a little tight.

He did not let you answer, allowing himself to sit by your side without asking any permission. You were breathless for seconds that seemed to last almost too long as his hand gently grasped your wrist, with such delicacy that you seemed not to feel his touch.

His fingertips squeezed lightly, until he brought the back of your hand to his rosy lips, but without making any contact with your skin.

The only contact that never ceased, however, was that of his eyes on you. Your ears seemed to stop hearing the music and the room all around seemed to have emptied out completely as the man in front of you consumed you with his eyes.

“Jimin, Park Jimin.” He announced, and his name echoed into your head. “It is an honour to finally make your acquaintance, Princess.”

“You already knew who I was.” 

You let go of your grip on your fork with the hand you still had free, before making a brief bow as you lowered your gaze.

“Oh no, Princess. I ask you not to bow to me."

You furrowed an eyebrow before a small smile appeared on your lips. You knew it was rude to smile like that, but his words reminded you of a quote in a book which your mother read to you as a child.

"You remind me of someone." You murmured, retracting the hand Jimin still held close to his lips. Thus, you remembered the gesture and your cheeks blushed.

"Someone you like?"

Your smile became bigger, but you tried hard to hide it by bringing a hand towards your lips.

"Park Jimin, did you by any chance come here to court me?"

"Would that be considered a sin, Princess?"

The air in the hall became strangely heavier. Either the presence of that unknown prince had caused a strange effect on you, or the corset was really so tight that it took your breath away.

Out of the corner of your eye, you glanced at your father who - at the same moment - looked in your direction, pointing at you with open arms.

"My daughter! My beloved child, she always precedes me in everything!"

He pronounced this aloud and, as his timbre was very deep, the words were heard by many in the audience. The man next to your father, the one he had been talking to all evening, stood a few steps behind him as they both approached the table.

"King Park, this is my beautiful daughter, Y/N." He gave the man a resounding pat on the shoulder as soon as he was close enough. "And I guess this young man is your son, Jimin."

You remained in complete silence as your eyes moved between the two men. You were confused by the situation, yet when you turned to Jimin, he did not have the same expression. He seemed... relieved, by their presence.

"It is an honour, Your Highness. I was fortunate enough to meet your daughter before the appointed meeting, I hope it is not an inconvenience."

Appointed meeting, those words echoed in your mind.

"Of course not, why should it be? That is something to celebrate!"

Still sitting far too composedly, you watched them talk as though you were not there to hear them. You felt like a ghost trying to participate in a conversation,

You parted your lips slightly, attempting to speak.

However, the dark blond-haired boy next to you interrupted your attempt. His voice was calm, and the words he used were always well thought out as if he had studied a script.

"I would be grateful, Your Highness, if you would allow me to ask your daughter for a dance."

As he said this, you couldn't help but keep your eyes locked on him. His attitude was certainly that of a prince, but there was something about him - something extremely mysterious - that you still couldn't pick up on.

"I-"

The words came out of your mouth automatically, but you still had so many questions on the tip of your tongue that remained unanswered.

"But, of course, Prince Jimin. Y/N would be pleased, wouldn't you, my daughter?"

No, you were definitely not pleased. At that very moment, you just wanted to run away. Like a lost puppy, you looked for a familiar face in the surrounding hall hoping to see Taehyung. As you looked for help that would never come, the three men kept watching you, waiting for an answer.

You had two choices: say no and disappoint your father, then endure his complaints on the long ride home, or say yes to give him five minutes of satisfaction.

Your approval wouldn't have led to consequences, would it?

"I would be delighted." You lied, batting your long eyelashes several times, something you had learned to do to show interest. You knew men liked that.

Your father gave poor King Park another resounding pat on the shoulder, inviting him to leave the two of you alone.

Jimin seemed satisfied with your response as he gave you a sincere smile. You did likewise, before rising from your chair - which had become uncomfortable - allowing your dress to regain its shape. Your thighs had gone numb from sitting for at least two hours watching the guests dance, so - as if you had suddenly forgotten how to walk - your legs gave out.

A pair of hands grabbed your hips, making sure to hold them firmly, and when you looked up, you found yourself dangerously close to the blond man's face. Your hands rested on his, grabbing his fingers to loosen their grip on you. You noticed that these were incredibly cold and not too big - not like Taehyung's.

"Forgive me, I shouldn't have. Are you alright, Princess?"

"I'm fine, I apologise, I don't know what came over me." You took a step back, moving further away from the man, as if you weren't going to be dancing together anytime soon.

An awkward silence fell between the two of you. Your face was slightly lowered and your eyes stared at the shiny floor tiles. You could not imagine the expression Jimin might have had: was he perhaps impatient? Or, like you, was he feeling embarrassed?

"Don't you think it's better to put embarrassment aside, Princess?" Of the two, Jimin was the first to break the silence. "After all, we have to get used to each other's presence."

You raised your head abruptly, and your pearl earrings tinkled from the movement. Your heart drummed in your chest and your insides twisted. Repeating the phrase in your head, you tried to understand its meaning.

"What does it mean?"

Your voice came out broken, it happened to you whenever you felt anxious.

"Come on, Princess, don't play dumb. Our wedding is only a few months away now."

Your breath began to get shorter and shorter, as if someone was tightening the strings of your corset increasingly tighter, and a hole was opening up in your chest. You felt as if your lungs were being torn from your chest and the world around you was spinning all too fast. Jimin's face contorted into a worried expression and you could see his mouth move, but every sound was muffled.

"I must… I must go and freshen up."

You didn't know what tone you had used, and you didn't even know if the prince had heard your words, but within moments you had already drifted off, disappearing into the crowd of people. To the unfamiliar eye, it would have been difficult to recognise you. But those who knew you well - on the other hand - would have found you instantly.

Regardless of your appearance or posture, you entered a hall with few light sources, the majority of which was in darkness. Your right hand was resting on your chest, clutching the hard material of your corset, and you wished you could just rip it off.

Soon, a veil of tears blurred your vision even more, causing everything around you to become less clear. You did not even apologise when your shoulder bumped into someone else, continuing undaunted on your way.

The person you had hit, however, stopped and turned their gaze, watching you flee. They continued to watch you until you turned a corner, disappearing into the darkness. Having found a quiet place, you slid down a wall until you found yourself sitting on the cold floor. The room you were in was dark - the dim light of the moon coming from the one large window. The room was empty, only for a few abandoned paintings leaning against the walls.

A thousand questions tormented your thoughts. The idea that your father had given you away to a stranger made you nauseous, and the more you thought about it, the more the cake you had eaten rose up in your stomach. You brought your hands to your mouth, choking back a sob, while your breath was still too short to allow you to think clearly.

You were alone. You felt completely abandoned to a cruel fate, a fate you had not chosen but had to undertake - whether you wanted to or not. Disbelief gave way to anger, and anger soon became disappointment.

Your father had sold you and most likely felt no remorse. You ran your hands through your hair, forgetting the fact that it had been carefully arranged, therefore ruining your hairstyle.

Breathe, Y/N, breathe. But even though you kept telling yourself to calm down, it was impossible. You wished you could escape, hide your identity and finally live the life you had dreamed of.

But your Red Thread of Fate had been tied to the Crown since your birth.

"Y/N!"

A familiar voice resounded in the room and all was silent for a few seconds until quick footsteps approached. The figure knelt right in front of you and - without hesitation - grabbed both your wrists so that your gaze focused on them. Your eyes immediately locked onto a dark-brown pair, looking at you intensely.

"Y/N, it's me, Taehyung. It's me."

Serenity. Kim Taehyung brought serenity into every place he stepped.

You watched his face fully illuminated by the moonshine, and took it all in. His black hair was slightly wavy and fell over his face, framing it perfectly.

If Hell had his face, then you were ready to burn for Eternity.

"It's all right, love. I'm here."

Taehyung didn't waste any time sitting on the ground, picking you up by the hips so that you were resting on his legs. An arm firmly wrapped around your shoulders while a hand gently caressed one of your cheeks.

The warmth of his body caused a feeling of cosiness in you, yet your chest still felt like it was about to implode. "I- I can't breathe."

He instantly seemed to realise what the problem was, because his eyes focused on your chest. Suddenly, his hand reached down all the way to your breast until he grasped some of the threads that bound your corset from the front: he pulled with such force that the seams tore and - finally - all the pressure released. Like a newborn child, you began to breathe, and after a few seconds warm tears wet your cheeks.

You were incredibly scared, still in shock. But Taehyung held you close, gently, almost fearful of breaking you like a porcelain doll. You felt his warm breath in the crook of your neck and his scent intoxicated you completely, making you forget everything.

Your breasts were partly exposed, but you could never feel embarrassed in front of him. Not in front of the man who had seen every last detail of you, not in front of the man who had explored every inch of your body.

"Please don't let me go."

Taehyung hummed and continued to hold you in his arms while giving you a concerned look. His eyebrows were furrowed and you knew he needed an explanation as soon as possible. But Taehyung was also aware that you were still unable to give it to him.

"I won't ever let you go. But now I need you to calm down, hm?" He said softly, as if he was talking to a child. His hand reached for yours, grabbing it gently, and bringing it close to his face.

"Do you remember how many moles I have? Do you want to count them?"

Serenity. Taehyung brought serenity, and every word he spoke to you came from the heart. Ever since you knew him, he had always been affectionate and attentive towards you. He knew you better than anyone else.

So, of course you knew the answer to the first question.

You smiled, heart beating fast but not out of fear. With the tip of your index finger you began to trace every spot on Taehyung's face, his skin always soft and flawless.

"One. You touched the small mole on the tip of his nose, near the right nostril.

"Two." Then it was the turn of the mole under the lid of his right eye, the spot you found most distinctive.

"Three." You murmured, as your heart beat faster and faster. You knew very well where the third mole was since it was your favourite. So you brought your face closer to his, so that your noses brushed against each other, before placing a tender kiss on his lips.

Taehyung's lips were never dry, touching them was always pleasant. Kissing him was always pleasant.

"Good girl."

His voice was hoarse as he moistened his lips and bit the lower one. You were so fragile, so exposed before him. All this delicacy, he wanted to destroy it. And Taehyung felt like a lunatic because a rarity like you was only to be protected.

But you provoked mixed feelings in him. Your bare breasts, your smooth skin, your eyes full of innocence and love for him.

Taehyung wanted to break you.

"You look so pretty right now, dove."

He hummed, almost like he had never thought such nonsense until that moment. "You would be even prettier if you told me what happened to you."

Your smile disappeared, and the perfect world that had been created began to crumble. You sat up, hiding your exposed chest with your arms.

"Taehyung, I..."

You spoke quietly, afraid of the reaction the brunette would have had. He wouldn't have blamed you, because he knew how much your position as heir to the throne made you suffer, but knowing Taehyung, he would have stepped back to make it less difficult for you.

The thought of not being able to see him again killed you.

Before you could say anything else, a man you recognised as one of your father's guards burst into the room. Your first reaction was to move away from Taehyung as quickly as possible, but the man seemed upset for a reason worse than that: his breath was short and his face completely pale.

"Princess Y/N, we've been looking everywhere for you!" He spoke without ever taking his eyes off you. That's when Taehyung removed his jacket, placing it on your shoulders.

"What's going on? Is my father looking for me?"

"Princess, I- I'm sorry…" He stammered in a slurred voice. "His Majesty, your Father, he…"

You were silent, waiting for him to finish the sentence as the man beside you loosened his grip on your shoulders.

"He… Has been assassinated, Your Highness."

©️ peachywritess 2023. All rights reserved.

[hand-picked-star]

The 13th Anniversary Arshi Fiesta

Moodboard : Historical AU

Whispers of the Heart | Chapter 10

I am not very good at writing ffs. I even read ffs very selectively. But it was an attempt of me to participate in the 13th-anniversary arshi fiesta.

I might be wrong about certain aspects of that age and era, but it's a fantasy, so why not? I don't own Arnav and Khushi and the story is purely fictional and has no relation to any living or dead. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter 10

Arnav found himself on the floor at the foot of his bed with his back pressed against the bedpost. The room was silent except for the rhythmic thud of the ball hitting the wall and the soft shuffle of it returning to his hand. For hours, he had been doing it. His arm muscles ached with fatigue, but he couldn't stop. The repetitive motion had a strangely intoxicating effect, a temporary escape from the chaos in his mind.

His thoughts were a whirlwind, racing through every possible scenarios of the future. His brain doing continuous permutations and combination and the outcomes swirling in a relentless loop. As a meticulous planner, He had always drawn comfort from the predictability of his well-laid plans. But now, His carefully constructed world had spiralled into a giant mess. He felt like he was drowning. Despite his best efforts, he was adrift in a sea of uncertainty, struggling to find his way back to solid ground.

" Arnav bhaiya, khirkiyan khol du, subha ho chuki hain."

Hariprakash's voice brought him back to reality. Hariprakash had been by his side for the last two years, taking care of him and the bungalow he rented. He glanced at himself and awareness sank in. His body was reeking. He hadn't bathed in what felt like decades. He had been sitting in the dark. Food and sleep had escaped him. The ship had already sailed, without him. That was two days ago. And there was no ship that could carry him hence.

After reading those lines, he had scooped her up in his arms, careful not to wake her. He had laid her down on the bed gently and sat beside her with his right hand on her hair. His thumb had kept tracing gentle circles on the side of her forehead. He couldn't tell how long he had sat there. He just did, watching her without any sense of propriety. When the house had begun to wake up, he couldn't stay there any longer. But he hadn't forgotten to leave his love on her forehead.

Those two lines had halted his departure, turning his legs into lead. He sat on those lines for the past two days, letting them take root within him and anchor him in place. Probably because he always knew but never dared to accept that they were true for him as well.

For so long, the waves of the ocean had been tumultuous, crashing against his shore, relentlessly battering and bruising his delicate shore. Now, the ocean longed for his waves to calm down, to meet his shore with gentle caresses.

She had always been his shore.

He remembered when she was a little girl, her hand clutching his tightly the first time they had taken the walk. He remembered the day she finally, finally accepted that her parents were gone forever, how he had carried her, heaving and sobbing, holding her close against him. He remembered happier days when she had babbled as she had tried to keep up with his pace. All the conversations they had about everything and anything. And how he could talk to her, even when she had been so young, easier than he could talk to anyone else. He had been her friend, protector, and confidant. He had been the most important person in her world. And, then He had let her believe she had lost that relationship, lost him, because he couldn't act on the love he had for her. He had always loved her. The definition might have changed with different stages of their life, but love had always been there, breathing, changing, evolving. And he would always love her the only way he knew how, with his whole heart, with every fibre of his being, with everything inside him.

Yet he had failed to be close to anything he had claimed to be for her—not a friend, not a protector and clearly not a lover. And he would be damned if he wouldn't go to the ends of the world to rectify the situation.

"What day is it, Hariprakash?"

" It's Monday, vaiya"

Monday. That's mean the court would open. He had to go to the court area to assess the situation. He had to get himself accustomed with the environment before he planned anything.

"Prepare breakfast for me."

Throughout the day, he was preoccupied with meetings and discussions with fellow barristers and various law firms, delving into job opportunities, ongoing cases, and important legal matters. As evening approached, the exhaustion from two consecutive sleepless nights caught up with him. He thought he was hallucinating when he saw her. More surprising was that he didn't know how he found himself outside her college. But, she was there, not just a figment of his imagination. She wasn't looking at him though. Her gaze seemed distant, fixed on nothing. There was shadow under her eyes where once star had gleamed. She was there like a whisper of her former self. But what truly terrified him was the absence of the bindi between her eyebrows. It was as if the very essence of her identity had been stripped away, leaving behind an unsettling void. That small dot, once a symbol of her vibrant spirit was now conspicuously missing. It was a haunting reminder, a silent scream of everything that had gone wrong.

And with that realization, another truth hit him. What people said was true; love can reduce anyone to anything. Never in his wildest dreams did Arnav think that a small, round object could bring him to his knees.

As night approached, he was back at the Rajput haveli, sitting on a familiar bench in the garden where the entire story had begun.

The summer when he was 12, he had been fascinated with the game that the Britishers had introduced. Cricket, they called it. He begged his father, before he went abroad, to buy him a cricket bat and ball, and his father complied. That afternoon, he was playing cricket with Aman and Akash bhai. When he came home, hungry, he searched for his mother and found her lifeless hanging in her room. He cursed himself for going out to play that afternoon.

But right after he found her, an intense shiver took over his body. Why? He didn't know. He just vaguely remembered Roma Chachi wrapping him in a blanket and rocking him back and forth. He wished he could shrink himself to that size again so that Roma Chachi could wrap him in a blanket and hold him tighter once again.

"I love her," he whispered, looking straight ahead. "I can't measure it, but I do love her more than I have ever loved anything else in my life. Do you think my love will be enough?"

In the midst of all the chaos in his life, Roma Chachi had always been the one person who understood him without needing a word. She allowed him to be himself. She had been a mother to him without the title since his mother had passed away. So when he opened up to her Monoroma instantly knew who he was talking about and chastised herself for her oversight. They were her children in every way that mattered, even though she hadn't given birth to them. How had she not seen it sooner? She felt like she had failed as their mother.

She caressed the top of his head. "Ghar, paisa, jaydad sab humari khushiyan ke liye hote hain. Hawaali nahi hai toh ban jayegi, khoa hua naam bhi waapas a jayega, lekin khushi chali gayi toh tum use waapas kaise laoge?"

They sat there in the dark for some time, Arnav drawing comfort and strength from her presence. His determination was solidified by her wise words. Eventually, the mother in her became worried. " tumne din bhar kuch khaya?"

Chuckling, Arnav stood up,''You should go inside. it's late. Chachu must be worried,'' he said as he started to leave but then turned suddenly. 'Please, don't tell Chachu anything. I want to talk to him myself."

But three days had passed without any words from Arnav. Monoroma was worried. What was the boy up to? She couldn't get a hold of Arnav, so she focused on Khushi. Her little 'titli' had wilted like a delicate flower deprived of water and sunlight. Sighing heavily, Monoroma approached her. Khushi was sitting at her desk, pretending to read. Without a word, Monoroma gently took Khushi's hand. The unexpected touch broke through Khushi's reverie, and she allowed herself to be led to the bed. Monoroma sat face to face with Khushi. She squeezed Khushi's hand gently, offering silent comfort and support.

"I want to talk to you about something"

Khushi's face was devoid of any emotions. ''Amma, I am ready. I'll marry whoever you ask me to.''

Khushi's expression shattered Monoroma's heart. She gently cupped her daughter's face and coaxed her to meet her gaze. When their eyes locked, Khushi's resolve crumbled. She collapsed into her Amma's lap and started crying silently. Monoroma moved to comfort her when a knock at the door interrupted them. Aman stood hesitantly in the doorway. Khushi quickly composed herself. Sitting up straight she wiped away her tears.

"Someone's here to meet you khushi"

A astonished khushi asked "Who?"

"Tum khud hi dekh lo."

Arnav stood in the garden with his hands casually tucked into his pockets. Khushi noticed with astonishment that he had dressed up. A charcoal grey coat draped over a crisp white shirt complemented by a striking blue tie that made his eyes stand out even more.

"You didn't leave"

Khushi whispered as she moved closer to him. She never thought she would see him again. These past five days, were a literal hell for Khushi. She tried so hard to hate him. But she ended up hating herself for understanding his reasoning. It would be so much easier if she could just outright hate him. Then moving on would be simpler. But against all reasoning, she just wanted him to fight for them. May be it was a little bit naive of her. But the heart wanted what the heart wanted. And her heart wanted him.

Tentative, so cautious, Arnav reached out, hooking one finger around one of hers and tugged her gently.

"I found a house in the city, just a short walk from St. Stephen's College," Arnav started nervously, gazing into her eyes. "Hariprakash,he is my caretaker. He and his wife, Gauri, they will manage the household. "

Arnav swallowed thickly and continued, "Umm..I had applied for jobs at a few law firms here in Delhi, and they have made some offers." His tone grew more confident. "I've also informed my mentor in London that I can no longer continue the apprenticeship." He finished as he gazed at her intensely, taking her hands in his. His thumbs drew circles on the back of her hand while she processed everything he said.

"Marry me, khushi"

Some promises were indeed incredible and dreams did come true, offering beautiful surprises when least expected. Still, Khushi couldn't help but double-check his words.

"What made you change your mind?" she murmured.

Arnav chuckled, looking down at their joined hands," You stopped wearing bindi."

"What?"

Shaking his head, Arnav tried again, "I would rather fight with my conscience than let my decision hurt you anymore." The corners of his eyes crinkled as the spark returned in Khushi's eyes, "And why live in a haveli that others have built when you can design your own?"

Khushi hadn't taken her eyes off him since he started talking. She kept searching, searching, and searching and slowly the corners of her lips lifted up. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, shocking Arnav and also the other seven pairs of eyes that were watching them from different parts of the house. They averted their gaze and retreated inside, leaving Khushi and Arnav alone.

"Is that a 'yes'?" Arnav whispered in her ear as he engulfed her in his arms.

"Do I have to spell it out?" her voice muffled against the curve of his neck, her tears soaking his skin, seeping into his pores.

"No," he murmured, burying his nose in her hair. As her scent enveloped him, he felt the tension of the past few days dissolve from his body, bone by bone.

"Have you talked to Babuji? What did he say?"

"He said it's all up to you," his lips stretched into a grin as she tightened her hold even more. "We are being watched, by the way," he whispered, aware of their audience.

"What? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Untangling herself from his embrace, she straightened up. She could already feel the warmth spreading across her cheeks.

"Would you have done that if I had told you?" He questioned her while cupping her face with both hands, gently wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"No," she was irritated yet a smile ghosted over her face.

"Then I'm glad I didn't tell you," he rumbled softly, words meant for her ears alone.

Khushi's cheeks flushed even more as she perceived the shifting dynamics between her and Arnav. With a happy yet accusing look, she dashed inside the house, leaving Arnav alone. Feeling the weight of someone's stare, Arnav looked up to find Mahindar Chachu watching him keenly. Awkwardness wash over him as he struggled to decide where to look under Chachu's penetrating scrutiny.

Mahindar was taken aback when Arnav asked to speak with him, accompanied by his two sons. Arnav seemed unusually nervous. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, " I want to marry Khushi. " His words hung in the air which left Mahindar speechless.

Arnav kept talking, "I understand that my current status and situation may not be ideal for someone like her. But I am determined to work hard till I make myself worthy."

"You all have always believed in me, and I ask you to do so one last time. Let me have her as my wife. I promise I will do my best to keep her happy." He finished speaking, looking up at Mahindar with eyes that were eerily similar to those of his best friend's.

Mahindar didn't know what to say to him, so he left everything to depend on Khushi. From her reaction, it was clear she wanted it too. This left Mahindar even more baffled than before. It wasn't that he didn't like Arnav. He loved that boy and knew he had great potential. But allowing Arnav and Khushi to marry was a risk. It was a decision he had to make carefully. Otherwise what would he answer to her father in the afterlife?

His Khushi had always been full of life, aptly nicknamed 'Titli' by his wife for how she had brought colours into everyone's life with her presence. She had danced like a sunflower in the spring breeze and had spread joy and happiness wherever she had gone, true to her name. But a few years ago, her light had dimmed a little. His little sunflower had somehow withered. Mahindar suspected the pressures of growing up had taken their toll. Then, a few months ago, he was pleasantly surprised to see a glimmer of her former self return. It was around the time Dhruv entered her life. Mahinda thought it was because of him.

And, then, suddenly, all colours had faded from his little sunflower again a few days ago. He couldn't fathom the reason. But seeing the colours return instantly at Arnav's mere words, had soothed his worries to a great extent. Mahindar knew he had to take this risk for her happiness.

For the next few days, he kept a close eye on them and marvelled at the fact that his Khushi was back. All the colours had returned to her wings. He noticed something intriguing as well. He observed how incredibly attuned to each other they were. Khushi's eyes seemed to trace his every move and in return, his gaze always sought her out. Like a sunflower instinctively turning towards the sun and following it across the sky, her face would seek his presence and instantly light up whenever he was near. Mahindar sighed, he could now put his worries to rest.

His little sunflower had found her sun.

Finally.

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@featheredclover @arshifiesta @phuljari @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @chutkiandchotte @msbhagirathi @titaliya @arshiradio

[yxnswife]

#I'm already writing the ghost hunting fic

Ok thank god bc I was about to ask you more about this AU 😂

The ghost fic is actually a different fic (it's more like Ghost Adventures, Ghost Files, etc.)!! But I'm feeling silly so I'll talk more about this au anyway 🫶

• Johnny was born into a family of vampire hunters. Not every family/group of hunters has a focus on one specific monster, but Johnny’s does. It's a personal vendetta.

• Bouncing off of the last one I think that Nitara would be a huge blow to everything that Johnny knew growing up about vampires. She's not nice per se, but she isn't the mindless and violent being that he had been taught to kill.

• Kenshi wasn't born into hunting like Johnny, but he was always aware of it. A group of rogue hunters protected his family hundreds of years ago and their descendants continue to do so, but in exchange ask for money, weapons, housing, etc.

• The Lin Kuei boys in this one are also hunters, and I like to think that Tomas was picked up after a monster killed his family. He was taken in after it was killed. The Lin Kuei are still the Lin Kuei, but they also hunt monsters

• Johnny and Kenshi met, surprisingly, not on a hunt. By chance, they ended up in the same antique store in the middle of nowhere. They bonded over some old items, and Johnny happened to mention Sento, an ancient sword said to be able to slay any monster. Immediately Kenshi is interested because that's his family sword and "What the hell does this guy know about it?"

• Continuing from the last one, they teamed up to fight some werewolf that had made its presence known. Either Johnny or Kenshi get injured (unused to hunting with a partner) and suddenly Johnny suggests that they start working together more often. Kenshi says no, but then Johnny says that he'd help him track down Sento. Kenshi agrees.

• Johnny still goes by Cage in this AU, but it's less of a stage name and more for protection than anything. His mother was a badass vampire hunter and people knew her name, so it was all around easier to come up with a new one.

• Kenshi is the most efficient at killing monsters, but will use the same weapon until it breaks if Johnny lets him. For this reason, Johnny has a whole arsenal to split between them.

• Johnny is in charge of handling witnesses and gathering info/researching when he isn't fighting. Kenshi is in charge of finding places to sleep and contacting other hunters.

• Mileena in this AU is a monster, but she was cursed to be one rather than born. She travels with Tanya, Baraka, and Syzoth. Ashrah comes and goes, but she hunts demons and has her own personal mission.

• Sindel has a coven that she's the Supreme Witch of, and Kitana stays with her to learn magic.

• After a hunt, there's always a debrief. It's like an unspoken rule between all hunters. No matter who you're with, or what your relationship is, you take care of your own. Johnny is the one to push for this the most when they're all together, and is typically the first one up and gathering medical supplies.

• Kung Lao and Raiden are married, and have been training to be hunters since they were young. They focus on spirit extermination and demons, but Kung Lao has an affinity for shapeshifters. He likes the challenge. Raiden still has his amulet, and it was given to him by Liu Kang.

• Liu Kang is the same in this universe. He's just also kind of the network control center and hunters come to him for advice or guidance. He only hunts if the threat is big enough, but he's more than happy to help.