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yuelun · 10 months ago

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This will one day be a much larger post (I've already started working on it) as thoughts and details settle, but I wanted to make some quick notes (who am I kidding, this won't be a short post) here so that you guys know where my thoughts are. Just as I personally also ascribe (though I do not assume people to do the same, of course!) to the theory of ZL being a Sun-King (and potential brother to) alongside King Deshret and then Remus and/or Decarabian for numerous reasons after personally researching it myself, I also am being faced with too many coincidences when it comes to Guizhong possibly being one of the three moon sisters (or at the very least, a Seelie), who I believe to be part of a 'Seven' alongside the aforementioned four Sun-kings. Which, if the returning and reinforced leaks of Guizhong's likelihood of playability is to even be roughly taken as a possibility, then there needs to be reason for it. There's a popular theory that the Moon Sisters were shades of the Primordial One alongside Istaroth, if that is true, there may be reason in there to bring her back (even for the Tsaritsa), considering I feel like a big endgame next to the arc of Khaenri'ah, is/will be a faceoff with Celestia. Any way, this is a little incoherent, but let me put down a little list of things I want to touch on, but just can't write the full post of yet. These are just my little (ha!) thoughts.

Edit: Nevermind, it got long, it's very long, but if you like your lore and you're interested in knowing how looney deep I went with this, keep on reading! I will however, be making more parts to this as I continue on and gather lore bits. I also like documenting my journey of meta, so I can see what I thought six months prior, you know? Enjoy!

The Chasm. I'll forever stay stuck on how this part of the 'Stories of Remote Antiquity' OST plays during Guizhong's death scene. Our beloved Hoyoverse doesn't do anything by coincidence, they never once have. If they wanted to do something tragic, there are other Liyue OSTs out there that will punch you in the gut equally as much if not more. But this? This is oddly intentional. Ever since, I've been trying to figure out any potential ties to it, and with the Chenyu Vale theory out and about, claiming Guizhong to be the unnamed god (female and ever kind) that the three adepti served, another tie may be created through the fact that the people from Chenyu Vale originate from the Chasm (there's numerous tidbits as to why people tie her to Chenyu; I'd suggest the video, it's easier for now!). I also think, on some level, that if she is tied to the origins of the Chasm in some way, that it was her "descension" (or 'fall') that led to its unique creation. I don't know how the dots connect, but I've identified the dots, kind of, maybe.

The insane references to the night/moon. Her color scheme, the night sky in her sleeves, and the fact that she is inherently tied to the Glaze Lilies (which are known to bloom only at night). Furthermore, if you recognize and/or adhere to the fact that the Rite of Parting does not contain ingredients that befit Rex Lapis but instead seem to very much align with her, then there's also the Noctilucous Jade (I literally just realized that it's jade) which is known to glow at night. And then there's her inventions, which are all golden and sun-like in color scheme and I think of that line of lore about the Moon Sisters: "These three luminous moons shared but one love, the stars of daybreak." Daybreak, gold, golden, light, the sun. I'm losing my mind as I'm typing this. Any way, I digress, Noctilucous Jade is found underground, in caverns and more specifically, is rather abundant in the Chasm (my dearly detested). I've accepted that I just have an affinity to characters who seem to have either a direct or indirect tie to this place. I'll never escape it, I'll become one of its victims. /breathes, let me move onto the next point.

The Glaze Lilies. Now, while we know the Goddess of Flowers isn't a Moon Sister (this'll get tied in, I promise, please try to follow me here), the fact that she is a Seelie is important enough, for the three Moon Sisters were said to have lived alongside the race of the Seelies. This might mean some shared traits. Now even Seelies are noted to have an intricate tie to the moon, and a thing that the Goddess of Flowers was known for, was that when she danced, Padisarah flowers bloomed under her feet. 'But Sae, the Glaze Lilies didn't bloom when Guizhong danced', no no, I'll get there. It was specifically when she danced, or was around them. What I'm doing is tying these flowers to her more specifically, which is further enforced by the fact that after the Goddess of Flowers died, the Padisarahs dwindled in number until they became fully extinct. The ones you see today are not the real ones, they are replications created by Rukkhadevata herself in memory of her former friend. I note this, because a similar thing has occurred to the Glaze Lilies. In the aftermath of Guizhong's death, the Glaze Lilies that once populated the Guili Plains and Dihua Marsh have dwindled into extinction, and the only reason why they are found in Liyue today in some capacity, is because of Morax' direct influence (last few lines; and yes, I'm aware this is 'unreleased canon' at present, but none in this contradicts our current lore in any way, so I bear no qualms in making even loose use of it), but this seems to also insinuate that the Glaze Lilies that we see today, are not the real ones. So in essence, when the moment of the departure/death of the Goddess of Flowers came about, a specific flower associated with her came to perish as well. Is it a concept of, if the creator (one tied so intricately to the moon) is gone, do her creations wither away much in the same way? Now to mention one final thing, is the flower that most closely resembles the Glaze Lily: the Nilotpala Lotus. Not only do they share a color palette and very similar design, they share the peculiar behavior of blooming only at night, when subjected to the light of the moon itself. Now the most important thing to note here, is that the Nilotpala Lotuses were literally created and bloomed when the Moon Sisters stepped foot into Teyvat. One could, in essence, see the two flowers as 'lunar flowers'. Listen, I've never quite liked coincidences.

Dust. Now, this is a little more of a 'loose' connection and also me slightly rambling about something else that intrigues me to the moon and back (no pun intended), but it has my mind going insane nonetheless. Also, the very end is a reach, I'm aware, we know next to nothing about the Shades. Any way, Guizhong is inherently tied to two things: dust and alchemy. And these two become even more important when combined. Now, you'll have to strap in and wait for the little 'tie-in' at the end, because this can take a little bit. Her God name is 'Haagentus', which stems from Haagenti, one of the demons from the Ars Goetia. Within demonology, Haagenti is firmly tied to alchemy and transmutation, and while I'm not going to focus too much on specifics outside of the game, it is noted that 'he makes men wise by instructing them in every subject, transmutes all metals into gold, and changes wine into water and water into wine.' Sound fitting enough already, no? Now, outside of her name, let me hone in on some really clear alchemy references that you can find on and around her person. When you look at her design, Guizhong has numerous accessories that seem to be very closely resembling alchemy keys or symbols of some kind (this is not my area of expertise, but I will make it so if need be after this post, unless someone recognizes these symbols), primarily the 'pin' that holds the main portion of her hair back, a tattoo on her upper back, the 'petals' on her sleeves, and what has me most intrigued are the following two things: the symbols actively floating around her (and for clarity, see her cutscene, timestamped, shows them to be animated and coming from her and not the Cleansing Bell), and her anklet in a similar shape (which also seems to be a unique design in Genshin so far). Now, with alchemy established, let me hound on something that ties dust into alchemy, and what it means within Teyvat. Yes, I'm going to touch on its importance within the Art of Khemia, an advanced form of alchemy that is said to have been closely tied to Khaenri'ah (and might I note: Guizhong is noted to have numerous Ruin Guards, Khaenri'an technology, in her domain roughly 2000 years before they ever reached the surface of Teyvat's). Any way, this is where I need to touch on Albedo's character details, specifically the following:

"The universe is heaven reversed, and the earth is a dream lost to time. This is dust, the most basic form of complex life." As if to provide evidence for this claim, Albedo lifted the burnt ash of the flower that once grew atop a Dendro Slime's head. Seconds later, a Cecilia sprouted forth from the ash in his hand. "And this... is new birth."

And then from the caption in Collected Miscellany - "Albedo: Kreideprinz":

"Soil and chalk, the universe and earth, pure dust and the birth of human life... There is no mistaking it."

A little tie to the creation of life, interesting, indeed. Alright, now while it's not canon by any means, it is a popular enough theory that the Moon Sisters were three (out of four) of the Primordial One's Shades. And one of them is noted to have been in part responsible for the creation of life. Now I'm not tying this Shade into Guizhong, but I'm simply drawing the potential importance of her title of 'God of Dust' into the equation, or simply to reiterate the importance of dust within the existence of Teyvat as a whole as it stands today. And what it might mean if she was indeed, a Moon Sister (to tie into this, the 'Sun-Kings' are also firmly tied to the creation of life; I believe most of this 'generation' of gods would be). Anyway, continuing!

Now, there is a reference (which I do have to note is a legend and nothing more, but we'll take it to heart) that tells me that it's certain that at least two Moon Sisters are 'confirmed' dead, by account of there being only one moon left in Teyvat's sky, instead of three. The legend notes that two 'shattered into dust' (hello, dust) and subsequently disappeared which seems to be indicative of their death, and one secluded herself within the Lunar Palace and was never seen again. Now the tale of legends recounts that the moon we still see is tied to the corpse of a Moon Sister, but how has that one endured when the other two have not? There are no remains of the other two, why not? Unless the third Moon Sister didn't actually die, or 'fully' die. Bear with me, this is where it gets very hypothetical, but it makes enough sense in my head, I'm mostly just having issues putting all of this into proper words. The reference given above is from Moonpiercer, an Aranara weapon. These little green friends had seen the Moon Sisters descend into Teyvat multiple times (we know this, due to the much earlier referenced blooming of the Nilotpala Lotuses), and at one point no longer saw them come down. Whatever 'calamity' occurred during which the Moon Sisters were said to have died, the Aranara reference that they died, and noted the way in which they perished, but unless this information was given to them by the envoys between Teyvat and Celestia, the Seelies, this would have consisted of pure speculation and assumption. After all, everything returns to dust, even deities such as the Moon Sisters. What if that's exactly what happened with the third Moon Sister? What if her death never occurred, or, what if the death was more symbolical in a sense of, she strayed from that level of divinity, what if she fell from the Lunar Palace and landed in... the Chasm? The place that is said to have been created by a large impact to its region, and later on also was the location of the fall of the Solar Chariot?

In essence, yes, I'm making the argument that Haagentus might just be this specific Moon Sister. 'But Sae, she's dead now, isn't she?' Yes, but look at the condition that she's in upon her death: she is encased in stone, fully petrified (and who is the only one we know to wield such power?), and even the dust that abandoned her, is encased overhead (again, a power we see Zhongli wield during the final cutscene in Perilous Trail without barely lifting a finger). What if the only reason that the final moon has not gone out and dark over Teyvat, is because her remains have been tied to the lands by Zhongli himself, who if you ascribe to the theory of Sun-King Zhongli, has even more reason to not let her go?

/munches on a cookie as a little reward for myself for managing to finish all of this semi-coherently, and gives you a cookie for having gotten through all of this.

#[ meta. ] her manuscripts still lie unfinished in her abode. the blank pages give one cause for contemplation on what might have been.#[ /wipes sweat from brow. ]#[ the amount of times i distracted myself during this? crazy. '30 minutes' i said. I said that when i'd started on the 'dust' paragraph. ]#[ and that was the part where i kept doing more research and everything got so much more complicated-- but also not. ]#[ it's almost like; will any of this make me change my mind? the answer was nope. ]

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thewitchandtheassassin · 4 years ago

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What Would An Angel Say, The Devil Wants to Know Part Three (Lena Luthor x Reader)

(Part One) (Part Two)

Summary: Is honor and training worth it?

Words: 1217

Warnings: Violence, language?

A/N: Part 3 because this is the only thing I had inspiration for lmao.

Taglist: @natasharomanoffswife @natasha-danvers @aaron-despair @username23345 @xjiasx @nowthisisliving27 @higherfurther-romanova @summergeezburr @marvels-writings

-X-

Watching the humans tend to her ward, Lena absently nibbled on her thumb as she stared at the trembling blonde accepting medical treatment. This woman – Kara – was important. Very important, her bosses had stressed, yet she couldn’t help but resent her slightly. If it wasn’t for her, your impending death wouldn’t be hanging over her head like an anvil waiting to drop. If she didn’t die, you would. She was meant to save the world but if you were gone, Lena’s would crumble.

Her training demanded she let you die – to put humanity first – but the nasty feeling twisting about her belly left her questioning everything.

This was all for the greater good…

But could she really sacrifice you?

You, who had apparently let her win? Who had shouldered a punishment no one deserved? Who had warned her in spite of everything?

Tears pricked the corners of Lena’s eyes as your smile overtook her thoughts. How the color of your irises sparkled in the light whenever she told a joke or playfully scolded you for your crass behaviors. The way your laughter echoed in her ears despite having not heard it in so long. How your fingers flexed when you wanted to reach out and touch something desperately, even when you knew you shouldn’t.

Could she go through the rest of eternity without those things? Could she live without you, knowing she could’ve saved you?

She hated the finality of it. Knowing your bosses would have no problems ending your existence, stripping away everything that made you you until you were nothing, merely a soul cast out amongst the others.

Gone. Forever.

“Kara, are you alright?” a collected – albeit slightly concerned – Cat Grant inquired, dragging Lena away from her morbid spiraling.

Nodding, Kara glanced at the metal contraption that had nearly stolen her life, long digits digging into the sleeve of her cardigan. “Y-yes, Ms. Grant, I think so.” She shuddered. “But I think I should probably send my guardian angel a lot of ‘thank you’ thoughts tonight.”

Such heartfelt words would normally strike a chord within Lena but they only earned a broken sigh.

What am I going to do?

-X-

Gaze trained on Lockwood, you warily righted yourself as you studied the slimy demon.

“What? No hello for an old friend?” he mockingly pouted, hand clutching his chest dramatically.

“I’d offer a friend a hello if I saw one,” you replied snidely, eyes narrowing slightly. “But since all I see is you, I think I’ll pass.”

“How hurtful, (Y/N)! My, my, not nearly as friendly, are you? What happened?” His twinkling eyes and seemingly innocuous question left you rearing back, bristling at his sheer audacity.

“I think we both know why,” you hissed, venom dripping from your words. Your glare was deep and threatening but it only served to amuse the smug man.

“Oh.” His eyes flickered over your clothed torso, lingering on the freshest scar healing in the center of your chest like he could see it through your robe. “I guess learning your place must’ve stolen a bit of the spirit, huh?”

A low snarled escaped as you advanced on Lockwood, daring him to keep talking. You weren’t above destroying his wings and tossing him off the building. “What do you want? Besides someone stroking that massively unimpressive ego of yours? I doubt you’re here for fun.”

He shrugged. “Truthfully, I’d prefer you dead but since you’ve given a final chance at redemption, I suppose I’ll have to wait for that.”

“If that’s all, maybe you should get lost but I’m absolutely going to hate disappointing you.” Crossing your arms, you arched a brow expectantly.

Lockwood chuckled humorlessly. “Apologies, but I can’t do that. They’ve sent me here to help you succeed, among other things. I’m your ‘helper’ until this contract is fulfilled.”

“I don’t need your help,” you spat. “I never have and I never will. Anyone stuck with you helping them is doomed to fail.”

“Then it shouldn’t matter that I’m here. If you don’t need me, I’ll simply be a bystander. Watch the ‘master’ in action,” Lockwood sneered, lip curling as he met your dark glare with one of his own. “Even after your “correcting” you’re still a bitch, aren’t you?”

Growling, you shoved Lockwood, sending him stumbling back in surprise. “Keep talking, Lockwood, and I’ll send your soul back to Hell without a fucking body.”

“It’s not my fault you let some angel corrupt your mind. Was she a good lay? Did you at least get a taste before she left you for dead?” he taunted, face inches from yours.

Fury washed over you in waves – at him, at yourself, at her – and your fist met his jaw with a thunderous crack. Another hit met his nose before you tackled him, straddling his waist as you started pounding his head into the rooftop.

“Don’t fucking talk about her like that!” you roared. “You don’t know anything!”

Catching your wrists, he shoved you off and scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain radiating through his face as he stared guardedly at you. You were one of the best fighters and he…was not. If he wasn’t careful, you could easily overpower him and follow through on your promise.

“Even now you still defend her.” Clicking his tongue disapprovingly, he shook his head. “She twisted and warped your thoughts until you became weak. Made you question your training – your calling – yet you stand here ready to fight for her when we both know she’s going to let you die. This contract is your last chance and she’s already messing with your head.”

You swallowed harshly, trying to ignore the sharp feeling piercing your chest. “She…”

“Is going to let us kill you,” Lockwood finished abruptly, his usual smirk missing as he stared at you, silently pleading for you to listen. “She is going to ruin this and keep the human alive. She’s already done it once – and she’s going to do it again.”

Gritting your teeth, you peered down at your clenched hands. Despite your hatred for him, you couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. She was bound to her duties, strict in keeping order. Your life wasn’t going to matter in the scheme of things; she wasn’t going to shirk her responsibilities just because you might not survive.

“That nice face of hers is going to get you killed,” he warned seriously, tilting his head. “Her words might be flowery and pretty but you’re a demon – her enemy – and she’s going to do anything in her power to keep you from succeeding. You might’ve thought you were friends but all she sees is the contracts she’s going to save as long as you’re buying into her angelic bullshit.”

Lockwood cautiously reached out and squeezed your shoulder.

“If she doesn’t care about you, you shouldn’t care about her. Finish this contract.”

Huffing, you rolled your eyes. “I thought you wanted me dead, Lockwood?”

“I do,” he admitted with a nod, “But I’d prefer to be the one doing it instead of letting some angel get you killed. I guess you deserve an honorable death.”

Smacking his hand off your shoulder, you inhaled deeply and glanced out over National City.

“Fine. Let’s get this done. I’m tired of this fucking city.”

#lena luthor x reader #lena luthor imagine #supergirl imagine #supergirl #lena luthor #dc imagine #arrowverse imagine #reader imagine #reader insert

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amazingphanisnotonfire-imagines · 4 years ago

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Riverdale//what are friends for?

Request: Riverdale imagine the reader has an older brother who is a northsider to his core and wants his sister to date his friend but she knows his true colors and it won't do well and the reader hates her older brother and the core 4 watch what happens and stuff and the reader tells them about the hardships at home and w/ her brother who she's afraid of.

hey! so trigger warning: men being verbally abusive and just plain rude. please don’t read if this will upset or trigger you. the last thing i want for you is to be sad. other than that, i really hope you like this!

You feel like you can finally breathe again when the bell rings above your head. After an excruciating 7 minutes and 32 seconds of being stuck in a car with the older brother from hell, the two of you can finally go your separate ways and pretend the other doesn’t exist for a few hours.

And even though you know that in three hours you’ll have to get back in the car and suffer through another 7 minutes and 32 seconds until you can go to your room under the pretences of doing homework/studying, the anxiety still picks away at you. It still remains, it’s just buried under the excitement at seeing your friends.

It’s not like Oscar is the devil incarnate, he’s just the devil’s second in command. He some sort of Northside monster, a mascot for all things privilege and pettiness stuffed inside a rich boy suit.

He insults and teases and makes fun of anyone he deems lesser than him, which is basically anyone...including the people he calls his friends. Really they’re just people he hangs around with to boost his ego and make him feel better about whatever is going on inside his own head.

Oscar practically shoves past you as soon as you step foot in the diner, a bright smile already lighting up his expression when he see’s the majority of his friends sitting in the corner, and you’re left standing by the door searching for your own friends.

To your misfortune, it seems like you’re the first one to turn up so you send a quick text to them all to let you know that you’re here before sitting down in the opposite corner.

The world passes slowly outside, people leave and enter the restaurant and you sit and play with the napkins put down by the waitress while you wait for someone to arrive. You’re halfway through your third paper napkin airplane when somebody does sit down opposite you, only it’s not who you hoped it would be and your face falls when you make eye contact with them.

“Peter.” You mumble and try to focus on folding the wings.

“Y/n.” He replies, a smile evident in his tone and you can feel his eyes looking you up and down. It makes your blood run cold and you’re not even looking at him, just the thought of him looking at you like that makes your skin crawl. “You’re not sat in here all by yourself are you?” He asks, his tone sickly sweet and you pull a face before looking at him, trying your best to seem unfazed by his presence.

In reality, Peter is the worst person in the world. He insults, he fights and he schemes. And he always takes the wrap for it, even if it was Oscar who came up with it in the first place. However, because Peter does all of this for Oscar, and because your brother likes to have friends that act more like pets, he thinks that Peter can do no wrong.

And the past two months he’s been pestering you to accept Peter’s offer to go out with him, despite trying to tell him how much you actually hate him. He may seem innocent and sweet when others are around, but when it’s just the two of you he says stuff like this.

“Because I can always keep you company...if you know what I mean.” He says and reaches out towards you. You watch his hand slowly come towards you and you sit up a bit straighter so he can’t reach. His confidence flickers as he look from you to his outstretched hand before he drops it on the table and his horrible smile comes back. “Oh, I get it. You’re playing hard to get. I like that in a woman. It’s no fun if they give it up easily.” He grins and you have to refrain yourself from rolling your eyes again.

A pit opens up in your stomach and the more he smiles the more it grows. You feel more like you’re hunted than talked to and you really wish that someone would show up soon so it gives him an excuse to leave.

Today however, fate doesn’t seem to be on your side. Because somebody does turn up, it’s just the last person you want.

“Oscar!” Peter smiles and the two of them fist bump. Peter’s whole demeanour changes when your brother turns up and you watch the walls come up. The smirk is replaced with a smile and he moves his hands away from you.

Oscar looks between the two of you and knowing smile appears on his face.

“I’m not interrupting anything am I?”

“Well actuall-”

“No.” You interrupt. “We were just talking. But now that you’re here I’m sure you all want to hang out. So goodbye Peter.” You say through gritted teeth and force a smile. Peter pouts and Oscar shakes his head at you.

“You know, you could do a lot worse than Peter.” He says while Peter smirks behind him. “You should give him a chance.”

“I’d rather stick two pencils up my nose and then smash my head against this table.” You reply with a sarcastic smile and Oscar rolls his eyes.

“You’re gonna die alone with that attitude.” He says before walking away.

“That’s better than spending a lifetime with him.” You reply and stare straight at Peter. His face reddens and his cheeks puff out a little while he tries to figure out a response, but you’ve already unlocked your phone and started texting again.

“You know one day you’re going to realise what you’re missing out on and then you’re gonna beg me to take you out because you’ve realised you’re nothing but a sad little woman who nobody loves.” He seethes, his face inches away from yours and his face reddens with each word.

His breath makes you feel sick and you bite your lip to stop yourself from saying or doing anything. Just look straight forward and he’ll leave soon. His floppy blonde hair pokes at your forehead making it itch and you wonder if maybe there’s something in the industrial strength gel he uses that you’re allergic to.

“Hey Peter.” Veronica greets cheerily and he quickly turns around, the familiar fake smile coming back. She looks at you and then him before sighing and saying “Remember, I dated you and we all know she wouldn’t be missing out on much.”

Your jaw drops a little and you have to stifle a laugh as Veronica waves him back to his table, his feet stomping against the linoleum.

“Is he always like that?” Archie watches him walk away before asking you, his tone filled with concern and you feel yourself shrink under the pressure. Betty and Veronica send him a look before sitting down. Betty opposite you and Veronica beside. She wraps her arms around you, pulling you into a hug and the smell of expensive perfume floods your senses.

You know that they’re looking at each other, none of which know what to say or do. They may be able to solve crimes and take down criminals, but when it comes to real life stuff like this, they’re next to useless.

So they do what they do best, or at least Jughead does.

“I’ll go get us some milkshakes, Y/n do you want your favourite?” He asks and you nod quickly. You sniffle and take a deep breath, you’re not going to let Oscar or Peter or any other stupid boy make you cry.

Jughead nods and as you lift your head you watch him quickly walk away, he sends a glare in the direction of your brother and his friends and a small smile twitches at your lips.

Jughead Jones has never once been threatening, at least not to you, but you’re glad he’s making an effort. And you’re glad he offered to get the drinks instead of staying and saying something awkward. You love Jughead, but he isn’t the best at comforting people.

Archie pulls a chair up, already accepting the fact that it’s his turn to sit at the end of the table...again, but today he doesn’t seem to mind. He’s too focused on you and trying to make you feel better. Even if he just gets a small smile from you, that’ll be enough and then he won’t have to kick Oscar, Peter or anyone else’s ass...right now.

Oscar laughs loudly from his table on the other side of the diner and Betty rolls her eyes before looking at you and her expression softens as she reaches over the table to hold your hand.

“Y/n?” She asks and you force yourself to look at her. The tear in the leather seats isn’t the most interesting thing to look at usually, but when you’re avoiding talking about something, it becomes the most fascinating thing in the world. ��What was all that about?” She adds and her and Veronica share an unsure look.

“It was nothing.” You shrug and try to force a smile. Archie knows it’s not real, they all do and even Jughead looks sad when he sits back down, carefully placing the milkshakes down. “Oscar has just got it into his head that me and Peter would be a great couple. I dunno, I guess he thinks Peter’s like the perfect Northsider or something like that. A part of me thinks he just does it to annoy me because he only ever brings it up when Peter’s around. But Peter’s been around an awful lot lately so I’ve never heard the end of it, plus he’s a total dick. He’s rude, mean and stuck up, only whenever Oscar’s around he acts like he’s god’s gift. But I can’t say that to Oscar because if I speak ill of anyone he considers a friend, he goes crazy. He shouts and screams and calls me names and I guess I’m just scared of them. Both of them really.” You rant, letting out a deep breath at the end and the four of them stare at you wide eyed. “Sorry, I’ve been keeping that in for a while.” You add and force an awkward smile.

“Shit Y/n.” Betty sighs. “We’re sorry.” She adds and squeezes your hand.

“Yeah.” Jughead adds. “What can we do to help?” He asks and you look at him surprised.

“I-er. I don’t know.”

“Well then we’ll figure it out together.” Veronica smiles and hugs you again.

“Yeah.” Archie nods and leans over the table to grab your free hand. “What are friends for?”

support my writing! if you want!

#riverdale #riverdale imagine #archie andrews #veronica lodge #jughead jones #betty cooper #archie andrews imagine #veronica lodge imagine #jughead jones imagine #betty cooper imagine #trigger warning abuse #trigger warning #tw #tw:abuse

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luci-in-trenchcoats · 4 years ago

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Soldier Boy (Part 2)

Summary: The reader spends the day with Dean getting to know him some more when she catches him in a lie and discovers one of his most dark secrets...

Masterlist

Pairing: Superhero!Dean x reader

Word Count: 2,600ish

Warnings: language, mentions of death, angst

A/N: Enjoy!

____

“So how old are you, Solider Boy?” you asked the next day as you walked around the park.

“Thirty,” he said with a smirk.

“Solider Boy’s been around since the second world war. So. How old are you really?” you asked.

“I was eighteen when I was injected. I’ve aged very slowly. I do age, but it’s slow. They...I shouldn’t talk about this stuff,” he said, kicking at the ground with his boot. “Ah, fuck it, it’s in the news anyways.”

“The compound V?” you asked and he nodded.

“First successful try right here. I was still going through puberty so it took,” he said. “I guess. The science is very complicated they said. They just said you want to serve your country and I signed up.”

“What year were you born?”

“January 24th, 1926,” he said. You paused and he chuckled. “I know some women aren’t into older men.”

“I must seem like a child to you,” you said, walking again and crossing your arms.

“You’re twenty nine. I’m thirty. What’s such a big deal about that?” he smiled.

“You’re sweet,” you said. You dropped your hands by your sides, Dean taking one of them in his. “Old man ain’t wasting his time.”

“Keep it up, kiddo,” he laughed. You laced your fingers together with his hand and smiled as you looked at him. A flannel and t shirt. Jeans and boots. A baseball cap on his head. He looked so ordinary and yet he was the first superhero in existence. “I’m sure you’re wondering if I ever had a family.”

“A bit. It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” you said.

“No, I want to. I don’t talk to anyone anymore. Aside from the people at Vought to try and get in The Seven but that’s like beating a dead horse at this point,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“Apparently I’m too similar in the market sector as Homelander. Go ‘merica and color scheme and that shit. I didn’t ask to be the leader or anything. I just...want to get off the kiddie squad, go do real shit out there, help people, not the stupid stuff I do now.”

“Maybe that’s why you don’t fit on The Seven. You want to help people, you don’t care about the photo op,” you said.

“I’m gonna keep trying,” he said. “But to answer your other question you didn’t ask, no, I never had a family. I had parents and a brother but they’ve all passed away. All my friends are gone. It never seemed right to love a girl and have a family and watch them all grow old and...honestly I didn’t want to watch my children grow older than me and die. I can’t imagine anything worse than outliving them.”

“You’re a good man, Dean.”

“I had the occasional acquaintance, don’t get me wrong. But it was always casual, no titles, nothing formal.”

“Is this casual?” you asked. He shook his head and you bumped his shoulder. “What’s different this time?”

“A chemical made me this way. Maybe a chemical can unmake me this way. We are so advanced now compared to back then. Maybe I can age normally with some other combination. Maybe I’m stuck like this forever. I just know that the numb pit inside of me woke the fuck up when I met you and it has been quiet for a very, very long time.”

“My mom’s quiet a bit older than my dad. Age gaps don’t scare me,” you said. He chuckled and you held onto his arm. “You don’t sparkle like the twilight guy though right?”

“Oh my God, no,” he laughed. “No sparkles here. I do make sparks when bullets bounce off of me though.”

“Well now you’re just bragging,” you said. You rested your head on his arm, thinking back to a movie you used to watch as a kid, Solider Boy the lead in the thing. “Dean.”

“Hm?”

“Why did you just lie about not having a family?” you asked, pulling away from him. You knew you could have let it go, should have let it go for the sake of the mission but damn you were pissed off at him for lying to you. You crossed your arms and he frowned, going over to a nearby bench. You sat down next to him, Solider Boy rubbing his hands together. “You were in this movie my brother loved so I watched it all the time. He was a huge fan and he would never shut up about you. I never paid much attention but I remember. You had a wife and kids once.”

“You’re gonna leave after I tell you this part,” he said, a sad smile on his face.

“I’m gonna leave if you don’t tell me the truth right now. You will never see my face again. You promised you would not lie to me. Out with it Dean.”

“I wasn’t always a good person. It’s very...difficult to stay good when there’s so much bad around you. When there’s no consequences.”

“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”

“My son and daughter died hating me, thinking I was a monster. They died because of me. That was the breaking point for me. I walked away after that, I started over. I’d turned into this thing I didn’t recognize. I became Soldier Boy. Dean Winchester...he died back in that war. Not until the nineties did I realize what had happened to me. So I left. Went away from the world. Brought Dean back to life and Soldier Boy came back but different. Good this time. Greed, corruption. It’s not happening this time. Then you said...you made that comment about me being naive, that I’d turn eventually into an asshole supe like the rest of them. I’m terrified of that happening to me again. Maybe that’s why I like you, cause you’ll remind me not to be a monster again.”

“Why do you call yourself a monster?” you asked quietly.

“The first time I killed someone, I was mortified. The last time I did it, I laughed. It made me happy. I hurt him before I did it even. I stopped caring about people. My wife wanted a divorce. I thought she was hot, she fit my image. I told her I didn’t want one so she took some pills and told me she’d rather die than live with the devil. My kids were young adults, late twenties. I snapped at them when they blamed me for their mother’s death. My son hit me so I pushed him and he hit his head. My daughter ran out, afraid of me and was hit by a car. They died because I didn’t want to lose my image. I wasn’t even that upset at first. I thought a widow superhero, that’ll boost my numbers.”

“If that didn’t…” you said, Dean running his hands over his thighs. “What made you change?”

“I found a drawing my daughter had made me when she was small,” he said. He took out his wallet and unfolded a laminated sheet of paper holding it out to you. It was done in crayon, a few stick figures with one of them wearing a superhero outfit and the word “daddy” written above it. “She loved me once. I ripped it away from her. I found that cleaning out the house and I realized what I’d done. I’m worse than any bad guy there ever was for doing that to them. I stopped caring. When you stop caring is when you lose those bits of your soul. They break off until there’s nothing left. I am a monster, Y/N. Nothing I ever do can make up for it and save whatever shattered pieces are in there. But I owe it to my kids to be good and stay good.”

You handed the sheet back and he tucked it away, his wallet going in his pocket as he stared out at the trees across the path.

“I understand if you would no longer like to see or speak to me again. Or if you want to slap me in the face. That’s also acceptable,” he said.

“What year was all of this?” you asked.

“They died in ‘92. Then I ran away to Kansas, worked as a farmhand for a while,” he said. He rubbed his palm and stared down at his lap. “Just...be careful at night and try to stop walking down alleys for me, okay?”

“Why are you saying that?”

“I’m never going to see you again after you get up from this bench.”

You stood up and he let out a sigh. You took a step to your left and sat down closer to him, turning your head as Dean looked so horribly confused at you. You couldn’t walk away. It wasn’t an option. But while you knew you couldn’t walk because of the mission Butcher had you on, you didn’t want to. There was so much self-hate inside of Dean he hid well and part of you ached that he considered himself sub-human.

“Y/N, what are you doing?”

“Dean. What happened to your family was horrible but they were accidents. Your daughter, your son. Your wife, did she even let it sink in for you before she did that? If I was married to someone and they suddenly asked for a divorce my gut reaction would probably be no too. I’m not saying you didn’t play a part but those were her actions that trickled down and affected the rest of you. Letting yourself become corrupted means you’re human. We all make fucking mistakes. Yours are a little big, I admit that. But you try to make up for it. All you can do after the fact is try and you’re doing that. There’s a soul in there Dean. If there wasn’t this wouldn’t be eating you alive. Cut yourself a break. I gotta process everything you said but I’m not walking away. Promise you will never lie to me again and I can promise you that I won’t judge you, no matter what you’ve done.”

“I’ve been around 95 years and I’ve never met anyone like you,” he said. “That’s a good thing. I will never lie to you again. I swear. I’m sorry. I was...frightened of telling you who I was deep down. I like you. I’ve never felt like this before. It’s the first bit of happiness I’ve felt in a long time and I don’t want it to go away just yet.”

“It’s okay that you were scared. Maybe on our third date we can have a less intense conversation. We can talk about how you’re older than sliced bread,” you teased.

“You youngin’s don’t know how good you got it,” he chuckled. You took his hand into your lap and he smiled. “Not a monster to you?”

“No. Just be a good guy and I’ll be happy,” you said. You leaned over and kissed his cheek, Dean looking you up and down.

“I wish I knew you when I was a dumb kid that let them shove that stuff in me. I never would have said yes if I had a girl back home.”

“Well, from now on, maybe just ask if you think I’d be proud of what you were doing. If the anwer’s no, maybe don’t do it,” you said.

“I’m gonna keep that one,” he said. “Also did you subtly drop that I’m getting another date despite all of that?”

“You told me the truth, even though it was hard. That’s why I like you too,” you said. “Plus you’re really old so you must have like, sex down to perfection by this point.”

“Gonna blow your fucking mind,” he teased. “Eventually. I know things are different nowadays but…you’re special. You’re not a hookup.”

“When you’re ready, you let me know and we’ll go from there, okay?” He nodded and you gave him a hug, Dean hesitant at first but he quickly relaxed into it. “You alright?”

“Been a long time since I had a hug is all.”

“You need one, just come to me,” you said. You sat back and he smiled. “So. Let’s go do something fun. You look like you could use it.”

“Night,” murmured Dean as he kissed you at your doorstep that evening.

“Night,” you said, not moving away from him just yet. His ears perked up and he forced himself away. “Trouble?”

“Yeah. Nothing major. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

“Bye Dean,” you said, watching him take off running far faster than any human man could. You smiled as you locked up, a loud thud coming from your kitchen. You unlocked the door and looked around. “Hello?”

“For such a nice house you have an incredibly small kitchen,” said Butcher as he walked out with the bottle of your nicest bourbon.

“Oh come on, that was a housewarming present,” you said.

“I swipe you some more,” he said, taking a long swig. “How’s it going?”

“Good. We got close today but Butcher you seriously can not come back here again. Dean was this close to coming inside tonight.”

“Dean. I thought he was Solider Boy.”

“You know what I mean.”

“You want to wind up like his last broad did? You give him the puppy dog eyes and then we make a move,” he said.

“I’m starting to think we might get further with sugar over spice. Billy he wants to make up for his past. If he gets into The Seven he could be a serious asset.”

“Are you going soft on me?” he asked, an edge in his voice.

“Let me work him the way I know best. Trust me,” you said.

“Don’t forget what this is for. You call when you’re ready,” he said. “Don’t take too long.”

He left out the back and you sighed, running your hands over your face. Sure, Dean had done some bad things in the past but who hadn’t? He wasn’t playing you, he had no reason to. The part of you that wanted revenge was still there but he didn’t cause your brother to die, not really. He was simply a prime target at the moment.

You swallowed and went to the kitchen, taking the bottle of alcohol to the family room. You sat on the couch and took a swig, letting it burn your throat.

You didn’t want him to get hurt. You liked him. A lot. Maybe you could convince him to go away, be someplace safer. Your head turned when you got a text, the alert saying it was from Dean and him asking you if you wanted to get out of the city and go hiking tomorrow.

Maybe that’d be a good time to tell him the truth. He was bound to find out eventually and if he got mad, at least you’d be the only one in danger. Billy’s voice was at the back of your head but you ignored it. He’d been angry for too long, couldn’t see the good in people anymore. Dean wasn’t what you thought he was at first. He was good deep down.

You’d tell Solider Boy the truth tomorrow and hoped you lived to see the next day.

______

A/N: Read the Final Part here!

#spn #supernatural #dean x reader #au!dean x reader #spn fanfiction #dean winchester x reader #superhero!dean x reader #dean winchester x you #supernatural fanfiction

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cosmiclatte28 · 4 years ago

Text

Butterflies and Brushes (YuTae)

a/n : this is a promise I made for the wonderful IG account yutae.0126

warning : Slight suggestive content, but nothing explicit (or yeah?) Romance, bxb proceeed to masterlist if you’re not comfortable and pic something else. Romance, fluff, flirty!yuta and cold prince! Taeyong

ARTSCHOOL AU! nude panting (nothing explicit though, safe to read for anyone mature enough)

My first Yuta x Taeyong or Taeyong x Yuta fic and I am excited to see how this goes!!

Here we goo!!!

Oh yeah I attach a picture for the poses below because I am afraid the explanation is not enough and sorry for my failed attempt to draw. (I blotted it okay and failed still )

Every campus has that one hot guy everyone is afraid to approach and another guy with the total opposite appeal.

Well the same thing happens in this top college of visual arts, not only do they have talented artist in process of making visual arts, the students themselves have top visual points.

Meet Lee Taeyong, the campus' Aphrodite with a stoic face and a piercing gaze. Rumor has it, his beauty comes from the way he keeps his face poker whenever he walks around the campus. Though he rarely smiles, everyone believes he has his own reasons for being that. Afterall, no one dares messes up with Taeyong, not after the famous incident where he punched a bully so hard in the face after dissing a freshman's work of art. That freshman is famous here, he's called Ten. A sweet guy from Thai who draws amazing realistic drawings.

Moving on from the coldest guy, we have the warmest guy who always smiles. He wins the “healing smile fairy" nickname thanks to his gummy smile.

If Taeyong is the Aphrodite here, Yuta is Apollo. His smile is enough to defrost a thousand years of snow and with one wink, you're 90% guaranteed to have a good day.

The Japanese guy with long blonde hair -sharing similar traits as to that famous Howl character- is the one who always smiles no matter what!

Every girl has fallen for his smile, every guy envies his attractiveness. He is playful, cheerful, and flirty! No one walks away from Yuta without a smile or a blush, no one but Lee Taeyong.

Yuta has never personally encounter Lee Taeyong. He just knows the famous cold-hearted prince who shares the same painting class with him. Despite sharing the same class this term, Yuta has never seated next to him nor has he the chance to talk with him. Taeyong always comes into the class near the starting time and leaves first.

T'was until one eventful moment that the two opposite individuals are put together for their final Junior year project. The teacher insists for their final project to draw a realistic nude painting of their assigned partner. Nude painting is not something new to the students here, besides the teacher paired the students and asked their conscience about it. Yuta won’t turn the chance down, but when the teacher asked Taeyong if he is okay with his partner, Yuta can’t look into his direction. All the Japanese guy can do is fiddle with his hands while waiting for the teacher to call out his name and pair him with another student.

“Sure, I mean I don’t have any reasons to object.” Taeyong's deep voice resonates through the studio and believe it or not the whole class was holding their breaths. Yuta almost squeals when Taeyong accepts the partnering scheme. When the teacher asks him, Yuta immediately nods and gosh his silly smile over there was caught in Taeyong's peripheral view. Believe it or not, for the first time in forever, Lee Taeyong smirked in public.

Ten who sits close to Yuta secretly gives a sly smile to the Japanese man. Yuta tosses a questioning look and Ten mouths “Everyone is confused if they want to be in your shoes or Taeyong's"

Yuta blushes at his words, Ten sure knows how to tease him. Well, Ten is one of Yuta's best friends and he is the only one who knows about the secret mission Yuta has in his heart. Yes, Yuta aims to be able to make Taeyong falls for him like any other people. It is not an easy task, Yuta is aware of that, but because of that he is more than challenged to succeed.

“So, I guess I'll miss you,” Ten suddenly says this when they're packing up their books.

Yuta glances to the room and sees Taeyong is still there, unlike usual!

“What do you mean?” Yuta asks back

Ten winks, “He is coming here, maybe asking your number. I won’t bother, see you!” he taps Yuta's shoulder and flies all the way down the room leaving Yuta alone with Taeyong on his side.

“So… you are my partner for our final project, right?” Taeyong's secret voice greets Yuta's ear. He almost falls on the ground for realizing how good his voice sounds.

Yuta quickly nods his head and waits for the other to continue.

“I don’t want to flunk this class, so when should we start?” Taeyong goes straight into business.

Yuta feels a bit sad that the man in front of him is strictly stuck to business, but he is the best in masking emotions, Taeyong wouldn’t be able to guess.

“Yes sure, I also want to start early. Umm when do you have free time?”

Taeyong picks his phone out and goes to his planner, he scrolls and sees how busy he is. He sighs, not wanting to disturb the warm guy in front of him longer…

“Put in your number and I'll text you my free time. Also, sorry for bothering you.” He sheepishly gives a tiny smile! Microscopic but not to Yuta!

Yuta wants to jump right now, Taeyong is asking his number! How silly was he, thinking about so many ways to ask the latter's number without sounding too flirty or rude. He didn’t have to worry, Taeyong did it well.

Yuta quickly types in his number and saves the contact. He presses the call button and when his phone rings, he shuts it off.

“Cool. I got your number.” Yuta, who is usually verbose, only slips in efficient reply but his warm smile is always there.

Taeyong seems a bit taken aback by the smile; Yuta didn’t notice this. If he noticed, Yuta won’t let that go.

“Okay, see you then.” Taeyong shuffles in his place and finally leaves Yuta alone. The class is empty already and Yuta sits back on his chair.

He controls his heartbeat that is beating faster than a runner, and he hides his face in his hands as he feels his cheeks getting hotter.

“I MUST BE DRUNK HAPPY!” he muffles his scream to himself and Yuta elicits the brightest smile ever that day.

He walks through the corridors, tossing smiles and greetings to everyone he sees and that radiant look really energized everyone else.

“I wonder what's wrong with Yuta hyung, he looks really bright!” Renjun, a freshman from China, asks Ten.

Ten just smirks, “He won the lottery maybe. Come on! I want to learn how to do water color with you!” he pulls the younger away.

That afternoon, Yuta is seated on the edge of his bed with Ten sleeping on the soft mattress.

“Ten why isn’t he texting me? Should I send him my schedule first?” Yuta sounds like a nervous teenager who is confessing to their crus.

Ten laughs out loud at his worries, “Yow! Yuta! You're the flirtiest guy here and you're nervous and confused about talking to Taeyong?! You know your rules.. because this is Taeyong you wait! You don’t want to look easy on him right?”

Yuta frowns “Well yes, but Ten I am so excited! Like I am afraid I cannot draw him nicely and I’ll hurt his feelings! Gosh Why does it have to be nude realistic painting?! If it's comic I'm sure he will fall for my drawings!”

Ten scoffs, “Silly because the class we're taking is realistic painting??? Come on you're good with your hands. He will like it.”

Yuta feels nervous, he is not the best in realistic drawing but he is not that bad.

Yuta suddenly turns his head to face Ten, “Hey!” he grips Ten's wrist.

“TEACH ME HOW TO DO BETTER REALISTIC DRAWING!!” he sounds so excited and nervous at the same time.

Ten grins “What will I get in return?”

Yuta rolls his eyes, there is always a catch with Ten.

“I don’t know?? I'll treat you pizza?”

“Nah, not interested. What about that model friend of yours,’ number??”

Yuta frowns for a while, trying to remember who is Ten talking about

“Johnny?” Yuta raises his brow

Ten bites his lips and nods, Yuta reaches out his hand and the other one seals the deal.

“Okay, you follow me to the studio tomorrow after 2? Bring a sketch book I'll help with the sketching first and then we'll go to the painting part which I know you do okay.” Ten jumps in surprise when he catches the light of notification in Yuta's phone.

They both crowd the screen as Taeyong's name appear in Yuta's message box.

“Best day ever…” Yuta shyly opens the message and replies back with his own schedule.

They talk for awhile and come to an agreement that they'll start doing it next week.

“TEN! WE NEED TO DO THE CRASH COURSE ASAP. I am not going to disappoint him.” Yuta looks so ambitious and Ten is just happy he's getting Johnny's number.

Crash course was not that easy. Ten is a strict teacher and he keeps on nagging Yuta to fix his way of sketching. Well Yuta's inattentive to small details, but Ten insists it is the most important thing.

“You're doing nude painting, every stroke matters! What if he ends up not having edges? You'll hate yourself.” Ten reminds Yuta his goal.

“Don’t you want to impress him? Plus I’m sure you'll get good finals if you follow my tips.”

Yuta ends up doing three more drawings, all from seeing Ten posing in front of him.

“Ten, you're just playing around with me right? You just want me to draw you?” Yuta slams his pencil down after the third time of renewing Ten's picture

Ten throws an apple he found at the table to Yuta “You think I'd ask you to draw me?! I'd rather ask Taeyong!”

Yuta shoots his eyes while rubbing his head “Hey! We agreed he is mine. Don’t you dare!”

Ten analyzes the sketch Yuta did and smiles “Now this, will make Taeyong interested in you.” He examines his friend’s work and compares the first two.

He just stays quiet and tosses three of the papers side by side to Yuta “See that? If I'm not your friend… I'd charge you a thousand dollars already for this class.”

Ten is not lying when he said that, within three sketches (and two hours of painful comments) Yuta's drawing significantly improves. He barely knows he can draw like that third drawing he made.

“Yoksi… Ten you're so talented! My best friend!” he hugs Ten and Ten just slightly coughs “Don’t forget the deal.”

Yuta just smiles and fishes his phone, he quickly sends a contact name to Ten and when Ten receives the number, Yuta takes his chance to leave the room.

He's now more confident in seeing Taeyong. He didn’t know what will happen on the day they'll meet but he sure wants to make a good impression.

“Hey so, you'll directly follow me home? Or do you have to do something first?” Taeyong starts the conversation that afternoon after their painting class.

Yuta has not talked with Taeyong after they exchange schedules. They haven’t talked and discussed about their themes, but Yuta guesses they'll figure it out on their way home.

Yuta shifts his head from cleaning up his mess and looks at Taeyong, the stoic man has a tint of blush in his cheek upon seeing Yuta's radiant smile but he quickly hides it away.

“Pull yourself together Taeyong, why are you like this?” Taeyong speaks to himself in his heart.

“Yes Taeyong, I have nothing to do and i'm ready to go." The blonde man smiles to the red haired man and both of them are trying their best to keep their emotions low.

Taeyong slings his bag and nods his head “Hope you don’t mind walking, my apartment is only a 15 minutes walk.” He leads them out of the class and Yuta copies his long steps.

No Yuta doesn’t mind walking an hour if that is with Taeyong. Under the sun, the two angelic man of the school walk side by side… inviting by passer to stop and sneak a picture of them or just stand there frozen upon what they see.

Taeyong keeps his stoic face until they reach the outer gate, meanwhile Yuta is busy waving his hand to anyone he knows and just smiling to random students.

Taeyong snickers when they reach the outer gate “You really are kind to anyone eh? The rumor is true.”

Yuta widens his eyes “Rumor?”

Taeyong smirks and looks into the younger's hazel eyes “Well yes the rumor that you are the school's Apollo? Because they say your smile heals everything?”

Yuta doesn’t know how to react, well he knows that but what should he do? Saying “oh yes and you're the aphrodite that everyone fears….”no that is not good.

Taeyong suddenly shakes his shoulder and loosen down his tie. Well their school gives them uniform with ties, and Taeyong loosening it doesn’t help Yuta's red face. Gosh he looks so hot.

“Hufth glad we're far enough from school and cameras.” He gives a small smile. Yuta is confused, okay so Taeyong did realize the students love to take pictures of him… he also knows how to smile?

Yuta’s confusion makes him ask the red haired man “So you do know?”

Taeyong raises his brow, “Know what? Knows that my picture is secretly famous in the dark web? Being used for sketching references? Comics?”

Yuta gulps well yeah he did see some comic works having illustrations very similar to taeyong and him,… “You know how to smile.” Was the thing Yuta's unfiltered mouth let go.

The blonde Japanese man covers his mouth in fluster, he quickly bows while muttering “Sorry, I really didn’t mean to say that.”

Taeyong freezes in place when he heard that remark, he turns his heels around and faces Yuta who is now looking on the grounds.

Taeyong smirks, interesting, no one dares talk to Taeyong that way and Yuta just did.

“Say that again?” he smirks looking ten times hotter and dominant.

Yuta grins and scratches his head, “I didn’t say anything. Pretend you hear nothing.” He tries to hide his face away but Taeyong bravely brings his chin to face him.

“Well as a matter of fact, yes Yuta, I can smile.” He puts back his cold face and his eyes pierces through Yuta's weak soul. He turns his body away and continues walking… he smiles when he realizes how cute a flustered Yuta is. What he doesn’t know is that behind his back, Yuta has already level up his game.

If that is how Taeyong is going to play the game, he chooses the king of flirt. Yuta will not lose to Taeyong.

The younger shakes his thoughts away and pick up his steps. Once he is next to Taeyong again, Taeyong quickly puts back his stoic face.

“So, what is your theme Taeyong?” Yuta opens the conversation.

Taeyong has been sleepless for the week, trying to find a pose where he can capture Yuta's ethereal beauty in his oil painting. He went through a lot of illustrations references and even imagined Yuta posing for him. He cannot lie, that man really has his own attractiveness and Taeyong cannot pinpoint where.

“Well, as a matter of fact I've prepared several poses for you. Wait before that who is going to draw first today?” Taeyong asks the most important question. He is not spoiling the theme to Yuta right now, at least not in front of a kindergarten school they just passed by.

Yuta shrugs his shoulder “If you're ready to pose, I'll draw firs… You're a better painter. I'd rather paint you first rather than seeing how great your work is and lose confidence doing mine.” He laughs and Taeyong giggles.

“No way, your drawing is good Yuta! I love your anime illustrations.” Taeyong slides a sincere praise here.

Yuta feels happy that Taeyong knows about his works, “But your abstract painting is wonderful! You're going to be a great artist one day!”

Taeyong feels flowers bloom in his heart, but his face isn’t showing anything.

“Okay then, if you want that… I can pose for you today.” Taeyong hates to admit he actually feels like losing a bet but there is no bet.

Yuta secretly smiles, so Taeyong is the first one giving up for Yuta eh?

Yuta claps his hands “Great! I have some ideas you can choose okay! Pick the one you're most comfortable with.”

“Okay… oh do you mind we walk a bit further and then go back?” taeyong pauses in his track.

Yuta doesn’t understand “Huh?”

Taeyong sighs and shakes his head, not believing himself for saying this outloud to anyone, “I need to feed some kittens there…”

Yuta softens his face “Sure! I love cats and dogs! Didn’t know a cold guy like you cares so much about animals.”

Taeyong can relax now, he feels better knowing that Yuta didn’t laugh at him “Thanks, they're too young to survive.” Taeyong walks into a corner and purrs. Slowly three cats emerge from the dark and meows softly while taking defensive stances when they sense a new presence of Yuta.

Taeyong giggles as he extends his arm to pour the cat foods he had prepared to the ground “Don't be afraid, he is my friend… he won’t hurt you guys.” Taeyong uses a nasal voice to baby talk the kittens and calls Yuta friend?! Oh gosh Yuta is ready to die, Taeyong is a totally different person out here! And he is more than eager to portray that emotion into his painting.

Yuta ends up squatting down beside Taeyong and plays with the kittens for a while. Both men giggling at the smallest action the clumsy cats made.

“Okay, we have to go, or we will end up not working.” Taeyong stands up and brushes his dust off, waiting for Yuta to follow him back to his house.

Yuta bids the kitten farewell as he catches back Taeyong’s long strides and they finally make it into their place for the afternoon.

“Make yourself at home, or at least like this is your studio.” He is glad he cleaned up his room last night.

Yuta nods his head, he sets his canvas up, prepares his pencils, and anything else he needs for the project.

Taeyong has to admit he is nervous, now that he realizes he should be the first one stripping.

The older excuses himself to bath first, earning a small giggle from Yuta, but since Yuta wants Taeyong to be comfortable he lets him go.

As the older finishes his shower, Yuta has pulled out his phone and opens up his choices of poses. Unlike Taeyong who cannot choose a pose, Yuta already has one in mind since the first day Taeyong came to him.

He wants the older to sit on one of the armchair he surprisingly has in his apartment. He’ll have Taeyong sit cross legged, posing as elegant as he can while staying in that position for hours. Yuta esitimates he’ll need six hours to draw, yes draw.

Then maybe they’ll continue the next day for the layers and coloring. He wishes they can finish before time runs out.

“Okay, so how do you want me to pose?” Taeyong comes out of the shower fresh with only a towel covering his lower privacy. Yuta almost chokes upon seeing his appearance, but he is professional enough to hold it back.

Yuta chooses to just show him what he wants and Taeyong easily agrees, “You want me to sit? That’s kind of you. Someone else asked me to stand and damn I got tired, but t’was okay since they paint me nicely.” Taeyong says as he takes his seat and sets his body to look like how Yuta wants.

In front of Yuta, sits Taeyong in his heavenly state. His armchair despite being super simple, looks like it is a throne thanks to Taeyong’s indescribable aura. The man in red hair is sitting cross legged on the armchair, leaning his head to the side supported by his left arm. His face shows the same expression that of a model. His eyes? They were soft minutes ago, but now they’re piercing through the air. Yuta can fall to his knees right now and follow every command this king beholds.

“Please tell me if you need any breaks,” Yuta says breathily.

Taeyong nods, “Oh before that, I haven’t asked you… Do you want any drink or special condition for drawing?”

Yuta thinks for a while, “Well, I can’t work in too much silence, so please talk with me while I start sketching you.”

Taeyong takes a good note on that and as the younger man ties his hair to a man bun and pulls his sleeves up, Taeyong is more than excited to be paired with him. He wants to know how great Yuta can draw him.

They talk about random things like where they studied before entering this school, hobbies, favorite foods, even ended up talking about cats and dogs.

“I’m considering buying myself some fish and put them in the aquarium. What do you think?” Taeyong asks while leaning his head more to his resting hand. Yuta lets one of his hand rests on the arm rest and his head is leaning to that hand. (Super ugly sketch I tried blotting is attached below)

Yuta still focuses on his drawing, “Fish? Their water maintenance can be expensive.”

Taeyong rolls his eyes, “That’s the least I can own in this apartment, they do not allow dogs or cats.”

Yuta just hums, “Okay then go with fish. I don’t see why you’re hesitating.”

“Because if they die, I’ll be super sad.” Taeyong answers in a heartbeat.

Yuta almost drops his pencil upon seeing this side of Taeyong, the soft hearted cute guy is hiding behind a cold mask.

“Sorry if I sound rude, but you’re totally different in and out of school! What makes you act like that in school?” Yuta is glad about his sketch right now, at least his crash course with Ten is saving his face.

Taeyong smirks, “You want to know, or you want to know?” he teases the blonde man a bit, starting to feel super comfortable. Hey nothing beats being comfortable faster than being naked in front of them right?

“Just tell me. Everyone’s talking about you being a heartless cold man, but in real life you’re totally soft and I hate that people are talking about the wrong you.” Yuta blurts his heart out and gasps when he realized what he just said.

Taeyong seizes the opportunity, “Oh, you care about me that much? Well I did that because I’m tired of being the center of attention.”

Yuta clicks his tongue, “And you being like a cold bitch is just making you more into the spotlight.”

Taeyong giggles, now he is using bitch in his sentence? “Well thank me, I give you the spotlight of the good guy!”

Yuta wants to slap him hard if he is his long best friend, but not yet.

“You’re interesting Yuta, you really look astonishing when you’re focused. I wonder if you got a female partner, how distracted will both of you be.”

Yuta hums, “Well that didn’t happen, now I am here drawing you like one of my French guy.” His humorous side comes out.

Taeyong laughs heartily at that, “Okay sorry, I have to keep my expression.”

Yuta nods, “Thanks for realizing, I almost ruin the drawing with your big smile.”

Taeyong grins, “You better draw my cold face there, no one should see this side of me yet.”

“As you please, Your Majesty. Now you may rest, I’ve finished roughly and let me order us something to eat.”

Taeyong is thankful when Yuta tosses him back his towel and the red hair quickly runs to his room to fetch some clothes. Once Taeyong is inside his room, he runs to the mirror and checks how red his ears are actually. Gosh, did Yuta realize?

While Taeyong is changing clothes, Yuta orders them a meal and he keeps his canvas in a safe place.

They have a good time talking again through dinner and like a long best friend who met, the two click like puzzles made for each other.

“Thank you for the meal,” Taeyong says before Yuta leaves his house.

“Thank you for being a nice model. Don’t see my canvas yet okay. I’m not confident with what I have right now.” Yuta wears his jacket as he steps outside the door.

Taeyong nods, he knows that same feeling and he will respect Yuta for it.

“Great, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Yuta smiles, “Yes! Let me know if I need to prepare anything.”

He leaves, walking down the road another five minutes to arrive in his small apartment.

They decided that they will take turn, tomorrow Yuta will be in Taeyong’s shoes.

“I hope you don’t mind lying in my bed,” Taeyong says as he explains the concept pose he has been thinking again last night.

Yuta shakes his head, “I’m down for anything! You’re one of the best painter in the class, It’s an honour to be your muse. I’ll do anything for a good result.”

Taeyong slyly smirks, “Anything?”

Yuta winks (hell he is not losing okay), “You heard me loud and clear.”

“Okay then, you… wow, that’s a nice tattoo! We should get that in the frame.” Taeyong runs his eyes over the toned abs and the pretty butterfly tattoo on his lower abdomen.

Yuta smiles, “Yeah I got a story behind it, I’ll tell you later.” Yuta makes himself comfortable between the white sheets Taeyong has prepared and covers his lower abs below with the thin linen. His butterfly tattoo is half peeking but that is exactly what Taeyong needs.

“I hope you’re not allergic to flowers,” Taeyong suddenly appears with a bag of flower petals. Yuta blushes, this man really prepares a lot.

“Absolutely not, just do what you need to do.” Yuta stutters a bit. Where is his confident flirty personality at time like this?! Taeyong calmly places the petals in different places, once he is satisfied with what he has the Aphrodite walks to his fridge and takes out one cold can of beer.

“I need some cans to draw,” Taeyong explains himself, though Yuta didn’t ask anything.

The drawing session begins, and they casually talk again, Yuta is facing the opposite side of Taeyong and from a lower view, he can clearly see how Taeyong frowns and how he bites his lips while concentrating on his canvas. Yuta can see each detail in Taeyong’s face from a new angle!

He loves the shade of red his lips have and his hair! His hair is envious. Yuta sees Taeyong pauses to sip his drink some time and when he feels like closing his eyes on the sheet, he doesn’t hear any warning from Taeyong and so the blonde angel falls asleep after watching the man he secretly likes.

Taeyong finishes not long after it and when he realizes the younger is no longer talking, he peeks over his canvas and smiles upon seeing Yuta’s calm sleeping face. Even in his sleep, he looks super kind and angelic!

“You really are son of Apollo or maybe Apollo himself,” Taeyong brings a strand of hair away from Yuta’s eyes. Gently, he pulls a thicker blanket over the younger’s bare skin and lets him rest for some more.

Taeyong leaves the room and controls his quickening heartbeat. When pulling the blanket over Yuta, he is close to his face and inches away from those plush lips. Taeyong feels his heartbeat increasing and he has to quickly walk away before doing things that he didn’t want.

Yuta wakes up feeling sorry for falling asleep, but Taeyong just shakes it off. Saying he totally understands, and he doesn’t mind. With that being said, they eat dinner together again before finally parting goodbye. To make things faster, Yuta brings home his canvas so he can start layering and do the basic stuff he can do without the model. Same thing for Taeyong.

That night, both men busy themselves in their own studios. Accompanied by one light, cups of coffees, soft music, and each other’s sketches on their canvas witnessing just how love struck both parties are. Yet both souls are too stubborn to fall on one knee and confess this big crush they have to the other.

Another week comes and this time they need to meet again. Yuta and Taeyong have already been comfortable with one another, to the point where Yuta can talk in the hallway with Taeyong. Something super rare to be seen! Not Yuta’s part but seeing Taeyong walks and talks with someone at school is the hottest news of the week.

Through hours and hours of staying together in the same place, stroking paint brushes, learning each and every flaws and beauty their muse have, it’s not surprising how comfortable and close they are right now.

Yuta knows just every detail of Taeyong’s face. He notices the rose print scar next to his right eye, the small mole on his lips, the way Taeyong’s eyes twinkle with stars, how his hair stays in place despite the hours of posing.

Taeyong is able to draw Yuta base on memory too now. He finds the perfect hue of his skin, the right yellow shade for his smooth hair, the way his eyes relax and the story about how Yuta’s butterfly ended up being printed in his torso.

Taeyong cannot deny the bubbly feeling in his chest. Is he feeling that dangerous chemical reactions in his body? Is he in love?

It’s already the last week from the deadline and the two choose to finish everything tonight. So, that afternoon Yuta comes into Taeyong’s house with a sleepover supply and they start their last journey of painting.

There’s a tugging feeling in Yuta’s heart as he finalizes his painting. A satisfied smile comes to his face when he sees his final painting of Taeyong. His eyes run from the breathing perfection sitting like a throne king waiting for his interesting part in life to start, and to the canvas he’s been working on for hours! A satisfied smile comes to his face when he feels his hours of blood, sweat, and tears of working being paid off with the portray lying before him. He is proud with how he manages to capture the soft side of Taeyong hidden under his cold guy shell.

Yuta waits for the paint to dry, and while doing that he is now again, lying on the bedsheets of Taeyong’s room. The fresh linen once smelled like fresh laundry, the day when Yuta fell asleep. Today, it smells different. A slight hint of musk and mint, is this how Taeyong smells like? Did the painter across him sleeps on the same bed he is lying bare right now? If that’s true, this is hot.

Unlike Taeyong who shows his soft side to Yuta, through this painting course Taeyong realizes just how charismatic Yuta is behind his warm healing smile. The same guy who tosses hearty smile in public can hold an intense fiery gaze on sheets. Taeyong bites his lips as he runs his eyes one more time over his perfectly pliant muse. Yuta feels relaxed on that bed, and that makes Taeyong feels less guilty for asking Yuta to stay a bit more since he needs to finalize the tattoo and the details.

“Mind if I see that butterfly a bit closer again?” Taeyong excuses himself and bends to scrutinize over the complex lines.

Yuta holds his breath and hides his read ears, he can feel his face burning from embarrassment but Taeyong doesn’t seem to care. He even traces the lines to get the shape and returns behind his canvas.

What feels like eternity finally comes to an end and both heart secretly wish they have more time to enjoy the presence of the other, looking each other without being judged creepy, but everything has an end.

“And I’m done!” Taeyong sets aside his canvas to dry next to Yuta’s. They plan to add their names and signature later on tomorrow maybe to not ruin the colors.

“Do you want some drink?” Taeyong asks as he tosses Yuta a big teeshirt and his pants.

Yuta nods, “Let’s order some good food and have a bit fun tonight. This project is tiring, but I’m glad with my result.”

Taeyong scrolls his phone to order some foods and beers, he agrees with Yuta. This ending needs a celebration! As the two men sit on the dining table, chopsticks reaching over for foods and glasses being refiled with golden liquids, their heads slowly turn drowsy.

“I hate that this thing end actually…” Taeyong, who is a lighter head than Yuta has fallen to his drunk state, comments.

Yuta swears if he is sober right now, he will blush, but no. Now he is similarly under alcoholic control and he can’t seem to control his flirty side.

“Oh yeah? You like seeing me that much? My presence is enough to make you happy?” Yuta leans in closer and rests his chin elegantly on his right palm.

Taeyong furiously runs his hands over his face, “Gosh yes Yuta! You make me crazy! Being super hot on my bed with just one linen over you, not to mention I really want to bite that tattoo mark!”

Yuta giggles, drunk Taeyong is fun to play with. He bravely stands up and walks over to sit beside Taeyong. Daringly runs a hand over the tensed shoulder, “Guess you’re super tired already. You’re starting to speak nonsense.”

Although Yuta wants to hear more about Taeyong’s true feelings to him, he knows it is not polite of him to listen to Taeyong’s drunk rambles. What if Taeyong didn’t remember anything and it will make things awkward.

Taeyong pulls Yuta who is trying to walk away, and makes the blonde man falls into his lap.

“We’re both stubborn and our egos are too high. Fuck it, I’m gonna say this now.” Taeyong’s grip on Yuta’s slender waist tightens.

“I love you, I love you so much Yuta! It pains me every night to finish this painting without you in my room. I can finish it because I memorize your features, but it doesn’t feel the same when you’re here posing and breathing the same air with me.” Taeyong’s lower voice growls inside Yuta’s ear.

Yuta cannot think of anything else, rather than focusing on the glistening lips Taeyong has and it takes every ounce and angel in Yuta’s body to hold himself back from attacking that lips.

But the devil won tonight, and the blonde man sticks his lips into the red hair’s. Taeyong presses his neck deeper and lets Yuta takes control of the intense lips battle. No one is backing down, the two gods of the school have met and the opposite attractions have connected.

Just like North going South, butterflies looking for their flowers, and soulmates finding one another…

Taeyong finds Yuta and Yuta finds Taeyong.

Both separate souls finally become one, after years and years of waiting. Seasons of love months, and hours of portrait painting.

“I love you too, Lee Taeyong. And you drive me crazy.” Yuta breaks the kiss to whisper this right next to his lips and seals their bond back with a deeper meaningful kiss.

On the edge of the room, their painted portraits of each other glow under the moonlight.

Epilogue

“This is very nice! I mean Taeyong!!! I’ll definitely buy this at any price!” Yuta gasps and shakes his head when he sees the result Taeyong shows.

Taeyong shyly looks into his feet, after what they did last night somehow, he feels like he cannot see Yuta’s eyes this morning.

Yes both young men have woken up under the same blanket, bodies sticking to each other as the cold morning air tries to creep up their soft skins. Taeyong wakes up being under Yuta’s possessive strong arms and he knows he wants more of this in the future!

“I am not selling it.” Taeyong smirks.

Yuta’s face fell, “Not even to me?

He shakes his head, “No. I like that masterpiece I made.”

Yuta frowns and pouts, “Okay then… I am also not selling mine to you.”

Taeyong runs his eyes over the painting. He needs to admit, he didn’t expect Yuta to paint him that nice… but everything in that picture speaks a thousand words about Taeyong. Taeyong is dying to have that paint in his room too! But if this is how they’re going to do it…. Okay then no one will have their own portrait.

“Fine.”

“Okay, then when are you free?” Yuta suddenly asks

Taeyong sounds flustered, “Eh? Are you asking me out on a date?”

Yuta rolls his eyes and clicks his tongue, “I am booking you for a painting session. I need you to make my portrait but this time I will keep it in my room.”

Taeyong steals a kiss on his lips, “Wow, okay then the price is a portrait from you too.”

“Seriously guys? Infront of my salad?” a voice suddenly interrupts the two madly in love couple.

“Oh, sorry Ten, we forgot you’re there…” Yuta picks his tablet up and shows his face and Taeyong’s back on his screen.

This morning Ten video calls them wanting to see how their painting look like.

“Those are perfect. Why don’t you two live together and put them up in the same place. That way both of you can see it every day without actually selling it.” Ten rolls his eyes and grins.

The couple look into each other’s eyes and grin “That’s not a bad idea…”

“Okay I regret saying that, now go… Ew stop displaying affection in front of me.” Ten shakes his head and closes the call when the screen once again shows both of them sucking their faces off.

end

How is it?? cringe enough???

please give comments and inputs :”)) I really am looking forward for your opinion about the story

Thank you for reading, sorry for the long post

Have a nice day/ sweet dreams :*

xoxo

Cosmic

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officialleotolstoy · 4 years ago

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Oh Dolokhov Brainrot We’re Really In It Now, aka Dolokhov playlist annotations!

A note on the cover photo: I don’t really like this one but I got tired of looking at men on Pinterest so I gave up. The window symbolizes the rum window and the smoking symbolizes uhhhhh habitual bad life choices idk

Drinking game take a shot every time I say “it’s about the vibes”

Wrecking Ball - Mother Mother

“I break it just because I can”

This is THEE ‘I am going to cause problems on purpose’ song and that is like his entire narrative purpose!! Argue with me about this one I dare you

The Good, The Bad, and the Dirty - Panic! At The Disco

“If you wanna start a fight you better throw the first punch, make it a good one”

Partially its just vibes, I won’t lie. But also the consistent spoiling for a fight is very in character

Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC

“I’m like evil, I get under your skin”

It’s got I Am Morally Repulsive But Also I’ll Steal Your Girl energy which really hits all of Dolokhov’s character traits. And of course the added bonus of gun imagery.

Mr. Brightside - The Killers

“It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this”

I added it strictly for vibes, but then I realized the quoted lyric is very much him @ the Kuragins if you take the reading that he refuses to admit he actually like them but grows genuinely fond of them over time even though he initially got to know them with a lot of ulterior motives.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

“Mama, I just killed a man”

The amount of songs that are on these playlists just for what are essentially your mom jokes since Dolokhov loves his mom so much is a little pathetic. But I’m not wrong! I can’t really put it into words but something about this song has Dolokhov energy.

Feel It Still - Portugal the Man

“Give in to that easy living, goodbye to your hopes and dreams”

A good deal of what I find interesting about Dolokhov is the internal conflict he has of knowing he’s become rather wicked and problematic but also not really trying very hard to change and almost enjoying it so a lot of the songs on here are about that, including this one. The “I’m a rebel just for kicks now” also very much screams Causing Problems On Purpose.

The Bidding - Tally Hall

“I like to take advantage of the bourgeoisie”

His whole role in volume one and two is to take advantage of the bourgeoisie! This song also oozes confidence and a sense of superiority that comes from being better than the sellouts in high society, Dolokhov’s not like other girls uwu (he really is, but I don’t think he would admit that).

Say Amen (Saturday Night) - Panic! At The Disco

“I could be better but baby it’s Saturday night”

Embracing his own wickedness! The idea that he knows he could be better than he is but he doesn’t want to take that opportunity...yeah vibes

Wilson (Expensive Mistakes) - Fall Out Boy

“I became such a strange shape from trying to fit in”

This is the epitome of the “woe is me I need to be purified” phase he goes through when he’s into Sonya. Also “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color” reminds me of Comet Dolokhov’s stupid eyeliner <3

Some Nights - fun.

“So what is this? I sold my soul for this?”

There’s a long stretch of this playlist that just boils down to “Woe is me I need to be purified” crisis hours, because Dolokhov’s oscillation between embracing his own cruelty and trying to be a good person is super interesting to me. This song captures the idea that he’s still having fun and there’s some good there, but he’s also aware that he’s losing himself a bit

Roaring 20s - Panic! At The Disco

“I don’t even know me”

“Woe is me i need to be purified” crisis AGAIN. This song gets more to the annoyance with society as a whole and feeling kind of lost in it

Send Them Off! - Bastille

“Help me exorcise my mind”

“Please purify me 16 year old girl! I’m 27 this isnt creepy at all ahahahha”. I do despise Sonyakhov but this has the vibes of a man feeling his own evil and wanting a woman to fix it. Not a great look.

Easy Days (Demo) - Bastille

“I don’t wanna fall back again, back into the easy days”

Near the end of the “woe is me I need to be purified” phase when he’s kind of drifting back to his old ways and he’s like wait no- wait- and then he does anyway because he’s horrible. I also really like the acknowledgment that his horribleness is easy and pleasant for him, and he has to fight against that (and he loses that fight HDJAJJD).

Undisclosed Desires - Muse

“You trick your lovers that you’re wicked and divine”

This is a Dolokhov/Nikolai song I do not take constructive criticism. Undisclosed desires...not being straight...lots to think about! It feels almost like a corruption arc? Nikolai isn’t corrupted nor does their...fling (?) last very long but Nikolai is obviously enamored with Dolokhov despite him being The Worst so I think this fits. I don’t have enough songs for a Nikolai/Dolokhov playlist so I just add those songs to both of their individual playlists

Thnks fr th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy

“Thanks for the memories even though they weren’t so great”

Also mostly a Nikolai/Dolokhov song. This man has never ended a relationship on good terms, huh. Also. Sighs heavily. “He tastes like you only sweeter” never fails to make me laugh when I think about it in the context of Dolokhov post-duel being like oh?? You’re just a stupid WOMAN Hélène your brother and/or Nikolai is hotter than you :/ which is not exactly what I think happened but it makes me laugh to consider. Dolokhov ur bitterrrrr

Dangerous - Royal Deluxe

“I’ll be the last man standing here, I’m not going anywhere”

I feel like this has the vibes of his cruelty, especially in that bit after the Kuragins have died when he and Petya infiltrate the French army.

Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

“There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man”

He will hurt you and kill you so violently :) It’s about the vibes.

White Wedding Pt. 1 - Billy Idol

“It’s a nice day to start again”

In the exact inverse to his “woe is me I need to be purified” phase, he’s like ok yes i will pick up bad habits again and enjoy them because frick you! I read once that this song is about a relapse into drugs, but I’m making it analogous to his relapse into Terrible Person Behavior after Sonya’s rejection. Also the repetition of the phrase little sister does something for my brain idk, after we know he loves his mom and sister it just fits.

Highway to Hell - AC/DC

“I’m on the highway to hell and I’m goin down”

Like White Wedding, it screams acceptance of his problematicness. He knows he’s cruel and evil and he revels in it. This is the phase we see him in most I think.

Back in Black - AC/DC

“It’s been too long, I’m glad to be back”

I think this plays every time he gets reinstated to an army position he lost by being reckless earlier. Just kidding sort of but listen to this song and tell me it doesn’t have Dolokhov vibes. If you do, you’re wrong <3

Poet - Bastille

“I have written you down now, you will live forever”

This is just here cause he ghostwrote Anatole’s love letters and I think it’s funny. It’s MY playlist and I get to choose the barely relevant Bastille songs

St. Jude - Florence + The Machine

“Maybe I’ve always been more comfortable in chaos”

This one’s more scattered lyrics than an overall vibe. “Each side is a loser so who cares who fired the gun” has duel energy also.

Hey Look Ma, I Made It - Panic! At The Disco

Confession: I hate this song. However, it’s about the about the MOM R U PROUD OF ME vibes (she is. Should she be? Probably not).

Rich Kids - Bea Miller

“It’s never enough for the stuck up types”

The not coming from wealth and having to almost scam your way into being part of the aristocratic scene is very Dolokhov. Also in my mind the rich kid he’s roasting is specifically Nikolai.

Money, Money, Money - ABBA

“It’s a rich man’s world”

I’m not SAYING the wealthy man they talk about is Anatole but - [i am shot]. Scheming and clawing your way up to wealth is Dolokhovcore.

This Is Gospel - Panic! At The Disco

I literally have no justification for this other than that i think modern AU Dolokhov would vibe with it. Look at the amount of eyeliner he wears in Comet and tell me he didn’t have an emo band phase. You can’t.

Trouble’s Coming - Royal Blood

This is not about the words at all, it’s more about the vibes. It just sounds Dolokhovish to me, don’t ask me to explain.

Sleep Alone - Two Door Cinema Club

“They’re just ghosts and they can’t hurt him if he can’t see them”

This gives me post-Kuragins’ death vibes, and I can’t pin down exactly why? I think it’s the idea of being very alone and closed off.

Golden Days - Panic! At The Disco

I can’t put a specific lyric to it but it’s the vibes of looking back on your hedonistic youths with nostalgia and rose-colored glasses. Post-Kuragins’ death vibes again.

Go Get Your Gun - The Dear Hunter

“One foot in the grave, the other one’s kickin’ its way right down to hell”

All we see of him after the Kuragins’ death is just him being particularly cruel and reckless, almost careless. This feels like it encapsulates that energy.

The Fallen - Franz Ferdinand

“They say you’re a troubled boy just because you like to destroy”

I’m aware that a good portion of this song is about a Christ figure but I’m going to respectfully ask you to ignore that bit and just focus on all the Sketchy Things the guy does instead. Thank you. He does in fact like to destroy things! Señor Cause Problems On Purpose back at it again at krispy kreme, huh.

#war and peace #fedya dolokhov #my post #w&p playlists #i counted i said the word vibes 13 times #so sorry

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peachyunjinnie · 4 years ago

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❝dear dori...❞ lmh ― f.

― summary:

you find a stray cat, and as the kitten rushed outside, she ran to the coffee shop to reunite with her owner and the barista minho.

barista!minho/female!reader | fluff | 1.9k ↬ content warnings: -

a/n: had this idea and it seemed so cute and soft. also this is for @mikoto-ica-fics. i think the threesome will be the worst fic ever and the most time eating shit but i am working on it! <3

plus for the other two minho stans i know uwu @mini-meanhoe & @nightshade-minho

→ blogs masterlist

“Go! Go back!” I said to this thing following me, for a good 20 minutes straight. The fast walking of it scared me even more than I usually does. Yes, I am scared of cats, but here I am going home but this cat is not going to leave me.

“Come one! Go!” I tried and tried, but this kitty is not going to leave me alone. With another look at this cat, I saw that it has no collar. This cat is no way older than a year and is just going around the dark streets of Seoul?

The broken sounds of this probably exhausted and tired kitten was echoing in my ears. I looked back at this cat, deciding if this cat looks hungry or just having a walk, maybe this cat just wants to annoy me. Gladly my house was just in this area. I got inside but before I could do anything this little thing just stalks in my apartment. Just walking right past me and making itself comfortable on my small couch. I quickly went up to the kitten and started to freak out since there were no animals allowed in here.

“Hey, little kitty. I know you are probably very tired and just want to sleep a bit in a warm place but I wi- Wow I am talking to this cat.” I interrupted myself mid-sentence.

The meows of this stray cat was translated into a simple and easy ‘let me sleep and shut up’. I couldn’t keep this thing in here. What if someone sees this cat? what if this cat attacks me? what if its owner is searching for this cat? So many questions but sadly no answers.

I decided to close the door and just leave her here for tonight. I couldn’t really do anything else than that, so I got out a plastic bowl and filled it with some tuna. I heard a loud grunt from the cat as it agreed to my decision of the food choice.

The small paws of the cat was visible around the corner as it came towards me and my heart began to beat faster. Even though I made some food for this stranger, doesn’t mean I will stop being scared of this thing.

“G-Go to the couch!” I once again talked with a cat. I shook my head as this cat came closer and closer. I stood completely still and closed my eyes as this kitten stroked against my leg, my knees trembling hardly. What have I gotten myself into? Why am I like this? But the much bigger question is why is this kitty so calm and relaxed?

The purrs of the kitten was vibrating on my leg and my foot. The sound calming me down instantly. I opened my eyes again and peeked down. The cats expression was something in between ‘give me the goddamn food already’ and ‘calm down, im not gonna eat you’. I instantly relaxed a bit from the softness and the fluffiness of this little curled up ball.

I kneeled down and carefully touched the head of this little thing, still having a little distance. My shaking hands caressing this kitten. I couldn't believe how I was doing what I was doing, but it seemed so easy and...kind of good.

The purring and the vibration was getting louder. The cat was falling down my hand and just pushed itself to me, shocked of how desperate this kitty really was to be pet was not what i was expecting.

"You are tired...aren't you." I said more to myself, starring at the weak and already closed eyes. I couldn't tell if this cat is like that because it is tired or if this kitten really accepts me. I shook my head, trying to get all lf this out of my head and put the tuna down.

The instant standing up from the cat scared me and I stumbled backwards to the counter. The kitty couldn't care less and ate the food in a matter of seconds. I was shocked by the fast pace of this kittens eating and I stepped back and watched the bowl get emptier and emptier. How can this little thing eat so much and so fast? Well, at least a thing we had in common.

I shrugged my shoulders and walked to my bed to finally lie down. This day at uni was awfully hard, geometry and math quite literally killed me in every single way. Inhale exhale, enjoying this little moment of peace and silence. Not being trapped in the noisy traffic and just escaping this busy city that is Seoul.

I let the door opened and there was this kitty standing at the door frame, staring at me with a tilted head. I don’t know what to do or how to process this cat that has now eaten is strutting to my bed.

“Oh boy.”

“Meow.” The kitty hasn’t meowed once yet and this sound scared the living shit out of me.

“Come on. Go to the couch!” The cat didn’t seem to care about my anxiety rising and just jumped up the bed.

“Go!” She lay down and rolled around on her back, her paws in the air and her playful eyes fixed on me. I saw the little eyes shining and the pupils being small, which meant that she is relaxed...right?

I took my hand and stroked the kitten a little. The purring of the cat became louder and the soft 'meow' was less loud than the other one. The cat stretched out to me and closed its eyes for a little rest. My hand patted her automatically and I lay down again to rest also like the cat.

"No, I did not. Can I please have Nara's transport box?" I asked my sister on the phone, begging to use her

"Y/N, why don't you call animal services? They could help you better than I could."

"I don't want to. I don't want to leave this kitten to those people. I'll go to Mom's and drop her off. She wanted a cat."

"You're seriously giving this kitten to our mother?"

"What else can I do? I myself am afraid of cats and I'll have nervous breakdowns if it meows or moves or even exists in my presence."

"Come on, give it a try. You can bring her to me and I'll take care of her." "You mean it?"

"Yeah, you can't have her with you and I don't want her with Mom." "Why not?"

"Because I know Mom, and she can use everything right now, but not a pet." With that she hung up and a notification came up from a text from her.

‘I’ll be here in 10.‘

A loud knock on the door after I was just done cleaning up the messy kitchen echoed through the apartment. I saw paws hushing to the door and loud scratching noises, trying to know who was having the audacity to interrupt the nap of this stranger kitten.

I stopped mopping the kitchen floor and tried to get to the doorknob to open it somehow. What was interesting is that this cat did not look at me or acknowledged me standing there. The tail was wiggling and I was feeling my angst rise and my hand shake. I opened the door quickly and the cat just rushed outside to the streets. Me and my sister had a moment of staring at each other and not knowing what to do now. One or two seconds have passed and my sister reflex has kicked in better than mine, as she sprinted after the cat and I stuck to the ground and waited for my brain to process the situation.

I quickly realized the situation and ran off to catch my sister in this sprint. I saw her hair blowing in the wind of her fast pace and the shadow of the cat that was chasing something quickly. After the 10 minutes I could finally see that the cat was getting slower but after 15 minutes the cat has crossed the road and entered a coffee shop.

“A coffee shop?? Really?” I asked and was clearly as confused as my sister was at the moment. How could this cat just run for 25 minutes and then casually walk inside a coffee shop with no hesitation at all.

“This cat is as weird as you are, Y/N.” She laughed, well she tried to laugh even though she is kind of having an asthma attack at the moment.

I stepped inside the coffee shop and was still breathing hardly and was greeted by a very floral and very well decorated. The pretty and visibly pleasing to look at cafe was something between what I would imagine heaven would look like if you would think that heaven was a white and pink and blue paradise. I was instantly calmed down by the pastel colors. The chairs and tables were in a purple warm tone that melted well into the scheme of the place. I was greeted with 2 customers who were each sitting on the end of the room and were minding their business. I walked up to the one barista that was working there. He had brown hair and the prettiest brown eyes, the brightest beaming smile on his face and as I got closer to the counter I saw this little ball of fluff curled up in his arms.

“Oh- Sorry. Do you want to orde-” He started but noticed my big eyes on this kitten, not leaving the sight of it and the kitten escaping his clutches to go on the counter to stroke towards me to push it’s head on my hand that was resting on the hard wooden table.

“W-Wow, do you know my little Dori?” He smiled and exposed his beaming smile. I couldn’t tell if my world was turning or if I was feeling dizzy. I couldn’t stop starring at his beautiful facial features. I couldn’t keep my gaze from him and stop starring at this stranger that I do not know at all but this magical feeling this man gave me, was absolutely and undeniably the nearest example I could give for love at first sight.

And it seemed that he was doing the exact same with me, scanning me and not looking at me. He was looking through me and straight stared into my soul. My god, I couldn’t tell you if I was dumb or if time and gravity has stopped for a minute.

“N-No, this cat h-has followed me and I fed her and let her sleep at my pl-place.” I stuttered and never left my gaze from his deep brown eyes that were forming into an eye smile.

“Wo-Wow. That is so nice of you. I was looking for her last night- Can I maybe g-get you something to drink? It’s my last shift a-and we could-” He was as nervous as I was but I couldn’t help but smile hard from the tint that came onto his face.

“Of course, My name is Y/N. By the way.” I smiled at his eyes not knowing where to look at. My face heating up as well and my smile not losing it’s intensity.

“I am Minho.”

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cottage-babe · 4 years ago

Text

Burning Scars part IV

Previous | Chapter 4 | Next

Masterlist

I’ve been watching haikyuu and Nishinoya is so cute :(((

This chapter is going to fill in pretty much EVERYTHING related to Y/n’s past. also i feel like this shorter than my other chapters idk

Summary: Y/n, a werewolf from a hidden village, comes across Zuko and Iroh after being exiled. How has fate intertwined the wolf into the avatar's destiny?

*****This chapter takes place on Season 2 Episode 11*****

___

“Thank you,” Y/n said as she accepted the cup of tea from Mushi.

The boys were surprisingly welcoming to her. Lee had begun to ask questions as soon as she came up to them, but his uncle had told him to stop and let her speak. He set up a pot of tea and had now given some to the young teens.

All throughout the wait for the drink, Y/n’s mind was racing. Where does she start? How much does she tell them? The girl desperately wanted to come clean, but her loyalty to her pack deterred her. However, she knew that she had no obligations anymore, so why was she still so stuck on them?

Mushi took the spot next to Lee and quietly sipped his drink. His eyes weren’t on her, but she could feel that his desire for answers was just as strong as Lee’s.

She took a deep breath and started her story.

“So I’m a- uh- werewolf.”

Silence.

The girl knew that she probably should’ve continued from there, but she couldn’t help but wait for their reactions. Or rather, lack thereof.

Y/n didn’t want to look up at their faces. If she did, she knew that their facial expressions would cause her to assume things and she didn’t want to guess their emotions; if they felt something, then they would need to say it.

“Oh, well, we know that much!” The uncle laughed lightly, breaking the obvious tension.

“But Uncle, I thought you said they were only myths; fiction.” Lee questioned.

“What more proof do you need? She’s a living, breathing piece of evidence!”

The teen nodded his head as he thought about that logic. Y/n assumed that it would be hard for him to process; just yesterday he had heard the story and now there she was, telling him that it wasn’t a myth, it was completely real and in front of him.

“So, are you the only one? Or are there more?” Lee thought for a moment. “Wait, no, you mentioned a town before; there’s a whole village of werewolves?!”

I have no obligations toward my pack. I have no obligations toward my pack. I have no obligations toward my pack.

“Yes,” she said confidently. It was about time that she went past her fear of her pack. They could no longer control her, she was her own person who could make her own decisions.

But they’re your family.

Y/n shook the thought out of her head. Family doesn’t treat family that way.

“Don’t ask me where they live or anything, because I won’t speak it.” Y/n succumbed to her guilty side slightly, hoping it would soothe her small feelings of regret.

“We won’t, we promise,” Mushi said while sending a stern stare toward Lee. The boy nodded his head once again.

Lee continued with his questions, though. “Why aren’t you with them then? You came to us two days ago, alone. Did something happen?”

Why does he ask so many questions?

She supposed that if she wanted to maintain their trust, she would have to wipe the slate clean; no more lies and no more hiding. They already knew that her kind existed, so there was no way that she would let them leave her behind.

“In my pack, there’s a rite of passage that we must do when we turn 16...”

___

This was it. The day that everyone in the pack was waiting for.

The L/n children’s Days of Trials.

The morning had started wildly; their mom had helped clean the fur of all five of her “pups” while they watched decorations and food being prepared from afar. The village was quite small and had wooden huts for each family. Each one had a large leaf door that slid close for privacy; they had evolved a lot since their original days. Almost everyone in the pack was helping set up, except for the male Alpha.

That man just so happened to be their father; the exact reason why everyone was making such a big fuss over today. The Alpha’s children were going to be doing their trials to prove their worth to the pack. Some of the other wolves were excited and curious to see how the days would pan out; recently, there had been a spike of children who couldn’t complete the tasks assigned.

However, there were many members who didn’t quite care for the right of passages. Every time the children of their leaders undergo the trials, they pass with flying colors. Never has there been a “royal” family child that didn’t meet the standards that were put up.

Half of the workers around were in their human bodies to put up the decor while the other half were using their wolf’s to carry heavy things. It was a beautiful harmony that Y/n enjoyed on the Days of Trials; no one in the pack was looked down on for using their human skins. People would only use what was convenient.

The five teen’s mother changed down to her human form. Her children copied her actions.

Their mother had long, overgrown hair and lively eyes. She was the kindest mother that the kids could ever dream of having. The wrinkles that surrounded her eyes not only showed age, but her strong, wise experience. She was absolutely perfect.

Mother sighed as she looked at each one of her kids in the eyes.

“I want all of you to know that no matter what happens, I am proud of you,” she smiled so sweetly. “You worked so hard to be here and no amount of trials can take that away.”

Just as she said that, someone called for her aid and she had to leave, but not before leaving a kiss on all five of her kid’s foreheads.

Soon, the siblings were left alone.

“I-I don’t know if I can do this,” Fen spoke while trying to even out his erratic breaths. “It just feels so wrong to lie like this.”

Ayano rubbed Fen’s back to try and calm him. Then, Binu spoke up.

“I hate to agree with him, but he’s kinda right. Mom’s worried about our safety while we’re here with a secure plan? It feels sick to let her be so scared.”

Shong crossed his arms with a glare. “Don’t be dumb, guys. Our plan makes it so we all come out alive. If anything, we’re doing her a favor.”

They’re tall brother spoke some truths. The siblings had devised a scheme a long time ago to ensure that each member completed their tasks efficiently and met the bare minimums.

They’re first task would be to go out and hunt a total of three animals before the sun rose to the center of the sky, signaling noon. Y/n and Binu were the best hunter’s of the family; while Y/n took hiding in the shadows easy, Binu was fast enough to outrun any animal. The two would use their skills to help the other’s catch their prey and make it back before their time ended.

Then, their next task would be working as a group to capture something that belonged to an opposite group (sort of like capture the flag). It was meant to see if the group could work together nicely and form a strategy. Luckily for them, Shong was very smart and him with the combination of Ayano would be able to easily make up a plan for any situation.

Lastly, the five siblings would have to fight head on with each other and gain a total of two wins. They weren’t aware of the line up, but the siblings knew that no matter who went up against who, they would stick to the plan.

If they didn’t, then members of their family could be gone forever.

___

“Ahh, I see,” Mushi said once the girl took a pause in her story to drink her tea, “Your plan didn’t work, then?”

Y/n shook her head softly and spoke quietly. “No, no. It did work. We made it past the first two trials so quickly, we almost broke a record.” A frown slowly set upon her face. “It was just at the third trial that things didn’t go as smoothly...”

___

“I think a congratulations is in order!” Ayano yelled as she held her wooden cup up into the air.

Y/n let out a laugh and grabbed her sister’s arm. “We haven’t even finished everything yet. The last Test is tomorrow, so maybe you should get some sleep.”

Her siblings were, to say the least, drunk.

One of them (at this point, Y/n couldn’t remember who) had stolen some liquor and brought it to the brothers and sisters. They all had a couple drinks, but Y/n and Fen seemed to be the only ones smart enough to remember what tomorrow was.

They had finished the first day of the Trials; they had assumed that it would be the hardest due to the randomness of it, but it had seemed fairly easy.

Many say that the Days of Trials were never meant to be hard, they just weeded out the absolute weakest of a bunch. Y/n wasn’t entirely sure how other’s had failed the tasks, but she didn’t like to think much of it.

There were rumors of what had happened to the werewolves that didn’t pass. Some say that they were forced to live in solitude for the rest of their lives... others say that the pack’s fighters chase them down for fun.

It was a little alarming that not even she, daughter of a family who is ranked so high, knew what happened to those poor wolves.

Ayano clumsily transformed into her wolf skin and whined softly. Y/n sighed before looking at Fen.

“You can take care of the other boys, right?”

He gave her a small salute. “Yup, I got it.”

She was about to help her sister out before Fen began to talk again. Y/n turned around to see Binu on the floor, but Shong was no where to be seen.

“Uhh... you wouldn’t happen to know where Shong is, Y/n?”

The girl groaned in exasperation and dropped her sister onto the floor.

Just as the brother and sister were about to leave their hut to search for him, the man in question pushed his way passed the hanging door and paused when he met their stare.

“Dude, we were about to go look for you.” Fen groaned out, then went to the passed out Binu on the floor. “Help me bring him to our room.”

And with that, the two semi-sober siblings completely ignored Shong’s time of leave, despite knowing that no one else in their pack was awake that late into the night.

The next afternoon, the five of them rushed to a big, open center where the rest of the pack was surrounding. Almost everyone was in their wolf skins, so they copied the actions of their fellow members. It was there that the children learned of the order that they were fighting in.

There would be ten matches: each teen going against each of their siblings. A battle would be won once the victor gets their opponent outside of the circle. This trial was supposed to be the easiest for the five brothers and sisters. Emphasis on supposed.

Their fights went semi-smoothly.

At first, it was hard for the wolves to pretend to fight. They attacked each other like it was their dying wish, but in reality it was all a part of their plan.

Just two wins each, that’s all they needed.

By the time seven matches finished, Binu had already received his two wins; the rest of his fights ended with him losing dramatically as if he were in a play. Shong also had his two wins, but he still had to fight two more rounds and give his opponents the victory.

The eighth battle was between Shong and Fen.

Fen only had one win under his belt, which meant that Shong would need to lose. Y/n knew what her tall brother’s tactic was when he need to lose the fight; he would put on a huge show to demonstrate his strength, then would pretend to make a misstep that costs him the win. It was extremely entertaining for the crowd.

The siblings waited on the outskirts of the circle with the rest of the pack. The wolves around them were howling and barking in excitement. It was going to be such an amazing fight; Fen was seen as a weak asset and it seemed like Shong was going to completely destroy him.

The two sisters shared a look that said exactly what they were both thinking: if only the pack knew what was really going to happen.

And with that, the teen’s father let out a bellowing howl; the signal for the battle to begin.

Shong began his usual wolf dance. He skirted around each of Fen’s attacks and landed soft, teasing blows to his brother’s hide. He would only let Fen hit or bite him every once in a while, his only goal being to feed the crowd’s desire for a difficult fight.

‘Okay, this is it.’ Y/n thought to herself, ‘Right about now, Shong should let Fen win.’

Just as the thought crossed her mind, her tall brother stopped his antics. It was a bit too sudden and the crowed around them let out a confused noise. It seemed as though Shong was... looking at someone.

The girl followed his gaze all the way until it landed on their father. From her position, she couldn’t quite see the silent conversation they were having, but it seemed important.

It was then that Fen struck.

He pounced on his brother and shoved him straight out of the circle.

It was silent for a moment, but eventually the noise flew up and cheered for the weaker sibling. It was a true display of power, even of the two hadn’t planned it.

The look on Shong’s face was indescribable. It was a mixture between sad, angry, happy, and... something else. It was like every contradicting emotion was running through the wolf’s system.

‘Why is he acting like that? This loss isn’t any different from the other ones.’

___

“I should’ve seen what was coming next,” Y/n spoke. “With the way he was acting... I just never expected him to be the one that broke all of us apart.”

___

It was the middle of the ninth match.

Shong was up again, for the final time, but was against Ayano.

Now, their sister wasn’t a force to be reckoned with. There were multiple times that she had fought one of the pack members for bullying a sibling (mainly Fen or Y/n). She wasn’t the strongest or the smartest or the fastest, but she made up for her weaknesses with her quick thinking. Her mind connected dots faster than all of her siblings combined and it’s what made her standout. Ayano’s passion and fast brain made her a threat to some of the strategists that lead beside their father.

The duo’s red eyes glared at each other, circling the edges of the ring while they waited for the other to pounce. In this round, Ayano would receive her final win from her brother and complete her trial.

But why was that look still molded into Shong’s face? He had death in his eyes instead of the playfulness that should’ve existed there. Something’s not right.

Y/n desperately wanted to warn her sister, but if she mentioned anything about their plan, then they would all be banished for treason. It was best to just let it all play out.

Maybe their brother just got really good at acting.

Shong then jumped at Ayano, but the girl dodged it with milliseconds to spare. The brother almost slid out of the circle with the velocity of his jump, but slowed down in time. They both growled at each other.

The same actions repeated itself for the next couple of minutes; one would jump and the other would dodge. It really seemed like they were trying to kill the other, even with Y/n knowing who was supposed to win. It was terrifying.

The brother and sister looked as though they were evenly matched. They predicted the other’s movements like it was their own; they danced as if they had practiced this for hours.

However, the two weren’t the same. Shong was strong and had a everlasting stamina. Ayano didn’t.

The entire crowd could see that Ayano was growing tired. Her movements were turning sluggish and it was taking her longer and longer to dodge any attacks.

Why isn’t Shong letting her win yet?

By now, Shong should’ve done his “misstep” and lost, but he seemed so persistent on his jumps.

Then, as some twisted, sick peice of fate, their brother pounced and Ayano was too exhausted to move out of the way. She let him drag her out of the ring, her body falling limp.

Shong had one, which meant he got three wins; effectively stealing it from Ayano.

That meant that in the last round of Y/n vs Ayano, one sister would be met with the doom of banishment for the rest of their lives.

___

“And so we fought. I let her win. End of story.”

Y/n set down her empty tea cup and looked at the two men in front of her. They were so invested in her story that they had forgotten about their own drinks. Steam and heat no longer rose from the small cups, it instead being a cold, lifeless collection of flavored water.

“Is that- Is she the reason you got hurt?” Lee asked, his voice hoarse from not speaking for a while.

“Uhh, yeah.” She wrung her hands. “Its a rule in my pack: when someone’s banished, they have to have something like that visible on them, so they can never come back. It was only a coincidence that my sister was the one that gave it to me.”

“I am so sorry you had to go through that, Y/n,” Mushi whispered with a frown set on his face. The girl shrugged her shoulders in response.

“I mean, it’s better that it was me and not her. Her navigation skills are subpar, so she would’ve been so lost out here,” she forced a laugh.

Mushi just his head in disbelief while Lee stared at the ground, lost in thought. It made her wonder what was going on in that head of his.

Y/n really hoped that she had made the right decision by telling them the truth. It’s not like anyone would believe these two random travelers if they ever mentioned it. But still, the thought of them telling a town and having her pack torn apart made her shudder.

Lee stood up suddenly.

It surprised the two other people, but they quickly regained their focus as the teen began to speak.

“I think you should stay with us, like for the long run,” he said confidently. “You could help us out a lot, and I think that we could help you.”

“Okay!” She stood up excitedly as well. This was the exact thing that she had been hoping for.

“And, of course, Lee,” Mushi interrupted, “shouldn’t that mean that we tell her the truth about us as well?”

Y/n was almost certain that whatever secret they had couldn’t be as bad as hiding being a werewolf.

The boy puffed out his chest and nodded his head.

“My real name is Prince Zuko and this is my Uncle, General Iroh. We are both from the fire nation.”

Silence.

There were many things running through the girl’s head, but the main one being Oh, so that’s why Mushi yelled out Zuko yesterday!

It took her a moment, but eventually she found something to say.

“You’re a prince? Should I bow or something?”

Le- or- Zuko deflated slightly at her words.

“Is that really all that you have to say?”

Iroh let out a hearty laugh at his nephew’s reaction. He quickly picked up their tea pot and cups while the two teens talked.

“And that ‘fire nation’ stuff, does that have to do with that magic thing you did yesterday?” The girl asked with a tilt of her head. This cause him to shrink even more.

“Y-you mean my bending?”

“Bending? What is tha-”

The girl paused as her ears caught a soft thumping sound; almost identical to the one that awoke her that morning.

Those people must be coming back.

She quickly warned the duo and helped them pack up their things. Just as the noise grew closer and closer, the three of them jumped on their ostrich-horses (in the same positions as they had the day before) and rode out before the group of men could find them again.

Iroh laughed from his horse beside them. “Maybe I should’ve stayed, it was nice to see old friends.”

“Too bad you don’t have any old friends that don’t want to attack you.” Zuko groaned front his seat in front of Y/n.

The three of them were riding pretty fast, so Y/n had her arms gripped around the boy’s torso. He had stiffened at first, but slowly relaxed at her touch.

“Hmm... Old friends that don’t want to attack me...”

___

thanks for sticking w me guys <3

even if you skipped past the memories like i know some do, i appreciate you reading this :)

anyways might actually have some cutesy stuff next chapter so wait till next week to read it <33

Previous | Chapter 4 | Next

Masterlist

Taglist: @bucky-blogs @hopefuloperaangelnerd @simplyfandomish @oddlypointlessescapes @lozzybowe ((bolded couldn’t be tagged))

#zuko #zuko x reader #atla

68 notes · View notes

thetourguidebarbie · 5 years ago

Note

S4 AU WHERE KC NEEDS TO BE STUCK IN A SAFE HOUSE TOGETHER BECAUSE OF REASONS PLEAAASE!!!

Thank you to @honestgrins for cheerleading. I will be forever grateful. I hope you like it Luiza!!! Smutty. D/s. Etc. Originally for canon-ish day of au week but I had midterms so I’m sorry this is late. There’s an incest mention in this. Nothing super substantive or related to the actual story, but here are the bookends if you want to scroll past.

Begins at: “Everything?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “I’m sure there’s some stuff you haven’t done.”

Ends at: “Forget I asked,” Caroline interrupted, squeezing her eyes shut. “Ugh. Okay, um…Never have I ever done BDSM stuff.”

————

“This is the safehouse?” Caroline demanded, dropping her suitcase on the faded persian rug in the living room of the cabin.

Yes, the cabin.

Like, as in in a forest.

It was even made of wood, probably.

“Yes, love,” Klaus said, locking the door behind them with a click. She immediately felt the prickle of magic against her skin as the barrier took hold. “Protected with the best magic murder can buy.”

Caroline wrinkled her nose as she took in the room around her. Everything seemed old, but largely in good condition. She had a feeling that Klaus hadn’t had a hand in designing it, since it didn’t even slightly resemble an old-timey cigar lounge. He sunk down on the couch, crossing his legs and setting his boots on the antique-looking coffee table, his eyes fixed on her intently as she took in her surroundings.

“So is the TV in another room, or something?” she asked, walking to peek through one of the two non-outside exits from the room into what looked like a small kitchen. She desperately hoped there was more to the space than she was seeing. The cabin had looked tiny from the outside, but maybe it was magic’d to be bigger on the inside like in Harry Potter, or something.

“No television, unfortunately.”

“What?”

“Can’t risk blowing the fuse, love. We need it to keep the icebox going. Blood spoils.”

“Is there at least somewhere to charge my phone?”

“Phones need to remain off, sweetheart. How difficult do you think it would be to compel your way into one of your privacy-violating apps and find your exact location?”

“Seriously?”

“Indeed.”

“But that means there’s nothing to do,” Caroline complained, sitting on the couch and glaring at the bookshelf, the only entertainment source she could identify as of now, in front of her. “How am I supposed to live like this?”

“I did for over 900 years,” Klaus pointed out, his patience clearly beginning to run out. “At least you’re alive, sweetheart.”

“Honestly, I think I might rather take my chances with Bonnie having to resurrect me than have to go glamping with you.”

“I’m wounded.”

“Is there at least running water?”

“That there is, courtesy of magic,” he reassured her. “We’ll have to share it of course, but I’m sure we’ll manage.”

She grimaced, already knowing that her only-child-ness and the temptation to avoid Klaus was likely not conducive to short showers.

“Okay, where’s my bedroom? Please tell me I at least get my own bed.”

“Of course. Unless you change your mind,” he teased, his cheeks dimpling at the withering glare she shot him.

“I’m good. Thanks.”

“Just through there, then,” he said, pointing to the other door.

She left without another word, the small hallway leading to two tiny cramped rooms separated by a bathroom that she could barely move her elbows in, both taken up almost entirely by double beds and an end table. She chose the one with the less ugly duvet and dropped her luggage on top of it.

Ugh. Hopefully Klaus’s witchy friend would come through soon. She had a prom to plan.

————

“How long are we going to be here?”

“Until I take care of the problem.”

“So I’m just stuck locked in a shed in the woods and can’t like, go anywhere or do anything? Or buy entertainment? Or use the internet?”

He chose to ignore her assessment of their accommodations. “Well, the icebox is rather small, so I’ll need to leave to get blood bags every now and again. If you’d like something from town, you need only ask.”

“I can’t come?”

“It wouldn’t be safe, love.”

“Are you saying I wouldn’t be safe with you?” Caroline asked, her barb clearly hitting the mark when his face darkened.

“If I thought all I needed to do to ensure your safety was to keep you by my side, we wouldn’t be here.“

"I thought you were the most powerful being on earth,” she pointed out, not bothering to keep her tone kind.

He didn’t meet her eyes, and she saw the barest movement in his body as he tensed, the twitch of his jaw putting her on edge. “I’m beginning to think that might not be the case.”

It was an admission that she hadn’t expected. Klaus had always seemed to have an endless well of egotism to draw from, had never seemed at all insecure in his power, but everything from the tone of his voice to the way that his eyes kept darting towards the door told her that Klaus was more scared than she’d realized. That put her even further on edge.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not important, love.”

“Um, since you basically kidnapped me and locked me in a shed I’d say that I have a right to know.”

From the look he shot her she had a very good feeling that he was resisting the urge to say that it didn’t matter whether she thought she had the right to know anything, but he wisely refrained from making that particular point. “I’ll tell you when I have more information,” he said finally, a concession that she was pretty sure he hadn’t initially intended to make.

“You can’t just give me the information you have?”

“Silas is a warlock. A very old one,” Klaus said slowly. “Old enough that I was convinced he was a legend.”

“You mean there’s something you didn’t know?” she asked in mock incredulity. “I thought you were friends with all the historians.”

“I thought you said that I didn’t have friends,” he shot back, his eyebrow raised.

“Well, you haven’t been able to prove you have one.”

He didn’t have an answer to that, likely because he knew that mansplaining logical fallacies to her would just get him made fun of, and he retreated back to the subject at hand. “He’s immortal. Truly immortal. After some research I’ve concluded that my mother used a version of the immortality spell he used to create the vampirism ritual.”

“So he’s a vampire?”

“Not exactly,” Klaus said slowly. “Quite honestly I’m not sure to what extent his powers resemble vampirism or vice versa, but I do know that there are elements that are almost certainly shared. Feeding off blood, for example. Likely some sort of power to induce hallucination, similar to the way that we can enter dreams or the thoughts of those who aren’t expecting it.”

“You didn’t even bother to learn about the legend? Aren’t all legends based on truth?”

His lips twitched. “In the interest of honesty, love, I must admit that because I’d never heard of it until I was a few centuries old, I originally assumed that the legend of Silas was based off of me.”

“That’s so arrogant it’s almost funny.”

“It was to my detriment, obviously,” he admitted. “In any case, I’m unsure as to the full extent of his abilities, and that means that he’s dangerous. Too dangerous to risk exposure to him.”

“Exposing me? I didn’t do anything. What’s he going to do, kidnap me to ask me where the cure I hadn’t heard of until two days ago is?”

“No, not you. Me.”

“Then what do I have to do with anything?” she asked impatiently, doing her best to smush down the part of her that was shouting that it knew the answer.

“You know very well what you have to do with this, Caroline,” Klaus said, his tone deceptively light. “If you were put in danger it could easily draw me out.”

She let the confession hang uncomfortably in the air, not quite knowing what to say, how to acknowledge the truth that she hadn’t wanted to accept that he’d set out so plainly.

“Whatever,” she said finally. “But we need to figure it out fast. I can’t let Patrice takeover prom committee. She thinks that green and brown would be a good color scheme. She calls it ‘forest chic’ but it is not.”

Klaus made a face at that, which was honestly just the kind of vindication she needed. He had like eighty bajillion years of party planning experience, right? He knew a terrible aesthetic choice when he heard one.

“I’ll do my best, love. Anything else or am I free to go?”

“No further questions,” she said dryly.

————

“I’m pretty sure I’ve read every book by now.” Caroline complained.

They’d been in the cabin for about a month, and Klaus had both somehow grown on her and was also deeply irritating, mostly because he was growing on her. He wasn’t exactly open with her, but he wasn’t as irritating as usual. Their cohabitation was actually going peacefully, other than his apparent short supply of shirts, something she had only brought up once and promptly swore to herself to never do it again after Klaus had somehow gotten her to admit it was distracting. She had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to infuriate her so much that she wanted to stalk off and risk being kidnapped by witches, but he’d been on his best behavior.

Unfortunately for her, it turned out that Klaus’s best behavior was pretty freaking attractive.

Even more unfortunately, her new-found (fine, newly acknowledged; she could be real with herself inside her own head) attraction for him wasn’t distracting enough to mitigate the fact that she was bored out of her mind.

“I’ll pick up more in town tomorrow,” Klaus promised.

“How will you know what I like, though?”

“Make a list, I suppose.”

“How am I supposed to make a list of things I don’t know exist? Bookstores are for browsing, Klaus.”

“I’ll do my best to make selections to your preferences.”

“Do you even know what I like?” she asked, pausing for dramatic effect before continuing. “Oh wait, I guess you must since you’re a legit stalker who kidnapped me from my home to take me to a remote cabin and wait to be murdered.”

“You make me sound so diabolical.”

“Ugh. You’re impossible.”

“What do you want, Caroline?” he asked, sounding more tired than she’d heard him in awhile. “Believe me when I say that I do want to make this as painless as possible for you. There is no benefit to me to make you hate me more when you know quite well I’d like the opposite.”

“I don’t hate you,” Caroline said, smiling slightly at the look of surprise on Klaus’s face. “What? Didn’t you know that?”

“I didn’t expect you to admit it,” he said, giving her a dimpled grin that screamed smirky jerk.

It annoyed her enough to make her clarify. “Look, it doesn’t mean much. I’m not exactly a fan of your strategies for keeping me safe, or how you’ve treated my friends, or like…your personality in general.”

“I thought I’d grown on you.”

“I mean, slowly. You’re not exactly easy to get to know.”

He seemed to consider her point for a moment before nodding. “I’ll see what I can find for you, all right?”

————

Klaus had underestimated the amount of books she could read in one day, but he’d luckily also brought home ten bottles of hard liquor, pointing out to her when she saw her face that he’d need to drink at least two full bottles within an hour to actually get past tipsy, and if she wanted to get to know him, what better way than a casual drink?

This quickly turned into her introducing him to the most classic get-to-know-you drinking game she knew.

“Never have I ever eaten a baby,” Caroline joked, slurring slightly.

Klaus snorted, making no move to take the shot. “To my knowledge, only Kol has ever gotten close.”

“Gross. Your turn.”

Klaus sighed. He’d clearly been having difficulty coming up with things he’d never done that it was possible she had. She was already drunk off his never having Instagram and his complete lack of pop culture knowledge (‘never have I ever been able to name all of the Kordashan siblings’ ‘they’re called Kardashians’). They’d agreed to ban any historical figures (‘never have I ever had a one-night stand with a princess’) and school-related questions (‘never have I ever failed a math test’), but anything else was fair game.

“Never have I ever…” he began slowly, swirling the shot glass in his hand. “…had sex with a werewolf.“

"Sex life is off the table,” Caroline declared, pausing after she processed what he’d said. “What, you haven’t?”

“Werewolves and vampires aren’t exactly friendly, and there aren’t all that many wolves in the first place. I kept track of the packs, of course, but I wasn’t about to risk getting bitten before I broke the hybrid curse. It wouldn’t kill me, of course, but I would have had to live with it until it healed. Even as an Original it’s not exactly a speedy process. Kol managed to get himself bitten once and took over six months.”

“That makes sense.”

“Drink though, love.”

“We just said sex life was off the table!” Caroline argued, and Klaus raised an eyebrow.

“We didn’t say anything. You declared it, and you declared it after I’d already used my turn. Drink.”

“Ugh fine,” she said before knocking a shot back.

“If I may offer some strategic advice however, love–”

“Ugh of course you want to offer strategic advice.”

“It may be best for you to keep the category open.”

Caroline wrinkled her nose. “Are you saying I want to hear about your sexcapades?”

“I’m saying that it’s likely I’ve done almost anything you can think of, and that it’s likely that you haven’t.”

“Are you calling me a prude?” Caroline asked, not sure why she was bristling but still feeling a bit slighted.

“Not at all. You’re simply young,” Klaus said mildly. “You haven’t had the time I had, not that the quarterback or the Lockwood boy seemed all that creative.”

Caroline almost wanted to debate that point–she and Tyler had done one or two things that involved very extensive internet research using an incognito window and ordering sex stuff on amazon using a dummy account to the Lockwood mansion while his mom was in New York to see the new revival of Mamma Mia–but those memories were hers and she didn’t want Klaus to poison them.

Or like, tempt her to do them again, but with him.

And probably better.

“Your advice is duly noted,” she said, trying to keep from slurring her words. “I’ll take it into consideration.”

“All too happy to assist, love.”

“Yeah, I bet you are,” she muttered, reaching for the tequila bottle to fill her shot glass again. “Never have I ever…been to France.”

“I’ll take you,” he teased, bringing her back to that moment at the ball when he’d tried to tempt her. “When this is all over. I’ll take you anywhere.”

“We’ve been over this. You’re not taking me on any vacations after this other than back to my house.”

“I’d be honored to take you back to your place, love.”

“Gross!” she whined, trying to cover up the way that the suggestion made her mind wander. “Stop!”

“As the lady wishes. Now, never have I ever played monopoly.”

Caroline knocked the shot back. “Not only have I played monopoly, but I specialize in winning monopoly.”

“Of course you do,” he drawled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re a keen strategist, love.”

“And my dad and I had a rule that if I could steal from the bank without him noticing then I got to keep the money.”

“That’s just good business, sweetheart.”

“I was also ten and got tantrumy when I didn’t win, but sure.”

“Somehow I’m not at all surprised by that.”

She glared at him. “Never have I ever…” she trailed off, out of ideas. Klaus raised a challenging eyebrow. She swallowed, bracing herself for what would probably give her too many uncomfortably enticing thoughts later that night. “Never have I ever eaten someone out.”

Klaus’s lips curled and he easily threw back the shot, placing the glass down. “Always time to try.”

“I’m surprised you’re advocating having sex with someone else since you’re such a jealous weirdo even when we’re not dating.”

“There’s magic for everything.”

She wasn’t sure if he was joking. She kind of didn’t want him to be. Was that weird?

“Your turn,” she said quickly.

“Never have I ever eaten a frozen meal.”

“I have never been less surprised by anything. Those aren’t super classy. Stouffer’s mac n cheese is great when you’re hungover though. Um…Never have I ever used restraints during sex.”

He drank. She wished she’d been more specific. Did he tie someone up or let someone else do the tying? Why was her brain imagining both of those scenarios? Why did she like the idea of Klaus tying her up?

“Never have I ever had a hangover,” he offered, and Caroline groaned, taking another shot.

“They’re the worst. Umm…Never have I ever had a threesome.”

He drank.

“Never have I ever ridden a roller coaster.”

“Not even once?” Caroline asked after she’d downed the shot.

“No. I have more enjoyable things I could be doing.”

“Like the laundry list of sexcapades you’re trying to get me to guess?”

“That’s one category, yes. I’ve done almost everything, love. It’s a good strategy.”

“Everything?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “I’m sure there’s some stuff you haven’t done.”

“Almost everything you could imagine.”

“Yeah, okay. Never have I ever had sex with my sibling,” Caroline teased, her jaw dropping when Klaus took the shot without missing a beat. “Seriously?”

“We got bored.”

“Who got bored? Which one did you have sex with?”

“You used your turn, love. Never have I ever texted while driving.”

Caroline had downed the shot before he finished speaking, anxious to have her questions answered. “Never have I ever fucked my sister.”

Klaus rolled his eyes, taking the shot.

“Ew!"

"Rather closed-minded of you, love.”

“She’s your sister. She’s also Rebekah, and therefore the least pleasant person in existence. Both things that should put her off limits.”

“I’ve fucked many unpleasant people. My sister doesn’t rank even close to the top of my list. We’re also a thousand years old with vampiric sex drives,” he said calmly, apparently not at all embarrassed. She wished she could give that few fucks about what taboos people caught her out committing. And also that she could stop imagining it. Imagining her also in that situation. With both of them.

He was right, Rebekah was not obnoxious enough to not be hot, unfortunately.

“Never have I ever had a job.”

“Seriously? Never? Not even in viking times or whatever?”

“I had, I suppose you’d call them chores, but I didn’t have a job in the sense that they exist now.”

“What did you call them?”

“Sendifer”

“Bless you? Was that a sneeze?”

His lips twitched. “My native language.”

“Native language?”

“You can’t possibly have thought we spoke English?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“I guess I never thought about it. How many languages do you speak?”

“Counting languages not in use today?” he asked, clearly already doing a mental calculation.

“Sure.”

“I can manage fairly well in at least fifty or so. I’m likely only fluent in ten or eleven, including my native tongue.”

“That’s a lot.”

He smiled slightly. “We had to learn to adapt.”

“Did you and Rebekah dirty talk each other with your native tongue?” Caroline drawled, the lack of filter from alcohol making her bolder.

Klaus chuckled. “If I said I did other things with–”

“Forget I asked,” Caroline interrupted, squeezing her eyes shut. “Ugh. Okay, um…Never have I ever done BDSM stuff.”

“That’s quite a broad category, love.”

“So that means you’ll drink, right?”

“Not interested as to what aspects?”

Caroline swallowed, her curiosity dueling with her complete certainty that if he told her anything, her traitor brain wouldn’t be able to forget, or to stop itself from imagining what it could be like for him to do those things to her. It only took her a brief moment to make up her mind, the alcohol making her bold, and she shrugged. “Fine. Never have I ever spanked someone during sex.”

He held her gaze as he poured his drink, his irises flashing gold for just a moment before he sipped it much too slowly, his tongue darting over his lips when he’d finished it. Her breath caught at the intensity of it, how he seemed to be cataloguing every little hint of her reaction. She was certain, in that moment, that he was imagining what it would be like to do it to her. It excited her more than it should have, and she tried to rub her thighs together as subtly as possible to soothe the ache. “Your turn,” she breathed, a bit embarrassed by how completely obvious she was being.

She barely registered whatever Klaus said, something about Netflix, and she drank despite not knowing what she was admitting, too distracted by the fantasies already spinning themselves much too easily.

“Never have I ever made someone call me Master during sex.”

He drank.

She was practically bursting with questions now, and she knew he could tell, that he was enjoying that she wanted to know more of what he’d done. An irrational tug of jealousy made itself known in her gut, something about Klaus having done these things with other people unsettling her. It was unfair, since he had to have done it to be able to talk about it, but her fingers twitched with the urge to touch, to claim, to run her tongue along his skin and hear the low rumble in his throat that she’d spent an embarrassing amount of time imagining he’d make if she ever gave in to what they both wanted.

“Ugh, I should stop drinking,” Caroline said, pushing the bottle away with the five others they’d gone through. “This is getting way too into TMI territory.”

“You do know that I’d answer these even if I weren’t drinking, don’t you love?”

“I don’t know if I could ask them sober,” she admitted before she could stop herself.

He chuckled, making her bristle. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“I’m not, love. But out of curiosity, why wouldn’t you?”

“Because then I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it. You. What you…what we…” she trailed off, shaking her head determinedly to make herself stop talking. “This is why I shouldn’t drink with you. I’ve already said more than I wanted to.”

“Would it be so bad?” he asked. “To give in? To let yourself have a moment of freedom?”

“What, like a what happens in the cabin stays in the cabin type deal?” she asked, unsure if she should even be considering this.

“If you like,” he said, giving her a nod. “I’ve gotten rather good at keeping secrets over the years, you know. I’d never betray your confidence.”

“How do I know?”

“I give you my word.”

“Full offense, but at this point that doesn’t mean much,” Caroline said, regretting the words at the way his expression tightened. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“You did,” he said quietly, the words slow. “And I must admit I haven’t exactly done much to inspire confidence.”

“How hard was that to admit?”

His lips twitched. “To be honest with you, love? Much easier than it typically comes to me.”

He sounded so genuine. It was annoying. She took a deep breath. “You’d promise not to tell?”

He paused for a moment, and she thought he was reconsidering for a moment before he spoke. “You should sleep, sweetheart. I want you to be sure, for your peace of mind. And for mine.”

“Sure that I want to ask questions?”

“Sure that any decisions you make will be entirely your own.”

She took a sharp breath, knowing what decision he was implying she could make. Knowing she probably would if he kept looking at her like that. “Yeah. Good. I mean, sounds good.”

“See you in the morning, love,” he said, hesitating for a moment before pressing a light kiss to her cheek and gathering up the bottles to throw them out, turning away.

“I…good night.”

————

She hadn’t gotten much sleep. Though vampires technically didn’t need any, blood was a valuable commodity, and wasting it just so that they didn’t have to rest seemed unwise. She’d spent the entire night tossing and turning, letting her hands wander beneath the waistband of her shorts and then retreating just as quickly, worried that Klaus would hear, worried that she wanted Klaus to hear.

She’d given in around two in the morning after listening intently for Klaus’s breathing to slow, kicking off her shorts and letting her fingers circle her clit. She let herself get lost in visions of Klaus bending over her, demanding she beg as he fucked her much too slowly, staining her skin with fast-fading red marks when she moaned his name instead of his title. She teased herself, imagining her fingers curled against her walls were his, that he had bid her to hold still and scolding her when she shook against the touch, biting back her moans. Her breathing was ragged when she finally allowed herself release after dragging it out for as long as she dared in case Klaus woke, her imagined order of “come for me, sweetheart” tipping her over the edge.

She made sure to shower before she made her way to the kitchen in the morning, nervous that he’d catch the scent of her arousal, but from the knowing look he shot her, the curve of his lips, she had a feeling he knew anyway. She didn’t mind as much as she thought she would, which was honestly the scariest and yet most exhilarating part.

“From all the free dirty kindle books I think I’m a sub, just so you know.” She’d waited until he’d taken a sip of blood-laced coffee, mostly to indulge her own enjoyment of watching the look on his face as the (second?) most powerful creature on earth attempted to hold back his cough when the liquid went down the wrong pipe. It was deeply satisfying.

“Good morning to you too, sweetheart.”

“Good morning! But does that work, or do you prefer subbing? I won’t judge. Plus toxic masculinity is gross and people like what they like.”

“I prefer the dominant role, yes,” he said, looking more amused than anything else now that he’d recovered from his coughing fit. “No offense taken. I’ve tried it.”

“Not a fan?”

He did a surprisingly un-Klaus like grimace, and she wondered if he picked it up from her. “Not at all, no.”

“Makes sense, I guess.”

He didn’t question why. “Does that mean you’ve made a decision?”

“I mean, I have more questions first, if that’s okay.”

“Always.”

She peppered him with questions. What kinds of things did he like to do? What were his usual rules for his subs? What punishments did he like to use when they broke them? Did he do that thing in all the books where he makes his subs sit a certain way? What title did he like? Why do people call it playing? Did he make it a requirement to be playing 24/7?

On and on.

He was patient, answering her questions thoroughly and seemingly honestly. A lot of them were “it depends” followed by examples, and she resisted the urge to ask him more specific things about what he liked to stop him from saying all the words like that. It was just unfair, honestly. She found herself tempted as he painted a picture of what it could be like, his stories more like offers, the way he raked his eyes up and down her body when she rubbed her thighs together and bit her lip a sure indication that he was aware that she was seriously considering it, that he was imagining all the things he’d do to her if she agreed.

“I think I want to,” she admitted finally, her fingers curling around the handle of her mug, the coffee having long gone cold. “Try, I mean.”

“Do you know what sorts of things you’d like to try? Did the, ah…dirty kindle books give you any ideas?”

“I think I probably don’t know a lot of the options,” she admitted. “Being tied up seems fine? I don’t know.”

“What do you think about when you touch yourself?” he asked, as though admitting her fantasies was as easy as breathing. She flushed at his knowing glance, at the way his low tone made her breath catch.

“Getting told what to do, I guess? Being rough with me.”

A predatory smile spread across his face that made her all too aware of how her spine was pressed against the counter, giving her no room to move. It was a surge of adrenaline, the feeling of being hunted even if she’d expected it, wanted it. She let him move closer, let him take the mug out of her hands and set it on the counter before his palms settled on her hips. He glanced at her for a moment, reading her expression, checking for confirmation, and she nodded. He lifted her easily onto the counter, gently pressing her thighs apart, smirking when he saw the damp spot on the cotton of her shorts. “Tell me more, sweetheart.”

She took a deep breath, almost shaking with anticipation as he reached to fiddle with the drawstrings of her shorts, pulling the knots at the ends between his fingers, his knuckles brushing against her bare thigh just below the scalloped hem. She desperately wanted him closer, for his fingers to brush against her already wet center, but she tried to concentrate on what he asked her. They weren’t in play yet, hadn’t even really talked about any real ground rules, but she already didn’t want to disappoint him, wanted the rush of pleasing him.

“You talk to me,” she offered, feeling her face heat when he smirked, his eyebrows raising.

“I talk to you?”

“You knew I was thinking about you sometimes” she said, trying to sound matter of fact even though she was kind of mortified. “You’re not an idiot.”

“Only sometimes?”

She swallowed. “A lot,” she said, her voice soft. “Probably too much.”

“No such thing,” he murmured, moving forward to gently press his lips against hers, moving his hand to find her clit through the fabric and press down lightly. She moaned into his mouth, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders. She’d imagined what it would be like to kiss Klaus probably hundreds of times, but this was…better. He took his time coaxing her lips to part for him, his tongue sweeping against the seam of them and then sucking her bottom lip lightly, giving a satisfied hum when her hips jerked against his fingers, swallowing her gasp. She felt the lightest brush of fang, not enough to break skin but enough to send a jolt through her that she’d never felt with anyone else.

Enough to make her want him more.

“Do you know how long I’ve dreamt of this, Caroline?” he whispered against her lips, the light brushes against her mouth making her shiver. “I stroke my cock imagining the sounds I’ll coax from your pretty lips, how I’ll make you shake for me. I’ve spent far too much time considering what a pretty picture you’d be spread for me on my sheets, your hair tangled in my fingers, just begging to be tugged. I want to tempt you into giving into your filthiest desires, to give yourself to me so that I can grant your every wish. I’ll give it all to you, Caroline. Anything you ask.”

She tipped her head back as he began to press light kisses down her jawline. “Tell me now, love. What do you think about? What do you want?"

"I…”

“What did you think about last night?” he asked, and she could hear the smugness in his voice. It would have made her want to smack him if his fingers between her legs didn’t feel so fucking good. “I heard your breathing, the rustle of the sheets. What’s on your mind, love?”

“I imagined you behind me,” she began, her voice shaky, almost embarrassed to say the words out loud. “You were pulling my hair and making me beg for you. Teasing me.”

“Begging me for my cock?”

“Yes.”

“Where, Caroline? What was I doing? Was I filling your pussy? Stretching you? Making you ask for me to fuck you faster? Harder?” his voice was a low growl, heavy with lust. She felt his hand leave its place at her center and moaned at the loss of friction, squirming to try and make him go back. He chuckled, sliding his palm beneath her ass and pinching the flesh of it lightly, making her gasp. “Or perhaps I was taking your pretty arse with my cock. Making you beg for me to make you truly submit. Did you ask for me to pull your hair and show you who owns you, Caroline? Do you like being made to admit that you’re mine?”

She knew she was blushing brightly, her breathing labored at the picture he was painting in her mind. She hadn’t considered the possibility somehow, that being claimed like that might turn her on, but she was growing more wet from it, somehow found herself needing it.

“The first one,” she admitted. “And sometimes I’d call you by your name instead of by your title just to make you spank me.”

“What was I in this fantasy, Caroline?”

“What do you mean?”

“What did you call me?”

She inhaled sharply as he squeezed her ass, the bite of his nails making her hips jerk. “Master,” she whispered, the word foreign on her tongue and yet somehow comfortable. Natural. She heard the rumble low in his throat that she’d somehow always known he’d make, the pleased hum of a satisfied predator that had won.

“And you like to be spanked?”

She found herself wanting to push him, to see how far he’d go, whether he’d be as possessive as she’d imagined, as she’d secretly wanted.

“Tyler did spank me once or twice and I liked that. He liked me on my hands and knees before the moon.”

Klaus’s returning snarl made her smile. “Jealous?” she asked, trying not to sound too smug.

The answering rip of fabric exposing her skin making her squeak in surprise. She gasped as Klaus found her wet core, the tips of his fingers dipping into it to make her squirm. “Look at me, Caroline.”

She obeyed, her lips slightly parted, needing him to touch her but unsure how to put it into words without sounding desperate.

“Beg,” he whispered, the command also a clear warning. Klaus apparently didn’t care if she was desperate, probably wanted her to be, wanted her to crave him the way he’d clearly wanted her. He wanted to know that she wouldn’t be thinking of anyone else.

“Please.”

“You can do better,” he murmured, the implied order making her shiver. Her craving for his approval and his touch warred with the instinct to not give an inch, the worry that she’d embarrass herself. “And address me correctly.”

“Please touch me, Master.”

“More,” he demanded, though he rewarded her with a brush of his thumb against her clit, coaxing out a moan. “Tell me what you want. Perhaps I’ll be kind enough to indulge you.”

“Master, I…please make me come. Please. I need you to touch me.”

“How do you want me to touch you, Caroline? Do you want to my fingers or my cock?”

She swallowed, knowing which she’d prefer, but the word seemed so filthy to say out loud. She bit her lip. “Your fingers, Master.”

“I don’t like it when you lie to me, love.”

She flushed. “Sorry, Master.”

“Say it, sweetheart.”

She rolled her hips, hoping for him to at least let her have another touch, but he withdrew, an eyebrow raised. “I want your cock, Master,” she said finally. “Please.”

“Good,” he praised, pressing a soft kiss to her neck. “And where do you want it?”

“Inside of me.”

She knew she’d been too vague the moment she’d said it and Klaus pulled away, his lips twisted in a wicked smirk. Her reluctance to use words that made her blush was clearly something she’d have to get over.

“Get on your knees, then,” he said, his hands already going for his belt.

She let her knees hit the tile floor, arching her back to stretch before settling on her elbows, her legs spread. She heard Klaus chuckle behind her, and she looked over her shoulder in confusion, about to ask what was so funny, and her lips parted when she saw him already nude, stroking his cock in his hand, his thumb brushing over the tip of it. She felt her core ache, her walls fluttering in anticipation, needing that feeling of fullness, but he grabbed the nearby kitchen chair and settled into it. “On your knees here,” he corrected, pointing at the tile floor in front of him. “I want to watch you suck my cock. That fulfills your request, doesn’t it? For you to take me in your mouth?”

Technically, she supposed it did. She knew better than to argue anyway. “Yes, Master.”

“Good. Come here. Crawl.”

She was pretty sure that her skin tone had been increasingly approaching tomato-level red, but she was growing too turned on to care, feeling the embarrassment fade as she let herself give in. She crawled the few feet towards him, settling between his legs and keeping her gaze on his as she leant forward. His hand buried in her hair, keeping her in place. “What do you say when I’m kind enough to give you what you so sweetly begged for, love?”

“Thank you, Master.”

“For?”

“Thank you for letting me suck your cock, Master,” she amended, the words becoming easier to say every time she saw Klaus’s eyes darken with lust when he watched her. “May I begin, please?” she added impulsively, drawing on said free kindle books for inspiration, hoping it was the right thing to say. Klaus’s returning dimpled grin told her that it was.

“Good girl,” he murmured, his grip on her hair loosening to allow her to bend forward. She was finding that she liked getting praise from him, that it was immensely satisfying to know that she was doing well, that she was saying the right things. That he wanted her as she was. She wanted more.

She parted her lips, letting her tongue flick against the tip of him, savoring his low groan before wrapping her lips around him, taking as much as she could and hollowing her cheeks as she bobbed up and down his length. She kept her eyes down–Tyler had liked that she had clearly submitted so she assumed Klaus would too–and she felt a light tug on her hair. “Look at me,"

She let her eyes flick up to meet his, found herself almost hypnotized by his gaze in a way that felt entirely different from compulsion. The heady rush of how he was watching her, as though he’d found nothing more mesmerizing in his life than her lips around his cock, was difficult to tear herself away from. So she didn’t. She kept going slowly, teasing him with her tongue and teeth, experimenting to see what he liked. She could feel her pussy ache when he told her how much he loved watching her on her knees for him with her lips around his cock, rubbed her thighs together to relieve the friction there when he told her he could smell it, that he could tell how much she loved being his to command, how much she loved submitting. She reached to use her hands to stroke him where her mouth couldn’t reach when he ordered her to, the sharp tone making her ache.

He was getting close, she could tell, his lips parting, eyes growing hazy. He bucked against her mouth when she dragged her teeth down his shaft at the same time as she stroked his sac, making her gag loudly. He seemed to like it. She wanted him to come, to watch the original hybrid become putty in her hands. She slowly ran her nail down the patch of skin underneath him that she’d read on the internet once would make most men fall apart.

The internet, as it turned out, was not wrong in this particular case.

She swallowed, pulling away slowly, resisting the urge to lick her lips or wipe her face with the back of her hand, something telling her that Klaus wanted to see her like this. His breathing was heavy, his body relaxed. She practically preened when he reached to stroke her cheek. "I think I like seeing my release cling to your skin, love. Perhaps next time I’ll come on your breasts. Make you leave it there for hours as a reminder of how you were willing to beg for my touch.”

She gasped when he reached to wipe it away with his thumb, holding it in front of her lips as an invitation. Perhaps a command. She ran her tongue slowly along the pad of it to lick it clean, holding his gaze, satisfied at his low groan. She found herself straddling him on the chair a moment later, pressed against his body and fighting to keep herself from grinding her wet core against his hand, the heel of his palm so close to her clit that if she shifted just a bit he might give her the friction she needed. She had a feeling he wouldn’t take kindly to that, though, perhaps even cruelly leave her just on the edge, and she really wanted to come.

“Thank you, Master,” she said again, hoping that remembering that he’d framed it a reward for her would get him to give her what she actually wanted, and he chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

“Do you want to come, Caroline?”

“Yes, please.”

He let one of his hands stroke her spine as he pressed two fingers inside of her, curling them against her walls and beginning to move them slowly, adding a third after she’d adjusted enough. She was vaguely aware that she was begging out loud, barely stopped herself from saying his name more than once, and she heard him murmur pretty words about how delicious he was sure she’d taste, how perhaps next time he’d let her come on his tongue instead and wouldn’t she like that?

“Yes, Master.”

He pressed his thumb to her clit, watching her tip over the edge with an expression that might have been closer to affection than lust. She wondered whether she should be concerned by that, by the fact she’d already admitted deep down that this wasn’t just about sex.

No, Klaus had lured her in with promises of his touch and his attentions, but that wasn’t really the hook that pulled her towards him. He would entice her by bringing her fantasies to life and making her body crave him. He’d make sure to ruin her for everyone else. But she knew that even if she hadn’t given in, even if she’d remained in denial, he would have inevitably won over her heart just as he did her body. She knew his games, was completely aware that he had an ulterior motive for this, that he likely already knew how close she was to admitting out loud that she wouldn’t mind being his that much. Or at all.

Klaus generally got what he wanted, stopped at nothing to achieve his goals and obsessed over his projects with an intensity that even she, a certified goal-setter, found vaguely terrifying.

And she’d never been more sure of anything in her life than that Klaus Mikaelson wanted her, at least for now.

All she had to decide was whether, or more accurately when, she’d truly give herself to him.

#klaroline #klaroline drabbles #klaroline drabble #klaroline fanfiction #klaroline smut #incest mention #mydrabbles #itsnotacrimetoloveyou #honestgrins #ask #answer

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rockmiyabideusexmachina · 5 years ago

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2020 Megaman Valentine’s Day Contest - Cat. 1 (Talent) Results!

Thank you to everyone again for your patience! This is getting posted way later than I wanted to. As much as I try to keep it short and sweet, I never do, so bear with my walls of text.

For the talent category this year, the theme was about killing Mega Man with kindness. More specifically, entrants had to create their own original love/Valentine’s-themed Robot Master or equivalent boss character that was created to defeat Mega Man with the power of love! Even though the theme title and concept alluded more to the classic Robot Master character contests, designs for any series were acceptable. But other than one Navi and one Reploid entry, everyone stuck to a Classic-series themed creation. So you were all pretty consistent!

There were a total of 16 entries for this category this year. Thank you all for your participation! It was extremely hard to choose winners for this category, because you all had really clever and creative concepts based off of this theme. So thank you for thinking up such clever and cool characters!!

Also thanks to Reploid 21XX for the coloring book prizes and for some additional insight.

Again, raffle prize winners will be contained in both posts, so keep an eye out between your name and your art. Not all raffle prize winners are contained in this post. I’ll be contacting all winners soon enough, so sit tight! Might be late after work tonight, so don’t panic if you don’t hear from me right after this is posted.

Your category winners and full gallery of entries are right here, after the break:

Category 1 (Talent) - Dr. Wily’s Greatest Creation: Killing Mega Man With Kindness

[Full Talent Gallery]

1.) @mo-sketchbook:

*For coming in 1st, mo-sketchbook has won $100 via Paypal, or a prize of their choice up to that value AND a Rockman 7 Coloring Book.*

First and foremost, I appreciate all the effort you put into covering so many aspects of your creation, from the various design viewpoints, weapon get form for Mega Man, and showing the weapon in action. I really loved all the things you integrated into the design to give off the feeling that it is a love-based character. The “love bug” form, cherub-like Heat/Plug-type facial features, and how you utilized hearts in different ways for his design and powers.

I’m no Keiji Inafune, but I feel like this is a concept he would greenlight, in terms of it following his Robot Master design formula. It doesn’t need to be super detailed or flashy, but still fits the mold very well! The thought of the hearts missing their target and love energy then getting weaker is actually pretty clever, too. Cute, and I wuv it.

2.) @peachycircuits:

*For coming in 2nd, peachy has won $50 via Paypal, or a prize of their choice up to that value AND a Rockman 7 Coloring Book*

As usual, on the technical side of things, your art is one of the more polished and clean entries of the bunch. Combining a couple different aspects - swans as a creature known as a symbol of love, bonded for life like in marriage, and turning that into an inseparable pair of Robot Masters, was a clever way to think about your design, in terms of the theme of this category.

And then echoing that with the iconic Swan Lake, making them ballet dancers, is like taking Tundra Man and Gemini Man’s concept up another notch. Plus, not gonna lie, amused seeing Mega Man getting equipped with a tutu. LOL So even if it’s not as heart-themed as most of the other entries, I totally liked how you thought outside the box a little bit for this.

3.) Komito Amae:

*For coming in 3rd, Komito has won $25 via Paypal, or a prize of their choice up to that value*

I figured a cupid-styled arrow theme would pop up in a bunch of entries, but your Reploid, Beta, here caught my eye. Both in terms of the hearts, arrows and wings incorporated into her armor, and the pretty sweet looking buster that she and X both have equipped.

While I’m not sure how it would play out in the game, I think it would be interesting to suddenly take control of random enemies in a stage, and be able to change perspective as them for a short time, after you have shot them. Whether it would be to take out an enemy horde, or perform a task X can’t that the enemy could, it would be different! Can’t see it quite having the same powerful effect on a Maverick boss, but it’s certainly neat to think about how that could work!

And the rest of the wonderful entries, in alphabetical order by alias:

@autobot-bumblebee:

*Raffle Prize Winner* Dreamwave Comics: Issue 4 Page 15

I’m sorry you didn’t win a cash prize this time! Please don’t take me hostage! I totally loved the creative vintage chocolate factory mascot backstory, along with making your entry like an Ariga-styled character sheet page. Certainly get that retro feel with her clothing design. Her rose blade kinda reminds me of other hand-turned-blade-like-weapon characters, such as Alan Gabriel in the Big O or Ed transmuting one in FMA. Which is always a snazzy transformation for a robot!

@drewblossom:

In all honesty, if I hadn’t placed you in the humor category, I think this would have very likely been somewhere in the top 3 for this category. A cuddly teddy bear with a massive Ariga-Quick Man-sized heart for a chest, extending flailing tube arms, who just wants to hug Mega Man to death is so amusing and awesome of a design. Hugs for everyone!

FluffyFrostyFury:

Your take of heat-seeking arrows and the added high jump powers were certainly a different take compared to the other cupid-styled creations. Definitely would be nice gameplay bonuses when equipped. I like how Mega Man also has the wings sprout out of his head, to mimic Cherub Woman’s pigtails, rather than the usual spot you would assume, on his back.

HealerCharm:

Hahaha, I love how your creation has caused Mega Man to wave the white flag after falling in love...wait, it isn’t White Day, and he should be giving her a gift if it was! XD Her hair tied up into a heart was a creative touch, much like how her dress flows into all those heart shapes. Adorable!

@inanehipsterslang:

Um, can...can I count on you to vote for Bernie this election year?

Remember kids, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, looks don’t matter. Everyone deserves love, even those you consider ‘vermin.’ This was certainly an unexpected take on the theme, and gave me a good laugh, too. ‘Boiling-hot water...with a hint of citrus!’ It burns, but it smells so lemony-fresh!! XD But the two different moves fit together well, to protect and attack.

I like how you still incorporated a heart shape into Rodent Woman’s design with, both in her chest shape and the “nostril” area which is echoed in the Rodent Rover. And also props for giving her the non-armor form, unique compared to other entries.

Mattasaurs:

On the one hand, your design feels so different for a Robot Master, and maybe more Navi-like. But then I get the Astro/Galaxy-type eye vibe, and sort of a Plant Man~ish body with Devil hands feel, and see how it’d fit into Classic. It’s a unique look, and I liked it the more I inspected it. I really do love the idea of the heart bubble entrapping more and more enemies, and the big ol’ group hug ending up bursting their love bubble. It’s a different concept that stood out!

Minnie:

Our Navi of the bunch combined the love bug and cupid design, but your concept changed up the attack to suck out the energy of it’s target. Which almost made me think she should have an arrow-like mosquito nose, to feast on her target that way. XD I liked your wing shield concept and RiCO-styled skirt of hearts. Rock gets some cool shades in his Love Soul/Cross form, and I get the ProtoSoul vibe, with the shield transferring to his arm as well.

@pstart:

Another Heat/Plug-type design Share Man looks cute and sleepy, but is also “clumsy and weak.” His ability is to share body parts, so “the danger is in him sharing his less than ideal parts with his opponents.” It’s a totally neat concept, to see Mega Man lose his buster almost by accident, and now be powerless to stop Share Man. His split color scheme drives home the concept that his parts might not all be his own, and sort of a Frankenstein bot at times. Props to that idea!

While his weapon gives Mega Man the power to make enemies docile and sleepy, I really almost want to see Mega Man get dumb parts of enemies, too! Helmet switched to a Met helmet, Batton wings, a big Suzy eye! It’s now I’ve got your power...but...but what am I supposed to do with it? XD

RetroNinjin:

Unlike most others, your entry pushed the heart theme heavily in her armor design around the entire head and shoulder parts, so I definitely felt the love vibe. The color scheme fits well. Just would have liked to have had seen a little more information about her attack and concept.

RoninApprentice:

Mega Man having a “Wing Man” to set him up is a hilarious and clever idea! I give you kudos for thinking outside the box a bit on your concept and theme here. The shipping chart certainly drives the idea home, too. You still give him a classy/formal look, and keep the wing man aviation origin apparent in his attack style. Certainly a different idea having the heart bowtie transfer to Rock’s helmet in the form change, but it really doesn’t look that bad there, opposed to around his neck like it would be normally.

@star-crossed-swords:

Different from the other cupid concepts, Eros Woman utilizes a Search-Man like targeting system to hit her targets. I like the heart scope addition over her and Rock’s eye when they go into firing mode. You took a different approach to the wing concept compared to others, echoing Cinnamon’s hairstyle in many respects. But it certainly fits with the rest of her design nicely, and looks good for Mega Man’s equipped form.

@star-shaped-soul:

Love that you were able to both include a drawing and your own sprite, to mix in with the weapon equip ones. That is one powerful crush Mega Man has on his enemies now! I feel bad for Crush Man with how big and heavy those snare trap hands of his are. This seems like a Robot Master too cute for Wily to design; more like he stole him and added horrible, cruel hands onto him! This is taking a crush on someone to a whole different level! XD

Yuri Kadry:

When equipped with Cupid Man’s power, I like the visor Mega Man gets. I think this is also a clever use of the weapon, having enemies shot attracted to one another, causing them to collide into each other. Well thought out! Love the original sprite art, and he stands out nicely against the pinks and purples in the background.

#Rockman #Megaman #Mega Man #Rock Miyabi's 2020 Megaman Valentine's Day Contest

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for-dramas-sake · 4 years ago

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Up until ep 9, I had labeled He Mingli as a “bratty teenager”. And she does act like one: her attitude towards her parents is belittling, she wants to prove her worth and she wants results RIGHT NOW! But after watching ep 9, especially the dream sequence, I’m starting to understand her drive and see beneath the cracks of her shell. And while that doesn’t make me like her any more at all, I can appreciate the story as a whole because she isn’t just the mean sister of the piece.

Mingli’s biggest drive is to prove she can handle her family’s giant company, and prove being a woman is more than just passing on the torch to the men.

These are her obstacles: her father, her brothers, and her uncle (they call him “Uncle Shu” but I don’t think they have familial ties). She is a room surrounded by men and they all look down on her, even her useless brother. It doesn’t matter that she is the eldest child, she is still a woman. Look at how she is dressed in this scene: pure white in a room full of grays and blacks.

If I were really to analyze the importance of colors here, I’d say the colors represent each of the characters’ true personalities: Tianxing is mostly black but there’s some white/goodness there. Tianjian is gray and stuck in the middle. Her father is charcoal: firm and unmoving. Uncle Shu is all black thus hinting at a truly evil character. Then there’s Mingli in white which is often representative of pure of character. BUT I mean to really say SHE is the outsider in this room. She doesn’t fit in even though she is part of the family.

Mingli’s mother also is a threat and probably the most revealing of Mingli’s true nature to us: she sees Mingli has a temporary torchbearer. Many times she asks Mingli when she plans on giving the company to one of her brothers. To this Mingli is not only angered but offended. Her own mother, who sits at home and cuts flowers and cries all day, doesn’t see her as an appropriate handler of the family company.

The mother is a great contrast to the daughter. The mother is gentle, loving, sheds tears for her husband, is often seen around feminine elements like flowers and wears pastel shades of pinks. The daughter is tough, bitter, sheds tears for herself, and wears masculine colors. The clothes lack color, even though the design and cut of the clothes are deceptively feminine.

Even Mingli’s bedroom is dark and gloomy. There’s no color, no warmth at all.

Mingli is trying to be more like her brothers by shedding her feminine side. She even implies that she will never cry again, because she is fed up with taking the hate from everyone else.

I can understand the mother (and maybe the father, but we only get a little bit of his ideas because he’s been in a come for 8 episodes) is very much old-fashioned. She leans on the men on her family, especially her husband, for support and she arranges flowers. She can’t imagine a woman taking over the company, because it’s just not done. Now the mother never actually says this, but it’s implied that the MAN does the work.

These two have never had an open heart-to-heart conversation. Mingli can’t open up because she has closed herself off from everyone. She won’t beg nor bow before anyone, especially her mother, who in Mingli’s eyes is a weak emotional person. She won’t be like her mother.

The mother doesn’t even try to understand Mingli, which I think is the true pathetic element here. She is making assumptions and demands of her daughter, yet never tries to get to know her. The only way the audience learns more about Mingli is from other people pointing fingers and the tiny cracks she tries to hide in her armor. She won’t tell her mother her weak points, and like a heartbroken teenager, says...

The dream sequence revealed Mingli’s fear: having to give up. Notice that it’s not failing. Throughout the whole drama, she is failing with employees, business deals and handling losses in the company (or even recognizing your enemy when he’s sitting right next to you) yet she never wants to give in to defeat.

The whole family in the dream pressures her to give in, give up, yada yad yada. A comparison would be holding onto a lit match, but refusing to light the wick even though the flame will eventually burn the hand. Another thing I am noticing: she is depending on the wrong people. She is keeping company with Uncle Shu who is turning siblings against each other. If Mingli and Tianjian had joined forces, they might have enough smarts to see through his schemes. He’s dividing and conquering. It’s just that Mingli is too independent, too determined, and too damn stubborn to ask for help or depend on anyone else.

I want to believe that deep down Mingli IS a good person. There are certain points in the show that prove that she does have a heart: hesitating on offing Tianxing, crying in front of her mother... I certainly hope that she does change back to good. I’m not accepting a hug fest, but I’ll accept her sitting down at family dinner or even smiling.

#twdrama #taiwanese drama #lost romance

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pandawritespoorly · 5 years ago

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How They Met - A With Time Story

Author’s Note: I got asked by @periwinklepost-its how the Quantics met, and I couldn't resist. I threw this together, and here we are! There's reference slides here, and yes, I am now being bombarded with ads for children's clothes.

Summary: Allan, Allegra, Claude, and Felix are all six when they meet.

Oh, and there's a dinosaur. He doesn't talk much though.

“Hi!!”

Felix looks up, seeing a brown haired boy standing in front of him, a sparkly star shaped hair clip stuck to his head seemingly randomly. There’s a stuffed black fabric rectangle hanging from his neck, with the image of a camera printed on it in white. He has a funny looking dinosaur on his shirt, with spikes on its back. The same spikes are on the boy’s shorts.

Dinosaurs are cool.

“Hello?”

People don’t normally talk to Felix. The six year old tends to sit apart during recess and just read while the other children run around. It’s too much excitement, and he’d rather read his cat books.

“I really like your tie! They’re cats, but they’re in space!!”

Felix blushes a little, not used to other kids complimenting his clothing. Most of them think it’s weird that he’s dressed so formally. He looks down at his tie and easily removes it, holding it out. “You may look at it. Cats are my favorite animal.”

The boy smiles, nodding and holding the tie carefully and sitting down on the bench beside him. Felix appreciates that he seems to understand that he should be gentle with things that don’t belong to him.

“Do you like space?” The other boy asks. “Do you think there are cats in space? Do you think there’s a cat planet? Do you think cats are from space?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so?” Felix shrugs. “I am no space expert.” He looks at the clip in the boy’s hair. “I like your star.”

The boy touches the star. “Yeah! My friend is letting me borrow it! It’s really pretty, and she said I could wear it until we have to go home.”

“That is nice. Where-”

“Claauuddeeee!!” A girl’s voice calls, “This isn’t how tag works!” She harrumphs, crossing her arms. She notices Felix, then his book, and she brightens, tag forgotten. “You have a book? What’s it about?”

She has a purple play dress on, leggings underneath it. Her hair is tied back in two braids, and she has a headband on with a large purple bow. On the side of her head and near the back she’s slipped several different colored sparkly star hair clips, though one is missing.

“A cat. He finds aliens. There aren't a lot of words though.”

“Aliens?! That’s cool!” The boy exclaims, still holding the tie.

The girl notices it. “Where’d you get that?”

“Oh! This is his! You can have it back now!” The boy holds it out, and Felix puts it back on his shirt.

“I like your astronaut cats. My name’s Allegra!”

“I am Felix. I like cats.”

“I like purple!”

“I like… a lot of things!” The boy decides. “Oh, and my name is Claude!”

“Do you want to come with us? We were going to look for four leaf clovers over there,” Allegra offers.

“My brother says they’re not real!” Claude pouts. “I gotta’ prove him wrong!”

Felix considers this. He has already finished his book, and it would be very interesting to find a four leaf clover.

“Okay.”

It doesn't take long for the ‘walk’ to turn into a race for Allegra and Claude. Felix walks at a normal pace, because he doesn’t want to trip.

He passes the swings, spotting a boy in a gray hoodie holding a dinosaur sitting on one of the swings. Felix remembers seeing him around school before, usually hanging back and sticking to the sidelines.

Felix walks over.

“Hello. I like your dinosaur.”

The boy looks up, startled. “Th-thanks. His name is Lucas.”

“That is a very good name.”

The boy smiles.

“My friend has a dinosaur on his shirt. Do you want to meet him?”

“Yeah!”

“Follow me. We are looking for four leaf clovers over there. I am Felix, the dinosaur shirt boy is Claude, and the purple girl is Allegra.” He gestures to where Claude and Allegra are already sitting on the ground a little ways away.

“I know Ally! She gave me a star yesterday.”

“Really? Then I suppose she will be happy to see you again.”

“I hope so. Mama says she hopes I’ll ‘find my people’. I think she wants me to make a friend that isn't a dinosaur.”

“We can be friends.”

He smiles brightly, “Really?! Thanks!”

“Dinosaurs are a very good judge of people. Clearly, Lucas approves of you.”

“Do you want to hold him? He is a very nice dino.”

Felix nods. “Would you like to look at my book while I hold him? It is mostly pictures. It’s about aliens and cats.”

“That’s super cool!!”

They trade, sitting down beside the other children, who look up from their search.

“Hi Allan!”

“Ooh, do you like dinosaurs too??” Claude bounces where he sits in the grass.

Allan nods. “But Lucas is my favorite. Felix is holding him right now, but you can hold him later.”

“Okay!!”

Allegra holds out two star clips.

“My friends get stars. At least until I go home. Mommy wants me to bring them back home.”

Allan puts it in his hair, and Felix looks at it consideringly. He isn’t sure how it works. It’s completely closed! How does it stay on someone’s head? The snapping sound from when Allan put his on is concerning too.

“I do not wish to break it…” Felix admits. “How does it work?”

Allegra crawls over to him. “Here. I’ll help.” She takes it from him, then moves some of his hair slightly before putting it in his hair easily. “It’s a barrette. You have to make it click.”

“You gotta’ click it to stick it! ...in your hair!” Claude declares.

“I like your rhyme.” Allan smiles shyly.

Claude gasps, taking his camera and holding it up to his face and pretending to take a picture of Allan. “I like your smile!!!”

He blushes. “Th-thanks.”

Allegra pokes Claude’s face. “Don’t make my all-buddy uncomfortable.”

“What?”

“Both of our names start with A-l-l. That’s how we became friends.”

“It’s fine, Ally,” Allan reassures, then turns to Claude. “Your camera is cool!”

“Thanks! It can take a picture of anything! Even the things that normal cameras can’t. Like when you’re playing pretend and want a picture!”

“That’s cool!”

“Yeah, I even used it to prove there was a monster under my bed!”

Allegra gasps. “Really? No one ever gets a picture of them!”

Felix nods in agreement. It’s very true. They’re very elusive.

Allan stares at him in shock. “Do you mean you d-defeated the monster under your bed? You said ‘was’...”

“My parents got me anti-monster spray. Maybe they can show your parents where to get some!!” Claude offers.

“That is fascinating. An invention like that should be famous.” Felix marvels.

“Yeah!”

Felix hands Allan Lucas. “I believe recess is going to be over soon. It was nice to meet all of you.”

Claude hugs all of them enthusiastically, he stands backing up a bit, gesturing for them to get closer. “I’m going to get a picture! Stay still!”

Once the picture is taken, Claude pats Lucas’ head before running off to be first in line to get back inside. “Bye guys!! I’ll see you later!!”

Allegra takes off after him, not about to lose a potential race.

“They're nice,” Allan comments.

Felix nods as they make their way back to the school. “They have a lot of energy though.”

Allan gives the most long suffering sigh a six year old has ever given. “We’ll have to make sure they don’t hurt themselves.”

“Oh my. You’re right.”

“Mhm.”

“I suppose this is our life now? Are we not rather young to have found our career?”

“Maybe.” Allan shrugs, hugging the green dinosaur to his chest slightly.

Felix hums, then sticks his hand out. “I look forward to working with you.”

Allan smiles, and shakes his hand.

“Me too.”

---

Author’s Note: Allan has already accepted these guys will be giving him gray hairs. He is very wise.

Once again, reference slides here. I tried to stick with their usual color scheme, but Allan got a gray hoodie (it has little bear ears though), because all the green ones were either a) boring, or b) too similar to... something else I have planned. You'll just have to wait on that! 😉

For some reason, I fell in love with Lucas the dinosaur. Don't ask me how, he's just really cute okay?? I'll probably find an excuse to reference him sometime.

Thank you for reading!! 💕💕💕 Any sort of love is much appreciated!! 💝💝

#miraculous ladybug #with time #fanfic #with time & related shenanigans #oneshot #quantic kids #allan #allegra #claude #ml felix #children #they're six #lucas the dinosaur #prequel #they're cute little beans #origin story

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legolaslovely · 5 years ago

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A Fair Rose Part 2

A/N: Hello! I have been so excited to post this Part 2 for you guys. This story is based on this imagine from @imaginexhobbit and includes the song I’d Pluck a Fair Rose from the show Poldark because I’m obsessed. I really hope you guys enjoy.

Pairing: Kili x Reader

Word Count: 1,872

Warnings: none, fluff

Summary: Kili does his best be charming and capture the heart of his new love, but will his troublesome ways get in the way?

Part 1

Kili stood in front of a dirty mirror, braiding his hair and trying to ignore his brother dancing around him.

“Oh, my dear, sweet love, (Y/N)!” Fili sang, kissing his own hand in jest. “I will see you in a week’s time. Let me sit and listen to the same incessant tunes over and over just so I can hear your beautiful song-bird like voice once more! And let me drag my brother with me! Oh, and please, my dear, sweet love, come to the ball in the dress delivered to you from an admirer. Here’s the secret! It’s me!”

Kili allowed his brother to mock him. He knew he had been acting sort of foolish and he was surely not himself when he was around you. Before he met you, he was not one for court concerts and definitely not one for balls. Tonight, he gladly accepted his uncle’s invitation to the party in the grand hall to celebrate the anniversary of Erebor’s reclamation. It was true, he had sent you a dress and an invitation with the hopes of seeing you in an environment other than the court concerts.

“Oh, (Y/N), will I ever tell you of my love for you? How I’m so infatuated with you? Probably not!” Fili continued.

“Why do you think I invited her to the ball?” Kili grumbled, securing his braids with a leather band.

Fili spoke over him. “(Y/N)! Maybe after I assist you with your harp, I can assist you in taking off all those clothes?”

Kili wacked him hard. “Shut it! Don’t talk about her that way, you can be heard through the mountain.”

“All right, all right,” Fili said, sitting on the edge of the bed and catching his breath. “But I swear to Mahal, if you don’t tell her tonight, I will.”

Kili fastened his robes on his shoulders. “I’m going to tell her. I just… need to choose how.”

“Don’t you think she already has the idea? You’ve gone to every one of her concerts for two months now, always requesting that song she sings. That dopey look you get makes your feelings pretty obvious.”

“There is no dopey look.” He sighed. “Even if she does suspect, she hasn’t said anything.” He fiddled with his robe, pulling the ties in his fingers and staring at the mirror.

Fili grabbed his brother’s thin coronet of silver and sapphires and placed it on his head. “Well, it wouldn’t make a good impression if you were late.” He led the way through the corridors to the grand hall. Before the guards opened the tall wooden doors, he said with a smirk. “Who knows, she might pick me instead.”

Kili mocked him in deep voiced gibberish and pushed Fili’s shoulder, sending him falling into the hall. They continued to elbow each other until they reached the high table and Thorin growled at them to stop. With the new vantage point, Kili searched the floor for you and his stomach dropped when he didn’t see your bright smile.

“She’ll be here,” Fili said.

Kili slumped in his chair and twirled the strings of his robe in his fingers, his gaze glued to the door. It seemed like song after song passed. He ignored the many dams sending smiles and winks his way, passing it off as if he thought they were trying for Fili’s attention. He grumbled and gripped the arms of his chair before standing with a huff. “Seems we were both wrong, brother. I’ll not be tortured another moment, I’m leaving.”

“Take this,” Fili said, handing him a goblet of port. After Kili drank, he said, “Now, look.”

Kili whirled and looked to the doors of the hall. There you stood as if light from the heavens shone on you.

“There’s that dopey look,” Fili said.

Kili threw the empty goblet into his brother’s lap and flew down the steps to the floor, rushing to you through countless calling dams. He didn’t notice any of them.

You were looking around as if lost when he came into view. He halted before you, pushing his hair out of his eyes and smiling. “(Y/N),” he said. “Welcome.”

Before you could reply, a dashing server appeared next to you offering you both some drink. Kili took one for you, placing it in your trembling fingers, and another for himself, though you never saw him take a sip of it.

He noticed your wide eyes surveying the hall as you drank. “It looks much different with all the tables and decorations,” he said.

You swallowed hard, gathering yourself. “Very different. It’s always beautiful, but tonight…”

“Much like you. Always beautiful, but tonight… breathtaking.” He stopped his eyes from traveling down your frame. He wanted so much to take in the way you looked in the dress he had had made for you, but he didn’t ever want to make you uncomfortable. He wondered if you noticed how your gown matched his robes.

Again, your gaze flashed to the ground, but a bashful smile pulled at your lips. “Thank you, Prince Kili.”

“Please. Just Kili.”

Since you entered the hall, nothing registered in his mind but you. Not the music, nor the dwarfs surrounding you, nor his brother’s prying eyes from the high table. Presently, he heard the elegant music of the band start to play. “I know you’ve just arrived, but would you like to dance?”

You nodded excitedly, pumping more courage into him. He took your glass and then your hand, leading you to the middle of the floor. He stood across from you and bowed, feeling his heart thrash with anticipation. He tried hard to remember the steps he had been practicing with Fili for the past few days.

He circled you, looking down at you on his right shoulder and then parted from you. Step in, step out. This was easier than he thought. Then he looked at you. Your hair was beautifully braided, cascading off your shoulders, tied with a ribbon that matched your gown. He stepped left instead of right and ran into the dwarf on his side. You didn’t laugh at him, only smiled encouragingly. Step in.

“I can’t tell you how strange it is to be dancing instead of playing,” you said, nodding towards the musicians on the stage.

“I hope I haven’t pulled you away from your passions,” he said when you met again.

You circled him. “Oh, no, Pr- Kili. I’m having a lovely time here with you.”

He felt his grin reach his ears.

“When I first received your invitation, I was frantic because I had nothing to wear. Then this stunning gown arrived from a secret sender. Do you know anything about it?”

His grin faltered. “No, I-I do not.”

“Well, whoever sent it is very generous indeed. I wonder how they knew I should like to wear your colors.”

He froze, causing the next dwarf in line to crash into him. He tripped over his own foot, then thankfully, the music stopped. He bowed to you again, kissing your hand, then excused himself. He ran up to Fili and pulled him out into the kitchen corridor.

“What?! What is it? I thought you were having a good time!” Fili yelled, pulling his arm out of his brother’s harsh grip.

“She knows,” Kili said.

“That you’re obsessed with her?”

“She knows about the dress, Fili.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No! Yes. I don’t know.”

There was bustling around them, dams and dwarfs of the kitchen shooting them troublesome looks. A night of a ball was not the time for the princes to be scheming.

“What do I do?” Kili asked, exasperated.

“Tell her that you’re obsessed with her?”

“Will you stop?! I’m not obsessed with her! What if she ever hears you saying that? My chance will be destroyed,” Kili shouted.

“But you are obsessed with her.” Fili smirked hard.

“No, I’m not!” Kili reached for a passing cart of food and grabbed a fist full of mashed potatoes, chucking them in his brother’s face. “Just because I have someone and you don’t doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk!”

“Oh? Do you have her?” Fili asked wiping the food from his beard. “Because last time I checked, she’s in there alone with a hundred dwarfs chasing after her!” He wiped the potatoes on Kili’s robes, smearing them into the fabric. Then, he stole a plate from the table and dumped it over his brother’s shoulders.

Kili continued to throw food at his brother, using a plate as a shield. “I come out here for advice and you throw food at me?”

“You started it!” Fili yelled.

“You’re the older brother! You’re supposed to help me!”

“How am I supposed to help some lovesick fool who can’t even form a sentence around- (Y/N)! Hello.”

Kili whipped around to see you standing there, food flying from his hair. “(Y/N)! I-I’m, I’m so sorry,” he stammered as Fili stuck a napkin in his hands and took the plate from him. He wiped the food from his face. “I’m so sorry, I’ve- I’ve ruined everything.”

“Don’t worry, (Y/N), we’ll clean him up and he’ll be back at the ball in a moment,” Fili said, picking food from his brother’s hair and brushing slop from his shoulders. “This is all my fault, really, I must apologize-”

“No, don’t,” Kili said, setting his brother aside. “It’s my fault. I’ve completely ruined the evening, I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing is ruined,” you said.

“But I-’

“Kili, I’m not upset with you.” You wore a sweet smile on your face that he couldn’t help returning. “If I was, it would be about you not being yourself with me, not the food fight with your brother.”

He wrung the soiled napkin in his fists and his head fell. “You see right through me, huh? I wanted to be better for you, more… princely. Charming.”

“You couldn’t be more charming,” you said, chuckling when he looked up at you with wide, warm eyes. “I’ve heard many stories about the silly princes. Your schemes and tricks, but also your kindness and tender hearts. That’s the Kili I wish to know.”

“You knew of me before you came here?”

“Of course. You’re the prince. I dare say you stole my heart before I even stepped foot in Erebor.”

He stared at you, his countenance soft and at length he said, “Well then, I hope you will save a dance for me at the next ball.” He reeked of food and had all kinds of treats caked into his clothes. But somehow, he looked more handsome than ever.

You reached for him and untied the sopping robes from his shoulders. “There’s no reason you can’t have the next one.”

You slung the clothing over the cleared table and he rushed to take off his soiled vest, leaving only his clean tunic in place. He held out his hand and gripped yours tightly, twirling you before pulling you in close. You leaned your head on his shoulder and let him rock you to the silence. Then he broke it, softly humming the song he first heard you sing in the great hall.

“I’d a pluck a fair rose for my love…”

#kili #kili x reader #kili fic #kili fanfic #kili fluff #kili fanfiction #fluff #the hobbit #the hobbit fandom #the hobbit fanfiction #the hobbit fanfic #the hobbit fic #lotr #lotr fandom #lotr fanfic #lotr fic #lotr fanfiction #kili x dwarf!reader

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bcdrawsandwrites · 5 years ago

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Next entry for @badthingshappenbingo!

I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING PROMPTS! The single-bone marks on the card indicate which prompts I have received and am going to write, and I finally have prompts that will earn me a bingo once they’ve been written. (But they’re not written yet!)

This fic has also been posted to FFN and AO3, so you can check it out on my Assortment of Broken Bones collection on there if you like!

This prompt is for @the-lunatic-of-your-dreams (HI YES I KNOW YOU SENT THIS OVER A YEAR AGO, SORRY!! I’M STILL WORKING ON THESE!). I followed your prompt pretty closely, though I also added a little fancharacter of mine (Héctor’s alebrije)--hope you don’t mind!

Prompt: Hiding an Injury Characters: Héctor and Chicharrón, pre-movie

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Dia de Muertos was certainly a… time in Shantytown.

Some residents—usually the new ones who were still upset over their situation—sulked indoors all day, though some folks coaxed them to come out. Those residents—which made up the annoying vast majority of the town—stayed out all night partying and trying to make the best of things. Playing loud music, singing, playing games… and drinking. Lots of drinking.

And then there was Héctor.

Every Dia de Muertos, he was almost always nowhere to be found—at least, not in Shantytown, anyway. He was always doing something or other in the upper towers, usually spending the entire night trying scheme after scheme to cross the blasted marigold bridge.

Idiota.

As for Chicharrón, he’d long since given up attempting to sleep through the noise, and would usually spend the night in the quietest place he could find that wasn’t his bungalow. Right now, that happened to be out on the steps leading down into the town, where he could see and listen to the nonsense transpiring below while keeping a safe distance. For company, he’d brought a few friends: a bottle of tequila and a couple shot glasses (just in case one broke, he told himself).

He’d expected this year to be a peaceful one. No one would come up here to bother him, he hoped, and Héctor would be out all night. Maybe he could even get a bit of rest out here—not that the steps were terribly comfortable, but it was at least quiet.

Yet a few hours into the night, as Chicharrón found himself dozing, he was startled awake by the sound of feet creaking against the rickety stairs. Great. Of course he wasn’t gonna get a break.

But there was no one coming up the stairs. Then that would mean…

Turning around, he spotted someone descending the stairs, a small alebrije fluttering over their head. He knew a few people here with small spirit guides, but only one with a flying one.

Héctor was carefully stepping down the stairs, his arms clenched around his sides and his head hanging. His weird bat alebrije, Pizzicato, was hovering around him like a concerned mother hen. What on earth were they doing back so early?

“Down on your luck there, chamaco?” Chicharrón grunted, and Héctor staggered backward, nearly toppling over. “What’re you doin’ back so early for?”

“I, uh…” Héctor shrugged, a nervous grin showing his golden tooth. “Didn’t look like it was gonna be a good time this year. Figured I’d throw in the towel early.”

The bat alebrije made a squeaking sound that managed the impressive feat of making his non-existent ears hurt. She probably knew, he guessed.

It was some lie, but Chicharrón didn’t care enough to find the truth of it. Instead, he gestured next to himself, and Héctor hesitantly took a seat, the bat hooking herself to the back of his shoulder. It was when the young man reached his arms down to steady himself that Cheech noticed he had his jacket buttoned. That stood out to him—Héctor was one of the many male skeletons who always went shirtless. More than that, he’d even told Chicharrón the reason he did so: it had been a suggestion from his father when he’d first arrived in the Land of the Dead, so he could more quickly get used to his skeletal form, and he’d never dropped the habit.

So to see him with his jacket buttoned was… weird.

Chicharrón wouldn’t ask him the real reason why he was back early; he’d probably butchered his latest attempt at crossing the bridge, and he wasn’t particularly keen on listening to Héctor cry all night. The jacket thing was different. If he were to wager a guess, he’d say that Héctor had pilfered something from the upper towers, and was hiding it in his rib cage. Wouldn’t be the first time Héctor had swiped something, to be sure, though he certainly wasn’t going to outright ask him about it. Too easy.

He poured Héctor a drink, and the two clinked their glasses together and knocked back their shots. Héctor seemed grateful for the drink, but was eyeing the rest of the bottle. Chicharrón picked it up and set it on his other side, so it wasn’t between them. While Héctor pouted exaggeratedly, Chicharrón gestured to him. “That jacket of yours is looking a bit worn.”

Héctor blinked, looking back to exchange a glance with his alebrije. “Yeah? In case you haven’t noticed, Cheech, everyone’s clothes are a bit rough here.”

“Just sayin’. I got a new shirt recently. Not my style, but it may work for you.”

Raising his brows, Héctor sat back. “¿En serio?”

“Sure. You could stop by my place and try it on—”

The bat squeaked, and Héctor laughed, shaking his head. “I think I’ll pass on that one.”

Ha, that was easy. Héctor had no reason to reject an offer like that if he didn’t have something to hide.

“You and I both know you’d charge me for it later, Cheech.”

Chicharrón paused, then rolled his eyes. Yes, he was telling the truth, but that didn’t make it less annoying. “Eh,” he grunted, and poured himself another shot of tequila before refilling Héctor’s glass. So he’d concede defeat for now; it probably wasn’t anything that interesting anyway.

The rest of the night passed on without much event. Héctor eventually excused himself to take his alebrije home and feed her, and wished Chicharrón goodnight. Chicharrón himself stayed only a little while longer before deciding to return home and go to bed; the creaky old steps were making his back ache, and the parties in town seemed to have died down to a more reasonable level anyway.

He thought nothing of his and Héctor’s conversation that night until the next day, when he was making his way to Arturo’s house to see if he’d gathered any new items to trade. As he walked across town, however, he spotted Héctor and his alebrije heading in the same direction.

Héctor’s jacket was still buttoned.

Well, so much for the theory that he’d stolen something, unless he’d gotten it stuck between his ribs. He wouldn’t put it past him. On top of that, he’d seen that alebrije enough to know when she was relaxed and when she wasn’t, and right now, she had an anxious flutter to her, so there probably was something wrong.

Still, Chicharrón wouldn’t say anything just yet. He nodded to Héctor as they both headed to Arturo’s to see if he had any new wares. Héctor came away with a new pen, while Chicharrón was happy to get another partial deck of cards.

“Not bad,” Héctor remarked, twirling the pen around between his fingers. “Maybe you’ll have a full deck now between the three sets you have.”

“Maybe.” He glanced at the young man out of the corner of his eye. “So what’d you do, anyway?”

“Wh—” The pen dropped out of his hand, and Pizzicato swooped down to grab it in her mouth. Embarrassed, he snatched it away from her, wiping it on his pant leg. “Come again?”

“Last night,” Chicharrón said, turning to face him. “What really happened?”

Face falling, Héctor gripped his wrist. “Ah, well… thing is, the, um, security caught onto what I was trying to do before I could really… do anything.” He heaved a deep sigh again, and winced. “They came after me first, and when I ran, the police came next. Still managed to outrun them, but I imagine they’re still not happy. So… I’m stuck here for a while, until this blows over.” He shrugged helplessly. “G… great way to spend the night, huh?” he stammered, and Pizzicato landed on his shoulder, licking his cheekbone.

Well that… had not been the answer Chicharrón expected, or even really wanted, but it did explain why he was back so early.

But not why he was wearing his jacket like that.

Still, he’d clearly upset Héctor enough with his question, and he wasn’t about to make the guy cry right now. “Eh. Well, guess you’re better off stuck here with the rest of us than stuck in a jail cell for the next week, huh.”

“Heh, yeah.” Héctor managed a smile, then turned to head back to his own shack, while Chicharrón turned toward his bungalow. “Let me know when you’re up for a game of cards.”

“Not with you,” Chicharrón grunted. “You cheat.”

“Not hard if you’re gonna be playing with decks that are three different colors!”

Chicharrón did not invite him to play cards regardless, since it turned out he was still missing a four of diamonds.

He did, however, keep an eye on Héctor over the next few days since, sure enough, he still kept his ribs covered. Part of him wondered if he’d broken something, but several years back he had broken a rib, though he never hid it. He seemed pretty open about it, in fact, as to prevent people from hugging him and subsequently hurting him. So that was probably not what was going on here.

It could just be that he was trying something new, but… no, knowing Héctor, he’d definitely done something stupid like get something stuck in his ribs, and was too embarrassed to admit it. He’d figure it out at some point.

Later he invited Héctor over for drinks (and to ask him for help in moving a heavy box down from the top shelf), and as they sat around talking, Chicharrón decided to be more direct.

“So wha’d you get stuck in your ribs?”

Héctor had been mid-drink when the question had been asked, and immediately he began coughing, the alcohol spilling out of his mouth and nasal cavity. “Don’t do that!” he cried, rubbing frantically at his face. “Ay! That burned.” His alebrije was quick to land on his shoulder and lick at his face, only to jump backward, tongue lolling in disgust.

Chicharrón rolled his eyes. “That’s what you get for doin’ something dumb like hiding something in your ribs and getting it stuck there.”

“Wait… wait wait. You think I—?” Héctor thought it over for a moment before he started to laugh. Immediately he cried out in pain, but that didn’t make him stop. “Ay! That’s—ha—the dumbest—ouch!—y-you think all this time I’ve—ow!—had something stuck in my ribs?”

“Why not?” Chicharrón leaned back in his chair. “Seems like the sort of dumb thing you’d wind up doing.”

“No! Haha—uuugh…” Héctor leaned back as well, wrapping both of his arms around his chest. “I wish that’s all it was, amigo. No, I… hurt a rib.”

“Wait—that’s it?” Scratching his head, he eyed Héctor suspiciously. “What’ve you got it covered up for, then?”

“It hurts,” he insisted, frowning. “Worse than that last time I broke a rib. That was bad enough… don’t want to see this one.”

Chicharrón quirked a brow. “Ain’t gonna try to fix it?”

Héctor’s frown deepened. “Very funny. I learned my lesson last time, okay?”

“Still owe me for that duct tape.”

“Yes, I know. I’ll get it back to you.”

“It’s been three years, Héctor.”

“I’ll get it back!”

He wouldn’t. But still, that solved that mystery, and it was as dumb as he’d predicted.

Or so he thought.

Héctor’s bat was still fluttering over his head and whimpering. He’d taken it to mean she was worried over his pain, nothing more.

Should’ve known better than that.

It was a few days later when he’d decided to join Héctor and several other citizens to sit and play music. Chicharrón and Héctor both had their guitars, and a few other primos were joining in with an accordion and a violin. It… wasn’t bad to get out every once in a while to play music like this. Once in a while.

Except Héctor’s dumb bat was being annoying, fluttering around his head as he played, occasionally tugging at his hat. He waved her off repeatedly, but she kept coming back, eventually taking to bugging the others who had gathered around.

“Héctor,” Manuel said suddenly, and the music faltered. “Stop your spirit guide, she’s driving us nuts!”

Héctor whistled, and Pizzicato fluttered back over to him, only to continue whining and tugging at his bandanna. “Hey, stop it,” he said, trying to wave her away. She hopped off of his shoulder, only to flutter lower and tug at the bottom of his jacket. “Don’t pull on that, Pizzicato! You’re gonna hurt—uh…” He trailed off, and Pizzicato let go, fluttering back with a prolonged whimper.

Frowning, Chicharrón leaned closer. “You okay there, chamaco?”

“Uh… yeah.” There was a tone of mild surprise in his voice. “I… am okay.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“My rib doesn’t… hurt.” Staring down, Héctor set his guitar aside, and hesitantly began to unbutton the jacket. When he pulled either side away, a few of the others made sounds of surprise or disgust, while Héctor himself blanched. “…W-w-wait, wait, um, that’s not… supposed to happen…”

Leaning a bit closer to get a better look, Chicharrón finally noticed what the problem was:

Héctor��s rib didn’t hurt, because it wasn’t there.

The floating rib on his left side was missing almost entirely, only a small bit of it still connected to his spine. Chicharrón’s face twisted into a scowl. “¡Idiota! Why didn’t you tell us you’d lost it?!”

Pizzicato whined loudly, settling atop Héctor’s head while the young man tugged the left side of his jacket over his ribs self-consciously. “I didn’t know I’d lost it,” he said. “When I was running, I clipped a fence. All I knew was that it hurt and I didn’t want to look at it. I didn’t have time to stop with the police after me!”

“Oh, primo!” Manuel cried. “If you’d told us, we could’ve helped you find it.”

Héctor blinked. “What’s stopping you now?”

Chicharrón waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t matter. That bone’s long gone by now, if you can’t feel it. You’re lucky it was just a rib.” Very lucky. A rib he’d be able to live without. But if it had been something more vital—an arm bone, a shoulder blade, a vertebra—that would’ve been another story.

“I guess so…” He shrugged helplessly, picking his guitar up again. “‘Least it doesn’t hurt.”

Even though Héctor seemed to get over the whole thing quickly, Chicharrón couldn’t help but notice that bat alebrije staring at him. He glanced away, pretending to tune his guitar. Okay, so maybe he should have been a bit more attentive. Héctor was still young and didn’t know everything about the Land of the Dead yet. Not that it was his job to watch out for him, but…

He turned back to Héctor, his gaze softening a fraction. “Just tell us next time, chamaco.”

“It’s just a rib,” Héctor said, an embarrassed grin crossing his features. “Nothing to worry about.”

Chicharrón went back to strumming his guitar. “May not be just a rib next time, at the rate you’re going.”

That seemed enough to settle the conversation for now, and eventually the group broke up as everyone began to turn in for the night.

As he headed back to his bungalow, however, the image of that missing rib was still stuck in his mind, and he decided he really did not like seeing someone like Héctor becoming as battered and bruised as the rest of the people here in Shantytown. An old man like him? Sure. But a young man like Héctor had a rough enough time as a soul whose life was cut short.

Maybe he’d try to be better about helping the dumb kid.

He deserved a better afterlife than this.

#chicharron #hector rivera #coco #pixar coco #bad things happen bingo #coco spoilers #my writing #fanfic #the lunatic of your dreams

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