#lumine writes

[alexanderlightweight]

If you're feeling in a dragon-y mood how about more 'Like real people do' I'm presuming eventually either they're going to have to leave Alicante or someone is going to send Magnus a message to check on him. Hope you have a great Wednesday! (and that the migraine lets up)

i am always in a dragon!mood tbh no matter who the dragon is. its just sometimes the other verses end up wanting to be written or easier to get down on text

it is down to fluctuating between a 5-6!!! I am mobile around the house and can do things like make tea and empty the dishwasher or start laundry which is big. and I can eat again, and should be able to drive again soon which is amazing. thank you for checking in <3

i hope you enjoy!

~ lumine

-

like real people do

Magnus has succumbed to Alicante’s traps.

Not the treasure trove of wonders and the hoard of knowledge, but the mere existence of Alexander has lured him close and kept him sated despite the deadline Magnus is racing against.

It leads to things like this, where instead of spending time in the ice library, he’s instead in the steamy caves of hot mineral pools with Alexander.

“Do you trust me?” Alexander asks, a soft grin on his face as he walks into one of the largest pools, the hot spring that he sometimes lays in while shifted.

“Of course, treasure,” the words fall off of Magnus’ tongue, honey-sweet with sincerity.  Magnus trusts Alexander in a way he thought impossible once, but that now seems natural.

“Good, you’ll need to.”

The perfunct words don’t match the pleased flush on Alexander’s face or the smug glint in his eyes before he shifts.

A wing stretches out and Magnus understands immediately the honor being offered him and the trust he needs to extend in turn.

The joints of Alexander’s wing offer a ladder to heaven as Magnus finally climbs up to the point between two joints of bone spines and lets his magic-wreathed fingers linger as he climbs.  Delighting in the rumbling purr it earns him, feeling how it reverberates through Alexander’s entire body until small waves are lapping at the edges of the pool.

Alexander is cold beneath him, when Magnus finally seats himself.  A stark and soothing contrast to the thick steam and then without further ado, they are plunging down.

The pool that Magnus once thought merely wide now seems incomprehensibly deep as Alexander’s wings and tail propel them through the water. A torpedo twinning down and down until it’s only the sheer mass and relief of Alexander’s ice nature that make the journey bearable. 

Alexander’s magic ensures that Magnus can breathe — and Magnus' own magic would have worked, he knows enough spells — with a cold layer of frost around his face. 

They surface into a cave of clear and vibrant green and blue minerals.  The crystals thrumming with something unheard but instead felt.

Here too is a library.  One with strange books made and bound with reeds and shells and the thick kelp they passed by. 

Magnus’ heart stutters, breath catching as Alexander shifts, drying them both with a shake of his hair and then proudly motioning Magnus towards a stack of books.

“I wanted to be sure it was worth it, to bring you all the way down here.”

The experience alone would be worth it, Magnus wants to tell him but his attention is riveted, captured by the books.

There are a series of runes rather than titles, a lost collection of rituals to tame the sands of Edom that has only ever been mentioned in myth.

“Treasure—” Magnus’ fingers tremble as he reaches out, carefully touching the perfectly preserved pages, the texture almost fluid beneath his fingers as he opens the first book.

Beyond his wildest hope, he’d never imagined such a thing to still exist, if it ever had.

Nothing else is said as he feather-quick looks through the books, his back braced by Alexander’s body as his dragon reads and watches over his shoulder. Supporting Magnus with his presence and the steady hands on Magnus’ hips that lend him strength.

It’s in the third book that he finds the answer.

A beautifully elegant but horrifically devastating ritual that will tear a Greater Demon apart without their power going berserk upon annihilation.  Without the backlash of Edom causing severe damage on the realm that tore a part of her away, and with a list of ingredients that make Magnus wonder if he’ll need to find yet another answer.

He’s sure he can, that it would be possible to find another answer in the books he has yet to read.  Yet this one would be the best, he can tell from the way his magic responds to merely reading the word in his mind.

“Half of these will be nearly impossible to find without copious amounts of time and effort—” he mutters to himself. Already searching through his mind on how to delegate such an endeavor. 

“Magnus.”

Alexander rarely interrupts him and Magnus turns, abandoning the open book and his thoughts without regret. 

Realizing that in his fervor, he’s neglected the very being who brought him here. An apology is on his lips, but Alexander isn’t looking at him, instead his pupils are wide and dark, swallowing up his irises as he finishes reading the page Magnus set down.

“I already have all of those things.”

“What? Darling, what’s required is far more than just books and scrolls or jewels and some rare potions.”

Alexander blinks slowly at him and then something soft crinkles the corners of his eyes and he huffs out a frosted breath.

“I’m a dragon, Magnus. I may prefer finding abandoned or lost hoards, but I collect things all the same. If it has value to it, I have some type of it somewhere in Alicante.  Or did you think I would limit myself to knowledge and trinkets?”

Truthfully, Magnus hasn’t really bothered considering what Alexander hoards, beyond being honored that he’s been allowed full reign of a dragon’s lair.  Now it makes something spark in his chest, something he snuffs out immediately. 

Alexander is temptation incarnate as it is and if Magnus allows himself to indulge, even just one more quick taste, he may not have the willpower to leave.

Even if his departure is only temporary. 

“How am I going to leave you, even if only for a moment.” The words are pulled from him regretfully, remorse churning in his belly, already feeling a longing to be reunited even though they’ve yet to part.

“What do you mean, leave?” Alexander’s brow is furrowed and the scales on his jaw expand, shifting and rippling as they cover his cheekbones and the ridge of his nose, the corners of his eyes and his brow.  

“I can’t do the ritual from here, Alexander.” 

“Then you can send the ingredients and instructions through a portal. I’ll give you permission, give them to you entirely so they’re more yours then mine. And you’re already able to portal throughout Alicante, if you tap into the wards with a keystone then you can portal them to wherever you want. The other warlocks you’ve said are out there can complete it.” Alexander seems convinced, clearly thrilled by the solution he thinks he’s discovered.

“Thats—” Magnus hesitates and then smiles, soft and disarming, “the bloodline of Edom, the blood of Royals that I carry, is needed, Alexander.  It will ensure the ritual is at full strength. This fight will need every advantage possible.”

Alexander processes that, clearly displeased but trying to understand and then he nods, accepting reality so quickly it relieves Magnus.

“Then we’ll both go.”

Magnus falters for the first time, fingers tight around Alexander’s own and keeping his voice deliberately calm asks, “both of us, treasure?”

Absolutely not.

The very thought of Alexander’s first introduction to the outside world being amid the current chaos and destruction is incomprehensible. 

No, Magnus needs to see this through and finish it.  

Once and for all.  

No one will be surprised if he takes a leave of absence as a High Warlock after this.  In fact, the Labyrinth will almost certainly declare a mandatory sabbatical for the warlocks on the frontlines.

So Magnus will do what he needs to and return.

He promises this even as he plans how to ensure it.

—

Everything is gathered now, tucked into the rings holding Magnus’ pocket dimensions.  Every priceless thing needed for the ritual has been sealed with magic that will allow them to leave their keeper’s hoard without inviting a curse.

“This is for the best, darling—” Magnus promises, soothing Alexander with magic and words, desperate to linger for just a moment longer, even though his heart lies already deep in sleep.  He dressed Alexander warmly, made a nest of the bed with furs and silk, quilts and feathered stuffed blankets that should be more comfortable than a stone floor with some furs. “I’ll be back before there’s time to even consider it a true dragon nap, just a few weeks at most.”

Perhaps it’s cruel to trick him so, to use the very gifts and privileges Alexander has given Magnus over the weeks they’ve spent together.  Magnus loathes locking him back into the same magically deep slumber Magnus woke him from, but it's the only way to keep him safe.

Here in Alicante where even Lilith cannot stray.

It’s torture, to tear himself away from Alexander’s side and leave him there.

Yet only here will nothing touch him.

Magnus knows that. 

Proof of it is how Alexander’s magic is in every aspect of Alicante and the hoard itself revitalizes him even as his magic cloaks the entirety of his realm.

But Alexander will be alone again, even if he remains asleep.

Magnus will be leaving him, if only for a little while.

It breaks a part of him to do this, but Alexander hadn’t understood the concept of Magnus leaving his side and Magnus can’t take Alexander with him.

Not when Alexander would be a target, perhaps not truly defenseless but Magnus can easily imagine how quickly his treasure would be taken advantage of.

Too many would see the curious, almost innocent gleam of Alexander’s eyes as he’s introduced to a new world and they’d want to use him.

Magnus has left layers and layers of his magic across Alicante by now.  

Despite the distance between them, Alexander will sleep under his embrace and when Magnus returns, he will wake his dragon with apologies and kisses and promises that he will be able to keep, next time.

Magnus doesn’t hear the agonized, aching roar of fury that echoes across Alicante as the portal closes, or how the calm peace shatters as wingbeats shake the very air with thunder.

The sky turns black, the sun blotted out before the world of Alicante flips upside down as a dragon falls.

—

AN:

Alec is fine, i don’t think anyone deserves the anxiety of cliffhangers in this economy so just so you know he is throwing a (well deserved) giant dragon tantrum.

He let himself get as big as possible and then let himself fall into his own damn lake when he realized that no, he really can’t feel magnus anymore. Magnus left.

He’s going to take a nap at the bottom of it in heartache and he’s going to be sulking the entire time magnus is gone. Magnus left like, everything except himself that alec could track and while alec will eventually plan on how to go get magnus. He’s allowing himself to recover because he’s really upset right now and not dealing with that well and magnus had told him his presence would only put him in danger (a lie but magnus was out here trying to play 5d chess with alec who thought they were playing footsie) so he’s not going to risk that. He’s just really upset right now okay? He’s really out here going: if id eaten him he couldn’t have left me... but then i still wouldn’t have him next to me. i don’t like this. If magnus wanted me to sleep then i’ll take a nap and ignore him. See how he likes it. Then i’ll show up when he least expects it. Waking me up just to put me to sleep again, like a book put back on a shelf when you’re done reading it.

Magnus. You really thought you could take a dragon’s heart away and just use sleeping magic to keep him unaware???? 

Magnus: im not taking anything alexander hasn’t given me. So i’m not stealing from his hoard. 

Magnus taking himself, which is Alexander’s and who has certainly not given permission for his hoard to leave

Alec waking up with Magnus gone: ... i see. So it’s true you can’t trust anyone. 

Please remember magnus has only ever interacted with alec and him. Like he’s never seen alec meet people and he thinks alec mostly kills people because they intrude on his hoard.

He has NO fucking clue that his oblivious, gullible (to him) sweet little isolated dragon who must be protected is actually at nature a very asocial and insular dragon who (once he meets people) finds himself 100% grateful that he was isolated because he doesn’t think he could handle people without magnus. No matter how tasty the treats Magnus introduces him to are.

Like Alec is happy he waited and didn’t have them for centuries. They’re probably tastier since Magnus is feeding him anyways. 

Magnus: i can’t take him with me, he’ll be taken advantage of the moment i turn my back to take care of lilith 

What actually would have happened is a very large angry dragon coiled around Magnus, protecting him and sharing magic with him while he did the ritual.

Magnus is not the bad guy in this situation!!! 

No one would consider taking the person they love (someone they consider a very vulnerable personality because of evidence) who doesn’t have any experience in the world to a war zone. Magnus is going to be busy and everyone he trusts is going to be busy too.

But also

Alec: i’ve been pawbandoned

Alec in a little ice bubble in the button of the lake (i loved and i’ve loved and i’ve lost him) 

[koinotame]

idolatry

word count: 3.1K content warnings: unhealthy relationship dynamics, half self indulgent reader insert fanfiction half character study, unreality, religious undertones, possession is discussed abstractely, hypothetical harm to reader, the yandere is subtle but it's there

summary: you've somehow been reincarnated into a version of genshin impact where all the playable characters are self aware and seem besmitten with the player. the problem is that they can't make up their minds about whether you're their player or not...

a/n: aether vs your many fake fans

the flow of time has never felt steady to aether. despite how important it was to humans wherever he and his sister have traveled, there has always been a disconnect from it for him. You disappearing for months at a time is nothing out of the ordinary. time flows the same with or without You. like the sea's waves, it recedes and pushes. when he's used as a vessel by You, weeks can pass by in the blink of an eye and hours can feel like years spent in Your embrace. years have passed since You first started possessing them, and yet it's only been a couple of months at most. nothing moves forward in Your presence, nothing stays in stasis in Your absence.

so when he suddenly truly understands how humans experience the passage of time during another one of Your disappearances, aether immediately knows something is wrong. filled with dread and a harrowing heaviness deep in his gut that something has happened he can never take back, he finally understands what it means to be desperate for more time. have You abandoned him at last? has he not been enough, not quick enough to uncover this world's secrets and find his sister as You desired? finding you, clearly not from this world and trying to backtrack when you call him by his name—aether, his name, not Your sacred name he has been passing off as his own ever since Your arrival in teyvat—before any of Your other undeserving, fanatical vessels do seems nothing short of a miracle to him.

overjoyed at not having been abandoned after all, he clings to you and promises to protect and guide you through this foreign world—this time not as Your vessel, but as your first and most devoted follower. he doesn't need to be his own person, not when he can exist within the context of you.

paimon is less convinced. aether has turned even more immoderate and unnerving ever since your appearance, and she's not a fan. she… kind of understands. how important You are to aether, to the many others You've met through them during their journey. but does he—do any of them—really need to devote their entire being to You? she doesn't mind you, as a person, she really doesn't. but she doesn't like what You as a concept do to aether.

these days, she barely feels like she's part of the group, the one she formed with aether what seems so long ago, anymore. your arrival has completely overshadowed her presence. where she was previously part of a duo with her travel companion, she feels like little more than an afterthought now. she misses him. he calls her silly for it. she has only ever known him through Your command, so there isn't anything to miss. he's the same as he has always been. she just doesn't understand because You never graced her with Your embrace, and now that you have seemingly lost that ability perhaps she will never understand.

she says nothing, but she finds herself a little glad. better to never experience Your embrace, whatever that means, than lose herself completely in devotion to someone who clearly wants none of it.

the first archon they approach with you, venti, is apologetic but firm in the notion that aether is simply confused. he can understand how aether came to the conclusion, desperate and unused as he is following Your disappearance, but Your presence is simply unmistakable. he bids the two of you farewell amicably, but you find it impossible not to notice the difference in his demeanour afterwards when you run into him around the city. his smile is deftly crafted and practiced, his voice level and fingers steady as they pluck the strings of his lyre, but something about his eyes betray his own growing desperation.

if even aether is faltering like this, perhaps You really have abandoned them this time…? if he shows You how well mondstadt is faring, how much they've rebuilt and grown and thrived since You helped him quell dvalin's anguish, will You be proud of him and return? even if not to him, at least to the city? will You ever have Your vessels dance in the city square's fountain, or make the hike up the skyfrost nail to gaze upon the beauty of the unabating grey and white landscape again?

over time, even venti wavers and starts seeing what aether has seen in you. it is equal parts acceptance and desperation that drives him to you, to the one Your faithful traveler has placed his belief in, to feel Your embrace again, even if it can never be the same as it once was. he survived thousands of years without Your grace, to fold for it now that he knows what Your benevolence feels like is nothing short of shameful. the thought gnaws at him all the while until it has consumed him whole. in the end, he has not grown at all; still that little wind spirit desperate to not lose another he holds close. somehow, when you hold him, he can't seem to mind.

while the two of them have never discussed the matter of You explicitly, aether is perceptive enough to realise zhongli is one of the most reverent of the whole… of any of Your vessels. you called them cast without thinking the other day, whatever that meant. of Your cast. so he goes to him next, telling him that You've made Your way to this world permanently, that he's found You. his first instinct is anger, anger at your lying, anger that aether, who You have blessed with Your presence more than anyone else, who You picked as Your primary vessel, would fall for such mockery. aether was astute to not bring you along when he announced this, or perhaps you knew and chose not to yourself. it matters not. he knows he has proven himself to You, that the real You would never hesitate to reveal Yourself to him. instead of expression his righteous fury, he does his utmost to reign it in. if anything, this works in his favour. he almost feels sorry for aether, wrapped so tightly around the pinkie of a fraud.

upon meeting you properly, he realises perhaps he misunderstood the situation a little. zhongli isn't a fool (when he's not blinded by momentary rage, at least), he can see how uncomfortable you are with the whole situation. while you are not blameless for continuing this facade, aether has deluded himself and cast You aside entirely on his own—and when You finally grace them with Your real presence, zhongli is certain aether will be the first to fall from Your grace. that drunkard too, falling into temptation out of loneliness like that, will get what's coming to him.

until then, all he needs to do is keep his distance and stay as he is, as Your most loyal and dedicated devotee. until then, all he needs to do is send the two of you off. there is no need for him to get violent, not when Your punishment will hurt aether all the more. he thought he was long past such childish emotions, but he supposes that even now You breathe new vigor into him.

you shy either away from visiting inazuma entirely. seeing how the previous archons have reacted to you, you have little doubt that the raiden shogun would be the first to get violent. it's a dilemma you would rather avoid altogether, if possible. just in case. maybe your worry is misplaced, but… aether, of course, can never deny You, and the raiden shogun, of course, would meet your expectations without a proper thought.

the puppet has learned since, but much of the framework of logic she used to enact the vision hunt decree and rule over inazuma in the past several hundred years remains and is hard to completely make away with in such a short amount of time. imposing ei's will on a whole nation is wrong, but arresting and doing away with someone making a ridicule of You is a completely different thing. ei remains a little more hesitant, but even she cannot bring herself to completely disagree. You are the pinnacle of eternity, of control, of life—for some mere human to be impersonating You is unacceptable. hearing the traveler, Your closest companion, has put his trust in you would give her a bit of pause. he was right last time, so maybe this time as well… but then it was You who was right through him, not him in and of himself.

ultimately, your instincts would have turned out to be correct, and she buries herself in her plane once again, leaving the shogun to continue cleaning up inazuma. on her own, she imagines herself meeting You—the true You—and what it would be like to welcome you to her nation in earnest. she wonders if You would be proud of her.

nahida knows You immediately. she is the archon of wisdom, and weak as she may be, that title is not for nothing. your presence feels a bit differently from how it did when there was much more distance between You and her, but it pushes and pulls in a similar way. she doesn't feel she needs to, but should it come to it, she could always take a quick peek at your thoughts… and she would just get confirmation that she was right from the start. now that she's free—largely by virtue of You and the traveler—her word has much more weight than before. sumeru will always welcome You with open arms. if you prefer to live more privately, she understands that. but know that you can always come to her. for anything. she really, really means it.

it's only a small, selfish part of her, and she doesn't like thinking this way or how the other archons, the ones who should recognise You right away, are treating you, but a tiny part of her deep down finds herself feeling almost proud that she's the only one to recognise your grace. whenever you're around, she finds herself spending all of her free time with you. she wants to hear everything—your thoughts, your opinions, which weather or meal or nation you like better, your experiences, your home world, what it was like handling your vessels, everything and anything you deem fit to share with her. from how you indulge her, she's glad she also seems to bring you a similar comfort to the one You give her.

she wonders if Your embrace feels similar to when she possesses others' bodies. the warmth and absolute serenity that overtakes all of her senses when You control her can't compare to anything else. it's nice to be in at the helm of herself too, of course, especially with her newfound autonomy. but if You were to offer her that comfort permanently, she wouldn't be able to turn down Your offer.

when furina looks at you, she sees a reflection of herself. she might not recognise You, but she cannot bring herself to disdain someone in such a similar position to herself. she cannot imagine that You, kind and benevolent and goodhearted as You are, would want her to be cruel to you. whether that is her genuine belief or an attempt to redeem herself to You, after deceiving not only Your vessel but also You directly, does it matter?

Your presence has been a fairly recent entrance in her life, but she has been hearing about You for hundreds of years. she cannot remember a single conversation she ever had with her mirror self that did not feature You as a point of dialogue, of ambition. with only her and You to cling onto for hope for five hundred years, the only natural outcome was to develop such a strong faith and dependence on You. perhaps not as fervent as some of the other… archons, but not something that should be underestimated. Your presence in fontaine, even if through the traveler, had given her renewed hope at the time. as soon as she saw him for the first time, she knew.

your presence is… completely different. there's hints of You—likely residue You've left in the traveler—but not much else. she cannot believe in false idols, she tells the two of you, but she will see about providing some lodging for you. even if the traveler—even if aether is wrong about this, his service to fontaine deserves some merit, so she's sure this can be overlooked. it's what You would want, she hopes to herself. and if she finds herself seeking you out more and more, what difference does it make? when you smile so sweetly at her and praise her for holding on for so long, that you're proud of her, her resolve cracks.

neuvillette has always known of You. it is only when the traveler shows up in fontaine with Your presence in tow that he understands with certainty that You do exist, that he truly understands how wonderful Your warmth feels even at a distance and in these circumstances. You take Your leave for a while, and he thinks he is alright with that. even just knowing Your comfort so intimately (because this is already so much more than most are permitted), however brief, is enough for him. perhaps his returned authority also has an impact, but he is certain it would not have felt this invigorating without Your help.

and then You return, and he finds himself actually understanding what it means to be embraced. no sooner is he experiencing what it feels like to be whole for the first time before he finds himself in sumeru's desert, where he remains stranded for a week. Your presence fades until his punishment—for what, he remains uncertain—is complete, but Your hold on him does not, and something keeps him in place there the entire time. You do not use him much after that. he cannot deny Your judgement, even if he does not quite understand.

he learns of your arrival in teyvat through chance, by way of some opera gossip which happens to mention that furina has found herself a close friend. when he catches a glimpse of you… he cannot say he feels Your presence. none of you breathe a word about the subject to him, and it is only much later he learns of what you're hiding. if Your every loyal furina and Your first and most important vessel recognised You when he did not even so much as suspect it, where does that leave him?

of course childe would recognise You. that piece of the abyss that clawed its way into him so deeply it will never separate from him again would recognise You anywhere, even should ajax not. long before your current descent, he recognised Your strings of control much earlier than most of Your other vessels did. while he's never really given much thought to whether others have recognised You as well, he noticed the way Your presence lingered on aether in particular right away.

it's part of what drew him to the traveler in the first place—what's so special about him? why not childe? why did this outlander get to be Your vessel and he didn't? has he not proven himself enough for You? his mission aside, he felt a more personal disdain at the traveler. after he embarrassed himself in front of You and the truth came to light, he tries his hardest to redeem himself to the traveler. to You. so, naturally, when Your favourite little traveler comes to him with You in tow, he recognises You right away, as he always has. he's a little bitter, if anything—why did it take aether so long to come to him? does he not trust him? is he controlling You and Your actions? or—and he tries not to think about this too hard—is it You who doesn't trust him?

it doesn't matter. You're here now, and he's here for You now, and he'll do everything in his power to help You. You won't have to be alone any more, he promises, You won't have to hurt any more. nobody will harm You, ever again, not when he's here now. (he ignores how aether has easily stopped any harm from coming Your way so far without his help.)

it is you who thinks to approach albedo. the link is weak, but as soon as aether shows up at his makeshift lab in dragonspine with You in tow, he knows. it's as if he has no other option than to recognise You, however faint Your aura has become, as if there was never another possibility. it makes sense—after all, he was made for You. so were all the others, in a way, as was the whole world of teyvat, but not in the same way his master crafted him for You. to appeal to You. to be used by You. to find out the truth about You, though it's possible she just left him with that mission (to find out the truth about "the world"—You are the world) to keep him busy after she threw him away when he did not yield the results she was searching for. it doesn't matter. he's found You now, and he can't let you slip away. especially not to Your other, faulty vessels, those who couldn't recognise You at first glance.

thankfully, you seem fond of the area of the mountain and don't mind staying. you even take interest in his work, though you seem to not enjoy the constant sketches and pieces of art he produces of You for you as much. it's not the same as when You fill every molecule in his body and bend it to Your whim, but this is also nice.

one day you ask him about alice; she's been to different worlds, so you wonder if he could ask her about her methods. you seem hesitant, and you waited specifically until aether had left to collect some food for the next couple of days. it's a logical choice, Your favourite vessel would not take Your request well. albedo can't find it in himself to either. even if it's you asking, he cannot just let You leave, not after all this time. he promises you he will ask, but is honest when he tells you alice might take a long, long time to pass by mondstadt again, so… in the meantime, let him know if there's anything he could do to make Your stay here in teyvat more comfortable. anything at all. You're going to be here for some time, after all.

[max-nico]

I am obsessed with soulmate characters. There is no (light) without (dark) there is no (sun) without (rain) there is no (day) without (night) there is no (joy) without (anger) there is no (red) without (green) there is no (love) without (hate) there is no (defense) without (offense) there is no (tide) without (moon) and these characters can be love interests, best friends, enemies, rivals, I DON'T CARE, but they understand each other like no one else does and where one goes the other follows

And this isn't about just grumpy x sunshine this is about one existing without the other. Characters where if you take one away a part of them gets taken with the other, characters whose lives are significantly altered by the absence of the other, characters who literally already do find each other in different universes.

[perfectfeelings]

Yes, there are times we live for somebody else.

The Lumineers; Dead Sea

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Magic System

A Quick Guide to Crafting Your Own Magic System

The comforting tug of the familiar can often draw writers into the domain of tried-and-tested magic systems.

While there's a reason these archetypes endure, speculative fiction thrives on innovation.

So here are some guidelines and questions to ponder as you craft your unique magical framework:

Analyze Existing Systems: What makes them tick? Is it the laws, the setting, the cultural context? How can you take a known concept and turn it on its head? For instance, if elemental magic is overdone, what about a system based on abstract concepts like time, sound, or dreams?

Mix and Match: Combine disparate systems. Perhaps in your world, astrology-based magic is combined with bio-magic, where celestial signs grant specific biological enhancements.

Internal Consistency: Ensure that the rules of your magic system are internally consistent. If you're coming up with something new, like Brian McClellan with his “godglass,” consider the broader implications. How would such a system affect economics, politics, or social dynamics?

Ask 'What if?': Let your imagination roam by posing hypothetical questions. What if magic was a tangible, finite resource? Or perhaps it's a virus, and only those infected can wield its power?

Balance: Whichever route you choose, remember that each magical ability should come with its own set of limitations, costs, or ethical dilemmas. This not only adds depth but also avoids the pitfall of making your characters too powerful to face any real challenges.

Above all, let creativity be your guiding star.

Embrace the known, but never be afraid to venture into the uncharted, for therein lies the magic that readers will remember.

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[shisasan]

To live not loudly, but luminously To move in grace, and speak only what burns true To let beauty rise from the ordinary To heal the old wounds, as one touches sacred relics and craft the kind of magic that leaves the air different, fluid That is the pulse, and vow, of my soul Spring 2025

[fisshbones]

If Social Media Exsisted in Genshin…

these are all mine but very inspired by actual tweets

[baeshijima]

u know what would be a cool genshin fic idea? isekai/transmigrated reader, but instead of appearing within the general timeline, you come into the genshin world 500 years prior to the start of the storyline in khaenri'ah.

honestly it could be either a little before the cataclysm, giving enough time to delve into some relationship building + explore some world building with characters like dainsleif, traveller's sibling (which would probably be lumine bc i actually do like her as abyss sibling & aether as traveller), and npcs like halfdan (still crying over him to this day ;w;) and possibly the khaenri'ahn royal guards (assuming you either join them or have a good enough relationship with them), OR it could be you appear during the crisis, completely and utterly lost as to why you were brought amidst the chaos and bloodshed as you watch everything you barely knew about this nation crumble before your very eyes.

either route will still result in reader's existential crises and constant "why am i here? just to suffer?" monologues because really, who would be fine after going through that after coming from /our/ world? and not to mention you've had to endure the next 500 years wandering with no real set path because you don't know this world— this era of teyvat or of genshin. you're merely stuck, unable to die, and forced to live a life of uncertainty with no clear direction for you to go to.

despite it all, you've at least been able to see dain during this course. while your meetings pass far too quickly for your lonesome, and his solemn demeanour is something you're yet to be accustomed to after having been with him before the fall of khaenri'ah (assuming it's the route where you appear before the cataclysm), you're glad to see a familiar face every now and then. after the messy departure with the lumine who left for the abyss order, you've come to appreciate his quiet presence more and more each time.

and then you decide it might be time to settle. you soon realise it's difficult to do so when your lifespan has become far more than that of a human's — of a mortal's — and so you find yourself becoming used to staying in one place for a few years before setting off for the next. rinse and repeat. over and over. it's come to a point where you've witnessed the nations undergo various changes each time you visit. you know change is inevitable, and yet your heart stings each time you witness it; a testament to how the world is ever-changing, yet you're stuck in place as a bystander.

one thing you're grateful for, however, are the bonds you've established amid your back-and-forth over the centuries. from archons like zhongli and venti to long-life beings such as neuvillette and the adepti to regular mortals who have showed you kindness as if one of their own... you've grown to cherish those memories, often reminiscing them when the nights get too long and surroundings too quiet. it was difficult at first, and still is, but you've become used to the inevitable change and the passing of those you once knew.

and after 500 years, you find yourself face-to-face with one you haven't seen since before you appeared in this world; the protagonist of this world, and the one you eventually join in hopes of finally finding a means to an end, aether.

little side notes/extras:

from /our/ world, you would probably know the storyline from up to around current (5.0) or maybe a little after the fontaine aq conclusion. it gives a lot to work with, but you definitely won't remember a lot of the lore after so long other than some main events, especially since most of your knowledge is pretty irrelevant for the next 500 years,,,

i think it would be cool if you had an inteyvat on your person as a little homage of khaenri'ah, which may or may not invoke some opinions from certain characters (*cough* aether immediately being reminded of lumine and having an existential crisis *cough*)

post-cataclysm you would go through a, uhm, long phase of helplessness, wondering why you were even brought to this world so far back if you couldn't even make any contributions. it does eventually morph into a resolution to do what you can to help those you come across if it's within your capabilities, but the nightmares and helplessness come back every now and then as a reminder for what you can't do :D yippee :D

honestly i'm on the fence whether you would have a vision or some other type of abilities (think on the similar lines of aether/lumine's and dain's), but i think having some type of purification mechanic would be a must in your arsenal !! would definitely lead to some moments between you and characters like dain or zhongli who suffer from the erosion as you give them a slight reprieve from what rages within and corrodes them

a little self indulgent, but i'd like to think your first /proper/ meeting with zhongli happens during a lantern rite festival, wherein you're admiring the lanterns in the sky after making a wish of your own and he comes up from behind with "they're beautiful, wouldn't you say so?" and !!

also as for love interests, as much as i would love for human/mortal characters, a part of me feels like this story would be better suited for the immortal/long-life characters as love interests?? idk i feel like considering that 500 years is, well, a long time, the bonds you would have with them compared to characters like, say, alhaitham or diluc would be way too different ?? though i would definitely still add them as love interest bc i am a sucker for so many of the human characters ;w; it would also add to the angst and hurt/comfort ahahha...

anyway thank you for reading this massive brain dump of a fic bc i absolutely would put this as a long term project, and if u made it this far then i would like to say that dain solos—

[yuesya]

The people of Bourou Village are quite surprised to be receiving waterlogged visitors.

Surprised, and cautious. Quite understandably so, Lumine thinks. From what Zhongli had said, Inazuma was a country that had recently just gone through a tumultuous civil war, so it makes sense that the citizens of a recovering country would be wary of foreigners. Particularly when the country in question was missing its patron god, the Electro Archon who had been slain by the leader of the rebel force.

“The Raiden Shogun, the Narukami Ogosho, is the sole Archon who has ruled Inazuma through the ages. But with Her Excellency’s death, and also the recent passing of Rex Lapis of Liyue… one must wonder if this is a sign that the times are changing.”

A heavy sigh, and the elderly grandmother in front of Lumine shakes her head slowly.

Lumine, for her part, hands over the package of boar meat that she’d been asked to deliver by another villager.

“Thank you, dear,” the grandmother accepts the package. “I hope the ramblings of an old woman haven’t taken up too much of your time. Really, it’s quite unfortunate that you and your friends have not arrived in Inazuma in one of our more hospitable times. But alas… well, perhaps it’s still a sign of fortune in these trying times that you’ve washed up on the shores of Watatsumi. Had it been Narukami Island that you arrived at instead, I doubt you would’ve been treated as kindly.”

“Really?” Paimon inquires curiously from over Lumine’s shoulder. “Watatsumi Island is special, granny?”

“Watatsumi Island is protected by Sangonomiya-sama, the Divine Priestess who leads us,” the old woman says, a hint of pride coloring her tone. “Even without the Raiden Shogun, I believe in her and her vision for Inazuma’s future.”

Lumine blinks. That was a lot of confidence that this grandmother was putting in their ‘Divine Priestess.’ Was this a common attitude among Watatsumi islanders? Just who was this Divine Priestess, to inspire such loyalty from her people?

And… for a prominent figure like this, had she been a major player in Inazuma’s civil war?

Lumine spends some more time talking with the chatty grandmother, before returning to perform other tasks around the village. The people of Bourou Village had been wary of foreigners in the beginning, but the pitiful states of Lumine and the other shipwreck survivors had wrought enough sympathy that they’d been welcomed into the village. They were willing to provide food and other supplies to them, in exchange for menial labor from those well enough to work.

And so Lumine found herself quite busy these days, running errands and learning more about the new country that she’d arrived in. Inazuma was quite different from both Mondstadt and Liyue. Even despite missing their patron god, most of the people that Lumine encountered in Bourou Village were quite resilient, and transparently full of determination and hope for their future.

From what Lumine gathered about Narukami Island, though, where the Raiden Shogun once dwelled and directed the shogunate from… people there might not share the same attitude as the ones of Bourou Village.

Lumine is going to have to travel to Narukami Island, if she wants to find out more information on the Raiden Shogun.

Eventually, the time comes. The other shipwreck survivors regather their bearings, and Lumine prepares to leave Bourou Village as well. Their plan is to head to the Sangonomiya Shrine together. The sailors in order to seek assistance, and Lumine in order to find anyone who might be traveling to other islands in Inazuma, so she can cross the treacherous waters. Hopefully much more safely this time, without any lightning storms.

Before she leaves, though–

“Excuse me,” Lumine asks Kuri, the fisherwoman who is a friendly villager who knows everyone around and is familiar with them all. “I just wanted to ask –do you know where Gojo is? She was the one who directed us to Bourou Village, and I wanted to at least thank her before we left.”

Kuri blinks, “Who?”

“Erm… Gojo? White-haired girl who wears a blindfold?” Lumine tries. “Although I’m not sure if she’s really blind…”

The woman shakes her head. “Sorry, I’m not familiar with anyone by that name. You must’ve happened upon another traveler, I think.”

“Ah, I see.” That was quite unfortunate. But if Gojo was a traveler just like Lumine herself… maybe there was a small chance that they’d run into each other again sometime in the near future?

After all, Lumine’s journey in Inazuma has only just started.

[thetempleofhades]

your sadistic creator fic is just so JSOIAMWAIO scrumptious.

Are you gonna do a part 2? PLSSSS your writing is SO good

thank you for your kind words!!! and of course, i dedicate this part two to you nonnie <3

in the eyes of your acolytes, you were perfect. A beloved existence that had decided to grace them and live amongst them. They never looked closely enough to notice it, but Venti and Zhongli had known you for long enough that they knew your ticks. your thinly veiled sadism.

the disinterest that turned to interest when someone came crying towards you, almost as if you were fascinated by it. And you were, you hadn't seen people cry very often but their reactions were always so.... it made you feel someway.

you didn't want to purposefully hurt people maliciously. you loved your followers! but when they cried out of embarrassment and flusteredness because of your teasing, it made you happy.

"Awwww, Zhongli. Won't you cry for me~?" You cooed at the acolyte kneeling in front of you. "If you cry, then I'll forgive you for starting fights with other acolytes." You cooed at him, eyes glinting.

Venti, who was by your side, had to suppress the shiver that went down your spine.

safe to saym that day you were left content with the amount of crying Zhongli did for you.

extra little fun tidbit.

"Your Grace, who's your favorite?" Lumine asked you, standing by your side as she always did, Aether on your other side.

"Venti.... He's so pretty when he cries... Neuvillette is also pretty when he cries." Your voice was dreamy, as if you were thinking the most pleasant thing.

"!!!!" Everyone in hearing distant is both alarmed and jealous.

[alexanderlightweight]

Hey! Happy Wednesday

I dont think the vs has a name but I'd love to see the follow up to the fic where Alec gets seriously hurt and Magnus doesn't find out until days later. Maybe when alec wakes up? Or an izzy or cat pov?

Thanks 💛

i'm finally back to fill this! so the fic's name is pandora's box and I wrote when Alec wakes up. (link included to first part because it's so old. and I retagged the old one with the name)

this is a very fun verse tbh because Alec is just 'oh Magnus is here. everything is fine' and Andrew is like 'everything is not fine. raziel smite me I shouldn't be seeing this'. (this = just how in love malec are)

hope you enjoy <3

~ lumine

-

pandora's box

Nothing hurts.

That’s the first thing Alec notices.

He should still be in pain. Should still be writhing in agony and trying to give his shadowhunters instructions but unable to because he can’t stop screaming.

He’s not screaming anymore.

Alec can feel where his body should be raw and tender and being eaten away at, but the pain is gone.

Everything is blurry as he slowly blinks his eyes awake.  There’s something strange about his surroundings.  He’s still in the Institute.  He can feel the angelic core connected to the vows he made with it but the layers of the wards feel thicker than normal.

As if they’ve become a physical representation of the protection Magnus layered across the Institute long before Alec ever met him.

Magnus.

Even with the feel of the wards and the weight of Magnus’ magic it's not enough.  He wants Magnus, not a substitute made of his thoughts and Magnus' magic.

“Mirai—” he croaks out, eyes too heavy to keep open or look anywhere but the ceiling. “Tell Mirai to get the High Warlock.”

His throat doesn’t hurt but he can’t talk anymore, the words unable to come out and Alec guesses that even if he can’t feel how hurt he was, his body is letting him know all the same. 

“That won’t be necessary, Alexander. I’m already here.”

Alec would be able to recognize that voice even if he lived a thousand lifetimes and his eyes fly back open, his hands reaching out even before his eyes can focus on Magnus.

He’s there.

Tall and strong and so very beautiful and he looks sad in a way that makes Alec want to kill whoever made his smile dim. He tries to ask what’s wrong, but not even a croak comes from his throat and two fingers wreathed in blue flames press to his lips..

“Hush, don’t try to talk just yet, sweetheart.” And Alec blinks back relieved tears that he won’t have to try and endure this without Magnus. “Drink this for now.” A potion bottle is lifted to Magnus’ own mouth and then he’s leaning forward, pressing smooth, warm lips to Alec’s own chapped ones and feeding him the liquid.

It tastes like bitter herbs and honey and Alec grimaces as he hastily swallows, trying to chase Magnus’ lips for a true kiss.

“Stop it, you ridiculous shadowhunter. You’re too injured for kisses. Heal more and I’ll reconsider.” 

Alec pouts as he's pushed back and held against the medical bed so he can't move. As he's about to try and nuzzle Magnus' hand he hears a quiet, muffled sound of dismay and a whispered apology.

“I should not be seeing this. Commander, I am so sorry.” 

Alec blinks at the unexpected interruption and manages to turn his neck to see Andrew watching them both with mortified despair.  

It’s unexpected.  

Both that Magnus let him so close and that Magnus is here at all. No one knew to call him and Magnus normally wouldn’t interfere with the Institute. 

“The potion will need time to work so listen closely.” Alec gives a soft nod, signaling understanding and agreement as he refocuses on Magnus. Andrew being there makes this easier, not harder since Alec won’t be staying in the Institute much longer. Not now that Magnus has arrived. Now he just needs to listen to Magnus since Magnus obviously has a plan. “I need you to tell your security office, Undermole or whatever his name is, to let me take you. That you’re taking two weeks off for recovery and will be reachable for emergencies but only if they’re actual emergencies. And you’ll be guiding them through it, not physically joining them. Understand?”

Alec nods, because even with as hard as it is to think and focus, he knows a perfect plan when he hears one.

Especially when it's one Magnus has made to keep them together.

—

Andrew really didn’t expect to wake up this day and see his recently dying commander make grabby motions at the tablet Andrew is currently clutching.

Especially not after the High Warlock of Brooklyn practically ordered him to.  Alec doesn’t like being told what to do  — not even by the Clave or his parents — but right now, it looks like he’s perfectly happy and content to listen to whatever Magnus Bane says.

There’s a frown on his face now, one that says Andrew is wasting time and he approaches cautiously.  Wary because his instincts were right. This is his Commander’s lover and if Andrew isn’t perfectly polite, Alec will take it out on him when they train.

Once he’s better of course.

And by Raziel is Andrew relieved that Magnus Bane arrived, even if it means getting a horrifying amount of insight into his Commander’s private affairs.  

Andrew hands over the tablet, watches as his Commander tiredly clicks through several documents, adds his thumbprint and then he frowns at the tablet. 

“I can’t find the send button, it’s too blurry.” and then Alec is handing the tablet not to Andrew to finish, but to Magnus Bane.

It’s a level of trust that signifies this relationship is far more complicated and deep than even Andrew realized and he’s going to need to tell Mirai.  Alec doesn't even let his own siblings handle this tablet.

They’ll need to all be prepared because this isn’t going to stay quiet or hidden.

It makes Andrew wince even as he accepts the tablet gingerly from Magnus Bane.

Gingerly because the minute they make eye contact magic starts sparking from his fingers, as if the High Warlock is daring Andrew to protest.

“Everything looks in order.” Andrew says after several achingly long moments of making sure Alec signed everything properly. It’s hard to tell how coherent or capable he is beyond making rational choices. “He’s all yours.”

Andrew regrets his choice of words immediately because fierce, golden eyes pin him. Threatening to dissect him if he dares even think about getting in the way. Of course Alec would go for someone as terrifying as Magnus Bane. It makes complete sense now that he’s seen them together.

Especially as Magnus Bane seems to know exactly how much power he holds, Bane’s smirk a vicious knife as he opens a portal and reaches for Andrew’s Commander.

“Yes. He is.”

-

AN:

Andrew Underhill: OMG this is worse than if they had sex in public. i'm seeing emotions. from the high warlocks AND my commander. I didn't know either of them had emotions like this. I don't have the security clearance for this!!!!

Mirai is going to be so busy during the next two weeks. half of it is making sure no emergencies interrupt alec's recovery and the other half is doing damage prep for when he shows back up

Magnus helping Alec resettle into his job and going with him because he can't trust them not to kill Alexander accidentally at this point: why do you have so much work? this is ridiculous darling.

Alec: because this is a job for two and I don't want to get married to a female shadowhunter and I love you?

Magnus: scoot over sweetheart and hand me a pen. I don't need to understand a report to be able to edit it. it's a skill ragnor's never forgiven me for but it works wonders. i'll work on this half and you work on that half, hmm? just give me an old report for reference to be safe.

The Institute in shock as Magnus starts working from Alec's office unless he has clients.

everyone else: is this even legal?

Mirai: are you going to suggest to either of them otherwise?

everyone else: no. no thank you. we like living.

[pediledile]

[kanonavi]

Spoilers for Simulanka Day 3

There's a conversation that I've had with friends from time to time about the fact that the world of Teyvat is, at its core, incredibly kind. Shockingly so, even for most fictional stories that aren't directed towards children. Even though the traveler has faced many antagonists on their journey, the people around them have always banded together to overcome those challenges. Even when people are hurt it's very rare for anyone to die, and many of the antagonists in question aren't pure evil and have their own reasons for taking the actions they take. They may not always operate on the same morality as the traveler or the player, and they might not be "good people", but they still believe that what they have to do is right, or at the very least necessary.

To put it more simply, Genshin is filled with characters that are made to be liked. Not every player will like every character, but very few of them are actively trying to work against you, and even when they do there's still something there to like. Except for like, Il Dottore, but he's likable for how unlikable he is (I have to say that or my Dottore enjoying friend will be sad lmao).

I got to thinking about this when playing the last part of Simulanka because it was a reminder of how, despite the kindness that they've been shown by Teyvat for the past three and a half years, the traveler's morality is still shockingly black and white in many situations.

We see this the most in how they interact with the Fatui. The Fatui, particularly the Harbingers, have cause a lot of damage in the past, but a lot of the grunts are just ordinary people following orders. the commission line in Mondstadt with Viktor, Golden Apple Archipelago 2 and The Chasm come to mind for times when we've interacted with Fatui grunts in a way that really humanizes them and shows that a lot of them really are just people doing a job. Some of them have just been surveyors or low-level guards, but the traveler and Paimon treat them like they're cartoon villains until proven otherwise (and sometimes even after proven otherwise).

The way that they acted towards Simulanka Durin before the party gave him their blessings also seemed to reflect this, especially in comparison to the other party members. Wanderer was obviously the most sympathetic to Durin, since his memories were like looking into a mirror for him, but Nilou, Navia, and Kirara all stepped forward to give Durin their support while the traveler was still showing doubts. They were thinking about how the residents of Simulanka might not forgive Durin, or how his form was too big and scary to coexist with everyone, which was an incredibly unsympathetic outlook even though they were ultimately able to change Durin's form.

It honestly reminds me a lot of how the traveler treated Scaramouche/Wanderer in Inversion of Genesis, like he was a person to be kept the company of only out of necessity as a means to keep him under control, even after Nahida said that she trusted him. Even though something did go wrong at the time, it still showed that the traveler's suspicion and distrust of Scaramouche was strong enough to outweigh their trust of Nahida, despite Nahida having proved herself many times to be wise and worthy of trust in the past. That mistrust and even disdain for him even carried over into when he reappeared with no memories, as the traveler was forcefully adamant that he needed to reclaim his memories and atone, to the point that it seemed like they were being a little bit mean about it.

It's arguable that Scaramouche deserved that treatment, since he was kind of a little shithead who caused a lot of harm in the past, but the traveler was also witness to how deeply he was hurt and manipulated in the past, and therefore would have some kind of understanding of why he turned out the way that he did.

Despite the traveler's usual helpfulness in Simulanka, Nilou, Navia, and Kirara all feel like contrasts to them. Nilou's whimsical outlook and positive mindset allowed her to grasp the magic of creation and even gave her the initiative to try and change Durin's form with magic in the first place. Navia is used to taking care of "the little guy", as it were, through the Spina, and was therefore willing to listen and empathize with the toy people who didn't want to undo the power of prophecy. (With those guys also being called "conservatives" or a "conservative radical" in English, that doesn't really have a good connotation depending on your political leaning, but Navia listened to them anyway). And with Kirara, while I haven't played her little sidequest yet, the description of her outfit described how the little cat burglar stole and returned the emotions of the cats that they hadn't been given when they were created, casting her in the role of someone who can understand the balance that anger, sadness, and pain bring to happiness.

The three of them, as well as the Wanderer, all carry Teyvat's fundamental kindness with them, and it was then coaxed out of the traveler only when all of them had already stepped forward.

It made me wonder if this is some kind of lesson that the traveler has to learn before reuniting with their sibling, that they need to be more willing to put their trust in people, or at least be more understanding of others. While the abyss twin hasn't divulged too much of what they've learned yet, they've made it clear that there are lessons that the traveler needs to learn about the world before they reunite. While that likely has a lot to do with various truths about Celestia and the sky being fake and all that, perhaps they're hoping for their sibling to learn that at least in Teyvat, sometimes people who cause harm to others are simply trying (or have tried and failed and lost hope) to find a path towards co-existing with others.

Since the abyss twin is supposedly born of Teyvat as well, perhaps they've already understood that part of this world from the very beginning and are waiting for their sibling to catch up.

[thoughtkick]

Yes, there are times we live for somebody else.

The Lumineers; Dead Sea

[perfectquote]

Yes, there are times we live for somebody else.

The Lumineers; Dead Sea

[blood-orange-juice]

Replaying Liyue arc and I've been writing chilumi so wrong.

I severely underestimated how bored the boy is. His life is all "yes sir" this and "you honour us with your patronage" that. The first time he smiles in the story is when the Traveler pushes back in conversation and refuses to elaborate why they are searching for the Seven.

Maybe that was him defusing, or him finding irony in the fact that we are, in fact, still getting duped, but I want to think he just enjoyed getting a challenge. Even a tiny one.

I knew he was bored and it's obvious he only saw us as a mark in the beginning but I missed the scale of it, I think.