#now I have to re-seal the back glass

[yourtipsygrandma]

Tried to play some pin

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

Sep 26th

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1. Hi good evening, I'm looking for a wangxian fanfic, where yu ziyuan was Jin guangshan's concubine, if not You already found it, on an old list, and I would love to read it again @glass-madness

FOUND? OOC! by -niehuaisang

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2. Hi there! I've been trying to find this fic to re-read for a while now and I'm hoping that someone else recognizes it (and that it's not deleted!)

I believe it was in the "LWJ marries the Yiling Patriarch" category and there was a Yiling Wei sect or something similar (although it's been a very long time and I don't recall anyone else actually being in the sect so I could be wrong on either/both counts). WWX often went back and forth between the Burial Mounds and Baoshan Sanren's mountain via portal (?) as they were trying to cure Lan Yi of her spiritual malady (?). Last I still remember it was a WIP, and one of the little details that sticks in my mind was that BSSR had gotten WWX doing decorative knotwork to keep his hands busy, so the palace had incredibly intricate pieces, like, everywhere, and he often gifted it to people.

Hopefully that sounds familiar to someone; thank you for all you do! @tevokkia

2 check #17 on this old post, it also mentions knotwork and BSSR and might be what you're looking for

FOUND? 💖🔒love, in fire and blood by cicer (E, 360k, wangxian, immortal WWX, slow burn, pining, arranged marriages)

FOUND? inevitable everything by isabilightwood (E, 193k, WangXian, WQ/MM, JYL/JZX, BSSR/LY, Canon Divergence, YLLZ WWX, but WWX is BSSR's disciple/adoptive grandson too, the cultivation sects think this is a, War Prize AU, it's actually self-arranged marriage, Arranged Marriage, yin iron shenanigans, LWJ Has Friends, Mutual Pining, Pining while fucking, LWJ Has a YLLZ Kink, Switch WangXian, BDSM, Submissive LWJ, Dominant WWX, Angst with a Happy Ending, magical illness of a side character (who will get better), Rope Bondage, Impact Play, Rimming, Bottom LWJ, Temperature Play, Face-Fucking, Breathplay, (talisman-based breathplay to be specific), Cock Warming, Public Scene, no one gets naked in public this is the sense of WWX invents the, Remote Controlled Vibrator, Semi-Public Sex, Outdoor Sex, Blindfolds, one qingmian smut scene with oral and fingering, Minor Character Death, All Sex Scenes Are Skippable!)

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3. Hello! I’m looking for a short fic w 1-3 chapters where there’s canon divergence bc wwx was really pretty due to his dad. I remember in it, when jfm brings him back to the lotus pier, yzy actually denies any rumors of a possible affair bc he looks so much like wcz

I also remeber in it wwx uses his beauty to stop wrh from going into a qi deviation and stops the sun shot campaign as a result

FOUND? The Most Beautiful Man Alive (and his gremlin son) by meyari (T, 4k, WangXian, attempted child molestation (discussed), sexual assault (awareness of the possibility, it doesn't happen ever, beauty as a tool, Smart WWX, Protective JYL, Protective JC, Good Parent JFM, Protective YZY, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies)

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4. Hi, can you please help me find this fic. It’s a modern au where lan zhan and Wei Ying are soulmates. Wei Ying finds out because he saw a painting of Han Guang Jun and thinks his soulmate is dead. He starts to work in the museum operated by xiao xingchen or song lan where they collect stuff that belongs to Han Guang Jun and Yiling Laozu. At the end turns out lan zhan also went to the museum and they kept missing each other because they went at different timings. Thankssss @marshmallowbeats

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5. Hi! I'm looking for a wangxian omegaverse ao3 fic. It's in a futuristic cyber/tech setting where people have machine implants in their bodies. From what I remember the synopsis goes like this: Wei Ying was travelling from one planet to another with a baby a-yuan, his implants fail and Lan Zhan finds them. LZ takes them in and mistakes a-yuan as his biological son with WY. Some other details like the yin tiger seal being an AI and WY having dirt on the Jins. Thank you very much!!!!! @mithesimmer

FOUND? I'll buy you the moon (I'll buy you two) by Thesaurus_with_no_words (E, 27k, WangXian, Science Fiction, Space, Rebels, Space Opera, On the Run, Promoted To Parent, Robots, Androids, Mechs, Battle Mechs, Hurt/Comfort, Technopathy, Willful and Deliberate Baby and Wife Acquisition, Porn With Plot, Mpreg)

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6. hello! idk if this site is still active, but im looking for a mdzs time travel fic where wwx returned during cloud recesses study era. there was a scene where he slits his throat because he thinks its better if he just dies (everyone worries about him including madam yu)

FOUND? 💖 (Un)Hidden truth by Sarah_R (M, 291k, wangxian, major character death, time travel, characters watching their show, suicide attempt, panic attacks, self-harm, nightmares, hurt/comfort, angst, WIP)

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7. looking for a fic modern au established relationship one shot wangxian where lwj gets appendicitis (i think it was that, it was some kind of pain he had to have a procedure for) and he like wakes wwx up next to him so that he can go to the hospital and wwx feels worried/guilty/stressed bc he didn’t notice and lwj didn’t say anything can’t remember the name ! @willesnelson

FOUND? The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad (Valentine’s) Day by GhostySword, Two4Joy (T, 7k, WangXian, Hurt/Comfort, Humor, Modern, Established Relationship, Sickfic, Valentine's Day, Hospitalization, Meet the Family, LWJ's Rabbit Children)

FOUND? like bunnies by idleorbitals (T, 4k, WangXian, Modern, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst)

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8. Hello! I had to switch phones and lost all my fanfic open tabs, and I'm trying to remember the names of all of them. One I cannot recall for the life of me was a WIP with only one chapter where during the Burial Mounds Siege Wei Wuxian was basically sort of rescued by Lan Wangji but then put to trial by the cultivation sects and he agreed to be imprisioned as long as they guaranteed A-Yuan's safety. I remember it being a sort of Madam Lan situation, or something. Can you help me?

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9. A) Hi! This is for fic finder. I dont remember much and i dont remember if it was modern with cultivation. Focus on junior quartet. Wen remnant live. They are on summer camp that the jin organized. A-yuan comes to the camp with JWY (im not sure about this). A-yuan then befriended jl, oyzz, ljy. I think they are in the same room (dorm room but its a cottage? I dont know what its called). In group activity, a-yuan sneak up to meet up with wn and the other three sneak up to follow a-yuan. Long story short, a-yuan, ljy, and oyzz is invited to lanling because they are jl friend (either because that or they rescued him). The one that invite them is either jgs or jgy (i think it was jgs). They tried to track wwx but always failed. When jgy comes to the summer camp, they tried to disguise a-yuan as lan diciple but failed. And then jgy found out that a-yuan is wwx son and forced them to go to lanling. In lanling, a-yuan wants to leave and jl, oyzz, and ljy helped. Su She is the one that tracked them down when they tried to run away. Thats all i can remember. Thanks

B) Hi! This is for fic finder. Its a modern with cultivation fic i think. Wen remnant lives and in hiding. Focused on junior quartet. A-yuan comes to summer camp that the jin organized with JWY. A yuan the befriended jl, ljy, and oyzz. They are in the same room (dorm room but a cottage? I dont know what it is called). Jl, ljy, and oyzz is kinda suspicious of a-yuan because he is the only one that are not affliated with a sect. The three of them followed a-yuan in secret when a-yuan sneak up to meet up with wn. Long story short, jgs invited ljy, oyzz, and a-yuan to lanling because they are jl friends. When jgy comes to the camp, they tried to disguise a-yuan as lan diciple and failed. Jgy forced them to go to lanling (honestly i think he kinda kidnapped them). I think he found out that a-yuan is wwx son and used him to lure out wwx. In lanling, jl, ljy, and oyzz helped a-yuan to leave. Su She is the one that responsible of them. Thats all i can remember. Thanks! @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

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10. Hi, lovely people. I'm looking for a fic where LWJ takes WWX out the Burial Mounds, along w/all the Wens (against their will, but keeping 'em safe) & brings 'em to Gusu. He turns WWX into an omega w/a "recipe" of Wen Qing (who does it just for their own safety), until WY gets pregnant of Sizhu & Jingyi (not sure abt the names), but he often doubts abt having being an omega b4 & he's always being forced to have sex. LZ treats him rough & poorly, even in front of their sons. WWX ends up getting tired & runs away w/the kids, leaves 'em in the woods & jumps off a cliff. (Prob. Dark LWJ) TYSM! @einherjermineord

FOUND?🔒forfeit by eightroses (E, 12k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Dark, Dark LWJ, Rape/Non-con Elements, Dubious Consent, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Alpha to Omega transformation, Alpha LWJ, Alpha WWX, Omega WWX, Sexual Coercion, Kidnapping, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Forced Feminization, Mpreg, Forced Pregnancy, Fainting, Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Vomiting, Rough Sex, Knotting, Medical Inaccuracies, Body Horror, Abuse, Domestic Violence, Trauma, No happy ending here)

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11. I’m looking for a wangxian fic where wangji tells wei ying what he did in the cold pond (the handfasting) while their in the cloud recesses and it diverges from there @wrappedaroundxielian

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12. For FicFinder – trying to find a fic I thought I had marked for later. I think it was modern with magic au? I think LWJ takes over an old theatre called the burial mounds which used to be WWX's? In this AU I think LWJ thinks WWX is dead or he didn't know WWX until he bought the theatre. honestly not sure this will be found but I appreciate any clues all the same. tysm for all you do running this blog. @itsallwearecalledtodo

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13. Hi, I’m looking for an ABO fic where WWX is an O and LWJ is an A and they’re soulmates. But WWX has been hiding his identity and pretending to be a B, because he got abused in his old pack and had run away (?) I think. @plzloveme

FOUND?🔒backfire by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 115k, wangxian, LWJ/MXY, One-Sided MXY/WWX, MXY/NMJ, Modern, BDSM AU, Biologically Determined Dom/sub Roles, BDSM, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Sadism, Masochism, Past Sexual Abuse, Sexual Slavery, Self-Harm, BDSM as a Form of Self-Harm, Minor Character Death(s), Arson, Shades of Black Widow WWX, Extremely Dubious Consent, Rape/Non-con Elements, Normalized Homosexuality and Bisexuality, Normalized Polyamory, nonsexual bdsm, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Pining WWX, jealous WWX, Touch-Starved WWX, Professional Dominant WWX, Sex Worker WWX, gentle dom LWJ, Mean Dom LWJ, oblivious LWJ, Past WC/WWX, Minor JGY/WWX, Mentioned WWX/Others, Emotional Infidelity, Angst with a Happy Ending, endgame wangxian, MXY Also Gets a Happy Ending, the tags are scary but i promise there's some lightheartedness too, wangxian love one another so much, WWX is healed by the power of nonsexual bdsm and friendship, and then gets bdsm'd quite sexually and happily by the love of his life, Additional Warnings In Author's Note)

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14. hello! i’m looking for a fic where jc post-siege finds wwx’s diaries in the burial mounds and he gets transported???? into the memories of each book

FOUND! Waiting On You by SmellsLikeDeanSpirit (M, 26k, JC & WWX, WangXian, WIP, Graphic Depicitions of Violence, Major Character Death, Angst with a Happy Ending, Memories, Time Travel, Sort Of, the characters watching the show trope but different, WWX has magical diaries that force the reader to experience his memories, JC finds them and reads them, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Bashing, Bad Parent YZY, YZY Bashing, Canonical Character Death, he comes back tho, JC regrets, JC Needs a Hug, WWX Needs a Hug)

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15. Hi, this is for fic finder! I’m looking for a fic where wei ying and lan zhan are betrothed (I can’t remember if they were betrothed since childhood or during the cloud recesses arc. But basically the jiangs agree to the betrothal because they expect wei ying to be miserable in cloud recesses with all the gusu lan rules. However when they see how wei ying is actually loved and respected, they get super mad. I think madam yu gets mad because her own children are not in loving marriages?

There’s a possibility it might’ve been a/b/o but I’m not sure if i’m getting fics mixed up here 😭

But please help me find this fic! I’m always so grateful for the work you guys do

FOUND!🔒 Alliance AU series by Ilona22 (E, 21k, WangXian, JYL/OC, Arranged Marriage, A/B/O Dynamics, PWP, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Intersex Omegas, Not JC Friendly, Matchmaking, canon Jiang family dynamics, Family time, Night Hunts, Mention of male omega pregnancy, Intrigue at Jinlintai, Mentions of Prostitution, War, Conflict between characters)

NOT FOUND! in case you ever foolishly forget by RavenclawLoki (E, 19k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Engagement, fast burn, Fluff, Bad Parents JFM & YZY, Bad Person YZY, YZY Bashing, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, LWJ & WWX are decent at communicating hense the fast burn, Good Uncle LQR, Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Established Relationship, BAMF JYL, she has given up on defending bad parents and we simply must support her, it's yanli's world we are just living in it, Demisexuality, Asexuality, Sex Positive Asexuality, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Soft WangXian, Implied Switching, LWJ shows love by slow blinking, Loss of Virginity, First Time, gonna add Out of Character tag to be safe regarding YL)

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16. Hello ^^ I am looking for a fic where LWJ and JC traveled back in time and LWJ was the first one that found Wwx on the streets. Thx! @yoonieby

FOUND? A Matter of Time series by mrcformoso (E, 84k, wangxian, time travel fix-it, graphic depictions of violence, underage, LWJ pov, JC pov, dark LWJ, manipulation, grooming, teen body adult mind for LWJ, happy ending for wangxian, problematic consensual underage sex, blood & violence, insane LWJ, manic LWJ)

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17. hi can you help me find a fic where lan zhan participates in a wei ying engagement tournament. Lwj wore a mask so as not to be recognized @silvanagomes87

FOUND? travelers through the empty gate by stiltonbasket (M, 107k, WangXian, royalty au, mistaken identity, emperor WWX, poor LWJ, forced marriage, (by LWJ himself), confused WWX, parenthood, misunderstandings, empress LWJ, fluff & humor, married life, angst w/ happy ending, WIP)

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18. Hey hi, I’m looking for a missing wangxian fic. It takes place during the sunshot campaign, lwj and wwx are cursed(?) so that they feel eachother’s emotions, lwj pines and wwx is acting aloof and angry, lwj goes to jiang cheng and asks to marry wwx and lwj hits the table when jc insults wwx. Lwj and wwx share a dream and wwx is convinced that it’s all in his head before lwj walks into his tent repeating what he said in the dream. Eventually, lwj and wwx are married before the last battle and lwj is grievously injured. There’s a happy ending tho. Please lmk if you find this, I’ve spent days looking @remembertosaygoodbye

FOUND? The dreamers. by orange_crushed (E, 17k, WangXian, Dreams, Dreamsharing, Spells & Enchantments, Canon Divergence, Oral Sex, Penetrative Sex, War, Canon-Typical Violence, Sunshot Campaign, Temporary Character Death, The Character Dies But Does Not Stay Dead Trust Me, Resurrection, Suicidal Thoughts, Loss of Identity, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst with a Happy Ending, Injury Recovery, Trauma, Memory Loss, Memory Magic, War Is Hell Etcetera, I Promise The Characters Do Not Stay Dead and Will Absolutely Be Okay, Masturbation, Fantasy, Very Brief Mention of Burial-Mounds-Era Cannibalism, Major Character Death... but only for a minute honestly!!, Awkward First Times, Marriage Proposal)

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19. Hi! This is for fic finder. I dont remember much, but i think it was mentioned that nmj is suspicious of the jin after the first burial mound siege. After he sees that the wen is just an old person. When jin rusong dies, nmj secretally goes to He sect and hide the non combatan in the sect. Thats all i can remember. Thanks @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

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20. hello! I'm looking for this wangxian fic I think it is based on the song Driver's License by Olivia Rodrigo, it does not have a happy ending since wwx and lwj do not end up together in the end

thank you!

hello! thanks for answering my question in the fic finder post! question #20 I reviewed the summary, but unfortunately that is not the fic 😭 I remember that in the end wwx marries someone else (but not lwj) thanks for responding! 💗😊 and sorry for not explaining my question well

NOT FOUND! driver’s license by cryptenhope (T, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, Post-Break Up, Making Up, Getting Back Together, Happy Ending if you read the ending notes, Ambiguous/Open Ending)

FOUND? 🔒 drivers license by AG1234VL (T, 11k, WWX/Other, WangXian, LWJ/LQY, Modern AU, Hurt No Comfort, slight comfor?Non-Chronological, Song fic, Crying WWX, ice cream and beer, breakup weight gain, Lots of Crying, Angst, Homophobia, from lqr, wangxian breakup)

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[raayllum]

Rayla and Callum re: possession plot line + all foreshadowing (s1-s5, supplementary material)

“An assassin doesn’t decide right and wrong. Only life and death.” Rayla parroted the mantra Runaan had so often repeated. She did not know if she was reciting the words to convince the prince that his fate was sealed, or to convince herself to seal it.

(Book One: Sky novelization; 1x02, and 1x04)

“Wow. So they look identical, but they might kill you or they might save you,” Callum said. “Exactly. Just like me…” Rayla smiled.

One more, she thought. Just one more win. A human stepped into the pit. His armor, a weather-beaten but familiar silver-grey with a red collar, told a grim tale: an exile from Katolis. He’d likely fled deeper into Xadia after the battle at the Storm Spire. He was barely taller than Rayla herself, and couldn’t have been older than— —what would he look like now, she wondered? Nearly two years older, a few inches taller— The human’s sword flashed towards her. Rayla sprang away, and the crowd bellowed. [...] The human kicked dirt at her, and Rayla scraped at her eyes, angry—infuriated, even. Humans were frustrating. Humans were clever. Humans could do anything, they could be anything, they could take their own fates and change them— When she blinked her eyes back open, Rayla saw several things at once. In the pit, the human charged forward, sword aloft. And in the crowd behind him, a flash of red. A scarf. For a moment Rayla was somewhere else, far away and safe and warm, following that red scarf instead of turning her back on it— —and then the human’s fist struck her jaw. She shouted in pain. One blade rose instinctively to block another blow, but the human grabbed her wrist and twisted so hard she dropped it. Then he swept a leg under her, catching her by the heels, and before she could breathe again Rayla was on her back in the dirt, staring up at the wooden bones of the ceiling. “Rayla! Wake up, come on! We’re gonna be okay—!” The human stood over her and tapped his blade to her chest. Rayla craned her neck, looking around. The sound came back into the world, and the crowd’s cheering had turned from raucous support to mocking, shrieking laughter. Groaning, she let her head fall back to the dirt. “You win,” she said. [...]

“What was that?! You beat yourself!” Back in Redfeather’s little hovel, Rayla sat in the hammock, arms tight across her chest. Stella, who had been told to stay behind for her own safety, snuggled against her neck and cooed. Rayla fiddled with a little wooden token someone had shoved into her hands as a consolation prize for her victories in the pit. Her fingers traced a carving of a hermit crab on one side and the stark profile of a Tidebound elf on the other. “What happened? Why didn’t you keep fighting?” Rayla took a deep breath. Her ribs ached. “I got distracted.” Redfeather gave a disbelieving laugh. “Don’t they teach you to avoid that kind of thing when you become an assassin?” “That’s different,” she protested, even though her heart knew it wasn’t. It was the same problem every time. Hesitation, sympathy, distraction… all just weakness in a different mask. 

Chasing Shadows, part 2

Rayla pulled the chest back, out of reach, and pressed the curve of one blade to his neck— —and held it there. The human froze, meeting her eyes. He looked afraid. Rayla wanted to hate him, this young Neolandian boy, she wanted to hate him like she hated Viren. She could almost see Viren’s face in his: the white streaks of his hair, the sickly pallor of his skin, the bruise-like shadows beneath his eyes. Was he not the same? But what if it was true? A plague, an illness, a wound— “Life is precious. Life is valuable. We take it, but we do not take it lightly.” [...] Rayla looked at the driftwood floor. “Because I messed up. He got away with the rest.” Redfeather sighed. “You hesitated. Like in the Bone Pit.” It stung. She was right, of course. Rayla caught a glimpse of her own reflection in a glass bottle and scowled at herself: the face glowering back at her was not the face of an assassin, and it never would be. [...] Redfeather nodded. “I like you, but you’re still trying to be the person they’ll welcome back home. You’re a Ghost. You can’t be that elf ever again. You have to decide who you are going to be instead. So—who are you?” Rayla balked at her. It was an awful question. She wasn’t an assassin, she wasn’t an elf of the Silvergrove, she wasn’t anything at all, she was just— —“Rayla.” That voice again. Rayla pushed away, trying to focus on Redfeather. “I’m—” “—selfless, strong, and caring—” He persisted, as he always did, and his voice took her far, far away. 

Chasing Shadows, part 3

She has made the princes her best friends and gone on a journey to free every elf and human from such terrible fates.

Rayla's Tales of Xadia bio

[fizzyxcustard]

Our Story. 

Masterlist of fan fiction

Fandom: The Hobbit

Pairings: Thorin Oakenshield x Fem!Reader

Summary: It is your last night in Erebor before you leave. You have been a member of the Company and now that the mountain kingdom has been re-claimed, you are ready to leave and begin a new life on your own. However, Thorin calls for you to spend one last meal with him.

Comments/Notes/Housekeeping: Requested by @lemond57with the prompt 'Our story does not need to end here". If you enjoy this fic, please consider a reblog as they are always appreciated and get pieces of work circulated.

I haven't mentioned how the reader came to be with the Company, so that is up to you to decide.

Your bag was packed and your clothing for the next day was neatly folded over the chair by your desk. You took a glance around the room, having grown fond of your home for the last six weeks. Sleeping in a proper bed had been heaven, meaning that you could have lie ins virtually every morning and not rise out of bed until way after dawn. It was welcome comfort after being on the road with Thorin's Company for the last eight months.

On the end of your bed was a piece of folded parchment. It had been quite a surprise when you woke to find it, sealed within an envelope, having been pushed under your bed chamber door. When you opened it, you were shocked to see such beautiful penmanship. Ornate lettering in jet black ink. Signed off by the king, but only using his given name. That was how he had often requested you address him. No titles. No airs and graces. Just Thorin.

The letter was his proposal for dinner. One last meal together before you disappeared from the mountain the next morning at dawn.

You dressed appropriately for any such occasion: dinner with the king. A burgundy dress with matching slippers. Your usual breeches and baggy shirt would not do tonight. Despite having always had such a down to earth relationship with the king, you still owed him respect on your last evening together.

As you arrived at the main dining hall, a guard took you through the huge, wooden doors. He bowed his head to Thorin, who was sat at the head of the central table, and then said your name, announcing your arrival.

Thorin thanked the guard and got up from his seat. He was smiling, and stepped towards the seat which was immediately to his left hand side. He pulled out the chair, your sign to sit.

"Good evening," you said, offering him a smile. You thanked him for pulling out your seat and rested your hands in your lap.

"Wine?" he asked.

"Yes, please," you replied.

Thorin poured two glasses of wine "I hope you did not think it too forward of me to ask you join me for dinner tonight. I wished to speak with you in regard to your departure tomorrow."

"Of course not. I'm glad you asked me to attend. I couldn't have left without some kind of goodbye."

Thorin sighed and looked at you, his blue eyes growing saddened by your words. "The truth is, I was hoping that tomorrow would not hold any goodbyes. I wish that there had to be no goodbyes."

"Thorin, I'm not one of your people, and it would be wrong of me to stay."

"Why would it be wrong?" Thorin asked, raising his eyebrow. "Our story does not need to end here."

"What do you mean?"

Thorin got to his feet and turned his back from you, with his hands clasped together. "I...I have come to feel a lot for you. Maybe I lived in hope that our stories would entwine somewhere. But I have not seen any sign that it is what you wish also."

You gasped. "W...why did you not say anything sooner?"

"Because I knew there was a very real risk that one of us, or even both of us, may not have made it home. But now that we are both here, alive, I could not let you leave without at least posing the question to you."

You remained quiet, feeling your heart pound. It was thumping so hard in your chest and throat.

"Will you allow me to court you?"

Shock was all you could feel.

Thorin turned back around, his face full of sadness still. "I should not have asked. Silence is answer enough."

You broke through your shock with words of exclamation. "No...No! Please. You caught me off guard."

Thorin remained still, watching your expression closely. Never before had he felt so vulnerable, ready to give his whole future and heart to someone else. Was this the moment you agreed to protect his heart, or would you break it?

"Yes. I want nothing more than to stay with you," you said, a broad smile breaking through the nervousness. You exhaled and got to your feet before Thorin, where you rushed forward and cupped his cheeks with your hands. "I dreamed of this so many times, but never thought it would be possible."

The two of you kissed, and every night forth from then, you remained in Erebor next to the man you loved.

***

Follow Forever tag list: @i-did-not-mean-to @lathalea @xxbyimm @knittastically @middleearthpixie @meganlpie @linasofia @luna-xial @guardianofrivendell @eunoiaastralwings @rachel1959 @asgardianhobbit98 @sunflwrnsunnieshine @msjava1972 @tschrist1 @quiall321 @enchantzz

[livelovelaughmiko]

Yandere!stalker x fem!Idol!reader PT.1

ʟᴇᴛᴛᴇʀꜱ, ᴏʜ ꜱᴏ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ . ɪᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ꜱɪᴄᴋᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏᴍᴀᴄʜᴇ ᴏʀ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄᴀɴ ᴏꜰ ᴜɴᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ᴅᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴏᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘ?….

As you finally finish the last song you’re supposed to perfom you take a deep breath staring at the over-joyed fans waving their bright glowsticks  around. You smilled at this scenery and waved at the fans saying your goodbyes  walking off the stage and your face dropped into a unfazed expresstion going into your  resting room and sitting on your   chair ,Later on Fixing your make up  incase anything smuged  while performing and taking a sip of water before leaving. when exiting your room seeing your body guard standing outside by the door “Ms.[name] the car is outside“ you  understood skipping to the exit  seeing the car throught the glass window ,your body guard opened the door for you and you walked through it quickly before rushing into the car before any one realized it was you Ms.[Name] one of the biggest idols streaming continuously year after year who became a trainee at the age of 8 years old . You get a call from your mother and decide to pick it up , your mothers half bitter voice gets picked up by the microphone “So,how was your performance,” . You already knew how this would turn out - it’s like every time .repeating.repeating, never changing , yet you still replies the same like in a script “yes mum,it went as normal nothing new“

you imagined a stern umchanging face of your mother holding the phone “well then i’ll be back  in about a month or two .So dont forget your an idol ,i expect no less of you if im here or not“ you mentally roll your eyes quickly agreeing to whatever she says , its not like its different  than the other 842 times  so you decided to quickly end this utterly useless  conversation that happens every show. the car arrives in front of the penthouse  taking your keys out of your bag and opening the door and your eyes pan down to your heels  wanting to them off but a envelope awaits unopened,with your name on it?… you normally get fan mail checked by your company but this once isn’t opened nor has the seal of approval . You still decide to pick it up and then place it down on the table next to you as you flop down on the couch wandering what should you do, this isn’t anything you’ve seen of before nor have you run into something familiar. With your curiosity bitting off each of your limbs you finally decide to open it and to your surprise it had a really pretty letter that surely was lengthy but you had the rest of the day doing nothing so might as well just do something for a change . You read the letter over and over a bit confused on what the sender’s true message was as you where thinking another paper fell out, it was definitely very different than the first paper you read it had almost unreadable scribbles but you could make out a few ,”please notice me” and another one reading as “your mine.”

You felt a lil shiver down your spine yet you also felt something you’d never feel before , but you couldn’t care less. You want more.. no. You need more ,you know something is switching your gears up but you just can’t wrap your finger on it

Yet your admirer truly has his finger wrapped around you already~

Pt.2??

(Edited : AYY I FINALLY HAD THE CORAGE TO RE-CHECK MY OLD WORK SO ITS NOW PROOF-READ TYSM FOR THE LIKES 😭💗..I never knew ppl would even like this)

[darklydeliciousdesires]

Immortal Beloved - Chapter Twelve.

Unless a little miracle occurs in the writing, this will be the last chapter for a while, besties. I need to get the last chapters all plotted and planned perfectly, so updates are paused until I do. Thank you, as ever, for being such a beautiful and captive audience :)

Previous chapters - Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven

Tag list - In the comments

Words - 3,716

Warnings - 18+ only. Adult themes + vampire content throughout. Minors DNI!

It was a small, yet beautiful affair, the bride and groom exchanging their vows in front of the Christmas tree at Georgian House on New Year’s Eve, their loved ones assembled around them. Candles lit the room in a glitter of amber and ochre upon every surface, the scents of spruce and cinnamon perfuming the air.  

The groom wore a charcoal suit, as did his brothers, and the bride was resplendent in blush lace, the gown hugging her curves. The flower girl wore a little dress that matched that of the bride, Polly having to pull her back from hugging the legs of the woman she now referred to as mommy Bryn while she and her father exchanged rings.  

“And with the exchange of rings and vows, it gives me great pleasure to announce you man and wife. Go on now, John. Give her a kiss!” Johnny spoke, who had officiated the marriage, John taking his wife’s face in his hands as their lips met to the raucous cheers and applause from their guests. Just one month before, he had been a lonely single man, and now he was once again wed. To a vampire. One just couldn’t make it up.  

“Congratulations! Oh, you look so beautiful, flower,” Grace spoke warmly as she and Bryn embraced, Tommy offering his best to John.  

Bryn kissed her cheek, grasping her hands. “Well, if not for you and Polly, I likely wouldn’t have!” Grace and Polly had been instrumental in finding a dress at the last minute, Bryn giving them a vague idea of what she wished for, the women trawling through the bridal boutique within Birmingham city centre to find anything that matched.  

Polly had paid them a very handsome wedge to remain open after 5pm upon discovering a few dresses that fitted the description given. Bryn’s vast jewellery collection meant she was prepared there, a purchase of lace and Polly’s handiness at the sewing machine had sorted Katie, Bettie laid on the food and the house was already beautifully decorated enough.  

All John had to do was put his best suit on and not turn up drunk.  

Arthur had very nearly seen to the latter not happening, until he’d been reminded of his now sister-in-law's likely fury should he not wait until the celebrations afterwards. John had never seen a man push a bottle of whiskey away across a table so quickly. 

Music filled the air as the bride and groom received the warmest wishes from their guests, champagne flowing, Bettie’s delicious array of party food being devoured and merriment abounding. It was tinged with a little melancholy for Bryn, though, her heart clutched in sadness that Alexander and Joy were not present. She’d cried in John’s arms the day before after being sent an abundance of flowers from Joy, and a gift from Alexander she most definitely intended to enjoy, too.  

“So, what is it in this bottle your son sent?” John asked after finding her in the kitchen, opening said bottle up. “You were too busy having a moment to ask yesterday.”  

“This, my love, is a bloody pain to get into firstly,” she began, negotiating the wax seal with a knife. “Inside this bottle is virgin’s blood, which as I am unsure whether I have mentioned is the only way a vampire may become intoxicated. Something about the purity mixing with us being the antithesis of that, I don’t know, but it works.”  

His hand rubbed fondly at her bare upper back, mischief alighting his handsome features. “Nah, you didn’t mention that, but it’ll be fun getting to watch me new wife pissed out of her head.”  

Decanting a measure into a wine glass, she re-corked the bottle, taking a sip. “Oooh, it’s Japanese. I did wonder where he was at present, seems his travels have taken him from Sicily to the far east.” Another sip followed. “One glass I shall be merry, two and should think rather sloshed.” 

John nodded at the glass. “Hurry up and drink it, then.”  

“My darling husband,” she cooed, grasping his face gently in her hand. “Ever the perpetuator of shenanigans!” 

“Ar, that’s me.” Taking her hand, he led her back to the festivities, not able to stop himself from admiring her adoringly. Drunk or sober, she was his complete everything. Sinking the blood, she left a little in the bottom of the glass, topping off her champagne with it so it would not take immediate, strong effect. Much like alcohol for a human, it would require a few more glasses for her to become tipsy. 

They continued to mingle with their guests, eventually parting from one another, John enjoying time with his brothers while Bryn made a point to go and speak with the young woman she enjoyed the company of very much after their first meet at Christmas.  

“I have to say it, Bryn, your home is absolutely stunning,” Ada spoke, being given the grand tour by her new sister-in-law. “And you’re letting a reprobate like our John move in, too. Brave.”  

She widened her eyes a fraction. “See those vases over there on the landing? He nearly broke one three nights ago. Drunk as a lord, falling up the stairs making his intentions very clearly known. ‘I’m gonna smash the hell out of you, bab!’ is what I had yelled at me, before he stumbled and very nearly ended up smashing my beautiful porcelain instead. Thank the stars I can move as rapidly as I do, saving it mid-descent to the ground.”  

Ada shook her head. “My brother, ever the charmer.” Running her hand over the rim of the tall, black and gold vase, she marvelled at its beauty. “How old are they?” 

Bryn paused for thought a moment. “I was living in China when I bought them new, so that makes them around three hundred years old. They did well to survive the voyage when I moved back to European shores, packed in crates padded out with hay.”  

Immediately Ada removed her hand, looking perturbed. “Yes, and my clod of a brother lives here now. You might want to glue things down, Bryn.”  

The vampire chuckled, resting a hand to her shoulder. “He isn’t that bad, I assure you. Although he did break my bed, but that wasn’t from any kind of clumsiness. The fewer details you know there, the better, I feel.” 

She snorted, pulling a face. “Yeah, yeah do spare me those!” They shared laughter, heading back down the staircase, Bryn telling her of the history behind the grand crystal chandelier when suddenly, an almighty boom sounded from outside. 

“Stay here,” she instructed, placing a protective hand against Ada’s middle to halt her upon the stairs, moving rapidly to look through the glass panels bordering the front door. The sound of surprised gasps and commotion coming from the sitting room reached her ears, the pounding footfalls of heavy boots striding towards her as she witnessed the second car parked out there explode into a ball of flames.  

Turning, the first eyes she met were Tommy’s, both silently confirming one another’s thoughts.  

“Cover the rear of the house, I will hover above where my eyes will be of greatest merit to see what’s coming.”  

It hadn’t been lost on either of them, the distraction tactics. The same could not be said for Bryn’s newly betrothed, though.  

“Them fucking cunts,” John growled, yanking a machine gun from the hallway cupboard where they were stowed in times of no guards being present upon the front gates, striding for the front door. Immediately, his wife appeared in front of him. “Bryn, out of the way.” 

“Darling, no. Get to the back of the house with your brothers,” she spoke, her eyes as urgent as her tones, flitting to see Arthur arm himself similarly, throwing one to Tommy as well.  

“But they’re fucking out the bloody front!” he yelled, Bryn closing her eyes tightly. 

“It’s a diversion, John! Get to the back of the house. Trust me. Remember my place in commanding an army as a human. I have seen this before.” He was about to make protest, but the look she shot him made the words shrivel and die right there in his throat, indeed remembering. When your wife was once hailed as a warlord, it was perhaps not in a man’s best interests to argue with her.  

“Ada, get the guests into the cellar, children first,” she then spoke, all of the men capable of fighting heading to the rear of the house, Isaiah and Mickey keeping an eye on the front from concealed points at the front windows, just to be certain. The three eldest of the Shelby men moved swiftly to the back of the house, Bryn vanishing within a flash.  

True to her estimations, bullets began to fly through the air, the three taking points of concealment to begin fighting back against the onslaught of machine gun wielding northers peppering the rear of the house with bullets. Being gunners in the army, the former members of the Warwickshire Yeomanry gave as good as they got, men hitting the ground with grunts as they were taken out, John wondering just where Bryn had gotten to when suddenly, a Rasmussen found himself in flight. 

She was bringing the attack from the air, he saw, the man screaming in surprise before his corpse hit the snowy ground, his head dropped a second later.  

“Got a bit of an affinity for that, hasn’t she?” Tommy shouted over the roar of the guns.  

“She ain’t half,” John snickered, watching another leave the ground rapidly. She seemed to change track then, the remaining men finding themselves rapidly disarmed, five of them left, Bryn landing neatly before them as her husband and brothers-in-law stood.  

“Do you have this handled, Brynhild? I think the fire brigade could benefit from being called and somebody going to check the front,” Tommy spoke, adjusting his jacket.  

Her smile grew, an eerie growl rattling her throat. One of the men made a move to his pocket, finding himself shot straight between the eyes by John. “Any more of ya move an inch and I swear to fuck, this ain’t gonna end well for ya. The rest of you, drop the bloody guns. Now.”  

She smiled, jerking her head in his direction as she spoke to Tommy. “If I didn’t, then he certainly does.” He departed, Bryn pivoting neatly, eyeing the men with alarming menace. “I feel the silver upon you all. If you wish to leave with your lives intact, then drop your weaponry and fight me, five on one. See how well you can best a woman when not armed with such an advantage.” 

One ran, Arthur sending a round into his back, the four remaining all rifling in their pockets, taking the silver knives they were armed with and casting them aside. “We go down fighting, lads. Hold your chins up now, boys.”  

“Yes,” Bryn rumbled in dark laughter, popping her fangs. “Hold your chins up, let me get a good look at what I am to bite.” She moved in a nanosecond, the first man missing his throat in the next moment, dropping to the floor. The remaining two found themselves toyed with, the vampire allowing them to get a few punches in even, laughing and cracking them back with balled fists that shattered bones, grinning widely as she did.  

The brother’s exchanged glances, Arthur pulling his hipflask out. “Shall we er, shall we just stand here and let her get on with it, John boy?” 

He took the flask passed to him, glugging back a few mouthfuls as he watched his wife put her fist clean through a skull. “Yeah, might as well. She looks like she’s having a good time of it.” He raised his eyebrows, passing the flask back, letting out a low whistle as he scratched his head.  

“What’s that face for, eh?” Arthur inquired, he and John ducking when a severed arm flew in their direction.  

“Ahh, just thinking how knackered I’m gonna be tomorrow. If she’s this amped up, she ain’t gonna calm down easily, so I’ll probably have to spend most of the early morning fucking her until she finally unwinds.” He snorted laughing, his grin widening. “What a fucking hardship, eh?” 

Arthur joined him in drunken laughter, watching Bryn continue to eviscerate the men. “Go on, love! Enjoy yaself!” He chuckled, looking back at John. “I think the way she is right now, you’ll probably break her back before you calm her down.” 

Once again, the hipflask was passed, John still tittering with mirth. “I dislocated her hip once, shagging the absolute shit out of her, I was. Proper gave her a pounding and then suddenly, CRACK! And she just fucking pops it back in like it’s nothing and tells me to carry on!” 

“Fucking hell!” 

“I know!” 

Arthur hiccupped, a long snort of laughter suddenly leaving his nose, hysterics following.  

“What?” John chuckled, laughing more the further his brother fell apart. 

“Your wife...” 

“Yeah, what about me wife?” 

“She’s a fucking vampire!” His laughter was but a drunken hiss as he hugged his sides, snorting, John descending with him. “How the fuck is our life even fucking real that you’re married to a dead bird? And how am I alright with it all when I was so fucking... well you know how I was.” 

John watched Bryn’s little spree of carnage end, dropping a severed head onto the floor, muttering complaint about her patio becoming bloody. “Because she’s great?” 

“Yeah,” he agreed, the vampire herself appearing before them at speed, Arthur reaching out and holding her face in his hands, kissing her forehead. “She bloody is.” 

“Okay, it seems I am done,” Bryn finished, sucking blood from her fingers, grinning in triumph.  

“And what do you propose is done with the bodies, bab?” Arthur asked, reaching to pull a piece of sinew from her hair.  

“I have some old, jute sacks in the outhouse from coal deliveries. I shall scoop up what remains, weigh each one down and dump them into Witton Lakes. It is the nearest deep body of water I can think of.” 

“You better hurry, love,” John spoke, jerking his head in the direction of the house. “Fire brigade will be here in a bit, and the old bill will likely turn up with ‘em an’ all.” 

He made a good point. The sudden explosion of a number of cars would of course rouse suspicion of criminal activity. While she was ferrying the dead over to Witton, though, John and Arthur assisting in quickly covering all the bloodied snow by shovelling fresh atop it, Tommy explained away the incident to the police.  

“I think it was my fault, constable,” he began, viewing the smouldering wreck of his Bentley. “I tampered with the fuel pipe before we went in, sure somat was coming loose there for the fact I noticed a little puddle of fuel on the drive. All it took was somebody accidentally being careless with a cigarette end and whoomph. They all went up.”  

His lie was believed completely, for who on earth would want to condemn his own Bentley to the fiery inferno it had become? “And you are the owner of the property, Mr. Shelby?” 

“No, that’d be my sister-in-law. One moment.” Bryn was speedily lathering a bar of Pears soap in her hands when he found her in the kitchen, touching a hand to her shoulder. “The old Bill are out front, want a word with you, sweetheart.”  

She nodded, placing a kiss upon his cheek as she passed him by, going to relay the same reason for the fire as she’d heard Tommy himself state. “I will arrange for the cars to be towed away tomorrow, lest bring the beauty of the neighbourhood down, officer.” 

He smiled at her, nodding. “Not to worry, my lady. We’ll pencil this up as a very unfortunate accident and be on our way. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”  

Oh, how she planned to.  

Her first call was to open more champagne, and get stuck into the bottle of blood sent by her son a little further.  

“Go on, bab. Get it down ya neck!” John encouraged, witnessing her chugging it directly from the bottle. She turned to him with a wide grin, a definite twinkle glittering her eye. “Oh blimey, I know that look. I’m gonna have a right sore cock tomorrow, ain’t I?”  

She chuckled, reaching for him, pulling him close by his suit jacket. “Nothing a little vampire blood shan’t fix.” 

His eyes widened. “I think I’m gonna need more than a little by the way you’re looking at me, fucking hell!” Oh, how right he’d been in what he’d shared with Arthur. Placing the empty bottle down, she beamed at him, moving to run her hands over his chest and exchange kisses of heated longing. They didn’t last too much longer among their guests, quietly slipping away to their bedroom.  

John still couldn’t quite believe it, that he’d gone from a back-to-back on Watery Lane to such an exclusive address, picking up his bride and nibbling her cheek before carrying her to the bedroom as she giggled drunkenly. A flick of her hand had all the many candles as well as the fireplace roaring into life, their undress hungry yet careful, lying naked and entwined while sharing magmatic kisses.  

The fire built to roar steadily as they relished in one another, burning as strongly as their desire, casting the alabaster of John’s skin in a beautiful, deep amber glow as Bryn watched him delight her body in kisses and licks The muscles in his back undulated in a display of erotic delight, his mouth eventually settling between her legs, tongue drubbing through the petals of her cunt with wild hunger.   

He, as ever, had her mewling and twitching against his ministrations, one hand clasping her breast while the other pulled tight in his hair, the suction of his lips around her tender, throbbing bud evoking a wail. A bonfire of pleasure roared within her core, the need to be filled by him driving the vampire to distraction. 

“John, please, my darling. I need you.” 

He grinned against her, skimming a quick lick over her swollen clit. “Already got me right here, though, ain’t ya?” 

“Don’t be clever!” Her frustration was met by the usual amusement, his laugh filling the air. “You know exactly what I want, John Shelby.” 

“Oh ar, sweetheart. I know.” Open mouthed kisses plotted his ascent of her body, big hands pushing her thighs wider, his entire form rippling with the anticipation of being inside her as her husband for the first time, the press and stretch of him making her gasp as she sheathed him, his entire length arrowing into her soaking centre.  

Spearing her, watching the round of each breast bounce from the force, a wanton growl echoing his chest, his teeth sharp at her nipples, hands flexing upon her waist as he drove himself back and forth, enjoying the clutch of wet satin around him, panting hard against her soft, tattooed flesh.  

Already, the heat of it fizzed caustically through her bones, thighs trembling as they began to squeeze tightly around him, his mouth everywhere. Ravenous kisses peppered her breasts, clavicles and neck, his throat rumbling with the most sexual of sounds. Nothing sounded as sinful to her as John’s groans when he was inside of her.   

She was vanquished by her new husband completely, spread around the thick of his cock, held under his weight, her fingertips exploring, mapping each rise and fall of him, nails grazing his back. The way his body rutted against her provided the perfect pressure against her potent little bundle, already swollen from the incessant laving of his tongue, lightning beginning to flicker at the base of her spine as she twitched and pulsed around him. 

His girth dragged her, the hot wet of her saturating him with the gloss of her arousal, his hips beginning to piston against her. He held her face in his hands, staring down at her. “Fucking love you so much, Bryn.” he panted, teeth grazing her throat, fingers moving to tangle within her hair, the wild heat rising between them both. Each kiss he bestowed swallowed down every one of her little cries as their lips meet, whispering his love for her again tenderly, a heavenly juxtapose to how brutally he began to fuck her. 

They clamoured at each other, intense love and passions spiralling, his hands grasped tight upon her thighs, holding her still enough to take the full brunt of each merciless thrust, coaxing heady wails, watching as she gritted and cussed, his smile wide. The sounds of her moans were not the only sounds audible to him, though, the thump of hands pounding against the bedroom door the precursor to the next.  

“Go on, our John boy!” Arthur roared, laughing, a clearly entertained Tommy at least attempting to pull him away from the door through his own snickering. “Ain’t no man who fucks his woman as thorough as a fuckin’ Shelby man!”  

Bryin raised an eyebrow, her hands running down his sweaty chest. “Your brother is at least correct in his heckled encouragement.” 

“Ain’t half.” he panted, mouth pressing to hers once more as they both began to feel the rolling orb of heat swell and tumble, ice chased by tempest over their bones, his thrusts becoming staccato, cock making constellations burst through the hug of her molten walls. 

She cried out, nails digging into his shoulders as she clung on, rolling her hips up against him, the lightning jumping from strike point to strike point as the storm both swelled and crashed, her entire body alight as he pulsed jets of hot cum within her fluttery walls.  

Utterly spent, breathless and all that was electrifying ebbing away, the sparks persisted in gentle fizz, Bryn stroking his face as they shared tender kisses. As John predicted, it took a long time to wear his new wife out, but as they fell into sleep just as the dawn broke, it was with a huge smile upon his face for finally managing to do it.  

[ann-writes-universes]

Archangel (AzrielxReader) Pt. 11

A/N: phew.

Warnings: ANGST

W/C: 3.7k

~

Far different were Helion’s meals than that of the Night Court’s inner circle. Gone was the familiarity and quaintness of the River House Dining room. In its place- the finery and revelry of Helion’s “gazebo” (which seemed to be code word for opulent outdoor dining area) fitted with a small string band and a table large enough to dine fourty. 

“I’d say I am surprised- but he has a tendency to do these things…” Azriel leaned down to whisper in your ear as you approached Helion who was standing with his back to the two of you, overlooking the view of his capital city below. 

“Bit of a show off?” You asked, never once taking your eyes off of the High Lord’s wide back, why was it so hot in here?

“You have no idea.” Azriel chuckled, composing his features as Helion turned to face you. He was once more adorning his golden crown, though-  he had changed into a white tunic and pants. With the sun setting behind him he was haloed by oranges and pinks so divine you weren't sure Feyre could even capture the beauty of his silhouette with her finest paints and brushes.  If angels had existed and could be present, this is what they would have looked like you decided-  beautiful, serene. 

Striding forward he stopped only feet before you, bending at the waist to bow and offer you a hand. His motion shuddered, and his eyes fell to the intertwined fingers of you and Azriel’s joined hands. A glimmering light flashed across the High Lord’s eyes and he raised his gaze to Azriel who stiffened briefly. Some unspoken words were shared between the males and Helion smiled slightly, relenting and drawing his hand back to his own space. You glanced at Azriel who only nodded and released his hold on your hand. 

“You look lovely, (Y/N).” Helion spoke, his voice soft and wholly honest as he drank in your face. “I had heard you became fae but I didnt realize…” Hiz gaze trained on Azriel once more, and the Spymaster cleared his throat. 

“That you had become a part of the Night court.” Helion finished, his tone clipped and his brows raised. You bussied your hands with the skirts of your dress and swallowed. 

“I wouldn't say that.” You replied, finding Helion’s gaze and forcing the High lord to hold it as you spoke, “I’ve been taken in by them for the time being it seems.” 

With a guarded expression Helion only hummed in acknowledgement of the statement, “I see..” Motioning towards the table, now laden with steaming food, the lord of day pulled your chair out for you. 

Once your trio was seated and dining quietly you began to pry, “What makes you think I have joined their court, High Lord?” You purred, filling your glass with a shimmering wine. Azriel looked up from his meal and watched you intensely, his back ramrod straight.

With thoughts clouding his eyes Helion looked briefly to Azriel before shrugging and swallowing a bite of quail, “Your letter was on a piece of parchment with Rhysand’s seal, and now you have arrived with a member of his court.” 

You paled, and Azriel looked up quickly. 

“Letter?” 

“Why yes- (Y/N) sent me a letter re-” 

A bolt of light beneath the table and a poor fae male approaching with another goblet of wine was stumbling and drenching the fine fabric of your dress in the dark liquid. You screeched and jumped from your seat, staring down wide eyed as though you hadn't caused the mess yourself. 

Both males leaned forward in their seats, Helion offering the young servant some harsh words before he was standing to offer you napkins and aid. 

“Really- its alright!” You laughed loosely, praying that Azriel would drop the letter Helion had mentioned. Waving him off you sat back in your seat and glanced at the spymaster, his eyes were trained on the table and judging from the ticking in his jaw you were sure he would bring it up again later. 

“My apologies, the younger ones can be clumsy.” Helion grit out, eyes trained on the path that poor male had taken. You made a mental note to check on the kid later, find a way to apologize for whatever punishment he endured. 

You smiled lightly and only shrugged it off, continuing to eat. They had fallen for it- completely forgotten the conversation being held previously. 

The rest of the dinner flowed easily, the males talked of stories long past and Helion steered the conversation away from anything pertaining to Amarantha or the Mountain. You were grateful, and fell easily into fanciful conversation about nothing important. By the time the hour long meal had ended you were warm from the wine and aching at the sides from laughter. Even Azriel- passive a always- was smiling and had relaxed into his seat a fraction. 

“May I abhor you for a walk through the garden?” Helion spoke as the three of you stood to part ways. Azriel stared at you pensively, but the anger brewing beneath his amber eyes only spurred your wine hazed mind further. 

“Of course.” 

~

If Helion’s gardens had been magical during the day, they were absolutely enchanting at night. The soft song of the birds had faded away into a symphony of crickets and toads alike- and jasmine thick and strong permeated the warm air. Spring here was much different from the Night Court- as though the world here had clung to every inch of warmth from the sun in order to banish the creeping tendrils of last winter’s chill. 

You strolled beside Helion, his hands ever clasped behind his back and his golden eyes trained on the cobbled path before you. He was deep in thought- rummaging through the list of questions he had no doubt. 

After several minutes of silence it seemed he stumbled upon one that suited him and he cocked his head to the side as you walked, “So where does knocking my servant to the ground come into these elusive powers you wrote to me about?” 

A blush, crimson and hot creeped up your chest and rested firmly upon your cheeks, “I thought the young ones were clumsy?”

Helion smiled and hummed “Ah- yes. They are but Dorian is two hundred years old (y/n), and has served  me well for the past 150. Never once has he faltered and drenched my guests in wine.” He motioned to the stain that had taken residence on your dress, and with a snap of his fingers and a knowing look- it was gone. 

“You caught me.” 

His brows furrowed and he stopped momentarily to study a particularly colorful zinnia bush, “Why did you not tell Azriel you wrote to me?” He spoke, not turning his gaze away from the blushing petals. 

“I didnt tell any of them I wrote to you.”

“Why not?” 

You moved away from him then, continued strolling slowly down the path, hyper aware that he had once more begun to follow a few paces behind you. The whisper of your skirts on the stone below called him forward, the high lord only stopping when you took a seat on a bench lining the path. 

“Because I did not want them to know I was seeking answers, Helion.” You admitted finally, watching him as he came to a stop, opting to stand and watch you ponder. “They are keeping things from me- things about myself, my ability that could be useful.” 

The lord of day sighed and picked imaginary lint off of his shirt. Raising his hand he summoned a light, strong and bright that cast out the whisper of night and lit up your secret garden with the glow of day. 

“There are things that Rhysand and the others are not telling you- that much is certain.” You nodded at his words, watched that light as it bobbed and danced in his hand, “But they are not keeping anything about your abilities from you.” He finished and tossed the light towards you.

Reaching out a hand you let the light fall into your palm, your own, weaker, light joining it. They danced in your palm, melted into one another like liquid gold. 

“How can you be so certain?” You whispered, transfixed by the scene you held. Helion took a seat beside you and braced himself on his knees, his eyes falling to the lights as well. 

“Because they have no reason to- they know what you are.” He cupped his palm over yours, extinguished his light. The garden once more was cast into darkness until the high Lord lifted his hand. The dim light of your own magic was resting in your palm, humming with energy and life. 

“How can you know that for sure?” You watched it, mulling over that thrum it held. “How can they know if I dont even know myself?”

“Because Beddor, like calls to like.” He flicked the orb with little strength and the light shot into the sky above, with brilliant intensity the night lit up, the orb exploding into a cascade of stars, bright and powerful, miles above your heads. 

You stared at it, trailed the stars as they fell into the world, your jaw was slack and your skin was warm. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Helion- tight lipped and saddened watching you marvel at the scene you had created. 

“The High Lord of Night is not keeping that a secret from you, (y/n).” His voice was a whisper, taut with emotion you could not discern. Your first night here and he was revealing to you more than you had possibly hoped for. 

With tight shoulders Helion stood and dusted his pants, “The answers you seek are closer than you realize. I can help you learn a bit about this gift but I can not tell you what they are keeping from you.” The air was perfumed with the faint smell of ash, barely peaking over the jasmine “Use what you have to your advantage. Give me the week to find what I can.” 

His eyes- his eyes so closely resembled the look they held the night he watched you crumple to the floor beneath the mountain as Clare died. Pain and guilt had etched themselves so deeply into his features that you only closed your lips and nodded. 

“Goodnight, (y/n).” 

“Goodnight, Helion.” And you sat for a moment longer as the High Lord walked down the path, leaving you with the croak of the toads and that small bobbing light you had summoned once more. 

~

“I think you and I need to talk.” Azriel spoke from his spot outside of your room. He leaned against the door, arms crossed over his broad chest. You raised a brow at his words and pushed him out of the way, a motion he allowed. Flinging open the door of your chambers you let it swing wide as you sauntered in, freeing your hair from its pins as you walked. 

“Do we?” You mused, stopping in the small sitting area to drop the pins onto the low table there. He stalked into the room after you, and the slam of your door sent frames shaking and an echo clanging through the room like a symbol. “That was rude.” You muttered, struggling with a particularly nasty pin at the back of your head. 

“What letter was he talking about?” His tone was clipped as he strode forward, knocking your hand out of the way to pull the pin himself. You thanked him quietly as he moved away from you to brace his arms on a velveted chair. 

Shrugging you pulled the laces of your corset, let the dress loosen before you sat down, filling one of the awaiting glasses on your table with wine left by Misae. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. He must have been confused with the letter Rhysand sent in response to his request that I visit.” 

The male scoffed and watched you bring that glass to your lips and drink deeply before pouring yourself another. “Don't play coy with me, Beddor. What letter?” 

You watched as the bubbling wine settled and slid down the sides of your glass- perhaps you had poured too much. The liquid seeped onto your fingers and slid down, down, down. Without looking up you huffed, “What is it you don't want Cassian to tell me?” 

Azriel tilted his head to the side, dark brows furrowing as he watched you. “What are you talking about?” 

You shrugged and drank deeply once more, relishing in the warm fuzz returning from its absence after dinner. “Its a beautiful thing Azriel. To have a gift your court claims to know so little about.”

You summoned that light, let it glint in the space before your face. His shadows rose in reply, curling above his shoulders and settling around his ears. His eyes widened, the shadows pulling close to the tips of his wings, as though they were watching that curious light.

“You're Not the only one with a watchdog, Azriel.” You hummed, eyes trailing up the length of him before settling on his eyes, “What is it you don't want Cassian to tell me?hmm?”

He was staring at you, expression hardly readable as you downed your second glass and stood. You hadn't wanted to confront him, to have that clipped tone in your voice that Rhysand and Azriel used so often to speak to you. But it felt good, felt good to watch him be dumbfounded. 

It could have been the wine that made your shoulders square, or the words you and Helion had shared but you stepped towards him, slid in between his body and the chair before him. 

“What is it that Rhysand thinks im not ready to hear? That Cassian swore not to speak of?” 

He was breathing heavily, staring down at you through dark lashes. Through the open air windows the moon cast long shadows on the plane of his face. 

“Im sure Helion will tell you.” He grit out, dragging his eyes over the scope of your chest before looking to your face once more. 

“Perhaps he will. He’s quite helpful in that department, unlike some people.” You were seething now, ripping away from his gaze and sauntering back to that little table which promised wine. You discarded the glass, opted to grab the bottle and make your way towards the doors leading to the balcony. 

“You want the truth, Beddor?” He called, and when you turned over your shoulder he was still standing by that chair, watching you with a darkened gaze. Turning to face him fully you turned the bottle up and drank, motioning at him with your hand to continue speaking. 

He strode forward and ripped the bottle from your lips, “Enough of this.” He pressed until your back was pressing into the cool glass of the doors, his arms raising to cage you in a cocoon of muscle and membranous wing. 

“They won't tell you because its not their secret to share.” 

“Is it yours to keep, Azriel?” You challenged, even standing ramrod straight you couldn't look him in the eye. His lips thinned and that damn muscle was ticking in his jaw again. You raised a hand, let your index finger smooth over it. He stiffened below your touch and watched you with bated breath. 

“It isn't, is it shadowsinger?” It came out as hardly a whisper. Your jaw was set, posture guarded. You were challenging him and it was making him sloppy. When had a female last tried it with him? Last caused him to rethink his next move?

The wine was warming your blood, clouding your brain. He was so close to you, closer than he had been that night he held you on the townhouse floor. 

“No. No it isnt.” He replied, leaning back slightly. With a final glance he was turning away from you, bringing the bottle of wine to his own lips as he walked back to that chair and dropped heavily into it. 

Despite yourself you sucked in a deep breath in your newfound space, let it clear your head a bit. 

“They were giving me time to find a way to tell you on my own. But then you assumed we were keeping something from you as some form of fucked up leverage.” He spoke, staring at a painting on the wall across from him. You stayed stationary, watched him unravel from beside the door. 

“Truth be told they found out by accident, they all did.” 

“What did they find out, Azriel.” You urged, tired of him dancing around the words. His brows were furrowed and he finished the bottle quickly. Good gods… 

He turned his head to look at you, swallowed thickly at the way the straps of your dress were falling off your shoulders, how mused your hair was, the halo of the moonlight around your disheveled form. 

You were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen

He looked away.

“You're my mate, (Y/N).”

The world tilted on its axis, stopped spinning briefly. He chuckled weakly at his own words, dropped his head into his hands. The air in your lungs dissipated entirely. Mates. That word had meant nothing to you two years ago. Hell- it had meant nothing to you until Elain had sobbed in your bedroom all those months ago as she divulged her darkest secrets to you about Lucien. 

“Its a soul tie, (y/n). We are bound to each other because their gods believed it fit. It goes above all law.” 

She had sobbed into your hair. Of course, she had gone into the practicalities, how she could deny him if she so pleased but that denying a bond the other craved often destroyed the mate in question. 

Your head was spinning.

Suddenly, oh so suddenly, you were a small girl laying on the lawn of your family’s hillside manor dreaming of falling in love because you could not because you had to. What was that word he had uttered other than the promise to a life you had not crafted on your own?

You had gone still, a deathly still that had Azriel shifting in his seat and standing slowly. 

“I’ve upset you.” He whispered.

“How long have you know?” You questioned, eyes trained on the floor. He stopped moving, tucked his outstretched hand back into his pants pocket and rubbed his shoe into the ground. 

“Since Hybern.” 

Months.

He had known for months.

“Oh my gods…” 

And you felt it then, a tug in the center of your chest so hard that you fell to your knees on the bedroom floor. It cleaved through your ribs and wrapped around the epicenter of your body, pulling and tugging you towards the master of shadows- But all you could do was wrap your arms around yourself and stare up at him. He was wide eyed and slack jawed, in awe that you had finally felt it. 

“(y/n)-” He started, sinking low to the floor before you as you began to cry. He was far enough away for you to have space, but low enough that you could look him eye to eye. 

He was your friend. He had held you in the town house, built your snowman, spent time with you in the cabin, gotten to know you over the past season of your life. He had defended you against Rhysand, stood up for you. 

It had warmed you to him- knowing that you had a friend, and to learn that it was because of some cosmic bullshit that made him feel like he owned you in some way no one else was allowed to… 

It was all beginning to make sense now. The anger in which he reacted whenever his friends had raised their voices at you, or made a suggestive statement, or Helion walking with you alone. Cassian on the bridge. 

You were drowning and there was no life vest anywhere. Gasping for air you folded in on yourself, watched him fight the urge to surge forward. 

“It was all a lie?” You questioned, more to yourself than him. His frown deepened and he scrambled to explain himself. 

“None of it was a lie.” He caught your eyes, held your gaze with such intensity that you had to look away, “None of it, I swear to you.” 

All will come in due time.

That little voice had whispered to you in Rhysand’s office. You nodded weakly at Azriel’s words, “I need you to leave.” 

“I’ll go to my room if you want that.”

“No-” You shook your head and something like hope sparked in his eyes, “I need you to leave the day court. I’ll spend the rest of my week here with Feyre if I have too have an escort, but I need you to leave.” 

Azriel swallowed thickly and stood, what could he say? There was nothing he could reply with other than a curt nod before he was forcing his feet to take him away from you, and down the hall away from your room. 

As he closed the bedroom door, the lock clicking firmly into place, your body cracked open with a sob- deep and mournful. 

“It is a woman’s greatest honor in life to be chosen as a man’s wife.”

“But mother, what if I do not love him?” Clare whispered as your mother tucked the two of you into your separate beds.

“Love can come with time.” 

You had replayed that conversation in your head since you were seven years old. Thought of it everytime Clare was courted or you observed your parents laughing together. It was always so stiff, so void of small touches and glances that the novels you read deemed love to be- that you decided at an early age you would never become someone's wife just for the sake of being their wife. You’d never wait for love to “come with time”. 

And yet here you were, laying on the cold marble floors of the Day Court sobbing over a mate given to you by gods that had - in your mind - long since been dead. 

Rhysand had been right.

You werent ready, and faintly- some part of you deep down knew you would never be ready to accept it. 

You rolled over on the smooth stone below and watched the moon sink below the horizon to welcome the sun. Too tired to move, you closed your eyes against the glare and hoped that when Misae came to wake you, Azriel would be long gone. 

~

TAGS:

All ACOTAR:

@brekkershadowsinger @piceous21 @younxii @momlo @morelovemorepeacemoretattoo-blog @highladyofillyria @crimsonandwhiteprincess @purplevitagen @isthataknuck

Archangel Tags 

@wanderer-by-heart @fussel9913 @marigold-morelli. @eatsleepreadance @esposadomd @blitz-fall @a-little-disguised @sevikas-whore @judig92 @@we-were-beautiful @willowkirk @ariaaira @paasrin @dream-alittlebiggerdarling @highlyselectiveextrovert @fall-myriad issybee0611 @auggie2000

(I think I got everyone this round :,) <3 )

[sophiaredwood03]

Forlorn Pasts

HI! ...Never thought I'd spend 3 hours writing and re-writing this. I went and wrote a sort of Prequel to Recollections and Consequences . It's sort of a parallel to it. I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you like it! Comments are welcome! This is Vane with familiars, btw.

@atomsminecraft

Enjoy!

Every day, the gentle thrumming of the waves wake me up. To the sight of a small black cat curled up at the foot of bed, and feeling the gentle vibrations through the small island. The bed creaks and I feel a jolt of shock as the chill from the marble floor shoots through me. I can see the whole island from here. Acres upon acres of flowers, bubbling streams, mountains topped with snow rising in the distance. 

A streak of ruby red and cerulean blue twists and turns in the waning sun, before twisting, and then coiling. For a moment, the sky looks as if an eclipse has happened. 

Then, all of a sudden, a shadow looms on the ground and a strong wind blows into my face. Purring gently, the cat arches its back and springs up onto the windowsill. A scaly muzzle pushes itself under my palm.

I don’t want to go into town again. I can’t bear to see those rows of hesitant, frightened jewel-like eyes gazing at me, watching my every step. 

“...I should look at Saligia.” 

A shower of gold sparkles fell onto the flower fields below. 

…It’s so high up. I can see… all the kingdoms from here. So bright and beautiful, with lights on at every window and laughter ringing out from every door.Well, it would be, I suppose. It is the anniversary of The Cage of Peace, and the fall of Iritium.

I received an invite, of course. But it only the latest to fall onto a stack of letters, wax seals all still unopened. All slowly gathering dust. Except for one letter with a broken seal. That was the invite to the first anniversary.

When I pushed open those doors, the folds of my dress rustling, the room went silent. Not even the kings dared to look me in the eye. Oh, they were polite, of course. But I could tell that there was a undercurrent of fear behind every word that passed their mouths, surging through carefully placed compliments.

“She’s a witch, you know.” muttered a nobleman, clad in green. “She’s beautiful, you know-” whispered a young debutante, her voice barely more than  a breath , “-but I doubt that she has a living heart, with that way she dealt with-” Her her voice trailed off under her mother's disapproving gaze.

“Lord Vingard, what are your views on-”

“The Lady Vane?” Said the renowned diplomat

“Yes, milord.”

“Well-” a wineglass was raised, and wine as red as rubies splashed into it “ A great adeptus in magic, certainly. But, you know-” 

I caught his eye.

A great red cloak swirled and vanished out of the balcony door.

“I wonder-” a wine splashed into a glass, “- does the Lady intend for someone to perish on this fine night?” 

A fan, held by a slender hand, snapped open. “My, what would cause such a thought, Lord Royce?” 

“She’s all dressed in black, the finest satins and silks, certainly, but that surely cannot disguise her ill intent, now can it?” His tone, dripping with suspicion, cut me deeper than the sharpest dagger. 

Surely, they must realise that I mean them no ill harm?

…Right?

“Hmm.” Eyes laced with contempt pierced through me. “Nor can it conceal that most ignoble, low-blood running through her veins.” …What a low blow, indeed. A challenge that was practically begging for it to turn into a fight.

At that moment, I felt it. The weight of their prejudices, weighing me down, pressing against my heart like thorns. I couldn’t even  open my mouth to defend myself.

How I wish I could have been right. 

I left early. Not a human, they say. They all seem to agree that I’m fundamentally… different… from them.

…Did you know, I dreamed of a girl last night. Very like me, she was. Sitting by a window beneath the red moon- with a look of shock and confusion on her face. Her eyes were filled with fear, and yet! Why do I feel like she is returning to her homeland for the first time?

 I wonder who she is?

Smiling, I turn and spin in starlight, the wind curling around me and caressing my hair with a gentle hand. It feels like… my body is being filled up with the light of stars that are far away from here. I feel like Saligia will be re-awakened soon.

“...To my dream-girl… What’s your name, dear?”

[moonstonedrawsrandomly]

The Release 15🟢

“-so that’s their plan…bring back Gaia to defeat me? Hah! And what about it? What are they going to do to the literal god of death itself?”

Narinder said. Baal had to comment after that statement.

“My lord, shouldn’t this be something to be concerned about? You haven’t acquired the lambs yet, the Bishops acquired Fernilla, and you still haven’t appeared above ground in a long time. We actually might be running out of time, and if they successfully bring back Gaia…"

Ayn trailed off. Narinder leans back.he didn’t want to say this but this is a HUGE setback. Remmembering their past, Gaia, his mother, was one of the best, if not one of the only, mentors of Magic left in existence. She is quite literally one of the most powerful magic wielders and when she is paired with his Eldest sibling’s brute strength, they are unstoppable…if this was in the past.

“It won’t happen. The bishops are all handicapped, remember? I destroyed a part of them before they sealed me. There is nothing to fret. I will simply re-emerge when they return Fernilla to the forest…or when she calls me.”

He gets up. Remembering that Fernilla is still tethered to him. It’s been 5 days now. The sixth day will be upon them.

“Once I emerge and she is with them for merely a few days, She’ll beg me to take her under my wing again…and then I can finish her off, finish off the bishops, take her lambs as my personal slaves and the whole kingdom will be mine!”

Narinder laughs. If only he knew that Fernilla and Moses were getting three meals a day and a warm bed to sleep in by the SAME PEOPLE WHO SEALED HIM!

Days have passed as the others collected the materials and the “sacrifices” to make her revival a reality. Only close members knew about this, in the event that it backfires. Leshy and Noelle have been spending some time together as it looked like it was going to be very soon.

“Bishop Leshy, Noelle is here”

“Let her in.”

Noelle walked into Leshy’s private greenhouse. A huge greenhouse with its own sprawling garden and full of flowers. Clearly Co-Owned and inherited from his sister as pumpkins, Corn, and other assorted vegetables and fruit grow plentiful in the area year round.

“Bishop Leshy? You called me?”

“Noelle, you know better! Just call me Leshy! I know elder sibling is hard on formalities, but we’re alone now. Come, I have some snacks we can share!”

He said as he lead her to a more private area of the greenhouse. To Noelle’s surprise, it wasn’t a table but a little picnic. Some of the glass panes were opened to let the breeze in. Noelle was amazed! They nibbled on their snacks and Noelle laid down. Leshy laid down next to her and asked her a question.

“Noelle? Do you like me?”

“Of course! You are very kind, Leshy”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean…do you want to stay with me? “

Noelle gets up.

“Stay? Like…forever?”

She asked. Leshy takes her hands in his. Her small hands in his made them look huge. He then places his hand over both of them. She believes she understands what the bagworm is talking about.

“Yeah, will you stay in the kingdom forever? I can ask Mom! She can go through Shamura and we can find you a house! You’ll have a royal title and you can do whatever you want! Wouldn’t that be great?”

Noelle looked at their hands intertwined with each other. Staying in the Old Faith? Is that even an option? There is no home for her to return to, and that Narinder guy still wants her and Moses. That’s right, Moses and Fernilla. Can she just leave them to their own devices? Will they need help?

“I…”

Noelle couldn’t answer because then she felt that aura again. Shamura and Gaia

“Sorry for interrupting your little date, Dear!”

“Ah!”

“Mom! Shamura! I swear no one knows anything about privacy What is it?”

He said. Noelle looked away. Gaia cleared her throat.

“It’s time. And we only have one shot”

Leshy and Noelle perk up. Leshy helps Noelle up.

“Let’s go, Noelle”

“Right”

All four of them were being led into a room. This room was Gaia’s old room that had the door seal removed from the entrance. There was the old statue over the area cleared for the ritual.

“How long until the next day comes?”

“We still have time but we have to worry about sunset. If what Fernilla said was true, we are in day 5.”

Kallamar said as Heket was ordering the blood to be drawn in these exact patterns.

“Do not screw this up! We only have one chance to bring back Gaia!”

Kallamar looks out the window and the sun has moved. It could be the afternoon, but once sunset comes, that’s when HE will return from wherever he is. Plus, he’s behind their gate so everyone in the Clan is vulnerable.

“How are the preparations?”

“We are almost done, we should take our places now.”

Kallamar said. Shamura is handed the book with the ritual inside.

“Alright, are we ready?”

Shamura said. Fernilla and Moses had arrived and were waiting for the ritual.

“Forgive my goddess, she’s not feeling her best. Her stomache isn’t cooperating”

He said. Gaia nodded as Shamura steps forward.

“The last thing we need is for her to pass out. Here, suck on this during the ritual, it will keep you focused”

They handed her a mint. She plops it in her mouth. Whatever was in this mint really did the trick. Her stomache ceased doing somersaults. Shamura gave off a small smile.

“Good. Everyone is here, shall we begin Gaia?”

Shamura takes Gaia’s crown and places her in the middle of the circle.

“If this is the last time I see you, I love you so dearly”

“And I you, but I don’t think this will be the last time”

And Shamura steps back. Everyone stood in a circle engraved out for them. The lambs hid behind a Marble pole for safety.

“We only got one shot! Everyone, thank you so much for your effort! Let’s do our best!”

She said. Everyone took their places. Moses taps Noelle as she turns

“After all of this, when they are successful…will you come with us?”

Moses asked. Noelle looked away.

“Honestly? I don’t know, Moses. Leshy just asked me this morning if I will stay within the walls of the Clan. Even I don’t know who to choose”

She said. Moses didn’t really like that answer. Fernilla was her original god. Pairing up with the bishops was for survival, but maybe it’s deeper.

“Ah!”

It all makes sense now! He has to ask her!

“Are you in love with him or something?”

Noelle’s face turned bright red

“Wha- what are you-“

He stops her for a moment. Then he looked outside.

“They need to hurry, the sun can set any time now. It’s going further west”

He said. Thankfully, they started the ritual just then. It was a long ritual, bringing a soul from not the dead, but from another dimension was extremely hard on the body, bodies that weren’t strong enough. No one expected that it would take so much to bring her back.

“Gak!”

Someone coughed.

“Big Sister! Are you alright?”

Leshy said. His eye was hurting but it wasn’t that severe. Fernilla was fine, but the other three…they weren’t looking good.

“Mom! The others don’t look good!”

“Miss Gaia! What do we do?”

Gaia’s crown was silent. Gaia was slowly making her way there, she couldn’t hear them or see them, she just needed to reach the light, and fast! The clutches of death aren’t that far behind. Narinder noticed this rift in the atmosphere

“Is that-“

“My lord! Gaia is trying to get back!”

Ayn and Baal said. Narinder began to follow her close behind. Gaia can’t see him due to the darkness. She only had one goal, to return to her family

“Even if she gets out. I’ll be coming to get her! I’m going out too!”

He said. As Gaia continued her way out of this realm, Kallamar collapsed

“Kallamar!”

Leshy shouted. Noelle and Moses looked on, scared that he just died right in front of them

“Do not break your concentration! Kallamar is fine!”

Heket said. Leshy began to feel the effects of the ritual. Fernilla kept looking at the outside. The sun was setting.

“Please Gaia…hurry!”

Noelle pleaded. Another hour goes by and another bishop goes down, this time it was Heket. Shamura might be next at this point, with their condition, they are even shocked that they are still up. Pure stubbornness at this point.

“Gaia…please…”

Shamura pleaded. The pain and the fatigue was too great for his older siblings…Leshy is going to go down soon…but Fernilla…she’s holding on. Using every ounce of her ability. She’s compensating for two crown now.

“Fernilla…your doing great…stay focused…”

“Yeah Shamura…”

She said. Then another this was heard. Leshy went down. Shamura couldn’t keep the extra strength and Fernilla was already comping 2 extra powers…will Gaia even make it across?

“Forgive me for being so weak! I’d sorry!”

Fernilla said. Tears rolled down her face. And in that moment, they thought about Narinder…how they felt that way a lot. A weakness they cannot control, they soothe the lower goddess.

“You’re doing great. It’s alot for someone who’s not used to it. Just keep holding on, okay?”

Shamura lifts himself and takes over the other part of Leshy’s energy so she dies t have to.

Badump!

“!”

They both look at each other. Then it happened again. Gaia.

“Bishop Shamura! Is that!-“

TBC

[happyinjection]

♠️♥️High Card Short Story 4 “The Hectic Daily Life of Wendy Sato” (3/3)♦️♣️

Past midday, the grind for business negotiations and clerical work continues. It dawned on Wendy that the office had been abnormally quiet...

Original: https://twitter.com/highcard_pj/status/1537631536060567552

Author: https://twitter.com/poipheno

Artist: https://twitter.com/ebimoji3

I sat in the reception room. In front of me, across the low table, stood Leo who had been speaking with a VIP customer. Negotiations with that man always dragged on for hours, and my eyelids were getting heavy. Certainly Leo felt the same way, but he maintained a cheerful facade as they talked away.

During lunch, I had gone out for ramen with Finn and Chris, and to top it off, at tea time, Chris had ordered a chocolate brownie, which I also took several bites from.

Thinking absentmindedly about the work still waiting to get done by the remainder of the day, I slowly began to doze off.

And then, right as I fell asleep.

“---just show me the documents.”

“Wendy. Give me those papers.”

“Ah, o-okay! Here you go!”

I took the documents out from a briefcase and handed them over in a hurry. For  a second there, Leo shot me a sharp glare as he took the papers from me. Then he immediately returned to his innocent smile, not unlike putting on a mask.

So I had done it again. The lack of sleep I was getting these days was to blame.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

Later on, Leo and Vijay left. Business were going to take long today, and thus they would not be returning to the branch office. It left me with only Finn and Chris as company. That said, it seemed that those two were in the basement. As someone who spent most of my time off duty indoors, when people left and the store became quiet, I couldn’t help feeling a bit lonely. However, it was precisely the time to concentrate on my job. I pushed my glasses up and re-tied my hair.

“Alright.....!”

---Time passed by in a flash. Coincidentally, there were no more customers coming, so I managed to get a lot of work done.

All that was left is to find Chris, whom the client sealed a deal with the other day, and have him confirm the documents. I looked around for Chris, but he was nowhere to be seen.

.....Strange.

Papers in hand, I quickly stood from my seat and headed to the basement. If there happen to be a phone call or a customer coming in while I was away, Bernard-san would handle it from the office, so there should be no problem.

I tiptoed through my way down. It was at times like these when the physical skills that I had refined over the years came in handy. All of a sudden, I heard a voice.

“---Finn. Take a look at this.”

“Hm, what’s it? What are you doing?”

“Come and see for yourself. This, right here. See, it’s getting bigger, right?”

“Oh~ it’s swelling, ain’t it. Lookin’ kinda red.”

“I know right~ Wanna touch it a bit?”

“No way I’m touching that. Are you nuts.”

Those two were crouching in the shadows of the basement. Chris opened his mouth wide to let Finn peek in.

“So you’ve been using this place to slack off!”

—In an instant both of them sprung up to their feet.

“Uwaaah! You surprised me!”

“What the hell, don’t sneak up on us!”

“Go back inside now, you’re still at work!”

“Like I care! Today’s business going slow! Right, Finn!”

“We were just washing the cars, so don’t get us wrong!”

“That doesn’t mean you can slack off! Look, unless you want Leo to find out, you’d better get your asses going now!”

The two of them got to their feet and started running while still turning to me.

“Tch—! This damned class president!”

“Next time I won’t vote for you! Also I won’t lend you my eraser if I’m sitting next to you—!”

“You guys are literal man-children! For real! Besides, why the hell are you talking about voting?!”

♠️♥️♦️♣️

Once their shift was over, Finn and Chris finished cleaning up and left early. Today they had a mission, thus it seemed that they would not be coming back.

I sat at my desk, taking a deep breath. And then, just as I thought about clocking out early as well, I realized.

“Ah, of course....!”

I had forgotten to make a monthly sales report to submit to the headquarters. Apparently sales of new cars had been lower than expected, and it seemed that we were being outpaced by our rival company, Who’s Who. Hence why the area manager from the main branch would come to meet Leo tomorrow.

I glanced at my watch. The manager would be coming in the afternoon, so if I clock in early tomorrow, I should be able to make it, I thought...

After contemplating about it for a while, I finally decided to finish it by the end of the day. Even if I had chosen to go home, I would surely get overwhelmed by anxiety and lose sleep as a result.

—In the end, I ended up working overtime.

Just as I was wrapping things up, Finn and Chris, who turned out to have changed their plans, returned after their mission. They seemed to take pity on my haggard appearance, because they invited me out for a glass or two at Crazy 8. I wondered if it was those two guys’ way of showing that they cared about me, and since I had been feeling lonely for a long time today, I was nevertheless happy to accept.

At Crazy 8, they lightly scolded me, remarking, “you’re way too uptight”. Getting called out by both my coworker and junior, I began to reflect on myself, while the alcohol just mysteriously kept on coming.

I could not remember much after that, but the next day I was woken up by my father’s phone call again, and thus I started another day with another episode of self-loathing.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL notes: I’m 90% sure the thing that Chris showed to Finn is his swollen tonsils (not his p-)... do not let people touch your tonsils barehanded, fellas. Why are you getting tonsilitis at your age anyway? Lmao. I’m in no way a professional translator so if you find any mistakes, please do not hesitate to inform me right away. I love the High Card gang and I found it very unfortunate that while it is meant to be a multimedia project, I can’t seem to find the translated versions of any materials (beside the anime) anywhere (if this is against copyright, I will take it down). As usual, let’s enjoy High Card together~

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC Season 2 Chapter 54 Translation (Lucien's Route - Part 5 [Halt Steps])

⚠️  SPOILER ALERT  ⚠️

This post contains a VERY HEAVY SPOILER for the chapter that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

"Lucien, what can you feel right now?"

His gaze finally shifts back to my face. After a moment of silence, his voice becomes somewhat darker than before.

"Your hands are still a bit cold…"

I slightly purse my lips, guiding his hand gradually upward-

His slender fingertips land on my lips, gently pressing, then, as if testing something, delicately tracing my side face, and eyes…

Translation under the cut!

Previous part-> [Here]

…The sudden dizziness abruptly pulls me back to my senses.

A moment of clarity flashes through my mind.

To seal the rift, I've already expended too much mental and physical energy. Do I really have enough strength now to do something meaningful once I reach the door?

During my hesitation, I feel my strength gradually dissipating bit by bit.

If I exhaust my power and accidentally lose my life in the process, there will be no solution at all.

Glancing back at the door that's so close by, I ultimately decide to temporarily retreat.

Slowly distancing myself from the door, yet, centered around it, numerous white lights suddenly scatter, enveloping me completely, as if forbidding me from leaving.

The more I struggle, the more my awareness blurs; I feel like I'm sinking into an abyss of pure white, gradually losing the ability to move.

MC: Lucien…

The name I unconsciously uttered acts like a glimmer of light, illuminating my hazy consciousness.

The white mire dissipates entirely, and I abruptly open my eyes, breathing heavily.

Lucien: ... Restarting the detection device, re-entering the target data.

A familiar voice faintly reaches my ears, and only then do I realize that I am securely held in the comforting embrace of familiar arms.

The confusion and panic from earlier dissolve entirely in this embrace. I release my tension, leaning into the comfort of his arms.

MC: Lucien? I…

Upon hearing my voice, he momentarily stiffens while holding me.

He doesn't respond to my words, simply continuing to cradle me as he moves toward a nearby machine. Gently, he places me on it.

I gaze at him in confusion as he quickly and gently attaches more electrodes to my hands, neck, and ankles…

Lucien: Heart rate is normal, blood pressure is normal, oxygen saturation is normal…

Lucien looks at the constantly fluctuating data on the screen, reaches out to remove the sensor, and seamlessly replaces it with another without any pause.

MC: Lucien, what are you doing?

Lucien: Shh…

Lucien: Confirming the energy fluctuations of the CORE, below the normal value by 62%, but within the limits... How do you feel right now?

MC: I... am I okay?

His voice is gentle, as if concerned about disturbing me, but exceptionally quick, and even a bit of a focus that keeps others at a distance.

Lucien: Just now, all the instruments monitoring your condition failed to register any data.

Lucien: Whether it's related to the CORE or your own self.

Lucien: (quietly) It's as if... you can no longer be detected by anything.

He gently lifts my hand and places another small device on my hand and forehead.

Lucien: Blood pressure normal, brainwaves steady... all readings are normal.

He looks at the fluctuating numbers with an indifferent expression, his ink-black eyes resembling a stagnant pool without ripples.

I've seen this expression on him before, that time at the rift, when he shattered the glass chamber that was imprisoning me.

Suddenly, everything becomes clear to me. I reach out and grasp his hand, stopping him from taking another instrument.

MC: Lucien, look at me. I'm fine, and right in front of you.

Lucien: …Okay.

Lucien: I need to check your blood routine, and I'll need to take a small blood sample. It might hurt a bit.

Lucien: (quietly as if murmuring by himself)...No, I can't let you feel pain again. I'll have them bring in other instruments instead…

MC: Lucien.

I call his name assertively, gripping his hand firmly and placing it against my own cheek.

MC: Lucien, what can you feel right now?

His gaze finally shifts from the array of instruments back to my face. After a moment of silence, his voice becomes somewhat darker than before.

Lucien: Your hands are still a bit cold…

I slightly purse my lips, guiding his hand gradually upward-

His slender fingertips land on my lips, gently pressing, then, as if testing something, carefully tracing my side face, and eyes…

A subtle tingling sensation lingers where his fingertips pass, sending shivers through my heart.

Finally, after his fingertips sketch the contours of my features, he seems to confirm something, and his gaze shifts ever so slightly.

Lucien: ….MC?

MC: It's me. Can you feel me now?

He lowers his body, his face coming infinitely closer in my field of vision. I feel the warmth of his forehead pressing against mine.

Our warm breaths entwined as he slightly closes his eyes, it’s as if he’s feeling my breathing.

Lucien: (quietly) ….Just now, it felt like you went to a distant place.

His voice is deep, tinged with an almost imperceptible sense of confusion and anxiety.

Lucien: …I'm right in front of you, but you can't see me or hear my voice.

Lucien: I don't know how to bring you back, how to... keep you.

Lucien lowers his gaze, his bottomless eyes momentarily fixed on me.

There's a slight tingling in my nose. I make an effort to smile at him, affectionately rubbing his hands that caress my face with the pads of my fingers.

MC: If I must say... I might have been distracted for a moment.

MC: But because of you, because I think of you, I felt like I heard you calling me, so I woke up.

MC: You see, I'm right here, by your side. I haven't gone anywhere and won't leave.

I speak slowly, lightly rubbing his hand with my fingertips, just like how he had comforted me in the same way many times before.

We silently enjoy the moment of each other's company until the heavy matters in our hearts finally settle. I hear Lucien's voice.

Lucien: MC, you've successfully guided the world forward according to your consciousness.

-

[Chapter 54-17]

I turn my head and follow Lucien's gaze out of the window.

The thick and grand dark clouds are still slowly surging. The numerous rifts that used to appear like scars one after another have now vanished without a trace.

The sky, like a shattered yet restored mirror, has finally regained its vast and clear appearance. Only in the air, there is still a faint lingering smell of seawater.

That rift, I really closed it.

The scent of refreshing and familiar cedar lingers around my nose, calming my rapid heartbeat.

I breathe a sigh of relief in Lucien's embrace, and in my mind, the scene I just witnessed resurfaces, causing me to grab onto the hem of his clothes.

MC: Lucien... What if this world became like this because of me?

He remains silent. But I know he's listening, waiting for me to continue.

MC: I saw a white gate inside the rift just now.

MC: The last time I used power like this was during the apocalypse... and that gate appeared back then too.

Back then, I went behind that gate, broke the rules of the world, and disrupted the original trajectory.

MC: But just now, I tried so hard to walk towards it, and I found that no matter what, I couldn't reach it…

A pair of hands land on my back, gently patting me in a soothing manner.

Lucien: The power consumed by catalyzing the "condensed rift" is more than you imagine. Rest for a while first.

MC: Can I really stop?

A hint of bitterness wells up in my heart. I lower my gaze, murmuring softly, unsure if I'm asking Lucien or questioning myself.

MC: I used to believe that I successfully saved the world...

MC: But it seems that's not the case. There are still many troubles occurring one after another…

A faint sigh comes from beside me, and Lucien's grip tightens slightly.

Lucien: You often make me think, this little lady seems to be a bit too strong-willed.

MC: I'm just stating the facts…

Lucien: The fact is, without you, this world would have come to an end a long time ago.

Lucien: It has continued until now because of you, and the rift is just a subsequent issue from that crisis.

Lucien: Although it's not your responsibility, you once again resolved it with your own hands.

Lucien: If even this doesn't make you acknowledge yourself, aren't you a bit too harsh?

I lift my head from the crook of his arm, gazing up into those deep eyes.

MC: This crack is closed, but there are still numerous smaller cracks ahead... and that unreachable gate poses a new problem.

Lucien: Hm... While we often need to look forward, it seems like MC is overly focused on things that should be left for the future to handle.

Lucien places his hand on top of my head, speaking with a gentle yet firm tone.

Lucien: I've been observing your efforts and your achievements from the beginning till now.

Lucien: And all of these experiences have made me increasingly certain that no matter what challenges you face, you can overcome them.

Lucien: All you need to do is keep moving forward, that's all.

MC: Hearing you say that makes me feel like I'm quite an amazing person.

Lucien gazes quietly at me, his eyes reflecting my figure.

Lucien: Because you've always been that kind of presence.

Lucien: MC, you've been bringing new possibilities to this world all along.

His voice seems to carry a soothing magic, and a warm stream gradually wells up from the place where my heart beats.

I rub my cheek and find a bit more confidence in my voice as if the confusion and unease that had accumulated in my heart have dispelled.

I quickly realized what matters most at the moment.

MC: Lucien, I just used the power of CORE to the limit, and then I saw the white door…

MC: Perhaps I need to recover my strength quickly to go back there?

Lucien lowers his gaze, seemingly pondering for a moment.

Lucien: If you really want to get back there quickly, there's another method.

Lucien: Closing these rifts instantly will quickly attract NW's attention. If they realize it's the work of CORE, they'll "invite" you over immediately.

Lucien: There's an amplifying device for CORE in their laboratory. If you wish, it can be an opportunity you can control.

[Don't want to take the risk]

[Seize the opportunity]

[finite-breakpoints]

trust issues (Angstpril 2024, #9)

[ Previously: emotionally distant // no way out // never see you again ]

"What is this place?"

Paige hates the unsteadiness in her voice, echoing even at a whisper -- this isn't the time or place for fear, let alone displaying it. Standing here in a long-abandoned building on the edge of a city no longer familiar, where no one will hear if she calls for help, shivering in the cold.

But if not now… when?

"Temporary accommodations. Used to be an off-cycle stopover for the light-rail, before the track got re-routed." For a program who seemingly spends most of their time committing sedition and thinking of new ways to instigate civil unrest, Signal's voice is surprisingly soft. "Might be some network programs around, if we're lucky. Last I knew, there were a few of 'em crashing here, in and out."

They look more like a data processor than a hardened revolutionary. Maybe that's the point. But Paige can see it too clearly for it to be entirely a facade -- cautious in their movements; a fastidiousness about their appearance; sandy hair pinned back with studied precision. Not very tall, kind of spindly. Not exactly built for fighting.

But then again… neither is she.

"If we're lucky, huh?"

"Sure. They're friendly, mostly harmless. Good kids." Signal hands her the heated canister they've just finished preparing. "Here. This should help. Might be a bit strong, though."

"Thanks." She waits a moment first; and they notice, making a point of pouring the rest into their own glass with a playful grin. She wonders what's hiding underneath it -- watching as they skim through the documents on the data cube. Faster than should be possible, but she has no doubt they're taking in every word.

Sips at the concentrated energy idly, feels the warmth of it even out in her circuits. It is strong stuff, the kind you only need in unpowered places like this… or when your energy processing's been altered by constant direct input. Straight into your circuits, for cycles on end, until your body and mind start to give out.

Yeah. Data processor for sure. Or at least they used to be. She'd bet on the presence of those telltale silver scars at the base of their neck and across their shoulders. Not many of them left, not now. She worked with so many of them at the medical center -- sealing re-opened ports, tapering down their energy levels as safely as she could. It's entirely possible that Signal was one of them.

"…Who knows you're here, Paige?"

Oh, there it is. Her hands are shaking, and not from the cold. Keep it together -- but what does she have to hold together, anymore?

"Lie," hisses the sharp voice in the back of her mind. But what's the point? Tesler will be hunting for her soon, once he realizes what she's done. She has no home to welcome her. No sense of purpose, not now. No friends to lean on for support. Nowhere to go, and no one she can trust.

Only one program's offered her a way out of this.

"No one," she says. "I'm a program of my word."

"So I hear." And that smile turns to something a little less reassuring. "But Tesler seems to know -- and that means General Advan does, too. I don't know if she'll cooperate, if he decides he wants to look for you. But I'd rather not take that chance."

"…What do you mean?"

"I mean that you need to hide, and quickly. They'll be tracking your data signature. We need to fix that… and your metadata, too. Let me see your disc."

"No." She steps back, purely out of instinct, as an acute sense of danger grips her. But she can take them in a fight, if it comes to that. "Not happening."

"Won't hurt a bit, promise. I've done it myself enough times." They pull up a tool -- something that takes her a moment to recognize. It's a wrench, and not an entirely unfamiliar one. But this looks heavier than the ones Mara keeps in her garage, or even the one the Renegade would carry with him. Older, maybe.

But Signal holds it differently. Not with the casual nonchalance of the Renegade, or even the curiosity of Argon's mechanics, but with the same careful attention that Paige remembers having for her own tools. The sort of respect -- reverence, even -- that you have when your tools are capable of both wonderful and terrible things.

"You're not touching my disc," she says quietly.

"Alright, fair enough. But if you aren't careful, they will find you. I know you don't trust me -- and maybe you're right not to. But I can help keep you hidden, if you'll let me."

"I'll take my chances." Fights back the creeping panic, feeling that sharp and slithering pain, as if those code worms have returned, burrowing into her database. "I'm not doing that again."

By the time she realizes that it's slipped out, it's too late.

"…Oh." Signal rezzes down the not-a-wrench. For a tick or two, they seem unusually at a loss for words… and not quite sure what to do about it. "I wondered about that. Barbaric of them. I'm sorry."

"…What are you talking about?"

"There's a scar, under your eye. I'd guess your render usually compensates for it, but you're starting to run low on energy. For all I know, you might not even have known it was there." They regard her with something just short of pity, sharp grey eyes clouding over with emotion… or a memory. "You stayed there even after they did that to you -- and then you came all the way out here, you gave everything up. There was a reason, wasn't there?"

It's not really a question. She doesn't answer.

"I think you left because Tesler lied to you." Their tone implies no moral judgement -- although she suspects, given what she's read over the cycles, that Signal might be holding back a little. "I never will."

And for just a clock-cycle, she very nearly believes them.

[emrys-noilli]

The devil thrives in a mind that is inactive.

My headcanon rambling involves Sylra (My Tav who is a draconic sorcerer ) being betrothed to Ascended Astarion and being the maker of Sussur Potions and exotic garden. The interest in the Underdark comes from Sylra keeping Lenore's belongings when Astarion and their self used to travel in the underdark under the guise of defeating the absolute.

Ascended, Astarion emphasized the need to keep Sylra safe, especially since the tadpole no longer provided protection. And Astarion held power from the rite ritual. Sylra fell easily into the trap of being a cage bird to Asc. Astarion. Seeing old possessions that were once regularly used during their travels now behind display glass. To combat this, Sylra would study arcane or read to past their time. And eventually proposed the plan to re-explore the underdark to extract materials based on lenore's note came to mind. With some brief aid from lenore's journals and witnessing just how Sussur can be used as a power generator for towers and used as weilding material in weapons. Sylra's goal was to test the survival of flowers or petals on the surface first than extra that and more wood. With this idea came the urge to convince Astarion that they needed these materials and to show this was the source of Sylra's entertainment. Astarion would agree only to keep Sylra happy/complict and the idea that the expedition could turn profit for himself. And also something else he could use to urge Sylra to become his spawn.

For years, Sylra would attempt to smuggle flowers or petals out of the Underdark, bibberbangs, and other flowers. The majority of supplies deteriorate near the surface. Rather it was in magically sealed containers or not. Remembering old faces that wondered the Underdark, Sylra sought out the Bonecloak Apothecary for aid regarding transporting delicate supplies. Astarion agrees because he sees potential financial gain for Derrthy to work with them. With the help of Derrthy, Sylra successfully transports a jar of petals and flowers back to the mansion to start her underdark garden.

Keeping sussur plants was a around the clock issue for Sylra, not until it took root in the fresh soil in her new garden room. But once it did, Asc. Astarion interest would become annoyance once even his own powers could be effected by the sussur flowers. So he would send servants instead or call for Sylra otherwise he needed something. Something Sylra would remember once Asc. Astarion began to change for the worst. Experimentation of Sussur Petals and Bibberbangs: Sylra would learn how to create temporary debuff potions that are laced with dried petals of the sussur petals. Since these very same petals can give light and act as a power generation. She would follow the method of how drow poison and health potions are made to create a throwable flask that once comes in contact with a creature or being. It smothers out their use of powers for a few minutes.

At first Asc. Astarion was delighted about the idea until Sylra stated they were not interested in selling the recipe to anyone. Not even the guild. Existing tension heightened as Sylra repeatedly declined becoming a vampire because of Astarion's lack of honesty about the potential transformation of being a true vampire or spawn. For the second time, Sylra denied Astarion. The mask of being an ever so doting spouse fell, and a argument broke out between them over the recipe, causing Astarion to burn the book infront of Sylra out of sheer spite.

A hurtful but intentional move about Asc. Astarion. Since he couldn't use it then Sylra certainly couldn't have it. Although pointless since Sylra knew the recipe was something it would take time again to reconstruct, they would not forget what was done.

(This was was in 2 parts but I merged them, sorta. If you would like to read the rest. LMK!)

[taeyamayang]

HOME | CHARACTER DETAILS | VER. 1.0

BUGS FIXED:

♡ new characters are released!

♡ when a character gains a red heart a consequent benefit to y/n will occur. this is will be further explored in the next updates.

POLL RESULT:

♡ Join the Band

taglist: @thechaosoflonging @alienvarmint @phoenix666stuff @citrustsuki

ㅡspecial thanks to my beta reader @shut-up-you-guys-are-12 u the real mvp my bro <33

YOUR PLACE OR MINE?

Loading Version Update 2.0

What did you get yourself into?!

Joining a college band might not be a big deal to most but to you, who has never sung with a live band on stage, the idea itself weakens your knees. There’s no turning back now. You already said yes to Atsumu and Bokuto without even getting acquainted with the other members of the band. What is it with you and your impulsiveness? 

To be fair, most of your impulsive decisions lead to great opportunities like a seat in Tokyo University. Typically, you would never have dared to think about passing the entrance exam, let alone think about taking the test but since the idea of attending the same University as your best friend, Daichi, is too good to put aside, you dove in without thinking. 

The woman in her late fifties seals your ordered food in a box and hands it over to you, consequently pulling your wandering thoughts back to reality.  “What else do you want?” she asks as soft wrinkles fold around the corner of her mouth. 

“I’ll take another serving of this, please. Thank you.” You politely say pointing at the protein next to other dishes. 

Since you're eating with Daichi, you make a mental note to order an extra dish to share. The woman packs it in a separate container before giving it to you. You pay her an exact amount then take your leave. 

Daichi texted you a few minutes before you arrived at the cafeteria that he had found a seat for the both of you. His class before lunch must have ended early. It did not take you long to find Daichi eating his bento at one of the tables next to an aisle. He doesn't see you until you’re hovering over him with a face contorted into an expression far from the confidence you showed this morning. 

“What’s up?” He utters between bites. Before you begin, you place the food box across from Daichi, pulling the plastic chair to the back of your knees as you sit. Just when you thought words would naturally form sentences, you are silenced by inner dilemma.

Daichi lets out an airy laugh, "You gotta say something, you know." He pops a mouthful of food into his mouth. He continues. "And eat."

Obliging, you open the containers in front of you. The moisture stuck to the roof of the box slides to your food, and you take this as a sign that it's getting cold. Hence, you pick up the utensils and give half of the protein to your friend. In return, he puts home cooked stir fried vegetables on top of your rice. 

"I have decided on an extracurricular." It's easier to speak when you're not looking at him in his eyes.

"Yeah? What is it?" He munches on the protein you gave him and nods to himself in satisfaction. He glances at you when a beat of silence once again falls between the two of you. However, right before you could open your mouth to explain, the loud bang of a fist slamming into a table resonates in the cafeteria full of students.

Everyone instantly turns their heads at the source and sees a figure, familiar to you, with their back at you. His fists were balled up so angrily that the veins on his arms became visible. 

"Isn't that your teammate?" Worry etches on your face. You can't remember his name but you have met him a couple of times before at the pool when you watch the swim team's practice. A snarky voice draws your attention back to the scene. 

"A-re? Watch your attitude, Tobio." He wears a pair of glasses, lanky and overtowering in stature, and his pale blonde hair was tied back into a half-bun. Strands of hair stick out to the sides of his face giving him that ‘disheveled on purpose’ appearance. When Tobio doesn't respond to his taunt, a sly smile dances on his thin lips. 

This is like watching alpha predators fighting over a territory on Animal Planet. As interesting as it is to you, you're concerned that the heat will take them to a fist fight.

"They have a bad history. I don't know much about it but I know two things. One, they went to the same high school and two, your food will turn stale if you keep sticking your nose in someone else's business. Eat." Daichi gestures to your food using a utensil in his hand.

"Aren't you worried they might end up punching each other? This looks intense." You whisper, afraid either of the two will catch on to you talking about them even though they're tables away from you. 

"No. Kageyama has his mind set on making it to Japan's National Team. The last thing he wants on his record is a disciplinary action for violence. They won't do anything drastic. Trust me, I've seen them really heated, and pushing each other on the chest is the worst they ever got into. Coach warned Kageyama and he learned his lesson." 

Daichi is right because as soon as he assures you, the blonde with a messy bun strides past you. He catches onto the quick turn of your head in his peripheral vision, making him glance at you briefly. It was barely more than a second but meeting the icy golden brown eyes behind the specs is enough to put you on the edge. 

"You were saying?" Daichi, who seemed clueless of the fleeting interaction you had with Tobio's archenemy, motions for you to continue.

"I'm kind of part of a band now." You take a huge bite on your food to stall.

"Really? What's the band's name?" Daichi pauses to look at you, his hand tightening on his pair of chopsticks

"The Labyrinths." His reaction is immediate, both brows pulling upward, his eyes rounding, and his jaw slackening. 

“The Labyrinths?” He asks as though to confirm if he had heard you correctly. You nod and repeat, 

“Yep, The Labyrinths.” Daichi blinks at you repeatedly, dropping his utensils diagonally over the bento box.

“Why is there a problem with them?”

“No, it’s just…wow. They’re really good. Everyone predicted their win last season since the only other contestant even close, the Four Seasons guys, weren’t nearly up to par with them. Fortunately for the other bands that year, The Labyrinths mysteriously dropped out from the competition at the last second, right before the grand finals.”

“So they were not able to perform?”

“Yes. They were already setting up the stage when the one with the blonde hair…” Daichi squinted his eyes trying to recall the name of the person he’s describing. You fill it in for him upon realizing who he is referring to.

“Atsumu Miya?” 

“Yeah, Atsumu. He approached the event organizer to tell them they couldn't perform that night. He didn’t look good either, I mean, he had this nasty looking bruise on his cheek.” Invested in the story, you lean your body forward as your brows furrow in the center of your forehead. 

“What happened?”

“That…I don’t know. No one knows the real reason behind it. None of the band members spoke about it. But all rumors point to Atsumu and their previous vocalist having disagreements, because it wasn't a few days after the competition, that their vocalist left the group. From that point on, The Labyrinths have performed as an instrumental group.”

“Oh.” Is all you could say as you sink back in your seat. After learning all this information makes you feel unsure how to act in front of the members when you meet them for a trial. You quietly wish it won’t be as awkward as you think it would be. 

 You’re with Daichi majority of the time, so you’re mostly up to date with all the rumors in the University which makes you think, “How did I not know this?” 

“Well, that was time you ditched me. I had two tickets for the band competition, remember?” Jogging your memory, you feel a tinge of guilt tickling your chest.

You groan, rather dramatically. “Ugh! I had a project due the following day!” 

Back then, you were eighty percent done with it so you promised Daichi to attend the event with him but when your professor gave out the grading criteria on the day of the event, you were worried that your work wouldn't be good enough to get a decent grade. In the end, you had to apologize to Daichi for ditching him last minute.

Now that you recall why you’re out of the loop in the The Labyrinth scandal, you also remember that Daichi invited a girl in his class instead. He was proud to tell you how gorgeous his last minute date was and jokingly thanked you for ditching him.

“But if I hadn't ditched you, you wouldn’t have been able to go on a date with a girl from your class. How is she by the way? I haven't heard about her since then.”

For some reasons unknown to you, Daichi cringes his nose as the memory flashes in his mind. “I lied to you.” He confesses. “There was no date.”

“What?” You ask in disbelief. Why would Daichi, a straight up goody two shoes, lie about something like this?

“I was disappointed you couldn’t come with me when I was looking forward to it for a week straight. Practice was hell and the only motivation I had to push through was the idea of spending that time with you.” Daichi turns away, chewing on the insides of his cheek as his face dusts in pink. 

He has always been honest with you but never has he been this forward when it comes to expressing his feelings. His words are usually detached from his emotions. Instead of saying -“I miss you”- he would say, -“It’s been awhile since we last saw each other”- and instead of, -“I don’t want you to catch a cold”- he would say, “You should take care of your health.” 

You know that he cares for you, and that he sees you as a friend closer than anybody, but you were not aware that your absence would cause him to feel so dejected. He has always been independent, so you were not needed most of the time ㅡ you felt that he could enjoy anything, even without you there. 

Lunch went on with Daichi changing the topic to swim practice and other matters. However, seeing him bashful over his honest confession still rests at the back of your mind. You know all too well that this will keep you up at night.

It isn’t long till the sun begins to dim its rays, and brighten its hue, spreading the warmth of sunset over the soccer field and through the glass windows. It is a sight to see, a comforting feeling accompanied by a sense of accomplishment nestled in your mind as you are left to your thoughts, recounting the events that happened today. It was a productive day, indeed.

You sit next to a window in your last class for today, peering through the window as you watch the soccer team execute drills. You were so immersed watching ant-like humans run across the field that you didn’t notice a person sitting next to you. It was when the nagging feelings of an unmoving gaze shooting at you-like a ghost behind you waiting to be noticed that you turned to look. 

He was equally surprised as you when your eyes metㅡhim embarrassed that you caught him staring, on the other hand, you were shocked to see a recognizable face. 

“Have we met?” You ask even though you’re almost entirely certain that he’s the guy from this morning, the one you accidentally bumped into. The fringe over his eyes is too remarkable to forget. 

“Uhm, y-yes, I think.” He stutters, shifting his eyes to somewhere but you. 

“I’m sorry about this morning. I was careless-”

He cuts you off and rambles. “It’s no big deal, it’s fine. The hallways are packed in the morning so it’s fairly understandable to cause an accident such as bumping into someone and messing with their stuff.” 

‘Messing with their stuff’ he phrases it as if you’ve done something grave, instead of just knocking a couple of pens on the floor. Nonetheless, you find him adorable. 

“I’m (y/n).” You introduce yourself to a potential new friend for the new semester. “What’s your name?”

He swallows thickly, looking at your hand spread out waiting for a handshake before pushing his glasses back to the top of his nose bridge. “Kuroo. Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“Nice to meet you, Kuroo.”

“You too.” He responds rigidly, holding the ends of your fingers into a gentle handshake. You assumed that he might not be the best with small talk, so you decide to carry the conversation.

“What do you major in?” Turning your body to face his direction so he’d take the cue that you’re willing to know more about him.

“History.”

A one-word reply. He really isn’t the best with small talks.

“Cool! I'm majoring in Anthropology. I guess we fall under the same department, huh?” You show him a smile that reaches your eyes in hopes that would make him feel comfortable around you.

Shortly, the professor comes in with a ringed binder in his hand. Which only means either a take home task or a class activity...on the first day of the new semester? You can already tell that this class won’t let you off the hook easily and you already feel tired just thinking about it. 

He begins the class by introducing himself, his credentials as an instructor, and spared the students the chore of introducing themselves one by one. As you predicted, as soon as he flips the cover of the bound material open, he starts explaining the details of a pair work assignment.

“The number of students enrolled in this class is uneven so some of you have to be grouped into three. You will stick to this grouping for the rest of the semester. If you have issues with your groupmates later on during the semester you either have to submit a peer review or deal with it like young adults. You’re not kids anymore. Deal with it like responsible students.” He spoke in a firm and authoritative manner. 

Kuroo turns to you sheepishly and unexpectedly he asks. “Do you want to pair up with me?” 

You’re glad that he finally initiated a conversation. At least you know that he’s interested in you too, (even if only in the sense of a project partner.) “Sure!”

“The last pair to announce their names will be automatically assigned to a group of three.” Instantly, hands fly to the air eager to be called by the professor. Kuroo raises his hand timidly so that it only reaches the height of his head hence the professor couldn’t see him through impatient hand raises. 

While the professor is busy jotting down names of pairings in class, a student excuses himself late by the door. As if this day couldn't get anymore eventful, for the second time around this day, you met the same icy golden brown eyes from the cafeteria. Kageyama’s foe. He bows at the professor as an apology before rushing to an empty seat.

Kuroo speaks, announcing your name and his name under group M. 

“You’re in the last group, Kuroo and…(y/n).” The professor reads your name on the classlist and whips his head to look at you. “You automatically take the triad which means you’ll be in the same group with Tsukishima Kei.” His eyes point to the person sitting at the back, the same person you saw in the cafeteria, and the same person late for class. 

Tsukishima looks at the both of you, studying your expressions with intensity before nodding at the professor in agreement. A barely audible groan is uttered from Kuroo as though he was punched in the stomach after glancing at Tsukishima. “I don’t feel good about this.”

You want to comfort him by saying it won’t be that bad, but how could you say such a thing when even you don’t believe it fully. Tsukishima had left you with a bad impression after seeing the confrontation between him and Kageyama. Now you have to work with him for the entire semester? 

The professor gives out the details of the first project that has to be turned in on Friday. After listing down the criteria and answering questions from the class, he leaves the remaining ten minutes to the students to discuss arrangements.

Kuroo begins by asking you where and when you want to do the said project. He asks for your schedule so he could list down the hours you’re both free. You glance at Tsukishima who’s busy on his phone. He doesn’t make any effort to leave his seat and cooperate with planning when it’s obvious enough that you’re shooting him inviting gazes, which ultimately draws you to a conclusion that he is purposely ignoring the two of you. 

Maybe Kuroo is right, this does sound like bad news. 

“This is hard. We can only brainstorm after classes. Where should we do it?” Kuroo may not be a conversationalist but he does well when it involves planning. He continues. “We can finish the project at my place but…” 

“But?” You ask.

“I have a roommate. Though I’m pretty sure Kenma won’t mind, he doesn't get out of his room most of the time anyways. But then again there’s Akaashi who visits often and…” His voice fades into a whisper as though he’s talking to himself rather than to you. His thumb scratches his chin, as he considers variables unknown to you. When he notices his drifting thoughts, he immediately directs his attention back to you. “My roommate wouldn't mind, but you might not be comfortable visiting a stranger’s place, which I would understand.”

Cafes are not budget friendly especially if projects such as this require frequent meet-ups. Hence, you are torn between offering your place or taking the easy route by agreeing to do the projects at his place. Do you trust Kuroo or would you rather clean your place every now and then when he plans to meet up?

welp, now that's a tough one. if i were y/n i would have tossed a coin but nahhh i'm here to make things difficult mehe >:)

...to make things interesting ofc ;)

LOVE METER

Daichi Sawamura: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

Atsumu Miya: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

Kuroo Tetsurou: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

Tsukishima Kei: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

?: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

btw, HERE IS THE POLL!!

masterlist

[general-indso]

local time: 30 october 2022. 12:55 location: city center. leoran market. Upon your orders, Lieutenant General Prosis has assumed command of active Starfleet personnel. Working in conjunction with the Leoran Elders, primarily Hunter Alen Valnan, Starfleet soldiers and Leoran Hunters who have not been affected by Dorian have surrounded the Leoran Market to prevent citizens from coming or going.

Things to note:

Your decision to immediately relinquish control to Lieutenant General Prosis was positively received by your lieutenant general. This action has reenforced their faith in your leadership and your trust has filled them with pride. They are resolutely in your corner and their reports on this incident will highlight the wisdom in your decision (no matter how impaired) and will be formatted to minimize any blowback or ‘bad press’ within the Starfleet.

Amala Thevar’s decision to bring the Sotiris Councilors out of sealed meditation has forced you to have a conversation with Gloria Gallo while you are high. She makes several biting comments about Starfleet’s inability to keep drugs off Leora, but eventually leaves you alone. Your decision to immediately relinquish control to Lieutenant General Prosis was positively received by Gloria and has given her a small amount of faith in your leadership abilities. Moving forward, she will be less likely to question every decision you make.

Alen Valnan and Lieutenant General Prosis are leading the investigation. They have identified eight stalls that have been spiked, two in every cardinal direction. Stall owners report not having seen anything suspicious, but having been preoccupied all day trying to keep up with demand. Stall owners are distressed their food and wine items have caused incident, and do not want their names or stalls released to the public, fearing a negative impact on their reputations.

After an hour and a half, the markets are re-opened. Stalls that have not been spiked are free to serve again, and citizens are welcome to come and go as they please. Those that have been dosed with Dorian are encouraged to spend the night with someone sober as a safety precaution, though it is not required. Those who wish for a sober buddy but do not have anyone to reach out to may spend time in the hospital until they sober up themselves.

Laeponia managed to sit still as a pen flashlight swept across her vision: one eye, then the other, leaving her to blink rapidly in its wake. Even the swirling after-images and spots were rendered into oil painting, like a long-lost Van Gogh. She blinked rapidly and swallowed carefully, finding the back of her throat dry. The follow-up information she’d been given on the investigation hadn’t been good — there was no ‘good’ in this situation, not when it came to dosing the population with illegal substances against their will. But eight stalls? To the General, that sounded like the work of more than one indiscriminate prankster. It sounded far too intentional.

Unfortunately, it was difficult for the General to focus on much beyond the residual swirlings of color. The privacy tent that’d been hastily pitched for the sake of checking over the affected populace was all but empty now — Laeponia had waited for everyone else to be looked at first before taking her seat. The gesture wasn’t as magnanimous as it might seem; she’d simply wanted privacy.

The Venpalan medic in front of her seemed quietly nervous. Laeponia didn’t recognize her, which meant she must be fairly green. The General offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile, but it likely just looked tired. “What’s your name, Ensign?” Grattion, the woman replied smartly. Laeponia nodded. “Ensign Grattion. I appreciate your help today.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed an oil-sluggish swirl of movement as Prosis appeared at the tent opening. Ensign Grattion’s eyes flickered with uncertainty between the two generals. Laeponia smiled again. “Would you mind getting me a glass of water, Ensign?” The officer took the hint, straightening and nodding sharply before giving Relia and Laeponia some space.

“The festival has reopened,” Relia informed her, and Laeponia nodded carefully. Relia approached, cloaked in beautiful brush strokes of crimson and brown. There was a look in her Lieutenant General’s eyes that Laeponia thought she recognized; it was a look she’d given her sister, Herevia, more than once. Appreciation, maybe. Trust.

Laeponia couldn’t help but glance away, subtly embarrassed. “As soon as I’m cleared, I think I’ll head home. I… thank you, Relia.” There was no ceremony or rank in the General’s words, only a naked relief. “You’ve handled this well. I knew I could count on you. Feel free to submit your report as you see fit.” Laeponia felt no need to look it over or censor it in advance. The disciplinary action she may receive, in any form, she would accept without complaint.

“Understood, General.” Prosis hesitated, as if uncertain whether or not she was dismissed. Laeponia was opening her mouth to say as much when her Lieutenant continued. “Do you have… someone…”

Ah. Her sober buddy. Laeponia likewise hesitated, neither nodding nor shaking her head. “I’ll be fine,” she promised her second in command, neatly side-stepping a more concrete answer.

Relia paused, then pulled her heels smartly together and nodded once. “Understood. Take care, General.”

“We’ll convene for a debrief first thing tomorrow morning,” the General added, noting the medic returning from the corner of her eye. She offered one last careful smile. “Dismissed, Lieutenant General.”

[chibi-celesti]

Twisted Tonelico Rewrite: Reyvateil Lore

As part one of my attempt to flesh out Twisted Tonelico again, I'm gonna dive deeper back into aspects of Ar Tonelico's rules-in this case their Spellcasters-to help everyone get a better understanding of them.

From my previous post about them, their creation and typing are all generally the same. Each Reyvateil type is born/ created and tethered to a Tower known as a Song Server(or Ar Tonelico as they are usually referred to in song). The language used primarily in the Ar Tonelico universe is called Hymmnos.

Through the Power of these Song Servers, these help them utilize their magic in ways that even a seasoned one from Twisted Wonderland would need to go through heavy lengths to master. Those include but are not limited to: Halting and destroying artificial monsters such as viruses and/ or Real life monsters, healing the wounded and the sick, sealing away great dangers, and building massive continents. and most of this is achieved through both strong Imagination of the singer, and their Feelings combined with the Feelings of the people around them.

There is a fatal drawback. A variety of drawbacks, actually.

The first one is that Reyvateil are glass cannon mages. Outside of ones within the Continent of Sol Cluster(AT 3/ Qoga), they aren't great physical fighters and as a result can be sitting ducks for an opponent to strike down. To make up for this, most Reyvateil who work in specialized jobs with a military group, defensive group or even free lancers tend to be partnered with someone. That person is labeled a Vanguard glorified meat shield. ljbkjb Vanguards live to fight alongside the Mage and protect them while they chant their songs. A last line of defense so the could finish their song to completion.

But this is also where drawback arises; Singing a Song to full completion can have negative consequences. Depending on the type of Song command and Will of the Singer, there is a high possibility that they can succumb to the Song's power. Tl,dr: They die or can die as the song needs an energy source(usually the Singer in question) to make the command go into full affect. Or course, there is a way to stop a song from being completed. You can either A.) Let them Finish it, B.) Kill them, or C.) Put the Reyvateil in a state of shock that causes them to stop singing(torture/ kill a loved one, shouting loud enough that it scares them, etc.)

Drawback no. Three is the Perimeter Limit for how far a Reyvateil can walk beyond a Tower's limited range and connection. Imagine you have your phone with you, and you go somewhere the reception and wi-fi connection is terrible. Take that principle and apply it to these Mages. Due to the way their bodies are in tune to the Song Server, any form of distance can be a detriment to their lives. Origins and Purebloods face the fate of their bodies breaking down into Biofluid with zero chance of re-stablizing, and half bloods(who would lose their songs and act as normal humans if their stray too far) will suffer death via shock in their attempt to reconnect to the tower.

There's no doubt more drawbacks, but these are the major ones in the grand scheme of things.

So, with all that said, what type is Meryu? She's a y-Sumblimate Second Generation Reyvateil.

Are there any in the main cast? If so, who? Other than the prev poll choosing a certain Scarabia Housewarden, the others are unknown.

How do Song Mages exist in Twisted Wonderland? This is Lore Spoilers I'm working so I can't really say what it is for now. But Song Magic(Hymmnos and Ar Ciela for example) DO exist there. It's just that not many people know how to use it effectively, or in the major case, it's lost to time with some exceptions.

Down below is examples of the glyphs and what Hymmnos looks like in the series.