#midnight x orchid

[fzzqur]

Hi little gay people on the internet

Here's the original

[dragonologist-writings]

Title: Midnight Black and Paris Green Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Rating: M Status: Ongoing (11/?) Characters: F!Tav, Shadowheart Ships: F!Tav/Shadowheart Additional Notes: Missing Scenes, Mutual Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Eventual Mild Smut, Canon-Typical Themes Word Count: 28k Summary: Shadowheart isn't accustomed to placing her trust in other people. Neither is Naia. But these are interesting times, and stranger things have happened. (A loose re-telling of the game, with a focus on the Tav/Shadowheart romance)

read here on ao3

Chapter 1 below:

Shadowheart does not quite remember her capture, or the crash, or even the falling. She does not register any pain- only the harsh sunlight piercing through murky darkness as she comes to with a jolt. Fractured recollections trip over themselves in her memory, all culminating to push but one thing to the front of her mind: the artefact.

Her eyes fly open and her hands scramble desperately at her pockets. A shadow falls over the glaring sand, a voice mutters something she cannot hear, and instincts take over as Shadowheart realizes she is not alone. She rolls into a defensive crouch, ready to send off a blast of radiant magic.

But it is not an enemy who faces her now. It is the woman from the ship. The one who saved her.

That recognition is quite unfortunately followed by a flood of memories which make her stomach lurch and her skin crawl. The mindflayers. The nautiloid. The tadpole.

“Are you okay?” the woman asks in a low, halting voice, and another scene is triggered in Shadowheart’s hazy memory.

It was all madness by the time she awoke, madness and panic and distant noises of destruction. And she was trapped. All she could do was bang on the pod and scream for help, cursed with knowledge that help would likely never come.

But then the pod fell open. Shadowheart stumbled out, desperate with relief, only to find herself face to face with what she thought for a fleeting moment was another mindflayer.

She could not be blamed for the misconception; the creature before her was obscured in shadow save for two pinpricks of red burning in their eyes, glinting in the eerie light of the ship. But then the light shifted, and Shadowheart realized it was no mindflayer before her-

It was Naia. The name comes back in a rush, along with many other bits and pieces of recent days.

But where is the artefact?

Shadowheart turns away from the woman, scrambling again over her pockets and satchel. Only when she finally puts a hand to the cold metal does she allow herself a sigh of relief.

“I’m fine.” I have the artefact. I’m alive. I can still complete my mission.

The other woman does not comment on her behavior; she is rather distracted herself, as her gaze sweeps over the ruined landscape around them. Twisted metal, still burning, litters the beach they’ve landed upon.

“What in the hells happened to us?” Naia mutters. She turns her eyes back to Shadowheart, who has to hold back a shudder under that gaze. This is certainly the same tiefling from the ship: short gray horns sticking out above a mess of dark hair, pallid skin which looks a sickly grey in the sunlight, void-dark eyes with pupils rimmed in red that are still far too reminiscent of a mindflayer for comfort.

But she saved Shadowheart, and Shadowheart does not have time to be picky in her choice of help. The mindflayer has planted its tadpoles. Her time is slipping away as they speak. If she wants to make it back to Baldur’s Gate with her mind intact, she’s going to need every ounce of help she can get.

Thus marks the first day of Shadowheart’s tadpole infection, and of her partnership with the tiefling known as Naia Gwaelon.

It’s stumbling chance that leads Naia and Shadowheart to the ruins on that initial leg of their journey. The idyllic little beach they landed on is sorely lacking in supplies; whatever this place was before, it’s now all ruin and wreck and lifeless, luckless fishermen who got caught in the nautiloid’s debris. The heavy stone door is the first sign of real civilization they come across, and all it takes to enter is a few minutes of Naia stubbornly jamming at the lock with makeshift tools.

The inside of the structure offers no more cheer than the beach. What they’ve stumbled upon is clearly an old crypt, complete with rotting skeletons, booby-trapped caskets, and other such classics. Luckily, the offerings left for the dead include a small array of still-viable weapons and armor. Even more luckily, the crypt has apparently already been infiltrated by looters, and Shadowheart is able to hunt down a small stash of food and supplies.

Meanwhile, Naia busies herself hunting down things of another nature.

“Looking for anything in particular?” Shadowheart finally asks after watching the tiefling wander through rows upon rows of coffins with a look on her face which can only be described as reverent curiosity.

Naia’s answer is quiet and distracted, and Shadowheart only catches a few words. “Ancient magic…I don’t even recognize…still traces of magic preservation, but for what purpose?”

Shadowheart shakes her head, not bothering to ask again. Wizards.

It’s funny, in a way. Back on the nautiloid ship, the urgency of their situation meant there was little time for chatter. Then on the beach, with the panic subsided, Naia had seemed too dazed for conversation. Now she’s finally come alive again, and the only things she seems interested in speaking to are the dead.

Shadowheart doesn’t mind, though. She remembers, again and again, that Naia did save her, even though it would have been far easier for her to cut and run. What’s more, Shadowheart remembers the display of angry magic that cut through the mindflayer’s thralls on the nautiloid, and she knows this wizard is not one to be trifled with. Power like that, however odd, should not be squandered.

So Shadowheart allows Naia a few minutes of fascination. The tiefling mutters a few more observations, skittering around the ancient tomb with little grace, apparently having forgotten that Shadowheart is there at all. It’s an amusing sight, in its own way, and it provides the opportunity to rest for a bit in the cool shade, so there is no reason yet for Shadowheart to protest.

Not until Naia presses her hand against a sigil in the old stone wall, and a shimmering, sickly green light erupts in a wave that washes through the crypt. Shadowheart leaps back to her feet, pulling her mace into position just as the petrified bodies decorating the tomb spring to life.

To Naia’s credit, she faces the skeletons without so much as flinching. But it’s still a grueling encounter, especially given everything else both women are still recovering from. When the last skeleton finally collapses into dust at Naia’s feet, she collapses as well, slumping to her knees on the cold stone floor.

Shadowheart is at her side in an instant, holy healing at the ready. Naia tenses at her approach, but upon realizing her intentions allows herself to relax, if only by a fraction. At this point, Shadowheart cannot hold back a sigh as she guides the magic through Naia’ battered body.

“You just had to press the button, didn’t you?”

“The dead typically aren’t so easily offended,” Naia protests weakly. Even in her petulance, her words are curt and stiff. “These were guarding something. Look.”

Shadowheart follows her direction and, yes, there is an opening in the wall that wasn’t there before. And yes, Shadowheart would be lying if she said her interest hasn’t been piqued.

“Good eye. These holy temples are always full of valuable secrets. And after all that, this one had better be something special.” With that, Shadowheart finishes up her spell, scrutinizing Naia’s state as the magic fades from her fingertips. “Feeling better?”

“Somewhat,” Naia answers in a clipped tone. She’s scowling, but not at Shadowheart; as she lifts a hand to her temple, the source of her displeasure becomes obvious. “Better than should be expected, actually.”

“You mean you don’t feel as if tentacles are about to burst from your mouth?” Shadowheart asks. “Me too, funnily enough. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to rest on our laurels. Finding a healer must be our top priority.”

“Couldn't we rest just a little longer? With all those protections, this room should be a safe enough place. I don’t mean to hold us up. I know we need to move, but I-”

Naia’s words are cut off as she hisses in pain. Her hand twitches, fingers trembling, but she pulls away before Shadowheart can inspect her any further. Dark hair- almost violet in the dim light- hangs in her face, obscuring whatever expression is hiding in her scarlet-dotted eyes.

The last thing Shadowheart wishes is for paranoia to get the best of her…yet she cannot help but count back the time it took them to cover the beach and half these ruins. They are nearly twenty-four hours past their time of infection, and the sword hanging over their heads will only continue to lower. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“My magic is drained,” Naia insists. “We already know looters have been rooting around here. If we get killed by them, or by another round of skeletons, our tadpoles won’t matter much at all. I just need a little time to recover.”

Bloody wizards, Shadowheart thinks with another sigh, but she nods. “Fine. I suppose I can’t complain too much. After all, you saved my life on board the ship. How can I do anything but sing your praises?”

The words come out somewhere in between sardonic and sincere, but Naia nods along, her gaze once again taking on that look of distant distraction.

“I keep thinking about that, actually. The ship. Why it took us. I can’t figure it out.”

“It’s how the vile creatures reproduce.”

“I am acutely aware. But do they always take so many? I know nothing about this is normal, but still…something seems strange.”

Shadowheart muses over the point, and her thoughts return to the artefact stowed away in her satchel. She’s positive it’s connected to this, though she can’t fathom a guess as to how.

“The voice on the ship told me I’d become a ‘beautiful weapon’,” Shadowheart admits, turning the memory over in her mind. “I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.”

Naia hums in thought. “Maybe that part was a compliment.”

The words are so unexpected they startle a laugh out of Shadowheart, in spite of everything.

“You’re adorable,” she says, and Naia’s eyes go wide. She is a cute thing, Shadowheart realizes in that moment. An odd sight, certainly, covered as she is in cobwebs and bone dust, but still. Maybe it’s the eyes- now that Shadowheart is somewhat accustomed to the sight, there is something entrancing about their inky darkness.

What’s more, there’s a cleverness to this woman that Shadowheart can’t help but like. It’s for this reason that Shadowheart gives her a teasing smirk as she adds, “But your timing? Just awful.”

Naia blushes under her bruises, and Shadowheart bites back another laugh as she rises to her feet. “Go on, get your rest. I’ll check out this tomb while you do so, and then we can be on our way.”

Day three of Shadowheart’s infection, and something is wrong here.

They’ve gathered more allies by now, all with the same little stowaways in their heads. All blissfully devoid of symptoms.

What it means, Shadowheart can’t begin to say. Maybe it’s all connected to her mission, and the answer is locked away with her memories. Maybe not. The only way to find out is to press on, and hope that she has surrounded herself with allies rather than liabilities.

But Shadowheart has never put much stock in hoping, and her allies are all rather…questionable. A wizard whom they found stuck within a rock, an elf who’s clearly brimming with secrets of his own, and Lae’zel. Not Shadowheart’s first choice of company, to put it lightly.

Naia, however…

Naia continues to surprise. She is withdrawn, yet decisive; wary, yet curious. She wears the bone amulet they uncovered in the crypt on a small chain around her neck, and her spells glimmer with the telltale sickly sheen of necromancy. Naia is the one who might understand, should Shadowheart confide the truth of her mission. She clearly does not draw away from death; why should darkness be any different?

Even so, Shadowheart is smarter than that. She can’t simply go around trusting every woman who wanders through a graveyard. This mission is hers, and hers alone.

But trust is not required to simply enjoy somebody’s company. On the third night they spend together, Shadowheart settles in to join Naia over a campfire dinner, prepared by Gale and accompanied by a bottle of wine. Shadowheart eyes the wine in particular with caution. “This isn’t something else you pilfered from the crypt, is it?”

Naia pauses, lips pursed in thought as she glances down at the bottle. “It’s vintage,” she finally says.

“You’ve an optimistic way of viewing things.”

“The way things are going we’ll likely be dead ourselves within a few days anyway, so what’s the harm?”

“And such a charmer, too.” Shadowheart traces a finger over the bottle in her hand, her mind whirring. No matter how hard she tries- how hard they all try- she knows there really is only one topic on anybody’s mind.

“What would you do if I turned into a mindflayer?” she asks, opting to get straight to the point. “If I turned tonight?”

“I’d kill you.”

Naia’s answer is quick and without malice. A statement of simple fact. It’s the correct answer, yet the frank honesty is so unexpected that for a moment Shadowheart does not have a response at the ready.

A shadow passes over Naia’s face, and she huffs in frustrated embarrassment. “Sorry- I didn’t mean- I don’t want to kill you- I would just have to-”

“Oh, don’t you dare apologize,” Shadowheart interrupts, and Naia’s tense shoulders slump in relief. It is not the first time she has done this- say something without hesitation, then wince as the words leave her mouth. Shadowheart, however, cannot help but respect the pragmatism. “Killing me would be the wise thing to do- and I daresay I’d be happier dead than I would as one of those things. Although I do hope you would miss me after I’m gone. I think I’d miss you, should the roles be reversed.”

It is adorable, how Naia’s night-black eyes widen at the slightest provocation. Those eyes trace over Shadowheart’s face, betraying little yet saying quite a bit all the same.

“I would,” Naia says at last, and Shadowheart smiles. She takes a sip of the wine-

And immediately spits it out, gagging at the taste. “Oh. Oh, no. That was a terrible idea. I think that had bits of undead stuck in the cork.”

Naia laughs- short and low, and Shadowheart realizes it’s the first time she’s heard the sound. It’s…nice. She decides in that moment that as bad things are, she can at least say she likes this new ally of hers. She rises to upend the contents of the tainted wine bottle into the campfire, and she can feel Naa’s gaze follow after her as she goes- and Shadowheart feels fairly confident in saying that Naia seems to like her, too.

[ranatsume]

1.25.23

Cattleya (Slc. Purple Doll 'Midnight Velvet' AM/AOS x L. rupestris 'Orchid Eros' HCC)

Just got this orchid today! It’s a cute SVO cross from a guy in my home town. He actually hand-delivered it, which was really sweet of him so I didn’t have to pay for shipping. The flowers are a bit old but still pretty. I hope it blooms again soon! ☺️

[pupsmailbox]

SCENE︰EMO ID PACK

NAMES ⌇　acid. adder. adrian. aisling. alex. alice. alix. amethyst. annabelle. aqua. ash. ashlee. ashley. aspen. astley. avril. awe. axe. ayesha. bates. bell. bella. belladonna. bellatrix. billy. blade. blair. blitz. bloodie. bloodscene. blythe. bow. bree. butterfly. callie. candi. candy. celeste. chase. checkerz. clarity. click. coraline. couture. crow. cyril. cyrus. dakota. demi. demonia. devin. dino. dizzy. doge. dom. dominic. ebony. electra. elliot. emery. emmett. emo. epic. erin. evan. flash. fred. galaxy. gavin. gerard. ghostie. gif. gloom. gray. grayson. grim. gutz. happy. havoc. hazel. heyley. hunter. hyde. indigo. ink. iris. ivory. ivy. jack. jade. jason. jasper. jax. jeff. jet. jett. julie. kai kandi. kandiz. kat. kayden. killer. kit. kitt. kobi. kyler. lady. lapis. lee. lexie. liam. luna. lurk. lynx. lyric. lyxzen. mace. maddox. madeline. mae. malice. marceline. marcie. mars. mavis. meow. mia. midnight. mika. mill. nana. neo. net. nick. nina. noah. noob. nora. nyan. nyx. obscene. octavia. olivia. onix. onyx. opal. orange. orchid. pearl. phantom. phoenix. pierce, pierce. pitch. pixie. pop. punk. pusheen. rain. rainbow. raine. rainer. rave. raven. raver. rawr. razorz. reaper. ripley. river. rogue. ronnie. rose. rouge. roux. rubi. ruby ruby. sable. salem. sally. sapphire. sash. sasha. scythe. silvi. silvia. smiley. smoke. smokey. snap. snow. sonya. soot. sparrow. spike. splatter. spook. stella. steve. stripe. sunny. suzi. suzie. suzy. taffi. taffy. tag. tech. tempest. travis. trend. tyler. vesper. vine. vista. vivi. waffle. wave. web. wentz. wesley. wild. willow. wound. xander. z!m. zach. zack. zade. zaire. zak. zander. zara. zero. ziggy. zim. zircon. zoe. zoom. zyair.

PRONOUNS ⌇　awesome/awesome. ay/aym. bark/bark. bi/bim. bite/bite. black/black. bling/blingee. blood/blood. bone/bone. bow/bow. brace/bracelet. bright/bright. bright/colour. byte/byte. cat/cat. cata/catatonic. ce/cer. check/checkered. chem/chem. cir/circut. color/color. computer/computer. cool/cool. cos/cos. creepy/pasta. cringe/cringe. cry/cry. cut/cut. dead/dead. death/death. die/die. dino/dino. emo/emo. emoticon/emoticon. epic/epic. ev/ev. exe/exe. ey/em. eye/strain. fang/fang. fringe/fringe. game/game. gamer/gamer. ghost/ghost. gir/gir. girr/girr. glit/glitter. glitter/glitter. gloom/gloom. glow/glow. glow/stick. gore/gore. grr/grr. gun/gun. gut/gut. hor/horror. hx/hxm. hyper/hyper. hyperpop/hyperpop. internet/internet. it/it. ix/ix. kan/kandi. kand/kandi. kandi/kandi. kill/kill. kit/kit. knife/knife. lix/lix. loud/loud. luv/luv. mask/mask. meme/meme. meow/meow. mew/mew. mlp/mlp. mon/monster. mspaint/mspaint. music/music. neo/neon. neon/neon. net/net. nostalgia/nostalgia. nya/nya. nya/nyan. nyan/cat. old/old. online/online. pika/pikachu. pix/pix. pixel/pixel. plur/plur. pony/pony. pop/pop. pop/tart. queen/queen. quiet/quiet. rain/rain. rainbow/rainbow. random/random. rave/rave. rawr/rawr. raz/razor. red/red. rei/reina. scene/scene. scene/scenester. scenecore/scenecore. scream/scream. shx/hxr. si/silent. silly/silly. skull/skull. slash/slash. slice/slice. sound/sound. spi/spider. spook/spook. stab/stab. stick/sticker. sticker/sticker. stud/stud. swag/swags/swagself. thxy/thxm. troll/troll. tutu/tutu. txt/txt. vamp/vamp. video/game. virtual/virtual. vocaloid/vocaloid. web/web. windows/window. x3/x3. x]/x]. xD/xD. xe/xem. xey/xem. xP/xP. xy/xyr. youtube/youtube. ze/zem. ze/zer. ze/zero. zi/zim. zim/zim. zom/zombie. zomb/zomb.

[kykyonthemoon]

Till The Break Of Dawn

That girl was Death, and she came to see me on my twenty-seventh birthday.

── .✦ Zayne (Dawnbreaker) x MC (Female Reader)

── .✦ Tags: oneshot, angst, open ending, multiverse, AU, loops, MC is referred to as "Dawn" in this fic, first pov (Zayne's), side characters: Jas, Astra.

── .✦ Word count: ~3k

── .✦ Ky Ky's note: This fic is for my friend Le Juan, and all the Zayne's girlies out there. Happy Moonlit Orchid Day (or Qixi)! <3

It's also my very first time writing for Dawnbreaker.

── .✦ Masterlist ♡ Request a fic - closed for the time being.

when death

takes my hand

i will hold you with the other

and promise to find you

in every lifetime

— commitment (Rupi Kaur)

Rain. Tiny translucent and frigid particles plummeted into this dark world. The rain fell from the opulent downtown area to the deteriorating, abandoned structures. Under the torrent of water, be it human or monster, it was all the same.

Slow, worn-out steps came to a halt in front of a building that had long since fallen asleep in nature's embrace. Blood trickled over the ground and spread a poisonous tint in the water, yet it had no stain on the pristine white jasmine blossoms flourishing in that desolate place.

Jasmine bid me farewell in my last moments. Perhaps this life was not that dreadful to me after all.

My body crumbled. The rain welcomed me. Cold. The sweet scent of jasmine soared throughout the wind. With my final breath, I extended my hand forward. The hand was smeared with so much blood, from both human and Wanderers, and I knew I was not deserving of it. But I had just the desire to touch it once. My pure jasmine petals.

I had simply sought for one favor; let me dwell in those tranquil dreams with the girl I had always revered.

It appeared as if I heard her voice in the breeze; such melodies to my ears, lulling me into somnolence. I was determined to find her this time, forever.

“Zayne?… Zayne?…”

Someone ran to me from the other side, behind the jasmine bush. She was waiting for me. Just a little more…

“Zayne!”

Her warm fingers connected with mine. I awoke at that very time. Was she calling me, or someone who looked identically to me in the dream?

I opened my eyes and saw her there. She donned a dark robe that swept above the street. She sat down beside me and turned my cold body over. That was her. It was truly her.

Each drop of rain landed on her hair, which had barely emerged from the hood of her cloak, wiping the blood stains from my face. My lips moved silently. I ached to tell her how long I had been waiting for this moment. I had always waited for her. And my wish came true.

That girl was akin to my dream. Her eyes fixed on mine, revealing a mix of astonishment and sadness. But her expression was cold. Where was the brilliant smile that brought luminescence into my otherwise miserable life? I desired it.

Trembling. My fingers moved towards her lips. I begged for her mercy  and to grant me this one wish. Yet she spoke before I could touch her: 

"Zayne." Yes, it was my name. But I knew she was calling me, not the Zayne she had loved in her dream. "Dawnbreaker."

This was the real me, in this world.

"I came here to take you away." Her voice was quite sorrowful. Had I disregarded her with my unkempt appearance and stained hands? This was not the meeting I had hoped for, but I was delighted to have found her. Or it was she who found me.

Winds. The bell chimed midnight. The cold seeped into my thick layers of clothing. The girl's scarlet lips parted again as she drew closer and murmured:

"Take my hand."

She seized mine. There was something in her eyes. Death. Then I suddenly realized something.

That girl was Death, and she came to see me on my twenty-seventh birthday.

It is said that when a person dies, their entire life flashes before their eyes. For me, there was more than just one.

Countless sights that resembled fractured, patched recollections flashed before my eyes. They were my life, yet not really. I knew them well yet felt as if we were complete strangers. I was once a foreseer on the icy throne, I was once a god hidden in the deep mountains, I was once a doctor in the modern day,... Among countless variables, there was only one thing that remained constant: her. 

In each piece of memory, I always found her, my girl. It was always her dying heart, and I was fighting against fate to save her. The instant my life ended, our jasmine flower withered. Then everything went back to where it started.

As midnight was also the time when a new day began.

At first, I could not comprehend what was happening. Everything happened in the same order: I met her, loved her, she was going to die, and I sacrificed my life for her. Our identities might differ, and our decisions might not be precisely the same, yet the ending never changed. I began to vaguely feel that a certain hand had intervened in the flow of our life, driving her and me to follow such a predetermined path.

And suddenly I was Dawnbreaker. In this life, I failed to find her. I had always assumed she just existed in my fantasies. It was not until my death that I discovered she had been seeking for me all along.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the midst of a thriving jasmine garden. A person's fuzzy shadow appeared ahead of me. At first, I believed it was her, yet as I drew closer, I noticed it was a boy who seemed quite familiar.

"Georgie?"

No, that was not Georgie. The boy with that name had abruptly vanished before my eyes. The individual standing here was someone else who resembled Georgie.

"Hello, Zayne." The small child spoke. I had no idea who he was. However, I got the feeling that we had known each other for a long time, since innumerable lifetimes ago.

"I'm not Georgie." The boy added. "I only took the shape of someone you used to know so that I could communicate to you without causing any disturbance in this reality. If you don't like it, I can turn into a snowflake, a cat or something else.”

“You are?”

"Jas." He responded. "I am Jas. Perhaps you forgot about me. But I remember you, and her."

The name rang like a bell, reawakening something that had been asleep inside me. I asked:

“She… And you. Have we known each other before?”

Jas grinned mysteriously. “Shouldn't all the answers be right in front of you at this point?”

“Who are you exactly?”

The child went around the garden like a butterfly. A moment later, he replied:

“I am nobody. I am merely an illusion created by her and you a long, long time ago.”

“So… this garden is also an illusion?”

“It's all an illusion.” Jas replied. “This garden and all the flowers here are.”

I looked around. Each blooming jasmine brought back memories of a lifetime spent with her. I found myself ready to ask Jas a few questions about the flowers, but as if reading my thoughts, he immediately replied:

"That's right. Every jasmine here represents a life you once shared with her.”

I cast a gaze across the seemingly endless garden. There was no evidence of the girl anywhere. I wanted to find her, to call her name. Yet, I had no comprehension of what she was dubbed in this life.

"She is Death. In this realm, she has no name." Jas said as if he could read the thoughts written on my face. "But you may call her anything you want. She permits you to."

Hence, from that moment on, I decided that she would be my Dawn.

Dawn represented Death in this world. Her duty was to send the deceased to their proper resting place. She had seen me in the abandoned street, where I drained a soul out of torment before they were hauled into eternal darkness, and their body became a monster. She was always watching me, yet I could only see her when life left me. Dawn, like me, had spent her countless existences in this garden. 

Jas spoke again, directing my attention back to him:

“Stop looking. She's not here. But before you go mad and run to find her, listen to the remainder of the story first. Shall we?”

I had no alternative since Jas began shortly before I could say anything. Following along the boy's footsteps, I felt as if I were lost in another garden similar to this one, but in a distant timeline.

In the past, this jasmine garden was once the residence of a goddess. Although she was merely a minor deity, her fate was tied to the survival of that world. That divine being was Dawn.

She was born from the purest energies of heaven and earth. That was why, with each cycle, she would have to sacrifice her life, offering her flesh and blood to continue nourishing that world. Then she would be reincarnated in her former body, forgetting all about her previous life. Just as the end of day gives way to darkness, and the breaking of dawn marks the start of a new day.

Things were always going to be like this, then one day, she fell in love.

The person she loved was chosen by Astra - the god of creation - to inherit his power and pass on his will to humanity. She was originally sent by Astra to assist him in training, but in the end, she proved to be his greatest challenge.

"Zayne…" She cried out his name, the person who had always been at her side. They traveled the world together, battled side by side, and defended each other. In the end, they arrived at Mt. Eternal, which marked the boundary between the human and divine realms. Overcoming many obstacles, they learned the mystery that Astra had kept concealed for so long.

Astra, the deity that Dawn considered her father, turned out to want nothing more than to take away the power of heaven and earth that she possessed. Every time she died, he became stronger by taking her energies. Every time she reincarnated, he would bring her back and care for her as if she were his daughter, earning her trust until she ultimately sacrificed herself for a false greater cause. But in this existence, she met Zayne.

"If divine power can't protect those important to me, then I shall need nothing from it."

Zayne had made a decision. Dawn went with him to search for Astra, pretending that he would personally sacrifice her as a present to him while they plotted for the murder of the god. However, they were unaware that they were sliding into Astra's predetermined trap.

How did both of his instruments slip out of his grasp so easily? Astra separated the two, robbed their memories and encased those in jasmine. The new Zayne and Dawn began a new life, unaware of each other and with no memory of their preceding love.

But they still found each other. The thread of fate had long ago bound both of them. Dawn, like in her previous life, must die in accordance with Astra's wishes. And Zayne was always trying to save her. The moment he surrendered his life for hers, the flow of time halted. The entire world came to an abrupt end, then it started all over again.

Astra experimented thousands and thousands of times. The jasmine garden housed every existence of the star-crossed lovers, trapping them eternally in the cycle of love and death. They appeared to have discovered this secret after their first few lifetimes. Every time the flow of time was reestablished, their memories were erased. However, simply encountering each other again caused them to fall in love anew; and whether Zayne remembered or forgot, he would always give his life to the one he loved.

"Don't cry…" Zayne was lying in her arms. He was standing before her. He was leaning onto her shoulder... Their circumstances would alter, but there was always that final moment when she wept and grasped his hand.

They had just recently retrieved some recollections of their past lives before being forced to part ways again.

"Don't cry…" This time, Zayne had her in his arms. His back was against the debris of the collapsed research room. The blanket of snow sprayed over, bringing chilling temperatures. They were on Mt. Eternal in another timeline. Yet even this time, Zayne gave up his life to save Dawn.

She shook her head, tears flowing. They were so close to discovering the truth they had been seeking for so long. They had almost broken this curse of eternal reincarnation. Yet in the end, Astra was one step ahead.

"Hold my hand…" Zayne clasped hers. Death reached his remaining arm and froze it. "As long as you hold my hand like this… I will be able to find you… in the next life…"

"Do you promise?"

"Yes…"

Zayne had not once broken his vow to her. However, if she did not truly die, Astra could not obtain the power he sought. The jasmine garden grew wider with each new life and reboot. He must put an end to this.

As a result, he designed a life in which she became Death, and Zayne could only find her at his very last breath.

"Astra believes that if you die before meeting her, you won't be able to die for her anymore."

Jas' voice sounded out. We returned to the Jasmine Garden. Although the location was the same, this was not Astra's first garden. Dawn and I had poured our powers into this garden. Many eons ago, we had uncovered Astra's secret and secretly created this place as a safe haven away from the wicked deity. Jas was the spirit that guarded the garden and guided Dawn and me back here anytime we recalled something critical. Dawn discovered Jas before I did.

"There were two mistakes Astra made." He said. "First, he tried to control and take her power, unaware that each time she was reborn, the energy source within her grew stronger as well. Second, he was naive to believe he could separate the two of you. Even if you can't see her, the bond between you two still exists in a different way.”

At that point, I instantly realized something. "Our dreams?"

"That's right." Jas confirmed. "Even if the person you dreamed about was an alternate version of her, it seemed like all the versions in all of your lives knew each other in one way or another. She, as Death, has always dreamed of you and sought you out."

I halted to reflect on what I had just discovered, or recalled.

"Zayne, listen... Astra made another great mistake. That is giving her the status of Death. It implies she now has your life in her hands.

"Does that mean this time, she saved me?"

Jas' nod reaffirmed my doubts, my fears. "You should have died and Astra could have her again... However, she utilized the power of Death to stop your time. Zayne, you are still alive."

I already knew that. The truth was, my life only begun when she arrived.

"I have to find Dawn."

"Wait." Jas spoke up. Almost immediately, vines from the garden seized my limbs. "You cannot go yet."

"Why?"

"She used all of her current power to prevent you from dying. If Astra finds you, she will no longer be able to defend you. She brought you here to keep you safe, Zayne."

Dawn wanted to confront Astra alone. I expected this when old memories resurfaced. I told Jas:

“Then it’s another reason to find her. I cannot bear to lose her again.”

I strained with the vines that were becoming increasingly tight around me, even using Evol to break free of them.

At that point, the garden started to tremble severely. The pure blue sky above broke into fragments and decreased. The jasmine petals detached from the stems, drifted in the air and eventually vanished.

"Jas?"

“I have… completed my mission…” His voice seemed to resonate from far away. His entire body perished before my eyes. “I exist… so that one day… you and she can… find what you've lost… Now… you both have made your own decisions… So I will… disappear… and return… the source of power that you both… gave me before… But remember… If you and she fail in… this timeline… there will be no more Jas, no more… jasmine garden…”

Jas in front of me appeared as surreal as a mist. I knew I had to find Dawn before Astra made a move on her. This was the last chance we had.

“Go, Zayne… I can only… help you get to… her…”

In the middle of the garden, an archway made of plants and jasmine opened. I hurled myself through it, not forgetting to gaze back at the smiling boy Jas, whose body transformed into thousands of jasmine petals before vanishing.

I heard Dawn whisper to me at that moment of life and death: 

“This time, I will protect you…” 

My hand reached out to where she was waiting. My chest ached as I screamed with everything I had:

“Dawn, take my hand!”

And I awoke. Rain splashed over my face. Cold. I was lying on the roadside next to a jasmine with each flower falling and gently dissolving in the water. 

I lifted myself up. In the black of night, I went after her traces. I knew she was so close to me. I knew she was calling my name. And the world would awaken at dawn, once again.

I will find you, in every lifetime.

[svthub]

svthub's secret garden: a spring collab

This spring, love is in the air! Take a stroll through our garden and discover our secret world of colorful blooms. Who knows who you might run into...

This collab will contain a combination of SFW and NSFW works. See each individual fic for tags and warnings.

Join the Secret Garden taglist!

peony: one trick peony • @wongyuseokie [NSFW] fluff/angst • csc x female reader

synopsis: choi seungcheol could only do one type of floral arrangement, and the rest he’d pawn off to you, granted he got a ton of orders, but he would always take the orders for arrangements that he could never do. this time he went too far. he took an ‘only peonies’ arrangement–a painfully delicate flower–and took an order for a wedding, and with your luck, you’re the only two florists available that weekend.

tulip: my destiny • @wonuhour [SFW] fluff/romance/angst • yjh x female reader

synopsis: when he first met you he didn't think anything of it but he felt drawn to you. When you two started to spend time with each other he fell in love with you. So he takes you to the tulip garden, hoping you felt the same for him, since this is the place you two met each other for the first time.

dandelion: whichever blooms first • @strawberryya [SFW] fluff/hints of angst • hjs x gn reader

synopsis: a dandelion is resilient, it can weather any storm, and at the end of its life it will even grant wishes to whoever sees its worth as something more than a simple garden weed. your relationship with joshua is the same, you hope, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to make a wish that your love will last a lifetime anyways.

rhododendron: sunkissed • @junkissed [SFW] fluff • husband!wjh x wife!reader

synopsis: this year for your anniversary, jun takes you on a trip down memory lane through the flowers of your past together.

carnation: be sweet • @heartkyeom [NSFW] angst/smut • prince!ksy x princess!reader

synopsis: with your country’s finances in trouble, an arranged marriage with a fellow royal is the only viable solution. yet, kwon soonyoung is not a good person, a good prince, and he is certainly not meant to be someone’s husband

foxglove: by line • @wonwussy [NSFW] smut/drama • jww x female reader

synopsis: you know the hotshot ceo is up to no good, and with the interview that can make your career, you’re finally going to have proof.

lily of the valley: valley of broken dreams (and lilies) • @duhnova [SFW] angst/fluff • ljh x female reader

synopsis: you met jihoon when you were both young and dumb — a promise you two made to become big in the music industry laid shattered years later when you lost your ability to sing, and now you have to live in the shadow of your boyfriend while you struggle to come to terms with your broken dreams.

orchid: he was sunshine, i was midnight rain • @dkakapizzaboy [NSFW] fluff/angst/smut • lsm x female reader

synopsis: he was sunshine and roses and you were orchids and moonlight. two very different people in the same industry. he was loved and you were feared, he was a warm cup of tea on a cold day and you were a bucket of ice cold water. what would happen if two highly sought after, up and coming sustainable fashion brands decided to work together on an exclusive, once in a lifetime collaboration?

zinnia: everlasting love • @sluttyminghao [NSFW] fluff/smut • kmg x female reader

synopsis: mingyu wants you to know how much he loves you after dropping hints for years, and takes you on a date you'll never forge, and maybe you'll also figure out you love him too.

lavender: and we meet again • @idyllic-ghost [SFW] fluff/angst/romance • xmh x reader

synopsis: there is something familiar about that house on the hill, even though you swear that you have never seen it before. but you’re drawn to the lavender fields and the oceanview - and the lonesome looking man you see sitting on the porch. when you approach him there is something in his eyes that you cannot understand - a knowing, a deep feeling. the question is, will you ever have enough time to figure out what that look means?

hyacinth: how flowers bloom • @cheolism [NSFW] fantasy/smut • bsk x reader

synopsis: every year, you and the god of spring meet at the edge of the clearing to perform the ceremony that decides if winter will endure or if spring will prevail, repeating the ceremony weekly until spring finally wins. after you won the last five weeks, keeping the world under your icy spell, seungkwan decides to use alternative tactics to dominate you and bring spring back.

trillium: trillium • @beahae [NSFW] fluff/smut • hvc x female reader

synopsis: vernon is flying in to see his girlfriend. oh shit, that’s… you. being away from him since it happened a few months ago makes it hard for it to feel real, especially after two years of what you both convinced yourself was a purely platonic friendship. now that he’s here in the flesh, you are determined to make it feel real. and very non-platonic.

forget-me-nots: promise ring • @lovelyhan [NSFW] fantasy/fluff/a pinch of angst/smut • lc x reader

synopsis: no one would've guessed that the daughter of the town’s royal mage has a soft spot for the clumsiest fire elemental in the entire realm. but when the crown prince suddenly asks for your hand in marriage, you're forced to consider how you feel about a certain lee jung chan a lot more seriously.

[rc-catalog]

🖊️ FANFICTION:

RAM DOOBAY

Fate by @agattthaa | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | T

Belong by @agattthaa | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | T

An Aftermath of Episode 8: A Life for a Life by @webanglikethat | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | TW: major character death (Devi’s brother), angst, guilt, grief | T

Midnight Tryst by @zealouscanonindeer | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | T

You Can't Always Get What You Want, But If You Try Sometimes, You Might Find, You Get What You Need by @zealouscanonindeer | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | T

You Know How I Love You by @secret-fungi | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | TW: smut, adult themes | M

Under the Orchid Tree by @secret-fungi | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | T

"We Said Our Legacies Were Timeless (But We Were Not)" by @webanglikethat | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | TW: violence, death, description of injuries, bloodshed, including fatal injuries, emotional distress | T

Covered in You by @notmissinginaction | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | T

DORAN BASU

Rain by @agattthaa | Deviya Sharma x Doran Basu, onesided Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | TW: unrequited love | T

RADHA BASU

Ours by @agattthaa | Deviya Sharma x Radha Basu | TW: mention of a sexual relationship | M

Crave by @agattthaa | Deviya Sharma x Radha Basu | T

Maybe by @agattthaa | Deviya Sharma x Radha Basu | T

🖼️ MOODBOARDS:

Kali Flame of Samsara Moodboard by @liykaii | G

Deviya Sharma by @webanglikethat | Deviya Sharma x Ram Doobay | G

The Fire Swallows All: Devi Moodboard by @mikaelsrose | G

Devi x Ram by @webanglikethat | G

Tere Bina Kya Wajood Mera by @webanglikethat | Devi x Ram | TW: death, skeletons, gory heart | T

For You Are Mine by @webanglikethat | Devi x Saraswati | G

🧵WEB WEAVING:

On Deviya Sharma + Saraswati Basu by @webanglikethat | G

On Deviya Sharma + Ram Doobay by @webanglikethat | TW: mentions of death | G

🎨 ART/EDIT:

Kali Flame of Samsara Edit by @ratanslily | G

Don't Like Anyone That's Not You by @a-cloud-for-dreams | TW: blood, violence | G |

[commander-rahrah]

Talking to the Moon: Part VIII

Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader Word Count: ~5950 Warnings: swearing, mentions of blood, mentions of trauma, abuse and possible death, some borrowed in game dialogue, suggestive, slight NSFW, canonical warnings apply!

archiveofourown: here

masterlist: here

part I: here part II: here part III: here part IV: here part V: here part VI: here VII: here

Summary: Set in end stages of Act III. Astarion spends the day alone to gather his thoughts and prepare himself on how to make yet another confession - his love for you.

Notes:

Hi folks ♡ This is my take on non-ascended Astarion's romance scene in Act III, where I've continued to give him some more scenes between the Cazador fight and the romance scene -- because this poor vampire needs some time to decompress and breath and think! I daydreamed about a few of these scenes, and the dialogue was stuck in my brain and played on a loop until I finally got to write it down! I hope you enjoy the chapter and the culmination of all the little, patient moments between Astarion and GN!Reader/Tav that lead to this scene for them. I think there will probably only be a few more chapters for this series too! Crazy!!!

Thank you so much for reading! As always, kudos and comments are very very appreciated ♡♡♡

·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨:·..·:¨༺ ༻¨

Astarion’s pale fingers were twitching against the inside of his palms as he studied the busy cobblestone street.

Pairs — that’s all he could see. The pair holding hands as they weaved through the crowd. A man gently tugging a woman to his side, out of the way of an incoming carriage, before tipping their heads back and laughing. Two men flashing each other nervous, flirty smiles as they picked out rings together. His eyes had been drawn to pairs for months now — ever since he’s realized he done the unthinkable and actually fallen for you. But usually they were pairs that he could only assume the stories of. Couples that were long gone, dead and forgotten about. Skeletons with intertwined fingers, or love letters from decades ago long lost to the Shadowlands. He hadn’t seen couples with futures — honest to god living, breathing, hopeful pairs. Whispering and sneaking glances and kisses. Gentle casual touches as they picked out fresh fruit and matching jewelry. People so full of hope and love. It made his half-dead heart ache for you. Wherever you were right now. He had remained behind today, not quite ready to face the world as the supposed “heroes” you all had become to the city. No, he wanted more time to figure out what all this meant for him. For you.

You had offered to stay with him after his morning feeding, your voice low and gentle as the others still slept. But he insisted you go — as much as that little voice in his head argued to not let you go. Someone had to be there to make sure nobody took advantage of your kind, selfless heart.

But if he had another moment with you he would probably blurt out some rambling, befuddled love confession. Which isn’t the way Astarion wanted to do things.

You both had done everything so backwards from the beginning. He wouldn’t mess this up too.

So, here he was — meandering through the busy market of Baldur’s Gate. Eyeing flowers and jewelry and goods as if they could adequately describe how he felt about you.

Roses and chocolates and dramatic passion in bed. That’s what he thought this was supposed to be. What he’d read it felt like, what he’d faked it to be.

But no.

You were sweet lilies and midnight orchids, honey and delicate pastries, the deep night sky and moonlight. You with your gentle, patient and maddening touches that turned everything he knew upside down.

Astarion never really got any of it — even with his broken concept of love. He didn’t understand the point of it.

Because it was never with you.

No, no flowers or chocolates or jewelry would really capture how he felt. None of it could dare come close to explaining the fluttering, buzzing, electric feeling that went through him at just the thought of you.

He wouldn’t rely on theatrics either — no perfectly placed blanket and bottle of wine in the middle of the woods. No practiced lines or trained movements that were practically a ritual at this point.

The vampire would speak from the heart. His cold, half-dead heart that was… well, feeling quite the opposite as of late.

Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, the vampire took the long way back to the Elf Song Tavern — relishing the feeling of the sun heating his white hair, freckling the back of his neck. Memorizing the sights in the daytime colours, the different sounds of the busy streets.

Who knew how much longer he’d be able to take them in. That was part of what he gave away.

Another thing to come to terms with.

At least he got to make the decision for himself this time. Unlike most of his life.

The worn wooden stairs of the tavern creaked underneath Astarion as he went up to the group’s room. He marched through the ornate double doors before any nervousness or doubting thoughts slipped in at the prospect of seeing you.

But the room was quiet — the only sound a small crackling fire that must have been freshly set by housekeeping. There was no usual bustle of the dozen of you all — everyone still out in the city, doing whatever quest or do-good-ing someone insisted on today.

His pointed ear quirked slightly at a sound, and he turned his head towards it. The balcony doors were wide open, the sound of something lightly thumping the glass pane of the doors reached his ears. But he couldn’t see anything from here.

Moving heel to toe carefully to not announce himself, Astarion craned to see who it was before letting out a small sigh of relief. It was Karlach — her red tail hitting the glass softly as it swished back and forth. The rest of her was leaned up against the railing, with something hanging out of her mouth.

He let out a fake cough to get her attention, and she craned her head over her muscular shoulder to look at him. Her clawed fingers pulled a cigar out from her mouth, her lips pulling into a grin. “Hiya Fangs.”

Ugh, cigars. Astarion loathed the disgusting things — they reeked. “Karlach,” He greeted with a nod, leaning against the frame of the balcony door away from the smoke. “Back already?”

“Ah, never left.” She admitted a little sheepishly. “Wasn’t quite ready to face the world just yet.”

Right, Gortash. Gods, he’d been so wrapped up in everything that had happened to him that he’d almost forgotten. She’d asked for time to decompress after all of that too. Not that he blamed her.

The barbarian had even pulled herself together for his benefit — she was one of the first to jump to his defense when he announced to the group it was time to face his old Master.

He wondered if she got as much catharsis from killing Gortash as he did from killing the ancient vampire.

Probably not. Even with the lord dead she would still die. Not like him.

No, he'd get to live with that, like this, forever.

Sometimes he couldn’t decide what was worse. Cursed to die after finally seeing the sun and trees and ocean again. Or cursed to live forever with only fading memories of those things after longing for them for two hundred years.

It was a difficult question to answer. And now even more impossible with the added variable of his love for you — his very mortal, very breakable lover.

Astarion realized he had been silent for way too long then socially acceptable and blinked his red eyes back to reality.

Karlach had put the cigar out now thankfully, tossing her black and red hair over her shoulder as she braced her elbows on the metal railing. The rogue stepped forward to join her, pushing his hip against the railing as he looked down to the streets he had just been walking.

“I’m proud of you fangs, I hope you know that."

He raised a white brow at her as she continued. "I know it wasn’t easy… turning down what you did. But gods, are we glad you did.”

The vampire took a steadying breath, “I know… Now I just have to live with it. I’m not sure what will happen now, or once the tadpoles are gone.” He admitted with a twinge of fear in his voice.

Her amber eyes betrayed her, flickering down before she forced a smile on her face. “Whatever happens, you won’t be alone.”

“For now. I’m sure everyone will be called off to their own business." He ignored the giant, waving red flag of her impending doom. "And besides, they’re bound to get sick of avoiding the sun just for me after sometime…”

“What, Giggles?" She scoffed, "You have to know they aren’t going anywhere by now, Fangs.”

His heart squeezed tightly, “How can you be so sure?”

“Astarion. They talk about you like you put the stars in the fuckin’ sky.”

He swallowed the lump crawling up his throat. Not only had he finally noticed you actually did love him, apparently he was one of the last ones to see it too.

Karlach said it with so much conviction, that even if he hadn’t come to the same conclusion last night… he certainly would have now.

“If you’ll have them, they’ll be there.” She smiled tenderly, the corners of her eyes wrinkling. She reached out her large red hand, squeezing his shoulder before she grimaced. “Oh fuck, sorry!” She wrenched her hand back, “Touching! I forgo—“

“It’s ok, I didn’t mind that.”

“Still, shoulda asked. Gods, I gotta get better at that. Just couldn’t do it for so long, heh—“

Astarion gave her a sad smile, nodding his head.

If he was honest he used to loathe Karlach. Not that she deserved it. But she was handed shit cards just like him, and she insisted on being so fucking bubbly and positive and optimistic. It drove him mental.

And the touching. Gods, the touching.

In the beginning how she moaned and mourned physical touch, all while Astarion felt like he was going to chip a molar if another person touched him again.

And then the pure elation on her face when she got her engine upgraded and could hug, kiss... grab people’s wrists and shoulders and fingers so casually. But Astarion’s face had to be a perfect, numb mask so he could hide the fact that bile was rising in his throat and his skin was on fire anytime someone grabbed him.

He hadn’t meant to hate her. And he knew he didn’t now. Actually, he felt like he was already mourning his friend a little bit. He would miss her.

“Thank you,” Astarion’s said softly.

Karlach’s eyebrows raised high on her forehead, a little stunned at the gratitude. “For what?”

“For being my friend. Even when I didn’t deserve it.”

“You deserved it, Fangs. The whole time.” Her voice was unusually soft and low, like a whisper. “Every good thing that’s happened to you — including them. And there’s more to come, I know it.”

The smiles they shared after was bittersweet.

Hope in times like these was a dangerous thing.

• • •

Your shoulders instantly relaxed as your eyes settled on Astarion’s form. He was lounging near the fire in your room at the tavern, a a book face down over his leg with his knee acting as a placeholder. His striking red eyes watched your every step as you swayed on tired feet over to him.

“Hello, sweetheart.” The vampire said softly, looking up at you from the settee.

“May I?”

His pale hand tapped the spot next to him. Your legs all but gave out as you sat down on the soft cushions, your muscles finally finding some relief after your long day. Before you could you even think to ask him, Astarion was wrapping his arm around your side – pushing you into him.

You relished in the feeling, losing yourself in his scent and the feel of the pads of his fingers on your soft waist. Then his strong nose was pressed into your neck, pressing the smallest of kisses to the sensitive skin that caused a wave of emotions to crash through you all at once. “You’re alright?” He asked quietly in your ear, before pulling away to look you over.

“Alright. Tired, glad to be back.” You gave him a meek smile, “And you, love?” You couldn’t help but study him, your eyes falling to his other hand that was not holding you – playing with the stitches on the sides of his pants. The anxious habit had made him go through a couple pairs of pants by now.

“Yes. No. Hmm… It’s hard to verbalize.” He finally admitted.

Your eyes locked and a silent conversation transpired in those seconds. His blinks and flash of his red eyes was confirmation enough. “I understand.”

He licked his pink lips as he slid his hand from around you, his fingertips dragging across the small of your back as he instead laced his pale fingers in yours. “I do feel guilty that I ended up lounging around here in the sun while the rest of you were out being heroes…” Then he swallowed, staring out to the windows just beginning to turn golden pink with the slowly setting sun. “I guess I should probably start getting used to the shadows again. Who knows how long I have left in the sun?”

You gave him a sad smile, feeling your chest tighten at the look on his face. “I think you did the right thing. Stopping it. Stopping him.”

Never again would you say that name. Never again would you give the bastard vampire master an ounce of power, even in death.

“I know. So do I. Though that doesn't mean it stings any less.” You felt your eyes burn as his voice broke slightly, getting thick with emotion. “Maybe never seeing the sun again is just the price of freedom.”

You looked down at your intertwined hands on your lap, “I'll be with you either way. I hope you know that.”

“I think I do,” Astarion said, his eyes turning soft and round as he looked over at you. Then he rolled his neck with attitude, a smirk spreading across his lips. “Assuming we survive, of course. Because a horrible death is always just around the corner with you.”

You thought about your adventures today with your companions and couldn’t help but agree. “We do love to find trouble, don’t we?”

A small chuckle escaped him, shaking you both slightly on the settee. Then he took a steadying breath, his fingers tightening their hold on yours for a moment. “There's something I'd like to show you, if that's alright. Something out in the city.”

Your brows met in the middle, “What is it?”

“Something I haven't shown anyone else,” He admitted with an odd look on his face. “Tonight?”

“Tonight,” You agreed, squeezing his cold hand back gently.

• • •

“This way, it's not far.” Astarion said softly, his hand stretched back as he led you forward.

It took all of his willpower to stop his other hand from trembling as you both walked through the graveyard. The over-grown grass and long forgotten tombs were bathed in the moonlight from above, casting shadows across the space.

He risked a glance behind him to look at you, but you were as quiet and composed as ever as you took in the sights around you. The vampire had never seen you be so quiet as you had been in the last few days – he knew it was for his benefit. Usually his lovely moon was as sharp-tongued as he was, as eloquent and flowery as Wyll or Gale. But no, these past few days you had been listening and watching so patiently. You’d given him both comfort and space in a way he’d never thought possible.

He would have to add that to the never ending list of why he loved you.

His half-dead heart crawled up his throat as he approached the familiar sight of his own tombstone. It seemed so simple just sitting here in the overgrown grass – clearly untouched all these centuries later. It had held so much power over him for so long — this haunted place that was marked as the beginning of this existence.

This hole in the ground. This slab of stone.

“Nearly two hundred years and I never came back. Not since the night I woke up down there. I had to punch a hole in the coffin and claw my way through six feet of dirt.” He croaked, his fingers slipping from yours to form fists beside him. “Then when I finally broke the surface, retching up dirt and congealed blood, Cazador was waiting.”

His master’s name made his mouth feel wrong, his tongue heavy and swollen.

“From that day on I was his. Until yesterday.”

“You were never his.” You said quietly, “Whatever he had, he took by force.”

“Maybe, but he did take it. There's almost nothing left of the person I was. Just a name on a rock.” His bottom lip trembled, before he steadied himself. Turning to the side, he moved his gaze from the tombstone to you. “For nearly two centuries I stalked the streets like a ghost while the person I was, lay here dead and buried. Now I need to figure out who I am. What I want.”

You took a deep breath, looking at him with your eyes wide, “And what do you want?”

Astarion’s heart stuttered, he was doing this. That’s what the whole point of all of this was, wasn’t it? Why he had that nervous fluttering in his stomach all day. “You... I want you. You were by my side through all of this. Through bloodlust and pain and misery. You were patient. You cared. You trusted me when that was an objectively stupid thing to do!” His throat worked soundlessly, before he spoken again. “I feel safe with you. Seen. And whatever the future holds for me, I don't want to lose that.”

“You won't. Whatever comes next, I've got you.” You said it so softly, but with so much conviction he couldn’t help but believe you.

Then your mouth spread into a radiant smile that he couldn’t help but match. “Thank you.”

It took all of him to tear his eyes away from you. “Well... I should probably fix this.” Kneeling down, he pulled a sheathed dagger from his boot. He took the tip of it, pushing it into the weathered stone as he added the current year. The year he woke up from the evil nightmare that was his life. The year he met you.

Sheathing the dagger, he fell back onto his heels and he admired his work. You dropped down beside him, close enough he could feel your warmth radiating around you. And you were so quiet again, giving him time to process.

“I've been dead in the ground for long enough, it's time to try living again. With everything that life has to offer.” Taking a deep breath, he swiveled on his knees until his was face to face with you. The moon was backlit behind your head, illuminating your silver hair with an ethereal halo. His fingertips couldn’t resist reaching out and tracing the soft line of your cheek.

Taking a steadying breath, he let his hand fall back onto his lap. His lashes casting a shadow down his face as he looked down for a moment before he spoke again. “Months ago, on that bed in the last light inn... you asked me how I saw you.”

You nodded as you remembered, “You told me you needed time.”

“Ask me again.”

You licked your lips, “How do you see me?”

“I look at you, and I see everything. The moon and stars. The world. A future.” His pale fingers reached out for yours, intertwining them carefully. “I was petrified when you asked me before… because I knew, even back then. But I’m not afraid anymore.

Being with you is about more than lust or manipulating you into a tactical alliance. I love you. I love this. And I want it all.” Astarion confessed before his other hand pale grabbed the side of your face, holding you steady as he pressed his lips to yours gently — to give you time to pull away.

The vampire didn’t have to wait very long for you to kiss him back. Your lips meeting his almost instantly, your hands pressing tenderly into the lapels of his jacket to hold you steady as you both balanced on your knees. Your soft lips, your scent, the feeling of your fingers bunched on his clothes — you were the most intoxicating thing he’d ever had.

You pulled away just long enough to whisper back in a husky voice, “I love you Astarion, irrevocably so.”

A feeling gripped his heart so tightly, spread through every pore and crevice of his half-dead body that he felt it bring him back to life. Astarion had been manipulated, coerced, abused and forced into acquiescence for over two hundred years. He had felt the physical control that his Master had over his body and soul. But this — you, you possessed him another way he had never felt. He could barely process it, let alone articulate the way you were making him feel right now. He opened and closed his mouth several times as he tried to get the words out.

Instead silver lined the bottoms of his eyes and his bottom lip trembled, “What ever could I have done to deserve such a beautiful creature as you, my heart.”

But you shook your head, your silver hair bouncing with the movement, “I have never once questioned my love for you. You… you’ve never made me feel like I’m too loud, too much. You made me feel easy to love — and you did make me feel loved, long before you ever said the words. You make me feel like my blessing is something to be grateful for… not a thorn in your side. That I’m not a burden.”

“A burden? Never!” Anger flared through him at the people who made you feel this way. “A burden is something forced upon, against your will. I know that feeling. But you – you aren’t a burden. I choose you. Do not dilute yourself, or hide yourself away. Not from me.”

It was your turn to have happy tears fill your eyes now, your freckled nose crinkling as you smiled wide, “I love you.”

“Say it again.” He breathed, pressing his forehead to yours. His red eyes flickered down so he could watch your lips move and form around the words.

“I love you.”

A broken noise escaped from Astarion’s throat as he grabbed onto you. Euphoria and arousal and light flooded through him like never before. “Hells, the things you do to me. Just those words alone.” He hissed as his hand slid down the back of your neck, pulling you into him so he could kiss you more deeply then ever before.

Gods, did he want you. He wanted to taste every inch of you, re-discover your entire body. He wanted you breathy and panting as he swirled you with his mouth. He wanted his name on your lips and your hands on his body. He’d waited for this, waited for you for centuries.

Astarion gently pushed you into the long, soft grass and your eyes widened slightly with surprise. He lowered himself carefully on top of you, his hands bracketing either side of your head before asking in a whisper, “Is this okay?”

You nodded with a swallow, before opening your mouth. “Yes. And for you?”

“Gods, yes.” He purred into your ear before pressing his body flush to yours and capturing your lips again. Almost instantly one of your hands was at the nape of his neck, swirling his curls and massaging his scalp to the rhythm of your kisses.

The vampire slid his knee between your legs, stretching them apart so he could settle in between them deliciously — a hand moving underneath your shoulder to support you as you stretched your neck up to keep up with your kisses. He felt himself harden in his leather pants, rutting in the soft muscle of your thigh to get any kind of friction. Then his other pale hand slipped between the two of you and cupped between your own legs, feeling your arousal through the thin fabric of your trousers.

“Astarion,” You hummed in approval, bucking into his hand that sparked the fire in his belly to heat even more. He buried his face into your neck, nipping and sucking the delicate skin before pressing his tongue and lips to it in a soothing touch. If he didn’t stop here, he wasn’t sure if he could. The whole point of this was to do things the right way...

As if the cosmos heard his thoughts, the sounds of crunching steps nearby caused both of you to pull away in a flurry. You were both breathless, your chests heaving and skin flushed from your touch. Then quiet chuckles escaped you, shaking your bodies as your foreheads touched.

“Do you see what you do to me?” Astarion whispered, before detangling himself from you. You brushed each other off, before standing up and moving into the shadow of a nearby tree as incoming torch lights suddenly appeared.

“Hello?” A gruff voice called out, the clink of chained armor ringing as they walked closer to where you two were just laying.

“It was probably a ghost, Ryder.” Another voice teased from behind.

City guards. Well, that could have been awkward.

“OooOOOooo,” They mocked again.

“Eh! Stop it, you know this place gives me the creeps.” The first voiced huffed, before turning on their heel. “You owe me a pint for that.”

Astarion waited until their voices and footsteps faded away before peering around the large tree trunk. Another laugh escaped him, “What was it that I was just saying about you and trouble?”

You shook your head but joined his laughter, “That one is all your fault, you instigator.”

“Pardon me for finding you absolutely irresistible.” He licked his lips as he stared at yours, before blinking his red eyes back to reality. “Now what, my love?”

“Perhaps, now I can show you something I’ve never shown anyone else?”

He quirked a white eyebrow before letting a smirk spread, “Lead the way.”

Leaving the graveyard behind, you walked with your fingers intertwined and stepped in time with each other as you wandered down the cobblestones streets of Baldur’s Gate. You led the way confidently, a soft smile on your face as you snuck glances over to him. It made his heart thrum and stomach twist.

As you turned the corner onto a residential street, Astarion’s steps slowed. He looked around, blinking as he realized, “I know this street.”

You cocked your head as you kept walking, pulling him along with you, “Do you?”

“Quite well. I would use it to get to the little tavern nearby as a bit of a shortcut. But there’s this lovely little townhouse, tiny. It’s lavender with—”

“Flower boxes?” You finished for him.

“Yes, lilies.” Astarion walked forward before stopping in front of the townhouse. The narrow house was sandwiched between two others, painted a pastel lavender that shined brilliantly in the moonlight compared to the darker colours around it. “This one,” He pointed a long, pale finger at it.

You frowned slightly as you looked at the planter boxes, “The poor flowers.”

He followed your gaze, “They will bloom again, I’m sure of it.” Stepping closer to the little townhouse, he pointed up to the second floor window. “You know, there’s a piano in there.”

You perked up at that, your eyes darting from him to the window at back, “How do you know that?”

“I would hear it sometimes, faintly. Soft little melodies.”

“Really?”

A small smile spread across Astarion’s lips as he remembered the tunes — how sometimes he would stop underneath the window just out of sight in the dim light of the evening and listen. The harsh tug of his master’s orders would usually snap at him for the delay, but it was worth it to hear the joyful sounds.

“Every so often they would sing too. Such a lovely voice. I actually… l used to come this way when I was in the area — hoping I would hear them.” He admitted, wringing his hands together in front of him. “And I would try so hard to commit it to memory, so I could remember it when... Well, you know when.”

You looked over to him with the softest line between your brows. “Astarion, when was this?”

“Oh, time is so hard for me.” He tapped his chin as he thought, “Recently though— the last year or so I’d say.“

You worked your throat silently before pulling out a silver key out of your pocket, holding it out in front you. “When I realized I was going to stay in Baldur’s Gate, I started looking for a more permanent place to stay instead of the inns.”

You turned on your heel, and began to climb the narrow stairs on the side of the townhouse, “I saw an ad in the paper about a tiny room available at a discounted rate...” You slid the silver key into the painted wooden door that matched the rest of the house, and pushed it open. “Because the previous tenant had passed away and left behind a piano that was would cost them too much to move.”

Astarion followed you in wordlessly, his mouth falling open as you continued speaking. Until both of you stood inside the tiny lavender townhouse. It wasn’t very lavish — it was actually quite quaint, a little outdated. Some of the furniture looked well-loved and worn — a double bed pushed in the corner underneath the window to make space for the large upright piano taking up the majority of the room.

“I thought the piano was a selling feature, I loved it… I would play almost every night.” You said breathlessly, spinning around to face the vampire again.

His red eyes stayed on you, his voice thick with emotion. “It was you?”

“One year I’ve rented this room.” You admitted.

“It was you.” He breathed, crossing to you in a few steps and grabbing onto your fingers gently. The soft fingers that could play the piano so beautifully. “Play— play for me?” He asked, gesturing over to the dusty piano.

Your lips curled up as you nodded, pulling out the cracked leather piano bench and sitting before it. You stretched your fingers over the ivory keys, the dim light from the windows catching on the rings adorning them. Astarion could tell you must have taken lessons, your posture almost perfect as you straightened your back at the edge of your seat. He felt a tugging in the back of his mind of someone trying to teach him the same once, hundreds of years ago as a child.

But then your fingers pressed into the keys, and the emotion that crossed your face could not have been taught. You closed your eyes as you struck the first few chords, not needing to look as your hands glided between positions.

He was transfixed watching you, listening to you. Somehow you picked the tune that he remembered most clearly — the one that would slip into his mind the most when he was desperately looking for any kind of reprieve. It was more beautiful then he remembered, his memory of it was really a disservice to how exquisite it truly was.

Your posture laxed slightly as you began to hum, harmonizing with the melody you played on the piano and your voice drew Astarion in. He stood behind you, his fingers trailing the ends of your silver hair as he listened, brushing down the nape of your neck before squeezing it tenderly as you played the last note.

“I can’t believe it was you, this whole time. Your tunes, your voice kept me from madness some nights. Staring up at the moon, and you—” His voice broke, as tears broke free so instead he bent over to place a kiss on the crown of your head.

You turned to face him, standing up to reach his height. You gave him a sad smile, before asking, “May I?” He nodded with eyes closed, unsure of what he was even agreeing to. But then he felt the pads of your fingertips wipe his tears away, as gracefully and practiced as you had just touched the piano keys.

Astarion opened his eyes and grabbed your hand before you could pull it away. He held onto it before kissing your fingertips closely, tasting his own salty tears. “Just when I thought there was no possibility of loving you more.”

You mewed at the statement, the most beautiful smile he had ever seen spreading across your lips. “Do you believe me now?”

“About what?” He whispered.

“Fate.”

A breathy laugh escaped him as his heart lurched forward like it would thump right out of his chest, “Yes, my moon. I think I do.”

Leaning his face down, Astarion kissed you softly as he moved his arms to wrap around you. You matched his movements, circling your arms around his waist as your fingers grabbed onto the fabric of his jacket. Even with the long, drawn-out kisses, without requiring air like a mortal did, Astarion felt like he could finally breathe – fully and deeply for the first time in centuries. The darkness of his eternal immortal suffering suspending for a moment as his heart thundered alongside yours.

His lips became fervent on yours, kissing you harder and deeper than ever before. Your fingers moved to the front of shirt, knotting in fists as you pulled him into you. He groaned at the sensation of your chest pushed into his.

The vampire was sure he had never wanted anything so bad in his life — no other person, or blood, or freedom. Everything about this, about you, was making his mind swirl and heart pound like he had never experienced. Your scent — the sweet aroma of your bouquet, and the soap from last night. Your taste, like the richest wine and sweet honey pastries. The dichotomy of your gentle, tender kisses and the powerful, all-consuming ones you bestowed to him now. The little lavender house with the soft melodies and songs that had quite literally saved him for the past year, belonging to you.

“Starry,” You moaned out breathlessly as he trailed his kisses down your chest and throat, collarbones and sternum.

“Mmm, I can’t decide.” He purred into your skin, keeping up his touches with his lips and hands between his words.

“Decide what?” You panted slightly above him.

“Where I want you. The bed. This piano. Right here on the floor.”

You pulled away, your eyebrows furrowing softly, “Astarion, we don’t have to do anything you don’t—”

But he grabbed your chin with his thumb, catching your bottom lip slightly, as he made you look at him. “Are you going to make me beg?”

“What?”

“I want you — desperately. I ache for you, darling. And you are so sweet and considerate and have been so, so very patient. But I will beg if you want me to. Will that get the point across?” He sank to his knees in front of you, kneeling on the worn wooden floorboards of your rented townhouse. The tips of his fingers trailed down the back of your thighs delicately as he steadied himself for balance. “I love you. I need you. Please—”

You stopped his rambling as you bent over to kiss him, cutting off his words before pulling him off of the floor. “You don’t beg or kneel anymore, not to anyone and especially not to me.” You held either side of his face, staring intensely at him. “Do you truly want this?”

“Yes,” He said simply, his red eyes round and soft. Putting his hand on the outside of yours, stilling holding his cheek. His voice dropped an octave, barely more than a whisper as the building sensation of arousal and bliss started to form all over again. “Yes, my moon.”

Your lashes fluttered as you looked down to his lips and back up to his eyes. He knew they were a mirror to his own, shining with deep, true emotion. “Anything for you, my love. I am yours.”

The sound that escaped him was cut off as you pushed your lips back onto his.

Read the next part here

[dkakapizzaboy]

He was Sunshine, I was Midnight Rain

Masterlist || Taglist Form

Pairing: CEO! Fashion Designer! Seokmin x Rival Company CEO! Fashion Designer! fem! Reader Genre: fluff, Angst( a little bit), smut (more suggestive and soft honestly)- MDNI Words: 1.4K Synopsis: He was sunshine and roses and you were orchids and moonlight. Two very different people in the same industry. He was loved and you were feared, he was a warm cup of tea on a cold day and you were a bucket of ice-cold water. What would happen if two highly sought-after, up-and-coming sustainable fashion brands decided to work together on an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime collaboration? A/N: Hi Hi, this is my contribution to the @svthub 's secret garden: a spring collab! You can read the stories for the rest of the members here! Please go and check them out! This went very differently than what I had planned in the beginning. Nonetheless, I had fun writing it and I hope you guys would forgive the shortage of smut!

Taglist: @junhui-recs @drunk-on-dk @kayleeshinee @wonuhour @enhacolor

One spring afternoon, when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and their sweet fragrance lingered in the air, Seokmin arrived at your office, early as usual, a habit that had been passed down to him from his mother. He was currently sitting in the waiting area, waiting for you to finish the previous meeting you were in, as he took in the decor. 

Everything in this area was about the silhouette, the off-white triangle marble table, that played off the triangle in the gold and beige abstract painting that was hanging on the wall opposite to him.

The only pop of color in this waiting area was a single blue orchid branch that was in an off-white cuboid-shaped vase sitting on the triangle table. 

Seokmin's office was probably the complete 180 of your space, with warm-colored walls, cozy rugs, and an excessive amount of indoor plants. 

The difference in office decor could be directly translated to the designs the two of you had put out in the world. 

Your designs were all about shapes and architecture, minimalist in color, while Seokmin was famous for his nature-inspired creations, full of vibrance and life.

This collaboration was far from comfortable for both of you, but both of your companies needed the exposure and the money. 

Sustainably sourcing materials while giving fair wages was not an easy task, especially for a newer brand like Seokmin's. But his top priority had been to keep his products affordable, which meant smaller quantities produced as there were very slim margins and they couldn't afford huge inventories. His designs had become a huge talking point in the resellers' market. His CFO, Mingyu, had told him to raise the prices, as both demand and quality of goods were on his side or his company would go under. Seokmin had agreed to this collaboration to justify the price rise (mostly to himself, as the world already knew how valuable his products were).

Your company, on the other hand, wanted the fame. You wanted to compete (and beat) the old luxury brands that mass-produced their boring products in sweatshops, sacrificed animals for "quality leather and fur", and had in general shady history. You'd fought tooth and nail over the years to get to where you were, but you needed a final big push to get to where these other brands were. Hence, this collaboration. You'd worked your ass off and you knew you deserved it.

Your secretary finally called out his name, and guided him to your office, but not before letting him know she was a huge fan of his work and was excited for him and her boss to collaborate. 

Seokmin had probably seen you once or twice in passing at fashion events but seeing you fully, sitting in your office chair with the back of a drawing pencil between your teeth and a single strand of hair escaping your bun and almost touching your lips was probably the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. 

He was instantly reminded of the orchid back in the waiting area. 

Orchids epitomize luxury, strength, beauty, and love. Seokmin didn't really know about the love portion yet, but there was a magnetism about you and your aura...and he couldn't peel his eyes away. 

The meeting went surprisingly smoothly, as even though your expressions of art were polar opposites, your views on sustainability and your respect for each other's work and process instantly made you friends. It felt like you'd known Seokmin for years, talking to him felt so easy and natural. It also helped that he was (far too) easy on the eyes. 

The two of you also shared a new similarity now... unknowing to the other, you'd both become each other's muses. When your meeting was over, both of you went to your studio and came up with designs that reminded you of the other. You drew sharp lines, inspired by Seokmin's chiseled face and strong arms while imagining what it must be like to be held lovingly by him while running a hand across his jaw. He drew big, bold, beautiful petals, full of vivacity and panache that you encapsulated. To the world, you might've seemed cold and harsh, a shade of grey, but in his eyes (and heart), you were a beautiful burst of colors.

You both had, quite literally, become each other's object of affection.

...

The two of you had decided to visit together places that inspired the other to find inspiration and come up with designs together. 

You took him to the local library that was built on Roman-inspired architecture, with big beautiful columns and elegantly carved archways. He took a lot of pictures with his camera that was hung around his strong neck by a red strap. He looked effortlessly sexy in black jeans and a black t-shirt, and you had to practically stop yourself from jumping him when he correctly observed a carved flower in one of the archways that was the inspiration for one of your early collections.  

He took you to his favorite park and you sat on the ground underneath a banyan tree, hearing the chirping of birds, seeing flowers swing in the air in full spring bloom. You wore a purple dress and talked about your journey to reach where you were today, the challenges and hardships you overcame to become who you were, and Seokmin was yet again reminded of the beautiful orchid, your strength and beauty unparalleled.

...

You had your first fight a few weeks later, frustrated by the deadline and the lack of progress, you had screamed at him. And then he grew quiet. And did not talk to you for the rest of the week. It was as though the entire world had drained out of color. There was no joy in the world, the spring flowers in the park seemed duller, and the chirping of the birds seemed quieter as you sat down under the banyan tree again, hoping to find some solace, mustering up the courage to go and apologize to him.

Fate, on the other hand, had other plans. 

Seokmin had left his house for the park the first time that week after the fight, hoping to cheer himself up and watch some flowers. On his way, he saw a little girl with a bouquet full of orchids, and his heart hurt like a thousand needles had punctured it. As he entered the park, he saw you sitting under the tree.

He sat down next to you, and you cried into his shoulder, apologising profusely. He only gave you, what you could describe as, the brightest, sunniest smile you'd ever seen. Your heart skipped a beat. 

You wiped your face, held his with your hands, and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. His heart skipped two.

...

After that day, there was a sense of harmony between you two. It was as though all the design differences, creative blocks, every problem in the world had vanished away. Soon, it was the launch day.

There was a party, celebrating the launch of the collaboration and as soon as the collection dropped, it was out of stock.

It was a milestone, for both of you as your peers at the party congratulated you, out of admiration and envy. But nothing and nobody mattered because Seokmin was looking at you with so much joy and adoration that there, in front of all the eyes in the world, you kissed him. You were feeling vulnerable inside, exposing your weakness, your feelings in front of everyone. You had finally shown your color to the world.

Seokmin kissed you back immediately, his heart dissolving into a puddle, overwhelmed by his feelings and yours. He felt like he was floating in the sky. He'd been wanting to kiss you ever since he laid eyes on you.

Later that night, after countless congratulations and overwhelmingly positive reviews, Seokmin made love to you. Each touch was addicting, your skin was soft as petals, your perfume was sweet as nectar as he kissed and touched every inch of your body, remembering and repeating what gave you the most pleasure. You were soft, and warm, like a warm, warm blanket on a cold night, he never wanted this night to end. 

His orchid was in full bloom, her beauty and her strength was a luxury to see up close....and Seokmin was in love.

(On your first anniversary, you and Seokmin would go on to gift one another the designs you'd made after meeting each other for the first time.)

[valentine-cafe]

Ordering a 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕

Haoyu, why are you called the midnight orchid? Is it because they are your favourite flower? If anything I think you're more of an... Epiphyllum - Queen (or in this case, King) of the Night.

If 🍒 isn't taken then can I be your 🍒 anon? Thanks!

⊹ ۪ ࣪ ᥫ᭡ verse 9948e hàoyú

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🥮 ꒱ ⊹ ۪ ࣪ reaper x reader

Hushed chuckles escape his lips as he shakes his head gently and looks back at you, hands still tending to the wisteria of the zhào estate garden.

“I am flattered you think so dear, however the reason I am called the midnight orchid is because it is a family title. As a reaper, I represent the midnight, and my mother’s family is highly affiliated with orchids, it is in our roots. The magic that comes with both the flower and the cycles of the moon and sun” He explains to you calmly, before whisking you away to the roses.

( of course! you are now our 🍒 anon )

[omgkatherine01]

Creatures of the Night: Chapter 7 - The Sun Summoner

Series Masterlist

Chapter 6, Chapter 8

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x female reader

Please comment, like and share ❤

Everywhere you had asked, you got no answer. No definitive way to cross the Fold and come out alive. It was a fool's game. A death wish. And so the four of you found yourselves back in the Crow Club, sitting in a quiet area.

You sighed softly as you leaned back when Jesper all of a sudden spoke with a frown, "Here's what I don't get."

Inej twirled her knife on the table, "We're going to be here all night."

You raised an eyebrow and smirked as you watched Jesper frowning at Inej with offended look, "Rude. Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel."

"Tried that," Kaz answered, "More than a century ago. Something heard them digging."

You frowned, "What?" you asked in confusion.

Jesper shook his head, "It was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha--"

"The Black Heretic," Inej cut in, giving him a look before she looked at you, "He was like you. A Shadow Summoner."

"They've got one in their army now," Jesper said and frowned again, "General Kirigan?" He looked at you, "And we have one here as well."

"Your point?" Inej asked before you can question him.

"Well, since it's obvious that y/n is from our world--since who she is--and a Shadow Summoner is her kind, and the General..." He looked at you, ignoring both Kaz and Inej's warning looks, "Can't one of you unmake it?"

You hesitated to answer and just shrugged lightly, "I--I don't know." Inej stared down at Jesper, "Have you ever put out fire by adding more fire? She's still learning to control her powers, and you want to send her to test if she can take it down?"

Jesper was silent for a long moment before clearing his throat, "Yeah... okay, I get where you going with it. So who can take it down?"

"A Sun Summoner."

You noticed Kaz rolling his eyes at the answer. "Right, then, one of those," Jesper muttered.

"Doesn't exist," Kaz said.

"Doesn't exist yet," Inej said.

Kaz leaned forward, "Dreesen comes into town, doesn't waste a minute. Sends out for a crew to steal something but doesn't specify what. Is it heavy, large, worth more than a million on the black market? Maybe he doesn't know."

Inej glanced from Jesper to you, and then looked at Kaz, "We can let this one go, Kaz."

Jesper voiced his agreement, shifting forward in his seat as he shrugged, "It sounds like a trap, anyway."

He took a sip from his drink while you frowned with thoughts. "Is it?" you suddenly asked, making the trio look at you.

"It just--you know, a trap is usually straightforward," you said, "A clear goal, and a clear path to said goal. Crossing the fold to bring back an unspecified item? That doesn't sound like a trap. It sounds like a secret. Secrets are kept for a reason."

Jesper raised his eyebrows and tilted his head as he gave a small nod. Kaz looked from you to Jesper and Inej, "Y/n is right, a trap would sound easy. This is something else."

One of Kaz's men stepped up the steps and closer to the four of you, looking at Kaz, "Boss, boss. We intercepted a note from Dreesen."

Kaz straightened, "Did you, now?"

"It's for the owner of the Orchid," he said, "Says they require the services of a Heartrender." You looked from Kaz to Inej and Jesper in confusion, not knowing what that word mean. "Tonight."

"A Heartrender?" Kaz asked. "Why?"

"Doesn't say," the man said, "Just they need it before midnight."

"You don't bring in a Heartrender unless you need an answer out of someone who isn't willing to talk," Kaz said. He stood, his hands firmly clasped around his cane as he willed his bad leg to straighten, "That's how we get this job before anyone else. Bring Dreesen a Heartrender."

"Boss, just one problem," the man said, "Pekka Rollins knows."

You looked at Kaz in confusion and looked at the dark look on his face at the name. "Pekka Rollins."

--

Let us play

We'll be good

We can bring her to you.

Just say the words.

"Y/n."

You blinked when you heard Inej's voice softly calling to you and touching your arm gently, pulling you from the eerie voices you heard in your mind.

You looked at her, shoving your hands deep into your coat pockets. She gave you a concern look and you gave her a small smile. "I'm fine," you said quietly.

You looked from her to around you at the dark and quiet streets. You, Inej and Jesper were waiting for Kaz to come with a... Heartrender.

But it didn't take long for Kaz to return... without one.

"Well... I take it, it went well," Jesper said sarcastically as you stared at Kaz, that way he was clenching his jaw.

"He's inside."

"Pekka Rollins?" Inej asked and Kaz gave a small nod.

We can bring the woman

Give the word

You turned to the building at the eerie whispers.

We'll be good

"Fine," you said quietly, and Inej, Jesper and Kaz looked at you but you stared at the building. "Bring me the Heartrender." The walls of the building slowly turned dark as you stared at it.

The four of you watched and waited for a long moment until the dark walls slowly disappeared to show the grey color of the walls. The wall next to us turned darker and all of a sudden a woman fell from inside the dark wall to the ground in front of you, surprising you and the others.

Kaz raised an eyebrow, not hiding the surprise of what he just witness. The woman quickly sat up, quickly looked around her in shock and surprise.

"What in--" she started but cut herself off when she looked up at you.

Jesper grinned, "That, was--how did you call it? Awesome!"

The woman quickly stood up, rubbing her bare arms from the cold night, and you suddenly felt bad for what you did. "Sorry," you said softly as Kaz stepped forward.

You looked at him, and he raised his eyebrow again, before pulling on a half smirk before looking at the woman. Was that proudness I just caught from him? you thought as you quickly looked back at the woman.

"A Heartrender, I assume?" Kaz asked.

The woman swallowed but nodded, "Yes." Kaz nodded, "Good. The name is Kaz Brekker. We need you, right now. I'll pay for it."

You watched her shivering and she gave Kaz a look, "Well can I at least go back inside to get my coat? It's freezing out here." She frowned and looked quickly over her shoulder and then back at him, "How did I get from been in my room to here?"

Kaz glanced at you and then back at her, "Never mind that."

You unwrapped your coat from your body with a soft sigh, and then quickly wrapped it around the Heartrender, who was surprised by your kindness.

You gave a small sympathetic smile as Kaz spoke again, glancing from you to Jesper and Inej, "Let's go." Kaz handed the Heartrender a bag and she glanced inside.

Kaz started to walk away as Inej opened her mouth to speak. Jesper frowned but quickly followed. Inej sighed and rolled her eyes in annoyance before the two of you and the Heartrender followed.

"Since when can you do that?" Jesper asked you as he all of a sudden turned to you but kept walking.

You knew he was talking about the shadows finding the Heartrender and brining her to you. You shook your head, "I just found out..." you muttered.

"Well, can't you do--" Jesper started but Kaz cut him off, "Enough, Jesper."

Jesper made a noise of annoyance but didn't speak again.

As the five of you were walking, the Heartrender glanced from you to Kaz for a long moment.

As you all approached a large house with a gate, the Heartrender spoke up, speaking to Kaz. "I really appreciate new business, but you've only paid for an hour of my time, and I have to be back at the Orchid."

"The Orchid isn't safe tonight," Kaz said, "Your life's in danger with this job. Make yourself scarce for a few days afterwards."

The Heartrender looked at him, "Mr. Brekker, are you threatening me? Really? Even if I'm nice, my boss will call the stadwatch on you."

Kaz turned to her, stopping all of you, "It's not me you're in danger with. It's Pekka Rollins."

"My boss would call the stadwatch on him as well," she said.

Kaz tilted his head lightly, "Which is why your boss is already dead." She stared at him in shock, and he turned and walked to the gate where a man stepped forward, "Who are you lot?"

"We're here to see Dreesen."

"You're not with Pekka's crew," the man said.

Kaz dug into his pocket and pulled a bag of money, and threw it to the man, "And you're not in Pekka's pocket anymore if you don't owe him."

The man didn't ask any more questions and instead let the five of you in through the gates. As you walked to the door, Jesper frowned at Kaz as he whispered, "Hey, where did you get that coin?"

"Hey!" You all stopped and turned to look at the man who let you in. "One of these has a hole in it!"

Jesper smirked, "Saints."

"Inside," Kaz hissed, and you all walked quickly into the house. "Inside."

You were escorted to a rather grand office; one with large golden doors with intricate carvings. The doors opened and you all stepped inside.

There was a man sitting behind the desk, and he wasn't too surprised to see you all. "One look and I can tell. Criminals. I'm not meeting anyone 'til midnight."

"We heard you needed a Heartrender," Kaz said, and the woman beside you waved her fingers.

"Hmm," the man, Dreesen hummed as he slowly stood up. "All right, she stays, the rest of you, out."

The Heartrender glanced at you and took a hesitantly step forward, but then Kaz's cane shot forward and stopped her. Kaz stared at Dreesen, "She stays. And we have an exclusive on this job."

The Heartrender moved back to your side as Dreesen walked around his desk, "Mr. Brekker... No businessman worth his salt hires his first applicant."

Kaz raised an eyebrow, "No. No, I understand. Of course, I will have to report you to the guild for kidnapping and harboring a prisoner without chain of title."

One of Dreesen's men pulled back his coat to reveal a gun at his side, but so did Jesper. Dreesen stared down at Kaz, "You wouldn't.

"No businessman worth his salt bargains for what he can take," Kaz said.

Dreesen approached Kaz slowly and they stared down at each other. Until the Heartrender raised her hand once more, and you noticed for the first time a tattoo on her wrist, which you saw on Inej's wrist.

"I have to be back in an hour," she said softly before lowering her hand.

"Are you two done staring each other down or what?" you asked, the tone in your voice was surprisingly full of boredom. Dreesen's eyes moved from Kaz to you, and you raised an eyebrow.

"All right, come on," he said and walked past you to the doors.

As his men followed, you let out a breath as Kaz glanced at you, and glanced down to see the Heartrender was holding your wrist without you knowing it or even felt it. You frowned and she let you go. You looked at her face and she gave you a quick wink before you followed Dreesen.

One of Dreesen's men opened a door and you froze when you saw stairs leading down.

Basement

Inej stopped by your side and looked at you with a frown, concern by your frozen state.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

You swallowed and nodded when Kaz and Jesper turned to you. "Of course," you lied, and followed Dreesen inside, letting out a shaky breath.

You're okay, you thought to yourself. Everything's okay. You're not back there. Deep breath.

You felt someone was watching you as they followed behind you, not knowing it was Kaz. After you told him about what happened in your childhood, he knew why you froze, so he kept an eye on you until you all reached to the room.

The first thing your eyes landed on was at a figure hunched over in a chair with a bag over their head.

"Who's this?" Kaz asked.

Dreesen walked to the figure on the chair and looked at Kaz, "So you don't know everything after all." You all stared at him, and he took off the bag to show a young boy.

"This is Alexei Stepanov," Dreesen said, and you stared at the young boy who breathed heavily and watching you all with fear. Your eyes soften at the stare. "Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed through the Fold on foot. Alone."

Dreesen walked toward the table next to Jesper and poured himself a cup of wine. "How?" Inej asked.

"They're keeping it quiet, but allegedly he was one of a few witnesses to an event," he said.

That prompted Kaz to finally break his stare on the shivering boy, to Dreesen, ignoring the boy in the chair who finally uttered his first words since your arrival.

"Water," he asked, his voice was scratchy and dry.

His voice made you snap from your spot, and you moved to the table Dreesen was next to. He raised his eyebrows as you poured water in a glass, and opened his mouth but when he saw Inej glaring at him, daring him to stop you, he closed his mouth.

"What kind of event?" Kaz finally asked as he watched you walking closer to Alexei with the glass. Alexei's eyes quickly moved from you to the glass you were holding.

You kneeled down in front of him and placed the glass to his lips, and he immediately started drinking. You stared at him sadly as Dreesen spoke up, "I know an expedition was swarmed by Volcra. Should've been a total loss, but something happened. Some device detonated. Obliterated the Volcra, lit up the dark like a forest fire. I know it wasn't a fire or else no one would have survived. This was some invention no one had seen before." He pointed at Alexei who now finished drinking. "He knows. But he doesn't seem to be able to articulate his account of events. Some form of traumatic lapse."

You looked from Dreesen to Alexei who looked down, his eyes were still fearful. You didn't knew how you could help him. "So..." Dressen trailed off and you glanced over to see him looking at the Heartrender.

She hesitated and looked at Kaz. He nodded lightly and she walked toward you and Alexei. You placed you hand on his shoulder gently as you stood up.

You walked back and placed the glass on the table before standing by Kaz's side. The Heartrender took your place and kneeled in front of Alexei. She caressed his face gently, whispering comfort to him, "You're safe now." She brushed her fingers on his wrist and smiled softly at him, "Now you can just speak and I will just listen."

Alexei swallowed but spoke softly, "All right."

"Tell me what happened in the Fold," she said softly. "What saved you?"

There was a moment of silent until he spoke softly, "You won't believe me... but... it was a Sun Summoner."

Inej gasped softly and placed her hand on her chest. Jesper tilted his head, frowning in surprise, but Kaz remained silent, though with a quick glance to the side, you could see no change in his face. No twitch of his lips, no furrow of his brows. Then he narrowed his eyes.

Dreesen seemed pleased and walked closer. He bend down to look at Alexie. "Who was it?"

Alexie breathed out. "If I tell you, you'll set me free?"

Dreesen nodded and gave him a small smile, "You have my word. I'll set you free." Deep down, you felt it was a lie. "You're in Ketterdam now, Alexei. You can go anywhere in the world from here. Just imagine." You saw the hope in Alexei's eyes, and you took a step forward without realizing until Kaz's cane swiped in front of you, stopping you from interfering.

You glanced at him with a sad frown and he glanced at you with a shake of his head. "Come on," Dreesen encouraged softly.

After a nod from the Heartrender, he spoke hesitantly, "Her name is... Alina Starkov."

"Alina Starkov?" Dreesen repeated, and with a nod from the young boy, Dreesen smiled and nodded. "Good boy." He stood up and turned to look behind you and your friends. "Show me the manifest." Dreesen walked closer to his man and looked over the manifest.

Alexei looked at the Heartrender, and she smiled softly at him. "Perfect," you heard Dreesen saying next to you and you glanced at him.

"You'll set me free now?" Alexei asked.

Dreesen handed the manifest to his man, "Thank you. Of course." Before you realized it, Dreesen turned to Alexei and shot him in the head.

The Heartrender screamed as she fell backward while you jumped in surprise and shock. Inej and Jesper were startled and were ready to pull their weapons out but resisted. The only one who wasn't surprised or jumpy, was Kaz.

The chair Alexei's body was on, fell backward with his body and fell on the floor. Dreesen walked calmly to the body and stared it down. You glared at him, and he turned to you and the rest, "We are now the only people west of the Fold with this information." He stared at Kaz, "My ship sails for West Ravka at dawn. If you can prove that you have a way through the Fold and back, I'll put you on that ship with an advance. If you don't, I'm giving this job to Pekka Rollins."

He walked past you to the stairs, and Kaz turned to him, "Give me a day. I'll have a plan."

Dreesen looked at him, "You have until sunrise, then your ship will have sailed, Mr. Brekker. The prize is one million kruge. Now bring me Alina Starkov."

With that said, he walked out with his men following. You swallowed and turned back to the body.

Oh my God what did I let myself get into?! you thought as you stared down at the body of Alexei in sadness.

-

Taglist:

@lyria-skyfall, @myheartfollower, @cleverzonkwombatsludge, @mjlock, @clairewinchester14, @losteroops, @venomsvl, @yvxcy, @wickedlovely121, @supergaybish101, @woowwwee, @zeeader, @twlegit, @phoenix666stuff, @mortalmorgan

[fzzqur]

Hot Yaoi base

[euphoniumpets]

NO MOURNERS, NO FUNERALS | CHAPTER THREE

Prompt: ''Run, run, that's all we ever do from our past but it will come back haunting us.'' You paused, staring into the brown eyes that you once had fallen in love with. ''Do you think it'll stop before we even die?''

Please don’t plagiarize my work - I spend a lot of my time writing, copying and pasting destroys that. 

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x heartrender! reader

Tag list: @athenasproverbs @natsgaygf @lyria-skyfall @crystallizedtime @xcharlottemikaelsonx @honeynicoole @motheroffae @queenofshinigamis @outlawqueen17 @wolfleah @natsgaygf @dumb-fawkin-bitch

Warnings: blood and gore, ptsd, trauma flashbacks, violence.

A/N: thank you for reading the series and i'm welcoming the new followers on my account! if you want to get me know better, click navi on my info box :)

prologue - one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten

Getting the Heartrender was not an easy task. Kaz had to send in Y/N to complete the job, knowing that she would acomplish it. After trying to convince the heartrender, she finally gave in as they walked with the heartrender to the Dressen. ''I really appreciate the new buisness, but you only paid for an hour of my time, and I have to go back to the Orchid,'' You heard her speak.

''The Orchid isn't safe tonight, your life is in danger with this job, make yourself sacre for a few days,'' Kaz told her. ''Mr. Brekker, are you threatening me? Even if I'm nice, my boss will call the standwatch on you,'' She remarked.

''It's not me you're in danger with, it's Pekka Rollins,'' Kaz told her. ''Which is why, your boss is alredy dead,'' You replied with a shrug on your shoulders. ''Who are you lot?'' The man behind the gate asked them.

''We're here to see Dressen,'' Kaz told him as you stayed from behind. ''You're not with Pekka's crew,'' The man said and narrowed his gaze toward Kaz and the group behind him. ''And you're not in Pekka's pocket anymore if you don't owe him,'' Kaz retorted and throws a bag of coins through the gate at the man.

You watched from afar and sees the man caught whatever Kaz had thrown at him. You saw Kaz nodding his head toward you as you gestured to the others to follow after him. ''Did you do what I think you did?'' You asked him.

''I did,'' He responded with a smirk. You shook your head with a smile before you heard the man exclaim from afar. ''Hey, where did you get that coin?'' Jesper asked Kaz.

''Hey! One of these has a hole in it!'' The man from the gate exclaimed. ''Saints,'' Jesper commented as the door opened.

''Get inside, get inside,'' Kaz urged them as the group rushed inside and followed Dressen men inside. ''One look and I can tell, criminals,'' Dressen commented.

''I'm not meeting anyone til midnight,'' He said. ''We heard you needed a heartrender,'' Kaz told him as Dressen stood up. ''Alright, she stays, the rest of you: out,'' He spoke as the heartrender was about to move forward but Kaz stopped her with his cane. ''She stays, and we have an exclusive on this job,'' Kaz replied.

''Mr. Brekker, no buisness man worth his salt hires his first applicant,'' Dressen says and moves to sit on the front of his desk. The man moved his jacket to show the gun, Jesper does the same.

''You wouldn't,''

''Try him,'' You spoke with a smirk. ''No buisness man worth his salt bargains for what he can take,'' Dressen said before he walks towards Kaz. ''I have to get back in an hour,'' The heartrender spoke. ''Alright, come on,'' Dressen spoke as they followed after Dressen.

-

Walking down the stairs and to the basement, you saw a figure with his hands tied up and a bag that covered his face. ''Who's this?'' Kaz asked as Dressen looked at the four of you. ''So, you don't know everything after all, this is Alexei Stepanov,'' He introduced and removed the bag, only to show a scared boy, no older than the lot of them.

''Two weeks ago, young Alexei here crossed the Fold on foot, alone,'' He informed and you widened your eyes, surprised. ''How?'' Inej asked him. ''They're keeping it quiet, but allegedly he was one of the few witnesses too, an event,'' He informed.

''Water,'' Alexei croaked out and you watched Inej step over and poured him a glass of water. ''What glass of event?'' Kaz questioned and you can tell that the poor boy was scared by the heartbeat of his own.

''I know an expedition was swarmed by Volcra, should have been a total loss, but something happened,'' Dressen explained before he continued. ''Some device detonated, obliterated by Volcra, lit up the dark like a forest fire, I know it wasn't a fire or else no one would have survived, this was some invention no one had seen before, he knows, but he doesn't seem to be able to articulate his accounts of events,''

''So,'' Dressen trailed off and reached out his hands to the heartrender. The heartrender looked at Kaz for approval as he nodded. Inej moved back to the group as the heartrender approached Alexei. ''You're safe now,'' She told him with a soft voice and reached her hand to brush her hand against his face.

She moved her hand to run against his palm and calmed his heartbeat. ''Now you can speak and I will just listen,'' She said.

''All right,'' Alexei spoke with a sigh.

''Tell me what happened in the Fold, who saved you?''

''You won't believe me, but, it was a Sun Summoner,'' Inej let out a gasp, looking toward at Kaz and Y/N. They didn't believe it, but if Dressen believed it, you knew that he would hire you to do the job.

''Who was it?'' Dressen asked him and leaned slightly forward. ''If I tell you, you'll set me free?'' He asked and you sighed. Poor soul.

''You have my word, I'll set you free,'' He replied. ''You're in Ketterdam now, Alexei, you can go anywhere in the world from here,'' The heartrender nodded in agreement. ''Just imagine,''

''Her name, is Alina Starkov,'' Alexei revealed. ''Alina Starkov?'' Alexei nodded his head. ''Good boy, show me the manifest,'' Dressen said and looked through a stack of papers.

''Perfect,'' Dressen replied as Alexei looked at him. ''You'll set me free, now?'' He asked. ''Thank you, of course,'' Dressen spoke and then turned around with a gun and shoots Alexei in the head. The Heartrender let out a scream, while you flinched toward the sound of the gunshot that ringed in the air. You watched as he walked over to Alexei's lifeless body to see if he was dead.

''We are now the only people west of the Fold with this information, my ships sails for west Ravka at dawn, if you can prove that you have a way through the Fold and back, I'll put you on that ship with an advance, if you don't, I'm giving this job to Pekka Rollins,''

''Give me a day, I'll have a plan,'' Kaz told him.

''You have until sunrise, then your ship will have sailed, Mr. Brekker, the prize is one million Kruge, now bring me Alina Starkov,''

-

Back at the office, Inej, Y/N, and Kaz was riffling through the pages, trying to find the solution fo crossing the Fold and finding Alina Starkov. ''What was that? Hmm? You want to tell me?'' Inej asked and looked at you and Kaz.

''Be more specific,'' You questioned her. ''It was one thing we had a week to find a way across the Fold, but sunrise? We have to say no,'' Inej spoke.

''No,'' You and Kaz spoke in sync. ''No to the job?'' Inej asked and furrowed her brows. ''No to saying no,'' Kaz remarked.

''We can't go,'' Inej snapped. ''Can't we?'' You asked and stood up straigher. Inej lifted her arm to show the tattoo on her wrist at you. You hated the tattoo because it symbolized that someone owned her, granted, you were the one who owned her and you tried to find a way to release her from the Mengarine. But Tante heleen was a stubborn kind.

''I can't go,'' She spoke in a softer tone. ''You will, we have a plan,'' You responded and looked at Kaz who nodded. ''No, you don't,'' Inej replied as you sighed with frusteration.

''I know by now when you're still figuring things out, you don't know how to pull off this job,'' Inej spoke and looked at Kaz. ''I still have six hours and right now, you aren't helping,'' Kaz sneered and you looked at him with a stern expression.

''Kaz,'' You warned him. ''Maybe you crack away across, but that doesn't solve the problem!'' Inej exclaimed and shoved her tattoo in Kaz's face.

''If I can't crack this, no one's going,''

''If you do?''

''Then maybe you stay here,'' Kaz snapped and you looked at him with a disapproval expression while Inej looked at him with a hurt expression. You sighed. ''Maybe I won't be back here when you get back,'' Inej replied in a low voice, but you and Kaz still heard her.

''Inej,'' You spoke before she runs off into the rain, leaving no sound in her wake. ''Inej!'' Kaz tried to stop her and drops his head as he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes with frusteration.

You sighed and walked towards him. Kaz turned around and you could see the guilt in his eyes. ''I am a idiot,'' He spoke and you smiled softly before lifting his chin up with your finger. He looked into your eyes.

''Yes, but a pretty one,'' You remarked with a grin and smiled at you. ''I'll talk to her, she will listen to me,'' You replied with a soft voice. ''I doubt that she's going to listen to you,'' Kaz responded, making you roll your eyes at him.

''You always underestimate her, and I still don't know why, I see the potentional in her,'' You spoke. ''I know,'' You watched him sigh.

''Give her a chance, you know I didn't bought her without a reason,'' You replied. Kaz knew that you didn't bought her without a reason, from the moment you met Inej at the Mengarine, you always had a soft spot for the Suli girl, thus a beautiful friendship had forged that was pratically family. You were never the keen of having friends, since you lived in Ketterday, people was hard to trust knowing that they would betray you or sooner.

-

please comment what you think of this chapter! reblogging always helps.

[firefly--bright]

Hii, can I ask for a painting date with Jeanbo X reader on his birthday please??

Lover.

jean kirstein x gender neutral!reader

summary : two artists being each other's muses.

warnings : maybe writing inconsistencies (?) not proofread.

a/n: thank you so much for this request!!! i loved writing it <3 soft jean supremacy i love this man (he's lines on a screen). ofcourse i made a playlist for this. this is nothing but pure pure fluff and alot of smiley jean :)

tagging : @mrsnobodynobody , @holding-ishu-and-a-book

✿ enter my taglist! ✿ masterlist is linked in pinned post! ✿ fic playlist ✿

art creds : @/koidezuu on twt!

✿

you exhaled nervously, checking the front camera of your phone to make sure that you looked just as you wanted to, putting all of your faith in your other hand to clutch both the bouquet of flowers, and the actual gift you had made for jean - a bracelet strung with a charm he had eyed at a thrift store, and some pretty beads.

seeing that everything was set, you knocked on his front door and waited for him to answer.

April 7th, your beloved's birthday. you only hoped that your birthday gift to him made him feel just as special as he made you feel everyday. he deserved to be pampered too, especially on this day.

you had called him as midnight struck last night, pouring all your love into the biggest snd brightest "happy birthday, jean!" you could muster, which turned out to be loud enough to wake up your roomate. it was worth it, though, because his laugh lit up the entire screen despite it's pre-set brightness. the two of you talked till about 2 a.m., and you informed him to be ready the next day for a special date.

you had everything prepared : booking an art studio - which you had saved plenty for - a month in advance, making sure everything was all set up; the canvases, the paints, aprons, and charcoals (jean's favourite medium to work with.) you decorated it aptly with the help of sasha, who stole some of the cupcakes you had also made for jean as compensation. after this elaborate date, you'd drive him home, where he'd be greeted with the rest of his friends for a surprise birthday party, which you had also planned.

he deserved this. he deserved so much more than this, but for now, this would have to do. jean kirstein, resident asshole up until a couple years ago, somehow softened over time, and somehow also fell in love with you as you did with him not long before.

you hoped everything would go according to plan. jean took his lovesickness in pride, never missing out on an opportunity to spoil you, and you wanted to return the favour tenfold.

you knocked on the door, adjusting the objects in your hands, shaking your head to rid all the anxious thoughts.

a terrible effort, because jean rid them for you as soon as he opened the door.

your heart could burst out of your chest, and you could barely control the expression on your face as you broke into a wide smile.

he was dressed in his best colour; sage green. the hoodie fell just above his belly button, and it was clear that he cropped it himself. impulsively, as he did most things, but it somehow came out not as bad as you'd think. the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and there was a small embroidered star on the right side of his chest. he wore a hat that you had given him, yet another impulsive buy. the matching hat of the two currently hung behind your door. his fingers were adorned with metal bands, some plain and some with a pop of blue in them that matched the colour of his jeans.

the best part was his smile.

he wore the same smile he always did when he saw you, except today, his eyes had an extra glint.

"hi, love." he said.

"hi." you say, clearing your throat, "happy birthday, jean."

the statement came out as more of a whisper than an exclamation, and maybe that made it better because it was only something he was supposed to hear.

you presented him the bouquet of orchids you had bought. his smile widened, if that was even possible.

"i bought these for you."

he chuckled. "why are you nervous, babe?" he said, taking the flowers from your hands. you rolled your eyes as he did, as if the answer was obvious.

"i wanted to impress you, dumbass."

there was a beat of silence.

"m-me?" jean says, surprised. you nod.

"i mean, it is your birthday, so."

another beat passes. you look into his eyes, catching a glimpse of his reddening cheeks.

almost six months of dating and you couldn't believe you still had that effect on him. you breath out a smile and pull him closer by the front of his shirt.

placing your lips on his cheek, you trail kisses till the path of his lips, meeting there and waiting, patiently, for him to push forward and give you a kiss himself.

jean delivers. when he kisses you, you can feel the smile against your lips and smell his fragrance he wore especially for this occasion. his hair brushes against your forehead, and his trimmed stubble tickles your chin. you smile too, and now it's barely even a kiss; more just two pairs of smiling lips closely aligned, but you still pull away just as breathless.

the blush on Jean's cheek had nothing but deepend and you swallow a laugh at that. he always complained about how easily he could blush, but it was always something you liked about him.

"what's that?" he asks, eyes pointing to the box in your hands.

"patience, babe. all in good time." you say, "come on, i have a whole day planned for you."

jean smiled, brushing his hand through his hair. "can't wait."

--

the car ride there was mostly filled with you and jean screaming Jean's favourite songs out till your heart's content. his favourite songs had quickly became your favourite too, and vice versa. jean couldn't sing if your weren't singing with him, so you happily accompanied him in the act. after half of the playlist had finished, you reached your destination.

it was an art studio that you had found out on the internet, and people in the comments were raving about the space and view that struck them with inspiration. and sure enough, it was beautiful.

located in a large garage-looking loft on one of the far secluded corners of the beach, the letters "Raven's Studios" were plastered on the big doors in a bold red font. jean took in the place with surprise written all over his features, not knowing that out of all places, this would be the one you were driving to.

the inside was spacious, the windows streched over the expanse of the wall, overlooking the blue waters with boats cruising on it. there were two canvases placed near the windows, both facing each other. all the other materials were placed carefully (and double checked) on a wooden table that had old paint splattered on it's surface, on the far left, along with the remainder chocolate cupcakes and an empty vase waiting to be filled up with the orchids you bought for jean.

you gauged Jean's reaction, who stood near the doorway. his mouth was slightly hung open, eyes scanning over each carefully thought out detail. his left hand still gripped the bouquet, his right holding his phone and his hat.

you bit the inside of your lip in anticipation as he walked further inside.

jean let out a low whistle. "holy shit." was all he could muster up, and the tone his voice helped you relax a little.

"do you like it? i didn't know which medium you wanted to draw with, but you told me about how you really wantsd to have an art date, and i figured why not, you know?" your nervous voice bounced around the four walls. jean stood near the large windows now, hands on his hips. you continued, filling in the space with your rambling, "and some cupcakes, i got the recipie from your mom....she had to take it from the bakery you told me about, the one that sold those cheescakes you really liked near your old house.... but sasha ate some of them, of course-"

"it's perfect." jean said. he had turned towards you now, walking to where you were standing, still lingering near the doorway.

you didn't notice when he had placed all his belongings on the space on the table, and his hands now cupped your cheeks gently, his thumb rubbing ticklish circles on your cheekbones.

his smile was radiant, the corners of his eyes crinkling. there was a sparkle in them, his smile showing his teeth, his exhale blowing a puff of air over your face.

"thank you," he said, kissing your cheek, then the tip of your nose - which immediately scrunched up under his lips - and then finally a fleeting kiss on your smiling lips.

"don't thank me. it's my pleasure, birthday boy."

his face scrunched with that comment. "please dont call me that. it makes me feel like I'm...ten years old or something."

you tilt your head, his hands still on your face, with a teasing smirk. "jean-boy, then?"

he rolled his eyes. "you just love ruining the moment, don't you?"

"you love me." you said.

his expression softened. "that I do."

--

the playlist you made specially for this occasion flowed through the room beautifully, and the brilliantly blue sky gave off a blue hue to the inside of the white room. the wind ruffled Jean's hair, and the waves crashing into the shore made it all the more beautiful to look at him.

he had opted for the charcoals, as you had guessed, grabbing one of the papers and making himself comfortable on the ground near the window. you sat behind him, choosing a canvas and some acrylic paints in all the different blues you could get your hands on, along with some colours to paint jean.

your view - the one you had decided to paint - included the bright blue skies, littered with clouds, the calm sea, the rim of half of the window, and Jean's side profile. mapping your painting on your canvas, you tried not to notice Jean's skittish glances towards your face.

jean definitely had your face memorized by now. if someone asked him to, he'd be able to give them a vivid description of you without even having to close his eyes. he could probably name all of the parts of your body that he loved, and he'd seen the back of your hand more than he had seen his own by now. thank god you hadn't seen the sketchbook he kept hidden from you, which was filled with drawings of you doing absolutely nothing but breathing.

yes, jean definitely had your face memorized by now. but he was looking at you because he knew you were painting him, because there was so much care and comfort held in your eyes as you got the silohette of his side profile just right, because you saw him as your muse. as if today hadn't been special enough, he swore all his dreams came true the moment your hands began to sketch the scenery out.

Jean's mind couldn't focus on the art he was supposed to be making, not like this. which was ironic, because given the conditions, it shoudlve been more than enough for him to find inspiration in this beauty. but he couldn't help it; his muse was sitting there, blinking and breathing and creating, painting him. he couldn't help but do what his muscles grew familiar to now - draw you.

jean tried not to move as he sketched out your face, then your body, and your hands that were moving over your own canvas.

" can I go, where you go?

can we always be this close? "

jean heard you hum to the song that everyone came to associate with the two of you. all of his friends, who were your friends too, thought that this song was the most fitting for you, and jean couldn't agree more. jean wanted to stick by your side, do all the mundane things that life brought to him every day of the year, and do all the special things too, like the one he was currently doing. jean smiled, joining your hums, and he knew you had the same smile etched in your face as the one he was recreating on his rough paper.

his hands stained with charcoal, he drew flowers all around you, messily adding petals in a way that he knew would still make sense.

he snuck another glance at your form. you were so pretty it made his heart physically hurt.

his birthday was something he slightly dreaded throughout the year. when he was younger, he didn't have many people except his mother to celebrate the day with. it stayed that way, the same traditions up until highschool, where he met marco, when he began to look forward to his birthday a little. then came sasha and Connie, and soon the rest of his friends made the day as special as they could. every year would be somewhat the same, but it was comfortable, and jean didn't feel consumed by the lingering lonliness that he usually felt as a kid. he desperately wished to be someone special to another someone special as he blew out his birthday candles every year.

and then he met you, and all that he had been wishing for made sense. he became someone special to someone remarkable; to you. the thought enough made him want to climb onto the tallest roof of the world and scream out your names together, so that the clouds could hear him and make sure their rains would bring nothing but pleasant memories of your first kiss together.

jean bit back a giddy smile. being with you, spending the day, this day, together with you made him feel like he was standing on top of the same clouds now.

he glanced at the table, mind whirring as to what he could make next. there was no question in his mind that all he was able to draw was you, but he wanted to experiment with different colours and mediums.

getting up, he brushed his hands on the apron that you had left out for him, making his way over to the table. he heard your soft dissapointed sigh at his sudden movement, and he tried not to smirk, failing miserably.

"you should take a picture, love, it'll last longer." he says, back to you.

he could almost feel the glare you shot his back, but didn't have a response to follow. jean picked up the box of pastel colours from the table, turning his head towards where you sat, and suddenly the lack of a response from you made sense.

you had picked up your phone, thumb clicking Jean's numerous pictures. even though your phone was somewhat covering your face, jean could still see you smiling from behind the screen, biting your bottom lip to contain it with futile efforts.

jean smiled softly, "what happened to not wanting to 'boost my ego' ?" he asked, recalling the time you refused to admit how good he looked on your last date.

he heard you snicker, your phone still held up to sheild your face, still clicking pictures. jean was pretty sure your phone would run out of space to store those pictures soon, but you didn't seem to care, making jean smile even wider.

"i mean, if you want me to stop-" you started, but jean cut you off with a "i never said that."

he striked a pose, smouldering comically, running a hand through his hair.

you laughed, Jean's stomach swirling at the sound. he'd strike a hundred poses if it kept you laughing.

"you're such a goof, kirstein."

"dont let the others look at this, they'll never shut up about it."

"well...." you said, stretching the word out teasingly, putting your phone down now. "i make no promises." you say, shrugging.

"i knew it. you like betraying me, don't you?" jean walks over to you, box of pastels in hand.

"was that not obvious enough?"

he crouches, left knee hitting the ground, the heel of his other foot planted solidly. his elbow rested on his kneecap, the sleeves of his cropped hoodie still rolled up.

"nope," he says with a smile.

"sorry, I promise I'll do better next time." you match his smile.

he hums lowly, refusing to take his eyes off of yours. shivers run down your spine, and the change in music barely registers in your mind.

the teasing smirk returns to your face.

"are you gonna kiss me or just keep looking at me like that?"

but jean remains motionless, glancing down at your painting instead. his eyes glint with the sun from the window, which was now tilting slowly towards the horizon, threatening to dip into the sea. it remained bright, though, and you couldn't help but think that it's shine was just for the two of you. Jean's side glowed softly with the light, his hair almost shining.

"say please," he says, and it reminds you of all the times he had joked about kissing you before you were together.

you rolled your eyes again, but your smile refused to move. "please kiss me, jean, you're the only thing that's keeping me afloat in this abyss of darkn-"

he kissed you mid-sentence, and he tasted like the chocolate cupcakes you had made.

his hands rested on the base of your neck, the warmth of which made your heart race. his hands still had smudged charcoal on them, but you didn't care. you'd let him taint you with the most hideous colour he could mix together, and you'd still wear it proudly.

pulling away, he rested his forehead against your own. you grew to realise that he liked that; he liked your noses almost brushing, lips only inches away from each other. his eyes reminded close but his eyelashes fluttered, tickling your cheek.

"thank you," he whispered.

you shook your head slightly, opening your mouth to answer him, but he silenced you once again with his own sentence. "i know you don't want me to thank you, but thank you. not just for today but for...everything, honestly." he pulled away a bit, eyes opening to look into yours with so much intensity and warmth, your simmering love could've boiled over.

"i love you," you said, hand reaching out to rest on his jaw.

painting long forgotten, jean smiled again. "i love you too."

✿

[rhodesrider]

cody rhodes x black little??? she wants to try a new hobby and her daddy help her

They Come and Go…

CG!Cody R. x Black! Little! Fem!Reader

Warnings: Agere, affirmation nicknames, bugs, taking care of bugs, grief, the feeling of loss, taxidermy, again BUGS.

Minors DNI! 18+

~

“The beautiful hunter sees her prey, a beautiful orchid mantis sunbathing. This creature is so beautiful with their light pink hue, clearly it’s a female-“ Cody stopped the narration and looked back at the book to confirm and continue. “-Yes it’s clearly a female. Very rare in this case but the beautiful hunter knows what her limits are.” Y/N giggled and had the net ready, soon she caught it. “Daddy I got it! Did you see me?!” She squealed and giggled fixing her safari hat, “Good Job babygirl!” He smiled and helped her get the insect in the jar, made so they can have air and not try to escape. “Daddy she’s beautiful!” Y/N smiled holding the jar, Cody grabbed her books and her extra nets putting them in the box that was outside. “Ok baby, let’s get inside, give her a name and fix up her new home.” She got up fixing her hat and grabbing the jar and putting it in her wagon and going inside.

Cody later was getting some cookies together as Y/N was writing in her journal and drawing her new friend. She loved bugs including mantis, and always wanted an orchid mantis. Cody has always helped her with her insect hobby but not letting it go crazy, so having small stuff like an ant farms, a butterfly farm, and now some mantis she’s keeping. “What should we name her baby?” He asked putting her wagon away for her as she goes to wash her hands from outside. She put her safari hat on the counter and looked at the beautiful bug in the large jar. “Hello…hmmm…how about peach?” Cody chuckled some and nodded. “I think that’s perfect. You remember what peach eats?” She wanted to look in her book but Cody snatched it. “The best bug keepers have a memory as strong as a Hercules beetle.” He smirked. Y/N thought long and hard, “I know like some small butterflies and some houseflies…oh and they love crickets!” “Good job baby. Now you have any of those left from feeding the others?” She nodded getting the bowls and Cody helped putting gloves on and getting tweezers. “After we feed her we can make peach a nice place to stay and get her a lamp.” He pulled out the book again, “They love the warm and humid places.” She nodded and did so, getting started on decorating and getting dirt making sure there’s small animals in it to make sure she has a midnight snack if she needs it.

The place was ready and she carefully got Peach in. She was in awe of the creature, she was so beautiful. “Daddy, she’s amazing.” “Baby careful you don’t want Georgie and Leo jealous.” He was talking about her other mantis friends. “Go ahead and feed them too, I’ll go and get food ready.” She nodded and did so introducing each one to peach. Peach was hiding away but Y/N understood it’s a new place and she has to get use to it. She put them away and made sure the cages were closed. She went over to her moth friend and saw that she wasn’t as active.

“Daddy…” Y/N was worried. Her Luna moth was her best friend, lets her crawl on her arm and when she first arrived she helped her out her cocoon and spread her wings. Cody came in hearing the concern in his littles voice, seeing she was near her moth friend. “Hey what’s wrong with Luna?” He asked sympathizing with her, “I don’t know… she looks sick…” Y/N tried to get her to climb on her hand but she avoided it still hanging on to the spot she was resting on. “Daddy what’s wrong with her…?” Her voice started to get shaky, Cody then grabbed a moth book from her bookcase and went through pages to see what was happening. He feared the worst. “Baby when did we hatch Luna?” “She hatched like last month daddy…why what’s happening…” Cody sighed. “I’m sorry babygirl, but Luna doesn’t have that long…” Y/N shook some and looked at the still beautiful moth. “But…daddy she’s my best friend…” “I know baby I know but they only live for so long. We have to get ready for her to go. That’s just how life span works.” Y/N started to shed tears and it hurt Cody, he looked at the moth and then at Peach. “But I need for you to think of it this way, a friend has to go. But you gained a new friend today. Peach is here to keep you company and you still have George and Leo.” She nodded but was still sad about Luna. “I have an idea for Luna too, but you have to trust daddy. Ok?” Y/N always trusting Cody. But it still hurt knowing a friend would have to go soon.

After the days past, and Cody sending Luna off to a friend of his, Y/N was in black around the house upset. She looked at her safari hat remembering when she first saw Luna, as a green caterpillar, like the one in the book Cody read to her once. She made a habitat and got them in the house fast since it was going to rain. She looked through her book and found out what kind of caterpillar it was, amazed at the beautiful wings. She showed her the picture proudly, “This is what you’re going to be, when you get all big and strong!” She giggled, seeing the caterpillar was trying to climb on the wall like it was reading the book from the enclosure. Y/N informed Cody about their new friend and Cody read some on the habitat and what they like. Helping her improve in the living habits and giving more greens because Luna could eat they gave the name and it was official. Talking to her every night and soon noticing she caught Luna around the time of cocooning. She was worried at first but was there all the way being a happy moth mama. And now…she’s gone.

About two weeks later, the mail arrived and Cody smiled knocking on the door of her big room. “Babygirl I have a surprise for you.” He said coming in. She was feeding her Venus flytrap plants after she finished up with her mantis friends making sure everyone was fed. “Yes daddy?” “I know you miss Luna, so I did something for her so you two can never be apart.” He smiled handing her a box, she look it and opened it on the desk and she was in slight shock. It was Luna, only thing is she was framed. She had a single tear fall down and started to cry. “She’s still so pretty daddy..” Cody knew those were happy tears and hugged her close. Having Luna pinned was a good surprise. “Daddy thank you so much.” She sniffled and kissed his cheek. Cody put Luna on the wall over the desk and smiled as Y/N took pictures showing her friends that are also into bugs. Cody sighed happy that it worked and the plan didn’t go sideways. Happy that his little bug hunter was happy.

[loriannbowman]

HSR X Arknights : (Not Important) Bonus Information!

Lamplight

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

Basic Info:

[Code Name] Lamplight

[Gender] Lamplight

[Combat Experience] 4 Years

[Place of Birth] Laterano

[Date of Birth] {Redacted}

[Race] Sankta

[Height] {Redacted}

[Infection Status] Originium Crystals found forming across lower right leg; confirmed Infected by Medical Examination

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

Physical Examination:

[Physical Strength] Excellent

[Mobility] Standard

[Physical Resilience] Standard

[Tactical Acumen] Flawed

[Combat Skill] Excellent

[Originium Arts Assimilation] Flawed

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

Bonus Facts! (Personal Head Canons)

The Doctor is based on moi~ So I choose their gender and it's Agender-Aromantic-Asexual. The Doctor just says, "ha, no."

Several Operators have a romantic interest in Lamplight, but they're too much of a dunderhead to realize it. :)

Those with romantic interest:

SilverAsh, Executor, Blue Poison, Orchid, Tequila, Blemishine, Exusiai

Midnight is a friendly rival of Lamplight Lamplight is secretly trying to get Midnight and Orchid together

Lamplight can't cook for the life of them, having burned a pot of water, and relies of Matterhorn for everything

Does not like SilverAsh or Gnosis, but is on friendly terms with Matterhorn, Courier, Cliffheart, and Pramanix.

Lamplight's halo has three little mountain-like spikes, making their halo look like a crown

Lamplight likes to play guitar

Lamplight, when in the rec room, has the ability to regenerate energy faster to other occupants by 25%

Lamplight was sort of a general practitioner before they decided to study Oripathy