#otp: a wing and a prayer

[ariel-seagull-wings]

FICTIONAL CHARACTER ASK: MERCUTIO

Asked by @longagoitwastuesday​

@gravedangerahead​ @thealmightyemprex​ @themousefromfantasyland​ @the-blue-fairie​ @softlytowardthesun​ @princesssarisa​ @ardenrosegarden​ @giuliettaluce​ @silverfoxstole​

Favorite Thing About Them: He is a bohemian who enjoys dirty jokes, partying, dancing and singing, and has a great imagination for poetic, if also playfull, musings.

Least Favorite Thing About Them: He has very toxic conceptions about women and thinks that masculinity must be proven with violence, entering in a pointless duel with Tybalt and hipocritically blaming Romeo when he is killed, when in fact Romeo tried to stop the duel remembering that his kinsman, the Prince of Verona, had forbidden duels under penalty of death.

Three Things I Have In Common With Them:

* I ocasionally enjoy dirty jokes;

* My imagination runs wild;

* I like mascarades and costume parties;

Three Things I Don’t Have In Common With Them:

* I’m not related to nobility;

* I don’t enter in duels, i run away from the;

* I’m not an italian from Verona;

Favorite Line:

His Queen Mab speech at ACT I:

O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the fore-finger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep; Her wagon-spokes made of long spinners’ legs, The cover of the wings of grasshoppers, The traces of the smallest spider's web, The collars of the moonshine's wat'ry beams, Her whip of cricket's bone; the lash of film; Her waggoner a small grey-coated gnat, Not half so big as a round little worm Pricked from the lazy finger of a maid: Her chariot is an empty hazelnut Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub, Time out o’ mind the fairies’ coachmakers. And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love; O’er courtiers’ knees, that dream on court'sies straight, O’er lawyers’ fingers, who straight dream on fees, O’er ladies ‘ lips, who straight on kisses dream, Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are: Sometime she gallops o’er a courtier's nose, And then dreams he of smelling out a suit; And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail Tickling a parson's nose as a’ lies asleep, Then dreams, he of another benefice: Sometime she driveth o’er a soldier's neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two And sleeps again. This is that very Mab That plaits the manes of horses in the night, And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes: This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage This is she—

brOTP: Romeo Montague, Benvolio Montague, Juliet Capulet.

OTP: Benvolio Montague.

nOTP: Count Paris, Romeo Montague, Tybalt Capulet.

Random Headcanon: He is born ilegitimate, wich makes him mistakenly thing that, since he is not viable candidate to heir the title of Prince of Verona, the field between Montagues and Capulets will not affect him and he can do whatever he wants, wich his older relative, Escalus, tries constantly to warn him that is not truth, with no success.

Unpopular Opinion: He is not more inteligent than Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. He may be the most funny and cynical, but his actions are the most impulsive, starting the domino of deaths when he unnecessaraly enters the duel Tybalt.

Song I Associate With Them:

Cinzas, from Grupo Galpão’s production of the play

Favorite Picture of Them:

Brazilian actor Rodolfo Vaz, who is my favorite Mercutio

[gayazrael]

1. the one where you only see color once you meet your soulmate. (JeanLuke, because Jean-Paul's internal monologue was made for this AU)

AO3 mirror: the fire that breaks from thee (a billion times told lovelier)

Jean-Paul has never known color.

He doesn’t consider this any sort of deficiency, or that he might be somehow missing something. It’s impossible to miss what was never there, after all. The world is simply varying shades of grey, of black, of white. That is the simple reality of it. True, there were words he had no meaning for in books and in scriptures—blood has never been red, only a trickling black; the sky is only ever a faded grey; blades of grass are merely shards of the same. There is something else, then, but it is not something he can know.

Azrael is not meant to see such things, he thinks. It would be a distraction from his calling, from his purpose. So when he sees his reflection in a window, or a pool of water, he sees only a washed-out grey face, cold white eyes. When he looks up into the fractured gleam of a chapel’s mosaic windows, he can only see the light. It is how he is meant to be.

This doesn’t change after he is freed from the Order of Saint Dumas. Why would it? To assume it would is… senseless. Unreasonable. To hope for it is nothing short of foolish.

Not that he would—not that he did.

Anyway, he doesn’t mind. Gotham is, perhaps, more difficult to navigate than Gnosis or Santa Prisca when every street and every building looks identical in its austerity, but that is simply Jean-Paul’s burden to bear.

He doesn’t mind.

He hears, from listening in on conversations that aren’t quite hushed enough, that there are people who can see something other than a wash of black and grey. Two women sitting on a bench together, gazing wonderingly into each other’s eyes and marveling at all the color they can suddenly see within. A young man in a library, saying words like soulmate in dreamlike tones.

The knowledge twists inside him, but he will not allow himself to resent anyone blessed with the colors he will never know.

It doesn’t change.

It won’t change.

Until the day it does.

Azrael’s mask lifts from Jean-Paul’s face as he descends the stairs to the Cave. He shakes his hair out, pushing a gauntleted hand through it to untangle it. The air is cool on his face, growing cooler as he descends, and then abruptly warmer as he nears the Cave itself—and the heating systems Batman has set up to keep himself and his wards from freezing down here. He tucks his helmet in the crook of his arm as he passes the tyrannosaur, upon which Damian appears to have made himself quite comfortable. Down on the ground below him, there sleeps a truly enormous dog, head rested peacefully on its paws.

It’s strange to be invited down here, to the Bat family’s most closely-guarded sanctum. Looking around the Cave, no one seems to even be particularly bothered by his walking down here. Tim even gives a small wave before returning his attention to one of the main computer consoles, though the young woman sitting next to him is too engrossed in her work to do the same. Jason, situated with his boots propped up on the circular meeting table, seems more inclined to pay attention to a plate of tiny sandwiches he’s appropriated than to Jean-Paul.

Not that Jean-Paul minds overmuch. That no one is paying him much heed is, in the end, almost a sign of trust. After everything he did to these people—that, in and of itself, is a minor miracle.

A few… key members are nowhere to be found. Jean-Paul assumes he has simply arrived early, and tries his best not to fidget as he sits down. Silently, Jason extends a single sandwich. For lack of anything better to do, Jean-Paul reasons he may as well. (It tastes like nothing Jean-Paul has ever had, but that’s hardly surprising.)

Slowly, others trickle in. Jean-Paul knows a handful of names and faces, mostly because Harper likes to show off pictures during downtime at the clinic. Cassandra and Stephanie, who sit together some seats away from Jason and Jean-Paul. Kate, who had been there when Jean-Paul was invited here, and who he nearly doesn’t recognize without her cowl and wig. A young man, a bit taller and darker-skinned than Damian, who nods at Jean-Paul before pulling up a chair near Tim, Barbara, and the computer.

“No Grayson?” says Damian.

Kate looks up, her expression simultaneously exasperated and resigned. “This is Gotham business,” she says. “And please get down on the ground, Damian. I’m going to get a crick in my neck if you stay up there much longer.”

Damian makes a sound of vague disgust, but the thump of boots on stone follows shortly after. He perches himself on the seat on Jason’s other side, knees tucked under his chin.

Tim turns in his chair, an arm looped over the back. “Bruce should be—”

“Present,” intones a low, distorted voice. Jean-Paul looks over his shoulder towards the Cave’s entrance. Sure enough, Batman has… manifested at the bottom of the stairs, as if he were an apparition, the inky shadow of his cape pooling at his feet. “Just waiting on one more.”

Batman seats himself at Kate’s right side before peeling off his cowl. He regards Jean-Paul silently for a moment before inclining his head in greeting. “Duke, Tim, Barbara—come get a spot at the table. I want everyone involved in this as much as possible.”

Three more seats fill up. No one but Jason sits directly next to Jean-Paul.

“So, I don’t want to be rude or anything,” says Duke, pulling his jacket tighter around himself, “but who’re you?”

Jean-Paul opens his mouth to reply, but Bruce holds up a hand to silence him. “I’ll introduce our guest when everyone’s here,” Bruce says, not unkindly. “You won’t have to wait long, don’t worry.”

Jason yawns. “Uh-huh. Most of us have been here for ages already,” he says, pushing the now empty plate away from the edge of the table. He folds his hands behind his head, closes his eyes, and leans far back enough in his seat to be nearly lying down. “How many more centuries is it gonna be, Bruce?”

Bruce pushes a sigh through his nose. “Not long. He told me there was something he needed to finish up before he could come here.”

This time, Kate is the one to scoff, but she doesn’t offer any further illuminating commentary. Instead, she draws a phone out of her pocket and, judging by the fairly constant motion of her thumb, starts scrolling absently without really reading much.

Jean-Paul turns Azrael’s mask over in his lap, studying the angles of it, the black emptiness of its eye holes. It’s easier than looking too long in the faces of everyone else here. He knows, consciously, that it was only ever Tim, Jason, and Dick that he had committed outright violence against, but even that feels an act of violence against the family as a whole. He doesn’t know why they would allow him here after that.

He doesn’t look up again until he hears another unfamiliar voice from above.

“Hey, sorry to keep everybody waiting.” The voice is friendly, even behind whatever distortion is masking it. As much as he wants to, Jean-Paul doesn’t turn around to look. He’s here for the others to observe and make judgement upon him, not the other way around. “Did I miss anything fun?”

“Todd is falling asleep,” says Damian, kicking the back of Jason’s chair.

Jason just cracks an eye open to glare. “I wasn’t actually asleep, you little—”

“We were just waiting for you,” Kate says coolly. She puts her phone face-down on the table, nodding towards the empty seat next to Jean-Paul. “By all means.”

“Thanks,” the newcomer says with a snort.

Jean-Paul hears a series of faint clicks, and out of the corner of his eye, sees a pair of gauntleted hands gently place a helmet on the table. It looks metal, as dark as a starless night, and at the peak of the crown rest twin bat-like ears. The chair beside him scrapes against the floor, and as the newcomer sits down, he finally indulges his curiosity and glances over.

At first, he only registers the usual kinds of features he can make out: short-shaven hair, a wide grin, the shadow of stubble. And then—

Jean-Paul stares, transfixed, as black and grey give way to—to what he has no words for, has never needed words for until this very moment. To… to revelation, to warmth, to the dark-but-not-grey-or-black of smiling eyes, ringed by something lighter, a color—a color—like if one could see the gentle heat of the morning sun. To the deep, yet almost iridescent richness of his dark skin.

The newcomer’s smile slowly fades, his eyes beginning to widen. (His eyes are beautiful. Jean-Paul had never known anything could even be so beautiful. He thinks he understands, now, the human race’s need for poetry.)

Bruce’s voice breaks the silence. “Well, since we’re all here,” he says, “why don’t I introduce everyone.”

Jean-Paul pays him no heed, too mesmerized as the color spreads from the newcomer’s face to his armor (even in the black metal, there is color; even in the white light of the bat-sigil, there are other faint hues to behold), to everything around him. How could anyone bear to look at anyone or anything else?

“Everyone, this is Jean-Paul Valley, callsign Azrael. Jean-Paul, this—Jean-Paul?”

“Yes,” he says, distractedly.

“Is something wrong?” Bruce asks.

Jean-Paul finally tears his eyes away. Bruce barely looks much different, save for the blend of pale tones across his face, which Jean-Paul can actually make out now. “No,” he says. “Nothing.”

Why would there be? Nothing feels wrong at all. It’s as though by simply walking into this room, this man has slotted every missing piece of Jean-Paul’s spirit right into place, leaving a blanket of calm over him. For the first time in his life, Jean-Paul feels as though he belongs somewhere. This man, and his miraculous canvas of color, feels like—home.

Kate glances between Jean-Paul and the newcomer, something like understanding beginning to dawn on her face. “Jean-Paul, this is Luke Fox,” she says, sounding strangely tired. “Luke, meet Jean-Paul.”

Luke. Jean-Paul turns back again to see that smile slowly returning, the shadows of dimples forming under Luke’s stubble. Luke extends a hand. Jean-Paul stares dumbly, first at it, and then at his own (he’d gone so, so long without truly seeing the armor he wore, heavens) before he takes it. Luke’s grip is firm, but Jean-Paul is still too enraptured by the color of his eyes to think much on it.

And then Luke utters three words that make Jean-Paul’s chest tighten and fill with blinding light and heat all at once.

“You too, huh?”

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: Lorikeet from an "Eternal Crown" (my OC)

Not tagged by anyone, but a follow-up to my answers about Papageno, since An Eternal Crown is my gender-flipped Magic Flute retelling and Lorikeet is Papageno's counterpart.

Favorite thing about them: I like her for most of the same reasons I like Papageno. She's funny, she's warm, she's kindhearted, she's relatable, and the fact that she gets a happy ending despite failing the priestess's trials shows that you don't need to be perfect to deserve the things you want in life.

Least favorite thing about them: If I ever publish this book, I'm afraid that some critics will call her a bad role model and anti-feminist. Of course she's not supposed to be a role model, any more than Papageno is, but just because she's a girl in a YA fantasy, I'm concerned that she might be held to a different standard than Papageno and judged negatively. I hope not, though.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I enjoy good food and physical comforts.

*I'm too easily scared.

*I all too often do what I want to do even when I shouldn't.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I have no experience catching birds.

*I have no desire to get married.

*I'm not very skilled at climbing trees.

Favorite line:

Her melodramatic speech as she resolves to drown herself (yes, my retelling still includes the played-for-laughs suicide attempt; I hope it's not too politically incorrect), which parodies Gertrude's speech about Ophelia's drowning in Hamlet and other such romanticized literary portraits of death:

“Little pond, you’re the answer to my prayer! I’ll float down into your depths like a mermaid. Your weeds will twine in my hair…. your lilies will be my funeral flowers… your little frogs will be the nightingales that sing over my grave… and your cool water will soothe my burning heart…. by drowning me.”

brOTP: Zeran (male Pamina) and Sarisa (female Tamino).

OTP: Robin (male Papagena).

nOTP: King Vorteyo (male Queen of the Night) or his warriors.

Random Headcanon: She's the illegitimate daughter of King Vorteyo and one of his many mortal paramours. Her mother died giving birth to her, and she has no idea who her father was, let alone that she's actually half-goddess, or that her good friend Zeran is really her half-brother. Her divine blood won't extend her lifespan, but it does make her more durable and able to survive danger – if only she knew about it, she'd be less of a scaredy-cat. (I've seen this theory proposed about Papageno too, that he's really the Queen of the Night's illegitimate son, but while I don't buy it as much for him, I can accept it for Lorikeet.)

Unpopular Opinion: I don't think there are any popular opinions about her yet. Only I and a few close friends and family members have read the book so far.

Song I associate with them: Papageno's arias from The Magic Flute. Just imagine them sung by a soprano.

Favorite picture of them: None exist yet outside of my mind. If anyone wants to draw her, though, she looks like Papagena, except a bit less conventionally pretty.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @madmozarteanfelinefantasy, @cjbolan, @vogelfanger1984

[faemytho]

if you're still taking asks for it, merahi azazel for the worldbuilding?

World-Building Wednesday Ask Meme

Merahi Azazel // @vampire-mythoverse​

B A S I C S

full name title: Merahi Azazel of Guide

gender: Agender (Male)

sexuality: Demirose, Gay

pronouns: Ai/Ain/Air/Airs/Ainself, (He/Him)

O T H E R S

family: None by blood, but the other Merahiae are family enough.

birthplace: Guide Wing, Angaea

job: Head of the Guide Wing of Angaea, oversees the prayers made by Terrans to the God of Creation, Makda the Divine Creator

phobias: Being vulnerable

guilty pleasures: His relationship with Prince Leviath of Envy

M O R A L S

morality alignment?: Lawful neutral

sins: lust / greed / gluttony / sloth / pride / envy / wrath

virtues: chastity / charity / diligence / humility / kindness / patience / justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: Azazel is introverted, prefers to spend time alone, but is willing to spend time with a select few people.

organized/disorganized: Very organized.

close minded/open-minded: Close minded, but willing to listen to new ideas.

calm/anxious: Calm.

disagreeable/agreeable: Depends. Typically agreeable.

cautious/reckless: Cautious.

patient/impatient: Patient.

outspoken/reserved: Reserved.

leader/follower: Leader, but willing to follow.

empathetic/unemphatic: Also depends. Typically unemphatic.

optimistic/pessimistic: Realistic.

traditional/modern: Traditional. Likes to adhere to what he already knows.

hard-working/lazy: Hard working.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: Merahi Azazel/Prince Leviath

ot3: Keruhi Anatiel/Merahi Azazel/Keruhi Tenori

brotp: Merahi Azazel & Merahi Brachael

hotp: Merahi Azazel/Prinxe Tadek

[hollyand-writes]

Spotlight Sunday!

I was tagged by @midnightprelude to list my faves from the Black Emporium Exchange 2020! Bear in mind that I haven’t got round to reading everything yet (especially the longer fics), so here’s some I’ve liked so far! ❤️ 

A wellspring of hope (Bethany/Sebastian, rated Teen, 10,491 words): 

The Bethany/Sebastian longfic I’ve always wanted to read for the ship. Excellent and accurate characterisation of both ex-Circle Bethany Hawke and Prince Sebastian Vael of Starkhaven as Sebastian invites Bethany to become an enchanter in his court post-Kirkwall. Sweet and romantic and full of feels; some angst with a happy ending. Cannot recommend this one enough. 

The Chemistry Between Us (Bethany/Isabela, rated Mature, 1,870 words): 

Another of my excellent gifts from this year! Warden Bethany Hawke needs to spend a night in Kirkwall, so she turns up at the Hanged Man for old times’ sake... and Isabela walks in, older yet still so familiar, and suddenly the night isn’t so lonely after all. Just so beautifully and poignantly written. 

Small, Controlled Fires (Varric/Bianca, rated Explicit, 2,010 words): 

Oh man, THIS was an absolute delight for a ship I love despite its enormous unpopularity, LOL! Featuring my OTP as a background mention, too! Set during DA2, Varric goes on a trip to an Orlesian Chateau with Marian Hawke and Merrill just to see Bianca Davri, his secret lover. Absolutely LOVED the fire imagery, and the cloak-and-dagger secrecy that reminds me why I love the forbidden love trope so much. LOVE the Varric voice too – very on-point! 

On a Wing and a Prayer (Bethany/Sebastian, rated Teen, 6,881 words): 

Absolutely fun (and funny!) caper featuring a post-DA:I Warden Bethany and Prince Sebastian as they meet at an auction to bid on an unhatched griffon egg in Val Royeaux. Turns out there is more at stake and they team up to hatch a dastardly plan that involves more than just bidding on an auction. Excellent graphics and gifs that really set off the fast-paced action and dialogue, and I’ve never seen something done like this in fic before. Give it a read! 

They were roommates (Carver/Merrill, rated Teen, 1,382 words): 

Modern AU meet-cute where Merrill lives with Marian Hawke, and Carver needs somewhere to live, so his sister lets him stay in her flat for a bit... although Hawke neglects to tell Merrill her brother is hot and neglects to tell Carver about her cute roommate. I do hope the author decides to continue this fic! 

Tread Lightly (Ashaad/Saemus Dumar, rated Explicit, 10,322 words): 

Absolutely GLORIOUS Ashaemad sex-pollen longfic that I feel truly honoured to have gifted to me! VERY explicit. Contains a sex-pollen trope, size kink (I mean, Ashaad is a Qunari, after all), multiple orgasms, and copious amounts of come. I actually laughed out loud in joy when I read the tags and the fic summary: “You know how everyone says to be careful of mushrooms you don't recognize? Yeah. There's reasons.” GLORIOUS. 

Lyrium and Salt (Fenris/Isabela, rated Explicit, 1,013 words): 

Contains some of the best damn Fenabela smut I have EVER read. LOVE their dialogue and the way they relate to each other – so in-character and I swear I could hear their voices as I read it – and just some of the hottest smut I have read all year. Absolutely wonderful. 

And now for some art recs from the exchange! 

A Successful Rescue (Anders/Karl Thekla, rated General, artwork): 

Absolutely stunning Karl/Anders artwork set in the Chantry, in a canon-divergent universe where Karl was rescued before being made Tranquil. I absolutely adored the soft lighting, and the candles, not to mention Anders and Karl themselves! 

From the chair to the fireplace (Krem/Maryden, rated General, artwork): 

Another gorgeous artwork for a gorgeous ship! Krem serenades Maryden on a lute by the fireplace. Muted colour palette. 

An Assassin, A Spy and a Silken Rope (Zevran/Iron Bull, rated Explicit, comic): 

A comic strip featuring Zevran Arainai and the Iron Bull, beautifully illustrated and explicit featuring Zevran tied up in shibari/Japanese Rope Bondage. Love how the comic was done in grey but the rope is bright red. Very effective. 

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I tag the following people (no obligation!) to list theirs: @gremlinquisitor​, @barbex​, @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold​, @storybookhawke​, @criticallyours​, @andrew-blackthorn​, @uchidachi​ and anyone else who wants to do this! ❤️

[vrykoolart]

Saint Seiya Question Game

Tagged by: @siberianxbreaks​

-- Thank you for the tag, my friend! --

Remove my answers and put yours under the questions!

How did you find out about Saint Seiya?

My sister is actually a huge fan of Saint Seiya, so I found out about from her. We actually watched it when we were kids. I don’t have that vivid of a memory about it, but I do know the one I recall watching is the ADV dub. I remember how deep they made Hyoga’s voice and that’s it.

But my sister really loved it and I’d watch with her. One day, it kinda disappeared and because we live in the United States—y’all probably know what I mean— It was really hard to find it at all. So for years, my sister was trying to track it down and she dabbled into the other series related to it a little bit. It wasn’t until last year that we finally found it thanks to Netflix and we watched it all with our entire family. I saw the first season with the new dub and was immediately obsessed with it. I enjoyed every second of watching the whole thing. It kills me that we don’t have the Hades arc dubbed yet and I hope we get it soon.

I watched Lost Canvas, too, and loved it as well. Albafica made me love it and the El Cid’s episodes were really top notch for me. I love his voice. I love his character. I think he’s literally the coolest thing ever. I delved into the manga and I just love Lost Canvas. It has some weird stuff here and there, but I adore it. I hope one day we get a season three because it’s truly that good.

I just really love Saint Seiya & I’m so glad that it exists. Truly. I don’t remember having that much fun watching an anime since like watching Death Note, Soul Eater, Sgt. Frog, and like—Azumanga Daioh... all for different reasons, of course.

Who’s your favorite character and why?

When I started watching the show again, it was Shun. He’s so adorable and his heart is so big. I love how sweet and strong he is. I have a soft spot for Shun honestly. The more I watched it, I really started to just adore all the Bronze Saints, too.

But another character I really adore is Cancer Deathmask. He’s so charismatic and fun. I really adore the voice they gave him in the Netflix English dub, too. He killed it. I just absolutely am in love with him. Yes, he committed several crimes. Yes, he has killed numerous people. Yes, his temple looks like a Mortal Kombat stage... but it truly builds character. He’s my husband and I think we’re all allowed to make as choices ever now and then.

Who’s your absolute hate-character and why?

Tatsumi. I hate how he never faced the consequences for anything he did. He literally abused those children—Ikki, more-so, and he sent him to Death Queen to DIE. He’s never shown signs to change really. They just treat him like a crack/comedy character and it irks me because he deserved to get beat for what he did at least. Wish he would have literally got tortured or fired. Anything at all, but they just prepare like nothing happen and he continues being an ass-wipe.

I don’t care for Kido either because even if he took Saori and raised her, he never did much to stop the countless abuse the children went under and knowing sent the children away to die. No, even in the manga, I don’t see it as a noble sacrifice to literally sacrifice most of your children to fulfill a destiny. Even if they were just sent away, he literally could have prevented Tatsumi from abusing them and raised Saori better. No matter how you look at it, he’s a shit person, too. Yes, he helped them become saints but the way he did it will never feel right to me. He separated Seiya from his sister and told him he’d only see her again if he became a saint, knowing full well he couldn’t even guarantee that. That emotional manipulation is toxic and cruel to do to a child—an in the manga—your own son. Like ew,,,,, I don’t like the children aspect in the manga, but with that considered still, he’s still a horrible person and I wish Saori would stop hailing him as a good guy.

Shippings you like and why you ship them?

Shaina/Seiya — In my heart, they are the canonical pairing. They really do protect each other and care deeply for one another. Seiya reacts strongly every time she gets hurt and Shaina is always doing her best to protect/defend him. They’re both strong in their own right and they both have a deeper connection to each other. Even when Shaina tried to hide her feelings because she felt there is no way they could be together and tried to kill him, you could tell she really couldn’t do it because she really cared about him. He really cares about her, too, which makes them so perfect for each other. They are each other’s strength and they push each other to become better & stronger

Marin/Aiolia — They’re really cute when they interact with each other and I’m pretty sure they’re an actual canon pair. They really care and confine in one another. I just honestly adore seeing them interact. They never really got to tell each other how they feel, but I’m sure they both know. I wish she would have gotten some more time with him because it’s kinda sad that she’s all alone now. ;;

Freya/Hägan —Hägan clearly loved her, but due to the strictness of loyalty in their culture, he couldn’t bring himself to betray Hilda. It upsets me what happened to them because they deserved to be happy. Poor Freya & Hägan. A lovely couple but terribly tragic. Hägan clearly misunderstood Hyoga & Freya’s relationship and must have thought that Freya loved him even in reality the only person she really loved was him and that is what breaks my heart. I was on the Freya and Hyoga train until Hägan showed up. Now, I can’t bring myself to ship them without feeling bad.

Hilda/Siegfried — Siegfried did everything for her and, in the end, he died because he believed in Hilda’s true vision. He wanted to doing nothing more than protect her and he died to help do so. It’s beautiful yet so tragic.

Hyoga/Eri — They’re just extremely cute together. I really loved their interactions. They deserve happiness and the entire world.

Ikki/Esmeralda — If you ignore that weird ass Shun thing, they’re cute. That should have never been a thing. I ignore it to hell and back but I do think they’re adorable and I feel for Ikki.

Shun/June — She only shows up once like why??? But they’re so adorable together. I wish we could see them both more, but unfortunately, she disappeared into the ether. I do believe she is perfect for Shun, tho.

Me/Deathmask — OTP. He’s my husband.

Shippings you don’t like/hate and why you dislike them?

Adult/Minor pairings.

Incest pairings.

Saori/Seiya — I don’t feel like Seiya likes her that way. I think Saori may like him. She’s always shown some special interest in him, but I’m sure Seiya cares about her more so as a goddess and friend than a love interest. Every time I see this ship, Seiya is acting weirdly out of character which really throws me off from the whole ship. Saori has shown to sometimes literally prioritize Seiya over everyone else when dropping Saga’s dead ass body to cradle him... It just rubs me the wrong way??? Seiya cares about her but he doesn’t react nearly as strongly about her as he does with Shaina. I don’t mind it being one-sided. She’s a girl and is allowed to have feelings, but I don’t really see her with anyone. I think she’ll probably grow out of it, but who knows. This ship is just really not my cup of tea.

Your favorite scene.

It’s hard to think of one, but the funniest scene is when they’re in Yomotsu Hirasaka. Deathmask is about to throw Shiryū into the pit, but then Shunrei’s prayers reach him and he gets so annoyed that he telepathically throws her off fucking a cliff. I don’t care. It’s comedy gold. I laughed so hard at that. Deathmask is truly a marvel.

Honorable mention: ❝ Maybe no else has a cloth made of ice that hasn't melted since before the time of... dinosaurs. Or... maybe no one else has powers like me, like the power over snow, ice, and even glaciers. In fact, you know what, Snake Eyes, maybe you should just think of me as your own personal Ice Age Dude! ❞

Your favorite Attack:

Hard question, so I’ll just name attacks I really like: Heaven Dancing Ring, Diamond Dust, Thunder Wave, Specter Punch, Phoenix Wing Ascent, Praesepe Hell Waves, Scarlet Needle Antares, Bloody Rose, Another Dimension, Wolf Cruelty Claw, Great Ardent Pressure, Greatest Caution, Dead End Symphony, and Imperial Phantasm Punch.

If you could decide for which god/goddess you fight, which one you prefer and why?

Athena. Despite liking Poseidon, Odin, Abel, & Poseidon, I like the army she commands the most.

If you could choose a Cloth. Which you would prefer?

Hard question again. I really like the Scorpio Cloth. The head piece is nice. I’m a sucker for the quack on the Cygnus Cloth and the Nemo on the Pisces Cloth, too. It’s honestly hard to choose one, specially if you count God Cloths, too. I did draw myself in the Ophiuchus cloth, so got the sake of this question, Ophiuchus Gold Cloth.

From which country you’re from?

America.

Your favorite season / sequel:

Sanctuary arc and the Asgard arc. Let’s get the money. Both do a fantastic job at world-building and I love them both equally. My favorite spin-off is The Lost Canvas.

[spotsupstuff]

Grimm for the asks mems please

Why I like them:

idk bout anybody else but i really like his voice. its rough and “scraggly” and that somehow makes him feel more cozy and caring. he feels like home full of care and pleasant warmth during winters day, someone who would offer distraction or a talk during hard times, maybe even advice. hes wise, but not boring through it. also coolio elegant man

Why I don’t:

nightmare king kicked my ass more times than his sister and then died by my blade when i least expected it fuck you. but otherwise? he seems... a bit too popular around the fandom which i get, yeah, hes a fuckboy character or smth, but everybody just keeps latching onto him n doing Stuff (twitter left me scarred) and that just kind of. exhausts my interest toward a character incredibly quickly so its harder for me to like him n work with him, ngl

Favorite episode (scene if movie):

when he just spreads his wings/cloak n grimmiechilde just nyooms into his chest... call that amore

Favorite season/movie:

my favorite season was the season of Sleep because he was not kicking my ass personally then even a bit

Favorite line:

“Our scarlet eyes will watch you keenly... friend.” what the fuck do you know that i dont 🔫👀

Favorite outfit:

homeboy be rockin just one suit of the Bats but he sure as fuck would rock the gentleman kind of suit

OTP:

eh, no one, but him n myla ship stuff that ive seen were incredibly cute n i can Def see chemistry happening between them really nicely. but tbh, hes just too much of a Dad for me to ship him with anybody seriously. oh yeah, grumm is cute too tho

Brotp:

serious answer - he and radi, in a way, brumm and him. funney answer - he and pk skdlksdgjslkgj

Head Canon:

theres three souls/beings inhabiting one single body at all times. nightmare king which is always present and uses it passively mostly just to gain worship and continous life. a current soul which controls the physical body and Everything else and a third soul that acts as a guardian angel (usually the one of the father). in tough times, when in need to help, grimmchild can call upon their father with a prayer and he will answer as best as he can. the grimmchild doesnt really know of his presence, its just a silly belief that works for some reason in the family line of grimms

Unpopular opinion:

hes not a slut, calm your thirst. he also utterly sucked at dancing for a Long while and made do with magic fire tricks before getting the dancey dancey shit on lock

A wish:

if hes wearing a mask, what does he hide? i want to see

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen:

i hope he doesnt show up in silksong tbh?? if it will be a sequel, that is. that would just. fuck up with like a lot of things. if silksong will turn out to be a prequel (somehow) n he shows up, i hope he wont die bc i dont really like the thought of hornet ending up with a grimmchild in that way

5 words to best describe them:

elegant, dad, safe, cozy, terrifying

My nickname for them:

dont really got one 😔 unless you count “dad” i guess

[gcwcns]

ROLEPLAY TAGS: HOZIER EDITION

below the cut you will find 100+ (i lost count) lyrics from hozier’s entire discography that could be used as rp (charrie, otp, etc.) tags. they are arranged by song. if you’re looking for a specific song press ctrl (command if on mac) and f to search it! 

take me to church 

if the heavens ever did speak she's the last true mouthpiece

i'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife

i’m a pagan of the good times my lover’s the sunlight

drain the whole sea get something shiny

there is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin

angel of small death & the codeine scene

shaking the wings of their terrible youths

with her sweetened breath and her tongue so mean

she's the angel of small death and the codeine scene 

it's bloody and raw, but i swear it is sweet

the sweet heat of her breath in my mouth I'm alive

jackie and wilson

so tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes

no better version of me i could pretend to be tonight

she blows outta nowhere roman candle of the wild

every version of me dead and buried in the yard outside

cut clean from the dream at night let my mind reset

someone new 

electing strange perfections in any stranger i choose.

there's an art to life's distractions,

the dark caress of someone else i guess any thrill will do

my heart's already sinned.

i fall in love just a little bit every day with someone new

to be alone 

never feel too good in crowds

all i’ve ever done is hide 

i feel like a person for a moment of my life

to have someone kiss the skin that crawls from you

it's the god that heroin prays to

from eden 

something tragic about you something so magic about you

honey you're familiar like my mirror years ago

idealism sits in prison chivalry fell on its sword

innocence died screaming honey ask me i should know

i slithered here from eden just to sit outside your door

in a week 

i have never known peace like the damp grass that yields to me

our hunger's appeased our heart beats becoming slow

so long, we'd become the flowers

after the foxes have known our taste

they'd find us in a week when the buzzards get loud

sedated

just a little rush to feel dizzy to derail the mind of me

our veins are busy but my heart's in atrophy

you and I nursing on a poison that never stung

free and young and we can feel none of it

i'm somewhere outside my life babe

work song

there's nothing sweeter than my baby

she'd give me toothaches just from kissing me 

no grave can hold my body down i’ll crawl home to her 

in the low lamp light i was free 

heaven and hell were words to me 

like real people do 

why were you digging what did you bury 

i will not ask and neither should you

honey just put your sweet lips on my lips

we should just kiss like real people do 

i knew that look dear eyes always seeking

it will come back 

i know who i am when I'm alone

you should never know how easy you are to need 

don't let me in with with no intention to keep me

give me mercy no more

don't you hear me howling babe

foreigner’s god 

she moved with shameless wonder perfect creature rarely seen 

her eyes look sharp and steady into the empty parts of me 

always a well dressed fraud

screaming the name of a foreigner's god the purest expression of grief

i've no language left to say it every word i've got is foreign to me 

cherry wine

her eyes and words are so icy 

she burns like rum on a fire

the blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine

her fight and fury is fiery 

and it's worth it all it's divine

in the woods somewhere

i called your name til the fever broke

night so black that the darkness hums

i prayed my mind be good to me  

i spoke no word no sound he made

to save a life i didn't have

run

tare is this love keep it covered

her hungry eyes her ancient soul

a shame without a sin

with as many souls claimed as she

run til you feel your lungs bleeding

arsonist’s lullaby

i learned the voices died with me

all you have is your fire

don't you ever tame your demons but always keep em on a leash

i knew that something would always rule m

but my peace has always depended on all the ashes in my wake

my love will never die 

honey please try to love me

my love will never die

flowers grow where I'm laid to rest

pick a blossom and hold it hold it to your breast

my love bursting loud from inside

nina cried power 

it's not the waking, it's the rising

it's the heaven of a human spirit ringing

i could cry power

power has been cried by those stronger than me

rattle your chains if you love being free

nfwmb 

give your heart and soul to charity

the rest of you the best of you belongs to me

If I was born as a black thorn tree I'd wanna be felled by you 

fuel the pyre of your enemies

ain't it warming you the world goin up in flames

moment’s silence (common tongue) 

relax and catch the manic rhapsody

all of me is a prayer in perfect piety

when the meaning is gone there is clarity

since it all begun to it's reckoning

so summon on the pearl rosary

shrike

the words hung above but never would form

remember me love when i'm reborn 

as the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn 

all of my goodness is going with you now

grounded and giving and darkening scorn

almost (sweet music)

sweet music playin in the dark

be still my foolish heart don't ruin this on me

let's get lost and let the good times roll

a love supreme seems far removed

reporting russian lullabies

movement

i could never define all that you are to me

shake like the bough of a willow tree

honey you're atlas in his sleeping

in awe of something so flawed and free

when you move i move

no plan

the screaming heaving fuckery of the world

there's no kingdom to come

there will be darkness again

keep my body from the fire hire a gardener for my grave

when I'm lying under marble marvel at flowers you'll have made 

nobody 

i've been fed gold by sweet fools in abu dhabi

i'd be appalled if I saw you ever try to be a saint

if i had the choice between hearing either noise

i once warmed my hands over a burning Maserati

i’ve had no love like your love

to noise making (sing)

your head tilt back your funny mouth to the clouds

was it just the act of making noise that brought you joy

you don't have to sing it right but who could call you wrong

put your emptiness to melody your awful heart to song

who could ask you be unbroken or be brave again

as it was

i'd had life enough my heart is screaming of

whatever here that's left of me is yours

but your love was unmoved

just as it was before the otherness came

nights were as dark as my baby half as beautiful too

talk

i’d be the voice that urged orpheus when her body was found 

i'd be the choiceless hope in grief that drove him underground

imagine being loved by me

i'd be the last shred of truth in the lost myth of true love

that's found in the last witness before the wave hits

be

once atrocity is hoarse from voicing shame

with the same sweet shock of when Adam first came

be the hopeful feeling when eden was lost

when i have no kind words left love for you now

that will grow bold in a barren and desolate land

dinner & diatribes

hell is the talking type

i'd suffer hell if you'd tell me what you'd do to me tonight 

a pillar i am of pride

let there be hotel complaints and grievances raised

that's the kinda love i’ve been dreaming of

would that i 

love in withdrawal was the weeping of me

with the roar of the fire my heart rose to its feet

i fell in love with the fire long ago 

i was fixed on your hand of gold

and it’s not tonight where i’m set alight

sunlight 

betray the moon as acolyte on first and fierce affirming sight

a soul that's born in cold and rain

i would gladly be the Icarus to your certainty

strap the wing to me death trap clad happily

your love is sunlight

wasteland, baby!

all the fear and fire of the end of the world

like the bonfire that burns that all words in the fight fell to

be still my indelible friend you are unbreaking

and that day that we'll watch the death of the sun

the death of all things that are seen and unseen

better love

blind to the purpose of the brute divine

Staring in the blackness at some distant star

you whose heart would sing of anarchy

when our truth is burned from history

like fire weeping from a cedar tree know that my love would burn with me

[aerosmiley219]

Top 5 OTPs

I was tagged by the amazeballs @supernannygirl704things Thanks, doll!!

1. McHart (The Good Wife & Good Fight) - Always.  They’ve been through hell but they love each other and still act like teenagers when they’re together.  #McHart has my heart.

2. CJ & Danny (The West Wing)- Even though they kissed right away, it was a tortuously long burn before they could actually get together.  Just *so sweet*

3. Jack & Janet (Three’s Company, AU)- They were meant to be and I’m writing a fix it fic to give them a better ending.  They were friends and roommates and I adore them together.  Too bad it never became a reality.

4. Jerica (All My Children)- I adored them and I hate that we never got to see a happy ending for them (stupid cancellation).  He didn’t put up with her diva-ness while still making her feel like a princess.  I freaking adored them

5. Clarisse & Joe (The Princess Diaries 1&2)- *sigh*  The fact that she got her love so late in life just makes me melt.  They were wonderful together and I hope they’re together in the 3rd, if it ever gets made

I tag @crazymaryt @whendoiturnbackintoapumpkin @not-all-the-prayers @queer-is-the-universe @peace-love-colbert and anyone else who wants to do this <3

[thetourguidebarbie]

I bought peach vodka and cranberry juice at the store today and will be doing drunk minis.

I will write for any ship i ship

Non-kc is fine—nay, ENCOURAGED

Let me stretch my writing wings

(But also i absolutely will still write kc if you want i love them theyre my otp of otps)

If you dont know if i ship it just put it in and if i don’t i’ll answer it and say I don’t (and if I do, I’ll answer with a mini!)

When i say mini i do mean mini

thats a warning to you and a prayer for me

I dont want anything to blow up 😭

You can also request follow ups to previous minis or my other drabbles, or outtakes from my long fics

I am feeling SFW vibes atm so those will get priority

Usual nope list applies

Ask here

[jujyfru1t]

hello my name is *yells about Furuba*

I dunno what I’m doing but I have Feelings so let me rant about them, by me.

Some of y'all may not know that Fruits Basket is my favorite series on the planet– well you do now. That comes with a caveat of favorite manga, not favorite anime (that honor goes to either Noragami or Chihayafuru, with Madoka Magica as an honorable mention). I do also love the anime dearly! But comparing them is like apples and oranges, horses of different colors, etc etc, not least because the anime was made before the manga was barely halfway through. futile hope springs eternal for a full remake. So most of my feels rant will be manga-centric although the general feels apply to the anime, and uh there may be spoilers idk it’s been out for a long time???

The first volume came out in the US five days after my *deep breath* 15th birthday. I got it for the next year’s bday present from my big sis, aaaand that was when the gates of otaku/manga hell swallowed me up (I was somehow unaware that Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh were also Japanese pop culture, go figure.) I have no memory of how I found the anime– my anime-bittorrent-whateverthefuck knowledge was nonexistent but I don’t think it was airing live. I got the box set for some Christmas but that would’ve been after I was a massive fan so *shrug*

Anyway I watched the dub first and holy hell if I wasn’t planning to marry Yuki Sohma before then I definitely was after that, thanks Eric Vale. (I still have huge love for the dub cast fight me). Yun-chan was my first 2D crush and tbqh I’m still in love with him. Also I stg he’s the whole reason why pretty boys are a Big Thing of mine. And wait omg Shigure’s first appearance?! Like, that’s probably why dudes with glasses are also My Thing wow I just blew my own mind but moving on

Fun fact I couldn’t choose between Kyoru or Yukiru bc they were both cute (present me@young me: u will realize eventually grasshopper) but I was 100% cool with Kyoru happening because of course then I could be with Yuki. Cue me dabbling in a few paragraphs of self-insert fic.

uh lemme cut this it’s becoming a novel

Random things (this whole thing is random wtf):

I was blessed enough to get my hands on the entire Tokyopop run, plus the fanbooks!!! before they shut down. I’ve been warring with myself for ages over whether to start collecting the Yen Press specials but. my resolve is weakening. I also have all of Takaya-sensei’s other stuff yeet (Phantom Dreams, Those with Wings, Songs to Make You Smile) except for Twinkle Stars which I’m def gonna get and OBVIOUSLY THE INSTANT FURUBA ANOTHER COMES OUT IM GRAB meanwhile if I remember to check out the scans

been a while since I reread it(it’ll be my third one~) but off the top of my head some favorite arcs etc are: obviously the major one at the end of vol 6. The Red Cap. Hatori and Kana (RIP ME) The Summerhouse (Jason the bear jfc). Akito’s reveal. Kyoko and Katsuya’s entire thing obviously (EXTRA RIP ME I’m crying just thinking about it). “The plum on your back” scenes. Kyo and Kyoko. THAT FIRST NEW YEAR’S WHEN YUKI AND KYO RACE BACK TO THE MAIN HOUSE BECAUSEtheir girlfriend MY DAUGHTER IS SAD AND LONELY AND THEY MAKE WISHES ON THE ROOF heck me upppp– also literally all roof scenes (karate kid Tohrutm) BUT THAT ONE HHGBNCCSV!!! Also my fav episode along with the AU-ish final 2.

Furuba fandom is my biggest fleet of ships by far which is hilarious bc I have a lot of fandoms and a lot of ships and you can see them bc i’m a derp but since nobody looks at that and nobody will read this (?) I’ma talk about them here. I DO WANT I WANT YO

but seriously I support

literally all the canon ships except HanaxShishou, pardon me Takaya-sensei but why. Wtaf.

a metric fuckton of non-canon ships bc of COURSE I DO

my low-key ships include

MomijixKagura. pairing the spares if you will XD

KaguraxTohru

RinxTohru. yes I have bi Tohru headcanons mmkay

Future!Kisa/Tohru (blame this fic)

KyoxUo.

YukixHana. all symmetrical-like (but wow i forgot i highkey shipped it for a while until…)

GurexAaya. like, come on. Also poly Mabudachi Trio

MomijixTohru. they’re super hecking cute ok, edging into high-key

my high-key ships include

HanaxUo. ok this??? is a big OTP, and 99% why I’m hella salty over HanaxShishou (at least KurenoxUo had an actual subplot!!). They are Tohru’s adoptive moms and I will forever protec (and yet. HanaxTohru and girls OT3 are also Good Ships but tbh super low-key) also I MADE SOMEONE SHIP IT

YukixTohru. see the start of this post way up there somewhere

KyoxYuki. my first rivalshiptm

HaruxYuki. “He was my first love” one cannot simply– have a character say this and not expect fans to ship. Also bi Haru is canon. lotta bi folks up in here imo

KakeruxYuki. CUTE GODDAMN DORKS WOW

But my flagship, my OTP to end all OTPs and my polyship to end all polyships in any fandom is the SS Yukyoru. KyoxTohruxYuki.

I’ve had polyship predilections for 6-7 years now, though it’s more recent I’ve started polyshipping every love triangle i encounter bc I‘m so done with them… there wasn’t really any lightning-bolt moment when I realized I shipped them much more together rather than apart. but like, I ship all three permutations so at some point my brain went HERE’S AN IDEA which tbh is how a lot of my polyships happen, i mainly have OT3s (if I ship 2 outta 3 there’s a good chance ima poly it)

but anyway! there’s absolutely no way to convey how much I adore this ship and IT’S A HUGE EMPTY YACHT I NEED CREW MEMBERS PLZ

I am building it up one fic at a time and if you’ve made it this far and have any interest at all plz read my shit and general Furuba screaming is appreciated as well of course!!! (also look at the most beautiful piece of fanart ever)

More fic! have my mixed bag of bookmarks (Sure For The Axis is my absolute fav, 2nd is Little Prayer) u can also find my Yukyoru stuff on AO3 ehehe~ and oh look HanaxUo!

and holy whoa i’m done. TLDR FURUBA IS THE BEST MANGA EVER AND YUKYORU IS THE PUREST RARESHIP EVER

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT

[gayazrael]

If that 3 sentence thing is still open, jeanluke and flower?

send a ship + a keyword and i’ll write a 3-sentence fic! 

Jean-Paul watches emotion flicker across Lucas’s face: first surprise, then confusion, amusement, and finally… affection. 

“Don’t really have to ask who left this here,” Lucas says, gesturing towards the makeshift vase on his desk, with its makeshift bouquet of wildflowers, before turning to steal a quick kiss— “But I do have to ask what brought this on.”

“You spend so much time building up here,” Jean-Paul says, fond, “I thought it might be nice to bring in a bit of life.”

[berensaats]

under the cut you will find 370+ otp tags. these were all taken from various song lyrics and quotes, except one or other i made up myself. they are unsorted, ranging from anything since skinny love to soulmates to friends with benefits to toxic relationships, exes, forbidden loves and so forth. tw: nsfw, mentions of battle and religious references. likes or reblogs are appreciated. hope you enjoy it!!

otp: you could be my cure 

otp: take away all my sin ; give me a sweet prayer on my lips

otp: i’ll make you feel like you’ve been blessed

otp: i found love where it wasn’t supposed to be

otp: i’ll use you as a warning sign that if you talk enough sense then you’ll lose your mind

otp: i’ll use you as a focal point so i don’t lose sigh of what i want

otp: i’ll use you as a makeshift gauge of how much to give and how much to take

otp: i’ve moved further than i thought i could but i’ve missed you more than i thought i would

otp: fear is the heart of love

otp: i will follow you into the dark

otp: you’re a king and i’m a lionheart

otp: though far away we’re still the same

otp: as the world comes to an end i’ll be here to hold your hand

otp: i find shelter in your arms

otp: your eyes look like coming home

otp: the unrelenting constancy of love and hope

otp: these violent delights have violent ends

otp: a love like this won’t last forever

otp: maybe it was just as simple as a change in your heart

otp: he can cut through these strings and open my wings

otp: this slope is treacherous ; i like it

otp: put your lips close to mine as long as they don’t touch

otp: i’d be smart to walk away but you’re quicksand

otp: too good to be good for me

otp: i’m wasted on you

otp: i’d kill for her ; i’d die for her

otp: two crowns and a gold cup

otp: if your heart is a dog fight then i’m ready to go to war

otp: your legs are the north star

otp: if you’re lost in this darkness i’ll carry your throne

otp: they try to break inside the walls with these lies but i’m pulling up the draw bridge

otp: we rose this love from the dirt

otp: no grave can hold my body down ; i’ll crawl home to her

otp: she’d give me toothaches just from kissing me

otp: i swear i thought i dreamed her

otp: she never asked once about the wrong i did

otp: my baby would never fret none about what my hands and my body done

otp: if the lord don’t forgive me i’d still have my baby and my baby would have me

otp: what a splendid mess

otp: maybe i just wanna be yours

otp: secrets i have held in my heart are harder to hide than i thought

otp: we’re so late nights

otp: i always push my luck when i’m with you

otp: faded every night ; dancing all night long

otp: the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day

otp: do i wanna know if this feeling flows both ways?

otp: been wondering if your heart’s still open and if so i wanna know what time it shuts

otp: maybe i’m too busy being yours to fall for somebody new

otp: have you no idea that you're in deep?

otp: she’s a silver lining climbing on my desire

otp: all i wanna hear her say is ‘’are you mine?’’

otp: are you mine tomorrow or just mine tonight?

otp: is it desire or is it love that i’m feeling for you?

otp: i want you to want me again

otp: you make my heart shake bend and break

otp: never knew loving could hurt this good

otp: you’re driving me wild

otp: kiss me on the mouth and set me free

otp: i can be the subject of your dreams

otp: don’t you wanna se a man up close?

otp: i’m pulling on your heart to push my lucj

otp: i still hide you in my poetry

otp: if it’s a 7 hour flight or a 45 minute drive

otp: when you look at me like that my darling what did you expect?

otp: i’d probably still adore you with your hands around my neck

otp: once again you had to greet me with goodbye

otp: i was sleeping in the garden when i saw you first

otp: bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh

otp: like the dawn you broke the dark

otp: you were the brightest shade of sun when i saw you

otp: like the dawn you woke the world inside me

otp: you will surely be the death of me but how could i have known?

otp: i can feel your pulse in the pages

otp: i have written you down now you will live forever

otp: i can’t say the words so i wrote you into my verse

otp: i had fallen in love with you before i knew

otp: my doubts fade when i’m kissing you

otp: everything has changed

otp: there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together

otp: it’s you that i’ve been waiting to find

otp: can you show me how we can escape?

otp: i’ll recover if you keep my alive

otp: you make it shine

otp: every part of me you change

otp: just hold me together ; tell me you’ll always want me to stay

otp: wanna be the one you steal ; wanna be the one you shield

otp: i wanna be the one that your love can heal

otp: they are the hunters we are the foxes

otp: love’s a fragile little flame ; it could burn out

otp: i know places we won’t be found

otp: just grab my hand and don’t ever drop it

otp: tell me when you’re gonna let me in

otp: why don’t we go somewhere only we know?

otp: i should just tell you to leave because i know exactly where it leads

otp: could end in burning flames or paradise

otp: when we go crashing down we come back every time

otp: kissing feels like healing

otp: like gods at the dawning of the world

otp: i would know him in death ; at the end of the world

otp: their hands meet and light spills in a flood

otp: he is half of my soul like the poets say

otp: there was never once weakness in wanting another

otp: reason was always conquered by love

otp: if one must be pitied for loving you ; i will love you as much as i must and as much as i can

otp: your closeness pains me

otp: i simply see more in us than we both are.

otp: even when you’re next to me it’s not the way i’m picturing

otp: you wanna be friends forever ; i can think of something better

otp: at least i got you in my head

otp: i wanna ruin our friendship ; we should be lovers instead

otp: i don’t wanna be your friend ; i wanna kiss your neck

otp: you found the real me

otp: there’s millions of reasons to love you

otp: we don’t even need a title

otp: you don’t got to be mine ; just be mine for the night

otp: we just try to keep those secrets in a lie

otp: your eyes will lead me straight back home

otp: my friends won’t love me like you

otp: friends should sleep in other beds

otp: friends shouldn’t kiss me like you do

otp: these hands had to let it go free and this love came back to me

otp: you are the best thing that’s ever been mine

otp: you gave me roses and i left them there to die

otp: you gave me all your love and all i gave you was goodbye

otp: if we loved again i swear i’d love you right

otp: no place like home ; no place like her

otp: give a little time to me or burn this out

otp: we'll play hide and seek to turn this around

otp: all I want is the taste that your lips allow

otp: give me love like never before

otp: wonder what for ; why we keep coming back for more

otp: is the only reason why you’re holding me tonight ‘cause we’re scared to be lonely?

otp: we’re just reckless kids trying to find an island in the flood

otp: you can have the best of me

otp: give me your heart ; i’ll show you that love is always there

otp: if forever's gonna last then we'd better find the same direction

otp: i want you for so long ; tell me if it is so wrong

otp: trying to make it so clear ; hoping that we fall in love

otp: don’t give up on me when i stumble along

otp: remember my love for you won’t fade

otp: all your lights are red but I'm green to go

otp: i want you ; i’ll colour me blue

otp: only seeing myself when i’m looking up at you

otp: i know you’re seeing black and white so i’ll paint you a clear-blue sky

otp: without you i am colour-blind

otp: ain't nothing better worth imagining

otp: look for my heart ; you stole it away

otp: i want you to burn my bridges down

otp: i miss someone who isn’t mine to miss

otp: i dream about someone who isn’t mine to dream about

otp: i love someone who isn’t mine to love

otp: bring me some hope by wandering into my mind

otp: when it feels like i’m lost at sea you’re the song i sing

otp: you’re the anchor that i tie to my brain

otp: for your eyes only i will show my heart

otp: in a sea of lovers without ship and lovers without sight ; you’re the only way out

otp: i am an island ; you are the ocean

otp: i cannot have you without drowning

otp: i’m part of your world but i cannot have you

otp: i am deserted and you are too deep

otp: i cannot love you without losing me

otp: i will be your sword and shield ; your camouflage and you will be mine

otp: meet me on the battlefield

otp: everything could stay the same or we could change it all

otp: i met you in the dark ; you lit me up

otp: you made me feel as though i was enough

otp: i knew i loved you then but you’d never know

otp: just say you won’t let go 

otp: i bet you love me more after that first fuck

otp: i bet i love you more than i can say to you

otp: you’re my favorite kind of night

otp: used to be that i felt so damn empty ; ever since i met you no vacancy

otp: to commit our hearts to each other no matter what

otp: they say love is drowning and hell ; i’d let you drown me

otp: i fell in love tonight ; i didn’t mean to fall in love tonight

otp: if only i could hold you ; you’d keep my head from going under

otp: if we’re not meant for each other then why did we fall in love?

otp: you wish i was yours and i hope that you’re mine

otp: i tasted the divine and she left my lips dripping with love

otp: wanna show you how it feels to rock with something thrill

otp: let me show you what it’s like to fuck with something right

otp: stop messing with those boys ; get you a lady

otp: even when the world is against us i’ll keep you warm

otp: wanna keep you warm like you know you want to be kept

otp: the ghosts that we knew will flicker from view

otp: you saw no fault ; no cracks in my heart and you knelt beside my hope torn apart

otp: give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light

otp: i will hold on as long as you like ; just promise me we’ll be alright

otp: we'll share my all and our children come and they will hear me roar

otp: my soul will find you each time

otp: when you walked into the room it’s like the sun came out

otp: fires like this can tear the world apart

otp: i’d rather take a hit and fall than never fuck it up with you at all

otp: sparks in the dark gonna tear through my heart and start a fire

otp: baby can we burn it slow?

otp: there is no love without burning

otp: i am in love with everything that is unreachable: the stars; the moon and you

otp: untouchable ; burning brighter than the sun and when you're close I feel like coming undone

otp: you can tell them you are mine ; i’m sick of games

otp: take these walls and rip them down

otp: i'm not bullet proof when it comes to you

otp: i lay down this armor for you

otp: i’ll be your escape ; i’ll be your safe place

otp: all I gave you is gone ; tumbled like it was stone

otp: thought we built a dynasty that heaven couldn't shake

otp: we deserve a soft epilogue my love

otp: what can you steal from a thief? his heart

otp: she was my salvation ; i was her destruction

otp: come morning light you and i'll be safe and sound

otp: i will be your lover ; fighter

otp: i wanna fight for love

otp: i'm aiming high not to lose you

otp: your heart is afraid to want more

otp: i can't help but love you even though i try not to

otp: can’t help but want oceans to part

otp: i’m overcome in this war of hearts

otp: love like a lover ; shine in the dark

otp: i don't deserve your love but you give it to me anyway

otp: when I'm falling apart your arms are always open wide

otp: give me a reason to keep trying ; give me more than i could dream

otp: we should just kiss like real people do

otp: what did you bury before those hands pulled me from the earth?

otp: i will not ask you where you came from ; i will not ask and neither should you

otp: in search of silver linings we discovered gold

otp: we'll defy the rules until we die

otp: let's be sinners to be saints

otp: the world may disapprove but my world is only you

otp: if we're sinners then it feels like heaven to me

otp: how can you expect me not to eat when the forbidden fruit tastes so sweet?

otp: our hearts are too ruthless to break

otp: love ; i see it running through you

otp: fill up my old heart with new light

otp: loving in the moment is something luminous

otp: iscariot you fool

otp: i should’ve worshipped her sooner

otp: if the heavens ever did speak she's the last true mouthpiece

otp: i'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife

otp: offer me that deathless death and good god ; let me give you my life

otp: there is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin

otp: we were a fire with no smoke

otp: rags to riches but i'm addicted to being broken

otp: take my breath away ; you know i'm bound to choke

otp: when I close my eyes i still see your ghost

otp: distance makes the heart grow founder said by someone stronger than me

otp: let me take your heart love you in the dark no one has to see

otp: who wouldn't want it when he looks like that?

otp: if i try my hardest would you look my way?

otp: the only time i’d ever call you mine

otp: love is worship for which the heart needs no permission

otp: learn me hard ; learn me right

otp: love was kind for a time ; now it just aches and makes me blind

otp: you forgave and i won’t forget

otp: love will not break your heart but dismiss your fears

otp: lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all

otp: lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall

otp: where you invest your love you invest your life

otp: you heard my voice ; i came out of the woods by choice

otp: i will call you by name ; i will share your road

otp: wherever there is you i will be there too

otp: no matter where i sleep you are haunting me

otp: now your mess is mine

otp: my atlantis we fall

otp: we built it up to pull it down

otp: we might just end up crashing but I'm ready if it happens with you

otp: you're the only thing I know and I don't wanna let this go

otp: close to you i feel i'm at home

otp: we were built to last

otp: we could burn and crash ; we could take a chance

otp: like it’s our last dance

otp: he will never be satisfied ; i will never be satisfied

otp: it’s the feeling of freedom ; of seeing the light

otp: that doesn’t mean i want him any less

otp: at least i keep his eyes in my life

otp: look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit

otp: if it takes fighting a war for us to meet it will have been worth it

otp: i don’t know how to say now to this

otp: hold my hand and now you're not alone

otp: you paralyze me and i don't know why

otp: lovers and enemies then we're back to friends

otp: like a shadow and a dancer

otp: the summer thrill is gone but we've never been so in love

otp: i can taste it my heart breaking

otp: if i die may it be of love and if i love may it be you

otp: my soul is enclosed inside your skin

otp: i lack the air you're not breathing next to me

otp: i will love you thief even if you keep my soul

otp: i will love you thief even if you invade my dreams

otp: i only find you in my dreams and since you aren’t here i will try to keep sleeping

otp: you have won each battle but you have not won the war

otp: i know you have been through some tough times but please don’t push me away

otp: i’d give whatever it takes to have you near

otp: sent a picture to my mother ; told her you are the woman i’ve always wanted

otp: if your body was a book i’d read a thousand chapters

otp: even if it takes my whole life i will wait for you

otp: i know there is still love in your eyes and your glance says you’ll return

otp: if you leave there is nothing left

otp: all the water in the sea could not put out all the love you’ve given me

otp: i’ll leave the door on the latch if you ever come back

otp: it will be just like you were never gone

otp: your streets ; they agonize me

otp: you sleep in my sleep ; you cry in my tears

otp: there is your whisper in my thoughts

otp: how's this relationship of your and mine ; it doesn't have a face and yet it's so deep

otp: unless we share someone's pain we don't get separated from our own

otp: what's the world to do with the love of these two

otp: if you shoot it's a fight and if you wink it's love

otp: veni vidi amavi

otp: this red love ; this remorse of love

otp: my name is love ; your name is love

otp: should i change my name or should i hide yours?

otp: touch me with your body ; color me in your color

otp: my jewel and money is just you

otp: there is joy of love in the night and in everything you say

otp: the only thing i have in the world is your heart

otp: the heart flies ; it has got wings and attached to you

otp: here it's love and there it's fight

otp: this bed of yours and mine is a battlefield

otp: if you press the trigger i'll play kisses

otp: i've become lovely having read your name

otp: just for you i have gone mad

otp: like an expensive liquor and i've drunk it all in one gulp

otp: the shadows of your memories don't go away

otp: how do i end this distance?

otp: it's only this disease called love that is grown up

otp: once I'm lost in your talks i'd never want to come back to consciousness

otp: i've learnt to smile from you

otp: even on trying to remove ; your color doesn’t get off me

otp: i want to love in you and get lost in you only

otp: i want to hide you in my heart and not open it after that

otp: the one i have worshipped ; i’ve come face to face with her today

otp: with just the gaze of your eyes my heart has mended

otp: the story is only a tragedy if the god loves you back

otp: i wanted to tell him that i loved him but i was afraid that he would hear me

otp: you are my reality ; my most precious treasure

otp: you are the crown lying on my head

otp: luckily they don’t see how weak i become when i’m with you

otp: over the glowing hill we conquer

otp: we return to each other in waves ; this is how water loves

otp: let him be soft and let him be mine

otp: love is the only thing that turns this cage into a palace

otp: no one is chasing you but me

otp: i rub your tensed wrist like a pliant mouth ; i wait for spread fingers and a vulnerable palm

otp: these unarmored parts which are mine alone

otp: what are you more afraid of? that he gave you his heart or that you would gladly give him yours in return?

otp: just your heart in exchange for mine

otp: i didn’t know that i was starving until i tasted you

otp: in your eyes i see my bloodline

otp: you’re the rising sun ; you’re the setting sun

otp: i was with you before we were even born

otp: i have looked at you in millions of ways and i have loved you in each

otp: i will always love you ; i will always find you

otp: you are my fate this once and always

otp: hell is loving you in my sleep and waking up alone

otp: they know you walk like you’re a god ; they can’t believe i made you weak

otp: if it should be that i am hated for the simple sin of loving you then let me be despised

otp: take the mask off when you speak to me

otp: with his educated eyes and his head between my thighs

otp: i wanna sleep next to you but that's all I wanna do right now

otp: i wanna get close to you cause your hands and lips still know their way around

otp: the less time that I spend with you the less you need to heal

otp: you think my bruised knees are sorta pretty and i think your tired eyes are kinda nice

otp: it is never too late to begin our love again

otp: i tried to love you less ; i couldn’t

otp: i can’t go on if it’s not you

otp: even though I try so hard i can’t forget these feelings

otp: and i’ve been cold since you left

otp: despite everything it’s still you

otp: he was her warmth ; she was his peace

otp: we don’t have a lot but we’ve got each other

otp: please don’t be in love with someone else ; please don’t have somebody waiting on you

otp: this is me praying that this was the very first page ; not where the storyline ends

otp: what a lovely way to burn

otp: if i told you about the darkness inside of me would you still look at me like i’m the sun

otp: i’d be your shadow ; i’d walk with you

otp: in your breaths and in mine there is the same air

otp: as long as we’re together doesn’t matter where we go home

otp: i just wanted you to fuck me but then i got greedy and i wanted you to love me

otp: trying to make it work but man these times are hard

otp: even after all these years we just now got the feeling that we're meeting for the first time

otp: these times are hard they're making us crazy don't give up on me

otp: tried to break love to a science in an act of pure defiance i broke her heart

otp: you can break everything down to chemicals but you can't explain a love like ours

otp: there's no starting over without finding closure

otp: from what i've seen and i've heard when it comes to you there are no words

otp: see you in my mind then i open my mouth and it's silence

otp: there are no words you can understand ; only lovers can

otp: can't take the ache from heartbreak

otp: there's no fair in farewell

otp: if i could turn back time then i would rewrite those lines

otp: if i had to break the bank ; spend every penny on your dreams

otp: love ; like art

otp: you healed these scars over time embraced my soul you loved my mind

otp: you saw me cry say i'm still the soldier in your eyes

otp: it may not seem like very much but i'm yours

otp: you've fallen in love in the worst way and if you don't go now then you'll stay

otp: if you're looking for heaven it sure as hell ain't me

otp: how can i move on when i'm still in love with you?

otp: when a heart breaks it don't break even

otp: what am i gonna do when the best part of me was always you?

otp: kiss me with adventure until i forget my name

otp: true love ; hard to hide

otp: she found the colours to paint him where the world had left him gray

otp: she is electricity running to my soul

otp: the way you kiss me will work each time

otp: then we grew a little and romanticized the time i saw flowers in your hair

otp: i know i haven’t lost even though it’s too late to recover the heart you stole from me

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: The Big Bad Wolf

 Tagged by @ariel-seagull-wings

Even though they’re technically different wolves, these answers apply to the wolves from Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs and the Grimms’ lesser-known The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids. They’re all the same archetype and more-or-less interchangeable.

Favorite thing about them: I have to respect his cunning and skill with disguises. In The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids he even goes so far as to eat chalk to change the sound of his voice and be able to better imitate the voice of the seven kids’ mother.

I also like the fact that he’s so open to different interpretations. Today I’ve been watching and listening to a wide array of different celebrities’ portrayals of him in different Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs adaptations (Jeff Goldblum, Malcolm McDowell, B.D. Wong, Sinbad, Meg Ryan, Holly Hunter), and they all give wildly different performances, yet they’re all excellent and clearly having a great time with the role.

Least favorite thing about them: The little issue of trying to eat people and other sentient animals. Of course it’s not entirely his fault, he’s just being a carnivore, but the fact that he can actually converse with a person or animal and still eat them remorselessly makes him a villain.

And of course there’s the anti-Semitic “Jewish peddler” disguise that Disney’s Big Bad Wolf dons in the original 1933 version of the Three Little Pigs Silly Symphony. Ugh.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I like good food.

*I enjoy acting and role-playing.

*I like forests.

Three things I don’t have in common with them:

*I’m human.

*I’m a bad liar.

*I would never swallow a creature whole – I’d rather savor the taste.

Favorite line:

The classics: “All the better to eat you with!” and “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in!”

From Jeff Goldblum’s gangster-like Wolf in the Faerie Tale Theatre version of The Three Little Pigs:

When he intimidates the junk salesmen who sold the pigs their building materials into telling him where the first pig lives: “Good. A coward. I like that in a man.”

When he goes after the third pig at the climax: “Open the door, ham-hock!” and “Start saying your prayers, oink-man!”

From Malcolm McDowell’s Cockney-accented Wolf in the Faerie Tale Theatre version of Little Red Riding Hood:

Just before he eats Granny, referring to an earlier scene where he tried to catch her in the woods but she fought him off: “I’ve got a bleedin’ lump on me head and two broken ribs, Grandma! Nobody does that to Wolfie and gets away with it!”

As he goes through her closet, looking for a disguise to trick Little Red: “Oh God, look at this! The woman hasn’t bought anything new in twenty years!”

From the Wolf voiced by B.D. Wong in the Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child retelling, Little Red Happy Coat:

His aside when Little Red tells him she’ll be eight next month: “You’ll be ate today!”

From the Rabbit Ears adaptation of Red Riding Hood, narrated by Meg Ryan, who gives the Wolf a suave French accent:

“Haven’t we met before? I think not. I surely would remember such a savory rosebud. One with such delicious taste in clothes.”

“Why settle for one course? Why not both? First a bit of dried granny, aged on the bone, and then this apple dumpling for dessert!”

From the Rabbit Ears version of The Three Little Pigs, narrated by Holly Hunter, who gives the wolf a sleazy Brooklyn accent:

“Yo! How ya doin’ today, little pig? I’m, uh... hankerin’ for a cup o’ coffee. Won’tcha lemme in?”

brOTP: None.

OTP: None.

nOTP: Any of the animals or people he tries to eat, but especially not Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother.

Random headcanon: The wolves from Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs and The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids are all brothers – litter mates. The amiable, cake-baking Alexander Wolf from the storybook The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, who never meant to blow down the pigs’ houses but had a cold and accidentally sneezed them down, might be their embarrassing fourth brother.

Although I could also buy @superkingofpriderock​‘s headcanon of the Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs wolves being a couple, maybe with the Seven Young Kids wolf as their son.

Unpopular opinion: I agree with @superkingofpriderock​​ that there’s no need to make him a werewolf in modern retellings. Ordinary wolves are dangerous enough.

Song I associate with them:

"Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?” even though it’s sung about him, not by him.

“Hello, Little Girl” from Into the Woods.

Favorite pictures of them:

This illustration by Gustave Doré.

This illustration by Walter Crane.

This illustration by Leslie Brooke:

These illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.

This illustration by Laszlo Kubinyi:

Jeff Goldblum in the Faerie Tale Theatre version of The Three Little Pigs:

Malcolm McDowell in the Faerie Tale Theatre version of Little Red Riding Hood:

Robert Westenberg (with Danielle Ferland) in Into the Woods:

Disney’s Big Bad Wolf:

[justaramblingromantic]

Dragon Song

Characters/Pairing: Nakiri Alice and Kurokiba Ryou, Nakiri Leonora and Nakiri Soe/ RyoAli, SoeNora

Type: Fantasy/Medieval!AU, Dragon Heart!verse, Freestyle, Established Relationship

Word Count: 2429

A/N I: Was absently doing some side character development/planning for Dragon Heart, but said side characters ran off with the plot (at least this particular branch of the Nakiri family did), so I ended up with this drabble. For this, I blame all of you spreading the RyoAli!germs around - I’m coming down with another case of OTP!withdrawal and this was probably the result...! 

A/N II: Will put up a glossary (of sorts) to explain some terms at the endnote, so for now just hang tight and enjoy! 

She woke up alone but was entirely unsurprised; her partner was an early riser and by now he knew better than to rouse her from her slumber until she was good and ready to do so on her own. Stretching out like a drowsy feline tangled amongst heavy pelts of cozy furs, she rolled over onto her belly and briefly snuggled into the faint indent on his side of the tent. His warmth was long gone, leeched away by the relentless chill of the Northern morn, but his scent still lingered and she inhaled happily, filling her lungs with sea salt brine and musky spice.

She was content to curl into the nook he had left behind, at least for a little while more, dozing, and it was another hour or so before she was roused enough to start her day, as the sun drifted higher up over the pale blue skies and the temperature started to warm…just slightly. Even though it was summer, this far North in Tootsuki, the weather was almost always freezing. Sitting up languidly, the fur covers slipped down her lush figure, revealing alabaster curves and silken skin, gooseflesh already starting to pebble from the cold, but she seemed impervious otherwise. Running her slender fingers through sleep tousled silver hair, she started to hum softly under her breath as she finally left the warmth of the furred bedding and crawled out of the tent, entirely, unabashedly, nude as she stood before the empty campground, sloe-eyed crimson surveying the breathtaking view before her.

Steep, craggy snowcapped glacier mountains stretched towards the endless crystal blue skies an impossible distance away. A few meters from where she stood, a fjord that fed into the sea snaked out before her, the calm surface pristine like a mirror’s reflection, twining sinuously through the vast and stark alpine ranges, carved into sheer bedrock stretching for hundreds of miles after millions of years of inchingly slow, geological upheaval. There was hardly any vegetation all around; nothing but the glaring white of snow and the contrasting dark greyness of rocky, jagged valleys and quietly lapping water. The harsh Northern sun bore down overhead, almost biting in its sheer intensity, but everything turned to gold where it touched.

This was home.

Beautiful but desolate. Harsh and unforgiving at times, but she would not have it any other way, just as she could not imagine living anywhere else. Her blood was tied here; she was born to this breathtakingly bleak, vast, untamed land, and here she would always return to.

It seemed like she was the only sentient being for miles and miles around, but appearances could be deceiving. She knew that she wasn’t alone; he was somewhere around too…

She wandered a few steps closer to the water’s edge, comfortably barefoot, yet her movements remained airy and graceful as a dancer. Ethereal. She was in a good mood, but then again, she had every right to be, her body loose and limber, still thrumming, glowing and well loved…

She opened her mouth, and started to sing.

Her head voice was haunting, a pristine, lingering kulning vocalized in the lost language of her people. Long, carrying notes echoed off the mountain ranges, resounding across the fjord and the valleys with lilting clarity, an impressive pitch carrying crystal clear over incredible distances. Her song was riveting, enthralling, captivating the hearts and minds of all who were within hearing range, immediately held in the adamantine grip of her lulling, enchanting voice.

She closed her eyes and sang the story of a beautiful Leanan Sidhe, with a head of fine silver hair like moonspun silk and mesmerizing eyes of blood rubies. She was the most beautiful of her kind; flawless skin of ivory, the spellbinding face of an angel’s, the willowy, graceful figure of the fae…and a divine voice that could send grown men dropping to their knees in prayer and euphoric worship.

There were none who could resist her exquisite presence – she was deeply loved by all who set eyes on her, who so much as heard her sublime songs. There were men who would kill for her, who would die gladly for her, just for the sheer privilege of hearing her sing.

But this beautiful Leanan Sidhe, even though adored and idolized by mortals – she was always sad, because for all of her endless wanderings across the realms, never once had she found that which she was fruitlessly searching for. A deep, persisting void grew in her chest day by day, a gaping emptiness that she sought in vain to fill through the enraptured, tortured souls who yearned for her but could never possess her, but their dedicated, ardent infatuations were never enough even when they surrendered their all to her. In despair and sorrow, this muse of the fae resigned herself to a miserable, wretched fate of constantly seeking…though for what…or whom…she knew not.

Perhaps this was the curse afflicted to those of her kind. Just as her beguiling presence elicited sheer madness and obsessive inspiration in the fractured minds of mortal men, so was she doomed to forever seeking for the elusive something that she would never find, that she would never be allowed to experience this feverish, frenetic euphoria and blissful anguish that she hungered for the most. 

Love.

But one day, that all changed.

One day, passing across the violent, frenetic aftermath of a bloody battlefield, the Leanan Sidhe chanced upon a dying mortal man.

He was a Prince amongst men, an honorable warrior who fought valiantly for his men and for his Kingdom. In battle, he was ferocious and heroic, and even in defeat, the loyal, steadfast song that his soul sang with such strength and courage captivated her completely.

When she laid eyes on him, everything else fell away. Nestled cold and still in her chest, something trembled and started to stir. Her alabaster complexion tinged rose. Her fathomless crimson eyes glistened with the beginnings of emotion. Her breath caught in her throat.

She had spent her long, lonely existence searching forlornly for something that she knew not a thing about, but yet, at that very instant, she comprehended immediately and with complete certainty that she had found it. This precious, precious, most exquisite thing.  

For his song resonated in such harmony with her own that it could not be mistaken for anything else.

Her eyes filled with tears. He was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen, perfect in his human imperfection. He was hers.

And she could tell, from the moment their gazes met, that he had felt the inevitable pull too. She could not let him perish, now that she had finally, finally found him. So she took his life as her own instead, in the only way she knew how, in the only way she was allowed to. Tethering his soul to hers, binding them both together because that was right and that was how it should have been from the very beginning, how it should always be. Never mind that she would shorten her own immortal existence and share his human lifespan instead – for what possible existence could she have without her heart with her?

Song of my heart, you are the only song I’ll sing for the rest of my life.

And for this warrior Prince, she was his, too. Light of his life. Her beauty, her grace, her love both humbled and strengthened him. She was something that he did not entirely understand, but whose mysteries he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying to unravel. For her, he would use his shield and his sword to create a life they could share, build her a home in which to raise a family that was both his and hers. She was his muse, his motivation, his inspiration. Wife. Lover. Soulmate. Their joyous union eventually bore fruit in the form of a beautiful baby girl, a little halfling princess who was every bit as exquisite and spirited as her fae mother and brave and righteous as her royal father.

One day, this curious and fearless child princess of the North met a wild Jörmungandr dragonling…

The young woman standing right before the water’s edge allowed her pure, heady voice to trail off slowly, until the tender, dreamy, beguiling notes faded away completely, inadvertently imbuing the now utterly silent countryside with the faintest touch of the Otherworld. Smiling playfully, she reopened her eyes, a flicker of impish mischief glimmered in those unearthly captivating, ruby depths as she steadily, fearlessly met the dangerous, slit pupiled ones of the colossal serpent that she had summoned out of the deep fjord with her song.

The creature before her was amongst some of the most ferocious and savage looking species of dragons to exist. Cold, glittering red eyes, angular jaws lined with rows upon rows of razor sharp fangs each easily standing as tall as a full-grown man, and an intimidating, fearsome face plate studded with an impressive array of deadly horns and jagged spikes. Massive, impenetrable matte black scales covered the entire span of its long, coiling body, dynamically streamlined yet muscular. Sleek fins adorned its back and powerful tail. It possessed no limbs or wings, but this monolithic, aquatic dragon did not require any to swiftly, silently, glide through the icy, dark waters of its expansive territories as easily as though it was flying through air.

It reared its gargantuan head out of the water to peer at her, transparent nictitating membranes sliding back to uncover sharply intelligent reptilian eyes, arcing near enough that the icy water sluicing off the defined ridges of its armored hide threatened to soak her, but the young woman remained unafraid of this danger coming so close to her.

Because there was nothing to be afraid of.

Because, just as her father could never resist her mother’s call, so too was this particular dragon unable to resist hers.

Alice reached out and rested her hand on her mate’s massive snout.

“Ryou, I’m cold~”

His mind-voice rumbled in her head in reply, the same flat baritone as always tinged with exasperation.

…That’s ‘coz you’re naked as a jaybird right now, Princess.

She ignored his droll comment stating the obvious. It was really hard to seduce a three hundred feet long (at the moment) dragon, but she was determined to get her way all the same.

“Warm me up. Now!”

As you wish.

He obliged easily enough, snorting enough that the waters surrounding him were literally vibrating, and she pulled a face at the strong gust of warm air that nearly blew her backwards. Dragon breath. She squawked loudly and tottered a bit, stamping her feet in pique, looking less and less like the exquisitely graceful beauty that she had become, and more like the spoilt, tempestuous child brat he had known for almost all of his life.

“That’s not what I meant!!”

The faint flicker of amusement that radiated from him was almost enough to make her scowl and pout.

No time for that, Princess. Those envoys that your cousin Her Majesty sent from the capital will be here soon, and your father’s still waiting for us to report in after this patrol. Let’s go home.

She did not even blink when in a flash, that massive dragon before her shifted fluidly back into the form of a tall, well-built, dark haired man standing right before her. A very handsome in that wild, feral looking way, healthy, very fit man-god that she was trying really hard not to ogle at. Did she also mention that he was stark naked and dripping wet as well??

She managed to compose herself (and her unruly hormones) enough to give him a disdainful sniff instead, nose stuck high in the air and head turned away from him in petulant rejection.

“Noooo~ I’m not going anywhere until I feel like it, hmphh!”

He squinted slowly at her, expression still deadpan as always. She was obviously forgetting something important here.

In the past, he often indulged her tantrums because that was how it had always been done, thanks to the lenient and loving actions of her overly doting parents. Now, things were a bit different and his mark that sat on her left breast indicated as much. He stepped up to her, lowered his head and nipped at her exposed neck, fangs scraping tantalizingly against her porcelain flesh, one large, lean hand coming up to cup her bare chest, right over her thrumming heart, just in time to feel her pulse stutter at his casually possessive action.

She folded very quickly after that; just as he was unable to resist her call, so was she equally weak to his claim. He took advantage of her momentary distraction to pick her up and heft her over his shoulder; she was a tiny thing compared to himself. Without breaking stride, he strolled straight back towards their tent.

“Aah! Not fair!” She squirmed and kicked out with her bare feet, small fists thumping against the back of his shoulders in a fit of indignant temper but he had a good hold on her so she wasn’t going anywhere despite her best efforts. She also knew better than to bite him too, since he had no compulsion against biting back and they both knew who possessed the larger set of chompers between the two of them. “Ryou!! Do I look like a sack of potatoes to you?!! Let me down!”

“You can sulk on the way back, Princess. We gotta go, so let’s get dressed, saddle up, and then we’re leaving.”

She, of course, took advantage of her new position to grope his behind instead, completely shameless. Not that she could be blamed for her action. It really was a very nice behind, all toned and taut and muscular. Those buns of steel were practically inviting her touch and fondles.

He muttered long sufferingly under his breath. At least she was quiet and docile for now…

Happy again, she started to hum, and his shoulders stiffened a bit, knowing that a full-blown song was not far behind. Her fae blood might be diluted, but she was still Leanan Sidhe like her mother…and very distracting when she wanted to be. It was a good thing that he has had years of practice maintaining his pokerfaced mien, or this unruly mate of his would be gleefully running circles around him.

“Stop that.”

“What?? Whyyy?” Grope. Grope.

“You know why. If you start singing, you’re getting gagged all the way home, Princess.”

AN III: 

Kulning: A unique Scandinavian cattle herding call that’s also a song. It has a fascinating and haunting tone, often conveying a feeling of sadness, in large part because the lokks often include typical half-tones and quarter-tones (also known as "blue tones") found in the music of the region. [Example here]

Leanan Sidhe: In Celtic folklore, the leannán sí is a beautiful woman of the Aos Sí ("people of the barrows, the faery folk") who takes a human lover. The words are Gaelic and refer to a faery muse. “Leannán” means the love of my soul or spirit…my inspiration. “Sí” is the word for a faery. Lovers of the leannán sídhe are said to live brief, though highly inspired, lives. The leannán sídhe is generally depicted as a beautiful muse who offers inspiration to an artist in exchange for their love and devotion; however, this frequently results in madness for the artist, as well as premature death. 

My favorite definition of the Leanan Sidhe can be found here: Leanan Sidhe is often quoted as meaning “the fairy mistress” or the “fairy sweetheart”. She is the famous Celtic muse with such a dark and unearthly beauty that her lover is often distraught with longing and suffering in her absence. In legend, the Leanan Sidhe often takes an artist for a lover, hence the title “the fairy sweetheart”. It is said that her lover gives her the vital depth of emotion that she craves and she in turn inspires his genius. The self destructive nature of many inspired artists probably lent itself to the misconception that she is evil and dangerous. Evil is not darkness, for darkness she is, and she can also be dangerous and destructive. When her gift is honored and nurtured, she shines as a luminous light in the darkness. For those who understand her true nature, who do not idolize or fear her, she is a sliver of moonlight in the blackest night.

‘...(sic) light of his life...’: The name Leonora literally translates to ‘compassion, light.’ I also like that Leonora’s name (and appearance) ties in nicely with the Leanan Sidhe mythos that I have decided to incorporate into her character (and also Alice’s) for this drabble/AU. 

AN IV: Also, instead of ‘milady’ that Ryou is known to address Alice in canon, it’s ‘princess.’ This is because in this AU, Nakiri Soe is a Prince of the Kingdom of Tootsuki, and so Alice is Princess. 

[lala-kate]

Dead and Gone

This is my submission for Day 2 of the @oqpromptparty .  Prompt:  Your OTP is covering up a murder. You can read it here on ff.net if you prefer 

“He was hurting my mom.”

The words are whispered by the boy on the verge of manhood, this kid he’d taught how to fish, track and hunt since he and his mother had shown up unexpectedly several months ago. At least it’s now clear why they’d chosen to live in the remote hunting cabin not far from his own when it was obvious that neither of them were the outdoorsy type.

Seems he isn’t the only one hiding from the world, and with good reason if the fresh bruises and bloody lip she’s now sporting are any indication of the life she and her son had fled. It’s ironic that she chose to take refuge among nature’s predators while trying to hide from a far more vicious one of the human variety.

“I’m okay, Henry,” she mutters, the lie so obvious he has to fight the urge to laugh. “Just a little sore.”

Just a little sore, my ass, he thinks, fairly certain that her left wrist is broken.

The man who’d broken it now lies sprawled out at her feet, covered by a sheet and minus the kitchen knife that had been sticking out of his back when Robin first arrived. She’d nearly thrown up when he’d heaved it out of muscle and bone and wiped it down, but then she’d gotten quiet--too quiet for his liking, as shock took root.

She’s shivering now, regardless of the blanket he’d wrapped around her a few minutes ago. He’d pour her some good Scottish whiskey if she were at his place, but she’s not, they’re at hers, and there’s no way in hell he’s leaving either her or her son, not like this, not when they’re both hanging on by a thread.

“He was going to kill her,” Henry continues, his tone barely audible. “He had his hands around her throat--she--she was turning p-purple.”

Robin winces as he watches her try to cover the red blotches dotting her neck, and he half-wishes the piece of shit were still alive so he could finish him off himself. He kneels down and takes Henry by the shoulders, alarmed by how cold the boy has become while he’d been busy tending to his mother.

“Henry,” he begins. “I need you to be strong--yeah? For your mom. Just like you were when you saved her life. Because we’ve got to get rid of the body and clean up around here so nobody will ever know what happened. Do you understand?”

A lone tear tear trickles down freckled cheeks, but Henry nods and takes a deep breath.

“You’re not going to turn us in?”

Her voice startles him, and he meets her eyes dead on, wincing at the ugly cut that now marks her cheek.

“No,” he replies. “I’m going to bury this piece of shit and then pretend all of this never happened.”  He swallows, something inside of him crumbling as tears break free and stream down her face. “Henry saved your life and very possibly his own tonight. That makes it self-defense, in my book.”

She nods, rubbing her hand across her face, and he reaches for a roll of paper towels, handing them to her as her son buries his head into his arms.

“I’m a criminal,” Henry mutters. Robin squeezes his arms, jostling him just enough to get the boy’s attention.

“The only criminal in this room is the man currently lying on your floor,” Robin states. “And he got what he deserved. You did what you had to do, Henry, and that’s something you’re going to have to learn to live with as time goes on. But right now I need to you to pull yourself together and help me get rid of the body. Can you do that?”

Henry stares back at him blankly.

Robin has come to care for this kid--shit, he’d taken Henry under wing ever since the day Robin had stopped him from stumbling into a careless hunter’s bear trap. He doesn’t want to be rough on him--not now, he’s just a kid, for God’s sake.  But Christ, he’s got to get Henry out of this stupor if they’re going to pull this off. So Robin shakes him again, forcing the boy to blink.  

“If it had been a bear attacking your mum, would you have hesitated? Answer me.”

Henry’s eyes widen.

“No,” he answers, shaking his head. “Not at all.”

“Exactly,” Robin says. “And this man you killed--he’s far worse than any bear, you understand. What did I teach you about predators?”

“That th-they attack because they’re hungry,” Henry murmurs. “Or because they f-f-feel threatened.”

“That’s right,” Robin says. “Animals hunt in order to survive. But this man here--your stepdad--he chose to do what he did, chose to hunt down and kill your mum and possibly you, too. Do you hear me, Henry? You did what was necessary to save both of your lives. And that’s all you did.”

Henry sniffs, pausing to wipe his face with his sleeve.

“I’d be dead if it weren’t for you.”

Robin closes his eyes at the sound of her voice, swallowing down the urge to gather her into his chest and hold her until this entire nightmare disappears. He turns to look at her, stunned by how small she appears huddled up in that blanket he’d wrapped her in earlier. That bastard truly could have easily snapped her neck had Henry not intervened.

“You’re not mad?” Henry questions, tears flooding his cheeks as his mother shakes her head. “Or afraid of me?”

She shakes her head again, and Henry crawls over to her, falling into arms that envelop him as bloodied lips breathe a silent prayer into his har. Robin’s insides clench, wondering if his Marian had held Roland that way just before Nottingham’s men had executed them both in cold blood, all because of him. Because he’d been so hell-bent on bringing down a crooked cop and his mafia connections, because he’d been the policeman who couldn’t leave well-enough alone even after his family had been threatened and his partner gunned down.

His hand begins to tremble, and he forces himself to breathe in and out, dragging himself out of a past that nearly broke him back into a present he can do something about.

“Now,” Robin continues, his tone taking on a gentler hue as he sits down in front of them. “Are you ready to help get this man out of your life forever, once and for all?”

Henry nods, sitting up taller and looking Robin in the eye.

“Yes,sir. I am.”

“Then let’s get to it,” Robin instructs with a small smile. He takes a cursory glance out the window before meeting Regina’s eyes head-on, thankful for the cover of darkness as a whispered Thank You accompanied by a squeeze to his hand simultaneously shatter his heart and strengthen his resolve to do right by them.