#preferably Ruby because that child is amazing and i would die for her

[v-tired-queer]

Thirty seconds into the first actual scene with Spencer in Delilah Green Doesn't Care and I already want Delilah to beat his ass from here to the middle of next week, fucking sass him out, Delilah

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Anons wanted an explanation for the placements I had on my previous tier list, but upon going back and looking it over, I realized that I wanted to move a few characters around, so I ended up getting a new template and remaking it. 

I wrote little bits about each character [yes, each one] below the cut, but be warned, it’s long. 

SS  

“I love you so much that I would sell my soul to make sure you’re happy”

Lee Everett: Lee is a goddamn legend. He deserves to be at the very top. He’s one of the best protagonists I’ve ever played as in a game, his backstory is incredibly interesting, and his relationship with and dedication to protecting  Clementine never felt forced and is one of the highlights of S1. Even now, having replayed S1 a million times, seeing him get bit and slowly become weaker and weaker as he refuses to give up on Clementine still breaks my salt encased heart. Watching him die in the end never fails to put that lump in my throat. I love him.

AJ: I love this kid. I was so worried that they wouldn’t do him justice when the game was announced and I saw the trailer, but I was floored by just how much I grew to love him. He feels like my kid, my responsibility and I want him to grow up strong and smart, but also human. His voice acting is terrific, and I think he’s one of the best child characters we’ve ever been given in video games. His relationship with Clementine rivals Lee and Clem’s relationship and that’s what I wanted. This kid earned his place at the top. 

S4 Clementine: This Clementine is my absolute favorite. While I love all the Clementine’s across the four seasons, I feel like she truly hit her peak in S4. I fucking love her, I’m proud of who she grew up to be, and seeing her journey to this point only solidifies that she’s my favorite. She’s strong and stern, but she has her softer moments with AJ and Louis/Violet, and what else is there really to say? She’s Clementine.  

Louis: ....Do I really need to explain this? I mean, c’mon. If you’ve been following me for a long time- shit, if you’ve only been following me for a few minutes, then y’all know how much I love Louis. I can say with 100% certainty that Louis is my favorite non-playable character across all four games. I’ve made numerous posts, answered over a hundred asks, written thousands of words about him. Everything about him from his character design, his personality, his traumas, his voice acting, his expressions, his relationship with Clementine and AJ and Violet and Marlon and everyone- He’s the best. I love him. 

Rosie: Rosie is the bestest girl in the world. ‘nuff said. 

S

“I fucking love everything about you.”

S1 Clementine: Alright, before y’all come at me with the whole “Why isn’t little baby Clem SS tier you monster??” let me explain: I adore S1 Clementine. She’s still in S tier, after all. However, after playing through these games several times over again, I realize that this really is just the beginning of Clementine’s character and her growth. She’s lovable, she’s cute, and I want to protect her, but she’s not... a compelling character? She doesn’t fully come into herself and develop a stronger personality until S2. Like I said, I still love her and I can’t deny the impact that she had on the characters and us players, but she’s not my favorite Clementine of the bunch. 

S2 Clementine: I fucking love S2 Clementine. I’d actually say that she’s my 2nd favorite Clementine. I give S2 a lot of well-deserved shit, but she is the high point of it all. Something about her character is compelling to me, like how she’s stuck with a bunch of adults who underestimate her yet want her to do everything for them and she just... is so done with it hahaha. But her growth is what it really does it for me. We went from little baby Clementine who whimpered at a small cut on her finger to a Clementine who fucking sews her own arm up, covers herself in walker guts with barely a flinch, can shoot a gun with great accuracy and take down walkers like they ain’t shit, and can survive and make her own decisions. Also, her instant connection with AJ is great. Love it. Love her. 

Javier Garcia: Yo, I love this beautiful man. This man is honestly the best part of ANF, and without him it would’ve been such a shitty game. I found his backstory as an ex-professional baseball player booted from the league for gambling a cool concept. He’s hilarious and charming, too. Honestly, he deserved a better game with better, y’know? The only reason he’s not SS tier is because of the writing and his nonsense with Kate when you don’t want to romance her. It makes it seem like he led her on and then was like “Wait nevermind lol” which is annoying, but other than that, he’s great. Love his relationships with most of the characters, and the ending he got was pretty good. 

James: I don’t talk about him as much as I should because I find James fucking fascinating. If they ever made a DLC or a mini-game for twdg, I want it to be about James and his journey in finding and joining the whisperers, his relationship with Charlie, and how he escaped them. His views on walkers, his survival and killing skills, his past traumas haunting his every moment for fear that he’ll revert back to what he was, his extreme pacifism that ironically turns violent- just what a cool fucking character. And while he has his wild moments [cave scene, anyone? “Oh ouch!” hahahahahaa] he’s still one of my favorites. 

Violet: Oh, Violet. She’s amazing. I love her so damn much. If there’s ever been a character that I see a lot of myself in, it’s her.... which is why I tend to be a little harsh with her sometimes, but I can’t deny that she’s one of the most well-written characters across the whole series. She’s not perfect [both she and Louis do have their tiny inconsistencies that I blame the writing for] but that’s a good thing. And while I don’t ship her and Clementine, I 100% get why a lot of people do. Their relationship is adorable and way more compelling than her previous relationship with Minerva. 

A

“I love you <3″

Carley: My beautiful girlfriend... you were taken away far too soon. Carley’s one of my favorite characters from S1. I wish we could’ve had more time to explore a relationship between her and Lee, but what we did get is enjoyable. She’s a badass, and I will always love the moment she tells Lilly off for being a little bitch, even though it results in her death. Not a day goes by where I’m not salty about that one. 

Molly: Molly’s a goddamn badass. She scales buildings like it’s nothing, she named her weapon Helga, and her backstory with Crawford and her sister is terrific. Also, she’s funny and I love her. That’s that.

Omid: This dude was literally a light in S1. He brought us some humor when we needed it [ “...You broke that dude’s face.” ] and his relationship with Christa was so sweet. Also, him and Lee bonding over being history nerds? Yes, please. It’s bullshit that he was killed off two seconds into S2 but hey... S2 had a lot of bullshit in it so...  Justice for Omid 2k19. 

Luke: *deeeeeeeep inhale* Big Brother Luke did not deserve that bullshit. Literally one of the best characters in S2 and y’all just.... did him dirty like that. And for what? To make room for Kenny and Jane? Bull. Shit. Luke was so damn good, and the only reason he’s not higher is because of what they did to him after ep3. He starts out so kind and supportive and seriously like a big brother character then SUDDENLY he’s stupid and “makes it” with Jane while walkers are trying to eat us and then he gets himself shot and then fucking dies and akjsjdlkjasdkjaslkjasdklerwedascasads- 

S3 Clementine: ...So, here’s where y’all will probably get pissed. S3 Clementine is my least favorite of the bunch. Don’t get me wrong, I still love her and she is still in A tier, but... how do I explain it? She’s in her 13-year-old, emo/angsty phase and it’s hilarious when it shouldn’t be. There are moments where I do become emotional for her, like when David takes AJ away and Javi hugs her, or when Gabe dies and she’s saying goodbye, or when she gets her first period, y’know moments like that! BUT... then we have moments where Javi goes to talk to her and she’s all “HAVING PEOPLE IS GREAT AT FIRST BUT EVENTUALLY EVERYONE DIES” or when she straight up shoots that guy who gave her faulty bullets OR WHEN SHE’S LIKE “IMMA KILL ME A LINGARD” AND.......... it’s too much for me! I can’t take her seriously when she’s this angsty, even when I understand why she is the way she is. Again, to reiterate, I still love her but in ranking all four Clementines, she comes in last for me.... and I can already hear the shit that’s gonna be thrown my way haha

Conrad: The most underappreciated character in S3 and it’s nonsense. Don’t come for me, but this dude is my favorite npc in S3. I love Conrad, and I wish we got more of him. He does have his own little arch if you keep him alive through the end. His grief over Francine is heartbreaking and his downward spiral that leads him to act out and threaten Javi, Clem, and Gabe so that he can get his revenge is wonderful. And btw, he does apologize for pulling the gun on them and makes up for it in the future. And y’know what moves him up into A tier? The moment you let him kill Badger. One of the best kills of the game. I prefer it over beating the shit out of Badger myself. 

Aasim: This boy is my son, and I’m sorry, but he’s really fucking cool. You’ve got this kid who was sent to Ericson for being a pyromaniac [according to Kent, it’s not actually mentioned in game] and grew into this guy who documents everything so that they’ll have a form of history to look back on and help not repeat mistakes. His banter with Louis is funny, and even though he gets fed up with Louis for not taking anything seriously, he still cares deeply about him given how he reacts when Louis loses his tongue. His crush on Ruby is adorable, too. I just love him, he’s great. 

Marlon: Now, originally I put Marlon in a lower tier [the “I like your role in the story” type of tier] but upon reflection I actually find Marlon to be a compelling character. He’s high on the list because of how well he’s portrayed. Marlon has some of the best voice acting across all the games. There isn’t a single moment where I don’t believe what he’s saying, which says something. There are moments where Clementine will say something and I go, “Really? That’s the take they went with? Okay...” but not with Marlon. For only being in ep1, he played his part really fucking well. I won’t defend any of the shit he pulled because it’s awful, but I understand everything he did. He is a coward, a sheep hiding in a wolf’s coat, pretending that he’s got everything under control and putting all the pressure of a leader onto himself and it eventually breaks him. I know they killed him off to further the plot and show how ruthless AJ can be as a child growing up in the world, but I wish he survived past ep1 so that we could really get into the meat of his character. I’ll say it: I love him as fake-friend-to-full-on-antagonistic-character and his role within the story. 

Mitch: I fucking love Mitch and the only reason he isn’t in SS tier is because of how goddamn dirty the writers did him. You give me this boy- this butterknife wielding, foul-mouthed, angry, hilarious, bomb-making boy and make me fall in love with him and THEN YOU KILL HIM OFF IN THE STUPIDEST WAY POSSIBLE. “Oh, lemme just run at the crazy lady with a knife and- OOF! It appears I’ve been throat stabbed bleh-”  I’ve complained about this since ep2, but lemme say it again: Mitch had so much potential to be an amazing character but never got the chance to because we had to add to the death count and make us more afraid of Lilly even though it didn’t do shit because it was a reaction kill rather than one made out of malice. 

Tenn: Tenn is such a tragic character for me. In my personal canon ending, he dies because he was “messing up again” and AJ shot him. This poor kid was so full of hope that the walkers would go away one day, he’s so genuine and never wants to hurt anyone, even if they’re trying to hurt him, and he’s so fucked up from seeing Minerva that he stops thinking and tries to go to her even as she’s being devoured right in front of him. Tenn is like this game’s Sarah, but done right. He deserved better, but he was a well-written character and I love him. His friendship with AJ was so sweet which makes it even more heartbreaking when he dies. Yet another terrific child character. 

B

“I like you and/or your role within the story”

S1 Kenny: This dude is such a chaotic topic. I feel like 90% of the fandom has an incredibly strong opinion on him, and of that 90%, 45% of people absolutely love him and if you say anything negative you’ll get a boat to the head while the other 45% loathe him. Then you’ve got the 10% who don’t have such strong opinions, and that’s where I fall. I like Kenny, and I like S1 Kenny more than his S2 counterpart. He has a great arch throughout the season regardless if you’re his best pal or not. He has some funny lines, some emotional scenes. I’ll never forget the first time I played the scene where Kenny’s crying over Katjaa’s dead body while Duck is laying against the tree on the brink of death. And I definitely will never forget the part where he finds the boy in the attic. Overall, I like him and what he brought to S1. 

Katjaa: She was really sweet and her death broke my heart. I don’t have too much to say about her, but I liked her a lot. She loved her family and met a tragic end. 

Ben: Fucking Ben, man. This poor kid. Another character with wasted potential. I’ve mentioned this plenty of times before, but I wish we could get an alternative ending where Ben was the only one who survived and became Clementine’s new caretaker. There was so much room for growth. He just wanted to help out but kept screwing up and it’s just.... sad. 

Christa: I’ll be honest, the first time I ever played S1, I didn’t like Christa. Something about her rubbed me the wrong way and I didn’t care about her as much as I did Omid. However, the more times I replayed it, the more I grew to love her. She’s strong but sweet, and you can’t deny how much she loves Omid. And while I wish we did get to know what happened to her in S2, I can live with it remaining unknown.  

Chuck: As much as I like our guitar playing hobo friend who deserved so much more, I would probably put him a tier lower if it weren’t for the advice that he gives Lee on the train. Because of him, Lee stopped treating Clementine entirely like a little girl in need of protection and cut her hair, taught her to use a gun, and furthered their communication by building a plan together. Without Chuck and his wise hobo words, Lee might’ve fucked both of them over. Also, Chuck’s pretty badass with that shovel, he got a lot of chuckles out of me, but his death was off screen and disappointing. 

Andy St John: Okay. Okay okay okay. Andy. He is so high here [and so much higher than his mom and brother] because to me, he’s the scariest of the St John’s. Why? Because he’s the most normal-appearing of the three. He acts and talks like any normal guy would. He’s someone that I could see myself running into in real life. He’s so good at hiding how fucked up he is from everyone, unlike his brother who you can just look at and go “hahahahaha no thanks” and his mother who’s character design is just awful. I find him to be the strongest of the three, the smartest and the most dangerous. And the final fight between him and Lee is amazing. I love how you can be so furious with him that you keep punching him even after the prompt goes away and then his face goes all purple and swollen. Easily the greatest antagonist in S1.

Eddie: This dude is the best character to come out of the 400 Days dlc. End of story. 

 Alvin: He gave me a juice box and that automatically puts him here. Real great guy but we didn’t get too into his character. Wish we could’ve, though.  

Rebecca: She grew on me tbh. Didn’t like her in ep1 when she was being all pissy and all, but for the most part, she’s pretty good. 

Mike: I will forever wish the writers went through with the concept of Mike being one of the guys who attacked Christa because then he could’ve had a better character backstory. Regardless, I still like him. He’s pretty funny. 

Nick: Nick? Oh, you mean PURE WASTED POTENTIAL. I mean, they really did give us this super flawed but sympathetic and interesting character and kill him off-screen. They really did that. Honestly, S2 really pisses me off sometimes for the way they treated these characters. It all goes downhill once everyone escapes. Yeah, yeah, blah blah not everyone gets a meaningful death blah blah but y’know what? You can do better than that. I loved Nick and I was so excited to see what they’d do with him in the end but NOPE! Justice 4 Nick 2k19

Pete: What a good dude. He stuck by Clementine’s side even when everyone thought she was bit. Love him. Wish we saw more of him. 

Sarah: Ha. Ha. PURE WASTED POTENTIAL 2.0. What else needs to be said? This girl had the foundation for a great character but again, NOPE! I really liked Sarah! I wanted to teach her to use a gun to protect herself! The loss of her father fucking broke her and it was hard to watch but I wanted more and just ahaklsdjlaskjdlkakjaskjsaadkljas ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh-

Ava: Yo. Ava’s a fucking gorgeous badass. Really liked her and how she was sweet on Clementine. Also, it’s interesting that she stuck by David’s side like that. 

David: I have a lot of mixed feelings about David. On one hand, the complicated relationship between him and Javier is good, even if it’s a little bullshit at times. On the other hand, David’s an asshole.  But he’s a great antagonistic character. I do love that about him. The shit with him and Kate was a little annoying, but only because they didn’t ever elaborate on anything. On what level was the marriage fucked? Was it straight-up abusive? What happened to David’s first wife? Why did Kate and David get married in the first place? I got questions! But, like Javier, I think David deserved a better game with better writing. 

Jesus: This dude parkour kills walkers. Pretty fucking badass. 

Tripp: I feel like I don’t like Tripp as much as some people. I like him fine, but I know a lot of folks gush about him. I think he’s a good dude, a little pushy with Eleanor, but he’s loyal and strong. 

S2 Lilly: I fucking hate Lilly. I hate her so goddamn much. She pushes every wrong button with her bullshit “Where's our new recruits?? Lee would be so disappointed knowing he taught you all the wrong things! You’re one of my people now, Clementine” AND THE GODDAMN “Yes, Ma’am” SHIT. Nothing irks me more than every time someone from the delta acts like Lilly’s the baddest bitch and call her “Ma’am” I HATE IT AND I HATE HER. SHE KILLED MITCH. SHE KIDNAPPED MY CHILDREN. SHE DARES TO TRY AND HURT LOUIS LIKE HE’S NOTHING. AND I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT HER....... That being said, y’all are probably thinking “wtf if you hate her so much why isn’t she in F tier???” and that’s because no other antagonist in these games has ever gotten this strong of a reaction out of me. Lilly is a damn good antagonist. She’s not perfect, and there are definitely things I would change or add, but she does her job and makes me absolutely livid [yeah yeah I know ha ha ha ha] every time she’s on screen doing her bullshit. I hate her and that counts for something. She’s easily the best “villain” in the entire series. 

Ruby: I love my funny little hot-headed medic. Ruby’s amazing and I love her. 

Willy: This kid really grew on me. I thought he was weird and creepy at the beginning but I adore him now. His brotherly relationship with Mitch should’ve been explored more, and at times his voice acting is kind of jarring, but I still love him. 

C

“You’re fine, I guess...”

Duck: He’s fine. I like Duck. I like the “what if” scenarios we’ve come up with surrounding his character, and his death always puts a lump in my throat, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to say I love him, y’know?

Doug: Again, he’s fine. He has some funny moments when you save him, and he’s got a cool little panda bear on his sweater but... yeah. He’s okay. 

Mark: Oh hai Mark. He’s cool, and the reason he’s not lower is because the iconic moment of finding him in the hidden room with his legs chopped off choking out the words “Don’t... eat... dinner” forever haunts my nightmares. 

Russell: I’m not a big fan of most of the playable 400 Days characters, but I think if I had to pick a favorite, it’s Russell. His backstory of being with the group that believed in the power of 7′s [I think it was 7 I dunno going off of memory here] was cool and his weird thing with Nate was fun and disturbing. He’s a pretty cool character. 

Carlos: I’ve made posts about Carlos before and how I think he had a lot of potential, but looking strictly at his role in the game and I’m left underwhelmed. I did get a lot of shit for where I placed him in my previous tier because he was [and still is] above S2 Kenny but I’m not going to lie and say I like Kenny more than him because... I don’t. I just think Carlos should’ve been given more development.  

Carver: A cool antagonist who was defeated waaaaaay too early in the game. They were doing a fantastic job at making me hate him with his treatment of Clementine, beating the shit out of Kenny, murdering Alvin and pulling all that shit with Rebecca, but killing him off so quickly didn’t make it feel as satisfying. Again, underwhelming. 

Sam: This pup betrayed me and he ain’t no Rosie, but we played frisbee so he gets a C I guess

Gabe: Y’know, Gabe could’ve been so good. But every time I play through ANF, he ends up annoying me more than Ben. What does that tell you? He’s fine, but he could’ve been a lot better. 

Mariana: I’m not so much “meh” on Mari because I think she’s sweet and likable! The problem is I don’t want to put her any higher because really? What did she do? She died horribly because Badger’s a piece of shit. 

Abel: Meh this guy’s garbage. I only put him up a little higher because the scene with him in the basement is really good. 

Brody: Brody is like the Mariana of S4 for me, just a bit better. I do like her. She had some development but her whole purpose was to die by Marlon’s hand and get the plot going. Would’ve loved to learn more about her, but I couldn’t give her anything higher than a C. 

Minerva: Controversial opinion but........ I don’t like Minerva as much as a lot of people do. If I could be brutally honest, if I were ranking these characters solely on how I feel about them without looking at their roles in the games and character development, Minerva would be in E tier at the highest. However, I can’t deny how tragic and complex her character and backstory is. It’s similar to how I feel about Lilly, but different. I think she’s just so fucked up from the delta that she’s become a husk of who she was and it results in her constantly pissing me off with all her shit. Also, the bridge scene alone bumps her up. That shit was crazy in a good yet tragic way. 

Omar: At one point, I forgot Omar existed until he got shot in the leg...... but he’s also God so y’know. I like him but I also had to make up my own little backstory for him so...

D

“Meh”

S1 Lilly: I don’t care about S1 Lilly in the slightest, she’s awful. They made her way more compelling in S4. And she killed my girlfriend which is bullshit on it’s own.

Jolene: If I could rewrite S1, I would’ve thrown out the Stranger and had Jolene be the kidnapper. As Danny said, “What a waste.”

Bonnie: She’s pretty disappointing, tbh. I didn’t like how the game help pushing her onto Clem and overall she’s pretty forgettable. 

Vince: He’s okay, I guess. He killed a dude one time. And shot a guy’s foot off.

Wyatt: “Meh” hahaha Eddie was a cooler character than he was

Jane: I wish Jane had been the Molly of S2 and stayed gone after she left the first time. I like that she taught Clementine some useful survival tactics and that’s what puts her on this tier, but I think we all know how I feel about the whole Jane vs. Kenny thing by now so... 

S2 Kenny: This Kenny actually moved up a tier because I fully took in everything he’s been through thus far and.... “Meh.” I don’t think he’s good for Clementine, I think she and AJ need a group like Wellington. I recognize that he’s a lot of people’s favorite, but like I said above in his S1 counterpart, I’m the 10% that doesn’t have that strong of an opinion on him. I’d much rather discuss other characters over him. 

Sarita: Forgettable, really. Except for when you get the chance to cut her hand off. That fucking scream of hers is anything but forgettable, yeesh. 

Walter: Again, mostly forgettable. His death was sad, and I do think he’s a good example of what happens when you’re too trusting in this world, but overall he doesn’t stand out to me. 

Kate: I probably would’ve liked Kate more if her romance wasn’t so damn forced. She has some funny lines, but she’s also pretty selfish and fickle when it comes to a lot of things. And I will forever be annoyed at her inability to keep her mouth shut about her and Javi’s relationship [or lack of] in front of David. 

E

“I don’t like you but you’re not the absolute worst, I guess...”

Danny St John and Brenda St John: I put these two together because they have the same issue: They’re fucking creepy. Where Andy was normal and deceiving, these two look like they want to cut my legs off and eat them. I think they’re much weaker in character than Andy was, even with Danny’s weird sexual fixation of his gun and Brenda talking about her husband. 

Vernon: He’s not the absolute worst because I do feel a little sympathy for him losing his daughter, but everything else just makes me not like him. 

Shel and Becca: Easily my two least favorite characters in 400 Days. I had no real interest in either of them. 

Arvo: This guy. I didn’t put him in as the absolute worst because of all the unnecessary shit Kenny put him through. No wonder he wanted to get the hell outta there. 

Clint: I literally couldn’t give a single shit about this dude or what happens to him. 

Eleanor: I don’t like Eleanor. I found her annoying. Her one good quality is her want to help people, but that want didn’t do much to help Tripp now did it, Eleanor.

F

“The absolute worst”

Larry: Did you expect anything else? Fuck this guy. 

Stranger: Worst final antagonist ever. You’re telling me I have to fight this Mister Roger’s tootsie pop? I’ll bet you $1 I can do it with one hand. Fuck this guy. 

Troy: Fuck Troy. All he does is smack Clementine around and then get shot in the dick. 

Joan: This lady is a laughably bad antagonist. The worst fucking “villian” jfc...

---

There ya have it. Do you agree, disagree? Maybe a character I found boring you really liked! Maybe you want to tell me why Kenny is the best/worst again!  We can discuss it. 

I’m always open to talking about these characters!

[rising-generations]

[wereverse] intertwined. fuyupeko. babyfic

NOTES: this is rated mature because there are upcoming childbirth scenes, not because there's anything sexual. This is not erotic. I just marked it so that it can be avoided if that bothers people. Please heed the warnings! Fuyuhiko and Peko are both trans here.

Fuyuhiko and Peko's lives become intertwined through the birth of their cubs. Wereverse, AKA everyone's an immortal shapeshifter. Don't like? Don't read!

- Fuyuhiko is a cat shapeshifter, specifically a Singapura. Peko is a wolf. - Kids are generally referred to as "cubs" until their species becomes apparent. - I did my research + I'm trans myself, but if anything seems off let me know! - Shapeshifters are mostly immortal. They won't die of old age, but can die from extreme illness, being killed by another shifter, or specific rituals done by humans.

and so it begins. chapter one.

These days, there is peace in the Kuzuryuu household. Peko makes sure of that. Fuyuhiko does an amazing job at pissing himself off and stressing by himself, he doesn’t need anyone else to help him, or do it for him. That’s the reasoning she gives, anyway. In reality, Peko has her own fears about the upcoming birth of their cubs, and Fuyuhiko’s well aware of this. That’s partially why he lets it happen, going so far as to help her kick Natsumi out and make her go stay with her girlfriend, Sana Sato’s, family for a while.

Fuyuhiko’s… more than a little scared, too. The expectation has always been that, one day, he’ll deliver an heir. Preferably more than one, if it can be helped. The Clan doesn’t want to take chances, wants Fuyuhiko to have a healthy boy even if it takes decades, even if it takes too many litters. But Fuyuhiko has no intention of being a Togami. He says the firstborn of his first litter will be the heir no matter what, dammit. Even if they aren’t a boy.

It’s not like it should matter, Fuyuhiko and Peko both agree. After all, they assumed Fuyuhiko a girl when he was born, and Peko a boy, only for both assumptions to be switched when they got a little older. Foolish assumptions, really. Fuyuhiko has never been and will never be a woman. Peko has never been and will never be a man.

Even so, these are things Fuyuhiko has to remind himself as his belly grows with the lives he’s made with himself and Peko.

At first, the fear is simply for his safety. They’ve only just graduated from Hope’s Peak when they find out. Fuyuhiko very vividly remembers screaming and throwing the pregnancy test across the room when his suspicions were confirmed nearly nine months ago. His talent and occupation already puts him in enough danger, even with Peko’s constant supervision and the help of some of his other men (though he prefers Peko, especially when it gets to the point where the curve of his belly is too big to hide even with a jacket). Being the shapeshifter head of the largest criminal syndicate in Japan isn’t a safe life.

And then there’s the fact of his size. Fuyuhiko will still slaughter anyone who insists he’s small, or baby-faced, or child-like, but the possible strain of a litter on his body isn’t something that can be ignored or denied. Peko isn’t that big comparatively, and shifter babies tend to be smaller on average anyway, but the risk of damage from possibly carrying six cubs weighs heavy on everyone’s mind until the first ultrasound.

Fuyuhiko and Peko are both glad for Mikan. She’s never been one to judge, after all, and she does her duty without asking too many questions. She’s able to explain through her stuttering exactly what’s going to happen during the process, how Fuyuhiko’s body is likely to change, what might happen after nine months of going off testosterone and what the future might hold.

He scoffs when she talks about how he might get more emotional, but that doesn’t stop tears from welling in his eyes when he sees the ultrasound, hears his babies’ heartbeats for the first time.

There’s only two, thank all the gods, and both are healthy. There’s no complications through the whole pregnancy, but there is one issue, at least for other members of the Kuzuryuu family: Fuyuhiko doesn’t want to know the sexes of the cubs until they’re born, and this drives everyone (especially Natsumi) save for Peko quite crazy. The reasoning behind his decision is clear: should both of his cubs be girls, he doesn’t want to be pressured into planning for another litter right away. Normally, the endless lifespan of a shifter would mean he’d have plenty of time for future litters should he want them, but being yakuza means one never knows when their life will come to an unexpected end. Should he fail in producing a male heir, they’ll want him to keep trying.

But Fuyuhiko stands firm in his choice. He isn’t a tool, and neither is Peko. He makes sure to emphasize that emphatically and clearly.

Besides… pregnancy doesn’t treat Fuyuhiko well. Between the intense nausea and cravings, mood swings, weight gain and near-constant back pain, he’s not quite sure this is something he’d like to experience more than once. Having Peko there helps, yes, and he’d do just about anything for her, but she’s going to have to beg to get him to go through this again.

At least for now, he supposes, he can relax. Fuyuhiko rests on his side in the grand nest he’s built, head in Peko’s lap as she strokes his hair. He’s not as restless as many are before the births of their cubs; rather, he’s been quite relaxed the past few days, which surprises everyone. Up until then, he was stressing and worrying and snapping at almost anyone who got too close. But now, he looks very much like a tame beast while Peko pets him gently.

After a few moments, he twitches an ear and flicks the tip of his tail, half-opening one eye blearily. Peko notices, because of course she does, and she looks down at him with worry reflected in her ruby eyes.

“‘s okay,” Fuyuhiko says before she can worry herself anymore than she already has. “They’re moving, that’s all.” He shifts a little to rest more comfortably in Peko’s lap, to get some of the pressure off his back from where the cubs are sitting. At least one of them is moving, though they aren’t as rowdy as usual. Possibly just a reaction from being woken from their nap.

Tenderly, Peko rests a hand on his side, runs her thumb along the curve of his belly, and he lets her. He purrs softly, a rumbling sound from deep within his chest as she does. He’s completely content right now, could probably stay there for hours until he goes back to sleep.

That is, until he gives a soft grunt and sucks a breath in sharply through his teeth. He stiffens only a little, but it’s enough for Peko to notice. “Contraction?” She asks softly.

“Yeah. A little stronger.” Fuyuhiko nods and shifts to push himself up, bracing his weight on his arms as he pushes himself up into a sitting position. “Came just a little faster, too.”

“Do we need to call Mikan?” Peko’s voice is still soft, but her growing anxiety is noticeable.

Fuyuhiko shakes his head. “Well -- let her know, but she doesn’t need to be here yet.” I don’t want anyone to see me vulnerable for longer than they need to goes completely unsaid, but not unheard. It’s not like he’s in active labor just yet. He’s been having small contractions for days, and it’s likely that he has at least a few more hours before things start to get serious.

When Peko leaves the room for just a moment to call Mikan, Fuyuhiko looks down at his stomach and gives a heavy sigh. “Don’t be in a rush to come out now, okay? I need another nap.” His tone is mostly joking, but he does get a few kicks in “response” to his words. “Yeah, yeah. I hear you.”

He leans back, rests his head against one of the many pillows in the nest and sighs. He’s definitely ready to meet his children, ready for them to come out of him. He’s just not entirely sure he’s ready for everything that comes after that.

[texanredrose]

Countdown (Pt 2 of 2)

I’d like to thank @keena-kapu for their help with this as well. They’ve been my sounding board while writing much of this second part. 

Day -92 Winter bided her time. It would be all too easy to rush ahead and propose within the next few days but she opted to pace herself, sift through a hundred daydreams to find the aspects she liked most and thread them together carefully. Yang was the sort of person who would appreciate any gesture she made, so long as she made it honestly, but she had her preferences. Despite the brevity of their relationship, Winter had dedicated her time to learning those predilections rather well.

So she spent her time perfecting a single recipe. No kitchen mishaps this time, no, she could at least cook one meal, which she loaded up in a basket. Then, she coaxed Yang into taking them out to a park, because nothing put the woman in a better mood than riding her bike. She led them to a secluded spot with a beautiful view of the sunset, when the orange tinged clouds made the world look aflame with gentle fire, and they had a picnic.

Because Yang didn’t prize an ostentatious proposal nearly as much as a heartfelt one. Writing it in the sky, spelling it out in petals, nothing could compare to hearing the words straight from Winter’s lips.

And when she did ask- when she looked into lilac eyes and told Yang that she meant the world to her, that she wanted nothing more than to be there for the woman and have her by her side in return, that she wanted to spend the rest of her life, what little time that might be, together... Winter could tell she’d provided exactly the sort of proposal Yang wanted to hear.

That the woman tackled her to the ground while giving her answer provided some of the clues for that deduction.

The moment they got back to the bedroom provided an abundance of confirmation.

Day -82 Winter sat at the table, staring at her scroll. This time, she’d written down notes, because she had so much she wanted to say in the video and suspected she’d get off topic if she didn’t have some measure of keeping herself in line. However, getting it started proved a bit... tricky.

“Snowdrift?” Yang poked her head in, a frown on her lips. “You alright?”

“Of course,” she replied, passing a hand over her face. “What makes you ask?”

“Well, you’ve been sitting here for about three hours, I haven’t heard you actually talk, lunch is getting cold-”

“Ah. Right.” She leaned back in her chair.

“Having second thoughts?” Yang entered the room properly, leaning down to drape her arms over Winter’s shoulders and the back of the chair. “Wedding’s tomorrow and all.”

“No, nothing like that.” She indicated the notes. “I just... I have so much to say... but no idea where to begin.”

“Speak from the heart.” A kiss pressed just below her ear. “It’ll come together. Don’t worry about how long it is- just open the gate and let the flood go.”

“Would it be silly to say that I would prefer a bit more structure?”

“Yeah.” A chuckle. “But it’s the sort of silliness I expect from you.” Another kiss before she retreated, heading back out of the room. “I’ll keep your lunch warm but, after an hour, I’m dragging you out of here.”

“Thank you, Sundrop. Love you.”

“Love you too.” Winter waited until she’d left the room before returning her attention to the scroll.

Reaching out, she hit the button to start the recording.

“Hello, Sweetheart.” Her breath caught in her throat, tears springing to her eyes. “I wonder what your name is. Yang and I haven’t properly talked about it yet but I’m sure it’ll be fitting and beautiful. I wouldn’t want to decide it right now anyway; it should be something she chooses... when she sees you.” A brief pause. “I wish I could know you, I wish I had that much time, but I don’t. I’ll never hear your first word or see your first steps. I’ll never even see you born. But please, please, believe me when I say: I love you with all my heart.” She blinked, trying to hold back the tears. “Please, Sweetheart, don’t make my mistakes. Dream- dream as big and as often as you want, and never give up on them. Let them die as your interests change, let them sift and shift and evolve, but don’t throw them aside because you feel like you haven’t the time or the skill or the energy- don’t give up. You never know what opportunities lie around every bend, what could lie in wait for you. Take those chances. And if you face failure, if you face rejection, know that you’ve made me so proud for simply trying. It’s a courage I didn’t posses until far too late.” She reached forward, blinking and imagining a tiny child in front of her rather than her scroll. “I know you’re going to do amazing things. And I don’t mean anything that’s going to be recorded in a history book or broadcasted on the news- perhaps you will, perhaps you won’t be known the world over for one thing or another. The amazing things you’ll do... is to simply live. To live facing fear, facing failure, facing all the terrible things that come with this world, and continuing on anyway. Your Momma will be there for you, I know, and your Aunts as well. And I wish with all my heart I could be there, too.” She sniffled, trying to keep her voice steady. “It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to lean on others. It’s okay to be hurt and to make mistakes. I’ll love you no matter what. Just live your life, pursuing whatever catches your fancy.” A watery smile curled her lips. “I hope you discover all this world has to offer. I hope you find love, if that’s your dream. A family of your own, if you choose it. Those were my dreams, and though I didn’t have long to enjoy them, I can honestly say I’m happy for what time I’ve had. I just wish I had more.” She drew back, straightening her shoulders and clearing her throat. “In your veins runs the blood of a Schnee, my blood. Pursue your happiness and you will be all that’s best in me and so much more. I love you, Sweetheart.”

She turned off the recording and sat, crying as she couldn’t help but picture a small child watching that, only knowing of her from that recording and Yang’s stories. Weiss’ and Blake’s too.

Eventually, her fiance entered the room and pulled her into her arms, quietly making promises that their child would know just how much Winter wanted them.

“Who knows.” She spoke quietly, pushing aside white bangs to try and catch the woman’s eyes. “I might not even get pregnant.”

“I might never know,” she replied, sniffling again. “But how much time did I waste, giving up when I ought to try?”

“We can’t undo that.” Yang slipped a finger under her chin, tilting it so their eyes could meet. “All we can do is make every moment count while we can.” She drew them into a soft kiss. “C’mon. Let’s go eat.”

“Okay.” Winter allowed herself to be led from the room and she couldn’t help but hover around whatever room her fiance happened to be occupying after they’d finished their lunch. At least, until they had to start getting ready for the rehearsal dinner. “I... suppose I should’ve waited until after the wedding to make that video.”

“Eh, I don’t think waiting’s done you any good in the past.” A soft smile, tinged with sadness. “And I know you’re happy about this. I don’t need to hear you say it.”

“Yes you do.” She went over and wrapped her arms around her fiance, hold her tightly. “I am happy for this. To be with you, to marry you, to stand up in front of everyone and say I love you and only you. I’m ecstatic about it, truly.” The more she spoke, the more she focused on the present, not the future, and a smile came to her lips. “I’m not looking forward to being separated tonight but I am looking forward to making it up to you tomorrow.”

That brought out a laugh, arms encircling her as the embrace was returned. “Oh, has the student surpassed the master?”

“I’d like to think I found some tricks you might enjoy.” She bent down, nipping at Yang’s ear and eliciting a little squeal.

But she pushed lightly at Winter’s shoulders. “We have a dinner to get to, and damn you for finding the one instance I don’t want to go a few rounds first.”

“The anticipation will make it sweeter.” Yet, she relented, settling for a chaste kiss before heading towards the closet. “But you’re right. We should get ready.”

Thoughts of their child faded to the background as they got prepared for the dinner.

Day -81 The wedding itself was a small affair. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and a few of Yang’s other friends- not much of a guest list but everyone she wanted to bear witness. Winter stood at the altar, awaiting her bride, and briefly tuned out the master of the ceremony to reflect.

She had less than three months to live; she couldn’t change that. But in the three months since she met Yang, she’d lived more than she had in the twenty-seven years prior. Going forward, she would have a wife- someone she would shower with every manner of affection she could- and she might even have the promise of a child before her end came.

And she really, truly, couldn’t ask for more.

Her chest ached, tears springing to her eyes again even as a wide, bright smile claimed her lips. She couldn’t imagine never knowing what this felt like, the sense of overflowing joy and happiness pouring from her heart as she looked out and the small group they’d gathered around them.

After all, was this not a family?

And then Yang came striding down the aisle, in a white dress that fluttered around her ankles with every step, wearing a smile just as big as her heart that could easily be seen from beneath the veil.

Even in imperfect circumstances, it was the wedding of her dreams, because when they each said ‘I do’, there could be no doubt they meant it from the bottom of their hearts.

The rest? Honestly, a blur; for all the trouble of picking out specific decorations and themes and the like, Winter could honestly say that she didn’t remember seeing anything other than her new bride for the remainder of the day. Even at the reception, when they had their first dance, she could barely focus on the music long enough to deliver one of the little surprises she’d planned for the day.

Because she hadn’t done it in so long, had given up the practice, that Yang didn’t know she could sing- and rather well at that. Until she started singing along to the music for their first dance.

“Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go.” She could see the surprise light up Yang’s expression as they moved to the music. “You have made my life complete, and I love you so.” Winter leaned their foreheads together, looking into her wife’s eyes. “Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfilled. For my darling I love you, and I always will.”

Yet, even now, Yang found ways of surprising her, joining in with her own voice, and picking up the verse Winter herself was hesitant to sing. “Love me tender, love me long, take me to your heart. For it's there that I belong, and we'll never part.” The last, they sang together, swirling around the dance floor while their friends, their family watched. “Love me tender, love me dear, tell me you are mine. I'll be yours through all the years, till the end of time.”

If asked, she’d be hard pressed to recite any other details about the whole affair. But she would never forget- never- just how happy she felt in that moment, with the music dying down, when they leaned in to kiss amidst the cheers.

How foolish she was to think that avoiding this could possibly be the better alternative.

Day -75 Winter laid on the couch, Yang cuddled up next to her, the two lightly dozing in the afternoon sun streaming in through the windows. On a whim, she asked a question that had nagged at her since their wedding.

“Sundrop?”

“Hmmm?”

“What are you going to do when I’m gone?” She could feel the way Yang shifted against her and decided to immediately clarify. “You don’t have to make any promises or set anything in stone... but I wonder. What do you see in your future?”

“What do I see?” Her hand drifted down to her belly. They still didn’t know if she managed to get pregnant- not that they’d stopped trying, of course- but the action brought a smile to her lips. “A little girl with white hair and blue eyes. Maybe moving to Mistral for a bit, just for a change of pace- you’ve always talked about it so fondly. Holidays spent with Weiss and Blake and Ruby and too many kids running around for any of us to keep track of but we do our best.” She shrugged. “I dunno. I... the future’s always been a weird thought for me. I try to focus on the now.”

“Obviously.” Winter chuckled, though she sobered herself to address the topic that had her concerned. “What I mean is... when I’m gone, will you look for someone else?”

“What?” Her brows furrowed. “Is this really an appropriate conversation to have with your new bride?”

“By the time you’re not my new bride, I’ll be dead.”

“Okay, that was morbid.” Yang chuckled and then sighed. “I don’t think I’ll go looking but... if I see someone I like, I’ll talk to them.”

“Good.” She wrapped an arm around her wife’s waist, pressing against her back. “I just want you to be happy, Sundrop. Don’t let happiness pass you by on my account.”

“Now that is irony.”

“How so?”

“Because that was literally your plan when we first met.” She turned her head, looking back at Winter over her shoulder. “Better to never try, right?”

“I’ve since learned the error in my reasoning.” A small smile. “I just don’t want you to adopt my mistake.”

“If I see a chance, I’ll take it. But... for what it’s worth?” She turned, raising a hand to thread through white locks and pull her into a kiss. “I’ll still love you. That won’t go away.”

“You’re a better woman than I deserve, Yang Xiao Long.”

“Yang Xiao Long-Schnee.”

They both laughed before settling down again, relaxing together.

Day -69 Winter frowned, only slightly annoyed by the proposition. “Are you twelve?”

“C’mon, Snowdrift! We can’t pass this chance up!”

“We’re not spending all day in bed.”

Yang got a mischievous twinkle in her eyes then. “We’re not?”

Winter had, somehow, forgotten just how weak she was to her wife’s particular methods.

Day -54 The rain poured down, nearly soaking her in the brief time between putting down her umbrella and stepping into the restaurant, Yang laughing the whole while. It didn’t often come down so hard in Vale but, when it did, it was a sight to behold, the lightning streaking across the sky in shades of blue and even orange. The gutters were already overflowing with water and waves of it were sent into the air whenever a vehicle passed; they’d barely avoided a few waves making their way from the bus stop to the restaurant.

“Well, perfect weather for a romantic date, yeah?” Yang smirked, rolling her eyes as a crash of thunder shook the window glass. They’d both dressed up, and she’d even gone to the trouble of wrangling her bountiful blonde locks into a nice up-do for the occasion to go with her dress. Thankfully, neither were harmed by their brief bout of rain seeing as Winter had ensured her wife went in before lowering the umbrella.

“I’ll admit it does have some appeal.” She glanced back out at the storm outside while shaking the umbrella and straightening out her own dress. “A dark, stormy night with my beloved- quite a few tales include such imagery.”

“You gotta stop borrowing Blake’s books.” As they were shown to their table, she hummed. “Although... if you managed to grab some from her private collection-”

“It worries me that you know about those.”

“Oh, so you do know what I’m talking about.”

“I lived with them for a few months; it was entirely unintentional.” They were both smiling throughout their teasing, taking their seats and glancing at the menus. “I didn’t read... more than a few pages.”

“Pages?”

“Fine, chapters.”

“Oh, now we’re getting juicy.” Yang leaned across the table with a smirk. “Anything you wanna try?”

Winter raised a brow. While the woman could be a bit over-the-top from time to time, there seemed to be something a bit... off tonight. “Is this really the conversation you want to have over dinner?” And then she matched her wife’s expression, effectively calling her bluff. “It’s not like I can make good on any suggestions at present.”

“And here I was hoping you’d be a bit of an exhibitionist.” A smile and a shrug. “I... guess it’s just a nicer way to look at the topic.”

Her brows drew together. “Sex? You’ve never had a problem talking about it before.”

“What? No. Not that.” Yang paused to glance out the window as lightning streaked across the sky. “I mean... is there anything you want to do before... ya know?” Her smile faltered. “I don’t... really... wanna call it a ‘bucket list’ but... I guess that’s what I’m talking about.” A helpless shrug. “Is there anything you wanna do?”

“Huh.” She sat back in her chair, mulling over the thought. “Now that you mention it, a few things come to mind.”

“Care to share?”

“Well... I did want to stroll through Forever Fall at least once.” Her head tilted to the side. “I’ve always heard it’s a spectacular view.”

“It really is; I went on a field trip there during my Academy days.” The waiter came and they ordered- their usual, having frequented the establishment enough times to have that routine. “Anything else?”

Winter smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t want to spoil any surprises.”

After they’d finished their dinner, the storm still raged, so Winter held the umbrella aloft as they left the restaurant. But, before they reached the bus stop, she lightly grabbed Yang’s arm and brought them to a halt.

“Are you really keen on indulging my whims?”

Her wife raised a quizzical brow. “Your whims?”

“It’s better than ‘bucket list’.”

“Heh.” She chuckled, shaking her head slightly. “Alright, I’ll give you that. What’s on your mind?”

“This.” With that, she pulled the umbrella away, allowing them to be drenched by the falling rain. What sound of shock and surprise Yang might’ve made was quickly silenced when she darted in for a kiss, holding it for a few seconds before putting the umbrella back up. By that point, they were pretty well drenched. “Thank you.”

“What?” Yang laughed, running a hand through her rain slicked bangs. “What was that?”

“I’ve... read before that kissing in the rain is rather romantic.” She reached up and pushed her own bangs out of the way. “I thought it would just be ridiculous but, as it turns out, I see the appeal now.”

“You wanna explain it to me?”

“When we walked in, I had the most gorgeous woman on my arm. Now?” She offered her arm. “That’s still true.”

“I feel like a dog that jumped into a lake.”

“A very gorgeous dog in a lake.”

With a smirk, Yang reached up and pulled out a few bobby pins, allowing her hair to fall down around her shoulders while her other hand lightly pushed on Winter’s arm, the one holding the umbrella. “Well... might as well get the full effect.”

As it turned out, running with her wife through the rain also counted as something she wanted to do, even if it meant they almost missed their bus home.

Day -43 Interestingly enough, when they arrived at Forever Fall, Winter could hardly be bothered with the scenery.

“Oh, hold on, I think that’s the tree!” Yang drug her by the hand, heading off the walking trail. “I swear, it was one of these.”

“My question is why you carved your name into one in the first place.”

They’d seen the place Yang’s class stopped to gather their own jars of sap, where they’d stood to observe the wildlife- they’d basically re-walked Yang’s entire trip, and the whole time, all she could do was watch the expressions on her wife’s face. Reliving memories... something she hadn’t considered before.

“It was a spur of the moment thing!” A laugh, bright and cheery. “I had a pocket knife, there was a tree, they left me alone for five minutes- it was an impulse thing.” They ducked around a bush. “Ah! There it is!”

And, sure enough, ‘Yang Xiao Long was here’ stood out against the bark.

“Well. I suppose there’s only one thing to do.”

“Take a picture?” Yang offered, starting to pat herself down for her scroll.

Winter reached into her pocket and pulled out a little knife she managed to buy at a gift shop before they started their trip through the forest. “I have a slightly different idea.”

She’d never tried carving anything into a tree before but, about five minutes later, she’d made her own addition.

“There.” She stood back and admired her handiwork. “How’s that?”

“Winter and Yang Xiao Long-Schnee was here.” Yang laughed. “Perfect, bad grammar and all.” Wrapping an arm around her wife’s waist, they admired the memento for a moment longer. “I think I’ll come back here in a few years. Make it... like a tradition.”

“Only if the memory remains a fond one,” she said. “I doubt you’d want to bring any future lovers here.”

“I dunno. Maybe they’d make this the ‘Yang Xiao Long and spouses’ orchard.” She waved a hand around. “Can you imagine? All these trees with different names? It’d be like something out of a myth. Like, I dunno, Maidens or something.”

Despite the joke, she could see the slight downturn in her wife’s mood and gently chuckled. “Is there anything else you’d like to revisit?”

Yang leaned her head against her shoulder and sighed. “... I don’t want you to become just a memory.”

“If it was in my power, I wouldn’t leave you.” She pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Sundrop.”

“Don’t apologize. We both knew what would happen going into this and I don’t regret a second of it.”

She held the woman a little tighter amid the red leaves falling down around them and tried to steer the conversation towards happier topics, suggesting they go visit Patch, where Yang was born and raised. She’d never so much as heard of the place before meeting her wife but, now, she wanted to know more about it, purely to listen to Yang gush about all her childhood memories.

Day -31 Winter steeled her nerves, glancing out of the airship at the scenery below. Frankly, she hadn’t really entertained the idea of sky diving before, and she didn’t necessarily possess a fear of heights... she just wasn’t sure she trusted her life to anyone except the woman beside her, who happened to not be one of their instructors. In the end, a bout of shortsightedness on her part.

“Hey, Snowdrift!” Yang called out over the roar of the engines. “You havin’ second thoughts?”

“A few, truth be told!” She slipped her hand into her wife’s. “But I think we’ll be fine!”

“Of course we will be!” A wide smile that reached her eyes. “This is gonna be great!”

“I’m glad one of us thinks so,” she said, though not loud enough to be heard as the airship door opened and the instructors waved them over. Yang tethered to one while Winter had another- a policy she couldn’t decide if she liked or loathed. On the one hand, it did provide a safer alternative... but on the other, it meant they wouldn’t be jumping together.

“You wanna go first?” Yang looked at her then while settling goggles over her eyes.

“Yes.” She nodded to her instructor, proceeding to the door and keeping in mind the tips they’d given her prior to boarding the airship.

And then, they were free, falling through the sky and turning, because the view below didn’t matter to her nearly as much as watching her wife follow suit, mouth open in a loud, victorious cry. In the minutes they were tumbling through the air, Yang managed to catch up to her, laughing and smiling, thoroughly enjoying herself while Winter watched, amazed.

When they finally found themselves with firm earth beneath their feet, they unbuckled not only from the parachutes but from the instructors as well.

“Wow, that was awesome!” Yang laughed, taking off the goggles and running a hand through her hair. “How long have you been wanting to do this?”

“A couple weeks, I suppose?”

“Weeks?”

Winter shrugged. “Honestly, I only wanted to do it because I thought you’d enjoy it.” Then she smiled. “And it seems I was right.”

“C’mere, you.” Her wife reached up and pulled her into a kiss, chuckling when they pulled away. “You’re something else, ya know that?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replied, tucking a few blonde bangs behind her ear.

“Would you two like a picture?” One of the instructors offered, pantomiming holding a scroll.

“Absolutely!” Yang fished out hers and handed it over.

They posed together, Winter’s arm around her shoulders, her wife’s arm around her waist, smiling bright with Yang’s windswept hair catching the sunlight.

The only downside to the picture she could see, after they’d returned the equipment and had a moment to really admire it, had to be that it didn’t really capture the look of unbridled joy on Yang’s face when she jumped.

But, Winter surmised, the moment it captured instead would probably mean more to her wife in the long run. They truly looked happy.

“You think I could become a sky diving instructor?” Yang toyed with her helmet for a moment before putting it on, already astride her motorcycle. “Or at least certified to jump by myself? I’d need, like, four more, right?”

“Well, I wouldn’t sell the shop, but I could see you doing it, if you so chose.” Slipping on her helmet, she settled behind the woman and pressed a kiss just beneath her ear. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“Oh, right, about that.” Looking over her shoulder, lilac eyes gleamed with a hint of concern. “You do realize the whole ‘whims’ thing is supposed to be about you, right?”

“Sundrop, the only unfulfilled dream I had left was finding someone I could spoil to my heart’s content, and now I have you.” She wrapped her arms around Yang’s waist and squeezed her tight. “All I want is to see you happy.”

An arm laid over hers. “Snowdrift... what am I going to do without you?”

“You’ll mourn. You’ll heal. And, then, you’ll be stronger than before, even with the scars on your heart.” She sighed. “I only hope I can give you enough happiness now to make the coming heartache worth it.”

“You already did that.” Yang turned, pressing a kiss to the side of her helmet and blinking away the unshed tears. “Let’s get back home.”

Day -23 Winter laid on the couch, listening to Yang humming in the kitchen with her eyes closed. She could almost name the song but the title eluded her.

“Dinner’s almost ready!”

“Sounds great,” she said, trying to put as much strength into her voice as she could.

“What’s the matter, Snowdrift? Headache?”

She tried not to wince. “A little one. It should pass.”

Truthfully, she merely didn’t want to admit that her strength was waning. She’d gone downtown that morning looking for a few birthday presents because she’d miss Yang’s by a few months, so she thought having a present already wrapped for her to open on the day would be a nice gesture, and maybe she could get a few more, and maybe some toys and such for her niece, and it just turned into a ridiculous shopping spree.

But it drained her more than she wanted to admit.

“Oh, well, I’ll get you some aspirin and- what the-” Yang came around the couch, kneeling down and frowning. “Winter? This... isn’t just a ‘little headache’, is it?”

“Do I really look that bad?” She tried to sound appropriately miffed at her wife’s reaction but couldn’t quite summon the proper tone for it.

“You look like you ran sixteen miles with one leg tied behind your back.” Strong arms scooped underneath her as she was pulled into Yang’s chest.

Part of her wanted to object- she wasn’t entirely invalid- but the rest of her was too filled with gratitude to care. “Thank you. I... perhaps overdid it today. I’ll keep my limits in mind, next time.”

“I’m not sure if I believe that.”

“I just need to eat. Recover my strength.”

“Okay.” The subdued response spoke volumes. They both knew it to be a lie- perhaps she’d be better, for a time, but her time was running out- yet they accepted it anyway.

It seemed... easier, if nothing else.

Day -14 Winter sat down on the couch, setting the bag of popcorn she’d prepared down on the table and queuing up the movie. One of Yang’s favorites; she must’ve seen it at least a hundred times in the past six months, but one more time wouldn’t hurt. It seemed like a nice way to cap off the night.

However, her wife had disappeared to the bathroom and yet to return.

“Sundrop?” She called out, trying to hide how breathless the simple act of going to the kitchen had caused her to become. “Everything alright?”

“I have no idea!”

... not the response she was expecting but she supposed it beat a flat out ‘no’.

“Do you need help?” The bathroom door opened and Yang appeared, heading towards the couch and plopping down, setting a little box down in front of her and pressing back, as if putting as much distance between her and it as she could. A quick glance rather effectively explained her wife’s reaction but she gently prodded anyway. “Are the results not to your liking?”

“I haven’t checked it yet.” Yang admitted, glancing away from the box containing the pregnancy test- which had already been opened and, presumably, used. “I mean, I know I’m late. I just... don’t know why, because it could be stress but it might not be and I just- I don’t know what I’ll do if it’s just stress.”

“So, you’re not having second thoughts?” Winter scooted a little closer and wrapped an arm around her wife’s shoulders, trying to comfort her. “You’re worried about a negative result more than a positive one?”

“Of course I am!” For a moment, she hid her face in her hands, trying to hide the slight crack in her voice. “It’s... it’s too late to try again. This is- make or break. And... I just don’t-” She leaned into Winter’s side, closing her eyes tight and gritting her teeth. “I’m already losing you. I don’t want to lose a dream, too... and that’s not even thinking about everything that might go wrong-”

“Hush, don’t stress yourself out over ill fated possibilities.” Carefully, she reached forward and grabbed the box, tilting it so she could see the pregnancy test hastily jammed back inside. With only a moment’s hesitation, she drew it out and looked at the indicator. “I can tell you're sure about this decision.”

A brief chuckle. “What was your first clue?”

“You’re positive.”

“Yeah, I’m positive, I- wait.” Brows furrowed, Yang drew back enough to look at her. “When you say ‘you’re positive’ you mean...”

“That you are positive.” She turned the test to display the little plus sign. “You’re pregnant, Sundrop.”

“It- it worked?” Winter had considered, more than once, that her wife might indeed be very attached to the idea of having a child. Frankly, she thought Yang would make a wonderful mother. But the look that came over her then, wonder and happiness and so much hope- she suddenly felt a bit ashamed about her initial refusal. How could she deny the woman this? “It worked!”

“It did. We beat the odds.” She couldn’t help but leave the test with the box so she could put a hand on her wife’s lower belly. “There’s a little one in your future.”

A hand covered hers. “A piece of you and a piece of me.” Yang sniffled. “Guess I couldn’t ask for more.”

Tears came to her eyes as she drew her wife into a kiss. “Make sure they know how happy I am. Please. Please.”

“They’ll know.” A solemn promise, despite the smile, because for as happy as the news made them, it also brought with it a painful dose of reality. “They’ll know.”

The movie and popcorn were left, forgotten, as they celebrated the news- though ‘celebrate’ might... not entirely encompass the enormity of the emotions rolling through them. Because for all the joy, there also lingered a crushing dark cloud.

Winter put on a brave face, though, and waited until they’d gone to bed, after Yang had fallen asleep, to weep for the child she would never know.

Day -7 Standing for too long had started to make her lightheaded and she found herself suffering from lethargy more often than not but Winter summoned her strength for a few more visits.

However, she hadn’t accounted for the emotional toll they took, even as she tried her hardest to keep herself in check. “Weiss-”

“I’m sorry.” She quickly retrieved a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes, sniffling slightly. “It’s just- there’s a difference between knowing something’s coming and actually confronting it and I- perhaps I didn’t truly give that enough credit before, enough consideration.”

“That’s alright,” she replied, because she could very well picture what her sister saw. Gone was the soldier who marched through countless missions with grim determination; she’d gotten softer in the past six months, yes, but she’d also grown weaker in the past few weeks, and it showed. Soon, her eyes would be dull as the last of her aura petered out. “How’s Blake? I’m surprised you didn’t accompany her to Menagerie.”

“I offered but she assured me this particular tradition is best attended alone.” A sigh and a nervous shifting of some papers left on the table. “I don’t like it, mind, but I know it’s important to her. She’ll be back tomorrow, though. She wants to be here when...”

“When I die...” A hum. “That’s thoughtful of her. I’m sure you’ll need the support.”

A few beats of silence. “There was a point in time when I would’ve assured you I’d be alright. I never wanted you to see me as weak.” She swallowed thickly. “But honestly... I’m going to miss my big sister.”

Winter sat forward, reaching across the table to put a hand on Weiss’ shoulder. “There was a point in time when I would’ve been quite scathing and told you to grow up. But, truthfully, I think I’ve been looking up to you for longer than you’ve been looking up to me.” A gentle smile. “You’re so strong, Weiss. But strength doesn’t mean never faltering, never failing. It means getting back up after you’ve been knocked down and courage is taking chances even when you run the chance of getting hurt. You possess both.” She wasn’t surprised when her sister got up out of her chair and threw her arms around her, returning the embrace. “I’m very proud of you, Weiss. You’ve grown into an exceptional person. I hope I’ve lived up to your example.”

“I wish we had more time.” She pulled back, wiping at her eyes again.

“I do, too.” In the back of her mind, she recalled all those ancient stories, cautionary tales about what a person might be willing to forsake to achieve their desires. She’d always thought them fools but, now, she could think of very few thinks she wouldn’t give up to barter for more time. “But I need to beg a favor of you.”

“Anything,” Weiss replied.

“Watch over Yang for me.” A frown tugged at her lips. “I know Ruby will be there for her, and your other friends, but all too soon, our baby will enter this world. And I won’t be there to do it myself.” It still hurt, the truth in that, but she couldn’t avoid it. “Please, look after them for me.”

“Of course.” A small smile, a fragile thing, but sincere all the same. “I know Blake will be just as concerned.” And then she voiced a doubt that had lurked since they’d broke the news. “But... are you sure Yang can handle it? Being a single parent- I know she helped raised Ruby but... it’s going to be a lot.”

“I know she won’t run away; I know she won’t abandon the child. And I believe she’ll throw her whole heart into the endeavor, and that’s more than some parents ever do.” A sigh. “But I do worry, and that’s why I ask. You know she’s just as stubborn as I am when it comes to accepting help. I’m quite certain you’ll have to bully her a little- gently, of course.”

“We’ll do our best... but I think you’re right in many ways.” Her smile turned more sure, more certain. “Yang will be an excellent mother and we will have to bully her a bit to convince her she can lean on us when things get too tough.”

“Thank you, Weiss.” Winter sighed, finding a bit of peace creeping into her soul. “And thank you, for providing me this opportunity in the first place.” At the quizzical look she received, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Come, now. I never would’ve met Yang had I pursued my initial plan. Without your intervention... I honestly don’t know where I’d be, but I’m happy I’ll never know.”

“Well, you’ve very welcome.”

After that, Weiss regaled her with the exploits of some of her more amusing cases- ones where the side she opted to not represent had entirely laughable reasonings for their disputes or just bizarre ones- and Winter listened intently, glad her sister had found work she could be so passionate about.

Day -6 Winter reached out and hit the button to record, certain this would be the last video she made.

“I do apologize for my appearance. I haven’t much time left but it occurs to me that there’s a subject matter that I am a relative expert on, though I hope none of you need this wisdom for that exact reason. Everyone in your life will either have decades or maybe even a century left, but I’ll be long gone. Having a short countdown... it’s a shock nothing on Remnant can prepare you for, so I offer you this: something that will remain true if you have twenty years or two hundred.” She paused to take a deep breath. “Your life has meaning. No matter it’s length or brevity, what you choose to do with your life is powerful, and it’s a power only you can wield. For far too long, I closed myself off from others, to make my passing easier. I thought it the nobler choice. But now, I realize that every life you touch- every person you meet, you have a chance to affect them in some way. For good or for ill. So I implore you to experience this world to the fullest, to chase your dreams, even if you know that you can never achieve them. You have no idea the impact it can have on those around you- it could inspire them, it could bring them together, it could make your bonds even stronger. The loss of any life is a painful thing, yes, and the more people you know and befriend, the more people whom you love and who love you, the more people will be saddened by your passing. But from that sadness can come strength and happiness, inspiration and courage, because the memories you leave behind are not entirely lost.” She paused, chuckling softly. “I believe I’m rambling. I just- I want you to understand that it does not matter how much time you have to live. All that matters is that you live. Your name will be etched into the hearts of those you meet and you can do so much in just a handful of minutes. You could brighten someone’s day, you could make their week, you could inspire them to feats of their own greatness. Just live, and try not to focus on the clock. No matter how hard you watch it, it will never be in your favor, and it’ll just try to trick you into thinking it’s worthless to try. But, try anyway. Every ounce of happiness gained is worth it, even when it comes with heartbreak as well.” A smile, as wide as she could muster. “I love you, little ones. So go, live, and be happy.”

She stopped the recording and allowed herself a few tears, because she couldn’t imagine what it would look like when they finally watched it. Her countenance reflected her exhaustion, dark circles under her eyes and her skin looked paler than usual, but the extended time spent resting gave her mind plenty of time to wander.

When Yang came in, drawn to the sound of her sniffling, another thought occurred to her. “Sundrop? If it’s not too much to ask...”

“Go for it.” Her declining state had worn on her wife as well, making her look frazzled and haggard. Worry had started etching lines around her eyes, which always looked on the verge of tears.

“Show these videos to your children, too.” Even though the thought hurt a bit, she couldn’t help but smile. “Provided you find someone, of course. I think you’d be rather fond of a big family, wouldn’t you?”

“You want me to show these to kids that aren’t yours?” Confusion showed plain in her tone. “Why?”

“Because they’ll be yours.” A chuckle, broken up by a cough. She couldn’t seem to get enough air these days. “I’d love them just as dearly, because they’d be a part of you.”

Yang swallowed down a sob and nodded, pulling her into a gentle hug. “Yeah... okay, Snowdrift. I will.”

“Good.” In her mind’s eye, she imagined that far future- her own child with half siblings, Yang and some shadowy figure laughing and chasing after them, and it made her smile. “Live, my love, and be happy. Even when I’m gone.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will.”

Day -1 She’d read, several times, about what to expect when one died of natural causes like this. How she’d have a surprising surge of energy, the last roar of her aura before it extinguished for good, and she’d spent the past two weeks planning what to do with that energy. Unfortunately, the surge wouldn’t last for long- twelve hours at best, by most accounts she’d read- but she could still do a few things with that time.

And Winter planned to start the moment she woke up, rolling over to kiss her wife awake, much to the woman’s surprise.

“Wha- Snowdrift?” Yang scrubbed at her eyes and trying to blink the world into focus. “What’s going-”

“Hush, Sundrop,” she said, leaving a litany of kisses wherever she could reach. “You’ll catch on soon enough.”

“I don’t- hah- okay, I do- hmmm- yeah, I see where you’re- ah!- going with this but... oh, but... you’re making this really hard, Snowdrift.”

“I think that’s part of the goal.”

Yang laughed, though it morphed into a moan as Winter continued her carefully planned assault. “Oh, don’t- aren’t there, hmmm, better uses of time?”

“Don’t worry about the clock. And, by my estimations, this is the best use of my time,” she replied before doubling down on her chosen path and effectively derailing her wife’s attempts to dissuade her.

Eventually, they made it out of bed- Yang sporting a few new marks, love bites and scratches that drew a pleased little hiss from her lips when she stretched- and went to their favorite little cafe, walking through a park afterwards. Lunch, Winter cooked, and spent every moment in between doting on her beloved as much as she could.

“Hey, isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?” She groused goodnaturedly from the couch, remaining seated per Winter’s instructions, laid back and relaxing while one of her shows played on the screen. “Aren’t you the one who’s supposed to be getting pampered?”

“I spent my childhood being waited on hand-and-foot; I’ll not go out that way,” she replied, carrying two plates into the living room and setting them down, stooping down for a kiss before heading back to fetch silverware. “Besides, nothing makes me happier than seeing you smile. Why endeavor to do anything else?”

Yang laughed, shaking her head fondly.

They watched the sun set from astride Yang’s bike, at an outlook that gave them a stellar view of the city. She’d hoped to watch it from beside the guard rail... but her strength had started to wane. Besides, with her arms wrapped around her wife, she had the best view already. Why move?

However, it did make it rather noticeable when Yang began trying to hold back her sobs. “Sundrop?”

“This is it. Our last sunset.” She shut her eyes tight, trying to hold back the tears. “I wish I could make it stop.”

“Oh, Yang.” She squeezed a bit tighter, and hated that it wasn’t nearly enough. “I know it hurts right now. One day, it won’t.”

“I don’t want to forget you.” A choked sob as she curled in on herself, and Winter pressed firmly against her back.

“You won’t. I’ll live forever in your heart,” she said, trying not to betray how tired she felt. “With time, the pain will fade, but my love won’t. You’ll see.” Shifting her arm, she brushed a hand against her wife’s belly. “Every time you look at them, you’ll remember how much I love you. How, if it was in my power, I wouldn’t leave you. And you’ll remember that all I want, all I can ask for, is that you find a way to be happy again. And you will. I’m sure of it.”

For a long moment, Yang didn’t speak, doing everything in her power to hold herself together. And when she did finally break her silence, it was to sing.

“Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go.” The words came out thick, tainted by tears and grief. “You have made my life complete, and I love you so.”

Without missing a beat, Winter picked up the next verse, though her voice didn’t carry the way it once did. “Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfilled. For my darling I love you, and I always will.”

Neither had the strength to sing the next verse. They left it unfinished, the roar of the motorcycle filling the silence on the ride home.

Day 0 Winter thought she understood the meaning of the word ‘exhausted’, had pushed herself to the brink multiple times through her military career. But never had she felt like this, as if opening her eyes would be too great a challenge to overcome.

She tried moving or vocalizing but both were weak attempts and she opted to stop, conserve her strength, and wait for the sun to rise and filter in through the windows.

Eventually, she became aware of the shifting in Yang’s breathing, the beginnings of a gentle rise to consciousness before she snapped awake and gasped.

“Snow-Snowdrift?”

“I’m... still here...” With a supreme force of will, she forced her eyes open, enough to see as her wife coaxed her onto her back.

She could imagine what the woman saw. By now, the shine to her eyes had completely dulled. Just focusing seemed too difficult. Her breathing, ragged and uneven, sounded hoarse.

It wouldn’t be long.

“Should I... call Weiss?” Yang ventured, tentatively, obviously terrified of the implications.

As much as she wanted to reassure her wife... Winter had to face the truth. “Yes.”

“Okay.” She could feel the press of lips against her forehead, wished she could return the affectionate gesture.

But all she could manage was a soft voice. “Sundrop... Yang... I love... you.”

“I love you, too, Snowdrift.” The gentle break in her wife’s voice nearly broke her heart. “I’ll be right here.”

Her eyes closed, unable to fight the impulse any further, but she listened- to the urgency in Yang’s voice, to the soft platitudes she offered, to the doorbell as Weiss and Blake arrived, Ruby not far behind. To the hushed agreement to take her to the Comfort Care facility.

“I’m right here,” Yang said, even as she pulled back the covers and scooped Winter into her arms. “I’m right here with you.”

Her perception of the world around her ebbed and flowed, allowing her to be aware of mere snatches amidst the tapestry. Riding in the backseat of a car with Yang curled around her, being laid down in an unfamiliar bed, the hushed tones of voices she didn’t recognize, the prick of needles and cold press of some manner of scope- and, all too suddenly, Winter became keenly aware of the two sounds whose cessation would herald her departure from the world: the beeping of her heart monitor and the low drone of her aura reader. Somewhere between the flatline and the drone petering out into nothingness, her brain would cease all function, and she would be gone.

“Sssssssunndro-” She grimaced at the dryness in her throat, which seemed quickly remedied by a straw being held up to her lips.

“I’m right here.”

Winter forced her eyes open and looked at her wife, lips twitching into a small smile. “Love... you...”

“Snowdrift... Winter.” She felt a hand take hold of hers- strong, warm, gentle- and another enclose it. And, in the smallest voice she’d ever heard, three little words. “Please don’t go.”

And, she tried. She tried to hold on, but she could feel herself growing weaker. “Sssorry...”

“No no, I know, it’s unfair, and I chose you- I chose you to leave me behind but now I don’t want to lose you.” She could hear the tears but she couldn’t open her eyes to see them. “I love you so much, please, stay with me.”

I’m trying.

“I know I told you I could do this but I’m so scared.” It tore at her heart, the pleading her wife’s voice. “I know it’s not fair, but I just can’t- I can’t lose you.”

You won’t. I’ll always be in your heart.

“Ma’am, she doesn’t have long left-”

“Winter...” She could feel Yang lean over her, until their foreheads touched, and tears dripped onto her cheeks to join her own. “You’re... my soulmate... I love you so much... please...”

She summoned all her remaining strength and forced her eyes open, seeing lilac shining with tears as a warmth bloomed in her chest. “You’re... mine... too... Yang... I... l-love...”

“Winter? No, please, stay with me-”

But she couldn’t. She’d fought as hard as she could, tried to beat back the clock for just a little more time, but it was a futile effort.

In that moment, Winter Xiao Long-Schnee... died.

Day +2,043 Yang wiped the sweat from her brow, sitting back on her heels and looking around the garden. After Ruby went off to school and she moved to Vale, their childhood home had sat neglected in the little clearing, their father’s garden left to be overrun with weeds. Clearing it and replanting everything took the better part of a year but it... soothed her. On the days when the shop back in Vale didn’t bombard her with calls and she could focus on the things most important to her, especially.

“Momma! Momma!” A smile curled her lips as she looked up to find her favorite little helper running around the corner of the house, a little seed packet in her hands. “This one! This one!”

“Oh? And which one is that?” She held out her hand, taking a moment to just... take in how absolutely ecstatic her daughter was regarding her choice. Brilliant blue eyes that sparkled like the ocean surrounding the island, white hair that fluffed up like a cloud, and a mile wide smile- Zephyr Xiao Long-Schnee was going to grow up to be a heart breaker, just like her mom.

“The picture looks really pretty,” Zephyr said, handing over the packet and beaming with pride at her selection.

Yang glanced at it and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Do you know what kind of flower this is?”

“No.”

“They’re called snowdrops.” She wrapped an arm around her five year old daughter, hoisting her onto her hip as she stood up. “Unfortunately, we can’t plant them just yet.”

“Aw.” Zephyr pouted. “Why?”

“‘Cause it’s not the right season!” Yang laughed, heading into the house and setting her down once inside. “But, as soon as the season comes around, we’ll plant them. Okay, my little Snowdrop?”

“Can it hurry up and get here?” Her daughter crossed her arms over her chest. “I wanna plant ‘em!”

For a moment, she remained silent. Then, she knelt down so she could be on eye level with Zephyr- a gesture the little girl understood to mean that she was about to say something very serious and she wanted to be sure Zephyr could understand her. “Sweetheart... I know it’s hard to wait for things to come but... trust me. There’ll be a time when you just want time to stop. It’s okay to take things slow and wait for now. Okay?”

“Yes, Momma.”

The discouraged tone in her daughter’s voice made her expression soften. “Come here, Zeph.” She pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You remind me of myself when I was young. A regular chip of the ol’ block.”

“Does that mean I get to be big and strong like you?” Instantly, the little girl perked up, curling her arms to try and show off her nonexistent biceps.

“Maybe!” Yang mirrored the posture, though she had far more muscle to show off. “But, the only way you’ll be big and strong like me is if you finish all your vegetables!” Her arms dropped and she lightly tapped the tip of her daughter’s nose, causing those blue eyes to go cross before she giggled. “Which reminds me; it’s lunch time.”

Zephyr cheered, following her into the kitchen and offering to help, however she could. However, before they could get properly started, they both heard a car door slam, which got the little one excited all over again.

“Mom’s home!”

“Yeah she is.” Yang bent down and scooped her daughter up. “Let’s go meet her.”

By the time she’d gotten to the front door and opened it, her wife had started up the little path from the driveway to the house.

“There’s two of my favorite girls.” Winter smiled wide, shifting the infant nestled in the crook of one arm so she could kneel down as Yang allowed Zephyr to regain her feet.

“Mom! You’re back!” Without hesitation, their daughter ran down the path and barreled into Winter’s shoulder, allowing herself to be scooped up. “And Zise’s back, too!”

“Yes, yes, we’re both back.” The woman chuckled, pausing long enough for Zephyr to shift and pat at Zise’s little hand, not wanting to risk either child squirming while she walked.

Yang merely watched with a smile on her lips, leaning against the door frame. She rightly couldn’t believe, even after five years, that she still had the woman by her side.

In those old myths and stories, going back as far as the tales of Maidens and such silly legends, there existed cautionary tales about giving away one’s aura. That it could be done, years given from one to another, but it could come at a terrible cost. Sometimes, it meant trading away all the years a person had left to give them to another and, others, the one who received those extra years became... someone else entirely. So, no one had tried in millennia to do it.

Until that day, when Yang held Winter in her arms and could feel the woman slipping away. Her heart had stopped for three minutes, according to official records, and Yang couldn’t bear to pry herself away, not as long as she could hear the low, barely there hum of the aura monitor. Somehow, that was all it took, because one moment she was bawling her eyes out and begging a silent room for Winter to come back... and then she did, carding her fingers through blonde strands and offering a weak smile, sweetly telling her she didn’t have to cry anymore.

In the end, it didn’t come without a price. Winter had thirty years... and she had less than that. From the moment she gave some of her aura to save Winter, Yang had twenty seven years, six months, two weeks, and three days remaining.

The exact amount Winter was born with. The irony didn’t escape her.

And, sometimes, in the quiet hours when she laid in bed, she worried if she made the right choice. Sacrificing her abnormally long life span meant she wouldn’t be there for Zephyr quite as long... but then Winter would hold her tighter in her sleep or Zise would cry, and she realized that trying to weigh such things would forever be a futile effort. She couldn’t trade one for another and she didn’t regret her decision in the slightest.

After all, who would object to a few more decades with their soulmate?

“Sundrop?” She blinked, suddenly realizing that Winter had arrived in front of her, carrying their daughters, with a puzzled expression on her face. “Are you alright?”

“I’m perfect, Snowdrift,” she replied, and she meant it, meeting her wife halfway for a kiss that drug on perhaps a touch too long, if Zephyr’s light complaining was any indication. “I was about to make lunch.”

Blue eyes positively lit up. “May I help?”

“Yeah, c’mon.” She nodded, all four of them heading inside, Zise tucked into her high chair while Zephyr grabbed a coloring book from the living room and used it to keep her baby sister’s attention. Meanwhile, Yang and Winter stepped into the kitchen and spoke in hushed tones. “What did the doctor say?”

“She’s the picture of health,” her wife replied, pride clear in her tone. “And the reading’s holding steady. One hundred and two.”

“That’s two for two over the century mark.” Some part of her worried that their children would be affected by her giving up so much aura, but Yang felt relief settle across her shoulders as that seemed to not be the case. It seemed they’d bear the same curse as she had and her mother before her. “I’d say we’re doing pretty good.”

“Good enough to try for three out of three?” Winter lightly bumped their shoulders together. “Perhaps in a year or two, I mean.”

She chuckled, tilting her head to the side. “Well, you might have to sweet talk me a bit. And not necessarily with words.”

Her wife seemed eager to rise to the challenge, coming up behind her and pressing a kiss beneath her ear, pausing long enough to lightly nip at her earlobe. “I look forward to our debates on the subject.”

Yang laughed, leaning back into the embrace. As much as she’d always done her best to focus on the present, she had to admit... she looked forward to it, too.

But for now, they’d take things one day at a time.

[poiscnedyovth-blog]

from sweet to rotten.

The wedding dress was simple, a plain white with a simple knotted waist and a heartline to showcase the family heirloom: the blood ruby of the Dan family. Vampire nobles. Purebloods. She wore a veil with a small crown, sitting atop her bun. Her hair was dyed back to its natural colour, though she was assured she could dye it back to whatever wacky colour she wants after the wedding ( she previously had it blonde ). Her makeup was done to showcase her youth and beauty, thus felt almost bare.

Amelie held the bouquet of frozen flowers, the frost clinging onto the petals and making them rigid. Magic, it never ceased to amaze her. As she watched her silhouette in the mirror, she could barely recognize herself. Here she was, a bride and her life had just begun.

Well… more so, her old life had ended and her new life was just beginning. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. She can’t be sad. Not on her wedding day. Not on the happiest day of her life ( as she was being told over and over again ).

❝ You only have minutes to speak to Hannibal before the ceremony starts, ❞ her mother told Amelie, holding her hands tightly. It was as if she was making sure Amelie held onto the flowers instead of it being a comforting gesture. Her mother had tears in her eyes, but not because she’d miss Amelie, but at the overwhelming honour of Amelie being chosen to become a royal lady. Not that she would expose her parents but she had heard how amicably they’d be compensated for birthing the perfect daughter for the Dan family. ❝ Don’t waste them, darling. ❞

Her heart was pounding. Not like a drum in her ears but like a restless ache in her chest that tightened each time she breathed. The servant opened the door to the parlour, bowed their head, and waited for her to enter. As her shoes clacked onto the marble, the servant closed the door.

Amelie held her head high, despite her clammy palms and trembling lips. She made sure to keep her eyes straight ahead. She can’t stumble. Not now, not when she was this close to her new life. She couldn’t hesitate ( what if her new husband didn’t like nervous women ?? ).

❝ Amelie ?? Wow, you’re— ❞

Her gasp interrupted him. Not intentionally, of course. But, her expectations weren’t met and she was happy to say she was relieved. She imagined a snivelly older vampire, with cold eyes and thirsty lips. Instead, she was met with a young man with rosy cheeks and wavering glances. His smile was sheepish, not expecting the reaction that he was given.

❝ I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean— ❞

❝ No, it’s okay. When Mother mentioned a child bride, I thought she had meant, a child. I didn’t want a child bride so to say that you’re a pleasant surprise, is quite the understatement. I-I don’t mean that you’re not young but you’re only a few years younger than me if any at all, ❞ he began, almost rambling. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. A smile began to grow on her painted lips. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

❝ I’m eighteen, ❞ she chimed, bringing up the flowers to cover her now wide smile. She must be blushing. But she felt like her eyes were shining, watching her groom fumble over himself.

❝  I-I’m turning twenty next month, ❞ he admitted shyly. She couldn’t lower her bouquet and he kept staring at the ground. Despite awkward, she felt it was magical. ❝ I-I’m sorry my family pulled you into this. If it was my choice, you’d get to stay in the life you’d have wanted for yourself. Just because your blood is perfect— ❞

Hannibal had turned red with embarrassment. Or was it shame ??  Or was it guilt ??

❝ Don’t think like that. ❞ She stepped closer to him, letting go of her bouquet to grab his hand, that had started fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. He was warm. Why had she imagined cold ?? ❝ I-I was scared, yeah, that’s true. I was so scared that my life would have ended right here and now. But… But… m-maybe this won’t be so bad. M-Maybe, if not lovers, maybe we can learn to be friends, not just husband and wife. I… don’t see my life ending anymore… Do you ?? ❞

❝ Not since you walked through that door, ❞ he said with a confidence he hadn’t had moments before. Amelie’s heart skipped a beat. Hannibal, her groom. Hannibal, her husband. Her new life was just beginning and finally, she was excited.

She twirled in front of the mirror. Her hair was a bright red, put up in twin buns. Glitter and rhinestones adorned her cheekbones. Her gown was a holographic silver with a low scoop neck and a figure-hugging shape. The skirt flared out, flashing iridescent colours as she spun. She felt like a school girl getting ready for a homecoming dance. With a childish smile, she patted more gloss onto her lips before leaving her quarters in search of her husband of five years.

Amelie’s feet were silent. She never cared for heels and preferred being barefoot. It was all the more fun to creep around the manor, especially with her prowess as a vampire. As she searched, she thought about what Lord Hannibal did so late into the day. She trusted him as a husband ( from marriage to friends to lovers was actually a quick course, and they found themselves happy within a year of being married ) so she needn’t worry about other women.

But, as a warrior, she fretted over him quite a bit. He’d come home with burns from sunlight, with UV bullets hidden beneath his skin, with liquid silver pouring out of his mouth. Lord Hannibal Dan was a nobleman with a noble cause. He fought to dismantle the illegal blood banks that greedy vampires created, drugging unwilling humans and harvesting their blood as if they were nothing more than a food source. They festered in the darkness, prying away from the rules that the nobles had set up to protect other creatures’ rights. Hannibal believed in praising ❛ blood bags ❜, showering them with gifts and validation in exchange for their services, and thus, so did Amelie.

Lady Hera Dan, Hannibal’s mother, argued with him about his recklessness. To, at least, bear children before he risked his life. To make sure the legacy of the noble family continued. After all, Amelie was the perfect bride. Fertile, beautiful, and with no imperfections in her blood. Hannibal always argued that it was never the right time, that he had to prove himself a warrior before he could prove himself a father. Amelie always supported her husband’s decision. She learned that despite his hesitance, he was a proud man with unshakeable values and a good heart.

Amelie promised Hannibal that when he was ready, she’d give him a strong, healthy child. A child as optimistic and uplifting as she was and as proud and devoted as he was.

She hid behind a pillar on the second floor of the manor lobby, waiting for the doors to open. Just as she had waited so anxiously to see him standing at the altar, she waited for him to appear in his operative gear. When the doors opened, instead of her heart bursting with happiness, it fell.

Oh, how it fell.

A widow at twenty-three.

In Hannibal’s will, he gave Amelie his blessing to remarry while carrying the Dan heritage. She could use it to further the family’s noble name. He gave her everything: the family estate, the wealth, the land that the Dans have looked over for centuries. Even after his death, he made sure his sweet wife would be taken care of.

The other noble families would whisper that her sweetness had died with Hannibal that day. It was replaced with a delicious, addicting burn— like the searing taste of alcohol. It was as if she no longer cared about anything. Hera and Aesculus Dan, the previous family head figures, had no control over what Amelie could and couldn’t do. How could they control a mourning vampire ??

Instead of a doting wife who would dress up any time her husband would return, Amelie had become an enticing party monster who would lure greedy vampires in with her smeared lipstick and smoky eyes. They’d pull at her fishnets, not knowing that she had sought them out, that she could smell their disgusting stench from miles away. She’d snap their neck, one by one, these vampires who her husband detested to his core. She’d rip out their hearts out. She’d bleed them dry. She’d put their corpses on display for the other greedy vampires to see.

Hera and Aesculus thought she didn’t care about anything. That wasn’t true.

She only cared about her husband. She cared about the vision he had for the world. She cared about how he treated blood bags. She cared about not letting his ambitions die with him. She cared about only Hannibal and only ever Hannibal. And she’ll destroy everything that took him away from her.

[talkmagically]

SPN Rare Ship CC: Round 16 | @talkmagically vs. @lotrspnfangirl

Title: The Catholic Dog

Prompt: Devotion

Ship: Michael/Ruby

Word Count: 2712

Rating: Explicit

Tags/Warnings: NSFW, Priest!Michael, Blasphemy, Severe misuse of an altar

Summary: Father Michael is a simple man. A weak man. How could be possibly resist temptation when Ruby makes it look so good?

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13621089

Michael wiped the cotton cloth across the altar, marveling at the shine left behind as he cleaned. The marble was always covered in smudges, fingerprints, and stains from splashed wine by Sunday night. Michael found joy in making the surface pristine for another week of worship. Giving the parish a ‘clean slate’ to worship upon made Michael feel like he was giving himself permission to preach, as well. He could not bring himself to lead his parishioners without doing this every week. Not to mention the church looked absolutely beautiful after dark, lit only by candles. Seeing it was but one of the few luxuries he’d allow himself to have.

“Well, that truly is a sight to behold,” a voice echoed through the empty church. “A priest bent over an altar.”

Michael froze mid-wipe, still bent over the altar, and glanced down at his rosary as it slipped out of his partially unzipped sweater and made a tinkling noise on the marble. That was not a voice he expected to hear on a Sunday. She usually showed enough respect to not show up on Sundays. Letting out a weary sigh, Michael brought himself back up to a standing position before turning around.

“It is not Monday yet,” Michael pointed out. He looked at one of the clocks mounted on the walls just to make sure he was correct. It was 10:48pm. He had just over an hour until Monday.

“Do I really seem like someone who cares?” the woman asked as she meandered closer to Michael, dragging her fingers over the pews as she passed them.

“No, but I do. Why are you here on a Sunday, Ruby?” Michael asked. He twisted in place to set his cleaning cloth down on the altar before Ruby reached him.

“Well, Father,” Ruby began. She slowed to a stop in front of Michael and reached out to run a finger down one side of Michael’s rosary as she gave him a mischievous look. “I have a confession to make. You do still provide those services, do you not?”

“A demon seeking the Lord’s forgiveness? And here I thought I’d never see the day,” Michael muttered.

“It has been several centuries since my last confession,” Ruby continued, ignoring Michael’s comment. She took a step closer to Michael and began to tip-toe her fingers up his chest. “I have...quite a few sins I wish to confess. Do you have the time?”

Michael closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he felt Ruby’s fingers make their way closer and closer to his collar. It was a familiar game that Ruby was playing; Act coy so it made Michael feel as if he was the one corrupting Ruby instead of the other way around. A week would never go by without this. And, Lord above forgive him, did Ruby know the exact strings to pull to get what she wanted from Michael.

Feeling the string of his self-restraint break, Michael pushed Ruby’s hand aside and reached out to grab her face to pull her into a kiss. He was a weak man. There was no way he could handle her teasing until midnight struck. And tease Ruby would, if given the opportunity. Michael growled into the kiss when he felt Ruby’s hand tangle into his rosary pinned between the two of them and turned the two of them around so he could push her into the altar.

“Break it and I’ll exorcise you, myself,” Michael hissed during the moment he pulled away so he could start mouthing at Ruby’s neck.

“God, I love it when you start talking dirty,” Ruby breathed into Michael’s ear.

Michael bit down hard on Ruby’s neck for the blasphemy, grinding his hips into hers as he listened to her moan echo off the church walls. Michael briefly wondered how high on the blasphemy scale that sound ranked because he didn’t want her to stop. He’d do anything to keep her from stopping.

“I am afraid I break several commandments on a regular basis, Father,” Ruby continued. She removed her fingers from Michael’s rosary and unzipped his sweater the rest of the way so she could run her nails down his shirt. “I covet. I steal. I’ve beared false witness.”

“Quite the sinner we have here, my child,” Michael murmured into Ruby’s ear. He smirked into her hair when he noticed the goosebumps that grew on her neck.

“Oh, yes,” Ruby agreed with a few jerky nods. “And it gets far worse. I cannot remember the last time I honored my parents. I take the Lord’s name in vain. I commit adultery. I murder.”

“That is such a long list. How can one even hope to gain the Lord’s forgiveness for such sins?” Michael questioned. He pushed a hand up Ruby’s shirt to remove it completely and blindly tossed it onto the altar behind her.

“Oh, I didn’t come to confession for absolution, Father,” Ruby chuckled. She took the removal of her shirt as an invitation to start attacking Michael’s belt. Once she had it loose and Michael’s pants open, she hooked her fingers through the front two loops and pulled Michael closer. “I came to brag.”

“Now, you’ve broken enough of the rules already. No need to bring the seven deadly sins into this,” Michael chided.

“Where is the fun in that?” Ruby asked, giving Michael doe eyes.

Michael dipped his head to kiss Ruby again in response and cupped his hands under her ass to lift her up onto the altar. Ruby immediately wrapped her legs around Michael’s waist to pin him against her as she ran her hands through his hair. It was Michael’s turn to moan when Ruby scratched at his roots before gripping his hair tightly and jerking his head back so she could nibble at his adam’s apple.

Michael’s eyes focused on the face of Jesus, hanging high above them on the cross, and he swallowed hard as his brain began to finally register what he and Ruby were doing. What Ruby had baited him into. Thinking back to why he was in the church so late to begin with, Michael let out another growl and stepped away from Ruby.

“What is it?” Ruby asked, a look of confusion growing on her face in response to Michael’s sudden change in demeanor.

Michael ignored her question, however, in favor of pulling her off the altar and turning her around so he could push her forward and pin her down in a bent-over position. He held her down with one hand between her shoulder blades - an action he was sure he’d pay for later - and used his other hand to make quick work of undoing her jeans and pulling them down, along with her underwear. Sometimes it amazed him how much Ruby was willing to let him do when he considered how she could overpower him without effort. But he also knew better than to comment on her tolerance - or, dare he say, preference - for manhandling. She would turn it around on him purely out of spite. She had done it before.

“You come into the house of the Lord,” Michael said as he ground his hips into Ruby’s, pulling a moan out of her as his zipper scraped against her skin and left red marks behind. “On the Sabbath. A walking example of lust and debauchery. And you don’t expect to pay for such blasphemy? I dare say, I could almost call you a masochist.”

“Yes. I agree. I deserve to be punished. What punishment fits the crime, Father?” Ruby asked with a smirk, looking back over her shoulder at Michael.

“I have something very fitting in mind,” Michael hissed back. He undid his own pants the rest of the way and snatched the small bottle of mineral oil he had intended to use on the altar that night out of the basket of cleaning materials that sat at their feet.

Ruby quickly took the opportunity to push back against Michael when he had to remove his hand from her back to slather oil on both of them. However, she was soon grasping at the far edge of the altar and letting out a long moan after Michael tossed the bottle of oil aside and grabbed both of her hips to thrust in with one quick movement. Michael took a moment to steady his breathing, the room suddenly feeling much warmer than it was before, and reached forward with his dry hand to grab a handful of Ruby’s hair.

“Now, just look at that,” Michael whispered into Ruby’s ear as he held her head back far enough so she’d have no choice but to look at the crucifixion. “All these sins you’ve listed off, and he loves you regardless.”

Ruby let out a mewling whimper when Michael pulled out nearly all the way before snapping his hips back forward. She scrambled to get one arm under her for support and used the other one to reach back and grasp at Michael’s hand on her hip. Ruby shuddered at the feeling of Michael’s hot breath on the side of her neck as he gave her a few kitten licks and refused to let go of her hair.

“You didn’t even have to ask him to die for you. He did it, anyway,” Michael continued, punctuating every third word with a hard thrust. It took every ounce of Michael’s self-control to not let loose when Ruby’s moaning from earlier returned, but he managed it. Barely. A sudden high-pitched squeak from Ruby when Michael had to adjust his weight on his feet and inadvertently changed his angle didn’t help. “And, truly, that is the ultimate forgiveness. Nothing I say, nothing I do, can ever absolve you more than you accepting that precious gift of love he has given us all.”

“Good, ol’ JC can come visit me in Hell if he has something to give me,” Ruby shot back in a breathy tone. Michael slammed his hips forward and tightened his grip on Ruby’s hair before leaning forward to speak into her ear again.

“I am sure he would do just that if you asked him very, very politely,” Michael hissed.

Michael began thrusting into Ruby in earnest, foregoing any further banter back-and-forth in favor of pulling as many noises out of Ruby as he could. Which she delivered with repeated moans and heady breaths. It was intoxicating. If Michael was going to succumb to sin, this had to be his favorite way to go.

“Gah, fuck… Michael…” Ruby squeaked out between breaths, whimpering in need when he gripped her hair even tighter to keep her eyes on the crucifixion hanging above them. “Michael.”

The sight of his bouncing rosary caught Michael’s eye when he glanced down to adjust his grip on Ruby’s hip, and the reminder that he shouldn’t be doing this was enough to push him close to the edge. Michael released Ruby’s hair so he could grab both of her hips while he tried to get closer and closer. Beneath him, he could feel Ruby start to shudder as she cried out and gripped at the marble atlar again with white knuckles. The sensation of Ruby clenching around him finally pushed Michael over, and he rode them both out with a few more shaky thrusts.

The church soon fell quiet again with only heavy breathing to break the silence. Michael leaned forward with a forearm on the altar, next to Ruby, to keep himself upright as he attempted to catch his breath. Ruby let herself lay slack across the altar, in no rush to move out of Michael’s continued grip on her hip, and pressed her forehead onto the cool marble. Michael glanced up at the clock and couldn’t stop the sharp laugh from escaping his mouth when he saw that the time was 11:23pm. It was still Sunday.

“You are the most blasphemous creature I have ever met,” Michael said as he slowly pulled away from Ruby finally.

“And yet, every week, you never say no to whatever I ask,” Ruby pointed out with a chuckle. She lifted her head up to look at the crucifixion and gave it a mock salute before pulling her pants and underwear back up.

“Would you even listen if I said no?” Michael asked while re-doing his buckle, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer now that he voiced his thoughts out loud. He was very much aware again that the woman in front of him wasn’t human. Ruby turned around to give Michael a look.

“I may be a demon, Michael, but even I have standards. We’re not down below. While here on Earth, it’s a hell of a lot more fun when you’re an active participant,” Ruby scoffed. She paused a moment and leveled another look at him. This one a bit wary. “You wouldn’t actually go through with it, would you?”

“With what?” Michael asked. He absentmindedly zipped his sweater back up and tucked his rosary back in, barely catching Ruby’s glance down at it. “Oh. An exorcism. No, Ruby. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t do it if I tried. Regardless of what anyone does, I would not be capable of knowingly sending them to Hell. That is not a judgement that is my place to make.”

A look flashed across Ruby’s face that Michael wasn’t entirely able to decipher, and it was gone before he could imprint it in his memory to consider later.

“Still. Quite the threat for a string of beads,” Ruby pointed out.

“It was a gift from my parents when I held Mass for the first time by myself. It has far more meaning to me than any rosary I could ever receive from the Church,” Michael explained. He didn’t understand why he was telling Ruby anything. She was usually out the door by now, unable to be within the grounds of the church any longer than an hour and unwilling to test her limits. But Michael could tell she was fighting the pain that had begun to creep up under her skin. And, for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why she stayed.

“Humans and your sentimentality,” Ruby laughed with a shaky breath.

“Ruby, are you okay?” Michael asked. He took a step forward and raised a hand to touch the side of her face. Michael’s face scrunched up in concern when Ruby let her eyes flutter shut and turned into Michael’s touch.

“Such devotion, you have,” Ruby said, ignoring Michael’s question. “To meet up with a demon on a weekly basis and still remain loyal to the church.”

“We are all sinners, Ruby. Each and every one of us. While the Lord may judge me for my affairs with you, I still have a job to pass along his word to all who are willing to listen.” Ruby fell silent at Michael’s answer. Whatever her reasoning for still being there, Michael knew she couldn’t stay any longer when he began to feel her shake under his hand. “Ruby, come on. You shouldn’t be here. We’re getting closer to the hour mark.”

“Just a minute more, Michael. To stay here with you,” Ruby whispered. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before opening her eyes, both of them flashing black. “You really do deserve to be a priest.”

Michael pressed his lips tightly together when he had no immediate response. Now was not the time to admit that he had been questioning his position in the Church as of late. Because as much as he loved the Church, he didn’t need to be a priest to teach others about the word of God. And not being a priest meant being able to stay somewhere that didn’t cause Ruby physical pain. He needed to find a balance between his devotion to the Church and his devotion to her. It wasn’t coming easily.

“Come on, Ruby,” Michael insisted, grabbing her arm and pulling her gently in the direction of the main entrance. “It’s not safe for you here anymore.”

Michael didn’t know whether or not to take Ruby’s compliance as a sign of anything significant. But for now, he’d focus on getting her out of here. He could get his answers later.

[avelera]

POTC:5 - A Hot Mess, with some glimmers of heart

I actually wrote this a few days ago on the plane and consistently forgot to post so here we go Maggie’s analysis of the hot mess that is POTC5 (and thoughts on how it could have been improved). 

So PotC:5 was a hot mess and totally deserves a hard 57% rating, with a good portion of that rating based latent affection for the franchise.

THAT BEING SAID, they broke Will’s curse so given that I have been waiting 10 YEARS (10 YEARS IN AZKABAN/ ON THAT ISLAND WITH ELIZABETH) for that to happen, and it happened, I’m gonna say my time may have been 90% wasted but I’m not unhappy that I saw it.

The thing is, I think there were scraps of  good movie in there somewhere. Not in the same was as say, Wonder Woman (where I think there was a superb movie in there had they only been allowed to simply rearrange some of their scenes and tweak a plot twist or two) but still. Frankly, I don’t think the scenes that would have made POTC:5 great were even shot, but there’s some structural hints towards their potential.

So here’s what I would have done to tweak POTC:5 to make it a better story along the lines of a novel. To my admittedly untutored eye, there was a lot of things that look like they could have been improved, and maybe there was even a stage of the script where the writers would have liked them to be improved, but things such as studio requirements, actor availability, and actor preference prohibited it. I have no idea what the exact making of this movie entailed but let’s just say, for example, I don’t think Keira Knightley wanted to make this movie, even though it would have been vastly improved by her presence.

Tweaks and Improvements:

1) Replace or at least partner Elizabeth with Barbossa. Frankly, we left her as Pirate King and it would have been amazing to see her *ahem* Swanning around on that opulent ship along with him, enforcing her title. I would have adored a subplot in which Henry has either essentially run away from home or, say, a respectable life that Elizabeth set up for him, or that he has simply gone missing and she’s been looking for him. Frankly, the very idea that Henry could be working on breaking the Will’s curse and have a lead and Elizabeth isn’t on that boat with him is crazy to me. The only understandable explanation is metatextual, ie Keira wasn’t available for the film. Pirate King Elizabeth should have been on that quest with them, and it could have provided some really excellent moments of action, pathos and even comedy. It may have also spared us some of the unrelenting fixation on fathers too, or at least balanced it with one present, capable mother instead of the endless string of fridged Disney Moms like Carina’s.

Some scenes it would have allowed - fuckin’ Pirate King Elizabeth overtaking Henry & Co. and giving the “I’m not here to stop you…. I’m here to join you.” speech. Moments of bonding between Henry and Elizabeth. Elizabeth expressing her loss of Will, and Henry sharing it. Humorous tension of having your mom onboard when you’re starting to crush on a girl and also prove yourself. Elizabeth’s total lack of interest in Jack and their inevitable banter… I mean frankly, the only reason not to have her is how much she would have stolen the show. MOVING ON.

2) Carina should have been Salazar’s daughter, not Barbossa’s. Frankly, the Barbossa thing just made… no sense at all. He’s never mentioned or shown interest in a family before, it just doesn’t really fit with his story, and I’m pretty sure that even if he wasn’t a ghost at that point of her conception (assuming Carina is younger than Henry but that’s not necessarily a given), it means he had her after POTC:3 which is… weird. Unless I’m missing something from POTC:4.

Reasons Carina should have been Salazar’s daughter instead:

Shared features: We got quite a few interesting close-ups of Salazar’s black waving hair, which looks a great deal like Carina’s. In contrast, technically under all the liver damage, Barbossa does have blue eyes but there any resemblance to Carina ends. Salazar actually looks at least a little like he could be her father, enough to serve as an actual clue to her heritage instead of the out of nowhere revelation about Barbossa. There’s the issue of the accent but they could either hand wave that by saying she studied in England or hire a hispanic actress, or have the actress assume a hint of a Spanish accent. Either way, it’s not a huge hurdle.

Salazar was clearly a good guy and successful before his transformation into a ghost thing, it explains how Carina got such a high-end education as to be an astronomer and a horologist, something that was never explained by the film, because by all accounts if the ruby was all Barbossa left her and she didn’t spend it, Carina would have grown up penniless. Salazar, as a Spanish officer of his own ship, would have been in a much better position for his family and estate to see that his daughter had a fantastic education.

It would have allowed Carina’s story to mirror Henry’s, that both of them are trying to free their father from a sea curse. Frankly, her not believing in magic and still going after the map thing is a bit of cognitive stretch. Having both of them trying to break a curse on their father would have been a nice parallel. You could even have it that Carina is skeptical about her father’s curse, but still sees the trident as a means of “freeing” him or at least convincing him to come home if he’s just gone mad. It could also provide a dramatic scene where maybe her whole life she hasn’t allowed herself to believe that her father was really “cursed” rather than dead or a deadbeat, and she tries to convince Henry that his father is no more cursed than hers and is only absent. Then, at the first sight of magic she could have a true moment of emotion, realizing it was indeed a curse that kept her once-heroic father away from her and her family.

Frankly, Salazar’s story is all over the place. Especially his morality. I get that this is “Pirates” of the Caribbean so the pirates are the good guys, but he was something of an actual good guy at least along the lines of Norrington before he went down and became all ghosty. Also, the moment where they become human again was actually rather emotional. I didn’t really understand why he was still a bad guy after they got turned back? Why the vengeance? How about instead let him get an actual redemption arc, his daughter talking him down from his mercilessness towards pirates because they’re the ones who helped free him. That also eliminates the need for Barbossa’s rather random and out of character “sacrifice” at the end, if he doesn’t need to die taking down Salazar.

(I gotta say, for like a split second I thought the witch would turn out to be Carina’s mother and her and Barbossa gave her up to give her a better life so failing a Salazar parenthood I could totally accept that too.)

3) Just… less Jack Sparrow, please. His wacky hijinks are at their best when they’re played against someone who is actually trying to pursue the plot. That’s why he was such a good foil and antagonistic ally for Will and Elizabeth, he’s best when he’s a wild card. But also, the schtick is getting a bit old. Hence why it would have been nice to have Elizabeth in the film to play off him a bit.

That being said, the glimpse we got of Young Jack the Sparrow was waaaay hotter than I expected, like I never had a real thing for Sparrow like many others did but godDAMN young cocky pirate kid who is just finding his sea legs, wasn’t totally crazy yet, and looked like he walked off the set of Black Sails was one of the small highlights of the film. It just goes to show what giving Jack Sparrow even a dash of integrity can do to strengthen the character.

Another thing absent from the film which was desperately needed - some connection between Henry and Jack Sparrow. It seemed assumed but never shown. Really, we got a ton of Jack Sparrow being disdainful of Will and Elizabeth, but I’d like to think that he would feel at least a little protective of their child. There was moments in the film that seemed to hint at that, but it would have been nice to get a verbal admission at some point (unless I missed it) along the lines of how he actually does care about them beneath his wacky and selfish exterior, and by extension doesn’t want their son to die.

Overall the film felt like 3 or 4 film ideas sort of crammed into one story. I definitely saw snippets of discarded plots, the whole possession of Henry came out of nowhere (though I forgive it because possession is my jam), Salazar’s pathos went in and out in favor of him in the end just remaining a monster despite the fact he just got his life back, Carina’s backstory and relation to Barbossa makes no sense at all, Elizabeth not participating makes no sense at all, and characters would randomly move vast distances or have extremely helpful coincidences just when they needed them to a level that went beyond “fun adventure story” and into “writer clearly ended up in a corner, again” territory.

I think the best parts of the film came down to Henry’s authenticity and his quest to save his father. The scene at the beginning where he meets Will by nearly dying was perhaps my favorite of the whole film, if not for the ending, and with just those two I would have been quite content. The film really needed to be more about that and less about Sparrow hijinks, which are always a great spice but they are a terrible center piece. POTC has consistently been the story of Elizabeth and Will, and it loses a lot of its fire when it shifts to be about Sparrow rather than their story serving as a stage where he could serve as jester and commentator. If this was to be the story of the next generation of Henry and Carina, it should have been allowed to remain fixated on them, and allowed there to be pathos in Carina’s story as much as Henry’s, which is why I think a parallel lost father and a connection to Salazar would have added a great deal.

I’m not sure if there’ll be a sixth film. It’s probably better if there isn’t. But I would be willing to drag myself back to the theater if we can finally see Will and Elizabeth again because frankly, apropos to nothing, their reunion was the single hottest most powerful moment of the whole movie and I’ll take a lot of confused garbage for that.

[cameronnicholls-blog1]

Welcome ball

A/N: I’ll just say this: it is sad that Cameron is not a sucker for royal balls like I am. Also I apologize for this thing I produced. It is rushed and bad written. Anyway mentions of @domschreave @ruby-stones @ladykatdempsey and @princeevanschreave

 “Stop moving Miss!”

 I groaned at my maid, Krystal. She was making my hair for that stupid ball. I didn’t even want to go there, why should I do efforts and stay quietly on my chair? Krystal pulled on my hair, adding it was almost over. I was pretty sure she didn’t like me. I understood: who would? I brought only problems. Without taking into account that I made it obvious I wasn’t here to win. I even threw my heels throughout the window and refused to wear any of the long day dresses my maids made me. I was maddening with them. A part of me felt guilty and was ashamed of my behavior. I should be nicer. But every time I decided to be less rude, they asked personal question or tried to convince to really compete for the prince, which led to my usual reactions -aggression, mean etc.

 After pulling on my hair, Krystal took care of my makeup. I kept grimacing during the whole thing but she strangely succeeded in making me look presentable. She forced me to put a dress on and made me stand in front of the mirror. “You can’t say you don’t look hot.” She said. She was right. With my red intense lips and the green dress mermaid-style, I had everything to look hot. It didn’t mean I wanted to.

——

 I stared at my glass of champagne a long moment, not knowing what to do next. I talked to Dom as soon as I saw him, to ask him why I was still there. The answer wasn’t particularly clear and didn’t help me at all. He didn’t hesitate to eliminate many girls, and we both showed we didn’t like each other. I had the right to wonder why he kept me. But he didn’t care about that. I sighed. That was my only goal for tonight. And it was only 10pm. I had to wait a decent hour to leave. If only I could drink, it would make time pass faster… But no. I thanked internally my maids for the antidepressants they put into my tea. They deserved to die in a hole and burn in hell. I wouldn’t be nice anymore with them.

 With a sigh, I gave my full champagne glass to a waiter and looked around. The girls were talking to each other with grins and giggles, amazed by this reception, and the royals were, well, as royal as usual. I went to that type of party before -every year the hospital my mom worked in organized an important gala charity ball-, but it didn’t mean I was used to it.

 I looked at the clock. 10:02 pm. It was going to be a long night.

——-

Few guards asked me a dance. I kept on refusing but they were obstinate. I was trying to be gentle at the beginning but after the tenth time, it was too much for me. I would probably be very bitchy at the next one, so I decided to hide in a corner of the room.  Unfortunately, I got stopped by someone else.  "Refusing to dance at a ball organized for you is rather a bad idea.“ The man said. I could not deny that he looked impressive, however he wasn’t that tall. With heels, my eyes could reach his… and despite their beautiful color, they were too cold to create another feel than disinterest.  "This ball isn’t for me in particular.”  He drank a sip of his red wine, as if I didn’t interest him, which made me wonder why he even started to talk to me. “They are watching all of you tonight.” He continued.  I sighed and walked away. I was fed up with this conversation already. “Then they’ll keep watching, I don’t care.” I said loud enough to be sure he heard me. Then I did something I probably shouldn’t have done; I turned my head and saw him smirk, before walking away as well. I shook my head. This palace was definitely full of weird people.

——

 Except walking alone, I had nothing else to do. Of course dancing was still an option, if I wasn’t so determined not to do that. I found a new glass of champagne to pretend I had something to do. As long as I didn’t go eat to the buffet, I didn’t look too despaired. I eventually noticed a little girl, Princess Callie. The only child of this ball. I wondered if she had any friend of her age in this palace. Probably not. It made me feel incredibly sad for her. I made a step to go talk to her, but as she was laughing with a selected, I changed my mind and walked in another direction. It made me think about my own little sister too much. Amilia was at the other side of the country, still hoping to see me win, all happy that I could become princess of Illéa. My future elimination would disappointed her so much.

 I looked at the clock. Midnight. Maybe I could leave now. But everybody was still there, even Kat, who was not particularly known to follow the rules. I sighed and decided to leave anyway. The girls were probably hoping to talk to Dom more than few minutes, they would stay until dawn.  I lifted up my dress and crossed the room, almost running. The idea of leaving this ball made me feel relieved. I knew it was due to the antidepressants but for once I decided to enjoy this feeling rather than fight it.  Out of the room, I spotted him immediately, smoking a cigar in the stairs. This time, I was the one who approached him. “Smoking kills.”  He raised his eyebrows. “A lot of things kill.”  I couldn’t deny that. I didn’t answer and climbed the stairs. I had nothing more to tell him. I didn’t even know why I talked to him. I just did, without even thinking about it. I guessed it was because of he antidepressants. I wanted it to be because of them. They were supposed to help to heal but they gave me more problems. Like this current situation.  He was sitting in the middle of the stairs and grabbed my wrist when I passed next to him. “Already leaving?” He scoffed.  I sneered and pulled on my wrist. Natural reaction. He let it go. “I want to make sure they’ll keep looking at me.” I answered. I suddenly started hoping he got that it was sarcasm. I didn’t want him to think that I was… superficial. I shook my head. I didn’t even know his name. My level of stupidity got better and better.  "Oh they will. Maybe not in good though.“ He started smoking again.  It was the moment I could go. Go back to my room, get rid of this awful dress and sleep. I didn’t have to answer, to have a conversation with this unknown man, and especially not in the stairs. But when my brain wanted to leave, my legs refused to move.  Realizing I was not leaving, he raised a curious eyebrow at me, his cigar in his mouth. This view was strangely funny, but I hold back a smile. “Staying here could have even worse effects.” He finally said.  I could say something cynical. But all I answered was this. “Why?”

 He patted the step he was seated on. “I won’t sit.” I told him. I had my limits. I didn’t even know his name!

 He shrugged. “Fine.”

 “Fine.” I repeated and started climbing the stairs again. I hoped I would never see him again, he was so… I turned my head to look at him, still smoking and probably already forgetting me. I narrowed my eyes, studying him. So…

 I groaned and retraced my steps, sitting down next to him, keeping a distance between us. “Tell me your name.” I ordered.

 He laughed at the tone of my voice. “Benjamin. Benjamin Turner.”

 “Benjamin Turner…” I repeated stupidly. “Why couldn’t I stay here?”

 “You’re a selected. You’re not supposed to prefer the company of a politician.”

 “When did I say I preferred your company?” I could feel my lips turning into a smile. But I was unable to stop it.

 “You’re here, no?” He answered with a laugh. I sighed. I was here yes, despite my brain screaming at me to go away.

 “So you’re a politician?” I asked to pursue the conversation. Since when do I do that? I asked myself, almost panicked.

 “Political advisor. I work for King Jameson.” He said with nonchalance, which I immediately mocked.

 “Yeah, working for the king, nothing really.”

 He smirked at my remark, holding his cigar between two fingers. “Maybe I got used to this life, that’s all.”

 “This life looks boring.”

 “What about yours, clearly more exciting than mine?” He replied, sarcastic. Even for a man I had just met, the answer was obvious. I was so pathetic.

 While I was trying to find an answer, he got up. I opened my mouth like an idiot. I didn’t want him to leave. Pathetic. I repeated internally.

 “Where are you going?” I asked quickly.

 He looked at me curiously, probably because of the tone of my voice. I wanted to slap myself. I was acting like an idiot. “Back to the ball. This,” He shook his cigar. “was my break. I am not a prince, but I have still responsibilities.” He went down the stairs while I stayed on the step. I simply couldn’t move. My heart was racing, my breathing heavy. I didn’t understand what just happened. I really needed to go back to my room. And if possible stay there until my elimination. But he ruined my plan. In one sentence.

 Standing in front of the stairs, he suddenly turned towards me. “If I ask you a dance, will you refuse too?”

 My first reaction should be a direct no. But instead of that, I simply continued to be stupid and got up to join him. Once next to him, I whispered. “Bad or good effect if I accept?”

 I made him laugh again. “Both. Definitely both.” He dragged inside the ballroom. I couldn’t help looking around me to check if people were looking at us. And gladly no. I was totally ignored -as always, I could say. We had to wait for a song to end.  It lasted few minutes. Enough to make me think about what I was doing. In theory, because I was actually more focused on my new dance partner. He was watching the “couples” dancing, I took advantage of it to eye him. A square-jawed man with blue eyes and dark brown hair, in his early-thirties I’d say. He probably felt my eyes on him and turned his head. I didn’t look down. And we stayed like that, looking each other in the eye. The change of melody eventually made us react and we went to the dancefloor. He put a warm hand on the bare skin of my back. And finally I had a physical reaction. I turned as red as my hair and looked upon his shoulder to avoid his gaze. He didn’t comment though. That was what eventually decided me to look back at him again. His eyes were still staring at my face, as I expected them to. During the whole song we didn’t say anything. Nevertheless it was not uncomfortable. Not at all. I would rather say that it was one of the most intense moment of my life. When he let me go at the end of the song, I took a deep breath, as if I stopped breathing those five last minutes. He seemed calmer but I could read in his eyes that he was not. “Bad effect.” I whispered to him. He shook his head. “Good effect.” I didn’t know what to answer to this. Maybe because I secretly agreed. He decided to take us champagne. I didn’t tell that I technically couldn’t. I wanted, I needed to drink. Anything to erase the feelings. It was too much, too quickly.

 A hand on my stomach -a bad habit I took when I felt nervous-, I looked around the room, waiting for him to come back. I noticed Ruby who was walking strangely. She was so drunk. I sighed, still looking at her. Until she fell on the floor. Oh please no. And no one seemed to go help her. Guess it had to be me. I got closer to her and got her up.

Honestly, I wasn’t helping her to be nice. I just needed to run away from feelings I wasn’t ready to face. And she was the perfect distraction.

 I took her to a couch and let her talk. I was discussing with a drunk girl to avoid my problems. I didn’t know who was the most pathetic between her and me. I decided to take her back to her room while she was still able to walk -with help.

 When she threw up on my dress, I deeply regretted my decision. Okay I didn’t even like that dress, but I didn’t want to walk around with vomit either!

 Maybe I should have stayed with Benjamin. I thought when we turned in the corridor of Ruby’s bedroom. I shook my head. No. I made the right decision. Though I felt incredibly guilty for abandoning him like that. I was really a bitch. And a coward. Hopefully I would never see him again after tonight.

 Ruby’s maids distracted me from him. They were so worried about her, it was cute. At least Ruby was safe with them.

 While they were taking care of her, I took a hoodie in her closet and put it on. I cleared my throat. “I should go.”

 “Thank you for taking care of her Lady Cameron.” One of them said. “Without your help she probably would have spend the night in one of the bushes in the garden,” Another maid giggled. “so thank you for that.”

 I smiled lightly. “You’re welcome.” I went to the door. “Let’s hope she forgets everything.”

 “We shall and I hope you have a good night Lady Cameron!”

 “This night is… okay.” I smiled at them and left the room, letting it fade as soon as they couldn’t see me anymore. I sighed. Okay. I guessed it was the best way to describe it. Not bad. Not good either. Just okay.

 I crossed the corridors until I reached the stairs. Two options now. I could go on straight ahead and finally went back to my room. Or I could go down the stairs and choose the ball. I realized I took the hoodie for a reason. Unconsciously I already wanted to go back there. And without even realizing it, I was in the ballroom again. I noticed few glances at my dress. I zipped the hoodie to hide what Ruby did and went to the buffet. We had a better view of the whole room from there.  Evan was standing there, doing… nothing, except being Evan probably. I talked to him only twice, but I already stopped trying to understand him.  "Good evening. Good morning. Whatever you want. Is there still champagne somewhere?“ I told him straightforwardly. Even after what happened with Ruby, I still wanted champagne.  "Are you feeling okay?” He replied, which made me frown. “Yes, why?”  "You just seem a little jumpy.“  Did I look jumpy? Really? I didn’t feel jumpy.  "The antidepressants have this effect.” Was the only answer I found. I put my hands in the pockets of the hoodie. The antidepressants were only an excuse. They were partly responsible of my attitude, but not totally. However I wasn’t ready to admit the real reason, especially not to him.  If I didn’t feel jumpy at the beginning of this conversation, he quickly made me feel uncomfortable. Well it was maybe my fault, talking about my depression wasn’t a great idea. I even made it worse when my mother became the main subject of the discussion.  "Huh.“ I swear that was all he said. Huh. I knew she was crazy, but it confirmed me that she really wasn’t a normal mother.

 He ended the conversation quickly after that and left me alone. I didn’t really mind. I was not even totally focussed in our talk, looking for him.

 I found him just after Evan left. He was with another man, older than him. Probably an advisor too. He forgot me already. I tried to convince me it  was the right thing. All of this was a big mistake, it had to end as soon as possible.

 I had no reason to stay there anymore. Time to leave Cameron. If I was waiting for that moment at the beginning of the ball, now I almost regretted it.

 I crossed the doors again, for the last time tonight. I was almost at the stairs when someone called me. I stopped and it took me few seconds before turning around. He was standing there, with two glasses of champagne.

 “I spent half an hour holding this, you could at least take it.” He handed me one glass with a smirk. He knew why I disappeared. But it didn’t seem to bother him.

 “Take it doesn’t mean drink it.” I said as I grabbed the glass.

 He took a sip of his own glass, somehow still smirking. “Then don’t drink it.”

I looked him in the eyes, having this feeling again. “I won’t.”

[myparagosmmyrulessorryhomop-blog]

Avery

Ok, this is something I made for one of my paragosm characters, hope you enjoy. Feedback would be nice.

Basic Character Questions

First name? Hamilya Surname? Criellen/Jules Middle name? Avery Nicknames? Aves, Avy Age? 141

Physical / Appearance

Height? 7' 11" Weight? 200 lbs Build? Tall, lean Hair colour? Black Hair style? Braided, down Eye colour? Bieyed, one's green, the other is black Eye Shape? Wide, expressive Glasses or contact lenses? Glasses Distinguishing facial features? A small scar Skin? Dark brown Hands? Large, but almost feminine Makeup? Eyeliner Scars? Face, torso Tattoos? Ankles; dolphins. Chest; Ivy. Left arm; Broken, bleeding, and repaired hearts Type of clothes? Casual, royal Race / Ethnicity? Zaminalian/Dark Elvana Mannerisms? Cursing, extremely clean Do they have any disabilities? Bipolar Disorder, visually impaired

Personality

What words or phrases do they overuse? Fudge, made up curses, sarcasm in general Do they have a catchphrase? No Are they more optimistic or pessimistic? Optimistic Are they introverted or extroverted? Extroverted Do they ever put on airs? YES. What bad habits do they have? Cursing, drinking, interrupting others What makes them laugh out loud? Physical humor, or a good joke How do they display affection? Hugs, kisses, shoulder punches, etc Mental handicaps? Bipolar Disorder, suicidal thoughts, depression How do they want to be seen by others? Kind, funny, sassy, a good father and mate How do they see themselves? Worthless, useless, abandoned How are they seen by others? Arrogant, sarcastic, disrespectful, gentle, sweet, respectful, annoying, flirty (Really depends on how well you know eachother) Strongest character trait? Determination Weakest character trait? Easily irritated How competitive are they? Not very Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider? Snap judgements How do they react to praise? "Oh stop it, you.....please continue" How do they react to criticism? Takes it, builds on it What is their greatest fear? Losing others What are their biggest secrets? He actually loves snakes; he thinks they're  aodrable, even though he denies it What is their philosophy of life? Do what you can for others, treat yourself, learn from others experiences What haunts them? His drunk treatment of his mates, the preventable death of Andreas by friendly fire What are their political views? End corruption, equal opportunities, equal pay, etc, etc What will they stand up for? Ending slavery, stopping domestic, physical, child, and animal abuse, helping veterans and victims of substance abuse Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy? Very outdoorsy What sense do they most rely on? Hearing What quality do they most value in a friend? Listening skills or moxie What do they consider an overrated virtue? Patience If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be? He would be more careful with his words and actions What is their obsession? Song writing, drinking What are their pet peeves? Leaving doors open, unkempt rooms What are their idiosyncrasies? Tapping his feet, humming under his breath, bursting out in song at random (And often inappropriate) times

Friends and Family

Is their family big or small? HUGE. JUST, HUGE Who does it consist of? His Father and his mate, siblings, a 2nd cousin, his 2 concubines(Male), his 2 mates(Also both male), and his children What is their perception of family? Really? Not traditional, that's for sure Do they have siblings? 5 of them, 3 brothers and 2 sisters Older or younger? An older brother and sister, and 2 younger brothers and a younger sister Ideal best friend? Someone who listens and gives advice, but also knows when he needs to be punched Do they have any pets? Yep. Lots of pets Who are their natural allies? Most of his people Who are their surprising allies? The Star-Wolves

Past and Future

What was your character like as a baby? Quiet and easily distracted As a child? Respectful, but not afraid to speak up Did they grow up rich or poor? Lower middle class Did they grow up nurtured or neglected? Nurtured to a degree What is the most offensive thing they ever said? Cursing out his advisors when his concubine Ashler lay in a coma after giving birth to his child What is their greatest achievement? Marrying the love of his life What was their first kiss like? Tentative, afraid of being caught, sweet What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved? Beating his mates while drunk What are their ambitions? To end slavery and break his addiction What advice would they give their younger self? Don't take the canteen, they said it's ok if you don't want to, marry Melees, not Sierra, get help for your problems What smells remind them of their childhood? Paint, bread, rooibis   What was their childhood ambition? To become a ZLE (Zamanalian Law Enforcer) What is their best childhood memory? Playing video games with friends, getting his first horse What is their worst childhood memory? Finding out who his father was Did they have an imaginary childhood friend? Yes. He was an angel with a trenchcoat. His name was Felix. When was the last time they were crushed with disappointment? When he couldn't get the Trans School Goers Protection Act through the Dasin Council What past act are they most ashamed of? Nearly raping Moroko (One of his concubines) What past act are they most proud of? Signing the Women's Workplace Act Has anyone ever saved their life? Crispus and Habruin have talked him out of suicide several times Strongest childhood memory? Helping his mother make and paint her pottery

Love

Do they believe in love at first sight? His feelings are mixed, but over all, yes Are they in a relationship? Yes. A polygamous/polyamourous one, that's for sure. When did you character last have sex? Ha. HA. HAHAHA....no, Melees says it's pretty intense most nights What sort of sex do they have? Loud, slow, and if consensual, mild BDSM. (Never further than collars/harnesses and toys Has your character ever been in love? Um...yes? Have they ever had their heart broken? Yep. Many times.

Conflict

How do they respond to a threat? Dark Elvana usually flee or fight. He's fights   Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue? Fists What is your character’s kryptonite? Both his strength and weakness is his family If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be? Probably his pets How do they perceive strangers? Typically friendly, unless you prove to a jerk from the beginning   What do they love to hate? Llamas. I am not joking What are their phobias? He is both Astra and Autophobic What is their choice of weapon? Sword, Dagger-gun What living person do they most despise? Sierra, (His ex-wife) Have they ever been bullied or teased? He was a Tuber (gotta love copyright) it comes with the territory Where do they go when they’re angry? The stables, the kennels, or the sparring field Who are their enemies and why? King Emerald and Queen Liberia are both murderers and slavers who refuse to honor agreements

Work, Education and Hobbies

What is their current job? King of Zamanalia What do they think about their current job? It sucks, but when your older brother dumps the family business on you so he can have a vacation, you adapt What are some of their past jobs? Groom, Tuber What are their hobbies? Riding, writing music, making videos Educational background? Homeschooled until 13, self-taught afterwards ("It is amazing how much you can accomplish and learn after a Three Leaf Search" -Avery Criellen) Intelligence level? He took an IQ exam, refuses to tell anyone the results were 179 Do they have any specialist training? Does How-To-And-How-Not-To-Take-Care-Of-A-Horse and How to make and add special effects, music, and thumbnails count? Do they have a natural talent for something? Well, there is...nope, nothing innate Do they play a sport? Yep, Ping-pong Are they any good? He's horrible and he knows it

Favourites

What is their favourite animal? Cats Which animal to they dislike the most? Monkeys What place would they most like to visit? The Camya Library What are the most beautiful things they’ve ever seen? His mates What is their theme song? I'm So Humble, Self-Made, Weak, and Dollhouse are just some of my theme songs for him Music, art, reading preferred? Music, fanart, fanfiction reading. (He loves ranting at people in comments of disgusting fics, especially if they feature people he knows and cares about *cough*stufflikethemilkfic*cough*) What is their favourite colour? Green What is their password? I have the wine Favourite food: Pizza, chocolate What is their favourite work of art? A piece of fanart someone made for his father and his father's mate Zulu What is their favourite day of the week? Sun.Freaking.Day. (The one day no one can come to him with matters not of national or international importance)

Possessions

What is on their bedside table? Glasses, the Royal Jewel (A ruby in the middle of gold on a black velvet choker) Probably some lube What is in their pockets? Trash, probably some candy he stole from the kitchen, the smallest flask he could find What is their most treasured possession? A photo album of his family, both nuclear and extended

Spirituality

Who or what is your character’s guardian angel? Like I said, Felix. Just because he stopped believing doesn't mean he isn't there Do they believe in the afterlife? Yes What are their religious views? He doesn't believe in Tango, his people's ancient Goddess, or the White Elvana's Overall or guardian spirits What do they think heaven is? Somewhere he can see people who has missed again What do they think hell is? Where abusers, serial killers, pedophiles, etc, etc go if they know what are doing and do it on purpose Are they superstitious? Nope What would they like to be reincarnated as? A horse or dog How would they like to die? In a battle, no matter  what kind What is your character’s spirit animal? The Wolf

Values

What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person? Rape, torture, or not accepting who they are When did they last lie? He told his 6 year old son it was gonna be ok What’s their view of lying? Don't unless necessary When did they last make a promise? When he said he was gonna stop drinking and take his medicene Did they keep or break their last promise? He's working on it! 😁😁😁

Daily life

What are their eating habits? EAT IT ALL. YOU CAN WORK IT OFF LATER Do they have any allergies? A mild soy allergy Describe their home. He lives in a castle. Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder? He hoards everything. EVE.RY.THING What do they do first thing on a weekday morning? Hope nobody is an idiot that day What do they do on a Sunday afternoon? He spends time with his family What do they do on a Friday night? Get dragged away before he downs the cellars What is the soft drink of choice? Cream soda What is their alcoholic drink of choice? Wine or Nar'him

Miscellaneous

What 3 are their character archetypes? (Innocent, Orphan, Hero, Caregiver, Explorer, Rebel, Lover, Creator, Jester, Sage, Magician, Ruler) Rebel, Lover, Ruler Who is their hero? His older sister, Jhess! *snuggles up to awesome warrior who is leader of a matriarchal clan* What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween? If he found himself on this this world? Probably a traditional Zamanalain costume, leaving people to wonder where it came from Are they comfortable with technology? Tuber. He was a Tuber. He still is a Tuber. Think about it If they could save one person, who would it be? Montezuma, Crispus' brother If they could call one person for help, who would it be? His father What is their greatest extravagance? Fine silk clothing, their native foods, and bedding for his mates What would they do if they won the lottery? Give it all away Do they believe in happy endings? No What is their idea of perfect happiness? A mate (or mates) you love, a job you want,  friends, and a warm dog or cat What would they ask a fortune teller? If things will get better If your character could travel through time, where would they go? To Sunray's time, to make sure Hezekiah Criellen, first King of Zamanalia, didn't sign the treaty that would subject them to slavery If they could have a superpower, what would they choose? Pyrokinetics, for sure