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yestrday · 7 months ago

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: ̗̀➛ ALL OR NOTHING. yan! aventurine / gn! reader

it's a nice feeling to finally be on the winning side, feigning fairness when all the winning cards are in his hand. but it's not like you can fault him for cheating. after all, you who has nothing chose to challenge him, the one who will gain everything.

( overarching theme of sl4very, anim4l cruelty, anim4l death, bl00d, graphic description of violence, hinted obsessive behavior, im unoriginal and stole kafkas spirit whisper for reader ) + 7.5k words

"It's just a bet," he suggests, as if this gamble won't cost you your everything. "Juuust a bet. Exactly what are you so scared of?"

He sits laid back in his plush velvet chair, twirling a cocktail as he enjoys the finest luxuries in life. He is clad head to toe in the finest clothing, dressed like a peacock waiting to impress. You, on the other hand, feel more like the peahen— dreadfully drab in your rags and no choice but to watch as the peacock flaunts his feathers. You are knelt on the ground, but your eyes show no submission.

"I'm not crazy, gambler," you bite. "I know the IPC. They are full of shit. And you, Aventurine." Your eyes set on him with hatred. "You're the smelliest of the lot."

Aventurine, the gem of lies and luck, sighs dramatically. "Pup, you know I don't like it when you're so vulgar, y'know? I'm giving you a chance at freedom, so you ought to at least treat me at least a little bit nicer. I'm not the one who shackled you, so I don't understand what the aggression is all about."

"You're the reason why I'm here in the first place!"

"No, Jade was." He presses a finger to your lip and you'd bite it if it weren't for the annoying bind you were under. "Jade came across you and thought you and your talent would make for a nice gift. You were a gift and I'm just the receiver. So don't go barking up the wrong tree, pup."

"So." He leans back into his couch and shoots you a sly grin. "Up for round one?"

You are lost.

The meaning of Paths and their symbolisms are lost on you. You don't care for Aeons— no one on your home planet was. You were busy diving in dumpsters for a scrape of food, tricking your 'friends' into sacrificing themselves for you, and killing whatever was left of your humanity just to make it to another day. You walk on no Path but yours.

You don't even know which way you're going. So you are lost.

You think Aventurine is lost too.

He has every detail of his facade practiced. His gait is relaxed enough to not be intimidating, but not sloppy enough to be called out as bad posture. He talks in a smooth voice that eases fools and makes enemies wary, his smile is charming to sway the opponent into another gamble, his hair is fixed to frame his pretty face, and he chooses words that cannot be turned into loopholes. He is Aventurine. But he is not himself.

He does not care for the Preservation, but he rejects the Elation. He is on his own Path too, but he knows the destination he must reach— his 'End'. In that way, he is different from you, because you know not your journey or your ending. Still, he is just as lost as you.

But he makes a darn good show of not seeming that way. Right now, you watch as he throws the dice on the table, and the whole table watches with bated breath as they turn. A six and one— he lost the bet to the other's six and five. They cackle gleefully as they collect their earnings from Aventurine. They have chips upon chips on their side of the table while Aventurine's winnings are cut in half.

"I think I'll call it a day, pretty boy," the gambler cackles, greedily eyeing his earnings and possibly dreaming about the cash he's made tonight. "Even a gambler knows when to call quits, right?"

Aventurine pouts. "Aww, so soon? C'mon, the night's only begun! Who knows, play another round and you might just end up with more money than you have right now~"

The man laughs again, obviously not fooled by his pity act. "Boy, I'm not as addicted as you are. I know when to stop instead of letting you bleed me out dry." But Aventurine isn't fazed; rather, he snaps his fingers and you lower your head as you step to his side.

"Well, we can't have that, can we? [Y. Name], be a dear and persuade this gentleman into another round with me."

A glow of your eyes. Then you fix the man with an eerie gaze as you say, bright and clear, "Hey, you: Play another round with my master."

As if in a daze, the man's eyes cloud over and sit right back. Another round later Aventurine wins all his losses back and more, leaving the other gambler's side naked and bare of chips. The man is barely out of his stupor when he realizes what just happened— that he's fallen for a trick and now he's ended up with no money to even cover his lodgings— but you and Aventurine have sauntered out of the casino doors by the time he's begun cussing you out.

"Ha! That was fun." Aventurine shrugs off his jacket now that you're in the car and raises an empty champagne glass to you. "You're a good partner, [Y. Name]. Honestly, that Spirit Whisper of yours is such a nice trick. Just like that Stellaron Hunter, right?"

"... Kafka?"

"Yes, her. Enigmatic woman, isn't she? A bit ironic how those with such a powerful ability ended up as slaves. Her as Destiny's, and you as... mine." He gives your collar a little tug and you growl in warning, but you inch closer to him anyway. "So. Gambling. You up for that round?"

You scoff and grin at him with all teeth and no mirth. "You really think that a Cornerstone would bet on their slave's freedom?" Aventurine's own grin grows wider. "C'mon. Even Pteruges-V has better lies than you."

"Ah, right, your homeworld. No wonder you're so brazen all the time, even to your superiors. I forget that fear is a foreign concept to you people. Still," he raises your chin with a finger. "If you're so fearless, why not bet on a gamble? It's not like you're scared."

"There may be fools from my planet that you can trick with that taunt, peacock, but I'm not one of them. I'm fearless, not stupid. And with the way you're so eager to involve me in this bet, I'm beginning to suspect that you need this more than I do." You push him away. "So, no, master, I won't indulge you. I'll bide my time and look for an escape. Just like I've always had."

"And what?" He looks at you from behind his sunglasses. "Will you kill me to gain that freedom?"

You flash him a sharp grin, now amused. "Of course you'd think that, master."

The smile on his face is wiped clean. You really are a brazen thing, you.

Jade has always mentioned how soft Aventurine is on you. A dog of your attitude should merit a little more disciplinary action and even the good Doctor has told him this once or twice after seeing your arrogance despite the collar around your neck. "Your dog bites more than it deserves," Ratio scoffed while you made an action of biting him behind Aventurine. He frowned in displeasure. "You ought to make it learn a lesson or two."

"Now, now, doctor," Aventurine had laughed. "Not everyone shares the same sadistic tendencies as you." An image of you collared and shaking on your knees flashes through his mind, and he finds himself gulping. Ratio looks at him like he doesn't believe him.

It's not like he hasn't thought of it, of chaining you to the wall and starving you so that you learn that your attitude has its consequences. You shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you, not when he's been so good to you. But that... that was exactly the line of thought his old master had. That wicked man who put a brand on him and sullied his hands with his wretched man... he couldn't risk turning into a monster like... that.

Aventurine is weak. Unable to let go of past sentiments and memories, he makes it up with his grand display of bravado and high-stakes gambles. He gambles even as he spoils you, laughing at your audacity and even rewarding you for it sometimes, not knowing whether you'll leave him or if you'll stay with him. It is a gamble indeed, but you were worth every risk.

"What do you think of me, [Y. Name]?" The cityscape beyond the window is glowing with Pier Point's nightlife, and his suite provides him a good view of the world beneath him. He glances back at you, stirring his coffee for him. "Your dear master Aventurine. What do you think of me?"

"Annoying, stupid, a fool, an addict, and pathetic." You don't hesitate to badmouth your master. "You lie too well, you think that luck of yours will never run out, and you try to be someone that you can't."

"And who is that someone?"

Your eyes flash. "Someone strong. Someone confident. Someone who isn't afraid to admit his weaknesses and hope that things get better."

"I didn't peg you for an optimist, dear pet."

"Hmph. That's not optimism. I may not know what exactly fear is, but I know that what is holding you back isn't it. You do not fear things, gambler. You stake it all and bet on something so intangible as luck. That can't be fear."

"Then what is it?"

The stare you give him sets his heart off, looking straight into his eyes and giving a grin so devilish and knowing like that facade of his never mattered in the first place.

"You're a coward. A plain, old coward. Nothing more, nothing less."

That conversation had always popped up in his head in the most inconvenient of moments, especially when he was about to get some sleep. His heart beat faster every time he recalled that knowing gaze of yours, invading where he didn't want the world to see and baring his soul right before your very eyes. His facade doesn't work on you.

He could care less. You were the one person he didn't want it to work on, though he'd never admit that out loud.

This meeting with the other Ten Cornerstones could not interest him any less, and it seemed to be that way for the others too. Jade is saying something on behalf of Diamond, again, and everyone is busy doing their own thing. Only Topaz seems to be the one paying at least some attention, and even then she gets distracted by Numby from time to time. Aventurine glances at the clock.

He wonders how his pup is faring while he's away. Ecstatic, perhaps.

"— All evidence leads to an underground network that is scattered among numerous planets, though thankfully all of them are within the same galaxy. I'll be forwarding an email to you all with a detailed report on each of these. Just know that most of us will be likely deported to these countries to break up the—" In the middle of Jade's tiresome monologue, the security alarms start to blare and two officers slam through the doors with looks of urgency. One of them scans the room until his eyes land on Aventurine, and they quickly approach him.

"Sir!" They say, desperate and alarmed. "Your do— I mean, slave! They've– They've escaped!"

Surprise streaks across the faces of the Ten Cornerstones, even Aventurine's. He collects himself when he catches Jade's knowing smile and chuckles to himself.

"Well, I guess this is the master's consequence for not disciplining their pet."

Did he really think you were fucking stupid? Taking on a bet for your freedom... what a bunch of bullshit. He can proclaim about how much he loves a fair gamble, but you know that's only reserved for the people around the table. You are his slave, the one he demeaningly calls 'pet'— you don't have the chance to make your own dealings.

"Halt! In the name of Qlipoth, you better stop while we're giving you a chance." These IPC henchmen were slowpokes, the lot of them. You weave in and between salary workers, crashing trolleys full of wares and coffees and hopping between levels just to shake them off their tracks. By golly, they might be incompetent but Aeons damned they were nothing but persistent.

"Ha, the Devil Hunters were more annoying than them," you mutter to yourself, skidding around the corner only to come face-to-face with two IPC henchmen. They raise their polearms to strike, but with a chilling grin stretched across your face, you say: "Hey, you: Jump."

You don't look back to see whether they made the seven-floor drop.

This reminds you of the nights you spent back in Pteruges-V: making fools out of the prissy rich, jumping across buildings to shake of the Hunters, and using whatever you had to make things go your way. Not everyone had Spirit Whisper, but those who had made good use of it and you sure as hell wouldn't miss a single chance to use it.

Your mind runs with plans as you continue to run away. Maybe you'll find a nice ship to stow away on, hopefully, one that leads to a nice planet that isn't so stuffy and rigid. Maybe like Homberto-σ, out of sight from the IPC and where everyone minded their own business.

For what felt like forever trying to shake your followers off, you finally came to a stop when you realized that only the sound of your footsteps could be heard in this labyrinth of hallways and corridors. Finally having shaken them off, you sigh as you climb up the stairs to the rooftop. 'Just jump down and sneak off to the nearest hiding place you can find.' You tug at your collar and scowl. 'When I escape, not even this collar will matter anymore. Not when I'm somewhere they won't reach me.'

You've escaped so many life-or-death situations before. Escaping slavery is no different.

"Slave [Y.Name], subordinate of Cornerstone Aventurine, you are surrounded!" A voice blares through a megaphone the moment you step onto the roof deck. You hiss as multiple glaring lights settle on you, shielding your face from them and the helicopters' onslaught of wind. "Surrender now before we are forced to take extreme measures."

Through the gaps of your fingers, you can barely make out the men in black pointing their guns at your head, the red hot of the laser making you a point-blank target. You click your tongue. Those bastards tricked you into thinking you were safe. Fuck. You couldn't even be mad. This was all on you.

"Oh, little pup. I guess I really should have listened to them when they told me to discipline you." Aventurine's seedy voice sighs behind you, smirking as he nonchalantly strides up to you. "Did you really have to do all this instead of taking the bet? Do you really hate the thought of playing with me, hm?"

"Fuck off."

"No can do, little one, you know how much I'm obsessed with you, right?" He chuckles, catching your chin between his thumb and index and forcing you to look into his eyes. Those Sigonian eyes are covered by the cloudy purple of his glasses, but even you can tell just how much he's enjoying this mess you've put yourself in. "You know I don't have a need for your skill. I could easily persuade anyone without trying, but I still let you stick around. Pup, I can't just back away from you when you know how much I want you."

You smile darkly. "That's cuz you're a sicko who likes tugging on the chain instead of being in it."

Those pretty eyes of his darken for a moment, embittered by the snarky comment at his past, before his hands trail down to your collar, hooking it with a finger and pulling on it. "Dear, while I usually have the patience for your tirades, I'd rather not do it today. You've humiliated me enough in front of the entire Corporation. So—" Pulling once again on your collar, he starts to lead you to the door. "— Let us depart without much hassle, okay?"

Humiliation sears your nerves like a hot metal, a warning growl eliciting from your mouth as he continues to tug you away from the rooftop. Close, you were so fucking close. Here you are breathing in the fresh night wind, a jump away from freedom, but then these IPC idiots all had you fooled. You don't care how many bullets will embed themselves into your skin, all you just needed to do was get away from this grip Aventurine has on you.

You grab the wrist pulling on you, yanking him towards you. His eyes widen before narrowing again, as if not believing that you still had the energy to fight like you don't have red laser points on your forehead. "[Y. Na—"

"Hey, you: S—"

You couldn't even get another syllable out. Your collar beats a few pulses before it starts squeezing your neck, crushing your windpipes and forcing you down on your knees as you choke on your blood. It sears hot around your neck and you collapse writhing on the ground as you sob and gurgle on your screams and congealed blood.

'WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY ME—' You can only curse and scream inside your head as you painfully thrash on the cement. '— A BILLION BASTARDS IN THE WORLD AND IT HAD TO BE FUCKING ME.'

Darkness is pushing in on you and the pain is making it too hard to go on, but you've always been a fighter. Even if you think that your squirming is pathetic and futile to the onlookers, you continue to tug and pull on the collar like you have a chance. Your ears are ringing and your eyes are too fucking blurry to see with, but the fight doesn't die down.

Aventurine places a soft palm on your hair. Even through the tears stinging your eyes, you can barely make out the faint expression on his face. Damned fucking bastard, damned Signonian, hypocrite and the fucking devil—!

He even has the audacity to look sad for you, as the light slips away from your eyes.

The first round is simple. Play a round of poker with him.

Aventurine hums delightedly as he shuffles the cards with clean and practised movements, looking right at home at the dealer's table he has sitting in his suite. You blankly look at the cards, not even an inch of a reaction from your side. He chuckles as he deals your cards.

"C'mon, look alive, dear." It's almost like he genuinely wants you to cheer up. "Look, I even poured out alcohol for you. It's not everyday that you get to taste Pier Point's most exquisite wine!"

You continue to stare blankly. You haven't given up yet, of course not, but... you can barely bring yourself to move.

When Aventurine is done dealing all the cards, he leans back on his chair and studies his opponent, just like he always has in the past. If you were acting normally, this would have been an easy win. After all, you always wore your heart on your sleeve and abhorred being told to control your emotions. You acted the way you felt— you curse when you anger, you boast when you're feeling smug, and you press your lips together and blush as he praises you for another job well done.

But now. Well. Bandaids cover the seared marks on your neck as well as your head after you've slammed it against the pavement during your delirious fit on the rooftop. Your arms are littered with purples and blues, the aftermath of a disciplinary session that went on throughout the night. Despite the abuse that Aventurine has (rightfully, in his mind) dealt to you, he had made sure to tend to you afterwards.

Settling your head on his lap, combing through the strands as he placed an icepack on your bruises. He hummed you an old children's rhyme from his home planet as you lay limp across the couch. You could barely move, mind unable to process the pain and despair of having an inch of freedom being ripped away from you. He had wiped away the tear that would fall from your eyes.

You couldn't feel comforted at all.

"This will be the first round out of four. Today, we'll make this a bit simple. Five quick rounds of Indian poker. If you're confident that your card is higher than mine, you can bet as much as you like. Not confident? Fold, and that won't count as a round. Loser has the lower card." He raises his glasses to his hair and smiles at you. "Understood?"

"Understood," you grunt. "I'm not a fuckin' idiot."

Aventurine only smirks. It irritates you, but you don't have much fire in you to snap at him.

The room is silent save for the clinking of chips against each other. The two of you cast a chip to the middle of the table. You raise your card to your forehead.

You cast two more chips. Aventurine casts three. You stare at the printed picture on his card and throw in another chip. He throws in another five. You frown.

"Fold."

"Ah~ You should've been more confident in yourself!" Aventurine chuckles as he begins to shuffle the deck to deal another round. You scowl at the Ace of Clubs in your hand, mocking you at your relinquished defeat. "Is a little intimidation all that's needed to make you submit? You weren't this docile before."

"Shut the fuck up and let's play again." He decides to stifle his laugh for the sake of your nerves.

"Raise." Your win, six of hearts to three of spades.

"Raise." Your win, queen of spades to jack of hearts.

"Fold." Could've been Aventurine's, ace of spades to king of spades.

"Raise." Aventurine's win, eight of clubs to six of hearts.

"Fold." Could've been yours, queen of hearts to 10 of clubs.

"Raise." Aventurine's win, nine of clubs to seven of spades.

Aventurine's practiced hands thumb through the cards as he begins to rearrange them again. His glass wine is almost empty, while yours is untouched. The man knows that you don't drink, so why would he...?

"Last round before one of us wins," Aventurine's voice lilts as he throws you your card. "How about we make it exciting? No one is allowed to fold this round." You frown at him but don't say anything. You cast another chip to the table, and he follows suit.

He has a 10 of spades pressed to his forehead, and your fingers dig deep into your skin.

'Oh please, there's other cards higher than a 10.' You remind yourself, but you gulp down your dry throat as your vision zeroes into his card. 'Jack, Queen, King, Ace. Anything. Please.' Aventurine notices your hurried breathing and smiles knowingly. You gulp whatever cowardice is rising in your throat and throw another chip.

"Raise." Fuck it. If this is the last round, then let's just ball.

He cocks his head, finding the motion unnecessary in this last round. But he sighs with a smile and plays along, casting his chips into the fray, "Then I'll raise too."

"This is the last round," you say, more so to remind yourself.

"Yep." He leans forward on the table and the fluorescent lights cast a shadow over those alluring eyes. "Nervous?"

'How could you say that? How could you taunt me like that? When you were just like me?'

You strengthen your resolve and glare up at him, the fire lighting back up in those blank eyes. "I hope you go to hell."

You throw your card to the middle, with the rest of the chips.

Jack of Clubs.

Aventurine cocks his head at you, smiling as usual.

"Congratulations, pet."

One would expect that Pier Point was the peak embodiment of wealth and luxury, being the base of the Interastral Peace Corporation. But the brightly something shone the darker its shadows.

Aventurine just so happened to like those shadows, even shrugging off those fancy clothes of his just so that he could find solace in those sleazy bars and play rounds of poker with dead-eyed salarymen and recently fired hopefuls.

The surroundings didn't fare any better. Amongst the dying neon lights, Pier Point's worst neighborhoods featured a just as nasty environment. Drunkards lying beside dumpsters with shattered beer bottles around them, cats hissing at each other in a fight for survival, and abandoned children peeking at them around the corner as they lay in wait for an opening.

Aventurine has shedded his elaborate peacock coat in favor of a simple white button-down and slacks. Despite the simplicity, he still looked out of place amongst the rags, though it made people think of him as a fearless idiot rather than run away at the sight of the IPC's elite.

"Mmm, that robin is indeed very plump," the blonde idiot remarks out of nowhere. "Quite out of place for this kind of area."

You pay him very little attention, mindlessly kicking the broken half of a bottle with your heel. It bumps into a smelly bastard who shoots you an irritated look, but quickly cowers when you return it tenfold. "Maybe it's been feeding on the leftovers of you prissy IPC folk," you spat, taking a look at the fat robin for yourself.

He takes no notice of the slight towards his kind and instead cocks his head at the cat slinking around the corner. "Well. Its health has attracted a rather unwelcome predator." He turns to you, with a mischievous smile. "How about we make this round two? Who will die first, the cat or the robin?"

Seriously? You were betting your freedom on something as stupid as this? You consider the cat— snarling, insipid thing, balding and thin as a stick— then the robin, tweeting fearfully at its perch on the graffitied wall. "Am betting on the cat. Could eat the fat thing while you go on another gamble."

He laughs, sliding on his shades as he walks into the seedy bar. "Then I have no choice but to bet on the poor robin. Let's have some fun before we see the results of our bet."

The cat is lying on the ground, heaving its last few breaths. Its yellow eyes are barely peeking out from its eyelids, probably delirious and starving in its last moments. You poke it slightly with your foot.

It meows pitifully. You instantly feel bad.

It might just be the ugliest thing you've laid your eyes on, but even the ugliest creatures deserve some sort of companionship in their last moments. It hisses weakly when you draw your hand close, but it can't do anything but relent as you stroke its hairless head. It purrs a bit, ragged and breathy, but the heaving of its ribbed chest slows as it relaxes.

"Don't do that," you murmur. "Just... just be quiet. It's okay."

The quiet steps of leather shoes stop beside you, and Aventurine watches on in silence as you comfort the dying thing. His gaze moves from the cat to the robin, still perched on top of the wall with his fat little chest and beady eyes. It hasn't moved from its position at all, just... staring and staring.

"So—"

"I know," you murmur, focus still on the poor thing. "I know, okay?"

The fat robin chirps again, tittering with its mocking chirp, before it flies away into the sky.

Your cat closes its eyes shut, and its skinny chest finally slows to a stop.

Aventurine stays with you for a while as you find a nice spot of earth to bury it.

No matter how much you want to believe your preconceived image of the blonde gambler— irresponsible, materialistic, money-wasting— you can't just make up lies about him in your head when all of his missions end on a win for him. Right now, he's heading for another mission in a galaxy far away again. And like always, he's dragged you along whether you like it or not.

"Come on, you like sightseeing other planets!" He laughs on the space warp going there. "Makes your blood pumping, scouting out the possible planets you can run away to."

"If I can run away," you grumble, not wanting to acknowledge him as you stare out the window and into the starry expanse of galaxies and space. This sight has always unnerved you— a reminder of how small and insignificant you are. How small and insignificant this collar hand on your life.

"It's not like you to be such a downer," he huffs. He pats the empty seat beside him. "Come, come. Drink with me. Ah, but no alcohol though. Don't want you trying to bite my entourage as soon as we get off." He's referring to the time that you had two sips of the lightest alcohol the ship had in stock before you absolutely wasted and decided that running away to the next planet was a good idea.

You grunt but sit on the floor next to his feet. He doesn't dare to correct you but only regards you with amusement before handing you a glass of sparkling water. You've always had this weird insistence of maintaining your master-slave status quo, despite abhorring your status as a slave. You followed his commands to the tee no matter how dangerous but refused to budge whenever he insisted on treating you like an equal.

"Don't get me wrong," you had snapped at him angrily one time. "As long as I'm in this stupid collar, I am not your fucking equal. So don't go around treatin' me like one, got it?!"

"You got the briefing, right? I'll be dismantling an underground operation on our next planet, so I'll be making good use of your Spirit Whisper." You sip your drink and make no reaction. "I'm sure you have no complaints about that, right?"

"Like I have a fuckin' choice."

He laughs into his cocktail. "Right. How could I forget?" Your eyes narrow into slits when he threads his thin fingers through your hair, but you don't make any move to remove them. "Unfortunately, this isn't an operation that I can just charm and gamble my way through, so you'll be doing a lot of heavy lifting. But so long as I have you, my dearest pet, I'm sure we'll be done before we know it."

You fight the urge to give into his tender touch, massaging your scalp as he combs your strands, though your eyelids are drooping now. He chuckles fondly when you rest your chin on the sofa, right next to his thigh. Adorable, how easily you succumb to the smallest of physical affection.

"Just take a nap," he hums. "We'll be there before you know it."

Aventurine's lavish outfit is a stark contrast against the nitty and gritty environment of the gambling den the two of you are staking out right now. Some of the men leer at him when he passes by, their faces painted by sweat and malice, and the promiscuous women bat their eyes at him with painted-on sweet smiles. No one bats an eye at the collared servant trailing behind him.

You try not to wince as you accidentally make eye contact with another slave, them kneeling on the ground with only rags to cover them and you have the luxury to look away as you grip the sleeves of your ironed button-down. You decide to just fix your eyes on Aventurine's back for the rest of the journey.

The next room you enter— less room to be honest, and more... coliseum-y— features a fighting ring where the crowd cheers on two dogs circling each other under the fluorescent spotlights. The other one, bigger and scarred, is baring his teeth while bearing a deep red gash across his body. The smaller one is shivering but giving the same energy back, snarling in intimidation while also sporting a noticeable limp. Despite the darkness of the room, you don't miss the way Aventurine's face contorts into disgust as he looks at the fight and surveys the crowd of spectators.

"Disgusting," he murmurs. You don't say anything back, though you doubt he could hear you amidst all this cheering. You used to bet on dogs too, back in the day. It was quick and easy money, and you had better things to worry about than the fate of some mutt.

While you're focused on the pathetic dog show in front of you, he steps to your side and nudges you with his elbow. "Willing to bet?" He asks, eyes focused on the show. "As our third round."

"From the look on your face, I thought you hated this kind of thing."

"I do, but I'm not putting money in the pot like the rest of them. This is strictly between you and me with no money involved." He turns his gaze to you. "So, what about it?"

You study the dogs. They've been circling each other for a while now, and the crowd's been growing more and more agitated by the lack of fighting. You think of the dogs you've bet on before, how the smaller ones had just an equal chance of success at winning as the bigger ones. Unconsciously, you tug at your collar. It matches perfectly with the stupid dogs down below.

"Bet," you huff. "I'm taking the smaller one."

You don't know why. It'd make sense to just bet on the bigger and badder, but maybe it's that ferocity in his eyes even if it's overshadowed by the growling menace that has you feeling for it. It's stupid, you know, betting your freedom on a hunch and emotions. But...

If it could have a chance at winning... then why can't you?

...

... Are you destined to die, just like it?

... Are you destined to die as a slave for another IPC slave?

... Will your death be just as morbid and pathetic as the mongrel, his innards spilling onto the pavement while the winner is pulled away by the collar, with no prize but another day of freedom?

This is round three out of four. You've only won one so far.

The very next round could kill you. Could completely sign away your freedom.

Shit shit shit shit shit. Why'd you have to go feeling sorry for the stupid shit? Why'd you have to empathize with its futile fight? Why'd you have to go see yourself in it? Now you could very much share its fate, dying pathetically serving for people who never cared about you in the first place.

Shit shit shit shit shit. The pressure of the bet has always been at the back of your mind, niggling at your brain. But now you can feel its heavy weight squeezing around your heart, in perfect rhythm with the phantom choking of your collar. If you don't win the next, you could very much—

Something light touches your shoulder and you lurch back like you had been stricken there. It disgusts and scares you, sending both repulsion and fear through your body like maggots wriggling into your system.

With a faltering outstretched palm, Aventurine's eyes widen behind his glasses. He sees something on your face, enough to make him bite down whatever cocky shit he has to say, and turns his back towards you.

"Let's go," he says, just barely audible above the crowd. "We still have a mission to complete.

"This is some silly joke of yours, isn't it?" Aventurine maintains his cool facade, but even then there is disgust in his tone as he speaks to Jade. "Giving a slave to another... you must think this is hilarious."

"Amusing, maybe, but this little one is too precious to let loose in the wild." Jade strokes your head, and while you curse in warning, you don't move to attack. "A user of Spirit Whisper, a rarity even among those in Pteruges-V. Don't you think it'd be better if they served the Amber Lord rather than going back to their pretty crimes?"

"Then give them to someone else." Aventurine turns his back on you and Jade. "Since when did I need help closing a deal?"

"Well, I just thought that you were lonely."

"And you think gifting me a slave of all things would help me?"

"Oh, just give them a chance. I'm sure you'll like this one. Look." Jade raises your chin with a finger, lifting your bruised face to the light. You shoot her a glare, plotting murder in your head, but you don't try to fight back. You might have tried once, probably, and learned your lesson. "Don't you love the fire in their eyes, even after being collared and brutally beaten?"

It is sick. It is sick how Jade can just easily muse about your past abuse to his face. To him. It is sick how the IPC thinks that Aventurine would even be happy about this... gift, let alone accept it.

"I appreciate the... thought." Jade smiles at the barely held back distaste in his voice. "But I'd really rather not."

"Oh, I see..." Jade hums, tilting her head to scrutinize you. "But no one else will accept you since you're too feisty for their liking. So I guess..."

"We'll just have to kill you."

Your face pales. Aventurine has never been quick to turn around.

"Fine. I'll accept," he says with gritted teeth and narrowed eyes. "I'll accept your gift, so just..." He sighs, massaging his temples and waving Jade off. "Go away and let us be."

"Is this some sort of savior complex you have going on?" Despite being a slave, you haven't really learned how to hold that spiteful tongue of yours. Half of the fault lies with Aventurine, seeing how he's never bothered to scold you for it. He looks away from the reports in his hand and smiles at you.

"Oh, whatever do you mean, my dear pup?" Your bitter scowl is pushed down even further at his sweet tone and you scoff.

"I mean," you say, gesturing all around you. "You never scold me, you give me good food, you do all these nice things for me. You don't beat and lash at me like others do. Are you feeling sorry? As one slave to another?"

"Personally, I've never heard of a slave complain about treating this well."

"It's weird." You frown. "It's weird and creepy. All these niceties yet I can tell that you don't even mean half of 'em. Your heart isn't in it. You're just doing it for the sake of being nice. So I don't get it." You cross your arms and lean on the couch, deep in thought. "If you don't even mean it, why even bother?"

Aventurine hums, studying your silent and pondering figure before returning to his papers. You don't follow up your complaints with anything else, and the two of you are left to stew in the silence.

... Why even bother indeed?

"Last round and you only have one win, pup." His sickly sweet voice croons, tapping his perfect nails on the table as he watches your expression. "Are you excited?"

Normally you'd bite back, but today you thickly swallow. The looming sense of doom continues to hammer into the back of your skull, spiking your nerves with every beat and shaking your senses. You can barely feel your fingers. You can barely feel except for the fear coiling around your heart.

"... Yes." You can't even barely say a syllable.

Through the rushing blood of your ears, you can barely make out the sound of your master rummaging through something. Something metallic clicks into place and he slides it to the center of the table. You will yourself to look up—

A shiny revolver lies on the table.

A surprised cry elicits from your mouth and you jolt back. The sight of a weapon is enough to startle your poor nerves now and even more so the expectant look glinting in Aventurine's eyes. He smirks and leans forward.

"How about I make an offer you can't refuse?" Not that you were in a position to do so. "Since this is the fourth round, how about we go all in?"

"Russian Roulette. Whoever wins stays alive—"

—And the other lays dead in a puddle of their own blood.

It goes unsaid, but the moment you locked eyes with Aventurine, it was clear that the both of you were thinking of the same thing. You could ponder upon why the Aventurine would stake his own life over something so trivial as your freedom, but you aren't thinking anymore. All you want is your freedom. All you want is to get away.

You don't think further as you wrap your fingers around the handle of the gun and press it to your temple. You pull the trigger. Only a clean click follows, the chamber changing cases. You slide the gun over to him.

He calmly picks it up and slots it to his temple too. "Why are you so desperate to get away from me, pup?" He cocks his head. "I would give you everything you ask for, should you just ask. I treat you with care and as a friend. Is being with me so bad you'd put your life on the line for your freedom?"

He pulls the trigger. Nothing happens. He slides it over to you.

"Even if you go back to your old life, what would be the point? You'll go back to stealing whatever you can off nobles, treating your fellow street rats like fools and pawns before dashing off to your next victim. Would that give you happiness? Fulfillment? Is that the life you prefer instead of being next to me?"

"Sh... Shut up." You sound drained, but he presses on.

"You can have it all, in the price of a collar. Does it not sound good enough to you?"

'Why... Why of all people is he...'

"Do you really hate being owned by me?"

"Why are you..." You choke on your words, grip around the handle trembling. "Why are you saying those things?"

Aventurine has never seen you cry. Not once. Not even when he had to punish you for running away. You could be weak and beaten, but you never willingly cried. But now...

He raises a hand to cover his smile.

"I thought... I thought you of all people would understand." Tears drop to your lap and your hand lowers the gun from your temple. "The pain, the humiliation of being a slave, of being owned. It doesn't matter how nice you are to me. I just want to be free. Shouldn't that be enough?"

Silence overtakes the room as Aventurine takes in the unfamiliar sight before him. Here you were, his greatest treasure, the most vulnerable than you ever were. Sobbing and weeping with a gun in hand, the pressure of the bet finally getting to you.

He moves. "... So this is it? For your pride?"

You wince, looking at him in betrayal. "You... I thought you of all people would at least understand..." You stay silent, the words forming on your tongue but too afraid to sound them out. Then your expression twists into anger, then resolute determination, before you wipe away your tears and glare at him like you always did. "I was wrong. You're scum. Just like the rest of 'em."

The moment the head of the gun points at his head, the collar clamps down and chokes you till your throat cracks and bleeds. The current of electricity crackling your nerves is just as painful and torturous as last time, but you grit your bloodied teeth and press the gun further.

Aventurine looks dazed, staring up into your bloodied face. If you weren't in such agonizing pain you would have laughed at how stupid he looks.

"[Y. Name]..."

"I hope you go to hell," you hiss through the bloody pain. "And I hope that when I get there, I'll never have to fucking see you again."

You pull the trigger to that beautiful face of his, but nothing happens once again. Fuck. It falls to the ground as the pain overwhelms you and you finally stagger. It lays among the specks of blood on the carpet, along with its empty... case...

Your eyes flick to Aventurine, still caught off guard and staring at you with wide eyes. Hesitantly, he reaches out to your convulsing body and cradles your head. "[Y. Name]..." He says, still sounding dazed. "Why would you..."

"Fuckin'... coward..." You grit out. "I was right... from the very start..."

Aventurine watches as you succumb to the pain and collapse in his arms. Despite being unconscious, the collar continues to shock and choke you, and more and more blood spouts from the side of your mouth and into the carpet. He tries to wipe it, despite it continuing like a fountain, before giving up and stroking your hair as the pain continues to intrude on you in your sleep.

"I know," he whispers, pressing a kiss to your eyelid. "You know it as well as me." He presses a kiss onto the other.

"You were never a bet I was willing to wager."

#yandere honkai star rail #yandere aventurine #yandere hsr #honkai star rail #honkai star rail x reader #hsr aventurine #yandere x reader #yester.writes

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sydsaint · 11 months ago

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More fluffy holiday goodness!!

Summary: Carmelo asks the reader out on a date for the holidays which results in the reader inviting Melo to come fill out Angel Tree tags with her.

"Ouch!" You mock Cora from your position standing over her. "Better luck next time skater Barbie." You tease her with a wink.

Cora holds the back of her head with a sour sneer on her face. She moves into a sitting position and watches you walk off with the NXT women's championship hung proudly over your shoulder. She lost fair and square against you. And on a Holiday show no less.

You head through the curtain and find Carmelo waiting around for you with Trick. Trick flashes you a friendly smile before his entrance music hits and he has to head out to the ring. Carmelo on the other hand, stays behind and steps over to you.

"Y/N, baby. Nice win out there, mean girl." He congratulates you on your win against Cora.

"Thanks, Melo." You roll your eyes playfully at his nickname. "Got any plans for the holiday?" You ask him.

Melo licks his lips with a cool and confident smile. "Well, that depends. What are you up to this weekend, baby?" He asks you.

You laugh and shake your head at his forwardness. "Nothing that you'd be interested in. Trust me." You assure him.

"Yeah? Don't be too sure about that." Carmelo replies. "Come on. Y/N. What are your plans?" He asks again.

"Well, if you must know." You reply. "I'm planning on going around the area and filling out as many Angel tree tags as possible before I go broke." You explain.

A perplexed look crosses Carmelo's face and you have to stifle a laugh. "Angel tree tags?" He looks for clarification.

"Mhm." You nod. "There those trees with the tags on them in stores? If you're a struggling parent who can't spare the extra money to get your kids any gifts then you fill one out and someone like me takes the tag and buys stuff for you." You explain the gist of the tags.

"Oh," Carmelo replies. "Damn, that's really nice of you, Y/N." He admits. "I didn't expect that from little Miss Mean Girl." He chuckles.

You laugh with Carmelo and nod. "My mean girl attitude is just a work persona." You giggle. "I could use a shopping partner if you're interested, you know?" You offer. "Sure, it's not exactly a conventional date. But you get to spend time with me so all the money you spend will be worth it."

"Why not?" Carmelo shrugs with a chuckle. "I don't mind dropping some cash for kids in need."

"Great!" You grin. "It's a date then. I'll text you later and we can meet up for coffee in the morning." You add.

Carmelo nods and you part ways for the night.

Later, Trick comes back from his escapades in the ring and finds Carmelo texting you about tomorrow. "So you finally scored a date with, Y/N?" He asks Melo.

"Sort of." Melo nods. "Have you ever heard of an Angel Tree?" He asks his friend.

"Yeah, sure." Trick nods. "It's one of those charity things that help get poor kids and their families Christmas gifts." He explains.

Carmelo nods and finishes his text to you. "Y/N's got me going with her fill a bunch of them out tomorrow. She was just telling me that she does it every year for Christmas."He explains.

"Y/N? Charity?" Trick laughs. "Damn. I didn't know the mean girl got all sentimental around the holidays." He jokes.

"Me either." Carmelo laughs with him.

The next morning Carmelo is up early and meets you at some coffee place that you told him about last night. He heads inside and spots you already sitting at a table with a hot coffee in hand.

"Y/N, morning baby." Carmelo walks over to your table.

"Melo! You made it." You smile up at him. "Grab something to drink! We've got a long day of shopping ahead of us."

Carmelo chuckles at your eager smile and orders himself a drink before joining you again. You show him a list of stores in the area that have trees and suggest one to start the morning.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan." Carmelo goes along with your plan.

You and Carmelo head to the first store on your list and it doesn't take long for you to find the tree. You look through a few of the tags a pick a couple of them out.

"Alright, so basically you just look through the tags and pick one or two of them. The tag has some basic information on it. What kind of stuff the kid likes, their age, and what size clothes they wear if you want to get them some clothes." You explain.

"Right." Carmelo nods and pulls a few tags off the tree.

With your tags and carts ready to go you and Carmelo head out and start shopping. The two of you walk side-by-side down the aisles and help one another pick stuff out.

You get distracted looking for a specific girl's toy in the aisle and Carmelo can't help but crack a genuine smile at how intense you seem.

"Hey, Y/N," Carmelo speaks up and grabs your attention.

"Hmm?" You stand back up straight with the right toy in hand. "What's up, Melo?"

Carmelo grabs the toy from you and sets it in his cart with the rest of his stuff before answering. "So, what made you get into this?" He can't help but ask.

"Christmas was always my favorite time of year when I was a kid." You shrug. "My mom never really had the money to get me that much. But it was still special every year, opening presents and spending time with her." You explain. "So I guess I just like the thought of helping out those tired and worried moms make their kids' Christmas as special as mine were."

"Damn. That's really sweet, Y/N." Carmelo replies.

You blush a bit and the two of you return to the task. Hours and a few hundred dollars later, you and Carmelo have all of your things sorted and ready to be delivered.

"Well, I'd call this a productive day." You finish up the last bag.

"I agree. This is probably the best $400 I've ever spent." Carmelo agrees. "Thanks for bringing me out and letting me help, Y/N." He adds.

You blush again and nod. "Of course! I had fun shopping around with you."

"Me too." Carmelo agrees. "Hey, do you want to grab dinner after these are all dropped off? My treat, of course." He asks you.

"Sure! Dinner sounds great." You eagerly nod. "Maybe we can talk about doing something for the actual holiday?" You suggest. "If you don't already have plans."

Carmelo chuckles and shakes his head. "I'm wherever you are, baby."

#wrestling #wwe fanfiction #wwe fic #wwe fanfic #wrestling fanfiction #wrestling fic #wrestling fanfic #wwe #nxt #carmelo hayes #carmelo hayes x reader #holiday fic #nxt fanfiction #syd's wrestling fics

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swanimagines · 9 months ago

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Bastard and the Blood Princess [Chapter 8]

Read it on AO3 | Read it on Wattpad

As the evening grew darker, the pub’s interiors grew in noise volumes. Everyone else around you was laughing and clinking their glasses together - a group of people at the other side of the pub was apparently celebrating someone’s birthday and they made the most noise, but the situation wasn’t much less noisy in other tables either.

You and Kaz ate in silence, with you trying to not look at Kaz as his discomfort very clearly came through. The waitress had asked Kaz while looking at you if he’d like to buy today’s special for his girlfriend, and he had immediately barked at her, correcting her that you were his acquaintance, or actually less than an acquaintance. The waitress had given him a weird look as he handed her some coins to pay for you both, and you were trying to suppress a smile at her confused expression.

And now he was stiff, occasionally squeezing his cane with his other hand while eating, chewing slowly - you recognised the signs, and you knew it was because he didn’t particularly enjoy sitting with the daughter of his arch enemy, eating as if you were on a date. You knew he despised the feeling. So you sighed and leaned forward.

“Kaz, should I–”

Kaz interrupted you. “Who were you writing a letter to? Your father?”

You froze - how did he know? You opened your mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. “I–”

He scoffed, the fork clattering on the plate as he raised his head a bit. “I’m not stupid. An ink bottle in the bathroom? I’d think someone like you would know how to lie better.”

You blinked at him as he slowly raised his eyes to meet yours, and then you groaned. “Well, I hoped this wouldn’t come up. The truth is… I have a boyfriend in Dime Lions. Or well, had. And I think he was the one who ratted me out. He swears he isn’t the one, but I know it’s just a trick… I was intending to send a letter to him to threaten him that once I come back, I’ll gut him too once my father is out. But I was interrupted and the ink bottle spilled on me, I was in so much rage that I forgot everything around me. I lied because… well, it’s still a delicate subject for me and–” you ended your sentence abruptly, pretending to choke back a sob. “I don’t want to seem weak. I’m not. Love is a weakness, and those who seek it are to be victims of their own heart. I think that I knew, deep in my heart, what my father truly is and I sought comfort from Tiernan, which was stupid.”

Kaz thought for a moment and then huffed. “So, the rumour was true. The Blood Princess and Tiernan Dwyer being involved.”

You suppressed back a snort. Idiots, seeing chemistry between you and Tiernan.

“Was it that obvious?” you mumbled, lowering your spoon slightly. “I thought I was good at masking my feelings.”

Kaz picked up his fork again. “There was a bet going around. Jesper betted on you two not being together because according to him, he's basically a love doctor and knows love when he sees it, and the way you looked at Tiernan wasn't it. Everyone else in that group betted on something more going on. And now Jesper would lose a fair share of money for it if I were interested enough to tell them this.”

You sighed. “What a shame. Seems like I bring nothing but bad luck for that man.”

Kaz shifted before picking up another piece of carrot. “He needs a kick of bad luck sometimes.”

—

On the road again, the sun had set an hour ago and darkness had descended over the valley like a shroud. You could barely see, and you both knew it was dangerous to ride without seeing anything, but the job wouldn’t wait - you’d need to be at Rotrov before sunrise, you’d need to snatch the uniforms in the middle of the night. There’d be a lot more guards during daytime, but at night only one or two. Or that’s what Kaz told you. You guessed a warehouse for uniforms and weapons branded by Little Palace symbols weren’t a popular thing to snatch.

You passed a bridge, the sound of water flowing below it, making you think of that old farm your father sometimes brought you to on business trips only a few years ago. You weren’t able to adventure though, you were mostly babysitting toddler Alby and watching as he mashed toy carriages together while babbling something unintelligible. But when you were sitting outside with him, you heard birds, water flowing in the creek, wind blowing through the trees, rustling leaves.

There, you felt content. A little vacation, away from the grime of Ketterdam, away from your cellar. Your father tried to teach you to feel empowered through torture, and you did in a way - but when you sat on that blanket, looking at Alby playing, you found yourself wanting to stop the time and sit there for the rest of your life.

You always brushed it off though. Ketterdam was merciless for the weak, especially for women. If you sank too deep into some stupid flower girl dreams, you could as well end up in a pleasure house.

“We’re getting close,” Kaz’s voice pulled you away from your thoughts. “We’ll have to leave the horses here. By that little pond over there.”

You did as he told, dismounting your horse and guided her next to the pond. She immediately dipped her head down and began to drink greedily, which made you smile a little and give her a pat. Kaz came to stand beside you, and pointed towards the small building behind the bushes, and its open window in particular.

“There, you see that window?”

“Yes, I see it. That’s our way in?”

“No,” Kaz replied, and you turned to look at him. “It’s your way in. You’ll open the door for me once you’ve taken out the guard.”

You narrowed your eyes at Kaz. “This is that test, isn’t it?”

He didn’t reply to your question, and instead made his way behind the fence. “The guard has just switched his post with his colleague. You can get in right away, but we need to make it seem like nothing is stolen, and that the guard slipped and hit his head. You need to hit hard enough for him to not realise what’s happening, it needs to look like an accident. Otherwise, they’ll–”

“Inform the Little Palace that they need to check their guards, which could sabotage our plan. Got it.”

Kaz nodded and then gestured to you to come closer to the fence. “There’s a crack here. Slip through.”

You took in a deep breath and carefully slipped through the crack in the fence, and crouched down as you sneaked your way to the window.

The torch of one the guards almost illuminated your form as you scrambled towards the window, and you glanced back at where you last saw Kaz - but the man had disappeared. A suspicion of it being a trap crossed your mind, maybe he had known you’re lying about the letter? Maybe he guessed that you were trying to trick him? Dirtyhands was skilled in detecting lies, you had heard. Which you had taken as a challenge, but in moments like these, you cursed yourself for not being more careful.

But the fact that you getting caught could sabotage the plan of getting to Little Palace for him too was the thing that made you push up and get yourself through the window.

The hut was smaller than it seemed from the outside. There was a small closet which supposedly held at least some of the uniforms, and the guard himself sat on the chair near the window, his dirty boots lifted on the table, and you heard deep breaths with occasional, faint snoring. The chair was slightly tilted backwards - which was a perfect setup. Luck was clearly on your side tonight. You’d just have to make the chair fall down hard enough to knock the guy out, it would look like he had fallen down while sleeping.

So, you sneaked up on him and in a swift move, you slammed the chair to the ground. The guard cried out and you jumped back, realising you hadn’t hit him hard enough. Shit.

Blood stained the floor as he continued moaning in pain, and you were just about to kick him in the head, but then a torch light illuminated the hut, making you crouch down. “Bocharov! Are you alright?”

Shit, shit shit shit.

You quickly made your way to the closet, pressing yourself against the back wall, praying to Ghezen that any of your body parts wouldn’t be sticking out.

The torches illuminated the closet briefly, making you squeeze your eyes shut for a moment, and when you opened them again, you saw how three men had entered the hut.

“What happened?” one of them asked, and the man, Bocharov, groaned.

“I slipped.”

“You were sleeping again? You know General Kuznetsov won’t like that.”

“He makes us work for an inhuman amount of hours for just a few vlackhi. It’s not fair if we aren’t allowed to rest.”

Judging by the sounds, someone helped Bocharov to stand up and the third man spoke, “You have a wife and kid to feed, so you’d better have your priorities up with it. Now, come to get patched up - work can wait for a little longer.”

The four men then exited the hut, Bocharov being assisted out by two of his comrades, and the door shut. You swallowed, staring at the door for a moment longer, before you slowly made your way out of the closet and unlocked the door, carefully peering outside.

No sign of Kaz.

“Damn it, Brekker,” you grumbled and turned your back to the door, going to the closet and carefully taking out two uniforms, and then seeing a set of knives at the back of the closet. You stared at them for a moment, trying to decide whether to take them or not. You didn’t have a weapon against Kaz, and time was running out - that would be a perfect opportunity. You turned around again to lay the uniforms on the chair by the door, and paused upon seeing Kaz standing there.

Damn it.

You masked your surprise by rolling your eyes. “I thought you’re leaving me here.”

Kaz’s eyes shifted to the uniforms in your hands. “It did cross my mind, considering you almost ruined my plan. Come.”

“What a gentleman,” you mumbled, but followed Kaz out of the area. And soon, you were back on your horses, the uniforms tightly secured at the back as you began your journey towards Os Alta.

—

You’re enjoying his company, a voice at the back of your head said. It’s messing up with your plans. Are you really trying hard enough to make up a way to get rid of him?

You clenched your jaw, trying to keep your eyes on the road and not glance back at Kaz. You scowled at your thoughts and whispered, “Shut up.”

Of course you were still planning, giving your everything for those plans to work. You were about to snatch a knife from the closet, but you weren’t quick enough. You were planning to kill him at that motel, but then the non-creaking floorboard messed up with your plans. You were trying, but luck wasn’t on your side. And now time was running out, you’d need to make up a new plan once you’d be out of Little Palace. To get rid of Jesper and Inej would be a remarkable problem, though. But, a small voice still snickered, saying you're only trying to make excuses.

Again, Kaz’s voice interrupted your thoughts. “We’re almost at the Palace. Let’s go change clothes, and find some distraction.”

You turned to look at him. “Distraction?”

Kaz scoffed at your question. “We can’t just put uniforms on and walk through the gates without anyone trying to identify us. We need to blend in.”

You pursed your lips and sighed, before turning your eyes back to the road. “Right, that's true. Where will we change clothes?”

Kaz passed you with his horse, and gestured towards a pond that was barely visible behind the thick hay. “There’s a small warehouse hosting gardening supplies around the creek, near that pond. Go there to change, I’ll go find our distraction and take my turn after that.”

You slowed down your horse as Kaz started to ride away, and you yelled after him, “And what exactly is our distraction?”

Kaz didn’t reply, which made you groan. Typical. You started to have a feeling that this man would drive you crazy eventually, in one way or another.

---

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Taglist: This does not and will not have a taglist, so please don't ask to be added. If you want to get informed about new chapters, I recommend subscribing to the work in AO3. Or adding the story into your library in Wattpad, but I'd recommend getting AO3 account more.

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gardeniashellfire · 3 months ago

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Moodboard #1: Chan. (AGoLc:LMH)

Chan—God of Luck and Justice.

•He controls people fortune, but he can also cause them misfortune, he is the one you curse at when you day is going shit or scream to greatful for finding money on the street, usually seen fidgeting with dice or shuffuling cards. Kind and caring but also very just, seeing the possibilities of very situation and how it can go, he doesn't posses future sight, but he has really go intuition.

—It's rumored that he can also affect the weather based on his mood or how the dice roll, even numbers is good weather, uneven number bad weather, said to have inherent it from his mother, the Goddess of Storms (but just in case, never make him mad), he is a great gambler, never make bets with him if you want to keep anything precious to you.

–He is also considered a duo deity, been the god of luck, superstition is his game, based on energy and what he feels is what you will receive, been the god of justice, he was harsh, cold and factual, you can't fool him with tricks and lies about an event, he will find out and sentence you to face consequences of your actions.

•Sacred Symbols: Four leaf clover, dice (more specifically the eight face of the dice), the balance, and the ace card.

•Sacred Animals: Ladybug, crows, wolves.

•Other titles: Supreme Heavenly Judge.

—Due to been the god of Justice, all crimes comited by demigods, gods, supernatural creatures, etc. Have gone through his court, always given the correct sentences and punishment for their crime. He also knows that there is one file he could never close, because that was his other half, polor opposites that balanced eachother out.

Welcome to the Godly Series, where I post some lore points for my new fic/series (still debating), starting it off with our dear leader, Bang Chan! I am forever grateful to @kpopwerewolf for helping me out with the domains and giving some ideas based off their own work and to @stayinlimbo for their spitball ideas to see what stuck. Kudos to them I would never have cooked up what I made with out. them so yeaaaah🩵🩵

#ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #fanfic #skz #stray kids #bangchan #cb97 #lee minho #hwang hyunjin #han jisung #lee felix #kim seungmin #seo changbin #yang jeongin

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incorrectsmashbrosquotes · 10 months ago

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Tav Origins

So, I'm curious. What origins have ya'll made up for your Tav's in BG3? Cause if you're anything like me you constructed elaborate fucking backstories for those bitches.

I'd really like to know 'em! Reblog this post with yours!

And, as a show of good faith, here's mine.

First off, my Tav's name is Invi. He's a Tiefling Paladin, Oath of the Ancients, and how he came to be a member of that order is a bit of a story!

So, Invi was once an urchin living on the streets of Baldur's Gate. His family had been displaced by a greedy slumlord and his parents had died of the plague, leaving Invi all alone. Invi turned to thieving to avoid starving, but by all accounts he wasn't very good at it, escaping by luck more than skill.

But one day, Invi's luck ran out. He pickpocketed what looked like a wealthy man and was caught by the watch, who dragged him back tot he man for judgement. Turns out the man in question was a Paladin of Tyr, Sworn to the Oath of the Ancients.

Desperate, Invi lied, saying the man had given him the money. The guards didn't believe him, but when they asked, the Paladin looked at Invi for a good long while and said: "Of course! But, my young friend, you left so quickly! Did you forget I gave you this as well?"

And the Paladin gave him the Golden Ring on his finger, carved with the symbol of his order. The Paladin, named Cirion, bid the gards leave, and walked Invi to a safer place. There, Cirion said, "Now you be careful now boy. And if you're ever in need, let that ring guide you. And it may do far more than that."

Invi went on his way. He used the money, but he never dared part with the ring. He puzzled and puzzled over Cirion's words. Eventually it became too much for Invi, and he sought Cirion again, seeking answers for his strange behavior.

Invi tracked down the Temple of Tyr and showed the ring to the Paladin guarding it he was let in with a smile. Unfortunately, Cirion was away, but the Paladins were more than happy to allow him to stay.

So, Invi stayed, waiting for Cirion to return. But as the days turned to weeks, the Paladins offered him things other than food and board. They offered to show him sword work. How to sew and cook and other things. Before long, Inni felt at home there, terrified it would end when Cirion returned.

And return Cirion did. His cloak dusty from the road, his sword well-used from hunting demons, Invi was brought before him, and Invi asked his question.

"Why did you give me this ring?"

"You were a child in need, I believed you needed it more than me."

"I could not sell it. And it... it brought me here."

"Just as it brought me here, all those years ago."

And so Invi became Cirion's apprentice. He trained and grew and learned. He laughed freely. He brought aid to his fellow urchins, the ones he'd grown up with, providing them aid and succor and pulling them out of the streets when he could. The order was more than happy to provide. Gold, after all, is useless when hoarded like a dragon.

And on the day Invi took his Oaths and became a Paladin in full, he embraced the now old and worn Cirion and called him father, and never had either man felt more love and pride than they did in that moment.

And, years later, a Mind Flayer Tadpole in his brain and the gaze of a False God upon him, Invi is in The Grove, trying desperately to save the refugees there. When, in the midst of it, he's robbed by a pack of young tieflings.

Invi catches them, of course, he still remembers the old tricks. Some are annoyed, others are unrepentant, but the girl, Silfy, crying in shame and fear, that he sees something... familiar in.

Invi smiles, consoles her, and presses a familiar ring into her hand.

#incorrect super smash bros #Baldur's Gate #Baldur's Gate 3 #BG3 #Tav #My Tav #backstory #writing #OC #oc backstory #oc bio #Tiefling #Paladin #Paladins #Silfy #Mattis #Mol #Emerald Grove

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wonderlandleighleigh · 1 year ago

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Trick or treat😉

I think this was an idea that @alixinwwonderland and I joked about, but uh...

Here is a little of Declan Howell in Stars Hollow.

“Here lies Midge Maisel. And what could have been.”

Midge herself wrinkles her nose in distaste as she watches her old friend drink deeply from his glass of whiskey.

When she’d invited Declan Howell to come and stay with them for a couple of weeks in Stars Hollow, she thought he’d be better behaved. That old age would have mellowed him, at least a little.

She had been very wrong.

“I’m sitting right here,” she says from the other end of her kitchen table. “Stop talking about me like I’m dead.”

“Oh, but-” Declan gazes at her dewily. “But your potential…your potential is dead.”

Midge lifts an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. “Is that shitty man-code for ‘I don’t want to sleep with you anymore’?”

Declan scoffs. “God no. You look twenty years younger than you actually are, of course I want to sleep with you.”

“You do remember my husband is upstairs, right?” Midge reminds him. “Lenny is a sweet man, but he also has a wide and varied set of skills and he’s made noises about throwing people out of windows and then burying them while they’re still a little bit alive.”

The man waves a dismissive hand. “Why did you get married, anyways?”

“Because we were in love,” Midge shrugs.

“What a stupid thing,” Declan tells her.

Midge sighs deeply, and makes a plan.

*****

“Declan Howell?” Lorelai clarifies, looking stunned. “The famous painter?”

“That’s the one,” Midge confirms. “He’s visiting us, but he cannot stay at my house, because Lenny will absolutely suffocate him with a pillow in his sleep, bury him in the yard and plant midnight gold petunias on top of him.”

Lorelai tries not to laugh. “So he’s a piece of work?”

“He never expected to live this long,” Midge explains. “And now he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He called me a week ago, feeling lonely because most of his friends died in the sixties, so I suggested he come visit. And I completely forgot that he’s wanted to sleep with me again for thirty-five years.”

Lorelai’s eyes go wide with shock. “Again?”

“Lenny and I weren’t together yet, I was going through a phase,” Midge waves her off.

“Does Lenny know that?”

“Of course he does, I called him and told him it happened two days later,” Midge says. “Awful in bed, by the way. Totally selfish. That’s not the point. The point is, he sold three of his paintings recently so he’s got money. He needs a room here at the Independence for a couple of weeks.”

“Oookay,” Lorelai says, leaning over Michel to look at the schedule. “You’re in luck. We’ve got a great room on the third floor.”

“Amazing,” Midge beams. “I owe you.”

“As long as he pays, and does not die in his room, we do not care,” Michel tells her.

“No promises on the last part,” Midge volleys back.

#fic #au #tmmm #GG #Midge Maisel #Declan Howell #Midge x Lenny #The Schneiders of Stars Hollow #Lorelai Gilmore

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ask-missparker · 8 months ago

Text

I remember you said don't leave me here alone / OUAT AU Series

Pairings: Amelia x Nikolai, Ethan x Liane, Rick x Liane

Friendship: Belladonna St. James & Joshua C. Nolan

Extra Characters: Erik, Cassie, Alexander and etc

-> Special appearance: Introducing Meira as Merida/The Mad Hatter, played by Billie Eilish

Summary: A dark glimmer of hope come in doses, even if it feels like everything is stuck in time. Sometimes you need a push in the right direction..

Warning: Angsty, with some fluff. Some violence here and there.

Note: Inspired by the episode Hat Tricks. And yes, Cherik is canon in every universe hush!

-----

He woke up with his hands tied behind his back.

His ears were ringing, his head hurt worse than the time he finished that English paper for Charles that weekend, and felt a gash on his forehead. He hissed sucking in his breath recognizing one of his lower lip as well. He blinked as it felt like was drugged, as the last thing he remembered was searching for clues on a small upcoming case he had about the stormy woods and the town folks who went camping up there. It was stupid really but he took the chance to clear his head and figure out the next move.

Now he’s stuck in what seems to be a basement.

He was laying on his back, flipping to the side noticing his backpack on the ground a few away from him. He tried inching over huffing and grunting, feeling he must’ve broke a bone during the fall to the floor.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

He hissed as his gaze fell onto a pair of black boots following upwards to face the mayor’s wondering grin. As if he wanted to put together a puzzle but didn’t have the right pieces yet. The boy glared in response trying to wiggle free of the ropes behind his back.

“Wh..” He muttered.

“Oh? Too shocked to speak. Don’t worry I wouldn’t drug my nephew, I mean, I could. But it wouldn’t put on a good impression, would it?” He responded.

“..wh—what do you want from me..” He muttered trying to clear his throat.

“Aw my darling nephew wants answer. See, I hope what I’m about to say finds you in good heath, and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth. In the pockets of men like me who might be down on their luck..you see, that was the darkness in this town you decide to pluck.”

“..you can’t afford to be afraid..”

“Wise words coming from a child.”

It was as if Joshua could see right into his heart. The sadness, jealously and darkness that filled within. It was black, with gushed of red. As if he was lonely and felt underrated against his brother, that his darkness was just a craving of harsh lies he puts himself to sleep with.

Joshua has learned from a long time ago, evil isn’t born. It’s made. The world was cruel, it was your choice to be a hero or a villain in their history. You pick the card and decide how to spin it over it’s head.

Maybe there was a slight bit of hope within that thick wall Alexander hides behind. His thirst for powerful, was a thirst to be seen as an equal, to be as loved and appealing as the others are. Then again, it was just wishful thinking.

“I..is this how you hurt my father?” He asked.

Alexander was pacing around the room then paused not expecting those words to come from him. He took a moment to regain himself as he replied, “You know about that?”

“I heard a thing or two..I’m not going to try and dismiss what you did—what your doing is wrong. Because it is. You have people in this town locked under your finger..but at what cost?”

“..you don’t know everything, Mr. Nolan.”

“I don’t need to..i’ve seen men like you who took care of me before..they do it for the money, for the status, to be seen as something they are not..just to fill the void..”

Alexander gaze fell onto his nephew this time. It was as if those dark blue-green pierced right into his soul, swirling around waiting for an answer. This kid was smart, he’ll give him that much. He saw nothing but kindness and heartbreak behind those eyes, yet a determination that can slice an apple he has in his backyard waiting to be used on anyone for that matter. It was nothing like his brother nor his mother, but his own self.

This child as been across some things, it was hard to tell if he was bluffing or not. As if he was telling the truth, a honest threat waiting to be fired. It was he like see a lot more, like he was sure he will be fine by the end of the day.

He scoffed, “There’s not void, child. You just stumbled into my town and think just because you fixed a few things, you did some good. Sorry to break your glass, but you are nothing. And you will rot in here til something worse happens.”

“You think I’m afraid of you..you afraid that your little town will see right through your lies and come after you? So you lock me up, cause some chaos and spin the bottle..clever..very, very clever..” He replied looking down.

“You really think you’re safe? That your precious little friends and roommate will come find you?”

“…”

“That’s what I thought. Here’s the thing Joshua, your a pathetic exsume for a son, a lousy street kid who has no right to be living in your condition and someone who will never know the truth about himself. But I can ease your thoughts.”

“Hmm..”

“You’re parents, they were nothing. One was a lousy young lady with no right for royal status and the other a weak lad on the run from everything because he was too afraid to face the true. Everyone in this town has their agendas, and your just another spec in the dust of voices here.”

He watched the young man look down, not saying a word seeing a flicker in his eyes trying to not go out and lose that hope. However all Alexander could think was the way Joshua’s eyes pierced into his soul seeing the cracks behind his very own eyes.

As if the boy’s eyes said, ‘your soul may be dark as the pitch black night but there a dose of kindness within than he ever gave credit for.’ It made him sick to his stomach that—that his face spoke more than a thousand words.

It reminded him of his mother before his brother was ever born, believing that there was good in the world and a light inside him despite that darkness that converted him into who he is today. That he had the strength yet vulnerability to stand up to him in the mists of pain made him want to congratulate him, but it was merely pathetic he believed one little thought of confidence could make him turn a leaf.

But then again, he didn’t want to kill the boy. There was no part of him thrust himself into the idea of harming in could led to death, he still wanted him alive and decently well..maybe there was a small inch within him that made him think twice before his actions…

He was brought out of his thoughts as Joshua spoke up, “..what? After me, who’s next on your agenda of victims?..I just feel sorry for you, mister mayor, thinking this will fill that void within..”

He didn’t speak, only slapped his face to keep him quiet. He didn’t need his voice ringing in his ears for the rest of the day, he had more important things to attend to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The doors the station were slammed open, as the soft sounds of grunts and huffing could be heard followed by the whispers of the man in charge. He threw the man into the cell and locked it as he turned around. Nik stepped over as his hands gripped the bars of the cell he was placed into, his face showcased a mix of tiredness and worry.

“I’m telling you, I have no idea where he went! Erik you have to believe me, I haven’t seen in him 24 hours..no calls, no text..I didn’t do anything to him.” He said, banging his against the bar.

Erik stood there with his arms crossed, “Are you sure? How could I know you didn’t drive him away or worse, dragged somewhere deep within the town line, Mr. Hawkins.”

“Do you really think I would harm the kid I have been taking care of for a while now? I have done nothing but provided him a home!”

“Where was he last?”

“..last time I checked he was going to get some air, said he had a small case he wanted to solve. I advised him to stay home but he promised he would be safe.”

“And you let a teen boy go thinking he wasn’t going to lie to your face and go to some house party?”

“Oh please, Erik, he isn’t that type of kid! He went to the campsites in search of something..please, just let me go.”

Erik walked back to his desk, starting to fill out some paperwork for the man muttering, “Not until I have evidence that you didn’t do it.”

Just then, Alexander rushed in with Ethan behind trying to stop him of entering. Ethan was barking a few words at the man, two accents fighting for a place within the room. Nik rolled his eyes, glaring at both.

Then he stopped, “If you want evidence, ask my brother. He clearly has something to do with this. Isn’t that right Alex?”

Alexander placed a hand over his chest fixing his collar and said, “And why I ever do such a thing? I got a call that my brother was in jail, I had to see what’s the matter.”

“Since when do you care?! You couldn’t care less if I was hit by a bus!”

“Watch your tone, clearly you never learn anything from me about manners. What did you do to get you in this mess?”

“Nothing of the sort. What did you do to my kid?”

“You’re kid? Since when did you have the legal right to call him yours?”

“Not the time. Where is he? I know you did something, you could never keep your hands to yourself.”

“With that tone, I might as well not bail you out.”

“What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Kid?”

“Nothing, I didn’t even know about this until now. But whatever you did to your kid, must’ve driven him away or worse, he’s probably being held hostage somewhere by one of your friends.”

“Bullshit..”

Alexander put down 20 bucks on the desk before walking out, smirking at Ethan who just glared blocking him from his path.

“Why are you not letting me leave? You think I have something to do with this?” Alex asked.

“Well, you always magically show up whenever it’s often than not convenient for you. First you show up when Ms. Spencer is awaken, then you appear when I’m taking a role in this town, even when Rochelle and Rick’s children are in a small crisis at school with Cole..you always show up. Matter of time when you come around again.” Ethan explained smirking, “What’s next for you?”

“Are you trying to threaten me, Mr. Long?”

“Depends, you see it as one?��

“Not at all.”

“Good. But mark my words, mister mayor, if you try something just as bad as this, I will come for you and your home.”

“I’ll like to see you try.”

With that the mayor walked out as Ethan marched right back into the station talking to Erik about the current events, glancing over at Nik every so often hoping the man listen to this words. Ethan wanted to come start a hunt for Joshua as quickly as possible within the towns and woods. He requested Rick, Cassie and Rochelle to come along knowing that the boy could be held anywhere. Erik was hesitating to bring anyone else into this search party but he knew they would need extract hands on deck, he was getting old more help would be better.

Half an hour later, he came back with this requested people. Rick didn’t look very pleased to be here, as he refused to have any weapons on him during the hunt in the woods. Rochelle hummed deciding on a gun, taking a small area of the town to look for the kid promising to Nik he’s innocent here as the man just sighed.

Cassie was quite analyzing the whole situation, knowing that Alex has done this to prove a point to pull them apart into separate groups for whenever his biggest heavy hitters came. However he remembered seeing Alexander’s body language shifted wondering if someone beside Liane or Bella told him off, but she couldn’t place her finger on it.

Erik stayed back, watching the four of them go as he stayed to question Nik for his innocence, he should be at home with his husband Charles, not here at work together. Yet, here he is. He offered the man something to eat or drink, but Nikolai couldn’t stomach anything at the moment.

He sat down on the bench of the cell at dark worse case scenario filled his head, thinking horribly of himself for letting that kid go off that afternoon when he should’ve stopped him. He was considered his guardian at this point, not just a friend. He said it himself, ‘his kid’, he never said that before put the words felt familiar.

He just hoped he wasn’t badly hurt, and he will forgive him..

~~~~~~~~~

Joshua was tired, cold and hungry. He was bleeding and bruised, but a part of him knew he had to stay awake. He tried sitting up properly against one of the walls, not even realizing that his feet were tied by some rope—oh how could this day get any worse?! His vision was slightly blurry as he looked over his shoulder to see a spec of light, crawling over to notice it was a window seeing trees, some snow and much more.

He was still in the woods, but he didn’t know for long. Alexander was planning on keeping him here, to keep his shut and guard by god know. He replayed the conversation between the two of them over and over again, he noticed a shift in the man’s tone earlier, like he hit a nerve. He didn’t know but the man just barked threats at him afterwards then slapped him across the face before leaving.

He searched around for any broken glass, sharp objects of any thing, to break himself lose and make a run for it. Then suddenly opened the door, as down the stairs walked in a women. He could hear a possible other voice coming from the room across but it faint. His eyes fell on the lady once again, short pink hair, glasses and black overalls along with some pink boots to match.

He recongized her from the record store, he barley talked to her very often but liked the vibes she gave off. He remembered hearing Riley’s tales of her father being Red Riding Hood and her mother being The Huntress, always pointing out the store’s kind lady.

According to the tales, her name was Luna, the women who was sent to harm his father but couldn’t have the heart to do so and ran away unable to finish the job, meeting Rick afterwards. Joshua bit his lip worried she was going to live up to her promise and harm him instead. Luna placed a cup of tea in front of him, shyly waiting for him to drink it.

Instead Joshua asked, “W-what are you going to do me? What’s in that?”

Luna gave him a innocent look shaking her head, “I only made you tea, you looked thirsty…I-i can make you s-something else.”

“No thank you..w-what is doing for you in exchange of keeping me held here..”

“..he-h-he is not doing anything..he, uh..”

“..let me go, please..”

“He told me he would give me a bonus upgrade on my store, allowing new shipments of video games…”

“I..”

“W-what? D-did I say something wrong? I won’t hurt you..I-i promise..”

“He is doing you a favor..but I am the one getting hurt here!”

“You will be fine, it’s only for a while..please drink up before it gets cold..I am sorry if I upset you, I um..”

Joshua looked down, a sadness and darkness filled his eyes, he didn’t know what to even respond with. It wasn’t her fault, she didn’t know any better and probably didn’t want to get hurt by the mayor, so she did the favor in efforts to save her skins. But he didn’t trust her that easily, even if he was thirsty. Josh pushed the tea away from him causing it to spill on the floor, as the small cup rolled around, Luna looked rather upset that he didn’t take her offer. She glared calling him ungrateful stepping back out the door, not before treating him a couple of threats.

The door closed behind her as he sinked back into the corner he was placed into. He looked at his backpack that seemed open. He assumed someone must’ve tried to look inside, he crawled over to the using his legs to inch the bag over searching for something to help him. He found an old textbook from Charles’s English class and smirked using whatever strength he can, even his hand tied behind his back tossed it over the cup Luna placed on the ground as he sat on top of both items crushing it. He was surprised all the hours of watching TV payed off, using the shattered piece he tried to saw his way out of the ropes slowly starting to cut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The group of four searched around separating into pairs of two to cover even ground. Rochelle looked around the town’s older buildings deciding on heading to the woods next as Cassie went asking around for any sighting of the boy, tracking the area for clues. Cass knew one thing for sure, one of the advantages of being securely awake from the curse, is that there are hidden part of the town that come into bloom during the mid winter—early spring.

Certain flowers.

Meanwhile Rick and Ethan decide to split up. Rick knew he was able to cover more ground by himself, it was as if he had an act for catching people red handed with just the mere scent of their tracks. His daughter liked to say it was because he was half wolf, sometimes he liked to believe that was true.

With that knowledge, he went searching around for clues of any kind, dried blood marks on the ground, items lefts aside, anything useful for his hunt. To his surprise, a certain young Latina tagged along wanting to help out, having her clear guesses on what might’ve happened and who could’ve taken him hostage.

Ethan went lurking around the woods, driving in his car passing buses after buses, the foggy sight of the trees along the road didn’t help his vision almost knocking into someone. He stepped out to find a women with wild curls, a deep blue skirt, combat boots and a long ass coat catching her breath. He rushed over asking if she was alright, as the young women smiled with a shrug. Ethan questioned why she was in the woods as she said she going for a walk, the man just slowly nodded.

She asked him, “What are you doing here?”

“I uh..” He replied looking for an lie, “..I was searching for my dog. He’s a runner.”

“Ohh I love dogs! What’s is name?”

“Uh, Portland.”

“Portland? No offense, sounds like they were trying to run away with a name like that.”

“Yeah well, it was the first thing that came to mind when I saw him.”

“You know look like you could see a refresher, I know the woods very well. I have a map at my place, we both look for him together afterward.”

Ethan thought for a moment, seeing how kind yet familiar this young women meant to him. He thought a little help couldn’t help, technically he was looking for someone.

“Sure!” He added with a smile, “What’s your name by the way?”

“Meira.” She answered with a smile.”

“Ethan.”

“Nice to meet you, Ethan.”

The two drove off into the woods, stepping into Meira’ grand old house that was lovely decorated with flowers, nice chairs, paintings on the wall and even a beauty of a piano in the living room. She even had a couple of telescopes. She said that her parents died leaving with such a nice estate she couldn’t help but make it her own. Ethan was amazed by her little world inside the home, feeling cozy inside.

The two of them entered the kitchen as Meira pulled out a map and two cups of tea for them to drink out of. He joked if it was poison as she shook her head, pointing out the mapped sections within the woods.

Everything was going fine, the two chatted as they drank. Feeling at ease in the conversation, circling spots on the map onto where ‘Portland’ could’ve gotten. Meira kindly excused her to use the lady’s room as Ethan nodded for her to go right ahead. Once she left, he wondered around the hallways spitting his glass looking at the paintings of forests that didn’t look like any he’s seen before. He heard muffled sounds coming from the hallway as if Meira was on the phone with someone, he stepped into one of the rooms to find weapons.

Guns, bows and arrows, hats, throwing stars and much more. He slowly exit the room into the hallway, moving slowly. Suddenly, the sound of a gun cocking is heard turning around to meet Meira’s face who grinned.

“I see you found some new toys for Portland.” She said holding the gun to his face.

He raised an eyebrow, “I've already called for backup, they'll be here any second.” “You haven't called anybody... for the same reason you didn't tell me about your real plan. You don't want anybody to know you're here, which means nobody does.”

“Have you been watching me?”

“Maybe?”

“Your telescope. You've been watching me. Why?”

“I need you to do something for me…brother.”

She gently shoves him into a room, telling him to sit down in the chair in front of her desk, he does as so. As Ethan sat down, he noticed the room filled with hats on display and telescope. He even noticed a small potted plant in the corner, Meira smirked hoping his eyes darted to the small flower. She would have to thank Cassie later for it. She explained to him the situation here, along with the curse. Ethan rolled his eyes at Meira.

“Have you been reading Belladonna’s book?” Ethan asked.

Meira smirked, “Belladonna? You mean the Mal’s favorite hand maiden?"

“Belladonna’s, the Liane’s adopted kid.”

“Oh, Bella. Your Belladonna…and her book of stories, the ones that you choose to ignore. Maybe if you knew what I know, you wouldn’t.”

“Why have you been spying on me? Why did you call me ‘brother’? I don’t have a sister..”

“Yes you do. I’m your baby sister and Cole is your brother. You just don’t remember, cause you scared of the truth. Because for the last 16 years, I've been feeling stuck, day after day. Until one night, you, in your car, roll into town, and the clock ticks and things start to change. You seeI know what you refuse to acknowledge, Ethan. You're special. You brought something precious to the town—magic!”

“You’re insane.”

“You say that. But we know you seek to know that town is a little crazy. You show know, you’ve been around crazy you’re whole life! The tattoo on your arm is a small symbol of it.”

Ethan was silent, looking down at the tattoo on his arm, he was a feather. He didn’t remember getting it, alway assume it was due to a drunk night out with friends. Ever since he arrived, he felt strange around this town, the very fact that Cole decided to be nice to him surprised him, and now this. One look at Meira, he could tell she was onto something but he refused to acknowledge it like the rest of the damn town. She wanted him to look around and open his eyes, to wake up from whatever dream he has created his head.

She wanted him to take a second to remember who he was, that he had magic, skills untapped that just doesn’t want to take back. Make her a hat. Muscle memories as one would call it. He barked back that she has enough already but she responded that known of them work. However he can make some, due to their being very few magical elements in the real world.

He looked around briefly letting out a chuckle, “The hats, the tea, the bow and arrows…you’re somewhat psychotic behavior…you think you’re the Mad Hatter.”

She sighed with a smirk, “Yes, and I don’t think. I know. The name’s Merida, but some like to sweetly mistaken it as Meira.”

“You’ve clearly glommed onto my kid’s book. Well, the kid’s thing, but they are just stories. The Mad Hatter, he’s in-“

“She! She is supposed to be in Wonderland. But travels to other land that look just like this one, you should know. You’ve done it! You’re the Ace Of Hearts, The Knight of the realms..one of the plenty of Prince Charming’s around..”

“It’s all in a book! Stories that I’ve read in school, myself. I am no hero of those tales..they are hysterical stories.”

She sat down on the desk in front of her, leaning in with an almost convincing smile as she said, “Stories? Right, just stories. Tales of many kind..and where do you think they come from? History books are based on a version of history. And storybooks are based on what, imagination? Where does that come from? It has to come from somewhere.”

“Mhm..yeah..” He responded staying quite listening to her rant as his gears started to turn.

“That’s where we all come in! Every tale comes from somewhere, cue in our characters, from Nik being Prince Charming to Luna being the Huntress in his tale, simple really.”

“Simple? You want me to believe that?”

“You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants some magical solution to their problem, and everyone refuses to believe in magic. It’s not that hard, just open your mind.”

“Yeah, right open your mind..to this one reality!”

At that, she barked back standing from her chair leaning into his face with a knowledge smile. He leaned back, a hint of fear washes over him. He heard everything she said but there was something he feared from it all.

That she was right.

“What are you so afraid of?! All of the evidence is slowly coming into light, right there in front of you! God, dad must’ve made you hit your head a little too hard when you escaped..” She exclaimed, her gaze following him sight, “What is holding you back?”

That made Ethan finally snapped as a glare reached his eyes as he snarled, “Of this! I’m afraid of this. You think I am such a worthy hero? A Knight from Wonderland? Prince Charming?! I don’t want that job back on my shoulders! I may not remember what you’re saying but you’re making hard to run back and stay in my perfectly safe mind.”

Meira smirked, “There it is!”

“You know what’s it like to be separated from your kid? It makes you lose your mind wondering if they are okay! I just got her back, I am not willing to lose her again..I can’t be this hero—your Prince Charming, I don’t want it. I ain’t hero..”

“One of the heroes..only some of us remember who we are, the others don’t. But the kids do! It’s time to wake up, Ethan. Grab your pals and break this damn curse.”

The two of them were standing at this point. Meira even showed him across the telescope the town, the homes, her brother and friends. She said that they don’t remember anything, her parents don’t remember who they are. She can’t tell them, which drives her mad. Drives everyone mad when you can’t be with the ones you love. Ethan nodded understanding her statement, how it can make you feel like you’re losing your mind sometimes.

He shrugged saying it possibly a chance he believed, that she said was true. She smiled, as she turned around to pick up the hat, he picked up the telescope and strikes her with it, knocking her out cold. He muttered that she’s crazy, making sure she was alright as his gaze fell to a tattoo of a heart on her shoulder, before taking the gun and rushing out. He took one last glance at the flower, snatching up a knife from the kitchen before he left.

As he rushed out of the house, racing across the woods he spotted a certain brunette running looking over his shoulder. He noticed it as Nik who explained he tipped Erik off while he was asleep. The clock chimed as the two men exchanged a look knowing they had something they needed to do soon before it got dark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Belladonna and Rick went scouting the woods in search of the missing person. Rick leaned into his older path, tracking the more natural way searching foe clues. Finding a piece of cloth and dark dry blood marks on the ground, gasping at the sight. As they were moving in closer, Belladonna went the more tech route linking Joshua’s phone to hers, tracking him there. There was a low signal that was rather faint, but it was there.

Both of their radars went off, exchanging a couple of looks rushing off to the place where he must’ve gone. Rick stepped up the doorstep of the home banging on the door, getting a sense of nostalgia when it came to house. As if he knows it from somewhere. Like he’s been here before, but couldn’t place his finger on it. Belladonna noticed the small half smile on his lips as it seemed like a fragment of his mind was trying to tell him something but he had no idea what it was.

Funny how the mind work, huh?

There was ruffling sounds coming from the door, a heavy breath that could be heard loud and clear. As the door opened, dark brown eyes met the very blue of the blonde man who lowered his fist from the very door she opened. A connecting twinkle sparked between them, like a swirling look of acceptance and confusion at the circumstances.

“Luna?” Muttered the blonde, nodding for Bella to follow him inside.

“I um..R-rick..wh-what are you d-doing here? Wh-who is she?” She repiled, looking worried and nervous on the two visitors, “Uh..you can’t come in..”

But it was too late.

“Who is she? More like, who are you? And don’t play coy with me..” Belladonna asked eyeing the pink haired woman who looked petty and guilty in her eyes.

“I um..don’t know what you’re talking about.” Luna respond, looking between her and Rick, “I didn’t do anything, if that’s uh-what you’re thinking…”

“Likely story. Where is he? Where were you the last 24 hours?”

“I don’t know where you’r talking about..I um..I-i-i ww-was at h-home.”

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and scoffed, “Luna, honey, I know you’re lying. What happened?”

Luna looked scared and more than guilty looking down, “..I-he m-made me do it..I was given a favor..f-for-for I can get a g-great deal o-on my at-store..it was a n-nice uh-thought…”

Belladonna didn’t wait another second, hearing the couple talk in the room as she hurried into every room on the first and second floor of the small house. She could hear exact footsteps and voices coming their way upstairs. She assumed it was her father and the others. A couple of screams were heard.

She paused as her ears caught wind of the muffled screams coming from the basement as she let out a small gasped, opening the lock and hurried down to find her friend on the ground weakly trying to break free. She felt horrible, rushing over to step untie him starting with his hands that were tired behind his back. He dropped the glass of the class cup that sliced a corner of his hand as she heard tiny whimpers coming from him.

Joshua’s eyes were red and puffy from crying, his gaze was dark almost like they lost his light. He was quiet, almost numb but responsive which was a clear positive sign for her. She pushed some hair out of his face as his body flopped over to the ground as she shouted for him to stay awake. But he couldn’t he was tired, annoyed and hungry.

She carefully led him upstairs calling for help up the steps, as thankfully Rick was there reaching for Joshua who weakly took his arms to hold onto. Belladonna blocked out his conversation with Luna as her only thought was on Josh’s health.

As she led him out the door and into the front of the house down the steps across the woods, in a flash came her father and Nikolai turned up rushing to side. Both adults rushed to the exact child. Ethan held his daughter close, proud of her for today’s action, walking them back looking over at the others. Belladonna carried the backpack on one shoulder. Nikolai held Joshua’s close, running a hand across his face telling him to stay awake and they will be home soon enough.

~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the station, everyone was getting cleaned up. Erik talked to the adults, not pressing any charges on Nikolai for what happened, seeing a worried father take place in front of him. Rochelle was helping to gently clean Joshua’s wounds as he kept quiet. Ethan was nursing an wound that ended up on Belladonna’s body, despite her effort to tell him she was fine, he didn’t listen.

“What happened back there?” Rochelle asked dabbing a cotton ball on his forehead as the boy hissed.

Nikolai was wrapping his hand in a bandage, “..buddy, you need to tell us..”

Joshua was just silent, looking at Rick then Luna. But his gaze fell on Bella who locked eyes with him, as if to send a single signal to her onto what happened, who harmed him. She got what he meant and sighed.

He inhaled and hissed, “..I was in the woods, searching on a clue on our new case with the sighting of wolves and more campers lately, I saw something in the road..when I was knocked out cold, I woke up in the basement..my backpack away from me, tied up as Bella saw..”

Nikolai didn’t know what came over him, pushing his hair out of his face being gentle with his wound concerned with his state wondering what was going inside his head. The light in his eyes flickers out like a old used flashlight, like the sun was coming down to rest as the night took over for him. He noticed Erik questioning Luna onto what happened, as Rick backed her up. Ethan was taking notes of what happened, as the wildness of the woods still played in his head. Rochelle chimed up with her insights on the townsfolk and the accident that might’ve led up to it.

He shook his head, deciding to take him home to rest at their loft instead, ignoring Ethan’s calls saying they will talk later.

~~~~~

Once the two arrived home, Joshua lay down on the couch as Nikolai got some fruit to eat as he across from asking if he could open the backpack for him. The teen just nodded, watching him with blurry vision eating the long awaited food, humming at the taste of fresh blueberries and slices of mango entering his mouth. It felt better than expected.

Later on, after a quick shower and now in cleaner clothes he found his father in the kitchen wiping up two grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. He watched him with tense shoulder, as the man hummed in comfort clothes than the pair of jeans and hoodie he was wearing earlier.

He knew he was waiting for him to talk about anything else that happened, as the teen just sighed and muttered, “..where were you?”

The older brunette paused from flipping the two slices of bread to look over his shoulder and reply, “Umm what?”

“I was gone for almost 24 hours and you were nowhere to be found..I was hoping you’ll be the one to find me..”

“Joshua..when you didn’t come I was worried, I called you phone plenty of time and you didn’t pick up. Next thing I know I was put behind bars at the sheriff’s station because they thought I did something to you..that I had something to do with your disappearance..”

“Wh..b-but yo-you escaped..I-i saw you!”

“I couldn’t any longer for bail or to be prove innocent to go after you, so I broke out of there! That’s what I came late to find you..I am so sorry..I should’ve listen to my gut and ran to search for you..”

“I needed you and you weren’t there..”

That caused Nik to turn around and face him. That words sting like a bee. He blinked hearing this words replay in his head over and over again like a drumbeat. He saw the look on his face that almost broke his heart.

He looked down for a moment, shaking his head hating that he made him feel that way, the words sounded like it came from a different place. As if he broke the line.

“Wh..what is that supposed to mean exactly? Josh, I haven’t said anything lately, but you’ve been holding something back ever since we started this whole thing..” Nik admitted crossing his arms, giving him a certain look, “What’s going on here? I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”

“..um..you won’t get it.” Josh repiled, looking away for a moment, “..you won’t..”

“Try me. Go ahead.”

“Alright..you want the truth.”

Joshua took a breath and scoffed, “You let me go out that door last night, without a care in the world, because you thought you could trust me and look where it got me! I’m hurt because you’re brother decided to have me kidnapped because he knows if the truth gets out on what he plans to do with the town..he will be doomed.”

“I’mma stop you right there! Alexander kidnapped you and you didn’t expect to tell me this?! This is serious matter, Joshua I don’t care what his plan is, he harmed a kid. He tricked one of the townsfolk to keep you there.” Nikolai exclaimed with an anger in his stomach growing. “That’s my point! He wants to keep everyone locked up in this town for god knows what reason, cause he knows if everyone is happy he will have no power over us..I stayed quiet about this for weeks now I am not taking it anymore!”

“Alexander kidnapped you and harmed you in a way that shouldn’t be expected at any point. No kid should go though that..did he do anything else?” “I’ve been hit before at old homes, it seems like before I was knocked out cold I was fighting someone..but Alex, he just threaten me over and over again..he..he called me an orphan, a lost boy..that I will never know who I really am..I um..”

He started to get chocked up as he recounted all the bad things Alexander said to his face and all the things he told him. He was told stuff like this before, that he was a child. He’s got nothing to prove, nothing at all. Nikolai walked around the kitchen island setting in between the stools wrapping his arms around the teen, as running his fingers across his hair to smooth out his cries. He felt like a part of his way his fault, it was. He pressed a small kiss onto his hair and hummed trying to hush him as he listen to Joshua’s comments. He made a silent promise to himself to not let him feel that way again, not feel hurt or alone.

Then he heard it.

A small whimper that came from Joshua as he let go of his arms. He watched him go to his room, then come back with a blanket. A baby blanket with his name engraved in a font, on the side was a small little monkey. He handed it to Nikolai as he noticed the way he ran his fingers crossed the letters and the patch, he let out a small chuckle he knew his style of drawing better than the back of his hand. He took one glance at Joshua, trying to piece the words together. He noticed a old stuffed bear in his hands.

He spoke, “Remember the stories I told you..the ones you would hear us talk about at the diner, how each one of us like to talk bullshit for the characters are real and how they are our parents..I believed in that because I wanted to hope there was a sign they were out there..then..”

“Then all of this happened..” He continued for him, taking it all home, “..you had theses ups and down your whole life..and I walked in. The hot chocolate, the artist in you, the fact that..your looks..I’m your..”

“Yeah..I might need an DNA test to prove it but..”

“Prince Charming..me? I have..how long have you this?”

“For a while now..I-i didn’t know how to tell you or bring it up..because I didn’t think, I couldn’t wrapped by head around it..”

He didn't know whether to believe it or not. He was sure, he wasn't from some fantasy world. But how do you react to the kid who has been staying with you, is now saying you might be their father?

Nikolai walked over placing a hand over his cheek as his thumb rubbed his cheekbone, not knowing where he got his eyes from but he does have his chin, eyebrows, and—well his face in general, for sure. A a quarter of his height for the added measure. But there part of him that he must’ve gotten from his mother..

“Who did I screw to make you?” Came out his question.

The concept of him being his son was still wild to him, he probably needed an DNA test and answers on who the mother was. He has been with a couple of women over the years, so he wonder who is was.

Why come now with the questions? But a part of him could only wonder what came next.

———-

Ahh I am so sorry if this was long! I hope you guys like it. I’ll love to see your comments and insights you might have. Any thoughts on things.

Click here to see what else was happening during all of this

Tags: @missstrawbs2001 @purpleprincessonfyre @meiramel @gcthvile @rickb-chaos @gaminggirlsstuff @wizzzardofoz @thechoooooosenone @luna-d-marsh @rooster-84 @thecavalrywife @cherrysft and etc

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catnipster69 · 9 months ago

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fic: Do You Kiss Your Momma With That Mouth? Chapter 7

Picture credit: x

Do You Kiss Your Momma With That Mouth? Chapter 7 Published: 2024-02-14 Words: 4084 Chapters: 7/11 by catnipster

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Supernatural (TV 2005) RPF Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Stephen Amell/Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles/Alexander Calvert, Misha Collins/Original Character(s) Characters: Jim Beaver, DJ Qualls, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Hilarie Burton, Danneel Harris, Emily Perkins, Steven Williams (Supernatural RPF), Sterling K. Brown, Ty Olsson, Samantha Ferris, Chad Lindberg, Dee Wallace, Katie Cassidy, Genevieve Cortese, Lisa Berry, Alona Tal, Jon Gries Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Jensen is a Chef, Jared is a Property Developer, Class Differences, Trailer Trash Jensen, Bottom Jensen Ackles/Top Jared Padalecki, Lovers to enemies to lovers, Food, Drinking, Recreational Drug Use, Porn Video, jensen has a mustache, long-haired jensen ackles, Lies, Secrets, Happy Ending Language: English

Summary:

Jensen, 39, is a down-on-his-luck weed dealer in Garden, Texas. Garden is a former ranching town gentrified by an influx of Silicon Valley exiles that work in the shiny, new office buildings built by JPX, Inc.

Jensen unexpectedly inherits a trailer park from his uncle. But what Jensen really wants to do is open a food truck selling refined comfort food. The decommissioned ice cream van sitting on blocks in front of his trailer is a daily reminder of his unfulfilled dreams.

Jared, 35, is the rich owner of JPX, Inc. who wants to tear down the trailer park to put up a ritzy mall. Jared’s ex-boyfriend, Stephen Amell, is in town from New York City: to force Jensen and the lovable residents of Garden Gardens to sell by using his usual arsenal of dirty tricks.

But when Jared meets Jensen at the Farmer’s Market where Jensen is trading weed for pickles with his best friend Danneel, it’s love at first sight. At least, until Jensen finds out who Jared is.

Chapter 7 Summary:

JPX, Inc. buys the tax lien. How desperate will Jensen get to find the money to pay it off? Jared and Jeff help Jensen move. Misha has unsavory suggestions. Jensen learns about things Jared was keeping from him.

#catnipster on ao3 #spn fanfic #j2 fanfic #my posts #my fic #do you kiss your momma with that mouth

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thccampers · 4 months ago

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dylan sprayberry, bisexual, cis-male + he/him/his → isn’t that hayden? they’re the son of the andersons. i hear they’re 21 and they’ve been coming to camp for one year. they seem to be charming & dependable, but also lazy & argumentative. they’re into rough sex, humiliation/degradation, bareback, but not into scat, vomit, infantilism. | Luke, 29, he/him/his, + no triggers.

he is a top-verse (dominant lean) and enjoys, but isn't limited to:

choking, bareback, breeding, bottoming for his family, outdoor scenarios, public scenarios, dirty talk, manhandling, rough sex, degradation play, humiliation play. spanking, slapping, facials (giving), recording video/pictures, spitting, older men, and much more...

but he's down for anything except scat, vomit, and infantilism.

biography and other stats:

- age: Twenty one - height: 5'6" - weight: 163 lbs - occupation: Reality TV Star and social media influencer - tattoos: Hundreds - piercings: none at the moment - erogenous zones: His nipples, his pits, and his arms/biceps - safeword: Cricket - favorites: Loud music, smoking pot, drinking games, tabletop games, vodka, annoying people, grilling, dogs, his fans - dislikes: Waiting in long lines, being told to be patient, when older generations complain about his generation and social media, politics

Hayden had heard about Camp Daylight from his family, and probably could have started coming with them a bit sooner, but as luck would have it he was too busy building himself a career. Applying on a whim, he managed to get accepted onto a new dating show at the age of nineteen. Of course, in getting cast, he lied about his age and managed to trick the entire production team into thinking he was actually twenty one. After the season aired he was quick to become the fan favorite-- and because of the sudden fame, and interest in him, it came to light that he was only nineteen.

I know what you're thinking-- he should have been ruined for lying about his age, for creating a scandal since he was constantly drinking on the show and fooling around with people, but strangely enough that just made the public like him even more. Riding the fame he received from that dating show, he was quickly thrown into being considered a social media influencer as his follower count continued to sky-rocket; putting him on par with some of the more genuinely famous celebrities on instagram. Brand deals started pouring in over night and, well, Hayden didn't turn any of them down-- and why would he? Who didn't want ass loads of money?

Despite all his growing fame, and ego, when his family mentioned going back to Camp Daylight last year Hayden decided to take a break from his work-- posting pictures online was hard after all-- and join them for once... and he almost immediately fell in love. He should have joined them at Camp Daylight sooner, this place was fucking perfect; and he wasn't going to miss their annual trips to the camp anymore.

#daylightintro

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soulerflaire · 7 months ago

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Wanted to update some reviews I gave of a couple animes, and add a few more reviews of ones I've watched in the past few months. This is gonna be really, really long.

The Apothecary Diaries

First off, I want to apologize because I still don't really care about anyone except Maomao so I don't remember most people's names. I had originally given this one an 8/10 because Maomao was such an excellent character, but I didn't like anyone else. Now that the first season is over, I'm gonna have to downgrade to 7/10. Maomao is still great, but the show had a turning point midway through, and stopped being a "mystery of the week" show that spotlighted Maomao's wit. It began to focus more and more on Maomao and Jinshi's relationship, and I can no longer pretend they aren't going to inevitably end up together. On the upside, Jinshi slowly becomes less of a creep.

The part that I really have thoughts on, though, is Maomao's biological father. It's made pretty clear around the same time as that turning point that the mysterious brilliant military strategist is her biological father, from whom she is intentionally estranged (unwillingly on his part, though). The show makes a big deal of him being a complete asshole and that Maomao hates him, and it becomes the overarching plot that he is trying to force Jinshi to set up a meeting between him and Maomao. There's one particular scene that sticks out, where Jinshi mentions the strategist wanting to meet with her, and we get a brief flash of pure hatred on Maomao's face, before Jinshi quietly apologizes and says he'll make an excuse for her. This is the only time we've ever seen Maomao that angry, and the show makes it very clear how unsettled Jinshi was at seeing that from her.

Except, we eventually find out that the strategist, while admittedly an arrogant asshole, isn't evil or all that terrible, and actually genuinely loves Maomao's mother. He did not intend to get her pregnant, he wasn't trying to reduce her value as a courtesan so he could afford her; he was actually trying to save up the money to buy her out so they could get married. He only found out about Maomao after she was born, and by then the brothel wouldn't let him back in to see her. And we find out that Maomao knew this all along, and actually blamed her mother for it all, believing she intentionally got pregnant so as to reduce her value enough for her biological father to buy her out, and bad luck forced him to stay away too long. Maomao didn't hate her biological father, she just didn't consider him her actual father and didn't want him inserting himself into her life.

And...I don't like that. For one, I enjoyed having this antagonist for Maomao to battle with, trying to foil his plans to force her into his custody, and I liked being able to hate him. And for another, finding out she didn't hate him at all completely undercuts that scene where she gets so angry. When Jinshi questions her about the look, she brushes him off and it's never mentioned again. It was a fake out, and I hate fake outs.

Also, while the scene where he goes to the brothel to buy out a courtesan after losing his bet against Maomao is very touching, I was very confused as to why he didn't know Maomao's mother was still alive. Why did the brothel not demand he buy her out way back when? Why did they let him think she was dead instead of trying to make him take responsibility for what happened? I get being furious with him, but the flashback where he gets thrown out makes it pretty damn clear he was devastated and wanted to make amends. And the fact that the very instant he realizes Maomao's mother is still alive he loses all composure and rushes to her, and weeps for joy at seeing her despite her condition, means he would happily have bought her out back then too.

The whole thing felt like the show was trying to trick us. And that's fine when done well, misdirection can be a lot of fun in a show! But I felt lied to. Maomao's anger scene, and the strategist telling Jinshi to ask about lowering the value of a courtesan, they don't make sense now that we know the truth. They were just lies that get brushed aside after the reveal.

Maomao's still enough to carry the show and I will look out for season 2, but I am not as hyped for this one as i was before. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

This is another one that didn't go quite as well as I'd hoped. It's down to 8/10 for me. The mage's exam section really stalled out the show; it felt like the whole purpose of that arc, which lasted longer than any other arc this season by far, was to focus on Fern's growth as a mage. And to me, the show is starting to lose its focus. We started out with Frieren's personal growth and how she was changed by her journey with Himmel, but now, it feels more like an origin story for Fern the Legendary Mage. I don't hate Fern, but I just don't find her as compelling a character right now. I wish we'd at least wait until Frieren completes her journey before focusing so much on Fern.

As an aside, I find it hilarious and sad how hard Stark got sidelined in the second half of season 1. Dude has nothing to do at this point and is just kind of There.

Shangri-La Frontier

On the other side of things, Shangri-La Frontier continues to impress. The show just kept putting out excellent episode after excellent episode, and now I can't wait for season 2. I honestly don't have anything new to say about it, just that it's definitely become one of my top animes that I've ever watched, and I hope season 2 doesn't drop the ball.

Now for new (to me) shows:

Solo Leveling

Synopsis: Portals have started appearing all over the world, and if left alone, begin spitting out hordes of fantasy monsters that are immune to conventional weaponry. But random people have been blessed with fantasy powers and can fight the monsters; they become hunters that take out the monsters, enter the portals, and shut them down. Sung Jinwoo was the weakest of all hunters until a near death experience triggers an awakening, where suddenly he gets a video game-like interface that gives him quests and objectives which level him up, boosting his power beyond what normal hunters are capable of.

First off, this show is very graphic and bloody. It also has zero qualms about killing people. But that doesn't mean it takes the deaths lightly. Jinwoo's adventuring party is nearly wiped out in the first two episodes, a few people only making it out because Jinwoo stayed behind, and the show does not just gloss over this. One of the survivors is so traumatized she's close to giving up being a hunter altogether, and several people urge Jinwoo to quit after his unexplained survival, saying he's not gonna be that lucky again. The show addresses dark topics and themes, but does so with the gravity they deserve. It's not bloody for the sake of being bloody, it's bloody to emphasize how dangerous, dirty, and traumatizing being a hunter would be.

But aside from the good writing, I am also fascinated by the game interface concept. He is, as far as we know, in the real world, but the interface refers to him as "the player" and his powers are decidedly video gamey. He gets stat points for completing daily quests, he gets experience points for killing things and levels up, he even has a video game-style inventory where he can summon or dismiss items at will. And yet there are times where it's made clear that this interface is not just a mindless computer. At one point, where several other hunters are planning to kill Jinwoo, an "emergency quest" pops up, saying that "5 people intend to kill the player. Kill people 0/5". When Jinwoo doesn't immediately accept, it updates with "Failure to complete this quest will result in a penalty." Jinwoo still doesn't immediately accept it, and it updates a third time: "Failure to complete this quest will result in the player's heart stopping." Whoever or whatever the interface is, it very much wants Jinwoo to become stronger and is willing to threaten him to do it. It turns out killing other hunters gives a large amount of xp.

And later on, when Jinwoo is trapped in the throne room after completing his job quest, he hallucinates a version of himself before his awakening; this other him taunts him and says he's weak, that he's useless and should just die, which of course makes him angry and gives him the motivation to keep going just out of spite. I'm pretty sure that other him was the interface speaking to him directly, ensuring he doesn't give up and die.

My own pet theory for the show is that we're watching the birth of the eventual villain of the story. Jinwoo has commented multiple times how power reduces empathy, and the he himself has found his emotions being dulled as he levels up. Couple that with him unlocking and picking the Necromancer job, I think if something doesn't come along to snap him out of it, there's a good chance by the end of the show we're going to see him versus all the other major hunters we've been seeing side stories of, possibly with their own awakenings and resulting improved powers. 8/10.

Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord

Summary: College girl dies in our world and is reborn as Yumiella Dolkness, the hidden boss of a fantasy dating sim that was her favorite game in her previous life. Not wanting to fall prey to the death the plot intends for her, she begins power leveling herself to try and make sure she's strong enough to survive any attack, while also vowing to interact with the plot characters as little as possible to avoid triggering any flags. Unfortunately, once she enters the school where the game takes place, she finds out (as does everyone else) that her power leveling resulted in her reaching level 99. For comparison, the strongest knight in the kingdom is only level 60.

When I first started watching this show, I gave it 9/10. The humor, Yumiella's deadpan delivery of every line, the way other characters reacted to her absurd strength, it was all just so good. I also enjoyed poor Patrick trying so hard to flirt with her and it all going straight over her head. I loved this show right up until episode 11. The last two episodes of season 1 were rushed so much that I feel like they started out the show expecting to have a 25-episode season, and then found out they were only going to have 12 episodes and crammed half the season in to those last two. In a single 23-minute (including opening and closing credits) episode, we get told people are trying to assassinate Yumiella, then it's revealed the assassins were hired by her parents, then she goes and confronts her parents (and rescues her maid's sister), forces her parents to cede their title over to her, offers to adopt Patrick as her heir (much to his chagrin), goes to a party, then has a cute romantic scene with Patrick where he confesses his feelings and they get together. That was one episode. Then the next episode time-skips to the end of the school year when the demon lord has awakened, and has the entire battle against the demon lord, along with a struggle against the plot trying to force Alicia to kill Yumiella, then the denouement, again all in one episode.

It was so rushed, and nothing got the attention it needed. A wholly unsatisfying ending to what was otherwise a fantastic show. And the writing within individual scenes was still good. I loved Patrick confessing his feelings, and Yumiella pretending to lose a game of rock-paper-scissors with him in order to prove that he's "stronger" than she is and thus she likes him, since her go-to excuse to rebuff marriage offers was to claim she only liked guys stronger than her. That was such a good, well-written scene. But it didn't have the build up it needed, and jumping right into "we're off to fight the demon king's army" in the next episode meant we didn't get any time to enjoy them being together, either. I don't know if the manga does this too, or if it was a problem with the show, or what. But it brings my rating down to a 6/10. That might seem harsh, but I don't think I could enjoy a rewatch of it. The show felt like it was really going somewhere the whole time, only to abandon a bunch of plot threads and rush a quick final encounter at the very end. Knowing it's not going somewhere takes a lot of the fun out of the show for me.

Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout

Summary: Childhood friends Tachibana Hinata and Jinguji Tsukasa were living the everyday life of office workers. Then, on the way home from a mixer, they were sent flying into another world by a mysterious being. Once there, Jinguji sees his best friend has been turned into a beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. The adorableness of Tachibana’s female form completely flummoxes them both. But these two are each others’ best friends. To keep their relationship from being destroyed, they must defeat the Demon Lord as quickly as possible and return to their original forms.

From the title and the premise, this sounds like a pretty trashy anime to be honest. I found myself hesitant to watch it, ready to drop it in a heartbeat if it started going south. But it turns out to be a very silly show that also very much questions sexuality and gender. Also in the first 10 minutes it's pretty clear that the two guys were in love with each other prior to the transformation. We get internal thoughts from Tachibana that he basically idolizes Jinguji, while Jinguji's internal thoughts state that Tachibana's presence is like a safe space for him, where he can feel completely comfortable and at ease.

Shortly after arriving in the other world, the two meet the goddess of love, who is responsible for their teleportation and Tachibana's gender swap, and they get mad at her for basically kidnapping them. She huffs and says she'll curse them with something (she won't say what) and if they want the curse removed, they need to defeat the demon king. As the two of them start to sense attraction to each other, they assume the curse was for them to be forced to fall in love with each other. But I suspect the curse is gonna turn out to be completely unrelated, and the two of them are gonna end up realizing they were always in love.

And surprisingly, the show does not devolve into a bunch of sexist tropes revolving around Tachibana. There is a female elf they encounter who does embody a lot of sexist tropes, but she's pretty clearly a parody character and is frequently the butt of the joke in the scenes she's in.

One of my favorite things about it, though, is them figuring out why Jinguji is there. Apparently, goddesses summoning heroes from other worlds is not uncommon, but normally they only summon a single hero, bestow upon them a blessing of some sort, and then give them a weapon of their choice. Tachibana is the hero the goddess of love summoned, and the blessing he received was his female form and magical beauty that causes him to literally charm anyone (male or female) who gets a good look at him. But he has no weapon. Instead, Junguji is there, and he for some reason has superhuman strength, speed, and durability; he's basically superman....as long as he's near Tachibana. Because, as Tachibana realizes later, he sees Jinguji as his protector, and feels safest with him around, and so he unconsciously chose Jinguji as his weapon (literally unconsciously, he was blackout drunk when the goddess teleported them to the new world).

It's a very funny show that parodies a lot of isekai tropes, but it also focuses primarily on the relationship between the two main characters. The last couple episodes have a giant magic robot attacking the castle, but that's mostly background noise for Tachibana and Jinguji to air out some of their feelings about each other, and address some of the turbulence in their friendship. I like that what is the main plot for all the other characters just takes a back seat to our main duo having a real heart to heart. Good show, 8/10, looking forward to more.

#rating anime #I watched a lot of other shows too #but it's late and I'm tired and this post is already 3 times longer than it should be #maybe I'll make another one some other time #shoot I meant to rate Skip and Loafer here too #oh well

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