#my eternal fear is that one day everyone will see whatever it was that made my parents dislike me so much

[ourceliumnetwork]

So i'm just going to be perpetually angry about the way I was treated in my past I guess. That's fun.

[lilacgaby]

title: saved.

pairing: childhoodfriend!katsuki x reader

when all hope failed you two, a twist of fate saved your futures.

alt. ending to this imagine | standalone(?)

note: my sincerest apologies to everyone <3 please accept my heartfelt apology (if i @/ed you it's especially dedicated to you)

katsuki held your hand taut in his, looking for a way, any way, to save you.

he couldn't find one, but he fought to. he was fighting the feeling of grotesque horror that came over him at the sight of your wound, your pain, the smell of your blood.

it was too much.

but he pushed through. he pushed through for you, he had to. he saw how your forced your eyes open, he felt the squeezing of your hand trying to keep yourself there with him.

upon inspection, the wound was piercing your lungs more towards the left-mid side of your body. his prayers now became answered, as a hero with a shattering quirk came running up to him.

they decided the best and quickest force of action would be to shatter the base of the beam, and fly you to urgent care where a team would be waiting.

he could do it, he had to. katsuki pondered, now moving over to address you, with slightly glazed over eyes. "babe, i- i have you. just hold on." you squeezed his hand in acknowledgment.

the plan was set into action, he tried to ignore the sounds of your guttural pain. the whimpers are sounds of choking are ones that'd haunt him for years, he was certain.

as he blasted over the city, little regard for his own injuries, he only had you on his mind.

he let out a sigh of relief as he saw the hospital come into view. the team waiting with a stretcher outside like he'd planned.

"we're here baby, you can rest now. i got you."

"you saved me." is all you said before finally letting your eyes shut. your body went limp with sleep and not death as he feared, the slightest rising of your chest comforting him as they got you on the table.

they immediately rushed you in and got to work, he wasn't able to see because a team was called out just for his wounds as well.

they treated him for a minor would on his arm, a pathetic excuse of an attack that only managed to land because you were on his mind. he laid in the bed, red eyes still alert and ready.

his exhaustion caught up to him, he fell asleep without knowing, only waking up to his mom shaking his shoulder. "hey kid, wife's asking for your dumbass. hurry it up." being the words that greeted him that day.

"whatever hag." he muttered under his breath as he jumped out of bed, directed to your room immediately.

you were still a bit out of it, drugged with pain relief medication. but still, with a dopey smile you greeted him. "kats' you're here."

he let out a smile for the first time in hours, he took your hand in his, his thumb over your heartbeat. "yeah, i am."

while your recovery wasn't fast, you were allowed home after three days. you'd likely never be the hero you once were, but the alternative was death so it's not what you were worried about.

the fight had left you with a hole in your body, your lungs now only at half capacity. katsuki was there every step of the way for you,

the entire ordeal even made him rise in the ranking, so his frequent absences were rewarding in multiple ways.

he'd take on most of the chores around your large home now, even hiring a maid for weekdays when he'd be gone. he was now clingier than ever, asking about you every hour, sending you texts and voicemails chatting about his day and asking of yours.

when you finally were well enough to make your redebut as a hero? he was ecstatic, though it was clear from the fact that he'd never let you patrol without him that he'd be stuck like glue to you for eternity.

he'd be proud of you for this, so eternally faithful to you that he asked to renew your vows for your anniversary this year, excited to gift you the new ring he had made for you.

everything you'd do in the day he'd find a way to be apart of. from laying his head in your lap as your watched shows, sitting by you as he paid for you nails, lugging behind you as you insisted on buying groceries even though the maids were on top of that, putting his arm around your neck whenever you stood by him.

but it's not like you minded,

after all, what's a princess without her knight in shining armor?

(tags: @that-one-fangirl69 @boyfie-hater @miliswrld @pretty-sparkle-bomb @prettyinpikk @rengokuswife2 @unk0wn-us3rr @keylozinzazane @kanvis @rhas-writes @h3ll0-kitti @yuckiman @kovu-bunnbunn @teacakes06 )

[gatorbites-imagines]

please pretty please good sir, please right an imagines of Kurt Wagner with a demon, like full on demon from like the Bible s/o, like straight up like a prince of hell kind of demon.

p.s. I love your fics sm 💐🌅

Kurt Wagner x Demon male reader

Headcanons

Did you guys know that in olden time, people thought owls and toads were linked to the devil? Was this an excuse to give the reader animal characteristics? Yes, yes it was. Fruits like strawberries and cherries were also used to symbolize different more bodily involved sins. I took a bit of inspo to how the demons look in Dictionnaire Infernal, since they’re cool and goofy.

I may still be tired and wrung out from all my classes, but the will to write lives on. How’s everyone’s week been?

No one had known you were a demon in the beginning. Everyone just kind of assumed you were another mutant. They already had one member of the x-men who had wings, so it wasn’t the wildest thought that you were like warren.

Your wings were a bit more like an eagle owl, and sure, sometimes your eyes would morph into something like a toad or even a goat, but they had seen much weirder.

You not stepping inside churches or other holy areas was mainly seen as a personal preference, since you were so casual about it. you technically could step inside the buildings, but it was too much work to be worth it for you.

Instead you’d hang out outside with the others who didn’t feel a need to step inside. And yeah, you may have carved a sigil or two into the building behind your back, so you could teleport there in the future to cause some trouble if you got bored.

Demons had no specific form, at least your father didn’t and so you didn’t. you simply morphed into the one that felt most comfortable, making most believe you had a shapeshifting mutation.

There were multiple kings of hell, but your father had always been the most powerful and most influential, so you were expected to follow in his footsteps, which was why you had kind of ran away to earth.

It was just so boring, sitting there and doing all that kingly work so your father could retire with the other ancient kings, since demons don’t die, they can simply only be ignored and rebutted.

You had never meant to help the x-men or join them, but they’d been there at the right place at the wrong time, and just happened to catch some human trying to assault you for being a “mutant”

It was only the x-men stepping in that kept you from trapping the guy in eternal damnation, but you decided why not just play along for now, see where it takes you. And before you knew it, you were an x-men, helping to “fight for the good of mutant kind” or whatever.

It wasn’t hard to make you seem like a mutant, for you to even show up when Charles was looking for mutants with his powers.

It was all good and dandy, until that furry blue bastard wormed his way into the six pitch black organs you called your hearts. Well, sometimes it was six, sometimes twenty, sometimes zero, it really depended on the day.

But it was six the day you realized Kurt had gotten into your good graces. More than that honestly, as he made you feel… flustered. How he succeeded in making a demon like yourself flustered was still a mystery to you.

You had been drawn to him in the beginning because of his whole “blue demon” thing, only for it to turn out that Kurt was religious, and would sometimes wear a cross. He even prayed at times, the action always making your skin itch.

Kurt was honestly the only one to start putting things together since he knew some about demonology, hell, your name was just a shortened version of your infernal title. Weaker demons showing up and groveling at your feet and referring to you as their prince probably didn’t help.

Luckily it had just been Kurt around at the time, but the blue imp clocked you quicker than you thought they would.

Surprisingly, Kurt didn’t hate you or fear you. To him, you were an x-men and helped save people, so you weren’t fully bad. He even went out of his way to pray somewhere else so your hands wouldn’t burn and for your wings to start burning at the edges.

Somewhere along the way, what you had morphed into more than just a friendship. You had an inkling that your father would have your hide when he realized you had bedded a mortal, and one so clearly meant for heaven when the day came.

But eternity was so long, so who could blame you for wanting to spend it with someone as kind as Kurt. Even if you knew somewhere deep inside, that you would mourn Kurt for most of that eternity when the time came.

Kurt talked you into telling the x-men your true origin. They were hurt in the beginning, and you politely stepped out of the team since you technically weren’t a mutant, and you wanted to respect that.

That didn’t stop you from hanging out at the mansion, or on Krakoa when that came around. How you got on the island? You would never tell, mainly because it drove Scott crazy that he could never figure it out.

After coming out of the hellfire closet, you felt less need to control your form to the same degree. To most you were still just a mutant, since the body you wore the most had been a mutant, so… it counted in a loophole kinda way.

Everyone got good at clocking who you were, even on days when you altered your shape completely. Kurt was obviously the best. Even on days where you had a lion head and the tail of a snake, or when you had three heads and a burning crown.

It was a little awkward when Kurt became a priest and built his own religion like thing, mainly because you just couldn’t get yourself to touch him when he wore the uniform.

It was the aura for the most part. None of the others got it, or saw it like you did, but they weren’t demons, so it made sense. But Kurt always carried an aura, and it was manageable enough on regular days. But after sermons it just got strong enough to make your tongue buzz and your feathers puff up.

Kurt got good at wiping himself off in a metaphorical way, so you guys could kiss and cuddle even on days he did sermons. And you as a demon were way too strong to truly to hurt by it, it just got a bit annoying sometimes.

All in all, you two were happy. Even if you had to chase away demons that wanted to take over earth every now and then. Your father had never given you your own domain, so you just kinda slapped your name on earth and told every other demon to square up for it.

Some did come out of the woodwork to fight, mainly just because they could. No one really wanted earth. Too much trouble, too much holy interference, and all those magicians? No way. It was just older demons wanting a good fight for the most part.

Kurt also came to really like your less human look. Maybe he was projecting, but there was something nice about having a partner that didn’t look too “human”, if he could say that without being offensive.

There were days where you looked like the average human man. But other days you were more beast than man, or even the days where you didn’t even want a blood-filled body, so you were made out of sand or water, or anything along those lines.

He did have a preference for forms where you had a tail, because it was comforting to coil your tails together. Or if the form you took had claws, since it felt so good to have your hands rubbing up and down his back and scratch through his fuzz.

There were times when Kurt forgot to take off his cross, or hide it under his shirt, so you did get small burns, even if they went away in a few seconds. You didn’t care much, but seeing Kurt apologize was always very cute.

Having a powerful demon like you on the side of the x-men also helped out a lot during fights. You stayed out of it for the most part, to “keep balance of the mortal plane” or whatever your father said.

There were times when Kurt was in mortal danger where you stepped in though, but you always contained the worst of your powers.

And staying back also meant you could focus your powers on healing those that needed it. Kurt got the most of it, of course, as you would cuddle and kiss him, your kisses transferring the healing energy instead.

It was nice. And yes, you knew one day you’d be alone again, stuck on earth after claiming it as your territory. But the present was so good, so warm and loving, that the cold empty future didn’t matter.

[green-alien-turdz]

Hi, I know its been a minute n I don't really like that there is like one or two posts between this n my last 'i'm still alive' post. I'm sorry. I wanted to say thank you to everyone in general, but also the mfs who said some nice ass shit to me. Sorry I said some concernin ass shit n just dipped, that was pretty fucked. I never really had people care like all the people on here, so I ain't too used to havin to be more careful with the shit I do n say.

Thank you to everyone for the kind words, concern, n care. Comin back to see all of it made my fuckin heart melt. I know I'm just some dumbass postin south park shit on tumblr, but you guys are genuinely the most amazin mfs I've ever encountered. To the people who were in my inbox askin if I was still alive, I sincerely apologize for causin any stress or concern, it's not my intention. You guys are the sweetest people, and I'm sorry for doin that. I should prolly stop bein as vocal about bein so fucked, but I also like to be honest n I like sharin this shit bcuz I know mfs be goin through the same shit n bein alone in it feels fuckin awful majority of the time.

I am not well. I am doin very bad actually. There's a chance imma be forcefully medicated in the near future. Which is weird bcuz I used to always want that, I wanted to be fixed, but now I'm not sure for like a TON of reasons. One, ion wanna be changed (in a sense). If the meds take away or dull core aspects of myself, I will lose it further than I have already. Two, my parents raised me to never trust doctors or medicine, etc. Even though I do think modern medicine is a great thing, I still have my fears bcuz of how I was raised. Three, I fear the fuck outta what I will do. I know they warn that adjustment periods n shit like that can make things worse- but I literally cannot get any worse. If I do, I know I will not come out alive. Which bleeds into reason four, which is that I know, at some point, I would try n overdose. Handin me such a quick n thoughtless way to just end it is like the worst fuckin thing they could do. But whatever. Ion even know when it's gonna happen, all I know is that ion got a choice. Like, I'm pretty sure it's a situation that, if I don't comply, imma be locked tf up.

Uhh minor update shit- my cat came back home after almost a month of bein fuckin somewhere. She came back skinny, dirty, n sick, but she is slowly recoverin n I've never been more thankful. ED is still kickin my ass, but I'm forcin myself to at least have a fuckin soup I made bcuz I can't get shit done at work if I keep faintin or gettin injured. I have little to no time to do shitfuck, but still do random shit periodically before or after work. I actually redid my dresser n made some stupid ass video about the handles that I might post to youtube if I quit bein a pussy about it.

I haven't been drawin my fanart as of late- but I do want to. Imma focus on doin the requests I have bcuz I wanna give back the best I can. You guys stick with me through thick n thin. I thank you all so much. I'm sorry I'm always MIA. So my posts for a little bit are gonna be the requests n answerin all of my inbox. Ion know how long it'll take, but hopefully it won't get borin. I genuinely love makin things. I love drawin the shit I do n people findin some sort of connection to their lives or themselves. I just want people to feel less alone, less ugly, less whatever the fuck you feel. Each n every one of ya is fuckin amazin, so please don't forget it.

Imma stfu now. But I hope you guys have a good rest of your day or night or eternity. I'll be back to postin shortly, thank you for stickin with this shit show

[smoooothoperator]

untouchable

21: Dear Reader

Lando Norris x OC (Violet Sinclair)

same group friend, unrequited love, acquittances to lovers, ski trip, love triangle, life as lovers

Words: 2.7k

a/n: so this is the end! There will be an epilogue and if course extra chapters, you can ask whatever you want to know about Violet and Lando. I'm so so so happy I came with the idea of this story and I feel proud of how it went, of the welcome of you guys, and as well as how the little idea of a ski trip turned into this! Thank you so so much to everyone that supported, I owe you the world❤️

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If you ask someone how it feels being unconscious, they will probably answer you that it feels like a nightmare, a deep dream that no matter how hard you try you won't wake up. You can hear everyone's voices like an echo in your mind, mixed with the beeping of the monitors

My mind repeated all the time the last thing I saw before passing out, a bright pair of white lights coming closer to me. I was in an eternal nightmare, hearing his voice begging me to open my eyes. But I couldn't do it.

But I always felt his hand on mine, his lips on my knuckles, how he brushed my hair with his fingers. That was the only thing that kept me at ease, that made me feel I wasn't alone.

But the day when I woke up, when I could finally do what he asked, moving my finger, he wasn't there. 

When I opened my eyes, I didn't find his blue ones. I found a curly hair next to me, but it wasn't his.

“Lando” I mumbled as well as I could, feeling how sore and dry my throat was. 

“Oh, God” 

Pietra and Max got up looking at me, watching how I looked around confused. 

“Lando? Where…”

He left? He really left me? 

“He had to leave” Max said, grabbing a bottle of water and putting a straw on it, helping me drink it. “He will come soon, okay? Don't worry”

I sipped the water, thirstier than I thought I was. But still, there were so many questions around my mind right now.

“Where am I?” I whisper. “I… What happened?”

Pietra and Max took a deep breath looking at each other. They told me everything, from the moment I got out of my apartment to go pick up the moment Lando received the call while he was streaming, they told me about them going to the hospital and Lando nearly screaming at the receptionist and how relieved they were when the doctor told them about the surgery.

“He never left” Pietra smiled weakly. “We had to force him to eat something, sending him reminders about his lunch and dinner”

“But… What about his training?” I mumbled confused.

“He will ask for a pair of weeks more” Max sighed. “Pato will drive for him in the first race after the break, just to make sure that you recover”

“But…”

“He won't leave you alone, Violet”

I took a deep breath and smiled weakly, closing my eyes for some seconds until the door opened.

When he walked in I barely recognized him. His curls were barely done, messy and falling on his eyes. He let his facial hair grow a little. His eyes weren't shining as always, and the bags under his eyes were there too.

When I said his name I could see the shock in his eyes, as well as fear and regret.

“You are awake” he mumbled, walking towards my bed, swallowing thickly. 

“Mhm” I nodded, looking at him, reaching for his hand.

“And I wasn't here”

I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. Something in them is not there anymore, I can see a shadow that is making his smile not reach to his blue eyes.

“But you are here now” I whisper, holding his hand with my hands. “That's everything that matters”

I saw Pietra and Max getting up, walking out of the room and leaving us alone. 

I saw Lando's bottom lip trembling, making him trap it between his teeth. His eyes were getting wetter while he pressed his forehead against mine. 

“He did it, Vi… Harry did this” he whispered.

Something inside of me knew it. Something really deep inside of me knew that he was the reason for the crash.  

Lando sat on the bed next to me, grabbing his phone and showing me the recording, holding my hand while we listened to it.

“I don't want to see him ever again” I whispered, feeling a knot in my throat when I heard the moment he jumped from the chairs ready to attack Lando. 

“He will go to jail” Lando sighed.

“Good” I nodded. “He deserves to rot in there”

I recovered slower than I would like to admit. Getting up from bed was a torture, sitting on the couch was a relief that only lasted a few seconds before realizing I had to get up from it later. The walls and the ceiling of the bedroom started to get boring.

Silence fell between us, with his hands holding mine as we took deep breaths, trying to assimilate everything.

“I really need to go out…” I groaned.

Lando stayed with me all the time. Even if he still had a week more of his summer break, he decided to ask for two more weeks to take care of me. 

“You know you can't… Remember what the doctor said” he sighed, bringing the food to the table of the living room. 

“I know, but I'm just getting tired of these walls” I sighed. 

He smiled, standing behind my chair and wrapping his arms around my shoulders, reading what I was doing on my laptop.

“Just wait a few days, okay?” he whispered, pressing a kiss on the top of my head. “And while you recover, we can look for houses, hm? I chose some that maybe you'll like”

The torturous and slow way I recovered was agonizing. The visits to the doctor were too many to count them with my hands: exams of my head, exams of my broken bones, talks with the psychiatrist. 

“Can we visit them once I have the cast out of my leg?” I asked him, taking a deep breath after watching the pictures of the houses he found.

“Of course” he nodded. 

I took a deep breath and looked around. Lando told me that while I was unconscious his parents came to stay here, to keep the apartment clean and to be closer to the hospital.

“What will happen with Harry?” I dared to ask, leaning on his chest. “Like… He's obviously a psychopath, or something in that style. Will he go to jail? Or somewhere where they control people like that?”

I felt Lando sigh and rest his chin on top of my head. I could hear his mind working, trying to find the right words of what he wanted to say.

“I just… I hope he gets the punishment he deserves to have” he said, and I could find a little bit of disappointment in his voice. “He hurt you, and I won't forgive him for doing that. Years ago I accepted that the friendship I had with him was gone, that he only wanted to be around for my money and fame. But now… What he did is unforgivable, Violet”

“I know” I whisper, swallowing the lump of my throat. “I know… I think I'll never forgive him either…”

He held me tight, like he was scared of letting me go. The last few days were hard, he always wanted to be around me, and I could feel how he woke up in the middle of the night to hold me tighter. And something inside of me broke knowing why he did that. While I was unconscious I could hear him cry. He did that when he was alone, when none of his family or friends were around. I could feel him holding my hand tight, pressing it against his lips while he let go the tears, when he talked about his fear of losing me. 

How could I be so stupid? I made him promise me that he will always come back after a race, that he won't have a crash. And he made that promise, he came back after every race. And it was me who never came back, who got into a crash.

“I'm just glad that he's not around ever again” I sighed. “That we can love our lives without worrying what would be his next move”

He nodded in silence, sitting on the chair next to mine and eating the food on his plate without saying a word about it. I sighed, reaching for his hand and squeezing it softly, smiling weakly.

“We are free, Lando” I smiled weakly. “No more fear, no more looking out the window in case we are stalked…”

“You knew?” he frowned. He kept that in secret, hiding the pictures Harry sent on his backpack.

“I found the pictures some day when I was getting your backpack ready…” I sighed. “I guess you hid them to not scare me, so I just didn't say anything…”

“He is so sick, Violet” he sighed, clenching his jaw. “He knew exactly where the window of your room was. He took pictures of us in bed! Of you naked! Of us having sex. And he threatened me to sell them”

“But he didn't” I said. “Those were only threats…”

I took a deep breath and looked at him, watching how he was taking deep breaths while he closed his eyes.

“That's why you always look out the window before going to bed?” I sighed. 

“Yeah” he sighed. “I mean, at first I only thought it was a sick stalker. But then I started to think and then things made sense… I guess I always knew Harry was the one behind those threats…”

“He did everything to scare you and pull you away from me” I sighed.

“You heard his confession…” he said. “He did the same with your exes”

The fact that he was there when I was nearly abused. That he watched from afar how I was touched without permission and he only stared to find a moment to be the hero.

Boxes were the only thing I could see.

“He's sick” I said, pushing the plate away, not wanting to eat anymore, feeling nauseous.

“Where should we put the plants? I don't want to kill them” 

Boxes, bags and suitcases.

Boxes everywhere.

Lando came into the office with an empty box, leaving it on the floor. He placed his hands on his hips, looking at me with a frown, then at the plants.

“Internet says that you can put them on a box and make holes on it so they can have air” Lando frowned. “I mean… What we can do is take them first to the house? Put them in the back of the car and then leave there while we come back for the rest of things”

I look at him and then at the plants. There are four plants in my office, six in the bedroom, three in the bathroom and eight in the living room.

“Will they fit?” I asked. “In my car?”

“Yeah” he nodded, biting the nail of his thumb.

“In an Audi A1?” I laughed. 

He looked at me and took a deep breath before walking out of the office, coming back after a few seconds with a smile.

“I'll owe Max money…” he sighed.

“It's not my problem you two made a bet about us not needing help” I said, raising up my arms.

Moving out was finally happening.

I recovered right in time for the second race of the second half of the season. Time passed really fast and in between his races we started looking for houses, making time pass even faster. 

Packing all the things in my apartment was another story. Taking all my things and putting them in boxes, bags and suitcases was funny, but I hated the fact that Lando made a bet with Max.

“He will be a pain in the ass” he sighed, walking slower towards me and wrapping his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder.

“Not my problem” I laughed softly. “Come on, we need a bigger car and he has one”

“We can always rent a car…”

“Lando”

“Okay, okay” he sighed, grabbing his phone and calling his friend.

The new house was completely empty when we bought it and it was exciting for us because we could decorate it how we wanted. 

“Are we sleeping there tonight?” I smiled excitedly, biting my lip. “The mattress arrives this afternoon”

“Sure, why not?” he smiled.

When Max came, he was already smirking once he crossed the front door. I watched them, how Lando rolled his eyes and Max extended his hand with the keys of his car in exchange of a bill.

“I didn't want to say it, but…” Max smirked, looking at me and then at Lando. “Told ya”

“Whatever!” Lando exclaimed, making us laugh. “But thank you”

“You can use my car, okay?” I said, getting up and grabbing the keys of my car. “Maybe we will use it for the weekend, to take the suitcases and boxes”

“Okay” he smiled, and looked at us. “I'm so proud of you two, really”

“Stop it, you are going to make me cry” Lando laughed.

Max chuckled and hugged us before grabbing the keys of my car. He stayed here to help us put the plants in his car, just to be faster.

“We'll call you once the house is finally done” I said smiling. “So we can make a welcome home dinner”

“I like how it sounds” he nodded. “When is the furniture coming?”

“Tomorrow” Lando said, standing next to me after closing the door of the backseats once he put the last plant inside of the car. “Tomorrow is the living room and couch. This afternoon the mattress is coming”

“Let me guess, you will stay there tonight?” Max laughed.

“Oh yeah” he smirked looking at me, making me blush and look away.

“Forget it, I don't want to know what you two do there” Max exclaimed, making us laugh. “If you need help, Pietra and I can come tomorrow to help you build the furniture”

“Oh sure” I smiled. “No bets this time, please”

“Yes, ma’am” both of them sighed.

I smile and hug Max before getting in the car, biting my lip. The keys of the new house were in my bag, and I couldn't help but feel excited as we were getting closer.

“Are you excited?” he asked me, placing his hand on my thigh and squeezing it softly. 

“You have no idea” I smiled. 

It was only a turn more to the left and we're just in front of our house. Our house, our place. Home.

He parked the car in front of the gate and I grabbed the keys, pressing the control remote key and filing when the gate opened in front of us. He drove inside and stopped the car in front of the main door.

“I can't believe we're finally doing it” I said, getting out of the car and looking at the house.

I turned around and looked at him, walking towards me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I did the same, wrapping it around his waist and leaning on him.

“Do you want to get it?” he smiled, pressing a kiss on my temple.

I smiled and nodded, grabbing the keys and walking towards the door, unlocking it and opening it. But then I felt his arms around my back and behind my knees, picking me up and making me giggle.

“Lando!” I gasped, wrapping my arm around his shoulders.

“It's our first time walking in, we have to do it this way” he smirked, walking inside of the house.

He placed me back on the floor and I smiled looking around. The empty hall welcomed us, but it was perfect. This place is perfect.

“Well?” he smiled, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his head on my shoulder.

“It's perfect” I smiled. “I can't wait to have the mattress”

“Oh, I don't think that can stop us! There is a kitchen aisle, a bathroom… plenty of places to have sex” he smirked.

“Yeah? I want to see the kitchen, just to make a better look at it, what do you think?” I smirk, walking away from him and looking over my shoulder, smiling when I saw him walk towards me while he unbuttoned his jeans and took off his hoodie.

This place is home. He is my home. And I can't wait to build a future with him, to see kids running around the living room, to hear our laughs. 

This is finally our time to be happy.

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[onesidedradiostatic]

I feel like Alastor made that deal to save his life. That'd be so much more tragic and create so much more conflict if he was literally on the verge of death and someone told him either you do this or you die. In general as someone with thanatophobia I do headcanon Alastor as a person who's very, very afraid of death which just adds to the panic he had in the finale.

Something that I really see in Alastor's character over and over again is that sure, he craves power and control and he loves having that but also he wants to be seen; to mean something. He's an entertainer with his radio show. He's killed terrible people probably because of his moral code, yes, but I think also to give himself this grand purpose (think Light from Death Note) of bringing justice etc.

Alastor hates fading into the background, he hates being overshadowed (Lucifer), hates when people do not give a shit about him. He clearly cares about his reputation; wants the other overlords to wonder where he's been even though he has no intention of giving that information out whatsoever. A lot of people really do want him to be this powerful villain who seems untouchable but I really like the theory of Alastor being a fraud. A Wizard of Oz type character. With all of his power coming from his deal. I love the idea of "The Radio Demon" being this grand persona he carefully crafted for himself and now bases his identity around and hiding everything behind a smile when underneath it all; without the deal, without his reputation; he is just a very traumatized, slightly pathetic little man who fears nothing more than cracks in his facade and going back to being that little mixed kid in Louisiana whose dad hated him and who was treated like he was never going to make it as a radio star or like he doesn't matter. The whole taking charge of one's own fate quote really drives that theory home for me.

I've never seen Alastor as someone who wants control because he's a power hungry maniac, he wants control because he grew up without that; because even now every day in that deal is a reminder of how much his life depends on the forces around him. I see Alastor as someone with this delusional idea of freedom that if he just puts himself above everyone, if he's able to take on anything; he'll finally feel free when in reality the biggest problems are his unaddressed fears, his perspective and his mental illnesses. And the more he fails, the more this drives him insane.

I think deep inside he feels pathetic and more vulnerable than he actually is and it's why he lashes out at Husk and immediately gets into this dick measuring contest with Lucifer. Episode 5 really showcases how impulsive and meaninglessly destructive Alastor can be when he feels threatened. Like a hissy cat.

And what would be a worse fate for someone like that than to die in hell, bound to a contract, owned by someone; only to fade away into nothingness for all eternity and eventually be forgotten like he never meant anything? I think that's the worst possible scenario for him and the only thing that could get him to put himself into a deal no matter the terms. Because at least if he's alive, he still has a chance.

DAAAMN yeah this is pretty crazy, I mean I personally don't even have my own theory on what the deal could be so I just accept whatever people throw out there

the thing with the idea of all his power coming from his deal is that then we'd have to assume the deal was made very early on in his time in hell (since well. he does have a long reputation pre-absence), and in that case the making of his deal wouldn't have caused his 7-year absence, and if not then why did he disappear for 7 years? why does it coincide with lilith? was it still something related to his deal??

I don't really have any theory I agree or disagree with in particular, I'm just consuming all of them and will see if anyone's hit the nail on the head when it's revealed in the show proper

[saphirered]

Caged Birds Don't Sing

As promised Part 2 of this Fenrys x reader request! We're getting more angst but what do you expect from enemies to lovers? Hope you like it! 😘

You stood at her side. You stood at Maeve’s damned side on that beach. Of course she would have you stand there. You would look down upon them. Fenrys expected indifference if not betrayal for their disobedience, or perhaps satisfaction that they’d be punished for their actions. He expected you to laugh at Gavriel’s pain, to speak to them, tear at open wounds but you were silent. You made no move. He deigned to look at you, if only to assure you wouldn’t pounce at the first opportunity. He would have been ready to rip your throat out. He might not have thought  twice about it had Maeve severed his bond too but she knew his greatest torment would be to keep it in place. It’s in that image he notices your throat, how it’s tense and how you swallow, how your breathing is higher than it should be. He notices something behind that eternal gaze into oblivion and he realises, you are not the fae he holds in his memory. You are in pain. You’re in turmoil and you’re fighting so desperately to keep in place whatever facade you’ve put on.

You’ve never looked away from the abuse Maeve put them through but this time, you turn your gaze and bite the inside of your cheek. You clasp your hands together to keep the trembles from them or perhaps to stop yourself from taking reckless action. When you force yourself to look, when Aelin accepts her fate, you keep your eyes on her. Behind that surface mask so cracked and broken, one can see the pain, the guilt and regret and sense of failure. You mouth the words ‘I am sorry’ for none but them to see, for those who pay attention. The porcelain mask no longer remains in its perfect state. Everyone knows what Maeve does to broken dolls. 

��———

When the screams have gone quiet and no longer echo through the halls of Doranelle Fenrys lays at the base of that damned throne. The clicking of footsteps against those damned floors are both blessing and curse. Blessing as a reminder he isn’t dreaming. A curse for who’s presence they announce. They stop not too far away. He knows exactly where you are even if he can’t bear to lift his head. 

“You summoned me, my queen?” Ever eloquently you speak but there’s a rasp to your voice he’s not heard before. It peaks enough of his interest to try and get a better look and blinking an eye open is enough to reveal the bruised marks around your neck. It’d been weeks since your altercation and you bore no marks of that. Whoever dared lay a hand on you, Maeve must want to deal with. He expected some kind of doting from the queen but found none. 

“You have served me well, my little pet. For many years I have kept you at my side. My most loyal of servants.” Maeve rises and slowly crosses the difference. She steps around Fenrys as if he’s no more than an inconvenient obstacle. “You’ve protected them for many years but finally you’ve given in. Know that it is your sacrifice that keeps them alive. For now. You’ve earned my mercy.” Maeve dances a sharp nail under your chin and lifts your head. She tuts at the marred skin as you bite back the discomfort when she lets her fingers glide against the tender bruises. 

“My allegiance has never wavered. I thank you for your benevolence.” Such carefully chosen words. When she retreats her touch you bow your head like some loyal subject. Maeve circles you but you keep your eyes front, not daring to turn and face her out of habit. 

“Your allegiance comes with a reward no less. After all these decades you’ve deserved as much.” She stops behind you and you fear the repercussions for a brief second. You see the broken and bloodied fae at the footsteps of that dais. He’s staring right at you. You cannot look away from him. At least he’s alive. At least he has allies that can help him. At least he can stay with Aelin. He might not know your involvement in all of this and he might never know, but that is your punishment for all those years you turned a blind eye to them, to him. You don’t deserve forgiveness for your actions nor do you want it. You just hope it was worth it, will be worth it. It’s then you feel something cold slip around your neck and dangle against your chest. A pendant on a chain. Your blood freezes in your veins. You freeze.

The pendant, the chain, you can still see the remnants of dried blood staining it. Murder enters your heart and it shatters. You want to scream and shout and cry but you don’t. You school your features blank and manage to hold yourself together as you hold the pendant. Maeve circles back around, back up the stairs and leisurely sits on her throne. She grasps the armrests lightly. 

“Let this be the price of your broken silence.” She promised you. She promised they’d be safe. You’d given it all. All those decades you’ve suffered through and she destroyed all you cared about. You played a dangerous game and you lost. You truly lost. You’d saved the victims of your actions but condemned the ones who lived thanks to your silence. Maeve takes great joy in watching you struggle to hold yourself together. 

“You have no idea how much this gift means to me, my most gracious queen.” Fenrys doesn’t know if it’s your injured throat or those cracks he’s noticing once more. He almost feels sorry for you, for whatever is causing this and for what Maeve clearly holds over you. You were all too selective in your words and he has not the strength to figure it out, dancing along the line of consciousness but he makes a mental note of it anyway should his mind think it important enough to pick apart.

“Take him out of my sight and clean up his mess. I want him back in shape by next morrow.” You miss a beat but with one last bow you are at Fenrys’ side. He tries to lift himself but is unable to despite his first instinct to refuse your help and protest. At least he can take some modicum of satisfaction in the knowledge he will bleed all over your pristine attire. With difficulty you support him and drag him out of the throne room. It seems that the moment those doors close behind each step is more difficult than the last. He notes that you’re not even entirely sure where you’re going, not aware of your surroundings and when he looks at your face Fenrys sees something he has never seen before; silent tears streaming down your cheeks. You can’t seem to stop them. You make no sound but still you cry. Those are the tears of someone who has only been able to express those feelings in complete solitude. Despite his feelings and opinions towards you, he finds it within himself holding some kind of remorse, of pity. 

You take him to an unfamiliar room. You don’t speak a single word. Neither does he. You follow orders; get some rags, clean his skin and take care of the injuries he sustained to speed up the healing process. Your touch is deliberate and practiced. You have the supplies at the ready. You’re no healer, he’s fairly certain an it’s then he notes the faint smell from you matching that of one of the ointments you set aside. The more you care for him, the further within your shell you retreat, as if you’re not but an animated body but your mind and soul have left. The way you move, like this is regular routine, it makes him wonder if this is habit. It must be. You’ve done this perhaps a thousand times before but likely never for another… Perhaps you have faced your own suffering at Maeve’s hand. Your loyalty was never to Maeve. It was to whomever that pendant belonged to- the sacrifice you had made and for what? Why now? Fenrys has many questions he cannot answer. 

“What did you do?” Fenrys croaks when you tie the last bandage and collect the mess to be disposed of. You freeze in your movement. You don’t look him in the eye. You don’t look at him at all. You are just curled within yourself; your shoulders slumped, and limbs heavy, your brow furrowed and still the occasional tear rolls down your cheek. 

“Why do you care?” You shoot back out of instinct. Your defences still sharp. If anything you remind Fenrys of an injured animal, lashing out at any who dare come to close. It seems you remember you’re the one that brought him into your lair. 

“I don’t but I’d rather like to know if I’ll be cleaning up your mess next time.” You know what he insinuates. He’s gathered you’ve fallen out of favour with Maeve and she has been known to get rid of those no longer of use to her in a manifold of creative ways. It’s a shame you still hold some value to her and she won’t let you go until she’s absolutely sure you have nothing left to offer her. She knows that even still, you haven’t shared all you had to share. You’ve kept the most important information to yourself for a reason and right now your heart is filled with enough hatred and recklessness to play the long game no matter the costs. Not like you have anything left to lose. 

“I sacrificed what leverage I had to spare others from bloodshed, to buy them more time.” You speak solemnly. The first words you’d said since all but dragging him out of the throne room. You truly are in pain. Though besides your bruises you seem fine and some bruising has never bothered you much before as far as Fenrys knows, the pain you feel is the world-shattering kind and he’s noted the blood on that pendant isn’t his. The way you hold onto it, it’s important to you. Out of all the jewels you adorn it is the most precious. He begins to piece it together. Those golden bracelets are chains in their own way. 

“Clearly that did fuck all.” Fenrys appears to have found his attitude again. You’re just too exhausted to face off with him. You can’t. You’re done. You’ve lost it all and for what? It was a failure in the end. You want this pain to stop, this carnage from tearing you apart from the inside but here he is claws and all tearing into you. As he deserves for all the pain you’ve caused him. 

“She would have made you kill each other. She would have made the others watch before disposing of the disobedient ones.” He understands well enough the implications of your words. His blood might as well have frozen in his veins. 

“And you can’t even speak our names- their names. Why? Why risk it all for the people you’ve been looking down upon ever since you’ve met them? Why give up your precious little life to save us? Should we forever be in your debt?” Once more his anger is directed towards you. It felt so good in the past. He simply feels horrible about it now, especially when he sees you clutch that pendant so tightly he thinks you might crush the metal with your bare hands.

“Because you don’t deserve to be a casualty to my silence.”

“We have all been casualties of your silence! What’s changed, sunshine? You grew a conscious? Get lost. You wouldn’t know right from wrong if it stared you right in the face.” He expected you to lash out against him, to seek out the confrontation but with each word he speaks you just look smaller and smaller. There’s no satisfaction. There’s no pleasure in tearing into you. Fenrys once thought that seeing you show remorse, any kind of guilt and recompense for your actions, or lack thereof would make him feel justified, make him feel validated, make him feel good. It didn’t. He just feels horrible. He feels his blood truly grow colder than the depths of winter and so his features blank. No more is there the fury. There’s only a chill silence and lack of any sensation. It’s terrifying. He catches a glimpse of himself in your mirror and sees a reflection eerily similar to the expression he’s seen you wear more often than not. Just the absence of emotion, of the attachment to this world. 

“You’re right. Fenrys. You’re right and I’m sorry.” Once upon a time he would have cheered and laughed at you admitting your wrongs, your defeat. He doesn’t feel anything now. You’re just some broken bird that can no longer sing those lovely songs. You’re just as broken as he is. 

[oorangesoda]

Hey oorange ! Just saw the OC ask game and I'm dying to know more about Cal! 💛💛💛 can you answer either 3, 25 or 33 ?

Love your art btw 💛🤧

Ryliith, my beloved mutual, for you I will answer all three! 💚💚 (I love your art too pookie!!! I gotta re-draw atlas PRONTO!)

[3] What emotion is the hardest for them to deal with?

Callum struggles the most with excitement/passion, not that he doesn’t like being excited or passionate, he absolutely does! It’s the idea of someone seeing how he shows his excitement that weirds him out. To him it’s extremely personal and intimate to see him truly excited about something. It’s one of those things he’s oddly dysphoric about, as in he feels he looks childish/girly. Unfortunately its kept him from really letting himself enjoy or talk about his hobbies around others, even friends.

[25] Do they have fears and phobias, and if they do, do they usually keep it to themselves or talk about it openly?

He is NOT a fan of heights. He’s got a good centre of balance so if he HAD to be somewhere high up realistically he’d be fine, but he’d be out of breath and shaking by the time whatever activity you’re doing is done. He would hold his breath the ENTIRE time. Something about looking down and knowing he could fall just gives him the most crippling anxiety he’s ever felt. Even ladders are pushing it for him, but he’ll do it. If you ask him to go on a roller coaster he’ll just… walk away and do something else. Mans NOT risking his life thank you very much

[33] What are one of their fondest and most treasured memories?

When Cal was around 15, a year before his Pop fell ill, he had mustered the courage to finally come out to him. Callum in preparation, had been passively bringing the topic up in conversation a few months leading up to it, testing the waters on how his Pop felt about gay, trans, and queer people in general. Which to Callum's surprise was quite positive. For his Pops age, he would have assumed he'd be quite adverse to the idea, but in his Pops words: "If it makes a person happy, who am I to tell them they can't?" (Continued under cut bc I got carried away but its the rest of his coming out to Pop :3)

It was all Callum needed to hear. So, on a warm summer day, just after they had both finished the daily farm chores and settled on the porch with fresh made iced tea, Callum - without looking to his Pop - asked if he could tell him something. "Of course chickadee." His Pop nodded, looking to him with a interested smile. "You have to promise you won't hate me..." Callum stated, his voice was warbling with anxiety and shoulders tensed, tears already forming in the corners of his eyes. Of course, his Pop could never hate him, and assured him of that, noticing just how distraught his grandchild seemed over it. Like a kettle ready to blow steam, Callum told him he felt like he was a boy, that he was trans, that he understood if his Pop hated him or wanted to disown him, that he didn't know what was wrong with him, that he felt different ever since he was a little kid - amongst many other things. His Pop was quiet for a moment, letting Callum get all of it out. Eyes puffy and nose runny Callum anticipated the worst, waiting for his Pop to tell him to pack his bags and call his Mom, but that didn't happen. Callum felt his Pop's arms wrap around him, holding him close to his chest as a calloused hand brushed through his unkempt hair, and feeling the comforting thrum of his Pops low and gentle voice. "I always knew... I was just waiting for you to tell me." It was all tears after that. Callum clung to his Pop and cried for what felt like an eternity, and after they both calmed down Pop helped Callum pick out his name, arranged to have his hair cut, and made it a point to tell anyone and everyone in Pelican Town his grandsons new name and pronouns. Pop didn't tolerate anyone misgendering or discriminating against him, not while he had anything to say about it. It was the most loved and cared for Callum had ever felt, with his Pop in his corner he felt like he could do anything.

This is by far Callum's most treasured memory. He thinks about it often, on top of how supportive his Pop had been through/about everything in his life. He misses him dearly, but knows that somewhere, somehow, his Pop still looks over him.

[theprayerfulword]

December 02

Psalm 119:97 The psalmist wrote, “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long.”

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

1 Peter 3:8-9 …let all be…brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead…

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Malachi 3:17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him."

May you understand from the Scriptures that which is to come, that which is on the heart of God, that which He has prepared for you to do, for you to take part in, for you to walk out. Daniel 9

May you approach the Lord in prayer, waiting on His pleasure, waiting in the Spirit, approaching in sorrow and repentance, in humility and awe, in recognition of His majesty, His integrity, His love, in confession of your own unworthiness and inability, and His righteousness and faithfulness, seeking that He will forgive, that He will accept, that He will hear and act, and that He will not delay. Daniel 9

May you acknowledge that the sins and failings of your society and culture have brought the judgments of sin and the curses of transgression from the righteousness of God and the holiness of His heaven, and may you intercede before the Lord on behalf of His Name and all of those who cherish it. Daniel 9

May you know that God's messengers are sent on your behalf to give insight and understanding as soon as you begin to pray, and if you endure, persisting in faith, you will see the answer. Daniel 9

May you set aside time when the Lord calls for it, and step aside from the routine to wait on His desire, forsaking your daily pleasures and entertainment to make Him your focus and align your heart and mind with His Spirit. Daniel 10

May God's touch, through His Word, His Spirit, and His Body, give you strength to stand and words to speak, though overcome and helpless on your own, while in His presence. Daniel 10

May you hear and accept God's designation and characterization of you, even when it differs from your own perspective, for He speaks of what will be as though it already were, knowing the end, even from the beginning. Therefore know that, though you feel faint, weak, without strength, unclear in thought, incapable of speech, overcome by anguish, unable to stand and hardly able to breathe, you are well-beloved, highly esteemed, filled with understanding and wisdom, strong, calm, at peace and without fear. Daniel 10

May you realize that because of the anointing from the Holy One, you know the truth, His Spirit bearing witness with your spirit, and no lie comes from the truth, for whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2Him

May you make the effort to see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, for if it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father, and He has promised you eternal life. 1 John 2

May you remain in Him, as His anointing remains in you, so that you will be led into all truth, and you will recognize the counterfeit being taught by those who would lead you astray. 1 John 2

May you continue in Him so that you may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. 1 John 2

May you know that just as He is righteous, so everyone who does what is right has been born of Him. 1 John 2

My treasured one, I have provided you a wardrobe filled with garments. They bear many colors and styles, woven in beautiful patterns and made from eternal fabrics. They are My gift to you, My loved one. Come, enjoy being clothed in them for they are individually handwoven, custom-made for you by Me. This raiment represents My nature, by which you will bear My image in the world. My strength under-girds you, yet is gentle and easily persuaded. My peace stands firm against all efforts to disturb it. My salvation guards your feet from stumbling or slipping as you walk in My paths and work in My fields. My righteousness is a robe that covers you entirely, embroidered with My grace and mercy and stating to all who see you that you are Mine. You have not created these garments, nor have you earned them; they are My gift to you. I took on your nature of flesh in order to live and die sinlessly, freeing you from your debt, breaking the power of death, hell, and the grave; I willingly shed My unblemished perfection in heaven, and gladly received the scars of the price I paid for you, My dearest treasure. In like manner, I have granted you the privilege to partake of My glory and bear the loveliness of My nature, living in the majesty of My name, for I have named you “Accepted” and “Fairest among all” and “Blessed.”

May you understand in ever greater degree just how great the love the Father has lavished on us is, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3

May you comprehend that the reason the world does not know you is that it did not know Him. 1 John 3

May you rejoice that while it has not been made known what you will be, you most certainly are a child of God, and you know that when He appears, you shall be like Him for you shall see Him as He is – therefore everyone who has this hope within purifies themselves just as He is pure. 1 John 3

May you receive the truth that He appeared so that He might take away your sins and, in fact, in Him is no sin; thus no one who lives in Him makes a habit of sinning repeatedly, or persists in an on-going lifestyle of sin, for those who deliberately choose to sin and elect to remain in their sins have neither seen Him nor known Him. 1 John 3

May you recognize and acknowledge with ready confession that your help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121

May you take comfort in the knowledge that the Lord will not let your foot slip – He Who watches over you will not slumber or sleep, for He is your shade at your right and, not letting harm come to you by day or by night. Psalm 121

May you be secure in the confidence that the Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life, watching over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121

May you not be surprised that, if you give regularly, freely, willingly, unstintingly to the poor, whom God cherishes, that you will lack nothing, for He repays all debts. Proverbs 28:27

[the-vast-corner-of-the-galaxy]

KW 2024- Day 4: Post Battle Reunion

I know I am *technically* posting this on Friday, but whatever lol.

Anyway, my take for Day 4 of Kataang Week hosted by @kataang-week

Prompt: Post-Battle Reunion - Thursday, August 1st

Chapter Summary: Aang and Katara reunite after the Hundred-Year War is finally over.

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 3.2 K

It was done.

Aang had finally defeated Fire Lord Ozai.

The young airbender stood on the hills of Wulong Forest, looking at the horizon for many moments, seeing Sozin’s comet fade away into the night.

Suki, Sokka, and Toph were all celebrating and talking about Aang’s victory over Ozai. They talked about the battle, how he took his bending away, how they almost died too many times, and how much they despised the Fire Lord. Aang appreciated his friends’ enthusiasm, but he was too lost in thought to even think about it properly and be grateful for them. His mind was lingering on all the events that just happened, and couldn’t seem to focus on the present.

Aang’s mind then turned to one particular person:

Katara.

Was she okay? Is she still alive?

Aang’s heart rapidly thought at the thought of her, and these beats were filled with worry, concern, and fear. He had to go to her, immediately, but his mind was still paralyzed.

“So,” Sokka began. “I think it’s time we return to the Fire Nation now. We need to go support Zuko and Katara.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Suki chimed in. “Let’s head to one of the ships and get going. The quicker we get there, the better.”

Everyone began walking towards the remaining ship and made their way on it. Aang took a while to follow due to the exhaustion, but he eventually catched up. Suki and Sokka were preparing the ship for departure, and Toph was beside them. The young earthbender suddenly felt a strange energy coming from Aang, who was sitting a few paces behind him. She sensed his exhaustion, both spiritually and physically.

“Twinkle toes, what’s wrong?” she asked with concern. “You just saved the world just now, but you don’t look too happy. Why?”

“I don’t really know,” Aang responded. “It’s just… Everything that just happened is too hard to process. Thousands of people died, so many lost their families, their friends, loved ones, so many people had to leave their homes, and even though it’s all over, I don’t know what will happen in the future. It all feels so uncertain.”

Toph did not exactly know how to relieve Aang’s worries, for he was right. Even if the war was over, the future was drowned with uncertainty. She thought about her own life, and realized how it was also filled with a void of uncertainty.

“Well, we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” Toph began, “But that is not in our control. I guess we are just going to have to live the present, and live each day as if it were the last.”

Aang felt a small weight lift off his back thanks to Toph’s words. “Thank you, Toph, that really helps.” Toph smiled at him and went back to Sokka and Suki, who were starting the ship for departure, and Aang sat on the floor, thinking about was was to come.

Even if he was the Avatar, he could not control the events ahead of time, the future. He had to keep living each day as if it were the last, especially after how many times he almost died (and actually died).

In fact, Aang did not know how long he was going to live for at all, especially since he was already 112 chronological years. He was not going to be the Avatar for eternity since there would come a day were his body would not take it anymore and the spirit of the Avatar would be passed to another person. Aang’s days were already being counted, and it was clear that however long he was going to be in this world, he had to spend it well.

In the little time Aang had of life, he realized that he had to fulfill his duties as the Avatar. He had to maintain the balance until his body gave in. Being the Avatar was a huge part of his identity, a part he basically could not remove, but it was not all of it. Aang had learned from Roku that each Avatar has their own identity and personality, even if they shared the same spirit. He was more than the most powerful bender in the world.

Aang was a person, just like everyone in this world, and Aang had to live out his duties as well… Aang, himself. He had already made many friends, whom he was grateful for. These included Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Sukki, Iroh… and many others.

Aang also had a very special friend, but it was the person he basically could give up anything for.

It was Katara.

From the moment Aang saw Katara in the South Pole taking him out of the iceberg, he began loving her, but not only romantically. Aang loved Katara in all the ways possible, even if he did not yet comprehend it. She was the one who found him, saved his life countless times, comforted him, talked him into his sense, and so much more.

Apart from the world, which he had to protect, Katara was everything to him.

With a pain in his chest, Aang remembered the last conversation they had before the battle on Ember Island. He had gotten in a fight with her, and in the simplest terms, told her that she was not helping him at all. The young airbender felt guilt build inside of him, and he knew he had to immediately talk to her and apologize, if she was still alive. If Katara was not alive, the guilt from their fight would probably kill him.

“How long will it be until we get to the Fire Nation?” Aang asked anxiously.

“Probably many hours,” Sokka responded. “But thanks to the airship, it won’t take weeks to get there. We will probably get there by the time the sun is up in the sky.

The Avatar nodded, and the ship began flying in the air. After a few minutes of being up in the sky, Aang’s body became heavy, and he immediately fell into a deep sleep.

When Aang awokened, he found himself in a similar landscape to the one in the Eastern Air Temple. It was nighttime, and there were thousands of skies in the sky. The moon was full, casting a silvery glow over the serene surroundings. A gentle breeze carried the scent of jasmine, adding to the dreamlike quality of the scene.

Aang gazed up, mesmerized by the celestial display above. Comets streaked across the sky, their tails leaving trails of shimmering light, as if inviting him to make a wish. The beauty of it all was almost overwhelming, and he felt a profound sense of peace.

“Aang!” a familiar voice exclaimed behind him, except that it sounded older. Approaching him was a beautiful, tall woman dressed in elegant Water Tribe attire. Her long, flowing hair framed her face, and her stunning sapphire eyes sparkled with a mixture of joy and wisdom.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” she said with a warm smile, kneeling down to his level. Her voice carried a soothing, melodic quality that resonated deeply within him.

“Wait… who are you?” Aang asked, puzzled. The image then clicked in his mind, and he immediately knew who this woman from the Water Tribe was.

You’re… Katara!” Aang exclaimed, his heart pounding in his chest. “But you’re all grown up. What kind of vision is this?”

Katara chuckled softly, her laughter like the gentle tinkling of wind chimes. “This is simply a glimpse of the future, Aang; a future where we’ve both grown and faced many challenges together.”

Aang reached out tentatively, his hand trembling slightly as he touched her face. She felt real, solid, and her skin was warm under his fingers. “I don’t understand. How is this possible?”

Katara took his hand in hers, holding it gently. “Sometimes, the Spirit World reveals things to us that we need to see for ourselves, to give us hope and guidance. This is one of those moments.”

Aang looked into her eyes, feeling a deep connection that transcended time and space. “You look so… strong… and beautiful. I can’t believe this is real.”

Katara’s eyes softened, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly. “It’s as real as you need it to be, Aang. The future is not set in stone, and it never is, but this vision shows the potential of what can be if you and I stay true to our path.”

Aang felt waves of emotion fill his body: a mixture of hope, love, and determination. “I’ve always known we’re meant to be together, but seeing this… it makes me believe it even more.”

Katara placed reassuring hands on Aang’s shoulders. “Aang, We have a long journey ahead of us, with many trials and triumphs, but remember, no matter what happens, you will not face them along; we’ll face it together.”

Aang closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her presence and the strength of their bond. “Thank you, Katara. This vision means more to me than you can imagine.”

As they stood there, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, the dream began to fade. The landscape blurred, and the stars dimmed, but the feeling of love and reassurance lingered in Aang’s heart.

When Aang woke up from his sleep, the emotions he felt in his dream were still within him, and the first thing that came to his wind as it awakened was his love: Katara. He HAD to talk to her, specially after seeing her in his vision. Now that the war was over, he knew that he had ot be with her, any way or another. Katara reciprocated her feelings for Aang, but had made it clear some time before that they could not be together yet because of the circumstances happening in the moment, but now that the war was all over, there was a big possibility that something between them could happen, something special… unless Katara changed her mind, and in that case, his vision meant absolutely nothing and his mind was just playingtricks on him.

“Oh! You’re awake now!” Sokka went to Aang and helped him get up from the ground. “May I present you, Avatar, the Fire Nation!” Sokka dramatically pointed at the landscape ahead of them. The Fire Nation Capital looked the same, except that it had suffered lots of damage from the war.

“We’ll be landing in the capital in a few minutes, so just make sure you’re fully awake by the time we get there.” Aang simply nodded, and went back to his trail of thought until they landed.

When they got out of the ship, Aang didn’t hesitate in running ahead of the others towards the Royal Palace, which could be seen from afar. He ran and ran through the Earth Kingdom nad Fire Nation troops and through the crowds of people until he got to the palace gates. There were many Fire Nation guards standing at the main gates, making sure no one got in or out of the palace. Aang hurried to the door, but was stopped by the guards.

“Stop there!” one of them snapped. “No one is aloud in or out of the palace!”

“I have to get in there! It’s really urgent!” Aang pleaded. “I’m looking for Prince Zuko! It’s really important!”

“No one is allowed in!” responded the guards. Aang didn’t know what to do, and he tried frantically to think of a solution. In a few moments, a solution occurred to him, even if he hated it.

“Tell Prince Zuko that the AVATAR is here!” Aang demanded, with a bit too much aggression. The guards let him in with hesitation, and Aang ran through the gates. He asked around the guards for Prince Zuko since he would know where Katara was. One of them led them to a room with wounded people. Zuko was standing there in the room, making sure every person in there was treated and cured.

“Aang?!” Zuko turned around and saw Aang, shock coming over him. He could not believe the Avatar had done the job: defeat his father.

“Zuko, where is Katara?” Aang asked urgently, his voice laced with anxiety. He scanned the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

Zuko approached Aang, his face a mix of relief and concern. “She’s safe, Aang. She’s with the other healers, tending to the wounded. But… you did it? You defeated my father?”

Aang nodded, still trying to catch his breath. “Yes, but it wasn’t easy. I need to see Katara. I need to make sure she’s alright.”

Zuko placed a hand on Aang’s shoulder, his expression softening. “She’s fine, Aang. She’s been working non-stop to help everyone here. She’s incredible.”

Aang’s tension began to ease, but a new worry crept into his mind. “Zuko, what happens now? The Fire Lord is defeated, but the Fire Nation still needs a leader. The world needs to heal.”

Zuko took a deep breath, the weight of responsibility clear on his face. “I know. I’ve been preparing for this moment, but it’s still overwhelming. I want to do what’s right, to bring peace and balance, but I can’t do it alone.”

Aang looked at Zuko, seeing the determination and uncertainty in his eyes. “You won’t be alone. We’ll rebuild together. We’ll make things right, but you have to promise me something.”

“What is it?” Zuko asked, his voice steady but curious.

“Promise me you’ll lead with kindness and fairness, that you’ll honor the memory of those who suffered under your father’s rule,” Aang said, his tone earnest.

Zuko nodded solemnly. “I promise, Aang. I’ve seen the damage my father has caused. I want to be a different kind of Fire Lord, one who brings hope instead of fear.”

Aang smiled, feeling a renewed sense of hope. “I believe in you, Zuko. And I’ll be here to help every step of the way.”

Just then, Katara appeared in the doorway, not believing the sight in front of her. It was Aang, and he was alright. Her heart rapidly pounded in her ears as she saw the airbender in front of her beside the future Fire Lord. She thought she had lost Aang almost permanently, for she had not seen him since he disappeared mysteriously from Ember Island, but now, he was here, standing in front of her.

Aang turned around and saw a petrified Katara standing just a few paces away from him. Her cerulean blue eyes were open wide, as if she had seen a ghost.

“Aang,” she breathed, not sure what to say next. Aang began to approach her slowly, as if he were approaching a tiny bird who was ready to flee any moment, but Katara had other plans, and she almost tackled Aang to the ground with the tight and strong embrace she gave him.

Katara basically cried into Aang’s shoulders once she held him, afraid he could fade away any minute. Aang however, was perfectly fine for the most part. He came in one piece, and did not have severe damage on his body. Aang was also relieved to finally see her, hold her in his arms.

“You did it!” she loudly exclaimed with joy. “You saved the world, and you’re safe!” She hugged him again, as tightly as the first hug. Aang retuned the hug back, but he could not find the right words for what he was going to say after he let her go of his embrace. “I… I did,” Aang replied, not sure how to continue. “I’m okay, Katara. And so are you.”

“I am so proud of you,” Katara whispered, getting closer to him, and holding his shoulders.

Aang smiled, feeling a warmth in his chest. “I couldn’t have done it without all of you. You gave me the strength to keep going.”

Katara’s expression softened even more. “We believed in you, Aang. We always knew you could do it. But now… now you need to rest. You’ve been through so much.”

Aang nodded, the weight of his journey finally settling in. “I know. But there’s still so much to do. We have to rebuild, to heal the world.”

Katara gently cupped his face in her hands, her touch soothing. “And we will, but you don’t have to carry the burden alone anymore. We’re all here to help. You’ve done enough for now.”

Aang closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the comfort of her touch. “Thank you, Katara. For everything.”

Katara leaned in and rested her forehead against his, their breaths mingling. “We’re in this together, Aang. Always.”

Aang let go of her quickly, remembering what he had to do. “Also… I need to talk to you really quickly… about something.”

Katara’s brow furrowed with concern. “What is it, Aang? Is everything okay?”

Aang took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “I wanted to apologize for all the things I told you back on Ember Island. I know you were trying to help, and I feel so guilty for screaming at you and-”

“Aang!” Katara laughed. “It’s all fine now! You don’t have to apologize. I know you were just stressed and didn’t know what to do-”

“I also need to talk to you about… the future,” Aang interrupted. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what comes next, now that the war is over.”

Katara nodded, her expression softening. “I’ve been thinking about that too. There’s so much to rebuild, so many people to help.”

Aang looked into her ocean blue eyes, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “Exactly, and I know it won’t be easy, but I can’t do it alone. I need you, Katara. Not just as a friend or a healer or a waterbending teacher, but… as someone who’s always by my side.”

Katara’s eyes widened slightly, her cheeks flushing. “Aang, I… I’ve always been by your side, and I always will be. You’re not alone.”

Aang smiled, feeling a rush of warmth. “I know, and I’m grateful for that, but there’s more. I… I love you, Katara. I’ve loved you for a long time, and I can’t imagine facing the future without you.”

Katara’s breath caught in her throat. She looked at Aang, her eyes searching his for sincerity. “Aang, I… I love you too. I’ve always cared about you, more than I can put into words.”

Aang’s heart soared, relief washing over him. “You do?”

Katara nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. “Yes, Aang. I do. I’ve been so worried about you, about us, but now, standing here with you, I know we can face anything together.”

Aang took her hands in his, his grip firm yet gentle. “Then let’s face it together. Let’s rebuild this world and make it a place where everyone can live in peace.”

Katara squeezed his hands, her smile growing. “Together.”

They stood there for a moment, the world around them fading away as they shared this intimate connection. Then, Katara took a step back, her practical side kicking in.

“But first, we need to find the others and make sure everyone is safe. We have a lot of work to do,” she said, leading Aang back to the room where Zuko was.

Aang nodded, coming back to reality. “Right. Let’s go.”

As they walked hand in hand through the corridors, they felt a renewed sense of purpose and strength. Together, they would rebuild their world, one step at a time.

[crmsnmth]

That Old Dysphoric Waltz

Some days I hate my teeth I somehow become aware they're in my mouth and I can't stop running my tongue along the edges learning the mountain range of molars And they begin to hurt Because a look in the mirror says they are far to close togethor Clumped into one big coffee stained clump I want to pull them out Tie each one off with fishing line and finding someone to slam the door. Dentures seem like a great idea, but I don't have dental on state funded healthcare I can feel my gums throb from the toothbrush Sometimes spitting more blood then not into the sink clockwise down the drain

Some days I hate the clothes I wear I hate the way they sit on my body, folding over, sleeves riding up, I can feel the tag and I scratch at them and readjust spending far too much time fixing the clothes I have chosen to wear I want to burn them all and start over in a whole new style one that isn't monochrome and something a high school metal kid would wear Looking like I never learned how to grow up Without horror movie shirts and black jeans bandannas and scarves Still a teen with an aged body

Some days I hate the very skin I'm in Seeing all it's flaws and tears and scars Hating the contours made by sharp edges and spikes Despising the ink I thought so hard about before I committed it to flesh I get sickened by seeing the emancipated skin that's tight over visible bones and muscles that are much too small to provide any use Just the strings to an out of tune guitar With a bent neck, so the screws can't be fixed At least not with knowledge I have of such things So I'll just ignore each ache and pain I feel Until they go away, abandonment by ligaments Fingers much too long for praying Eyes half tilted and far away I never look as if I'm paying attention not that I am

Some days I hate the gender that I am the mirror lies to us every chance it gets I hate the shape of my body not seeing the movements felt staying behind doors, learning how to hide any fact like this we just don't talk about unless it's made in jest and in hate So keep your mouth shut and hate in silence Ridicule is avoided by anyone with heart And the confusion only makes things worth Hating your friends because they unknowingly hate part of you It's a pretty messed up way to go about your day Smile and wave, pretend the joke is just a joke And that secretly, everyone around isn't laughing anymore And the joke eventually becomes fear becomes isolation becomes alienation becomes annihilation Small town words spread like a fire in a dry pine forest

Some days I hate my brain Not making any sense And making thoughts that have no view The awkward panic and fear of rejection the need for abandonment and depression Living with chemicals rebuilt from time capsules from 1948 and whatever sedative we can find It's better than gray clothing and frosted glass I never really like a trilogy anyway And I've been on this hate before Letting the conflict of my right vs left battle Figure out what we're going to do today Fatty deposit of electricity That is constantly working to constantly Sabotage and end itself with bad ideas and even worse impulse control I couldn't tell you how to do better

Most days I love everything I am Everything I've stood for Everything I've done Even if I die right now, I have on hell of a story to share And I'll gladly whisper it to the worms Eternity won't be bad speaking to decay Death will wave his hand along my being And I'll talk his fucking ear off about all of my memories I love the face I wear, coffee stained teeth in all And every morning after a shower, I pick my favorite shirts and my comfortable jeans, proud of the hockey mask graphic I see my body and I'm happy it's still here, after all it's been And I see my gender right where it should be, even if the feelings towards my so-called friends don't But that just means my mind has morals and principles And is able to think through complex thought Finding logic and thought and emotion all ripping through it It's downright amazing to think about. It's okay to have bad days It gets better. It will always get better.

[corviids]

hi birdie! just saw your post about impostor syndrome hitting you and i just wanted to remind you what an excellent artist and writer you are. i know it's difficult to think so when impostor syndrome is at its highest, but i do hope this brings some comfort anyways! <3

as a writer, i cannot being to explain why your writings are out of this world, insane, crazy, wonderful. whatever emotion you try to go for, you achieve it in a way that it just clings to the reader's mind and carves a place in our bones. your dialogues, your world-building, the details, the characterisation, the sadness, the joy, the despair, the love, the yearning, the rage, the passion…. i've cried reading your writings, because they hit so hard in my heart that i just cannot stay quiet about it. and i have devoured your smut, and i have laughed with the lucemond kids' shenanigans. you have a way with words, you are so unique. i consume every single piece you publish, and i would consume any book of your own if you published, too. you were one of the first writers i read and followed when i came to this fandom and i just hope i can keep supporting you in anything you do.

as an artist, your talent knows no limits. that magic you have putting emotions into words, well, you also have it when you draw the faces of your characters. it's like looking at them in the eye, their smiles and the twitches and tilts you capture so well, and it feels like i'm looking at a real person with real emotions. i'm in love with your style, from the sketch to the colouring to the way i can see any of your art out of context and know it's yours. you have magic in your fingers, and daily dust in your soul and in your mind, and that's why every single piece you draw and you write is a treasure to be kept and protected, love and cherished.

personally, i know we haven't talked much, but you have been so kind to me. and i just love your sense of humor, your commitment, the way you treat with such respect and love your readers. how you give your heart to answer to our asks and questions just as you give it to create content.

we're very lucky to have you in this fandom, a nd i will always be grateful for every single thing that you have given us that has made me fell even more in love with lucerys, with aemond, with lucemond. with this site and with the culture of fan creating and providing.

you're a star, and i just hope i can continue to see how much you achieve as time goes by! we have your back! you don't know how much your writings and your art mean to people, and i know because i'm one of those and i have friends with whom i talked about your creations! you made hundreds of people from different places in the world to fall in love with what you do! i would say that's such a pretty neat job! <3 <3 <3

hope you feel better soon! i'm here if you ever need to talk! sending you the biggest hug and the best of vibes!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

i’ve waited a couple days to answer this because i’m genuinely speechless. i don’t cry very easily for reasons but reading this, especially after such a hard day, made me tear up. there really aren’t words to convey how grateful i am for everyone here that has supported my works. lucemond and this little community we have built have really became a safe space for me to ramble and share my stuff without fear.

i’m eternally grateful for every single person that send me asks, comments, or just comes round to check my stuff out. this is one of, if not the kindest things i’ve ever received and i hope that i can continue to make y’all as happy as you all make me <333

[panzershrike-pretz]

Graves - pt 3

part 1 | part 2

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No drawing today because I felt too tired to do it (art block is an ass). Buuuuut at least I'm very proud of how this part turned out! I'm happy with it >:3

Warnings for mentions of death and kidnapping.

My taglist: @onehelluvamarine @xxluckystrike @1waveshortofashipwreck @sweetxvanixlla @whollyjoly @executethyself35 (if you want in/out, just tell me)

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Gossip spread fast around that Loop and news about Sam and Enoch's return would get to Miss Peacock at any moment - for that reason, the group needed to sneak their way through the slums to get to the Cutthroat Inn. It was where they'd find Jack: hopefully the answer to Seamus’ many questions.

Sam seemed lost in his own mind as they cut through streets and passages. The place smelled and the constant fumes coming from the industries tinted the air in a yellowish, sick tone. Everyone seemed ill under that light - it wasn't news, though. Flies were everywhere and the ground was littered with dirt, never-drying puddles and trash.

It was slowly getting dark and here and there some people could be seen gathering around trash piles lit on fire for warmth. It was a sad scene all around - and they knew they needed to be quick. Night time was the worst time to wander through the Devil's Acre: it was when assassins, cannibals and thieves made their moves on visitors from the wrong turf and killed the poor no-majs, eternally stuck living the same dreadful day only to be killed again and again whenever the loop was reset.

Peggy seemed happy to lead the way, nose down on the ground and tail wagging as much as always. It didn't take long for them to make it to the Inn. It was full with recognizable faces; addicts, alcoholics and weird people all around - safe, probably, for Kenji's brothers, sitting alone and enjoying some of the place's beer after a long day of Gods-know-what.

Peggy entered, followed closely by the three, attracting looks and whispered comments of “what are they doing here?” and “what do they want?”. They knew they weren’t welcomed there, but still they had to swallow whatever fear they seemed to have and walk through, up to the man behind the counter.

“Who do we have here?” He asked, looking up from the glass of whiskey he was pouring for someone. “Looks like I got visitors. Good to see ya again, Pangey.”

“Hey, Jack, you seem busy”, she gave him a friendly smile as she sat down on one of the highchairs of the counter. He had served Pangea too many wine glasses for them to be any less than good friends.

Jack smiled right back - with too many sharp, scary teeth for their confort. He then seemed to pay attention to Dean and Seamus; even if his eyes were exclusively a milky-white, they seemed to flicker between the two. Last time he had seen them, Seamus had punched the hell out of him. He was still somewhat bitter.

He turned his attention to Pangea, seemingly the only one of them who he trusted enough to talk directly to.

“I'm assuming you're not here for a fun night out…” he sounded nervous, maybe scared. He hid his hands under a towel, to not show them shivering. “They are not here for a fun night out.”

“Then you'd be correct, Jack.” She leaned forward, tilting her head to look at her friends. “We're here because we have some questions. That is all.”

Jack flattened his ears, grabbing a glass to clean and maybe distract his mind.

“Look, I'm at work. Can't be talking now. Come back at closing time and-”

“We don't have time, Jack.” Dean cut him. “You don't even know what we want.”

“How can I expect anything good from you?” He shot back, instantly regretting it. “Listen, whatever it is, I don't need to be involved. I'm simply a bartender and I know nothing.”

“We think you do know about Pansy, though…?” Sam tilted his head, paying attention to Jack's reaction. The man took a step back involuntarily, the fur on his tail puffing from the sudden mention of her name.

“I don't work for them anymore. Do you think I'm some kind of spy?” He snarled, then looked away. “I left that life behind me and don't want to think about it again.”

“Oh, you will!” Dean pushed himself over the counter, grabbing Jack by his shirt in a way that almost made the Wight fall. “You will answer everything we need you too, by force or not.”

“I don't know anything! Not anymore!” Jack slammed his hands on the counter, pulling back to free himself. “I certainly don't have to answer you! Pansy is in jail, where she deserves to rot and that's it! Now, out of my Inn before I have to use Clementine to get you all out!”

“Pansy is not in jail.” Pangea said, lifting her hand to make Dean sit down. The news made Jack stumble, infinitely less threatening now.

“She… what…?”

“Pang is right. She's on the loose again and whatever info about her you have, might help us capture her again.”

“But… but that's impossible. I saw it- I saw her being taken! With my own two eyes- it was her. It- she can't be free.” His eyes were wide in fear. “She's too dangerous to be free. She-”

Jack stopped, noticing how quiet the bar went. He looked around, the man sitting close to them seemed to pay way too much attention - then he shook his head, grabbing a boy who seemed no more than 16 by the arm and shoving his towel upon his hands.

“Jacques, you take care of the Inn until I'm back.” Then, he made a signal for the three to follow him to the back of the place.

Jacques seemed lost as his boss wandered away followed by the strangers, then turned around to face the people on the establishment. As a simple boy with too little experience, the scary men certainly made his blood run cold - thank Gods he was safe behind the counter.

“You… you can all resume your activities… now… maybe…”

Jack fiddled with some keys before finding the one who opened the big, heavy door of the back, having to push it with all his strength to manage to open it. He let the trio and Peggy in before grabbing a lantern and lighting a fire to guide them down the stairs.

It was dark, obviously, and they couldn't help but wonder why it was so - for a moment, the stairs leading to the basement seemed too claustrophobic for their taste, but eventually the room opened to a large deposit with barrels of beverage and boxes of Gods-know-what. Maybe food or weapons? It could be anything.

“Here we can talk.” Jack said, using the fire of his lantern to light the candles that filled up the place. “Up there is dangerous, Gods know who is one of their spies.” He then sat down against some boxes, arms crossed. “Ask whatever you need to know, but I'll not put my neck on the line for you. They know where I live and if a single word gets out that I helped you, they'll come for me.”

“This is not a war, Jack.” Dean said, leaning against the wall.

“For you it isn't. I deserted them. If this is not reason enough for them to dispose of me, treason is.”

Pangea shifted her weight between her feet, looking down. She seemed guilty enough without hearing those words, but now she felt even worse. She grabbed Sam's hand and gave it a light squeeze of 'be quick', before letting it go again.

Sam nodded, sitting face to face with Jack.

“Pansy somehow got out. We know because she sent a Hollow to kill Miss Pigeon, the monster itself told Enoch-”

“They are no monsters” Jack cut him off, seemingly angry. “You remember I was one of them once. They are as much Köbek as me and you.”

“Yeah, you were one of them once!” Dean spat. “Tell me again how you left that form…? Oh, right! You killed innocents to eat their souls!” He then stared at the other. “Not so much of a guilty conscience in sight, tho. A pity.”

“How my conscience was left is between me and the Gods. By all means, Dean, it doesn't involve you.”

“Tell that to those you killed…” he whispered, too low for Jack to listen, shifting his gaze to the exit to hide his anger.

“Dean.” Pangea called him off, nodding her head. If anyone was going to give Jack a lesson on clean concience, it couldn't exactly be Dean.

“Well, no matter how Pansy got out, it was pretty clear she'd go after the one who got her locked first. ” Jack proceeded. “How did she find Miss Pigeon is beyond my comprehension, if that's what you want to know.”

“We want to know what you know about Pansy. How does the hierarchy of Regulus’ followers work? How did she climb it so fast?” Sam went back to questioning.

“Not much of a hierarchy. Regulus has Drabek and Pansy as his main helpers, then there's the ones that spy, the ones that kill and the rest is rest. They do whatever he wants.”

“What… were you?” Pangey wanted to know, talking softly so it wouldn't seem too invasive of a question.

“I was no one, if that'll make you happy. Only one of those brainwashed freaks that fucked around and found out.” Jack's voice seemed sad as he recalled those times, as if he fought against some loose tears. “It cost me too much, anyway.”

“How many of his Wights are still around the Devil's Acre?” Seamus wanted to know, leaning forward.

“Huh, that's hard to know. I only know about Aleta, as of now, she runs the illegal underground fights. Maybe even kidnappings, like that of Mademoiselle Eleanor's neighbors, the Compton family.”

“They disappeared?” Pangea's eyes went wide. “When?”

“Just a couple nights ago. Maybe a week or more. Didn't you know?” Jack tilted his head. “They were sleeping and next thing you know there were screams and they were gone.”

“How do you know?!”

“She came by earlier the day after asking if I saw anything weird. She told me everything, then I offered her and her kid to stay here for some time, until your dear Birds handle the situation.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “It seems they left you out of the loop, though. What worth our lives have anyway, right? We're just a burden for them. That family went to the grave, they didn't seem to care.”

“Don't you open that filthy mouth of yours to talk bullshit about the Birds!” Dean snapped back, threatening to attack before Pangea ran up to stop him.

“DEAN! STOP!” She pulled him back, making him break eye contact with Jack. “He's entitled to his opinions about the Ymbrynes! I am sure Miss Peacock is working tirelessly to know what happened.”

“He's right in defending the Birds, really. Why would they benefit from the deaths of the criminals they shoved here to suffer?” Jack let out a sarcastic laugh, facing away from them. “We don't matter. Never did.”

“Jack, where do you think Pansy would go after she dealt with Pigeon?” Seamus asked, trying to bring attention back to the questions bafore Dean made quick work of him.

“Her family's house…? To get revenge, obviously. Whoever freed her, was not one of them.”

“Do you have any idea of where they live? Or know anything about them?”

“They are disgraced. Suffered a heavy fall from grace once Pansy and her brothers deserted for Regulus’ cause. They probably still have the family's Estate. Pretty rich guys, now they're bankrupt and live off favors for the bigger families, like the Serpens.”

“That's Sirius and Hydra's family, right?” Pangea asked. “Aren't they, like… the big guys?”

“They run the whole world, obviously they are!” Jack once more let out a laugh. “But if you're smart, you'll not get in their way. And will keep out of the Graves family's lands. They might be scrapping the low barrels but they're still terrible people and they'll do anything to have their place up with the giants again.”

“What else should we know…?” Sam leaned back.

“The family that disappeared had a young daughter that worked with Peacock, with the Pandeloop. She was a researcher and was there for a chance of an internship with the Ministry. She had access to the Map of Days and other stuff. Wherever she is now, it might have been her that gave Pansy the information about Miss Pigeon's hiding spot.” Jack got up, leading the way back to the stairs. “I'm done with the questions, but just know that even if we're stuck here because of our crimes, some people would rip the skin off their own body to save who they love. The girl might've been forced to give off the information.”

Jack let them up the steps first, before blowing off the candles and following right up. He felt a sense of relief to be out of the basement and as soon as possible, went up to help Jacques - anything to get the trio off his tail.

They seemed to catch the message and promptly left the place, safe for Pangea who fell back to try and talk with him.

"Hey, Jack... I'm sorry for this. I really am."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, just stay out of trouble. All of you." He turned to face her, and now genuine worry seemed to float on his eyes. "It's not your battle to fight and you'll be entering a dangerous zone to mess with Pansy. She's a merciless bitch and the last thing you need is to pick a fight with her."

Pangea kept quiet, her eyes dropping to the ground with guilt. She knew as much as him that the information he gave them would be used somehow and things would end up messy.

"Please just tell what you know to the proper autorities. Pangea, I beg you."

"I can't... you knew this from the beginning."

Jack crossed his arms once more, then nodded.

"Alright. Ok. Well... at least stay safe. I won't cover for you guys and definetely won't put myself in danger, but... best of luck with whatever you'll do."

"You're a good man, Jack. Don't beat yourself up over the past. I saw your face back there." Pangea took a step back, tilting her head just a bit. "You can get out of this place and live a proper life, somewhere quiet... with Clementine."

"As much as I'd love to, I believe I have to pay for my sins here. I hurt too many. That's the least I can do..." then, he looked at the door, where Seamus and Dean stood, waiting for their friend. "See you soon, Pang. And please, bring that boyfriend of yours. He's more pleasant to be around than those two."

Pang saw a smile form on his lips as he spoke the last bit, and she found herself giggling. It was true, though, and she couldn't agree more.

"See you too. Stay safe."

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

The silence fell upon them as they made their way back. It was already too dark and the only illumination left was from the fires to warm the homeless. They still had to go to Eleanor's place to get Enoch and Horace, but the news about the kidnapped family kept rolling around in their minds. Why did no one tell them? Did Athena and Hydra even know about it? Kenji? Or Millard, for that matter? Someone would've told them if they knew.

As they dragged themselves along the winding streets, more questions seemed to pop up from everywhere and their necessity to go see Peacock was turning into anxiety - she didn't seem to be as much of a saint as she wanted to.

When they finally turned the corner of Eleanor's street and they saw the sign of her doll shop, their worries had to be put aside.

“Which of the houses do y'all think is the family's?” Asked Pangea, looking around. To have a house in the Devil's Acre was one hell of a privilege - most people had to inhabit the streets or whatever hole they could find.

Every house appeared abandoned and decrepit. It was hard to guess which one was now vacant. It felt wrong to even dare to find out.

Pangea pushed the door and a little bell rang, announcing their arrival. Steps, alongside wheels, were heard coming from the back.

“We're not open at this time, can't you see the sign-...” as the young boy appeared at the door, his voice dropped. Louis, Eleanor's adopted son smiled at the visitors, pushing the wheels of his chair forward to greet them. “Miss Coldwell! Mister Finnegan! And… Thomas! ‘Tis good to see ya! Momma's in the back caring for yer friend! Come in, now!”

They had no choice but to follow Louis as he guided them through the store and then the house to Eleanor's room, where she chatted away with Horace about whatever clothes were fashionable in Paris back when she lived there.

“Oh please, London had nothing in the face of my- “ she stopped abruptly, turning around to see their new company. “Oh my, what a busy day! Now, now, find some seats, you lot, you look like Hell!”

Eleanor had orange, glowing eyes - the most colorful thing about her, who dressed in dark robes of the finest cloth and real, high quality leather. Unlike most inhabitants of the Loop, she had come from a wealthy family back in Paris - a runaway and a thief, married to the king's personal physician back in the day, but persecuted for witchcraft and for consorting with the Devil. She seemed proud of letting everyone know how she escaped Paris and the charges, running away to live in a much worse place as a dollmaker and healer.

“Your friend here seems to be doing well. He told me about Miss Pigeon's solution, which sounds like one of Ruddy Shelduck's own inventions. Bless her, he could be dead by now if the potion didn’t have bone healing properties.”

“He told me how you guys fought a real Hollow!” Louis said, energetic, freeing himself from the wheels to flop back over the bed. “Momma said it's a miracle you got away without losing a piece!”

“Hey Sam, did ya know brave Louis here lost his arms to a Hollow?” Enoch tilted his head, indicating the energetic child.

“I'm… sorry… to hear that…?” Seamus whispered, kinda lost about how to react even if Louis seemed very proud of his situation - armless, but with a cool story to tell. He shook his head, looking back at Eleanor. “Jack told us about your neighbors. I'm sorry for what happened.”

“Oh, he did?” She asked, gently touching Enoch's nose to feel his temperature. “He'll grow a fever, it's a side effect of drinking the potion, you should look over him, Miss Coldwell, I heard you're a skilled doctor.”

Although it was clear as day Eleanor tried to change subjects, Pangea took a step in her direction and grabbed her hand. “No worries, Miss Dubois, I'll care for it. We're truly sorry for your loss, though, you seem unwell.”

“It's nothing, really…” She murmured, but it didn't sell the lie. “It's just… she was a good kid, this Compton girl. Her family was sent here over her father's murder charges, which were false but the court barely heard his testimony. They all had to suffer over the fake claims, and now they're all gone.”

Eleanor let herself sit down, looking at the window. The house across the street was theirs - now it was empty, with doors wide open because of thieves.

“Her name was Harriet. She had a bright future if she made it to the Ministry, no doubt. And there'll be no justice for her.”

“Well, we'll find out what happened,” Sam said, much to everyone else's surprise. “We already have a lead to Pansy, don't we?”

“You are insane!” Horace said, then he noticed their looks turned to him. “What?! You don't expect me to help, do you?!”

“What do you think…?” Dean asked, resting a hand over the other's shoulder. “You'll run back home and call our friends to a meeting. Things will start to get interesting.”

“For all the Gods sake! Where did I put myself?!” He stepped away from Dean, patting his shoulders before making his way to the exit.

“You better have a plan.” As Pangea helped Enoch out of the house, her eyes were glued at Seamus. It's true he was responsible enough to keep most of their company alive back during the war, but to promise such a thing as justice for Harriet was something they could hardly live up to. Especially with Pansy involved.

“Heyyy, did Captain Finnegan ever let us down back then?” Dean asked over his shoulder, a playful smile as he looked at Pang’s face. “It'll be fiiiiiiine.”

Pangea rolled her eyes, looking down at the ever so happy dog who followed along. “Oh, Gods, have mercy.”

[darkmatter-nebula]

Get ready for a freshly baked "Lost But Now Found" AU drabble, my dear fellas. Basically, Colli is the chosen Grom King and has to face Grom, who doesn't hesitate to take the form of the starboy's fears. Here I go!

Drabble: Facing His Fears

It was a sunny day on the Boiling Isles. A certain small starboy with otherworldly fluffy lavender hair and a heart of gold couldn't believe his ears! "I'm... Grom King?" Colli went wide eyed. He knew exactly what that meant.

He had to face Grometheus, also known as Grom. Colli's big siblings Hunter and Luz were, of course, concerned about their beloved little brother. The young Grimwalker and the human girl knew that Colli was a pacifist through and through.

"What if it takes the form of Belos? I don't think Colli could bear to see him." Hunter spoke up. "Or firebees! I don't want to imagine the terror in his sweet face when there's a swarm of very aggressive firebees after him." Luz said.

"Well, I'm his brotherly Grom date. Whatever happens, I'm going to keep him safe!" Hunter was determined to protect Colli. The kindhearted eternal child was Hunter's whole world and the light of his life.

.

.

.

As the Grom Night arrived, Colli was beyond nervous. It wouldn't take long anymore for him to face Grom. 'I swear to The Titan, if Grom hurts Colli, I'm going to slaughter it!' Hunter thought. Speaking of Colli, he clinged to Hunter like a lifeline.

Not that much later, the time had come. Grom did exactly what everyone thought it would do. "Hello, my Little Battery." Grom, as Belos, spoke dangerously calm. "N-no. Y-you aren't r-real!" Colli's heart was slamming against his ripcage.

The false Belos was looming over Colli, the immortal celestial boy's small body was visibly trembling. False Belos cupped Colli's chin and made him look up. Then, it changed into Belos' Palisman Beast form.

Colli was a pacifist, but he knew that he had to defend himself. He used his magic to tie up his opponent with pink bindings, then, he levitated Grom to the other side of the arena. "WOHOOOO! THAT'S OUR LITTLE BROTHER!" Hunter and Luz were cheering.

What no one knew was, that Grom was very proud of Colli so far. Colli used his magic to create a cage for his opponent. The reason? Well, Grom broke free from Colli's bindings. It then did something that let Hunter's blood boil!

It turned into an exact copy of him and told Colli that no one would love him anymore. After a moment of shock, Colli took a deep breath. "That's not true and you know that! My big brother would never say something like this!"

"Little One, you did very well in our fight. You are the winner." Grom, still looking like Hunter, said softly before retreating. As soon as Colli floated up out of the arena, he was pulled into a tight yet soft hug by Hunter and Luz.

The former Golden Guard showered Colli's adorable multi-colored face with lots of soft and loving brotherly kisses and he cuddled his beautiful little Sunshine close to his chest. "I'm glad that you're alright, Colli! You were so brave!"

"We, and everyone else here, couldn't be prouder of you!" Luz chimed in as she kissed Colli's freckled cheek. Colli cried tears of joy as he cuddled close to his beloved big brother and big sister. Then, a beautiful crown formed and took a seat on the eternal little boy's head.

"Shall we dance, my Lord?" Hunter asked softly. Colli happily agreed and began to dance with his beloved big brother. The most inseparable pair of brothers was cuddled close to each other while dancing. Hunter couldn't resist and pressed with infinite tenderness his forehead against Colli's.

The End

[christian-perspectives]

God Called Us To Be His Holy People

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, he hadn't been to that city yet. Therefore, he began his letter with an introduction telling them and us that God had called and sent him. In the first seven verses of this epistle, Paul made eight references to Jesus. In the seventh verse he wanted to assure his readers that God loved and called them to holiness. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Romans 1:7 Paul started churches in many cities where people worshiped false gods. Likewise, he needed to establish the Lordship of Jesus to those in Rome, the capital of the world. Many Roman citizens considered Caesar a god whom they obeyed because they feared him. The apostle, though, wanted them to see their relationship with God in a different light. And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. Romans 1:6 When God called them, and we can include us too, we belong to or join His family. This happens when we openly put our faith in Jesus. Paul commended their faith, as observed by others. Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. Romans 1:8 The apostle declared his intention to visit and observe their spiritual fruit in the next few verses. But things continued to prevent his arrival there. Eventually, he did go to Rome.

Stand Firm in Your Faith

In the meantime, he made a point to encourage this young church with this letter. He knew how easily someone could turn from their faith when rubbing shoulders with Roman dignitaries. For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 So, Paul challenged all of us who are called to stand firm in our faith. We must live by faith when we face each new circumstance. With each day, we get new opportunities to live by our faith. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. Romans 1:17 As this chapter unfolds, the apostle changed his tone and began talking about the anger of God. He said wicked people know the truth about Him because He made it evident to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:20

Guard Your Faith

We each must carefully guard our relationship with God, who has called us to serve Him. Satan wants to deceive and destroy anyone who unashamedly proclaims faith in Christ. The people Paul wrote about in the following verse at one time either they or their ancestors worshiped the Lord. But because of deception, they turned to ignoring or mocking Him. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Romans 1:21 In my opinion, this is how religion got its main foothold in Christianity. Many people today think their relationship with God rests on how religious they look. Some try to make their religious activities look as Christian as they can. Others stray as far away as they can but still call themselves Christian. But the Lord wants nothing to do with them. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Romans 1:24 Anytime any of us, even those God has called, refocuses our worship away from Him, we sin. At that point, we begin to worship something He created instead of worshiping the Creator. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Romans 1:25 In the culture Paul lived in, many major cities had temples built for different "gods." Prostitution and homosexuality often served as common practices connected to them.

God Has Called Us To Holiness

Today those two activities have become a way of life. But not a way of life that pleases the Lord. The apostle referred to them as shameful desires, yet society has embraced them. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Romans 1:26-27 With society opening the way for these activities, God abandons people to their own desires. It also opens the way for other unwanted activities as well. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. Romans 1:29-30 The Lord, however, has called us to a life of holiness, not to a life of compromise. Therefore, let's stay focused on the Lord and His will as we unashamedly live our faith in Him. Paul ended verse seventeen with the following statement. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." Exercise your faith in Jesus because it gives you life. Lord, today, we unashamedly confess that you called us to live a holy life. We lift up those blinded to the salvation that Jesus offers to them. We pray you will open their eyes. Related posts for those Called and Chosen by God. - Our Inheritance In Christ - Do You Obey God The First Time He Speaks? - Called By God For The Glory Of God - God Chose Us Before We Were Born - The Potter And The Clay In The Bible Read the full article

[mattcaliber]

Calbert IronBelly OC

Race: Half elf and half minotaur

Gender: Male

Age: Early 80's

Occupation: Bounty hunter

Familiar: Buttercup

Bio: Another day. Another bounty. Bit of a pain this one but at least the coin is good. Gotta keep my Buttercup happy. Huh. Wonder how long I've been at this. 20? 30 years? When your lifespan is naturally longer than others it's hard to tell at times. Though with my profession it seems shorter than most at times. Guess I should start at the beginning.

Born of an unusual couple. An elf man tougher than a dragon's hide and minotaur woman sweeter than dwarf's brandy. To say the couple was odd would be an understatement. Wouldn't think it if you saw them though. Anyone with half a brain could tell they were match made in heaven. Even after having a half dozen kids there was no doubt, they be together for eternity. They're even retired to this nice place down south by the beaches.

They set up a nice ranch with some good folk they knew. It was fine for me for a while. But for some reason, something felt missing. Wasn't family. Got enough blood-related and otherwise. Money? Naw. Was tough from time to time, but we did well for ourselves. Purpose? Maybe. Something did tell me I was supposed to do something but never knew what it was. Till that day.

I remember that day as if it just happened. The clouds were darker than tar. The critters were scarred out of their mind, but nobody could figure out why. Till they came. Riding on various mounts was the Scarlet Hoof gang. A mix of the meanest S.O.B.s you'll ever meet. Tried to take our ranch before. Offered all kinds of things, but folk would say no every time. This time they weren't taking no for an answer.

Before I knew what was happening, the leader grabbed me and threatened to off me if the ranch wasn't handed over. Could see the fear in everyone's eyes. And as everyone's emotions was shining in my eyes, so was something else. Something glistening in the distance, but I couldn't tell what it was. Next thing I knew, eight shots rang in the air. All but the leader was laid on that sun-bleached grass. The last shot I heard was after their leader dropped me and tried to run away. While crawling away, that's when I saw her.

A dragonkin with scales like copper, muscles stronger than iron, and eyes brighter than any gold you'll ever find. After helping me get back on my hoofs, she whistled for her stead pulling a big Ol wagon. Turns out she be tracking the Scarlet Hoof gang for a while. Was even gonna ambush them by their camp till the leader got impatient. That impatience of his was the last nail in his coffin.

After loading up her bounties, she apologized to everyone for all the trouble that happened. Even gave us some of her prized whiskey as compensation. Didn't give me none cause I was too young to drink, but she did give me something else. First, was her hat. Said I'd frow into it. Can't say she was lying about that. The second was just as important. My calling.

She told me she does what she does to help folk like us. And get a bit of coin, of course. After she left, many things went through my head. Wasn't till after I had the most realistic dream that it all made sense. What was missing in me had many names. Destiny. Purpose. Fate. Whatever you want to call it, I knew it was. And what I had to do.

I trained, practiced, learned, and when I was of age, I set out. Be it for coin, glory, or even a free drink. I knew what I was meant to be. A bounty hunter. And as long as there are those like the Scarlet Hoof gang out there, I'll bring them in. Dead or alive.