#she can’t even properly respect raven

[vrsenus]

In my mind Raven finally prioritizes herself first in the nearest future, She cuts contact off with her mother, she marries dexter and has 3 kids(2 girls, 1 boy) she doesn’t tell her mother or let her communicate with her grandchildren.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Toad, Cat, Raven

Summary: A spell goes wrong and turns the Trix into animals

There is a toad next to the overturned flower pot, resting upon the spilled dirt.

There is a black  cat lounging on the windowsill from which it fell. 

There is a white raven on the banister looking down upon it all. 

The toad has bright teal eyes.

The black cat can’t see very well. 

The white raven has a diamond on its chest.

The toad has a good croak now and then when it’s temper is particularly ill.

The black cat is quiet and somber, contemplative.

The white raven screeches and laments at almost every hour.

The toad likes watching the storms brew outside and feeling the moist dirt on its skin.

The black cat likes to hide itself in boxes and cupboards away from the light. 

The white raven likes to feel snow in its feathers.

They travel about Cloud Tower together. It is easy to sneak into the forbidden sections of the college when nobody pays them any mind. That is one perk, thinks the white raven, of a spell gone wrong. Nobody sees through their disguises and no magic has been able to unveil them. 

That, of course, is precisely the problem.

These days they have resigned themselves to hoping that their own magic will wear off soon. While being a raven has its perks, Icy is growing tired of feathers and talons. She would much like to have her hands back. She would much like to have her voice back too. Although Darcy and Stormy would disagree, she doesn’t feel as though she can properly convey the extent of her frustration and outrage through caws and squaks alone. She is not quite aware of just how loudly she can screech. She has become the primary reason why nobody with a dorm in the same hallway as theirs gets any sleep. 

Darcy transforms back first, she had been the furthest from the spell when it had blown up in their faces. Icy and Stormy envy her but not in that she is now in charge of bringing them food and making sure that their needs are met. She carries Stormy into the forest and lets her perch on the damp moss. She brings Icy with her when she goes to the lake and lets her wet her feathers in its cool waters. 

She used to take them to Magix with her while she ran errands but Stormy would always get lost or trapped in drainage grates and Icy liked to fly into restaurants and swipe meals, peck at heads, or just flap about until the restaurant vacated. She is, Darcy tells her, a general nuisance and a menace to society even in bird form. Apparently this makes running errands very difficult.

Stormy reverts a month or so after Darcy.

And now it is just Icy alone who has to rely on them to care for her. She doesn’t enjoy it. She values self-sufficiency of which she has none presently. Darcy likes to stroke her feathers and assure her that the spell will wear off soon. Stormy informs her that they have been looking in many spellbooks to find a way to reverse the spell. 

One more month goes by.

And then another. 

After the passing of a third, Icy resigns herself to being a bird for the rest of her embarrassing existence. 

She follows Darcy and Stormy into town with the sole goal of causing as much chaos as she possibly can while confined to this bird body. Most of the terror she unleashes still involves ruthless pecking and stealing people’s food; sometimes she eats it, sometimes she drops it into their laps, other times she waits until they aren’t looking and adds a french fry to their milkshakes. But food becomes a bore eventually she begins to charm the unsuspecting—the gets them to coo at her and call her cute and then she plucks necklaces from their necks and rings from their fingers and flies away with them. 

The white raven has amassed herself quite a respectable horde of shiny things.

Darcy vows to kill her for creating so much clutter. 

But the witch has yet to do it. 

Stormy finds it quite funny and now and then she asks Icy to steal a little trinket for her. 

It is on a gloomy October afternoon that Icy finally wakes up with hands and a long sweep of hair that cascades over her shoulders. Just as Darcy and Stormy had, she wakes up without clothing to cover her. It is just as well, she likes the cold autumn air on her skin. For a good while she only stares at her hands. At smooth pale skin and long fingernails that are polished just the way that they had been before her transformation. She flexes her fingers just to make sure that they are still her own.

She rolls onto her back with every intention of getting up to get dressed. She manages to sit herself up right but it comes with a strange vertigo, a feeling of being off kilter. She makes it to her feet but she doesn’t stay there for long. Her body feels so heavy—undoubtedly the product of being nearly weightless for months. It is the sound of her human body thumping onto the floor that wakes Darcy and Stormy. Stormy is at her side as Darcy finishes rubbing her eyes with a groggy mumble—she never had been quick to rise.

“What happened?” Darcy mumbles as she kneels next to Stormy.

“Sounds like you’re going to have like 50 bruises.” 

And they laugh at her. 

They laugh until they realize that she truly does not remember how to walk. 

And that she barely remembers how to talk. She knows the words but she can’t remember how to move her lips to create certain sounds. It isn’t so funny then.

She does have bruises from her fall, a lot of them. And she keeps acquiring more of them as she tries to force herself to find her balance. And more of them still when she punishes herself for not being able. Stormy has to straddle her, has to pin her arms above her head to get her to stop punching it. 

“Look,” Darcy grumbles. “You aren’t going to physically knock some sense back into your head. You’re more likely to dislodge sense and struggle more.” 

Icy stares up at her. She refuses to speak until she can do it properly and without sounding like a fool. 

“I think that you’re over thinking all of this.” Darcy theorizes. “The more conscious effort you put into it, the harder it will be for you to recover natural abilities.”

And so Icy stops trying.

Lets her mind go numb. 

She still can’t walk or talk very well. 

Maybe she should just go back to screeching at all hours.

One day in December, she catches Stormy rifling through her things. Namely her ice sculptures. They are delicate things, her ice sculptures, and she had worked hard to make them. Stormy locks eyes with her. And that bitch! That wicked little beast! She tips one of the ice sculptures off of the dresser.

Icy is out of bed and across the room in seconds. The ice sculpture is cradled safely in her arms. “How dare you!?” She shouts at Stormy. 

“I’m a storm witch, destruction is in my nature.” She pauses. “You can say that I’m like a tornado.” 

“You’re like a pain in my ass.” Icy grumbles. 

“But it worked though.” 

“Hmm?” 

“You ran across the dorm no problem.” Stormy shrugs. “And you’ve been yelling at me for exactly three whole minutes now.”

“Yeah that’s a great accomplishment.” Darcy gives two lazy claps. “She can talk again. Now shut the hell up so I can get some sleep.”

“It’s two PM!” Icy uses her newly rediscovered voice to holler.

“Geeze, I forgot how loud you are.” Darcy rolls over, the pillow muffles her voice. “You’re always yelling at the time. Do you even have an inside voice?”

She, in fact, does not.

“You’re welcome.” Stormy says.

She probably should thank her. 

She can finally get back to her life now.

Can finally be the person that she remembers having been.

[ecto-stone]

So I don’t really know that much about that my blood au you created could you tell me a bit about it?

Ha hah I Hope this is Edible

So My Blood Au is just Me dumping all the cool stuff i can think of into a DP what if Vlad is Good ^For Starter MB Vlad or Vladimir Jude Masters is a Paranormal investigater/ hunter/exocist in a sense. He seemingly Perfect in People eye, Not Really on the inside as he have many problem stem from living so long and going though alots of thing that he prefer not to talk about that he hide from People , go so far as to adjust his own emotion to what he find fit to the situration making him really hard to read. (Not Jack and Danielle, those are close enough 2 peel him like an onion if they sense something off). -Vlad And Danny are not same kind of Halfa in this AU, Vlad is Two soul (Half Blue Demon Vampire Ghost, Half Human twisted together and blend into one) and Danny is Soul within soul (Going though the accident give him two identical soul that over lapped each other) -Ghost are nerf and ecto beam and ecto Base attack can harm ghost but they can't harm Physical thing in living world Unless they are infuse with Core element same with Human entering Purgatory. -The world have 5 Realm: LivingWorld, Purgatory (GhostZone), Elsewhereness, Fairy Land and Unworld. +Going with the idea that originaly Vlad is supposed to be a vampire and many ghost in the series feel like they are more supernature creature then Ghost. Living world now have many Human and other Creature living among each other , hidden in plain sight +Purgatory: Where Ghost go and heal before they move onto Elsewhereness (Heaven in this verse) or Rebirth back to the living cycle. There are many area in Purgatory that fit human decription of after life look like , this is due to collective faith and ideal of many Ghost focus with each other to created these Resting stop. Incidentally like the living world these area are also watch over by being call King and Queen of the Death (Caretaker and protector of the Death soul, a being with incredible power capable of bending reality). Most well known one are the King Dark, Prince Argon and Princess Dora of the Dark Age Zone. Queen Desire of the thousand and one night. ect.. newest King of the death is Ghost Writer (library of the forgotten) but he prefer not be refer to as king, just Ghost writer. +Elsewhereness: The final resting Places of enternal Bliss. Once the Soul is ready to let go of all earthly desire, they are send here. Not much is known about this realm or it location. When a Soul reach enlightment it will automatically know where to find it. The realm also House many god. +Fairy Land: Home to care taker of the childhood inocent and many god that work to keep the universe running. Most common creature that live here is Fairy with two side one silly colorful side that appear to children to granted what ever their heart desire. The other is the Blue fortune side that Weaved the fabric of Luck and fate. +Unworld: A Dark realm with one way in no way out. It house many dangerous creature, ancient outer god and unspeakable Evil that have been banish to through age by god and human. >the Origin Story: +Vlad and Jack are Friend from Childhood (Their Bond are really tight kinda like Sworn Brother ) unlike their canon counter part meet in college. They Hunt Ghost but in more of a Release soul from their earthly bound kind of way via the info they get from the Masters Family Grilmore. (There is one major inconvience is that You need to wait for the correct day and time to perform ritual sending ghost back to purgatory so they can Move on to Elsewhereness/heaven of this verse ) +They Meet Maddie in college (Maddie and Vlad almost alway in a total clash with each other with Maddie tech almost Hunter like way in dealing with ghost and Vlad more traditional Way of Handling them) Which end with Three of them forming the Original Ghost Trio. With Maddie accept Vlad and Jack Respect the Death ideal. And Vlad and Jack incorperate More Technology into their Asset. +Maddie point out the inconvinient of having to wait for the correct day for each ghost to send them back to Purgatory (Their room are fill with

Container for ghost), Which lead to them comming up with the idea of Making a Ghost Portal. <Note: MB Vlad is not into Romantic relationship, Platonic one Matter to him more> >The Accident: No diet soda the Accident is purely due to one miscalculation that cost Vlad life (his Head got Blash Clean off infront of Jack and Maddie) In that Split Second of His face getting disintigrating, Vlad get a Glim into UnWorld (the Realm where are Demon and evil of the four realm are banish to) and Got Latched on and Pushed Back to the living world by a Demon Vampire Ghost Both Soul are now inhabited Vlad headless lifeless body, in Which about 3 day after Vlad burial that Vlad Body got completely decontructed inside the coffin and recontructed into a body that is more fitting to host both . Vlad have a hard time remembering Who he is after kinda get rebirth and Wander the world until he Get Suck into a Natural Ghost Portal and got Flunk Back in time. >Journey of an Immortal Being: -Vlad Stuck in the Past, He recovered his memories, Going through existenal crisis, Evil phase, Evil make me feel bad, Not Evil anymore, Found out that he is immortal now, Existenal crisis part2, Acceptance, Travel the World and Start doing the what ever he like, learning old way of magic still helping ghost and other supernatural being. -Caused several Major Change to the past that Mythical Creature got un extinct. (Due to the Law of life and death this does not affect who get born or not, it just that the world got alots more races now and those used to be born human in the original timeline might get born as another races entirely) -Get Mistaken for Messiah.( Look You can't kill Vlad, He would just be gone for like 3 day then comeback) -Caused the legend of Dracula. -Vampire cult have a horrible obession with Vlad as a Whole. Look like vampire act like one, can walk in plain day light and more importantly the ability to Open a Portal to Unworld . ( Vlad don't use this ability much and can only open small one as it is very energy consuming) -Meet his own ancestor Which is the Fentonightingale that Later Splited into Fenton and Nightingale (later change to Masters) leading to revealation that Jack and Him might be very distant Related. -Bickering With Time God (Do not trust the Clock Man that work for the Eyes) -Get Caught in War far too many time. -Meet Phantom (an odd entity that is oddly clingy to him) in the Great War. -Meet Other Some of the DP ghost when they still alive -The Horrible Bar incident that reveal Phantom true nature, an evil being that wish to turn the world back to it original nature of nothiness and try to turn vlad to the his side, Kill, Seal in Rock Case covered with Sigil to prevent Phantom from escape, Chuck it into the ocean. - The Contruction of the Coffin Ghost Portal. (Havent actually went into the Purgatory caused the CCP is one Way Portal. -Forming of many Hidden town that home supernatural being. Amity Park is one of them. - And many more unseen story >Daddy Stolen Ribbone saga (MB Vlad is sterile, he want to have kid but can't.) -The Vampire cult that he have grudge with attemp to Clone or at least created a child that have Vlad Power through ritual and cult like method. Imagine Danny Clone but even more mess up . -Vlad end the life of most of them by his own hand (they are suffering, it is best to let them go) -Birth of Danielle: +Danielle Evelyn Masters or just Dani/Dee for short is the only Stable child come out of this whole odeal. She is Created From Vlad Ribone like a Twisted Eve. And like in the book it caused both of them to be very attached to each other in a Fatherly Daughterly Way. +Dee Have Vlad Ghost power and Demonic Power but No ghost form (Her default funtion as both and whether she is in ghost mode or Human mode is all Up to energy control) and no connection to Unworld there for she can't open portal to Unworld. Dual Soul nature Wind/Fire.

+She like Frog and is interested in Marine biology (which Vlad have full support over, she have a room fill with Vlad hand made frog plusie that she all named. +He raise her teach her everything he know about how to deal with supernatural being and how to Snipe Vampire from a long distant with pin point accuracy.

+An kidnapped incident with the Vampire cult latter resulted in Dee Death at the age of 12 (1999), and Vlad becoming fully Merged into one Being with Plasmius. and wipe out the entire vampire cult in a horrible Vlad the impaler way). +After wiping out the remainder of the cult, vlad go into retirement and work as a wall Painter < he work supper fast on celling painting and no one know why> >The Boy Who Fly (2 year before the start of actual MB story) -Danny Gain his power at the age of 10, his parent know. The event of Portal acivation caused the whole town to have a black out. -They move House alots for 2 year. And Jack try his best to make his family as normal as they can be after accidenly k his friend all those year ago and now half eff his own son. -They finding out amity park their new home is on accident when the RV engine die mid way through the middle of no Where (The town shown it self to those in need) -Danny hide his abiltiy. But after a gym incident. and getting Praise by his peer for it instead of scold like with the adult Danny start getting bolder using Floating power around his new friend when no adult is watching. <Vlad who is Working on the Giant Raven paiting for the School Saw this and know imediately What Danny is> -They offically meet each other on the the roof top, when Danny mom ask him to go down the store and by some bread and he decided to try to Air Frog Swim to it. They become friend and Vlad even teach Danny how to fly properly before having to leave (they visit each other alots after the revealation, and vlad is a good adult friend that Danny can talk to) (Danno forgot about the bread and return home breadless) -Jack may stop with the whole Paranormal hunter/ghost scientist job but not Maddie. She keep doing it behind his back due to danny special need in ecto base consumtion (he havent grow abit since the accident and keep getting smaller and it concerning) -Jack found out and they have a Fight. which lead to Maddie go to his Sister house. -Danny Found out about why his dad was so stressed out about ghost thing now. When looking through his parent old stuff with his new friend tucker. (Dude why does your parent have a Picture of the wall painter in thier old junk). He show the image to Vlad. -Danny Get jack to tell the story about the inccident. Dad what if i tell you that Your friend who die 18 year ago survived and is on our front door right now. Reunion, Jack feeling guilty about making them both like this. Go Get Maddie. Happy reunion of the trio. -Fenton Parent become accepting to Danny condition, Danny have a good mentor that can teach him ho to control his power And they live happy ever after for now

[insaneoddball]

Since I accidentally deleted an ask while editing this post like a dumbass, this one is for the anon who asked me about my thoughts on a RWBY AU where Raven took Yang with her to live with the bandits. Here’s hoping you see it! 🤞

Btw don’t expect any in depth paragraphs or analysis. I started trying that and it just sounded stilted. I ain’t a good writer. sadge

Raven ditches Taiyang the moment she learns she’s pregnant, possibly due to a mixture of not wanting to be tied down and being loyal to her clan first and foremost.

She fully planned to dump the kid at the orphanage, but the moment she held the crying baby in her arm, she just lets out a quite, “…Fuck, I’m emotionally attached now.” Maternal instincts have magically developed in this universe!

Raven could continue the Branwen tradition of bird names, specifically yellow one for Yang ie Oriole, Vireo, or Tana(ger). She could also opt to retain the original name out of some sentimentality towards Taiyang but she will never admit it. For convenience’s sake I’ll stick with calling Yang as, well, Yang. Plus I can’t be bothered to think of an alternative acronym for RWBY lol.

Just because Raven developed some level of care towards her child DOES NOT mean she’s mother of the year. She’s spent most of her life fighting Grimm and humans she doesn’t know a thing about child rearing beyond giving them nourishment. And does she seem like the type to baby talk? She’s dumping Yang onto her goons. Insert the three stooges taking care of a baby here.

Raven would slowly get more involved with Yang after she learns to properly talk and becomes fully invested once she’s old enough to be trained. She’s also instills her own philosophy onto her daughter. Hypocritically, she still expects Yang to follow her orders without question.

Yang sees this as totally normal since it’s not like she knows any other kids she could compare her home life with. A family can be one single female chieftain and her band of nefarious criminals. Yang would respect Raven but feel more attached to her caregivers/tribe. This changes once she enter her rebellious teenage phase. Hormones be wild, yo.

While Raven tries to groom Yang into a potential leader, the latter wants nothing to do with it. She figures that she wouldn’t be a leader so much as a mouthpiece for Raven. It’s not like Raven would go to a retirement home after she steps down. She’d stay with the Branwen tribe until the day she dies. Even if she gave Yang full reins on the decision making, she’d almost certainly make snide remarks about Yang being inefficient.

One night Raven comes back from patrol to see a bunch of her men panicking. Yang has gone missing! Or left rather. Raven tries not to show her worry. Yang won’t get far before she comes back with her tail between her legs.

Yang DOES in fact go far. Far enough to reach Beacon Academy. Now she can finally make her own decisions like a big girl!

So yeah, she still joins RWBY but with some small changes in her relationship in regards to her teammates. They all eventually learn to trust and be more open with each other, but Yang’s relationship with them is…rocky.

Without an older sister to watch and encourage her, Ruby has become much more shy and uncertain while dealing in social situations but is also much less reckless in fighting. Yang can’t help but admire how such a young kid has the balls to start such a dangerous career. She can’t help but see herself in her leader. I would describe Yang as acting as a loving bully towards Ruby hoping that one day Ruby will take the hint and stand up for herself. But if anyone else picks on her? You’re eating Yang’s boots.

Yang take Weiss at face value. A spoiled, pampered kid who thinks they’re hot shit and who has never struggled to get anything she wants. But since she comes from a rich and influential family…Yang can try to act nice and get on her good graces.

Yang and Blake are just that one picture of two Spidermen pointing at each other. Two young girls with mysterious pasts directly tied to a criminal organization? What are the odds? Blake does come out regarding her past after being outed as a Faunus but Yang would still hesitate on revealing her previous lifestyle. Surely there must be some ulterior motive to explain why Ruby and Weiss allow an ex terrorist to stay in the group. Only an idiot would do such a thing…right? Yang is torn between seeing Blake a a kindred spirit or a potential spy.

The same story beats happen as in canon. Yang eventually open up to her teammates and briefly thinks that maybe Raven was talking out of her ass in regards to trusting people…making her take Blake’s abandonment even worse.

After the fall of Beacon Yang either becomes the unquestioning if embittered second in command of the Branwen tribe…or sticks to the original script and reunites with RWBY.

[behindheremeraldeyes]

damirae week 2021 tuesday, May 4th - enemies to lovers & dark fantasy/ fairytale

title: bewitched

summary: “There’s a sly and satisfied smirk playing on her lips, and for a moment, he knows she has bewitched him, body and soul. This girl— this demon— is going to be his downfall. " Ao3 // ffnet

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It is a moonless night when the most powerful members of the League of Assassins are gathered in the catacombs of the sacred city of Eth Alth’eban. There are at least 20 men wearing dark-green hoods to cover their faces, each holding a lit candle in order to provide just the minimum luminosity for the ceremony that is about to take place. Their leader, Damian Al’Ghul, stands straight as he holds his powerful countenance, his emerald eyes never leaving the deteriorated book in his hands. A conjuring circle has been drawn with the ancient sand of the white desert, and at this moment, all the preparations have been concluded.

At last, the time has come. After spending years studying the dark arts and reading countless manuscripts on the matter, Damian is finally ready to take the next step towards a prosperous future. He is about to do what his predecessors never had the guts to, and with this action, a new era for the League is about to begin. He will make his grandfather proud by rewriting the history of their organization. He will be respected and his name, finally, immortalized.

“From hell, I, Damian Al’Ghul summon thou. Break the gates, unleash thy power and come forward. Step into this world now that the shadows cover this land. Be mine, demon, and my heart shall be yours for eternity.” He closes the book, handling it to one of the servants standing next to him. His hand reaches for the dagger in his belt, and in a fraction of a second, he tears the skin of his right hand. Red blood oozes from the sash and he lets it drip over the circle, tinging the white sand into a bright crimson. “Azarath Metrion Zinthos.”

The last words come as a whisper and a profound silence envelops the room. A couple of seconds pass, and though he can practically touch the thick anxiety of his subordinates around him, there’s no room for hesitation in his core. His pulse suddenly increases and it’s as if he can feel his heart constricting inside his ribcage. It’s not painful, not in the least. In fact, it gives him a feeling of fulfillment, and as he embraces this feeling, the ground beneath his feet starts to shake.

A dust of wind invades the catacombs, the lights of a few candles fading in consequence. Suddenly, an ominous fog swirls inside the circle, delicate at first, but quickly escalating into a dark vortex. Breathing gets harder, as if all the oxygen is quickly vanishing, and from the corner of his eyes, he can see some of the elder man falling on their knees, holding their throats and gasping for air. He doesn’t move, though. He can’t, for his feet are suddenly too heavy and something tells him he shouldn’t move a single muscle.

So he doesn’t. He stands his ground for what feels like an eternity, but eventually, the turmoil ceases and a dark sphere appears over the circle, floating steadily. His ears capture the sound of his men recovering, and some even take a step closer to him, as if to offer their prince some support. They have their blades ready, but Damian knows they won’t do anything unless he commands them to. There’s no need for violence. At least not yet.

After almost a full minute, the orb then dissolves and a small figure is now kneeled on the floor, the runes of the circle now shinning with a purple aura. His men are left in pure awe at the scene in front of them, but Damian doesn’t let those feelings take over him. His eyes are slowly studying the figure, and it doesn’t take long for him to realize the demon he has summoned has a human form— the form of a woman, apparently.

Her head is lowered, dark hair falling forward. She’s naked, her bare skin pale as the finest porcelain and slim curves outlining her figure. Her arms are wrapped across her chest in a protective way, and he is quick to notice the way she’s shivering. She’s cold, he thinks. It’s mid winter here, and perhaps, she must still be used to the warmer temperatures of hell.

“Bring me a source of fire. Now.” He orders, and his subordinates don’t question, quickly lighting a brazier. In a swift move, then, Damian unbuttons the cape that falls over his shoulders and wraps it around her. He’s crouched now, his feet invading the circle and his face just a few inches away from hers. When he reaches out for her now covered shoulder, she trembles under his touch. His eyes squint a bit, and slowly, he watches as she finally lifts her face.

Their eyes are connected now. His emeralds and her amethyst clashing and he can’t find it in himself to look away. She’s enticing, seductive, even. Her eyes are as deep as autumn’s starry skies, and her rosy lips are slowly parting as she studies his expression. There’s a red crystal on her forehead, and it’s as if flames are dancing inside of it.

Damian is mesmerized by her ethereal beauty. She’s probably the most beautiful creature he has ever seen, and for a moment, her pure looks make him forget that she is, in fact, a demon. A demon he has summoned to help him achieve his goals.

Once realization strikes him back, he blinks and breaks eye contact. He stands up, his imposing figure now towering over her body as he reaches out, offering his hand to help her stand. At first, her eyes are just staring at him, but eventually, she accepts his gesture and he can properly feel her icy touch clashing against his warm skin. Though her legs are still shaky, she manages to stand up, and as expected, she’s smaller than him. She lets go of his hand once she’s confident enough to stand alone, and though her eyes were only filled with confusion until this point, now, he can see a new flame behind her irises.

She’s examining her surroundings now, and he wonders if she’s either planning a way to escape or to kill all of them— for their sake, he hopes it’s not the latter. The demoness takes a deep breath, then, and her attention returns to him.

“So you’re the one who’s summoned me.” Her voice is low, almost velvety, and he senses an inch of growing confidence in it.

“Yes.” He confirms. “You will help me achieve my goals.” His eyes are determined as those words roll out of his tongue, and that determination evokes a smirk on her lips.

“Oh, is that so? How can you be so sure of that? Tell me what’s stopping me from killing you and all of your men?”

The lack of hesitation in her voice causes a turmoil in his men, and they were quick to unsheathe their blades. Rage fills their hearts, and their blood-thirst is almost palpable now.

“Just say the word, your majesty.” One of them says, and it’s clear that they only need the minimum approval from Damian to slit her throat.

“Is this your pathetic excuse for backup?” She huffs, not bothering to spare them a single glance. They’re growing more irritated, but she pays them no mind. ”I see why you needed a demon, then.”

“You devil creature! How dare yo— “

“Enough.” He says, firmly, with a reprimanding tone towards his men. If anything, he won’t let them fall for her tricky games so easily. He’s glaring at her now, yet she doesn’t seem intimidated by him in the least. “If you wanted us dead, you would’ve done it by now.”

“Very astute, your majesty.” She mocks, finally turning her amethyst orbs to his men. “At ease, gentlemen. No one needs to die here tonight. Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to speak alone with you, Damian Al’Ghul.”

“Very well.” He turns to his men. “You can leave now.”

“What?! Master Damian, we shouldn’t have done this. We can just kill her and get back to the way we were before. We can—“

“Don’t you dare finish this sentence, sergeant.” He speaks, harshly. “I forbid you or anyone else in this facility to bring her any harm. Have I made myself clear?” There’s a screaming silence after his words, but eventually, his men bow their heads in acceptance. Hands are clenched into tight fists, and at last, her smirk fades from her face. For that, Damian is thankful.

In less than a second, all the men surrounding them leave the room. The light from the lit fire outlines their silhouettes as they now stand face to face. She’s still wrapped around his green and golden cape, and there’s a serious expression decorating her features now.

“So, Damian…” She starts, squinting her eyes in defiance. With her powers, the magic book he’s used to conjure the spells comes floating to her hands, and she’s quick to start flipping through its dusty pages. “You might be aware of this already, but you have used a pretty powerful grimoire to summon a demon like me. The mage who wrote this spells certainly knew what he was doing, for he’s found a way to turn the tables against us, evil creatures.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means we can’t just fool you, humans, into doing whatever we want like we’ve been doing for the past centuries.” She smirks. “At least not so easily anymore. With the spells in this book, giving you my real name or stuff like that makes absolutely no difference.”

“And what is it? Your name, I mean.”

Her eyes stare at him for a while, and though she takes a couple of seconds to try and read him, eventually, she gives in. “Raven. You can call me Raven.”

“Raven.” He tests her name in his own voice, and unconsciously, he finds himself enjoying the way it rolls out of his tongue. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure is all mine.” She replies, finally closing the book with a loud noise. “Well, you’ve summoned me from the depths of hell, Damian. You don’t need to tell me your reasons for it, but please, do tell me, what is it that you want me to do? How can I serve you?”

He nods at her, and even if Damian knows better than to simply trust a demon, he believes she’s being genuine. Though there are still a lot of things he has yet to learn about dark magic, he knows that the book he’s used gives him the higher ground against her. There are taming spells there that can subdue her to his wills, and if anything, she’s not allowed to kill him. They’re bound together for as long as he wants to, and giving her his heart in exchange for that felt quite acceptable.

They’re each holding the strings of each other’s lives, and with that, he believes they will find balance.

“I want what all the humans in my position want, Raven. I want enough power to protect my man and the things we stand for. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Nothing more, huh?” Her brows quirk, and she takes a few steps closer to him. Her eyes are on his, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t spot a certain curiosity in her demeanor. “Don’t you want to rule the world, Damian? Don’t you want to be feared by nations and create your own empire?”

“No.” He says, promptly. “A true leader should not be feared, but respected.”

“How very honorable for a human.” She teases, finally returning the book to him. “But this is none of my business. I’m in no position to defy your wishes. I’m bound to consent if that’s what you want.”

She turns away from him, then, and he watches as his cape dances around her slim legs. She stretches her arms and neck, and that’s when he reminds himself that, even if she’s a creature from hell, Raven still has her own wishes and desires. They’ve made a contract, and even if the odds are in his favor, there must be something in it for her, too. He refuses to believe that a human heart is enough to pay for what could be a life of servitude.

The leader of the Assassins takes a deep breath, then, as he decides to venture unexplored territory. His intentions are noble— at least he thinks they are— and he doesn’t hesitate before speaking. “And what is it that you want, Raven?”

“Me?” She asks, curiosity lacing her voice. She turns to face him once more, and he catches a glimpse of interest in her amethyst eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I’m asking you what is it that you want. What will you get from helping me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” She asks, her tongue instinctively running across her lower lip. “I’ll be finally free, Damian.”

“Free?” He arcs his brows as he tries to understand her words. “Can you really be free while bounded to a human?”

“You humans have a very idealistic sense of freedom. We are bound together, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean you’re taking away my freedom. It’s quite the opposite, in fact.”

“How so?”

“You took me away from hell, Damian. And though it might not be the worst place for us, demons, it’s still pretty hard not to lose control when all of those suffering souls are screaming inside your head.” She smiles, weakly, but genuinely. “Now that I’m only connected to you, it’s easier to think straight. My mind isn’t crowded anymore, and that alone sets me free. If you are to put me in a cage for the rest of your life, so be it. At least I will some peace.”

His lips go agape after her words, and he feels his heart skipping a beat. Though he initially believed to know enough about demons due to his previous studies, Damian now knows that there’s a lot more about them he has yet to understand. They’re creatures with thoughts and emotions, and some of them might still carry some traces of humanity. Though malice and wickedness might prevail in their core, perhaps— just perhaps— some of them can come to comprehend feelings such as mercy and happiness.

Perhaps, together, they can eventually comprehend the meaning of love.

The heart inside his chest, though no longer his, beats faster as his eyes continue to stare at her. A sense of dignity and justice takes over him, and before he knows it, his hand is already placed over her shoulder. His touch is tender, and he watches as bewilderment spreads around her face. “You won’t be trapped in a cage, Raven. I want you to rule by my side, and we will stand together against whatever might come for us. I will give you anything you might desire. I will keep you safe.”

As his words sink in, a slow smile takes over her lips, and she uses her right hand to remove his from her shoulder. “A human protecting a demon… How amusing.” Her small fingers are now holding his, and he notices how foreign her touch feels. Still, she’s gentle. “Not trapping a demon in a cage, huh… You might regret this decision later, Damian.”

“I won’t.” He nods, his grip on her fingers tightening. “You will be free by my side. I give you my word.”

His promises come out almost as a whisper, and he watches as her expression, though still very strict, shows signs of excitement. Her amethyst eyes seem to shine brighter now, and her thin lips are slowly turning upwards. Right now, Damian is captivated by her genuine beauty and he can’t control the sudden desire to have her that has grown inside of him. Perhaps it’s part of the original contract or even a curse she’s putting on him. Whatever it is, he can’t find it in himself to fight against this urge.

Raven blinks one more time, and slowly, her hand slides from his and she’s now cupping his cheek. Her thumb slides across his olive skin, and he can’t help but allow the weight of his head to rest over her palm. Their eyes are connected and he can feel a soft breeze coming from her slightly parted lips. She’s incredibly close now. So close that if he leans in, his lips might brush hers. The thought of kissing her crosses his mind, and though it might seem too misplaced, it’s not completely absurd.

She’s the owner of his heart, after all. Though the meaning of it might not be the same for her, he is still human. He is still a man.

“Raven, I—“

“Shh…” She silences him, her eyes now only half opened. “Don’t say anything you might regret later.”

“I— “

Before he can even finish his words, Raven is the one who closes the gap between them. Her lips are pressed firmly against his in a soft and chaste kiss, and his body is quick to respond to her action. His arm slowly snakes around her small body, bringing her closer so they can deepen the kiss. Damian can feel the curves of her bare breasts against his chest and he can feel his body warming up at her touch.

Their tongues brush softly against one another, and once he adds a little roughness to the kiss, he’s able to elicit a soft moan from the depths of her throat. She responds to him promptly, their lips moving in perfect synchrony. Though it might not be natural for two extremely different creatures to engage in such actions, the desire running through his veins seems to be controlling his movements, and he doesn’t think he has the strength to break free.

His mind is revolving around her right now, and though it might feel a little clouded, Damian doesn’t think he has ever felt more powerful or sane in his entire life. He can barely feel his own heart beating anymore, but the power that now courses through his body is making him feel incredibly alive.

What is she doing to him? He doesn’t know, not really. However, he doesn’t really care about it right now.

He’s entranced by her, and there’s no turning back anymore. At least not until his heart stops beating.

His need for air forces him to retreat momentarily, their foreheads resting against one another. His lungs are desperate for fresh air, and judging by the way her ribcage is moving fast, he assumes she’s just as needy.

“What have you done to me?” He asks, still breathless. The turmoil inside his body seems to be fading, and at last, he can think straight again.

“Nothing your heart didn’t wish for, Damian.” Raven answers, sliding her hand across his chest, until it’s placed over his heart. She can feel it beating against her palm, and he notices how focused she seems. There’s a sly and satisfied smirk playing on her lips, and for a moment, he knows she has bewitched him, body and soul. This girl— this demon— is going to be his downfall.

And the worst part is that he’s looking forward to it.

fin.

----------

a/n: day 2 and here we are! Ngl, I had this idea while watching a weird show and I’m pretty happy with the result. Both Raven and Damian are such amazing characters to play with, and I think it’s our duty as shippers to explore them and their love. Well, what did you think? Hope you’ve enjoyed it! Thank you for reading it, and see ya!

[kozumekenza]

house of memories :: two

:: kageyama tobio x f!reader :: playlist :: masterlist ::

:: taglist: open :: wc: 2.1k ::

the last you had heard of kageyama tobio, he was following his grandfather’s footsteps and leaving you behind to join the syndicate. a chance meeting throws him back into your life, along with all of the memories.

tw: alcohol, mafia elements, profanity

You’re shivering, the moonlight reflecting off of the tears on your face. You really shouldn’t look this beautiful while crying, he thinks, and immediately admonishes himself for the thought. However, he also finds it fitting. There will be a lot of tears where he’s going; a lot of break-downs, a lot of pain. But still, he doesn’t think it’ll compare to the breaking of his heart in his chest when he watches you turn away from him forever. 

---

Kageyama Tobio is known for a lot of things; his cold exterior, his unforgiving nature, his skills with a weapon. He is also known for his unfriendliness, performing his job with a blank face and a calculating mind. He is known for having impenetrable walls and refusing to let people inside them. He is known for his detachment to everything around him; he doesn’t form connections with others, and his emotions are seemingly nonexistent. 

Even still, he can’t help but feel devastation and despair when he watches you walk away from him yet again, four years later, slipping from his grasp for the second time. 

---

After mumbling a quick apology to the bartender, who you now realize was Kageyama Miwa, you bolted to the dance floor and dragged Hana out of the club. She went willingly, asking next to no questions, her state of intoxication making her follow you with no complaints. 

Now, as you half-carry her into your shared apartment, you can’t help but wonder what would have happened if you stayed. It was obvious that both of the Kageyama siblings recognized you, although Miwa’s reaction was far better. Hana falls asleep the moment her head hits the pillow, and you leave her with a bottle of water and painkillers for the morning, sighing as you do so. You can only hope that she doesn’t ask too many questions about your quick escape tomorrow. You aren’t ready to dive into your past with Kageyama. 

When you finally crawl into bed, sleep evades you. Your night is spent tossing and turning, and when you finally do drift off, your dreams are filled with flashes of navy eyes and raven hair. 

---

The weeks pass as the sweltering heat of summer finally comes to an end; suddenly, you and Hana are back to your normal lives as college students. She asks no questions about that night at the club, and you’ve pushed it to the back of your mind, practically forgetting about it. 

The beginning of the semester starts, and with it, late night studying and weekends spent partying. Hana’s still going strong with the guy that has the membership, and you’ve finally met him, learning his name is Ushijima. He’s stoic and serious, but his love for Hana is obvious, and their relationship has progressed past late-night flings and one-night stands. You’re happy for her, even when she says that he’s not a college student, but a businessman who works under the CEO of a fairly well-known company. You know that’s true on the surface, but you don’t tell Hana that her newest lover is most likely one of Kageyama’s colleagues, whose job involves more guns and blood than it does numbers and desk work. 

All things considered, he treats her well, taking her on extravagant and luxurious dates, picking her up in a Bugatti, and always bringing her flowers. He’s respectful whenever he sees you, and if you didn’t know any better, you would think he’s just a nice, rich man. You know that Kageyama probably told him about you, but you can’t be particularly bothered, especially when Hana’s eyes light up whenever she talks about him. 

You start your fourth and final year of university without much fanfare; for you, it’s back to research work in the lab and long lectures on biology and medicine. You’re slightly envious of Hana’s path in nursing; she’s already working in the hospital and doing clinicals. Unfortunately for you, you’re stuck applying for medical schools while balancing your ever-growing list of lab write-ups and reports. 

It’s a fairly normal day, a few weeks into the semester, when Kageyama becomes the focus of your mind once again. 

You walk out of your final lab feeling exhausted; it’s already eight in the evening, and Hana’s on night shift, so you’ll be alone in your apartment for the night. Normally, you don’t mind, but tonight, all you want to do is crawl into bed without dinner and without completing any of the assignments that are due this week. Hana usually keeps you in check; reminding you of a lab report you have forgotten and keeping you company while you complain about your professors. 

Your thoughts are interrupted when you spot Kageyama Miwa, leaning on a black Lexus, eyes on her phone as she waits outside your lab building. 

Her eyes meet yours as she glances up, and she waves you over. Grabbing the straps of your backpack, you approach her. You aren’t sure what she’s here for, but you’re assuming it’s you. It doesn’t surprise you that she knows which university you attend and apparently, your class schedule. You’ve always known that Kageyama kept an eye on you. 

“Hey, Miwa,” you greet her with a smile.

“Hey, y/n.” She pulls you in for a hug. “We didn’t get a chance to properly talk that night. I almost didn’t recognize you, it’s been forever.”

“Yeah,” you nod, “but I’m pretty sure you aren’t here to catch up.”

She looks slightly surprised and disappointed, and you know that you’re right. “Unfortunately not. Are you busy tonight?”

You shake your head. Homework can wait for tomorrow, and as long as wherever she’s taking you has food, you don’t really care. You’re more curious about why she’s here; what Kageyama could possibly need you for. 

“Good.” She opens the passenger door of the Lexus. “This shouldn’t take too long.”

You get in as she goes around the other side and starts the car. “Why do you need me?”

She pulls away and you recognize that she’s heading towards Shadow. “Security issues. Personal files were leaked. Tobio’ll explain more, but he’s concerned for your safety.”

You snort at that. Kageyama Tobio, concerned. Hilarious. 

You can see Miwa glance at you out of the corner of her eye, but she remains silent as she pulls down a side street adjacent to the club. A garage opens, and she pulls in. You note the multiple luxury sport cars inside as you follow her out of the garage. 

She leads you down a hallway to an elevator, then up to the 30th floor. From what you can tell, the bottom few floors of the building are dedicated to the club, and you can assume that the top floors are for Kageyama’s personal use. You don’t think about the multiple basement buttons and what could possibly be down there. 

A ding signals the end of the ride, and you step out into the foyer of a large penthouse. Miwa leads you past a kitchen and living area, up a sweeping set of stairs. You can’t help but admire the modern apartment; it’s truly beautiful, accented in neutral blacks, grays, and browns. For a second, you’re jealous of Kageyama for being able to live in a place like this, but then you remember what he does and the feeling disappears. 

Miwa knocks on a door at the end of the hall, and it opens a second later. Kageyama is seated at a large mahogany desk, papers spread in front of him and the glow of a laptop reflecting on his face. The night lights of Tokyo can be seen from the floor-to-ceiling windows opposite the door, and you marvel at the view for a few seconds. You note that Kageyama looks exhausted; the file leak must be really bad. Much to your own disappointment, you also note that he still looks as handsome as ever in a dark blue suit. 

He barely looks up when the two of you enter, and Miwa clears her throat. “Bi, she’s here.”

The small giggle that leaves your mouth as a result of Miwa’s continued use of his childhood nickname causes Kageyama to look up at you, carefully assessing you. You know that you look like shit right now, your hair is messy from wearing goggles, and you’re dressed in lab clothes that have stains from previous chemical spills. 

“Come sit.” Kageyama gestures to the seat in front of him, and you dutifully obey. 

“Do you want something to drink, y/n?” Miwa’s still by the door, doing her duties as a host to Kageyama’s guests, but you shake your head.

“I’m alright, thank you.”

She smiles and pauses with her hand on the door handle. “You’re more than welcome to stay for dinner. We haven’t eaten yet, and I know I probably interrupted you heading home to eat.”

You grin, nodding. “I’d appreciate that, thank you.”

She leaves with an incline of her chin, the door shutting softly behind her.

You look Kageyama Tobio in the eyes, trying to decipher his feelings about you being here. You used to be pretty good; he never had to say anything for you to know what he was feeling. Now, you can tell that the years have made him cold and unreadable. 

He sighs and leans back, interlacing his fingers in front of him. “I’m sorry.”

You shrug. Two simple words not only for the hassle of dragging you here and interrupting your evening, but for the past four years, starting from the second you walked away from him and continuing through the obvious surveillance he’s done on you without your permission. “You do what you have to do.”

He looks relieved to hear you say that, enough that he grabs a file and rearranges its contents, pulling out a piece of paper to slide across the table to you.

“So, as Miwa told you, we had a breach in security. Personal files were hacked from our database, and that included yours. I’m sure you know why you have a file.” You nod. “Yours contained information such as your personal history with Miwa and me, as well as your whereabouts and what you’ve been doing for the past four years. Addresses, emails, phone numbers, and social media accounts were also leaked.” Kageyama sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Under normal circumstances, I would not be concerned. Everyone involved in my business knows the risks and how to defend themselves. You, on the other hand, didn’t ask for any of this. I’m concerned the group that stole the file will attempt something with you, as the file is clear evidence that you’re important to both Miwa and me.”

Awful news so far, but you saw it coming when Miwa mentioned a security issue. “Do you know who stole the files?” Kageyama nods. “Did they take anything else?”

“No, just personal files. Didn’t touch mine, they know everything about me already. They only took yours and Miwa’s, which is why I’m so concerned.”

You nod along to his words. The hackers wouldn’t take such inconsequential information unless they were looking for someone close to Kageyama to use as collateral. Plus, they would normally take business information, not anything personal. Things in Tokyo’s underworld must be bad. 

“What are you going to do?”

Kageyama gestures to the paper. “I know you’re in school, so I can’t simply lock you up somewhere until it’s safe again.” His small smile and dry humor makes you brighten up a little. You missed that side of him, with the short quips and ever-present sarcasm. “I’m proposing a security detail. Just two of my men, to keep an eye on things. You won’t even know they’re there. Plus, as you know, Ushijima hangs around your roommate quite a bit, and he’s under orders to keep an eye out as well. This,” he taps the paper, “is simply for your own knowledge. I’ve listed all the information that was leaked, as well as what to look out for if you believe you might be in danger. There’s also information on the two I’ll have guarding you, so you aren’t alarmed in case they make their presence known.”

You take the paper and briefly skim it. “Thank you.”

Kageyama’s smile is brief but genuine. “Again, I’m sorry about all of this. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”

You sigh. “It’s alright. Something like this was bound to happen one day anyway.”

It’s true; you’ve always known the risks, even though you haven’t been associated with Kageyama for four years, before his reign over Tokyo. You knew that even when you left, there was still a chance someone would trace back to you.

Kageyama stands up, his hand held out to you. “Want to go eat?”

taglist: @lilith412426​ 

[inamindfarfaraway]

Some OC and Canon Character Relationships for my Peter Pan/Ever After High AU

Peter is an irrepressible extrovert. Why do you think he periodically left his island to make new friends and bring them over before the legacy system? He will be friends with anyone who doesn’t rub him the wrong way first, and even them if they say sorry and he thinks they mean it. (Prejudices like sexism and the bias against villains’ children are just more silly grownup nonsense to him. You should only dislike people for perfectly logical reasons, like if they hurt puppies for fun or won’t give totally deserving immortal boys chocolate they totally deserve. But he’s never properly got the ‘sins of the parent’ thing. Yeah, he fought every Hook from the cycle’s start, but that’s ‘cause every Hook was themselves bad and wanted to fight him first! Right? …Isn’t that how it went?) His arc of maturing is very, very New and Hard and Scary, and he develops a deep fear of losing his nerve on it after coming so far, aware that he’s had a consistent habit of forgetting any emotional growth he made in the past. His personal affections are fickle and impulsive day to day, especially in the beginning. His strongest bonds are undoubtedly with Scarlet and Fire Lily. Peter’s beloved or at least admired and appreciated by the masses for his innumerable daring feats, generally nice disposition and of course keeping the cycle of destiny in Neverland turning all this time. However, it can be difficult for him to discern between his friends and mere fans. At first, he doesn’t care. What matters is that people think he’s cool. The more attuned to how bad the status quo is and how important others’ needs and feelings are he becomes, the more he favours Rebels like Raven, Maddie, Kitty, Darling, Cerise, Ramona, Ginger (if you give him good food, he is your friend for life) and Melody. He still loves plenty of Royals as people and slowly learns how to see the world in less black-and-white terms to maintain his friendships with them. Some will find him annoying or bratty, but it’s difficult to truly hate him because, well, if you have an ounce of self-awareness as the Hooks are famously lacking, it seems absurd to hate a child who probably neither knows why you do nor is bothered that you do. Hating people is Not Fun, so he’s reluctant to commit to it, so it’ll tend to be an unsatisfyingly one-sided animosity on your part.

Blondie is eager to interview the illustrious Peter Pan. Always glad to talk about himself, he doesn’t see much problem with her nosiness, pickiness and lack of respect for privacy and appreciates her ability to put an entertaining spin on anything. He sometimes assists her in collecting gossip.

Duchess is one of the few to actually hate Peter. She cannot stand that she’s doomed to a tragic end of loneliness and heartbreak, while his life is an endless procession of fun, freedom and friendship. Plus, he’s a loud, tactless nuisance. He mistakes this for a tongue-in-cheek rivalry and accordingly enjoys teasing her for a long while. Eventually he does figure out Duchess is in real pain, regretfully dropping it, but his usual tactics to make people feel better don’t work with her. Left no other options, he confesses that he was kinda attracted to the first Wendy Darling and it hurt him deeply to say goodbye to her forever, so he can’t imagine how awful her destiny would feel. This makes her realize that his life hasn't been entirely pleasant, and furthermore that she doesn't really enjoy watching a child feel bad. They reach an understanding and peace.

Sparrow, Scarlet and Peter get along great. Scarlet would be dishonourable if she didn’t support a fellow thief. She actually likes Sparrow’s music, and teaches him to play sea shanties. Peter is happy to be a diversion or nimble accomplice pickpocket in Sparrow’s thefts. He might want to keep one or two shiny things in exchange, but often the look of revelation on the victim’s face is payment enough. This friendship mildly strains Sparrow and Duchess’s relationship before she and Peter reach their common ground.

Scarlet and Faybelle are instant BFFAs. They both noticed they were the most genuinely enthusiastic and cheerful students in the first General Villainy lesson and struck up a conversation. Now when Scarlet needs a truly understanding ear (well, it’s more that Faybelle lets her vent and then changes the subject to something else, usually herself, but talking to her still always makes her feel better) or just wants some no-questions-asked, no-strings-attached mischief, she knows the Faybelle has her back. Faybelle cheers her on during her sports matches. They help each other in their several shared subjects.

Scarlet: I mean, I’m honoured to inherit my father’s role and all, but I don’t want to be just another Captain Hook, you know? I want to be that Captain Hook.

Faybelle: Right? And the Evil Queen stole my mother’s part, so I’m stuck in the shadow of two villains! I can enjoy being evil and still want to be special.

Scarlet: That’s exactly it! You are so much better than the fairies in Neverland.

Faybelle: Of course I am. I’m better than everyone.

Scarlet: Except at piracy!

[They laugh and high five.]

Faybelle isn’t impressed by Peter at first, but after he tells the story of the original Tinkerbell trying to kill Wendy as a funny anecdote in an interview with a very underprepared Blondie, she realizes his moral code is also pretty flexible. So she allows him to tag along with her and his sister a few times, and warms up to him. As long as she stays nice to him and Scarlet he’s cool with all her villainous… quirks and he has many lifetimes’ experience in troublemaking. He has no idea why more people don’t like her. She seems similar to him and almost everyone at school likes him. Having real friends who trust and accept her helps Faybelle a lot, not that she’ll admit it. The chaotic trio confide in each other their respective gradual turns toward morals and the worries and insecurities they give them, like Faybelle’s dissipating hostility to her classmates and crush on Briar, Scarlet’s interest in and protectiveness of her identity besides villainy and piracy and Peter finally catching up on the remorse and empathy he’s been delaying.

Scarlet also befriends Darling (her favourite fencing partner) and Ramona (she’s just building a crew of delinquents, let’s be honest).

Meghan is friends with Ashlynn, who shares her kindness, romantic side and love of nature; Blondie, who shares her curiosity and secretly wanting more out of her destiny; and Briar, who shares a pack of younger siblings and knows a lot of ways to have the carefree fun Meghan secretly craves. Since she can plan all those parties so flawlessly and keep up with her work while having narcolepsy, Briar must have hextremely efficient organization and time management skills. She’s a mentor of sorts to Meghan.

Fire Lily has never needed a lot of friends, he’s most comfortable with just a few people who understand him and he can come to when he needs to. So he only has a couple friends other than Peter - a childhood friend he’d lost touch with and now becomes a responsible big brother to - Scarlet - a childhood rival annoyingly good at antagonizing him and getting his flawless facade to crack, who he comes to see as a sister through association with Peter - and Meghan - who he has seamless platonic chemistry with on his first day. He bonds with Cedar over their love of art. Her honesty is refreshing and forces him to face and resolve his mistakes and problems; it isn’t always fun, but he knows there’s more to life than fun unlike certain people, and doesn’t back down from the challenge. Ashlynn and Hunter are his allies in environmental activism. Neverland has much better harmony with nature than Ever After, so seeing the mainland’s level of harmful industrialization is quite a culture clash.

[laurore-stormwitch]

Here is 2219 words of plotless angst and yearning and emotional pain because I’m freaking out over row coming out in eleven days and I’m terrified. I used the quote which came out the other day  “Sweet words and grand declarations were for other people, other lives.” Shoutout to the amazing @claudiarya and @not-just-human for the support.

for other people, for other lives - ao3

Sweet words and grand declarations were for other people, other lives.

Not for the one she was living now. Not for her, certainly. Those words were only meant to wither in her memories, now. This life had been a succession of wrong choices when it came to men she found herself to believe in. An absent and unaffectionate father, a manipulator and mass murderer. And now, of all the men she could let herself feel for, she chose the damn king of Ravka. Zoya did not regret believing in Nikolai, fighting for him, trusting him. He had never let her down. But caring like this for him? The epitome of bad choices. She felt the urge to rip her thrumming heart out of her chest. Her hands went to press on her temples: even the muffled sounds coming from the ballroom were unnerving her. The hope for fresh air drove her to the balcony, along with a pressing need for quiet and solitude. She was sick of everything that was going on; the party, the music, the false and hollow laughter of ambassadors and dignitaries throwing themselves at the king’s feet like their country was not on a brink of destruction. Nikolai’s charm sticking like sap on the people, a pretence of confidence and normality, with his hand on Ehri’s arm while his look stayed trained on Zoya’s sapphire eyes. It was all way too much to handle on a clear and sober mind. The voices increased as the door opened, to be swallowed again when she heard the lock. The steps that echoed on the marble floor could only be of one person who had enough of a suicidal strike to follow her when she had clearly wanted an escape.

“Get back inside, Nikolai.”

She exhaled without even bother to look back at him. Nikolai chuckled and came to stop at her side.

“You’re really attentive.”

“You’re really not subtle. I ought to teach you how to properly sneak up on people.”

He shrugged, letting her have the last line, and dangled a glass filled with a liquid the colour of amber. As close as they were standing now, their shoulders brushing, she could feel his scent meddled with a spiking note of alcohol. Nikolai was not one to indulge in drunkenness in such a delicate night, but it still had to appear like a party, and he clearly looked like someone who had needed a couple of drinks to survive the evening. She could not blame him, as a matter of fact. Still, his ruffled state only added to the treachery of being together like this. Last time they were alone, it did not exactly go down well, a moment that haunted her every waking hour since it happened.

“Weren’t you having fun inside?”

“Not particularly. It was tedious and sickening. “

“Why, my dear general, I even saw you dance with a handsome sergeant.”

Zoya rolled her eyes, scowling at him. He was grinning, but he had an edge to his voice only Zoya could sense. Do you really believe it means anything, she wanted to ask? It was true, the boy was handsome, and at any other moment she wouldn’t have thought twice on getting herself some hard-earned distraction. She had felt Nikolai’s eyes studying her the whole time, as the soldier’s hand slipped on her lower back and he spun her around. Zoya knew it was not about jealousy, or rather not the kind of possessive sentiment people would assume of. She knew because she felt it too with Ehri; what bothered her was not the affection they could share, but the way they could be together in public, how easy it was for them. The absence of barriers, propriety, and obstacles. Everything her and Nikolai could not afford to have, that simplicity. Everything he must have envied too about that common man holding Zoya’s waist.

“Genya asked me to pretend I don’t loath everything about this. But believe me, I do.”

It was as close to a reassurance she could manage to give him, without betraying herself too much. The king lifted the glass towards her in an offering gesture.

“I’m on duty.” The raven-haired general glared at his smug expression. “You know, trying to avoid people running a blade through your chest.”

Nikolai shrugged his shoulders, downing with little ceremony the content she had refused.

“I’m starting to think that being alive may be thoroughly over-rated.”

“What exactly is over-rated about a king’s existence?”

“It comes with heavy responsibilities and too many boring dinners.” His eyes looked like they were taking her vision in, intensely scanning her features. They lingered a moment too much on her lips, before darting back up to lock on her blue glowing irises.  “And it forces me to give up on a lot of things I’d like to be free to pursue.”

She shifted, uneasy, a shiver running through her spine. The wind rose slightly at her nervousness and tugged at the hem of her silk embroidered kefta, lifting it off the ground. Zoya smoothed it, grateful for the decision of keeping her uniform tonight. It made her feel a bit more like herself, a bit more in control. The frustration and anger building inside her put venom in her voice, though the exhaustion and defeat creeping through were clear enough to catch.

“What are you doing here? And cut to the chase, please.”

“I saw you leave. You looked – “ He stopped, exhaling a long breath. “Weary. Upset. I wanted to check on you.”

Without yielding away from her eyes, he took a tentative step toward her; the ghost of their almost kiss, or rather barely avoided disaster, flooded the back of her mind, along with the ushered and frantic words he had spoken to her. She clenched her jaw, tension running through her veins like a fire scorching a barren ground.

“We’re facing battle on countless fronts and still wasting time on worthless charades like this” She gestured to the closed doors and the lights beyond them, the whirl of dresses and laughter. “Of course I’m weary and upset.”

“Nothing else?” Was he really coming back to this? To being hopeful and stubborn?

“No, Nikolai. Doesn’t it seem enough to you? Besides that, I’m perfectly fine.” Clipped words and pretty lies. “I don’t need anyone to check on me.”

“What do you need, then?”

You. And it terrifies me in a way you cannot fathom. How quick was her mind to betray her. Take the dreadful truth and smash it into a proper deceit.

“I need a break, and to be left alone for some godforsaken time.”

He cocked his head to one side, considering her. One of his hand ran through his golden flocks, messing them up even more. Zoya had rarely seen him so deprived of his usual bright endeavour, so taken on by fatigue. He still managed to flash a smile in her direction, one that did not reach his eyes but died on the curve of his mouth.

“They were asking for you. They always are, the nobles, ambassadors, all of them. They want to gaze at the gorgeous squaller, the ruthless grisha who serves as the king’s right hand. They talk of you, and me, how the king has secured himself the most beautiful mistress in the palace.”

Nikolai was almost speaking to himself, his posture hardened, the despise he had for these people clear enough in his voice. Even though she couldn’t care less about the court’s hypocrisy and judgement and she had never asked Nikolai to defend her, he had always felt he needed to it somehow. Sarcasm tainted his speech, Zoya trying to assess where he was heading with this.

“They dare ask me sometime, even. How is it that I conquered you, assuming that I did, like you are some kind of prize to be taken. I told them you are nobody’s property. That you’re a general and they should hold you to that position without insulting you with their petty gossips.”

Her vindictive heart wanted to punish him for making her legs buckle with wanting, for making her heart race up in front of the rumbling rage he had for the people who did not respect her enough. He released his clenched posture, straightening. His eyes caught back their focus on her, turning soft and growing dark with desire.

“What I didn’t tell them tough, is that while it’s not true that I have you, you do hold the king’s heart in your dangerous hands.”

Zoya stilled. The hate she felt grew inside her like a tide. Hate for how much she wanted him, for how simple it was for him to speak these truths she was refusing to accept and ignore the grave reality they were living in. How natural and right it looked, coming from his mouth. How hard he kept making for her to drive the knife in him, again and again. Zoya used that familiar emotion to fuel her resolve.

“You shouldn’t talk like this. We can’t afford it.”

“What if I don’t care? What if I can’t keep on pretending anymore, if I can’t do this anymore?”

What if? What if, in another life, she would have been brave enough to tell him?

Stay. Stay with me.

Take the truth and twist it. Again.

“You should go.”

“Zoya -”

Pure anguish coursed in her at the sound of him pleading her name. Zoya felt like she was already mourning him; he was a couple of feet from her and still miles away, a distant memory blurring away with time. Nikolai turned silent and lifted a hand to her cheek, brushing the line of her jaw, floating against her neck, trailing her arm, and coming to rest on her wrist. He circled it with his fingers, tightening his grip.

Hold me. Again.

“Let me go.”

She hissed, a cold resolve in her voice. An order. He glanced at her under his lashes, pondering himself for a second, then left the hold on her wrist, his look unreadable under the night sky. Zoya turned away from him.

“I can’t do this anymore either, Your Highness.”

To her shame, her voice came out cracked with unshed tears. Would she be able to cry again, some day? She could not remember the last time she fought back the urge and her eyes just went dry. She could feel the prickle now, the pain, but the water stayed still in the endless well she dug inside herself. They were sparring, Nikolai trying to win this round and drag her to acceptance, Zoya holding her fortress. Zoya kept her eyes trained on the midnight sky beyond Os Alta, but she felt felt him move behind her, his body barely an inch from hers, his hand grazing the kefta over her hips. Nikolai leaned towards her, tilting his head and hovering with his lips near the shell of her ear. His breathing was ragged, warm against her neck, sending tremors in her body. She shut her eyes, thinking of how easy it would be to let her back rest on him, to turn and catch his mouth and tangle her fingers in his hair, to let herself be redeemed by his affection.

“Where does your heart lie, Zoya?”

It lies in the thought of your lips on mine. The wrenching need I despise of losing myself in your arms. The buried desire of a life where I could find comfort and peace, the need to give a voice to whatever this warmth and searing longing I have inside is. How your hand feels in mine, how your touch sets my skin on fire. The light in your eyes when the sun catches them, the endless nights spilling away like seconds when I’m with you.

The words came with the fury of a thunderstorm and drowned in her throat, scraping it.

You need someone different. You need someone loving, full of light like you are. He would only have found heartbreak and misery in her, a kind of affection too stiff and cutting on the edges for a soul as bright as his. Zoya pulled herself away from his hold and turned to face him, the closeness almost intolerable; Nikolai’s eyes were on her, bursting with the same yearning and despair she could feel in herself. It was gutting to see her feelings mirrored in someone else. She trailed at his side, breaking their connection; her hand brushed on his lightly as she got past him, the touch so soft and swift it could almost look unintentional to an innocent bystander.

“Some truths are better off unspoken, Nikolai.”

Zoya whispered under her breath, taking another step to get back inside. Sweet words and grand declarations were meant for other people, for other lives. Zoya was a soldier, and that was the choice she made every morning, day after day, until it would not be a choice anymore and the course of her life was set. She could not help the things she dreamed of, but not even the things she was made of; she was meant for waging wars and havoc, and she would rest in the secured loneliness and gilded cage she had built for herself.

[saphirered]

Hey! I hope you’re doing well. You’re writing is always great and I get excited when I see you’ve posted something new. Would you consider writing a little something with platonic Caduceus and reader where they have similar personalities and interests, but different backgrounds? Maybe the reader doesn’t have any family to speak of? I’m open to any character class or race :) thank you!

I’m doing well. I’m glad you like my writing and thank you. It’s really nice to hear people get excited when I post new things. I never expected people to like it at all 🙈.  I hope you like the way this one turned out 😘

You were typical city folk. Born and raised in the heights of civilisation; the pride and joy of the Law Bearer Erathis herself. Raised at the temple of the Raven Queen as a foundling the clergy were the only parental figures you knew and they were hardly parents. Your relationship with them is less of a parent-child dynamic. They were your caretakers and supported which is more than a lot of people can say but you missed out on parental pride, love and the ability to confide in someone in such a way. You missed out on the relation with siblings. No running around the hallways of the temple, no secrets between just you and them, no protective older sibling or a younger one that gets away with everything. You had no weird aunt or uncle to tell you ridiculous stories or take you on adventures every so often like the books you’d read as a child. 

Your childhood never bothered you because it was good and happy, just in a different way. You found a mother figure in the Matron. You’d get dreams sometimes, waking up with a single black feather on your pillow. She gave you an appreciation of all things living. Death is a sacred thing but it’s the life that counts. You made it your goal to nourish that what needs a little extra attention and preserve what can be saved before its time, conforming to the natural order. The Matron of Ravens taught you death is just as sacred as life and so you valued it and vowed to upkeep her commandments and preserve that natural order of life and death. 

As a child you spent much time within the public parks and gardens. You had an affinity unrivalled. Making flowers blossom in spring and keeping the branches and roots healthy during the colder months, curing diseases, healing ailments as well as returning to the earth what once came from it upon the passing. When you were old enough these habits carried over to ‘living things’; a term you had to disagree with because all that grows lives. You became part of the clergy and continued your life within the temple of the Raven Queen. 

You were never confined to the temple life. Your work took you far and wide, your expertise wanted by the many. You had tended to the ailments of kings as you had commoner, treating no different. You had tended to the pristine gardens of royalty as you had the fields of a farmer. In the eyes of the natural order all lives are equal in the end and so you treated them in life. 

When a group of strangers came knocking at your door looking for an expert you were surprised by the colourful bunch on your doorstep but heard them out regardless. You were faced with the story of a cursed forest, a sanctuary of the natural order to be disturbed, a family missing and a new one found. A story of beacons of endless stars, possibilities and souls of the preserved to be reborn, conflict, war and death. Stories of salvation, resurrection, a fight to preserve the natural order and save the lives of the many. Stories far and wide yet to be told.

You were needed. Your expertise was needed and when a raven landed on your windowsill staring at you, studying you and awaiting your response you knew it was time to leave behind the life you knew and venture into a strange new world of adventure and the unknown. How could you turn them down? Your help was needed and while the venture might be a bit longer and much riskier than your usual ones, the task remained the same. You’d travel with the Mighty Nein for a while and aid them for however long they needed you. 

You grew to love the Mighty Nein like the family you never had but you have to say from the very beginning you felt a natural gravitation towards the colourful firbolg, a radiance akin to that of the life you vowed to preserve. Caduceus did not hide he felt a same sort of gravitation towards you. The two of you were often paired together on watches or went out together to stock up on supplies for the road, spell components and the likes. The two of you while at first glance are day and night, as your respective deities are when compared, but those who look closer know you are in a way, one and the same. 

You’re sitting on the jungle floor eyes closed listening to the nocturnal critters make their way through, searching for food, hunting and finding their hideouts, burrows and nests before the sun rises and morning comes. A smile on your face, as you take everything in over the soft snoring and slight twisting and turning of some of the Nein. You hear someone sitting down next to you. 

“Good morning.” You say peaking through one eye seeing the pink haired firbolg cup of tea in hand. The two of you had always been and probably always will be the early risers of the group. Old habits? Perhaps so.

“Ah, it is, isn’t it?” He offers you a cup of tea. You take it with a quick thanks blowing away the steam and cool it down a little before you take a sip. A good cup of tea never fails to wake you up properly. 

“How are you feeling? Getting closer to where the Wild Mother has been sending you?” The two of you look out seeing the first light barely bleed through the trees. Caduceus waits a little before speaking, contemplating his answer. His brow furrows. 

“I’m unsure.” Caduceus mentally retreats just a little bit, watching his expression you can see the thoughts rush through his head. You know he worries for his family and how you might find them. A lot is unsure at these times. You can only hope for the best and prepare for the worst but you have faith. 

“You’re worried, for your family. For what might have become of them?” He gives you a bit of a smile and nods. It’s clear Caduceus hasn’t directly been faced with the notion of mortality in this sense close to home whereas in any other situation he’d be fine. 

“I’ve been waiting to see them for a long time. While I trust the Wild Mother’s path, I can’t help but find myself doubting if they are well.” You try to find a way to best approach his concerns and ease his mind. The words of comfort either of you would offer to those coming into your respective places of worship do not apply to this situation nor would they be particularly helpful. You’re not dealing with the dead, just the possibility of death of loved ones. 

“You trust her path and you believe she’s at your side?” You ask deep in thought as a light breeze rushes through out of nowhere. The Wild Mother must be listening. Caduceus relaxes a bit more knowing she’s there. Despite what some may think, the breeze may just tell you what you need to know.

“Yes. I believe so.” He smiles watching the leaves blow, the breeze being carried away into the distance of the early morning jungle, a couple of birds scattering as it comes along. 

You take a moment, close your eyes and reach out your senses sending a little prayer to the Raven Queen. You’re met with a sense of warmth, a soft cawing of a raven flying away and a small light in the darkness. 

“Then they’ll be alright in the end. I don’t sense my Matron’s presence in relation to you. You’ll be reunited with your family once more.” You interpret the signs she shows you. While they might not be a certainty you have faith she would not let you down.

“That’s nice.” You return to staring into the jungle in comfortable silence for a while. 

“What do you miss the most? About home and your family I mean.” You ask a bit out of the blue but you couldn’t help yourself wondering with everything drawing closer and the uncertainty of how you’ll find the Stone family, and what you’ll encounter there. 

“Old habits. The people. The simplicity of life. I’d say the piece and quiet but that wouldn’t be entirely true. Just different kind of noise. You know what I mean.” Caduceus reminisces, dopey smile returning at the memory of his family. You’ve heard some of the tales of his shenanigans when it comes to his siblings. He’s confided in you and you vowed to keep those a secret. Who knew Caduceus could be quite the prankster?

“I don’t actually. I never had a family like yours. The Mighty Nein is the closest I’ve ever gotten to the meaning of a family.” You look over to the sleeping shapes. You wouldn’t trade them for the world but can’t deny it’s still not the same. The others can attest to that. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I apologise if I offended you.” You smile at him. You’d stated before you loved your found ‘family’, the clergy but they were never your real family. It just hadn’t come up your dynamic with them was not the same as a more typical even dysfunctional family. 

“It’s quite alright. I never knew my birth family. I knew the clergy at my temple and that’s alright. I always wondered what it would be like to have parents to confide in, siblings to spend time with, perhaps even share interests with and people who love me unconditionally, people like me but also not. Do you get what I mean?” Caduceus nods in agreement and thinks for a second.

“I understand. Though you might come to take back the part about wanting to spend more time with siblings. They’ll grow on you like ivy in places you don’t want it.” He laughs a little and you join him. 

“They can’t be that bad.” You joke the both of you laughing as quietly as you can trying not to wake the others up. 

“I’d love to meet your family. From what you’ve told they’re wonderful.” 

“They are, in their own ways but don’t tell Calliope I said that.” Caduceus bumps your shoulder and you bump back finishing the last of your tea. You’ve heard enough tales of Calliope to know you better not tell her or she might never let Caduceus forget he admitted it so openly to someone else outside of the family. 

“I’m sure they’d like you too. If you wanted to you could come back to the Blooming Grove with us one day. Clarabelle always wanted another sibling. She thinks Calliope is a bit too stoic. The two of you would make great friends.” Caduceus finishes his tea and you’re a little taken aback. You look for any kind of jest. He must be joking right?

“You’re serious?” Caduceus laughs a little at your reaction. 

“Unless you don’t want to. I think you’ll fit in right along. Our ancestor used to be a champion of the Raven Queen. She might appreciate the return of a new Clay. Not by blood but by heart.” You recall the story he once told about the champions Stone, Dust and Clay of the Matron. You feel a pull in your heart out of nowhere and swear you hear a raven’s caw in the back of your mind. She’d be satisfied. 

“I’d like that very much if they’ll have me.” With Caduceus reassurance his family would very much like you and get along with you you’d see where this would go. Perhaps you would become an unofficial Clay. Your friends are just your chosen family after all so why should it be different? 

You’ll see where your path leads and you’ll stick with Caduceus until either of you grow tired of each other. Not that either of you see that happen. You’ve grown thick as thieves to the point where you could call yourselves siblings. If the two of you claiming yourselves siblings extends into his family then you’d love nothing more. 

A place. A purpose. A home. You’ll have to put the world back into tune first but once the Matron and the Mother call you both home you’ll stick to the path until homeward bound you both be. Both of you lost in thought come to the same conclusion. Caduceus pours the both of you some new tea, cooling it down a bit you both take a sip.

“That’s nice.” You say in unison watching the nocturnal critters go to sleep and the early risers come out and go about their daily business. 

[vesuvian-american-fics]

better with time. Ch 2

less than favorable. 

As you become more acquainted with Captain Levi, finding him unpleasant is quite the understatement. (AO3)

Words: 1,858

A bead of sweat rolled down your forehead as you stared back at the man before you. He was short in stature but nevertheless very intimidating. His pale fair skin looked even more porcelain in contrast to his shiny raven black hair that was styled so neatly, his thin brown drawn together in a frown, his dark eyes narrowing as the silence drew on.  

He kicked the bars of your cell harshly, making you jump violently, pressing yourself further into the corner until you couldn’t retreat any further.

“Answer me when I speak to you.” He ordered. There was another pause before you remembered what he asked you. Who are you? You racked your mind for the answer, and as you opened your mouth to finally respond you found no noise followed.  

You grasped tightly at your throat at the realization. Where is your voice?! Panic making your tremble you tried to speak again and still, no sound.

“Oi! Enough with the games.” He said, losing his patience rather quickly. You shook your head wildly and pointed to your neck until he seemed to catch on.  

“You can’t speak?” Levi cocked his brow at you, unamused as he didn’t believe your story. You nodded your head fast and tried again to speak, your heart rate picking up. Why now, why can’t you speak? Maybe going for who knows how long without speaking did a number on your vocal cords, weakening them to the point you were mute.  

Levi sucked his teeth in annoyance and without another word, he left and you listened closely as he ascending the stairs that were just out of your line of sight. So, you were underground huh? That explains why it’s so chilly down here. The minutes passed, the silence did nothing to alleviate your mounting anxiety. Without warning, loud rushed stomping sounds cascaded down the stairs at alarming speed. Fear crawled up your spine, as your eyes darted around for any place to hide. Just as you were about to throw yourself underneath the sheets on your bed, a childish effort really, two hands gripped onto the bars of your cell harshly.

“You’re awake!” They exclaimed, pushing they’re head between the bars to get a closer look at you. You froze, slowly craning your neck to look behind you and see who sounded so eager to see you. A brunette that wore thick glasses, eyes sparkling with interest and a feverish blush spreading across their tanned cheeks.  

Your face twisted in confusion, your eyes slid over to the man that stood next to this new character and back to the brunette.  

“What’s your name?” They shouted; you could practically feel the excitement flowing off of them in waves. It was refreshing though you were still on guard with this situation you found yourself in.  

You thought for a moment before drawing a blank. You shrugged your shoulders, before looking sheepishly between to two people before you. You don’t remember your name, really. You felt your heart drop, the more you tried to remember the more holes in your memory that you discovered.

“Oh...” They sounded a bit disappointed in that, but quickly bounced back.

“I’m Hange Zoë, and this is Captain Levi." Finally, having names for the two calmed you just a bit. Hange seemed kind, much more refreshing than their grumpy counterpart.  

Levi huffed, seeming not too keen on the fact that you know his name now. You frowned at that before returned your attention to Hange.

“I hear you lost your voice?” They said, more focused on the task at hand now. They took a step back from your cell and retrieved a notepad and pen from their lab coat, ready to record anything.

You nodded in response, before sitting yourself on your bed. From there, Hange continued to question you, and you attempting to answer the best you could.  

“Why don’t you give her the notepad so she can actually give a proper response, idiot.” Levi suggested, a tired look in his eye. He must have grown bored with the game of charades before him. The idea wasn’t so bad, you had to admit, it would make things a lot easier and you were excited to finally explain your side of the story in detail.  

Without waiting for a response, Levi snatched the pen and notepad from Hange’s grip and tossed them into the cell. Of course, he couldn’t give you the respect of handing it off to your properly. You shot him a glare before dropping to your knees to collect the items, sitting back on your bed you huff at his actions before looking at the page before you.

Hange’s handwriting, you couldn’t read a single word of it, and not just because of how sloppy it was. The words looked completely foreign to you and yet you still knew it was your language. You just couldn’t understand a single thing, and then you realized something else. If you didn’t know how to read anymore, how could you write? Your mind was empty, frustration boiling inside. Just how many skills did you lose in your time as a titan?

You balled up your fists and brought them to your head, giving yourself a few good whacks before attempting to read again. Still, nothing was coming to you. Angry tears clouded your vision, you looked back up to Hange and tossed your hands into the air in defeat.  

Hange’s eyebrows rose in alarm.  

“You can't, speak, you can’t read, and you can’t write?” They asked inquisitively. Feeling dejected you nodded your head as you wiped your tears on your blouse. Slowly you rose from where you were seated and handed off the notepad and pen back to Hange. Understanding and kind as they seemed to be, Hange placed a hand on your shoulder, rubbing minute circles there with their thumb.  

“Don’t look so sad, this just makes it all the more fun for me to figure you out!” They said, that was more so good news for themself than for you but still, it made you smile and silently chuckle. This was still leagues better than being a titan, and surely, with time you can easily relearn these skills.

Levi rolled his eyes before stalking out of the basement. Halfway up the stairs he turned back to Hange and spoke.  

“Get her a bath, she looks like shit.” He spat before you heard, rather than saw him ascend the rest of the stares. Your mouth fell open at his insult, the nerve of that guy. He was so rude and off putting. You hated him!  

Hange laughed a bit at your reaction before unlocking your cell and leading you up the stairs and towards the washroom. On the way you passed a large room where many other people sat, eating and talking amongst themselves. Your eyes scanned over their faces and none of them noticed your presence in the moment your walked across the doorway. That is until your eyes locked on a pair of vibrant emerald eyes. In that split moment, there felt like there was a secret understanding between the two of you, it was unnerving but just as quickly as you saw him, you were pulled away further down the corridor.

Finally, at the end of the hall you were met with a large wooden tub. It had been so long since you’ve taken a proper bath and the steaming water that was waiting for you looked to be so inviting. You were snapped from your thoughts as Hange spoke.

“For safety purposes, I won't be leaving.” Hange stated matter-of-factly, they almost looked more eager than you. You scrunched your face at the lack of privacy but you understood. At least there was a partition so you could undress with a little peace of mind.  

Sliding into the bath water you silently sighed, hearing the splashing of water die down, Hange turned around to face you once more. In their hand was a bottle of a fragrant liquid, seeing the confusion in your expression they explained.  

“Shampoo. I'm sure you want your hair washed free of all that titan gunk.” You grinned, bobbing your head up and down in appreciation and agreement. Little did you know just how rough Hange’s hands would turn out to be.

<3

Levi decided to check up on Hange seeing at they still hadn’t brought you back down to the cellar. Fearing the worst, he rushed into the washroom without knocking and there he found you, still in the bath fighting to keep your head above water as Hange torturously scrubbed your scalp.  

Your arms flailed around as they tried in vain to find purchase against the rim of the tub and hold yourself up. Hange, too busy talking your ear off hadn’t noticed you struggling underneath their ministrations. Hange often got lost in their own world when they discussed titans, science, and their research, it was their favorite past time. Levi found it secretly amusing but he didn’t want you drowning at Hange’s hand, at least not before he figured you out.

“Oi! Keep scrubbing like that and she won’t have any hair left on her head.” He interjected, making Hange jump as they hadn’t even realized Levi had entered the room.  

“O-oh! Sorry!” Hange snatched their calloused hands from your head and your you winced as your caressed your scalp after that wicked assault. Flustered at how carried away they got Hange pat your head apologetically, before helping your stand. Levi quickly turned his back to you, giving you privacy before barking out another order.  

“Clean this place up too, don’t want her germs infecting the place.” He said was he waved his hand around lazily, gesturing to your filthy clothes that littered the floor.  You huffed at his attitude before wrapping a towel around your frame, and hiding behind the partition as you waited for Hange to find you new fresh clothes. Two sets of footsteps left you alone in the washroom, and not long after, you heard Hange rush back inside with a new blouse and skirt for you to wear.  

“Sorry about that again.” Hange said as they scratched nervously at the back of their head, you waved off their apology before dressing yourself. Taking a look at yourself in the mirror you smiled at the outfit before reaching for your boots and lacing them up. Just as you did, your stomach growled loudly, your face growing hot in embarrassment at the sound. How many years has it been since you had a proper meal?

One that wasn’t human flesh that is.

Hange chuckled before patting your back roughly, knocking the wind out of you.

“No worries, I'll bring you food down to your cell! We don’t serve human though, sorry.” They poked at your side and laughed at their own joke as you pouted and shot Hange a playful glare. Your expression softened though, Hange didn’t seem to be afraid of you, and though you were in less than favorable circumstances, you felt you may end up having a little bit of fun here.  

[pockyxx]

“ kitty-cat cafe ”

kuroo x reader 

genre: fluff. (kuroo’s s/o works at a cat cafe, he finds out.)

With your boyfriend’s birthday coming up you desperately wanted to buy him something nice but at the same time you were broke. You’d gone back and forth with newspaper ads, looking for the best place to work that would also fit in with your school schedule. 

So, when a position for a waitress at a cafe just a quick train ride from your house and a flexible schedule-- it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Not to mention the pay was great. 

The job was never suppose to be permanent, and you knew that which was your subconscious reason to not tell Kuroo. It just seem too complicated to tell him about it. 

He’d ask questions like: why do you even need a job? Or he’d mention something about the required attire for the job. It was the only downside; having to wear a maid-like costume along with a cat tail and a cat ear head band. 

The school day was over and looking down at your watch your shift started in just over thirty minutes, which gave you plenty of time to get there and to get into uniform. 

“Hey kitten, you staying to watch the practice match?” Tetsuro asked, slinging his arm over your shoulders, stopping you from making your way to the train station. 

It had been apparent how much you’d been absent at his practices and it made you feel awful but then again, you weren’t going to tell him about your employment. 

“I’m sorry babe but I can’t today, I, uh, have to help my grandma with house chores.” That had been one of your more convinent excuses since Kuroo had already met your grandmother before. 

He sighed before letting you leave but not without a kiss to your forehead. Pressing your lips as you walked to the train stop, all you could think about was Kuroo’s disappointing expression. 

It’s only for a couple more week, you reminded yourself. His birthday was just around the corner. 

-- 

“Hello Master, welcome to the kitty-cat cafe!” You flashed a fake smile at one of the customers as you ushered him to a table, offering a menu, “i’m y/n so if you need anything, I’ll be here to serve you.” 

Even though you had a cheerful tone, you felt absolutely exhausted and just wanted to go home and sleep. Only two more hours left on your shift, though, so that was a positive. 

Running back from the kitchen to the tables, you’d received a great sum of tips although it didn’t make up for the aching in your feet. The shift was nearing it’s end and there was just one more table you needed to wait on before heading home. 

“Welcome Master, to the kitty-cat cafe! I hope you’ve had a paw-some day!” You’d been sorting menu’s in front of your face and didn’t notice who was sitting in front of you until it was the moment to introduce yourself. 

“Y/n?” The quiet voice asked, tone dripping with shock. Your mouth falling open, you looked down to see Nekoma’s second year setting staring right back up at you. 

“Kenma?!” You almost screamed but managed to keep your voice low to not cause a sense, “what are you doing here?�� Your tone was snappy. He looked at you, then to his surroundings, like it was a trick question. 

“I was getting a video game from the store down the street and I wanted to eat something.” He took the menu that you’d just laid down into his head, “what are you doing here?” 

Groaning and pinching your nose, you realized you’d have no choice but to explain to not only Kenma but inevitably to Kuroo. 

“I’m trying to save up some money-- mostly to buy Tetsu a gift for his birthday.” You mentioned. 

“So I guess he doesn’t know about... this.” He was referring to the frilly outfit you had. Nodding, you looked down at your feet, almost shamefully. 

“The gift is suppose to be a surprise. So I didn’t really want to tell him so if you could-” 

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell him.” A wave of relief washed over you at the pudding head’s promise.  “Now can I have an apple pie?” You gave him a genuine smile before going back to the kitchen to take his order. 

-- 

It was a Friday afternoon and coach Nekomata had let them have a rest day, considering how hard they’d been working the whole week. It was also a day you had to work a double shift. 

“Kuroo, you don’t have to come with me to the game shop.” Kenma insisted, knowing that you’d be close by and he respected the promise he’d made you just a week earlier. 

Kuroo frowned as they took their seats on the bus. They’d planned to hang out in the evening so he didn’t understand why Kenma didn’t want him around. 

“But I want to look for something in that shop too, I heard they’re selling periodic tables with studio ghibli characters on it so I want to check it out.” He turned his head from the setter. 

Kenam huffed, leaning back in the train seat, trying to focus on the level he was playing on his switch while also coming up with an excuse to ditch Kuroo. 

“I just want to go alone.” He muttered, eyes shutting at the ‘defeat’ written on his screen. He looked up at the raven haired boy, “I need to go alone... for personal reasons.” 

Kuroo’s mouth dropped into an ‘o’ shape as he started to connect dots that weren’t really there. He smirked down at his junior, 

“Kenma, are you meeting a someone there?” He wiggled his eyebrows, teasing his friend, only to receive a dirty look from him. Rolling his eyes Kenma knew that he’d just have to take a risk. 

-- 

Kenma help his breath walking past the kitty-cat cafe, hoping Kuroo would pay no mind to it and thankfully he didn’t. At least the first time they passed it.  

Now, it was nearing evening and the two had spent their day at the video game store only to walk past the cafe on their way to the train station. 

“Kenma, I’m hungry, why don’t we stop and have something to eat?” 

“I’m not hungry.” He quickly shot back, trying not to seem extremely suspicious. Although Kuroo wasn’t buying any of it. 

“I doubt you’ve anything to eat besides this place looks...” He dragged off looking through the window of the cafe. His eyes then proceeded to widen, feeling his mind go blank as he saw one worker in particular. 

“Is that?.. y/n?” He turned to Kenma who was avoiding eye contact, he really didn’t want to get involved in your relationship drama. “Oh my gosh, it is.” He stated, slowly walking to the door the the cafe, he needed an explanation. 

They were greeted by a different girl as Kuroo noticed you slip back to the kitchen, not sure if you had seen him walk in. 

“Hello Master, welcome to the kitty-cat cafe!“ The waitress introduced. Kuroo’s heart sped up, is that what you said to every customer who walked in? As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he got a little jealous. “Someone will be back shortly to take your orders.” 

The boys sat down at a booth, Kenma unbothered while Kuroo rested his head in his palm, mind racing on what he was going to say to you. He didn’t even know how to properly react to this situation, it seemed like something out of a girly manga. 

While on the other end, you were walking up to the table you were suppose to wait on when he recognized two familiar sets of hair. Your heart stopped. You turned, shaking your head, not believing what was happening. 

“Hana, I’m not feeling well I think I need to leave early.” You lied as your coworker looked at you and then back to the customers. She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. 

You went and sat by the back door, bringing your legs in your chest. It felt awful having to lie to Kuroo about your job but it felt even more awful that he had to find out like this-- you were certain he’d seen you, or why else had Kenma willingly come in? 

“Y/n?” You finally break a little bit, tearing up as you covered your face with your hands. Kuroo’s voice was calm given the circumstances. “Are you alright?” 

Shaking your head, you looked up at him, taking a deep breath and standing up. You were still in the cat themed maid outfit, trying to hide your embarrassment. 

“Baby, I can explain honestly.” You put your hands up in defense, sighing in defeat. “This job is only temporary.” 

“I’m not mad that you’re working here, a little upset all these other guys get to see you in such a cute outfit... but I’m just a bit angry that you didn’t tell me.” He stated, it was understandable but you tried to ignore his statement that he was jealous of all the other male costumes (although it would be funny to bring up later). 

“It’s just, I don’t understand why you needed to work, if ever needed something you could’ve come to me. You know how close our families are too.” He was right, you’d known Kuroo since childhood and had been dating him since your last year of middle school. You sniffled, finding your way into his arms. 

“I just needed some money, that’s all.” You whispered, biting your lip you decided it was time to spill the beans. “Truth be told, I just wanted to buy you a nice gift for your birthday. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier” 

He laughed hysterically, pulling away from the hug, hands on your shoulders, scanning your adorable outfit one more time. 

“I think this sight is a gift enough.” He grinned as you fell back onto his chest, cheeks red. He placed a gentle hand on your back. You knew looking back on this moment would make the two of you laugh. 

“I have to go change, my shift is just about over.” You wiped the tear stains away while Kuroo nodded. 

“Come back to the booth with me and Kenma.” He gave you another reassuring smile. You nodded your head, making your way back to the staff room to take off your uniform. 

-- 

The night sky was out and it was just you and Kuroo walking along the empty sidewalk on the way to his house. The moon shone brightly and casted beautiful shadows on his face. 

“I just wanted to say sorry again, for everything.” You mentioned to him as he stopped in his tracks, taking your frowning face and cupping it with his hands. He scanned over every part of your face, every curve, freckle and even pimple. 

“Y/n you don’t need to apologize.” He ran his thumb over your blushing cheeks, “it’s okay and honestly, I’d put on a maid costume for your birthday too.” He chuckled as you rolled your eyes, someone expecting more romantic words to come out of his mouth. 

“I think I might just take you up on that offer.” Now it was Kuroo’s turn to flush a deep shade of red while looking away from your eyesight. Giggling, you placed your ear against his growing heart beat. 

Kuroo rested his chin on top of your heart, squeezing you into a hug. He mumbled something thinking you wouldn’t hear it. 

“After my birthday though, you better quick, I don’t want anyone else’s eyes on my s/o.” You jotted that down mentally, making sure to not only hang up the maid costume but to tease him for being so jealous. 

[drabbles-of-writing]

Please gush more about this wings AU thing

aaaAAAAAA sir you’ve opened the floodgates

K so most things are similar to canon? But there’s wings and that’s fun. Luz is just a common lil house sparrow, nothing particularly special about her. Eda, on the other hand, is a whole melting pot. Hybrids between different species are a thing, but the thing is, the hybrid traits show up in color and mannerisms of said bird. Wing shape sticks to only one specific species. Eda got the owl gene, but has a mess of other birds in her, too. She’s got raven (shiny things), cardinal, scarlet tanager, vulture, probably goose, and many others. Lilith was given the raven wing shape, which added to the reason on why she dyed her hair, so she can at least look like a pureblood.

Willow was pretty easy, hummingbirds fit her Aesthetic. But she’s also Buff, and I thought it’d be funny if she was a giant hummingbird, since those bad boys are, as far as I know, bigger than house sparrows. Gus was a little more difficult. I wanted a small bird, but I didn’t know which. Then I looked up the white-breasted nuthatch and found that 1. they are very loud. 2. they will fight bigger birds. So obviously I had to go with that. Gus is babey but he is loud and he will fight. probably a bit of a mix with chickadee or finch in there somewhere, too. A fast bird just seemed to fit Amity. But I wanted a fast but dainty-ish bird, not like a hawk or eagle. She was almost a gyrfalcon, but mutuals thought an american kestrel would fit her better. They are tiny, they are fast, and they are babey. Mattholomule was obvious. Shrikes are assholes. That’s just how it is. Boscha gave off the vibe of a bird of prey who would destroy me. But parrots could also bite my face off without blinking so I went with pretty and deadly. Lovebirds have a color similar to Boscha and also her being a bird with that name was funny so I chose it. Skara as a songbird was obvious, she’s in the bard track after all. So a nightingale was inevitable. Simple feathers, but with a beautiful voice. Viney,,,,,,honestly I just thought of birds that hang around other animals and came up with Oxpecker. She’s also probably a bit of a melting pot with dove, egret, and a couple different starlings. Jerbo is tall. Secretary birds are tall. Enough said. Belos was almost a bearded vulture, but I decided against it. I decided “let’s give him the biggest wings imaginable. simply because I can” so I chose the wandering albatross, the bird with a wingspan of twelve feet. Yeah, they’re thin, but these guys can also fly for a really long time, and idk, I thought the threat of that looked interesting.

In this AU, the rich don’t really,,,,fly. Flying, in the high-class, is seen as too much work. People who don’t fly are seen as powerful because they have better things to do, or they simply have no need for it. This has led to a couple of high-folk simply,,,,,not knowing how to fly. Also a lot of wing muscle issues. The twins can fly, not well, but they can fly. Amity, on the other hand.....can’t. At all. Of course, nobody else knows this. Choosing not to fly is one thing, but not knowing how is a disgrace. 

Luz is a different story. She uses her wings all the time, which helps strengthen them. It’s not just because she flies often, but because she is constantly moving them. She uses them as extra hands to push and pull things, she flaps them excitedly and hovers an inch or two off the ground when excited, she hangs them when she’s tired or sad, she flares them when she’s mad, and she just moves them around when she talks or is showing off something. She simply cannot hold them still. Which is fine for her, since sparrow wings are small and thin, but for Eda, who also moves her wings a lot, it’s a hassle. It’s a common occurrence for something to fall over in the Owl House because neither of these two can hold still.

Also, they have more than just wings. That’s some weak shit right there. They’ve got tails, patches of feathers, can make chirps similar to their species, if their species has crests of feathers or a certain piece of feather(s) that stands out, it shows up. Along with dots of color if it stands out. Peacocks have those three frills on their heads plus faint whites around their eyes, turkeys have those dangly things I’m too lazy to look up the name of, and sometimes the size of the bird affects a person's height. The whole sha bam. It’s hell for Eda, who’s a blend of at least 5 different birds. What surprise will today bring? Who knows!

There’s also of course, accessories and fashion for wings. Jewelry, ribbons, scarves and silk that can be pinned or pierced on wings and sometimes tails. Of course, the rich have the most lavish, but the prettier ones are usually very heavy and weigh down flight near completely. And trying to fly with ribbons or silk around wings is difficult, and can tangle and cause birds to crash. In fact, some types of silk or techniques for fashioning wings are banned or heavily mandated due to the hazards and accidents that occur. Fake feathers are also a thing, usually for those who want their wings to look more grand, hide knives in their wings, or, recently, to hide clipped wings. Binding wings are also a thing, though they are typically only for prisoners or for people with such big/broken wings that they can’t keep them closed properly. These are usually covers that wrap around the entire abdomen to keep the wings shut, but for people who don’t want others to know they need them binded, there are thin strings that stretch across the backs of wings that hold them shut or up at a certain angle. Some people put painful pricks right underneath their scapulars to keep their wings at a regal posture. There are also piercings. Some are rings, some are simply nubs. A common piercing is to piercing the base and tip of the membrane and hang a thin chain between the two. Emperor Belos has a tradition of stabbing hooks through the membrane of prisoners and hanging them by their wings alone before they are to be petrified. 

There’s also a little unofficial tradition with gifting feathers. A person will pluck a feather from their wings (sometimes tails but that’s more uncommon) and give it to someone. The more important the feather, the more you mean to someone. It’s not inherently romantic, it’s more of a way you show you care about someone, but it can be. Scapular (base feathers) and primary feathers are the important ones. They’re the feathers that are the closest to said person or their the feathers that are required for flight, they’re usually shown off with pride when they’re gifted to someone. Often a simple string with the single feather on it, but earrings and bracelets are also used. 

Luz has a necklace each from her friends and family. She has a primary feather from her mother, a primary and scapular feather from Eda, a primary covert from Willow, and a secondary covert from Gus. She would later get a secondary feather from Amity that would eventually be replaced with a primary feather. She keeps them all on one necklace in her room and switches them up every now and again. Sometimes she’ll wear only one feather, sometimes she’ll wear a few, or all at once. There’s no particular pattern, she just wears what she wants to that day. 

The grom note in Enchanting Grom Fright is replaced with Amity wanting to give someone a marginal covert feather (she was going to go with scapular but decided that might be too much). Luz going with her to grom coincides with her gifting a secondary feather to Amity, and Amity gifting the same type back. Amity kept that feather with her at near all-times as a necklace she hides under her shirt. A secondary and primary covert feather from Willow and Gus respectively would soon join Luz’s every now and again.

Luz would also teach Amity how to fly, once she realizes that Amity can’t. Course it’s in secret, nobody can know that Amity Blight can’t fly, but Willow and Gus do show up to help. Thing is, it hurts. Amity has barely used her wings in fourteen years. Her parents always made her hold them at a certain angle and she could barely express herself with them. They were more like large pieces of jewelry than anything. So when first learning to fly, she has to stop after only ten minutes, because her wings hurt. They ache and cramp and she’s convinced it’s too late for her to learn how to fly, her wings simply aren’t used to it. Luz, not one to back out on her word, basically becomes a coach instructor. Once a week she drags Amity off into a clearing where nobody else is and basically chucks her into the sky (stronk wings). And after a while, Amity’s able to go longer while gliding or warming up her wings. Ten minutes becomes fifteen, then twenty, then thirty, and suddenly, she can go over an hour practicing without getting tired. And you better believe she shows off to Willow and Gus. Maybe even Lilith a little bit during training, though that’s mostly on accident. Races, of course, happen a lot. 

I’m already ramblin’ a lot and I do wanna write this eventually, so I’ll stop here for now. But know that there are romantic flights, Amity’s parents do not like the ‘common species,’ wings can be clipped, Eda is not immune to wing injury, and Barcus is trying to avoid all the bird drama, unsuccessfully.

[girl-in-the-tower]

Silver and Cass 1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 21

Thank you for the ask!!

1. What was their first impression of each other?

It wasn’t a very good one, to be honest. Silver initially thought she was a strange and odd girl who was too meek and indecisive and found it difficult to really get a grasp on her behaviour. Though past that initial meeting he became much fonder of her than he expected when he realized that she is harmless and admires his liege as well. He began to be less wary around her, treating her more like a friend, feeling grateful for the care and attention she shows to him and the rest of the Diasomnia group.

Cass’ first impression of Silver wasn’t too positive either. He had surprised her while in the middle of practicing her speech to finally introduce herself to Malleus, and his stern and serious expression really scared her. She kept her distance for a while until she found him asleep on the school grounds, and worried he might catch a cold laid her cardigan over his chest while waiting for him to wake up. Afterward, she realized she was actually quite nice and pleasant and wasn’t scared or intimidated by him any longer.    

3. Describe their relationship dynamic.

I want to say that it’s quite ‘Lady and her Knight’, mostly due to Cass’ soft, gentle aesthetic and Silver’s training as a guard. They’re very soft with each other and encouraging of the other’s progress, always trying to make sure they’re doing well and taking care of themselves. It’s quiet, subtle, but very significant moments that make up their relationship for the most part. The realization that they can be with each other, in perfect harmony without really having to actually tell one another what they need or want since the other can pretty much tell beforehand just what exactly that is. 

Silver tends to be the more protective one, mostly due to how he was raised and trained to be a guard. It’s something that comes naturally to him. Whenever Cass is on campus he’ll do his best to accompany her and make sure she’s alright, even though she doesn’t really need to be showered with so much care. He does admit that it’s because he partially enjoys her company, and being with her is a nice experience, rather than just acting like a knight in shining armour. 

Cass tends to take a more maternal, caretaker role in the relationship. She worries about Silver quite a bit, especially regarding his narcolepsy, so she makes sure to always bring a blanket with her when she visits Night Raven or some coffee to help keep him awake. She always speaks very highly of him and seems very taken with his courteous behaviour even before they started dating, causing her grandmother to tease her about the obvious feelings she might have for the boy.

4. What was their relationship like before they got together?

Lilia often liked to say that they were like a lady and a knight in a courtly romance since they always sought each other out subconsciously during school campus visits. It wasn’t odd to see them sitting together under a tree talking, or walking the school campus during ‘patrol’ times, or even Silver teaching Cass how to swordfight so she can gain some self-confidence. Though they claimed there was nothing romantic going on between them, the moments they spend together were always oddly intimate to everybody who observed them.

Silver was surprisingly protective of her, despite being younger, mostly because Cass’ meekness troubled him quite a bit. There was nothing specifically for him to be worried about since she was in no immediate danger, but he still deemed it for the best that he would look after her while they were together. That mostly meant he would try to keep Azul and the twins away from her, scold Sebek whenever his shouting made Cass uncomfortable and encourage her to try and talk to Malleus since she respected him so much.   

Out of everybody, Cass seemed to be most at ease with Silver, acting less flustered around him and stuttering less than she normally would. She was somewhat embarrassed by how much he seemed to fuss over her and tried her best to lessen any burden she might place on him by accident. The fact that she felt so at ease with him meant that she tended to seek him out often, especially because she often felt overwhelmed by the attention she might receive while on campus.

During holidays they would often exchange letters with each other, talking about their lives and what they had been up to lately. They wanted to keep in contact, but because phones don’t work too well in the Valley they decided to pick another way of communicating. Cass would occasionally include some pictures she took during the day and write messages on the back for him, inquiring also about Lilia and the others. They’d both save those letters and keep them safe, treasuring them deeply. 

9. What made them realize they were in love?

It was actually a letter that brought about the revelation! Without realising it, letters had become part of their courting process. They would write to each other often and very amply, having letters that could reach up to five pages and eventually Lilia and Cass’ grandmother ended up commenting on it. They pointed out that they were infatuated with the other since they spend so much time and energy writing their letters, and it sort of clicked though they were reluctant to admit it at first. 

It made their correspondence awkward for a little while too since neither was sure how to breach the subject. So they kept trying to avoid it until it eventually resurfaced during one of their first meetings post-vacation. Talking through it they sort of both realized that their feelings might go beyond mere friendship, but weren’t sure how to approach it. So while they are now aware, it does take a while for them to properly admit it to each other since they’re dense and haven’t picked up on the fact that the other feels the same. 

10. What are their love languages?

For Cass, I would say that it’s Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, and Gifts! She likes to bring all sorts of presents for Silver when she visits, most of them handmade and personal so they’re usually very precious and charming. Silver always accepts them gratefully and then asks Lilia what he should get her in exchange as well. Lilia always suggests weird and unusual things, but Cass loves them regardless due to her own eccentricities. 

For Silver it’s mostly Acts of Service and Quality Time! It doesn’t matter what they are doing as long as they are together, though he gets somewhat frustrated that he always falls asleep so easily and she has to keep him company until he wakes up. It turns out that her presence is so comforting to him that he can’t help but feel relaxed when they’re together. He does make up for it by being a complete gentleman to her and making sure she’s not bothered by people who might want to keep asking her to tell them their future.

21. What’s a really significant moment in their relationship?

I would say that the Spring Debutante Ball marks a significant turning point in their relationship. Cass initially wanted to invite Malleus to the ball but was too flustered to even attempt it, so she thought that Silver might be a better choice after all. Except that she never got the chance to ask him since Sebek immediately intervened and asked to be invited instead, for the sake of “protecting their Master”. Flustered and unable to turn him down, he ended up as her date to the ball. Which did not make for an overly pleasant experience as he kept leaving her alone (her RSA date also wandering off since Sebek’s loudness was irritating) and overwhelmed by the crowds and the stress she decided to go outside for some fresh hair.

She ended up staying there for longer than she anticipated, having found some solace in the sound of nature and only realized that when Silver came looking for her. He said that he wasn’t able to spot her at all inside and he was worried about her, which made Cass flustered and start apologizing. She didn’t mean to cause him problems. Though inside she was also gladded at the idea that he came looking for her like this, which made her try to attempt to hide her flushed face from him. She didn’t want to be somebody that causes him problems, but rather someone who can stand at his side no matter what and support him. 

It’s the site of their first real “kiss” with Silver taking her by the hand and placing a kiss there like a knight would for a lady. It makes her speechless since it was something that she dreamed of since she was young - having grown up on fairy and romance tales her grandmother would read to her - but never thought she would experience in real life. The dance that followed after only added to the impression and it’s the one memory that Cass holds dear above all, even after they start dating. 

[juliandev0rak]

Evil And A Heathen

Chapter Two of I’m Your Villain

Words: 2515

Warnings: blood, death, brief description of injuries 

In his dreams Cadmus is a hunter. 

He runs through the forest on bare feet. The pine needles and sharp thorns littered on the floor cut his feet until he bleeds, but he doesn’t stop. Nothing exists but him and his prey. He has no weapon in his hands and yet he chases to kill.

But no matter how fast he runs, his prey stays just out of sight, just out of reach. The light fades quickly until he’s running in the pitch black darkness of the trees. He blindly reaches his hands forward and brushes against something soft, he thinks it might be fur. But then he emerges into a moonlit clearing and blinks in the sudden light, it’s hair, not fur.

Somehow he’s on the ground now, a girl’s body slumped in his lap. All he can make out in the dim light is blonde hair, matted with blood. As he moves the hair out of the girl’s face he recoils. Blood oozes out of a deep gash on the girl's neck, bruises cover her face, and then her eyes open- ice blue and far too familiar. 

“Cadmus, why did you kill me?” His sister Daphne asks. 

Cadmus opens his mouth to speak but no words come out. He watches in horror as the limp body turns its eyes, her eyes, to look at him. She looks at him so pleadingly and he can’t bear to look at her but he can’t seem to close his eyes. He wants to scream that he didn’t do this, that he’d never hurt her, but he just stares as her mouth gapes open.

“Why didn’t you protect me?” She cries, her voice sounds as brittle as the winter-frozen trees around him. Something wet touches his cheek and Cadmus realizes it's snowing. He shivers in the cold as the body in his lap grows frozen to the touch, his sister's skin turning blue. 

“Don’t you love me Cadmus?” 

The snow has turned hot now, so hot it burns his skin. He smells the sharp scent of iron and looks down to see the snow has turned to blood. He leans forward to shield his sister’s body on instinct. As the blood pours down he realizes he can no longer feel the weight in his lap, the body is gone. 

A voice in his ear whispers, “This is your fault.”

When he whips his head around there is no one there. Cadmus is alone in the clearing, freezing and burning at the same time. He shuts his eyes and lets the blood fall on him, letting it burn him. He’s used to blood and fire after all. 

He hears a sudden squawk and looks up from the ground to see a large raven swooping towards him, wings blocking the moon. His hands move up to shield his face and he feels the sharp sting of claws digging into his skin. The raven caws again, the noise almost deafening this close to his ears, and the sound pulls him out of his dream. 

Cadmus wakes with a shudder, nearly falling out of bed as he tries to get his bearings. He often has bad dreams but this one had been so vivid. He can still feel the press of claws against his hands, and he can still smell the scent of blood. He sits on the side of the bed with his head in his hands, willing himself to forget what he’d just seen.

He comforts himself with the fact that he knows he would never hurt his sister, he’d die before he let anyone hurt her. Still, when he closes his eyes the image of Daphne’s bloodied, lifeless face stares back accusingly. Before he can delve too deeply into despair a raven caws outside the window and Cadmus startles, remembering the dream raven’s claws. 

He pulls his duvet around his shoulders to ward off the chill and trudges over to the window, looking out into the beginnings of dawn. It’s still mostly dark outside, the clock on the wall tells him it’s not yet six in the morning. He spots the raven sitting on a tree branch maybe thirty feet away, preening its feathers.

It feels like a bad omen and it brings to mind a nursery rhyme his governess had taught him as a child about counting ravens- one for sorrow, two for joy, and so on. Cadmus scowls, he can only see one raven.

“Nonsense,” He says aloud, turning away from the window and the raven. He’s never been superstitious, and he isn’t about to begin now. It’s just a bird, and his dream was just a dream. 

Cadmus gets dressed, pulling on his typical black training clothes and lacing his boots. He spends more time on his hair, using a bit of magic to make sure it lays exactly how he’d like it to. If anyone asked if his hair is enchanted he’d deny it, but it’s windy today and there’s no way he’s going outside without his hair properly styled. 

He has a bit of time before training so he heads down to the kitchens for breakfast. There are plenty of mice around the castle for Agatha to catch for her breakfast, so he holds the door open for her to slither out behind him. The halls are empty this early in the morning and his footsteps echo loudly off of the stone. He’s quite adept at silencing the sounds of his footsteps when need be, but he has no need to hide here. He is not without enemies in his home, but at least he knows who they are.

A quarter of an hour later he’s outside with a sword in his hand, fighting off the chill in the winter air and his swordmaster’s attacks.

“You’ve lost your touch, old man,” Cadmus grins as he spins out of the way of Master Xiphos’ sword. He counters but the attack is blocked by the edge of Xiphos’ sword just before contact. 

No matter, he retreats and watches for an opening. Xiphos advances towards him and Cadmus feints right, hoping to catch his swordmaster’s unprotected left side. But Xiphos sees through the obvious trick and Cadmus has to duck out of the way, retreating backwards until he’s effectively backed against the edge of the stables, cornered.

“Not so cocky now, are you?” Xiphos’ voice is gruff, his face set into a look of supreme determination. Cadmus had been scared of Xiphos as a child, intimidated by his harsh way of speaking and even harsher training sessions. As he’d grown the old man had become his mentor, and eventually, his friend. 

“Cocky? No, I’m merely confident in my abilities.” Cadmus moves forward, attempting to get past Xiphos. He rolls at the last second, narrowly sliding under the edge of Xiphos’ sword. Successfully out of the corner, he turns to attack and is met with the tip of his master’s sword at his chest.

“Not quite fast enough. You’ve improved, but pride will be your downfall, Cadmus.” Xiphos lowers his sword as he speaks, his solemn expression fading into what could barely be counted as a smile.

Content that his student has learned a lesson, he turns his back. Though the lesson is supposedly over, Cadmus takes the opening and lunges forward, cutting a strip of Xiphos’ shirt off and just barely grazing the skin of his arm.

Xiphos wheels around to look at him, his face stony and unreadable. 

“Never turn your back on an opponent. I believe you taught me that when I was six,” Cadmus grins, waving his sword around in a flourish. 

Xiphos stands silent for a moment, the air charged with tension as he stares at Cadmus. Then, the corners of the older man’s lips turn up and he laughs, a deep belly laugh that Cadmus hasn’t heard much before. Xiphos reaches his hand out to shake Cadmus’ and he can’t help but join in on the laughter. 

“I’ve taught you well.” Xiphos sheaths his sword and takes a seat on the stone wall bordering the training field, Cadmus joins him.

Now that he’s no longer moving and fighting the morning air feels frigidly cold, but he knows better than to complain about the weather. They sit in silence for a minute and Cadmus resists the urge to ask his swordmaster a million questions about his travels. He opts for just one instead, the most important one. 

“What can you tell me about my new assignment?” 

“Hmm, I can tell you that your father is a fool.” Xiphos turns to look at him and it’s impossible to tell if he’s joking. Cadmus raises an eyebrow and waits for him to continue.

“Greythal poses no real threat to Avronne at this time. The cities are at peace, this will only stir things up. He knows that, we all know that.” He waves his hands expressively as he talks. “But his mind has been made up.” 

“Merona are our allies, would it not be better to ensure our connection to them is strengthened rather than allowing them a chance to ally with Greythal? Surely an alliance between the two cities would pose a threat?” Cadmus frowns, he’s never heard Xiphos question the Comte like this.

“Perhaps.” 

“Well it’s enough of a threat that my father wants to prevent it, so I’ll do what I must.” Cadmus nods his head slightly, his tone resolute. He only ever does what he must, to survive, to ensure his sister’s safety, to ensure his family’s safety. There is nothing else he can do.

“The castle in Greythal hasn’t changed in two hundred years, I know it well so heed what I tell you.” Xiphos pauses to make sure Cadmus is listening. He turns back towards his swordmaster, inclining his head in respect to show that he’s paying attention.

“The princess’ rooms are in the east wing of the castle. Her window is the one with the blackthorn tree beneath it, the trunk has a distinctive twist in it. There are patrols every twenty minutes, typical rounds with two guards at a time.” Xiphos goes on to explain the rest of the castle layout, including a possible escape route through the cellars.

“If you’ve scoped the place out so much why didn’t you just do the job?” Cadmus complains. He likes to do his own reconnaissance, he feels safer that way. He needs to see things with his own eyes before he enters a situation. 

“Your father gave this job to you for a reason. What that reason is I do not know, but this is your assignment. You must finish it yourself.” Xiphos stands up and Cadmus takes it as a sign that the conversation is nearing its end. 

“What does the target look like?” 

“She’ll be wearing a crown and people will be wishing her a happy birthday. I should think you’ll be able to spot her.” 

Cadmus rolls his eyes, he’d be angry at the sarcasm from anyone else. “Fine. Anything else I need to know?” 

“It needs to be quick, with visitors from Merona there may well be extra guards. Get in and out as quickly as possible.” 

Cadmus laughs, “Don’t I always?” 

Cadmus is good at his job. He’d grown up with a sword in his hand and a dagger at his belt, knowing that someday he would have to use them. By the time he was Daphne’s age he’d already been on assignments by himself, he’d already killed. 

He remembers the first assignment he’d gone on. He’d been a gangly teenager still growing used to welding a sword and adjusting to his new found height which had seemingly sprung up over night. Back then he was still weak enough to feel afraid.

His father had told him it would be easy, “Just swing the sword and you’re done.”

But it had been so much more than that. Cadmus had crept into the target's house, a suspected smuggler, and had found the man asleep in his bed.

“Just swing the sword.”

So he had, but the man hadn’t died right away- no. It had taken more than one swing, and the dull thud of the blade against skin, the wide open eyes of the man who had no chance to fight back, had haunted Cadmus for weeks. 

He’d come back covered in the man's blood, willing himself not to cry or be sick. When he’d gone to report to his father he hadn’t been praised for his actions, he’d been scolded for getting blood on his clothing. Cadmus had learned quickly to be faster, to be neater, to wield himself like a weapon with deadly accuracy.

And he’d learned to rid himself of guilt over the years. He kills, yes, but it’s for a good cause. He can justify a little bad for the greater good. The people he kills are often murderers in their own right, corrupt politicians, thieves, spies, people who would turn around and kill him just as quickly if they had the chance. He’s sure this target is no different, some selfish princess who would have grown to become a selfish queen with no regard for her subjects. 

The Comte is cruel, Cadmus knows that first hand, but he cares for the city. He protects and provides for the people who live there. And Cadmus is the sword of the city, willing to do what must be done to protect everyone who calls Avronne home. They hate him for it. They whisper about him in the town and call him all sorts of names, they think he’s some sort of devil come to bring evil to the world. But Cadmus knows that secretly, the people are grateful. Avronne is safe, Avronne is prosperous, and it’s thanks to his family.  

Xiphos’ gruff voice pulls him back to the present, “Go finish your training, Alexander is waiting.” Xiphos points off to the distance where the castle guards are exercising.

Alexander waves at him and Cadmus nods in his general direction. He bids Xiphos goodbye and sets off across the field, this might be his last chance to see Alexander before he leaves. He schools his features into a mask of cool indifference, tilting his chin up in a way he’s been told is haughty.

Cadmus likes to pretend that he doesn’t care, he likes to pretend that he’s too good to be worried about the possibility of death. That confidence, or dissonance really, is what keeps him steady in situations where his life is on the line. He has to believe that he’s invincible, indestructible, immortal- and so far he is.

Even so, he makes sure to say goodbye before he leaves for a mission. He doesn’t actually say goodbye, more… hints at it by being slightly less of an asshole than usual, but Alexander knows. He has the courtesy to never comment on it, Cadmus couldn’t bear to have someone pity him. He doesn’t need anyone’s sympathy, or well wishes, or good luck.

He’s a Durand. He was made for this.

[arysafics]

prompt: clarke finds bellamys old online dating account thats obvious he hasnt used in forever, but she sees all his preferences are exactly the opposite of her (i.e. tall, brunette etc.) which makes her insecure. then he can convince her she hit him out of nowhere?

haven’t had much time to write lately since i’ve just moved apartments, but here’s a little something to tide you over until i can finish my next proper fic

like a freight train

rated t, ~1.7k words

Clarke hasn’t been on a dating site in forever, so honestly, it’s kind of fun to help Emori set up her profile. Things hadn’t ended well with Murphy, and after a string of Tinder hookups, Emori claims she’s ready to really move on and try a proper dating site, the one Raven met her current boyfriend Shaw on. There’s a sign-up fee and everything.

So Raven and Clarke have had fun picking Emori’s best photos, writing her bio, and selecting all her preferences, while Emori vetoed all their worst suggestions, and now they’re onto the really fun part—vetting the men.

They’re crowded around Emori’s laptop, sitting on her living room floor. A selection of thirty matches have come up for Emori, and the way it works is you don’t actually get to see the guy’s photo unless you agree to the match based solely on his biographical information.

“Why do all men either love fishing or cars?” Clarke asks, after the fourth man Emori has declined based on the fact that he will clearly never love a woman more than he loves his four-wheel drive.

“It would be fine if they had other interests too,” Emori says. “I like cars. And I could like fishing, I don’t know, I’ve never tried it.”

“Ooh, okay, what about this guy?” Raven interjects, then starts reading his bio from the screen.

“Looking for someone like-minded who enjoys fitness and the outdoors, particularly hiking and cycling. I also love kayaking, rock-climbing, soccer, and basketball. Would love to find someone to share those passions with me. I love a woman who can cook, not because I can’t (I can) but because I think great food is a way to share culture, history, and passion.

I want somebody laidback, who isn’t afraid to go with the flow and be spontaneous. I don’t vibe well with people who are intense or highly-strung. I hate country music and refuse to listen to it, yes, that includes Taylor Swift. Especially Taylor Swift.”

Clarke interjects then. “Emori, I don’t know about you, but I could never be with a guy who doesn’t like Taylor Swift.”

“You know I only listen to metal.”

“Shh, I’m not done,” Raven huffs. “Looks aren’t as important, but I’m partial to tall brunettes.”

Clarke snorts out a laugh. “This guy would hate me.”

“Yeah, but he’s perfect for Emori. What do you think, Em?”

“First halfway decent guy, I vote yes.”

Raven, who for some reason is the one in control of the laptop, hits the accept match button. Immediately, the man’s photo and name pops up, and immediately, Clarke’s stomach drops. Raven and Emori both erupt into fits of uncontrollable laughter. Because, of course, it’s Bellamy. Clarke’s very own boyfriend.

“Clarke, you better watch out, Emori’s going to steal your man.”

“He must have lowered his standards since then, Clarke,” Emori jokes. Clarke isn’t laughing.

Actually, quite the opposite. She feels like she might burst into tears. Her chest is all tight, and she knows her reaction is probably unjustified, but she can’t help it.

“Grow up, Clarke,” Raven says, rolling her eyes when she notices Clarke’s expression. “We’re just kidding around.”

“I know,” Clarke snaps. “I don’t care about that.”

“What then?” Emori asks. “You don’t think he’s actually still using this, do you? The photo is obviously so old, he clearly hasn’t been on here in years. Look,” she adds, pointing out the last active section on his profile, “last active 2012.”

Clarke nods, her jaw tight. It’s not that either, but she doesn’t feel like explaining it to her friends. “Yeah, you’re right,” she says, forcing a smile. “I’m being stupid.”

“Exactly,” Raven agrees. “Okay, who’s the next guy?” She turns her attention back to the screen.

“I think I’m going to take off,” Clarke says. “Bellamy gave me a shopping list, I’m supposed to pick some stuff up so he can make dinner.”

“Okay, whatever,” Raven says. “See you later. We’ll let you know if Emori finds the love of her life.”

Clarkes picks herself up off the floor, says a quick goodbye and hurries out of there. She’s not really in the mood anymore.

She does Bellamy’s grocery shopping on the way home, taking longer than she needs to, because for once she’s actually not eager to see him. The things he wrote in his dating profile haunt her. How is it possible that when he described his ideal woman, he described the exact opposite of Clarke? If those are the things he wants, what is he even doing with her?

She’s not tall, or brunette, for starters. Clarke hates fitness and the outdoors, and she especially hates sports. She’s not a terrible cook, but she’s not exactly Masterchef material, and she doesn’t enjoy it, just does it out of necessity. She’s intense, and uptight, and high-maintenance—and she fucking loves Taylor Swift.

Emori was right, Bellamy clearly lowered his standards.

She makes it home eventually, and Bellamy is already in the kitchen, getting dinner prepped. He’s got on his navy apron, that Clarke bought for him, with his name specially embroidered on the front.

Clarke dumps the bags of groceries on the counter, and Bellamy looks up from where he’s chopping onions, and gives her a heart-melting smile.

“Just in time,” he says, putting the knife down and wiping his hands on his apron. He reaches for her, with the clear intent of kissing her, but Clarke pulls away from him, still hurt from reading his old dating profile. His wounded expression makes her feel a little guilty, but not enough to overshadow her dejection.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

Clarke takes a deep breath. She has to talk about the calmly and maturely—they promised each other they always would. No passive-aggressive comments, or screaming matches, or walking out in silence because of a lack of proper communication. That’s how Clarke’s last relationship ended.

“Raven and I were helping Emori set up a dating profile today,” she explains. “And one of her matches was you.”

Bellamy hesitates, and she can see the gears turning in his head. “And you think…I’m still on dating sites?” he guesses. “I’m not, Clarke, I promise. I was on a few back in my twenties. I guess I didn’t delete all of them.”

“No, I know,” Clarke says. “It’s not that. It’s—it’s what you said in your bio. About what kind of woman you want.”

Bellamy groans. “Did I say something grossly offensive and misogynistic? If so, Murphy probably wrote it, he was helping me out with them.”

Clarke shakes her head. “It was all perfectly respectable. It’s just—it wasn’t me.”

Bellamy stares at her. “Well—I didn’t know you then.”

“No, but you seemed pretty certain about what you wanted. A fit, tall, brunette, who loves sports and cooking and sucking your dick.”

“I’m sure I didn’t say that last one. Besides, you do love sucking my dick.”

“That’s not the point,” Clarke huffs. “The woman you want is the complete opposite of me. Why are you even with me, when you could have anyone you want?”

Her voice cracks on the last sentence, and the tears spill over. She tries to blink them away to save herself the embarrassment, but it’s no use.

“Clarke, baby,” Bellamy says, all gentle and loving. He pulls her into his arms, and she lets him. There’s nothing more comforting than his embrace, even if he’s partly the reason she’s upset.

“I have exactly who I want,” he says. “All that other stuff is meaningless, just dot points on a list I thought I could check off and magically find the perfect partner. I was what, twenty-five? And a complete idiot. I didn’t know what I wanted.”

“But I’m not laid back or fun, and I don’t go hiking with you, or canoeing or whatever,” she sobs into his chest.

Bellamy kisses the top of her head, then pulls her back so he can look into her eyes. “Truth is, I once thought that stuff mattered. I was counting on meeting that woman, I was on every dating site, looking for her. But then I met you, and there was no magic dating algorithm that could have predicted that. You hit me like a fucking freight train, Clarke. As soon as I met you, I knew I was done for. You’re it, you’re absolutely it for me. I love your intensity, I love that you care so much, that you’re so organised. I love how you pretend to care about sports for me. I love cooking for you, knowing how much you appreciate it because you hate doing it yourself. I love you. I love you. Understand?”

Clarke nods, and she’s absolutely bawling now, but for entirely different reasons. He’s said he loves her a million times, of course, and she loves hearing it. But he’s never laid it out quite like that—never had the reassurance of him telling her he loves her exactly as she is, not in spite of her faults but because of them.

“You’re still crying,” he says worriedly. “Do you still not believe me? Because—”

Clarke cuts him off with a wet kiss, still half crying. He’s too surprised to kiss her back properly before she pulls away. “I love you too,” she says.

He nods, a little bewildered.

“I love you,” she repeats, kissing him again, and this time he kisses her back. “I love you, I love you, more than you will ever know.”

He brushes his nose against hers, then presses his lips against her tear-stained cheek. “I think I might have some idea,” he whispers.

“You know, in your dating profile,” Clarke murmurs, “you also said you hate Taylor Swift.”

Bellamy chuckles. “Well, you definitely fixed that,” he says. “Is that what you were really upset about? Did I not sing every lyric when we went on that road trip and you played nothing but Taylor Swift?”

“Good point,” Clarke says. “I think I’m definitely a good influence on you.”

“Definitely,” Bellamy agrees. “Now, back to Emori’s dating profile—you know this is going to crush Murphy, right?”

[rwbyvein]

Firen Lhain: Chapter 508: The Night Watches Back

"You're going to ransom me to my father, is that it?" Weiss asked from within the cage.

"If I could, Miss?" Aurora asked from beside her, and Weiss nodded. Aurora turned to Vernal, "The Schnee Dust Corporation has strict rules when dealing with ransoms." Vernal's eyebrows raised as she tried not to react, "All personnages must be completely unharmed, not just the primary person, and the ransom must be proportional to the primary person."

"And... if we follow these rules?" Vernal asked.

"The ransom will be paid promptly." Aurora replied.

"And if we don't want to follow the rules?"

"Then the Schnee Dust Corporation will use it's unlimited resources to hunt you down to the ends of Remnant."

Vernal faltered for a moment before recovering her confidence. "Oh?" she asked, "It's not like we're used to avoiding authorities..." she said, before Aurora cut her off.

"They won't be using legitimate means."

"And that's supposed to frighten us?" Vernal asked, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Haven't you noticed there are a lot less bandits than there used to be?" Aurora asked, and a shocked look appeared on Vernal's face. She then breathed in deep to recover a semblance of confidence.

"It's a shame you're a Schnee." Vernal said to Weiss, "You'd probably do quite well around here."

"I," Weiss said and paused to steel herself, "would never sink down to your level."

* * *

"Miss?" Aurora asked her.

"Yes?" Weiss asked.

"I would advise you from antagonizing our captors." Aurora stated.

"I don't intend to stay here that long." Weiss said, and tapped her new shoes onto the ground, causing a small Glyph to appear with a torso from an Arma Gigas.

* * *

A large commotion could be heard from outside the camp, as Weiss had the tiny Arma-Gigas cutting through the cage. Aurora stood up and looked over to the gates, seeing them blown open. "It seems goldilocks has come knocking at the door."

"Why does that remind me of someone?" Weiss asked.

* * *

"Yang?!" Weiss asked.

"Weiss?!" Yang replied.

"Ah..." Aurora stated.

"Aurora?" Weiss asked, and Aurora stepped back. "Well," Weiss continued, "subtlety is out of the window."

* * *

"You two, my tent, now." Raven said, and turned back into her tent.

* * *

Yang and Weiss hugged in the middle of the bandit camp, with Aurora standing awkwardly behind Weiss.

"Your new arm is so warm." Weiss nearly moaned, and Yang just hugged her even tighter, Aurora awkwardly standing nearby.

"I love you..." Yang whispered, and Weiss did not reply.

* * *

Yang with Weiss immediately behind her walked into the tent. Aurora tried to follow behind her, but Vernal stepped in front of her. "She did not invite you." Vernal stated, and Weiss paused, turning to look back at her.

"She's with me." Weiss stated.

"She - was - not - invited." Vernal repeated.

"I could summon the Arma-Gigas again." Weiss stated, and Raven reappeared at the entrance.

"If she comes in here she will learn the disturbing truth about the world that will shake her faith in whatever it is she believes."

"I would feel," Aurora said and paused, "more comfortable - by my Mistress' side." Aurora stated.

"If Raven says so, no one in the camp will touch you." Vernal stated.

"Which she has not." Weiss stated. Weiss and Yang looked in Raven's eyes, and Raven just turned back into the tent.

Yang looked Vernal in the eyes, "I don't know who the little bit is... but..."

"Aurora Ainsley." Aurora held out her hand.

"Yeah, really not the right time." Yang said, and turned back, looking between Raven and Vernal. "I don't know who's she is, but if she's with Weiss, she's with me."

"Thank you." Weiss and Aurora said at the same time.

"That's..." Yang voiced, "going to get on my nerves."

"All three of you, in my tent." Raven stated, she then turned to the bandits outside, ""Shay, you're banished."

"Just because she's your daughter?" Shay asked.

"No." Raven simply stated.

"Pfft." Shay replied.

"No," Yang stated, "family only gets one, and I've apparently had my one."

"Then... why?.." Shay asked.

"You seriously don't know, do you?" Raven asked. Shay looked at her, completely failing to understand the weight of what he had done. "You antagonize locals and harass travellers." Again, Shay did not seem to understand what he had done.

"We're bandits!" he exclaimed.

"You would bring the full force of the Kingdoms down on our head!"

"But..." Shay tried to say, before being cut off again.

"We go out and hunt. We keep a low profile back home. Because if we don't - we're all dead."

"Well, just because..."

"Just because you're going to bring the full force of the Kingdoms down on us?" Raven asked, "You also picked a fight."

"So?" Shay defiantly said.

"And lost." Raven continued.

"Well, she's..." Shay tried to say.

"Obviously a Huntress." Raven said to him, "And after you picked a fight with her and lost, you pulled the rest of the tribe in on it."

"But..." Shay tried to say.

"I thought I made this clear," Raven stated, "we only pick fights we know we can win. If not, we'll end up dead."

"As dead as the villages you destroy." Yang accusingly said to to her.

"Exactly." Raven matter-of-factly replied.

"You can't trust he's not going to blab on you?" Yang asked.

"Of course not." Raven replied, "We'll pick up and be gone before he has a chance to even get to Mistral. He's also going to lose an eye," she said, and turned to Shay, "you might want to decide which one it's going to be."

* * *

Weiss and Yang pensively looked to the ground as they tried to comprehend what was said. Aurora sat off the side, shaking nervously. "And what does your pet think?" Raven asked.

"I..." Aurora nervously said, "was ready... to serve... a Huntress..." She paused, shaking, looking at the ground. She slowly looked up, looking Raven in the eyes. "It really... doesn't change anything..."

"Hm." Raven said with a small amount of respect, "she's a lot more brave than I would have expected."

"You," Weiss accusingly said to her, "apparently don't seem to understand how racist the elite of Atlas are with Faunus."

"Enough to make you their princess." Raven stated.

"There is only one person who can get away with calling me a..." Weiss voiced, and looked off into the distance. She then shook her head and looked Raven in the eyes, "It took far more courage than you could muster to even APPLY to be my assistant."

"So?," Raven incredulously asked, "she's like really important in Atlas?"

"So, what does she do?," Yang asked, "Like a butler?"

"Similar but not at all." Aurora replied.

"So, you get her coffee?" Yang stated.

"Yes." Aurora said to her, "If she asks me to."

"What else do you do?" Yang asked.

"Make major purchases, such as her new shoes."

"Swank." Yang stated, causing Raven to scoff. Weiss stood up properly, and then in a moment ice spikes had appeared, doubling the height of the heels.

"Okay..." Raven voiced, "a bit impressive." A giant summoning circle appeared around the tent, with the head of an Arma-Gigas appearing from the ground." "Okay, okay, yeah, impressive, just cancel the giant."

With this the giant's head and summoning circle disappeared.

"Transfers assets into non-recoverable accounts." Aurora stated.

"Huh?" Yang asked, and Raven just looked her firmly in the eyes. "What?" Yang asked.

"You... can launder Lien?.." Raven asked her, and Aurora nodded.

"Or, at the very least, make her funds untouchable from her father."

Raven then looked at Weiss, "So, why do you trust her so much with your money? If it was me, I would have just taken the money and ran right away."

"Because that's exactly what Father would want." Weiss replied, followed by an affirmative huff.

"If I did betray her," Aurora stated, "I would not only be a fugitive, I would lose all of my legitimate income."

"One thing Father taught me is how to write a contract." Weiss firmly stated, followed by another affirmative huff.

"Weiss," Aurora continued, "is also the only member of Atlas elite to truly accept me."

"Who cares if you have the Lien?" Raven asked.

"If all I wanted was Lien, I could have had it years ago." Aurora stated, and Raven looked her steely in the eyes.

"You want respect, don't you?" Raven asked, and Aurora nodded, "Do you EVER think those rich twats in Atlas will respect you."

"Ms. Weiss does." Aurora said firmly.

"Shit," Yang stated, "she's like business amazon. Business Huntress?.."

"She has earned my respect," Raven stated, "whatever that is worth."

"That just sent a chill up my spine." Aurora voiced.

"Yeah... she does that..." Yang stated.

"She's noticed you," Weiss stated," perhaps like a Fey in the woods and mists?"

"Really don't know if I like the sound of that." Raven stated, "I mean, it's ominious and poetic... and honestly reminds me of Tai..."

"Quoth the Raven," Yang said, "I mean, right?" she asked, with Weiss, Raven, and Aurora all looking at her with surprise.