#no worries!! i'm happy starting it from here with just pre-established stuff from that

[rubiesintherough]

It was a necessary skill she had honed every day of the past decade... how to move between shadows, invisible, unnoticed, and silent. It had kept her alive within decrepit walls where she hid for her life. It had allowed her to slip away, unseen, from those who wanted nothing more than to return her body --- breathing or not --- to those who had stripped her apart in the first place.

And it was a skill proving itself useful, again. For once, it was not her own safety she feared for. It was not for her own sake that she slinked between alcoves and hallways, breath catching at every sound. It was for the woman she'd seen hauled in here, who'd showed a kindness to the healer she'd not felt since she was only a child, those long years ago... a lifetime past, now. Mahia did not spare a thought for what might happen if she, herself, was captured. No, the only concern she had was how she was going to free Wren.

Bare feet padded, soundless, through the doorway. A finger jerked upwards to meet the healer's lips, motioning for silence, then slipped down into her pockets to draw a pilfered needle free and raised it up toward the lock on the manacle nearest. If she could just work it open, then she was certain she could get the both of them safely out of this dingey prison...

" Shhh, I do not think I have been noticed. We need to keep quiet for it to remain that way. "

@rubiesintherough said: send ⛓️ to find my muse bloody, bruised and restrained ( mahia )

an old meme    /    PROBABLY ACCEPTING ↷

She’s not sure if she’s simply been  left here  to slowly waste away, or if they are trying to play mindgames with her, making her think she’s in isolation, but actually monitoring her, waiting for the right moment to interrogate her by slowly torturing her first. Trying to make her more pliable? Wren doesn’t even know what they want from her, that’s the tricky part; she has no indication on what to expect.

That, alone, has her psychologically on edge, and tensing up further when she hears someone approach. Not that she can do much but be tense, the way she’s forced on her tiptoes in the middle of the room. Heavy-duty metal cuffs secure her wrists together, the bands too tight and large to slip, extending from the smallest part of her wrist several inches along her arms; even if she could try to dislocate a thumb or break her own wrist, it doesn’t seem likely that’d help her. The cuffs are secured high above her head, likely deliberately making it so that she has to keep balancing on her tiptoes in a constant effort to try to alleviate the strain on her shoulders, arms and back. Slow torture is what it really fucking feels like; it’s hard to think with the physical strain, and Wren is barely even aware of the other injuries she’s sustained, of the dried blood down her forehead, or the bruising on her half-naked form (they had stripped her down to her underwear).

More dazed from exhaustion than the relatively minor head injury, Wren is having difficulty knowing how to react when she recognises the woman, from the glimpses she manages, craning her neck to look at the doorway behind her.

❝ It’s you, ❞    she says, feeling a little stupid about the comment, but too tired to truly care. It’s that woman, the woman collapsed at her doorstep on her Citadel apartment a month or so ago. The woman with the wings. Wren had tried to help her, done her best to erase any evidence of... well, her unusual physique, from any security footage that might’ve caught her, afterwards; mystery or not, Mahia hadn’t appeared like a threat, and Wren hadn’t been keen on being the reason someone, a person, from some unknown humanoid species ended up enduring gods-knew-what...

But to come across her again, here?

Has she misjudged her? Is this her captor, or her saviour, returning the favour...?

[goldennymphh]

In The Dark (Multi-Part Series)

Chapter 1 - țara minunilor

Alcina Dimitrescu x F! Wife! Original Character

Warnings before you read this series ; Postpartum Depression, Miscommunication, Established Relationship, Manipulation, Character Death, Insanity, Delusions, Implied Sexual Content, Cult, death of a child, Cannibalism, Angst, no happy ending, Depictions of Violence

Ao3 Version Tumblr Masterlist

Staring up at the large castle, she pressed her lips into a thin line of worry. Her forehead wrinkles a bit. She glanced over at her wife who just seemed excited to be here. She sighed softly before shifting their son in her arms. This didn’t feel right, but at least they wouldn’t have to pay rent or anything too tedious. She must be respectful too, this was her wife’s lineage after all. This was a part of her wife’s family. She gently felt a hand on her back, her eyes moving over to her loving wife.

“It’s beautiful love..” Her voice came out soft so as to not spook their easily crying son. Alcina seemed delighted at her wife’s words, she gently moved to hug her wife’s waist. Pressing her chin against the woman’s shoulder. “I know it looks a bit rough but.. it can be somewhere he can grow without worry. It can be somewhere for us to live together for years to come without being casted away for our marriage..”

The shorter female nodded her head as she looked at her wife. She pressed a small kiss to her wife’s lips as a breeze blew by. This breeze spooked the little one as he started to do that pre-cry where his little lip would start to shiver and soft whimpers would leave him. She sighed a bit at this, not wishing for their son to start wailing right there. She didn’t like to admit it but he tired her out sometimes. Sometimes it was hard to feel a connection to him.

Alcina seemed to notice their son's shiver. She gently nodded her head and moved to grab a key from her bag. “Come. Let’s head inside, it’s getting late and I don't want Callum getting sick.” 

The other woman nodded her head as she moved to follow after her wife up to the steps. Her wife unlocked the door then moved to step inside, holding the door open for the shorter female. She slightly shuffled on her feet as she stepped inside to the corridor. It was nice, dusty but nice. Yet she could still feel that small shiver running up her back. The feeling of someone watching her was at an all time high.. It was an old castle, of course it’d give her the creeps. Also adding to the fact that it was towards the end of the day. So she couldn’t see much, especially with the curtains covering the windows.

Her wife slightly pressed a hand on her lower back, leaning down to mumble in her ear. “I’ll go find some candles. They’re bound to have one somewhere around here.”

The shorter female nodded her head, watching her wife turn to go walk down the hall. Alcina had always been the more brave type. Whilst she never was, hell she often felt scared of her own shadow. A small gurgle came from the baby, her eyes looked down at him. A soft smile on her lips. She took in a breath, shifting on her body weight. “I know.. This is quite odd, but I'm sure we’ll settle in once our stuff arrives. Along with all your toys.”

She slightly moved to take a step over to a bookshelf, her free hand slightly running over the dust. A soft sigh left her. They’d have to get this clean.. She wouldn’t want Callum falling ill. Her eyes slightly trailed over the books, squinting a bit through the darkness to find a book that was child appropriate. Half of these she hadn’t even heard off. Rich people..

She shook her head before noticing a familiar book. It wasn’t exactly baby appropriate in her eyes, but it’d have to do. She moved to grab the book, sliding it out of its spot. A soft breath left her as she moved to walk over to the steps, sitting down with Callum to wait for Alcina. She didn't exactly feel comfortable walking off into the castle without her wife by her side. It probably wouldn’t be safe either. Lord knows how many broken pieces of wood or steps there were. Her soft voice filled the air as she started to read to Callum softly. Hoping the story would calm his small whimpers which would eventually lead to cries. 

She continued to read until a voice spoke up. By the time Alcina got back, she had her nose in the book with Callum in her arms. It was hard to see until a light came up by the book. Her eyes looked up to see Alcina's eyes which had a slight shine of gold in them, illuminated by the fire. Alcina smiled warmly at the sight of her wife reading to their son.

“Maria.. dear, sorry it took so long. It got darker in the main hall, so it took me a bit longer.”

Maria’s eyes looked up at her wife and just offered a soft smile with a nod. She moved to close the book before standing with a slight breath. Her eyes drifted over to the chamberstick in her wife's hand, candle burning to add some light to the dark area. 

“It’s alright.. I am quite glad you're back. I was worried you had gotten lost. That I would have to go myself to find you.”

“Ah well, it is a good thing you did not. This castle is not exactly in the best shape for a woman with a baby to traverse alone in the dark.” Alcina mumbled softly, she pressed a soft kiss to her wifes temple. Adoration always seemed to be present in her eyes ever since their first meeting. 

Walking into the main hall, it was quite the mess. Dust covering a lot of the surface, furniture covered up by white sheets. She slightly moved to hand Callum to Alcina and grabbed the chamberstick as well. She then walked over to the staircase, peering up it. Her slightly tanned hand sliding over the woodwork that was most likely very expensive to have made. Her lips pressed into a soft line. A breath leaving her. The candle provided some light to see it. A question then came from her lips.

“ ‘Cina.. can we afford this all? It is obviously going to need quite the work to fix up.. And that costs..”

Her wife chuckled a bit at Maria’s question, head tilting to the side with a smile spreading on her unpainted lips for once. She moved to walk over softly. Her arms securely holding Callum as she looked down at her wife, dipping down a bit to press a soft kiss to her lips. Her words came out softly. “Do not worry of that.. I shall handle it.”

Maria raised an eyebrow at her wifes words. What could she possibly mean with that cryptic ass phrasing? At this point, every question she had asked Alcina pertaining to how she acquired the castle or even the means to move had been deflected. She was not the type to push but it was really beginning to become questionable.

Instead they just decided to take a small look around the lower floor. Maria had left their son with Alcina for the moment as she headed towards two double doors, pushing one open. Her eyes glanced around what she could only assume to be the dining room. A white sheet covered the table lazily, the chairs were covered as well. She walked around the table and over to the windows, she tilted her head as she looked out at the outer courtyard. Perhaps she could meet with some of the mothers in the village. She still wanted Callum to have friends after all. 

Alcina herself was walking around the main hall, the six month old sitting in her arms. Looking at her with wondering eyes. She slightly glanced down at him with a slight breath. “We’re going to have to see if we can find you a cradle or something.. Your other mother is dead set on you having your own bed, she doesn’t believe in bed sharing. Can not really blame her though.” Alcina’s eyes then noticed another candle. She moved to grab the matches out of her pocket, lighting the candle before grabbing the chamberstick. She moved to then head upstairs carefully, not wishing to fall with the baby and chamber stick in hand. Callum was always fairly calm with her, much more so than with Maria. It wasn’t hard to see how much her wife often struggled to wish to be near the baby. It was a push-pull situation, especially with the heightened emotions ever since the birth. Maria would never admit it, but Alcina pays attention enough to see it all. To see when the shorter female would need moments to herself or would be on the verge of a breakdown, so it took Alcina slipping in to handle Callum for her wife.

By the time Maria went to find her wife, Alcina was back sitting in the main hall on a couch she had uncovered. Callum was peacefully asleep in her arms as she was flipping through a book. A soft breath left her lips as Maria set her own chamberstick on a nearby shelf. She then moved to sit next to her wife. “This place is too big..” Alcina let a laugh slip through her lips as she looked at Maria with a raised eyebrow.

“If i'm correct there is still an entire basement and another part to the castle.” At these words, Maria looked over at her wife almost like she was insane. What in the hell would they do with all this space? She would have just been fine with a small house, maybe a wrap around porch. She did not grow up exactly well off so she wasn’t used to such space. She sighed before laying her head on Alcina’s shoulder. A small frown pulling at her lips. Soft brown eyes glancing around the room then over to the lit fireplace. “Did you light the fireplace?” Maria mumbled softly. Her words made her wife look over, a slight shake of her head before looking back at the book. 

Maria’s eyes drifted back to the fireplace in confusion. The fire flickering against her skin as she sat up a bit. Great, welcome to wonderland where fires light themselves.

[i-love-to-draw1]

I found tonight's really fun and interesting

Even if I feel like shaking some of the characters for not talking with eachother. Because they misinterpreted their ideas or them bout all this.

I got a more clear idea of everyone. Like I watch everyone n I mean it. But I only speak n understand English n Spanish. So I get like 20% the conversation in Portuguese if I put my full focus [can't always do tht bc I'm usually busy so I rely on updates on twitter, so I'm like partly listening n trust the people here on tublr]. N like no French so I rely on body language n the translater [also the update n here on tumblr]

I wish they all could talk and pick one person but I also understand due to the characters trauma or worry. Bc this is very a rp VS meta. N the cc gotta choose how their characters should walk on tht line. It also doesn't help tht the cc won't speak their native language to help with explaining their intentions better. I was really hoping for tht this time [hopefully the 3rd debate thyd do so].

That aside. I found really cool!! I like where insaimduo is going, but not all cc join in mostly bc thy arent into rp n bc Twitter fans n chat can get to intense. Their ideas are super cool!! N i feel like itll help those who DO want to come back. but I know tht despite tht the federation are also very powerful group. Bc I feel like they forgot tht they CAN deny request and rule n other stuff bc it must all go through them.

Same with bag, bad n gegg. Bc they all want to destroy it n do diff forms of anarchy. N I tots understand why their characters don't want to fully use the word bc many don't understand that anarchy isn't the typical chaos shit lmao. N i hope they joined together tho bc they are pretty similar on the goal on destroying a single power. But what I hope more from baghera is maybe talk about the council especially the main leader for each language, especially bc the Spanish community which is so small qwq [PLZ MARIANA AND MISSA COME BACK/lh]. But I also understand why insane duo worry bc thy have stuff plan n theirs is a bit uncertain but theirs is tht of relying on the community but also in hopes to be granted on being able to do the council/destroy the pres position n while insane duo also talks for the people. I understand theirs a chance tht feds might take control like they did to celbit on those days.

I love Mike's idea in establish a more aid than just people giving what they can [obviously etoiles is gathering materials for the next group, bad doing community teleports n Brazilians doing the roads, n forevers many projects] bc it can help. Like it did with the French but afterwards they all had to work hard to get most of their materials by themself. N it makes sense bc I feel like thy might make the server even more difficult as times goes by! But I also know tht certain events can be done with or without the feds aid. Like the admins (meta talk) want the players to have fun. But like rp the Feds want the resident to BE HAPPY!!! for some reason. So if this does make them happy they'll do it. Which I get the others view bc u don't need to run as pres to do this fun events.

I just want all of them to talk, to work things out like. Pick someone n I hate to say this, tht can trust and are willing to sacrifice themselfs, to 1st establish a council incase something happens to who gets elected. Start planning things n project n ect. Continue the communication, help with organizing projects ect. Bc it's very obv tht everyone cares for eachother n want to help but it's difficult if everyone trying to see their view bc of their struggles n worries. Bc the feds are powerful, they can n are willing to do anything for wutever fuk up experiment thy wnat to do. They can take control of forever, bad baghera, ect. N do wutever to them to take control.

It's anxiety inducing bc the feds can do something to everyone. N I want ALL of then to talk it out n do back up plans incase something happens. N I want them to work against the feds n Elquackity bc omg he is so sus n thy all want to make sure someone like him won't become the president, which is why thy are running in the 1st place, bc thy DON'T want someone they barely know or the feds in charge. They lost when the feds decided to do this. So now thy must fight for control. So the feds don't get more power than they already have.

Also reminder that the characters maybe fighting in the campaign but it's obvious they still care. Tht the feds failed in trying to do discourse bc the love this characters have for eachother is strong. Sure it'sbumby rn but thts how it is sometimes. Nothing is smooth. They all communicate eventually. It'll just take some time.

They all have their worries n trauma n ideas. They'll talk hopefully soon. Bc rn it's like 3 diff groups [4th bc of foolish lmao KELP]

N for now I'm divided bc now I'm uncertain. I might wait till the voting day to see who's left running so I can make a vote.

But man I super excited n nervous. :0c

I still belive in the communication in qsmp n tht might be my naive self but idc. I'm still giving hope!!!

[enruiinas]

@ladyxamalthea asked:

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ✔ /eyes/

A quick and easy plotting guide. Send me ✔ and I will bold my preferences for your muse! // always accepting! great for breaking ground w/ new mutuals!

❥ MY MUSE(S): Trafalgar Law

❥ DO I KNOW YOUR MUSE(S):  yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

(as you know, I'm working my way through the book! I'm filling this out based on my current progress & your Carrd. I will probably throw questions at you here and there if I'm curious about things, but likewise, feel free to correct me on anything or throw out any helpful "heads up!"s if I get anything wrong or you think knowing something would help. I don't mind spoilers so don't worry about that.)

❥ SETTING: our verse | my verse | your verse (OP one for now, open to your canon more when I'm done reading!) | modern | alternate universe | other

those bolded/italicized, but I'm also always happy to build verses from scratch, shared interests, etc.

❥ PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Neutral. I'm not opposed, but these are generally easier for me in new/spin-off verses with people I've already written or chatted with a lot. That said, don't let it discourage you from pitching any on your end if you have ideas.

❥ POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protector - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other 

This is a little difficult for me to answer where I'm at right now. I went ahead and bolded ones I can definitely see and crossed out the ones I don't enjoy in general or couldn't see specifically. Everything else I'm open to, but since you know her much better than I do right now, I'd love to hear your thoughts or preferences on the potential relationships between them.

❥ I'M IN THE MOOD FOR: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

Kind of the same here; depends on what you're interested in exploring out of what I'm open to! Crime's not usually a go-to genre for me in that like... I don't like murder stories/unsolved mystery type things, and I'm a chicken & do not like horror. Other than that, I'm pretty open. I don't love humor/crack threads as ongoing threads, but do engage in dash shenanigans from time to time so don't read that as "never send anything funny". I just can't write humor as it's own genre long-term. Preference for plotting when I first start writing with someone, or at least knowing it's okay to be like "hey I have this idea for your meme, what do you think of it?" It gets easier for me to wing stuff with people in time.

❥ FEEL FREE TO: message me ooc | message me ic | tell me your ideas | write a starter | answer one of my opens (one day I'll post these. i've never tried one!) | send a meme (or two or one million) | reblog this with your preferences - let’s find common interests!

All the things! I think you'll find I'm very laid-back, "anything goes" vibes & thrive when that's the other mun's energy as well!

[engagedtobefree]

I talked to Scott on the phone again last night, and now I'm worried. We talked for about 50 minutes and it was normal like our other phone conversations, except for a few things.

Scott told me I seemed kind of shy on Saturday, that I wasn't as talkative as I used to be. I can see what he meant; I had trouble making eye contact and I was really nervous. So I tell Scott I was just nervous and he said, "Oh, aight." I also wasn't flirty like I used to be, but only because I don't want to feed into any possible bad intentions. It's not how it was before when I felt more confidence about Scott's feelings toward me (though that certainly waxed and waned) and I was protected by being at work. Flirting now at my place could potentially lead somewhere.

Then I yawned, and I guess it sounded a little different cuz Scott asked me why I moaned. I tell him it was a yawn and then he said what sounded like, "idk, Dana." "What?" Then, to my surprise he responds with an, "Oh, Dana", making the "oh" sound moany. I instantly feel turned on. I almost respond with "are you the one moaning now?" but I stop myself and don't say anything back to him. I want to hear Scott's moans and sex noises, but I don't want to feed into this if all he is looking for is sex.

A few minutes later he mentions me in my "tight ass jeans and boots." I respond best I can, saying I do miss dressing up, and he says if he can make it over tomorrow (today, now) that maybe I could dress up for him. I tell him I can. Truthfully, most of my old jeans are too tight now since I gained weight and I haven't been able to lose anything yet. I have a pair I can probably wear though.

All of this makes me worried though. What if Scott really is just looking to have sex with me? What if that's all he wants? I can't tell because I notice things that could point to that or could point to him wanting something more. What if he doesn't only want sex and he just...can't help himself saying these things?

I'm terrified, not of Scott but of getting hurt. And if Scott were to hurt me in such a big way while I am pretty emotionally vulnerable and raw, idk how I'd handle it. I am still working on healing from past trauma with men and if another man were to hurt me right now, especially one I have my heart so invested in and am choosing to trust, idk what it would do to me.

I'm worried that I've waited all this time and hoped for a miracle just for Scott to come back only looking for one thing. This isn't what I waited for. I don't want to be called hot. Yeah, it's nice, but only sometimes; it just feels hollow hearing it over and over. I want Scott to also think I'm pretty. I want to date Scott. I've always wanted to date Scott. And while I want him in my bed, that's not how I want to start out. I know we already have an established relationship with each other, but I'd still like something more first.

Idk if I should bring it up to Scott if I see him tonight. Do I just come out and ask him what he wants and what his intentions are? I want to know, but at the same time I'm terrified of what the truth might be. What if he makes a move? That's going to be so hard for me because on one hand I'm going to really want it, and on the other hand it's not going to be how I want it. And if he makes a move, do I stop him and tell him I can't and tell him I don't want to get hurt, that I know we both are looking for different things? I can't just assume Scott only wants sex, but I need to protect myself. I'm also just at the tail end of my period, so I could always use that as an excuse, though he most likely won't care and I'd rather be honest than find an excuse.

I want to see Scott and I want him to come over, but now I'm also fearful of it. I will be away next weekend, so if I can't see him tonight I'm going to keep worrying about this for several more weeks. And that's just assuming I do get some sort of answer tonight. But how can I hide my nervousness? Normally, I can fake things fairly well when I want to, so unless someone really knows me and my energy, I could get away with faking being okay. I don't think that's gonna work with Scott though. He knows me and he can tell when something is off. It doesn't hurt to try, but I'm not confident at all that he won't be able to see right through it.

But then there's the other side of things.

I keep thinking about Scott saying, "Yeah, me too." when I said I want to consciously choose someone who I truly want to be with. Does Scott really want a relationship? How long has it been since he consciously made a decision to be with someone he wants? How long has it been since he followed his heart and went after what he wanted instead of what he thought was the right thing to do? Am I what he wants? When he stops to listen to his heart, does it tell him to make his way back to me? I have many questions about his response to me.

I also have doubts about my doubts. If Scott only wanted one thing then why would he talk on the phone with me every weekend and for long periods of time? Why compliment me in other ways and show his interest in what I have to say? Why open up to me about things when naturally he's very guarded? Why say that he missed me? Granted, that could all be a ploy to reel me in, but I don't think Scott is that deceptive, especially because he knows I'm into him so he wouldn't have to make all of these efforts. Also, why apologize for being a dick and hurting me, only to turn around and act that way and do it again? I mean, I have had men do that same thing to me on two different occasions, but I can't judge Scott by what other men have done. That wouldn't be fair. And Scott also asked me if I'm currently seeing someone or have a boyfriend. Why ask that if he just wants sex? Why should he care whether I cheat or not if I was with someone if he just wanted sex from me?

I also wonder why Scott was so surprised when he found out I haven't dated because of my feelings for him. Does he not think someone could have such strong feelings for him or that he's not worth waiting for? Does he really think I dated during the time we've known each other? Or maybe thought I did after he left?

I feel so lonely with all of these thoughts. I had my therapy session on Tuesday and I went over a few things, but since my conversation with Scott last night, more has come up. Who else can I go to? I wouldn't go to any close or casual friends with this, and if I told my best friends, I know they wouldn't be very happy that I even let Scott through my door. Even if I did ask for someone's advice, they can't tell me what the right thing to do would be. I am completely alone with this.

I hope this isn't a losing game. I want to be treated right, as it's been such a very, very long time since I have been, and even then, it didn't last forever. I don't think it's too much to ask for.

Also, the sun right now is inconjunt/quincunx my natal Saturn -__- like why did this have to happen right now, on the weekend?

Also, I follow YouTube and Instagram tarot accounts and they're always super accurate for me, but I figured I'll post one just this time on here since it's so related to this. I watched this video after I wrote all of the above stuff. I usually only choose one deck with the YouTube readings, but occasionally two decks will have equal energy, which occurred this time.

Group #2 - go with the flow and blend in to catch people in off-guard moments to see who they truly are. Observe them and listen more (as a Libra, I can very much get quiet and simply observe, which I have been doing with Scott). You are too tired to be in the spotlight and need time for privacy with your love life, not telling friends or family about it. You don't want to put yourself out there and invest in someone to realize this person was with you for the wrong reasons. You are not over-sharing at this time. You value yourself and don't want to get hurt, so you're guarding your heart. You're still open, but just getting to know someone. You know how far to go and when to protect yourself. You don't want to make the same mistakes like you did in the past. You want clarity and guidance. Someone may behave in a stupid manner and may try to play you, thinking they're smarter. However there is an opportunity with a dark male, whatever that means for you. This is more about energy than physical appearance, and could just be someone with a lot of masculine energy. You are highly desirable so this man wants to be closer to you. This person wants longevity with you, not a whirlwind affair. You need to let your wall down a little bit to let them know you're into them as they may question it and get insecure. Only do this when you're sure of who they are and their intentions. They are adventurous and spontaneous, and they may try to show off how cool they are. They may get clumsy and nervous though. You might have commitment-phobia and might want to run or self-sabotage. Avoid this. Someone will be offering genuine love and interest, so do not worry. Surround yourself with love and spend quality time with others in your life where you can let your guard down.

Group #3 - an earth sign (Scott is a Capricorn) is here as a romantic connection. It's only a matter of time before you connect and sparks fly and you know you're for one another (I'd like to stay sober now to really feel out his energy and the energy of our connection). They are very promising. Do not pre-judge this person and give them a fair chance. Don't jump to conclusions. Allow them the chance to prove they're trustworthy and worthy of being a part of your life in a romantic sense. Stick to making progress with other areas of your life. Someone you know is not dependable and sincere, so don't trust in confiding with someone else about this situation. They might be jealous (I can see this being my mom, as she gets very jealous whenever I am with other people). You may feel like something is lacking in your life, maybe caused by someone else. Someone may leave your life as this new person enters. You will be happy this person leaves. Be aware of any future problems, there will be signs from the universe. Zesty energy, emotion, and passion is coming. Your guides are trying to protect you from yourself. Don't let your anger take over or you'll be sorry. Try not to be triggered by others. You're being called to take yourself on a date and spend money on yourself. Remember to practice self-love. You can only feel fulfilled in your love life if you feel fulfilled in yourself first. Others may set their own expectations for your love life. Don't seek others approval. Remind yourself we are not separate from each other. We are all energy. Don't be judgmental just as you don't want to be judged. Your love life will be full of generosity and spending time together. Your dreams can become your reality, but you need to make the effort. (I feel like maybe I need to focus on my healing more often than I am). Put yourself out there. (ugh. Scary). Someone is feeling like it's time to let go of holding on too deeply and may not think you'll ever end up together. Could be someone you friend-zoned and they will finally give up on you and see you moving on. (I've friend-zoned quite a few people, so it's possible).

So yeah, I guess July has a lot of potential, and both readings were scary-accurate for how I'm currently feeling and perceiving things. So either Scott is out to deceive me or he has really good intentions. Guess I'll find out soon.

[undercovermcdfan]

Hey I'm new to this and I don't really know how it works so um... ‘a man who can’t die is no tragic hero.’ centered around Vylad? Maybe?

‘a man whocan’t die is no tragic hero.’ 

title: tea and cake

summary: A conversation over some tea during astormy afternoon. Vylad-centric. MCD pre-season 3.

a/n: So, this is so… loosely based offthe prompt, I’m so sorry??? It was supposed to be something deeper andVylad-centric but I ended up writing him having a conversation with Isabel andthrew in a bit of Vylance because I’m a sucker for that pairing? I hope youlike it—I thought it was rather cute, even if it’s so… loosely based off such agood prompt jfc. I might take another shot at it on another date.

warning(s): fluff, tea, Isabel being a sweetie

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Rainfall doesn’t bring melancholy feelings it once did.

As denizens scurried, seeking shelter in the nearby establishmentsor rushing home, he stood there in the street. His cloak, soaked. His hair,flatten against his forehead. The comforting rumble of distant storm thisintense rain was bring only made him want to shut his eyes, listening as hisbreathed out even breaths and lulled into a fond memory which rain only broughtnow.

Irene island went from a peaceful village to a sprawlingcity. It’s impressive, walking down the cobbled streets and not recognizing thebuildings, nor knowing which turn to take even though it’s been a year or sosince he decided to stop by.

He watched as a mother pulled along her inquisitive child,chided him softly when the child attempted to jump into the large puddle formingon the side of the road and adjusted her umbrella.

An older gentleman holding a newspaper over his head,squinting to the sky and grumbling something Vylad couldn’t quite catch beforeheading back inside the tavern.

A young girl who ran a storefront staring at him concernedand mild curiosity from behind the glass window. He spared her a glance and shelooked away quickly, embarrassed for being caught.

Ah, well Ican’t drag my feet any longer. He pulled up his hood, andhurried down the road—he was late enough already.

He wasn’t sure when he indulged Isabel and her requests tosee him whenever she heard he was in town.

Honestly, she shouldn’t have known—Vylad preferred his methodof dropping in and leaving when he’s finish reporting of whatever informationhe managed to gather. But by chance, the other day, she caught him— “Two years and you haven’t change one bit,”she said in giggly tone—and managed to rope him into staying for another day,to visit her.

Maybe it’s nostalgia; he couldn’t quite say they were friendsbut Isabel had a charm that’s hard to place and a presence which reminded himof a caring mother mixed with enthusiasm of a child—if she wasn’t hanging offthe arms of Laurance or Katelyn, tending to the younger kids that took upresidence on the island, or buzzing like the more social creature that she was,she’d always hunt him down to ask some questions (usually to satisfied hercuriosity about his ‘mysterious’ nature). She rarely caught him, true, butafter a while, she grew on him like Laurance told him she would.

And after a while, sometimes he’d seek her out. Strange howmissing the same person could make an unlikely pair—and they were the mostunlikely.

He, quiet and never much to say beyond being an ear she couldtalk to tirelessly.

She, understanding way of speaking and made warm tea with thesweet cakes whenever he visited.

The place she called home was small and humble, sandwichedbetween two other homes; on the upper left windowsill, he could spot a smallgarden and a welcome mat was on the top of the steps that led up. It said ‘welcome’,in blocky letters and a simple picture of a kitten pawing at the ‘e’ inwelcome.

She opened the door on the third round of knocking, looking alittle disheveled and flustered but smiling brightly when she saw him.

“I’m so sorry,” she ushered him in, smoothing down her hair—it’sshorter now, something he didn’t note until now; she frowned, giving him a onceover, “You’re soaked! Don’t tell me you walked here without an umbrella, Vylad.”

He shrugged off his cloak, and she immediately took it,propping it on a coat rack and a grimace at the water droplets dripped onto thefloor. “It started raining as I was walking.”

“Still not a reason to just… never mind,” she sighed, holdingup a hand, “Wait here. I’ll give you something to dry off.”

And she disappeared back up the stairs.

There was evidence she didn’t live alone. The open closet hadmore coats than necessary for just one person, and the number of shoes it held—Isabelalways been on the humbler side of living and even if she grew a taste ofshopping, he was doubtful she’d owned thatmany.

When she returned, throwing the towel on his head andinstructing him to take off his shoes— “I spent all day mopping. I’m notletting you track mud in here.”, she hurried away again, into the kitchen sheassumed.

There wasn’t much of a living room area, so of course hefollowed her, undoing his bun as he started to dry it off his hair.

He zoned out slightly as she started to chatter; taking upseat on one of the two chairs in the kitchen, he mused at the cutesydecorations adorning the table, walls, around the small kitchen.

“—anyway, it was lucky I decided to make a run to the bakerythis morning rather than later; the weather been so gloom and doom the pastcouple of days,” she said, placing tea in front of him before placing the milkand sugar cube; of course, he went straight for the sugar cube, adding two tohis drink as he gave quiet thanks. “Hmm.”

He paused, glancing up and Isabel waved her hand beforeletting out a small laugh. “Oh nothing. I was remembering something,” shesmiled, as she turned away to fetch her own cup and the cakes she alreadyprepared on a tray, “Remember three years ago, when the island had only Aphmau,Travis—you know. Before the island was theisland. And there was that nasty storm.”

His brow raised, absentmindedly rubbing his hair. “I do.”

“And remember how we both got caught in it? The lectureLaurance gave us…” the soft smile faded for just a moment before it returnedbrightly, she slid the cake and fork towards him, taking a seat, “I never sawyou look so embarrassed until that day, honestly. I didn’t know if you could feel embarrassed? Or look so uncool.” Henarrowed his eyes and frowned. But she shrugged off his gaze, rather, she wasgrinning now at his expression. “He even made you sit down and dry off your hairafter you sneak off.”

Normally, the reminder of… him would leave his heart aching.But never with Isabel, she never let either dwell on the bitterness of the facthe was gone.

“He was treating me like a child.” He took a bite of cake.

“In his defense, it’s a little childish to run off.”

He squints at her, pointing his fork with an accusatory point.She shrugged, continuing the story, “You looked like an angry cat. And Laurancekept talking and talking, how we both were asking for a cold.”

“You did catch a cold.”

“Huh, I did, didn’t I?” she chuckled, before softly sighing, “…youknow. Sometimes I miss it. Miss Laurance being around. When he left, everybodyended up going their separate ways… especially you.” He took a sip of her histea, avoiding with her searching eyes as she looked at him. “Do you ever wonderwhat he’s up to?”

…Maybe he should take back the statement of the ache nevercoming.

“Every day.” He whispered, after a pause.

She hummed, propping up her cheek with her palm, “Not everyday for me… but often enough. Same with you. I wonder about you a lot. Aph toldme you been busy in Tu’la and… it’s a little worrying, you know?”

He’s quiet, taking another bite of his cake.

“I know both you and Laurance can handle yourselves… but aweak-willed maiden like me can only worry about her friends when they’re offdoing whatever dangerous things they do. I hate how much of a pessimist I’vebecome.”

“You’re not weak-willed.”

“Ah,” her eyes still read sadness but a fond smile appearedagain, “I’m ‘soft hearted’ as you all put it.”

He shook his head. “Isabel. You don’t want to be like me. OrLaurance—he wasn’t…”

“Happy. I know,” she sighed, stirring her tea as she shut hereyes, “Something to do with that shadow knight business, right? He always triedbut… anybody could see he was struggling at times.” Vylad swallowed thickly—andthe tea didn’t help. Isabel continued, “You struggle with it to. At leastLaurance had you… you’re all alone, and always away, sometimes I wonder what ifthe next time I hear about you i-is… you know. It’s your job and you’re servingfor heroic reasons but… it’s… lonely, isn’t it? I know you a-are.”

Part of him froze, instinctively, when he saw a tear roll downher cheek—like always did when he saw her cry. He never was the type to comfortbut pity filled his heart whenever he saw the young woman cry.

“Isabel.” She sniffed, quickly wiping away the tears butbefore she could have uttered an apology, he cut her off, giving a tentativesmile, “I appreciate your concern. What I do… isn’t heroic like you say, I mustconfess.” He paused, collecting his words as he chewed on a piece of cakethoughtfully—Isabel got up for a moment to fetch the kettle and pour them bothanother cup. “I am lonely. Sometimes I think I took up the task to punishmyself.”

“Punish?”

He nodded, “It’s complicated… but yes. For somebody likemyself, I don’t really deserve your tears. I only been selfish.”

The silence was… uncomfortable. He closed his eyes. He couldstill hear the rumbles of thunder and the house slightly shook from the strongwinds the storm was bringing.

But her tone shifted when she spoke up, breaking the silence.“…It isn’t a crime to feel what you feel. I know you aren’t… talkative aboutthis, but it’s okay to feel lonely and not feel at home here on this island.Also,” she smiled, “You are a hero. You do heroic stuff. And selfish or not, I’llstill cry over a dear friend.”

“...friend.”

“Yes,” she giggled, knocking on the table, “No matter whatyou say, we are friends! End of discussion.”

Vylad sighed. I supposethere’s no point to argue. He then reached for his cake, abandoning thepolite eating and held it, shoveling the rest into his mouth.

Isabel laughed at that, throwing her head back. “I knew youwere holding back!” she got up, smiling, “Let me get you another piece—I gottenextra for you and the fact Amber has bit of a sweet tooth.”

He perked up. “Amber?”

Isabel smiled, brightening up again, “Oh. Sit tight—shoot,you missed a lot since you been gone?”

He returned her smile, small but it was still there. As shechanged the subject—now talking about this ‘Amber’ girl affectionately--, hecouldn’t help but think of her words: Youare a hero.

It was a lie. Because he was only selfish, and a person whocheats death, existing by the whims of something so unholy… he couldn’t ever bea hero.

But then again, a small voice whispered: You don’t have to be. You could do your best and just be good.

That voice suspiciously sound like one that made his heartflutter. He waved it all away.

Taking a sip from his tea, he said, “You love her.”

“Well,” Isabelblushed, her smile wide, “I mean what gave it away?”