#separate them??? king in yellow something?????

[loverboybrightsideghost]

i’m gonna be so honest i have no fucking clue what's going on in malevolent

[luvsfics]

WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW — house of the dragon

Davos Blackwood x Bracken!Reader

[ forbidden love, sex content, oral sex, semi-outdoor sex ]

Description: The long-going feud between house’s Blackwood and Bracken won’t stop her from loving the man her heart desires, even if he is on the other side of the dispute.

Authors note: he might not be benjicot Blackwood but he’s still my man. And yes, I’m doing this instead of writing chapter 4 of serendipity…

The young lady Bracken sighed as her brothers messed around the field, a little too close to the barrier stones that separated the lands of house Blackwood and Bracken.

“Can you even get that thing up?” One of the brothers laughed. Aeron pulled the hilt of his sword from his belt, “Well enough for killing Blackwood’s” he smirked.

She only rolled her eyes, weaving daisies together to make a crown, bored of her brothers yet not enough to stay inside with her family back home.

She missed her lover. Though, she could never say it out loud, for she would be cast aside by her own family, she was in love with a Blackwood, and he loved her too.

“Bracken!” A familiar voice shouted. All of the yellow clothed siblings looked towards the men, a fluttering feeling filling her belly as she saw her lover stepping towards them.

“Put the boundary stones back.” Davos demanded.

“We didn’t move them.” Aeron said as he moved towards the Blackwoods. Davos scoffed, “Oh, did they move themselves then?”

“Just rolled their way over so Bracken cows can fill their bellies on Blackwood grass.” He continued.

Even when angry, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She constantly had to bite back a smile whenever she was around her family when she thought about him or saw him.

“The assize of Riverrun-“ Aeron began, “fuck the assize, and fuck you.” Davos smugly said, annoyed at the Bracken man.

“This is our land.”

“It’s Bracken land.”

The Lady Bracken finally stood from her rock, smoothing out the sides of her dress, flower crown in hand. She slowly stepped towards her brother, Aeron.

He turned away from the Blackwood boy, walking away from the situation. The Bracken girl’s eyes never left her lovers and his gaze finally met hers, almost softening instantly.

“Babe-killer.” Aeron mumbled under his breath as he passed his sister.

“What did you say?” His head whipped towards the Bracken boy. Aeron sucked in a breath, stepping back in front of his sister in a way of protecting her.

“Your false queen, Rhaenyra, is a kinslayer.” She gulped at her brother’s words. She knew what her lover would think of this, she worried of his words that would come later that night when they saw each other.

He knew she never agreed with her family, yet he always had something to say.

“Your uncle declared for Aegon, did he?” Davos bit his tongue.

“Well then, let me tell you.” He said as he stepped towards the Bracken’s. “Aegon Targaryen is no true king…just as you are not true knight.” He got into the boys face.

“You’re both craven, little cunts!” He exclaimed as he pushed the man back. She gasped a quickly stepped out of the way, Aeron pulled out his sword, pointing it at the man before him.

“Aeron!” She shouted.

Davos began laughing, stepping towards the blade, “you wouldn’t dare!”

She quickly broke up the men, “stop this at once! It is merely stones, they can be put back!” She tried to explain.

“Sister-!”

“We will put them back.” She looked between the boys before settling her eyes on her secret lover. “They will be put back, I promise you.”

His gaze lightened, “they better be.” He said as he pulled away, commanding his brothers to follow him back home.

“Why would you do that?” Aeron asked.

“Would you rather die over stones?” She scoffed.

“Fuck-“ she gasped as her lover flicked his tongue over her swollen bud, one hand gripping his dark locks under her skirts and another gripping the wooden barrel beneath her.

The torch light of the empty stable, much far away from the homes of both lovers, shined against her pale skin. Her dress falling down her shoulders.

His tongue entered her dripping entrance. The moans that escaped her were loud and needy as she through her head back in pleasure.

“Davos, please- my love!” Her hips began grinding onto his face, chasing the pleasure he brought her.

His hands gripped onto the soft flesh of her thighs, eating her cunt as if it would be the last meal he would ever have.

The feeling of her peak blinded her, forcing her to see the light. Her noises were louder than ever before as he brought her to her high.

Her heart beat rapidly as she came down to earth, giggling at the bubbly feeling she felt expanding through her.

Her lover stood from her skirts, licking his lips of her essences. His smile was intoxicating, his hands found their way to her waist as he pulled her into him, his lips meeting hers in a passionate kiss as she jumped down with shaky legs to the ground.

“I love you-“ he mumbled into her mouth.

She pulled away from his lips with a smile on her face, “and I love you.” She pressed her forehead to his.

His hungry lips found hers again in a sensual kiss. He began yanking the dress down her shoulders and she reached to unlace the bodice.

The dress became undone and fell off her body, leaving her in a shift. The Bracken girl unpinned his cloak from his shoulders and slid it off, laying to on the ground below them.

She shrugged his undershirt off of his torso, her fingers finding their way to his breeches, unlacing the pants as they knelt down onto the cloak.

He threw off his breeches as she pulled her shift off of herself, revealing their bare bodies to each other.

He took her bare beauty in for a brief moment, truly not understanding how she could be apart of such a horrible family, yet be so perfect.

“My beautiful girl.” He smiled as he quickly tucked his head into her neck, bringing them to lay onto the cloak. She laughed at the feeling of his lips on her skin like a feather tickling her.

He leaned over her body, pressing a sweet kiss onto her smiling lips. His hands shifted her thighs up to rest on his hips.

“Are you ready?” He asked.

She nodded, taking his cheeks into her hands and gently pressing their heads together. Intimate moments like this, she cherished.

She gasped as his cock pushed against her entrance before sliding in gently. He bit his tongue at how tight she was, no matter how many times they did this, she was still so tight.

He began pumping into her tight, sopping cunt. His head fell into her neck with a groan, his hips not stopping their growing pace.

Her moans were music to his ears, conformation he was doing well.

“My love-“ she whimpered into his ear, planting wet kisses onto his neck. Her walls tightened around his cock as he continuously hit the deepest and most pleasurable part of her core.

Her back arched into him, her tits pressed themselves against his chest. “Davos-“ she gasped.

“Go on, my sweet- cum for me..” he groaned. Her cunt spasmed around his length, her mouth fell agape at the feelings of her peak taking over her for the second time that night.

His thrusts grew quick and erratic, he was close as well. “Fuck-“ he groaned, gripping onto her thigh with one hand and holding himself up onto the hay above her.

He quickly pulled out of her cunt, his hand flying down to his cock, pumping himself onto her stomach. His cum painted her belly in white streaks.

He fell down to her side and laid their panting next to his lover.

She pulled her handkerchief from the pocket of her dress and wiped herself and her belly from their spend.

The Bracken girl snuggled her body into her lovers side, head resting on his chest. Her fingers danced on his chest, drawing random shapes onto the warm skin. He pulled her in close with his arm, his own fingers caressing the skin of her bicep.

“So, your uncle really declared for aegon?” He broke the comforting silence.

She sighed, “must we really talk about this now, right after you fucked me so good?” She raised her head from his chest with a smile.

“Only asking, my love. Your brother is a foul prick, calling the rightful heir a kin-slayer when-“ he started before she forced her finger onto his lips to silence his rambling.

“Please, shut up about our families.”

He took her hips into his grasp and turned them over to where he was on top and she was below him, “you’re lucky I love you.” He smiled as she giggled at his words.

He sealed his confession with a kiss, the lovers worried of no one, miles away from their homes and under the roof of an abandoned stable, in the comfort of the night sky.

[satrs]

Ride of your life!

Requested by anon ↳ ❝ [...Chigiri and Kunigami? Threesome? But separate can work too! Just…just need something new for my kings ] ¡! ❞

✎ A/N; Hihi nonnie! decided to add some other guys to this, since I still got a ryu and oli brainrot <3. Hope u like it, enjoy!

SYNOPSIS; car rides with them.

TAGS; ADULT CONTENT(18+). MDNI. NSFW CONTENT.

Risky driving(do NOT do this shi y’all, drive safe) car s€x. Unprotected intercourse. oral (->fem). Established relationships. Semi public s€x (shidou). Oral( ->male). Mutual masturbation(Kunigami). Petnames(pretty, princess, cutie). Dirtytalk.

FEATURING; chigiri, kunigami, shidou, oliver x fem!reader

WK; 1.9k

CHIGIRI HYOMA

He'll never pass on an opportunity to ride shotgun. Especially when you're driving.

You never fail to make his boxers get tight when you reach over the stick shift, soft fingers teasingly brushing across his growing bulge. The red haired is always quick to brush your hand off in a hurry, scolding you to focus on the road.

If he was being honest, he would love nothing more than to just yank your head down to his cock and let your hot mouth work wonders on him. But he obviously can't do that right now. It's way to hazardous. You know that, right?

The car comes to an halt on the red light an he notices your bottom lip caught between your teeth, a malevolent grin tugging on your lips. Chigiri has barely any time to react, your hand already eager to loosen his belt. "F-fuck, stop it. You're driving-" He cuts himself of with a shaky breath once your fingers sneak down his pants and tug his raging boner out, thumb quick to brush across his leaking tip.

You giggle at his reaction, "Stop being such a killjoy and just relax." You look at him through your lashes, eyes swiftly glancing at the red light before you lower your head, one hand still prominent on the wheel. You suck his swollen tip while swiping your tongue along his sensitive slit, causing him to jolt in his seat.

He drops the protest, mouth hanging open as his eyes squeeze shut in bliss, pushing his head into the headrest with gritted teeth.

And he can feel your smirk against him, his lip swiping along his dried lips for moisture.

"Such a fuckin' tease", he breathes out, fingers tangling into your hair until he detects your gag, your throat contracting around his length. He chokes out a moan, hips bucking up into your mouth until his eyes shoot open, realization hitting him.

Hand still stroking the top of your head, he glances onto the road, noticing the yellow light threatening to turn green at any second. "S-shit!"

He yanks your head off of his length, your hazy eyes trying to adjust to the front. To his solace you're swift with your movements, quick to gain control of your senses as you push on the gas, setting the car in motion.

His heart still rapidly beating in shock and excitement, he lets out a sigh of relief, starring daggers into your side right after.

You drunkenly smirk at him, spit dripping down your chin. His dick jumps in delight at the sight. "Oh come on. Admit it, you like the thrill."

Your absent hand coming up to wipe the access saliva off your face, biting back a laugh as you continue driving, acting oblivious to the scene playing next to you.

He breathes out a laugh, hand moving up to get loose hair out of his face. "Alright, pretty. Why don’t you finish what you started, hmm?“

With that you flash him a cheeky grin, steering the wheel to the next best parking opportunity, halting it.

And as he adjusts his exposed hips on the seat, you lick your lips in delight, arching your back over the console to swallow his needy cock right back into your mouth.

„Atta girl.“ His posture relaxes with your bopping movements, hand finding comfort on the top of your head again, encouraging you to take him deeper.

„Justttt like that. Nice and deep.“

KUNIGAMI RENSUKE

He picks you up, opens the passenger’s seat up for you, get back to the driver’s seat and rests his hand on you plush thighs the entire ride. It’s habitual at this point.

He might even lets his hand travel up a little, caressing your exposed stomach in a loving manner., not failing to flatter you with his never ending compliments.

You found yourself an endless charmer, ready to do anything and everything to see that smile he oh-so loved lighting up his life.

But even he can't help but let the filthy concept of lust cloud his mind. And one thing's for sure - he's not one to shy away from telling you.

"You look so gorgeous right now", his hand is resting on your thigh, goosebumps covering your skin once his thumb soothingly brushes over your groin, "wish I could have you right now", he breathes, auburn eyes burning the image of you further into his mind.

"Who's stopping you?" It's almost a quiet whisper that you return, thigh flexing as you await an reaction. And you receive a clear message once his hand spanks over the naked skin of your thigh, soft hand rubbing over the red imprint in apology.

"Be a good girl and get ready for me back there yeah?" Sharp chin motioning you to make headway.

Within a blink of an eye you're already behind him, spread open with your sopping panties on display. "Oh?", his eyes widen at the sight, hand struggling to get rid of his belt, frustrated at the tightness of his pants, "All ready and needy for me. Ain't that right, princess?"

You cage your lip between your teeth, eagerly nodding at him. Your hands travel down your thighs, slowly putting up a show for the man.

He groans once your hand reaches your drenched panties, outline of your needy heat visible. The orange haired was about to loose his mind, hips unconsciously bucking up into nothingness once he'd undone his belt- only obstacle being his boxers.

You giggle, visibly amused by his action. It doesn't take long for you to push your panties to the side, your eyes shooting up at his face once an almost animalistic growl rings your ears.

Dick already stiff on full display, his hand wraps around the aching length once your fingers play with your folds, teasing him. He lets out a curse under his breath once you push past your entrance, hole swallowing your fingers with ease.

With each twist of his hand he reaches further and further into bliss. The sight of your sobbing cunt on full display, fingers buried into the hilt made him a sound similar to a whimper, fighting the urge to not throw his head back in bliss, to scared he might miss something.

He paces his movements with the speed of your fingers, eyes wandering between your pussy and your face, trying to soak in every tiny motion of yours.

The hand around his dick tightens once he notices your walls tightening around your shaky fingers as you struggle to hit the spot inside of you he could reach in a whiff.

He swallows thickly, hips bucking up into his hand as he imagines his needy cock in replacement of your inexpert fingers. He's got to be inside of you right now, or he might actually die.

"Don't you wanna come back and fuck me, ren'?", you tease, wiggling your hips up to edge him on further. And he bites on.

A snicker leaves the mans lips, upper body turning in his seat to climb to the back in a swift motion. "Yeah? Want me to fuck you?"

Before you could return a sneaky remark, he's already hovering above you, broad chest blocking your view.

"Such a fuckin' tease. Gonna shape you just right for my cock."

SHIDOU RYUSEI

You're familiar with shidous various fixations. But there was one thing you were always rather dubious about - his obsession with fucking you in public.

Obviously, it was rather risky, some might even say mindless to perform such act out in the open - but not him. He didn't care about passerbys seeing the both of you in such a state, hell- he even wanted them to see. He longed for them to see him have you- claim you as his.

"C'monnnn, cutie", he breaks contact from your neck for a brief moment, hand still firmly kneading your behind. "It's damn near empty in here. No one'll see." His deserted hand moves swiftly to reveal his hard on raging against his boxers, rubbing up into your thigh to relief some tension.

You hesitate, hand reaching for the hood of the car to balance yourself. "M' not sure, ryu." Your eyes scan the dark parking lot around you and indeed- it was empty. Besides some parked cars in the distance. it was pitch black, the middle of the night, not a soul but you two around, the dim lights around you slightly illuminating your figures. "What if someone comes?"

He clicks his tongue, mouth still attached to your neck, as he propped one of your legs up the hood, granting him further access to your heat. "Ain't nobody comin' round here at this time", he hikes your dress up just above your belly button, quick to move your panties to the side. You bite your lip at the sudden hit of cold air.

"Besides", his hand places a quick slap to your pussy, "we can just pull that short ass dress of your back down in a whiff, baby. No need to worry."

Your hands fly up his shoulders, clawing into his jacked as you whine. "F-fine. But"- before you can comprehend his movements, his fat head already hangs heavy onto your clit, causing you to bite back a moan.

"Huh? You said sum'?", he teases as he eases himself inside of you, thick length stretching your walls as you clamp down on him, earning a hiss from the man as he begins a steady pace, pelvic brushing against your bud with each push of his hips.

"Suckin' me in so well. Want me that deep, huh?" His movements pick up, his hands gripping your cheeks apart to hold you in place. He shamelessly moans into your mouth, swallowing your sounds in the process.

A gluttonal groan rumbles from his chest, movement of his hips flattering as he neared his release.

You can only cry out at his relentless pace, mind turning numb. "Ya like that? Hell yeahhh you do. You- fuck! Loveee it right?" Your nod is speedy, eyes scrunched up together in lust. "Yes ryu! Love when you f- fuck me real good."

An amused hum leaves him at that, smirk on his face still prominent as he speeds up, curve of his dick hitting your spot just right, causing you to yelp out at the sudden pleasure. "Yesyesss! R-right, right there!"

He could cum right there, just at the sight of your fucked out state. His hand reaches up, placing his fingers around your throat to pull you up to his level, magenta eyes devouring you like a hunter would his prey.

"U' better be on the pill cuz' 'm bouta beat this slutty pussy up."

OLIVER AIKU

Well he didn't expect ... this.

Yeah sure, he told you to put on something nice, since he'd take you out for dinner, but this dress even threw him off his seat.

It hugged your figure perfectly, almost like a second skin, the seductive color adoring your smooth skin, captivating his heterochromatic eyes with each sway of your delicate hips.

"Would ya' look at that", he whistles, eyes roaming over your body, leaned back against the car hood, watching you approach him in swift motion.

You do a small spin, giggling in the process. "Like it?", you ask rather rhetorical, biting back a grin once his hands find comfort on your hips.

He just clicks his tongue in response, finger inching down your dress, coming dangerously close to the end of your dress, fingertips brushing over your thigh.

The dinner can wait, he's got to have desert now.

With a soft pat to your rear, he leans off of the car, shiny canines exposed from his wide grin. "Move that pretty ass to the back. Gonna eat ya reallll good."

You feel your lower belly pulsate at his raspy voice, leaning up to place a quick kiss to his cheek, before disappearing to the backseats.

Oliver followed suit, impatiently shutting the door behind him. You face him, excitement glinting behind your eyes as his hands snatch your heels, your dress riding up in the process.

His eyes flicker between your curious face and the lace covering your pussy that matched the color of your dress.

"Oli', we'll be late." He hushed you with a quick kiss to your hidden cunt, his thumb teasing your clit through your panties. "We got all the time of the word. Jus' relax and let me eat, would ya? M' starvin'."

And with that, he pushed your panties to the side, burying his face right into your heat. His tongue licks a long stripe along your vulva, earning an eager moan from you.

"O-oh." He continues his antics while his hands hold your hips in place, grunting into you once your hands tangle into his dark locks, pushing him further into your cunt. "s-so good , Oli'", you murmur, head throwing back as his tongue pushes past your entrance, slurping up your juices.

He makes out with your cunt, tongue spelling his name to your clit as his fingers replace his mouth on your entrance.

Your eyes roll to the back of your skull and you can feel his shit-eating grin against you.

He's so cocky, trying to hide the fact that his boxers are screwed tight against his hard cock, trying to ease the strain by bucking his hips into the seats. "Yeah? Feels good? 'f course it does.", he mumbles between your legs, fingers curling up inside of you.

You suck your stomach in, the pleasure roaming every inch of your body as you feel yourself nearing your release. "mmmhh- fuck! T-think I - I'm gonna cum- shit! R-right there, oli'!"

He speeds up his movements, sucking your click into his mouth while swirling his tongue around it, his fingers relentlessly massaging that gushy spot inside of you.

And once he feels your walls tightening around his digits, he retreats them, mouth covering your hole to catch your fluid inside of his mouth.

"Yeah, c'mon, pretty. Cum." His words are barely audible, but you still comply, back arching off the seats as you squirt inside his mouth, thighs clamping around his head to ride out your orgasm.

He swallows all of it, bruising tight grip still prominent on your hips. "That'ssss it."

The man doesn't stop, his hunger still not fulfilled as he continues to swirl his tongue through your folds, your heel digging into his back, legs shacking from the overstimulating pleasure.

"Ya can take one more. One more, then we'll go, I promise."

You sob, hands crawling into the leather beneath you, and you know, you'll probably skip dinner tonight.

©︎𝙎𝘼𝙏𝙍𝙎. all rights reserved. Do NOT plagiarize, copy, modify, republish, or translate my work in any way!

[see-arcane]

With a total of 1,176 votes tallied, the preferred plushie poll winner with 28.8% of votes is…

What a close one! Jonathan came in with 27.7%, the mysterious Mr. Morse with 24.9% and, delicious irony of ironies, London Dracula with 18.9%. Rest in pieces. Now, what does all this mean going forward?

First, just to reconfirm: I will absolutely be looking into the costs for having more than one plushie character produced at a time. For all that Mina has the top spot if it comes down to a solo run, Nobody Wants to Separate the Gothic Horror Soulmates, even as wee little plushies. It hurts my heart to think of. Mina and Jonathan deserve to sit side by side on everyone’s pillow. Just as Quinn Morse deserves to haunt the pillow next to theirs while casually throttling and carving London Dracula into pieces. For enrichment.

But beyond that, some other key things:

How is this getting done?

Sadly, I was not a cool enough kid for Makeship to greenlight a collaboration with me. Tragique. But while I was sitting around waiting for them to get back to me, I had time to browse around for other options. During that sniffing around I dug up a couple of promising manufacturers—one of which has some really neat options for not only plush toys, but all sorts of bric-a-brac like stationery, shirts, bags, cups, et cetera—and I plan to reach out to them for quotes to start with. Nothing really gets to move forward until I can nail down prices and the amount of X plushies to be made.

I am more than a little hesitant to tell anyone MAKE ME 1000+ PLUSHIES, PLEASE, THE TUMBLR POLL SAID THEY’RE GOOD FOR IT. These aren’t as simple as print/make-on-demand products, so I need to be careful estimating the amount of folks ready and willing to drop money on the little guys. But I will keep everyone updated on the numbers regardless!

Sooo is this a crowdfunding thing or an investment or what?

Don’t know yet. I am still between jobs at the moment—reminder to check out my Ko-Fi if you want to drop me a buck or commission some art!—but if this is something I can safely drop some of my own money in with the guarantee that it will let me do better than break even, I’ll do what I can out of pocket. However, if the cost of making something of good quality turns out too steep, I’ll start looking into stuff like Kickstarter and Backerkit and so on. I want to be sure I’m not gutting anybody’s wallet to pull this off and I want to be double-sure that what we’re paying for isn’t some flimsy throwaway junk. We are all here on the same Dracula book club starving artist site, so It Has to Be Worth It and not a money-sink for anyone.

Got it. Any other info to spare?

For the plushies specifically, this is when I’ll start:

Polishing up the current four designs into cleaner illustrations with different angles to provide for mockup samples with whoever I pick to manufacture with. If I get stuck on something—(which is likely)—I may throw up another poll to bug everyone about palettes and fashion choices. I have a few more designs I haven’t dropped yet for Epilogue Harkers, a non-Bloofer Lucy, and keychains that I’d love to share too!

Eyeballing materials. I’m already picturing a very close-cut cloth for the build and clothes, but I need to decide on filling too. Stiff overstuffing to hold a pose versus softer/lighter plush for floppy cuddleability. 

Poking at other character roughs, ala the Suitor Squad, the Weird Sisters, Van Helsing, Renfield, and Baby Quincey. And if all of those go well…

…maybe some designs for other favorites in the public domain playground. (Looks meaningfully at Clarimonde, Carmilla, Victor Frankenstein and the Creature, the King in Yellow, too many others.) ((But that’s all far-future stuff at the moment.))

Cool! But you also mentioned something about other merch?

I did.

Because goddamn do I want some Dracula-themed stationery. Journals! Memo pads! Pens! Every day we don’t have these things with the Harkers’ mark upon them is a victory for the forces of Count Dracula’s document-destroying evil. Likewise for shirts, totes, mugs, keychains, face masks and other things that could use some novel-flavored goodies. Hell, I’ll probably even get on with making stuff for The Vampyres to link on my website too. Because I am. Maybe behind on that. By several months.

Anyway.

I’ve got to start working on some designs for those too while the plushie process is progressing. Pray that my carpals don’t get tunneled.

Nice! Sounds like your plate is pretty full. So that’s it, right?

:)

Arcane?

:3c

Arcane. I need you to tell me this is all you’re working on.

>:}

Arcane.

Please stand by.

I have a little treat brewing for the Dracula Dailiers and @re-dracula folks in honor of a very special day for our good friend Jonathan Harker.

[cambion-companion]

whenever you have time, i NEED you to write something based on that ask you got about vhagar being super attached to aemond's girl 🥺

These requests are from November, so yes I am still working on the messages I have received! Thank you for them :)

I would love to expound more upon Vhagar bonding with the reader (you) especially after you and Aemond get married. The idea of dragons being intelligent enough to feel/recognize the bonds their riders have with other people is something I'd love to be canonized.

When Aemond could not find you within the walls of the Red Keep or honing your body in the training courtyard, he knew by now you were well outside the confines of King’s Landing, spending quality time with your newest best friend.

“I thought I would find you out here.”

You looked up with a smile at Aemond’s familiar velvet voice.  Your back was pressed against the iron dragonskin of Vhagar’s neck, a book of Targaryen history propped open upon your knees as you had been regaling the dragon with tales she would’ve been well familiar with.

“I needed to escape the stuffy sitting room for a while.” You agreed, feeling the rumbling purr growing within Vhagar as she acknowledged her rider’s presence.

You scooted into Aemond’s embrace as he took a seat on the soft earth beside you, peering briefly at the book you had been reading. “And what does Vhagar think about today’s reading material?”

You looked sideways up along the endless expanse of Vhagar’s neck to where her yellow eye watched the two of you.  You caught Aemond’s eye with a smirk. “No complaints so far.”

“Hmm.”  Aemond took the book from you, closing and setting it aside before taking your hands in his.  He leaned into your space, brushing his nose against yours before finding your lips in a chaste kiss. “One day I’m going to seek you out and find you’ve taken her out for a ride.”

Your heart stuttered in mild fear at the very thought. “That’ll be the day.”  You laughed as Aemond breathed a soft chuckle, tucking your head beneath his chin, his warm breath rustling your hair.

He held you for many moments as you basked in the warmth of his body and the continual rumbling of Vhagar as she shifted slightly at your back.

The three of you were alerted to the sound of many hooves thundering upon the earth as several riders cleared the hill.  Upon seeing the massive island-sized dragon laying before them their horses reared in fear, nearly sending several soldiers toppling to the ground.  Vhagar’s head became visible from your periphery as she growled low and deep, moving to position her snarling teeth in between where you and Aemond sat and the newcomers.

“Vhagar, gida.”  Aemond calmed the dragon with a word, though Vhagar did not move her head from its defensive position.

Aemond gave you a strange look which you mirrored right back at him. “Has she acted like this before?”

You shook your head, glancing to where you could see the sun glinting off dragon teeth the length of a man’s body.

“My prince!”  The leading rider called, unwilling to come any closer. “The king requests your presence at once!”

“Duty calls.”  Aemond sighed, rising to stand and brushing sand off his clothing. “Would you like to remain here or accompany me back to the city?”

You took his proffered hand and he helped you rise to your feet. “I’ll come back with you.”

At your movements Vhagar grumbled another deep sound of displeasure, her tail this time slithering around to block your path forward, even separating you from where Aemond stood.

“Vhagar!”  Aemond said almost reproachfully, looking to where Vhagar’s gaze was still fixated on the soldiers.  He shook his silver head in annoyance. “Seems she has become incorrigibly possessive of you overnight.”

“Vhagar.”  You called to the ancient she-dragon gently.  The yellow eye flicked briefly to you. “Nyke ȳgha.”  She seemed to relax at your Valyrian reassurance, allowing you to take Aemond’s hand again and proceed closer to where the soldiers waited.

“I haven’t a clue what’s gotten into her.”  You muttered to your husband.

Aemond shook his head in agreement as he glanced back toward where Vhagar still was growling low. “Perhaps she decided to take you on as a sort of dragonling…” He stopped mid-stride, color draining from his face as he turned to face you. “A child.”

“I am hardly her child, Aemond.”  You snickered, your smile dropping when his expression remained serious. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you…” Aemond shot a look to where the riders were obviously trying to listen in, he lowered his voice and leaned closer to you. “Are you with child?”

Your stomach swooped as shock coursed through you. “I-I don’t know.”

“Let’s pay a visit to the maester after dealing with whatever my brother wants.”  Aemond squeezed your hand briefly, unable to keep an excited grin off his angular face. He looked again at Vhagar, this time in mild wonder.  The grumbles and groans of the dragon faded away as the riders escorted the two of you back to the Keep.

Nine months later the kingdom welcomed the birth of their newest Targaryen princess.  

She grew to be very much like her father, in mannerisms and visage.  When she was old enough Aemond didn’t waste any time in introducing her to Vhagar.  

The old dragon seemed to already know who she was.

[bones4thecats]

Sun Wukong & Macaque w/ Hastur! S/O

Characters: Sun Wukong and Six-Eared Macaque (separate) Inspired By: Poll Result A/N: I made up some characters for the Reader's past, so just bear with that. ⚠️ Spoilers/Trigger Warnings for: Mentions of being locked away and mental manipulation (somewhat) ⚠️

Backstory of Information on Hastur! Reader

Years ago, the founders of the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign, had finally been able to summon their God, and bring them to Earth. And while they expected you to spread your own chaos like you pledged, you just looked at them, gave each sub-group a role in your court and began to work alongside the many immortals you had the pleasure of meeting. Though, you connected with a certain immortal better with the others...

╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════ Sun Wukong ════════════════════════════╝

☀️ When you walked into a meeting with the immortals, Wukong had his eyes on you almost immediately. The way your yellow cloak flowed in the wind just made him stare at you until Ne Zha poked his foot with his staff

☀️ While he spent his time under the rock for 500 years, you were locked away in an old box by a demon who used your human friend, Li, and were only freed when her descendant, Caihong, had smashed the box by accident during a fight against a powerful demon

☀️ Coming across your familiar caped form and your tiny human ally made him smile and pick you up before spinning you in the air with a large smile on his face

"Wukong?! How're you here? I thought you got imprisoned under that mountain!"

"Well... I did. BUT! I got un-imprisoned by my old Master and uh, well, the rest is a long story. Now let me ask where you were!" He said, holding your arms as you chuckled and gave your side of the story.

☀️ Caihong walked up to you, her long holographic-like hair coming down from her flower crown that you made on your walk through a nearby village to find the supposed 'heroes' that were rumored to be coming by soon

☀️ She grabbed your arm and you could feel her puffy sleeves on her outfit hitting your skin as she looked at the Monkey King and asked who he was, to which you smiled, picked her up and introduced the primate-human to the young female

"Caihong, meet Sun Wukong, he was the man I was speaking to you about a couple minutes ago. You remember, the man who couldn't stop trying to train with me back in Heaven."

☀️ Wukong's cheeks became flushed as you smiled at the girl and did the same thing to him that you did for her

"Sun Wukong, meet Caihong. She's the descendant of Li, the warrior who helped me when I tried finding you after the conflict."

☀️ Looking from the man who picked the girl up gently and began asking her about her own life, the Monkie Kids looked at you with either hesitation and confusion or stars in their eyes

☀️ MK ran up to you alongside Mei and they began to ask you many questions, from your power to how you knew Wukong, before moving onto Wukong and asking how he knew you

☀️ Smiling as he ran away with Caihong in his arms, saying how he would let them hold her over his dead body, you couldn't help but remember how you both fought alongside one another all those years ago

☀️ Oh how you missed your sunny husband...

╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗

╚═════ Six-Eared Macaque ═══════════════════════╝

💜 After the revival of Macaque, you appeared on Earth, alarming the Monkie Kids and the King

💜 Instead of fighting them, you landed next to them and began to mentally torment Sun Wukong, asking why he would kill his only friend. The one who warned him about everything, yet his own ego got in the way

💜 Macaque just stood above them all as you appeared near him and used a tentacle to pat his head before motioning for him that you were ready to leave, saying your work was done for now

"I'm surprised you came by to help me with that, Y/N. Figured you had something better to do." He said.

"Oh no, I got unlocked for this weird box a couple months ago by Li's long-down-the-line child, Caihong."

"Li had a kid? Huh. Shocker."

💜 Chuckling as he laid a cup of tea down in front of you, the six-eared primate laid his head down on your shoulder after your hood was pulled down, revealing your extremely pale face with crown going from above your hood to laying on your skull

💜 After taking a breath and sipping some of the tea, you looked at Macaque and laid your own head onto his as he sighed and wrapped his tail around your midsection lightly

"She's not to bad of a girl, though her odd hair did put me off at first." You joked.

"So the holographic hair thing passed down the bloodline! Oh, if only Wukong would pay me for winning the bet." He joked back.

💜 Raising your head and staring into his eyes, you saw how he relaxed and slightly un-glamoured himself, the tip of his tail being tinted white and his scar coming out against his natural mask

"I missed you, Love."

"I missed you to, Sweetheart."

[quitealotofsodapop]

Tripitaka is about to get a crash course in cat instincts. Warm sunny spots are his, he’s lightly pushing someone out of their spot. The pilgrims excluding Wukong found out about the catnip the hard way. Cute thought him just batting at Wukong’s tail like a kitten

Wait does Wukong have an egg during this au or separate from that?

Prev.

me and @soniclozdplove have been goofing with his au a bit in the dms.

Might instead rename the au to the "Tiger Monk" au - Tripitaka accidentally gaining his own demonic nickname over the course of the story.

Tripitaka is completely in the dark instinct-wise. He's not a born demon, heck I wouldn't be surprised if his only contact with cats were fat shrine cats without a hunting bone in their body.

He absolutely shrieks the first time he sees something that looks even vaguely like a snake, prompting the Pilgrims to freak out too for a moment before Wukong turns the "snake" over to reveal it to be just a plantain leaf.

Tripitaka panics the first time he subconsciously marks a tree with his claws (tigers do so to identify territory boundaries), only to get carried away and turn it into a scratching post.

Wukong and Ao Lie quickly discover that their Master gets distracted by swaying/twitching tails, and will go full kitten-mode to play with them. It's good fight practice.

Him and Wukong come to a mutual teaching/learning agreement; Wukong will help his master learn the ways of demons and how to protect himself from harm, and Tripitaka will teach his disciple means of curbing his more violent and impulsive actions.

Like how many demons, living a dangerous existence in the wild where humans and wildlife alike want you dead, tend to say "Hi" through fighting.

Tripitaka balks at the idea, but accidentally makes his first progress by lightly bapping the Gold and Silver twins on their backs when they try kidnapping him. The twins guffaw and mock his lack-of strength, but pointedly untie him and start a normal conversation with the Pilgrims.

See the problem is; demons tend to have non-humanoid forms and silhouettes. They need to prove to the other party that "Hey! I'm not dinner! I'm like you!" and the easiest way is to throw a punch. It's like if you were a deer hunter and everyone wore antlers on their heads.

And Tripitaka is now a type of demon that responds to surprise, or even excitement, with smacking their paws on their target.

Macaque's anger towards the Monk is a little lessened, since he sees that Tripitaka himself is victim of divine punishment, rather than the sole instigator. Laughs his ass off to see this tiger demon practically swimming in a cassock meant for a human, and offers help with the demonic etiquette part of Tripitaka's training.

Meanwhile with Azure "The Dud" Lion;

He still has no rizz. This tomcat getting smacked by eight (Macaque and Yellow Tusk tagged in) different hands whenever he tries flirting with the Buddha's Boy Scout. Also he still has unresolved feelings for Wukong, so his cat-brain isn't firing on all cylinders.

Tripitaka: "I never want to deal with another male cat demon again after that adventure!" The Tiger Power Priest: "Hello my dear Tiger Monk~" Tawny Lion Demon Clan: "We saw him first!" Leopard King of the Southern Hill: "No I saw him first!" The Pilgrims + Macaque: "NONE OF YOU SAW HIM FIRST!!"

The Queen Mother herself gets involved after she peaks down and nearly mistakes Tripitaka for one of her daughters. She thinks of the Human-turned-Tiger as adorable as a cub getting used to their legs. She gives him great advice on their species behaviours, and warns him of further suiting attempts.

Wukong doesn't have an Egg in this Au, but something hilarious probably occurs during the Kingdom of Women chapter;

Wukong: "Master! Me and Wujing managed to get the Spring Water Cure for you and Brother Pig!" Tripitaka: "Don't want it." Wukong & Wujing: "HUH!?" Tripitaka: "If the Buddha has blessed me with a sinless child, I do not wish to reject his gift." Bajie, in the bathroom: "A gift my hams!! Your mother cat instincts are going haywire!" Tripitaka: "Even if that is so, some of my more... undesirous instincts have quietened. I prefer to experience this than what I was suppressing before." (*curls up, purring*) Wukong, turns to Wujing: "Well! I guess we're going to have tiger cubs for the rest of the Journey!" Wujing: "Not exactly. I was in Heaven when the Queen Mother was with her final pregnancy. Celestial and demonic animals can carry their young for many years." Wukong, raises brow: "Uh-huh, yeah. Tell me, how many cubs did she have?" Wujing, gets quiet: "...lets consider that after we reach India." Bajie, pokes head out of bathroom: "Where's it gonna come out???" Ao Lie, giggling: "As if that's an issue for demons!"

[im-poe-dameron]

restless & reckless love

a/n: this is a small drabble i threw together because i wanted to participate in the @sithobiwanevent! i saw the prompt list and knew that a few of them had my attention immediately. they aren't going to be intensely long fics, but nontheless i had quite a bit of fun getting to delve into a version of obi-wan i hope to write more about soon. a massive thank you to @karasong who was my writing buddy for these fics!

sith!obi-wan events: disheveled obi-wan

summary: the death of obi-wan kenobi occurred on mustafar near ten years ago. giving birth to the sith you watched train with a reckless passion that should have terrified you.

word count: 2k

pairing: sith!obi-wan kenobi x sith!reader

warnings: not explicit, disheveled and slightly feral obi-wan, grief, angst, anakin's death, he suffers from ptsd, choking, passionate kissing.

Energy crackled in the air like sparks from a wildfire that held no intention of being tamed. You felt him before you entered the clearing. The night air lay upon your cloaked figure with a thickness that left you gasping for air. Humidity wasn't your fondest type of weather, yet the planet seemed to thrive off the warm air��even as it choked you mercilessly.

The familiar glow of red illuminated the darkened space; his body lithe and quick with each practiced step. A dance you'd grown fond of watching each night before you were confined to your separate bunks. Whether he knew you stood in the shadows—eyes fixed on the sweat that glistened off his body—or remained oblivious to your ogling, made no difference.

He still clung to you without knowing.

Buried himself in your chest with each swipe of his lightsaber; teeth bared as a nonexistent fight played out in his mind. A battle he'd yet to explain to you.

The grief in his eyes wasn't in part to the yellow iris that flashed with a depth you'd never before witnessed in another of your kind. This was horrific pain. A break that split him down the center, crushing the Jedi that once existed in the realms of his mind.

Before he took on the name of Darth, the role befit for a king, he was one of the greats. Legends were told of his ferocity, of his strength. You'd heard a few yourself on nights when the alcohol ran a bit too strong and his lips grew lax; the lazy grin he wore feeding your borderline obsession with each aspect of his beauty.

You knew Obi-Wan Kenobi through words only.

The man who stood alone, battling demons he'd yet to explain to you, was not him.

A snarl ripped from his throat, blade slicing the ground as he swung it with a spin—his black robes gliding along the floor and kicking up dust. His hair was a mess atop his head. Stuck to his forehead as he fought the villain with no name. An antagonist of his past that rose up in the back of his mind and made him reckless.

Yet you knew the name with a clarity that shocked you. After months spent on the ground, you heard his screams in the middle of the night. The nightmares that only fueled his anger.

Anakin.

He begged for forgiveness for the death of a man you assumed to be his brother. A man who no matter how hard you searched...never seemed to exist at all. He remained a part of the past. Lost in the darkness of a Sith who already gave too much. Who had nothing left for you to take. He remained shattered beyond repair—a broken man who wasn't worth saving.

You supposed that's where he was mistaken.

Saving him was never part of your agenda. You didn't wish to put his pieces back together. Not when they forged the power that ran through his veins; the strength you felt singe the air around you in strength you could only dream of holding. You were kindred souls lost to a path of darkness that beckoned you forward with awaiting arms.

Two unkind souls who were twisted up and bent past the point of salvaging.

Two hearts that beat an unsteady rhythm. Yet together formed something whole.

A raw look of unhinged greed crossed his face, flashing in his eyes as he finally met your unwavering gaze. Something flickered in the air between you. A whip finally brought down to crack against the solid ground below. You felt it rupture in your chest; smothering any doubts that lingered below the surface of who you belonged to.

Who you would be sharing your night with.

"Hiding isn't what I expected of you," he spoke, voice hoarse and low.

You barely caught it through the murky air—your ears strained. When the words settled in your chest, you felt the flip of your heart beneath the layers of fabric. There was no need for him to raise his voice when you stood mere feet away. A soft caress only gifted to you in times he felt the darkness begin to wane on his soul; the spark of light resurfacing after so long.

Drowning it never helped when it once poured out of his soul. He could submerge it day in and day out, but the fact still remained that he would have to choose the darkness. He'd have to battle to keep it in his heart the longer time went on.

Most Jedi gave in with ease. You know you did. But you supposed that's what made him so different.

Obi-Wan Kenobi still remained, screaming for a way out, as the Sith that stood in his place locked him away.

"You looked as if you wanted to be alone."

He ran a hand through his hair, chest heaving as he struggled to maintain the composure that usually came so naturally. By far he remained the most collected Sith you would ever see. How he handled himself—understanding what his limits were—became a source of knowledge for you to feed off of.

Somehow he was able to use the teaching of the Jedi and form his new belief around it. You wondered if you'd ever get to witness him like this. Disheveled, creeping along the edge of unhinging his sanity entirely. His face remained a mask of control. However, his eyes told a different story entirely.

They flashed with a fury you felt bleed into the air—seeping into your skin and agitating the anger you fought to keep at bay. Whether he remained aware of his affect on your mind continued to be a mystery. The walls of his fortress—his thoughts and emotions—was built so tall you held no hope in climbing over. Which left you with only one singular option.

Asking him to tell you.

"I rarely wish to be alone when it comes to you darling."

The name settled in your heart with a whisper of power. A promise yet to be fulfilled, but one you knew would come with time. The both of you were aware of where this kinship would lead. Where the path lay carved in stone ahead of you.

As it was written in the Force.

So it would be done.

"Why don't you speak about him?" you asked, cautiously entering the area—wary of how he tensed. Already on the edge of snapping.

He glared at you, eyes flashing dangerously with a look you'd seen countless times before. Usually your position was replaced with an enemy about to meet their death by the fierce swing of his lightsaber. You prepared yourself for the blow, waiting with baited breath as he struggled to hold back the sneer that almost crossed his face.

Instead, he chose to pacify himself with a brushed off lie. "I don't know who you are referring to."

This you could accept. This was the man you'd grown accustomed to over the years. The person who hid his past for the sake of his own sanity; to keep from flying off the cliff and into an unhinged feral nothingness most Sith resided in. Their greed to fill the emptiness in their souls more often than not led to their demise.

He was far too controlled for that.

Far too proud.

"You scream for someone named Anakin," you admitted, watching his body shudder as the forbidden truth was finally spoken aloud. "You can tell me. I won't speak of him again-"

The quick flick of his hand rising threw you off guard. But the sharp tug at the Force clamping down around your throat forced you to gasp for air that wasn't there. He dragged you forward with a silent malice that burrowed into your bones.

Cold leather pressed tight along your throat, his face mere inches from your own. You struggled to tamp down your fear—the streak of anxiety that spilled out in the Force around you. At least then you could stand on your own two feet and face him head on. The smile that split across his lips was proof enough that your attempt failed drastically; his touch loosening as your eyes flicked down to his mouth.

"You won't speak of him now," he spit, leaning close enough for you to smell the heady scent of his sweat.

Leather ran along your bottom lip, the acrid taste of burnt soil met your tongue. Rather than flinch, you found yourself leaning into his touch. The ache of more twisting your stomach in knots that would never be undone. This was the binding fate that cost the both of you your past lives.

Finding him on Mustafar wasn't by happenstance. You knew that now.

"My darling," he murmured, eyes dropping to see the way his thumb pressed against your lip, pulling at it slowly. "So interested in what you cannot have."

A soft sound fell from your throat, deepening his smile. You didn't want to admit that he was indeed right. The relationship with him had fanned the flames of something unreachable. A title you wanted him to bestow upon you with the same fiery need that burned a hole through your heart.

"I want..." you sighed, eyes dazed and body trembling in his grasp.

"I know what you want." His hand slid up to your cheek, drawing you close enough to smell the soft undercurrent of molten lava that seemed to stick with him. A permanent reminder of where Obi-Wan Kenobi died and the Darth was reborn. "You may have it. If you wish."

Swallowing thickly, you clutched at his robes. "I wish."

What little breath you had trapped in your lungs was punched from your chest when his lips met yours. The once unforgiving heat of the fire licked at your body with a warmth that settled deep in your heart. His lips were soft. Yet unforgiving in nature. He kissed you as a way to consume. Never a gift of passion, but a greedy inkling he finally grasped to quiet that curious part of his mind.

Delving your hands into the back of his robes, you flung yourself into his arms—tongue slipping past his parted mouth to taste him directly. To lick into his awaiting mouth with a soft moan that made his inside quake. He clutched you close—hands gripping your hips through the layers—a soft groan of pleasure meeting your sighed whimpers.

"Tell me," he rasped, hand clutching your chin to draw you back. "The truth."

Heat flushed against your chest, dripping down to the tips of your fingers. You felt him through the Force. Once overbearing—near terrifying—now became a welcome weight against your body. A reminder that though you knew his past, you'd never know the full extent of his powers. Those were trapped with the last embers of who he used to be; a man you'd never meet.

"I am yours my lord," you whispered.

A vow unspoken, now solidified for all eternity.

You would never be able to take it back; he knew this.

Rarely do Sith bind themselves to another. Master and Apprentice remain the only two. But there you stood—willing the tie yourself to him until your dying breath. The bright yellow dimmed from his iris, a soft cerulean blue flickering to life as the part of him that loved—that lost—rose to the surface. The man who would inevitably one day return.

His lips were a gentle press to your jaw. You allowed your head to fall back, a sigh of bliss echoing in the air as he worked his way back to your mouth. His hands clutching at what he always yearned for.

What he believed he was owed after giving so much.

"As am I."

[unluckycryptid]

Rise of Red Power Rangers AU

i'm known for being a huge power rangers fan around my friends/coworkers so ofc i'm doing a power rangers au for any fandom i'm apart of.

Alright Rise of Red Power Rangers AU

Red -> Red ranger (obviously)

Chloe -> Blue ranger (again, this is obvious)

Ella -> Green ranger

Bridget -> Pink ranger (obvious)

(Chris) Charming -> Yellow ranger

Special Ranger: Silver ranger -> Chad?

Notes:

Let's go with a Knights of the Round Table theme except we can call it Knights of Auradon

This is gonna be SPD inspired origin (but I'm borrowing other elements from other series)

Chloe expected to be lead ranger (even though her whole color palette is blue) bc she'd be a legacy ranger from her parents being the previous power rangers.

Queen Cinderella and King Charming are separate from Ella and Charming. Cinderella -> Cindy (former blue ranger) and King Charming -> Reginald Charming (former red ranger)

Red and Bridget are from the enemy camp of the Queen of Hearts and get the chance to escape with the help of the Sorcerer's Cookbook that they stole from the Queen of Hearts. However, during their escape, the Cookbook gets damaged, scattering all of its pages all throughout Auradon.

Chloe, Charming, and Ella have all been rangers in training and are finally allowed to see if they are worthy of their morphers.

Their morphers are Swords-in-a-Stone (kind of like Lost Galaxy), but they don't know their colors until they morph.

Luckily, all 3 are deemed worthy of their swords and are immediately sent into the field to capture intruders from Wonderland which are Red and Bridget.

When they morph for the first time, Chloe is shocked she's blue ranger but they still manage to apprehend Red and Bridget and bring them back to base.

Base is at Cinderellasburg estate in Auradon

Chloe's parents (and Charming's aunt/uncle) are the mentors of the group.

Cindy goes to talk to Red and Bridget about the Queen of Hearts, revealing they used to share a past and tries to convince them to help Auradon since they put up quite a fight with the rangers in training.

Bridget immediately takes her up on the offer, becoming the Pink ranger.

Red initially declines the offer since the Queen of Hearts is her mom and she doesn't want anything to do with her, much less fight her.

Meanwhile, Chloe goes to her dad, asking why he thinks she didn't get red ranger. King Reginald tells her that he suspects that her views on the world are too black and white and that she doesn't always see the full picture before rushing into the field with her sword.

Chloe, Ella, Charming, and Bridget are sent out in the field when the Queen sends out a monster from wonderland accompanied by tons of card soldiers and the Ace the Royal Guard.

Back at base, Red is walking around the grounds of the Cinderellasburg estate and comes across some of the background tech team composed of Faye and Zellie who somehow convince her that joining the team is what Red wants in order to prevent other people from getting hurt by her mother.

Red joins the team mid-fight when it seems like they're losing to both the monster and Ace. It is revealed that Ace and Red were really close friends in Wonderland but Ace saw Red's running away as a betrayal. Red morphs into the red ranger and reveals that all the duels the two had in the past, she let him win for his own pride.

After injuring Ace and destroying the Monster of the Week, the team celebrates, but Chloe still holds a grudge against Red being team leader.

It doesn't help when Red is in charge of training drills and puts the team through hell. She ends up getting a lesson in leadership and does all the drills herself later on.

Uliana, Hook, and Morgie are either part of the comedic relief where they're always up to something and always end up needing rescuing OR they're part of the Queen of Hearts Royal Council and become some of the villains for the rangers to defeat closer to the finale.

The main motivation for the Queen of Hearts to attack Auradon and the rangers is to get back scattered remains of the Sorcerer's Cookbook.

Chad has a guest role and serves as the temporary Silver ranger

When not in use, the team uses some magical bracelets to summon their sword morphers which are stored on the magical stone.

Their morph call would be like Mystic Force where they point their swords to the sky and say something like "For the Honor of the Kingdom!" (she-ra inspired, sue me)

Throughout their run, Red and Chloe constantly butt heads with Red going for more unconventional means while Chloe wants to follow the rules. Most of the time, they end up having to compromise. Also, they're roommates

While Bridget and Ella are also opposite personalities, they end up hitting it off fairly well.

Charming is getting into some hijinks and Bridget senses the tension between him and Ella (who often scolds him) and is often trying to do matchmaking between the two or causing ruckus in the kitchen.

Ella and Chloe have a more sisterly bond, with Chloe often going to Ella about her arguments with Red.

Red and Bridget are cousins and Bridget often gets Red's side of the argument that Chloe probably told Ella about so when Ella and Bridget get back to their shared room, they're just rolling their eyes at the two other rangers.

Chloe gets along with Bridget due to their bubbly personalities, while Ella and Red get along from their shared motherly trauma (Ella lived with her stepmother before becoming a ranger).

Chloe and Charming are the best swordspersons on the team, often dueling each other with their matches ended up tied.

Charming teaches Red how to skateboard.

Bridget and Charming are often trying to get Ella to relax and join them in some silly little activity.

Red learns motherly love from Cindy

Anyway, Red and Chloe eventually learn to work together and learn a lot about each other. That's when the romance begins >:)

Finale: The gang is invited to Castlecoming at Auradon's Grand Castle.

Red and Chloe go together and they're about to confess their feelings when the Queen of Hearts makes an appearance for the first time. With the shock, she kidnaps Cindy releases her army of cards on Auradon and the Cinderellasburg estate.

Red consoles Chloe who is already thinking the worst, and she is backed up by the other members of the team who promise to get Cindy back whatever it takes.

Against King Reginald's orders, the rangers go off and enter Wonderland.

Chad stays back to help fend off the card soldiers with the other Knights of Cinderellasburg.

Red and Bridget have to lead the team through the treacherous terrain of Wonderland but they make it and manage to sneak into the castle.

They split up: Ella, Bridget, and Charming go off to rescue Cindy. Meanwhile, Chloe and Red go to confront the Queen of Hearts.

Red tries to compromise with her mom, saying that there's gotta be another way, but she ends up initiating the first attack.

Chloe and Red end up fighting the Queen of Hearts and they're doing really well until the Queen of Hearts manages to temporarily get the upper hand. She goes to strike down Red, but Chloe steps in front of her and takes the blow.

Red rises up and takes Chloe's sword, and along with her own sword, finally goes full out against her mom.

She gets to defeat her mom and knocks her out but discovers that the army of the Queen is still not defeated and is being fueled by the Sorcerer's Cookbook which has a strong protective spell around it that even the Queen of Hearts can't stop.

The other rangers come back with Cindy and Cindy tells them there is one last option, which is to combine all of their swords into one sword. However, there's a catch: the sword can only be wielded by one person and there's a chance of them getting destroyed by its power, plus destroying the cookbook would unleash even more energy, essentially giving the wielder of the sword a death sentence.

Red steps up, saying that she'll do it, and rebukes Cindy's offer to do it since Red promised Chloe she would get her mother back. Reluctantly, they all merge their swords (Cindy is able to wield Chloe's sword since she's still unconscious and since Cindy was the former blue ranger) and Red wields the Five Sword. She manages to strike the protective shield of the cookbook and stabs the Cookbook and is holding on as a great power is about to take her out.

At the last minute, the Queen of Hearts wakes up from being unconscious and sees that Red is about to die from both wielding the sword and destroying the cookbook. She steps up, takes the sword from Red and shoves her back to the other rangers.

Finally, with a bright light, the Cookbook is destroyed, along with the Queen of Hearts to Red's dismay.

Chloe is still out and Red doesn't know what to do until Cindy suggests a True Love's Kiss.

It works and when Chloe finally comes to, she asks what happens and Red says that her mom is gone, but they won. Chloe only puts a hand on the other girl's cheek, consoling her but relieved that they won.

Time Skip: Without the Queen of Hearts, Red has claim to Wonderland's throne. She and Chloe are now a couple, currently running Wonderland. The rest of the team gets relocated to Wonderland as they have a new mission: help Red and Chloe rebuild Wonderland and join it with the United States of Auradon.

[the-monkey-ruler]

i've been seeing so many comments about the possibility of wukong (after rebirth) and/or many yaoguais/mortals going to war to overthrow the heavenly palace and seize the emperor after the events in black myth: wukong. is that possible to happen? i've read something in your posts about how despite their actions, the heavenly palace/jade emperor is needed to balance the three realms? if that is so, how is overthrowing going to solve any problems? like i get the unfairness of the treatment of yaoguais but ngl, going to war felt like an even worse solution. idk im not knowledgeable of the rules.

i've been seeing so many comments about the possibility of wukong (after rebirth) and/or many yaoguais/mortals going to war to overthrow the heavenly palace and seize the emperor after the events in black myth: wukong. is that possible to happen?

Think of it like this.

There needs to be a Jade Emporer in charge of heaven without a doubt. I've seen some adaptions have it that if he does fall then the world goes through a small apocalypse but isn't unsavable or unliveable. Personally, I think that the world is more likely to fall into an unliveable state, with no weather regulations, ghosts could leave hell and haunt earth, there would be nothing separating the three realms and honestly, humans would be taking the full brunt of the impact. With at least someone in charge of most of the large phenomenons on the planet I do think that would make earth, the underworld, and heaven into a mess of chaos where maybe ghosts and immortals could survive but humans would be nearly wiped out.

That being said while there needs to be a Jade Emperor for sure but that doesn't always have to be the same guy. I believe the original plan was something like Sun Wukong was going to overthrow Heaven and then take over as the Jade Emperor. I've seen this taken in the Lotus Lantern series in a 'what if' dream if Wukong 'won' the fight in heaven and now HE was in charge. One thing that you have to understand that Black Myth Wukong is taking GREAT LIBERTIES with is that Wukong is fighting for yao rights when in the original novel Wukong was fighting for himself. I have to give credit to the detail that Black Myth put into the game but it HEAVILY changed the lore of the story and can almost be an alternative universe within itself with how heaven functions in relation to earth.

Like there are cultivated creatures in heaven, even in the game we see many heavenly beasts that still keep their cultivated form in heaven and are treated as works/disciples/coworkers. The Zodiac animals have humanoid forms. The Plum Brothers, originally Yao in FSYY are Erlang's sworn brothers. Black Wind King and Red Boy are Guanyin's disciples. Yellow Wind Demon is an OFFICAL disciple rather than being a lil mongoose thing that just run away pet. If anything in Black Myth it just shows how maybe Yaos are in heaven. Sure it frames it as them being oppressed but I truly don't think this reflects the original story.

In the original book, Wukong wasn't trying to overthrow heaven in order to overthrow an oppressive regime against yao, but because he broke the laws, ran away, and knew that war was inevitable. He wasn't looking to dismantle an oppressive system, he was going to become the new head of the system and rule it in a way that only benefited himself.

WUKONG IN THE BOOK IS THE BAD GUY.

We love him, we adore him, but HE IS THE BAD GUY.

You can argue that maybe the Jade Emporer wasn't using Wukong to his full ability with how powerful he is, sure, absolutely, but also he had TWO FORMAL COMPLAINTS about him from KING YAMA and ALL FOUR DRAGON KINGS. He wasn't starting his new job with any good recommendations on his resume so it could also be understandable why he started with a low-entry position and maybe worked his way up. This is a job at the end of the day, Wukong COULD have just worked his way up the corporate ladder, that isn't impossible and with how strong/powerful Wukong is, he could def have done that personally.

i've read something in your posts about how despite their actions, the heavenly palace/jade emperor is needed to balance the three realms?

If Wukong won then he would undoubtedly try to take over as Jade Emproer but considering that Wukong at the start of the book had very lil care of humans or yao (I think people forget how Wukong didn't care that his non-monkey yao army was captured and he was only pleased not a single one of his own monkeys were captured) so that he would only rule the heavens where only monkeys made rights and would benefit him and his Sun Clan. He would be grandfather of the year but the rest of the world would be in shambles. Wukong was never trying to overthrow the system, he was going to be in charge of that system and just choose who he wanted to oppress instead.

The Jade Emporer is the Jade Emporer because he has spent his entire lifetime training his mind and body to balance all three realms to keep all life protected. He studied for about 327 million years to get this job, it is not just something you can casually fight him for and take it, like there needs to be credentials. Ghosts are directed to the afterlife, humans stay on earth to live, love, cultivate, and die, and cultivated humans turn into immortals who then can turn into gods who are in heaven to help continue to keep the balance of the world.

if that is so, how is overthrowing going to solve any problems? like i get the unfairness of the treatment of yaoguais but ngl, going to war felt like an even worse solution. idk im not knowledgeable of the rules.

I love that we are getting more media with Yao being sympathetic but the original creation of Yao is that they are unnatural beings. They go against the balance as they are animals/objects that skip their reincarnation process and just jump into being sentient beings without being reborn as humans first. While not inherently evil it does mess with the flow of nature and does make them more prone to be chaotic as it is in their nature to be unbalanced.

Wukong going against heaven was more for the sake of his own ego at the height of his warlord years and could have been completely avoided. The reason that it seems like a bad solution to fighting for Yao rights is because modern writers make it so.

There is no changing the outcome of the story. Wukong has to lose if the plot is to resemble anything like the original tale. And modern writers know this. The war was NEVER INTENDED to be a good solution because it is a plot device to make Wukong look better and make Heaven look bad. Writers don't have to worry about a 'what if he won' because that isn't possible and was never made to be possible.

Wukong was written to fight a war that could never be won to highlight the hopelessness and powerlessness Wukong is facing, making him more human and sympathetic to a large audience. I've spoken about this maybe times before but the plot of Bio of Wukong 悟空传 from 2000 NEARLY 20 years ago really made this popular. That kind of "It is better to die trying than to live a slave" mentality that Wukong is going to lose this fight but at least he is going to fight at all. It is that early 2000s angst that affected many movies and shows after it and even 20 years later we still see how Black Myth Wukong is following this old plot line of "Heaven is actually the bad guy and yao are the oppressed ones." It's not that this plot hasn't been done well just that this is such a common plot point in modern media that it diverts from the original story so much.

Modern writers change it so that instead of Wukong being an egotistical warlord who doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, he is a freedom fighter who is trying to save a marginalized group. The issue is that it seems hopeless to help the Yao cause because there was never a Yao issue in the first place until this point of view came into being. We see in the story that actually many Yao Kings are taken under heaven or were run away from heaven itself who came to earth for personal power. Guanyin takes in Black Wind Demon, Red Boy, and the Centipede Demon to help her. In the book, there isn't an inherent prejudice against yao (because most of them are flat characters that just want to eat Sanzang) and there are many chances of mercy given to them despite their transgressions.

But we see in Black Myth Wukong that any of these attempts to give Yao grace are framed more as 'subjugation'. Any goodwill or olive branch is now just heaven trying to control this marginalized group and they are just manipulating them into being subservient to heaven's will. I really love that the game takes time to flesh out Yaos in the story and still doesn't shy away from showing how they are still the ones at fault for their own current predicaments. Yellow Bros is still an egoistic more worried about winning than truth, Yellow Wind was using the kingdom to his own gain, and the Elder Abbot did let his disciple die to his own greed. I will say I'm not a huge fan of Red Boy's backstory change and then him just killing himself at the end as it felt disingenuous.

What I'm trying to say is that there is no winning in these kinds of storylines. They are twisted for the sake of making Wukong as a tragic hero who is fighting a losing battle that he shall never win which they do a wonderful job at. Everyone loves a tragic hero story and even makes it relatable to people's own struggles with conformity. Wukong is NEVER going to win, Yao are NEVER going to get their rights and it is meant to be just SAD and EDGY but how people shouldn't stop trying to fight even if it is a losing battle else than fight they would in a fate even worse than death. Spoilers but the end of 悟空传 is that WUKONG DIES because he rather die than be subjugated and THAT HAPPENED IN BLACK MYTH. This is a 20-year-old light novel and they are still rehashing this plot. (I'm sorry if it seems I don't like this trope, I do, but I have seen it for years and find it unoriginal at this point. I have seen it be done very well but I shall say I did enjoy it more in my 'teen angst' years than I do now.)

The OG light novel never made it so that anyone can 'win' and the same can be said in the Black Myth Universe. It almost glorifies being a martyr rather than living in subjugation because modern writers didn't write any viable solutions where our heroes 'win'. And you can't apply this with the original Xiyouji mythos or else it starts to fall apart when looking at what ACTUALLY happened with Wukong and how yaos are treated.

Also having that the fillet isn't gone and that buddhahood is a lie in Black Myth is also a HUGE divination from canon. Just know that if Wukong is a Buddha he wouldn't be bound to the fillet because he isn't bound to his physical body anymore and IS AS POWERFUL as the OG Buddha himself making any case of this null.

Personally (we are getting into AU territory) if there was a case of fighting for Yao rights in a frame of actually trying to find applicable solutions to make a real difference in the world then I truly believe that the ACTUAL JOURNEY TO THE WEST is the answer.

I'm taking some inspiration from the 1996 TV series when Sanzang wants to actually save every demon he comes across on their journey and he believes that the scriptures can provide that way. That through the Buddhist texts, Yaos could cultivate without eating humans and they can reach full human-hood and even enlightenment with the sacred texts thus creating a world where both humans can become more enlightened and kind to one another and where Yao can live peacefully without needing to cause harm to others.

I think that if there was ever a story that really captured the essence of what Journey to the West was about, that anyone can have a second chance and that no one is beyond the line of being saved, then Wukong trying to liberate Yao kind is to find a solution to why there shouldn't be Yao Kings or yao-eating-humans and thus dissolving any reason heaven would see Yao as threats to humans. Not all Yao eat humans yes BUT MOST DO to cultivate, and if the scriptures can bring that kind of enlightenment to a human then they could offer an easy and safe way that Yao can be accepted into society.

Journey to West to me has always been about second chances and how it's never too late for people to change and learn from their mistakes. Even a warlord monkey, an ex-marshall, a disgraced general, a banished prince, or a cast-out disciple could come together on a strange journey and find that violence doesn't have to be the answer but how compassion, teamwork, and understanding lead to try change within a person.

It makes it so that the journey isn't just a 'tool of heaven' but a valid solution not only to humans but also to Yaos who are genuine in wanting to become human and not cause any harm. Even humans can learn how to let go of their prejudices by becoming enlightened and letting go of fear and hate of new things. Bringing in a better world where the goal isn't separation but learning how to connect with others through understanding and patience.

That is more MY THEORY on how a better way to handle a (hypothetical) yao discrimination issue would arise.

I'm sorry for the LONG winded answer, I did have a lot to say on the matter but I hope that clears up more why the 'Wukong fighting heaven as a rebel' is a popular trope but also why it was never written to explain how it would be a viable solution as it was always written to make Wukong a tragic hero than anything else. You are right that it would not likely fix anything but also it was never intended to 'fix' as Wukong is always fate to lose that battle.

[goodolddumbbanana]

[GOODGUY Nexus au] Meet Sun - The Depressed Asshole [1]

"What happened to my smile and my will to live? Gone."

"Remember kids, whenever you find yourself feeling trapped, feeling suffocated, that's okay!! Fish get eaten in the ocean and they choke on their own waste in undersized tanks everyday. If you are not dead, that means society has done its job." :))

***

They started out like the other Suns and Moons. Getting sentient, sharing the same body, and fighting for control until they nearly killed each other.

The only difference was that even when they were separated, Moon was still an asshole. They taunted and bullied Sun, and often used the threat of shutting him down to get Sun to obey.

They were like the king, and Sun was the sad clown who danced to the stick they would hit him with whenever he stopped.

Sun has tried to stay positive, but the more days go by, the idea of Moon love and care about him seems like a lie he is trying to deceive himself.

But things would get worse, Moon could kill him or he could tear himself in half until one day…

Anyways... Like a butterfly flapping its wings in the northern can cause a tornado in the southern.

Sun has changed, and the universe has changed with him...

It was a late afternoon, when the kids had all gone home and Sun was left alone to clean. The smell of cleaning filled the air, and with each ball he cleaned, he hummed a different tune.

"Hmm… Almost done, only 232 balls left. Haha… I hate my life."

His chuckle echoed in the empty space. The loneliness was like a cold pressing down on Sun's ribs and spine, making him unconsciously hug himself because of the sudden feeling of restlessness.

Moon wasn't here.

Who was he kidding, Moon never wanted to be here, unless his brother needed something, or wanted to push Sun into some dimension craps to turn him into a test subject again.

And it's not like he can say no...

Suddenly, his internal organs rattled as he slowly stood up, the pain tearing like a torch melting the circuit board inside his stomach before pouring more mercury in.

Moon had shoot him with some stupid machine they had built, and the aftershocks had blown a huge hole in his stomach.

It hurt like hell and Sun thought he was going to die, but then Moon had smacked him in the head to shut him up before fixing Sun as good as new.

Though… Why does it still hurt now? Sun winced, trying to get up and falling again.

His hands were shaking, his body was convulsing. His internal systems were flooded with bright yellow error warning symbols, the fans were running at full capacity, but his core was still hot enough to make his head steam.

He wanted to call someone but for some reason his voice box wouldn't respond, only emitting a staticky sound like a broken radio.

"Moon… Moon…" Sun still managed to scream weakly. He struggled to crawl out of the ballpit and crawl to wherever the camera could see him.

"Computer… Help." It is exhausting, and Sun has struggled to scream, even though it felt like he had a knife stuffed in his mouth.

"[Warning: Someone is injured, contact nearest support.]"

The dinging response made Sun's heart swell with hope, only for the computer's voice to knock that hope down and throw it into the mud.

"Oh wait, it's just Sun. I was wrong." The computer's AI looked extremely disappointed as it recognized Sun. Its voice was filled with contempt, as if Sun had soiled its eyes.

"No need to contact Moon. He always say to avoid calling them unless it's important."

The second AI was no better, just continuing to agree with AI one, completely ignoring him as he groaned in pain. A wave of nausea hit him like a wire was being ripped out behind his head and his stomach was popping.

Everything was spinning and before the feeling of breathlessness began to overwhelm him, everything went black.

That was how Sun passed out, realizing, oh, he was worthless to anyone.

***

- This Sun is more meaner. He is not afraid to open his mouth, and usually just loves to throw hands with whoever messes with him.

- He loves to beat the crap out of Monty whenever he has the chance.

-His relationship with Moon became much frayer, but they still love each other. (Kinda)

- He likes to crippled his enemies, because it is easy to live and feel the pain more than just die and get peace. His sadistic side gets shown a lot.

- He killed his Moon, not accidentally but intentionally. (Of course he still feels guilty about it, but things have already happened and Moon has forgiven him when he comes back so they are cool.)

- He and Nexus at first have the : "Who is that sassy child?" Vs "And you are an ugly bitch!" But then they slowly warm up to each other and care and treat the other more healthier than Moon and Sun ever do.

- After turning Nexus into a goose, Sun keeps Nexus in his room and reads them stories for goose Nexus to sleep.

- Sun is still silly, he just hides his side very deeply.

[unholyhelbig]

I have a request as I see they are open! I enjoyed the last Oversight AU! Could I request a one shot of Kate’s imitation / first meeting with Natasha? And maybe go into the specifics of the Eli situation? I love to see the badass protective side of Natasha!

Title: Dig Your Own Shallow Grave [An Oversight Oneshot]

Ship: Female!Reader x Natasha Romanoff (Technically, this is one part of a bigger story)

Summary: Kate Bishop is known as the ex-heiress that was welcomed into Natasha's fold long before you. You learn pieces about her everyday, but never the full story. Not until today.

Warnings(PLEASE READ): physical violence, handcuffs, thunderstorms, threats, mentions of death, mentions of jail, incarceration, cheating, toxic relationship dynamic, gaslighting, emotional manipulation, horrible grammar

[a/n: This one is different! I don't know anything about the Elijah that's portrayed in the MCU, just the Young Avengers Eli and I can't stand the dude.]

Check out the full Oversight universe

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven

The large leaden handcuffs seemed like an unnecessary and overzealous precaution to Natasha Romanoff. They rattled as if the young girl was nothing more than a ghost of Christmas past. They were sinched at her waist, both hands balled into fists until her knuckles were a sickly shade of white.

There was red around her eyes, making a charcoal gray hiss into something muddy and sad. There was a flash of confusion and then disgust that fell over her features when she caught a glimpse of herself in the large two-way mirror that stood parallel.

Natasha turned in her seat, made eye contact with the guard. They had a silent understanding. The cameras that were situated at the corners of the room had been shut off- technical difficulties, they would say.

She collapsed into the chair adjacent to Natasha, never taking her eyes away from the only other distraction in the room. The chain connecting her cuffs were bolted to a hook in the table, but her feet were left free. Unless she was an Olympic swimmer, which she wasn’t, that would be no problem.

The guard nodded before he left them in the room and locked the door behind him. The mechanism in the metal door was loud and sighed with age when turned. The light above them swung back and forth within its cage. A circle of yellow enveloped them both.

Her hair was unkempt, nearly feral. They must have kept her separate from the other prisoners but that didn’t ease her tossing and turning under the fluorescent lights. Natasha had been in holding cells, she’d been stripped of her clothes for testing, and her dignity for much less. Something inside of her broke for this girl. This heiress.

“Who are you?”

It was clear that her voice had gone unused for at least a day, maybe more. She shivered and shrunk into herself at the sound of it. Natasha’s features softened ,that break in her soul cracking just a little further. Her file said she was twenty-two, but the girl in front of her was nothing more than a scared child.

“The woman who is getting you out of here.”

“Please don’t talk in riddles,” She moved to press her fingers against her temples. Her hands were pulled back viciously by her binds. “That’s all my mother does. Did. She talks in circles until I’m too confused to find the start.”

“I suppose that’s fair. You’re Eleanors daughter. Katherine?”

“Kate, but yeah. I’m her daughter.”

It was said with so much bitterness. They weren’t being held at the same facility. Kate was in a deep blue shirt made out of something that was less like fabric and more like paper. She wore the pants to match, her clothes being tested for gunpowder residue.

Eleanor was in a large brick jail in an orange jumpsuit. Natasha had considered going to her but found much more interest in her daughter; the one brave enough to stand up against Wilson Fisk and his incredible size. Bishop took King and destroyed a good amount of property in her district in the process. She’d have to pay thousands to get the folded storefront fixed.

“My name is Natasha Romanoff.”

The sentence was simple and conjured fear. She could see the look in Kate’s face. The girl threw her back against the metal chair, and it screeched from the force. “Why are you here?”

“You smashed my window, and a few displays, and I’m pretty sure you set off an explosive.”

“I’ll pay for it.”

“With what, Kate?”

She paled at this. It was apparent that not only had her assets been frozen, but her mother’s as well. They barely had enough to cover legal fees, much less cosmetics that suffered the aftershock of the blow. She sighed and stared at the cold metal table. It was too scratched to show her reflection.

“I didn’t come here to make you feel bad, Kate. Calling law enforcement on your own mother is a ballsy thing to do. It also makes you a snitch. If you get charged, if you get locked up, it’s not something you’ll make it out of.”

“I know that.” She whipped her head up, eyes hard with anger. They softened after just a moment, to something scared. “I know.”

A silence fell over them both, one that Natasha let settle heavily on her chest. Kate was a spitfire, she was a spoiled girl who had a moment of clarity and turned her mother into law enforcement. She was regretting that now, shivering into herself, having to wait until after the holidays until anything could move from the stone it was trapped in.

Natasha had influence with the guards, and with the chief of police in this district. They had an understanding, and she fully intended to walk out of here with Kate Bishop under her wing. Not for free, of course. Natasha was charitable, but even her good deeds stretched so far.

“I’ve already paid your bail and they’re more than happy to release you into my custody.”

She scoffed “Your custody? I’m an adult.”

“You might be an adult, but you’re one without money, without a home, and I’m guessing everyone that’s still alive and free in your life isn’t too keen on taking you in.”

“Fuck you.”

“Okay,” Natasha said in a breath, staring hard at the girl across from her. She looked so washed out under the harsh lights of the room. Despite her anger, her poisonous words, she reminded Natasha of a dog that broke free from her leash and had almost too much freedom to handle.

The woman stood, her chair sliding elegantly compared to the horrid noise that Kate’s had produced. Natasha moved to pull on her coat, covering the deceivingly hard muscles in her arms. Kate had pretended not to stare; but it was fruitless. All she could think about was what those hands had done, what they could do.

Of course, she felt some veil of safety with the cameras being here. Surely, someone would come in and pull Natasha back the second she started to advance on her, if she started to advance. The distance between them was closed and she sat on the edge of the table. Kate pushed herself flat against the back of the chair.

 Natasha didn’t do well with being told ‘no’. She also didn’t do well with expletives directed towards her instead of because of her. Natasha’s slender hand wrapped around the cold chain attached to Kate’s wrists, she pulled forward and Kate’s sore ribs collided with the edge of the table. She let out a dissatisfied grunt.

She grabbed the back of Kate’s head and slammed her cheek against the cold surface with a dull thud. Natasha didn’t’ let up on her weight, instead, she held her in the perfect position to maintain control.

“Here’s how this is going to work,” Natasha knelt down, making eye contact with Kate. She pushed against the hold, but Natasha had the leverage. Kate flexed her fingers, still in chains. “You destroyed my storefront, and while I toyed with the idea of killing you for that alone, you’ve impressed me.”

“I’ve impressed you?”

Her words were smushed, drool pooling from her lips. It was almost comical, but Natasha pushed harder on the back of her neck, making her cry out. “I’m talking. When I’m talking, you’re not.”

She was met with silence and figured that was as good as she was going to get with this one. Her spit-fire reminded her a bit of Clint when he was younger. It made Natasha gravitate towards him, but this girl had a lot more to learn than her closest friend.

“You’re a spoiled little brat who crumbled one of the oldest clocktowers in the city. The habit didn’t’ seem to improve when your mother cut off your credit cards and that’s a dangerous thing. Getting the shit kicked out of you in jail might serve you well. So, by all means, you can try your luck, or you can follow me out of here so I can correct your behavior.”

Kate swallowed hard, but she didn’t’ say anything. Natasha’s first lesson seemed to be sinking in. After a few moments, she released the girl who sprang up like a jack in the box. She was giving Natasha the same look that she was used to, one of absolute fear. Her face was red and when she moved to wipe her chin of drool, she was stopped once again by her chains.

Natasha took pity on her, for just a moment, and used her thumb to ebb away the line of spit. Kate knew better than to pull back, instead she looked up at Natasha like a kicked puppy, making a small noise in the back of her throat.

“Anyone who stands up to Wilson Fisk is too valuable to kill for some property damage. But let me be clear, Kate, this is not a get-out of jail free card. You work for me. You belong to me. And we’re going to fix that attitude of yours.”

He had moved to the city during Kate’s senior year and wasn’t much for talking. Eli Bradley was as mysterious as they came. He was lanky and had deep brown eyes that were so dark they were nearly black in color. Eli wore a gold hoop in one ear, and while Kate would usually find something like that off-putting, it worked on Eli.

She played cello in the orchestra, first chair with pride, and he was modest with a viola. She made a point to make eye contact with him at least once a day, and eventually he started to return her small smiles. She thought the subtle way his lip quirked up at the corner was nothing but endearing.

In early October of that year, when the air was still crisp but not exactly cold, Kate had sat in the courtyard until the sun threatened to dip behind the horizon. She was avoiding going home to get ready for a party her mother was hosting and had worked it out so she could take the last bus uptown.

“Isn’t it a little dangerous for a pretty girl like you to be out here all alone? It’s getting dark.”

Kate frowned, but quickly retracted the expression when she made out the form of Eli Bradley and the silhouette of his viola case. It hung at his side like a briefcase filled with important papers. Instead, she hiked herself forward and leaned her elbows against her knees. He’d never spoken to her before.

“I’m a 9th degree red belt in Jiu Jitsu, and I have pepper spray. I think I’ll be fine.”

“Impressive,” Eli grinned “I guess it would be pointless to walk you home then, Kate Bishop.”

“I think I can make an exception, Eli Bradley.”

Kate did find herself making exceptions for Eli Bradley over the next few months. She would let him order for her, even if she didn’t find the dish he chose at all appetizing. She had to gently remind him that she was, in fact, allergic to shellfish and if she ate the pasta he insisted on she’d need an epi-pen.

He made up for it by being a gentleman and opening the car door for her when they pulled up to said restaurant.

Kate stepped behind Eli one winter evening when it was the type of dark outside that breeds bad behavior. A woman in a hoodie stepped out from an alleyway, twitching and with a wild look in her eyes. Kate could have easily disarmed her, could have gotten her someplace warm. Eli had delivered a hit to the stomach and pulled Kate along. It was a blur. But she’d never felt fear- just regret.

He made up for it by holding her tight that night, his warmth and sturdiness eventually lulled her to sleep and convinced her that maybe she could live with herself. Maybe she could live with Eli.

Clint Barton glowered at her over his bowl of cereal. Natasha didn’t know if it was some sort of interrogation technique, but it even made her uncomfortable. It was much too early in the morning and Kate’s wrists were still an ugly purple from how tight her cuffs had been. Natasha may have pulled a bit too hard, aggravating the already raw area.

“Your cheerios are going to get soggy,” Yelena entered the kitchen in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, scratching the exposed skin of her stomach with a stifled yawn. She stopped for just a moment to regard Kate, who sat up with a rim-rod quickness. “You always dump them down the sink and it makes the drain smell.”

Clint looked towards Natasha for help. She shrugged, adjusting the reading glasses on the bridge of her nose. She had pulled the paper in this morning and was very careful to remove the front page story of Kate’s mother and her set trial date. She may be cruel in some aspects, but psychological torture was Yelena’s department.

“Who is this?” Yelena asked, voice muffled by the chill of the refrigerator.

“This is Kate. She’ll be here for a while, and if she behaves well enough, she’ll be here longer than that. I expect both of you to regard her well and teach her everything you know.” Natasha took a sip of her steaming black coffee. “Hand to hand combat should not be an issue, isn’t that right, Kate?”

Kate waited a moment, remembering the sting of the table against her cheek. Natasha had asked her a question so it was okay to answer, right? It must be. She had a tendency to not stop talking once she started but it was clear from the prying eyes in the room that she was expected to reply.

“Yes,” She found her voice easier than she had in the jail. “I’m advanced in Jiu Jitsu, hand-to-hand combat, fencing, sword fighting, archery, kick-boxing. Once I used a set of staves from this really nice woman named Bobbi…”

She trailed off when she realized Clint had stopped fishing for the last cheerio and Yelena had cracked open a bottle of juice like she was snapping the neck of a small animal. Her cheeks turned a bright pink, and she averted her gaze.

Natasha smiled softly and took another long sip of her drink. The blonde woman, the one with the chiseled jaw and the striking green eyes, let out a hum. Her stare raked up and down Kate’s form, even while she was shrinking into herself.

“I will train her.”

“That’s not an option, Yel. I want to utilize her, not kill her.”

Kate’s head shot up at the word. She caught Clint’s stare, and he gave her a dejected shrug before pushing the little life-raft of a cheerio under the milk once more. He had no interest in eating it, just drowning it.

Yelena was smiling wolfishly, lilting her head to the side like it was the most innocent thing in the world. “Kill her? Sister, I would never. She’s clearly an asset. If you let Clint train her then she’ll be regressing.”

Kate watched the tension bounce back and forth between the two like a sadistic game of ping-pong. Yelena had just hit the little orange ball with enough force and trajectory to burn a hole directly through Natasha’s paddle.

She’d never dream of pushing Natasha in the slightest, much-less the way that Yelena did right now. Her body language was relaxed and quiet. The two of them stared at each other, and the newspaper was folded, discarded in favor of the stand-off.

“I will not kill her,” Yelena reassured, yet somehow, Kate hadn’t been assured the first time, nor the second time. “Give me a chance.”

Susan Bishop had a harder stare than Eleanor. She had inherited it from her, Kate was sure, but knew how to work it like a double-edged blade. Rarely would she look at Kate. Even rarer so was the two of them being in the same place for more than six minutes at a time.

Kate had her eyes downcast, pretending to read the same paragraph of the same book over and over again. Once she felt the sharp stare of her older sister on the side of her face, it shown brighter than the sun above them.

She’d been stretched out on a poolside chair, just enjoying the pungent scent of chlorine and the occasional low hum of a car passing their large home. It was too chilly for her to actually swim, but she had a fuchsia bathing suit under her long-sleeve shirt and jeans nonetheless.

Susan had settled into the seat next to her and let out a deep sigh as she typed quickly on her cellphone. Kate had cast her a sidelong glance, but quickly pretended to lose interest. They were going back and forth like this for a long, pregnant moment.

Eventually, Susan sighed and softly closed the book in Kate’s hand, not regarding the page that she was on. Kate didn’t mind much. Her older sister never did anything softly. Kate’s heart thrummed in her chest when their eyes met.

“Hi?” Kate cautioned.

“Hi. We need to talk.”

“What do you want?” There wasn’t anything Kate had that Susan didn’t. Hell- she could ask Eleanor for anything and would instantly get it. There were no rules for the eldest, responsible, child. All of that strangling focus was on Kate.

“I don’t want anything. I just want to talk. Sister to sister.”

“Right… sister to sister.”

“You need to break up with Eli.”

The statement through Kate back. It was like Susan had kicked her directly in the diaphragm. The oxygen in her lungs deflated and she stared at her sister in disbelief. Then in startled rage. What did right did Susan have to meddle in her relationship like this?

Kate wanted to tell her just that, but nothing came out except for the last squeeze of air that could be interpreted as a noise of discontent, but Susan never was good at reading signals and Kate needed a fleeting second to catch her train of thought after it had been so violently derailed.

“I get the appeal of the student athlete, I’ve had plenty of them myself, but Eli is not the man for you. You can do better.”

“Seriously? Is this mom speaking or you?”

“This is all me, sweetie.” She didn’t’ say it in a condescending way. In fact- Susan actually reached out and gently touched Kate’s bare arm. She tensed under her, but the hand wasn’t removed. Not even when dark grey eyes looked at her incredulously. “I don’t like the way he changes you.”

“Changes me? You think Eli changes me?”

“I think he makes you shrink and Bishop women are never meant to shrink.”

“That’s all mom has ever done.” Kate bit back venomously.

“Wrong. Mother has full control over Father, she just makes him think that he doesn’t. She’s the decision maker and if she has to keep a hand on his shoulder to do that, then so be it. The world listens to men, and looks at women. It’s how society is. But Eli? He’s binding your hands, not taking them.”

Kate shoved Susan’s hand from her arm and placed both feet on the ground. She didn’t have to listen to this… this practical stranger. Susan didn’t’ know what she was talking about, and neither did Eleanor. They were both ignorant to the way she felt about Eli and the way Eli felt about her. He wanted to the best for her.

Sometimes- she just had to remind him that she was allergic to shellfish.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.” She gritted before standing. She disregarded her book, not that interested anyway, and began walking to the patio doors. Tears had started to sting her eyes. First out of sadness, and then maybe a mix of malice.

“He’s cheating on you.”

Susan said it so softly that could pretend she hadn’t heard it. The water filter for the pool was loud enough to drown out the statement. But she’d stopped with one foot on the bottom step of the patio and the other planted firmly on solid cement. Her nails dug stinging half-crescents into palm.

“You’re wrong.”

“Ask him.”

“I won’t,” She turned, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “Because I trust Eli. Maybe you could grant the same to me.”

Her childhood home held onto the darkness like a vice. A place that was once so maintained and bright was past falling into lawn decay. The pristine shrubbery had springing curls of foliage and the grass hadn’t been painted like her father insisted upon each year.

The structure stood strong, only a few months and some change abandoned. A small strip of tape on the mahogany door was the only indication that this had been an active crime scene at one point. The FBI had taped an order against it before they shattered the wood with a battering ram and raided the home.

Kate hadn’t been back since. She’d been living out of her Aunt Mira’s apartment and wearing her eccentric clothing. But the elder woman would be back soon and eventually she would need to get her own belongings back. If she didn’t, then squatters would when they realized just how vacant the home really was.

Yelena let out a low whistle as she peered up at the home, as if they didn’t live in one with the same amount of wealth. Even the tone she produced sent shivers down Kate’s spine. It had been four months since that day in the precinct.

Each day was spent from dawn to dusk in Yelena’s presence, and it never became easier for Kate. She was a bumbling and incompetent mess around the woman but had grown some kind of comfort in her presence. Kate no longer believed she was in danger at her hand specifically.

That didn’t’ mean that her body didn’t ache from the constant hell that Yelena had been putting her through to put her in ‘the peak performance state- Kate Bishop’. Yelena only said her first name and barked it at her if her pace lessened on one of their multiple-mile runs, or grueling weight training sessions.

Kate didn’t want to admit that she was entranced by the tone of Yelena’s muscles. She chalked it up to admiration, because that’s all it was. Admiration. And a bit of resentment. But Kate’s chest puffed out proudly when she noticed the way her own body began to change under Yelena’s tutelage. Enough that she was ready to go back to her old home for some closure, for some clothes.

Natasha shoved her keys into her pocket and fell in line on Kate’s right side. She peered up at the expertly crafted wood. It had begun to chip. Kate thought that was ironic; it had always been so pristine, but the more she thought about it, she’d often duck under a ladder to step into the foyer.

Bad luck all around, and a simple patch job that would crumble if not properly cared for.

“We can just buy you new clothes,” Natasha urged in that flittingly careful way that made Kate know she really did give a damn, but not if you asked. “You don’t have to go in there.”

“And add to the debt I already owe you for busting me out of jail?”

“I think she has to do this.” Yelena said firmly.

She was right. Kate had to do this. She was always handed everything in life so easily and it made her reckless, but far from undisciplined. It just took Natasha slamming her face against the cold metal of an unclean table for her to get some sense knocked back into her.

Kate had called the police on her mother. She’d done it after the knowledge of crimes committed festered and grew in her mind. It bred resentment in her mind until she came face to face with the fact that she wasn’t putting her mom away, she was putting a monster away.

Stepping through these doors would humanize her and it would cut Kate deep enough to draw blood. But then, she felt Yelena’s fingers on the small of her back. A light touch that was telling Kate that she wasn’t as alone as she thought she was.

The door let out a whine of protest when she pushed it open. They were met with a stale scent and a soft glow that ruminated from what Kate knew best as the living area. There was a grand piano that was mostly untouched, and large oak bookshelves that had multiple editions of old encyclopedias bound in leather.

She and Susan used to flip through them and try to pronounce the words by phonic spelling. They’d trace their little fingers over the inked illustrations and giggle if they had found something even remotely obscene. She remembers the word ‘Dam’ making them laugh until they couldn’t breathe.

Natasha’s hand darted out and pressed against Kate’s mid-section. Her other one grabbed the gun from the back of her pants. She shot the girl a sideways glance. “You left that on?” she mouthed.

Kate shook her head, her fingers itching for her own weapon. She didn’t have one. While Kate was an expert at professional archery and her aim wasn’t in question by anyone in the room- her familiarity with handguns with the serial number scratched off was minute. Yelena had pulled her own weapon, jaw firm.

Maybe squatters had broken in, and if they had, she’d gladly allow them to have the place. She just needed to stuff a duffel bag full of items and the small sentimental necklace she had gotten from her father as a child, and then she would be on her merry way.

Natasha stepped around the corner and raised her gun, screaming something that was drowned out by the startled yells of another. Kate recognized that yell, that rasp. She frowned, letting the tension in her shoulders drop before she got a good look at the living room herself.

It was incredibly lived in and lit by a single lamp that had it’s shade discarded. It was blinding and left spots in her eyes, but not enough to disregard the box of white sticky rice that had spilled all over the floor like maggots.

There was a makeshift bed on the couch and a few of those encyclopedias strewn about as if they were bedtime reading. In the center of it all; Eli Bradley with his hands up and a fork between his lips. His mouth dropped open and it fell to the floor with a dull thud.

He was shirtless, in a pair of boxers that Kate was pretty sure was her fathers. She was thankful she hadn’t eaten before this because the simple fact was enough to make her gag.

“Elijah?” She exclaimed.

“You know this guy?” Yelena asked, voice tight. She lowered her weapon, but Natasha kept hers in the same position it was before, trained right at his genitals and ready to shoot at a moments notice.

Kate wished with her entire body that she didn’t. His boxers held his athletic thighs, his deep brown eyes flashing to the guns aimed at him. Yelena was never a patient woman but somehow, in this moment, Kate knew deep down that she would be patient here. Her mouth was dry and her throat like sandpaper. It was incredibly hard to swallow.

“I’m her boyfriend.” Eli sounded out, his fingers twitching “I have a key.”

Yelena looked at Kate with pleading eyes, to which she received a nod in return. Kate supposed she hadn’t officially broken up with the man in front of her. The aimed weapons were lowered to the floor, but Natasha kept her hold. One false move and she wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet through his bare foot.

“Yel, idi soberi yey sumku.”

Kate didn’t understand a lick of Russian, but she knew that Natasha’s tone was not to be questioned. Yelena holstered her weapon and slinked up the stairs. She’d be able to guess which room was Kate’s. The trophies and medals and photos tacked up to bulletin boards. It was the only room Kate was allowed to personalize, and even then, it was meant to be spotless.

Natasha must have caught onto the tension in Kate’s stance. She shoved her hands into her pockets, shoulders hunched and eyes submissive. It wasn’t something she wanted to see in her young trainee.

It wasn’t at all the woman that sat across from her in an interrogation room. Not even with her face her neck in Natasha’s grip. Something was wrong, and it was something stronger than Kate being back in her childhood home. That warranted sadness. But compliance? Absolutely not.

“Katie, baby. Who is this?” Eli asked. “Come on, you can tell me.”

When Kate opened her mouth to speak, Natasha held up a hand, instantly silencing her. The woman lilted her head to the side, unripe eyes taking in the scene in front of her; the discarded take-out containers, the balled-up socks in the corner of the room. The rain that had begun to pound against the roof and slather itself across windowpanes.

Natasha’s voice came out as a snarl “I’d love to introduce myself, but first, could you ask your little friend to come out from behind the curtains?”

Kate’s stare hardened and she whipped her head up accusingly. Still, she didn’t say a word. The wine-red Versailles fabric shifted; the view blocked by the grand piano but not enough for Natasha to ignore. Kate’s mother had spent hours looking over Swatches that would fit the room, and eventually chose the option that brought the room into a gothic elegance.

Kate didn’t need to wait to know who it was. Cassie Lang. Best friend, confidant, and exactly who Kate caught in bed with Elijah weeks before. But this was different. This was her home. It had already been violated by law enforcement. Torn apart just for two of her friends, people she trusted and loved, to take advantage of its vacancy.

“That’s better,” Natasha purred. Cassie was shaking because of the cold, wearing only a silk robe that belonged to Kate’s sister. “Now, let’s all have a chat.”

 “Kate, Katie, it’s not what it looks like. Just… tell your friends to leave and I’ll explain everything.”

Eli attempted to step towards her, hands no longer raised in caution but reaching towards Kate. Natasha felt a surge of anger lick against her skin. She stepped between them, splaying her hand out on his chest before shoving him recklessly onto the center of the couch.

He sprung back onto his feet, voice dripping in venom “Back off lady! I’m trying to talk to my girlfriend here!”

Natasha let out a sigh and crossed her arms over her chest before turning her gaze to Kate. Something about this situation was juvenile, but so important. Though she only had the girl under her care for a few weeks now, she felt nothing but warmth towards her.

She’d mislabeled her as a rich, undisciplined trust fund baby. Natasha didn’t’ often admit her mistakes but that had been one that weighed heavily on her. Sure, Katherine Bishop had a bit of an incorrigible sass to her, but it wasn’t unwarranted. Her boasting was backed up by actions true to her words. Strong, determined, actions.

Natasha hated how she was shrinking. Hated how this man had chipped away at her until she was hugging her mid-section to stop the thrumming pain of betrayal. She couldn’t’ find the words, they were lodged in her throat. There was the strong suspicion that if she hadn’t sent Yelena away, they’d be scrubbing blood from an imported carpet.

Something tole Natasha that Kate never got a choice in this relationship, and she wasn’t about to continue the toxic pattern that had led to her demure state.

 “Ketrin,” Natasha’s voice was soaked with her native tongue “Would you like me to take care of this?”

She opened her mouth and then closed it again, almost like a fish. Words escaped her. Natasha’s soft exhale brought her back to the room. Everything was fuzzy around the edges and reminded her of the first time she had pushed herself too hard in competition. She never lost consciousness but came close to it.

Yelena had successfully pilfered a duffel bag, having removed the sabers that resided there and filled it with whatever clothes she could find. Kate felt her stomach flip at the naive idea that the Russian woman had gone through her underwear drawer.

She flicked her eyes back to Eli, his chest heaving up and down as he eyed the gun still in Natasha’s grasp. Cassie was still like a statue, rubbing her palms on the silk fabric of her robe. She had the decency to look guilty.

“Take care of it.”

The words were barely more than a hurt whisper. She didn’t trust herself right now, not with the sharp pain that coursed through her veins. Tears had stung her eyes in the back of the detective’s car, but she didn’t know if that was on account of Eli or Eleanor.

Kate silently excused herself as the silence that settled over the room became thicker, palpable. Yelena’s deep stare was on Kate in a way that made her squirm. But she remained at the head of the stairs, even stepping to the side when Kate began to trek to a room that had already been rifled through. There was an unspoken agreement. Natasha would take care of it.

 “What’s your name?” she asked, directing the question towards the girl.

“Cassie.” Elijah answered.

Natasha held her hand up to him again, fingers barely ghosting his shoulder. He shivered at the near touch but snapped his mouth shut. “I wasn’t asking you. I was asking her. Sweetie?”

“It’s Cassie… Cassie Lang.”

“Okay, Cassie.” She kept her voice soft, cajoling. “I want you to go home and get some rest. And under no circumstance are you going to call law enforcement. I’ll be informed immediately if you do so. Do you understand?”

She nodded frantically, keeping her head down as she moved to smooth past Natasha. The woman grabbed her sleeve, holding her in place for just a moment. She was so close she could smell the sex on her, see the sweat against her brow and the fear in her stare.

“Sweetheart. I suggest you learn to keep better company.”

Cassie let out a squeak that almost bled into a whine before taking advantage of Natasha’s loose hold. She darted with a quickness unseen, the door slamming behind her, the roar of the rain hissing to a muffled stop.

“And you?”

“What about me?” Elijah asked in a nauseatingly confident way.  

Natasha let out a long sigh and studied him. Everything from the way he stood to the faux dog tags that hung against his chest bled fury. This was exactly the type of man that would attract someone like Kate with a level of badger-like charm before clamping his jaw down on her throat.

Thankfully, Kate’s mother had fantastic taste in artwork. A bronze Clyde Ball piece lingered by the entryway. While he was known for his extensive statue work and abstract designs, Natasha liked that he used a heavier metal, one with a base that was easily grasped.

With a sly swing of the hand she connected the corner of the object with Eli’s temple. A flash of blood instantly stained his skin and splayed against the floor when he collapsed. Natasha dropped the artwork next to him. She let out a hum, figuring that a Clyde Ball may be worth purchasing after all.  

His truck had kicked up a rut in the normally spotless lawn. Eli had barely missed the mailbox with his erratic driving- which was bold considering the amount of unmarked and marked police vehicles that encircled Kate’s property.

Kate was sitting on the front steps, the concrete cold and unwelcome against the small of her back. They’d handcuffed her and her fingers were numb. Still, she flexed them when the commotion caught her attention. They didn’t’ bother with police tape, but a man in a wrinkled suit stopped Eli.

It took her a few long moments to realize that Cassie was in the passenger seat of the truck. She made eye contact with Kate, a look of sorrow forcing her to glance away. She was wearing Eli’s lettered jacket and naively, Kate convinced herself for a fleeting moment it had something to do with the busted heating vents in the old vehicle.

She knew better.

She’d smelled Eli’s specific spicy brand of cologne and deodorant on Cassie the last time they embraced. His lips tasted of the bubblegum ChapStick that Cassie had worn everyday since the six grade when Kate landed on her during a game of spin the bottle. Admittedly, she felt more during that kiss than anything she’d ever shared with Eli.

Kate adjusted her shoulder against the hold of the cuffs. They were uncomfortable, digging into her wrists. Even if she wanted to break out of them, she couldn’t. She was a nervous fidgeter and Elijah was using some degree of charm to weasel his way past the officer blocking him. Just as he’d weaseled his way into Cassie’s pants.

“Oh my god, Katie.” He rushed out when he got to her, kneeling down on the damp sidewalk. It was unnaturally cold and they hadn’t let Kate pull on a jacket over the tank top she wore for her morning run. His hands ran down her thighs and squeezed her knees. “Fuck, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Kate’s stare brushed past Elijah blankly and to the fogging up window of his truck. If Cassie hadn’t already been wearing his jacket, she was sure he’d offer it to her, an offer she would vehemently deny. All of his charm, his commanding power, had been washed away with her mothers as she ducked her head and settled into the back of a squad car. One that probably had heat.

“Jesus, I heard that this place was swarming with cops. What did you do?”

“What did you?”

“I don’t… Katie, babe, come on.” He glanced back at the car and when he turned to face Kate once more, their eyes locked. He didn’t’ need to say anything and neither did she. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Kate felt the warmth of Detective Brigid O’Reilly behind her. She wasn’t a stranger to Kate, but she acted like one when she tightened the cuffs around her wrists. Temporary informant or not, Kate was still a Bishop and they weren’t trusted in this town.

“Miss Bishop. It’s time to go.”

Her forearm was gripped and she was pulled to her feet with a grunt. Her legs were numb, needles rushing through them. Part of her was grateful for being dragged away. The other part was terrified, sad, hurt and angry. They’d all betrayed her.

“Where are you taking her?”

“Fifteenth precinct. Don’t waste your breath, kid. She’ll be indisposed for a few hours. Take your little girlfriend home.”

He winced at the detective’s words and averted his stare to the ground. Kate let herself get let to the unmarked Lincoln town car. At least she’d save the humiliation as the whole lights and sirens routine.  

Most of the time, they didn’t wake up screaming, but Elijah did. His senses were overwhelmed, and his body instantly registered the cold and the slickness of muck beneath him. Even over the brutal beating of falling rain, he could hear the cars that swept past on the highway.

His head was pounding, and the headlights of vehicles passing over the highpoint of evergreens only served as something more disorienting. It was only when a crack of lightening flashed across the sky did he notice the woman standing over him, a shovel slung over her shoulder.

So, he screamed, and he swore she smiled at the sound.

He turned over on his stomach and coughed into the mud, his toes not finding purchase in the mud. Natasha’s boot came down on the center of his back and he found himself sprawling, tasting a mix of metal and dirt. He realized that he underestimated the situation Kate had gotten herself into.

“Good morning, Elijah.” She crowed, dropping the shovel next to his face, barely missing his brow. He flinched and shrunk into himself. “I have a job for you.”

She used the tip of her shoe to flip him over onto his back. The falling rain that had gotten through the pine needles above him hit his face in a cooling effect. He saw another set of headlights, eyes darting towards the road. Maybe if he yelled loud enough, all of this would be over.

“I need you to dig a hole.”

“What?” He panted out, his breath leaking out in puffs of condensation. “a hole?”

“Mm, glad I didn’t rupture an eardrum. It needs to be a big hole. How tall are you?”

“I don’t… What?”

Natasha knelt next to him, a sadistic smile falling from her lips. Instead, it was replaced with something darker. Almost as if a flip was switched. Her deep red hair was adhered to her forehead from the rain, her jaw clenched and unclenched.

“I don’t know you, Elijah. But, I know Kate and that girl has been through hell and back. She’s guarded and hides behind her humor to deflect the pain that she’s experiencing. And to me… it seems like you’re a big catalyst here.”

His breathing had become shuddered. Natasha grabbed the shovel before standing and delivering a swift kick to his side. His ribs instantly ached and a cry escaped him. She wanted him to right himself and to safe another deadly spark of pain, he complied.

She had, in fact, started a small divot where she expected him to dig. Tears were running down his face, small sobs muffled by his determination to put on a front. She didn’t’ find any admiration in his sniveling. Instead, she let him scoop out three frothy loads of dirt before she continued, circling like a lion.

His hands had started to bleed.

“She believed in you enough to trust you and you turn around and fuck her best friend?” Natasha got close, yelled over the rain. He stuttered in his movements, clenched his eyes shut. “Don’t stop digging! Was she not enough for you?”

Elijah stuck the tip of the shovel back into the soup of rainwater and mud. It was a black slush at this point, something he could drown in if he laid facedown for long enough. “She was… she was.”

“Then why did you do it, huh? You took everything she was and whittled her down to nothing before discarding her for someone else you could break. Is that it? Did that make you feel more like a man?”

He didn’t’ respond, instead, moving another round of slop to the side of a hole that was starting to look more and more like a grave. He was up to his knees in cold, unforgiving water. His toes flexed in the icy earth.

“Answer me!” She yelled with enough anger to split earth. However, Natasha didn’t give him the chance. She dug her nails into the back of his neck and shoved him forward into the muck. He could taste dirt, words bubbling.

Elijah groaned and brought himself to his knees. His ears were ringing, his heart pounding in his throat. He was crying loudly now, sitting back on his heels. Natasha was above him, standing on the edge of the grave he had just dug. Headlights flashed over her cold stare.

“If you’re feeling helpless, Elijah, so was she. Kate needed you, and you weren’t there for her. She was suffocating, and everyone could see it, but you kept her just out of reach, didn’t you?”

“Yes! Yes,” He groaned out, digging his fingers into the soft earth. “Fuck, yes. I hurt her, I know that.”

“Lay down.”

“What?” His voice broke.

“You’re going to lay here until morning.” She knelt down “You’re not going to move a muscle.”

“I’ll drown,”

“You might.” She growled, taking account of the heaviness of the rain, the way the tires of passing vehicles sloshed around in the collected puddles. “But at least you’d understand how Kate felt.”

[Taglist🕷♡: @dumbasslesbi, @lostremind, @toouncreativeforausername @autorasexy @eringranola @mikookaaaaaao @marvelwoman-simp @pacmanmiles @mostlymarvelsstuff, @mrsrushman, @milfsandtittyenthusiast, @random-raccoon4, @ravenromanova, @mysticalmoonlight7, @ahintofchaos@cowboyboots236 @lissaaaa145, @natsxwife@a-spes, @kyleeservopoulos]

[taurusreads]

what do they want you to know?

masterlist || paid services || ko-fi

messages from spirit, a significant other,

passed loved one, etc.

pile one

overall energy: king of swords

im sending masculine energy straight off the bat here. that doesn’t mean that the person is male per say, just that they give off more masculine energy than feminine. i think this could be someone that you used to talk to, and are possibly talking to again, or someone that you’ve just been having more contact with as of late. this person could have heavy air placements.

i think that there could have been a falling out at some point, and the blame is more so coming from their part. they feel guilty, and want you to let them back into your life. i think they could want a second chance if they get close enough, whether this be platonic or romantic. i think at some point during your separation you had a leveling up, and they definitely noticed that.

i think this is more of a message to say call back your power. if there was a choice that your gut has been forcing you to make, or an idea that won’t leave your head, then go for it. trust the voice in the back of your head when it tells you something. the only opinion about you that should be important to you is your own. the only person who you should need to be happy for you and routing for you is yourself. your own thoughts and opinions will make you feel more than anything anyone else says.

channeled messages: purple, black, self help, self sabotage, relationships, 555, masculine, karmic, meditate, reading, educate, progress, air signs, air placements, family, reliance, love, hugs,

pile two

overall energy: the tower

i think that you might have just come out of a hard period of your life. whether that be coming of age, heartbreak, grieving, etc. you’ve been through it for a while now, but you’ve finally come out of the worst end of it. i feel light, like a weight was taken off of my shoulders finally.

i think you should take some time to take care of yourself right now. stay in this unbothered phase for as long as you can. take note of how you feel, how your body feels, your emotions, etc. how do you feel day to day when you feel this good? enjoy it because i feel like there was a period when you wanted something so bad that you couldn’t let go of it. not being able to let go is going to be your worst enemy. the outcome you want will come so long as you affirm it. if you believe it will happen, then it will happen. don’t cry over spilled milk, there’s better things in store. step into you masculine energy. we all have it in us, there should be an equal amount of masculine and feminine. you have to balance out yours now. you may have gotten what you wanted, but thankfully, the work doesn’t stop here. start figuring out what it is you want out of life next.

you’re starting to take the time to figure out what it is that you want out of life exactly. you’re leveling up in a new way because you’re starting to learn what it is that life means to you. this beautiful energy needs to be accompanied by hard work though. it’s time to put in the extra work to get the things you really want.

channeled messages: yellow, release, 999, “leave the past in the past and start anew”, empath, meditation, manifestations, “you ask and you shall receive”, friends, self love

pile three

overall energy: the hierophant

i think you’re a very patient person. your someone who values their work and education heavily, you may even be interested in teaching as a profession. i feel like you’ve been in a beautiful time of your life for a while now, and you’re happier than you’ve ever been. there’s a certain relationship that could use some work possibly, as far as communication goes. im getting masculine energy from this but of course, that does not mean they are a male.

i think you’re protective over your energy in a very healthy way. it’s very hard to get into your inner circle but that’s because your energy is so special that you can’t afford to give it away that easily. i think someone around you really admires that. they love the way that you can stay unbothered and keep pushing forward towards your goals. you just seem to keep going up up up and they’re soooo proud of you. i honestly think you’re a little surprised by yourself as well. but soak in this feeling. enjoy the fruits of your labor. treat yourself, have fun. you DESERVE IT.

you don’t have to be so humble. you did something that many aspire to do, and many don’t have the courage to. you faced your demons and used the newfound strength to build yourself up into a new person. you didn’t change who you were, you just became assured in who you were. but i’ve never said that it was wrong to be a little vain sometimes. we all get to have our moments, you included. it doesn’t make you mean, it doesn’t make you stuck up, it just makes you confident. now im not saying flaunt it all the time, but do things out of the ordinary that are tailored to YOU and what YOU need. have a whole day dedicated to the things you want to do and how you want to take care of yourself. you deserve to enjoy the rewards you reaped from working so hard.

>>:((((( SPOIL YOURSELF!!!!!

channeled messages: green, 111, princess, lighting, mother yourself, follow your heart, you’ve made it, believe it, spoiled, im seeing the pinterest core with the sparkly dresses and designer handbags but it’s blurry and shit, solo dates, find inspiration, we’re all routing for you :(

[flightfoot]

recs for older/future ladynoir/time skip post show? like early to mid 20s where they're still ladybug and chat noir, i keep looking but can never really find anything except where chat noir goes off grid, but i think i'm just bad at it haha

Hm... yeah there are definitely some out there, though most of them are post-reveal. I dunno if that's what you're looking for, but I'll just see what I can find. I'm assuming, based on this description, that you're looking for something where Ladybug and Chat Noir are superheroes, and not a No Powers AU.

---

Boulangerella by @aidanchaser

Once upon a time, magic was wild. The two princes of the kingdom have been tasked with choosing their brides by the end of their 21st birthday celebrations. Crown Prince Adrien Agreste will have to choose between a woman who can protect his kingdom, a woman offering the power to wake his sleeping mother, and the woman he has loved and admired for the past year. Then there's also the seamstress that he is suddenly falling for. By the time he realizes he doesn't have the power to choose at all, it may be too late.

I love a good fairy tale AU, and this is no exception. Aidanchaser started writing it before Season 5 came out, so it's wrong about some things. Most notably, Felix's posthumous father was a good and decent person here, and one of the twin rings is Felix's Amok while the other one is Adrien's Amok, instead of both of them being Adrien's Amok.

This was a well-crafted tale, with kwamis operating as Fae: they can give power, but only if the wielder gives something up to pay for it. For temporary usage of their power, it can be something small and innocuous, such as giving Plagg cheese in exchange for his help. More expansive uses of their power requires greater sacrifices however, even sacrificing more nebulous things such as memories or hope.

The kingdom's currently being terrorized by this unknown villain, Hawk Moth, as in the show. Ladybug and Chat Noir emerge to battle him, but for some reason (*cough, cough*), King Gabriel isn't fond of the superheroes and wants them captured.

Gabriel isn't the only threat out there, Lila's skulking around, hinting that she knows how to wake up Emilie from her mysterious illness, if only Adrien marries her. And she's not about to take no for an answer.

If you've been wanting a fairy tale/fantasy Miraculous AU, I recommend giving Boulangerella a shot!

---

Through Yellow Eyes by @echo-has-queries

"Nooroo bleeds and Paris drowns in his blood." The day of the Blight, Paris bore witness to a horror too grand to comprehend. Only Chloé Bourgeois bore witness to a miracle. Marinette, Alya and the rest of Paris will need more than faith in Gimmi to survive. As the city's sanity hangs by a thread, bodies, minds, and souls are traded with the unknown in order to hold on to the things they each treasure most. Written for the AU Roulette Challenge 2024 with the prompt: Cosmic Horror AU

If you like Cosmic Horror (Lovecraftian I think? Though this isn't really my wheelhouse), then this is the story for you! I love seeing how Paris copes with the madness seeping through its streets, somehow going about daily life despite it all.

Kwamis here are more inhuman, more separated from humanity. There's no cute little miniature form to help bridge the gap. While humans can still meld with kwami, it's not all quite as firmly in the human's control as it normally is, and the side effects are worse. It doesn't help that the kwamis can't fully understand squishy little humans' wants, needs, or morality.

Like, as Ladybug, Marinette can't remember her human name, and her human concerns are somewhat muted. While as Marinette, she can't remember certain aspects of her time as Ladybug, and only regains those memories when she transforms again. She also has to be careful about restoring everything, as she can't just give Tikki a cookie and call it a day. Instead, she herself needs to eat enough to compensate for the lost energy, which can be a substantial portion of the goods in her parents' bakery.

As for Adrien... well, this is still going off of Sentimonster Adrien, though the ritual to create him went differently... and went wrong. But he is still Adrien.

Chloe's interesting as well, she's this sort of priest, this missionary for the kwamis, but her methods are... well, not the best. She still has a bunch of her canonical hangups, even though she IS somewhat helpful.

I love Alya in here, she's just desperately trying to figure out what's going on so that she can try to fix it, especially since Nino's one of the people who's been driven mad by the Blight. She does find some answers, and even ends up being partially responsible for Ladybug's creation and Chat's and Ladybug's subsequent fight against the worst effects of the Blight, but the risks, danger, and side effects she suffers are still significant. Though some of those side effects can be used to her advantage.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this AU and thought it was an interesting take on the subject, I highly recommend checking it out!

---

Mamma Mia! by @ladynoirfanao3

When Marinette discovers she is pregnant, she is distressed to realize any of the three men she slept with in the recent past could be the father; Chat Noir, Ladybug’s partner and ex with whom she had gone through a tearful breakup - the mysterious Cat Walker, Ladybug’s rebound - or Adrien Agreste, Marinette’s current boyfriend. Bit of a twist on the base concept of Mamma Mia, where she doesn't realize all three potential fathers are, in fact, the same man.

So this is a fun little fic. I loved seeing Adrien and Marinette independently wrestle with the situation - Adrien, with maybe being the father of his former girlfriend's children (but maybe not), and Marinette, with needing to tell her former and current boyfriends that they might or might not be the father, and having to deal with a potential change in their relationship because of that.

Oh yeah, this fic is rated M, but the sexual content is relatively mild. The foreplay is detailed, but the actual sex is just implied.

---

Fate, Destiny... A Hamster by @mostmagical

After finally moving into his very first apartment per Ladybug’s suggestion, Adrien discovers something no movie or TV show could have ever prepared him for: someone else's hamster.

Marinette was so excited to have her first pet. If only it would stop escaping!

At least now there’s an excuse to talk to the new neighbor.

(Adrienette Never Met AU)

Funnily enough, this is based on a true story. Specifically, the author’s own experience of having her hamster run out and be found by a neighbor.

Anyway, this is adorable! Marinette and Adrien become smitten with each other extremely quickly, with Marinette’s hamster keeping giving them reasons to talk. Very effective wing-hamster, that one XD. 

---

I (Wish I) Knew You by @buggachat

University has been hard on Marinette. Making new friends and maintaining her grades is a lot easier said than done when she has to disappear at odd times to fight akumas. She's struggling, and with Alya away with family and Adrien painfully out of reach, she's never felt lonelier.

If only she could talk to someone who really understood her struggles... but it's not like Chat Noir would know anything about loneliness. Right?

Nice aged-up Ladynoir fic here! Marinette’s struggling with losing friends and lovers because of her flakiness due to her superhero activities, until at last she breaks down. Thankfully, Chat Noir’s there at least - and it soon turns out he’s got problems of his own that he’s been hiding.

There’s some fluff and angst, it’s mostly just the two of them navigating life, dealing with their feelings and talking things out.

---

Tell Me Why You Love Me by @linnieluna

“Anyway, that piece of paper contains the name of this texting app. It’s completely anonymous, so you can download it, make your account with no attachments to your personal life, and communicate with me outside our suits. I included my username on the paper, too, so you can add me once you’re done."

Her partner skimmed through the words on the paper and nodded his head. “Brilliant as always, M’lady. I’m surprised we didn’t figure this out sooner within our superhero careers.”

“Yeah, it would’ve been nice to have this before, but hey, better late than never. Make sure not to have your phone screen on the messages if you’re going to leave it somewhere. We don’t want anyone reading our texts. Also, this is for emergencies only. No jokes or puns. I can only deal with you for so long.”

“I don’t know if I can agree to that last one,” he said.

Now 22 and working full-time, Marinette and Adrien seem to be getting busier and busier, which means fewer opportunities to keep track of akumas and show up on time. With the idea of using a messaging app to communicate with each other without revealing their identities, their lives immediately grew to be easier... until it wasn't.

This starts off as a mostly slice-of-life fluff fic, but about halfway through things turn dramatic when Monarch learns some things he really shouldn’t and takes action. I had a lot of fun with it as it was coming out, it’s worth a read.

---

Wedding Belle by Ilioneththird

Monarch is gone but the Butterfly has taken his place. When an old schoolmate of Marinette’s from her Francois Dupont days gets upset that a couple who have been engaged for a long time still aren’t making any wedding plans, the Butterfly akumatizes her into Wedding Belle, a supervillain with the power to force couples to get married. Guess which other longstanding couples and “just friends” she will target 😉

---

Love is Blind by @jennagrinsoverml

Tired of all of his potential girlfriends being blinded by his face, his fame and his name, Adrien takes a chance to compete on Love Is Blind: France, where he hopes that dating without seeing each other—or learning each other’s names—will finally help him to be lucky in love. What will he do when he realizes that his Lady is one of the contestants, however? And will he be able to win her heart where he’s never succeeded before? Meanwhile, Marinette is looking to meet the right guy after years of pining away for someone who has only ever seen her as a friend. She’s not entirely sure if she can fall in love with someone without seeing them, but the things that have always mattered to her most are the kinds of things that can’t be seen. What will she do when she realizes her heart is being pulled in two directions? And will she be ready to make a decision in time?

---

Remember That Time When by @mostlovedgirl-writes

Twenty-two-year-old Marinette Agreste was looking forward to the anniversary trip she would be taking with her husband Adrien that weekend. Those plans are derailed when she wakes up in her old bedroom... and she’s seventeen again.

[greenboyfriend]

pick an image! (tarot card reading)

image source image 1: a purple blob with many holes across its membrane, and a divot separating itself in two. hopefully, looking at this thing, you don't contract trypophobia. image 2: another wonderful blob, this time in blue. many little orange spikes peek out across its surface. the contrasting colors really make this image pop! image 3: less blob like, but still blob-ish, this yellow lad has many spindly arms. the better to hug you with, my dear!

1.・。.・゜✭

although you may feel like you've reached the pits as of late, the empress assures you that there are many, many good things ahead of & around you, so long as you lean into the energy of the chariot. you need to stop feeling like the victim! sure, you may be, but there is a time and place for self pity, and now is not it. some of you- though not all- may also be acting as a martyr, letting others step all over you. this must change! if you're unsure of where to start, going out into nature may help you find balance. it might also be a good idea to enjoy the things you do have at the moment, and you'll find that you have more than enough of what you need. your current challenge is to embody the chariot! maybe you're resisting it a bit, it's ok, we've all been there. but this has the potential for great results! fixate on your goal and use everything in your power to propel yourself towards it. it may take some time, and you may have to take multiple steps to get there, but that victory will be oh so sweet. you will have to resist your impulses to get angry, or for some, to put others before you. but the 9 of pentacles nails the point home: you need to do what is best for YOURSELF, using your own methods. you're already set up to succeed! just keep your head level, and resist the urge to give them a piece of your mind. i promise, once you've reaped what you're sowing now, it will be twice as satisfying as lashing out.

(10 of swords, the empress, the chariot reversed, 9 of pentacles)

2.・。.・゜✭

you're holding out against something. you're saying no, refusing, struggling!... im sorry to be the one to tell you, but you've gotta give it up. look, im all for resisting authority, but within this situation, rescinding your position will be beneficial. think of it as taking a step back in order to take two steps forward. you're going to have to go in the total opposite direction, to put others first and try to see things from their perspective. know that you're operating from a safe place, too, and that, no matter how things go, you will be protected. you may even be blissfully unaware to some of the worse aspects of this situation. you will need to find a solution that lasts. you don't have to do this on your own, whether you need help with resources or anything, asking for help is completely ok. it may feel like a sacrifice to change your mind, but this is the path that will leave you with a clean conscience. this situation likely has to do with family.

(7 of wands reversed, ace of pentacles, the hanged man, 6 of cups, 10 of pentacles)

3.・。.・゜✭

much like those who chose image two, you will also be or already are doing an about-face, where you overturn old priorities into the new. it seems like this is going to take a lot of tinkering to get just right, and will require that you have the perseverance to see it through. it won't be easy, but, as the king of pentacles' energy shines through you, anything can be made possible! being committed to your task and able to adapt as your situation changes will serve you well. don't be afraid to admit you were wrong, to ask for help from multiple places, or to take a rest after getting knocked down. this is all part of the process. the queen of cups gives you the added strength of patience, kindness, and a finely tuned intuition. pay attention to your dreams and immediate gut reactions, and use them as building blocks to further reach your goal. if you're like me, who wants all the questions to be solved as soon as they appear, taking your time and allowing yourself to wait for the perfect moment is not always easy-- but take this as a means to strengthen your resolve. we are all prone to different skillsets, patience being one of them. maybe finding help in this area would prove useful to you?

(king of pentacles, the hanged man, temperance, 9 of wands, queen of cups)

thanks for reading! if ur interested in getting an in depth reading with me, send me a dm or an ask!

[flamebearrel]

🔬 + 🎵 + 🗺 for that ask game? I don't even go there, I just like to hear what you have to say about things

ACK thank you… you’re the light of my life

🔬: What character do you want to put under a microscope?

I’m gonna go with YouTube! I dunno why I like it so much but it being a relatively original design based on the UI makes it stand out from the other non-stick antagonists. Plus just LOOK at this goofy thing

If I have to pick a stick specifically then Red. He comes up with such unique and clever solutions to problems that no one else even considers

🎵: What’s a song you imagine an AvA/AvM animatic to? What’s the animatic?

Mother Mother must put something in their music to make so many of their songs animatic-able I'm telling you… In The Wings works really well for Purple I think, a recurring character who continuously teeters between friend and antagonist! Picturing the first verse being about their backstory with their parents and the second about the initial part of their arc where they meet Blue and Green (maybe the bridge montages the later parts idk). Relevant doodles attached

🗺: How do you imagine the world works?

I’ve seen on the wiki and in some discussions that people categorize sticks as either “Artificial” (the hollow-heads) or “Natural” (your “typical” solid color) stick figures. Frankly, I realllly don’t like this system because it clumps these guys with entirely different backgrounds together-

-but not these guys, despite living at most in different neighborhoods and under the exact same conditions.

I’d categorize them instead by how they originate: either “Drawn/Animated”, “Website/Game”, or “City/Outernet” stick figures.

Drawn sticks are created local to someone's desktop, usually via drawing program by an artist or animator. The powers and abilities they have depend on the names they are given, as well as (optional) code like The Dark Lord has. They can detach themselves from their original files, but presumably cannot be recovered if they do so and get taken out. These include Alan's hollow-heads, which are the only ones we've outright seen, but it's canon that other people have brought sticks to life too

Website and game sticks originate from the internet on, as you can guess, designated sites/games. The logistics of their abilities, appearances and lifestyles vary wildly depending on the worldbuilding of their source. If they die they can be revived if in close access to their webpage, but if that goes down, they're taken out too. Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and any Newgrounds/Stick Page guys fall into this category

City sticks live in the Outernet, a separate region almost entirely out of human reach. They live a life most similar to people (albeit vaguely, since a stickman is a simplified approximation of a human), being able to age, reproduce, and having their own economy/work systems. No powers, files or code to be attached to. King is shown to be one of these guys; Purple is slightly more complicated since they've lived on a mac, in games AND in the city at different points but they're one too due to their parents

Gates are needed to get from one area to another, using a site or game as the middleman. The only way to go direct from a desktop to the Outernet is the way this guy does

One other thing - For drawn and website sticks, the fundamentals of their characters like age, relationships, whatever are set by the intentions of their creators. So to me the main five are all set in the general "young adult" range (around 18-23), and only Second and Chosen consider themselves as biological brothers due to having a direct link between their programs and code