#shell bay residences

[joanshomesmiami]

The Residences at Shell Bay by by Auberge Resorts⛳️✨

• 20 stories | 108 Residences

• 60 hotel suites by @aubergeresorts

• Mediterranean-inspired 150-acre community

• 1 - 4 bedrooms

• Current inventory starts at $3.3m for 2 bedrooms

⚓️ The Yacht Club with 48 slip marina. Water sports incl. paddle board, kayaks, and jet skiing & Beach club.

⛳️ Golf Club: Greg Norman-designed Championship Golf Course with a 12-acre practice facility, including a 9-hole Par 3 course. The championship tees will measure 7,250 yards–one of the longest golf courses in South Florida.

🎾 The Racquet Club: World-class Racquet Club with all four Grand Slam surfaces (7 courts). 4 pickle courts, 2 Padel courts & a basketbal court.

🧖‍♀️ Spa & Fitness: 18,000 sf spa with holistic menu envisioned by experts in sports, medicine, nutrition, and wellness & fitness center incl. a boxing ring, yoga, and pilates reformers, connected to an outdoor terrace for open-air training.

💦 14,000 sf rooftop pool deck & pool grill with cabanas, hot tub, whirlpools, cold plunge, children’s pools& splash zone.

Other: sports, games entertainment lounge, wine tasting room, meeting rooms and co-working lounge, children’s play lab & discovery park, 30,000 sf balroom, orchid garden & dog walking trail and more.

Golf Membership is $1M and $800k for residents which you can sell back to the building eventually.

Yearly fees are $45k/yr for the golf membership incl. the $12k/yr just for the social membership (you can get the social individually) + HOA at $1,80/sf.

Completion in 2026

DM for a tour or more info 🙌

📍Shell Bay, Hallandale Beach

#shellbay #residencesatshellbay #shellbayresidences #shellbayauberge #auberge #aubergeresorts #aubergemiami #miaminewconstruction #miamibroker #miamigolf #miamitennis #miamigolfclub #golfclub #tennisclub #racquetclub

[buddie-buddie]

Bucktommy + “Go back to sleep.”

“Go back to sleep,” Tommy mumbles, his voice thick with sleep.

Buck finishes tugging Tommy’s duvet up, tucking it beneath his chin and curling in on himself in an attempt to warm up. He doesn’t care if it makes him a blanket thief; he’s cold. Plus, Tommy is practically a human space heater. He’s laying beside Buck in nothing but his boxer briefs and looks perfectly content. Meanwhile, Buck’s in sweatpants and a hoodie and can’t seem to shake the chill that’s climbing up his spine and taking up residence deep in his bones.

He mumbles a sleepy apology, but if the way Tommy’s breathing has already evened out again is any indication, he doesn’t hear it.

Waking up next to Tommy is all of Buck’s wildest dreams come true. He loves waking up with the familiar, grounding weight of Tommy’s arm draped over him, loves the way Tommy tightens his grip as he feels Buck stir beneath him, how he mumbles a sleepy “Morning, baby,” into his hair as Buck slowly blinks his eyes awake.

Every day he wakes up next to Tommy is a dream, but days off are the best.

Days off are when Buck wakes up warm and cozy in a sun-drenched room, tucked against Tommy, their bodies curled around each other like a pair of parentheses. The warm, familiar rumble of Tommy’s early morning voice low in his ear, the brush of his lips against the shell of his ear, chased away by the slight burn from Tommy’s day-old stubble against his skin as he trails kisses down his cheek, across his jaw. For a few quiet moments, it’s just them. There are no alarms ringing, no fires to put out, no helicopters to fly, no nothing. There’s nothing but them. Nothing to do except just be.

The thought of this particular day off– this particular morning– was the thing Buck was most looking forward to all week. And it had been an epically awful week. It had been six days since the last time their days off had last lined up, and he’d been all but crawling out of his skin with his need to see his boyfriend outside of a quick FaceTime call between claxons ringing.

On top of that, the station’s A/C had been on the fritz and Chimney had been out sick with a flu he still insisted he didn’t have, both of which made shifts considerably less enjoyable. They’d had a few really tough calls, including an especially hard loss in the middle of the week that was still living behind Buck’s ribs and needling at his heart each time the air fell silent and his mind began to wander.

Their shared 48 off had been the light at the end of the tunnel. A very dark tunnel that was starting to feel less like a tunnel and more like an inescapable hole towards the end, but a tunnel nonetheless.

“Hot date?” Hen had teased him as he all but ran for the locker room the moment B shift started filtering in through the bay doors.

Buck thought about what was waiting for him. His sweet, beautiful boyfriend. His favorite pad thai takeout from the mom and pop place around the corner from Harbor. Sheets that smell like Tommy and a pair of reading glasses on the nightstand and two toothbrushes next to each other in the cup beside the sink.

“Yeah,” Buck grinned, dipping his chin as his cheeks flushed. “You could say that.”

The feeling of waking up beside Tommy is everything Buck always wanted and never let himself believe he could actually have. It’s better than anything he ever could’ve dreamed up. Even now, when he wakes up and it’s still pitch black outside, the only light in the room coming from the glow of Buck’s phone on the nightstand as he taps it awake to check the time. It’s not even four o’clock.

No wonder Tommy told him to go back to sleep.

They’ve barely been asleep for five hours, and after the week he’s had, Buck would like at least twice that before even considering getting out of bed. But he’s up now and he’s freezing. He flips over beneath Tommy’s arm, turning to face him and curling himself into Tommy’s side with a small, content sigh. He tucks his head beneath Tommy’s chin in a shameless attempt to leech his body heat.

Tommy murmurs something indecipherable in his sleep, one of his big, warm hands coming up to rest between Buck’s shoulder blades. His welcome touch is warm and familiar, instantly soothing. And yet, it does nothing to stop another shiver from running through Buck.

He closes his eyes, starting to drift back to sleep just as Tommy shifts beneath him.

“Evan,” Tommy says quietly, concern clinging to the word. “Baby, wake up.”

Buck blinks slowly, confused. “Y’just told me to go back to sleep.”

“You’re burning up,” Tommy says, his other hand coming up to feel Buck’s forehead. He makes a tsk sound under his breath. He tries to sit up, but Buck protests by way of a sleepy whine, holding onto Tommy even tighter.

“M’cold,” Buck mumbles against Tommy’s chest.

“C’mon,” Tommy says gently. “Let me up. I’ll be right back. I promise.”

Buck is too tired to argue. Tommy extricates himself, and Buck can tell he tries his best not to disturb him too much as he does. True to his word, Tommy returns a moment later. He runs the thermometer over Buck’s forehead, and its rapid warning beeps are followed by a small displeased sigh.

“Fever?” Buck asks. Another shiver wracks through him, and he knows the answer.

Tommy’s hand is warm and solid as it rests on his cheek, his thumb stroking over Buck’s cheekbone in a soothing back and forth. “Yeah,” Tommy says. Buck can hear his frown. “Gonna give you some Tylenol.”

Buck lets Tommy help him sit up enough to bring the pills and a glass of water to his lips. He’s a little more awake now, enough to register the way that his head feels heavy and his eyes feel hot behind their lids. His arms and legs ache as he settles against the pillows, and he has a fleeting memory of Maddie saying that Chim’s flu started out with a high fever and body aches.

“Be right back,” Tommy promises.

And he is. He returns a moment later with another blanket, a heavy one. He covers Buck with it, tucking it beneath his chin and running a hand through his hair fondly before climbing back into bed beside him.

“No,” Buck protests. “I’ll get you sick.”

Tommy’s arms encircle him, pulling him in until they’re pressed up against each other. “Don’t care,” he says simply. “We’ve already been pretty close.”

Buck sighs against Tommy’s neck, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as he remembers the very enthusiastic reacquainting that happened against the back of Tommy’s front door no more than a minute after Buck had come through it. Not to mention the hours they spent on the couch watching a movie after dinner, with Tommy’s arm around him and Buck’s head on Tommy’s shoulder. All of which was before they fell asleep practically plastered to one another.

Tommy does have a point.

But Buck felt fine going to bed, which means the fever must have spiked pretty recently, which means it could be early enough that Tommy could still save himself and—

“I can hear you overthinking.”

Buck frowns. “Am not.” And then a moment later, “I’ll go to the guest room.”

“No you won’t,” Tommy says simply. “There’s no blanket on the bed.”

“But you—”

Tommy silences him with a kiss to his forehead. “I am exactly where I want to be.”

Buck’s heart squeezes. A tiny, happy sigh falls from his lips. And for the first time since waking up, he feels warm all over.

prompt game

[blissfullyapillow]

┃"I’ve missed you."

✧˖°. Blade x fem reader

✧˖°. wc: 1,393~

✧˖°. Prompt: When a character desperately misses their partner after being apart for far too long. 

✧˖°. Warnings: smut/explicit (18+) & poetic cheesiness lol 

✧˖°. Pillow Talks: I need Blade so badly.ᐟ.ᐟ Anyway, I’ve returned (temporarily) to deliver something that’s been sitting in my drafts for far too long now. I hope you enjoy .ᐟ (,,>ヮ<,,) <3

✧˖°. Masterlist

Credits: @/sillyakito on pinterest

The first time I heard Blade murmur “I’ve missed you,” I thought I’d imagined it. Blade is not someone who openly expresses his thoughts and feelings through words, rather he prefers to portray his feelings through meaningful actions.

I quickly realized I hadn’t imagined the shy words that left his lips, since his sharp eyes reflected uncertainty when they met my gaze.

I wasted no time pulling him into my arms, just so I could whisper my response against the shell of his ear.

“I missed you too.”

𓆩♡𓆪

Now it’s become something of a routine. Every reunion I celebrate with Blade, typically after one too many nights away from the comfort of his arms, the first words out of his mouth are always the same.

“I missed you.”

Those words never fail to warm my heart.

To reiterate; although Blade has his moments, he tends to favor action over words. So, it feels all too natural when innocent touches shift to something akin to a burning flame that lights my skin ablaze.

𓆩♡𓆪

The familiar caress of his rough palms cease in favor of gently lowering me beneath him. Now, I lay before him on my back as his imposing figure hovers over me. Eyes redder than the leaves on a maple tree hold my gaze. He conveys the ardent passion that resides within them through the fierce grip he has on my hip.

His intense gaze threatens to steal more than just my breath; my heart yearns to make a home in his rugged palms, my body surrenders to the eager strokes of his fingers along my inner thigh, all while my soul craves nothing more than to be forever intertwined with his, if only to experience his love in every life of mine.

His hand releases my hip so his arm can wrap around me, pulling both my body and my lips into his expectant embrace.

He takes his time to savor the taste of my lips. I feel the muscles within his arm tense. His body curls over mine as if he’s about to fall, yet his free hand rests beside my head to support his weight.

His lips release mine from its tantalizing captivity. A desperate gasp escapes his lips; my eyes eagerly open to witness his strained breaths and flushed cheeks.

I feel the muscles in his arm flex, the sensation eliciting a noise of surprise from me.

He smirks.

A well known sight that never fails to set my heart ablaze.

He lowers himself to press his weight against me, his free hand moves to rest on my lower back, flattening his palm against my feverish skin.

His mouth makes a slow descent, languidly savoring the taste of my skin as it memorizes every dip and curve. His lips linger on every mark and scar he happens upon, pressing endearingly long kisses against them.

The attention my body is receiving borders on being too much to bear. My heart hurts; it’s a surreal feeling, to be held so delicately, as if everything he’s ever come to love is held within his strong, unrelenting grip.

“I love you.” The words sound strained coming from my lips, perhaps due to the tears that wet my lashes.

His flattened palm moves, unhurried, ascending from my back to my face before it cups my cheek.

"love.. that word isn't enough to express how I feel about you."

Our kiss tastes a bit salty; his heartfelt admission broke the dam that held my tears at bay.  

His mouth is reluctant to leave mine, avidly pursuing after my attempt to part for air.

I submit to the heady emotions Blade’s actions and words impose upon me, succumbing to everything that is Blade.

It’s… intoxicating.

My body burns with the passion Blade’s love inflicts upon me. His arm firmly holds me in place to prevent any possible chance I have of escaping.

Not that I’d ever want to flee; I find the very thought abhorrent.

When he's finally satiated, temporarily, his mouth pulls away. I desperately gasp in an attempt to acquire the oxygen my lungs have been denied.

I struggle to open my eyes, lost in my desire for the man holding me so close to his heart. Even so, my eyes reveal themselves as they naturally search for his gaze.

I’m met with an alluring sight.

His eyes are intently focused on my every move, devouring every subtle twitch of my muscles with his fervid stare.

It nearly causes me to shy away.

He dips his head, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. In almost an inaudible murmur, with the deepest voice I’ve heard from him to date, he groans.

“Tell me what you want, baby."

An embarrassing high pitched whine leaves my lips.

When the sound reaches Blade's ears, he emits another deep groan as his hips hotly buck against mine.

Unbeknownst to me, the sound of my desperate whine only stoked the fires of the urgent zeal that threatens to consume his very being; He’s afraid he’ll perish if he can’t savor the taste of his heart’s desire this instant.

So, with a newfound sense of urgency, he murmurs his question once more.

“Tell me what you want, baby."

My answer is so immediate I almost talk over him.

“You.”

A loud, breathy whine escapes me as his hand swiftly moves from my cheek to my thigh, effortlessly lifting my leg to rest upon his shoulder. His arm finally releases me from his firm grasp to lift my other leg onto his unoccupied shoulder.

Now, both my legs rest upon his shoulders as he cages me beneath him.

He unhurriedly drags his mouth down the expanse of my torso, playfully nipping at my skin as he travels to his destination. Now, between my legs, he presses a lingering kiss to my inner thigh. I jolt with a start when I feel his tongue lap at my arousal.

𓆩♡𓆪

I’m a moaning mess under him moments later, and his muffled grunts fuel my longing for him.

“Fuck, you turn me on so much with the noises you make,” he groans, thrusting his hips up into mine. I whimper softly, caging him in as my legs wrap tightly around his waist.

“Look at me.”

His request surprises me, but I’d be a fool to deny him. With great effort I open my eyes to look at him, and the rapture within his gaze captivates me like no other.

“Kiss me.”

His simple statement sends an electrifying jolt to my heart.

My lips are drawn to his like a magnet; our lips create a tight seal as his hips follow a relentless rhythm against mine.

I have no control over my voice as we reach our climax together. He holds me close, so close I can feel his heart pound against my own racing heart.

Blade slowly fills me up to the brim.

I swear nothing I’ve experienced prior has ever felt more satisfying.

Our tired bodies heave in unison as we catch our breath. Blade dips his head down to rest his forehead against mine.

I admire him as his chest slows its previous rapid rise and fall.

Aeons. He’s a sight for sore eyes.

His love presents itself in the soft smile on his lips, in the tender way his hand cups my cheek as he, too, admires my features. It manifests in the way he reaches over for the glass of water he kept nearby for this very moment.

The water slides down my throat with ease, it’s as rejuvenating as it is refreshing.

“I missed you.” His voice is a little hoarse, brimming with an uncharacteristic amount of emotion.

My hands delicately brush his hair aside.

He hums quietly, expressing his content with my actions.

“I’ve missed you too.” My voice drips with emotion, and Blade emits a pleased sound at this revelation. A soft noise of appreciation slips from my lips when he shifts his position so we can cuddle comfortably.

Sleep finds us easily that night. It acts as a warm blanket, while our dreams are the pillows beneath our heads.

Yet, the love I feel in my heart derives solely from the man sleeping in my arms.

Blade, the man who cherishes the heart that he holds so tenderly in his hands.

[vixonspixels]

Meet The Becks | My Households

Mercy's little sister Maisy is all grown up now with a family of her own, her husband Alan and their two girls

Residence : 109 Sable Square Brindleton Bay

Relationship : Married

Children : Hope ( aged 7 ) and Natalia ( aged 2 )

Occupation : Home maker ( maisy )

Occupation : Squadron leader "military career" ( alan )

Photo below of their home, including two of my favourite rooms

Shell by the amazingly talented @pixelglam which can be found here

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Slip on the Common Slipper Limpet

The common slipper limpet, also known as the boat shell or the fornicating slipper snail (Crepidula fornicata) is a species of sea snail native to the North American coast of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, it has been introduced to the eastern coasts of Europe and parts of the Pacific Northwest and Japan. They can reside in a variety of habitats including bays, estuaries, island shores, and rocky intertidal zones; their maximum depth tolerance is 70m (229 ft).

Fornicating slipper snails are noted for their unique mating methods. Adults typically live stacked on top of each other, with up to 12 to 14 individuals in a group. The largest, and oldest adults are at the bottom of the stack, while the younger, smaller adults are at the top. C. fornicata is a sequential hermaphrodite; new adults are all male, and will change into females as they get older or if they become the oldest in a stack of all males.

Breeding can occur between Februrary and October, although the peak season is in May or June. Unlike other marine mollusks, which are broadcast spawners, the common slipper limpet utilizes internal fertilization. The male closest to the female at the bottom extends his penis under her shell and fertilize up to 11000 eggs. These eggs hatch after about 3-4 weeks, and the planktonic larvae are released into the water. These larvae take 4-5 weeks to develop into juveniles, at which point they settle either on bare rock or on top of an established limpet chain. If it settles in isolation, the young adult immediately changes into a female; if it settles on a chain, it remains a male. Adults can live on these chains for up to 6 years.

Adult boat shells are rather small, ranging in length from 20–50 mm (0.7-1.9 in). The shell is distinctly arched, with a flat underside that gives it a slipper-like appearance. The shell can be white, pink, or yellow with red or brown streaks; older adults are often covered in algal growth.

Conservation status: The common slipper limpet has not been evaluated by the IUCN. Although they are commonly harvested for food, populations are considered stable. Outside its native range, this species is considered invasive and harmful to other limpet snails.

If you like what I do, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Dr Keith Hiscock

Sytske Dijksen

[rattyexplores]

Photos 1-2 - Specimen 1

Photos 3-4 - Specimen 2

Photos 5-6 - Specimen 3

D. senex hermit crabs residing in empty Moon Snail shells.

13/08/23 - Diogenes senex

QLD:WET - Flying Fish Point, low tide sandy bay

[losfacedevil]

Darkness of the Night (3)

CATCH UP ON HIS STORY HERE

Meet Samuel, the resident Vampire of New Shoreham… and come along on the journey of his wild life in the afterlife

Warnings: Brotherly fighting, mention of death

Sam had never utilized the speed in which his body moved since he was turned until now. His legs carried him at lightening speed and he was thankful that it was still nightfall as no one could see the speed he was moving. His chest heaved as he rounded the last corner and the duplex that he shared with Josh came into view. Sam swallowed hard around the lump in his throat as he ascended the three concrete steps that led to his front door and took note of how the door was left slightly ajar. 

He couldn’t deny the sounds of a scuffle deep within his half of the house, slowly making his way through his living room and into his relaxation room. His eyes widened at the sight of his second eldest - and Josh’s identical twin - brother Jake, pinning Josh against the wall. Jakes expression was one of disappointment, anger, and upset; an expression Sam had never seen grace his elder brothers face. Sam took a step forward and shoved his arm in between the twins, trying to break the grasp that Jake had on Josh’s shirt collar. 

“What the hell, Jake?” Sam barked, wrapping his hand around Jake’s wrist and pulled Josh free of his brothers grasp. Jakes wild gaze found Sam’s and he charged his youngest brother, backing him into the corner next to the couch your body was lying on. He reached up and pressed his arm across Sam’s chest, feebly holding him in place as he pointed down at your body lying lifelessly across the couch. 

“What the hell, Jake? The fuck you mean what the hell, Jake? WHAT THE HELL, SAMMY?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!” 

Sam reached up and wrapped his hands around Jakes wrists, pulling them off of his chest and pinned them down against his sides, effortlessly lifting Jakes body so they were eye to eye. Jake reared his head back and threw it forward, attempting to head butt Sam. The younger boy rolled his eyes and spun on his heel, pressing Jakes back against the wall he was just pinned against. 

“What have I done to who, Jake? Iris? The random girl that strolled into my diner?” Sam kept his voice steady, not wanting to anger his brother any further. Jake huffed out an annoyed breath and his eyes cut to where you laid, tears beginning to pool against his bottom lids. 

“Iris? Who the fuck is Iris? That’s Vayda…” Jake mumbled as realization washed over his body. He had known as soon as he laid his palm against your cheek and felt the icy chill your skin held, the way your pulse no longer beat beneath the skin of your neck that you were no longer his Vayda. He hadn’t wanted to believe what he saw laid out in front of him until he got confirmation from Sam. 

“Vayda? That’s… that’s her name? You know her?” Sam asked, swallowing hard as his gaze darted between Jake and your body. Jake nodded and began to fight against the way Sam was holding him, trying to get his feet back on the ground. 

“Do I fucking know her. Her name is Vayda… she’s…” Jake swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure and the super natural anger he felt bubbling in his veins at bay.

“She’s my mate…” Jake mumbled and pulled his hand upward, trying with all he could to land a punch into Sam’s gut. 

“We got into it earlier, she snapped because she was frustrated with work and I fed into it when I shouldn’t have. She took off and when she wasn’t back by sundown, my instincts told me something was wrong and I looked for her on life360. Imagine my surprise when I pinged her phone and I find her here. I thought I was seeing things. Vayda doesn’t even know who you two are let alone where to find you so why is she where she doesn’t fucking belong. What have you done to her?!” The shell of Sam’s heart broke in his chest and he let go of Jake, dropping him to the floor and he bent at the knee, kneeling down beside where your body lay. 

“You’re… mate? I killed your fucking mate…” Realization washed over Sam as what Jake said sunk into his mind. She wasn’t a random girl at the diner, she was Jakes mate. 

“You… killed her?!” Jake voice rose as he stood to his full height once more and stood toe to toe with his younger brother. His hands rested in balled fists against his sides and he began to clench and unclench them as he weighed the pros and cons of trying to sock his brother in the jaw. 

“I didn’t kill her per se. She is merely other worldly like you are now…” Sam mumbled and reached up, rubbing his hand soothingly along the back of his neck. 

Jake saw red as his blood began to boil and he reached up, wrapping his hands as tightly as he could around Sam’s throat. Sam grimaced against the smell that permeated off of Jake, that of sulfur and wet soil, but Jake couldn’t be bothered to worry about the ways in which he was making his younger brother uncomfortable. A sigh slipped past Sam’s nose, a tactic to try and cover up the stench, and he reached up, wrapping his hands as gently as he could around Jakes wrists and tugged. 

“I’d suggest you don’t do that, unless you want your neck snapped.” Sam’s voice was steady and stern as he pushed Jake back as hard as he could and sent him stumbling into the desk behind him. 

As the shock of seeing his brothers physically brawl wore off, Josh shook his head and took a few steps forward; ultimately angling his body between those of his brothers. Sam’s eyes softened as he looked down at Josh and a flash of regret danced across the fledglings eyes, knowing now he had screwed up on and even more intense level. Reaching up Josh tipped Sam’s head back, trying to assess the already fading red marks where Jake had held him. 

“I’ll be fine, it takes more than that to harm the undead.” Sam muttered and nodded in Jakes direction. 

Jake sat cross legged on the floor with his back pressed against the desk he had just careened into. His elbows rested against his knees and his hands covered his face as sobs violently shook his shoulders. A soft sigh slipped past Josh’s lips as he knelt down next to Jake and placed a comforting hand against his back.  

“Jake I… I don’t know what to say.” Josh mumbled and shot a concerned look up at Sam who shrugged his shoulders idly and watched as Josh tried to comfort Jake. 

“You could have fucking stopped it. You could have told him no!” Jake snapped and moved forward, shaking Josh’s hand off of his back. Josh’s eyes grew wide and he sat back on his knees, his eyes now darting between both of his brothers.

“You really think I’d let him turn someone? I was unaware anything was happening until he called me because he was in trouble. And it’s seems like he’s in worse trouble than we originally thought.” Josh huffed an exasperated breath though his nose as his blood began to boil and anger began to overtake his rational thoughts. 

“What’s done is done, Jake. There’s nothing anyone can do. She’s now one of them and when she wakes up she’s going to be starved. I’d suggest you be far away from her when that happens. Unless you’re rest to turn in your wings for porcelain skin.” Josh mumbled and pushed to his feet, closing the distance between him and your sleeping form. He let his hand fall, landing gently against your chilled cheek and he sighed as the realization of just how real this was washed over him. 

“You promised me, Sam. When you first came back to us… you promised me… you promised us that you would never hurt a human, would never turn a human. And yet here we are, my mate “asleep” on your couch but she won’t be waking up the same. You took my fucking future from me and you don’t even have a single drop of remorse in your body, do you? You KILLED MY MATE SAM! Do you understand the weight of what you’ve done? What do I tell mom or her family? Do I report her as missing to make this more believable? What do I DO SAM?! How do you plan on fixing this?” 

Sam pulled a deep breath in and reached up, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. What he thought was a small mistake he could hide from the masses quickly became something he wasn’t even sure how he would fix. With a soft shake of his head, he shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to Jake. 

“I. Don’t. Know. But now that I know she’s connected to you… Jake, I’m sorry I just… I don’t know what to say.” Jake stood to his full height and stalked over to where Sam stood. The sound of Jakes pulse began to drive Sam mad as his blood sped through his veins at what seemed like lightening speed. Sam took a step back and put space between them, not trusting his self control. 

“Jake…” Josh tried, and reached out to place a comforting hand against Jakes shoulder once more. His twin shook his head and reached up to knock Josh’s hand off of his shoulder once more.

“You’re gonna wish you were dead, Sammy.” Jake spat and turned on his heel, storming out of the duplex. 

A sigh slipped past Josh’s lips and he turned to face Sam, crossing his arms protectively over his chest. He was at a loss, not sure what to do in the situation he now found himself in. Sam shook his head and closed the distance between him and your sleeping form, kneeling down next to the couch beside where you slept. 

“You’ve gotten me into a world of trouble, Iris. How are we going to get out of this?” He  mumbled, reaching up to cup your cheek in the palm of his hand. 

“What’s the plan?” Josh asked. Sam shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention to his eldest brother, fully at a loss for words. 

~*~*~

Sam paced slowly beside where your body now lay in his bed, having moved you from the uncomfortable couch of his relaxation room. His hands were tangled in his hair, the strands wrapped so tightly around his fingers he thought he’d pull it free of his scalp if he tugged hard enough. He was mumbling to himself, trying to come up with ways to bring up the need for help to Marjorie, someone he knew full well would probably throw him out into the sunlight to perish. 

“Can’t call Danny, he’ll just call Jake and he already hates me so… that’ll really end up with my untimely death by silver sword. Josh is no help now that Jakes somehow entwined in this. What the fuck do I do?” Sam stopped his pacing just long enough to let his gaze focus on your face. He took in just how peaceful you looked, sleeping so soundly in his bed. But he knew once you woke that your eyes would glow a deadly shade of red and he’d have to find you a food source quickly. 

“Such an idiot, I should have just let her die. No… no that’s not nice, but neither was Jakes wrath. I don’t understand what came over me… why? Why her? Why must you be connected to my fucking brother, Iris?!” Sam spoke into the void, not realizing that you were able to hear everything he was saying. 

You were stuck in an out of body realm, watching as Sam paced next to your sleeping body, still not fully aware of what exactly had happened last night. Taking note of how pale your skin had become in just twelve hours, you had the slightest inkling that his taste had become a meal he couldn’t stop. 

You tried to wake your body, bring yourself back into the world of the conscious but failed miserably as whatever Sam had done to you still held strongly to your mind. You yearned to scream into the abyss, wanting nothing more than to curse the man pacing in front of your lifeless body, tell him off for doing something you had no say in and now your life would be completely ruined. 

You watched as he sat on the bed next to your body and reached over to his bedside table, pulling his hairbrush out of the drawer and slowly began to detangle the mess that had become of your hair in your sleep.

“There’s no way we’re going to be able to stay here, Iris. We’re too close to your hometown for a missing persons report to work. Someone’s going to see you and we’re going to be screwed. Marjorie is our only hope of figuring this out.” Sam sighed and laid the hair brush down on the bed next to you, smoothing out your now detangled hair and he finally lay next to you, wishing for a few hours of real rest.  

Until next time…

TAGLIST: @vanfleeter @readyforthegarden @joshsindigostreak @ascendingtostardust @sammysprincess @sammykiszkamyass @belovedsamuel @dannythedog @stardustvanfleet @devilat-thedoor @the-wicked-gnome @runwayblues @gracev0609 @lipstickitty @sunfl0wer-power @allieisacrybaby @jordie-gvf gvf @josh-iamyour-mama @slut4lando

[sombredancer]

How to be a more interesting character than the Main Hero (Pt.4)

Shangjue and his fiancée

Shangjue has an interesting yet complicated relationship not only with his didi, but also with his fiancée, who happens to be an assassin. The girl aims him from the beginning and plays a cruel game to win his attention, because her mission is to get the secret weapon of Gong clan (the Sutra), to which Shangjue has an access. She is a liar and he knows it, so he decides to choose her as his bride in order to keep his enemy even closer than his friend. So, in the beginning they both play their roles. But Shangjue has a critical vulnerability: he looks like Mr. Danger, but inside of him is a heart of silk. It`s not that hard to tear it apart if you can sneak beneath his ribs.

Their relationship unfolds in an interesting way: an assassin tries hard to find a tiny crack in Shangjue’s nutshell and to guess his thoughts by doing some stuff (cooking meal he doesn`t like, planting flowers he doesn`t want to be planted and bringing havoc into his well-ordered world), and he ends up kinda liking it. He badly needs someone who will dig into his inner core and find there what he truly wants, because he thinks of himself just as of a function and barely knows his own desires. The blankness of his residence is like one of a service apartment – everything is only for work, nothing is for soul.

But bit by bit she learns more about him and finds out that he is not that person she thought he is. At the beginning of the story she says to the female lead that Shangjue likes no one but himself. But in reality, he hardly likes himself either. There is no «himself» at all. There is a sharp saber against clan`s enemies, a legendary martial artist who brings wealth and prosperity to his clan, a wise father figure for didi but there isn`t a man who is called Gong Shangjue. Her thought of Shangjue as of someone who doesn`t love anyone beautifully echoes with herself. Her tutor said that she loves only herself, but at the end of the story she ends up feeling something (not love, but not nothing at least) towards said tutor and Shangjue as well.

Bay flowers are Shangjue's favorite. Btw, their conversation about these flowers is very eloquent, too. An assassin says that Shangjue's favorite bay flowers mean something dangerous yet beautiful and bewitching. Just like her by his side. And he says that they represent victory and prosperity, which are his goals as a Gong clan member (but maybe not what his heart truly wants).

Paying the last respect for the tutor. While an assassin is toying with Shangjue, he is toying with her. He always pulls her closer and immediately pushes her away, gives her approval of her actions and the next moment punishes her for the same actions. He knows that she is dangerous and got closer to him on purpose, but he ends up liking her anyway.

Along his toying with her, nevertheless, he treats her as his real future wife and indulges her to change something chaotically in his realm of order in front of his servants and, I suppose, starts believing himself that she will be his wife.

Meanwhile, an assassin uses the knowledge she received very skillfully: she learns about death of Shangjue’s mother and talks about her mom in order to worm her path out into his shell, later she uses the information given her by Yuanzhi (about Gong clan above everything for Shangjue) to make Shangjue believe she knows his heart.

It looked like he would kiss her. But he didn't.

Their conversation in this scene is heartbreaking: she tells him, that the Main Hero puts Gong clan in danger because he knows there is an assassin in the residence and does nothing about it, and Shangjue has got no evidence that could help to catch her red handed. And by the time she is speaking Shangjue already knows - it is HIM who knows that an assassin is by his side and voluntary puts his clan in danger (and, as we know, will proceed to do it till the end of the story). When Shangjue catches his fiancée as a suspect, his moral trial begins.

Watching the drama for the first time, I was very surprised that he did almost nothing to interrogate her (pushing at the wound can't be considered as a torture). His duty is to expose and to kill a Wufeng assassin, but he ends up eagerly believing any lie his fiancée tells him because he likes her and WANTS to believe her. Then he is about to touch her but doesn't dare to do so, and it's a significant sign, too. He hadn't problems with touching Yuanzhi (at least, when they were younger), so, I suppose, this lack of touching between Shangjue and his fiancée represents his inner struggle. He wants to be tender with her because he likes her, but tenderness is a weakness and shouldn`t be shown to an enemy.

Speaking of intimacy and touching, a lack of it between them is so palpable that I felt very uncomfortable when, a few episodes later, that pool sex scene happened. Many people didn`t understand either, have they banged or not, because even them touching each other is already something unbelievable in this drama. I spent a lot of time thinking about how they banged considering Shangjue’s problems with touching her and allowing her to touch him 😁😁😁.

Btw, this scene is definitely a sex scene. In China there is a very strict censorship in terms of a lot of things, including queere-relationship and sex, but there is also a lot of ways to show it without actually showing something (but even the fact that they were NAKED together in one pool told me everything, as long as in other dramas people had to have sex being dressed in three layers of hanfu). I`m not that deep into Chinese culture, but I have read in comments that the strange phrase of Shangjue «These buds will bloom soon, then you will know if I like you like this (her less obedient and more ambitious self)» refers to a Chinese idiom about a loss of virginity (so if it’s true, Shangjue deliberately invited her to have sex with him if she wanted to know if he liked her and that’s why she came to him without undergarments in the dead of night). The lanterns in the water of a pool refer to the unity of male Yang and female Yin energies (and we could see them in the scene of their first «date», btw). He loosened her hair in the pool: manipulations with girl’s hair it`s something that only husband is allowed do (that’s why you often can see in dramas that a male lead gifts his lover a hairpin or a comb). After everything’s happened, he hovers his cup above a saucer, which means «want to repeat». However, I couldn`t find any proof of these meanings because it seems like Chinese internet doesn`t cross English-speaking one at all and I respectively don`t understand Mandarin. So, if you know something else about it, feel free to correct me in comments. Btw, I`m sure, Yuanzhi's constant speaking about tea in front of Shangguan Qian refers to some kind of idiom, too, but I couldn`t find any information about it. UPD: my fellow @randomingoftherandomness says that it has something to do with a Chinese slang phrase 綠茶婊 (green tea bitch) - "a person who tries to look innocent being in fact calculating".

During the «torture» scene an assassin asks if Shangjue can spare her life and he says «no», because his duty is not to show mercy to Gong clan enemies. This scene echoes with the end of the story, when she asks him again to spare her life and he says he will if she gives him back the Sutra. And he really lets her go, which is strictly opposite to his mission of protecting Gong clan, because she knows everything about their inner residences and Gong clan members, and, what is the most important, the secret of the Sutra. But Shangjue wants to let her leave because she is the first thing he wants for himself, the first longing of a person, not of a function. Only by opposition between his duty and his heart he could find out who the real he is. Letting her go is very VERY irrational decision, but, unlike for the Main Hero, who stole his assassin‘s heart by his incompatible with life naivety, for Shangjue it is a natural point of his character development: being restricted from all his human wishes for a decade, when he gets the opportunity to fulfil them, he gets off his leash and does it fully. Very human behavior, btw.

I was very surprised seeing that Shangjue’s fiancée had time during this mess to change her clothes. Later I understood that she did it on purpose: she had more chances to survive if Shangjue would recall his feelings for her because this pink dress was a gift from him. In their final scene together he says that he would let her go if she gives him the Sutra back, it means she doesn't need to pretend to be pregnant in order to save her life, as soon as Shangjue always keeps his promises. But he lets her know that he doesn't count her as someone from Gong clan (and as his fiancée as well) anymore, and maybe that’s why she says that she bears a child and formulates it's so as if it's a new member of Gong clan, not just a fruit of their passion, because Gong clan does matter for him and his own personality doesn`t (and, btw, remembering the fertility problems, children are very valued in the clan). But I don't understand why preserving of her bond to Gong clan is so important to her. Yes, she couldn't go back to Wufeng because her information caused its collapse but she couldn't stay with the man she just tried to wipe out as well. Maybe her only hope was that she could keep the Sutra as a clan member (a mother of a Gong child), but Shangjue snatched it back. Her story have had some curtain development but kinda not till the final point so I would like to see how their relationship would move further. It is crystal clear by this last scene of them together that Shangjue catastrophically and fully lost to his assassin. When I have watched the drama for the first time I was sure she would use his soft spot on her to kill him, especially when she put his sword down and came to him very closely. At the very end of the story it seems that Shangjue believed everything she said to him in this last conversation, because her information about Wufeng’s boss is spreaded across the Martial World by the Main Hero, which means Shangjue shared it with him.

Azaleas mean "I belong to you forever".

Back in the story, when didi takes the assassin to Shangjue`s residence, he says that the most vulnerable and unpredictable thing is a human heart and that people often don`t want to know the truth. The story itself proves him right: it’s true in terms of Yuanzhi self, whose heart can be and is hurt only by Shangjue, even if his sworn brother doesn`t have a clue about the inner processes that are going on inside didi’s head; it`s also true in terms of an assassin, so far as she starts seeing a handsome man instead of her victim; and, of course, it’s true for Shangjue as well: he deliberately deceives himself believing the assassin isn`t assassin just to have an opportunity to be with her.

It was a pure pleasure to feel for these characters and to watch their stories unfold and I definitely would recommend this drama for watching.

Shangjue. Introduction Shangjue and his didi, Pt. 1 Shangjue and his didi, Pt. 2

[cocofawn]

𓍯𓂃 𝓂𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃 . . “i would never fall in love again until i found her. i said, "i would never fall unless it's you I fall into". i was lost within the darkness, but then i found her— I found you . .🕯️🦉🍪🧺”

𝓂𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃 ﾉ baking fall treats together ﾉ using the ouijia board for the first time ﾉ snuggling under the sheets to conclude your day . . made wif pure wub fwor, @choccorin

“specks of flour dust the surface of the counter, a few droplets of honey dribbling onto the floor— evidence of the evening’s shenanigans. a sweet aroma permeates the air, filling the kitchen with its tantalising fragrance; the scent of a confectioner's masterpiece.

with your hand in his, the two of you begin the delicate process of transforming raw ingredients into an edible delight. your fingers guide his own, gently correcting any minor mistakes, (though you are both far from being experts), and praising him whenever his efforts are met with success; his face flushing with a subdued, yet noticeable delight as he basks in your affectionate words.

your love for him is evident in the way you interact, your touches tender and your words kind. the way in which you treat him is akin to that of a gardener, who lovingly tends to their flowers, nurturing them until they bloom into their full splendour. and, just like a flower, he flourishes under your gentle care, the warmth of your presence chasing away the cold, more bitter emotions that dwell within him. 

as the oven emits a melodic chirp, signaling the completion of your culinary creations, the two of you take a step back to admire the fruits of your labour, before carefully removing them from their heat-induced prison— their appearance a visual testament to the hours spent perfecting their taste.

 a freshly-baked tray of cinnamon-snails awaits watering lips, their doughy bodies coiled tightly around their spiral-shaped shells, their golden, caramelised exteriors a contrast to the creamy white centre that resides within. 

with the patience of a saint, you and your lover take turns in blowing on the treats, cooling them to a manageable temperature, before finally partaking in the first of many moreish bites. the flavour of the treat is reminiscent of the season itself, its essence so rich and potent that you are almost certain you can taste autumn on your tongue.

when the last morsel is consumed, and the final crumbs are swept into eager mouths, the two of you decide to retire to the living room for the remainder of the night..

caramel vapour drifts lazily in the air, the lit candles that line the walls flickering to life— every so often their flames reaching upwards, as if in search of an escape, only to be brought back down by their waxen binds. their glow is muted, yet soothing, bathing the room in a soft, golden light. the darkness is kept at bay by their radiance, their presence creating a safe space for the two of you to explore.

an ornately-carved box rests in the centre of the room, its ebony lid embellished with symbols that have long since been forgotten, the language that inspired their creation lost to the sands of time.

 with the flick of a wrist, the lid is lifted, revealing its contents: a circular, wooden planchette. it's surface is marred with scratches and indents, the marks a product of years of use, yet the piece still holds its original charm. pointed at the corners and adorned with an eye at its centre, the planchette resembles a small, wooden arrowhead— its form as unique as the ritual it is intended to be used for.

an excited giggle bubbles forth from your lips as you clumsily arrange the board upon the table situated between the two of you. a sense of child-like wonder permeates your being, your mind racing with thoughts of all the things that could potentially happen during this mystical encounter.

with itoshi’s fingers and your own settled atop the planchette, the two of you begin the séance.

 a question is uttered, the words echoing within the confines of the room. they linger there, reverberating off the walls, lingering in the air— waiting for a response. and then, it happens: the object slowly begins to move, gliding across the board in a deliberate fashion. you watch, enthralled, as the planchette moves with increasing speed, skittering across the surface, before suddenly halting in its tracks.

you glance at your lover, your eyes filled with an enthusiastic, albeit somewhat nervous, glee. he responds with a look that conveys faux-concern.

unbeknownst to you, the ‘spirit’ is simply a trick that has been orchestrated by his hand. 

he knew a being from another plane would be unlikely to make an appearance, and to see you disappointed would be a fate worse than death. therefore, he decided to put his creative prowess to the test, utilising his knowledge of the board's mechanics in order to create a plausible scenario that would bring you your little slice of spooky, seasonal fun.

after a brief pause, the planchette resumes its journey, once again travelling across the board with a purpose. your awe and fascination grow as itoshi guides the object, his fingers expertly manoeuvring the piece in a way that will elicit the desired effect.

‘𝓘 𝓛𝓞𝓥𝓔 𝓨𝓞𝓤.” is spelled out, the words punctuated by a forceful push that sends the planchette skidding towards the edge. it hangs precariously on the lip, before toppling off the side, landing on the ground with a loud thud.

‘i guess i’ll have to fight him now, huh..?' itoshi quips, a scrunch of his nose accompanying his jest. if a spirit were really present, he would surely be challenging them to a battle of strength. ‘i can take him. just watch me.’

your laughter— a songbird’s chirp— fills the air, the sound carrying a sense of pure, unfiltered joy. you were aware that itoshi was the one behind the spectacle, yet you couldn't help but indulge him in his shenanigans, finding a sort of amusement in the way he tried his best to entertain you. 

adorable, he is, a true treasure in his own right.

 and so, the two of you continue to engage in playful banter, the hours drifting by unnoticed. time seems to fly when one is having fun, after all.

the candles eventually flicker and diminish, the flames succumbing to the pull of the darkness, yet their presence remains felt. itoshi’s fingers and lips replace their dying light, leaving a trail of soft, feathery kisses along your skin— a sensation that is equally as warming.

it is only when exhaustion begins to creep in that you both retire to your bedroom, snuggling together in a blanket-laden cocoon, where your breaths intertwine, creating a symphony of soft sighs and tender murmurs, until the sun's rays beckon you to greet a new day, and a new chapter of your lives together. ”

[the-four-terrapins]

The Pain

Trying to get back into things, had to get this out.

The pain is excruciating, each movement nearly sending him to his knees, but he continues.  Giving up wasn’t an option, not anymore. A mutant like him didn’t plan for a long life, not in his line of work anyways, as death greeted him every day with each outing into the night.

His brothers and he were the only thing between chaos and peace in this city. To keep the foot and their plans at bay, that was why they kept breathing, why they lived the life they did. Unsung heroes, without the gratitude of the residents of this great city, that was until you. Nothing until you.

He stumbled through the shadows, just a little longer, almost to you. The large mutant turtle grasped at weeping wounds, hoping to reach his destination in time. He should be heading to the lair, to his brothers and father but he didn’t know if he would make it this time and like hell you wouldn’t be the last thing he saw if this was in fact this was his last night on earth.

Bloody hands gripped at rusted metal pulling down the fire escape, one foot after the other hoisting up his massive weight. His knees almost buckle from the stress of it but his hand grabs at the railing just in time to catch himself. The terrapin stops for a moment to catch his breath and look up to see the light of your apartment shining like a beacon of hope. You were home, thank the gods, just a little more, he could make it.  

Thankfully the terrace door was open so his hands pushed through tumbling into your living room with an ungraceful grunt. On his shell he barely hears you scream out as you run to him. Your hands instinctively move to his wounds assessing before running to the bathroom for your first aid kit. The kit they had given you for emergencies, emergencies just like this.

It’s getting cold and his fingers start to lose feeling, at least he got to see you one last time. You burst from the bathroom phone to your ear screaming into the device before dropping it haphazardly dropping to your knees beside him.  Even like this you were breathtaking, he had been so lucky.

As you race to stabilize him his large green hand cups your face, his thumb wiping away the streaming tears. He can hear you still screaming not to give up, to hold on. He doesn’t want to give up; he doesn’t want to leave you like this but the pain was fading which wasn’t a good sign. A sign his massive body was failing, the body that loved you, saved this city more time he could count, the body that would give anything to feel you one last time.

Eye lids grow heavy, taking everything in him to keep them up. Shadows cast around your face seeping into his vision blurring all that he could see. Limps grow heavy slipping from your face and he hears you scream one last time as the darkness wins. He sinks into it nothing with your name on his lips.

The dark is peaceful, making him weightless for the first time. Silence and a feeling of warmth with his weightlessness, is this what death felt like? Calm, warm and some pain…..and the slowly growing sounds of his brothers. Wait?

As the weightlessness decreased the pain increased, then he felt his hands and feet move. Next the light filtered through and his eye lids opened to the lab. He was alive and at home. Looking around his whole body was nearly covered in bandages and by the grace of the gods you were there next to him facing his brothers. His hand reached out gripping your wrist with what little strength he had.

Your head wiped around so fast he could have sworn he heard your neck crack. A solemn face burst forth into pure happiness as you cupped his face plastering what open green skin was to see with your lips.

He was alive, alive to fight another day and make sure you knew just how important you were to him.

[atamascolily]

Lily liveblogs: Thunderbolt Fantasy 4x02

In which a member of the Dong Li imperial family is a fanboy, Lang Wu Yao is really Going Through It, and the plot thickens.

Lin puts on his Mantis shell to go visit the Big Bad. Yi Piao Miao has resting bitch face, so his sneer is probably just the usual and not, you know, Lin's disdain for Locust, but I can't help reading it in anyway.

It's very rare for Lin to outright lie, so his statement that he killed one of Shang's comrades and took his form is striking. It's necessary for the con, and I guess it's true from a certain point of view (it's 100% what Piao Miao would have said), but it still feels a little weird because I'm so used to pointed half-truths from him and this is a bit beyond his usual spin.

"He didn't even suspect my real identity" is classic Lin Xue Ya double-talk, though--Shang certainly saw through Lin's illusion but he doesn't know Lin is playing both sides at the moment in an effort to troll Locust.

Even if Lin's descriptions of Shang are not 100% accurate (is he really drinking all day??), they're accurate in spirit; Shang is depressed and isolated, and Locust seeks to take advantage of that.

Lin is bluffing when he tells Locust he could take the Index immediately, but Locust doesn't call it, saying that he wants to avoid Xie Ying Luo's mistake. This suits Lin fine.

"Be careful what you wish for"--Locust, like Lin, is acutely aware Shang is ill-suited for remaining on the sidelines and seeks to wear him down through ennui. Never mind that Shang is probably a drunken master, given his skill set. But this hesitation is Locust's mistake, even if he doesn't realize it yet--either that, or he's caught on to Lin's true identity and is deliberately sidelining him.

Locust telling "Mantis" that he knows what he was up to with Jun Po is hilarious… too bad Lin has zero interest in actually doing his "job".

Once the Zoom meeting is over, Lin transforms back into his real self, correctly identifying that Locust has something else going on.

confirmation that Lin uses his sleeves for storage!!! yes!! (I mean, I was pretty sure he did, because I would store everything in my sleeves if I had his outfit, but it's nice to see it on screen)

Lin saunters off to give Shang a pep talk… his wording suggests he's going to tease him and also brew some sort of power-up to get him back into fighting form. Damn it, these two aren't even on screen together in this episode and their dynamic gets me every time. GIVE ME SOME COMEDIC HIJINKS, please, I need this in my life.

meanwhile, Dan Fei meets with the Dong Li emperor's younger brother, who is a huge Hu Yin Shi fanboy. He's basically Chao Feng's counterpart--flightly, vain, and preoccupied with his obsession--but more benign. I wonder if those two will end up getting hitched when Dong Li and Xi You are reunited.

he tells Dan Fei he'll organize a bishounen convention so she can recruit all the pretty people to join, hahahaha

unfortunately, our fanboy royal isn't interested in helping Dan Fei by taking her request for aid seriously, and his more level-headed advisor explains after he's gone that Xi You is sending spies for an invasion so there are no troops to spare (Huo Shi Ming Huang pondered as much in the S2 post-credits scene, so it isn't a surprise he's decided to go for it). War is brewing on multiple fronts; this is the calm before the storm.

love how Juan Can Yun skips when he sees his wife; those two are so cute. also love how Bo Yang Hou has now taken up residence there as the stern uncle.

Dan Fei decides they will go on a quest to retrieve… wait for it… a super-powerful legendary magical sword personally forged by Bai Lian himself (although not named directly) 200 years earlier. This was why Shang name-dropped this guy in the first episode, huh--it was a callback so we'd be primed for this beat.

(due to a linguistic quirk, the fansubbers translated "lotus" as "rosemallow", in case you're wondering why the sword's name seems so random)

anyway, new macguffin alert! love how no matter what the problem is in this show, it always involves a sword.

between Lin and Dan Fei, Shang's retirement isn't going to last, and that's probably a good thing if he's actually day drinking as much as Lin claimed to Locust. We all joke about letting him rest, but Shang's personality and temperament are ill-suited for just hanging around doing nothing… he's gotten what he wanted (sort of) but it's making him utterly miserable. Good things he has friends to drag him kicking and screaming back into the narrative… oh, wait, they won't even have to do that, all Juan Can Yun and Dan Fei have to do is tell him they're marching off into certain danger and he'll cave instantly because he's a huge softie and these are his kids now. Works every time.

in the demon realm, Lang Wu Yao is fighting the han jiao. Interestingly, Xing Hai wants to intervene; I guess even she has standards of fair play?? Instead of her whip, though, she pulls out her fulu (paper talismans) that she uses to control/paralyze people, which tells you a lot about how dangerous she considers the han jiao. (She did the same technique with Shang in S3 rather than fight him directly.)

Azibelpher continues to be a gloating dick, as usual, but we need him to deliver the necessary exposition.

the demons really love living weapons, huh… first the demon gods, now the han jiao, and only the Shen Hui Mo Xie can consistently stop either of them. Really makes you wonder what Azibelpher has planned for Lang, since he is clearly manuevering him towards some unknown end beyond merely becoming a demon…

I didn't notice this earlier, but the han jiao don't have back legs… they're just muscular worms with bat-like membranous wings (and we know from the opening credits they can fly). They're so cute it's hard for me to take them seriously as a threat. I also really want to know how they did the puppetry for them; it's incredible work.

love how Ling Ya can talk in sword form even though he doesn't have a mouth

Ultimately, Lang is right - the only way out for him is forward into the unknown… even if it means descending into his personal hell and forsaking his humanity. His pride and his rage and his pain won't allow him to back down, especially not after everything Azibelpher has done to him. Without Shang and Tian Ming, Lang is especially vulnerable to this kind of manipulation; Ling Ya tries, but he is all too easily overruled.

the moment where the triumphant music as Lang kills the monster abruptly cuts out and we have this awkward and grotesque segment of Lang taking out decades of frustration on its corpse, intercut with Azibelpher's triumphant gloating. ... it's so painful

further confirmation that Lang's powers are fueled by his emotions and that all of the suffering he's endured in his life are fuel for him now. (In other words, he might be half-demon by blood, but he's full demon now, as his hidden heritage awakens and overwhelms his human side.) Ling Ya is able to call him back to himself, but it's too late…

Lang Wu Yao's gasp as he realizes what he's done, staring down at his bloody hands… my heart… In that moment, he believes that everything bad he's ever thought about himself is true, that he truly is a monster… and that, more than anything else, is what triggers his transformation… that final piece of self-loathing and shame and disgust.

and he literally becomes the image of his father, who represents everything he hates about himself!!

meanwhile, Spider and Wasp arrive in the demon realm, and it's clear why their boss gave them magical weapons or else they'd be toast. Wasp is so happy to just kill things, I love that for her.

even with all the squabbling, these two are getting along better than I expected, honestly. Spider gets points for clever use of his chains, and Wasp is in heaven because she can slaughter everything in her path.

oh, and we meet a new demon, Ansarto, who is part deer, part spider, 100% nightmare fuel in the best possible way and I love him. In keeping with the "eyes" motif, he's covered them. I really want to know how they did his puppet; it's fantastic work.

because Might is Right and Wasp and Spider each killed a han jiao, they get special treatment, lol. Presto, instant banquet!

they re-used the dishes and cups from Seven Sins Tower for this scene, and either Mie Tian Hai imported his tableware from he demon realm or all of the TBF villains shop at the same Evil Wuxia Target, take your pick.

Spider is trying to play it cool and negotiate, but the question is who is really manipulating whom here? meanwhile, Ba Wang Yu just wants to kill people and doesn't give a shit about the details, so it's all the same to her. I love her so much. But I think this scene really demonstrates how, despite their differences, they arrive at the same conclusions--they're really not so different after all.

(also it's so refreshing to watch a female character just chow down with gusto on screen, even if demon food is a little heavy on the eyeballs)

of course Ansarto wants them to take down Azibelpher, which puts them squarely in the line of fire as plot threads converge. Either they're gonna get killed or Azi is going to convince them to join his side instead, and I honestly don't know which.

Oh, and the Murder Princess is going after Tian Ming in the next episode, so that should be interesting. does this mean a catfight over Lang hahaha

Preview shows a new character - a female demon with purple hair and armor - stomping on a han jiao corpse, a close-up of Demon Prince Lang, Juan Can Yun wearing some kind of mask (??), Shang looking nonplussed and Tian Ming playing her guzheng at sunset as soldiers arrive. Can't wait!!!

[imashoe69420]

★Rise!Bros X Reader Blurbs/Prompts★

Authors Note: Hey, guys, so I’m kinda at a stand still with posting full fanfics bc I have so many ideas but don’t know how to make them into a story. So I think little blurbs will help get the ideas flowing. And why not post them? Lmfao

If you want to write any of the blurbs and post them, please credit! If it’s ONLY the prompts, I rlly don’t care bc they’re vague lol

===================================

Rise!Donnie Blurb

Prompt: After the turtles nurse Villain!Reader back to health, they take Donnie hostage in the Med Bay in exchange for freedom.

~~~

“You can’t keep me here forever.” Donnie mumbled as you pinned him to the corner of the room, your gaze fixed on the barricaded door. “It’s one on four. You’re outnumbered.”

A dark chuckle left your lips as you slowly turned to face him. “Then how are we in this predicament? It’s really 1v1, isn’t it?” There was a loud bang against the door and you hissed. “Besides, it’s not you that I want.”

The scientist’s malcontented sigh seemed to signify that being held hostage in his own residence was an frequent occurrence. “You caught me off guard when I was changing your bandages. It’s not like you’re some sort of strategical genius. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Donnie’s aloofness only pissed you off. You grasped his bandanna tails and flung him to the concrete floor. He landed harshly, a hushed “oof!” expelling from his lips before you crouched down onto his shell, your foot pressed firmly against the side of his head. The turtle groaned, more annoyed than startled by the sudden violence.

“Listen, I know who you are, Donatello.” You leaned closer to his face, forcing him to look at you. “You are intelligent indeed, but you are not that clever. And you let your falsified morals control you.”

Glaring all the while, Donnie huffed as you further pushed his head into the hard floor. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

You take a sharp inhale as you heard yelling on the other side of the door, “Donnie, we’re gonna bust the door down!”

Lifting your foot off his head, you grabbed his short bandanna tails again, raising his head so his gaze rested on the door. You take the claw on your index finger and run it against the turtle’s throat.

“If they come in here, I will not hesitate to kill you.”

☆彡

Rise!Raph Prompt (Angst): Both you and Raph are the oldest in your family and bond over the responsibilities you have to partake in. One of your siblings suddenly die and Raph helps you cope (since he almost lost Leo in the movie).

Rise!Raph Prompt: Raph worries about your ability to fight alongside his brothers after you broke your leg on the last mission.

Rise!Donnie Prompt (Fluff): You and Donnie try to figure out a common love language (as he is more overstimulated through physical touch and you have more auditory ones).

Rise!Leo Prompt (Fluff): You’re overbearingly flirtatious and Leo’s often flustered.

Rise!Future!Leo Prompt (Angst): You sacrifice yourself to save Leo.

[scotianostra]

The 9th January 2000 saw the death of the historical novelist Nigel Tranter.

Tranter was the most prolific Scottish writer of all time, writing mainly factual and fictional books related to Scottish history, if you haven't read any of his work I recommend you do, the attention to detail takes nothing away from enjoyable stories. In my opinion the only other Scottish writer to come close to the volume and quality of work in this field is Sir Walter Scott.

His grandfathers were church ministers, but a great-grandfather invented the Tranter pistol. He was descended also from James Watt, inventor of the steam engine. He himself wanted to become a restoring architect, but the early death of his father forced him to stop studying. Instead he trained as an accountant and worked in the Scottish National Insurance Company. He served in the Royal Artillery during World War II.

Tranter went to George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh, which may have inspired his love of castles. His earliest writing on these was at the age of 13. As a boy he spent hours cycling to castles and mansions, and drawing them in meticulous detail, before going on to write about them in his first published book, The Fortalices and Early Mansions of Southern Scotland, 1400-1650, at the age of 22. This was followed by the five volumes of The Fortified House in Scotland. In later life he loved to take visitors out to castles and assisted many castle restoration projects in Scotland such as Fa’side.

He married May Jean Campbell Grieve in Athelstaneford Church in July 1933 and they had two children. He and May worked together on The Queen’s Scotland series, giving a short history of parishes in four Scottish regions until her death in 1979, when the project stopped.

Their son Philip was a climber, who sadly died in a car crash in 1966 on his way home from an expedition in the Dolomites. Tranter wrote No Tigers in the Hindu Kush from Philip’s notes.

Tranter saw himself primarily as a storyteller rather than a historian, and his first novel, Trespass, was published in 1937. Although criticised by some academic historians for writing fiction, he developed a huge new audience, who loved his tales of Scottish historical events and people. He wrote his fiction with increasing knowledge of Scottish history, introducing the subject to millions of people worldwide. From 1947 he decided he could earn a living by writing, and produced several novels for children, as well as adults. The Bruce Trilogy sold over 1 million copies and he had fan clubs in many countries. He also wrote Westerns, using the pen name Nye Tredgold.

Nigel Tranter received many honours and awards during his life, and was also actively involved in several organisations, including the St Andrews Society of East Lothian, Scottish PEN, Athelstaneford Flag Fund and the Saltire Society. He believed Scots should ‘be responsible for our own decisions’, and as chairman of the East Lothian Liberal Association for 15 years, he was part of the Scottish Convention, a cross-party pressure group set up to push for devolution. ‘We Scots are different, not better, but long live the difference’.

He continued to write into his 90s, starting each day with a walk across the wooden bridge at Aberlady Bay which he called ‘The Footbridge to Enchantment’. He was a familiar sight walking on the coast, stopping to jot down neat notes for his books on cards or even shells picked up from the beach. Some of these can be seen in the Tranter Museum, which is currently in Athelstaneford Parish Church. His last novel was Envoy Extraordinary. On his death thousands mourned and many friends and residents in the county remember him with great fondness.

Tranter and his family are buried in Aberlady Churchyard. There is a memorial cairn to him at the carpark near the footbridge which leads over to the nature reserve at Aberlady. The Scottish Castles Association have an annual Nigel Tranter Memorial Award in his memory.

There is a lot more on Nigel Tranter at the following link [http://cunninghamh.tripod.com/2001/index.htm](http://cunninghamh.tripod.com/2001/index.htm)

[wind-to-your-sails]

The Domini of New Phyrexia: An Elaborate Headcanon of my Own Design

The wounding of a world-soul is not an easy thing. It is a dark and awful deed, and cannot be done the same way that one might wipe away a continent. To scar the soul of a world is to change its very nature, to rewrite laws so fundamental that they are scarcely thought of as laws. In the past, such monstrosity was considered the realm of gods alone; Amonkhet, Lorwyn and Zendikar stand as testament to the consequences of such a deed, and the weakest of those who dealt the scars was still a planeswalker of the ancient tradition.

But now, we know better. We have beheld Phyrexia, and the march of the Domini. The worlds of which I have spoken, they bore their wounds and retained much of what they had been. But Phyrexia did not simply wound their world-soul, they broke it.

Their hideous works reforged the world, tearing the domains apart and sequestering them to separate spheres of existence while they erased all knowledge of the rituals that had kept the land hale and hearty. And then, as if to prove that the arrogance of Norn did not know limits, they covered the ruin of the old world with a hideous porcelain shell that blocked out all light of the world-shaping five suns of Mirrodin.

And so the world-soul of Phyrexia emerged, split into five parts and scattered across five spheres. These are the Domini, the mutilated voices of a vivisected planet.

Mondrak is the Dominus of Glory and resides within the Fair Basilica, the Seventh Sphere of Phyrexia. Born with seven mouths and no ears, Mondrak wails an unceasing hymn in praise of the majesty and supremacy of the Machine Orthodoxy. It is said that to hear her song is to understand Phyrexia, and perhaps even worse, to believe in it. The truth of this superstition is difficult to verify, as the volume and tone of Mondrak’s voice induces paralysis and disorientation even at distances where the words cannot be recognized.

Called the Breathless Choir by her fellow zealots, Mondrak is seen as a pinnacle of inspiration and living proof of the infallibility of Norn’s teachings. Despite her voice often proving destructive to the nearby architecture, Mondrak is frequently surrounded by aspirants eager to receive the gospel of the Argent Etchings. As for the Mother of Machines herself, Elesh Norn regards Mondrak as a curious setpiece and a useful resource, a rallying standard that can bring even the mites out in force.

Tekuthal is the Dominus of Inquiry and can be found in the Surgical Bay, the Fifth Sphere of Phyrexia. Having emerged from the oceans of quicksilver with countless eyes and no mouth, Tekuthal poses an endless series of silent and inscrutable questions of the Progress Engine. He communicates with and mimics those around him by shaping the quicksilver into facsimiles, and should they displease him (which they frequently do) he will accentuate the imitation with exaggerated features. Once left alone, these caricatures frequently disintegrate along fault lines that are invariably found to be present in the beings they were mocking.

The Gitaxians derisively refer to Tekuthal as the Prince of Mockery, ridiculing him for his behaviour because his design is beyond reproach. Observation suggests that Tekuthal’s presence invites scrutiny among the ‘scientists’ who are already obsessed with eliminating imperfections, as the idea that there is something to mock suggests that there is something to fix. Jin-Gitaxias has meanwhile drawn inspiration from Tekuthal’s many eyes to create his new surveillance system, and regards the Dominus as a rival who would be much more interesting as a partner.

Drivnod is the Dominus of Carnage and haunts the Dross Pits, the Sixth Sphere of Phyrexia. Born with no flesh of his own and a single eye of baleful fire, Drivnod ravages and flays any servant of the Steel Thanes that wanders too far from the pack. The towering monolith of destruction and slaughter garbs himself in great tapestries woven from his victims, and seems to delight in every scream he creates. Strangely enough, Drivnod appears to be repulsed by worship, shirking away from the adulation he receives in the more populated areas of the Pits.

As in all other things, the Steel Thanes are divided on how to deal with Drivnod. While some are content to leave him to his own devices, others like Azax-Azog and Geth see an opportunity in the Dominus, a potent weapon that could stamp out all opposition to their reign. The rank and file of the Dross Pits are far more united in their perspective, worshipping Drivnod as an idealized manifestation of the proverb that strength is the only power worthy of praise. Some even whisper that he is the Second Coming of Yawgmoth, the true Father of Machines... though none dare say it where a Thane might hear them.

Solphim is the Dominus of Mayhem and dwells in the Autonomous Furnace, the Third Sphere of Phyrexia. Born in a molten body clad in a gown of spears, Solphim is a beast of rabid freedom that embodies the ideals of the Quiet Furnace so completely that she rejects all responsibility for her actions. As though making a parody of the Furnace’s enemies, Solphim inscribes the deep canyons of her territory with draconian and contradictory laws and seems to decide which are worth enforcing on nothing but a whim. The only consistency in her behaviour is a swift and merciless vengeance against any who trespass against the Great Work, most commonly the sycophants of Atraxa.

Declared the Great Mother of Chaos by adherents of the Quiet Furnace, Solphim is openly venerated as a goddess. Her own apparent disregard for this adulation hardly matters, as Dominus worship exists most principally as a rejection of the Argent Etchings and the growing idea of the Flesh Singularity. Urabrask alone regards Solphim as an equal, a deft hand at defence and hopefully an ally in the war to come.

Zopandrel is the Dominus of Hunger and inhabits the Hunter Maze, the Fourth Sphere of Phyrexia. Born with piercing claws at her sides and spitting infectious spores from her face, Zopandrel is an anomaly among the Vicious Swarm in that she hunts with a pack. Unlike the sea of aspiring apex predators that infest the Maze, Zopandrel radiates power outward into her fellow beasts and girds them for battle as not even the magic of Glissa Sunslayer can do. As if to promote this warped idea of community, Zopandrel’s spores impart degenerative phyresis at a staggering rate that can reduce even the most fortified soldier to a ravenous beast in hours.

The denizens of the Vicious Swarm call Zopandrel the Maw of Progress, a slant against Jin-Gitaxias’ failed efforts to present a compleated Ezuri as his answer to Glissa Sunslayer. To these consummate predators, the Dominus’ ability to avoid falling into either their role or that of prey is an intriguing gesture at an infinitely more complex ecosystem. Vorinclex sees in Zopandrel a worthy general that can join him on the front lines, with a strength nearly equal to his own.

[hanayori89]

A Game of Politics

*The Palace of Twilight*

Link's lips were puckered against the back of your hand. The gentle sound of his kisses trailing up your arm made you come alive in a way you had never experienced before.

Is this what it feels like to be alive? To have every breath within you finally make sense?

He stopped kissing you for a moment. His blue eyes were darkened by the shadows of your room. But even the darkest of shadows couldn't cocoon the desire brewing in his gaze.

He continued diligently kissing your skin until he hit your shoulder. He murmured something against your flesh as he gently slid his fingertip down the entrance to the labyrinth of Twili markings that embellished your skin.

"Link, I feel..." Your voice was unrecognizable amongst yourself. There were traces of yearning within it. Yearning you have never portrayed before. Was this...pleasure? Was this what the interlopers stole from you?

Now Link was here. And he was going to reward you with it.

He was going to reward you with what it meant to live within the light.

Link took your face in between his hands, and with a faint whisper into your lips, he demanded. "Tell me how you feel."

"I feel..." You didn't dare close your eyes. You latched your gaze into his. His lips lingered above yours.

"What do you feel?"

Your eyes shot open as you saw the curiously hard eyes of Midna. Your heart rate was still elevated from the steamy dream of Link.

"Midna..." You couldn't meet her eyes. You could feel yourself squirm around in the bed you were in. The sheets and quilt were not as comfortable as Link's, which you've grown oddly accustomed to.

Midna gave you a reserved smirk. Her voice was a sardonic shell of itself. "Welcome home."

She began her familiar pacing, as she did during her lectures. You recalled Zelda doing it at Hyrule Castle. How similar they both were, even in the most circumstantial ways.

"Well, I suppose the goal is for this to not really be your home anymore, is it? This saddens me, Y/N. You're very special to me. Whether you realize it or not."

"Midna," you began, excited to speak in normal Twili once again. "How did I get back here? I tried to talk to you the other night and-"

"I summoned you." Midna's voice was sharp in the overbearing silence of the room you were in. Silence dominated much of the Realm of Twilight. When you first made it to the light, you found the constant chatter vexing. Now the familiar silence you were beginning to miss was uncomfortable. Foreign. As if you never really resided within it.

"Y/N, I am worried about your disillusionment with the light. You are beginning to remind me of... " Midna's voice drifted away in thought.

"Who? Midna, what is going on? Why did you tell me there was only one shard from the Mirror of Twilight? When did you know Princess Zelda had one? Why did you lie to me?" You stood, your bare feet touching the cold palace floor.

"Now you summon me back, claiming I am disillusioned. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Link!" When you said Link's name, you heard your voice waver. You felt the same burning within your eyes that had happened at Lake Hylia. Only now have you understood the emotion attached to it. You were going to cry.

Midna sauntered up to you, taking you cautiously within her arms. Much like a mother would console an upset child. Midna was, after all, the only mother figure you had ever known. She could be rigid at times, but only because she kept your best interests at heart. Now that you've returned from the light, you've decided it's much deeper than interests. Her rigidity was also a form of protection. These demons, known as emotions, kept their realm at bay. She patted your back as you felt the tears dribble down your face.

You wished Link was here to wipe them away.

Except he was busy kissing Ilia. The memory of the kiss between them was now prevalent in your mind. You began to cry harder.

"Midna, what's wrong with me? Why is the light doing this to me?" You wept in her arms.

"I meant it when I said we could never be part of their realm. For good reason. I too felt this sensation when I had to leave. "

"What sensation?"

Her response was reluctant. "The breaking of my heart."

You held your breath for a moment. Did Midna know she was in love with the hero of Twilight? How could you have fallen for the same trap?

"Then why don't you use your shard to visit Link?"

Midna let out an almost grating laugh. "Who said anything about the hero?"

Your tears were cut short by relief. "You're not in love with the hero of Twilight?" You asked with astonishment.

"I regard the hero dearly. He is also very special to me as a human. I meant..." her face dense with emotion, "Zelda."

"I don't follow..."

"Zelda is like my sister. My love and admiration for her run deep. She made me the ruler I never thought I could be. Teaching me diplomacy and unconditional love for my people. For her. That is why she carries the other shard. So that we may always be connected. " Midna paused for a moment before continuing her clarification. "I do not travel to the Realm of Light because it is too risky. It leaves room for a negative entity to travel within the realms. We both agreed to not do this because of the risk it would pose. The love of our kingdoms must always come before our love."

"Then why let me go?" You asked in outrage. "Why let me welcome such a threat to both realms?"

"Because your conversion is essential to what could save our realms."

"Midna! I'm tired of the secrets! What are you trying to say?" You demanded with an aggressive stomp from your foot. "You didn't even know I left with the intention of conversion. Which, I apologize for my deceit. I was afraid if I had asked to convert, you'd never have let me go. "

Midna let out a defeated sigh. She knew she could keep things a secret no more. Especially if what she suspected was at stake. Midna held the shard that was still looped around Y/N's neck. Zelda. You must tell Link.

You watched Midna hold the shard and keep her head bowed in concentration. You knew she was saying something to Zelda.

Midna began to walk, disappearing before your eyes. You knew she was going to her study. You quickly followed suit, transporting yourself in the same manner. You appeared in Midna's study. Midna was already seated on her iron throne in wait. She held her hand out, inviting you to take a seat.

"Y/N... sit down. There's something you need to know."

*Hyrule Castle*

Link stormed through Hyrule Castle. Val and Fabian were nipping closely at his heels.

"M-Master Link, Zelda has a council coming up with-"

"Zelda!" Link howled as he pushed open the doors to her study.

Zelda stood picturesquely by her bookcase of Hylian scripture. Link growled," Zelda, where is she?"

"Who?" Zelda asked, feigning curiosity. Her eyes never left the book she held open.

"You know damn well who!"

"Link you really must control your outbursts. It is not befitting of a hero." Zelda slammed the book she was reading shut with a sigh. "Y/N is safe. You can take comfort in that."

"Where is safe?"

"The Realm of Twilight." Zelda's unconcerned behavior was starting to infuriate Link. Zelda casually strode past Link to the doors of her study. She shut them, turning to Link with a critical expression. "Midna has requested that I speak with you."

"Is she alright? Will she be coming back? We haven't even gone to the Arbiter's Grounds yet to begin her conversion. I saw her." His voice was overflowing with self-deprecation. "I saw her fall, and I couldn't go to her. "Link's fists shook at his sides. The overwhelming disgust he felt with himself could not be contained.

"I didn't protect her. I failed her." Link slammed one of his fists into the wall in fury. The impact of his knuckles on the castle wall didn't even make him flinch. "Now Ilia and Mayor Bo are pushing this wedding up around his election to secure his win. It feels like everything is going wrong."

Zelda remained stoic in the heat of Link's tantrum. She strolled past Link to a specific bookshelf. Link watched her eyes scour the shelves for a specific title. Once she found it, she gently tapped it with her index finger before retrieving it from the shelf. She walked up to where Link stood by her desk. She plopped the book down amongst her piles of unread documents. A dust bomb erupted from the sudden drop of the book. Link looked at the title, which read, A Game of Politics.

"Let me explain something to you as a politician. The masses are either with us or against us. Since the tragedy that befell Ordon during the Ganondorf invasion, it seems Mayor Bo's popularity has fallen. It isn't a secret that this betrothal is a calculated maneuver to regain the confidence of the villagers. At least, not to a politician's eye."

Politics is where Zelda really seemed to shine in the eyes of Hyrule. She was able to display a genteel nature even through the most abominable of debates. Her intuition also lent her a helping hand when it came to seeing through the facades of many politicians. In short, there was a reason she was the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom.

She continued her peroration.

She clasped her hands behind her back as she started to pace. "It also isn't a secret that our groom-to-be does not want this wedding. But let me just say, Link, they won't let this go without a fight. So, I can't help but wonder, if you created a smokescreen, would that relieve you of your marital contract? I know just the scenario."

"Hold on, Zelda. I appreciate the political standpoint but what about the fact that Ilia is in love with me? I'm not trying to hurt her. "Link knew she was proposing an angle. He just wasn't sure what, and would she ever answer him about Y/N?

"Duty is always above love. Surely, Ilia understands this with the mayor as her father. However, you may wish to revisit what you think you knew about Ilia. Why do you think Aryn was released from his current incarceration?"

Link tried not to let the shock show on his face. "That creep! What do you know about him? Are you saying Ilia bailed Aryn out? Why would she bail out someone like that?"

An amused crinkle pulled at Zelda's eye. "You're so worried about not hurting Ilia that you haven't noticed the ways she's been hurting you."

Y/N. Ilia did this to rattle Y/N. To keep her away from me. Doesn't Ilia know what Aryn would have...would have...

"I can't believe Ilia to be so nefarious. I won't!" Link spat in revulsion. Zelda goaded Link on. "You think Mayor Bo was the one to push your wedding up? Do you not understand the mayoral position is also as good as hers if something were to happen to him?"

Zelda picked up the book and handed it to Link. "Read this. I think it will make some things clear about what has been going on in Ordon. As for Y/N..."

Link stood, transfixed on Zelda, as soon as he heard Y/N's name. "She is the perfect smokescreen for your wedding escape. You do understand she poses a risk of Ganondorf breaking the seal if she continuously comes to our realm."

"Midna would never allow her to go through with this if it posed such a risk. Nor would you. Speaking of the seal, the Mirror of Twilight, was I imagining it when Midna destroyed it? Or is there another behind-the-scenes trick with that also?"

Zelda shook her head. "There are only two shards. The shard I possess, and the shard Midna possesses, or at the moment, Y/N." Zelda braced herself for her next statement, for she knew it would be heavy for Link to bear. Especially considering he was obviously smitten with Y/N.

"Midna agreed to let Y/N come because her conversion to Hylian is paramount to saving both our realms. By completing the trials of conversion, we could erase the shadow within her."

A horrific feeling flooded Link as Zelda said the word "shadow."

"Zelda, what are you trying to tell me?" Link wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Zelda placed a hand on Link's shoulder, steadying him beneath her grip. "Zant..." Zelda whispered, losing her poise momentarily. Link's blood ran cold just hearing Zant's name come from Zelda's mouth.

"Link. Y/N... she is Zant's daughter."

The room began to spin. It all made sense to Link. The reason she was so good at bringing his shadows into the light...was because she herself was a shadow trying to invade the light.

A/N: Edited 12/17/22

With one answer comes more questions. How does the current revelation of your origin line up with your current mission? There is a shadow within you that is begging to be released. The question is: will you succumb to the shadow in the same way your father Zant did, or will you learn how to fuse it with your inner light?

Meanwhile, at Hyrule Castle, Link is learning how to combat the sinister shadows of a corrupt election with his own light. Can he do this while sparing the feelings of his friend? Or will he have to spare the feelings that are his own?

Check out my other OOT Zelda work- No Woman Beyond

[hmshermitcraft]

[For the theme]

Keralis has been through alot, in his immortal life, and now he's just tired. He wants to live his own life, without people going after him thinking killing him will give them immortal life, without the constant thought of 'where to next?' And now he's found the perfect spot, its secluded, by the ocean, and a wide open spot where he can build the stuff he likes.

Though quickly, he finds himself with visitors (they don't ever seem to be hostile, thankfully) sometimes they come in groups, sometimes they're alone, but he takes the time to chat with them all.

The most recent visitor he finds very intriguing though, he's not a classic tall mysterious stranger (in fact he's probably on the shorter side) he's also in the worst kind of clothes for how warm it is in the sun, dark hoodie and pants, but he is very charming, with a wonderful little giggle and the way his tail (guardian, if he knows his hybrids correctly) sways when he walks. There's something special about him, and Keralis hopes this won't be the last he'll see of this 'xB' person. He hopes he isnt mortal either, he'd hate to not see this guy for the rest of his life.

-C

He has all the eccentricities of somebody who's lived long enough to disregard mortal rules. But, Keralis knows not to judge too early. Assuming only makes an ass out of you and me, and Keralis has had his heart broken too many times for that.

What he doesn't expect is to visit the coast one day (he always likes to collect the pretty shells and rocks to trade with visitors) and find xB lounging in the shallow water. Keralis approaches out of concern at first. Has xB been injured? Did he wash ashore?

His questions are answered when xB blinks his eyes open at the crunch of Keralis's footsteps, rolling over to face him. He's decided to take up occupancy in Keralis's bay, he hopes he doesn't mind. It's a good job Keralis doesn't, because he gets the feeling that wasn't actually a question.

He watches as xB settles in, sticking mostly to the water. Keralis never built too close to the shore. The sand is a bad foundation, and the ocean is cruel to foreign and familiar things alike. xB seems to reside mostly beneath the waves, but frequently pops out to see Keralis. He's taught him some new ways to cook fish!

Keralis just wishes he could figure out how to phrase the question. How do you ask somebody if they're mortal or not without sounding insane?