#mad king kain

[sabraeal]

The Sword Between, Chapter 5

[Read on AO3]

Blue silk settles over her like an estranged acquaintance; two years ago it had fit like a second skin, but now it squeezes at the bust and requires far fewer petticoats to pad out her hips. The hem, however, settles perfectly— a finger’s breadth above the the floor, just as it always had. A terrible way to learn she hasn’t grown a single, vertical inch since seventeen. Makiri will be practically unlivable.

“Such a pretty color, my lady.” Ami’s hands smooth over the skirt, coaxing out the creases that linger at her waist. Haki is half-tempted to tell her not to bother; it’s a fabric that begs to be rumpled, the furrowing above her hips only serving as a reminder of how hands might sit there, silk wrinkled in their grip. Of how easily it might crumple beneath the slightest pressure, like petals plucked from a flower's stem.

The last time she had worn this dress, she'd been more concerned about whether her prince might find her singing voice pretty, or hear rumors of her fair face and be tempted to sneak north simply for a glimpse of it than what an enterprising young man and a willing young lady might get up to in Wilant's dark corners. But Lowen had been her age now-- older, if she does not mistake her figures, though not by much-- and more than ready to contemplate such arrangements. Had he thought of it even as he knelt before her, head bowed in deference, swearing to protect her body with his own? Had he gazed up at her with that that placid mask of his, still as a lake's surface, and felt the first ripples of--?

“His Highness will surely think it suits.”

Haki's secretive smile sours to a pout. “I look young.”

Feels young is more like it, fingering the fall of lace at her décolletage. She’d been little more than a child the last time she donned this particular frock, and it’d been a season out style even then, the seamstresses of the city unable to keep up with the rush to raise bust lines and drop hemlines and overhaul sleeves altogether. But she had been proud of this one, so unlike the other gowns father had gotten for her— practically modern and made with silk bought off Tanbarunian traders instead of salvaged from one of Mother’s old gowns. A fairy tale of a dress, a dream, and...

And she’d put it away with all the others when the first prince had made clear he was in no rush to settle down with a lady wife. Yet here she was now, trotting it out to spin another story for a child even younger than she. There was poetry in that, perhaps, even if it was only the sad kind.

“Boys like His Highness do prefer a youthful lady,” Ami muses, gaze meeting hers in the mirror. “At least, if he’s naught but sixteen, as your father’s man says.”

Haki hardly misses the stress on that— your father’s man. As if she could not lay the same word's at Ami's feet-- her father's maid, paid to make sure all of her most embarrassing escapades ended up in the duke's ear.

“A pity there’s no time to have me done up in ringlets.” Fine hairs flyaway from the loose braids behind her ears; she smooths them down. “It would have made for a much more convincing ingénue.”

Ami is not the sort to smirk or sneer, but there is a twitch at the corner of her lips, a wryness that not even her scrupulous good manners can smother. “You are hardly old enough to need tricks for that, my lady. Sir Lowen is right” —as much as she is loath to admit it now, her sigh says— “it would be little hardship to fall in love with you in this dress.”

She doubts that this prince will be moved to devotion by a frock near three years out of date or by the older woman wearing it, but she must admit-- there is some charm left to it. The blue brings out the palest shades of her eyes and complements the most honeyed tones in her hair; a far cry from the humble damsel awaiting her rescue, but a fairy tale princess nonetheless.

“One can hope,” she breathes, hand splayed over the fabric at her belly. “Or at least fair enough to inspire some foolishness.”

Ami hums; a melody that swings between agreement and agitation with every note. “Certainly more reasonable men have made themselves fools for you.”

It’s a pointed remark, for all that she can’t think of a single one. The men who frequent Wilant are friends of her father, old enough to have children her own age. Few of them spare her a glance, save if they have a son her age, though those have been few and far between since her betrothal. There are soldiers of course— guardsmen who care more about Makiri’s skill than her conversation— and servants, but none that—

“Is there anything else I’ll be needing to take care of, my lady?” Ami asks, solicitously smoothing out the lace at her shoulder. And yet her gaze fixes elsewhere in the mirror, somewhere over Haki’s shoulder. The door to the sitting room, as if she’s waiting for someone to walk through. A ridiculous worry with Lowen guarding the door. “Anything that needs an extra cleaning?”

Her gaze cuts towards where the dressing screen sits, toile covered in scenes of young ladies picnicking and small dogs running over picturesque stone ruins. There’s not a stain on it, as cream-and-teal as it was the day she’d had it brought it, hoping that it might help keep the heat in around her—

Her bed. A pertinent question for a maid to ask after she had been sent away for the night, assured that there would be another set of hands to help her charge undress. Who had only seen a rumpled mess of sheets when she arrived in the morning, fire lit by an expert’s hands. And now with whatever she had seen in the hall…

Well, if she had thought her reflection young before, her flush makes it positively childish now. “N-no. There’s no need to—”

It’s mortifying to try to put the night into words. How close she had trod to impropriety, only to be rebuffed. How sure she was of his interest even so, only for yet another prince to put himself between them. Oh, if that Bergatt boy put himself before her right now and asked if she would like to see the end of the Wisteria reign, she could hardly be responsible for the answer she might give.

A practiced breath draws her upright, shoulders square as her father had taught her— you are my daughter, he would grunt, holding them straight in his hands, there are few to whom you must bow, and none to whom you must bend. It is not a sweet young princess that looks back at her in the mirror, but a lady of the North, ready to defend her walls.

“There is nothing with which you must concern yourself with,” she says with all the ice her blood can summon. “I think you will find your hands full already, trying to find more dresses that will please His Highness during his stay.”

“As you say, my lady.” Ami bows her head, as a servant ought, but it does little to conceal her smile— or her relief. “Though I’m sure there will be quite a few, if I look among some of your older wardrobe.”

It takes a concerted effort not to grimace. She too had been a more whimsical girl once, as taken with fairy stories as she was with the old lays, dreaming of knights and their ladies. Of princes disguised and true love’s kiss. “They will need to be retrimmed.”

“Of course.” There’s a fondness as Ami lays her hand on a trunk, a wistfulness Haki cannot quite understand. “I’ll see to it.”

“Good.” She steps down from the mirror with a sigh, her dress rustling after her like leaves in the underbrush. “I’ll need all the help I can get.”

*

Lowen is on his feet when she sweeps into the parlor. Odd; for all his much vaunted skill in the ring— a beast with a blade in his hand, Makiri had always told her, like he’s fighting for his life— her guardsman always seemed more apt to lounge than lunge outside it. And yet as he stands there, attention drawn to the angle of her entrance, his weight shifts in a way that implies movement rather than repose.

“Come.” It would be simple to brush too close as she passes him, to let their eyes meet in a gaze so heavy it might well be a caress, but she bustles past instead, careful to keep even the barest hint of ruffle from slipping over his boots. “My father calls.”

It is not until her toes cross the carpet’s edge that she realizes their are no footfalls behind her, that Lowen has not fallen into step, using that rangy stride of his to eat up the distance between them. No, when she glances over her shoulder, he is still where she last left him, hands curled to fists at his side.

“Sir.” There is a layer of reproach as she speaks, covering the concern beneath it. “He is waiting.”

His fingers twitch, the barest flinch. “Are you certain?”

Haki does not turn to him— that would be a concession too far, a confession with a dearer cost than she can afford— but her shoulder does lower. “That Father waits?”

“No.” Lowen hardly allows a thought to stray across his face, let alone wears his heart on his sleeve, but there is something that lurk beneath the gaze he fixes on her, a castigation and a plea all in one. “That it is wise to bring me.”

A princess does not allow her mouth to thin, does not let her eyebrows angle to imply impatience; a good thing, then, that Haki is not one yet.

“Sir, if there is anything that I am certain of, it is that.” She shifts— not a ceding of ground, but a firming of resolve. A planting of her feet, gaining better leverage to yank on his leash. “Come. You would not have your lady go to battle without her knight.”

Still, he remains unmoved. Not even the barest sway to show he’s heard her.

“Is that what this is?” he says after a long moment. “A battle?”

Her mouth works for a moment, uncertain. “What else can it be? If my father were to bend any more…”

Then the North would be broken. On one side would be the ones who still clung to Father’s prudence, who would see profit in playing Wistal’s games, and on the other—

Well, it had been said once that the stones between Wilant and Oriold would never wash clean. That even now, when the snows melt, the side of the roads run red. The lords of the North may play at civility now, nodding at the southern court’s fashion of love and courtly graces, but that only hides the histories written with bloodied hands.

Lowen breathes, eyes fluttering shut as he takes it in, but when they open—

There is steel there. A resolve that does not waver. “Then let us go to battle, my lady.”

*

She is too aware of Lowen as they make their way through Wilant’s halls; aware of how his gaze lingers on her, tracing the fall of lace along her collar and dragging down the silken curve of her waist. Aware of the space between them, just enough for an arm to reach across and grab, for the inches to disappear between them and to finally finish the conversation Ami had so unfortunately interrupted.

It’s tempting to turn, to catch his eyes and invite the sort of resolution it would bring. But even though his stare burns hot enough to catch her alight, he does not speak. Not a single word to draw her attention, not a single brush of skin against skin to call her to him. Although her legs tremble effort with the effort to keep putting one slipper in front of the other and her neck aches from keeping it angled straight ahead, he does not stop her, not once.

It is too important, she realizes. For all that she wants to clutch at Lowen’s shoulders and ask just what thought churn behind that stare of his, it is a distraction she can ill afford. Her father’s plans are balanced on a blade’s edge, and it is her who decides which way their fortunes tip.

She will not disappoint him.

It is still Arleon guards on the door to the great hall, and they move aside before she even utters, “My father is expecting me.”

A single step inside is enough to know why: the prince’s party has already arrived. Still covered in the dust from the road by the looks of it, harried and eager to be shown to the privacy of their chambers. By the wary angle of the royal guards’ shoulders, Father and Makiri have resorted to thin excuses to keep them here. Waiting for her.

With a steeling breath, she nods to the footman at the door. “Lady Haki,” he announces, the slightest tremble in his voice. He’s not used to such esteemed visitors, it seems. “First daughter of his lordship, the Duke Arleon.”

If she thought she might have trouble picking out the prince from among all this white and blue and broad shoulders, she is saved the trouble; his party drops to show the deference due to a duke’s daughter, leaving only a single one of them on his feet.

The queen consort had sent her a gift once, during the months in which her father and the king dickered over the finer points of her betrothal of the first prince— a miniature, done fully in oils, of Izana himself. Long engagements may be prudent, she had written in her elegant hand, letters looping across the page, but they often are lonely. Let this satisfy both your company and your curiosity.

He could not have been more than fifteen, maybe sixteen when he had sat for the portrait, but even so, there was a gravity to that narrow face, a piercing quality to the deepness in his eyes. A regal tilt to his pointed chin, a knowing that lingered in this corners of his mouth; strangely serious for a prince who would become more known for parties than policy. Not yet a man, but she could see the one he would make once the last of childhood was stripped from his cheeks.

What they have sent her now is hardly more than a child.

His brother’s portrait might have hinted at manhood, but this boy— his face is still round, baby fat still clinging stubbornly to his bones. Perhaps there is a threat of a heavy jaw lingering there, a promise of something masculine and square opposed to Izana’s more feminine angles, but it is impossible to tell beneath those full cheeks, flushed and flawless as a doll’s. His hair is cut the same way of his brother’s, but instead of falling with a stately sort of grace across his forehead, it is a dandelion’s tuft, baby-fine and untamed.

“Ah, Your Highness.” Father’s gaze holds hers for a long moment before it drops to the would-be heir,  meeting his wide eyes with no hint of his displeasure. “You have yet to meet the reason for all our celebration, I assume. Haki” — his hand sweeps out, beckoning— “come. Greet our honored guest.”

She doesn’t not so much walk as float down the runner of the Great Hall, skirts swaying as if it is only clouds that ruffle their hem, not carpet. It takes hours of practice to turn that which is earthly to the ethereal, but Haki had long shouldered every ache and tumble in the name of causing her prodigal husband to swallow his tongue at the altar.

There is something far less satisfying about inspiring the same reaction in his brother. “It is an honor that you have come for so humble an occasion, Your Highness.”

“Of course.” His voice is reedy, not quite finished changing even if she can hear the man in it. It breaks at her flawless curtsy, flustered. “I mean, the honor is mine. It is hardly every day that we can celebrate such a fine young lady becoming a woman.”

It’s the sort of thing a fond uncle might say, not a boy four years her junior, but Haki smiles nonetheless, hoping it does not sit as stiff as it feels. “You are too kind, sir.”

“Not at all,” he insists with a graciousness that would seem more natural on a man three times his age. “It is its own sort of accomplishment. To be, er…”

“Twenty.” When Makiri smiles it is all teeth, a wolf scenting blood on the snow. “That’s how old my sister is. Old enough to get married now, according to your southerners, isn’t it?”

The prince is too earnest— and his skin far too pale— to cover the flush that blooms up his neck, painting him pink from collar to brow. “T-that is true. But, erm…” His gaze casts about, trying to find a safe place to perch. “Ah, b-but I haven’t yet introduced my party. Sirs…?”

One of the men rises— dark hair shorn short enough that she can see a neck as brown as a laborer’s, far from the lily white of the noble son knelt beside him. He unfurls to a startling height with the same lassitude as the castle’s cats, as if he was only ever on his knees because it pleased him to do so. There’s a cant to his mouth that only supports the implication, but when she raises her eyes to meet his eyes—

She flinches. There’s a scar there— a gouge, badly healed, that stretches from cheek to cheek.

“Sir Zakura Shidnote, my lords— and lady.” He nods at her, mouth tilting toward a smirk. “Lately of the Royal Knight’s Circle. And this is Sir Michel” — his hand cuts toward the noble son getting to his feet, a boy just about Makiri’s age, though he carries it better— “one of the more promising squires from our last bout of new blood.”

“I’m a knight, really,” the young man insists, pushing back the hair that’s flopped over his eyes. “Though I am, ah…new, my lord.”

“Just earned your accolades, is it?” Father may not be a man of smiles, but his eyes crinkle at the corners, warm. “My son—”

“Earned them two year ago,” Makiri interjects acidly, brows bent in his most surly scowl. As if that would help him look any older than his scant years.

Practically a veteran, she almost says, but there is not enough wide-eyed sincerity in her to cover the bite. As much as she might like to tease, she hardly needs to be reminded: they are not among friends.

“Just so.” Father squints the way he does at their accounts, tallying up the men before him. “Did you not have another man in your party?”

“Ah, yes, Sir Mitsuhide.” The prince's mouth pulls thin before he recollects himself, grimace turning to boyish grin. “My apologies, I had hoped for all of us to be here to greet you, but time was short, and there was an issue with our…baggage. We left him to sort it out with your staff.”

Father’s mouth turns stern. “Then should it not be I who apologies to you, Your Highness? If there was some issue, then surely—”

“Ah, no no! This was, er…our fault,” His Highness insists, oddly guilty. “I’m afraid my mother insisted on one last gift, even after all the carriages had been packed tight! It changed…quite a lot of our travel plans.”

“I see,” Father murmurs, though it’s quite clear he does not. He is not a man of last-minute anythings, let alone travel plans.

“But he will be here for the formal reception, of course!” The prince smiles, bright. “He wouldn’t miss it— he’s a northerner, trained at your very own Sereg.”

“Sereg.” Now her brother straightens in his seat, an excited sheen in his eyes. “So he’s skilled, then?”

“Some,” Sir Zakura drawls, a corner of his mouth creeping up his cheek. “Enough that the king requested him by name.”

“By name…?” Now it is her father who leans in, brow furrowed. “You cannot mean— Mitsuhide Lowen?”

The prince nods, pleased. “The very same.”

“I’ll be damned.” Father settles back in his seat. “I nearly asked him here, before His Majesty snapped him up. He was one of Sereg’s finest swords. ”

Sir Zakura smirks. “And now he is one of Wistal’s.”

“Lowen?” Haki keeps her voice low, pitched for only her and her shadow to hear. It's a curious coincidence, considering how closely her knight has always played his card to the chest. “Is there any relation to…?”

Her chin tilts, hoping to catch his eye-- or at least the angle of his mouth, but--

But when she slants her eyes to his usual place at her shoulder, there is nothing behind her but empty air.

[ans-incorrect-quotes]

Haruto: Kain, stop! You’re not acting yourself! You’re mad with power!

Kain: Well, of course I have!

Kain: Have you tried being mad without power?

Kain: It’s boring.

[loxosceleslolo]

Legacy of Kain hot takes no one asked for:

1. I honestly hope the new comic and any reboots or sequels are the wokest woke things that ever woked.

2. There is no heterosexual explanation for Kain et al's leather pants and bondage gear. Especially not the Blood Omen 2 variants.

3. It's been 20 years and I'm still mad that the only female characters with more than a couple lines are the sad ghost girl and Ms. Fanservice.

4. I would be super disappointed if Raziel came back for a sequel. I think his arc in the series was so beautiful--the only person in the world with free will? And he chooses to sacrifice himself and embrace a destiny he could have eschewed so his vampire dad-husband-king has a fighting chance to unfuck Nosgoth? Ugh it's so good. Bringing him back would cheapen that.

5. Sassy talking sword Raziel would be pretty funny, though

[estinininininen]

*takes deep breath* first fanfiction posted online in nearly twenty years. Final Fantasy IV, i dunno how many words, probably around 2000? unbeta'd. just after the sealed cavern debacle. Cursing and referenced violence. Edge POV, but it's actually about Cecil, Kain, and Rydia:

-

Kain's betrayal has split them into pairs: Cecil and Rosa, and Edge and Rydia. They each stare at the others as if they have gone mad.

"He's not usually mean, or, or, or cruel like this! You've known him for long enough to see that!" Rosa says.

"I don't know him at all," Edge says. "Bastard always hid his eyes and never talked to us!"

"He was struggling against the spell," Cecil says. "He didn't mean to do this. I'm sure of it."

This pauses the argument, because Cecil is the only one sitting hunched over, resting to recover from blood loss. Edge stares down at him. He feels his face twisting with many emotions that will be obvious even behind the veil. Pity, anger, disbelief.

Quiet until now, Rydia pipes up. "He's not like you, Cecil. He's not good deep down."

Rosa turns away and does not try to hide or stop her tears. Cecil huffs at Rydia, for a moment almost like an indulgent parent unable to scold a child, instead of the focused holy warrior Edge has grown to rely on. Considering what little he knows of Cecil and Rydia, the thought of him patronizing her, on behalf of this Kain guy, for a moment it makes Edge want to - want to smack Cecil, or bundle Rydia in his cloak and take her away. Snatch that holy headband right of his pretty face and huck it in the lava.

There is some great sin hovering over him and Rydia, and also Kain, Edge knows. None have answered when Edge questioned what it is, what Cecil did to her, how Kain fit into it. Rosa deferred to them. Each said what amounted to, That's for the others to share when they're ready, and even if Edge weren't a ninja he'd know that was a desperate trick to hide from the problem. It was only a step removed from "Ask your mother," and then being told "Ask your father."

Edge had wanted to ask the Eidolons. He was going to, but then he saw how Queen Asura and King Leviathan looked down at the two Baron men, bowed low and motionless before them, far longer than necessary. He decided not to, and told himself it was for diplomatic reasons, not wanting to test the new connections between Eblan, Baron and the Summons. It was not because he was scared reopening that wound would get him or the two fools blown to bits. Not at all.

Into the puckered silence, Rydia says, "Well, he's not. Kain's not a good person. I haven't forgotten what he . . . what he said to you at Mist."

Cecil's head snaps up. "What?"

"He threatened you," Rydia said, whispering. Her eyes are looking at Cecil and also at some distant memory. "He threatened you, he told you to kill me, and it was before he was under Golbez' thrall."

Rosa turns back to them, jaw dropping. Edge is certain he's done the same, but he's a terrible politician and can't hold his face so he's not sure.

"I was seven," Rydia says. "I was a child, and you were the one who did the right thing, and Kain wasn't going to so, so I don't, I don't want to hurt you or Rosa but he is not a good person-"

"Rydia!" Cecil says. "Rydia, no, that's not right-"

"I had ears, Cecil," Rydia says. "I was seven but I could hear you." She curls her fists at her side. Rydia is not actually quick to anger, Edge realizes. All the bantering and frustration she has with the prince of Eblan is nothing compared to how furious she is now. She is just as quiet when ready to kill.

But Cecil is still going on. "That's not what happened. No. No!" He shakes his head. "He was threatening me," he says.

Total silence falls.

"He was threatening me," Cecil says, and hangs his head.

"What?" Rydia says.

"What?" Rosa says.

Cecil looks up, open his mouth, then checks himself, slaps his hand on the ground, and looks back down.

"Will someone please explain to me what the hell happened at Mist?" Edge says.

Rydia's brow furrows into little lines that even in the strange moment Edge can't help but find cute. He is not prepared for what Rydia says next. "Kain and Cecil killed my mum's Eidolon, which killed her," she says.

Edge looks toward Rosa, who does not seem surprised.

Cecil sighs. "We were ordered by Cagnazzo, pretending to be King Odin, to open the way to Mist and deliver a package. He ordered us not to open it until we arrived and presented it to the town leaders for all to see. It was a bomb ring, and Golbez must have been watching us for the moment to set it off."

Cecil is good at compartmentalizing and military summaries, but Edge see this is hard for him. He rocks backwards and looks up at the stone ceiling of the cave entrance. "The first blast ignited almost the whole town, and then living bomb monsters came out of the ring and began hunting down the survivors. Kain and I were safe in a small circle near the ring, but smoke was going to kill us if we stayed or tried to help anybody. So we ran."

Edge looks towards Rosa again. It is still knowledge she has heard before. Rydia's face is like glass, still and smooth but ready to shatter at a moment.

Cecil continues. "On the edge of the village we heard a girl crying next to a dead body. Bombs were still flying behind us, and people who left the town were chased down. I think the only reason Kain and I lived still was because of the ring protecting us from its effects - but I don't know. I will keep guesswork for later. The girl cried that her m, her moth-"

Cecil swallowed and lowered his face to wipe his eyes with one hand.

Rydia spoke. "I told you she died because someone had killed her summon."

Edge fears for a moment the paladin has cracked, because Cecil laughs. "Well, you were saying that to - to anyone who passed by, more like. It's really been ten years for you, hasn't it? Rydia, I'm sorry, it's not been so long for me, and I can still-"

"Keep it together, man," Edge says. He thinks this was the right thing to say, it's not right for Cecil to need comfort from Rydia, but Rydia's focus for the first time snaps to Edge and almost burns a hole right through his skull. He withdraws. Rosa sits down next to Cecil and puts her hand in his.

"Tell me what you mean by Kain threatened you," Rydia says.

Cecil says, "Kain said we needed to kill you. The king wanted you dead. And he drew his lance. That's what you remember?"

"Yes," Rydia whispers.

"I was between you and Kain. He was preparing to attack me if I listened to him and tried to hurt you."

Rosa gasps and says, "You wouldn't have done that, Kain knew that-"

Cecil cut her off. "No, he didn't know that. When it came down to it, I was a dark knight who had just come back from kill- . . . from murdering civilians in Mysidia and stealing their crystal. I had told Kain and everyone I saw in Baron that I felt it was wrong but I had still done it."

Cecil stops and Edge knows he is about to roll around in his guilt like a pig in mud, but the story is not done. Rydia cuts off Cecil's reverie. "You pushed Kain back," she says. "Away from me."

"I pushed Kain back and said I wouldn't hurt a child. Kain said that he thought I'd say that. I don't think you heard that. Kain's an ass, I'm not denying that, but he thinks quick. The fire was there, bombs were flying, and you seemed ready to bolt. If he wanted to save you, Rydia, he couldn't wait for me to figure out my loyalties. I had the bomb ring."

Rydia exhales through her nose. "And you hadn't realized yet this was what Cagnazzo intended."

"Until Kain said so. If I . . . if I had been alone and saved you . . . Well, I wouldn't have made it that far, Kain is the only reason I . . . but if I had been alone, and thought, halfway through returning to Baron, 'I can't come back with this child' . . . I'm not sure what I would have done . . . "

Edge snaps.

"You silver-haired bastard," he snarls. "You would have killed her?"

He will not forget Cecil's expression for a long time. "The king was the only father I had ever known," he says. "I didn't think I would ever kill people begging me to just leave, but I did. I already had. For him."

"You are fucked in the head," Edge says.

"Yes," Cecil says.

"I knew you were the dark knight that attacked Mysidia, but wow. And what, you think a different guy who says he's your father cancels out this shit? Wipes the slate clean?"

"No," Cecil says.

"Would you do whatever I asked if I said I was your father?" Edge says.

"Edge," Rydia says. "It's between me and Cecil."

Edge continues, because he can't stop the fire building behind his eyes, and if he doesn't speak it will come out as something even worse. "Holy dipshit," he says.

"Right," Cecil says.

"Edge!" Rydia says. "Shut up and leave him alone. This is the part I've worked out with him already. Numerous times. You're not my, my protector or whatever it is you're trying now," she says.

"What? You think that - that I'm trying to - ? That is the last thing on my mind," Edge says. "There's too much at stake, here, way more than I realized when I first met you lot, and it turns out the man I've been trusting, everyone's been trusting, to stop Golbez is an asshole who couldn't figure out it's wrong to kill a child without his even bigger asshole friend pointing it out?"

"Edge, you're not listening. He did figure it out," Rydia said. "Wait, no, I mean, he didn't really need to ask that question. Of course he didn't. He's Cecil. Have you met him? Haven't you noticed he gets upset if he has to kill a bug?"

Cecil opens his mouth to say something. Rosa hushes him.

Edge's calm center of ninja training is gone. He is gone. His parents are dead, Eblan is in ruins, and Golbez has all but won. He has found emotional limits he didn't know he had and smashed through them like a rampaging chocobo. He yells, "Well I am definitely not flirting with you just because I'm a little concerned! That the man! Who ruined your life! Is here and you don't seem to care-"

"He did ruin my life," Rydia says, as if talking to a child. "And then he saved it." Then she crossed her arms and stared Edge down.

"Rydi-" Cecil says.

"Cecil," Rosa says, in the tensest tone Edge has heard yet from the white mage. Edge sneers down at her. "Well I'm glad someone has him on a leash," he says, and turns to leave the sealed cave.

"Where are you going?" Cecil asks.

"Fuck you!" Edge says. He starts walking. But he feels, dripping at the back of his anger, something like beginning awareness he has . . . not overreacted, but overstepped some boundary with Rydia. He will not call it a "mistake," yet.

"Edge," Rydia calls out to him. "Don't go far."

-------------------------------------------

Rydia shakes her head after Edge leaves. "What a . . . What a baby. I don't know the word for it."

"He'll calm down," Rosa says. "I think."

They are silent for too long, and it is jarring when Rosa speaks again. "Do you want me to step outside?" she says. "If you two need to speak?"

Rydia looks at Cecil. "I don't think so, no," she says. "I love you, Rosa," she adds. It is Rydia's way to be open and calm with her feelings, and say them when they occur to her, more Eidolon than human in manners. Rosa is still startled enough that she doesn't say anything besides, "Oh, I uh, I love you too, Rydia."

The weight that Cecil always presses down on himself to move forward has come back. "We shouldn't spend too much time here. The wound has closed and the potion helped the bloodloss. I can recover on the Falcon now."

"Don't push yourself," Rosa says.

"We must tell King Giott. We have all but lost," he says.

"I can't believe that about Kain," Rydia says. "You really think that, that he decided he was going to fight you that quick?"

"Ah," Cecil says, as he shifts to stand up. He presses a hand to the wall. He feels much older than just turned twenty-one. In hindsight, Kain being ready to fling himself against Cecil at a moment's notice looks bad. His thoughts swim. He is not sure if he has improved Rydia's opinion of Kain at all now.

"I wish you had told me earlier," Rydia says. "I would have forgiven him, if he asked. And now he's gone . . ."

Dancing under the stones of their feet, deeper than the foundations of the earth, is the ever-present knowledge Rydia has not said the words "I forgive you" to Cecil yet. Or maybe that is just him. He hopes Rydia has not assumed he already knew if she does or not. He has not asked her.

After today he is not sure he can.

[kairiscorner]

i srsly can't help myself from making these

gojo satoru x filipino reader

• he fucking plays with the damn lato-latos (dk how to pronounce it properly pls help) EVERY DAMN DAY.

• i can imagine he plays with it on his own, while he's watching over his students from outside the barrier when they're on missions, when pissing off nanami, ESPECIALLY AROUND YOU, THE CLICKITY CLACKITING NEVER STOPS AND IT DRIVES YOU INSANE 😭😭😭

• he def listens to iv of spades or itchyworms, if he's feeling dramatic, he'd listen to regine or lea salonga.

• when you came home to him, exhausted and overworked, he turned on the karaoke machine he bought without you knowing and put on "gusto ko nang bumitaw" and sang it from the bottom of his lungs.

• he bought a karaoke machine to impress your relatives, he vibes with the noisiest ones but hates the chattiest ones fr 😭

• he has mastered the art of saying, "putangina niyo !" (it angered your relatives a little at how he says it so casually, without hesitation, but you didn't teach him that–your anger towards work/school/every/anything else did; yasz i swear when mad too ok 🫂)

• he loves mang inasal fr, that's where he hangs out if the kfc is full. if not mang inasal, JOLLIBEE 🫂🫂🫂

• he's a chocnut kid ok.

• he hoardes the chocnut away from you and indulges in it when he knows you're on a diet, HE'D EAT 3 WHOLE ASS PACKS IN FRONT OF YOU SHAMELESSLY.

• he likes the tinikling dance, but he gets sad when he dance to the notes on time, he wanted to know what it was like to get slammed at the ankles by the bamboo :[

• but it's worth it seeing you have fun dancing with him

• he gets scared of the flying cockroaches.

• "mahaaaaaal..." "ipis ba nanaman?" "yes........" "yan kasi, kain ka ng kain ng chocnut sa kwarto, alam mo naman makalat kang kumain hayup ka"

• he calls you the king/queen of the slipper bc you not only use it to slay those wicked cockroaches, you are mighty great at hitting him with it whenever you please :>

• HE ALSO LOVES CALLING YOU "MAHAL", IF NOT MAHAL, IT'S "BEBE KO"

• "mahaaaaal, i'm home", "bebe kooooo, can i have a hug?", "mahaaaaal, what did i do this time?", "bebe kooooo, they were being such putangina fuckers ! how could i nooooooot?"

• he loved kadenang ginto fr, it was too iconic for him. "OH MY GOD KASSIE" = "OH MY GOD MEGUMI" (he relentlessly memes it on megumi bc he can :>)

• surprisingly, he picked up on tagalog really fast. he treats your parents with respect, but he thought to call them "lolo at lola" instead of "ma at pa", he only called them the latter when he overheard your parents complain about how disrespectful that lolo lola thing was to their age 😭😭😭

• he wants to try all your childhood favorite foods, he LOVES TAHO.

• he fucking freaked when team yey had a filipino dub of digimon, he binged that the whole weekend.

• a couple of kids in your barangay challenged him to basketball (bc mf is so tall, they wanted a challenge) AND HE WHOPPED THEIR FUCKING ASSES SO BAD, HE CARRIED HIMSELF 🫂🫂🫂

[necromancer-4-hire]

Random LOK: Personal quotes

Kain: I was impaling your grandfather when you were a mere topic of discussion between your mother and the bishop...

Raziel: You need help and I'd be willing to pay for it...

Janos: I may be kind but I wasn't born yesterday...

Vorador: Well I like four-somes but we can't have everything we want!

Turel: Maybe if I shut my eyes all the stupid people will go away

Dumah: I f*cked your mom

Rahab: No I'm not helping you cheat your way through life

Zephon: I hate everyone... No one is safe.

Melchiah: How are you not dead?

Umah: I don't share... Period.

Magnus: I'm not lazy... I just like beating people up without extra duties. (His answer as to why he doesn't strive to be a lord/king)

Sebastian: You'll never take me alive suckers!

Marcus: Good morning bitches destiny has arrived

Faustus: Beggars can't be choosers... I love everything that walks

Moebius: I know something you don't know...

Mortanius: I won't get mad just tell me what stupid moronic thing you did this time?

Hylden Lord: (Usually when insulted or annoyed) Well damn just shoot me why don't you?

[also-fours]

i think people, including myself, need to calm down about the ben reilly thing in ATSV

i know we're all upset because of the way he was treated, and the way he went out, and "why is miguel being treated with respect and accuracy while ben is the edgy 90s comics joke despite them both being from edgy 90s comics" (not to mention that peter was actually the edgy one during those days, it was ben who was more lighthearted and taught peter how to be himself again after becoming so jaded, but uh, we had miles help peter go through that arc in ITSV so i dunno what you expected and i dont know why you'd bring that up)

i get that, hell, before today i was on your side too

but i feel ATSV ben is harmless, and the only thing wrong with all of that was the timing

if you're a ben reilly fan, you know that for like, the past decade or so, feels like, he's been treated like utter garbage

we had that fakeout return in kaine's scarlet spider comic, the clone conspiracy fiasco, the peter david run that shouldve been amazing but editorial hates ben reilly, faking us out again by making ben spider-man again, then making him chasm, nick lowe saying ben has no place in spider-man, then the dumbass dark web "king chasm" thing

but lets be honest, we all know that the directors and writers of ATSV had no ill will towards this, and they didnt *mean* to upset us

they did the same thing with noir a few years back, we can assume they wanted to do the same thing with ben

the only reason noir didnt sting and this *does,* is because of the terrible hand that ben's been dealt

the guys behind spider-verse know their stuff, we know they do, but think: all of the stuff that happened to ben happened during the time they were working on *both* spider-verse films

and when you're pushing animation past its limits and reinventing the wheel, and trying to put your best foot forward in writing, directing, all that, you dont really have time to *know* what the hell is going on in recent comics

yes, spider-verse was inherently built on something recent, but to that i say, first time we heard about that miles animated film was like, 2014, 2015? and lets be honest, the original film pretty much has nothing to do with the original spider-verse comics

i'd say across the spider-verse, moreso, is an adaptation of it, and even then, it just takes the general premise of A BUNCH of spider-people and two teams of them going to war with each other

so lets all calm down, okay?

or not, you can stay mad, i see why, this WAS bad timing, but lets just relax, okay?

lets hope we see him again in beyond, and we most likely will, i dont think they're gonna keep him down like that

[shiroi---kumo]

.·:¨༺ ✩★✩ ༻¨:·. He's gone before she can say another word and the anger on his face is clearly what is out powering the pain rocketing up the his left leg. Every step feels like fire but he doesn't care because the only thing he can think to do is get away from that woman before he conducts himself in any way that would further be so unbecoming. He's had it far past his limits when dealing with how the people in this place treat the literal King of his people, let alone the boy he raised.

They all are beyond excuse at this point so it's all he can do to drop himself down in a seat in the dining hall when he sees a fluffy head of white setting in that very room.

"Opettaja?" The younger asks as he pauses in his endeavor with the tiny creatures in the bowl that Pilvi seems to love so much only to change the focus on jade eyes directly to him. (teacher)

"Are you alright? You look angry and you were limping. Should you even be out of bed? If you're hungry I can get you something."

"Why do you allow them all to treat you like this?"

"What?"

"That woman and the rest of them. The humans. They treat you so poorly, never use your name, they translate your name and - and none of them ever refer to you by title like they should be."

"Are you really that upset about it? They translate my name because I told them to and they don't use my title because I never gave it to them."

"Why though?"

"Because I didn't want them to treat me any differently. I didn't want them to think I was higher than them or better than them in any way. Human Kings don't bow apparently and apparently they don't even consider Kings and Knights real anymore. They call them a thing of fairy tales and children's stories."

"What?"

"I know it was hard for me to wrap my head around too but that's how it is in their culture, so if I just told them I'm a King and expected them to treat me like one, they would get all uncomfortable around me and be scared of me and I didn't want that. I just wanted them to treat me like everyone else, so I didn't tell them."

"...I see." He pauses as he rolls this information around in his brain for a moment. "I might have made a mistake."

He watches as white brows raise and thin lips fall into a half frown while the prince sounds again.

"What kind of mistake? Which woman?"

"The human with injuries in orange and darkly colored hair. She said her name was -"

"Lisa? You're mad at Lisa?"

"She was so rude, Highness. She made it sound like you were friends and then you are not and she translated your name and called you that other name and she called you a boy. "

"You call me a boy."

"Joo, I do but you're my boy. I raised you. I have those rights."

"You don't get mad when Sielu or Aamunkoitto or Revon -"

"Pilvi you are quite literally our son by soul, we get to call you a boy and baby you. You're an adult, yes, we all acknowledge this but you are our baby. We raised you, so we get those rights by default."

"What about Setä then?" (uncle (sinfonia))

"You really think I'm going to tell him he can't baby you. He is literally your blood. He can do whatever he wants."

"So then you're only mad when people who aren't Misterican do it? Black Wind translates my name."

"I - did you tell him to?"

"Ei, and he speaks our tongue, but he does it any way." (no)

"But you just translated his."

"I know. He doesn't mind, and I don't mind being called White Cloud. It doesn't make me angry and quite frankly I don't want anyone around here to call Valkoinen Pilvi anyway. Kain knows my name and that's all that matters to me. As for 'Kumo' it means Cloud in a language from Earth called Japanese. Two of my friends, a pair of twin children gave it to me. That's where 'Kaze' comes from. It means Wind in their tongue. It's better than being called Makenshi."

"Who calls you Makenshi?"

"The whole of Wonderland thanks to His Excellency and if I had to pick between Makenshi or Kumo, I would very much prefer to be called Kumo."

"So it doesn't bother you then?"

"Ei, it doesn't." (no)

"And you don't want them to address you by title."

"Correct. No titles. I don't need them to think they need to suddenly be formal around me because they think I'm better than them or some other crazy reason."

"And you are not friends with that Lisa woman?"

"We're sort of friends. It's complicated. I was stuck under His Excellency's thumb at the time I met her and we were sort-of enemies for a while. Not by my choice though. When I pulled away from His Excellency and betrayed them to bring Lisa and the Comodeen information they needed, and to protect them, she was one of the first ones to trust me. Everyone here used to exclusively call me Makenshi, but when Cid found out I preferred Kumo and what Makenshi means he corrected everyone as quickly as possible."

"The doctor - Cid - he corrected them for you?"

The prince is nodding in confirmation as he smiles.

"He did, and Miss Lisa hasn't seen me in some time. The last we saw each other wasn't on the best standings thanks to Black Wind but she was one of the first to change how she referred to me. I would like to be friends with her but we've never been in a position to talk much. I got ... injured.... quite severely a few times and both were in her presence. She's seen me come back from the dead, Valo, so it's understandable if she's still a bit rattled and trying to wrap her mind around me.

She's seen me do some very extortionary things in comparison to a human. She's flawed like the rest of us and very obviously gone through plenty of her own trauma since the last I saw her. She didn't have so many scars compared to the last time. You didn't yell at her, did you?"

His shoulders are dropping along with his head the more his liege explains and it seems there's so much that's happened that he doesn't know from the last time he saw this boy. The last time he got to hold him in his arms. Pilvi is his boy and he always will be but he's also a man now even if his face hasn't aged a day.

"You did, didn't you?"

There's a small nod as they both sigh.

"Do you want me to explain for you, or will you do it?"

"I can do it."

"You know you owe her an apology."

"I do."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"I would like that, honestly. My leg is ... sore."

"You walked on it, I'm not surprised. I'll go with you. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll understand."

"Kiitos minun Pilveni." (thank you my Pilvi)

Lisa frowns as he begins to speak, opening her mouth to speak when she thought he had finished, but quickly just keeping her mouth shut and remaining silent as he continues. She hadn't meant to make excuses, or to apologize as a way to get out of the situation...

"I wasn't trying to do anything, I-" she began to try and explain, hell even apologize again, but she had a feeling it wasn't going to matter. She sighed after she spoke, and just shook her head, deciding it was best to just drop it. She wasn't quite sure what she could say right now that would be the right thing, so she just stopped while she still could...

She gathered the books she had gotten down for him, putting them all back where she found them. She wasn't really sure where she was going wrong. Even apologizing just came across as excuses, and now she had what Valo said to think about...

'Then he doesn't want you to know...'

It wasn't exactly surprising... She hadn't really had time to get to know him before, of course he wouldn't trust her with much. But now it just felt like she had deliberately done something to be deemed untrustworthy, and it definitely seemed her return was going a bit poorly in comparison to what she imagined...

She wasn't even certain how she imagined it going. She had been so focused on getting there and surviving Wonderland that everything else took a backseat... And now she was somewhat kicking herself for not anticipating more changes.

She shook her head again, like she was trying to just get herself together, and she went back to looking for the same thing she had before she and Valo began talking...

[bandtrees]

YOU CAN CALL ME MAD PROFESSOR! I WILL MAKE A FRIEND FOR ME! YOU CAN CALL ME MAD PROFESSOR! WE WILL RULE ETERNITY! 🧬🔪🐕💉

in honor of finishing reading olympia... a fucked up and evil kain :] i don't think many people on here read olympia, but it makes everyone calling kain a good boy very funny. this is bad boy behavior

[sabraeal]

Ao3 wrapped: 16, 28, 30!

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

Either Political Intrigue or mad king kain. Clearly I indulged myself this year.

28. Favorite work you wrote this year?

For a new work, probably The Man of Progress or At Your Command; I really liked how the prose came out in both of them. For a continuing one, either Documented for Posterity or All Pain Will Turn to Medicine. The first for being completed, and the second for picking up at a timestamp I've been worrying over and running with it.

30. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

How long some of these chapters got, especially writing If the Mind Is Willing and don't speak boyshit. Every chapter I'm sure this is the one I'll run out of things to do, and 7K later, I'm like, WHAT HAPPENED. I HAVE TO SPLIT MY DRAFT.

[starogeorgina]

AO3 First Lines

Rules: post the first lines of your 10 most recently published ao3 stories (if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics)

Thank you for the tags lovely ladies 💕

1 Madness Jacaerys Targaryen x reader

“His heart beats for blood. Blood and fire.”

2 The beauty of sin Cregan Stark x reader, Aemond Targaryen x reader

Your eyes glistened with tears as they dribbled down your cheeks. You swallow back the bile rising and rub at your temples with your free hand, bringing yourself back to reality. You could only stare up at the empty sky for so long while imagining what it would be like to be an actual dragon, free to go wherever you want.

3 Violent delights Jacaerys Velaryon x oc

Tears of joy stream down your cheeks as you hold your daughter for the first time. Her small lungs filling with air as she cries, you kiss the tip of her small nose. The midwives do their best to discreetly wrap your baby, who was born stillborn moments before his sister, from your view. Your first two pregnancies didn’t make it to term, but both were assumed to be boys. Your first baby was named Vaegon, the second Aerion. You had already decided on several names to choose from that would work for either sex.

4 Ghosts in the sky Aegon ii Targaryen x reader

“Rhaenyra!” You continue to rapidly bang your fist against the door leading into your elder sister's bedroom. “Rhaenyra, open this door right now!”

5 The blood between us Criston Cole x reader

The great hall was alive with the sound of fast-paced music, played by the kingdom's finest musicians. Torches flickered along the walls, casting dancing shadows across the ornate tapestries that adorned them.

6 Harrenhal is cursed Alys Rivers x reader, Daemyra x reader

You had yet to decide if being forced to travel to Harrenhal alone in the name of your brother and king, Aegon, to persuade the river lords to fight for him was the best or worst thing to happen to you during the war. You arrived days before Daemon did, but you had barely spoken to anyone; you had been far too trapped in your own mind to rally an army.

7 Fragile line Alys Rivers x reader x Aemond Targaryen

“Do you believe in what I tell you, princess?”

8 Heart of glass Helaena Targaryen x oc

While princess Helaena lived a solitary life within the walls of the keep, only going out of her way to spend time with her infant twins, it was known that she became fond and more than fond of her cousin, Lady Vissera, the only daughter of Lady Rhea Royce and prince Daemon Targaryen.

9 Sweet Viper Oberyn Martell x oc

You stand before the iron throne teary-eyed; this was the goodbye you had been dreading for over a year. It was time for you to leave your home and travel to Dorne to meet your betrothed, Prince Oberyn Martell, the red viper.

10 The eye of the dragon Jacaerys Velaryon x oc

The chill of the night's air nips at your skin as you watch Kain, your beautiful dragon. Kain was the second-largest dragon in the world; the only one larger than him was your brother's dragon, Vhagar. Despite his body being covered with green and scattered bronzed scales that practically glowed in the sunlight, he disappeared like a shadow into the night's sky. With only moonlight and the illumination from the small fire you'd built, you were able to observe the calmness of the darkness without disturbance.

Tagging @justinalovee @no-damsel @starsandbutterfliesss @alyssaforevermore @bucknastysbabe

AO3 First Lines

I was tagged by @glitterisblue :3

Rules: post the first lines of your 10 most recently published ao3 stories (if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics).

100 Different Kisses: Chapter 93 || 1,482 || T || Top Gun: Maverick || Hangster

Bradley is not a man who often faces choices he cannot either fuck or fight his way out of. But he supposes that was only true before Jake Seresin tripped his way into his life.

Learning to Speak Your Language || 2,615 || G || Top Gun: Maverick || Fanback

When Mickey had made the suggestion of finally moving into a place together, Reuben should have known putting him at the helm of planning would have them ending up here- the middle of June, a hot summer sun beating down on their backs as they go from the moving truck to the house. 

Dance the Night Away || 7,125 || M || 9-1-1 || Buddie

There are different ways to sweat. Different kinds.

Not Never || 1,879 || T || Top Gun: Maverick || Floydsin

Bob doesn't walk into the classroom at NAS Miramar as much as he shuffles in, head down, sleep clinging to the corners of his eyes, a couple of wayward strands of hair out of place; the gel he'd all but slapped onto the half-dried locks holding it down in a way that'll last (hopefully) just long enough for the morning briefing to be over.

Bar Top Woes || 2,677 || G || Top Gun: Maverick || Hangman & Maverick

Retirement, Maverick considers with a smile just shy of rueful, is boring.

Skirting Around Your Levels || 5,111 || E || Top Gun: Maverick || Icemav

"I look ridiculous," Ice calls out, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he stands in his and Maverick's bathroom, staring himself down in the mirror and trying not to blanch for a fourth time, shame crawling up his spine.

Gonna Make Your Home My Bed and Heart || 6,163 || E || Top Gun: Maverick || Hangster

Jake's stomach hurts, his eyes are watering, and there's an ache in his jaw as he holds a hand over his mouth, trying his hardest to stifle the donkey-like laughter spilling out of him.

I'll Be Home for Christmas (And I'll be Making it Your Problem) || 26,496 || T || Top Gun: Maverick || Hangster

Jake, arms laden with two canvas shopping bags and frowning so deep a few people have thrown themselves out of his way, stomps the entirely three flights of stairs to his and Javy's apartment, throwing open the door with little regard for how it slams behind him and threats to punch a hole in the wall. 

Find Out How I'm Imaginin' You (Part 4 of the imagine being loved by me series) || 14,368 || E || Top Gun: Maverick || Hangster

Jake spends two weeks post-waking up in bed with Bradley and having his entire reality thrown into his face, thinking about what he's going to do.

Top Cut || 5,456 || T || Top Gun: Maverick || Hangster

Jake is dreading getting out of his car. Eventually, he has to. He's got an appointment after all, but God, he'd rather do anything else.

~

Gonna tag some of my favorite authors! : @anadorablack @yikes-00 @extasiswings @perishablealex @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels @hmslusitania and @cristinuke :3

[onedivinemisfit]

Queen mother Haruto wearing a Saiid Kobeisy bridal design~

… yes, I 100% put her in a wedding dress to be able to do the bloody hem. It was too tempting. The burning woods invited themselves to the party to complete the look 😈

AnS (c) Akizuki Sorata

Art: Me

[deathleadsarc]

BLOG UPDATE!! PT 2

New Ship and Relationship Tags! Romance labeled with a ❥, while the character tags will be a  🜔 for Salt

❥  And thus does the Atlas plummet from the Heavens to meet his Witch  |   HER HERO ATLAS ❥ Maestro to Aria ; Our Eternal Symphony of Love  |  HER LUCIFER SOLF ❥ Blooming in a garden of loneliness ; I see a flower that resembles you | HER KING ROY ❥ Serendipity ; we Bloom until we Ache  |   HER TURTLEDOVE EMILY ❥ You and me could move a Mountain by Gaze alone  |  HER QUEEN SATSUKI ❥ We Found Love in a Hopeless Place  |   HER WOODSMAN MARCUS ❥ How far do the Feelings go | However far you want  |   HER HEARTACHE LUXU ❥ Mischievous Heart  ; Who knew Loving could cut so deeply  |   HER MAD DOG GORO ❥ Say what you mean cause you might get it  |   HER KNIGHT JEAN ❥ Put your head on my Shoulder ; Whisper in my ear  |   HER FURY KAIN

🜔 Oh Venomous Brother ;  bloody children in crumbling sandcastles  |  OH BROTHER ZOLF 🜔 Savior from the ABYSS  |  OH DARKNESS RIKU 🜔 Savior from the STARS  |  OH LIGHT SORA 🜔 Necromancer of the Woodland Sanctuary |  OH DEADMAN LAYLETH 🜔 Can the Bravest withstand the Witch |  OH FAERIE 🜔 Gently Rapping at your Chamber Door | OH DARLING POE 🜔 First Borne Son of the Lilith | OH LILITHS LOVE BASKER 🜔 The Dog and the Wolf ; Horrors in our Nature  |   OH DESPAIR DOLCETTO 🜔 The Lightest part of the Coin  |   OH PRINCESS ZELDA 🜔 Loyal to the Very End ; Siblings to the BEAST  |   OH SERVANTS ALESSANDRA & DANTE 🜔 Daughter of Dusk ; Forgive me Forgive me  |   OH YATIR AURORA 🜔 Bonded Mammon ; Ye doth Protest too much  |   OH AVARICIOUS GREED 🜔 Violence reaching Repose  |   OH UNHEARD EMIL

[estinininininen]

"Look Me In The Eyes" , FFIV, ~1600 words. Why is Kain an even bigger weirdo after the Giant of Babil? General admission, e for everybody, but mild cw: transformation and body horror.

Kain knew he behaved differently after the Giant of Babil.

This was not unexpected, although how he changed surely confused them. Many things, like flinching when offered a hand, were understandable. But now he never took his armor off in front of others, not even his helm. Before, it had been on him near-constant anyway - the armor's boots and gloves were critical for absorbing impact. It took a few days for them to notice he bathed and changed privately, no small feat in close quarters, and moments before sleep. He even wore a low-fitting cap and gloves in his bedroll, no matter how warm. Just as often he slept in his armor.

As they hurtled towards the Red Moon in the mechanical whale, they told him it was conjured up from beneath the Mysidian bay. Now that he was free, perhaps, of Golbez - no, Zemus - Kain could tell them of Golbez's odd fits and starts that had increased whenever discussing Cecil, even before Zot. Kain had either dismissed these, or, when lucid but still under control, been forced to forget. This being all the useful information Kain had for Cecil, Kain retreated from the conversations.

He heard them talking about him, of course. They would either trust him, or must needs be ready to kill him, so what was one more oddity. Kain sat and thought about what had happened to him during his brief second time with Golbez.

"I had but slackened your friend's leash, waiting for the proper moment to pull it taught."

He could do this. He would have to do this. He was now one of the strongest people on Earth - the Blue Planet, as these Lunarians called it. And Zemus had done this to him, and to a ten-year-old child that became Golbez. He couldn't stand aside. He had spoken truly when he said his mind was his own again.

There were complications. Had he revealed anything, when they met Lugae? He didn't think so. His revulsion for the mad doctor was for cowardice, at first, until they had stumbled upon the . . . the remainders of Edge's parents. He had forgotten something, something important about the holiness he once felt in the frame of a healthy human body. Of the long, waking dream that kept him just a bit asleep in Golb- Zemus's thrall, the eyes of the King and Queen of Eblan had almost shocked him out of it.

Almost.

And now before thinking he had told Edge to kill him if he betrayed them, and so it was not only Kain's own cowardice that kept him from revealing the full extent of his betrayal. Compassion had returned to Kain's heart and head, and ruined him. He did not want Cecil or Rosa to have to kill him, and now he added Edge to that list. What would Kain's eyes look like, if he had to beg for death?

His mind was his own again.

Golbez loomed over him. "I have no others. No one is here but you, Kain. You returned to me. I would reward such loyalty. No matter what failures from before. I . . . I failed you too, did I not? What have I . . ."

Golbez shook his head and his drifting attention snapped back to Kain.

"Did I not promise you power, even that to rival the dragon-knights of old? And I have one scale of the shadow dragon. My oldest friend. Now I have no others. No one but you . . . "

Before they plunged into the lunar subterrane, Kain's focus drifted towards the eastern lunar horizon. He could not say why. "What is in that direction?" he asked.

Among all the lunar marvels was something that had astonished even this intrepid group. They talked over each other.

"I still don't believe it-"

"We turned a corner and he was just, there, Kain, it was amazing-

"Oh buddy, you have got to go see this after we're done here-" Edge said, and Rydia smashed her hands across his face to keep him from ruining the explanation of something important to her. Edge licked her hand. Rydia ignored him. They had settled along the way into annoying each other like siblings.

"Bahamut," she said. "Bahamut lives in the Cave of the Father, over there. I'll take you after-"

"No! No," said Kain, his vehemence surprising even him. He had only ever spoken softly to Rydia.

The four turned to him, Rydia shocked and a bit hurt, Edge at once suspicious, Cecil and Rosa confused.

Kain stammered. "I don't - I don't want to go is all. I apologize for raising my voice." Edge scowled. He needed to give more explanation. "I . . . I don't want to face him," Kain said. "I can't."

They winced and after a moment, even Edge nodded in sympathy.

In the furious, terrible days that followed, his comrades thought perhaps Kain had horrible scarring, from punishment for betraying Zemus. Or perhaps an aversion to touch because that was how Golbez ensared him to begin with. He was lucky Rosa could heal him still, and heal him through armor.

Kain was thankful no one pried. Not even Edge. He showed it as best he could. Sometimes he whispered or croaked and it was not because of awkward contrition. Would his voice leave him, too?

Rydia a few times frowned at him, not with what would be judicious suspicion but with plain curiosity. She was the shortest, and at times could see under more of Kain's helmet than he was comfortable.

They won against Zeromus.

Kain felt less jubilant than just relieved and tired. His friends and his world were safe. Now his personal battle would begin.

Baigan passed Kain in the hallway of Baron. The dragoon noticed the smirk and thought, with good humor that surprised him, that at least Baigan had not changed. Then Baigan's arm brushed Kain and Kain shivered before he even knew to think something was wrong.

Turns out Baigan had changed quite a bit. His smirk grew. "Lord Golbez is sure to reward those truly loyal," he said.

His mind was his own again. His mind.

Golbez asked Fusoya, "Might you permit me to accompany you?" and Kain, pitiful creature that he was, panicked for a moment that Golbez had forgotten him. Forgotten to help him if he could. Or perhaps hated him, for taking the last piece of Golbez's one true companion, the dragon that stayed beside him without mind control.

But then Golbez said, "I cannot return. Not after all I've done," and he looked at the five Earthlings. His gaze hesitated on Kain for a moment, so quick no one noticed. In Kain's thoughts, in the hole at the back of his mind, he felt an awareness of Golbez, hesitating to contact him like this at all. This time though it was as . . . equals in contrition.

He gave the bizarre feeling of agreement in keeping their privacy, wordless, more like a curtain falling, which was why he was touching Kain's thoughts at all. A gift from sinner to sinner, a chance to sort out thoughts alone without revealing how far they had fallen by asking for help out loud.

And Kain had the sudden knowledge Golbez could do nothing to help him.

He had expected this. It was not as disappointing as it might have been. Kain's attention snapped back in time to help convince Cecil he should say goodbye to Golbez.

Very little important to Kain happened while they returned and celebrated. He stayed alone until he escaped from the love and concern of his friends and a thankful world. He climbed Mount Ordeals and looked out over a sacred, isolated cliff, and took off his helmet.

His hair, his one remaining vanity, was still long and blond and - human. It felt good in the wind. So too did the sensitive nubs of bone and frill, growing from the crown of his brow. He had started worrying he would need to file them down. Scales grew along his forehead and were soon to reach to his eyes, crawl down his nose, and bloom where all could see.

Their victory couldn't have come any later. He almost hadn't made it.

Sometimes his eyes hurt, and felt strange focusing, and he knew they had turned to slit pupils. He had not brought a mirror. Were they still his natural color?

Perhaps because he kept his mind, and somebody answered his prayers, the lower half of his face remained unchanged the longest and his outline human. Perhaps it was somebody on this very mountain - it was holy to Bahamut and others long before KluYa's spirit rested here. But under the armor there were no parts of him without . . . spottings of scales. Ridges and spines growing. Aching bones of limb anatomy preparing soon to stretch or shrink into digitigrade. He wondered if he would start walking on his toes.

His tailbone and shoulders hurt.

Golbez had kept his promise about power to rival the dragon-knights of old.

Yet dragons were not evil, not like the monsters that moved among animals and that others had been turned into. If the pain in his shoulder blades was an indication, he was not becoming the literal shadow dragon. It had no wings. And Baigan had been able to change form at will.

His mind was his own again, and after everything, Kain still had hope.

On the day of the wedding he spoke into the wind, wondering if it mattered. "Cecil . . . Rosa . . . I have no right to bear witness to your joy. Not like this.

"I will temper myself here, on Mount Ordeals. And then, when I've become an even finer dragoon than my father- perhaps then I can return. Until that day comes, I can but wish you well."

[sixpossumsinaclownsuit]

Hello, Tumblr! This is Red Batty speaking.

I'm all done with school now so, hey! I thought I'd open my ask box for fic requests. 

Smut is A-Okay! NSFW, Angst, the works. I'll just have to make the final call, but I can do the same prompt but milder if I'm not comfortable with the ask. No Yandere either, there's too many impressionable teens on this hell site that might think that's true love and I'm not risking it. I also don't do sad endings or major character death, because. I don't want to <3

Below are the characters I'm willing to write for! 

DC

Justice League Dark

John Constantine

Etrigan/Jason Blood

Zatanna Zatara

Deadman/Boston Brand

Batman/Batfamily

Batman/Bruce Wayne

Robert Pattinson/Batman 2022 version

Comics version

Christian Bale/Dark Knight version

Arkham games version

Anything more niche than that literally just ask I'm probably down, like if he's voiced by Kevin Conroy, I'll probably write for him

Nightwing/Dick Grayson

Red Hood/Jason Todd

I haven't played Arkham Knight yet so Arkham!Jason isn't available yet

Red Robin/Tim Drake

Batgirl/Cassandra Kain

Oracle/Barbara Gordon (I can do Batgirl!Babs also)

Spoiler/Stephanie Brown

I'm also open to do Spotlight/Duke Thomas but I know f$%king nothing about him so if its an ask generic enough to apply to any Robin I'm down.

Rogues Gallery

Comics, Arkham games and animated series versions only right now. Well, that and Nolan!Rogues. Just not Bane, don't make me write fic for Rises.

I could do Gotham but it'd have to be plot nonspecific or you'd have to be specific about the ask (not against that) but still,,, yeah ahem anyways

Harley Quinn

Arkham games version

Comics version

Animated series version

Still haven't seen BoP or Suicide Squad so not those versions yet,,, sorry gang

Poison Ivy

I WILL do Harlivy if requested, and Harlivy x reader, and Harlivy x Selina x reader… Basically just send me your ideal fictional polycule and I'll do it. Love wins.

Mad Hatter/Jervis Tetch

Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane

WOOF Cillian Murphy too fine, if not specified that's the version I'm writing

Riddler/Edward Nygma

NOT PAUL DANO VERSION. I'm sorry but the 2022 la version is a little creep and I won't write fic for him

If I get a Joker ask It better be the f$%king Lego Joker ONLY. 

Bane

Catwoman/Selina Kyle

Zoe Kravitz Selina my beloved, so hmu for 2022!Selina if you like also

Uhhhh I'm tired and ran out of ideas, If I missed one literally just ask

Justice League

just animated series and comics. No, I haven't seen Snyderverse. Yes, I'll be a little bitchy about it. Shazam and Aquaman and Wonder Woman can stay though. I'll write for live action Aquaman and WW, but not Shazam bc he's. Literally a child. Mkay.

Superman/Clark Kent

Batman (see above)

Green Lantern

John Stewart

Hal Jordan

Wonder Woman/Diana Prince

Aquaman/Arthur Curry

Flash

Wally West

Barry Allen

Green Arrow/Oliver Queen

Arcane (League of Legends)

Haven't seen Arrow in years so bear with me if you want arrowverse!Ollie

Sandman/Neil Gaiman!DC

Morpheus/Dream of the Endless

Death of the Endless

The Corinthian

Hob/Rob Gadling

Rob x Morpheus x Reader

Constantine (Joanna or John, see above)

Vi

Caitlin

Vi x Caitlin x Reader or any other polycule for that matter

Viktor

Jayce

Silco

Vander

Bethesda

Jinx

Skyrim

Fallout 4

Nick Valentine

John Hancock

Paladin Danse

McCready

Piper

Preston Garvey

Fallout (TV Show)

Lucy

Maximus

The Ghoul/Cooper Howard

Brynjolf

Mercer Frey

Vilkas 

Farkas

Aela

Serana

Cicero 

Adrianne and Ulfberth War-Bear (at Shieldmaiden's) 

this one is niche as hell they're not even companions or marriable but I'm putting it on the list

Mortal Kombat

If there's anyone missing just talk to me about it, thanks guys love u

I'll do the game or the movie I'm just a bit rustier on game lore, pls bear with me.

Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi

Sub-Zero/Kuai Liang

Kenshi

Liu Kang

Raiden

Johnny Cage

Sonya Blade

Johnny x Sonya or Johnny x Sonya x reader

Kotal Khan

Cassie Cage

Marvel

Takeda

I'm having a bit of a love/hate relationship with the MCU right now so these are the few I'm writing for, if there's someone you want me to write for from comics lore, just hmu and we'll see what I can do for you

Moon Knight

Marc Spector, Steven Grant, Jake Lockley, all together or individually

Doctor Stephen Strange

**or any of his variants. 

Also AUs. I'm down for AUs like "in this universe of DS he's like [blank]" so when mcu!DS comes through its like [blank]... you get the idea.

Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximo

Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff

I'll do Peter Maximoff also but X-men get their own special section, see below

Loki

2012!Loki

TVA!Loki

President!Loki

Disneyland Loki

X-Men

Its not that I think I'm better than people because I prefer writing comics/animated series it's just. I know that better. And the movies make my head hurt sometimes but a few of them are cool it's literally random so just. Ask.

Cyclops/Scott Summers 

(This one for my bestie mwah)

Emma Frost

Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner

Deadpool (does he count? Fuck it, he was a trainee)

Colossus/Piotr Rasputin

Mystique/Raven Darkhölme

Magneto/Erik (Magnus) Lensherr

This is one I will write straight from the movies because good lord is his character hot as fuck compelling and a dilf well written

Shadowcat/Kitty Pride

Rogue/Anna-Marie 

Gambit/Remy LeBeau

Gambit x Rogue x reader, and any other polycule basically

Quicksilver/Peter Maximoff

Storm/Ororo Munroe

There's so many at this point I can't remember them all just ask

Defenders

Daredevil/Matt Murdock

Jessica Jones

Foggy Nelson

Karen Page

Punisher/Frank Castle

I ask that you keep my punisher reqs spoiler free as I'm catching up on the show right now

Spiderverse

Peter Parker

Peter B. (ITSV)

Tom Holland

Andrew Garfield

Tobey Maguire

(I'm rustier on the live action babies so give me grace here)

Spiderman 2099/Miguel O'hara 

Spider!Gwen

Spiderman Noir

Spider!Gwen x Andrew Garfield!Spiderman

Spiderman/Miles Morales 

He WILL be aged up or shipped with a teen reader, anything else will get doused in gasoline and set on fire.

Eddie Brock/Venom

Note: I'm more willing to do spiderverse x ocs bc I know the spidersona brainrot is real. Hell, at this point, I might do oc x oc content for spiderverse because I've been there (and I've got a bestie with two spider ocs in a ship, love u cas)

Doc Ock/Otto Octavius

Doc Ock/Liv Octavius

Lmao I might do liv x aunt may if its funny or wholesome enough

Mysterio/Quentin Beck

It'll only be mcu!beck if explicitly stated that's what you want. 

Green Goblin/Norman Osborne

Electro/Max Dillon

Sandman/Flint Marko

Lizard/Dr. Curtis Connors

If you think I'm missing someone just ask

Umbrella Academy

Luther Hargreeves

Diego Hargreeves

Allison Hargreeves

Klaus Hargreeves

Ben Hargreeves

Viktor Hargreeves

Fka Vanya for anyone not up to speed, he's going by Viktor now that Elliot Page has come out

I will not use she/her pronouns or the name Vanya, if I get a req for Vanya it will be written for Viktor.

Star Wars

Prequels/Clone Wars

Anakin Skywalker

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Captain Rex

Commander Cody

Padme Amidala

Original Trilogy

Luke Skywalker

Leia Organa Skywalker

Han Solo

Lando Calrissian

Mandalorian/Post War Era

Mando/Din Djarin

Bo Katan-Kryze

Cobb Vanth

I know I'm missing some I know it just ask and I'll let yall know

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Ghost/Lt. Simon Riley

Soap/Sgt. Johnny MacTavish

Gaz/Sgt. Kyle Garrick

Captain John Price

Colonel Alejandro Vargas

Rudy/Sgt. Rodolfo Parra

Commander Philip Graves

Monster AU

AU is NOT MINE: it belongs to @/bluegiragi I just think it's sexy

Ghost/Lt. Simon Riley: Wraith

Soap/Sgt. Johnny MacTavish: Werewolf

Gaz/Kyle Garrick: Harpy

Captain John Price: Dragon

Colonel Alejandro Vargas: Nagual

Rudy/Sgt. Rodolfo Parra:

Commander Philip Graves: Vampire

For my König gays and girlies, I love him, and I will write for him, but I don't know a lot about him so bear with me here, I'm trying.

I'll write Monster!AU König as well just ask <3 and the ask doesn't have to be within the confines of the AU "canon," or any canon for that matter

[blue-scorpion-king]

Comparisons/influences/inspirations for Earl Zolubu in general

50 Animated/manga or comic characters + 27 live action/cartoon characters + 5 pulp fiction characters + 19 video game characters comparisons/influences/inspirations for Earl Zolubu in general: 1) Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop). 2) Giorno Giovanna (JoJo Part 5). 3) Leorio Paradinight (Hunter X Hunter). 4) Guts (Berserk). 6) Andromeda Shun (Saint Seiya/Knights Of The Zodiac). 7) Phoenix Ikki (Saint Seiya, and Shun's older brother). 8) Asura (Asura's Wrath). 9) Tanjiro Kamado (Kimetsu No Yaiba/Demon Slayer). 10) Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho). 11) Rimuru Tempest (Reincarnated as a Slime). 12) Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2). 13) Wolfgang Grimmer (Monster). 14) Alita/Gally (Battle Angel Alita/Gunnm). 15) Obi Wan/'Ben' Kenobi (Star Wars). 16) Jin Sakai (Ghost of Tsushima). 17) The Shadow (1930's New York-roooted noir agent of vengeance rooted in pulp fiction literature & an radio show). 18) Hiroshi Shiba & Kotetsu Jeeg [Since he technically makes up the head of the robot, as an cyborg] (Kotetsu Jeeg, an 1970's Super Robot anime). 19) Solomon Kane (Late 1920's English Puritan witch & heretic-hunting swashbuckler/demon & undead bounty hunter/agent of vengeance rooted in pulp fiction literature). 20) Caesar (The Apes trilogy; Rise -> Dawn -> War). 21) Ryo Utsugi/Mao Dante. 22) Akira Fudo/Devilman -> Violence Jack. 23) Raziel (Legacy of Kain series). 24) Doomguy/Doom Slayer (Doom game series). 25) Gohan (Dragon Ball). 26) Escanor, the Lion Sin of Pride (Seven Deadly Sins/But with humbleness, not pride or arrogance). 27) Josuke Higashikata (JoJo Part 4). 28) Johnathan Joestar (JoJo Part 1). 29) Trevor Belmont (Netflix Castlevania). 30) Solid Snake (NES Metal Gear 1 & 2/Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, & 4). 31) Onizuka Eikichi (Great Teacher Onizuka). 32) Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin; But not the pacifist part of Kenshin). 33) Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII). 34) Hank Hill (King of the Hill). 35) 'Sanjuro'/Man With No Name (Yojimbo & Sanjuro/Dollar Trilogy). 36) Nicholas D. Wolfwood (Trigun). 37) Roronoa Zoro (One Piece). 38) Shigeo/'Mob' Kageyama (Mob Psycho 100). 39) Gojo Satoru (Jujutsu Kaisen). 40) Byakuren Hijiri (Touhou). 41) Ainz Ooal Gown (Overlord). 42) Aragorn of Gondor (The Lord Of The Rings). 43) Bruce Wayne/Batman (DC). 44) Superman/Clark Kent/Kal El (DC). 45) Wonder Woman/Diana Price (DC). 46) Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk (Marvel). 47) Thor, Norse God of Thunder (Norse Myth/Marvel). 48) Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Marvel). 49) The Penitent One (Blasphemous). 50) Spear (Primal). 51) Madea. 52) Major Tanya Von Degurechaff (To a certain degree, with far less focus on an worrying about human resources outlook/But not being the villain). 53) Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Star Wars/But not becoming the villain). 54) Marianne von Edmund of the Golden Deer House of Garreg Mach (Fire Emblem: Three Houses). 55) Isaac (Netflix Castlevania). 57) Joshua Graham (Fallout: New Vegas). 58) Tatsuya Ukyo, 'The Mad Dragon of Kamurocho' (Kurohyou 1 & 2). 59) Takayuki Yagami (Judgment & Lost Judgment). 60) Django (The original Django films, not Django Unchained). 61) Dante Sparda (Devil May Cry). 62) Denji/Chainsaw Man. 63) Gon The Dinosaur. 64) Ryuko Matoi (Kill La Kill). 65) Satsuki Kiryuuin (Kill La Kill). 66) David Martinez (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners). 67) Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul). 68) Sora (Kingdom Hearts). 69) Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy Versus XIII/XV). 70) Silverbolt (Beast Wars Transformers). 71) Dinobot (Beast Wars Transformers). 72) Broly (Dragon Ball Super version). 73) Zorro. 74) John Wick. 75) Hutch Mansell (Nobody). 76) Robert Freeman/Grandad (The Boondocks). 77) Piccolo (Dragon Ball Z). 78) Kurapika (Hunter X Hunter). 79) Nico Robin (One Piece). 80) Max Payne. 81) Jackie Estacado/The Darkness. 82-90) The Showa era Ultramen, or the 9 Ultra Brothers. From Ultraman OG/Shodai to 80. 91) Kenshiro of Hokuto Shin Ken. 92) Rolf (Ed, Edd, N Eddy). 93) Ichiban Kasuga (Yakuza series). 94) Yuji Itadori (Jujutsu Kaisen). 95) Mash Burnedead (Mashle). 96) Conan The Barbarian. 97) Ray Shoesmith (Mr. Inbetween). 98) Tarzan Of The Apes (Not Disney). 99) Optimus Primal (Beast Wars Transformers). 100) Gandalf The Grey/White (The Lord Of The Rings). & 101) Vi (League of Legends/Arcane).

-------------------------------

That’s all I want to post in this. owo

~The Bat~