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echo-of-damnation · 15 days ago

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Love Me Loving You

Tags: Konrad CurzexFem!Reader, body worship, vaginal sex, fluff and smut, slow start, slight power play, possessive reader, biting, love marks, slightly subby Konrad, mention of impregnation

Summary: It was the first time in weeks you got Konrad to actually let his guard down and rest. Admittedly it was like trying to wrangle irritable raptors on their best days, but some how you managed. He demanded you keep awake while he slept “in case of an emergency,” but you both know nothing would be happening, the ship had been sailing through space for the last month and wouldn’t be contacting anything or anyone for another four.

Ooooooooooor Reader finally convinces Konrad to take a little time to relax and "relax" they do.

Echo's echo: This has partly inspired by a thing in saw here about Konrad needing someone to give him a little tender loving care and partly because I felt bad about what I did to him in my other fic. Bat Dad deserves some lovin' and I am here to provide it

Word Count: 4,436

It was the first time in weeks you got Konrad to actually let his guard down and rest. Admittedly it was like trying to wrangle irritable raptors on their best days, but some how you managed. He demanded you keep awake while he slept “in case of an emergency,” but you both know nothing would be happening, the ship had been sailing through space for the last month and wouldn’t be contacting anything or anyone for another four.

He had picked you up like you were a fussy child and sat you down against the headboard of his much too large bed. For someone known for his violent brutality, Konrad enjoyed the softest silk sheets and dozens of the fluffiest pillows the galaxy had. You knew the whole routine by now, it was rare, but you enjoyed these little moments of tenderness you could share with your beloved.

While you moved one of the many pillows behind you to support your back, you watched as Konrad stripped from his armor. If it were any other baseline watching, they would only see the fearsome concentration that seemed to be permanently etched into his features, but you could see the sluggishness in his movements. The way he put the pieces on the table like they were aa touch too heavy for him, how he took a fraction of a second longer to unbuckle the straps around his waist, his eyelids seeming to threaten to close on him the longer he stood. Once he was out of it, he worked on putting on the loose tunic and pants you had sown for him from the softest linen one of the imperial planets had had.

Taking your eyes away to finish getting ready yourself, you leaned over to the small table you had him put in by the bed and pulled out the small bag of selfcare products you had brought for this journey. Opening it you pulled out a bottle of oil you had the apothecaries make to soothe his aching muscles and a different bottle of oil and a wooden wide toothed comb for his hair and scalp. Konrad rarely took proper care of himself, often going to bed in the same bloody underclothes for weeks on end, letting his long hair turn into the equivalent of a rats nest. The first few times after he picked you up from your home planet and allowed you to sleep in his bed with him, you thought you would die from the smell and the sickly sticky feeling his sheets left you in. No one ever fought the Night Haunter for fear of being killed, but you fought him on this. It was like pulling teeth until one day you told him you would not touch him until he did something about it all. To the surprise to everyone but you, Konrad conceded and began to at least shower and use clean clothes and sheets when you were here (which was starting to be more often).

With a loud huff, Konrad all but fell into the cloud soft bed, scooting himself until his head rested comfortably in your lap looking up at you. You had noticed he loved the plushness of your thighs, so you used them to your advantage in moments like this. Once he was settled, you could feel him sink into you as he closed his eyes and let out a content sigh. Looking down at him like this reminded you of how beautiful he was. Many people would and have called you crazy for agreeing to be his bride, but you knew Konrad better than anyone. Watching the tension melt away before your eyes as he finally let himself relax was almost heretical. Relaxed like this, he looked like a different man. Someone who never had to fight for his next meal as a child, who knew a warm bed and a homemade meal. The frown that seemed almost permanent fading away to plush lips, his tight cheeks loosening so that the small bit of fat he had there filled and rounded them.

Not being able to help yourself, you brought one of your hands to caress his cheek, feeling the warmth he radiated just under his skin. Konrad hummed low in his chest, leaning into your touch. You knew how much physical touch soothed him and you were more than willing to give him what he wanted, it was almost impossible for you to keep your hands off of him. “You are staring again, my love,” Konrad murmured as he took hold of the hand on his face, pulling you wrist to his lips to kiss you softly.

“Mm I guess I am. Can I be blamed when the most beautiful creature sits prettily in my lap?” you loved to tease him.

Huffing, Konrad nipped playfully at the pulse point on your wrist, “I know of no such beast.”

The two of you shared a moment, soft smiles sitting on your faces as you took your hand from his. Reaching over to the table you grabbed the oil for his muscles, pouring a generous amount in your hand. As you rubbed your hands together to warm the oil, Konrad readjusted himself to ensure you had full access of his upper body.

The smell of deep lavender filled the small space, easing the tension of both of your bodies just from the smell. Slowly you bring your hands to either side of his neck and begin to work the tight muscles. A low moan escaped his lips as you worked out the knots, pushing firmly with your thumbs down the length of his neck to where his shoulders met. His mouth falling open slightly as you continued to work in that junction where all of the stresses of his life seemed to make their home.

Content with your work once you feel the knots melt away, you begin working on his arms one at a time. Moving his right arm so you have better access, you start working at his shoulder, working the deltoid. You marveled at the strength that hid just under the skin, you could feel it as you massaged and caressed him. Even the scars that littered his body was magnificent, the visual memories of battles fought and won. They had an almost silvery sheen to them against his grey skin as if they were tattoos of the finest ink. Working your way down his arm and down his forearm, you picked up his hand to massage the small muscles there.

He always held things too tightly, either from frustration of the task or from the fear of failing, and it never failed to fatigue his hands. They were large and lean like the rest of him. You took care around the newest splits in his skin around his knuckles trying to keep the oil from them, but it was a fruitless attempt. A hiss made its way out of him as a small drop found its way in, sending a slight burn down his arm. You brought his hand to your mouth and gently licked at the burning knuckle, trying to soothe the pain. It wasn’t a conscious thought; your hands were both coated, and you needed to deal with the issue. A deep and low groan rumbled from his chest as you lapped at his knuckle. Peaking down at him, the pure unbridled want in his eyes sent a shock straight down to your groin. His black eyes watching every movement of your tongue.

Throne he is beautiful, you thought. Letting your body act on its own, you began to run your tongue up his thick finger savoring the flavor that was uniquely Konrad. His mouth fell open a little wider as you took his fingers in your mouth, a moan vibrating in your throat at the warmth and weight of them in your tongue. Looking back down you could see him struggle to keep his eyes from rolling to the back of his head. The thought of this monster from the nightmares of millions across the stars laying in your lap as you sucked off his finger made you giggle. Removing his hand from your mouth you playfully bit at the fat just under his thumb, earning you a hiss and a light thwack on your forehead.

“I was rather enjoying that before you rudely mauled me,” he grumbled, closing his eyes once more as you moved on to his other arm. “Oh, I can see just how much you enjoyed it, my love,” a blush coloring his pale cheeks at your teasing. You took more professional care on his other arm, making sure to work out the knots. Adjusting the pressure or location at the request of the man beneath you.

Placing his other arm down you reapplied more oil in your hands and started to work on his chest. Tucking your arms under the wide neck of the tunic he wore, you started with slow circles around his pecs paying close attention to the outer side of them. Because of the size of your ungrateful client, you had to bend over his face a bit. You didn’t think it was a problem until deep in concentration you felt teeth lightly graze the skin of your breast. Quickly leaning back up, you hadn’t realized that Konrad had been gently pulling and tearing at the neck of your shirt to free your breast.

With a slap to the face a tad harder than you anticipated, the hunger in Konrads eyes returned. “Now sweet thing, you know you can not tempt a blood hungry beast with a supple piece of meat,” a shit eating grin spreading across his face, “I was simply acting on…instinct.”

“Well, if this beast can not behave, then they can groom themselves,” you huffed as you crossed your arms against your chest to pout.

A low rumbling chuckled filled the room and unfortunately sending vibrations against your lower region. You tried to ignore it as you continued to pout as Konrad easily moved your arms away, bringing your wrists to his mouth and tenderly kissing each one. “I jest my love. Please continue, it feels so nice,” if you didn’t know better you could have almost said he was giving you puppy dog eyes to bolster his honeyed words.

“Fine but act out again and you can have Jago do the rest!” you said as you tried to hid a smile. You went to place your hands back under his shirt before he grabbed both of your wrists, “Perhaps you could do this from the other direction to…get a better angle.” You knew what the man under you was alluding to. You saw the way his nostrils had flared when his laugh hit your core and if you were going to be honest, it had been a while since you enjoyed something solid between your thighs.

“I’m only doing this to do a better job. No funny business, okay Mister,” you knew it was an empty threat, but you couldn’t let Konrad think he won this easily. “My honor as a Primarch in my Father’s Imperium permits me from any ‘funny business’,” you made to slap him again, but Konrad easily caught your wrist, running his tongue along the veins before placing a soft kiss on them. A shiver going straight down your spine with it all.

Konrad lifted himself from your thighs and in a practiced motion, picked you up and placed you on his stomach seeming to make good on his “no funny business” promise. He pulled off the tunic and moved the pillow you had been leaning against under his head. As you got comfortable straddling him, you knew he would be able to feel the warmth that radiated from your cunt.

After both of you were settled, you returned to your work massages his chest. Konrad let a sigh from his nose as he relaxed into the pillow and closed his eyes, placing his hands on each of your thighs. A slow pattern emerged as you work the muscles in his chest and on his sides, the warm oil allowing your hands to glide effortlessly across his skin. At this angle you were able to drink more of him in. More evidence of past wars sprinkled across his skin, some larger and darker from times that would have surely killed him if he were a mortal man. But he was not a mortal man, he was Konrad Curze the Primarch of the VIIIth legion. He was the Night Haunter from Nostramo. He was a weapon against the xenos and the heretics that threatened the Imperium of Man. He was yours.

Lost in your adoration for this man beneath you, the feeling of Konrad gently squeezing your thighs brought your mind back to the present. His eyes were still closed as you tended to him, if you didn’t know better you would have assumed he was asleep if not for the steady rising of his hands up your thighs. Deciding to play this game he was starting; you slowly brought your hands back to his pecs and flicked your thumbs across both of his nipples. He inhaled sharply through his nose but kept his eyes closed, his grip on your thighs tightening. Repeating the motion one more time, you felt his thumbs make their way to your crotch, applying gentle pressure at the fat just under the clothes you wore. You began to play with his nipples, rolling them between your thumb and forefinger, watching his face for any change. His jaw clenched as his breathing deepened, still keeping his eyes closed as if to focus on your hands.

Leaning forward you take one of his nipples in your mouth, lovingly taking it between your teeth to suckle at it as you pulled on the other with your hand. A groan vibrating through his body hitting you right in your aching cunt again causing you to involuntarily grind against his stomach. Catching this moment, Konrad moved his hands to the top of your thighs forcing your body to grind against him. The friction and pressure was delicious against you, a moan pouring from your mouth and against his chest.

In one quick motion, Konrad grabbed your chin and brought your mouth up to his, desperate to taste you. You grant him entry into your mouth, feeling his tongue fight for space against yours, licking every inch of your warm mouth. Putting his hand back on your thigh, he started to grope your ass as he continued to grind you against him. You brought your hands up to the base of his neck, it was much too large for you to do any damage but you both loved the attempt of taking power from him. You tightened your hands around his neck, earning a growl into your mouth as you did so. You could feel his core tighten up with his desperate thrusts up with his hips.

A sudden slap on your ass ripped a yelp from your throat that turned into a needy moan as the sudden pain melted into a pleasurable ache. Running your hands up his neck and into his hair, you pull his head up and to the side giving you full access to his pretty throat. Pulling away from the kiss you lick and nip your way down, savoring the flavor of his sweat mixing with the oil you had massaged into the skin. The pulse from his twin hearts slamming through his veins as you followed them with your tender kisses. Konrad shamelessly let out a moan at your loving attention as you left sweet love marks of bruises mixed with your teeth on his skin.

It was a decadent treat when you were allowed to take control and worship his body. Leaving reminders of your love and devotion across his skin for all to see. He was yours and you were his and while all knew not to touch you just by the mere knowledge that you were Konrad’s, you always felt the need to stake your claim on him. To show to the universe that you and you alone were granted access to him in his most vulnerable and animalistic state.

The sound of ripping fabric and cool air kissing your ass brought you back from your thoughts of needing to mark the ethereal creature between your legs. You could feel the spot of wetness you had made against him and now with the loss of any barrier you could relish in the feeling of your cunt slide against him. Konrad gently pushed you away from his neck. You were blessed with the sight of his abused lips and neck, tightening the hot coil in your core. You could never get tired of this sight of his swollen lips and bruised neck. Konrad looked up at you, want clear in his eyes, as he brought his hand up to your shirt.

You leaned back with your hands bracing behind you, as you both maintained eye contact as he slowly ripped your shirt the rest of the way open. Throwing the shredded scraps away to join wherever he threw the pieces of your pants. Like a man worshiping, he ran his large rough hands up and down your sides, needing to feel every inch of you. Bringing his hands to squeeze as the soft fat of your waist and belly, you knew he was imagining you full and pregnant with his sons. You knew because it was the same thing you always thought of when he played with your belly.

Running his hands back up your body, he cupped your breasts in his hands and groped them roughly. You pushed your chest into his hands, letting your head fall back as you melted into his touch. His rough palms scratching deliciously against your hard nipples adding to the wonderful sensations. Konrad sat up then, paying back the attention you gave to him and took your nipple into his mouth. Sucking, biting, and pulling it as if he were a suckling babe trying to draw milk from you, you brought your hands up to hold his head against your breast. Forcing him to stay there as you went back to humping against him, covering him in your arousal.

You knew you were being loud; the walls may be made of metal, but they could have been made of paper with how they allowed your moans echo through the halls of the ship. In a frustrated moment, Konrad ripped his own pants off, freeing his hard and leaking cock. You could feel it bump against your ass as he tried but failed to keep from humping the air. Shoving your hands back into his hair, you took fistfuls in each hand and pulled him away from your nipple, a salacious pop echoing around the room.

You kissed him lovingly this time, melting against his as your arms wrapped around his neck as Konrad wrapped his around your middle. You both stayed like that for some time, tasting each other, feeling your bodies molding against each other. You were in love, and you made sure that with every swipe of your tongue, every kiss, every breathy moan, you showed him. Slowly, Konrad leaned back into the bed, never breaking your kiss.

After a few more loving kisses, you pulled yourself away, a needy whine from Konrad chasing you. “My love. My moon and my stars. No other in the galaxy could ever match the fire in my heart that burns for you,” a blush spreading from his cheeks down to his chest. You moved yourself down his body, lifting yourself over his aching heat. “I had dreamt of the day that I would hold a man like you in my arms,” you positioned his length against your equally aching hole, “and now, I have you.” Konrad threw one of his arms over his eyes, he was never good at taking your compliments and adoration. “My love, please, I want to see you,” you slowly rubbed his tip against your opening, not wanting to take him just yet.

After what felt like eons, Konrad removed his arm and looked at you through eyelashes. The blush tickling his ears, giving him a youthful glow. Once you knew you had his whole attention you began to sink down his length. “I love you,” you breathed out as you felt yourself stretch around him, fighting to keep your eyes from closing as you did. Konrad’s jaw fell open as he moaned, watching you slowly take him in inch by inch. You could feel his heat inside of you and you chased that feeling. You filled yourself full of him, needing him deep within you. Just as it seemed that you could take no more, your body kissed his. The feeling of being this stretched and this full shook you to your core.

Konrad, finally able to move again, brought his hands made to your hips. Lovingly rubbing little circles against your skin with his thumbs. A softness crossed his face and filled his dark eyes, “I love you more.” A needy whine ripped from your throat as you let his words sink into you, filling you up in a way that carnal pleasures never could. Slowly, painfully slowly, you raised yourself up, feeling each bump and vein. You pulled yourself up just enough to feel the ridge of his cock head reach the opening of your dripping cunt and stayed there a moment too long for Konrad’s apparent liking.

Tightening his grips around your hips, enough so that you knew you would have beautiful bruises in the shape of his hands, he forced you back down on him, snapping his hips up to meet your halfway. The sudden fullness had you seeing stars. You relinquished your play on power and let Konrad take back control. He roughly began to fuck into you, desperate to feel more of your wet heat wrap around him. Each forceful push of his hips knocked the breath out of you, causing your moans to have obvious little breaks in time with his thrusts.

Your first orgasm blew through you, Konrad’s rough pace sending you well over the edge. You could feel yourself tighten around him, trying to pull him in and keep him there inside of you forever. You knew he could feel it too from the way he pulled you back down and held you there with a hiss, trying to keep you from moving too much on him to keep himself from cumming too soon.

He let you come down from your high, rubbing your thighs and your hips and belly. Once you caught your breath, you leaned back bracing your hands on his strong legs. You started to fuck yourself on his cock again, wanting to chase your orgasm with another one. Like this you, Konrad hit just you in the right place deep inside of you. Looking at Konrad, you noticed that all he was focused on was watching your wet cunt swallow his cock whole. The realization of him watching you so shamelessly fucking yourself on him scrambled your brain once again, throwing your head back with a load moan. You could feel Konrad’s legs tense under your hands and his cock feeling like it was getting ever so slightly harder. He was close and you were right there with him.

“Konrad! AH- please! So close!” was all you could get out, but your love understood you without question. Resting one large hand on your lower belly, he started to rub tight and fast circles on your clit with his thumb. Your moans bordering on screams with the added stimulation. Konrad’s desperate grunts filling your ears, “I love you. FUCK I love you so much. SO good. Mine. All mine.” You came a second time, harder with his confession of love for you. Slamming your hips down on him one more time to grind against him to bring him over the edge with you, Konrad roared as he filled you with his seed. The warmth of it sending you straight into another orgasm. You could feel yourself bulge a little from the sheer amount of cum filling inside you.

Konrad kept his hand on your lower belly feeling it slightly swell and you brought your hand to rest it on top of his. The sight of you holding his hand against you as if you were heavy with his child, milked him of the last drop of cum in his body and his he was trying to make this vision a reality.

You two stayed like that for a moment, looking lovingly into each other’s eyes in your shared post orgasmic bliss. Feeling the exhaustion finally hit your bones, you fell forward into Konrad’s chest. Listening to his twin hearts just underneath try to settle. “My love, the sun in my sky,” Konrad murmured into the top of your head as he ran a hand up and down your back. You hummed back, too tired to even speak. You felt Konrad gently pulling himself out of you, the emptiness causing you to whine. “Shh my sweet. I must clean our mess,” was all you heard before you felt him pick you up and carry you to the adjoining bath.

Konrad quickly washed you both off, being careful around your abused hole to try not to overstimulate you. Once done he wrapped you in one of his plush towels. It was so big it almost swallowed you whole. Picking you back up he brought you back to your shared bed, now with clean sheets. A serf must have been waiting for the end to change them, that thought sent a blush from ear to ear. Thankful for the towel engulfing you because you knew you wouldn’t hear the end of it from Konrad teasing you.

Once in bed, Konrad arranged you both so that he curled around you, his head resting on your chest, sighing as he listened to your heartrate slowly readying for sleep. Humming, you brought your arms around him to hold his head closer. The only sound in the room was your breathing. Floating into sleep, warmed by his body around yours, the last thing you heard before falling completely was something so soft you couldn’t tell if it was for you or just the start of a dream, “My greatest treasure, my happiest moment. I love you forever and always.”

#one for the bookshelf #warhammer fanfic #wh40k fic #night lords #konrad curze #konrad curze x reader #konrad/reader #my work #wh40k smut #Wh40k fluff #night haunter #this man deserves to have his body worshipped #and i will be his most devout follower #ao3 fanfic

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she-posts-nerdy-stuff · 2 years ago

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Kaz and Wylan’s potential to become each other

Wow, you guys were a lot more excited about this than I was expecting! I made a post briefly mentioning this idea and it got way more attention that I was expecting, so as promised here is my explanation and I’ve tagged people who asked for it at the end :)

*WARNING: CONSTANT SPOILERS AHEAD*

Ok so the driving forcing of this comparison is rooted in the similarities of their characters and their backstories. Both of them lost a close family member, were abused by men with power over them, and experienced a form of ‘rebirth’ by nearly drowning in the Ketterdam canals. They also both experience disability; Kaz using a cane for a broken leg that didn’t heal correctly, and Wylan having severe dyslexia that prevented him from learning to read. A key difference that separates them, and arguably is a representation of the difference in the way their experiences have shaped their personalities as well, is that Kaz’s disability is a direct result of his chasing after vengeance, whereas Wylan’s disability was used as an excuse for his father to abuse him for what we as the reader see to be a minimum of eight years. (I’m assuming this because he is 16 in the book and was 8 when his mother ‘died’, which is the point that he describes he father to have “given up on him”)

I’m gonna quickly hop to parallels between Kaz and Pekka Rollins, bare with me I promise it’s relevant, which are quickly established as a key part of the novels. When Inej compares them, Kaz’s reply is “I don’t sell girls, I don’t con helpless kids out of their money” to which she gently responds “look at the floor of the Crow Club, Kaz”. Aside from this being the heartbreaking line that it is, it also does a very good job of highlighting their similarities and a similarity that they share with Jan Van Eck. When they meet the merch at the end of the first book they meet on an island called Vellgeluk, which is described as being popular with smugglers and slavers like those who kidnapped Inej. The other Crows are surprised Van Eck knows about Vellgeluk, but Kaz simply says “maybe he isn’t the upstanding merch he appears to be”. Great subtle foreshadowing for his double cross, and great establishment of the link between these three characters. In fact, Van Eck and Kaz echo each other more than you might think. Just as Kaz states “Greed bows to me, it is my servant and my lever”, Van Eck says “Yes, Chaos will come. And I will be it’s master”. In their first meeting, Van Eck accuses Kaz of murder and gambling with people’s lives, and in return Kaz points out that 1 in 5 of Van Eck’s ships will never return because they will sink or “fall prey to pirates”, so they are both doing the same thing, and that they both have the same motivations for this bloodshed: “profit”.

Now consider how often Wylan echoes Kaz, and therefore whether he echoes his father as well. They both have exceptional memories, Kaz’s being photographic/eidetic and Wylan being able to put words to music in his head to remember pages worth of infomation - this is even emphasised by Kaz being able to count cards when he gambles, saying “he could keep track of the game for up to three decks” and Jesper asking Wylan if he’d be able to apply “that trick to counting cards” to which he replies “probably. But I won’t”. They also both have impressive intellects, which could have placed them far higher up in the world than they’ve found themselves if it weren’t for cruel circumstances - Van Eck even comments on this, saying it angers him that Kaz has so much potential but does nothing with it. Then there’s their tendency to avoid being vulnerable. I think we too often overlook the fact that no-one knows Jan Van Eck hired two men to kill his son, not even Jesper, and that not even Inej knows what happened to Kaz on the Reaper’s Barge. Jesper believes that Wylan left his house as a result of his father’s abuse but that it was still his choice, and Inej has no information beyond “Pekka Rollins killed my brother” and the explanation of the con when Kaz faces off with Rollins in Crooked Kingdom. I genuinely believe that the biggest thing separating them is where they place blame for their situations. Kaz blames Pekka Rollins. Wylan actually blames himself.

Arguably, although he catalysed the events, if Rollins hadn’t conned Kaz and Jordie they still would have suffered in an almost identical way: they would both contract the Queen’s Lady Plague, they wouldn’t have enough money for both medicine and boarding, and Jordie would die. In that scenario Kaz would have still been left penniless and alone with nowhere to go, but he wouldn’t have had anyone to blame. In fact, he may have died as well because it’s really his drive for vengeance that makes him strive for survival. When he’s on the Reaper’s Barge he wonders if it’s worth trying to survive because there’s nothing waiting for him in the city, but then he realises that the chance of revenge is waiting for him, and that thought drives him to stay alive every day that follows. Without Rollins, Kaz probably would have blamed himself for Jordie’s death, and I’m backing that up with the singular moment when he’s first attacked by parem-high tide makers and has a brief “boy’s fear” that they are ghosts. He thinks, for a split second, that a ghost has come to kill him and what does he say? He says “Jordie had come for vengeance at last”. This is chapter three. We have no idea who Jordie is. With the limited information we had at the time and what we’d just seen happen to Big Bolliger, I assumed it was someone in Kaz’s gang that he had backstabbed and who has died because of what he did. But no. This single line leads me to wholeheartedly believe that Kaz blames Rollins, who realistically was only a small part of his suffering, quite so vividly to emotionally avoid blaming himself.

Wylan blames himself until around chapters 14 to 16 of Crooked Kingdom. His experiences with mental, emotional, and physical abuse have actively convinced him that his so-called ‘inadequacies’ caused a change in his father’s behaviour. But Wylan not being able to read didn’t magically turn Van Eck from a lucky family man into someone willing to try “specialists, tonics, beatings, [and] hypnotism” against his child. The fact is that Van Eck, like many abusers, is masterfully manipulative in everything he does. Wylan describes seeing his parents’ marriage as a happy one, but he also says “the argued all the time, sometimes about me. But I remember them laughing a lot too”. He’s quick to defend their relationship as if it isn’t supposed to be marred by argument and he lays blame on himself by suggesting that he was the root of their unhappiness. He also says that around Alys, Jan Van Eck becomes who he once was around Marya; a kinder, gentler man. I don’t think we’re meant to assume that he’s acting any differently with Alys in private right now, but I do think we’re meant to assume that he would have done down the line if he hadn’t been arrested (and presumably she filed for divorce). In chapter 14 of Crooked Kingdom, Wylan learns that his mother is still alive but that his father had her committed and declared insane so he could use it as grounds for divorce and marry Alys instead. And you know what happens? Wylan blames himself. He says, verbatim, to Jesper: “You don’t understand. It’s my fault”. He explains that Van Eck did this so he could have a “real heir”; because Marya produced a “faulty” child he needed a new woman to give him the child he wanted. That’s a messed up thing to think on so many levels, but Wylan doesn’t blame Van Eck because he is still being conditioned by his abuse. He and Kaz experienced different kinds of abuse, and Kaz wasn’t conditioned to blame anyone but his abuser, so that’s what he does. When Wylan does begin to blame Van Eck, he is immediately taken in by this same idea of revenge. Kaz says “you were angry. I needed you righteous” when explaining why he sent Wylan to St Hilde blind in chapter 16. Wylan was angry with his father before, but he wasn’t actively seeking vengeance. Now that he has a cause, someone other than himself to fight for? He tells Kaz “well, now you have me”.

Both of them have this potential to be fuelled by revenge or self-hatred, and although they go about it in different ways and lean towards different sides of the scale they are both balancing between those two extremes for the entire duology. Their past experiences have, and their future experiences could, tip them further either way but right now they are almost playing with the line.

Thank you so much if you’ve bothered to read this far, sorry for the long post but you did ask for an essay, so there you go. Tagging the people who asked - @kazooyay @mikasimaginairyworld @sunseeking-cyptid @moonlit-aura @alexplutoplanet @gandalfsmallnaturals @livsarthaven @goodomenstrack23 @origami-butterfly @flower-biatch @bookworm010307 @thesunniest @wherela @space-ace-thoughts @sixofbabycrows @antisocial-burrito

Sorry if I missed anyone!!!

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atopvisenyashill · 2 months ago

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I don't ship jonsa, but i also think that Arya will be the one to kill Dany. Think about it. Arya is Lyanna reborn, we are told again and again in the books and Daenerys is the male version of Rhaegar. (Not my words. Daenerys' own supporters and her own fans keep harping on about this.)

What better thematic way to show Lyanna finally defeating the man who basically murdered her by forcing his child on her at such a young age while he held her captive, then by having a willful Stark girl, who is her niece, who looks exactly like her, end the last tyrant to wear the name Targaryen?

This is why I truly believe Arya Stark will be the end of Daenerys Targaryen. Not Jon Snow.

Yes, I honestly need a tag for this but I do think Arya's arc about who deserves death, who deserves to mete out death, and when death is a blessing, are bringing her not just to killing Lady Stoneheart but killing Daenerys. I have a post about it here that goes into the "arya is surrounded by the horrors of Valyria, about to come face to face without a woman who is the personification of Valyria" and another great one here that goes into how "who kills Dany" might even be left a mystery. I haven't talked about it here but I have my tags on this post here (by the great stumpy, I think her reading on how Dany could be killed is pretty spot on to how it would happen) and I'll paste them here-

#‘she doesn’t require those skills for her mother’ is a very good point. i think she’ll kill both and it’ll be sort of two sides of the same #killing lsh is about the mercy aspect when it comes to the person being executed. it’s about reckoning with her complex feelings towards the #feminine towards her mother towards her grief. the slave asks for mercy and the faceless men grant it. and i think here arya will understand #why death can be a mercy. and why skipping the trial aspect is bad (see her killing the singer). it’s about arya working through her grief. #whereas killing dany is mercy towards the many and not the one being executed. it’s about where her story ends. not low after killing her #mother but becoming a queenslayer and feeling no shame over it. the culmination not of her emotional journey but her actionable one. from #befriending the poor and peasantry to killing a queen to protect them.

So much of Arya's story - not dissimilar to Dany's! - is that she befriends the smallfolk & common born, sees the way they suffer, and is attempting to do something to help alleviate that suffering, but alleviating it is so much harder than they expected. Whereas I think Dany's story is careening towards a moment where she decides the only way to "help" is to cleanse them with fire to be remade anew just as she was, Arya's story is coming from understanding when it's time to step in - when killing becomes a mercy. For her mother, that's part of the Heroine's Journey; Arya having rejected the feminine for the masculine, descending into the underworld, coming back with new gifts and skills, and finally reconciling herself with the feminine. No, this doesn't mean Arya is going to suddenly start wearing dresses; rather, it's about how her issues with sewing are about Catelyn not about Sansa. It's about her unresolved issues with her mother.

But part of "justice" as Arya learns is that death comes not just as a mercy for the poor, but as retribution against the powerful. That part of the lesson isn't a factor in her killing LSH so it will be found elsewhere. But where? It won't be with Littlefucker or the Night King, it won't be with the Freys...there's not a lot of options left! But Arya, like the rest of her siblings, is going to find out the truth about Lyanna and what happened to her. That's going to be relevant!

#asks #anons #anti daenerys targaryen

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catras-breakup-song · 1 month ago

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how do you feel about the whole "you always wanted more" line that got cut? at first i was wondering why they did that because adora didn't want more until it made me think "huh, what if prime was just running on catra's memories and didn't actually know adora?" but i'm curious as to what you think

OH MY GOD I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED THIS. i am such a sucker for the cut STC script. back in late 2020 & early 2021 i had a twitter layout based on “that little spot on the roof that only they knew about” because S3 is my favorite:

even better, i have another old twitter fancam saved from around that time too that used that screenshot of the script in the beginning. it was by the username yoosene but is now long gone, so i reuploaded it to imgur here (the hands part, i’m going insane…)!

anyway, as for interpretations, it was absolutely to manipulate & guilt-trip adora. i recently saw someone say (i don’t remember where though, sorry) that he was torturing both of them by setting up that nasty fight against both of their wills and had planned to kill catra all along — despite saying he wouldn’t right after she rescued glimmer and was imprisoned for it, in my opinion there was an unspoken “yet” even though he did technically say that word but you know what i mean; “you will be of use to me, and then everyone from your blighted planet, including yourself, will be destroyed.”

that’s the thing about what the show was trying to convey through her stay on prime’s ship via glimmer’s desperate pleas, isn’t it? her illusion of power was only ever temporary. once she no longer had anything of value to serve, what would she be worth? how could she have genuinely believed that he wanted to save her, of all living beings, from the curse of humanity & will of consciousness? what makes one individual different to an omnipotent god compared to countless others across the universe throughout space and time? i truly believe that he was subtly mocking her when he talked of her being “exalted, raised up above the other wretched creatures of [her] home world.”

i was actually trying to find another five by five takes quote about this, because mentioning them is always an obligation for me, but surprisingly i didn't really find anything about how catra had worked her way up to prime's recognized single subordinate (only that moment of reflection afterward, which is just this entire short video), and was under the false impression with a cocky & confident attitude that her position meant something for her safety & survival; i'm mostly referring to this moment:

the horde's the horde...even in space. as long as i'm of value to horde prime, i've got a place in this world. i can work my way up here, just like i did before.

actually y’know what… i’m going to tag @horde-princess because this is starting to dive into religious meta which is like… her whole gimmick thingy. we would be blessed (pun intended) to see your take on this writing that never made it to the show, if you haven’t given it already!

now this is veering too far off from the original point after getting sidetracked. the tone of those quotes in the alternate script is (fake) pity, and horde prime was entertained by the struggles of mere mortals. to make adora a failure of what she represented would surely force her to give up she-ra to him, because what would even be the point anymore of living up to expectations if she couldn’t save catra first & foremost (that’s something that she struggled with since initially leaving the horde over three years ago due to how catra made her feel about supposedly breaking their childhood promise… but it’s a story for another post)?

i don’t doubt that your thought process is at least partially right too though, anon. prime didn’t read adora’s mind thoroughly at any point, so it’s entirely possible that he just read off catra’s intense feelings of abandonment & betrayal. that being said, if he really did see all as he claimed, maybe he was able to recreate an objectively accurate collection of events and knows what really happened and what the intentions behind certain actions were. i also wonder if catra secretly knew deep down that adora’s defection wasn’t directly about her but just couldn’t admit it until she had time to deeply reflect on it during “corridors.”

i’ll leave this messy, unorganized post with an amazingly relevant gif set made by an editor whose work on here i really enjoy:

as i said a long time ago, you just had to be there on november 19th 2020 when that excerpt was released because the hype was crazy!

#asks #anon #spop #she ra #she-ra #she-ra and the princesses of power #catradora #catra #adora #glitra #glimmer #analysis #s5 #season five #5x05 #stc #save the cat #five by five takes #video edit

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foolinafable · 4 months ago

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iv. genesis

SYNOPSIS: He doesn’t know how to love. You know this and yet you would still give everything just to be with him- even for just a moment. Or the story of how you and Keith finally get together. PAIRING: Keith Kogane x Altean reader WORD COUNT: 4.9k TAGS: Slowburn, Angst, extreme cannon compliance, fighting SERIES LINK: a love as cold as ours

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You aren't sure if this could get any worse, sat in the control room of the Castle of lions which has completely shut down because Shiro put in a kill protocol. Pidge was able to turn it off but the castle has lost significant power and the battle with Lotor is far from finished so you needed to keep your energy and strength.

Everything happened so fast, earlier on today you, Lotor and Allura had just made it into the quintessence field, all of your hard work had paid off and you were so happy and now- now you struggled to know how to feel.

Your heart hurt from Lotors betrayal as he had become a very close friend, a brother almost in the time you spent together but you were sure that wasn't the only reason you were feeling this way.

Keith's sudden return has sent you spiralling all the emotions you locked away after your confrontation during the Kral Vera have been thirsty to the surface leaving you upset and angry. It hurts you to know that while he was one of the most important people in your life he just saw you as a nuisance. You have come to terms with the idea that you did love him, it wasn't just some factless infatuation that went away when he did and even now when you would rather be face to face with Lotor than with him, deep down you still love him and you hate yourself for it greatly- I mean there is nobody else to blame it’s like he told you he can’t love and even if he could he really doesn't want to. You were stupid to think that maybe one day he would change his mind, especially for you of all people who he clearly just want to leave him alone.

“You still bleeding” Lance huffed from behind you, hand on your shoulder to make you aware of his presence, you simply turned to him in confusion eyebrows knitted together as he pointed to the nash on your forehead from when Shiro knocked you out your eyes brightened in recognition smiling in thanks but before you could get around to fixing yourself up Keith appeared on the comms, you averted your gaze when it seemed like he staring right at you and simply blocked him out as you used your powers to heal your forehead letting Lance and Allura take control of the situation- not that he would want your input anyway.

You simply skimpier off towards the lions when he shows Lotor’s location to prepare yourself and the rest of the lions for another altercation not even bothering to say anything.

You didn’t like Allura’s plan. Not one bit.

Trapping Lotor in the quintessence field would probably not only kill him but also any chances of finding a permanent source of natural quintessence a clear way to bring peace to the Galaran empire and stop this war. If you break the entrance we would never be able to return meaning all the work put towards this would be for nothing. Alas, Allura was correct that this was the only way to stop Lotor.

“Lotor will be here any second, what's the plan?” Pidge asked, looking at the destruction the lions had just created.

“Well, the castle of lions has broken down. So there's no help there.” Allura spoke her thoughts aloud trying to find a pathway for the group. “The black lion isn't with us, so we can’t form Voltron. We are just going to need to do what we can” she finished sounding dejected.

“Got it, attempt to survive,” Pidge replied

“Last time we fought Lotor, we had six ships and Lotor had two and he still kicked our butts. This time he has three ships while we have five” Hunk reminded us you simply took a shaky breath before speaking

“Well it was never going to be easy” while Lance, annoyed, responded

“We don't have time for your maths equations hunk! Especially ones that result in us taking a beating” the rest of the team went quiet as Allura spoke to Coran.

When you saw the three ships appear, you tried to control your breathing as they got closer and you tightened your hands on the lion's controls.

“We need not fight today, We are all on the same side” you heard Lotor speak over the comms tears filling your eyes as you thought about everything he had done- all the innocent lives he had taken and found yourself quickly filling with rage at the idea that he would ever be on the same side as you again- if he ever truly was.

“I know what you all must think of me now that you know my past. It doesn't have to change our future together. The truth is I want to harness the power of the quintessence field to better the universe, just like I said. Nothing has changed” you quickly interjected

“Everything has changed” your voice so sharp you heard him inhale in shock.

“You enslaved countless Alteans harnessing their life source for your personal gain. How many innocent lives did you destroy?” Allura raged at him

“Allura-” he tried to interject but she didn't let him

“How many?”

“It’s true many alteans perished in my quest to unlock the mysteries of the quintessence. But I protected thousands more, and I rescued their culture- our culture. Both of you must understand I've given everything I have to plumb the depths of King Alfor’s knowledge, to unlock the mysteries of Oridane. We have come too far together, surely you can see the greatness we have accomplished and the greatness we have yet to. Join me, we are on the same side.”

“No, we're not!” Allura roared as she sent a laser beam towards Lotors ship which he quickly dodged. You braced yourself knowing that now the real battle was about to begin.

Everything was a blur, Lotor’s words afterwards and Alluras bites the only words echoing in your head were his “destroy the lions” the way he said it so easily, as if it was of no consequence to him and maybe it wasn't but it sent you spiralling barely able to dodge incoming attacks from Lotor and his generals and consistently missing your targets.

You knew Coran was able to get the castle working but only due to it nearly crashing into you and Lance.

Lotor was constantly trying to hit you and Allura raged in a way you had never seen before something crazed in the way he spoke about ridding of you all even the galra a fact that shocked not just you but also his generals who tried to escape when learning of his plans only to be ejected from there ships leaving them in space while the ships joined knot his to create a large robot similar to that of Voltron.

“What is that thing?” Pidge questioned as the five of you looked up at the robot “He's created his own voltron.” Lance spoke your thoughts aloud

“That is why he was using us- using me” Allura concluded

“We helped him build this” you announced shock evident in your voice

“Well the good news is it’s now four on one” Hunk spoke recalling his earlier words but before any more words could be spoken Lotor came rushing towards the group

“Watch out” Allura shouted as you all quickly tried to disperse but he was too quick catching you and Lance with the robot’s fingers sending you flying and whipping Hunk backwards with its tail, Pidge tried to fire at the robot but it quickly dodged

“It’s way faster than us” she hollered out as you all tried to get a hit in before being quickly body-slammed by the robot. Coran was able to get a shot in from the castle of lions but Lotor quickly sent one back sending the ship into a panic

“Impossible, Lotor’s weapon has completely repelled the castle's attack!” Pidge screamed,

“Coran shoot it with the cannon again!” Lance pleaded

“I can’t” Coran replied the ship was now completely out of action

“Pidge get out of his line of sight!” Lance screamed as she nearly got hit only for you to push her lion out of the way with your own causing the rest of them to scream your name in worry as you let out pained noises

“What are you doing?” Lance shouted at you as you moved once again into Lotors sight in the hope he would hit you again

“If I can absorb enough of his power-” you stopped to grunt in pain as he hit you again “I might be able to give it back” Lance made a noise of confusion

“What do you mean- you going to get yourself killed” as he tried to move you lion away with his own

“I gave his ship the ability to do this so I must be able to do it myself” is all you replied as you once again moved towards Lotor

“But it's not safe” Lance pleaded

“What other choice do we have- just sit around and let him destroy us all?” you shouted back when a choked gasp came from you once you were hit again sending you flying forward your head hitting the console of your ship, you simply gritted your teeth as the team called out to you in worry but they were quickly all grunting and screaming themselves as Lotor locked onto them

“We can’t take this much longer!” Allura shouted fear evident in her tone while Hunk was shouting for Lance as he went flying from Lotor’s impact. Before you could gather enough energy to send something his way all the lions had shut down, seemingly unable to fight any longer and the paladins were completely out of options.

“It didn’t need to end like this, but you have made your choice” Lotor spoke as he went to deal the final blow when the black lion finally appeared- it seemed that the fight was far from over.

“Keith, how did you get here so fast?” Lance questioned, clearly astonished

“I had some help” was all he replied “Now hurry we don’t have much time. Form voltron!” Keith quickly sent a space pod with Shiro's body inside towards the castle

“Coran you’ve got incoming” and he couldn’t have gotten Shiro away at a better time as Lotor quickly sent a blast towards Voltron but Lance and Pidge quickly activated the shield protecting you from the blast

“Hunk form canon” Keith commanded

“You’ve got it” the yellow paladin grunted as he activated his weapon, sending a blast towards the Lotor who quickly moved out of its path even as the laser chased him not once did it hit his robot.

“He’s too fast!” Lance called out alarmed

“Then we will have to get in close, form a sword” Keith responded, his voice sounding raspier from all the shouting.

You quickly formed the sword and in retaliation, Lotor’s robot formed its own swords, one for each hand and came bounding towards Voltron causing the robot to move backwards due to Lotor’s robot’s momentum swords clashing against each other like a moth drawn to a flame.

Lotor sent you all flying back with a whip of his robot's tail as Pidge called out

“We can’t touch him, he's still too fast!”

“We need to stop him moving around, back him into a corner or something” Hunk strategised

“Hunk is right, we need to eliminate his speed advantage, and limit his movements” Keith agrees. You all turned your heads to take notice of a large asteroid to the left of you

“There” Keith announced as you flew towards it hoping the curvature of the rock would allow you to trap Lotor within

“Now we lure him in close” and luckily Lotor took the bait following you right into the trap sending a blast towards you which you used the shield to block pushing you into the rock below solidifying your position and his continuous blasts caused the area to fill with ash from the rocks making him unable to see you anymore, he circled back trying to attack from behind

“Wait for him” Keith spoke softly as you heard him getting closer from behind the rock “Let him build up speed” you could hear the whirring of his engine get louder and faster

“Now!” Keith screamed as you moved the Voltron as quickly as you could as Lotor crashed into the rock from behind leaving an explosion of ash in his way.

Before he could realise what was happening you quickly threw Voltron in front of him firing both arm cannons right the robot’s body sending him crashing backwards as the middle of the asteroid caved in due to the weight and power.

“Where'd he go?” Hunk questions when you look into the hole as you see nothing. You all move the robot around looking for him when Pidge calls out worriedly

“He’s behind us!”

Keith, quick to take action, calls out “Hunk, Hit him with the shoulder cannon!” to which the yellow paladin responds before preparing a blast

“Fire” Keith called out as Hunk sent the shot but as it got closer to Lotor he disappeared.

“Did we get him?” Lance questioned

“I don't know” Hunk responds hastily

“I think we got him” Lance smiled

“It looked like he just disappeared” Pidge spoke eyebrows furrowing in confusion

“Yeah! We got him!” Lance sounded out overjoyed

“I’m not so sure” Allura complained

“That was too easy, that can’t be it” you spat out head whirling with ideas of where he could've gone and how you heard Keith make a noise of unease through the comms as your head turned to the side when you saw a hole open up with Lotor inside as he quickly sent a punch towards Voltron sending you flying back a strange purple hue surrounding his spaceship.

“Is everyone okay” Keith grunts as he tries to recover from falling backwards into a rock

“How is he moving so fast?” Pidge interrupts

“We’ve gotta get up and attack” Keith responds sending Voltron hurtling back towards him but he disappeared again before you could get close

“Okay, so that time we definitely didn't get him” Lance says confused but before anyone else could speak you gasped out as Lotor appeared once again sending you backwards and then again appeared behind you sending another hit to the robot and then another causing you all to grunt in pain as he kept hitting you around like a ball on a ping pong table expect he was the only player.

He disappeared again, not immediately coming back when Hunk next spoke

“How can he keep disappearing like that?” to which Allura responded clearly shaken up

“He is, entering the quintessence field- at will!” causing you to take a shocked intake of breath while the other continued to question her idea

“How is able to do it?: you heard Pidge chime to which you responded

“I gave his ships the ability didn't I?” to which Allura sighed telling everyone that you were correct but before anything could be said Allura grunted as Lotor reappeared sending the ship backwards as you stayed the ship the shield quickly had to be activated as Lotor sent an extremely powerful blast towards you, much stronger than the ones previous sending the robot backwards due its sheer power causing a large explosion completely knocking down Voltron before disappearing once again into what you now released what the quintessence field.

“We have to go after him” Keith spoke clearly exhausted “Getting power from the quintessence is the only way we can match his strength”

“Can we do that” the yellow paladin questioned

“If he can, so can Voltron right?” Pidge asked you

“My father did it once, but it was extremely dangerous” Allura called out

“Well I don’t think we have much of a choice princess” you called out

“There right Allura, we have to try” Keith agreed with you sending annoyance to curl up into your being but now isn't the time to be upset- you could be upset if you make it out alive.

“I might be able to guide us in, but I don’t think I’m powerful enough” Allura concluded

“Then I will do it just tell me what to do” you replied solemnly hoping that you were strong enough for this, that Alfor was correct to keep you alive in that sleeping pod instead of himself.

“I will need everyone to focus their energy” Allura commanded “While you need to picture the quintessence field” You closed your eyes quickly picturing the abyss you had seen only hours prior when you could feel the energy of the paladins right next to you, guiding you.

You opened your eyes as a bright light appeared

“Form sword” you heard Allura call out as you flew towards the light hitting it in the centre with your sword causing light to reflect everywhere as the hole grew, your vision clouded in the brightness.

You could hear the astonishment of the paladins as you began to open your eyes, in disbelief that you were here- the quintessence field

“I did it” you mumbled to yourself in relief but before you could bask in the beauty of the area you saw him, standing opposite you in the field, swords drawn both robots flew towards each other ready to engage in another battle purple meeting blue once more as the robots fought against one another.

“We took a major shot, but I feel fine” Pidge comments to which Allura responded

“All this quintessence is keeping us at full power” a comment that made you still worry

“It’s more than that, can you hear your lions talking to you?” Keith asks and he was right you could feel your lion purring in the back of your head commanding you on what to do

“Voltron is capable of more than we imagined” he finished sending a laser towards Lotors ship while your hands and body were buzzing with power glowing even without you thinking about it an idea that amazed you but also made a feeling of dread appear in my stomach but you weren't sure why.

But you didn’t have enough time to voice it as Lotor came rushing back

“Attack!” Keith shouted and you went flying back into him sending shot after shot at him but you felt as if time was going too fast, barely able to keep up with what the other paladins were doing, a fog seeding to haze over your mind as your body began shaking and flinching.

“Let's end this!” you heard Pidge scream

“Finish him!” Lance responded

“Let's destroy that guy!” Hunk exclaimed

“We have to get out here!” you heard Allura shout as she called out your name in worry at your lack of response while the other paladins sounded out confusion at her words

“What are you talking about” Keith asked

“This is exactly what happened to Zarkon! Exposure to all the quintessence turned him into a monster!” Allura shouted

“She's right” you spoke breathlessly a lot quieter than normal “There’s too much of it everything- I don't know how much longer we have” but before anyone could question you more you heard Lotor’s voice calling out mockingly

“Poor alteans, all the power of the universe at your fingertips and your too afraid to use it!” then he flew towards you again

“They are right we are out of control” Lance stated

“All our systems are overloaded” Pidge called out

“I know the feeling” you grunted out as the power signed through your body your sensitivity to quintessence was greater due to your power

“Here comes Lotor” Keith warned as you flew Voltron away from him now trying to escape him rather than fight him.

“How do we stop this?” Hunk questioned

“We give Lotor all the power he wants” Allura concluded as she pulled Voltron backwards to face him.

“All this excess energy, I will just give it to him” you called out to paladins blocking away any of their worries as you closed your eyes and focused on the power within you, the connection to your lion caused you to also channel the burning power exceeding from Voltron causing a large beam to shoot out of lion chest right into Lotor robot that was still trying to inch closer to you, as the blast died down you could see Lotors robot was down sizzling and defeated as the haziness withdrew from your being, no longer shaking from all the quintessence your body was trying channel.

“Let's grab Lotor and get out of here” Keith announced as the alarms blared within the robot

“No, we can’t! We need to leave now” Pidge responded and she was right there was only a matter of time before the quintessence got too much again

“We have to try!” Allura pleaded

“Pidge is right, if we stay in here much longer and Voltron is done for” Hunk announced when a large crackle of energy hit Voltron sending you all groaning in pain

“But we can't just leave him!” Allura argued as the ship was starting to sway electricity jolts electrocuting you all

“Allura we have to go now” Lance pleaded

“There isn't anything we can do for him anymore Allura” you spoke guilt wracking your voice that you were going to leave him here to die, a man you thought of even still as a brother

“Lotor made his choice. Let's get out of here Allura” Keith reasoned and Voltron finally moved away from him blasting out of the quintessence field through the hole you had created.

“If we had stayed in the quintessence field, we would've kept fighting until we destroyed ourselves” Allura theorised “Just like Lotor.”

“What did you do to him?” Keith asked you, his face appearing on your comms but you refused to look at him. “I transferred all the excess energy from myself and Voltron, it’s a technique I learned on Oridane, thanks to Lotor.”

“Thank you, you saved us” Lace replied solemnly as you stared at all the holes Lotor left into the quintessence field

“Not just us, the entire universe” Hunk concluded as the castle of lions drew closer behind you

“Oh! Your back” Coran declared relieved

“Lotor is no longer a threat” Keith spoke mournfully

“Right I’m afraid we face a bigger threat now” Coran began “All of Lotors jumping in and out of the quintessence field has created multiple growing rifts in the fabric of space and time”

“What does that mean?” Lance questioned dejectedly

“It means unless we do something fast, those tears will continue to expand until all of existence as we know it has been destroyed” Pidge answered

“There has to be something we can do” Keith announced and he was right everything couldn't end here

“Scanning the rift for any strand refabrication possibilities” Pidge announced

“I’m running a few different models to see if there's any chance it can close on its own” Hunk added but both came up empty-handed.

“How long do we have?” Keith asked

“Well based on the way those rifts are expanding I’d say about 15 doboshes” Coran theorised

“Allura, is there anything either of you can do?” Lance questioned

“I don’t know” Allura started “I just don’t have that alchemical knowledge”

“The only thing that could possibly pull that rift close would be a source of gravity more powerful than a supermassive black hole” Pidge called out

“Allura, Coran” you spoke hesitantly as an idea was brought forth into your mind “The teleduv”

“What about it?” Keith questioned

“They’re right, to make wormhole jumps, the teleduv creates a brief flash of infinite mass. There might be a way I can overload the reactor to seal the rifts. If one of the flashes went off on the rift it may be enough to close it- do the job”

Coran answered for you and despite him not being able to see you you smiled slightly in thanks, glad to know your idea wasn't crazy and that you didn't need to speak to him more than you needed to.

“But that would mean, sacrificing the castle of lions” Hunk realised gloomily

“Well, what choice do we have? Either way, the castle would be wiped out.” Pidge reminded him

“But still” Hunk began pausing for a moment in contemplation “it’s been our home”

“I hate to say goodbye to my grandfather’s creation” Coran called out wistfully “The last piece of the real altea”

“That's not completely true- we are the last pieces of altea Coran don’t forget that” you attempted to comfort the older man

“Coran begin preparations” Allura called out

“Everyone else start unloading the castle, we need to evacuate immediately” You quickly transformed back into the lions and made your way for the last time into the hangers collecting items as you made your way into your rooms and other various location surround the castle collecting personal items but also weapons and technology that you could need.

Subconsciously you tried to stay out of Keith’s way just in case he tried to speak to you. The idea of having a conversation with him makes your throat feel tight and a pit arises in your stomach, your body trying to warn you away from him for safety, something it used to draw you towards him. Luckily he seemed disinterested in speaking with you at this moment, very busy clearing up and getting Shiro situated with his mother and space wolf within his lion.

You stood with Coran as he said goodbye to the castle waiting with him before he entered your lion with you

“Goodbye old friend” he called out as he initiated the teleduv before running with you to your lion and then rushing out the way with the rest of lions praying that this would work you looked at him with tears in your eyes as he touched your shoulder going to hold his hand as he stared at you with the same pain in his eyes.

You all grunted at the impact of the rift closing before it all disappeared as if it was never there in the first place.

“It worked” Hunk called out cheerfully

“You did it Coran” Allura called out over comms as you looked at him again smiling sadly at him

“And look” Hunk commented going closer to a blue light where the castle once was

“What is it?” Keith asked

“It’s a diamond” Hunk responded as his lion opened its mouth to take the crystal “The pressure crushed the castle of lions into this little crystal” You all smiled that the castle survived into something that Coran would always have- his grandfather's last surviving creation far from gone.

“Well, we saved all realties everywhere, what do you guys wanna do now?” Lance questioned glum

“We need to find someplace to land,” Keith began, “and see if there is some way we can help Shiro.” so you all went flying forward looking for somewhere safe.

── ✧

You landed on some sort of destroyed rocky planet and got Shiro out of the healing pod, Keith lay him on the ground as you all looked at him woefully “This body is barely living but Shiro’s spirit is still alive. It’s inside the Black lion, I've heard him talk to me.” Keith told you all

“He-he tried to tell me but I didn’t realise” Lance realised falling to his knees as tears shed from his eyes “I’m so sorry Shiro. I-I didn’t know. I- I could’ve-” Lance sobbed feeling defeated as you came up behind him to try and comfort him but he only stopped crying once Allura came up to the two of you grabbing your hand and moving you towards Shiro and the black lion while she touched Lance’s shoulder with the other, you immediately understood what she knew you could do.

You quickly connected with the black lion, hands glowing as you did, the black lion outlined in your purple quintessence as its eyes glowed. Your body quickly became purple like the lion as it transferred Shiro's soul to you. You walked towards Shrio’s hands on his head as you began to transfer his soul into this body, the glow transferring to him making his hair go white.

Everyone held a berated breath as they waited for something, anything to happen and then his eyes opened- Shiro was alive.

He quickly sat up coughing before he once again collapsed into Keith but the black lion roared in happiness causing the rest of the lions to roar in response causing a smile to grace your face as the others cheered and cried.

“You found me” you heard Shiro speak quietly to Kieth using all his strength

“We’re glad you’re back Shiro” was all he replied while Allura came up to you

“Rest,” she said directed at Shiro but you knew from how her eyes drifted to you it was meant for you also, she could take it from here for the time being.

“So what are we going to do?” Hunk questioned “The castles been destroyed”

“There is only one place that has the plans necessary to build a replacement” Pidge announced “Coran gave them to my dad”

“We’re going home.” Keith announced.

#aloveascoldasours #keith kogane x reader #keith kogane #keith kogane fanfic #keith kogane fic #keith kogane imagine #keith voltron #keith x reader #vld keith #voltron #voltron x reader

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eustasscapitankid · 3 months ago

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Eustass Kid x Reader | GN! AFAB! Challenge: Kikitober 2024 "Grief" Rating: Mature Warnings: Major Character Death Tags: Hate, Swearing, Revenge Summary: You never knew how much it would hurt to lose everything. Word Count: 314 Next Chapter →

Notes: This series will include graphic material. As such all chapters will be marked as mature and 18+ regardless of their content. Series ratings, warnings, and tags may be updated as the series develops. This one is more of a teaser It's not finished but I want to post something today plus I think this section fits the theme.

You were supposed to be there. You should have been there. But you weren’t. Now you’re alone. The cold reality set in quickly, like a layer of ice encasing your heart. Everything you loved—everyone you loved—gone. Just like that.

I should have been there.

The thought repeated in your mind endlessly.

I shouldn’t be here.

You couldn’t silence your mind. No matter how hard you tried.

You collapse on your bed. The small room—consisting of hardly more than the bed, a leather chair, and a small bar cart—the emptiness a stark reminder of the home you lost. Waves lapped against the boat, causing it to rock in the midnight sea—moving so unlike the ship you called home, every gentle sway like a slap in the face.

You can’t be gone. You can’t leave me like this!

Your sadness crescendos into anger. Visceral, seething, all-consuming wrath. The feeling a crushing weight as your thoughts spiral, converging into a single word. Vengeance. It crept into your very being, burning into you like a brand unto your soul. If it was grief that swallowed you, rage had spit you back out. It pumped through your veins like a horrible drug, devouring you.

It might be Kid’s name etched on your skin, but news of his death seared another in your mind: Shanks.

Fuck you.

You didn’t even care if it killed you. Shit, you knew how powerful he was. For fucks sake, he took out your entire crew. Your Captain. The love of your life. Even if everything went wrong. Even if you didn’t get what you wanted…what did you really have to lose?

As long as this man burns...you wouldn’t mind becoming ash.

Next Chapter →

#img src: One Piece - E112: Clash! Shanks vs. Eustass Kid #one piece #fan fic #my art #my fic #lxshoxk #eustass kid x reader #shanks x reader #kikitober2024 #grief

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handers-time · 7 months ago

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Handers Gift Exchange 2024 Round-up!

This year's Handers Gift Exchange has officially come to a close!

We'd like to give a huge thank you and shoutout to all 20 of our participants this year. Congratulations to you all, for doing so well creating beautiful works for your giftees.

On behalf of the mods ( @dismalzelenka, @un-shit-yourself, @storybookhawke, and @hollyand-writes ), thank you to everyone who remains in the Handers fandom—in addition to authors and artists, it also includes readers, commenters, serial kudosers, and avid rebloggers! We appreciate all the love, enthusiasm, support, and cheerleading everyone did throughout this event. Everyone involved keeps the love of the ship alive and well even thirteen years after the game came out.

If you participated in this event, we ask that you please leave a comment on the gift you received, at least three lines in length! Participation goes both ways, so please give some praise and adoration to the person who devoted their time and energy to create a gift for you.

You can view the blog's tag for this event here, and the AO3 collection here, but below is a compiled list of all the amazing gifts shared over the course of this exchange. Please mind the tags and ratings as you go through them!

Invitations by replicatortrash for ghostbunny M!Handers | Explicit |

Summary: Garrett Hawke has been trying to open his home to Anders for weeks and it's been slow going. Is he keeping distance because of something from his past, or because Garrett is a vampire... or is there something else going on Garrett hasn't considered?

Mélange by dismalzelenka for Sulkyvalkyrie F!Handers | Explicit |

Summary: “I want Justice involved.” It was a marvel, Anders thought, how four words flipped his entire world on its head. “You what?” Hawke tilted her head, catlike curiosity peppered across her face. “Justice,” she repeated. “I want him involved.” In which Hawke confesses some secrets, and Anders and Justice both learn there is far more to Hawke than meets the eye.

The Short Straw by autumninfall for DemonicPersephone F!Handers | Mature |

Summary: A quick way to earn some coin while fleeing the Templars of Kirkwall. A dragon up in the mountains. Surely nothing will go wrong, right?

at the end of the world by PhantomsLost for barbex F!Handers | Teen |

Summary: “Hawke, no.” She shook her head and took a step back, both hands still gripping her staff tight. “You and I both know we don’t have a better option.” Tipping her head slightly in the direction of the looming Nightmare, she added, “Go. I’ve got this.”

Broken, yet Remade by Actually_An_Insane_Fangirl for PhantomsLost F!Handers | Teen |

Summary: Hawke may be broken, but that doesn't mean she cannot be remade with the gentle hands of a healer.

Lunacy by Sulkyvalkyrie for GhostGarrison M!Handers | Explicit |

Summary: Hawke wanted to wait another night, but Anders can't stop worrying about him...

Looking the Part by acesdesire M!Handers | Teen |

Summary: While visiting Chateau Haine, Hawke finds himself enjoying the party more than expected, especially with Anders looking so dashing in his formal wear. Infiltration can wait (even if Tallis might have other plans). He would much rather indulge in this rare and beautiful moment.

Some Guys Have All the Luck by barbex for dismalzelenka M!Handers | Explicit |

Summary: Watching Anders fight, powerful, controlled, turns Hawke on like nothing else. That's a man he wants to get on his knees for. And more.

Hunting by DemonicPersephone for Actually_An_Insane_Fangirl F!Handers | Explicit |

Summary: Nothing like a near death experience to make romance bloom <3

Chasing the Light by leonidskies for SalsedinePicta M!Handers | Teen |

Summary: Anders is having a bad day. Hawke, forever down bad, refuses to let it go.

Hurt Less by ghostbunny for PorlPoint M!Handers | Mature |

Summary: After coming close to killing the mage girl, Ella, Anders is in a bad way, consumed by guilt and shame and beginning to spiral. Hawke attempts to help him through it, while dealing with some of his own insecurities.

The One That Didn't Get Away by FactoryKat for winebearcat M!Handers | G |

Summary: Of all the things that could have happened to newcomer Garrett Hawke after moving to Kirkwall, picking up a date outside of a walk-in clinic wasn't exactly on his predictions list.

Healing the Healer by PorlPoint M!Handers | Teen |

Summary: Anders is seriously injured and out of mana, with only Hawke there to heal him before it's too late.

Rose Cottage by winebearcat for leonidskies M!Handers | Mature |

Summary: Anders reaches his 50th Name Day. He never expected to make it past 30, let alone have his happy ending.

ART: storybookhawke's piece for autumninfall M!Handers | G |

ART: notomys-mordax-blog's piece for ocean-in-my-rebel-soul M!Handers | G |

ART: salsedinepicta's piece for notomys-mordax-blog M!Handers | G |

ART: kittyopera's piece for acesdesire M!Handers | G |

ART: gevascloset's piece for factorykat M!Handers | G |

ART: moosu's piece for kittyoperas M!Handers | G |

#handers #dragon age 2 #dragon age ii #mhanders #fhanders #anders #handers gift exchange 2024 #handers exchange 2024 #exchange roundup #mod post

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jevilowo · 7 days ago

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Went to France instead of making Soldier Ships. And then Forgor. Apologies.

Ranking Tf2 Ships Part 2: Soldier

Batting Helmet

See the first list lmao

It's hilarious, basically.

Sollycest

I think their combined power would destroy the planet. So.

Objectively funny also, however

Fireworks

Im like 90% sure thats the ship name but i havent touched my shipping website in months soooooo

Same genre as batting helmet, but objectively BETTER, because they actively meet each others' crackpot level. And there's minimal choking.

Seriously check out the tag on ao3 some absolutely BRILLIANT fics on there shout out to uhhh i think they're called Hanktalkin and they've written the best ones

Realistically would destroy everything around them. I'm beginning to think that would just happen with most Solly ships.

Boots n Bombs

SHOUT OUT TO BOOTS N BOMBS WEIRDLY UNDERATED DESPITE BEING THE FOURTH MOST POPULAR SHIP ON AO3. Crazy gap between bloody suit (1000+) and them (like around 450).

EMESIS BLUE. URGH. THEY KILL ME.

WAR! UPDATE. URGH. THEY CONTINUE TO KILL ME.

CUT VOICELINES. URGH. THEY SUCEEDED IN KILLING ME. I AM DEAD.

Lovely lovely dynamic, platonic or otherwise. At least Besties in every universe, team colours be damned.

And the YURI. ARGH I saw someone describe WAR! solly x demo as yuri coded bc of their "unbearably sapphic levels of miscommunication" which HAHA YEAH but I mostly mean the genderbendy art it's Exquisite.

Bonus points for when they're polying up they cule with Zhanna also. I had to explain the word polycule to a classmate the other day isn't that wild. Anyways the three of them match each others' freaks.

Cold War

When you're so determined for this idiot to not fuck your sister you fuck him instead lmao

Pretty fun in theory, in practice I think they'd both hate it.

Um shout out to that one fic i read once where soldier ruptured his throat giving heavy head that was. Something. I mean that in a nice if midly bemused way btw.

Helmet Party

Save me helmet party etc etc

The art on here for them is adorable genuinely the softest i see solly portrayed in fanworks is with engie

In canon Solly seems to respect Engie the most? E.g. Expiration date: stops choking out scout when asked to by Engie, takes Engie's "teleport bread if u want" comment as an ORDER, even the whole QUESTION whatsurquestionsoljer exchange felt very I ASK OF YOU, COMMANDING OFFICER!! What having another True American on the team does to a mf i guess. Scout isnt a True American he's french.

I mean i still like boots n bombs more lol but helmet party fans i see u and i love u especially when u make it yuri.

Fruit Scones

Look up the story behind the ship name guys its great

As a ship to me it's heavymedic but without everything that makes heavymedic the Ship Of All Time

Solly's pocket medic cosmetic is cute tho

Uhhh as long as soldier never made the germany connection i think it could work? Like he'd let medic do crazy shit to him and medic would giggle and kick his feet over it. Then again there's no way medic wasnt doing fucked up shit to n*zis during ww2 so ykw it would probably work out regardless yippeee

OH YEAH THE NICKNAMES whenever i play medic and hear a cmere sweetheart/pumpkin/sally/cupcake I lose all control of myself and suddenly become a pocket medic teehee.

American Aviators

Its a sniper ship and not sb so I automatically like it

Tragically not that compatible. Sniper would find soldier too loud and soldier would find sniper too unamerican in his shooting things from far away tactics.

They have potential to be good friends tho i think. I've always seen Sniper as a trolling god (see that one in character interview john patrick lowry did in uh 2014 i think) and Solly would eat that shit up.

Freedom Fries

Ehhh?

Art on here is cute. Don't get me wrong. Love that.

HOWEVER. in no universe would they actually Function as a couple. Sorry guys. 54727474 dead 277282848 injured.

I am also put off it because people flock to it (and, sigh, mediscout,) over boots n bombs in the emesis blue side of the fandom. I AM NOT SHIP SHAMING BY THE WAY, I GOT ACCUSED OF THAT ONCE AND HAVE YET TO EMOTIONALLY RECOVER, but i reallyyyy wish people would focus less on Most Toxicly Basic Yaoi Known To Man, and more on Tragic Doomed Yaoi Where Both Parties Actually Kind Of Like Eachother And Didn't Both Try To Kill Each Other (russian roulette and the grenade at the funeral). AGAIN I AM NOT SHIP SHAMING HERE PLS DON'T CONSUME ME SHIP WHAT YOU WANT GIRLYPOPS.

Sollypauling

I have a crack headcanon that he's her father so that's put me off seeing them romantically haha

I wrote a fic about The Fathering once at 12am and im still not sure whether i hate it or not so don't read it just to be safe <3

Magic Missiles

DIVORCED!!! *autism creature confetti gif*

Jay Pinkerton (comic writer) allegedly reblogged MM art once. And he refuses to let their dynamic go in the comics. I.e. "the heart wants what the heart wants, Merasmus". Truly their biggest fan.

I love them i really do. Only slightly less toxic than fucking adminpauling imo, and thats like britney spears dootdootdootdootdootdootdootdoot bweebwahbweebwahbwahh levels of toxic

Maggot Bears

Based based utterly based fucking detergent levels of based and thats like 13 or something on the pH scale (i.e. Extremely Based)

They do in fact destory everything around them, proving my earlier hypothesis lol.

Idiot 4 Idiot. Dumbass 4 Dumbass. They both get naked to pee. I love them. I want to be them.

Again, bonus points when Demo is involved. Uwaaa.

I love the lack of consistent ship name for them. East meets West? Maggot Bears? Boots n Brawn? Zhannasolly? There's one involving honey as well but i forgor it and I've been typing so much I've got pins and needles in my left hand so i give up. Peace.

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vodika-vibes · 9 months ago

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hello!!! Any chance you’d be willing to write an Ezra x Reader with opal and winter??? I read your other Ezra fic and liked it so much I wanted to see another one! Preferably while he’s still with the ghost crew (like 18 or 19), if ya can! Thanks so much 😀

Life Day Conversations

Summary: It’s hard, being on the run from the Empire. You signed up for it, sure, but it’s still hard. Luckily, Ezra is always there to help you feel better about the choices you made.

Pairing: Ezra Bridger x Reader

Word Count: 722

Prompt: Opal - Faithful Love

Warnings: Kind of bittersweet, based off of what I know happens to Ezra

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: So, I still haven't watched Rebels. I just don't have the time, so I hope I didn't butcher him too badly. And I'm sorry if I did.

“Are you sure you want to stay out here?” Hera asks from the ramp of the ship, shivering as she pulls the thick winter jacket tighter around her, “It’s freezing.”

You glance at her, and flash the smallest smile, “Yeah. Just a little longer. I won’t stay out long, promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it. We can’t afford anyone catching pneumonia.” You hear the sound of her clomping back up the ramp, and you sigh and tilt your head back, your eyes drifting shut.

1 year.

It’s been one year since the day you defected from the empire. A year since the last time you saw your parents, your siblings, your nephews.

You don’t regret it. Not really.

The Empire is made up of monsters, the worst kinds of monsters. Monsters who look like your next door neighbor.

But you’ve never felt so alone in all your life.

Though, you’re fairly certain that your loneliness stems from the fact that this is the first major holiday away from your family. And as much as you love Hera and Kannan and Jacen…you can’t help but feel like you’re intruding.

You release a slow breath, your eyes opening again as you feel something cold and wet against your cheek. “Huh. It’s snowing-”

How…sad.

It fits your mood perfectly.

“Knock, knock.” You start at the familiar voice from behind you, and you turn to blink at Ezra, “I know you don’t like it when people just barge in, but I figure since there’s no doors-” He trails off, “I bring hot cocoa?”

“Hera is going to kill you if she catches you out here.” You note as you slide over on the boulder to let him join you.

“Pft. I’m not afraid of her.” Ezra hands you both thermos and jumps up to join you, before taking his thermos back, “I also brought a blanket, to ward off the cold.”

You shoot him a look, “What’s wrong, Bridger? Can’t handle a little cold?”

“Hera will kill both of us if either of us get sick, so scoot in. We’re gonna get cozy.”

“I thought you weren’t afraid of her.”

“Wasn’t me, must have been the devil speaking through me.” Ezra says solemnly, before he tucks the blanket around himself and then you, “So, why are you looking so glum?”

“I’m not.”

“Are too. What, you think I can’t tell what you’re feeling?” You scowl at him and he grins as he taps your temple, “Jedi, remember.”

“Cheater.”

“Is it cheating to use your god given powers-”

“Yes.”

He laughs, and drapes his arm over your shoulder, “Come on. It’s just me.”

You’re quiet for a moment, and then you sigh and drop your head on his shoulder, “It’s my first Life Day without my family. I suppose I’m feeling a little…melancholic.”

“You having second thoughts?”

“No.” You shake your head, “Just…feeling a bit lonely.”

“Well, that’ll happen when you’re sitting out in the cold rather than celebrating with your chosen family,” Ezra points out gently, “What’s really bothering you?”

“...I don’t know.” You pause, and pull your knees up to rest your chin on them, “What happens when you leave?”

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Sure, you say that now-”

“No.” He turns to face you and holds his pinky out for you to hook, “I’m not leaving you. Not now. Not ever.” He wiggles his pinky at you, “You know a pinky promise is eternal.”

“What are you, five?”

“Five times more fun than you.” Ezra quips. “Come on, even if I do have to go away for whatever reason, I’m always going to come back to you.”

“Until you don’t.”

“Nope. Always. Forever. I’ll always be faithful to you. I love you after all.”

You sigh and hook your finger with his, “Then, I hope you know that I’ll always be faithful to you too.”

Ezra beams at you and uses your joined fingers to tug you in so he’s able to kiss you, “Now, we’d better get back inside before Hera sends Sabine after us.”

“Oh…well…”

Ezra hops down off the boulder, and offers you his hand with a blinding smile, “Come on, gorgeous. It’s Life Day, you shouldn’t be alone.”

You release a quiet sigh, but slide down the boulder to take his hand.

Maybe change isn’t so bad after all.

#star wars #star wars rebels #vodika-vibes 500 followers celebration #ezra bridger x reader #ezra x reader #star wars fanfiction #x reader fanfiction #gn!reader fic #answered asks

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crimsonroxq · 2 months ago

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How to Train Your Dragon… to Shut Up 🤬

FANDOM: My Hero Academia

SHIP: Katsuki Bakugo x Eijiro Kirishima 🐉

TAGS: Teen & Up Audience — Dragon Kirishima, Dragon Hunter Bakugo, Flirting in the Middle of a Fight, Bakugou Doesn’t Know How to Deal with Flirting, Power Dynamics, Kirishima Is Too Hot For His Own Good, Bakugou Being an Angry Disaster, Bakugou Lowkey Wants to Punch Him, But Also Maybe Kiss Him??, Sassy Dragons, Reluctant Attraction, Bakugou Is Trying So Hard Not to Like Him, “Why Do I Like This Idiot?”, Enemies-to-Something-More (3.6k words)

CW’s: Violence/Fighting (physical combat and explosions), Sexual Tension/Flirting, Suggestive Content, Strong Language/Profanity.

SUMMARY: Bakugou hunts a dragon, but when he finally finds it, he’s not prepared for the smug, infuriating man it transforms into—especially one who won’t stop flirting with him.

💥 HAVE FUN READING ! 💥

The dense forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, a sea of green dappled with spears of sunlight filtering through the canopy. Katsuki Bakugou trekked through it, pushing past branches and leaves with practiced ease. His scowl was set in place, like always, as he moved, his hands twitching towards the axe at his back out of habit.

He wasn’t here for trees, though. He was here for the beast.

That damn dragon.

Rumor had it that one had taken up residence near the outskirts of the village, somewhere deep in the forest’s heart. That was all Bakugou needed to hear. A challenge? A dangerous one at that? It was right up his alley. And it wasn’t like anyone else in the village had the balls to deal with it. So here he was, on his day off, stomping through the forest like an idiot, hunting a dragon.

“Fuckin’ perfect,” he muttered under his breath, kicking a root out of his way.

As far as Bakugou was concerned, curiosity might have killed the cat, but it could definitely injure the shit out of dragons.

The thought of slicing through scales, hearing the roar as he slayed the beast, lit a fire in his chest. It’d be a good fight, he knew that much. And it’d be a story to tell the village idiots who’d doubted him.

If there even was a dragon.

He’d been walking for hours now, through the thickest parts of the forest, and still no sign of the thing.

And honestly, Bakugou was getting pissed.

“Where the fuck are you?” he growled, stopping to look around. His sharp eyes scanned the area, waiting for a hint of movement, for a gust of wind that would signal wings, something to tell him he wasn’t just wasting his damn time.

He was about to keep walking when something moved. A flash of red between the trees, so quick he almost thought he imagined it. Bakugou narrowed his eyes and stalked towards it, his senses on high alert.

Then, all at once, the trees opened up into a clearing, and there—curled up on a rock like he was napping, of all things—was the dragon.

And fuck, if it wasn’t a sight to see.

Scarlet scales glimmered in the sunlight, each one edged in a darker crimson that looked almost black. The dragon’s body was massive, but not in the way Bakugou had expected—its form was more… compact, almost like it was built for speed and agility rather than pure bulk. It had a tail that looked strong enough to take out a tree in one swipe, and claws sharp enough to cut through steel. But the most striking thing was the eyes—when they opened, they were a burning, molten gold.

And those eyes were watching him with way too much damn interest.

Bakugou grinned, the thrill of the hunt shooting through him as he unsheathed his axe. “Well, well, well. Looks like I found you, you big-ass lizard.”

The dragon blinked slowly, like it wasn’t the least bit concerned. Then, in the most casual voice Bakugou had ever heard from a creature that could breathe fire, it spoke.

“You’ve been stomping around for an hour now. Took you long enough.”

The axe in Bakugou’s hand almost slipped. “The fuck?”

The dragon chuckled. And then, in a flash of movement that Bakugou barely saw, it shifted. One moment it was all scales and claws and fangs, and the next, the dragon was gone, replaced by—

“What the hell?”

There, sitting on the rock where the dragon had been, was a guy. A human-looking guy. Except for the red hair, the horns curling from his forehead, and the long, fucking ridiculous tail swishing lazily behind him. He had the same molten gold eyes as the dragon, though, and a grin that could only be described as shit-eating.

“Surprised?” the guy asked, clearly enjoying himself. He stretched, like this whole thing was a game, showing off his toned, shirtless chest. “Didn’t think a dragon could look this good, huh?”

Bakugou just stared at him, trying to make sense of it. “You’re the dragon?”

The guy grinned wider, showing off sharp teeth. “Obviously.”

Bakugou’s brain stalled for a second. Then he barked out a laugh. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.”

The dragon—no, the guy—looked offended, crossing his arms. “What, you don’t think I look like a dragon?”

“Hell no, you don’t look like a dragon! You look like a dumbass who skipped arm day.”

The dragon snorted, clearly unimpressed by the insult. “Well, you don’t look like a hunter. You look like some angry dude with a lot of issues.”

Bakugou felt the vein in his forehead throb. “What did you just say, asshole?”

“I said—” the dragon drawled, leaning back lazily, “—you look like you’ve got a stick up your ass. Bet that’s why you’re out here. Trying to prove something, huh?”

Bakugou’s grip on his axe tightened. This guy was pissing him off—more than usual, even for someone he was about to kill. The thing was, though, the longer he stared at the dragon—or whatever the hell this guy was—the more Bakugou realized that he didn’t want to kill him. Not right now, anyway.

Maybe it was the fact that he was talking and not, y’know, trying to burn him alive. Or maybe it was the cocky smirk that kept Bakugou’s attention.

Fuck.

He didn’t have time to think about it, though, because the dragon-boy hopped down from the rock, landing lightly on his feet. He stood there, maybe a head shorter than Bakugou, still with that smug-ass grin on his face.

“What’s your name, anyway, human?” the dragon asked, eyes gleaming with mischief.

Bakugou scowled. “Why the fuck do you care?”

“I just like knowing the name of the guy who’s obviously trying to impress me.”

Bakugou bristled, glaring. “The fuck did you just say?”

“You heard me.” The dragon’s tail swished behind him, and he stepped closer, like he was sizing Bakugou up. “You came all this way, hunting me, didn’t you? Now here I am, in all my glory. Go ahead, tell me how impressed you are. It’s okay, I won’t judge.”

Bakugou’s blood pressure skyrocketed. He was gonna murder this guy.

But instead of swinging his axe, he found himself stepping forward, right into the dragon’s space, until they were practically nose to nose. “Listen here, shitty dragon,” he growled. “I didn’t come here to be impressed by some scaly bastard who thinks he’s hot shit. I came here to kick your ass.”

The dragon just grinned wider, apparently loving this. “Oh yeah? Is that all?”

“And maybe,” Bakugou added, feeling his own smirk curl at the edges of his mouth, “I’ll shove that tail of yours up your own ass for good measure.”

The dragon’s eyes darkened with something Bakugou didn’t want to acknowledge, and he leaned in closer, his breath brushing Bakugou’s lips. “Careful, hunter. You might like where that leads.”

Bakugou froze, a weird heat rising in his chest. He blinked, then shoved the guy—hard—back into the rock.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Bakugou growled, stepping away, his face burning.

The dragon only laughed, rubbing his chest where Bakugou had shoved him. “What? Don’t like a little flirting?”

“That wasn’t flirting, you dumbass.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

Bakugou cursed under his breath, turning away to calm himself down. This guy was a fucking menace.

Bakugou clenched his fists, trying to push down the stupid heat in his face, but it wasn’t fucking working. He wasn’t used to getting this riled up—well, not in this way, at least. This whole situation had gone sideways the second that dragon turned into some cocky asshole with a smart mouth.

He didn’t know what to do with that.

Meanwhile, the dragon—who was clearly having the time of his damn life—sauntered around Bakugou, tail swishing lazily behind him as if he had all the time in the world. Like he wasn’t supposed to be a fucking dragon. Bakugou tried to ignore it, but it was hard when the guy was just there—like a goddamn itch he couldn’t scratch.

“So,” the dragon started casually, leaning against a nearby tree like he wasn’t pissing Bakugou off just by existing, “are we gonna keep up this little chase, or are you gonna admit you like me?”

Bakugou’s head snapped up, eyes blazing. “Like you? I don’t even fucking know you!”

“Sure you do. I’m the badass dragon you’ve been dreaming about hunting, right?” The dragon’s smirk was back, smug and irritating as hell. “And now that you’ve found me, you can’t stop looking.”

Bakugou stared at him, mouth opening and closing, trying to think of something to say to that. “You—you’re—”

“The guy you can’t get out of your head? Yeah, I know,” the dragon finished for him, clearly entertained. “Can’t blame you. I mean, look at me.” He gestured to himself like he was showing off, flexing his biceps in a way that made Bakugou roll his eyes.

“You’re fucking delusional,” Bakugou muttered, crossing his arms. “Ain’t nobody impressed by you, shitty lizard.”

The dragon chuckled, that low rumble that somehow got under Bakugou’s skin and made his stomach do weird flips. “I’m pretty sure you are.”

“Pretty sure I’m about to knock your teeth in, is what I am.”

“Uh-huh,” the dragon drawled, eyeing him up and down. “Is that what you’re calling this? ’Cause from where I’m standing, you look like you’re trying real hard to keep your hands off me.”

Bakugou nearly choked on air. “The fuck?!”

The dragon laughed, sharp and amused. “I mean, look at you. You’re practically vibrating with tension.” He cocked his head, golden eyes gleaming. “What’s wrong? Can’t decide if you wanna fight me or—”

“Finish that sentence, and I swear to fuck, I’ll burn you alive,” Bakugou cut in, feeling heat pool behind his eyes as his palms crackled with tiny sparks. This dragon—this guy—was gonna get his ass handed to him if he kept this shit up.

But the dragon didn’t back down. In fact, he stepped forward, right into Bakugou’s space again, like he wanted to get hit. His face was close, too close, and Bakugou could feel the warmth radiating off him like a goddamn furnace.

“Go ahead,” the dragon said, voice softer now, but no less teasing. “Try it.”

Bakugou’s heart was pounding, his body tense, and he didn’t know if it was because of the threat or… something else. But his mouth ran ahead of his brain, as always.

“You’re not scared of me, huh?” Bakugou asked, his voice low and dangerous.

The dragon’s grin softened into something more… playful. “Nah. You’re all bark, hunter.” He flicked Bakugou’s chest with one finger, his touch light, teasing. “I think you like the chase too much to end it that quick.”

For a second, Bakugou didn’t know what to say. Because—fuck—was he wrong? There was something about this guy, this dragon, that was fucking infuriating, but in a way that Bakugou couldn’t just ignore.

Hell, he kinda wanted to punch him just to see what would happen. Or… do something else. But he wasn’t ready to go down that road yet.

Instead, he gritted his teeth, determined not to give this asshole the satisfaction of getting under his skin any more than he already had. “You think you know me, huh?”

“I know enough.” The dragon’s eyes glittered with amusement. “Enough to know you’re not nearly as tough as you pretend to be.”

Bakugou’s eyebrow twitched. “You’re about to find out how tough I am when I rip those horns off your head.”

“Ooh, kinky,” the dragon teased, eyes flashing. “Didn’t know you were into that.”

Bakugou was going to combust.

“Shut the fuck up,” he snapped, his face burning, but the dragon was laughing again, that deep, rumbling laugh that Bakugou hated to admit he didn’t completely hate.

The dragon was still grinning when he held out a hand. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop for now. Name’s Kirishima, by the way. Since we’re probably gonna be seeing a lot of each other.”

Bakugou eyed him warily. He didn’t shake hands with people he didn’t trust. Especially dragons. “The hell makes you think I’m gonna let you live?”

Kirishima just shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. “Call it a hunch. You don’t strike me as the type to kill someone you’re flirting with.”

“I’m not flirting with you!” Bakugou yelled, finally snapping. His hands sparked again, and he had to force himself not to blow something up just to relieve the frustration bubbling up in his chest.

Kirishima didn’t even flinch. “Sure, whatever you say, Bakugou.”

Bakugou paused. He hadn’t told him his name.

“How the fuck—”

“Dragons know shit,” Kirishima said with a wink, folding his arms behind his head. “We’re kinda awesome that way. You’ll figure it out.”

Bakugou was, for once, left speechless. He stared at Kirishima like he couldn’t quite believe this guy was real. And maybe he wasn’t. Maybe this whole thing was some kind of fever dream caused by exhaustion or whatever. But there Kirishima was, standing in front of him, still wearing that stupid grin like he owned the place.

“So, are you gonna keep staring at me, or are we gonna get this fight over with?” Kirishima asked, tail flicking in amusement. “I know you’re dying to see if you can actually take me.”

Bakugou’s eyes narrowed. “You’re on, scaly-ass.”

Kirishima’s grin grew even wider, if that was possible, and he stretched his arms out, cracking his neck. “Sweet. Let’s see what you’ve got, then.”

And then, faster than Bakugou could blink, Kirishima was back in his dragon form, scales gleaming under the sun, muscles coiled and ready for a fight. His molten gold eyes locked onto Bakugou, but there was no malice there—just challenge, and maybe something more.

Bakugou’s lips curled into a savage grin.

“Bring it, you overgrown lizard.”

The clearing exploded into action as Bakugou lunged forward, ready to finally blow off some steam—and maybe, just maybe, figure out what the hell he was going to do with this annoying, ridiculous, impossible dragon.

Bakugou didn’t hesitate—he never hesitated—but Kirishima was fast. In the blink of an eye, the dragon leaped into the air, wings unfurling with a massive gust of wind that sent leaves scattering across the clearing. Bakugou’s eyes locked onto the movement, his instincts sharp, and he planted his feet, hands lighting up with crackling explosions.

“You think you can dodge me all day, you shitty lizard?” Bakugou growled, launching himself upward with a blast from his palms, closing the distance between them.

Kirishima twisted in midair, the sheer grace in his movements something Bakugou hadn’t expected from a beast that size. But he wasn’t backing down. He didn’t back down from anyone, especially not some cocky dragon who was enjoying this way too much.

“You’re really bringing that puny little firework show to a dragon fight?” Kirishima teased, his voice booming as he hovered above Bakugou. “I thought you were tough, Bakugou.”

“You wanna talk tough, shitty scales? How about I blow you out of the fuckin’ sky?” Bakugou barked back, spinning mid-air to hurl a concentrated explosion toward Kirishima’s chest.

The blast hit dead-on, but instead of sending the dragon flying, Kirishima let out a rumbling laugh, his scales shimmering as the explosion rolled off him like it was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

“That all you got?” Kirishima taunted, diving downward toward Bakugou with a smirk so big you could see it even in his dragon form.

Bakugou cursed under his breath, darting sideways as the dragon swooped low, missing him by inches. “Fucking indestructible scales, huh?” Bakugou muttered, annoyance bubbling up. His usual bag of tricks wasn’t cutting it.

“Come on, Bakugou,” Kirishima’s voice rumbled from above, the dragon circling back for another pass. “You gotta hit harder than that. Otherwise, this is gonna be too easy.” His wings gave a powerful flap, sending a gust of wind down that nearly knocked Bakugou off his feet.

Bakugou gritted his teeth. He wasn’t just pissed now—he was pissed-pissed. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m about to make you regret ever taunting me.” He raised both hands, sparks building in his palms as he charged up for something bigger.

But Kirishima had other plans. He swooped down again, faster than before, and with a quick shift of his body, he swung his tail like a whip, aiming straight for Bakugou’s legs.

Bakugou saw it coming and barely managed to dodge, flipping sideways with an explosion that propelled him just out of range. But the force of the tail swing still knocked him off balance, sending him skidding backward across the dirt.

“Fucking hell!” Bakugou spat, pushing himself up quickly, heart pounding. Kirishima landed in front of him with a heavy thud, the earth shaking beneath him.

“Almost had you there,” Kirishima said, his voice deep and smug as he shifted back into his human form—well, mostly human. His horns and tail remained, but his body returned to that of a tall, grinning, annoyingly ripped guy who was way too proud of himself. “You’re pretty fast, though. I’ll give you that.”

Bakugou glared, dusting off his pants. “You didn’t have me,” he snapped, fists still sparking with tiny explosions. “I was just warming up, asshole.”

Kirishima tilted his head, his smile lazy but challenging. “Warming up, huh? Well, I’m here all day, so if you wanna keep trying—”

But Bakugou was done talking. He shot forward in a blur of speed, aiming a punch directly at Kirishima’s stupidly smug face.

Kirishima reacted quickly, blocking the punch with his forearm, but the explosion that followed was enough to send him stumbling backward with a grunt of surprise. Bakugou didn’t stop there. He followed up with a flurry of punches, each one laced with small blasts that sent shockwaves through the air.

“Still think this is a game, dragon?” Bakugou snarled, his teeth bared as he kept swinging, each punch harder than the last.

Kirishima was quick, though, dodging and blocking with the kind of fluid movements that shouldn’t have been possible for someone with his bulk. “You’re fast, I’ll give you that,” Kirishima said, his grin not faltering even as Bakugou’s punches rained down. “But you’re gonna have to try harder than that if you wanna take me down.”

“Shut up!” Bakugou roared, throwing another punch aimed straight at Kirishima’s jaw.

This time, though, Kirishima caught his fist mid-swing, his hand wrapping around Bakugou’s with a grip that was way too strong. Bakugou felt his arm lock in place, his momentum coming to a halt as Kirishima’s grin widened.

“Nice try,” Kirishima said, voice dropping lower, a teasing edge to it. “But I think you’re forgetting something.”

Bakugou growled, trying to yank his hand free. “And what the hell would that be?”

Kirishima leaned in, their faces close again, his golden eyes practically glowing. “I’m a dragon. You can’t win by brute force alone.”

“Who says I’m just using force, shitty dragon?” Bakugou sneered, yanking his hand free with a burst of explosive force that sent Kirishima stumbling backward, smoke curling up from his palm.

For a second, they just stared at each other, both breathing hard, the clearing silent except for the faint crackling of residual sparks. Bakugou’s heart was still pounding, but not just from the fight. Kirishima wasn’t even breaking a sweat, standing there with his chest rising and falling steadily, like he was more amused than anything.

“Alright, you win. You’re tough,” Kirishima said finally, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ll admit it.”

Bakugou blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift. “The fuck? What are you talking about?”

“I mean, I don’t know a lot of humans who can go toe-to-toe with a dragon and actually keep up,” Kirishima explained, shrugging like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You’re not bad, Bakugou.”

Bakugou gritted his teeth, the compliment feeling weird in his chest. He wasn’t used to getting praise from people, least of all from a dragon who’d been annoying the hell out of him all day.

“You’re still a pain in my ass,” Bakugou muttered, crossing his arms defensively.

Kirishima just grinned, like that was exactly the response he’d been hoping for. “And you love it.”

“Hell no,” Bakugou shot back, even as his pulse raced for a reason he couldn’t explain.

“Whatever you say,” Kirishima teased, stepping closer again, his expression softening a little. “But seriously. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”

“Fun? You call this fun?” Bakugou growled, still on edge, but not quite as angry as before. He was too busy being… confused by the way Kirishima was looking at him. Like this wasn’t just a game. Like he actually meant what he was saying.

Kirishima nodded, his smile less cocky now, more genuine. “Yeah. Most people are too scared to fight me, let alone talk back. But you…” He trailed off, eyes flicking over Bakugou with that same damn amusement. “You’re different.”

Bakugou’s mouth went dry. He didn’t know what to say to that, and it pissed him off. “Tch. Whatever,” he muttered, looking away like he didn’t care.

But Kirishima’s tail flicked playfully at Bakugou’s ankle, like he was trying to catch his attention again. “Hey. Don’t be shy. I’m saying you’re pretty badass.”

Bakugou almost blushed. Almost. He fought it back with a scowl instead. “You’re fucking insufferable.”

“And you’re fucking adorable,” Kirishima shot back, his grin widening.

“What the hell—” Bakugou sputtered, his face heating up for real this time, and before he could stop himself, he threw a weak punch at Kirishima’s shoulder.

Kirishima just laughed, the sound warm and bright, and Bakugou hated how much he didn’t actually hate it.

——————-

AUTHOR’s NOTES: Heyyy! So this is my first MHA fic ever, but I’ve been writing fics for ages now, mostly for K-pop groups. 😋 I know I’m kinda late to the party, but I just started watching MHA, and I’m totally obsessed with Bakukiri! 😭 If you enjoyed this fic of mine, let me know in the comments, through reposts, or hit me up in the ask box! Love you all, and thanks a ton! ❤️

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reading-stains · 8 months ago

Note

hello!!do you have skk fic recs?

Introduction

Yes, I do. I’m sorry it took so long to give you a reply, but I wanted to give you a comprehensive list and was busy preparing for my last day in high school, and then I got a job 12 hours later, and then I traveled to New York for a couple Broadway workshops. But now that today’s been dealt with, I have my wonderful notes.

So here’s the gist of it. I have three focused reviews on some of my favorite Soukoku fanfics ever, but I felt like copy pasting it would kill you a little, so I’m going to use a simplified format that echoes what I once did for two other ships years ago.

Canon Space

Here I compiled four fanfics that take place in main canon spaces (so not BEAST). While I encourage you to read, I also ask you to make sure to check the tags of the actual work for any possible triggers. Furthermore, the styles these characters are written in, and the way they are portrayed, vary from writer to writer. Some are more “canon” based than others, but they all carry the essence of this ship. And if they don’t in your eyes, then you’re just reading a great novel with Japanese names.

i'll bleed out for you by StarshipDancer

Synopsis: After getting impaled together, basically dying in each others arms in a joint mission with the Port Mafia and the ADA, and getting brought back by Yosano, this shattered Soukoku is asked to go into hiding. In this time, things seem to start healing. But the impending call asking them to return to their positions in their groups haunts them, and when it arrives, things fall apart all over again.

Tags: Caretaking, PTSD, A Singularly Important Rat Is Present, Canon-Divergence, Post-Port Mafia Days, Love Confession, Pet Co-Parenting, Angst

Word Count: 71,848

Notes: Rattata is the best character. I remember reading this fanfic between the airport and my flight, and when chapter four ended, I had to board the plane, with my shaking hands and quiet sniffles. Please read this one.

If you kiss me (I might let it happen) by encsiimomo

Synopsis: Chuuya’s done watching this. Dazai’s literally dating a new girl every week. He dates based on who asks him first that Monday, he breaks up with them that Sunday, and it goes on again. And again. And again. It’s driving him insane. So he does the only thing he can think of to earn himself a break – He asks to date him for that week’s cycle. Dazai’s surprised. Chuuya’s exhausted. But once the sparks fly, they’re unable to be put out.

Tags: Canon Divergent & Kind of Canon Compliant, Dark Era, Smut, Mutual Pining, Light Angst, Silly

Word Count: 52,127

Notes: I loved this fic because it encapsulates a pretty carefree tone that isn’t associated with Dark Era. It’s pretty smutty, but it’s really lovely to read them. It’s not a reflection of what these characters canonically represent. And while it definitely stays as a loose interpretation of these characters, it keeps the essence that makes this ship so sharp and wonderful. I loved Oda’s appearances too, they made me laugh.

A Doll's House by Abyss_In_WonderLand_likes_sexy_cannibals

Summary: After coming to contact with an ability-powered artifact, Dazai and Chuuya are forced to work together to overcome the ability’s trials, and face the bubbling sentiments they keep trying so hard to ignore.

Tags: Teamwork, Ability Loss, Poisoning, Denial of Feelings, Confessions, Light Angst

Word Count: 45,288

Notes: While definitely not a character study, this fic goes and shows how wonderfully warm a Double Black fanfic can be. You’ll giggle in some moments, be entranced in others, and it’s just fun. This is for those that aren’t scouring for the angst. This was the first fic that sunk me into a skk fanfiction hunt all throughout the winter holidays.

On Deathless Feet by AbsoluteNegation

Synopsis: Chuuya always knows the monster can get out of control, but it doesn’t get any less surprising when Arahabaki powers through him. For a while though, it’d been comforting to know Dazai could always reign it in, make it go quiet. Because he did when they recently met, when they rose through the ranks, and at the brink of their end. But after years of disconnection, and the consistent waves of betrayal, is Chuuya capable of trusting him? And is Dazai capable of letting him?

Tags: Caretaking, Controlling Arahabaki, Port Mafia, Post-Port Mafia, Mistrust, Non-Linear Storytelling

Word Count: 71,848

Notes: This story is just breathtaking. The writing style is incredibly vast and detailed, which may seem scary when described, but it flows so easily when you read it. You cannot negate AbsoluteNegation’s incredible skill. The story takes place in an event where Chuuya loses control of Arahabaki in a Post-Port Mafia Soukoku time. But because of its non-linear style, one gets to understand their past experiences with each other in a manner that contextualizes and weighs in the events of their reunion.

Fanon Spaces

Before I begin, I’d like to note that there are so many AUs in this fandom, that I had to really search for the canon ones in my list. So understand that if you want more of these, I DEFINITELY have more of these. Also, again, while I encourage you to read, I also ask you to make sure to check the tags of the actual work for any possible triggers.

I’ll crown your inner child with laurel by acuteguwu

Synopsis: Chuuya has worked in a Michelin Star restaurant. So he really has no place in losing this cooking competition. But a sudden newcomer, who seemingly has no previous experience in the field, seems to want to tell him his bechamel sauce isn’t ready. And really, who does he think he is?

Tags: Chef Competition AU, Character Study, Slow Burn, Chuuya Is A Blunt Perfectionist, Dazai Is A Culinary Genius

Words: 197,090

Notes: I read this in two days, and I finished by waking up at four in the morning to finish up before going to a drag queen brunch. So really, my experience was incredible. You get to really know these characters, who are very themselves, and it’s lovely. Please read, it’s so worth it.

music for our funeral by itotypes

Synopsis: Dazai has always been lost on what exactly he wants to be. Chuuya knows exactly what he wants. Working with such incredible differences proves to be a difficult challenge, ending in at least a little bit of violence multiple times, but they make it work. Because their music sounds beautiful. Because they’re better geniuses beside the other. And maybe because once it started, they can’t seem to process this journey can ever end.

Tags: No Smut, Angst, 70s, Musicians!AU, Drug Abuse, References to Child Neglect, Lowkey Pretty Violent, Emotional Cheating (w/ Main Ship)

Word Count: 67,723

Notes: Look, there’s a whole genre of Soukoku music AUs. And I could tell you to read the famous “still, still, still” by icedlightroast, or the even more famous “I Was Screaming Your Name Through The Radio” by ElectricSplatter. Which really, they’re both INCREDIBLE fics that I think you should read (IWSYNTTR literally inspired me to try and write music, which led me to do an album for a school project, so I’m not kidding when I say they’re life changing), but I also know that these are famous fanfics that you can find in almost any big skk reader thread. So disregarding the following recommendation, I try to give you fanfics I found through a long scrolling process.

Everything or Nothing by Wellthathappened (Cataclysmic_Calamity)

Synopsis: Chuuya has never been able to experience much. So when he meets Dazai on the night of orientation, he lets himself explore. So as lips sink into his, and as he lets himself be free, Dazai lets him know how unimportant he is by walking away when kids walk in on them. Cut to a month later, they’re paired as roommates, Chuuya’s gotten what Dazai insists is a douchey boyfriend, and Dazai Osamu has to recognize it wasn’t true. It wasn’t a night’s fluke. He really, definitely isn’t straight.

Tags: College AU, Pinning, Chronic Illness, Creation & References Of Illegal Panini Rings, Confessions, Miscommunication, Past Sexual Abuse, Bad Parenting, Cute Dates, Dazai’s Really Rich

Word Count: 264,937

Notes: I recognize I just put in my notes that there’s no major point in recommending these big fanfics, but I just read this because the person that introduced me into the fandom in the first place really loves this one. And it’s incredible. Worth every moment. I laughed a lot, and cried a lot. It’s those pieces of work that resound with you that keep you engaged. This one builds off of that.

Inseparable by milwritescausewhynot

Synopsis: Dazai and Chuuya have been joined to the hip since day one. But they’re not best friends. Or enemies. Or, worst of all, lovers. They are, however, great at pranking each other. Until one goes close to dangerous, and things begin getting complicated afterwards.

Tags: High School AU, Pranks, Light Angst, Denial, Pining, Confessions, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Crazy Kouyou, Childhood Friends, No Smut

Word Count: 107,804

Notes: I hadn’t saved this one in my compilation, but I couldn’t not find it. This fic is so charming, and I most enjoy how the characters move through the story. You can feel the way they're in-tuned from the get go. Definitely recommend.

In Conclusion

Again, I’m sorry for such a late response. I’m literally falling asleep right now but I felt too guilty leaving this for tomorrow morning. If you have any questions, notes, or looking for something specific for your reading, we can talk about it.

Anyways, thanks for asking! Hope you love them, and sorry for any mistakes

#soukoku fanfiction #skk #dazai osamu #nakahara chuuya #soukoku #bsd #bungou stray dogs #fanfic recommendations #skk fanfiction #double black #bsd chuuya #bsd dazai

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echo-of-damnation · 23 days ago

Text

Sugar So Sweet p.2

Part 1

Tags: Jago Sevatarion/Fem!Reader, boot humping, choking, squirting, HELLA smut, public sex, violence (Sev kills some guys), pet reader, degradation, mentions of breeding

Echo's echo: I couldn't stop. It was like I was under a spell. I didnt think I would add to this but I thought about boot worship and it was over. Sev is very protective and i think its hot. I hope yall understand

Words: 2,301

The beating heart of the ship was a place you rarely got to visit. The constant flow of serfs and Night Lords had overwhelmed you at first, sending your heart racing as panic slowly dripped into your veins. Sev had noticed it on your second visit there, smelling the fear seep out of your skin, something he enjoyed from time to time in the privacy and protection of your shared room, but here it sent his protectiveness into overdrive. Catching glimpses of his brothers hungry eyes as they too began to notice the fear roll off you for the first time, he had taken you right then and there, pushing you into a mating press so deep you thought you would surely break. It was quick and dirty, biting and bruising any skin within his reach. His animalistic side had him baring his teeth and growling at the offending brothers. He made it clear that day that none would ever look at you again.

Sitting on a soft pillow in the same midnight blue of the legion, you leaned against his leg, basking in the feeling of Sev distractedly running one his hand through your hair as he listened to one of the personnel in charge of navigating the ship. The guests he had spoken about were late, but you didn’t mind. It was a rare treat to leave the room that had become your whole world. You closed your eyes as your heart fluttered thinking of how good your Master treated you.

You didn’t realize you had fallen asleep until you heard the door to the helm hiss open, heavy footsteps echoing in to the room. Sev made no attempt to move to greet them after they had wasted his time by making him wait. You sat up straighter knowing you were to look and be on your best behavior, tucking your legs under you and straightening your shoulders. You held your head high to ensure the tag with Jago’s name was the focal point of your chest.

As the fellow Night Lords filed in and took their designated places, their Captain stepped forward. He was slightly taller than his subordinates, his black eyes stark against his scarred skin. A burn mark that covered his lower jaw and down his neck making him look closer to a warp born monstrosity than the powerful Night Lords that Sev commanded. He dipped his head down towards Sev as a greeting grunting his thanks for the short notice meeting. Jago just stared into the man, shifting back in his captain’s chair to lean against one of the arms.

You could feel your Master’s patience thinning as his guests droned on about the reasons for their meeting. It was rare you got to see him at work and seeing him now with these men fighting for his time and respect filled you with pride. Your master was important and strong in the legion. As you continued to daydream about the command Sev demanded in any room, your pride slowly shifted into something different, something deeper.

Shifting slightly from this new feeling in your lower region, you could feel some of his seed from earlier drip out of you, sending a shiver up your spine and a barely audible breathy moan escape your lips. The small noise breaking the concentration of the visiting marine, his eyes moved to look at you as if noticing you for the first time. Your skin prickled as you saw him slowly drag his eyes over you, it made you feel sick. Jago, ever aware of the situation, slammed one of his fists into the arm of his chair. “If you stop speaking again, I will make sure you return to your ship as new cloaks for you men,” the venom in his words almost palpable.

The visiting captain wasn’t fazed by the threat, taking his time in returning his attention to Jago, “Apologize brother, I was unaware you kept whores amongst your serfs. Perhaps later we may- “

“Finish that sentence and I will rip your hearts our through your mouth. Now speak of leave,” Jago’s voice was deafening in the closed room.

You could see the captain seethe at this new threat, looking over at one of his retinues. “I meant no offence brother,” the man said through clenched teeth but not wanting to cause any trouble, he continued with his speech.

Seeing your Master defend you against his own was almost too much for you. The blatant threat to one of his own’s life went straight to your aching pussy. You wanted to show your gratitude to your Master for protecting you, you needed to feel him inside you so he could understand how grateful you were. You knew if you were to act out, the punishment would be swift and severe so as to not bring shame to you or your Master, you stayed as still as you could. Which was easier said than done as Jago had decided to place a protective hand back on your head.

Absent mindedly he began to play with your hair again as his guest continued. It was a different sensation when he did this in armor, the cold hard metal biting into your scalp as his hand kneaded your hair, slightly tugging on it. The feeling was borderline euphoric, the relaxing pace and pressure paired with the slight pain of the scratches from the metal. You closed your eyes trying to keep yourself together. Shifting slightly to try to ease the desperate need between your legs only seemed to make the coil in your belly tighten. The smell of your arousal slowly filling the room.

Jago seemingly unaware of the torment he was putting you through, moved his hand away and back to the arm rest. A needy whine escaped you at the loss of attention, sending your eyes wide. You didn’t mean to make any sounds and your body betrayed you. The room stilled once more as now all the eyes of the visiting party were on you drinking in your flushed skin. Those who were under the command of Jago had known better to look your way, but these guests were showing that they were men with no regard for another man’s property.

Jago Sevatarion was not a man to have his patience tested twice. Sensing his brothers growing arousal, he needed to show them to whom you belonged. Pushing out his leg closest to you, all he said was a simple command of “on” and you knew what you needed to do.

Crawling slowly over to be facing him, you sat yourself on his boot. The cold metal sending a shock through your desperate cunt. You placed your arms around just under his knee to keep yourself balanced. You sighed as you situated yourself, so you felt the hard metal press sinfully against your clit, cooling the heat that had been building in you. Jago looked down at you, his nostrils flared as he took in the pink flush that was spreading across your chest and the drunken look in your eyes. The obvious possessive anger in his eyes doing little to help your growing need.

“Ride.”

You didn’t need to be told twice. You began to rock your hips against his boot, mouth falling open from the delicious pressure on your aching clit. “Harder.” You put more of your weight into it, humping his boot with the need to cum. You leaned yourself back slightly so that your pussy humped the junction of his leg and foot, the drag of your clit across the metal growing easier as you coated his leg in the last of the cum he put in you and with the new slick that gushed out of your hole. Throwing your head back you bit your lip to try to keep quiet.

Jago quickly leaned forward and wrapped a large, armored hand around your delicate throat. “Let them hear you my sweet pet. Let them know how good it feels to fuck your pathetic cunt against my boot,” Jago growled into your ear before forcing his tongue down your throat. A moan ripping out of your chest and into his mouth.

“What the fuck is this!” one of the guests had said what their group was thinking before Jago leaned back from you, grabbing the bolt pistol as his side and put a bullet between the mans eyes.

You stuttered with the moment of violence before Jago took one of your nipples between his fingers and pulled, “You will not stop and you will not cum, am I clear?”

You went back to your desperate humping and nodded. Not cumming was going to be hard but you were more than excited to build your orgasm for him. Jago let you go and sat back in the chair, setting the gun on the arm of the chair pointing at the group. “My pet has grown needy. This meeting will continue and if anyone so much as breathes out of line, well, I’m sure you can figure out the rest.” The only sound that could be heard before the visiting captain continued was the wet squelching of your pussy humping Jago’s leg and your desperate moans.

“…Very well.” The other man said before clearing his throat to tell Jago the difficulties in finding more armor.

You slowed your pace as you felt yourself nearing the edge but keeping the pressure hard on your clit. This was a rare treat to fuck yourself on a part of him but now with the knowledge that you had an audience only made it sweeter. Leaning forward you began to lick his armored knee, needing to feel something in your mouth, to taste some part of him. Jago wasn’t paying attention to the offending visitors, watching you fuck yourself stupid against him.

He reached a hand down toward your mouth, offering you one of his fingers to suck on. You took it greedily, moaning around the digit as you took it all the way to the base. Running your tongue around the cold metal, letting the metallic tang bite into your tastebuds. You were a drooling, sweaty mess as he pushed a second finger in your mouth, your lips stretching around them. With his other hand he took a fist full of your hair, a pained whine leaving you as he stilled your bobbling head. Slowly began to trust his fingers into your mouth, going deeper and deeper with each push until he was all but curling them down your throat. Gagging on them, tears began to stream down your face. Darkness forming around your vision with the loss of oxygen and all you could do was look into his eyes. You could see a primal need in them that only pushed you further. He wanted you here and now. He wanted to stake his claim on you in front of these poor excuses of brothers and you wanted him just as much. Wanted to feel his cock push into you, feel it push against your womb. You wanted to feel him cum in you over and over again till your belly bulged from his seed.

Jago took his fingers from your mouth and replaced them with his tongue once again. The slapping of your cunt against his leg growing louder. You couldn’t even tell if the man was still speaking. You felt your juices pooling around your knees as you continued to leak your arousal on his boot. Pulling away until his forehead rested against your he began to praise you, “Such a good girl. You are doing so well. Does your cunt ache for me? Do you long to feel me fuck into you?” All you could do was attempt to answer but you were too drunk on pleasure to form words. “That’s it, fuck your self on my boot. I can hear how desperate you are. Would you like to cum? To show these men who makes you feel this good?”

It was too much, the mix of the cold hard metal against your clit, the feeling of your Master pulling your hair and his hot breath against you. Tears were falling freely now and you desperately fucked yourself against him. “That’s it. Good girl. My sweet pet. Cum for me and make it loud.”

You needed no further instructions. Slamming your cunt against his leg, your orgasm ripped through you. A scream tearing through your throat as you felt yourself squirt against his leg. Stars filled your vision as your climax rocked through your body. You hips stuttered as the stimulation became overwhelming. Your body giving up in the glow of your orgasm, your hands slipped from their grip on Jago’s leg. Before your body could hit the floor, he caught you, cradling your exhausted form against his chest.

With you securely in his arms he stood from the chair and began to take you back to your shared room. Struggling to open your eyes, you caught a glimpse of Jago’s subordinates dragging away the bodies of the visiting brothers. You could see some of them cleaning their claws of the blood from the visitors. You tried to speak but Jago shushed you. “Nothing to concern yourself with my sweet. The had stepped out of line and rather than disturb your enjoyment, my men took care of them,” the words barely taking hold in your fuzzy brain, “Now let us continue this in our bed. You deserve a treat for your good behavior today.” Your heart sang with his words. Closing your eyes and resting your head against his chest, you let yourself drift off for the trip back to the room. The sound of your Master’s twin hearts filling you with warmth.

#one for the bookshelf #warhammer fanfic #wh40k smut #jago sevatarion/fem reader #jago sevatar #jago sevatarion #night lords #wh40k fic #fanfiction #w40k fanfic #warhammer smut #my writing #writers poorly veiled kinks

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danpuff-ao3 · 1 year ago

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Draco Malfoy: Rare Pair Rec List

If you know me, you know Draco is my fandom bicycle. Pass that boy around, baby! So here are a list of some of my favorite Draco-ship fics with various rare pairs! Different ships, different vibes, all kinds of goodies!

A Lesser Magic

by lq_traintracks (@lqtraintracks). Draco/Albus Severus. Rated: E. Words: 5,005. Daddy kink. Age play. Praise kink.

⭐️ Obsessed with this one. Pretty sure it will live in my brain forever.

Draco and Albus find something in each other that they can’t possibly get from anyone else.

A Room with a View in the Flowering City

by wolfpants (@wolfpants). Draco/Bill. Rated: E. Words: 1,446. Friends with benefits. Colleagues. Power imbalance. Minor Draco/Harry.

During Draco's internship at Gringotts, Bill and Draco get to know each other in surprising ways. For Bill, it's fun, but also comforting.

Reciprocity

by crystalusagi. Draco/Blaise. Rated: E. Words: 326. Dubious consent.

Draco gets more than he bargained for.

Danger in Frustration

by gracerene (@gracerene). Draco/Charlie. Rated: E. Words: 3,569. Mild dub-con. Dirty talk. Virginity. Intergluteal sex. Just the Tip.

⭐️ "Just the Tip" is one of my favorite tags!

Draco doesn't believe in sex before marriage. Charlie's found a loophole.

A Regal Affair

by FangQueen (@fangqueen). Draco/Cormac. Rated: E. Words: 5,079. Underage drinking. Underage kissing. Implied/referenced drug use. Frottage. Desk sex. Quickies.

There was nothing even all that special about Malfoy. Sure, he was pleasant enough to look at, if you liked the pointy, pale, platinum blonde sort. He had a nice arse―what could be discerned about it through those impossibly tight trousers he insisted upon wearing. And he was a decent kisser, from what Cormac could remember. Still, why all the men seemed to flock to him in droves, he thought he may never understand.

Take It In Trade

by gracerene (@gracerene). Draco/Dolohov. Rated: E. Words: 3,130. Dubious consent. Sex for favors. Power imbalance. Hogwarts 7th year.

Without a wand, and with his family out of favour with the Dark Lord, Draco finds himself in need of protection. Draco is fairly certain Antonin Dolohov will provide it, but he's not going to do it for free.

Killing Fields

by calrissian18. Draco/Firenze. Rated: M. Words: 9,938. Bestiality. Angst.

In which nothing dies but reluctance.

Walking Shadow

by ThreeSidedOrchid. Draco/Hagrid. Rated: E. Words: 4,085. Draco/Snape.

Some days after are harder than the war itself. "To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing." (Macbeth V.v.19-28).

Brighter Than the Sun

by GoldenTruth813 (@goldentruth813). Draco/James Sirius. Rated: E. Words: 23,798. Curse Breaker Draco. Auror James. First time. Denial of feelings.

James Sirius Potter is gorgeous. He's also half Draco's age. Getting emotionally involved with him would be a complete and utter disaster. Fortunately for Draco, he's had a lifetime of practice compartmentalizing his feelings. Draco can definitely handle fucking James—young, beautiful, rash James Sirius Potter—with no strings attached.

A Persuasive Performance

by Alisanne. Draco/Kingsley. Rated: E. Words: 2,681. Draco/others. Prostitution.

It was just another night on the job for Draco until a customer came in with a very specific request.

Whatever You Can Dream Up Next

by spacekc929. Draco/Moody. Rated: E. Words: 57,505. Consensual kink. Past rape/non-con. Under-negotiated kink. Daddy kink. Age difference. Size difference. Rough/painful sex. Crying. Fear play. Aftercare. Various other kinks and warnings.

⭐️ Full of filth. 10/10.

Alastor Moody is fifty-one years old when he accepts a scrawny, traumatized, eighteen-year-old Death Eater into his home through Harry Potter’s new pet project, the Young Parolees Initiative.

AKA, the obscenely cross-generational Draco/Moody BDSM romance no one ever asked for, featuring a protective, obsessive, sadistic Alastor whose capacity for tenderness is outmatched only by his depraved imagination, and a Draco with trauma who wants nothing more than to be Alastor’s good boy.

The Ugly Duckling and the Peacock

by Vukovich (@vukovich). Draco/Neville. Rated: E. Words: 12,357. Veela Draco. Herbology Professor Neville. Potions Master Draco. Accidental bonding. Scent kink. Fluff. Angst. Humor.

“Aye,” Hagrid said, nodding somberly. “Yer a Veela, Draco. Well, a bit." -- By Thursday evening, I had managed to entirely avoid sitting near Longbottom at meals. I had only walked slowly past his classroom door three times. I’d only snuck up behind him and smelled him four times. He caught me twice. And I’d only stood outside his bedroom door at 3 AM and jerked off in my robes the one time. -- My fingers threaded through his soft hair, and he sighed into mine, and I would have stayed like that for days. “Did you write a book on Veela-fucking?” I murmured. He chuckled. “No, I just read it a few times.”

Only One Word

by EntreNous. Draco/Remus. Rated: E. Words: 7,871. Developing relationship. Daddy kink.

Remus worries far too much what Draco thinks of the differences between them, until he discovers what Draco truly thinks.

Refuge

by Indigo_Scarf (@indigo-scarf). Draco/Scabior. Rated: T. Words: 2,990. Cottagecore. Fluff. Angst. Unhappy ending. Suicidal thoughts.

After the war, Scabior has been hiding in a hut in the woods near Malfoy Manor.

Old Dogs, New Tricks

by youcantseeus. Draco/Sirius. Rated: T. Words: 14,099. Postwar. Cousin incest. Humor.

⭐️ My favorite Drarius fic!

Draco isn't gay, he just appreciates a good looking man when he sees one. Honest! And Sirius Black is a good looking man.

Shall we descend once more, my Hades

by megyal. Draco/Severus. Rated: M. Words: 10,219. Postwar. Forced bonding. Podfic available.

[From the request: Later schoolyears, possibly seventh year | In return for killing Voldemort, Draco is given to Snape, to become his concubine. (Prompt: The Myth of Persephone)

Used

by torino10154. Draco/Teddy. Rated: E. Words: 811. Forced feminization. Dubious consent. Self-hatred. Humiliation.

Teddy wants Draco to be happy but at what cost?

The Lovers

by mushroomheadgirl. Draco/Theodore. Rated: E. Words: 4,941. Friends to lovers. Hogwarts 8th year. Falling in love. Love confessions.

It started with a note and ended here: the two of you huddled together in a lumpy bed in a frigid motel room in a backwater town. Far away from the castle you used to call home. Draco’s hand wavers just over yours, and there’s a lot unsaid and a lot that could go wrong, but you silently beg him to close the distance. * A story about schoolyard notes and the confessions that sneak through the lines.

The Lemniscate, or the Nature of Infinity

by lysanatt. Draco/Viktor. Rated: M. Words: 5,582. Prostitution. Quidditch. Romance. Previous unrequited Draco/Snape.

The war is long over, but Draco Malfoy is still caught up in the loss of the man he only too late realised that he loved. Trying to forget, he finds himself immersed in Quidditch and sex -- sex for money, that is. Not all men, however, are willing to pay. Happy end romance.

Seasons Change, And So Do We

by calrissian18. Draco/Voldemort. Rated: E. Words: 6,053. Dubious consent. Pining. Minor character death. Mythology fusion: Persephone/Hades

The Malfoy boy is sixteen when he burns the Mark into him. It’s almost more than he can bear; marking something his that isn’t quite.

#danpuff recs #draco malfoy #rare pairs #draco rare pairs

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puella-1n-somn10 · 1 year ago

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🕊️Puella Magi Madoka Magica x Team Fortress 2: Medic and his Witch Form🕊️

word count w/o intro text: 10,651

(Over...two...months...of writing; thank FUCK I've managed to get this all down right on time for Halloween!)

This has been a long time consideration, and, according to one of my last few polls, ya'll really wanted to see how I would interpret Medic's witch form! Well, after a long-time wait, here's the rundown of how Medic's witch would look like in my mind!

Before we start, I highly recommend that you look at the list of trigger warnings present in the tags; the Team Fortress 2 universe, both in-game and outside of it, is no stranger to gruesome elements, so I strongly urge you to take a long look at them before proceeding. If any of the mentioned makes you uncomfortable in whatever form, look away now for the sake of your own health.

As expected, spoilers for Madoka Magica, Kazumi Magica, Tart Magica, Magia Record (especially the anime), and the Team Fortress 2 comics ahead! We are going to talk about one of the many stingers of the Puella Magi universe, after all! On top of that, there will be mentions of Heavy x Medic x Engineer, so if the ship doesn't sit right with you, I must sincerely apologize in advance; it is recommended to click away from this post if said ship is not your cup of tea at all.

With all that being said, let us begin with this mess of an analysis/ficlet post!

-The Wish, Possible Powers, and Soul Gem-

"Oh ho hoh! I have been in zhe wrong profession. I must learn zhis magic!"

Let's be blunt here for a second- he's already laid waste to whatever concept of "morals" present within the human consciousness that would prevent him from furthering his medical and experimental endeavors, and he's done so much without the use of an incubator's powers; from granting his teammates invincibility to bringing them back from the clutches of death. Ludwig's immoral, sickened mind, coupled with his medical skills and treatment of the human body as an art canvas, has allowed him to play God.

On the other hand, though he did align himself with the opposing Classic team for some time within the comics, he explained to the newly-resurrected Sniper that it was purely for financial reasons, and that he never harbored any ill-will towards his teammates. In fact, it would be safe for us to assume that he, in his mind, genuinely cares for his team, and made it one of his missions to turn them into unstoppable killing machines- into gods. He cherishes his fellow mercenaries...albeit in his own twisted, inhumane, and silly way.

Building upon the above, it is also clear that Ludwig is a responsible pet owner and genuinely cares for his doves, especially Archimedes. Yes, he does resort to using animal organs - especially the exotic kind - when fit in order to further his experiments and enhance his teammates' performances, but the contrast between that and his care for the birds is kind of a testament to how he treat other humans - especially the classic team - vs. how he treats the mercs and others close to him. For goodness' sake, he's put Classic Heavy's demands on a back burner and allowed Sniper to escape while he was too busy reviving Archimedes! Ludwig does have a heart and the capacity to care, but not much in terms of morals, if at all.

Wow, he would definitely get along with Alina Gray, huh?

So, right off the bat, it wouldn't be farfetched for Medic to be curious over Kyubey's wish-granting skills; he did make a deal with the Devil himself on two separate occasions within the official Team Fortress 2 comics (though the initial deal's conditions is still unknown to us), after all. How he came to figuring out the existence of the incubators is anyone's guess at this point due to his unpredictable nature, but, in my opinion, it can range from old folklore surrounding the species or simply finding out that one of the mercs had already contracted (my personal bets are either Heavy or Solly). I recommend going off the walls with this one; for all we know, he could have managed to detect spikes in magical activity around the base/island and forced himself into the world of Magi, Witches, and wishes- all the while a certain little bipedal fiend began to showcase an equal amount of interest in him for reasons we are going to dive into soon.

On to the main topic of his wish, it's quite simple, really; it would be related to his hunger for power/knowledge and furthering his research/scientific endeavors; promptly dissipating whatever is limiting his experimental pursuits (maybe even financial, as presented to us in the comics).

Another possible wish that he could have made might be rooted to the bonds he had formed with the mercenaries and the surprisingly deep respect he had shown to each one them on numerous occasions. Such fascination towards his teammates is even presented to us within the beta version of Meet the Medic, where he made his goal of enhancing them and turning them into beings akin to the divine as clear as daylight. I won't deny the fact that this man just keep on finding out new ways to break both the Hypocratic Oath and Geneva Conventions with each passing minute - and it's usually for his own amusement -, but he also seeks to sculpt each mercenary into the best versions of themselves not just as a testament to his own prowess, but also because of his fascination towards them; he just likes those goobers around him and sees the mercs as his fellow pals.

With all that being said, I personally don't believe that whatever power he gained as a result of these wishes would be on a similar caliber as his canonical healing skills; after all, even without Kyubey's interference, he has shown to be exceptionally skilled in his craft to the extent that he had deemed himself to be a god on multiple occasions- and none of them were without reason. Instead, I believe that the core theme of his new magical powers relate to limits- whatever barriers that prevented him from unlocking his and the rest's full potential, and fully dissipating them. Perhaps he can manifest organs, transfer them at high speeds, all the while making his surgeries a little easier for himself. The option of him being able to create little animated "familiars" of his own from the remains of both ally and enemy alike is also there. If you guys have better ideas, please don't hesitate to share; I'll have to admit that this coming up with wish-related powers is a personal weak point of mine, and I will be accepting any and all criticisms coming my way.

Finally, to close this section and move on to the next, I would also like to discuss the matter surrounding his soul gem, and how I would personally interpret it. I am unsure if what I am going to say next has been backed up by canon or not, but a nice detail that I have noticed whilst looking into the soul gems present in canon is that they often correspond with the eye colors of their respective magi; which brings to mind the idea of eyes being the windows to a person's soul. Even if it's not a mandatory rule for when it comes to designing a Magi (especially when we take Nagisa Momoe into account), we can still see this metaphor being at play on numerous occasions throughout the Madoka canons, and where else is it more evident than within Kazumi Magica and the Magia Record anime?

Putting it briefly, aside from just looking at their soul gem, another indicator of a magi's slip into witchhood is by looking into their eyes during their final moments; Michiru Kazusa's sclera turned completely dark as her pupils began to shift into scribbles, and Kuroe - poor, sweet Kuroe - had the same corruption her soul gem was undergoing being displayed from within, you guessed it, her eyes.

So, while I do believe that red could be a nice color for Ludwig's soul gem, as it would also correspond with him being on the RED team - as presented to us on the cover of Fight Songs -, I can also see that a striking blue could also fit our crazy bastard.

As for the emblems present on his soul gem's egg form and its shape upon transformation, I'm gonna be honest; this is gonna be a little more complex than the color part - especially with the soul gems of Tart Magica and Magia Record in mind -, but I will do my best to summarize it to the best of my abilities-

To make this easier for my sanity's sake, the red cross he is already associated with in-game will be present as the emblem on top of his soul gem, though the the one on the middle would probably be based on either his bonesaw, the Ubercharge, a realistic heart (as a tie-in to how the Ubercharge works), or his doves instead. The actual shape his soul gem take on upon transformation, on the other hand, would resemble a large, anatomical heart placed on the center of his chest - connected to the rest of it and his shoulders through glass arteries and veins - due to its sheer size; usually, a magi's soul gem is only large enough to fit within the palm of their hands, while Medic's could be as huge as his curled-up fist or even an ostrich's egg.

The cause behind this peculiarity will be thoroughly explained soon enough, but, for now, let us close this chapter up and move on to the next...

-Descent Into Despair-

Before we kick off this angst fest and start hypothesizing, we're gonna need to take a good look at the nature of the soul and how this ties into the existing similarities shared between Kyubey and Ludwig- yes, this will get wild, especially if you're in only one of those fandoms from the outside looking in, so it's best for you to buckle up, hon, 'cause we in for a fucking joyride.

According to multiple religious and philosophical texts, the soul is a vital, non-physical part of a human being; it is an individual's very core of existence. The soul isn't exactly abstract, per se, as it's believed to actually exist between the lines of this plane of reality and that of the intangible world, and that each person has a unique soul that is distinctly theirs; it is, by definition, metaphysical- that person is the soul, as much as the soul is them.

Despite the limitations placed upon us by the very nature of the soul, it can be treated as a tangible and even physical object within both the TF2 and PMMM canons; in the latter case, Kyubey was able to turn them into magical gems for the sake of both efficiency and "incubation" - the goal of turning his victims into despair-riddled witches that spread the very misery they are drowning in -, all the while, in the Team Fortress universe, they are treated as nothing more than organs that can be removed and then reapplied at will by the very hands of, you guessed it, our very own Ludwig Humboldt for the dual purpose of conning the Devil out of the ownership of his soul and, in turn, extending his own life span.

This brings us back to the very moment where Ludwig made his wish with Kyubey; as presented to us via both Sayaka Miki and Homura Akemi, the process of making a wish and establishing a contract with Kyubey is proven to be quite the painful procedure, as they were able to feel their souls being pulled right out of their bodies by Kyubey in order to remold the very cores of their whole existence into these magical jewels known as Soul Gems; shining with the wishes that bind them to the life of a Magi until they inevitably reach their grisly ends.

Medic, of all people, would absolutely be the first to know exactly how painful it would be to have one's soul be forcefully ripped out of one's own body; he had already done so to 8 other people before grafting the extracted essences into himself. As result of this forced amalgamation, the size of his soul gem would be, as already stated, much larger than average. As for Medic himself and his reaction to his accumulated souls being turned into this grand artifact of magical potential, he would be in a state of shock, awe, and perhaps even a tinge of conflict - from the pain alone, he knew that his souls were tampered with; extracted and reforged -, but they were miniscule when compared to the wave of amazement that washed over him as he held the newly formed symbol of his status as a magi in his hands, shining a brilliant red with the wish he made with the white devil before him.

If Medic had to be honest, he would say, without a shadow of a doubt, that the incubators sure knew what they were doing; despite the tinge of bitterness regarding his souls being torn out of him, it was undeniable that having his life essences be turned into an all-powerful jewel was rather efficient, especially when stranded within the chaotic, unforgiving battlefield. Besides, this deal not only granted him what he desired most in life, but it unlocked a whole new world for him to explore; the realm of the witches.

After his first witch hunt went off without a hitch, he looked at his soul gem...yes, it had dimmed a little, and, according to his newly-formed, four-legged acquaintance, its brightness reflected what magic he had left; the very power he had gained from their infernal deal. This knowledge, combined with the grief seed taking in the impurities he had accumulated, had sparked inspiration within him, and, inevitably, that little glimmer turned into a raging, uncontrollable wildfire.

As his lips curled into that deranged smile of his, he arrived to the conclusion that he needed to research both his soul gem and these otherworldly monsters. Oh, was he was ever-so excited; a whole new world of possibilities had unveiled before him! He knew he had to learn more about these witches, for they were prime candidates for new observations and experiments...

Besides, if things were to go awry, he would have his backup plans as safeguards. He looked at the large jewel on his desk, its light reflecting on his glasses, with a look of complete confidence- after all, he was Ludwig Humboldt, the RED team's medic; he had already played the classic team like the money-hungry fools they were, defied all known laws of life, death, and nature on the regular, and bested the Devil in his own game! What bases of morality and human decency were little more than etches on the wall to him, and he was willing to go above and beyond to ensure his own and the rest's survival.

He cackled; oh, there was no need for any worries, my friend! Whatever that may come to pass, he shall find a workaround. So, with his lips curling into that toothy smile of his, he went to work-

Just like clockwork, it didn't take long for his signature obsession to dig its talons; day by day, he would salvage what parts of these unfathomable creatures and bring them back to his infirmary- even going as far as to capture their familiars and the smaller witches to bring back. After all, killing these wicked creatures outright would just cause them and their barriers to fade away, so he had to think of workarounds in order to harvest as much useful parts of them as he could.

All that, and that is without even getting into the details of the bargain he had made with the little pale ferret- why, that rascal Kyubey could be considered a new good friend of his in his eyes! He had even experimented on the bipedal fiend, and the Incubator held no grudge towards the quack doctor (hence how he came into the knowledge of his entire species and the fact that they were a hivemind). Back on topic- yes, the contract in itself was agonizing, there was no denying that, but at least he had gained a myriad of benefits from their mutual agreement.

Yet, as the saying goes, the higher they soar, the harder they fall.

Within every enforced law and in every deal made, loopholes were an inevitability- Ludwig and Kyubey knew that all too well as the roles of the recipient and contractor respectively. Time and curiosity have worked hand-in-hand in order to nurture their individual experiences and wisdom surrounding this unwritten rule of the universe. As several blazing days turned into howling nights, Ludwig's intrigue towards the limitations set before him as both a mercenary and a Puer Magi grew; his souls being turned into a singular, portable trinket was effective, yes, especially with the magic he had gained and his more than impressive healing abilities making both jobs a lot more easier, but, of course, so much could go wrong in the long run-

Ah, and these witches- at this stage, he had accomplished what many had deemed to be either impossible or far too risky; lining up the walls of his laboratory, amongst the butchered appendages and organs of their kin, were the captured forms of smaller witches and familiars- some were still struggling to be set free, while the others have resigned themselves to their fates. Whenever Ludwig wasn't on either battlefields or experimenting on his teammates, he would be slicing and chopping these poor souls away- trying to see how they functioned, or even analyzing their individual reactions to his little tests. Each of these curse-driven monstrosities' very existence brought forth a cluster of enigmas that only Ludwig could unravel, and the answer to these riddles must be tied to the very core of these beings- whether we're talking about how they would function as a living organism...or their grief seeds.

Besides...in his mind, there was nothing wrong with getting a few more benefits for yourself, was there? So long as such a possibility could help him continue on with both his life and work without any worries over the unknown, he was willing to take that chance. He was more than willing to rise up in the face of these hindrances- even if it took nearly pushing his soul to its breaking point, or unleashing what horrors mankind is not ready for once he manages to crack open a grief seed, he was certain he would find his way through this maze.

Unfortunately, his trickery of the devil himself had rendered him too confident. This unassuming little creature was no devil.

The further he descended down the inferno, the more barricades he had encountered on his way; wounding and injuring him to no end. Even with his soul gem on the edge of shattering, the grief seeds he had gathered were torn apart, watching as his own teammates neared their own limits as he caught up with them during their own witch hunts- the result was the same; he needed to research this even further. The fact that the two objects were apparently made of the same material had led Ludwig to several hypotheses - even coming close to the truth himself -, but, let us be real here for a second- if he did manage to figure out the truth behind the witches, which, logically speaking, he would, would it even come close to bothering him?

In fact...who was to say that, by learning the origins behind these creatures, that he wouldn't embrace the corruption of his soul gem? That he wouldn't lay his old vessel to waste, and treat his ascension to a higher plane of existence as a new experience for him? If that wasn't the case, then wouldn't he also inadvertently boost the process by going through meaningless hoops in the attempt to prevent his pre-written fate?

When looking at a man like Ludwig, a man already too far gone, only cold insanity and sadism irradiated from him- possessing an uncaring glee over the prospect of being able to experiment on the less fortunate souls who got in his way. His insistence on carrying on with his research came to the shock of almost nobody; such was his habit, and the mercenaries got used to his antics over time- yet, as time passed, his grip on his frustrations, desperation, and ever-growing drive continued to waver; everything about this new perspective on life filled him with a sense of wonder, even the countless roadblocks he had encountered still gave him a sense of awe...

His soul gem was as large as it was powerful, yes; it would take a larger accumulation of filth in order to actually affect him in any way or manner, and the reserves of magic he had- oh, how brightly must his gem shine when at its peak! Yet, one must consider at what point will the accumulated filth become...irreversible- how, at a certain threshold, the process of gathering up enough grief seeds to make sure it stays at its brightest at all times will yield more drawbacks than prospects of restoration? That the net value of the magic restored will inevitably hit zero if not the negatives?

How many times must this cycle repeat itself in order for the magi to inevitably give up on keeping their own soul completely pure at all times?

Ludwig still managed to keep his magic reserves somewhat afloat; though his cheerful and friendly mannerisms haven't wavered a bit, he couldn't keep his attention away from the developments that were unfolding before him. The experiments he had conducted on both his soul gem and the grief seeds he had gathered up did not help at all; further damaging and tainting his core only to satiate his own curiosity. He saw no issues as darkness slowly consumed his soul gem- it was simply another phenomenon to experience and document, no? It wasn't like it was hurting him or anything- if anything grim were to occur, he had his backup plans...if he could find one that actually worked...

No matter what Ludwig did, it appeared that his core was strictly bound to this jewel; he wasn't able to separate the souls within it, and, no matter how many times he would place another soul within him, it would just fade away as soon as he reached for it- purifying his soul gem in the process and leaving Ludwig as hollow as he was before the tests.

...He needed to study this further.

Ludwig's worries and starvation for answers gnawed at him. Within his glass heart, shades of ebony and crimson danced around one another, with only a small glimmer of light flickering through the veins existing to provide any form of luminescence, and his eyes-

Mikhail felt a lump on his throat as he gazed into the medic's soul through them- his once bright, fear-inducing blue eyes were beyond bloodshot, and, by his life, he could have sworn he saw the particles of his overheals float amidst the chaos. Still, Misha gulped down his worries as he placed the sandwich on Ludwig's desk and expressed his concerns over his health- to which the doctor thanked him - for both the meal and his considerations -, and assured the Heavy Weapons Guy before him that it was really nothing to flutter his feathers over, in his own words.

It was all going to be worth it soon. He knew it.

Tensions within the RED base grew with every passing day, and nobody sensed it more than Mikhail and Dell Conagher; though Ludwig would insist that he was alright - that it was all a part of the usual routine - and how close he was to a breakthrough, the two couldn't help but look out for the well-being of their medic. For the last few weeks to come, the two would keep a close eye on him- checking on the guy every now and then - as much as they could -, and making sure he hadn't completely lost himself.

His answers were becoming more cryptic as time passed; no matter how much Dell would ask and express his concerns, Ludwig would still act nonchalant, even as his eyes continued to darken with and his health evidently took a nosedive. This was no need for the concern, my friend; he continued to promise the engineer that it was all working out fine, and that he'll be okay once it's all over. Dell still kept his guards up; worried that, one day, Ludwig's gonna go completely off the rails- his and Mikhail's resolution to keep that man safe grew with each conversation they had with him. Something just ain't completely sound here, and he'll have to be there for him when that time comes.

What a hollow vow.

Days blurred with one another in Ludwig's mind. Each passing second held little to no significance to him anymore. No, he had to continue on with his hunts- he needed to. His doves looked at him with worried expressions; the lab was a mess, with papers and feathers scattered everywhere, the lights burnt out, and Ludwig himself slouched on the chair- illuminated by moonlight, and still carrying that damned gem.

And...he was never as satisfied as he was right at this very moment.

He looked down at his beaten-down, darkening soul gem- it was all worth it, no? He gazed into the flickering crimsons as though he was in a daze. He was exhausted, unable to get up on his feet, but he didn't mind that at all. His team will understand soon enough...

The light within his soul gem went into a frenzy- he smiled from ear to ear, for it was finally time; the hour of revelation had dawned upon him. Like a grand supernova, it collapsed into itself.

Ludwig tilted his head backwards, still fascinated by what was happening before him even as all life escaped his eyes. He embraced the corruption consuming him, and, with a crack and a flash of bright light, the entire RED base was sent into chaos.

-The Witch's Nature-

In short, this is tied to the personality/aspect of a magi that did them in; what drove them to slip into despair with their skulls cracking wide open upon impact. To provide a few set examples; Homulilly's was Self-Sufficiency (closing herself off from others as both Moemura and Cool Homu), Oktavia's was to Fall in Love (the infatuation with both Kyosuke and the ideal of a Magical Girl marked poor Sayaka's end), and Candeloro's was inviting (Mami's coping mechanism to deal with her loneliness- and the irony of her dragging innocents into the life of a magi). It can also reflect the intent behind their wish (Sayaka and Madoka) or how they would cope with the life of a magi and the responsibilities that come with it moving forwards prior to their demise (Mami, Kyoko and Homura).

Unfortunately, it is rather....difficult to describe the traits and convictions that cause such complex characters to do what they have done in a single sentence, much less a word or two. For all anyone would know, any of the mentioned above - cause of their wishes, how they cope, and what finally marked their ends - could have been driven by a multitude of a magi's traits and goals, and Ludwig was no exception.

To make this easier on everyone, myself included, I have divided most of the traits that have pushed Lud over the edge into separate segments. The suggested natures listed below are in no particular order; one can fit the bill more than the other. Though I have chosen only one of them for the witch card, ya'll are free to reinterpret it with any of the other suggested natures.

Desperate

Cunning

Wonder

Sadistic

To Experiment

Observant

Curious

-The Witch's Appearance-

"I have a bird head! You're dominated! We're both having a bad day."

This might either be the most fun or the most agonizing segment of the entire thing. As a matter of fact, aside from his descent to despair, this part took me the longest to conceptualize, and it's still not 100% complete in my eyes, oh dear oh me-

Right off the bat- the witch has to be gruesome. I am not placing heavy emphasis on this one just because this is Medic we're talking about and how we're all aware of his...peculiar views on his job and the human body, but it's also due to the aforementioned souls he's surgically implanted into himself prior to contracting. Let me state this again- before managing to find and ensure a contract with Kyubey, the man had already managed to turn the abstract concept of a soul into nothing more than an organ that can be grafted into himself; that ferret's nifty trick is no longer special.

To showcase exactly why the topic of Lud having multiple souls is so integral here, we have to recall that, throughout the Puella Magi canon, we have witnessed witches fusing with one another via various means; it has been stated that Walpurgisnacht was a singular witch who fused with others over time, and Kazumi Magica's Hyades Daybreak was an artificially-created witch born from the fusion of multiple soul gems. You could argue that Madokami is another such example thanks to Homura's resets and wish having her as the main focus; thus binding her to multiple iterations of herself across numerous timelines (as is it made clear to us with Madokami's transformation sequence in Magia Record).

The point being is that not only is Medic's witch's stupidly powerful, but I doubt it would be pretty to the eyes; unlike Madoka, those souls weren't originally his, and the way that he fused himself with said souls is thanks to his, let's say, bizarre surgical skills, and not due to whatever logic is behind the witches' ability to fuse with one another. Think of the core of his very being as an amalgam; whether he's retained his original soul from the Devil's ownership upon contracting or not is up to you, but the idea still stands nonetheless. It wouldn't just be some Frankenstein-esque monstrosity with stitches, additional appendages, and mismatched skin, either; the organs representing the souls he had stolen are there for all to see just beneath his unassuming, reliable, and even charming exterior.

Now that we've gotten some key details written down, we are going to have to examine his role, self-image, history, and the impact his actions had on the rest of the team in order to actually, well, design the bastard's personification of obsession and despair; these four elements are crucial for when it comes to designing a decent witch that would not only fit in the world of Madoka Magica, but also drive home the idea that these witches were once Magi themselves- with their own dreams and goals.

We'll kick this off by looking at Ludwig's role in the canon of Team Fortress 2; he is the de-facto healer, but he's less interested in actually helping the ill and is more into the idea of tinkering with the human form- going as far as to use animal organs for his whack scientific endeavors for the goal of satisfying his curiosity. His healing abilities are also stated to be side-effects of his knowledge regarding human anatomy- even the Medigun wasn't initially supposed to be healing the mercs, according to the lore provided for us.

While on topic, I should also bring Medic's gameplay onto the table; though he is one of the weaker classes when speaking in terms of strength, making sure your team's medic stays on the map for as long as you could is crucial. Think of him as the king piece on a chess board; once your doc out of the picture, not only will your team start to drop like flies, but you'll lose some of that sweet, sweet Uber time. There is a reason as to why Medics tend to stay around the more resilient classes rather than glass cannons like Scout; survival and defenses.

Next up, we'll talk about his self-image and how he is perceived by the rest. As we can tell, he takes much delight in his work and his experiments on other human beings- he doesn't see anything to worry about his interests and the peculiar way he goes about it, no matter how extreme it is. Obviously, the man's not in-tune with the concept of human morality- going as far as to see these unwritten rules of humanity as nothing more than roadblocks on the way of his life.

In spite of his...screws being more than loose, as I already stated above, it isn't like he sees his fellow mercenaries as lesser beings when compared to himself; he does like them, albeit in his own amoral, gory way - he wouldn't have granted them the power of invincibility otherwise, among the other feats in modern science he had accomplished in order to save his team's asses -. Yeah, he does experiment on them, but, at this point, that's just how he says "hello"- and, when compared to what he did to the Classics, the adjustments made were for the active benefit of his team (...most of the time).

From all this, we can tell that his witch is on the more dangerous side (AS IF THE EXTRA SOULS DIDN'T DO THE JOB?)- with a dash of grace, of course; a reflection of his friendly exterior hiding away his twisted interests and "job"- and, fellas, he adores his work. He holds no regards for the safety of his patients and how outlandish his experiments are; he already kept an enemy Spy's head alive in a fridge, for corn's sake. Nonetheless, he is still a competent doctor- more than competent, in fact; when given the right tools, organs, time, and budget- death is no more than a small hurdle to him. He also genuinely cares for his fellow mercs, even going as far as to call them his friends; maybe that's how the witch will see his own familiars? What if he also tries to smile, joke around, and sing lullabies as he cuts open his human victims?

By looking at this being, only unfathomable, suffocating dread surrounded you- for you were in the presence of he who holds the thread between life and death. This creature before you- no, that isn't right...this deity looked down upon his next patient; surrounded by the lifeless husks of his familiars and their victims, he was rather annoyed over the prospect of having his work be interrupted, but he was also more glad that a living being had wandered into the operating room. Yes, he knew it now; a sadistic sense of glee beamed from the monster as he knew that the next medical trial will be a lot more interesting than he had expected.

Finally, to wrap things up, we glance at his history. Now, I am going to give you guys the heads-up in advance, because not only will this segment be composed of speculations for the most part, but we will be discussing themes of ethn1c gen0c1de. If this topic is in any way triggering, scroll down to the part where we talk about either the latter part of his design, his barrier- or just skip right to the Witch's Card. Clicking away from this post altogether is also highly encouraged.

Much of Ludwig's history is currently kept wrapped under shadows- we were told of Mikhail's, Tavish's, Jeremy's, Dell's, Mundy's, and even Jane's lives before they joined RED/BLU and partook in the Gravel Wars, but, aside from the enigmatic Pyro, Medic was the only one whose backstory was never clearly given to us. All we have to go off of are the bits and pieces peppered across the official website(s) and several official cosmetics-

We all know that he was native to and lived in Germany "during an era where the Hippocratic Oath had been downgraded to an optional Hippocratic suggestion" until he had escaped it by hijacking a catering van during a prime minister's wedding for reasons currently unclear to us - it has been speculated it was due to him having stolen a man's whole skeleton, but he had stated that he lost his medical license soon after the incident -. In the Two Cities update, one of the signs present in Rottenburg, his hometown, was that of a pharmacy advertising a number of...odd products, one of which being Baboon Hearts (leading to the speculation that his name has to be Humboldt- as it was the name of said pharmacy and the confirmation that Medic descended from a line of mad scientists like himself). We also know that he had found and then adopted his doves, namely Archimedes, as he escaped via grand theft catering van.

These should be all he scraps we were given in regards to Ludwig as a character outside of his job and the mercenary business, right? Weeeeeeelll....not quite. There is still one more jigsaw puzzle we should piece together, and, when combined with the time period TF2 takes place in, it does not paint a pretty picture of his life prior to becoming a mercenary. Folks...

We have to talk about Ludwig's Jewish coding, and the implications it has in regards to his backstory when combined with the timeline of the Team Fortress universe.

Though it was never explicitly stated to us, several aspects of Medic do shine a light towards this specific direction; to make this easier for us all, I'll just be listing down the evidence present across the canons of both the game and the comics-

The theme song of his bird, Archimedes, that plays during his surgery on Heavy in Meet the Medic is Klezmer music- Yiddish folk music

His pronunciation of "Danke Schon" is the Yiddish way

In the Gargoyles and Gravel comic, he was dressed up as the openly Jewish Albert Einstein for Halloween

The most damning of all, Valve's insistence that Medic is NOT a N-zi; especially with how fanmade cosmetics that portray him in such a way are often taken down almost immediately

Now, I do understand the fact that Ludwig is far from a saint, but...you have to understand the sheer, vile evil the N-zis and their ideology embody- and, unfortunately, he was also another target for their venomous rampage. Add in the fact that it was at full swing back when Lud was a young adult and he probably witnessed the rise of the heinous ideology when he was a little sap, and...there is no way I can say this lightly-

Ludwig had lived through dark, heinous years. Maybe he's always been this crazy, maybe what was left of his sanity had shattered to brittle pieces thanks to what he and countless others were forced to experience- perhaps he was already insane, but the slaughters and oppression were a whole other degree of evil to him; of course, until the writers at Valve say otherwise, all this falls upon how you personally interpret Medic as a character and how he coped with his backstory.

Though this is all just simple speculation based on what bits and pieces of the man's background we were given officially, it does bring into question what Lud had experienced outside of his medical endeavors. Besides, topics surrounding the second world war have already been explored in the world of TF2- Heavy's backstory is one example, where he and his family were sent to a gulag following the imprisonment and execution of his father, a counter-revolutionist; they only managed to escape once it had burnt down. The trauma of the experience still lingers within Mikhail, as was shown to us in A Cold Day in Hell, so such a backstory for Ludwig is not out of the realm of possibility.

With all that in mind, one must wonder about the kinds of thoughts that were running through Ludwig's mind during that time, and place his escape from Germany under a different light. I must, once again, repeat the statement that Ludwig is not a good man, but did that justify whatever he possibly went through? He even went as far as to crash a political figure's wedding in order to flee; was it because of the hilarity factor TF2 and Medic as a character are well-known for - namely after he stole that dude's skeleton -? Or was there another aspect at play- one of utmost urgency? After all, leaving one's home country for good has got to be a difficult decision- he didn't even return to Rottenburg when Grey Mann took over, implying that, unlike the rest, he didn't have anything waiting for him back home...

Ah, it wasn't like it mattered to him nowadays, anyway; nay, he dared not to think about it any further- all that mattered to him now were his research...his experiments...

So, with all the complicated stuff set on the table, let's move on to the simpler bits of a witch's design- the glue that tie all these bits and pieces together!

Where do we start? With the Magi's own design, of course! After all, Oktavia's knightly theme didn't just come from Sayaka's desire to become a hero/Kyosuke's knight in shining armor, and don't get me started on Homulilly's final form. I am certain that there are other witches that would also help get the point across, like Charlotte, but let's not extend this segment too much.

Upon taking a closer look, we can see that Ludwig's design invokes the imagery of a dove - just like how the little nubs on Nagisa's hat are reminiscent of mouse ears (and we all know how her witch form looks like) -, especially with the ends of his coat resembling a dove's tail feathers. Several cosmetics of his that are present in the game also boost this specific theme of his, especially the Blighted Beak mask, the Wings of Purity, and, of course, the infamous Medimedes bird head.

Of course, this might be a reference to the doves in his lab - there we go, simple as that -, but I don't think that's all there is to it; remember, for an amoral, crazed man like Medic, he is still represented by holy themes, much like any other healer in most media. When you think of a healer, you think of a person who swore under the oath of not doing any harm, and have devoted themselves to the life of pacifism...everything that Medic is not. In fact, Medic himself invokes the fear of being before the almighty; how small and utterly insignificant we are in his eyes, and that, to a being with a mind like Ludwig's, our lives are in the palms of his hands to toy with.

Ah, sacricore and holy themes- don't we just love them? The idea of a savior is definitely written down; a brilliant being with evidence of the slaughter staining his hands. Doves are also gonna be heavily referenced- what kind of Medic-related design are we working on if we didn't give him a pair of wings or two?

As a matter of fact, who is to say that the witch isn't a mad, humanoid-ish dove? With his crooked, bright smile and unfeeling red eyes being hidden by his aura and brilliant, white feathers? You think you might be in the presence of a god of hospitals and medicine, and he even approaches you with such a cheerful demeanor; happy to see a patient stumbling into his lab! That is, until you see how red the ends of his feathers are, how wide that smile is under that plague mask of his, and his eyes...

Hang on- is this a plague mask to begin with? As your eyes finally focus...you can see that it is jutting out of his skin- it's not a mask, but a part of his skull.

Next, we are going to focus on the magi's weapon and what powers they had prior to witchification; now, I am aware that their weapons and their powers are not always reflected in their witch designs - coughs coughs, Kriemhild and Homulilly -, but it does appear to be an "either/both/neither" case for when it comes to analyzing and designing them - I mean, just look at Ophelia -. Besides, Team Fortress 2 is a combat-oriented game, so it would be of great disservice to the game if I did NOT incorporate the main vessel in which you would use to bludgeon your enemies to smithereens with.

Once more, the Medic's main shtick is healing and granting your team a wide number of buffs depending on the medigun equipped; the Kritzkrieg grants a 100% crit chance upon activation, the Vaccinator provides immunity/reduced damage against several damage types, and don't get me started on the number of buffs a Medic can grant their team alone in the Mann vs. Machine mode. For now, we'll just be focusing on the classical Medigun, and how it grants invincibility to both himself and the person he is healing upon activation.

As seen in Meet the Medic, this was possible due to the adjustments made on each of the mercs' hearts- or, what replacements they have received in place of said organs, considering that even HEAVY'S had burst from the pressure caused by his medigun's rays. It is shown to us that the heart begins to pump at an accelerated rate upon activation, likely to spread the influence of the medigun at full power through the subject's veins; turning them into a bulletproof behemoths ready to turn the enemy team into a pile of mush.

From this alone, we can pinpoint the idea that hearts are an important motif in his witch's design. I'd also wager that he'd also possess powers that aren't unlike the functionalities of his medigun; allowing him to heal himself, his familiars, and even other witches at close proximity- bloodthirsty, erratic mercenary or not, he is still the team's doctor. Once the witch starts glowing red, you only have a few seconds to either find a weak point as soon as you could or make a break for it.

To further build upon this theme, attached to his back, not looking too dissimilar to how his medigun backpack, are vials filled with fluid that each resemble the lights of a soul gem at its limit. Within them, he stores his victim's souls, blood, guts, and organs for future usage. How did they get here? Why, with his other appendage hidden inside his forearm; resembling a combination between a saw and a needle. It is easy to use a surgical knife, yes, but some patients are...less than cooperative.

Before we unveil the finalized-ish idea for the witch, I should also take a second to talk about his hypothetical barrier and possible witch's kiss/warlock's whisper. It is true that the most powerful witches in-canon don't exactly need to hide in their barriers - case in point, Walpurgisnacht, Kriemhild Gretchen, Hyades and Shitori Egumo -, but, if we go by the concept art pertaining to Kriemhild Gretchen, we can see that they do have labyrinths they call their own. Even Walpurgisnacht has a pocket space she calls her home; it's the none other than the monochrome hallway Madoka was running through during episode 1, as confirmed by the PSP Game. If neither Walpurgis nor Kriemhild were exempt from this rule, then it shouldn't be surprising to see that this also applies to Ludwig's witch.

As stated in the January 2012 issue of Dengeki Playstation, a witch's labyrinth represents "the magical girl's mental landscape before they became a witch"; Oktavia's was a concert hall- resembling the one where she would watch Kyousuke play the violin, Candeloro's a tea party for one- representing how she would cope with her loneliness and the fact that she arranged her meetings with Madoka and Sayaka as tea parties -, and, according to the aforementioned concept art, Kriemhild's barrier is an obsidian and magenta void full of floating furniture- specifically those of her and her mother's rooms.

From these examples, we can assume that the barrier represent core memories of the magi before they fell into despair, and are either tied to the reason behind their wishes or how they coped with their lives after contracting:

Madoka had a healthy family life in comparison to the other members of the holy quintet, and it is thanks to the environment she was raised in that she ended up becoming the merciful, selfless girl that we all know today

Everything about Homulilly's barrier just represent how much Madoka meant to Homura, even if she didn't exactly see her perspective 1:1; as such, the rundown state of Mitakihara City not only represents her time loops and how it is the setting for all her time loops, but also how she failed to protect Madoka in the end and to grieve the normal life they could have had- had it not been for the universe and everything it stood for standing against them (it might also foreshadow the choice she had made at the end of Rebellion; trapping her team and the rest of the city in a gilded cage so that the incubators will not have a chance at hurting Madoka ever again)

Nagisa didn't have much of a social life outside of school, her run-down home, and visiting the hospital where her mother was at- and it is within that hospital that she proclaimed that she was done with being the perfect daughter to someone who barely deserved it; that it was her turn to take control

We can even tell that Sayaka watching Kyousuke's concerts was such a pivotal moment in her life because of how this specific memory was shown to us at least twice during the series; when she explained what happened to him and the cause behind her wish, and as soon as her soul gem had reached the point of no return- albeit for a split second.

Of course, this is not necessarily a strict rule to follow for when it comes to designing and deciphering witch labyrinths; H.N Elly's barrier resembles a snow globe in composition - according to production notes -, Charlotte is having a tea party with a doll in which both of them are unable to respond, and...I am not 100% sure on what to make of Ophelia's barrier- though I will come back to it later. Barriers don't have to be based on actual locations that are significant to the magi's life; rather, they can be manifestations of their desires prior to witching out- Elly wished to preserve a happy memory that gave her a shred of respite in the midst of the stressful life of an idol; and the tea party symbolizes the relationship Nagisa craved from her mother, that she was the timid one of both parties- silent as a doll, and how ultimately hollow that wish is- in the end, it's just a toy; it cannot respond to her even if she could speak, nor could it comfort her.

Unsurprisingly, I can see that Ludwig's barrier could be an infirmary...no, that can't be right; after all, Ludwig does what he does not out of compassion for the sick, but because he could. He seeks to change and perfect the mercs; turning them into unstoppable killing machines forged by his own hands and mind. He usually does all this to satisfy that itch in his mind and the excitement whatever results he gets from these surgeries bring him. It looks like a place of respite for one's health, but it is a death trap, first and foremost.

As a reference to his escape from Germany, maybe Ludwig's doves are still flying around the barrier; blood and feathers staining the floors and hallways, and themes of uprooted trees are peppered in as paintings and ruined potted plants. This represents the panic setting in and high speeds of the van, on top of how he came to discover and adopt these feathery companions of his, while the uprooted tree symbol suggests that he has nothing waiting for him back home in Germany; the other mercenaries went back home after the events of Rings of Fired (sans Pyro and Engie) except for Medic, after all. Maybe he was just lucky(?) enough to immediately land a job amongst the classic mercs, or perhaps...he just couldn't go back "home", not after everything.

Going back to the canonical barriers for a sec, one part of when it comes to designing a proper labyrinth is that, sometimes, a person can sway your heart so much they could change the trajectory of your ideals and influence the way you look at both your actions and the world around you.

This is most evident in Ophelia's barrier, as seen to us in Madoka Magica Portable; though it's hard for me personally to decipher exactly what it is, there's a fuck-ton of symbolic elements literally swimming around there, including musical notes floating from the ground and into the air. I don't think I need to specify exactly what said notes represent here.

Since there are multiple rooms within a barrier that can serve different functions, perhaps there's an outdoors segment where the magi first end up in; a frigid winter wonderland threatening to turn this labyrinth's visitors' limbs into unfeeling, darkened blocks of frozen meat falling off their bones. The only salvation from this bitter cold is to enter the interior segments of the barrier, and, even then, you are still not at all safe; his familiars are still on high alert- whenever they aren't "looking after" the other patients present -, and the infirmary in of itself is nothing more than the lure of an anglerfish- fooling the humans who have stumbled into it and punishing them to a fate worse than death.

The conveyor belt stretches through the halls of the labyrinth and leads right to the center; the operating room. There, the doctor awaits either his next batch of organs - human or otherwise - or a new patient. Ah, how everything runs smoothly; the bloodshed, the violence, the screaming- such fine melodies, they nearly compelled him go and play a tune on his "bone" saw at this very moment.

Another small detail that I want to pepper in is that there are the sounds and vibrations of a heart beat that echo through the halls of the labyrinth's interior sections. Perhaps there are slices of lavish wedding cakes (the van), pretzels (Germany), and all manners of bread (the mercs and that bread monster) that are being served in the canteen- and, before you ask, no, I would not recommend eating them. I know I already said that hearts are a core theme of the witch's design itself, and maybe the canteen thing is a bit too farfetched, but, hey, a nice detail is a nice detail.

Finally, so we can wrap this whole segment up already, we'll discuss the details of his witch's kiss/warlock's whisper. Now, Witch Kisses in-canon are...weird; they hold less consistencies than the witches themselves and their barriers, so it is hard to draw out the necessary similarities needed to create a decent design. Some witch's kisses are tied to the witch's type (Uhrmann, Homulilly), designs (Oktavia, Elly), and their grief seeds (Kriemhild). Sometimes, I have no idea on what they represent at all! (CANDELORO) I'm just gonna go on a limb here and just...wing it.

-BADUM TSS-

Okay, okay, that was horrible, I'm sorry. Indeed, wings will be a key theme- specifically 6 of them; not only are they reflective of him being a dove, but also to boost the holiness theme he has going on and to symbolize his earlier deal with the devil. In the middle of it, a clawed, red hand grabs on to an anatomical heart; whether he is handing it out or taking it for himself is unknown. Upon closer inspection, one can see that it is affecting the victim's veins, causing the area around the whisper to turn into a deep, glowing red; remember how the ubercharge works, people.

Finally, finally, after two months of hard work - two months of AGONY -, we have it; the moment we have all been waiting for...

-Witch Card-

Asclepius, the Warlock of Reconfiguration. His nature is wonder. A revolting, mad avian who conceals his sickened mind with the appearance of a plague doctor, and a charming, silver tongue. Upon gathering up those who would become the volunteers and patients for his latest medical trials, his very own ward begins to choir and hum with every slice and stitch made on his victims' bodies; readjusting and mutilating their forms to fit what piqued his mind at the hour.

The leftover organs are then either stored for his future endeavors, swallowed whole by the warlock in order to improve upon his own self, or are kept alive - perhaps even conscious - within his barrier as a testament to his prowess; eternally trapped and wailing for the liberation of death.

-Familiars-

Galatea. Servants of the Warlock of Reconfiguration. Their duty is to worship. The warlock's beautiful creations- the culminations of his medical curiosities. Right out of the operating tables, they would test out the enhancements blessed to them, and continue to be of good use to the warlock by defending his infirmary and the operating room. Those who cross paths with the Galateas will not see a hint of hesitation- they are willing to keep the bloodshed around the labyrinth ongoing for the sake of their doctor, even at the cost of their own lives.

Though the warlock prefers the blank slates that are the humans who get admitted to his infirmary, he would still pick apart at and experiment on his Galateas, whether in order to fix them, enhance them using the organs of his victims, or to salvage as much of their parts as he could- perhaps in order to rebuild them in the future.

(Familiars are said to be "projections of a magi's heart before they became a witch"; as result, their duties can range from directly serving the witch - the Holgers representing Sayaka's desire to be in the center of Kyousuke's attention, and the Anthonies are tasked to care for the roses Gertrud cherishes from the bottom of her heart -, to becoming obstacles to all, sometimes even to the witches themselves - the Klarissas' only task is to dance around Oktavia, Anja's stated to have been separated from Albertine, and dare I talk about how the Clara Dolls represent Homura's self-loathing over her inability to save Madoka? -. It isn't uncommon to see that a familiar can be based on significant key figures in the magi's life, especially if they were either related to the wish they made or the cause(s) behind their despair.

These buggers here symbolize Ludwig's love for not just mutilation, but also reinventing the way his teammates' organs function- and, as I mentioned before, his deep trust in the mercenaries. He also compared himself to the divine on numerous occasions and is followed by multiple holy motifs in spite of his little deal with the devil going on; he was even followed by a choir and his doves flying behind him as soon as he stepped into the battlefield in Meet the Medic.)

Hubris. Servants of the Warlock of Reconfiguration. Their duty is donation. Bound by their hauteur and the broken bones of their bounties, these pathetic prisoners of the warlock have been chained and are treated as nothing more than livestock by both their master and his other servants. Watching their own organs and other body parts be pulled apart from one another before regenerating once more for the continuation of this cycle has drained all hope of ever escaping their punishments from their eyes- not with these atrophied limbs and sore boils.

Their stringy, rotting flesh provide little to no sustenance for neither the warlock nor his other familiars, and are too fragile to use for his medical trials - hence the need for human patients -. Nonetheless, they are bound to these spare operating tables, awake at all times, as the claws of the other servants pick apart and toy with each and every one of their fibers. The warlock finds humor in their agonized howls.

(They resemble misshapen versions of the TFC team - barring their own medic -, since we are going with the assumption that he took their souls rather than those his own teammates. Why I went with the idea of the classics themselves becoming his familiars is and are not just projections of how Medic saw them during his time working with them is due to how both Walpurgisnacht and Hyades Daybreak had their respective original forms re-manifesting as their own familiars.

Yes, Cheavy gets the worst of it.)

Archimedes. An old friend of the Warlock of Reconfiguration. His duty is attendance. As he glides through the bloodstained halls of the infirmary, this dove, whose pristine feathers have long since been soaked with a deep crimson throughout his master's countless trials, would not only take part in the warlock's surgeries as the role of a willing audience, but he would also stand by and even assist (Asclepius) - all the while satisfying his own morbid, sickened curiosity -. Of all familiars, the warlock treats this one with the most respect, understanding, and fatherly affection.

(Not a familiar that looks like the bird, not a familiar that is inspired by the bird- it's the fucking bird itself.)

-Inspirations-

In-game:

His doves, and the fact that Archimedes was a WEDDING DOVE before Medic found him

Him hijacking the chancellor's van during his wedding in order to escape Germany (and eventually finding then adopting Archimedes who was within it)

His silver tongue clashing with or weirdly complementing his deranged personality and actions; would it translate into his witch looking more humanoid, among other traits? Well...

His usage of animal organs to compensate for the fragility of human organs might make the humanoid aspect of his witch sort of moot

His bonesaw and how he plays it like a violin (non-conventional musicals?)

The Vita-saw

Ubercharge

Him playing cosmic systems like a damn skipping rope to his advantage (reviving Sniper and having multiple souls sewn into himself in order to scam the Devil out of their deal). This does not work with Kyubey, like, sir, your surname ain't Kaname, if memory serves me right

The Blighted Beak cosmetic; its Vibrio Cholerae style specifically, as it would better fit Inu Curry's art style

Medic's gameplay in both the vanilla game and the V-Script Zombie Infection mode

"And no wonder! For even the devil disguises himself as a being of light." - His association with themes that are considered "holy" and "good" in Meet the Medic and several of his own cosmetics...yeah, no need for me to go into detail as to how ironic this all is

Outside Influences:

The Greatest Living Show by Itoki Hana and Toby Fox (wow, I have an addiction to Itoki Hana's songs, don't I?)- evident especially with the heart beats in his barrier

Repo! The Genetic Opera

German fairytales- especially with how some of them revolve around mortals dealing with otherworldly beings

-Closing Statements-

To be completely honest, I wish I was able to actually draw this shit and not make ya'll read through this drag of a document and leave the gist of it up to your imaginations. I also have to apologize for how rushed it is near each segment's ending; I initially wanted to publish this around the start of October, but it was far, FAR from finished by the time it rolled around.

This has been a wild 2 or so months; constantly looking up references and refining the concept time and time again along the way, and it is still not perfect (especially with how the description of the warlock's appearance), but, overall, I am very happy to have managed to deliver it during spooky season.

I should also give a huge thanks to @bluethepearldiver! Not only did they support me incredibly so throughout the process of writing this in ways I cannot write down so easily, but they've also helped me with the names of his familiars and that RAW line ("Unfortunately, his trickery of the devil himself had rendered him too confident. This unassuming little creature was no devil.")! So, please, do give them the support they deserve ;0;

Once more, I am more than willing to listen to suggestions and criticisms; I'm aiming to not just improve upon Asclepius, but also the other mercs' witch forms when the time comes (I even have a concept for Scout's)! Do not be afraid to send an ask or even tag me regarding the matter- I'll do my best to reply (if Tumblr gets its head outta its ass and does its job notifying me for once)!

Thank you all so, so much for reading all this! I appreciate any and all engagements and feedback coming my way.

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