#starlit span

[birdkingdom]

got sucked into playing some pathfinder recently so here's my Starlit Span magus Delphine Crestwillow ✨🏹

Usually playing sad bastards so felt like playing someone shiny, bright, and a little bit arrogant ;) not entirely undeserved. Backflips and trickshots are absolutely in her repertoire.

[daughter-of-inkart]

𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔤𝔬𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔳𝔯𝔯𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔨𝔦, 𝔬𝔫 𝔴𝔥𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔱𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔡𝔬𝔪 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔟𝔲𝔦𝔩𝔱 ✦

[thewulf]

Bound by Shadows || Azriel

Summary: Request - I'm hoping you could write a fanfic where reader, Feyre's twin, who actually killed the wolf but let Feyre take the credit... and before she realizes what she's done Feyre is gone. She struggles with guilt and isolation in Velaris after the sisters transformation by the Cauldron.... Read Rest Here

A/N: OKAY I LOVE THIS. It got away from me a bit. I didn't realize how fun this world would be to dive into. Let me know your thoughts as always :)

Pairing: Azriel Shadowsinger x Female Reader (Feyre Archeron Twin Sister)

Word Count: 8.2k +

TW: General ACOTAR TW

Under the starlit skies of Velaris the City of Starlight pulses with a life of its own. Its vibrant lights reflecting off the river with laughter and music filling the air, breathing life into every cobblestone and corner. But for you the city’s brilliance only deepens the shadows that cling to your soul. Shadows that no light seems capable of dispelling.

You walked alone. Your steps aimless being driven by the restless guilt that gnaws incessantly at your conscience. Every whisper of the wind seems to accuse you, every glance from a passerby seems to pierce through the facade you barely maintain. The weight of the secret you harbor presses down on you with every step… the wolf, the woods, the dreadful slice of the arrow that was meant to protect Feyre not harm her. But Feyre stepped forward and shouldered the blame. She was taken from you in an instant and forced to face the horrors of the faerie lands. It was all to shield you her twin she thought of being too gentle, too fragile for the brutal truths of that world.

The transformation wrought by the Cauldron has only magnified everything. Every emotion, every fear, every shard of guilt. It was supposed to be a rebirth but for you it feels more like a slow descent into a nightmare from which you cannot awaken. The power that now courses through your veins feels like chains. A constant reminder of the price paid to the mother. Of the freedom you don’t believe you deserve.

As you wander through the bustling streets the sounds of celebration around you clash violently with the turmoil within. Families and lovers share warm, joyous moments. Their laughter echoing in the crisp night air while you drift among them. You were simply a specter unseen, untouched by the light of their joy. Your heart aches with a loneliness so profound it threatens to consume you whole. To reduce your existence to a mere shadow of regret and sorrow.

You find yourself on one of the many ornate bridges spanning the Sidra. A place you often found some sort of solace in. You leaned over the balustrade to gaze into the dark waters below. The reflection of the city’s lights dances across the surface, a stark contrast to the darkness that seems to stretch endlessly beneath. It is here in the quiet far enough away from the eyes of those who know you, those who worry over you, that your facade finally cracks.

Tears that were unbidden and unwelcome, spill over, tracing cold paths down your cheeks. You are tired. So incredibly tired of pretending. Of hiding the depth of your pain. You wish to scream so loud. To let out the anguish that fills you, but your voice is as lost as your soul feels in the face of your endless guilt. Instead, you just stare down at the dark waters with silent sobs wracking your body. It was better this way. You couldn’t let Feyre see you like this. She was finally so happy. So happy with her mate. Her Rhysand. You couldn’t threaten that happiness. You owed her so much more than that. You quite literally owed her your life. So, you would suck it up in solace. Cry it out on your own.

In the solitude of the night, you allowed yourself to feel your overwhelming emotions. To acknowledge the pain and the darkness. Little did you know you are not as alone as you believe. From the shadows an Illyrian figure watches you. His own heart heavy with unspoken secrets. Azriel was the spymaster of night court for a reason. He picked up on you disappearing for hours at a time when the others didn’t. He picked up on the fake smiles you threw everyone’s way. He seemed to pick up on it while the others didn’t… other than Feyre who seemed to watch you just as much as he did. He decided he would watch over you. For Feyre, his brothers mate. And for you. The woman who couldn’t seem to get used to being Fae as easily as your sisters did. The human turned Fae that consumed more of his thoughts than he cared to admit.

But for now, he waited behind his shadows. A silent guardian in the night recognizing that some battles must be faced alone before they can be shared.

You returned from the bustling markets of Velaris with arms laden with the myriad items Feyre requested. As you approach the townhouse the warm light from within spills out onto the cobblestones. It was a stark contrast to the dusk settling over the city. You pause at the door steeling yourself with a deep breath before stepping inside. Your smile as you hand the bags to Feyre doesn't quite reach your eyes. But she's too caught up in the moment to notice.

"Thank you so much," she says with a relief evident as she starts to unpack the food you’d volunteered to pick up for her. She pauses before she got too carried away giving you that look, the one you've come to know so well. The one that silently implores you to stay. To be a part of her world. "Will you stay for dinner? Everyone's coming over. Even Amren agreed to come. It would mean so much to me."

Her eyes are pleading and you know you can't refuse. Not when she's given up so much for you. With a nod you agree even as your stomach tightens at the thought of facing everyone. It was easy to fake your inner turmoil when it was only her or Rhys. But when it was the entirety of the Inner Circle it was harder to hide away. Inevitably someone would get you hooked in on a conversation. You haven't sat down with them since… well, since before the Cauldron. Since before everything changed. And that was almost an entire year ago now. You knew this request would come sooner or later. Though you were hoping for later you were going to suck it up for Feyre.

As the evening wears on the townhouse fills with laughter and conversation with everyone gathering in the familiar camaraderie that once felt like home to you. But now you feel like an outsider watching from the shadows even as you sit among them. At the dinner table you're terribly quiet. You were merely pushing food around your plate listening to the ebb and flow of conversations you can't force yourself to seem to join.

Feyre decided to sit beside you in hopes of calming your nerves. She notices. She notices the way your eyes were downturned. The way you occasionally nodded your head or smiled briefly pretending to be listening. The way you didn’t pick your fork up once. Her joy fades a little each time she glances your way. You didn’t notice the way her expression turned from mirth to concern. She squeezed your hand under the table in a silent message of solidarity and love. But even her touch can't pull you from the fog that's settled over you. You couldn’t help but wonder if this was your punishment? To live in a hazed state for thousands of years? Oh, how you wished to be a tiny little human again with the promise of dead after a hundred years or so.

Rhysand sat at the head of the table catches Feyre’s subtle, worried glances towards her twin. She meets his eyes with a silent conversation passing between them. She didn’t know what to do anymore. She needed help. He nods slightly. His expression was solemn, understanding the depth of her worry. His gaze then shifts to you filled with a quiet resolve. He knew you were struggling but didn’t pick up on just how much you were. You’d done a masterful job until tonight hiding it away.

Rhysand had felt the ripple of concern from Feyre long before she voiced it. Her distress over your withdrawal echoing within him. She watched you with a sister's keen eye and her silent worry bled into their shared bond. A testament to her deep care for you.

Azriel, Feyre is troubled by Y/N's state. As am I. Rhysand's thought reached out to his brother that was sitting next to you. There was a thread of urgency woven through the mental call. She's pulling away and Feyre feels it deeply. Keep an eye on her please? Help her if you can.

Azriel's presence in Rhysand's mind was immediate and calm. He was steady force amid the silent storm of concern. I'm already on it, Rhys. I’ve sensed it too, he assured. His mental voice as composed as the shadows he commanded. You don't need to worry. I’ve been watching over her not out of obligation, but because... because she matters to me. I’ll make sure she’s safe and supported.

Azriel’s vigilance came not from an order but from a place of quiet solidarity. His attunement to the nuances of emotion and the unspoken had already drawn him to your side. Rhysand’s request merely echoed the actions he’d already undertaken. His actions were born from a blend of duty and a deep, personal concern that Azriel rarely let show. In the face of Feyre's distress and now Rhysand’s request, he became a silent sentinel for you. He needed to ensure that you were not only protected but also truly seen and understood.

Dinner continues around you as you withdrew into yourself. The laughter a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within you. You're barely aware of Azriel's presence on your other side until you feel him beside you. His chair slightly closer than usual. His voice is soft, almost lost in the surrounding noise, as he leans in. "You don't have to be anything you're not, not here," he murmurs only for you to hear. "It’s okay to just be. To just breathe." His words meant to comfort felt like a lifeline in the sea of your tumultuous thoughts. You didn’t look at him for you were worried tears might spill over. But you nodded in acknowledgement letting him know that you heard him.

The evening slowly winds down and as the others linger over drinks and stories Azriel stays by your side. His presence a steady promise of understanding and patience. He doesn't push you to talk nor does he expect smiles. Instead, he offers the silent support you didn't know you needed, becoming a guardian not just of your safety, but of your peace.

Feyre watches this exchange with a glimmer of hope lighting up her worried features. Perhaps with Azriel's help you might find your way back to them. To yourself. Tonight, though, is just a small step in your journey back to yourself.

As everyone departs for the night you linger in the living room feigning interest in tidying up the small mess left behind. Feyre watches you for a moment with that same concern etching her features. But she decided against speaking, sensing your need for space.

Once the house is quiet you decide to step out for a walk under the night sky of Velaris. It had become your favorite routine. A routine that kept you grounded. A quick walk to your favorite spot on the Sidra. The city's soft lights reflect gently on the river casting dancing patterns on the water. It's beautiful yet the sight does little to ease the tightness in your chest.

You're so lost in your thoughts that you don't notice Azriel's approach until he's almost beside you. His presence is calming and somehow it doesn't startle you. Perhaps because in your heart you know he understands the need for quiet. His own demeanor is often just as reserved.

"Good evening," he says. His voice a low rumble. "Care for some company or would you prefer solitude tonight?"

You consider his offer for a moment. Company might not be so bad even though this was usually just a place for you. But it was Azriel. Someone who respects the silence as much as you do. "Company sounds nice, thank you," you reply with your voice softer than you intended.

Azriel nods falling into step beside you. As you walk his shadows play at your feet. It was a subtle yet comforting gesture. At one point one of his shadows curls around your hand. This small, almost imperceptible touch from his shadows offers a silent, comforting presence that envelops you in a sense of security. Neither of you speaks as you walk along the riverbank. The only sounds was the gentle lapping of water against the shore and the distant hum of the city. The silence between you is more than comfortable, filled with an unspoken understanding that words can sometimes be too cumbersome.

After a while though Azriel speaks up. He wasn’t looking at you but staring out at the water. "It's easy to feel lost in this city… even with its lights and crowds. Sometimes it feels like being surrounded by shadows even in the brightest part of the day."

You glance at him, surprised by the reflection of your own feelings in his words. "Yes, it does," you agree. You were feeling a weight lift slightly knowing that someone else understands.

He nods slightly at your words, "The shadows aren't all there is though. There are places, moments like these, that can offer some respite. And not all shadows are bad." He smiles looking down at the ones that clung to your feet.

His words make you look at him anew. You weren’t just seeing the spymaster or the warrior but someone who also seeks to find balance between the light and the dark. It makes you wonder if perhaps in this shared moment you might find a way to navigate your own shadows. They might not all be bad you had to agree with him.

You don't say much more as you walk back to the townhouse, but the silent agreement hangs between you, comforting and promising. Maybe, just maybe, you're not as alone as you thought.

The dawn is still a whisper of light across Velaris as you sit quietly by the Sidra. The gentle murmur of the river a soothing background to your thoughts that never seemed to shut the hell up. Lost in the reflections of the dancing water you hardly notice Azriel’s approach until he’s beside you. His presence as quiet as the morning. It was becoming a routine for him to join you on the river it seemed. Not that you minded. He might be the one person you’d happily accept to intrude on your solitude.

“You’re up early,” he remarks softly not wanting to startle you. His tone as gentle as the river’s flow.

You look up with a soft smile on your face. His familiar, reassuring presence is a comfort. “Just needed some air,” you reply with a yawn. Your voice carrying the weight of another sleepless night.

Azriel nods, understanding. He looks out over the water for a moment sharing the silence with you. Then, turning back to you, he suggests, “Come with me. I think I have something that might help clear your head. Help you to focus a bit.”

You’re hesitant. The idea of doing anything but sitting quietly feels daunting. But there’s something about his offer. The promise of relief, however temporary, that nudges you to your feet.

“It’s just training,” he adds. seeing your uncertainty. “Physical activity can be a good way to let out some of the emotions that are harder to express in words. We’ll take it slow. You set the pace.”

Trusting Azriel’s judgment, knowing he wouldn’t push you into something without reason, you stand and follow him towards the training grounds. The city is quietly waking around you and the walk is silent but comfortable. His presence a steady reassurance by your side. Something you were slowly growing to cherish.

As you reach the secluded training area the first rays of sunlight begin to warm the cool morning air. Azriel gives you a small, encouraging smile. “Let’s start simple. No pressure. Just you learning to trust your strength again.”

The training starts at an easy pace. Azriel guiding you through basic maneuvers. His patience was evident. But as your body begins to warm up with the activity and your focus sharpens on the movements. There was that sense of release you never knew could come. It was unfamiliar yet welcome that starts to take hold on you.

As the morning sun climbs higher the training session progresses under Azriel's watchful eye. You find yourself gradually syncing with the rhythm of the physical exertion. Each movement flushing out the restless energy that has been building up inside you. Azriel's guidance is firm yet encouraging and you start to feel a rare sense of accomplishment as you slowly master each new maneuver he throws at you.

But as the session intensifies Azriel begins to push you harder, increasing the pace and complexity of the drills. His softness changed into some else. You knew he was only pushing you to help but it was starting to become a little too much. You’d only been Fae for a year to his centuries. "Come on, Y/N, focus. You can handle this," he urges. Throwing a series of rapid, controlled strikes that you're meant to block and counter.

For a moment you rise to the challenge your movements sharp and sure. Yet the physical strain is relentless. All too soon it starts to mirror the inner struggled you've been trying to manage. The boundaries between physical exertion and emotional pain blur… each block and dodge feeling more like a fight against your inner demons rather than a simple training exercise.

Suddenly, one of Azriel's strikes comes a little too close, a little too fast. It isn't meant to hit you and it doesn't but the rush of air as it passes by your face triggers something within you. Panic seizes your chest and the walls you've been holding up begin to crumble. Your movements falter. Your hands drop to your sides rapidly as your breath catches in your throat.

You step back abruptly with short, ragged breaths. Azriel stops immediately, concern replacing the intensity in his eyes. "Hey, are you okay?" he asks all too softly this time. He watched with concern as you struggled to compose yourself.

You nod rapidly trying to blink back the tears that want to rush out. “I’m fine. Just tired.” You murmur. It didn’t even sound believable to you. You turned you back to him so he wouldn’t see the distraught look on your face.

He steps forward with a sadness etched deeply on his features. "It's more than just tiredness, isn't it?" he asks gently as he reached out but stopped short, giving you space yet showing his readiness to support.

You shake your head again trying to compose yourself. Willing yourself to rebuild the barriers crumbling around you. "I'm fine, really, just got a little carried away," you offer weakly with your back still turned, fearing that facing him might reveal too much.

But Azriel doesn’t retreat. Instead, his shadows do what he physically refrains from—they reach out for you. You feel a cool, soothing sensation as one shadow gently curls around your arm, not binding but comforting. It was like a silent message of empathy and support. The unexpected kindness, the soft touch of darkness that doesn’t demand or judge, only seeks to comfort. But it undoes you completely.

Your defenses shatter at the tender contact. Tears finally spilling over as you turn back to face him. The floodgates opened by the gentle brush of his shadow. "I'm not fine," you admit, your voice choked with emotion. "It's all just... it's too much sometimes. I feel like I'm drowning in what I had to do. In what Feyre had to endure because of me. All because of me."

Azriel listens with his gaze never wavering. His eyes were filled with compassion and a profound understanding. His shadow retracts slightly giving you a moment, respecting your space while keeping the silent promise of his presence.

He nods his head willing you to continue. "Let it out, Y/N. You don't have to carry this alone," he says quietly finding the courage to step closer now. He opened his arms to you in an offer of comfort that you no longer have the strength to refuse.

As you step into his embrace, allowing yourself to be held, the warmth of his body contrasts with the cool touch of his shadows creating a cocoon of safety around you. "I was the one who killed the wolf that started this whole mess," you confess through sobs. Your words muffled against his chest. "Feyre took the blame to protect me... because she thought I couldn't handle the consequences."

“It’s okay,” he whispers. His voice close to your ear. “You were never meant to carry this alone.” He pauses. His hand gently lifting your chin so you can look at him. “Feyre’s path was her own. Fate had a hand in it. She was meant to meet Rhysand through Tamlin. To find her way to the Night Court. It couldn’t have been you, Y/N. Your path is different and it’s still unfolding.”

You shake your head feeling the weight of it all. “But-“

Azriel’s hold tightens reassuringly. His wings stretched around you before he stops you. “She did what she believed was right, out of love. And now you need to allow yourself to be loved and supported, too. Let your family be here for you. Let me be here for you.” he pleads, his tone imbued with a promise. In the safety of Azriel’s wings with the gentle embrace of his shadows, you feel a lightness you haven’t felt in a long time.

Beneath the shelter of his wings Azriel holds you close feeling the profound shift within as your eyes meet. In that moment a golden thread previously unseen but always present tightens, binding your soul to his. The mating bond ignites with a radiant force, undeniable and transformative.

This newfound connection stirs a deep protectiveness in Azriel, an urge to cherish and guard you that feels both ancient and freshly awakened. Love pulses through this bond unspoken yet palpable aligning his heartbeat with yours. He experiences a profound sense of belonging, understanding now that every moment with you, every shared concern, was leading to this revelation.

With the emergence of the bond, Azriel, who often cloaked himself in mystery, finds in you a clarity that illuminates his existence. This bond does not overwhelm; instead, it completes him, brightening his path forward. The world around him expands promising a journey not walked alone but side by side, in step with each breath.

Yet, the magnitude of this discovery brings a mix of elation and a daunting sense of responsibility. You are vulnerable, your soul laid bare before him, and he is cautious not to burden you further. Internally, Azriel grapples with the desire to declare the bond versus the need to provide you with stability and support without the shock of this revelation.

He resolves to keep this monumental discovery to himself for now, focusing on being your steadfast support. His shadows as a subtle extension of his will, curl gently around you both. They offered a protection and comfort without overwhelming you with the truth.

Azriel knows he must seek Rhysand’s counsel to navigate the complexities of this bond with sensitivity and respect for your emotions. As he holds you he silently vows to take this journey at a pace that honors both your readiness and the bond’s potential. Wrapped in his embrace, Azriel stands as your guardian bonded by fate yet guided by a deep respect for the journey your heart needs to undertake.

"You've been strong today," Azriel whispers into your hair as he senses your grip tighten. "Let's head back home. You need rest." His voice is as soothing as the twilight and his offer is tender, without any urgency that might hint at the truth simmering beneath his calm exterior.

The walk back from the training grounds is quiet, filled with a companionable silence that speaks of shared struggles and mutual care. As Azriel guides you to Feyre's studio, where she immerses herself in swathes of color and light, his touch lingers reassuringly on your arm. It's an affirmation of his presence, his support, his unspoken pledge to be there for you, come what may.

You offer him a soft smile. One that acknowledges the solace his presence brings even though you were still oblivious to the tectonic shift in his inner landscape. Azriel returns your smile with a quiet intensity, a vow that when the time comes for the bond to reveal itself to you he'll be there, just as he is now—steadfast, protective, and utterly devoted.

A subtle shift in Azriel’s demeanor as he prepares to leave catches Feyre's sharp eye. There's a fleeting tension, a trace of something potent and profound flickering in the depths of his usually inscrutable eyes. It's a glimpse of vulnerability. An undercurrent of panic that he's quick to disguise but not before Feyre takes note. Something significant has unsettled the shadowsinger and it likely had to do with you.

With a nod that holds more gravity than usual Azriel turns to go. His steps are measured but the urgency in his exit is apparent to anyone who knows him well. Once he steps beyond the view of the townhouse his wings unfurl, a dark silhouette against the Velaris skyline. He takes to the air with a speed driven by the need for counsel. For understanding the newly realized bond weighing on him with a mix of awe and anxiety.

He lands at the House of Wind with an intensity that is uncharacteristic for him. His feet touching down on the stone with a thud. There's no time for hesitation as he makes his way to where he knows he'll find Rhysand, perhaps Cassian too. The door to the study bursts open under his force and he stands there as a figure riddled with the shock of his own heart's awakening.

Inside the study, Rhysand and Cassian pause mid-conversation as the unexpected clamor announces Azriel's approach. Concern flickers over their faces. A stark, thunderous arrival is not Azriel's way.

"Are you alright, Az?" Cassian is the first to react. His voice tinged with concern as he notes Azriel's agitated state.

Azriel pauses before catching his breath. His demeanor one of a man grappling with overwhelming news. "It's the mating bond," he manages to say with his voice tight of emotion. "With Y/N—it just... it just snapped into place."

Rhysand rises from his chair. His expression shifting to one of understanding as he processes Azriel's words. The air in the room thickens with the significance of his declaration and there's a moment of collective stillness as they all absorb the meaning.

Cassian’s previous levity fades into a solemn gravity, reflecting the seriousness of Azriel's revelation. "That’s... big news, Az. How are you feeling about this?" he asks as he stepped closer in caution.

Rhysand, maintaining his composure, offers a supportive nod. "This is a momentous time, Azriel. We’re here for you, whatever you need," he assures him embodying the role of the leader who understands the profound implications of such a bond.

Azriel exhales deeply the reality of the situation settling in. "It's overwhelming," he concedes. A frown creasing his brow. "I mean, I hoped, maybe even wished for it. But now that it’s here, it feels... heavy." He looks up. His expression serious. "She’s still healing. I need to be careful. Need to make sure this doesn’t overwhelm her."

Rhysand gives a supportive nod. "Just keep being there for her, Az. You’ve always managed to support her without pushing. This doesn’t change your approach just your understanding of the connection."

Cassian smirks, pushing off from the table and clapping Azriel on the back with a bit more force than necessary. "Look at you all serious and broody—more than usual, I mean. Come on, Az, you know you're probably the only one who can handle this with the perfect blend of mystery. Besides," he adds with a wry grin, "have you seen the way she looks at you when you're not looking? That’s not just gratitude my friend. It’s like she’s hit the jackpot and she doesn’t even know it yet."

Azriel can’t help but crack a small smile despite the turmoil inside. "Thanks, Cass. I just don’t want to mess this up."

"Don’t worry so much, brother," Cassian chuckles, his tone light but earnest. "You’re doing fine. Plus, if you start floating around like a lovestruck bat, I’ll be here to pull you back down."

Rhysand laughs softly before shaking his head at the general. "He’s right, though. Take it step by step, Azriel. Let her come to terms with her own feelings. When she’s ready it’ll be right for both of you."

Feeling somewhat lighter Azriel nods appreciatively at his brothers. "Step by step," he repeats, firming his resolve. With a final nod he steps back into the night bolstered by the mix of Cassian’s humor and Rhysand’s leadership. He was ready to face the future with a heart full of hope and a mind cautious of the delicate balance he needs to maintain.

Back in the townhouse Feyre greets you with that mischievous grin that heralds some sisterly teasing. She sets her paintbrush down before wiping her hands on a cloth as her eyes sparkle with playful curiosity. "So, what did you do to him?" she teases with a smirk on her face.

You frown genuinely puzzled by her question. "What? Nothing, I... we were just training, then he said he had to go." Your voice trails off mirroring your confusion over Azriel's sudden change in demeanor.

Feyre chuckles, shaking her head as she picks up her brush again. "That man is always so mysterious. But don't worry it's probably just Azriel things. Or maybe, just maybe, you're the perfect distraction for our dear spymaster."

"What are you on about?" you ask while feeling a mix of amusement and bewilderment at her jest.

"Oh, please!" Feyre laughs, her brush dancing over the canvas. "He looks at you like every moment you spend together is something precious. Like you're a rare painting he can't quite believe he's stumbled upon."

"You're imagining things," you dismiss her. Shaking your head with a smile. "Azriel is just being kind. He's like that with everyone."

Feyre gives you a knowing look. Her smirk broadening. "Sure, he’s kind to everyone, but with you it’s different. He doesn’t look at anyone else quite like he looks at you. Like you’ve cast a spell on him and he’s trying to figure out how to live with the enchantment."

Her words make you pause. The playful insinuation tugging at the edges of your thoughts. Despite your dismissal Feyre’s observation lingers. A teasing possibility that maybe there's a hint of truth in her playful assertions. The room fills with your laughter, a sound that masks the flutter of curiosity her words have sparked.

Unbeknownst to you while you puzzle over Azriel's sudden departure, Feyre's mind is swiftly connecting with Rhysand's. A silent inquiry flits through their bond: Something's up with Azriel, he seemed... off. Did I miss something?

Rhysand's mental response comes with a chuckle that Feyre can almost hear: He’s fine, love. Just had a bit of a revelation. He’ll share when he's ready.

A spark of mischief lights up Feyre’s eyes as understanding dawns on her. Her lips curve into a sly, knowing grin. But she carefully masks any hint of her newfound knowledge from you. "You know, I think we deserve some fun today. Just us twins. You’ve been pushing hard with all that training and brooding," she suggests. Her voice bubbling with an excitement that piques your curiosity.

"Really? What did you have in mind?" you ask. Your earlier confusion over Azriel's behavior giving way to intrigue at Feyre's sudden enthusiasm.

"Oh, just a day for us to unwind and maybe get into a little mischief," Feyre replies, winking. "We can leave the mysteries of shadowy spymasters behind and focus on spoiling ourselves."

You laugh while nodding in agreement, relieved to set aside the morning's puzzles. "That sounds perfect, actually."

As the day unfolds with Feyre leading the way with her occasional secretive smiles and the warmth of her company envelop you, making you feel cherished and a part of something larger than just sisterly bonding. Every now and then she throws you a look filled with unspoken laughter as if she's in on a joke that’s yet to be told adding an intriguing layer to your day out.

"Enjoy today," Feyre says at one point. Her grin infectious. "Because who knows? Tomorrow you might find yourself swept off your feet in ways you never expected." Her words are light, but they dance with implication, leaving you wondering about the possibilities that tomorrow might bring.

As the days unfold since your training session you begin to notice an unusual shift in Azriel's behavior when he's around you. Always the quiet, stoic presence, he now seems to carry an air of nervousness that is both surprising and endearing. It's as if he's forgotten how to be around you. His typically smooth demeanor replaced with an awkwardness that sends a ripple of amusement throughout your days.

During your daily routines, whether you're practicing combat skills or just strolling through the lush gardens of the Night Court, Azriel is consistently by your side. Yet, his typical quiet confidence seems to falter. Today when he hands you a training sword his fingers not only linger but also tremble slightly against yours. The contact is brief but the moment his skin brushes against yours a visible blush creeps up his neck coloring his cheeks in a rare show of discomposure.

"Sorry," he stutters. Quickly retracting his hand as if scorched by the brief contact. He averts his gaze making sure to look anywhere but at you. His discomfort palpable in the tight set of his shoulders.

You can't help but tilt your head eyeing him with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Azriel, are you alright?" you ask with a hint of a smile on your lips. Your voice is soft though hoping to ease some of his evident tension. The gardens around you bloom vibrantly. A stark contrast to Azriel’s suddenly flustered state.

He clears his throat attempting to regain some of his usual composure. "Yes, I'm... fine," he manages. His voice a notch higher than usual. He meets your gaze again holding it for a moment longer than he intends. The intensity of his stare both confusing and thrilling.

Just then as if to spite Azriel, Cassian strolls by and upon noticing Azriel's flushed face and your puzzled expression he can't help but let out a snicker. "Lost your cool, Shadowsinger?" he teases, winking at you before continuing on his way with a chuckle. "You’re usually smoother than this, brother!"

Azriel shoots Cassian a brief glare but there's a resigned humor in his eyes that suggests he knows just how out of character he must seem. As Cassian’s laughter fades into the distance Azriel finally turns back to you attempting a sheepish smile.

"It seems I'm a bit out of sorts today," he admits. His voice finally steadying. "Nothing to worry about, really."

Watching Azriel grapple with this uncharacteristic awkwardness only endears him more to you. There’s a sweetness in his struggle. A reminder that beneath the composed façade of the Night Court’s spymaster lies a depth of emotion rarely seen but profoundly felt.

On a tranquil afternoon in the Night Court, you find yourself relaxing in one of the quieter gardens alongside Feyre, Rhys, and Azriel. The air is filled with gentle laughter and the soft rustling of leaves. Cassian and Nesta are notably absent, presumably because Cassian has taken it upon himself to "help" Nesta with some errands—a pursuit that everyone knows often ends in playful bickering and affectionate banter.

Elain has also opted for a day out with Lucien exploring new botanical gardens on the outskirts of the city. Her passion for plants and Lucien's support in her endeavors showcases the growing bond between them.

The conversation flows easily until Rhys, with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, steers it towards Azriel’s recent scouting mission. "Azriel here stumbled upon something quite intriguing recently, didn’t you?" he teases while watching Azriel closely.

Caught off-guard Azriel’s response is delayed, his eyes widening slightly as if Rhys had tread into forbidden territory. "It was nothing out of the ordinary," he finally mutters. Though his voice holds a trace of unease.

Feyre jumps into the fray. Her tone laced with playful curiosity. "Oh, but I heard it was quite the discovery. Rare and fascinating… something that might deeply engage a man’s interest."

You laugh completely oblivious to the underlying meaning and look at Azriel with raised eyebrows. "What was it, Az? Some kind of hidden gem or a lost artifact?"

There’s a brief moment where Azriel’s composure falters under your direct gaze, his eyes meeting yours before quickly glancing away. He recovers quickly, however, a slight flush on his cheeks. "Yes, something like that," he agrees, his voice steadying. "A discovery that could indeed change one’s perspective for a lifetime."

Rhys doesn't miss a beat adding with a light chuckle, "Let’s hope it’s not kept secret too long. Such treasures are better when shared, right?"

Feyre nods enthusiastically. Her eyes dancing with amusement. "Especially when they bring people closer together, right, Az?"

Azriel meets Feyre’s gaze. His expression settling into a subtle smile that hints at his deep thoughts. “Indeed,” he replies quietly, the single word rich with unspoken meaning, affirming the sentiment with his usual succinct eloquence.

As the conversation moves on the jokes and laughter continue, your heart warmed by the newfound perspective you found with them. Azriel watches you with a gentle, albeit slightly wistful smile. He noticed how much more you're around, how your laughter fills the air more often, and how your vibrant personality begins to shine through once more. His heart fills with a mixture of relief and deep affection, seeing the signs of your healing. In these moments he cherishes the progress you've made feeling hopeful about the future. He was ready to support you every step of the way as the true nature of his discovery waits to be shared with you.

As the weeks blend into months, the connection between you and Azriel deepens. It was nurtured by shared moments and his unwavering support. On a crisp evening as the sun begins its descent painting the sky with strokes of pink and gold, Azriel brings you to a secluded hilltop that overlooks Velaris. This spot was known only to him and offers a panoramic view of the city as it starts to twinkle with the first lights of evening, the natural grassy surface underfoot soft and inviting.

Standing close by his presence was both comforting and solid, Azriel shares a story, his voice low and warm, recounting a humorous mishap from his early days as a spymaster. The tale is endearing, revealing a less guarded side of him and laughter bubbles up freely from your throat.

As your laughter transitions into a soft chuckle, you turn to face him. The last rays of the sunset bathe Azriel in a warm, golden light that illuminates his features, casting a glow that outlines him like an ethereal halo. His eyes that were filled with affection and a hint of amusement, meet yours. In that instant something profound shifts within you.

It feels as if a key has turned, unlocking something wondrous and overwhelming. The mating bond, which has been delicately weaving its way through each of your interactions, now clicks into place with perfect clarity. The sensation is electrifying yet profoundly comforting. Resonating through your very being.

Your breath catches and your heart races—not just from the shock of the realization but from the undeniable rightness that surges through you. Azriel, noticing the subtle transformation in your expression halts his story. A flicker of concern crossing his face.

"Are you okay?" he asks with his voice tinged with worry. The humor from his story now replaced by attentive care.

A mix of joy and amazement washes over you as you feel a comforting swirl of his shadows around your feet. Like curious creatures affirming this new connection. "Azriel, I think... I think the mating bond just…," you trailed off unsure how to continue. Your voice was filled with awe. The realization brings a new depth to your smile as you meet his gaze which is now shimmering with a mixture of relief and happiness.

"That's what I've been feeling," Azriel breathes out, a tender smile spreading across his face as he steps closer. He reaches out gently brushing a stray lock of hair from your face. "I've been waiting, hoping you would feel it too when the time was right."

Taking his hand, you feel a warmth that goes beyond physical touch. A connection that seeps into the depths of your soul. "I’m glad it’s you," you say quietly, sincerely, the words flowing easily.

Azriel’s other hand comes up to gently cup your cheek. His touch feather light. "And I’m honored it’s you," he responds. His gaze locked with yours. The world around you—the city lights, the soft whisper of the evening breeze—fades into a gentle backdrop to the profound connection you share.

In this moment with Azriel’s shadows dancing around, playful, and protective, you feel a sense of completeness. A promise of endless possibilities. Together, bonded not just by fate but by a mutual understanding you know that whatever the future holds you'll get to navigate it side by side.

As the realization of the mating bond settles between you, Azriel's shadows seem to take on a life of their own. They swirled around you both with a newfound enthusiasm. The delicate tendrils of darkness weave around your legs and occasionally brush against your hands as if testing and reinforcing the connection that has just been acknowledged.

Azriel watches with a tender amusement as his shadows interact with you, their movements more animated than usual. "They seem to have taken quite a liking to you," he comments. His voice warm with affection and a hint of pride. "They're not usually this... attentive."

As the shadows continue their gentle dance around you, one particularly daring tendril snakes up your arm, its touch lighter than a feather. You can't help but laugh. The sound echoing softly in the quiet of the evening. With a delighted grin you reach out to trace the path of the shadow with your fingertips, marveling at the cool, tingling sensation it leaves on your skin.

Azriel continues watching with an affectionate roll of his eyes accompanying his half-smirk. "You're going to spoil them," he teases. His tone light but full of warmth.

Encouraged by your positive reaction another shadow playfully darts forward and mimics the motion of a gentle kiss on your cheek. You giggle with joy, your hand touching the spot in mock surprise and then you're both laughing. A shared moment of joy and wonder at the peculiar yet endearing behavior of the shadows.

Azriel shakes his head, but his eyes shine with amusement. "Now you've done it. They're going to expect this king of attention all the time," he jokes as the shadows around him swirled in what you swear could be shadowy laughter.

"You know, I think I'm okay with that," you respond still smiling as you watch the shadows retreat slightly, as if bashful from the attention. "They're quite charming. Just like someone else I know." You glance up at Azriel with a playful smirk. Enjoying the light flush that colors his cheeks at the compliment.

The shadows, seemingly pleased with their role in this light-hearted exchange, settle more calmly around you both like a contented sigh after a bout of laughter. The protective circle they form feels like a gentle embrace not just from Azriel but from all parts of him.

As the laughter fades Azriel's expression turns tender, his gaze softening as he searches your face looking for any sign of unease. "But seriously," he says with his voice low and earnest, "are you really okay?" His concern is palpable. The bond between you making every emotion, every nuance of feeling that much more intense and meaningful.

You meet his gaze feeling a surge of warmth from his sincere concern. Smiling gently, you nod, the tranquility of the moment filling you with a profound sense of peace. "I really am okay. For the first time in a long time," you admit. Your voice steady and sure. The confession feels like a significant acknowledgment of the journey you've been on and the role Azriel, and his shadows, have played in it.

Azriel's smile in response is radiant. A look of relief and happiness that brightens his entire demeanor. "That's all I’ve ever wanted to hear," he murmurs. His voice soft with emotion. He stands closer, his hand gently squeezing yours. "Come on, love," he whispers with a twinkle in his eyes. "Let's fly home."

With a graceful motion Azriel unfurls his expansive wings, the dark feathers shimmering under the starlight. The sight never fails to take your breath away. He wraps an arm securely around your waist, his touch reassuring. "Ready?" he asks. His voice a low rumble filled with excitement and anticipation.

With a nod you cling to him, feeling the rush of air as he leaps into the sky. Velaris unfolds below you. It was a gorgeous tapestry of lights and shadows. The wind was cool and exhilarating against your face. Flying with Azriel, held close against his chest, the city sprawling beneath you is an experience that feels as if it straddles the line between dream and reality.

The flight is swift and smooth. The quiet only broken by the rushing wind and the steady beat of Azriel's powerful wings. The world seems to shrink away, leaving only the two of you soaring through the night sky. As the House of Wind comes into view Azriel’s descent is gentle, a reminder of his skill and care for you.

You land softly on the balcony, the cool night breeze playing around you, still wrapped in the warmth of his embrace. Just as you touch down the laughter and lively banter of the Inner Circle reach your ears from inside.

As you and Azriel step through the grand doors of the House of Wind the lively atmosphere of the Inner Circle greets you. Cassian's booming voice fills the foyer as he spots you descending from the balcony. "Finally decided to join us, huh? Or were you two plotting to take over Velaris with your love-struck scheming?" he teases, winking not so conspicuously.

Rhysand joins in with a sly grin. His eyes twinkling with mischief. "I think they were busy weaving shadows and starlight. Look how they landed, like a pair of night-blooming flowers." His voice was laden with humor and draws a round of chuckles from around the room.

Feyre, Nesta, and Elain watch from the side, their expressions varying degrees of amusement and affection. Feyre's eyes meet yours and she gives you an approving nod. Her smile suggesting she understands more than she lets on. Nesta’s smirk is more enigmatic but supportive while Elain’s gentle gaze is filled with romantic delight at the scene unfolding before her.

Amid the teasing Azriel keeps you close, his arm remaining protectively around your waist. The warmth of his embrace reassures you. His presence a calming force against the good-natured ribbing. "Ignore them," he murmurs softly against your ear, just loud enough for you to hear over the laughter. His voice is rich with affection and a hint of playfulness that only you are privy to.

"You make it sound so easy," you whisper back, unable to suppress a smile feeling buoyed by the love filling the room.

As the evening progresses the light banter continues, with everyone occasionally casting teasing glances your way, making playful comments about the inseparable duo you and Azriel have become. Despite the jests there’s an underlying current of genuine happiness for you both. A celebration of the deepening bond that everyone seems to recognize and respect.

The night unfolds with shared stories, laughter, and an occasional clinking of glasses in toasts, not just to the night but to new beginnings and magical connections. As you stand by Azriel’s side, surrounded by friends who are more like family. You feel a profound sense of belonging and happiness. Here in the heart of the Night Court, under the watchful eyes of the stars and the soft glow of the city, you are home—not just in place, but in heart, bound by love, laughter, and the eternal dance of shadows and light.

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[updownlately]

that first night (we were standing at your door)

| leah williamson x reader | fluff | 1.7k | a/n: haven't written anything in a minute so lets see how this goes. this is set in the same universe at 'i promise that i'll love you'. and is technically just a small backstory. also idk how to feel about this one ngl. so, if this sucks we're just going to ignore it yeah? cool beans. anyways, happy reading! 🫶

~~~

The low hum of the car is the only audible sound in the silence that surrounds you and Leah. 

Combined with the starlit sky and the inevitable chilly London air you still haven’t gotten used to, the moment feels anything but stifling, a sense of calm sitting easily in the space between you two. 

The defender had taken you sightseeing around London earlier in the day, jokingly claiming to be the best tour guide in the country when she’d found out you hadn’t explored much of the city yet. 

You’d easily agreed to the outing, too caught up in the blue of Leah’s eyes to even fathom the idea of saying no. 

It’s how, a little less than three days later, you’d ended up getting picked up in the early hours of the morning by one way too cheery Leah and a promise of the best full English you were ever bound to have. 

Spending the rest of the day following the blonde around as she took you to a handful of the obvious, and then many of the lesser-known attractions around the city, her warm hand in yours as she excitedly pointed out things for you to take note of was a day well spent, if you were asked. 

Between learning Leah’s concerningly plain Nando’s order, swapping stories of your childhoods, and visiting nearly every major landmark in a forty mile radius, the day flew by in a breeze.

You don’t remember enjoying yourself this much in a while. 

With the way your stomach hurt as you laughed at the many stories the blonde shared about her childhood and of the shenanigans she’d gotten up to with teammates in the past, your supposed quick lunch spanned nearly an hour and a half. 

And somewhere between the shy smile Leah shot your way as you hid your face behind your hands one too many times at the terrible puns she made during your walks, and the charming toothy grin she’d give you before opening your doors and pulling out your chairs, you knew you were falling. 

Soon enough, before you knew it, much of the day had passed without either of you realizing, dawn slowly creeping into dusk as street lights began to cast a golden hue on your path, the cool English breeze creeping in as your lack of jackets became apparent.

So with Leah nervously inviting you out for dinner with her, reasoning that it would be criminal to spend the whole of the morning, afternoon, and much of the evening together only to send you home hungry, you’d agreed easily yet again, matching smiles on both your faces as she’d opened her car door for you, helping you settle in. 

It’s how you found yourself to where you were now- stomachs full, one of your playlists playing on mute in the car as the pair of you revelled in the quiet comfort of each other’s presence.

It may have been only your third official date, but you knew deep down that the blonde’s presence was one you wanted for a while, your hand itching to reach out and intertwine with hers as it sat rested on the gear shift. 

Feeling the car roll to a slow stop, you were quickly jolted out of your thoughts, your staring at Leah’s hands not going unnoticed by the blonde, her smiling amusedly at you before quickly shifting the gear into park, you only then taking note of your surroundings.

You’d finally made it back home after a whole day out with the blonde.

You didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. 

Turning your head to see Leah looking back at you, expression hidden in the lack of light, you swallowed hard as you felt your heart sink a little at what was next. 

You’d spent more than half the given hours in a day with the blonde, yet you didn’t want the night to end just yet. 

Apparently Leah thought so too, her quietly uttered words bringing a small grin to your face as you realized you were unknowingly on the same page. 

“I’ll walk you up?”

Nodding in response, you laughed as Leah wagged a finger in your direction and quickly threatened you to not open your door, instead hastily undoing her own belt and rushing around the car to grab it for you. 

Shaking your head as you let yourself be helped out of the car, you couldn’t help the way your lips curled at the proud look on the defender’s face. 

Intertwining your hands with Leah’s, you gently tugged her to follow you up your steps, the warmth emanating from her body mixed with the cool air causing goosebumps to rise on your arms.

“You do realize you didn’t have to open all the doors all day, right?”

Asking over your shoulder, you held back your laugh as you caught the sheepish smile on the other girl’s face. 

“Gotta treat you right, yeah?”

Hiding the red hue that began to coat your cheeks at the words, you began looking for your keys in your shoulder bag, fumbling as you tried to take them out gracefully. 

Doing your best not to shiver as you felt Leah come to a stop beside you, your shoulders nearly touching as she watched you, you wondered silently if you should just ask her to come in. 

You couldn’t, could you?

Surely it was too soon to invite her in to stay a while, but you didn’t want the night to end just yet. 

Pulling your keys out as you met Leah’s mirth filled eyes, face perfectly illuminated by your outdoor lights, you watched as the blonde studied your face intently, eyes dropping down to lips briefly before they shot back up to meet your own. 

“Do you- ”

“Can I- ”

The both of you bursting into quiet laughter, you shook your head as you gathered your bearings, a wide grin on your face this time, nerves nearly gone as you beckoned for Leah to speak. 

Eyes widening as she stepped a bit closer to you, you saw her hands hesitate for a second before they came to rest on either side of your torso.

Hiding your smile at the timid expression that appeared on the blonde’s face, you raised your eyebrows in silent jest, urging her to ask her question again. 

“Can I kiss you?”

Eyes widening briefly, you did your best not to seem too eager, nodding quickly in response as your own eyes flickered to Leah’s lips before fluttering shut, her perfume infiltrating your senses in the best way as pulled you close to her, a steadying grip on your waist. 

You could nearly feel the initial grin on Leah’s face, one that quickly was wiped away as she slotted her lips against yours, goosebumps rising on your body for different reasons this time as you were gently tugged closer. 

It was only when Leah pulled back briefly, not letting go of her hold on you and instead pressing your foreheads together, did you process what just happened, the corners of your mouth upturning in content. 

“Wow…”

Opening your eyes, you pulled back slightly to meet Leah’s gaze only to see a matching grin on her face. 

“Thanks.”

Rolling your eyes, the grin from earlier not having left your face, you shook your head in faux annoyance, your own hand coming to rest on the blonde’s forearm. 

“So humble, aren’t ya…”

Laughing at the furrowing eyebrows and appalled look that took over the other girl’s face, you twirled your keys in your hand, contemplating whether you should bite the bullet and invite her in. 

Apparently the Englishwoman had the same question as you, head tilting to the side as recalled your unfinished question from earlier. 

“What were you going to ask?”

Swallowing hard as you dangled your house keys in your hands, the clinking noise of them causing you to wince, you figured that at worst, all Leah could say was no, right?

Biting the bullet, you closed your eyes, trying to focus on the gentle but firm grip that she had on your waist, to revel in the comfort of the touch. 

“I was just- I just wanted to ask if you maybe wanted to come in? Have a tea or something?”

Taking a quick glance at the surprised look you received in response, you immediately began back pedalling, fearing you’d overstepped.

“You don’t have to! I just figured you’d maybe wanted a break from driving and navigating around?”

Your pitch rose at the end of your sentence, causing you to wince and just how nervous you sounded. 

Suddenly, the silence that was comforting in the confines of the car was not stifling in the open air, the length of time between your question and Leah’s response causing your heart rate to spike for reasons other than the kiss you both had just shared. 

After what felt like minutes (but was probably no longer than about twenty seconds), you felt your chest ease up as the English skipper gave you a quick smile in response, nodding her eagerly. 

“I’d love that.”

“Yeah?”

Getting a hum in response as Leah intertwined her hands with yours, comfort thrumming in your veins once again, you let out the breath you didn’t know you’d been holding, turning to face your door with a wide smile as you unlocked the door, tugging Leah to follow you as you stepped inside. 

“I’d love nothing more.”

Smiling to yourself in victory, your cheeks nearly hurting by now, you puffed your chest in pride, heart content with just how amazing your day had been.

And your perfect day that didn’t have to end just yet.

Leading the blonde through your house, you flicked on the lights as you told her to make herself home- a statement you didn’t know you both would take so literally, Leah practically moving in with you after you’d pass your one-year anniversary. 

And you wouldn’t realize it till years later, when you’d be sat at your kitchen island in your shared home together, figuring out wedding decorations as matching rings adorned your ring fingers, that this exact moment was technically the shared start of the rest of your lives.

[allykatsart]

Starlit horns under a red sky, spanning across like branches in the night

A simple piece I wanted to do! Peccantum doesn't have a bigger demon form and can't transform like Alastor does. He does, however, have his own shadow. After a bit of observation, he manages to mimic Alastor's 'disappearing' trick. It's not quite the same as how Alastor does it, but if it works, it works!

Who is Peccantum?

[ashspecter]

The Little Phintom

@duchi-nesten's prompt: Danny’s been enjoying spending time with Nocturn lately, even with the unfortunate side effect of his skin being replaced by stars. That’s… probably fine, right?

Summary: Danny becomes what he’s always wanted to be.

TW: Mild Body Horror (If you count Danny turning into a reflection of space), Body Modification

Words: 1,712

Story also posted below the cut.

It’s no surprise that Danny loves space. Between his NASA t-shirts, star-patterned socks, and space-themed doodles on his homework, anyone paying attention would know. Which, surprisingly, isn’t a lot of people despite everything.

So when Danny began drifting closer and closer to a ghost with the universe as his skin, it shouldn’t have come as such a surprise. Anyone who knew about his love and obsession with space should have expected it. Space makes up a part of the half-ghost’s Core Type after all. It only makes sense. Plus, who could have known that the ghost of dreams would reflect one’s deepest desires? Danny sure as hell didn’t. And it isn’t like Nocturn had a choice either.

As the days slipped into weeks, Nocturn quickly found himself wrapped around Danny’s little finger. He began to speak of the stars, distant galaxies, and the dreams he’d collected from them far more often than ever. Together, they would hover at the edge of the ghost zone, talking about nebulae and supernovas, or floating through the darker corners of dreams that spanned across galaxies. And Danny found himself growing more and more comfortable around Nocturn. The boy always listened, entranced, as Nocturn spoke of cosmic winds and starlit shadows with a voice that echoed the ancient light of distant stars.

Somehow, Nocturn ended up being stuck with Clockwork’s chaos child.

And somehow, Nocturn didn’t mind.

But then things began to change. Not in Nocturn’s lair. No, but in the ghost boy who had been following him around.

The transformation started subtly enough, with a glimmer here, a shimmer there, much like the first stars appearing at dusk. At first, it was just his fingertips, which seemed to have absorbed the night sky. Then, his arms began to show the faint glimmer of a distant galaxy, spiraling gently down to his elbows. The boy still had yet to notice this, but Nocturn knew it was only a matter of time. The faint twinkling on the black of the boy’s suit was becoming far too noticeable to ignore now.

The effect was enchanting, and as days turned into nights and back into days, Danny’s transformation became more pronounced. Now it wasn't just his arms, but his face began to show signs too; his eyes twinkled with the light of twin stars, and his smile seemed to curve with the elegance of a lunar crescent. As they sat one evening, floating amidst the dreamy expanse of the universe, Nocturn finally decided to address it.

“Child, do you notice anything… different about yourself lately?”

Danny turned to him, his starry eyes blinking in innocent curiosity. "Different? Like what?" he asked, his voice tinged with a nebulous echo that hadn’t been there before.

"Your skin," Nocturn pointed out gently, "it’s becoming like... well, like mine."

Danny glanced down at his hands, truly noticing for the first time the cosmic dance playing across his skin. Instead of shock or fear, a wide grin spread across his face, “That’s awesome!” He exclaimed, his excitement causing a small shower of stardust to drift from his fingertips, “It’s like I’m becoming part of the universe!”

Nocturn, however, wasn’t quite as enthused. “It is fascinating, yes, but have you considered the implications?”

Danny’s smile faltered slightly.

“This transformation… it could mean you’re losing your humanity.”

“Losing my humanity?” He echoed, the twinkle in his eyes dimming a little, “But I thought it was just because I’m hanging out with you. Because we’re friends.”

“We are friends, Danny,” Nocturn assured him quickly, “And nothing could change that. But the essence of my being is tied to dreams and the cosmos. Your close connection to me may be altering you more fundamentally than you realize.”

A silence settled between them, filled only by the whisper of solar winds and the distant hum of starlight. Danny looked thoughtful, his gaze drifting off into the swirling galaxies around them.

“Maybe it’s not such a bad thing,” Danny finally said, more to himself than to Nocturn, “Maybe this is just part of who I am supposed to be.”

To be adorned in the cosmos, to feel the pulse of the universe beneath his skin— Nocturn knew it would be a dream come true for the boy, but the ghost worries that he will lose parts of himself to the vastness of the universe. A shimmer here, a twinkle there. What was the cost of becoming this beautifully decorated?

Nocturn watched him carefully, admiration mingling with a tinge of worry, “Just make sure, Danny, that this is what you truly want. Being like me… it’s not just about bearing the universe on your shoulders. It’s about being forever bound to the intangible, to dreams and starlight.”

Danny nodded, understanding the weight of his friend’s words. "I'll think about it, Nocturn. But for now, can we just keep exploring? I've never felt more... alive."

“Of course,” Nocturn replied, a slight smile breaking through his usual stoic demeanor. As they resumed their journey through the dreamscape of the universe, Nocturn made a silent vow to keep a close watch on Danny’s transformation.

—

In the following weeks, Danny’s transformation grew even more profound, his once human features now glimmering with an ethereal light that seemed to illuminate the darkest recesses of the ghost zone. They continued their adventures, drifting through the cosmic realms of dreamscapes and nebulae, but the change in Danny was not lost on Nocturn.

One evening, as they floated through a dream resembling a vast ocean reflecting the night sky above, Nocturn decided it was time to revisit their earlier conversation. The serene sounds of imaginary waves gently lapping against the shore provided a soothing backdrop to their dialogue.

“Have you given any more thought to what’s happening to you?” Nocturn asked, his tone gentle yet filled with an undercurrent of concern.

Danny paused, his gaze fixed on the shimmering water below them. He dipped his hand into the dream-sea, watching as the waters turned to stardust at his touch, “I have,” He finally said, his voice calm, “And I think... I think I’m okay with it. It’s like I’m becoming more myself than ever.”

Nocturn floated closer, his own cosmic form reflecting in the starlit sea, “Your soul resonates with the cosmos, Danny. The more time you spend with me, the more you become a part of what you love. You are merging with the dreamscape of the universe, embracing your deepest desire to connect with the vastness of space.”

“What will I become?” Danny asked, finally voicing his worries despite his initial wonder, “Am I still going to be me?”

“You will always be you, just a different version,” Nocturn assured him, his tone soothing but cryptic, “A version that lives in the dream of the stars.”

Danny nodded slowly, his starry eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions. “That sounds... incredible,” He murmured, almost breathlessly, as the cosmic winds of the dream-sea whipped around them, “What if I lose touch with… everything?”

“That’s a valid fear,” Nocturn conceded, his voice echoing softly across the dream waves, “Transformation of any kind comes with its risks. You might find that some parts of your old life no longer fit with what you are becoming.”

Danny’s expression grew distant, pensive, “Like my family and friends?”

“Possibly,” Nocturn replied gently, “You may find that as you drift further into the universe, the connections to your earthly existence might stretch thin.”

The weight of his friend’s words pressed heavily on Danny, the enormity of his journey making his heart pulse with a nebulous mix of excitement and fear.

“But that doesn't mean you have to choose now, or ever fully decide,” Nocturn added, sensing Danny’s internal struggle. “Life, like the universe, isn't about absolute states. It’s about evolution, exploration, and sometimes, finding a balance between worlds.”

Danny looked up, his face lit by the ethereal glow of the stars within him. “Balance, huh?” He said with a small smile, trying to wrap his mind around the enormity of his situation, “I guess I’ve always been about that, haven’t I? Half ghost, half human... now maybe part cosmic.”

Nocturn chuckled softly, the sound like the distant twinkling of celestial bodies. “Indeed, you have always been caught between realms.”

Danny felt a resurgence of his earlier enthusiasm. “Then let’s keep going. I want to see everything—every galaxy, every star!” His voice grew stronger, more confident. “And I’ll figure out my place in all of it as I go.”

Nocturn nodded, pleased with Danny’s resolve but still bearing the silent promise to protect and guide him as much as possible, “Very well, then. There are dreams out there waiting to be discovered. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

Together, they resumed their exploration, delving deeper into the dreamscape of the universe. With each new vista and every unexplored dream, Danny’s connection to the cosmos grew stronger. His body shimmered with stardust, and the echoes of nebulae hummed through his veins. The universe wasn’t just around him; it was within him, part of his very essence.

As they moved through swirling galaxies and past shimmering auroras, Nocturn watched Danny with a mix of pride and apprehension. The boy who loved space was becoming a creature of it, embodying the wonder and vastness he had always adored. Yet, the ghost knew the journey they were on was unprecedented, the path uncharted. Danny was transforming into something new, something neither entirely ghost nor human, nor purely cosmic, but a unique fusion of all three.

The dreamscapes they visited became more surreal, shaped by the dreams of beings from countless worlds—dreams of peace, of exploration, of fears, and hopes. Each dream added layers to Danny’s transformation, coloring his perceptions and deepening his connection to the universe.

One evening, as they paused to watch a supernova bloom in the distance, casting radiant waves of light across the dreamscape, Nocturn spoke up, his voice soft yet clear.

“You have embraced your new role admirably,” He said, “But remember, no matter how far you go or how much you change, you are never alone.”

Danny looked at Nocturn, gratitude filling his twinkling eyes, “Thank you, Nocturn. And thank you for showing me this path, for being my friend through all of it.”

[mellyssageversee]

Eclipsed - Chapter 3

A ZuLu/LuZo (AU Nika Sun God)

Summary: Sun God Nika is accused of a crime he did not commit. Nika goes into hiding to avoid being hunted by other Gods who wish to have him replaced. This inadvertently plunges the world into darkness, triggering an ice age. Only one human has faith that Nika will return the Sun.

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

“Your system is a real headache, you know that?” Zoro remarked as they trudged through the freshly fallen snow. The weather had grown surprisingly still, but Zoro preferred it that way. No harsh winds bit at his skin.

“Eh, you get used to it after a few centuries.” Nika beamed happily in his human form.

The God had been explaining the complexities of the Celestial Court system to Zoro, who was still in disbelief that their mishandling of the situation would lead to a Sunless world. The two walked side by side with the Moon and starlit sky providing light, leading them forward like an arrow, as they journeyed towards a nearby town, hoping to gather some supplies for their journey to Ohara’s ruins.

“Let me get this straight. The entire court has to agree to decide your fate?” Zoro asked, a skeptical look on his face.

Nika let out a bored exasperated sigh. The God had already tried explaining things twice to Zoro now, but the swordsman wasn’t fully grasping the way Gods worked through crimes and disputes in their world. In his defense, Nika seemed to explain things in the most simplistic manner, neglecting to elaborate on the finer details. Usually, Zoro liked simplicity, but now that he felt duty-bound to Nika, he believed it was his job to retain as many details of Nika’s situation as possible.

“The Elders decide everything. It’s like a tiered thing. They make all the tough choices, but Advisors have a say. My brother Sabo is one of those advisors.” Nika explained. Zoro's eyes widened at this new revelation.

“Sabo the God of Wisdom is your brother?” Zoro asked, genuinely surprised. It astonished Zoro to learn that the God with a strong connection to Ohara was Nika’s brother.

“Yup! Since he's an Advisor and Ohara was his domain, you know… with his Temple of Knowledge being there and all, he carried a lot of influence on prolonging the court from reaching a verdict.” Nika explained. The God’s eyes wandered around, showing less commitment to the conversation and more interest in the world around him. Nika’s eyes widened as they approached a low-hanging tree branch, reaching towards it as if wanting to climb.

“Was anyone else on your side?” Zoro inquired, tugging at Nika’s sleeve to keep him close. This effectively brought Nika’s attention back to their conversation.

Nika pouted at being thwarted in his tree-climbing aspirations, but he indulged Zoro’s questioning.

“Not really. Some opted to stay neutral, especially the Gods preparing me for Ascension.” Nika answered.

The new term ‘Ascension’ puzzled Zoro, and while the swordsman was trying to make sense of it, Nika seized the chance to resume climbing the tree. This time, Zoro didn’t bother stopping him.

“Ascension? What’s that?” Zoro asked, watching as the God ascended to the next branch, a wide, goofy grin lighting up his face.

“Ascension is when you climb to the next tier!” Nika called from above.

Zoro's jaw dropped.

“Wait, are you saying you were being prepared to become an Advisor?!” Zoro exclaimed in disbelief.

Nika paused mid-reach for another branch, grinning down at Zoro with infectious enthusiasm.

“Yup!”

Zoro continued to gaze up, jaw hanging open in disbelief. He believed in Nika’s goodness toward mankind, but the idea of someone with such a short attention span in a role that holds weight between two realms was downright bewildering.

Nika, seemingly content on the high branch he was now sitting on, started inching his way across it. Zoro sidestepped to avoid the snow Nika was casually pushing off the tree.

“Titles and stuff like that never really interested me. Sabo was the one excited about my Ascension. Ace was kinda bummed ‘cause it meant less time hanging out.” Nika called down, his tone as carefree as ever.

Finally overcoming his shock, Zoro crossed his arms for warmth. The absence of Nika by his side allowed the cold to creep in again.

“Who's Ace, and can you get down here already? We're supposed to be in a hurry!” Zoro scolded the God for his playful tree-climbing antics.

“Hold on a sec!” Nika's whiny voice echoed down to Zoro.

Zoro frowned disapprovingly. Perhaps this was why the God needed him. Nika's carefree nature led him to distractions, and Zoro realized he needed to be stern if they were to focus on more critical matters. As he prepared to shout at Nika to climb down or face Zoro dragging him out of the tree himself, something caught his attention.

Nika reached toward a quivering mass of snow on the branch. His hand rested gently on the trembling mound and, as light emanated, the snow melted away revealing two shivering birds. The branch, blessed by Nika's touch, began to sprout leaves, and the once-trembling birds now found peace.

Zoro stared up in amazement. He had just witnessed a blessing akin to what Kuina had described. Not only that, but Nika had somehow noticed the struggling creatures while Zoro had completely overlooked them until the God was right beside them.

Satisfied with his work, Nika swung a leg over the branch, dismounting with carefree abandon. Panic flashed through Zoro for a fleeting moment, but he instinctively rushed forward, arms extended, to catch the descending God. Nika landed in Zoro's arms with a weight that knocked the breath out of him.

"That should keep them and their eggs warm." Nika declared with his radiant smile, dangerously close to Zoro's face. The comforting warmth surrounding the God seemed to intensify, and Zoro could feel his heart pounding in his ears, a warmth creeping up his neck in a telltale blush. Unaware of Zoro's reaction, Nika continued their conversation without missing a beat. "Ace is the God of Harvest. He's the one who taught me how to use the heat of my powers to help plant life grow."

Nika shifted his weight, smoothly slipping out of Zoro's arms, and continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Zoro remained frozen, his mind struggling to process the conflicting thoughts and feelings stirred by Nika. One moment, he was questioning the God's ability to handle important matters, and the next, Nika surprised him with his gentle nature and keen perception of the world around them.

"Didn't Zoro say we were in a hurry?" Nika's voice pulled Zoro from his contemplation. The God stood with hands on hips, a hint of impatience in his posture, waiting for Zoro to resume their journey.

Zoro quickly followed after Nika, keen on steering the conversation back.

"Why wouldn't you get to spend as much time with Ace?" Zoro prodded.

"Well, we're both Liaisons of the Mortal Realm. We report on humanity's progress and struggles since we travel the most between both realms," Nika explained with a grin. "If I become an Advisor, then I'd have to spend most of my time in the Celestial Realm. It'd be nice 'cause I'd get to spend more time with Sabo, but also really boring 'cause outside of their duties, all they do is sit around and talk. I had to sit through one of the meetings, and most of them were just bragging about all the stuff they do."

Zoro tried to maintain his usual stoic expression, but a subtle smile betrayed his amusement.

"That doesn't sound like any fun at all." Zoro remarked. Nika's eyes gleamed with happiness at Zoro's comment, pleased that the swordsman understood.

"Zoro gets it!"

This time, Zoro didn't even bother holding back the laugh that burst out. The God was just too pure. How could anyone think he was responsible for the crimes he was accused of?

"Hey look! A village!" Nika pointed out. Before Zoro could comment, Nika grabbed hold of the swordsman's forearm and eagerly pulled him toward the village with surprising strength, letting out an excited laugh as they approached.

Stone and wooden buildings closed in on all sides, casting eerie shadows from the starlit sky that made the narrow pathway feel a little colder. Zoro stepped closer to Nika.

"Zoro sure does like to stay close to me." Nika noted aloud with a smile.

"I-I... sorry- it's just..." Zoro began to stammer while attempting to take a step back.

"It's okay." Nika's grip on Zoro tightened, and he pulled the swordsman closer, hooking their arms together. "It's 'cause I'm warm, right? I get that a lot nowadays."

Zoro fought to conceal his blush. It was nice the God was so considerate to want to keep him warm, but the close contact stirred those same confusing feelings within him once again.

By now, the two had emerged from the narrow path, reaching a wide-open village square. Some folks immediately turned away from the newcomers, casting suspicious looks their way. Zoro took a deep breath and stared ahead, avoiding the odd glances cast their way. Nika didn’t seem to notice them at all. His eyes gleamed with curiosity at a food stall across from them.

"Zoro needs food, right?" Although Nika's comment sounded like a question, his tone made it clear he considered it a statement. Without waiting for Zoro's response, Nika energetically pulled the swordsman along, oblivious to the line of people patiently waiting their turn.

Zoro found himself apologizing to the folks at the front of the line, who were understandably annoyed by Nika's apparent rudeness.

“Ni-Luffy,” Zoro corrected himself, using the God's preferred human name in public. “People are waiting. You can't just cut ahead of them.”

“Blech!” Nika stuck his tongue out in disgust at the food. Zoro was about to scold the God again for his rude commentary on the food but paused when he noticed that all of the food on display showed signs of spoilage.

“This is the distribution stand for the people who live in Cocoyasi Village. Outsiders wanting food must pay for what little we have.” the shopkeeper informed the two, pointing to a sign displaying an astronomical price that made Zoro frown.

“That's a ridiculous amount for spoiled food.” Zoro crinkled his nose in disgust.

“These are hard times, and beggars can’t exactly be choosers now, can they?” The shopkeeper said with a shrug.

“Ugh. No wonder everyone looks so unhappy.” Nika's expression of disgust mirrored Zoro’s. “The food you have is terrible.”

The shopkeeper's jaw dropped in offense.

“That is incredibly rude! Mayor Arlong does the best he can to handle the food situation.” the shopkeeper argued. “If you’re just going to turn your noses up at what we have, then I suggest you both leave.”

Zoro silently led Nika away from the shopkeeper. Though he shared Nika's sentiment, he understood the importance of being discreet about such critiques. Once at a distance, Zoro lowered his voice so only Nika could hear.

“Can't you do something about the food at the stand?” Zoro inquired.

“I can’t salvage spoiled food.” Nika replied with a slight frown. “Ace could, but my powers can only help things grow.”

Zoro's frown deepened. The idea of villagers having only spoiled food troubled him, especially when many other places faced challenges like unripe crops or food shortages in the cold temperatures. Why were these people left with only rotten provisions?

Lost in thought, Zoro didn't realize Nika was guiding him through the village, the God's large brown eyes scanning their surroundings. The two turned a corner, and before they knew it, they collided with another villager, sending all three crashing into the snowy ground.

“Fuck!” The newcomer cursed, hastily reclaiming a handful of fresh tangerines that spilled from her bag.

“Where did you-“

Before Zoro could complete his question, the young redhead darted away. Adding to the disorienting turn of events, Nika seized Zoro's coat collar and took off after the speedy woman. Zoro, not fully on his feet, was dragged by the God, his heels carving long lines in the snow.

“Oi! At least let me stand first!!!” Zoro wrestled against Nika's strong grip, his feet floundering as he attempted to gain traction on the slippery icy ground and stand upright.

“No time! She’s fast!” Nika countered.

“Maybe we'd be faster if you weren’t dragging me!” Zoro fumed. Nika shot a mischievous glance over his shoulder, a look that immediately made the swordsman regret his comment.

“Good point!” Without losing his stride, Nika released his hold on Zoro, who face-planted into the cold snow.

Zoro clenched his fists, irritated at being handled like a rag doll. Lifting his snow-covered face, he glared at Nika, who was still chasing after the redhead.

“LUFFY!” Zoro swiftly rose to his feet and chased after the God.

Zoro dashed through the snowy village, his breath visible in the chilly air. By the time he caught up with Nika, the swordsman noticed two stern-looking men in official attire also on their tails.

"Luffy, I think those guys are after her too." Zoro alerted as he closed the gap between them.

Without missing a beat, Nika sped up. They were now close enough that Nika was able to grab the woman and pulled her into a narrow alley between buildings. Zoro followed behind. The three of them pressed against the cold stone walls, concealed in the shadows.

“You stole food?!” Zoro accused the young woman, knowing that would be the only reason why those men would be chasing her.

“That’s none of your business.” She angrily whispered back in defiance.

Zoro opened his mouth to argue that point since the rest of the village only has rotten food to eat but he was prevented from voicing his opinion when the woman shoved her gloved hand over his mouth.

“SHH!!!” The swordsman shot her a glare but remained quiet. The three stayed crouched in their hiding place. The stern looking men hurried past the entrance of the alley, their eyes scanning the area. The tense moments passed slowly until the officials moved on, their hurried footsteps fading in the distance.

Once the coast was clear, the woman relinquished her hold on Zoro. Casting him a glare.

“I don’t expect an outsider like you to understand. So why don’t you and your hyperactive moron get lost?” She advised.

Anger surged within Zoro at the way the woman insulted Nika, but to his surprise, the God chuckled at the comment, earning puzzled looks from both Zoro and the red-headed woman.

“That was kinda fun.” Nika commented nonchalantly, leaning towards the woman and attempting to peek inside her bag. “So, where did you get the good food from?”

The woman slapped his hand away and clutched her bag protectively.

“What part of 'none of your business' do you not get?!” she snapped in irritation.

“Well, it kind of is since no one else seems to get good food like this.” Nika wore a genuinely confused expression as he questioned the woman. “Shouldn’t everyone know where to get food that isn’t rotten?”

The woman rolled her eyes.

“If I tell you where to get food, will you leave me alone?!”

“Nope!” Nika replied cheerfully, seemingly unfazed by her irritation.

Zoro's frown deepened. He couldn't quite comprehend why Nika had taken such an interest in this woman. They had more crucial matters to attend to, like reaching Ohara. Yet, a thought occurred to him; Nika's keen perception seemed to reveal hidden nuances. Maybe there was more to this situation than met the eye?

“You’re not going to change my friend’s mind on the matter.” Zoro calmly advised the young woman. She redirected her fiery gaze toward him, but Zoro remained stoic. “He can be very insistent.”

Nika’s eyes brightened in appreciation at Zoro’s comment. In a way, the swordsman had just voiced his trust and loyalty to go along with Nika’s actions.

The woman fell silent, her lips pursed angrily. Her eyes scrutinized both Nika and Zoro, assessing them for potential dangers. Realizing it might be less troublesome to have the two join her, she let out a defeated sigh.

“Fine, but we aren’t staying here. Follow me and don’t draw attention.” she instructed, peering to ensure the coast was clear before motioning for the two men to follow her.

The red-headed woman led Nika and Zoro through the village, weaving through narrow pathways and avoiding crowded areas, quickly ushering them inside when they reached her home. Zoro took in the modest surroundings of her small candlelit dwelling. A shelf adorned with books about navigation and a desk with scattered maps caught his attention, perhaps hinting that the woman had an interest in the art of sailing. In one corner, a struggling potted tree grasped for vitality, its branches looking brittle and its browning leaves looked sickly. In the center of the room was a dining table that had a pitiful bowl of rotting spuds.

Nearby, next to a steel stove, a young girl with blue hair worked diligently, placing wood into the fire. The warmth of the stove contrasted with the chilly atmosphere outside, and the cozy interior subtly spoke of a familial bond shared within the walls.

“Nami!” The child called out to the woman they now knew as Nami, rushing toward her. She paused, casting a shy glance at the two newcomers. “Oh, hi there. We have guests?”

“I’m Luffy, nice to meet ya!” Nika introduced himself to the small girl with his preferred human name, then gestured toward Zoro. “And this is Zoro.”

Zoro gave the child a brief nod in greeting.

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Nojiko.” Nojiko smiled at the two before turning her attention back to Nami. “I was just melting some snow for Bellemere’s tree. I think it’s looking better.”

Nami’s gaze drifted sadly toward the struggling tree.

“I think you're right. It looks much better than yesterday.” Nami said with a soft smile. She walked over to the tree, as if observing it closely. Nami made a quick and subtle move that Zoro almost missed, her hand slipping into her bag before making an exaggerated gasping sound and reached into the tree. “Wow! You even got it to grow another tangerine! You’re doing such a great job!”

Zoro raised an eyebrow when Nami pretended to pull the fruit from the sickly plant. It was obvious that Nami had pulled out one of the stolen tangerines, but Nojiko didn’t seem to notice. The young girl's eyes shone brightly with excitement.

“I didn’t even notice it had grown!” Nojiko exclaimed, running over to Nami with a happy giggle. Nami handed her the tangerine, and with a gleeful smile, Nojiko turned her attention back to their guests. “Would you like to share?”

Nami stiffened.

“Nojiko, don’t you want to enjoy that one yourself?” Nami kindly prompted, though her smile seemed a bit strained.

Nojiko turned back quizzically.

“But I’d like to share. Momma’s tree is always growing more like magic. It would be wrong to not share a blessing with friends.” Nojiko explained her logic to Nami.

Nami shot the other two a quick sideways glare, making Zoro feel uncomfortable. He sensed he would need to step in to kindly reject the well-intentioned child’s offer.

“Thank you for your kind offer, but-”

“We love magic tangerines!” Nika beamed happily, causing Nami’s glare to intensify. Nika ignored this and walked past the two, reaching into the tree much like Nami did. This time, Nika employed his own sleight of hand. His palm emitted a soft glow that matched the candlelight. It was subtle, so Zoro doubted the other two noticed it. To Nami’s shock and Nojiko’s delight, 'Luffy' pulled out three more tangerines.

Nojiko let out a happy gasp, jumping up and down with excitement.

“That’s the most it’s grown in ages!” Nojiko cried happily.

Nami continued to stare dumbfounded at the tangerines in Nika’s hands. Zoro could almost see the cogs in her head struggling to turn up some logical explanation for what just happened.

As if snapping herself out of a trance, Nami aggressively shook her head to ground herself and addressed the others.

"Thank you, Luffy. I guess I somehow missed those." Nami said with a bit more kindness than she offered him before. "Why don’t you all sit? I'll make us some tea."

Nojiko took the tangerines from Nika and brought them over to the table, shoving the bowl of rotten spuds to the far end. She started peeling the fruit and arranging them nicely on a communal plate for them all to share. Nika and Zoro sat at the table, waiting for Nami to join them.

“So, why is all the food so bad here?” Nika asked, resting his elbow on the table and placing his chin in his hand. “That food stand guy said that the Mayor was in charge of distributing food.”

Both Nami and Nojiko’s faces darkened.

“Arlong is not our Mayor.” Nojiko said coldly. “Genzo is the one people voted for.”

Zoro raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, as Nami finished preparing the tea and brought the steaming kettle and cups to the table.

“Genzo used to be in charge, but that was years ago,” Nami explained. “Arlong seemed to come out of nowhere and invaded Cocoyasi Village. Genzo did his best to stand up to Arlong but was severely injured in their standoff. Arlong declared himself as the new mayor and held us financially hostage with high taxes. Those who couldn’t pay, like our mother, couldn’t live here anymore.”

“He would force them to move away?” Nika asked.

Nami bit her lip, holding back tears. Her gaze drifting towards the tree in the corner.

“No, worse.” The implications of Nami’s answer hung heavily in the air. Zoro remained stoic, reflecting on the hardships Nami and her sister had to face with losing their mother so tragically. From the corner of his eye, Zoro could see that Nika was listening intently, his usually happy face now blank. Nami took a deep breath and continued. “When the Sun disappeared, things changed. Food became more valuable than money. Arlong took charge of all of the village's sources of food. He even took control of our home, our mother’s tangerine orchard. He began hoarding food for himself and those who serve under him. When the food goes bad, he gives that to the rest of us.”

Nika balled his fists in anger.

“That’s not right!” Nika said angrily. He looked at Zoro, and for the briefest moment, Zoro thought he saw Nika’s eyes flash to their original red hue before turning back to brown. “We can’t let him get away with that!”

Nojiko immediately looked distressed by Nika’s reaction.

“You can’t do anything that would make Arlong upset!” Nojiko insisted. “So many people have died trying to face him. I don’t want my new friends to die too!”

Nika looked as if he was about to argue with the child, but Zoro placed his hand on Nika’s shoulder, gripping it firmly, hoping to quell the God’s anxiousness. Nika’s gaze rose to meet Zoro’s, a determined gleam flashing within them, his large brown eyes silently urging Zoro to agree that action must be taken.

In the back of his mind, Zoro knew they shouldn’t get involved. More people outside of this one village needed Nika back. They needed the sun and the warmth and life he provided. Despite this, Zoro felt compelled to follow Nika’s wishes, as if his very soul had become tethered to the God and the merciful actions that drove him.

Zoro simply nodded, a silent pledge that he agreed and would follow Nika.

“It’s too late to be discussing matters like this.” Nami said sternly, drawing both of their attention back to her. “You shouldn’t be making Nojiko fret over such things before her bedtime.”

Nika pouted, averting his eyes to the side, avoiding eye contact as he was scolded. The four then turned their attention to the fruit and tea they were sharing.

“Do you two have a place to stay?” Nami asked between bites of her tangerine. Both Nika and Zoro shook their heads. “You can stay here until the moon rises. I’ll stay in Nojiko’s room with her, and you can sleep in mine. Just don’t touch any of my stuff.”

They soon wrapped up their meal and prepared for bed, Nika and Zoro heading into the bedroom offered to them after saying goodnight.

“I really hate that mayor guy.” Nika grumbled when they were finally alone.

“A lot of villages are going through tough times,” Zoro remarked. “I've noticed it in my travels. People have become ruthless since your light disappeared.”

“But he's been causing trouble since before the sun vanished.” Nika argued, surprising Zoro when his eyes shifted back to their natural red hue, signaling the God’s growing anger. “He hurt Nami, Nojiko, and everyone else here!”

“We’re gonna sort this out tomorrow, okay? Before we head to Ohara.” Zoro asserted, but his comment did little to quell the God’s anger.

Nika folded his arms angrily over himself, his bottom lip protruding in a pout. Searching for a way to reassure the God, Zoro reached out and ruffled Nika’s hair. The God’s eyes instantly turned back to brown, widening in surprise. He gazed upward at Zoro, his surprise quickly turned into joy, eliciting a happy flutter in the swordsman’s chest. Seeming appeased by Zoro’s gentle gesture, Nika eagerly nodded, agreeing to take care of matters in the morning. Zoro reluctantly restrained himself from ruffling Nika's hair any further and shifted his focus to preparing for bed.

Zoro settled into Nami's bed. It was a bit small but still more comfortable than sleeping outside on the snowy ground, something he had sadly grown accustomed to before meeting Nika.

The bed dipped as extra weight pulled it down. Zoro froze when he realized that Nika unexpectedly joined him, the God's warm arms wrapping around him from behind.

"I didn’t know Gods could sleep." Zoro tried to keep his voice steady, though his heart raced. He silently hoped Nika couldn't hear it.

"We don't sleep.” Nika's breath brushed the back of Zoro's neck. “I just thought Zoro would like the warmth. Helps with sleep, right?"

Zoro struggled to find the right words. He appreciated Nika's consideration, yet the closeness only intensified the confusing feelings stirring within him. With Nika's arms around him and that sturdy chest against his back, Zoro couldn't deny the ache of longing in his heart.

"Nika..." Zoro uttered cautiously, trying to find the right words to turn down the God's offer of warmth.

"Yeah?"

Zoro’s lids grew heavy as the warmth enveloped him and, for a moment, he almost believed he could smell the familiar scent of the blessed earth of Isshen Dojo. Slowly, he eased into Nika's arms, giving in to the inviting warmth they provided.

"... Thanks."

As he dozed off, Nika's warmth seeped deep into his bones, guiding him into a peaceful sleep.

————————————————

Notes: This is up to the point I have written to. But I am still not even fully sure if I will keep chapter 3 like this. But so far I’m leaning towards it staying as is. Thank you for those who have been interested in this story so far. For those who wish to follow the story, you can find the Prologue posted to my AO3 account HERE.

The rating might change as I build more on this story.

[your-local-simp-writers]

Surelyyyy a Gojo x Filipino reader because we gotta love the Filipinos man, they're cool

Omg ofc!!! I have been meaning to write for jjk for some time and now i have a chance to do so :) If you haven't gotten to know who we are don't be shy here is our "༺☆༻ Introduction ༺☆༻"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starlit Confessions

Word Count: 755

Warnings: None

Gojo x Filipino!Fem!Reader ︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

The night sky over Tokyo was a canvas of inky blackness, dotted with stars that shimmered like distant promises. You walked alongside Gojo Satoru, the city’s heartbeat a soft drum in the background, its rhythm syncing with your own. The air was cool, carrying the whispers of the night as you both made your way to an old bridge that spanned the quiet river below.

Gojo walked ahead, his steps sure and silent, a contrast to the vibrant life he usually exuded. You followed a few paces behind, watching his figure cut a solitary silhouette against the city lights. The bridge was an old structure, its stones holding the memories of countless souls who had crossed it before.

He stopped midway, his gaze fixed on the water’s surface, reflecting the night sky. You caught up, standing beside him, the silence between you as profound as the depth of the river. The stars above were bright, witnesses to the moment that was about to unfold.

Gojo turned to face you, his eyes capturing the starlight, making them appear even bluer. He paused, a breath taken, held, and then released before he finally spoke. The words that came were ones that had been held back for too long, ones that would bridge the gap between friendship and something more.

“You knew. You knew I loved you and took full advantage of the fact that I’d do anything for you. And I knew that. I just kept at it hoping that one day you’d value me just as much,” he said, his voice a soft echo in the quiet of the night.

The confession hung in the air, a truth laid bare under the watchful eyes of the stars. It was a moment of vulnerability for Gojo, the unshakeable, the untouchable, now reaching out for something far more elusive than any curse he had ever faced.

"I feel stupid. Why do you make me grin like a spineless fool whenever I am around you?" Gojo said, turning to look at you.

You looked away from him, pausing for a moment as memories flashed through your mind. Nights spent together, the lingering touches that left you wanting more, the oblivious way he interacted with you, those moments when he insisted you stay after a night out. Your lips quirked into a semblance of a smile.

"You think I don't notice how you look at me?" you finally said, your voice trembling. "How your eyes linger just a second too long, how you always find some excuse to touch me, even if it's just a brush of our shoulders?"

Gojo's eyes widened slightly, but he remained silent, letting you continue.

"I've been afraid," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "Afraid that if I acknowledged it, everything would change. Afraid that I'd lose you if I didn't feel the same way."

Gojo took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently grasp your arm. "And now?" he asked, his voice soft but intense.

"And now, I realize that I've been the one taking you for granted," you confessed, tears welling up in your eyes. "I've been so scared of losing you that I never thought about what I was missing out on."

Gojo's expression softened, his hand moving from your arm to gently cup your cheek. "You won't lose me," he said, his thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped. "I'm right here."

The moment hung between you, charged with emotion. The distant sounds of the city faded into the background, leaving only the two of you and the silent witness of the night sky.

You took a deep breath, your hands trembling as you placed them on your waist. "Are you sure about this?" you asked, voice shaky but resolute.

Gojo's eyes never wavered as he stepped closer, his presence warm and reassuring. "More sure than I’ve ever been," he said, his tone unwavering as he gently grasped your chin.

Your heart raced as he leaned in, his lips brushing yours in a tentative, simple peck. The kiss was tender, filled with uncertainty and unspoken words. When he pulled back, your eyes met, the world around you shrinking to just the two of you.

"That was..." you began, struggling to find the words.

"Yeah," Gojo finished, his voice barely above a whisper. A certain song played in the background, the melody of Paramore's "All I Wanted" blending with the magic of the moment, sealing it as your song.

"Sorry, that was my first kiss," you confessed, your cheeks burning with embarrassment as you looked down.

"I could tell," Gojo said, a playful glint in his eyes.

Your head snapped up, surprise written all over your face, but before you could say anything, he blurted out, "I'm kidding!" and started laughing.

His laughter was infectious, and despite the awkwardness, you found yourself joining in.

[myouiminn]

Beyond the Marauder's Map

James Potter x Reader

Notes:don't repost without my permission!

It was a typical day at Hogwarts, and James Potter was in the Great Hall, sitting at the Gryffindor table when he saw her. Y/n entered the room, a book in her hands and a curious look on her face. She was reading something, as she always did, but this time she seemed particularly engrossed.

James couldn't help but watch her. Since their first year, he had noticed Y/n. She was smart, beautiful, and full of life. Though he tried to hide it, all the Marauders knew he had a crush on her.

That afternoon, James decided to do something he had never done before. He approached the table where Y/n was sitting and said, "Hey, Y/n, what are you reading?"

She looked up, surprised that he had addressed her. "Oh, hi James! It's a book on advanced potions. I was thinking about signing up for extra classes to learn more."

James smiled. "Sounds interesting. Need any help with anything?"

Y/n was a bit surprised by the offer but gladly accepted the help. And so began a friendship that would change their lives forever.

In the months that followed, James and Y/n spent more and more time together. They studied together, explored the secret corridors of Hogwarts, and shared their deepest secrets. James discovered that Y/n was not only a brilliant student but also an incredible person with a sharp sense of humor and a deep compassion for those around her.

As time passed, their friendship turned into something deeper. James realized he was in love with Y/n. He wanted to tell her, but he was afraid of ruining what they had.

Finally, on a starry night, James gathered his courage. He took her to the Room of Requirement, where he had set up a candlelit picnic. "Y/n, there's something I need to tell you," he began. "I really like you, more than just as a friend. I'm in love with you."

Y/n looked into his eyes, her own eyes shining with emotion. "James, I feel something for you too. I was hoping you would say that."

They leaned in and shared a passionate kiss beneath the starlit sky. From that moment on, James and Y/n were not just friends; they were a couple.

They faced challenges together, including the Marauders' pranks, but always supported each other. And as they graduated from Hogwarts together and pursued their dreams, the love that had started as a friendship grew and flourished. James and Y/n knew they had found something special, something that would last a lifetime.

And so, beyond the Marauder's Map and the mischief at Hogwarts, James and Y/n built a love story that spanned decades, proving that true love can overcome anything.

[moonlitmeeks]

༊*·˚ i won’t change with the seasons ; dave rygalski (0.6k)

summary: attending the stars hollow autumn festival with dave rygalski

song: i won’t change with the seasons - the night café

a/n: apologies for the late upload on this one, uni work piled up so quickly? hopefully you enjoy though and, as always, likes and reblogs are much appreciated<3 likely won’t be 100% accurate to the autumn festival also

masterlist | taglist

dave’s presence by your side was reassuring as you weaved your way through the groups of people attending the autumn festival. since this particular event only happened once a year, dave was determined for you both to make the most of it, cramming in all of the best activities and sights over the span of the evening. 

you had already paid a visit to rory and lane, who were manning the cornucopia can drive in impressive, if not amusing, pilgrim outfits. of course, you had both brought along a few canned goods to contribute, placing them with the already sizeable pile of produce that had built up over the course of a few hours. 

“god,” dave commented as he looked around.  “the town sure does go all out for this festival, huh.”

“taylor goes all out for the town meetings,” you replied with a laugh. “the autumn festival was bound to be a spectacle with him involved. not that i’m complaining, of course.”

it was true.

though arguably a little over extraordinary to be celebrating the first day of autumn, you wouldn’t change a thing. the weather was placid, not too cold, but cold enough that you could bundle up comfortably to get into the spirit. 

it was nice to see everyone together; you even spotted luke being pulled around by lorelai, struggling to maintain his grumpy facade as he admired her enthusiasm.

dave opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a noise of excitement as you spotted a hot drinks cart. simply from the pleading look you gave him, dave understood quickly what you wanted to do next. with no words exchanged, you began to walk over to the cart, surveying your options.

“let me guess,” dave hummed, pretending to think for a moment before smiling at you. “you want coffee?”

you feigned surprise, clutching a hand to your chest and batting your lashes at him.

“how could you guess? you can read minds and you never told me?”

though you thought it was a stupid joke, dave’s laughter was genuine. his smile didn’t falter as he ordered two coffees, paying without a second thought. he gently handed you your coffee, not without a warning that it may be a little hot.

“i never would have guessed.”

“alright i’ll let you burn your tongue next time.”

with a hot cup of coffee in hand, you meandered over to the white bench that sat on top of the gazebo. situated right in the centre of town, it was the perfect place to be able to take in the sight of the festival in all of its glory. 

it was almost unbelievable that your little town could look so picturesque. the gently falling leaves framed the teeming groups of people swaddled in hats and jackets, some faces flushed slightly as a result of the wind. the sky was golden, the sun slowly beginning to set and casting a faint glow across your boyfriend’s face. 

and though the season had changed, transitioning from the bright summer days to the gloomy autumn nights, dave had remained the same. he still brushed his thumb over your knuckles each time he took your hand in his, he still couldn’t help the crooked grin that appeared whenever he said your name, and he still knew that his heart truly and utterly belonged to you. 

autumn would come and go, but dave rygalski would always be there.

—

🏷 ; @bluetreecloud20 @tayswiftlovebot @starlit-epiphany @mirclealignr @bberee @spncvr @dearestestella

[hobgoblinart]

I made this entire sheet of characters in a more simple style

From top to bottom, left to right, we have:

Human champion (paladin)

Human sorcerer (elemental - air)

Gnome wizard (evocation)

Human wizard (transmutation)

Human Barbarian (animal instinct - Gorilla)

Human swashbuckler (gymnast)

Human cleric (warpriest)

Human barbarian (Giant Instinct)

Orc fighter (archer)

Dwarf Gunslinger (Sniper)

Catfolk Rogue (thief)

Elf/tiefling bard (maestro muse)

Dwarf inventor (I still don't know which innovation)

Elf Magus (Starlit Span)

A centaur and a pixie - NPCs

Gnome rogue/psychic (Eldritch Trickster)

[clairelsonao3]

Nine People Tag

Today's tag game is blissfully short and that's good because, unlike pretty much every day for the past 2 weeks, I'm actually WRITING!

Thanks to @coffeewritesfiction (post here), @the-broken-pen (post here) and @mysticstarlightduck (post here) for this one!

All the versions of this I was tagged in had different questions, so I just picked and chose which ones I wanted to answer (i.e. the easiest ones). Feel free to do the same!

LAST SONG: "Safe" - Shook Twins (Current song, actually ... good soundtrack for writing.)

LAST MOVIE: Misson Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (Yes, in the cinema!)

CURRENTLY WATCHING: Is it Cake on Netflix. Ridiculous show, but nice to fall asleep in front of. (I don't have the attention span for any scripted series).

CURRENTLY READING: Staged by Kim Fielding, which I stumbled upon just last week and had to download as soon as I saw what it was about.

CURRENTLY CRAVING: A trip to Paris.

LAST THING YOU SEARCHED FOR WRITING PURPOSES: How gauche is it to add ice cubes to bourbon?

I'll just gently tag some of the usual folks on this because it's short and you can do it even if you've already done it. But by no means do you have to do it at all!

@starlit-hopes-and-dreams @hd-literature

@little-peril-stories @tabswrites @late-to-the-fandom @rickie-the-storyteller @rubywrite @writingforjoy

[teecupangel]

Once upon a time in the quaint village, there lived a young mail courier. He was known for his unwavering dedication to his job, delivering letters and packages with a smile to every doorstep. One day, an urgent message arrived at the village, instructing him to embark on a long journey to a distant town where a crucial post office awaited.

The mail he carried was no ordinary mail; it held the hopes and dreams of the villagers, connecting loved ones and spreading joy. The journey to the post office was not an easy one, as it spanned through vast meadows, dense forests, and treacherous mountains. However, he was determined to fulfill his duty, knowing that the letters in his bag held significant meaning to the recipients.

With a firm resolve, he bid farewell to his family and set off at the crack of dawn, his loyal horse carrying him through the countryside. Along the way, the courier encountered various challenges, from wild storms that soaked him to the bone to a broken bridge that forced him to find an alternative path.

As the days turned into weeks, he faced moments of doubt, but he never faltered. The thought of the smiles on people's faces when they received their letters and packages kept him going. Each night, he would rest under the starlit sky, reading letters from his own family for encouragement.

On his journey, he met fellow travelers who shared their own tales of hope and love, making him realize the profound impact his job had on connecting people's lives. With newfound determination, he pressed on, even through the darkest of nights and the coldest of days.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the sight of the town appeared on the horizon. Exhausted but elated, the courier and his horse made their way through the bustling streets, guided by the townsfolk who welcomed them warmly.

The post office in the town was a grand building with ornate architecture, a symbol of communication and unity. As he entered, he handed over the carefully protected mail, knowing the importance of each letter entrusted to him. The postmaster was grateful for his perseverance and dedication, acknowledging the role he played in bringing happiness to so many.

In one of the letters is said: "what would happen if Desmond can turn into Eren's founding Titan form? Doesn't have to be an aot au. I bet it would be very funny lmao XD"

Alright, let’s talk about how we can do this. So we’ll give Desmond the Founding Titan’s powers but keep him in the AC world. (unless someone wants an AOT AU or a Desmond get isekai’ed to the AOT world AU)

So, first, let’s clarify what the Founding Titan’s powers would be now that there’s actually no… you know… Titan in AC (have spoilers for AOT, I guess):

The Founding Titan can create and control other Titans who are Subjects of Ymir. In this idea, you might think that means Desmond should be able to control those with Isu blood but I suggest a different idea: Desmond would be able to control humans in general but the more Isu blood one has, the harder it is to control them. (We’ll get to why we’re changing it this way in a bit). As for the creation part, since we’re not giving Desmond the ability to create Titan (I mean, we could), we’ll make him able to create ‘monsters’ instead. To be more specific: he can manipulate human genes and change them to whatever he liked, although it might be easier for him to change them lightly (like perhaps giving them the ability to access Eagle Vision) or to keep them more human-like (like say… a minotaur or a gorgon or a werewolf… if you catch my drift). This will also be the equivalent of the Founding Titan’s ability to change the body of the Subjects of Ymir (which, when you think about it, Titan creation is a subset of this ability anyway).

The Founding Titan can manipulate memories of the Subjects of Ymir. This means Desmond would be able to change or add or even remove memories of humans, even going as far as give them fake memories if need be.

The Founding Titan can telepathically communicate with Subjects of Ymir so I guess we’re giving Desmond telepathy as well.

The Founding Titan has the ability can influence the past in some way but it cannot completely change the past. It’s a bit complicated so we’ll set this up different with Desmond using one specific device: The Animus.

Of course the Founding Titan can only be used completely by those with royal blood so we’re making Desmond’s Isu ancestor be one of the Titan children of Gaia and Uranus. We actually have two main candidates: Iapetus whose sons were called mankind’s ancestors and we’ll translate it to Iapetus’ children being one of the Isus who helped humans during the war, turning their backs against their fellow Isus. Perhaps one of Adam and Eve’s children would marry one of Iapetus’ sons in this scenario. Another candidate is Hyperion who fathered the three children and lights of the heaven: Helios, Selene and Eos. Of course, we’ll pick Helios as Desmond’s ancestor to further twist the knife of Desmond dying from the solar flare or, if you want to be kind to him, we’ll give him Eos as a symbol of an upcoming dawn.

Now that’s done, we’ll talk about why those abilities might sound familiar…

They’re all ‘powers’ that Kassandra actually sees during her travels. To be more specific, she encountered mystical beings being controlled by Isu artifacts (that may or may not be Apple, we’re not completely certain that the Apple was able to change them or if they’re being used to simply control them after their change, the human experiments of Juno and Aita in Atlantis would point at the latter) which means that Desmond’s Founding Titan powers are powers that Juno and Aita were trying to recreate.

This is why Desmond’s Isu ancestor being Iapetus makes more sense because all of his powers are to subjugate and control humans, not Isus.

And then we come to the power to change the past which isn’t something that Desmond could actually do until he comes in contact with the Animus.

To be more exact, the Animus used by Vidic still holds the POE that he had used to develop the Animus in the first place because it was the prototype. The POE reacted to his Founding abilities that had been dormant until he got into the Animus.

And this is how Desmond would be able to change the past.

By connecting to his own genes, he’s able to contact and even control to a certain degree the actions of the people who share the same Iapetus genes as him.

However, we come to a certain… shall we say ‘snag’ in this idea.

Because Desmond has two different bloodlines that, as far as we know, does not intersect.

Altaïr’s bloodline that comes from his mother and the Auditore-Kenway bloodline that came from William Miles.

This means that we have to choose who would carry the Iapetus bloodline. Of course, it’s me, so you know I’m going to suggest Altaïr but I have another reason other than the fact that I will always choose Altaïr given a choice.

Altaïr is someone willing to make a deal with Desmond in exchange for the safety and happiness of his family. Once Desmond learned of the truth of Altaïr’s future, he could use the Founding Titan’s power to contact Altaïr and to help him change the past in exchange to being Desmond’s ‘prophet’. Using the Founding Titan’s ability to change human composition, Desmond could change Altaïr to be immortal until all their work is finish and Altaïr would agree to it. Desmond’s connection to Altaïr would give Desmond a direct way to change the past, slowly unraveling the entire road that the Isus wished him to walk.

The path that would end with a noose tied to his neck as the sun burns him away.

And, of course, we have the Founder Ymir being the ‘helper’ of the one who holds the Founding Titan.

And who else will we pick but the Reader?

The Reader who can see the past, present and future thanks to the Calculations but unable to change anything without a ‘master’ to command him.

And the truth was…

The Reader was able to tweak it.

There was a split second when Desmond Miles was able to use his Founding Titan powers.

But it wasn’t when he was first put in the Animus.

No.

It was when he used the device in the Grand Temple to save the world.

In that split second…

The Reader used that time to manipulate Desmond to making him order him.

“I want to live.”

“I don’t want to die.”

“Please… someone… save me.”

He used Desmond’s desperation to live to set everything into motion. He changed the past just enough for Vidic to make the prototype have the POE, making him believe this was the best way to get clearer and more stable memories.

And from that…

The Reader set the third loop.

.

.

Just to clarify:

The first loop: AC canon with the Reader coming to existence

The second loop: Desmond Miles manages to awaken his Founding Titan power when he’s about to die and the Reader used that to change just enough things to make the third loop.

The third loop: the current loop with Desmond awakening his Founding Titan power during his first Animus session and, later on, making a deal with Altaïr to change the past using Altaïr as his ‘spokesperson’.

==== For the Alchemist Section ====

The mail courier’s perseverance traveled as far as his mail and it was now up to the local courier to make sure it arrived in its proper destination safe and sound.

Their little village rarely received mails before the alchemist took residence in the abandoned house up the hill and it had become part of his daily job to bring new mails and take the alchemist’s daily shipment but…

Things had been hectic around these parts. Harvest season was upon them and they had been so busy these past three months because of it. He knew that the mails were being delivered much later than usual but they haven’t heard a complaint just yet which was nice, especially with the heavy rainfall they’ve been getting lately. Everyone was quite worried for their corps.

Still, it was up to him to make sure he was able to deliver the ones that do manage to get to their village and send the ones the alchemist was able to finish in the midst of them helping with the preparations for harvest season.

But…

The chimney’s smoke was red.

The kind of red that reminded him of blood.

The alchemist made the weirdest things whenever they feel like it. The moving clay doll last month was one of them.

So…

He took a deep breath and prepared to knock on the door-

Only to gasp when he smelled the smoke.

It was because he was too close to the house. Even if the smoke was coming out of the chimney and dispersing into the air, it was still quite close.

His body…

… feels so hot right now.

He fell on his knees and began to pant, the heat seemingly coiling all over his body distracting him from the creaking sound the front door always make.

Then…

He felt cold air hit him like a puff of smoke.

And the heat disappeared.

Leaving only embarrassment with the way his body had reacted.

It was like…

“Sorry about that.”

He raised his head and…

… came face to face with a complete hazmat suit that covered the alchemist from head to toe. The only reason why he even know it was the alchemist because of the white and red butterfly brooch that they had always worn, now adorning the helmet of their hazmat suit like it was a hairpin.

“It would be better if you stay by the fence and shout instead. I’ll take my mail and give you my deliveries instead.”

The alchemist made a motion with their hand and he weakly stood, using his courier standard bag to hide his shame as he handed the alchemist the mails he had received today.

“Uuuhh… is it…” He looked behind the alchemist and the entire house looked alright from what he could see.

“It’s just for this week. This week’s…” The alchemist paused for a moment before adding, “… No. Next Monday’s quite special, I suppose.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll have this done later this evening. Please come back by then instead.” The alchemist requested and he nodded.

“Alright. I’ll see you later then.”

With that said, the alchemist closed the door, leaving the courier unable to ask…

If they actually did not see his shame or if…

They simply didn’t care?

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 As Dawn Breaks: Chapter Seven

As Dawn Breaks: Mother Night and Father Time, after having sired seven Endless to personify life in the known universe, create Earth and human life begins. One last Endless is created: Dawn, the personification of illumination and hope, the beginning of a new day and a chance for happiness and improvement. A love will span thousands of millennia, breaking with every sunrise and renewing hope come sunset. Yet, even the personification of hope can lose the very notion of her existence from the sting of a broken heart.

Warnings: Reader Speaks in Riddles (Annoying Desire).

To Note: Dream/Morpheus x Endless!FemaleReader(Dawn), This Involves Themes That Are Not For Everyone.

Word Count: ~2.0k

Previous | Masterlist | Next

You were stretched out in a bed of soft leaves, Morpheus next to you cradling your body, as you both stared up at the night sky of your realm. You both had made love repeatedly until Morpheus cut you off in favor of cradling your body. As chivalrous as he was in trying not treat you like a delicate flower that might wilt at the first sign of trouble… he had put an end to your coupling for fear of injuring you. You were stronger than that, vastly stronger actually. Hardly breakable, your power could rival even Morpheus’s. But he insisted and who were you to deny the Endless his wishes to hold your body within his arms?

Besides, it felt quite nice. The stars glimmering overhead this night were bright and iridescent, the crickets sang their summer tune, and the fireflies glowed periodically through the air.

Rotating your head to the left, you looked at Morpheus’s face while your fingers played with the hand gently resting on your stomach. You loved staring at his face. Morpheus had beautiful cheekbones, long eyelashes that framed his gorgeous starlit eyes, and obsidian hair that was the darkest of blacks you had ever seen. Mother Night and Father Time had done an exquisite job molding him from the nebulas of space. Drawing from the brightest novas and the darkest of black holes, Dream of the Endless was the star that guided hopes and illuminated dreams.

“You’re staring,” Morpheus murmured, keeping his eyes closed but shifting the arm that cradled you to his side, that hand teased the skin of your hip, imprinting his touch. You hummed in agreement and traced your fingers across his chest until silver blue eyes opened and met yours.

“Unabashedly, my Dream,” You responded huskily, your vocal cords well used this night. “Or am I not allowed to appreciate my guiding star?” A midnight eyebrow rose in amusement.

“I doubt that you of all beings need a guiding star,” He returned, noticing the way the moonlight illuminated your skin and the starlight made your eyes glow. “If anything, it is hope that guides, not dreams.” You went to counter his words when a few almond blossoms fluttered down onto your bodies. Morpheus pulled one from your hair.

“Ah, apologies,” You whispered, clearing the petals that had fallen onto his chest and hair. “The almond trees are nearing their fruiting cycle.” As you explained that, something hit your forehead. You blinked in surprise and Morpheus frowned slightly. He reached for your hair and pulled a green fruit from your locks. “…like that one… but its a little early I should think.”

“You have many almond trees in this particular garden,” Morpheus noted, twirling the stone fruit between his long fingers. You propped yourself up onto your elbow and and smiled.

“I happen to be partial to them.” You admitted, your mouth watering at the thought of eating the fresh fruit. Morpheus could see how much you adored the stone fruit and your lips looked far too tempting not to feed you one. So tearing a part of the flesh from the center of the fruit, Morpheus lifted it to your lips. Your surprise only lasted for a few seconds before you parted your lips and let him feed you the little piece of fruit. You closed your eyes and softly moaned, relishing the gentle taste of the fresh fruit.

“I think you are more than partial, my Hope,” Morpheus’s commented, his fingertips lingering on your chin. Your eyes flickered back open and you felt your cheeks burn. Morpheus chuckled and gave your chin once last brush with his thumb before feeding you the next piece. You happily accepted.

“You know I can feed myself,” You whispered softly, lavishing in the gentle touches of your lover. Morpheus hummed in return, this time tracing the soft lines of your lips with envy.

“But why should I deprive myself of the honor?” He countered suavely, enjoying every moment he had to lavish you the way he wished he could every moment of his Endless life. He could feel the way heat gathered beneath your skin, feel the way your essence all but purred at the idea of being taken care of by it’s mystical partner. When all that remained was the heart of the fruit, you paused at his offering. Morpheus raised an eyebrow.

“Will you not have a taste, my Dream?” You spoke against the last piece of the fallen fruit. “Surely you do not mean to have me be the greedy one.” Morpheus’s lips twitched.

“I shall have my taste after you’ve finished the fruits of your labor, my love.” Morpheus spoke, his fingertips delicately coaxing your lips open to accept the last bit of the almond fruit. You moaned as you took it, your tongue catching his fingertips. While you consumed the last morsel of the almond trees offering, Morpheus ran his fingertips along the edge of your lips. He was envious of the fruit making such serendipitous noises from you. Upon seeing your eyes looking back into his, Morpheus raised his eyes brow once more and stroked your jaw. “And how was it?”

“Tart,” You breathed out, your eyes staring into Morpheus’s eyes with a rather naughty look. You licked your lower lip. “You really missed out, you know.”

“Have I?” Morpheus countered, his lips twitching into a smirk shortly before he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours. At firsts lips traced the delicate softness of your lower lip, tongue flicking across the sensitive flesh to taste any lingering flavor from the fruit. You shuddered out a small breath and parted your lips for more than just teases. Morpheus gave you what you wanted. He swept into your mouth, kissing you slowly with a coaxing tongue that pulled yours in for a dance. You had been right, the fruit did taste tart, but your natural sweetness tamed the puckering sourness. You were quickly feeling warm all over again, the lips tugging on yours filling you with blissfulness. Morpheus gave your lips one last, lingering kiss before pressing his forehead against yours. “Our time is coming to an end, my Hope.”

You nodded in reluctant agreement, your hand reaching up to brush over his strong jaw. Your night of passion had to come to an end, regardless of how you and Morpheus felt about it. Morpheus nuzzled your face, holding you tight.

“Close your eyes, my love, I shall stay with you until you fall into dreams.” Morpheus promised, his lips fluttering across your cheeks. You had no need to sleep, but had fallen into the habit to feel closer to Morpheus. Walking among the dreamers filled the hole in your being, so as Morpheus stroked your hair and ran his fingers along your back, you drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

Pleased that you were locked in a blissful dream, Morpheus gathered you in his arms and lifted you free from the nest you and he had occupied during your time together. As he carried your sleeping body back you your private chambers, he redressed himself and you, watching as gossamer fabric slid across your marked skin and covered your beautiful body from his eyes. Placing you gently on your bed of feathers and vines, Morpheus watched as the plants in your room conformed around your body, cradling your body as if you were a newborn. He stayed in your room, tenderly observing  you in peaceful sleep for as long as he dared. It wasn’t long enough. It never was. It never would be. Bending over you, he pressed his lips against your forehead and stroked your hair once last time.

“Sweet dreams, my Hope.”

You were helping one of the villages weave reed baskets for the harvest season. The crops had done unusually well this year and with the current stock, it was going to take far too long to harvest all of the rice paddies without extra hands… and with extra hands meant a need for extra baskets. Your fingers worked quickly as you hummed along with the dryads. As you tied off the end of the strands you had just finished, you felt a ripple of energy as someone entered your realm.

“Apologies, ladies,” You spoke out, drawing back from the basket in front of you. “I have a guest I must attend to.” The dryads dipped their heads to you while you rose to your feet and concentrated on traveling to the guest gardens. Appearing in a swirl of petals and stardust, you padded forward to see Desire brushing their fingers through one of your nepeta cataria plants. They were all but nuzzling the little leaves and blooms. Lips twitching into a smile, you stepped forwards. “Welcome, Desire.”

Golden eyes opened and shifted to yours, and their lips stretched into a wide side. You received a flash of white teeth.

“Hello dearest sister-mine,” They purred, golden eyes glittering mischievously. Your arched your eyebrow and inclined your head.

“To what do I owe this visit, dear Desire?” You softly questions, knowing that they of all the Endless certainly acted on whims, but they didn’t do something such as visiting another Endless’s realm on such as whimsical decision. They were always scheming something to occupy their time, to entertain their devious creation.

“What? Am I not allowed to visit my beloved baby sister?” Desire cooed, faking a look of hurt. Your eyebrow rose higher.

“I am not your sister. I am a counterpart in the entity of personas designed to represent the most powerful natural forces. Now tell me, are you here for a social call, or to stoke the burning star?” You queried, lips twitching and eyes wiser than your age.

“Oh you always take the fun away, Dawn.” They sighed dramatically, placing their perfectly manicured fingers on their expanse of bare chest.

“My sincerest apologies,” You replied, not the least apologetic for your words. You gestured to a nearby cobbled walkway. “Shall we walk?” Desire’s eyebrows cocked momentarily and they happily joined your side in walking down the path. Your feet took you on an automatic path, one that you knew Desire would appreciate given their likes. “Speak what you design, Desire.”

“A little bird told me that our beloved Dream has been spending more time here in your gardens.” Desire answered, unapologetically going right in for the kill. You expected nothing less from them.

“Hopes and dreams intertwine on a cosmic scale,” You explained, running your fingers along a wall of towering silver vine. The little white blooms stroked your palm and fingers, eager for attention. “We are nothing without each other and through separation there is emptiness. Surely by now you understand that in the vastness of space we are carried by each other through the star and moon dust of our creators.”

“An entirely serious and cerebral answer from you, naturally,” Desire sighed out. “But surely even you feel your own wants, your own desires. Not even you are above such tempt of dreams.” You eyed Desire who was clearly fishing out a confirmation of your intimacies with Morpheus. “Or are you going to let the darkness swallow you up all for the sake of duty?” You let out a small chuckle.

“I will always love the light for it showers me in its divine creation and coaxes life from soil.” You answered, thinking about your words carefully. “But not all beauty blossoms from the glare of a sun, some prefer the gentle caress of darkness.” Desire chuckled and rolled their eyes at you.

“You speak in riddles, sister mine… I think Dream has rubbed off on you,” Their eyes sparkled more and eyed your appearance. “Or rubbed on you in other places…” You didn’t take their bait, knowing exactly what they were insinuating. Desire was mischievous and devious, but entirely predictable.

“The moon only glows when kissed by the sun.” At your simple reply, Desire rolled their eyes and slipped their arm through yours.

“Well then, if you wish to continue to speak in bore, you might as well show me something of yours that will keep my attention while you prattle.” Your lips twitched in triumph as you began to lead the older Endless to the garden of catnip. Surely then, they would be much to distracted to think of questioning you on your relations with Morpheus.

Date Published: 2/6/23

Last Edit: 2/6/23

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[thetalentedmrwulf]

Alright, Pathfinder 2e build time again. This time - Gambit.

Gambit as a design is tricky for most systems built for heroic fantasy RPGs, even ones embracing a kitchen sink setting. It's probably easiest to just reskin regular old spellcasting as throwing cards, but this is an attempt at making it work within mechanics.

So we're going to follow Pathfinder ABCs

Ancestry - Human - Versatile Heritage (Human doesn't do much special, but the Versatile Heritage gives us a free Level 1 feat that we'll take for Fleet for an extra 5 ft. of movement per action because moving farther is always good and appropriate for Gambit)

Background - Criminal (Obviously, it's Gambit, but this also gives him proficiency in Stealth, Criminal Underworld Lore, and a feat that makes him a better smuggler)

Class - Magus (Magus is a class that fights with weapons, can cast limited spells, and more importantly can channel spells into their attacks.)

Hybrid Study - Starlit Span (This is our Magus subclass - this one makes our coolest Magus abilities centered around ranged attacks. Early on, these will be Throwing Knives and occasionally channeled into our staff, but later on, we'll switch over to mostly our cards.)

Ancestry Feat - General Training - Pickpocket (This is an ancestry feat that gives us an extra general feat. We'll take Pickpocket to continue leaning into our Thieves' Guild Gambit)

Ancestry Paragon Feat - Natural Ambition - Magus' Analysis (This is an ancestry feat that gives us an extra Level 1 Class feat. This one gives us bonuses to Recall Knowledge (i.e. figure out info) about a target we've already hit and if we succeed, we get another use out of our Spellstrike. Handy.)

With our Attribute Boosts we end up with Str +0, Con +1, Wis +0, Dex +4, Int +1, Cha +3. This isn't an amazing spread, but we throw and attack with Finesse weapons very well, and are quite charming. We'll want to keep raising our Int, to improve spell damage, but we should be attacking or Spellstriking way more often than casting spells.

Take Skill Training in Diplomacy, Thievery, and Acrobatics, because of course, it's Gambit.

Level 2 we take Expansive Spellstrike as our Class Feat. This expands what kind of spells we can use in our Spellstrike to include spells with areas of effect.

Take the Skill Feat Bon Mot so you can fling Marvel one-liners at enemies during combat to mess with their Will Saves and Perception.

Pick Rogue as our Free Archetype. This gives us a new Skill Feat. We take Subtle Theft to keep getting better at Pickpocketing.

For our two Skill Trainings we take Deception and Occultism. Someone that knows about the X-Ternal probably knows Occultism too right?

For Level 3, we can go ahead and boost Thievery to Expert because, why not. It fits.

For our Ancestry Paragon feat, take Courteous Comeback. It lets you reroll failed Diplomacy checks pretty infrequently, but it fits flavor with backhanded Cajun compliments.

Then take Arcane Sense for the general feat because why wouldn't you want an innate Detect Magic?

Finally, at Level 4, being Gambit finishes coming online. We take Force Fang as our Class Feat, which gives us a new focus spell that lets our ranged attack basically be a 1 action magic missile.

Our Free Archetype is the important one. We take Fouberie which lets us two hand a deck of cards and enter a card throwing stance, state whether they are being used as daggers or darts, and now we're wielding 52 throwing weapons. (To note, I see no issue stating these are throwing knives, but that's GM choice)

And for Skill Feat, take Concealing Legerdemain so we're even better as a smuggler, concealing items hidden on our person via sleight of hand.

And that's really the bulk of it. Our card stance keeps us from entering Arcane Cascade, which would let us color our normal strikes with the previous spell's damage, but we're more focused on chucking cards, dancing around, and spell striking with our cards whenever we can.

Later levels let us take other Rogue feats like Strong Arm to increase card throw distance and Quick Draw if we need to break out our cards or melee weapon in a pinch. (I recommend taking a Whipstaff. It's an uncommon Level 0 weapon, so generally viable for starting character with GM permission. Once you show them what you're doing, they really shouldn't raise a fuss unless they're boring.)

Other than that, I mean, the rest is up to you. You've already got a passable heroic fantasy Gambit. Now it's just your choice on how to be even better.

[saturnine-saturneight]

Sliiiide.

🏁-Looking back at the first thing you've written/posted, how have you improved since then?

🌓- Show us a snippet of a before and an after between drafts! What did you change and why?

Haha hellooo, thank you for the ask!!!

🏁-Looking back at the first thing you've written/posted, how have you improved since then?

I think the best point of reference for this is when I started posting prose on the internet. I was part of a roleplaying community here on Tumblr, and had arcs going on for my OCs that influenced and were driven forward by roleplays with my friends.

To develop my characters beyond this, I would write the sort of... Connecting tissue, big events that were happening in the background and could drive my and other people's plots forward.

These were drabbles in the loose sense of that word, and the defining feature was that they were short! Easier to write, easier to consume, packing a lot into usually something around 500 words. Because I honestly, honestly had no idea how to write something longer than this. I would try and fail to connect one scene to the next and just do vignettes, I would lose confidence that anyone wanted to read on if I made them longer, and I especially had no idea how to continue after a dramatic moment or a cliff hanger and just post instead.

(This was partially a mental state thing - my life was pretty chaotic, and my thoughts matched that.)

The main thing I've learned since then is how to plot out something long that coheres and then actually write it, lmfao. I can do long term planning in my writing now and then get from A to B in a way that isn't filler and is (I think/hope) fun to read.

🌓- Show us a snippet of a before and an after between drafts! What did you change and why?

Gonna do the intro paragraph for this. First version:

The wind rushes past their ears as Natalie floors it through the forest. Ron whoops with joy every time the all terrain vehicle hits a bump. It's a clear, starlit night, and there's no one around but them.

This was a version where the characters needed no introduction because everyone in my audience (friends) was already familiar with them, and I just jumped straight into the action. This opening bit leads right into the deciding action of the first chapter in the span of a page or two, and then the whole thing devolves into The Horror.

Second version:

The smell of ozone builds slowly in the cold night air. It's still hard to notice over the metallic stench of their crowded ATV, until it suddenly isn't anymore and it hits Rain straight in the face.

I changed the setting from forest to desert, and put in a few chapters to introduce these characters, explain the stakes, and give The Horror some buildup. This was after a good bit of feedback! I showed the story to people outside of my friend group and they had no idea what was going on or why they should care. Also note Ron's name here - i was playing with worldbuilding, and he was from a coastal town where the majority of kids were named after something water, seafaring, or star related.

Current:

It's subtle at first, hard to notice, when the air thickens, and the clear blue sky slowly, slowly turns a sickly green. Like sticky dust, the sweet stench of flowers begins to cover every surface, every rock and every grain of sand. Only as it starts to seep through the AC does Ron startle awake, head jerking up from where it had fallen back against the headrest of his car seat.

I changed the genre from second world sci-fantasy to eco horror set in the future of this Earth, which is the rewrite I'm still currently on. The storm is not a green acid storm anymore, but a pollen storm instead, so I can link back to the central conceit of plant zombies. I was also able to make this a lot more descriptive, because even though I'm changing the paint on this story and cleaning up the worldbuilding, the bones are, for a large part, already there.

I've honestly fucked with this story so drastically that I don't even consider line edits actual edits right now, haha. Something is a new version when I've rewritten about 2/3rds of it by volume. What stays is the mood and the intention of the scene, but everything else is fair game for repurposing, scrapping, full rewriting etc.