#that is the one time hunters get a free pass in my books

[mythicalmyles]

“You wouldnt do this to a hunter” well actualleigh i stood infront of a gun just to stop it so ur right i wouldnt “call out” a hunter id do something about it lol

[bubbleddisasters]

Stupid Shit I’ve done/Gotten myself into by accident/been dragged into as Twisted Wonderland Characters:

—————-

Ace : Heard my sister screaming bloody murder downstairs and didn’t do shit because I assumed she was watching a horror movie. Turns out there was a fire in the oven.

Bonus: Sniped my friend in the eye from across the Cafeteria with a Ketchup Packet, Meant to hit his glasses, but he repositioned them at the last second.

Deuce: Answered Maine four times on a Historical Geography test and was wrong all four times.

Cater: Threw my phone out of the window in a panic after seeing one of my Idols followed me back.

Bonus : Accidentally convinced a transfer camper from Wales I was from London after I quoted something in the accent to myself in the showers and was too awkward to tell them I wasn’t when they struck up the conversation.

(I am from America, and the camp is in America.)

Trey: Accidentally created a puddle of Dark Red Icing and Stepped in it four times in a row while making a cake at 2 am.

Bonus : Befriended and helped out the owner of a French Bakery down the street when they started out, they ended up becoming really popular (rightfully so, her stuff is amazing) and now I either get free shit and/or Friends and Family Discounts.

Riddle : I have read the dictionary on multiple occasions out of sheer boredom.

Bonus: I once read the bible and marked down verses. Im not religious I just needed to win an argument.

Leona: Slept through an earthquake and 3 ambulances coming to my house bcs my sister was hurt.

Ruggie: Waited for families going inside to pass by and asked them to hold the door for me so I could sneak into a VIP rooms for free food. (Usually only at fancy hotels but luckily this strategy is flexible when your 5’2 with a baby face.)

Jack: Used to Smash open large rocks containing Crystals or Quartz at the beach as a kid, and now I have a large collection of them.

Bonus: I have extremely good hearing, to the point I hear into the negative decibels up to -15 - -20 (according to the audiologist this is rare but i literally don’t know shit about audio and decibels) so my old dormmates used to try and bribe me to tell them what I heard about certain things or themselves.

Bonus 2: Almost got shot by an illegal hunter while in the woods with my sister.

Floyd : Cracked my skull open at the pool, lost consciousness for a few seconds and woke up in the water calling for help, then got confused on why I was calling for help.

Bonus : A Sea lion once came up to me while I was scuba diving and did little circles, bumped its snout on my mask and just followed me the whole time in a very gleeful manner as a temporary homie.

Bonus 2: Apparently ate / took bites of my moms library books as a little kid (????) according to the librarian.

Jade: Taught myself to untie my hands with my hands behind my back, tie by hands behind my back with my hands behind my back, deciphered, translated and memorized a fictional hieroglyphic language, Read from Act 1 to Act 6 of Homestuck, and accidentally discovered how to disguise Chocolate Ice Cream as Pistachio; all within the span of 2 weeks. (I had covid and was A-Symptomatic)

Bonus : Lived in the Woods for 7 months (in total), had a large bag of mica and Almost Drowned in a tent when there was no moving water nor rain. (Basically, I was asleep, Woke up underwater, nearly went back to bed, then shot out of my tent screaming “My Tent Titanticed!” )

(It was like 3 am don’t judge me)

Azul: Somehow ended up with $2200 dollars in $100s in Monopoly at the end of the game. Also have been stuck between two identical twins while talking with both and boi that shits TRIPPY. (I also almost died with them later but it was fine)

Bonus: I lived on a middle of fuck knows where island during the spring and summer up until covid, yet I absolutely despise eating fish or Shellfish, and the smell often makes me nauseous.

(Bonus 2: I love shiny things, but very specifically fancy looking keys. I also had a weird obsession with signing a shiny contract after watching Ariel. Another tiny thing Is I own a Flotsam and Jetsam Scarf which I chuck around when Floyd or Jade pisses me off ingame.)

Kalim : Got distracted by a cool leaf while at a fancy resort in Xatapa, Mexico, and waddled off from my parents and explored around to try and find more, somehow managed to get extremely far and ended up lost in a whole different city for 6 hours while trying to find my way back.

Bonus 1: I had an obsession with Kiwis for awhile as a kid, and our neighbors house had a Pangium tree that reached over to our yard. (It was planted before either families moved in so we didn’t know) I thought it was some kind of strange Kiwi and ate one. I didn’t like it and was like “Oh maybe its not ripe” and waited 3-5 months then tried it again, same reaction, repeat process one more time.

I went to my parents out of curiosity and asked them what it was, and so after some process I am unaware of but I think my mom brought one of the fruits somewhere, we discovered what it was.

Pangium contains Fatal amounts of Cyanide if not properly prepared. I was fine but for the love of anything please don’t try eating it like little me did.

Bonus 2: I’ve Almost died more times than I can count on both hands and feet. Im not an heir or something fancy I just have wackass luck.

Jamil: Once had to talk my sister out of jumping off a tour boat because our cousin dared her to.

Bonus : Managed to make French Toast in the middle of the woods with Dehydrated Milk, Cinnamon, Three Eggs I stole, and a loaf of bread we got once a month. Also made 3 kinds marinated chicken in the middle of the woods.

(My Cooking Style is literally “just trust me bro.” I’m like Lilia except it actually works and is edible)

Epel : Whenever we went applepicking at my Grandfathers house, I’d climb into the trees and throw or pass the apples down. Sometimes I actually wish I could sit in trees more often shits comfy.

Bonus: My Mom was a Champion Horseback Rider as a kid, and sometimes took us to this Ranch I shall not name for my own privacy, but I’d run around with this group of kids and this one herding dog like a damn movie protagonist, sometimes go riding horses, or the one time we stole a tractor and near crashed it (THE REGRETS I STILL HAVE-) etc.

The WHIPLASH from that to going back to a whitewashed Northeast suburban town is insane.

Rook: My Cousins and I, and sometimes the kids at the priorly mentioned ranch, would play the most intense games of manhunt (basically really intense hide n seek at night) ,

I mean wearing camo if you had it, alliances, little dollar store walkie-talkies, code words, binoculars, climbing in trees or hiding in bushes/tall grasses/Hay to “scout”.

I hid in a large pot/vase more than once and another time on a roof, and (ONLY ONCE, DO NOT DO THIS IM STUPID) under a car.

I still remain the top in last man standing points. Mostly bcs I’m stingy with rescues but shhh

Vil - Accidentally poured a lot of liquid eyeliner into my eye, was literally crying out Eyeliner for 30 minutes. Also taught myself to run and jump in heels as a kid because I thought it looked cool in movies.

Ortho : Unknowingly was Hacking my Elementary School Databank for several years,

I genuinely thought it was normal to go on the school website, press a few buttons and be able to find a friends address if I had a playdate and needed to tell my mom where the house was, a parents phone number if needed communication with my friends parents , and mostly ignored the other general info.

I didn’t even know I did this until my dad told me a few months ago that I almost got suspended for it but by the time they found out it was the end of my last year there. ;—;

Edit: I feel I should elaborate that my dad had somewhat recently told me that I almost got suspended for that in elementary school, but all that happened 5 YEARS ago. Hence why I was so surprised because I was never told back then.

Idia: Accidentally acquired both a Nahida and Eula in Genshin and was genuinely annoyed at the time, they are now my most powerful DPS’s…

Bonus : I own a shit ton of original Japanese first edition Pokemon Cards my cousin gave me, (they are probably worth more than me which is neat), and I have a giant pile of Pokemon plushies I have infact fallen asleep on or in on multiple occasions.

Bonus 2: I was playing Breath of the Wild, and my very first thing I did after getting off the plateau was beeline for the castle. I actually got all the way up and took out 2 blights but the Wind one kicked my ass.

Bonus 3: Got confessed to and asked out by a guy I did not like nor knew very well, and I panicked, said “Maybe, Sorry no.” And ran into a wall. Also have crawled through a chute to avoid an awkward situation as a kid (do not recommend its dusty and definitely not safe)

Bonus 4: Once didn’t sleep for 5 days.

Malleus : Accidentally attended a Private Party and a Private Funeral in the same week. I was not invited nor knew anyone present. Stayed there for most of it because I was too nervous to say I wasn’t supposed to be there. Whoop.

Bonus: Got nicknamed the “Trip Curse.” By my Old Dormmates because everytime I went on a trip with them everything seemed to go to shit or get hella chaotic.

Bonus 2: Another camping one: Once woke up at night with a shit ton of fireflies just chilling in my tent. It was serene but also I genuinely thought I was hallucinating for a few minutes.

Lilia: Literally will hang upside down anywhere I can, its so fun bro.

Bonus : I know an extremely large amount of useless historical information, and once genuinely realized I know more about poison than what flour and eggs are used for in baking.

Silver : Once befriended a wild horse ( Im like 90% sure he was a Chestnut).

I called him Clover the Dog like horse because he was honestly just a golden retriever in the body of a horse.

This is great and theres alot of sweet moments, but then theres the times you have a giant horse galloping full speed at you for attention or trying to nudge you affectionately and nearly pushing you into a creek in the process.

Sebek: Got groundstruck by lightning once. Also I am often told I have a loud voice.

Che’nya : a good friend of mine and I have an inside joke at school where if we see eachother through a window (my school has alot of indoor windows for some reason?), we’ll text the other “Behind you.” Or “To your left.”

——————-

Theres more things I can think of but I have run out of characters and this is getting too long, so ye!

[ameliathornromance]

Rain, Rain, Rain - Orc Romantic Short Story

There was a growl in the back of your throat as you attempted to clear it. God’s be damned, you had fallen ill. It was nothing serious, a cold from being exposed to the elements. All thanks to your Orc partner. He was the one who had insisted on you both travelling through the storm, so that the two of you could reach the encampment shared by his tribe.

The two of you had gone out on a walk that day, since the weather promised a warm and sunny day. As you listened to your partner’s stories of Orc history, thunder grumbled above you and by the time afternoon became evening, the Heavens had opened. “You’ll be fine.” He’d called to you over the thunder. “You’re one of us now, you won’t fall ill in my care.”

But alas, you had a fever by the time you arrived back. “Won’t fall ill my arse.” You snuggled into your animal skin covers, deeper and further away from your tent entrance, left open to give you fresh air.

Candle light flickered gently next to you, giving you enough light to see your surroundings. The storm had passed the night before, but left you bed ridden and shivering.

It was only now that you could fully recognise what was going on around you: It was night, judging from the darkened sky outside, the camp seemed to bustle with it’s usual fervour. You could hear the familiar grunts and growls of the harsh Orc mother tongue.

A part of you wondered where your boyfriend had gotten to. You hadn’t seen him since your fever had broken and the tribes healer had given him a well deserved tongue lashing. You had only been able to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation, “you know humans are not like us!” Lashed the old Orc at your boyfriend. Something about ‘you foolish oaf’ and ‘not knowing enough about human bodies’ and, ‘not doing enough to take care of something as fragile as a human being.’

You sniffled, pouted. You hadn’t seen the tribe healer much either. He only came by to bring you water and some stale bread. “Good for the stomach when you are unwell.” He said as he handed you the food. “The big fool has lumbered off somewhere. He’ll be back.” He assured you at your worried expression.

You could not fault your partners eagerness to return to camp; There are worse things than a storm, outside the camp. Due to poor visibility and no way of hearing approaching horses thanks to the thunder and ever pelting rain. Human beings are vicious and sometimes more monstrous than Orcs can be. If they had caught the two of you together, they would have done God knows what to the both of you. Being ill and confined to bed was better than being hung, drawn and quartered by Orc Hunters or a mob of angry villagers. Even in your cloudy state, you knew that this, was definitely not the worst outcome (even if it did sting to admit it.)

The tent flaps parted and revealed your boyfriend. He was covered head to toe in mud and dirt, a brown potato sack thrown over his shoulder, book clutched in his other free hand that hung down by his side. He huffed and panted as he laid eyes on you. “Oh.” He said, surprised. “You’re awake.”

You furrowed your eyebrows at him as he set down the sack and thumped the book on the table in the corner of the room, “so I did all that for nothing.”

“Huh?” You asked, nasally.

“I went out to go and get some ‘erbs and that,” your Orc had his back to you as he unloaded the sack, different bundles of roots, branches and nettles of plants on the table, “so you could get better quicker… but I guess I won’t be needin’ ‘em now, will I?” He grumbled.

Your heart twinged at his words. Forcing yourself up, you gazed up at his dirty form. “Thank you for trying.” You sniffled.

He rushed over to you as you tried to sit up further, “no, don’t say that. I should be apologisin’. Shouldn’t ‘ave dragged you through that storm.”

You shook your head. “’ts better than the alternatives.” You sniffled again, “here, if you hand me the book, we could make something to help.”

“No, I’ll get the old geezer to do it,” your Orc partners weight caused the bed to dip below his weight as he sat next to you. “You should rest.” He cupped your head with his hand. His whole palm was as big as your head. His eyes fell to the ground in front of him, “I made the mess, so I should fix it.”

You pursed your lips. “After you’ve washed,” you started, “do you want to come and get into bed with me and you can finish that story you started yesterday?”

Your Orc boyfriend was silent for a moment, before a smile crept onto his lips. “Yeah, sounds like a plan.” Packing up the supplies he bought, picking up the book. He cast a short look back at you, “I’ll give these to the ol’ geezer and bring back somethin’ that’ll make you feel better. Then I’ll finish the story I started yesterday, yeah?” And with one last, toothy grin, he left.

You smiled to yourself. He probably spent the whole day looking for that book and those herbs, and it looks like it wasn’t easy for him to do, judging from the state of him. You shuddered to think where he could have gotten that book from and hoped it wasn’t from the Healer’s tent – there would be more trouble if he had done that.

You snuggled up into the animal skins again, a warm fuzziness taking over you. How lucky you are to have such a lovely Orc partner. Before you knew it, he’d come back, a cup of strange liquid in hand, clean and in a fresh set of clothes and settled himself beside you to finish his story.

[here-comes-the-moose]

Modern Bad Batch at the Airport/on a Flight

Inspired by the fact that I’ve been flying a lot recently with and without my family, here are some Bad Batch Headcanons of how I think they’d be like.

Hunter

The passenger princess of air travel. Has no idea what time they board, barely knows where they’re going. Only job is to sit there and look pretty.

Actually I lied his other job is constantly fussing over Crosshair.

Constantly gets snapped at by Crosshair for this.

Does not let this deter him from fussing, hovering around Crosshair, and even following him to the bathroom.

Given a number from at least one person on the plane.

His siblings are just glad he remembered his ID and/or passport, since he forgot it one time and had needed to go home and come back to the airport, which had stressed everyone out to no end. He has not lived this down.

Passes out the second his ass is in his seat and will stay asleep the whole time, but somehow has a sixth sense when it comes to one of his sibling’s needing him and will immediately jolt awake and spring into action.

Wrecker

Orders ginger ale on the plane because he LIVES for the ginger ale biscoff cookie/pretzel combo.

Will only sit in the aisle seat because he does not like to look out the window (fear of heights).

Super chill and is the one who keeps the others from killing each other and/or getting pulled aside by TSA.

Sharing snacks with Omega and Hunter.

Not as intense as Hunter, but regularly checks in on Crosshair. Will get snapped at a little bit.

Always watches rom-coms on flights, it’s his routine. He cries every time, but doesn’t really feel embarrassed by it because once they see that he’s watching The Notebook they’re like “understandable sir have a nice day”.

Falls asleep half an hour before the flight ends, every time without fail.

Tech

Has all the boarding passes and knows their gate number and seats from memory.

Made them leave extremely early and still pissed at Hunter for making them leave behind schedule.

In charge of the itinerary.

Loves the window seat since he enjoys looking out the window as he listens to music or a podcast, but also likes to point things out to Omega, since she loves when he does so.

Also checking on Crosshair, but more through observation than outright asking him. Has disappeared and gotten Crosshair something he needs to feel a bit better before wordlessly giving it to his twin. This form of care is much appreciated by Crosshair.

Loves to shop in the airport. He’s a fan of the cute knickknacks, books, and the duty free section as a whole. May or may not be buying something for Phee.

Crosshair

Hates airports and air travel, so he’s miserable the whole time.

Very irritable and short-tempered because of this, but his siblings let it slide since he’s not feeling great.

Ordering a ginger ale on the flight, but because he gets sick not because he likes it.

Needs to sit in the window seat. He wants the privacy if he starts feeling too sick but also looking outside helps him a bit.

Spends most of the flight napping or at least trying to nap. Either way, he’s resting his head on Echo’s shoulder most of the time.

Not that anyone enjoys it, but he hates when they’re hit with turbulence. He’s gripping his armrests (and Echo), he’s scared, he’s nauseous, he’s dizzy and headachey, overall he’s just not having a good time. Spends the whole time there’s turbulence praying, even though he’s not religious.

Echo

Hates and dreads going through TSA.

Pretty chill after it’s over though.

Has a bag (affectionately referred to as “the diaper bag”) that has EVERYTHING in it. Tons of snacks, OTC medicine for basically an anything you can or can’t think of, hand sanitizer, two types of wipes, ear plugs, eye masks, you name it.

Also fussing over Crosshair, but not as much as Hunter since he knows when to just give Crosshair his space to sulk.

Crosshair usually seeks him out for comfort because of this.

Doesn’t care much about where he sits as long as he has the most room available for his prosthetics.

Usually sits next to Crosshair on the plane, since by the time they board Hunter has made Crosshair ban him from occupying the seat next to him.

Hunter is usually on the other side of him.

Omega

Just having a good time.

Tech explains a lot of the technical things to her and she finds it so cool.

Loves takeoff and landing; thinks they’re so fun.

Spends most of the flight watching movies and eating snacks.

Even though she’s having a good time, she’s still worried about Crosshair and always tries to help and/or do something nice for him. The only one who can get away with this without him getting irritated for the most part, but even if he does get irritated it’s just for a second and very mild.

Sharing her snacks with Wrecker and passes some to Hunter as well across the aisle.

Always says thank you to the pilot and flight attendants. Chats with the pilots if she’s given the chance and they always love her and her questions. One time early on into living with the batch and traveling with them she very bluntly said to the pilot “thank you for not making my brother throw up”. Crosshair was mortified but the pilot laughed and thanked her for the compliment.

[missmarveledsblog]

Not just a flower child huh? ( Logan howlett x reader) part 5

Summary: a bored y/n leads to a choas filled result as she running through the mansion fight with technology, piotr finally expresses his guilt for not being there to help her when they were kids and revealing more than he intended to

Warning : goofy , angsty , mentions of violence and abusive past , Google translated Russian ( feel free to correct me ) , grammatical errors , slowish burn

Previous part

Restless maybe was what she was feeling , each day was both a reminder she was free but it was almost the same as the one before. She would help some of the teachers and professors set up Before lessons , head to the living room for bit Then her greenhouse. Read a little , tend the plants then dinner time . Each night she would fail to sleep and end up in the kitchen Or garden with logan chat about anything while She drank her tea and He drank a beer or glass of whiskey. She enjoyed It but it was the same over and over so now she felt restless and in that Feeling she felt guilty like she should be grateful Either way for it all . She walked down the halls admiring the ark work that adorned the walls til she found a room she not been in she tried the door to find it unlocked , she walked in hitting the light seeing it was a gym probably her brothers favorite room in the mansion considering every time she seen him he was sweaty even when he was in his other form . Almost inspecting the equipment as she passed by the machinery . She spotted a dummy only it was different it had buttons all along the side of it which she at that point should of left alone considering she could barely read English writing most of books gotten for her where in Russian if not all of them . Yet the curiosity got the better of her turning it on she turned the dial to ten as the thing stood up making her jump up . What she didn't expect was for it to start circling her like she was prey and it was the hunter . In a spilt second it lunged at her make her almost fall backwards to get out of the way , then it kicked her sending her across the gym crashing into the wall . A groan she got up and shut the door maybe if she got someone they could turn it off only for the thing to pull the door off the hinges . She took off down the hall and it took off after her throwing thing it found on its way to try deter her from getting away .

“ дерьмо , дерьмо ,дерьмо ( shit , shit ,shit)” she cursed running down the hall. Running to the main area she seen rogue coming out to see what the commotion was.

“ get help” was all y/n could get out of her mouth before she dodged the murderous robot Coming at her sending the now wide eyed woman in search of just that . Knocking her to the ground as it went to punch her she moved the robotic fist hitting the ground smashing the Floor mere inches From her skull .

“ хорошо, моя очередь ( ok my turn)” she narrowed her eyes sending a kick to the Metal chest pushing it back so she could get to her feet . Flipping Over the seemly angry robotic dummy She kicked it back sending it into the wall only for it to keep Coming . Soon she was catching it movement , knowing when to dodge and when to hit not once in the seemly Dance she was tangled Up with did she even consider Using her powers or the fact a crowd Now build watching the whole thing. She jumped on it shoulders as it fist flew Trying to get Her when she finally hit the power off button jumping Off The things shoulder to the ground panting finally seeing them stand around .

“ who the fuck thought to have this thing in a building full of kids” she asked looking down at the now lifeless dummy.

“ you ok?” logan asked.

“ other then demon robot Trying to kill Me , peachy” she stood before hitting the ground matching the dummy .

“ ok shows over back to class” he chuckled Heading over picking Her up . “ you can hold your own bub” he carried Her off to her room ignoring jean telling him to bring her to the med wing .

She shoot Up panting , sweating a common way for her body To walk realizing she was not in the common area as she took in the interior of her room. The plain Room bar Few drawing the kids had giving her that is .

“ welcome Back to the land of the living rocky?” A voice called making her head turn to see logan holding one of her books.

“ you can read in russian” her voice rasped .

“ not a clue , how you feeling” he asked putting it down.

“ all healed , what the hell was that thing?” she stretched out really she wasn't lying she didn't feel any pain at all .

“ training dummy keeps us in shape when on missions , impressive work out there how come you didn't use your powers” he asked.

“ well you know I didn't get a chance to think of them when it was trying to kill me” she rolled her eyes heading to her closet needing to get out the clothes now felt well sweaty.

“ where you learn to fight like that” he asked watching as she walked to bathroom.

“ learn myself to do it , knew I would need more to protect the kids” she yelled out pulling the wet material off of her body seeing a faint remainder of a bruise still there but in fairness it did kick her across the gym. “ learned from the men when they beat me too” she walked out seeing him still sitting there.

“ your not bad , not at all could use some pointers” he shrugged standing walking to her door holding it open for her .

“ I don't use it that often on to defend me or others” she said easily.

“ if you want I can help you out , just some tips” .

“ ok once its not with that thing though” agreeing because if she was honest with herself it was kinda fun.

“ not robot, just Me and You like sparring” he smiled as they entered The dinning Room.

“ OK we spar “ she headed to her seat.

“ hey rocky how are you “ bobby asked.

“ why do you call me that , logan too” her head tilted .

“ its a movie you know the boxer .. nevermind “ he said seeing as none of it was registering With her.

“ I am fine , I will fix The broken stuff or work to replace it” she looked to the professor .

“ not at all , once you are unharmed It's the main thing although I am sorry we didn't warn you before hand”.

“How come you didn't use your powers ?”

“ I Didn't think of them when it was swinging at my head” she ate The food as she Could physically see the cogs turning Inside their Heads . “ anything else?” She looked Around The room .

“ what made you turn the dial to ten couldn't you see the warnings?” Bobby Spoke up .

“ I can't read English that well now let me eat” she glared feeling A little embarrassed .

“hey less yapping more eating” .

Once again she was looking around her room only this time it was covered in vines and there was thumping on the doctor , screaming for her go answer . She pulled the door Open it wasn't the mansion It was the cage , the same metal Bars She stared at day in and day out . The feeling Of a electric shock hitting her skin making her fall to her knees feeling it course through out her body Hitting ever nerve In her , she biting Her Lip that much the copper metallic taste danced on her taste buds . Only thing she was grateful For was she was only one in the cage .

“ enough” it called out . “ my little lab bunny finally Awake” he taunted.

“ your not real” she gritted only for the shock to happen.

“Not necessarily Wrong bunny but I'm a part of you know , I'm the one who truly know the monster you are” he was laughing.

“ he's wrong dear Come on Follow my voice” .

“ you see how they see you , when you watch them being taken” .

“ you paralyzed me keep the knife in so I could not move” she gritted.

“ they’re not there , follow my voice dear don't listen To him” professor sat watching over Her sleeping for the screams Were louder transferring To reality. “ it not working she Is prisoner to her own subconscious , piotr Any thing that helped when she was a child” the professor Asked .

“ a song our grandmother would sing” he asked feeling rather useless lately to help her.

“ may I?” Charles asked for the man to nod . Eyes close as he was almost transfer the memory from one sibling to the other.

She felt something shift , the line of the things around her blur , the cage Switching between The metal she knew To the fire She used to sit At . She seen stryker words muffling as the melodic Humming on her grandmothers voice filled her ears , the wrinkled Hand around her shoulder and the smell of lavender soap filled her senses . She was home , back on the rural farm she missed so dearly one that even though it wasn't the biggest or the fanciest it was the place she knew a Beloved One . her Tense body relaxing almost instantly and she savored the moment , the feeling , the everything. Was only then it was fading , only then her body Was listening and she began opening her eyes. She was sweating and crying but she was scared this time . She sat Up and look To see the blurry figure Being push out of the room and four small ones coming towards Her clinging on to her .

“ we will keep you safe Sister” Ana Muffled voice hit Her ears.

“ we love you” luka head rested On her shoulder .

“ that's my job” she said softly kissing their heads . “ I am OK just bad dream , go to bed” she smiled softly as they reluctantly left Harry clinging to her little more but eventually Left .

“ you both share same happy memories more of you in his ” charles looked between siblings.

“ I've have an Amazing grandmother, but I have an even more amazing big brother” .

“ Я подвел тебя( I failed you)” his eyes fell to the ground Not willing to look At her .

“ Ты думал, что я умер, ты оплакивал меня. ( you thought I was dead , you mourned me)” she stood , coming in front of him hand on his arm .

“ Я должен был искать тебя, видел их ложь. ( I should of been looking for you , I should of seen their lies) “ his eyes filled with guilt and sadness that matched his words . “ Мне не следовало тебя оставлять.( I shouldn't have left you )” .

“ Тебе было шестнадцать, ты был ребенком( you were sixteen ,child yourself )” trying to show the guilt he had was misplaced that it shouldn't have been there at all .

“ Если бы я увидел их сейчас, я бы не смог сдержать слов. ( if I seen them now I might not be able to keep it To words ) “ she watched as he started pacing , the anger Building . “ их никогда не волновало, кому они причиняют боль, и до сих пор не волнует( they never cared who they hurt , they still Dont)” .

“ что ты имеешь в виду?(what do you mean ?) “ her brows furrowed. Was he saying what she Thought he was.

“ ты знаешь, какие они ( you know what they're like)” he pause only then he realize what he said .

“ they are alive” her voice and expression unreadable , her stare no longer comforting .

“Yes Here is new york” .

“ I want to see them” Everything about her in that moment told him that no wasn't even in the realm of possibilities of an answer.

part 6

Taglist : @oscarissac2099 @ayamenimthiriel @mega-kittyglitter-1

[howtofightwrite]

Clothes Followup

Hi there. Professional sportswear outfitter and part-time athelete here just chiming in on how these choices are perfectly believable, in my humble opinion: #1 SHOES "sneakers" is a loose definition. but, if the character is wearing casual/lifestyle "sneakers" like jordan lows, vans, etc., these type of shoes are FLAT (not narrow running shoes). Flat soled sneakers are often preferred training shoes for mixed arts or lifting at the gym. You could wear boots, but you're sacrificing agility. As a female, I can say that a female character likely would not inflict such a handicap as BOOTS on herself. Feet are very resilient and resistant to pain and injury. Being able to move on your feet matters a lot more than protecting them does. PASS #2 PANTS. you are not punching someone's pants while boxing. and have you watched fight club? they mostly wear jeans. they're durable, wick moisture (although it feels unpleasant), and if they're fitted properly, they're not going to get in the way of your agility. Jeans are light armor if you're speaking in tabletop rpg terms. PASS #3 SHIRT. a good tshirt of a decent quality will wick moisture, will not be bulky or baggy, and will move with its wearer. tshirts are not expensive and are the best option outside a sleeveless top or topless for martial arts. Especially if you have boobs. Boxing in only a racerback sports bra is also viable, but a tshirt will provide light protection to the skin, which is a good idea in amateur boxing. If they're WEARING GLOVES, nobody is grappling anyone's shirt so there is no risk of clothes-grabbing violations happening there. If this ring is literally underground, it's probably cold. Clothes can be shed between matches, but it's often more important to be clothed appropriately so as to prevent both overheating and chills. Becoming chilled between fights is a greater danger to performance than getting sweaty is. PASS I also have questions as to the type of boxing gloves being used. Are they full padded gloves? Light knuckle pads? Do the boxers wear headgear? Mouthguards? What areas are allowed to be hit or is it a free-for-all? Maybe you think these details are mistakes, but I disagree. Half my job is punching boxes all day. Hot, sweaty, fully clothed, wearing comfortable shoes. Lots of moving around. If I am going to punch boxes (or faces) for hours, that's exactly how I'd dress. The rest of my job? Literally outfitting people with boxing equipment. Literally selling people clothing for athletics. I am also a footwear specialist. Thank you for taking the time to read this. :) -lilkittay

So, apologies in advance, lilkittay, but you're about to get dragged. This might come as a shock, but I actually have a copy of the novel Fight Club. I just found it wedged between a copy of Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson, and the Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. I'm not going to try to figure out what lead to that sorting peculiarity. The book is exceptionally good, and if you've never read it, it's an easy (if somewhat unpalatable) recommendation. Stick it up there with books like Native Son, or Ivan Denisovich, in that it covers some really ugly subject matter, but discusses a problem exceptionally well. And, in the 27 years since the novel was originally published, it has proved itself fairly prescient. It's not about the violence, it is an excellent discussion on the underlying psychology of toxic masculinity.

Now, the last time I mentioned Fight Club, someone immediately piped up with, “you've lost all credibility.” That's their problem, but I didn't actually define it, and it is a term that gets thrown around without being defined. Toxic masculinity refers specifically to an individual who cannot engage with their own emotions, particularly painful ones, in a healthy way, because they view those behaviors as effeminate. As a result, they respond aggressively and, or, violently. That's the toxic part. You get dumped. Your pet dies. You get passed over for a promotion at work. And, instead of dealing with that in a healthy way. In any healthy way. You go out into the world and try to make someone else suffer. That is toxic.

Unfortunately, Fight Club is not the grown up version of Calvin and Hobbes, though that is an amusing fan theory, and something that holds together better in the film thanks to Brad Pitt's costuming decisions.

I'm saying all of this to point out, the characters in Fight Club have no idea how to fight.

More than that, jeans are not light armor. Motorcycle leathers? Sure, those would be light armor. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're described as light armor in D20 modern. But, the only place I'd expect to see denim categorized as light armor is a game that used, “light armor,” for mage gear, “medium armor,” as rogue's leather and chain, and, “heavy armor,” as warrior gear. Which is to say, yeah, that's not how that works at all.

The problem with jeans as armor is, they're really bad at it. Someone with a crowbar? Yeah, jeans aren't going to do anything about that. Someone with an axe? I've heard about the aftermath, it was not pretty. Against a sword? Nope. Against a knife? Personal experience says the knife will win without issue. In an underground fighting arena against someone driving a shin kick into your knee? Yeah, your jeans may look fine after the fact, but you're probably not using that leg again anytime soon.

But, that RPG comment made something click together a little, so back to footwear for a second.

Why would someone wear boots? Now, personally, I wear motorcycle boots in my day to day life. Not because I'm a rider, but because I find them more comfortable and convenient than normal dress shoes, and so long as I keep them buffed out, they pass for men's dress shoes at a glance. The interesting thing about this is that my heel has a wide, flat, block of wood under it at all times. If it was a matter of life and death, I could probably grind off a significant chunk of my heel bringing a bike to a stop without suffering any injury. Now, I bring this up, because driving 200-300lbs of force behind a sharply edged wooden mallet into your unarmored instep will not improve your agility.

In the real world, armor doesn't work like D&D. There's no equivalent exchange between mobility and being able to soak a hit. (And if you think there's an irony in substituting a term from one RPG for another... well, yeah. You're not wrong.) If you think someone's going to stomp on your foot, bring steel toed boots. What you lose in agility today, you make up for in your ability to walk without a cane tomorrow.

The paradox of humans is that we are both stupidly resilient, and horrifically fragile, at the same time. Now, at this point, I do want to say something genuinely nice to you, even if it sounds a tiny bit condescending. You've never looked at another person as 150-250lbs of ambulatory meat and considered the best way to take them apart with your hands. And you know what? That is a good thing. Embrace that, and don't let go, because never finding yourself in that kind of a place is a credit to you, and the world you've been able to live in.

All of that said, fighting another human being is not a workout. It's engineering. You're looking at an organic machine with roughly the same parts and pieces you have, and your goal is to make that machine stop thrashing around, screaming, and leaking on everything, before it does the same to you. It's not better. It's not worse. It's different, and it comes with different considerations. You don't dress to look good or stay comfortable, you dress to avoid life altering injuries if at all possible.

Competitive fighting does land at a meeting point of these two considerations however. The fighter wants to come out intact, the sponsors want good show, one that will draw an audience. This leads to things like fighting in a sports bra. Yes, it may be the most, “agile,” option, but if you're going to be in a fist fight, a heavy leather jacket, preferably one with fiberglass plates may not breathe, but it will take far more abuse than your body can. (Actually, I think sometimes the inserts are made out of memory foam these days, which should also take a hit pretty effectively, especially against an unarmed foe.)

This isn't a major issue, but it is something to consider, when thinking about the temperature of the arena, it's important to remember that human body heat in a crowded space is somewhat cumulative. So, a room that starts out at around 60 degrees, could easily warm up to a comfortable temperature once the spectators are present. There's actually consistent math for calculating what you should set the thermostat for in an amphitheater when it's unoccupied so that the temperature is comfortable when the seats are filled, but I can't remember the numbers, and can't find it on short notice.

You do bring up a good point, the original Anon did not specify what kind of gloves were used. I assumed those were nominally regulation boxing gloves, but those could be something like the UFC gloves from a couple decades back, that left the fingers exposed while armoring the knuckles. The armor on those gloves allowed the wearer to inflict all kinds of horrific injuries on one's foes. In an event Michi is quite happy to recount, her younger brother almost lost an eye to a skull fracture from one of those during a poorly supervised sparring bout. It's fairly credible to suggest that an illegal fight club might use those simply to excite the crowds with actual bloodshed.

Now, as someone who has worked in shipping, I know full well that sometimes boxes do hit back. However, they are the exception rather than the rule. There's nothing wrong with practicing on punching bags, but boxes aren't trying to break you. At worst, they may just want to take a nap on the floor without regard to whether you're in the way or not. Live opponents? They're looking at you as however many pounds of meat machinery, and trying to end you. Looking good doesn't make their job harder, but armoring up does.

Anyway, like I said to the original Anon, nothing in their explanation was outright wrong. A lot of it was non-optimal, but not to such a degree as to shatter belief. The mistake you're making, and I really do say this with respect, is that you're looking at it like any other physical activity. As I said, combat is not a work out. Combat as a hazardous environment beyond the reach of OSHA. You wear protective gear (if you can) because that protection may be the difference between walking out alive and (basically) unharmed, or never walking again. You wouldn't (or at least, really shouldn't) take a bike out on the freeway at 60mph in jeans and a tees, you really don't want to get in a fight wearing them either.

-Starke

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[rainystressed247]

Ohhhh!! Can we talk about the Pokemon AU?? What ideas do you have for professors and gym leaders? What about a regional champion?? I 100% think that Techno is the regional champion and Phil could be either a professor or part of the Elite 4! Tommy can be the scrappy teen that is trying to accomplish the gym challenges and try to fight Techno for the title! Dream can be his unofficial mentor the one that comes by when things get tricky with the evil team and then had a dramatic twist of “he is the villain but actually not, he is just a tragic figure”

*crack my back and rise* Be prepared for a long post because I have a lot of them in my brain.

Original pokemon AU (base plan):

The original headcanon I had for the pokemon AU is more based around cc!Dream with a dash of drama from canon linked here! You are absolutely right that Techno is the champion and has and will continue to challenge and enter competition even outside of his region! Phil can absolutely be one of the professors! He can be invested in the study of fossil or death >.< The gym leaders are pretty loose as I don't give much thoughts to that tbh, but I do think that Tina as grass leader, Puffy as water, etc. Maybe I will throw in the newer mafia, who knows? I definitely see Tommy, Tubbo and Ranboo as the trio working their way through gym challenges, stumbling into villain organisation and accidentally saving the world hahaha.

Dream in this AU is more laid back, not liking to battle but his pokemon has maxed out friendship and can definitely rain hell on any trainers foolish enough to approach with ill intention. He works in a pokemon daycare during his free time and will give out friendship eevee for those close to him. His care to the pokemon means that most of the eevees have good EV! He definitely gets dragged into the plot unknowingly, much to the dismay of his close friends.

This AU is mostly chill and just shenanigans!

The B side of the Pokemon AU:

This, this is the part where things start to derail for me because if I can have a pokemon AU based on the cc why not go all the way to c!Dream as well.

So this is an alternate Pokemon AU involving c!character. In this side of the AU, c!Dream still possess the revival book and because of that, he forces himself to release all his pokemon with the intention to perish witht the revival book. In the process of destroying the book, he accidentally intergrate the book with himself so we now have an immortal walking revival book that is Dream. Worried that he and any of his close ones will get targeted, he devoted himself a life of a lone hermit and proceed to travel the land in hope to find a way to truly end his existence. He does, however, perform small miracle act subtly whenever he passes by someone or some pokemon in need of help as a way to atone for his sins. He makes sure to do it discreetly so that he would not gather unintended attention.

Alas, sometimes people still put two to two together so he still occasionally gets targeted. What he doesn't know is that most of the people he helped one way or another, does in fact help cover up his trail, misleading any hunters after him. Dream has one pokemon willingly follow him; a stubborn Charcadet, which prove to be a good helper by saving Dream multiple time in their travel.

Dream can hold his own against pokemons in this AU. He kinda has to, as he doesn't have a companion pokemon of his own for the longest time. Phil, as the angel of Death or the guardian in pokemon term is actively tracking down Dream to detain the revival book, but after he witness the bond between Dream and Ceruledge, he let Dream go with the condition that should Dream one day run into any problem bigger than he could handle, he would find Phil to help.

Techno is one of the child Dream helped revive on a whim. He was born sickly and wasn't supposed to make it past the night, well, if Dream hasn't shown up like a wet cat on his doorway. Techno still makes fun of him on the off chance that they met. Because of the second chance, Techno was able to become an extraordinary trainer. He helps out Dream whenever he can and even offer a roof for the homeless Dream to stay in. Dream refused ofc, but he would crash in from time to time to rest.

Speaking of the B side, it leads to an uncontrollable spiral in which I start imagining Pokemon with any and most of my AUs. Like would syndicate!Dream has an Eevee as well or would he has a Arcanine, I can totally see him accidentally taming Zygrade (Dog) without knowing it as a legendary. Also witch!Dream would have a Hatterene. Cornelius can have a Floette, Hubert and Indeedee works because of the bulter theme. Can you see how I am absolutely normal and not being able to talk about this has only made me more normal?

Anyways, thanks for the ask and sorry for taking so long to reply. It is...a lot.

[sunbowo-o]

⚠️ HoO Spoilers ⚠️

ok, so i just finished the last book from HoO and i need to say that, even though i LOVED this saga, i am kinda disappointed with the ending... and here is why:

(tbh, i don't know if these are controversial or general agreement topics, but pls be nice!)

i felt like a lot of things were missing, like, for example, WHY the hell didn't have a scene with Percy and his mother??? not even a LETTER?? 😭 my boy went missing for so long, his mum must be dying from worries and we don't even get a chapter with them both talking?? after everything Sally has done on the first saga?

another character that i felt was forgotten is Grover. tbf, i didn't expect like a whole scene with a long dialogue with him, but, how much it would cost just to say that, for example, Nico saw him, Percy and Annabeth talking together? the og trio. he deserved so much better 💔

ok, so we miss all these, but what do we get?? JASON AND PIPER KISSING! like, i understand the importance of the scene (a new begining and shit) but is not like we haven't seen it happening before, they say it was their first kiss but that part didn't had any impact on me like???? and they're just a OK couple, doesn't even gets close to that Percabeth kiss scene in the end of the last PJO book. so, yeah, was this REALLY necessary??

Leo's "death" was a really weak angst. don't get me wrong, leo is one of my favourite characters of all time, and i know some of the readers got really sad, but i didn't, because i knew he wouldn't die (ok, this was my fault maybe, but i saw that he was the one who narrates the last chapter) and we kinda of knew his plan, i knew he had the cure with him yk?

and, complementing topic 4, the last chapter being about him and Calipso was just 😐😐 like, everyone thinks he is dead, but we know he is not, so it doesn't have this weight anymore, and, then, he goes to Calipso... i know he is obsessed with her, and talk about her throughout all the book, but, why this was the last chapter??? A WHOLE SAGA SAYING ABOUT MONSTERS AND GAIA AND IT JUST END WITH TWO "TEENS" TALKING ABOUT OH YEAH WE DONT KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING BY THE WAY

And, in the topic of monster and battle, the Gaia battle was SO DAMN BORING!!! Ok, so Rick passed 5 whole books saying to readers "hey, pay attention! they can't let Gaia wake up or else will be THE END OF THE WORLD" and we are like "ok lol" and then she wakes up and i was like "OH SHIT WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY GOING TO DO?? IS THE END!!! NOOOO!!!" ... she appears... they drag her to the sky... one explosion (and an unnecessary Octavian death) and BOOM! its over. "simple" like that. AND without any relevant deaths.

i am just angry because the end of PJO was wonderful. they had to do hard sacrifices, (Charlie), it had betrayal plot (Silena) and redemption (Silena and Luke). they had to use ALL the forces they could think of and still was a difficult battle. and the main villain was a TITAN!!!!! Gaia was supposed to be SO MUCH DIFFICULT, and yet, it was not. the giants were harder to fight.

and talking about fight. the way that the amazons and the hunters didn't appear back was so 😐😐 too. like, it seemed they were forgotten like Grover and Sally. not even a change of letters? just to guarantee they were ok...

my verdict: pjo CRUSHES hoo

anyway, i know that there's "more" but i also know that The Seven™ will not be all together again, so its just kinda of disappointment to know that was the end... feel free to also give your opinion (but try to avoid future spoilers please!)

(also, srr for my English! 🫶)

[magicalsniper]

A Vampire Resides in Camelot

4,118 words | Teen | Part 2 of 12 Author's AO3: MagicalSniper Story Link: A Vampire Resides in Camelot Part One

Summary: In the kingdom where the Pendragons reign supreme as ruthless vampire hunters, Arthur Pendragon stands as the most feared and skilled of them all. His loyal servant, Merlin, appears to be a clumsy, scrawny, and goofy young man, but secretly, he is a pureblood vampire—the rarest and most powerful kind. As Arthur travels the land, slaying vampires and declaring them dangerous monsters, Merlin remains by his side, hiding his true nature. Initially, Merlin's need for blood is minimal, allowing him to pass as a human with ease by claiming the vials of blood from Gaius are medicinal. However, as Merlin's strength grows, so does his thirst, and he becomes increasingly desperate to avoid drinking human blood, fearing he will become the very monster Arthur hunts. When the charade unravels, and Arthur discovers Merlin's true identity, their world is thrown into chaos. Faced with losing his friend, Arthur makes the ultimate sacrifice: offering his own blood to keep Merlin alive.

0===][:::::::::::::>

The One Where Merlin Struggles with Puberty

0===][:::::::::::::>

Arthur strode into the great hall, his boots echoing against the stone floor, with a determined glint in his steely blue eyes. His father, King Uther Pendragon, sat upon his throne, a figure of imposing authority. His scrutinising gaze fell upon his son like his very presence disappointed him. 

"Father," Arthur began, his voice resonant within the chamber, "the villages at our borders are succumbing to vampire attacks. The people live in constant fear; their lives are being destroyed."

Uther's gaze remained unyielding as he replied curtly, "Those are outlying territories, Arthur. There is no immediate threat to the castle’s safety."

"Then, at what point does their suffering become our concern?" Arthur's tone rose, laced with frustration. "When they are but half a day's walk from our walls? When the terror is upon our doorstep and half our people have already been turned?"

"Exactly," Uther said, his voice cold. "That is when it becomes a matter for the crown."

Arthur's jaw clenched; he knew that waiting was not an option. The problem would only get worse if they allowed it to continue. With a curt nod, more to himself than to his father, he turned on his heel and departed, his mind set on a quest to rid the kingdom of its lurking shadows.

Meanwhile, Merlin paced in Gaius' candlelit chambers, the flickering light casting long shadows on the stone walls. Dusty shelves, crammed with vials, herbs, and ancient texts surrounded him. A large wooden table in the centre held various alchemical instruments and an open book, which Gaius stood before with a deep frown. He turned from the book and watched with weary eyes as Merlin paced back and forth, his dark hair tousled, his usually mischievous blue eyes now clouded with angst.

"Merlin, you must calm yourself," Gaius urged.

"Easy for you to say, Gaius," Merlin replied, a wry smile flickering across his pale features. "You don't have fangs threatening to sprout whenever you smell a fresh pie."

"Indeed, I have other ailments to worry about at my age," Gaius quipped, but his expression soon softened. "What happened?"

“I felt bloodlust,” Merlin stopped pacing, his shoulders slumping. "Stronger than ever. My senses and strength intensified, and I could barely hold back... If this continues, I will lose control."

"In those times, you have to try to remember who you are, Merlin—a young man with a kind heart, no matter what runs in your veins," Gaius assured him, placing a comforting hand on the young vampire's shoulder.

"Kind heart, maybe," Merlin mused, a spark of his usual levity returning. "But if you ever see me eyeing your neck, feel free to whack me with your walking stick."

"Rest assured, I'll do so without hesitation," Gaius replied, his lips twitching in amusement.

He motioned for Merlin to sit at the table before sitting opposite him. “Has your mother told you anything about pureblood puberty?”

Merlin scrunched up his nose. “Another puberty?” He barely just left the last one!

“Pureblood vampires, Merlin, experience puberty quite unlike humans. It's a critical and turbulent time for them. Their abilities and instincts are heightened to extreme levels. Their senses become razor-sharp, and their strength can be overwhelming.”

Merlin leaned forward, his eyebrows drawn low on his face. “That sounds… dangerous.”

“It is. You will have to learn how to control your new powers and urges. Without proper guidance, you could be a threat to yourself or those around you.” Giaus pushed the book between them towards Merlin, pointing to a faded picture on the page. “During this period, your emotions will be intensified. You will be more volatile and more aggressive. This is why many vampire clans have strict rites of passage to help their young navigate this phase.”

Merlin frowned, “But I don’t have a clan… what are these rites of passage?”

“Rites and trials designed to teach control and responsibility. Normally, those going through puberty are often secluded from society until they have mastered their abilities.”

“What!?” Merlin cried, jumping up. “Secluded? I can’t seclude myself. What am I going to do?”

“We could send you to your father’s old clan.”

“Absolutely not,” Merlin growled, slamming down his fist. He winced as the sound of cracking wood met his ears. “What… what happens if one doesn’t master their abilities?”

Gaius sighed, closing the book softly. “If a vampire going through puberty fails to gain control, they risk becoming feral, driven by their primal instincts rather than reason. They become a danger to everyone around them.”

Merlin sighed heavily and sank back into his seat, burying his face in his hands. 'What am I going to do, Gaius?' he whispered, fear lacing his voice.

Gaius stood and reached for a small chest on his cluttered bookshelf behind him. He placed it carefully on the table and flipped the lid open to reveal an assortment of glass vials, each filled with a murky red liquid.

“Listen carefully,” he began, his tone shifting to one of utmost seriousness. “We can try something. I created these for Balinor during the tail end of his puberty.”

Merlin took one of the vials and held it up to the light, studying the contents with a frown. “What’s in it?”

“Each contains a single drop of human blood, diluted with herbs and other...less conventional ingredients.”

Merlin eyed the vials warily. “Blood vials?”

"An interim solution," Gaius explained, meeting Merlin's gaze. "They will sate you temporarily, but they are not a replacement for sustenance. You must seek out alternative sources—animals, perhaps."

"Animals," Merlin repeated, the word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. "Well, at least the blood from the poor creatures Arthur insists on hunting won’t go to waste… And when these vials no longer suffice?"

"That is a bridge we shall cross when we come to it," Gaius said with a resigned sigh. "For now, they will help keep your secret—and your wits about you."

"Thank you, Gaius," Merlin muttered, pocketing several of the vials as the sound of clanking armor approached.

“Merlin!” Arthur's commanding voice rang through the corridor. The door swung open, revealing the future king, eyes blazing angrily. “We haven't much time. Gather our provisions; we leave by the next candle mark.”

"Right away, sire," Merlin replied, slipping another vial discreetly into his pocket.

As Merlin ran around to gather the necessary supplies, Arthur inspected an array of weapons on the table before him. He reached for an ornate dagger, its blade engraved with his initials and a dragon head, which his father had gifted him when he turned thirteen. Arthur's hand slipped in his haste, and a thin line of red blossomed across his palm.

Arthur cursed under his breath, his blue eyes narrowing at the sight of his blood.

Merlin's head snapped up at the scent, his fangs aching beneath his lips. He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled out a vial from his pocket. With trembling hands, he uncorked it, the concoction's pungent aroma masking the tantalising smell of Arthur's wound.

He chugged it down and corked the vial back up, shoving it in his pocket before turning to Arthur and sidling up to his side. “Here, let me.” He took Arthur’s injured hand in his, his movements deliberately awkward to distract from his trembling. With his free hand, he reached into the bag on the bed and pulled out a bandage roll.

"I guess even future kings aren’t immune to the sting of their own blades," Merlin jested, trying and failing to hold his breath to keep the smell of blood out of his system, already reaching for a second vial as he pulled away from Arthur. It was going to be a long journey.

Twilight reached across the kingdom, casting a pinkish hue over the dew-laden fields. Arthur and Merlin set forth on their steeds with solemn looks on their faces.

"Remember, keep vigilant. We don’t need you falling off your horse because a rabbit scared you." Arthur teased, even as his eyes scanned the horizon as if he could already see the shadows that skulked in the night.

"That was a vampire rabbit, and you know it," Merlin muttered. “Next time a furry little fanged monster comes at you, I’ll just let it happen.” A pang of unease twisted within him, and he scanned the area for anything hiding in the wood.

As they traversed the cobblestone roads towards a small village, villagers emerged from their homes like wary spectres, their eyes hollow with fear. An old woman approached, her hands gnarled as the branches of the ancient oaks lined the village square.

"Milord," she croaked, her voice carrying the tremble of witnessed horrors. "Our kin vanish, and nothing is left but shadows and blood."

Arthur dismounted, his hand resting upon the hilt of his sword. "Tell us what you have seen," he urged, the furrow of his brow deepening.

Merlin followed suit, the frown on his face deepening. Something didn’t feel right, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He sniffed the area subtly but found nothing of interest.

"The creatures... they come with the moon," another villager chimed in, his words tumbling out in a frantic cascade. "Like death itself, they are—silent and swift."

Merlin half-listened to the stories. Between the treacherous whispers that taunted him and the feeling of unease that he felt from the area, he was struggling to concentrate. It was usually the same story—someone, or multiple someones, went missing in the middle of the night, only to turn up several days later with red eyes ready to destroy them all. 

It was late into the evening when Arthur and Merlin were about to find solace beneath the boughs of an ancient grove.

"We need a good strategy," Arthur said, unsheathing his blade and inspecting the edge with a critical eye. "We should seek them out under the cover of night. We'll strike swiftly, using the element of surprise."

"Surprise is good, but caution is better," Merlin countered, the image of Gaius's vials flashing in his mind. "These creatures are cunning. We must not underestimate them or risk becoming prey to overconfidence."

"Afraid, Merlin?" Arthur teased.

"You can’t win everything with stupidity and a sword," Merlin quipped, his humour a thin veil over his gnawing anxiety.

Arthur reached over and cuffed him over the back of the head. “Shut up.”

Several hours later, a sombre view unfolded before Arthur and Merlin as they crested the low hillock. The village below lay in disarray, homes ransacked, timbers charred, and an eerie silence hanging over the desolation like a shroud.

Arthur swore under his breath, his jaw set with a grim determination as he surveyed the wreckage.

Merlin followed close behind, his gaze darting about nervously. The scent of blood hung thick in the air, coppery and sweet, and he was forced to hold his breath. He reached into his cloak and clasped a vial. With a furtive glance at Arthur, he uncorked it and took a swift draught, feeling the potion's immediate, albeit fleeting, relief.

"Stay vigilant, Merlin," Arthur said, oblivious to the inner turmoil of his companion.

"No, I’ll walk about with my eyes closed," Merlin snarked.

They stepped through the crumbling gate, each footfall stirring up the ashes of the once fertile lands. Around them, remnants of life stood still—dolls abandoned mid-play, pots overturned, their contents seeping into the earth.

"Such destruction…" Merlin's words trailed off as he knelt beside a fallen beam, his fingers tracing the scorched wood. He froze as his skin began to tighten and his senses sharpen. Desperately, he consumed another vial, the concoction bitter on his tongue.

"What’s wrong with you?" Arthur eyed him with a hint of concern.

"Headache," Merlin lied smoothly, averting his eyes so Arthur wouldn’t see the change in his eye colour.

"Come, let’s see if any evidence was left behind."

Together, they moved deeper into the devastated village, passing by splintered doors and ripped animal carcasses. Arthur's hand rested on the hilt of his sword as they scanned the area.

"Look," Merlin pointed toward the well, where dark stains marred the stones. He held his breath again, feeling his fangs fall. The scent of fear and blood was too delicious to his senses for his body not to react. He pushed his trembling hands into his pockets to hide them from view. His next vial would need to wait, but for how long, he could not say. As the shadows grew long, so too did the thin line he walked between loyalty and the beast within.

A cold gust of wind signalled their foes' approach. Vampires emerged from the obsidian shadows, silent as death, their eyes gleaming with feral hunger. Arthur's sword was out instantly, its blade reflecting the scant moonlight with deadly promise.

As steel met undead flesh, Merlin wrestled with the tumultuous storm inside him. His blood sang with the call of his kindred, yet his heart belonged to the realm of men. With a silent invocation, he summoned the arcane winds, his hands weaving incantations that sparked with eldritch energy.

Merlin snapped his fingers, and a surge of mystical force burst forth, striking the vampires with stunning light.

Together, they fought—a symphony of blade and magic. Arthur's courage never wavered, and his every strike was a testament to his resolve to protect his kingdom. Merlin's spells danced between the trees, their radiance illuminating the battlefield with flashes of spectral light.

"Your aim improves by the day, Merlin!" Arthur called out amidst the fray, a grin on his face even as he dispatched another foe. “Then again, anything is an improvement from nothing.”

"Learning from the best," Merlin shot back, throwing back his head in a laugh as Arthur tripped over a conveniently placed rock.

Finally, as the last vampire fell to the ground, silence descended upon them once more. Arthur wiped his brow, his chest heaving from exertion, but his eyes shone with the fire of victory.

"Another battle won," he declared, sheathing his sword.

Merlin nodded, exhaustion clawing at his limbs. He took a deep breath, wincing at the taste of acrid blood in the air. "Yes," Merlin agreed, his voice steady despite the weakness he felt.

The ground was cold and unforgiving, swallowed by the creeping tendrils of evening fog. Arthur's armoured boots struck the ground confidently, while Merlin moved with less certainty, his thoughts as scattered as the mist veiling the area.

"Are you sure we're headed in the right direction?" Merlin asked as he glanced over at Arthur, a teasing smile on his lips. "You know, you tend to struggle with reading the stars."

Arthur didn't stop, but a half-smile formed on his lips at Merlin's jest. "No, Merlin, the stars are aligned for us, not against us," he replied, firm yet with a touch of mirth. "Stay sharp. We're close."

Merlin snorted if only Arthur had any idea. 

As they delved deeper into the labyrinthine forest, an unsettling prickle danced along Merlin's neck. His senses whispered of something lurking in the shadows. He strained his ears, trying to catch the soft footfalls of the unseen follower. The air was still, too still, and carried a scent both unfamiliar yet oddly recognisable.

"Arthur," Merlin murmured, drawing closer to the prince. "We're not alone."

Arthur's hand instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword, his heart pounding as his eyes scanned the darkened surroundings. "Reveal yourself!" he commanded, his voice echoing off the stone walls. Only silence answered his call.

"Maybe it's just a stray cat," Merlin chuckled, though his heart hammered in his chest.

“Leave it to you to be frightened by a kitten,” Arthur scoffed. Despite his words, he remained tense and squinted into the darkness.

“They’re coming,” Merlin murmured, his eyes flashing gold. “They’re using something to shield themselves from me. I can only tell that we’ve met them before.”

“Friend or foe?”

“We’re about to find out.” Merlin tensed as her gaze lingered on them from the embrace of darkness— a pair of emerald eyes glaring out from the trees at them.

The figure stepped forward, the moonlight revealing her face. Morgana emerged from her concealment, her long dark hair cascading like a raven's wing and her piercing green eyes fixed on her half-brother with an intensity that could cut through steel. 

"Arthur," she said, her voice melodious.

Startled, Arthur almost dropped his sword at the sight of her disarming him. “Morgana!” Shock and relief battled on his face as he stared at the sister he thought he had lost. “Where have you been?”

"Six months, dear brother, and nary a sign of you," Morgana stated, her tone both accusatory and playful. "And here I thought you'd forgotten me."

Merlin watched her warily but closed the gap and joined Arthur in a heartfelt embrace that enveloped Morgana. "We feared the worst," Merlin confessed, his eyes still taking her in, a frown on his face. He subtly leaned closer and sniffed at her neck. It was Morgana, that much he was certain of, but she definitely had a scent on her he had sensed on her before. The look she gave him as he pulled away did not go unnoticed. 

“Yet here I am,” was her simple reply. “I am afraid I come with dire news.”

"What do you mean?" Arthur urged, his brows knitting together. "Have you heard about what has been happening?"

“You’re chasing the fodder when it is the puppeteer you should seek,” Morgana stated plainly, her eyes flicking to Merlin’s before returning to Arthur’s.

It was just as Merlin had feared then. He cleared his throat, “Armies are being created then? To what end?”

“Is it not obvious?”

Unfortunately.

Merlin scowled, “Just what we needed.”

“Enough of this nonsense,” Arthur commanded. "Six months vanished without a trace," he muttered, more to himself than to the enigma before him. "And now you return with tales of darkness? It ill suits you to play the seer, Morgana."

Merlin snorted and rolled his eyes at the heavens.

"Does it?" Morgana's voice was silk over steel. "Or does it simply displease you that I might know something you do not?"

"You’re making no sense," Arthur retorted. "You speak of vampires as if they’re capable of taking over a kingdom! Their mindless creatures, nothing more."

Morgana’s eyes bored into Arthur’s before turning to Merlin. “Is that what you believe?” Merlin’s heart dropped to his stomach. She knew.

“I—” Merlin was saved from answering by a bloodcurdling scream piercing the night air.

The abruptness of the scream tore through them, and their heads snapped towards the direction of the disturbance. Merlin sniffed the air and froze, “Oh no.” 

"Arthur," Merlin warned his voice barely above a whisper yet carrying an edge of urgency. That scream hadn’t been human— it was primal, guttural, and filled with a rage that sent your blood cold.

As the echoes of the scream died down, a massive shadow lunged from the trees, its form grotesque in the moonlight. A werewolf, its fur matted with blood and filth, bore its fangs— a snarl ripping from its throat as it set its sights on them.

"Merlin, do something!" Arthur shouted, stepping protectively in front of Morgana with his sword extended.

Merlin extended his hands, murmuring incantations under his breath as his eyes burned gold. These spells should have calmed the beast or turned it away, but the words dissolved into the night, powerless. His magic, usually so potent against creatures of the night, fizzled into nothingness. He stared, mouth agape, unable to comprehend what was happening.

“What is wrong with your magic?”Arthur grunted, dodging the werewolf’s swipe, his blade meeting the creature’s hide with a clang.

"I—I don’t know!" Merlin replied, panic lacing his voice. He racked his brain for any alternative, but his thoughts were chaotic. How could this be happening? Werewolves were susceptible to magic—it was one of the few advantages they had against such monsters.

"Vampire magic doesn't work on them," Arthur said between breaths, dodging another attack. "But yours should!"

“Oh, should it, Arthur. Should it? I had no idea,” Merlin snarked. His gaze darted around, searching for anything that could be used as a weapon or distraction. He grabbed a fallen branch, hardly a match for claws and teeth, but he couldn't stand idle while Arthur fought alone.

"Focus, Merlin!" Arthur commanded, narrowly avoiding a particularly vicious lunge from the werewolf. "We need to drive it back!"

"Right," Merlin said, forcing confidence into his tone. He feinted at the werewolf with the branch, hoping to draw its attention long enough for Arthur to find an opening.

“Behind you!” A strong voice from behind them called.

Arthur spun, his blade glinting in the pale light as he managed to slice across the beast's flank. The werewolf howled, the sound mingling with the clashing of metal and the thundering of their hearts.

A man with dark wavy hair and a strong athletic build got between Arthur and the werewolf. His sword gleaming under the moon’s pale light, he met the creature mid-leap and turned its ferocity aside with a well-placed blow.

"Stay behind me!"  The man shouted, parrying another swipe of the werewolf's deadly claws.

"Behind you? You'll find I'm quite capable of standing at your side," Arthur retorted grimly, joining the fray.

The two men’s movements were synchronised as if they had trained together for years. The man was precise, finding weak spots in the beast's defenses, while Arthur's strength drove the creature back, step by torturous step.

Who is this man? Merlin wondered silently, clutching the useless branch against his chest. He felt a pang of guilt for his inaction, but there wasn’t much left he could do. To engage would mean to reveal, and revelation was a luxury he could ill afford.

"Merlin! A little help here!" Arthur's voice cut through his reverie, tinged with urgency. Arthur's blade sang a metallic song as it cleaved through the air, narrowly missing the werewolf's snapping jaws. The beast was a maelstrom of claws and fury, each blow from its massive paws sending sparks flying from Arthur's armour. The prince's face was set in grim determination, blue eyes tracking every move with predatory precision.

"Right," Merlin muttered to himself. "Help. Without magic." The irony was not lost on him. He was a vampire who couldn't fight a werewolf with strength lest he reveal himself, and a wizard who couldn’t fight the werewolf because of a magic that should have worked but didn't. The absurdity of it all would have been laughable under different circumstances.

He watched the man move, throwing himself into the fray with a ferocity that matched the beast they fought. There was something inherently noble about him, an aura that spoke of chivalry and honour—the very ideals Arthur so cherished in his knights. It was no wonder they fought well together.

"What are you doing, Merlin!?" Arthur grunted, sidestepping a vicious pounce and driving his sword into the werewolf's flank.

With a howl that seemed to shake the very stones beneath their feet, the creature stumbled, its form shimmering as it tried to flee—but in a moment of quick thinking, Merlin shot out his hand, “Fyr!”

A line of fire blocked off the werewolf’s escape. “Fire, they hate fire!”

Arthur and the man seized the opportunity. The man harried the beast, keeping it engaged and enraged, while Arthur readied himself for the killing blow.

"Keep it steady, Merlin.” The man called, “Just a little longer..."

With a mighty roar, Arthur lunged forward, his sword glinting in the torchlight. The werewolf, caught off guard by the sudden assault, had no time to evade. The silver blade, guided by Arthur's unwavering hand, found its mark, plunging deep into the creature's chest. A howl of agony split the night as the werewolf's form shuddered and then stilled, its body reverting to the twisted shape of a man.

"Good thinking with the fire, Merlin," Arthur said, clapping him on the shoulder with a grin that belied the seriousness of their situation.

"Yeah," Merlin replied distractedly, a frown on his face as his mind was elsewhere. Why did his magic not work on werewolves all of a sudden? Did it have to do with his ‘vampire puberty’? And if so, what was he going to tell Arthur? “Hey, Mor— where did Morgana go?”

Morgana's second disappearance left them with more questions than answers, and Merlin knew they were far from unravelling the mysteries that ensnared them.

As they gathered, ready to continue their quest into the night, Merlin cast one last glance at the fallen foe. The battle was won, yet the war was far from over.

[the-pen-pot]

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King & Court (Merlin:) - Loneliness is an insidious thing. When Merlin looks at Arthur, he sees not just a prince waiting for his time to rule, but a young man struggling to find his place in the world, with little help from anyone else. Finding loopholes in Uther’s laws is no easy feat. Court life is a dangerous game, but it’s one Merlin has every intention of winning so that Arthur can have knights of his choosing by his side. And then there is the matter of his magic…

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Sigh No More (Merlin) - Prince Arthur Pendragon, Captain of the Llamrei, would far rather spend his days patrolling Camelot's Waters than assume his place on the throne. Yet when he finds the wreckage of a vast ship and one lone survivor on board, nothing can prepare him for the path his life will lead, nor the demands his heart will make.

Love Is Never Lost (Merlin) - Uther Pendragon has never approved of Arthur’s friendship with Merlin. There had been disappointed sighs and whispered warnings, but Arthur had never thought it would come to this: scars on Merlin’s back and a manservant made hollow and thin by cruelty. When Merlin disappears, Arthur is left questioning the true honour of the crown and the value of a kingdom forever stained by his father’s tyranny. Will he answer the call of duty, or will he sacrifice everything to chase the cries of his heart?

What We Might Be (Merlin) - When Arthur succumbs after the Battle of Camlann, he is given a choice: to go to his rest and rise again, or to try and set the path of his destiny right once and for all. Will he and Merlin be able to work together to correct the mistakes of their past, or were they always doomed to tragedy?

L'Appel Du Vide (Sherlock) - Hunters were a rarity. In fact, there was really only one family that knew what they were doing and became a name to fear, but the last Van Helsing had died in 1886. Well, the last male Van Helsing, anyway. Still, that did not mean their unique genetic gifts had not been passed down the female line, holding steady and sure even Sherlock is a vampire, John is a Van Helsing. What could possibly go wrong?

Guard Of Diocletian (Sherlock) - 'What's his Shift?' John asked, frowning to himself. Sherlock had not mentioned anything about another form. That in itself was not unusual. A lot of people were rather private about their alternative shapes. It was frowned upon to ask someone outright what creature they were when changed, but Mike was like him, baseline, and if he was going to live with this man then he needed to know what he could wake up to find one morning. Shedding on the furniture was one thing, but he had no real desire to find a strange, threatening animal in the living room one day.

Where The Heart Is (Hobbit) - 'There was an attack. Raiders. There was no warning of their coming.' Gandalf sighed: the broken sound of someone who has failed in their duty of care. 'They took everything they could carry, and burned everything they could not. Bilbo is not among those who live.'

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[chaotic-orphan]

Medieval Fantasy Fiction

The Prologue

Can someone please tell me why I love expositions in stories, meanwhile my billion other WIPs are in the dark throes of the middle of the story and does my brain work on them? No, instead it starts a new one for shits and giggles~

I need to stop starting new projects before I finish others, this is so toxic and self-indulgent… oh well~ the whump I have planned for this story is delicious 3:)

*~*~*~*~*

Puck woke with the sun, getting out of bed and pulling on his clothes as quietly as he could. His mother and sister were still sound asleep in their bed opposite his, his little brother still snoring softly in Puck’s bed. There was a chill in the early morning air that he hoped would pass by the time he reached the village.

He closed the door to the bedroom softly and stepped into the kitchen, starting the fire in the hearth so the house could warm up before the rest of his family woke. He struck the flint with his knife and after two tries the sparks caught the bundle of twigs in the hearth. He stood and went to grab the oats from the table which were severely depleted.

There wouldn’t be enough for everyone if he had breakfast. Though his stomach protested his decision, Puck grabbed his satchel and packed his knife and flint and walked into the cool morning air. Their cottage stood on top of the hill that overlooked the village, tucked away with a few other cottages on the small side.

He saw dark hair ahead of him and ran to catch up with Marlyn. “Good morning, Marlyn.”

The dark haired girl turned her head, a smile on her face as she said: “Morning. I thought you were sleeping in today.”

“Me? Never, don’t want Arne to give out to me more than usual.” Puck told her, glancing at the game on Marlyn’s back. “Do you want any help carrying them?”

Marlyn smiled sweetly. “If you don’t mind. I don’t know what the birds are eating this year,” she said, handing him a length of rope with dead pigeons that he threw around his neck. “But they’re getting heavier and heavier.”

“The harvest is almost over,” said Puck, his breath reflecting off the air as they resumed walking. “They’re getting ready to fly away.”

“Well, not these ones,” said Marlyn with a wide grin. Puck laughed.

“I wouldn’t want to be a bird around you.”

“You have a much bigger target on your back, Puck,” she replied teasingly.

“Remind me to bring you flowers tomorrow,” said Puck and Marlyn laughed. He liked the way she laughed. It was such an unreserved action, throwing her head back to get more sound out of her voice. Her dark hair falling over her shoulder and revealing her throat.

Puck swallowed and forced his eyes forward as they continued on down, certain that he would marry her one day, Gods willing.

The village was already abuzz with atmosphere and life. Farmer Gruff was leading his cows to the grazing fields, cow manure following the herd as he yelled at them to walk, his two sons acting as trail markers for the cows to follow.

“How’re ye?” Gruff asked, a stalk of wheat between his teeth. “Mmm Marlyn. Any pheasants?”

“Of course, Mr Gruff.”

“Ah you’re a special lass. I wish my boys were half the hun’er you are, miss.”

“You’re too kind, Mr Gruff. I’ll leave a pheasant aside for you.”

“Sure aren’t ya just blessed by the sun itself.”

He smacked a cow on its hind leg and continued on. Marlyn smiled her mischievous smile at Puck and he flashed her a grin. Most of the village knew that Marlyn was the hunter in her family, not her father. Though she still sold them at her stall under her father’s name because women weren’t supposed to be hunters. Her father was far too interested in books and accounting to be a decent hunter.

Marlyn had once said she would never trust a man’s opinion with callous-free-fingers. Puck grinned as he tightened his hand to a fist and felt the coarse flesh from apprenticing under the local blacksmith. They stopped in the middle of the market, Puck helping Marlyn set up her stall for the day. The local butcher stopped by to tell her again she should sell to him, keep the meat more fresh in his shop.

“You’d need to buy at a merchant price,” Marlyn told him sweetly with her disarming, pretty smile. “And pay me a wage, otherwise I’d be losing out.”

“Hmph,” the butcher said, looking between the two teens. “I will ask your father about this arrangement then shall I?”

“You can try,” Marlyn replied easily, her smile turning razor sharp. “Though I must remind you that he does do the books of half the businesses here. So I didn’t get my business knowledge from nowhere.”

Puck couldn’t help the smile he tried to hide from Butcher. Butcher scoffed at him. “You have no right to smile, boy. I’m surprised your family is still four strong. You never buy meat.”

Puck’s smile grew strained.

“He gets the friends and family discount from me,” Marlyn cut in sharply, slamming her hand on the stall counter. “And if I were you, Butcher, I’d treat him a little better. Or I can open up a rival butcher’s and we can see who gets better business.”

“Easy to see your father never taught you manners, girl.”

“Maybe if you were someone worth being mannerly towards, Butcher. Now, please. Get lost.” Butcher stuck his nose in the air and left them with a haughty step.

Marlyn turned to Puck who was already fixing his satchel and ready to leave. “Meet you back here at day’s end?”

“Of course.”

“Great. Have a good day.”

Puck wound through the chickens that a couple of kids were chasing through the patchy cobbled streets and went down towards the seafront, where the bakery and the blacksmith shops were. The best place for water in case there was ever a fire that broke out.

Puck could smell the bread being baked and his stomach growled as he passed the bakery and ascended the little steps to the blacksmith's forge. Mr Arne was inside, leather apron adorned, smoking a cigarette. His clever grey eyes studied Puck as he came in, taking in his slender yet lean physique as he hung his bag and adorned his own apron.

“Did you eat boy?” Mr Arne asked, voice as coarse as coal from smoking like the blacksmith’s chimney for his entire life.

“Hmm?” Puck asked, pretending not to hear the man.

“I said did ye eat, boy?” Mr Arne asked, getting to his feet and walking over to the teen. Unlike Puck, Mr Arne was built as broad as two men, and a good head taller than most. His arms were covered in thick black hair and tattoos from his black clan days that everybody in town was too scared to mention. Besides, Mr Arne was the best blacksmith on this side of the river, and brought a lot of business to the village. If he were to up and leave the village would suffer. “Look at ye, when I was your age I was as big as a boulder. You are strong but skinny, that hunter girl has more meat on her.”

Puck shot him a look, but he couldn’t really argue with the man. Mr Arne wasn’t from around here, so when he said “Hunter” it sounded more like “huntore”, his e’s like o’s.

“You’re just trying to fatten me up like a pig,” Puck said with a wave, shovelling some coal into the furnace.

“If I wanted pig, I would employ animal,” said Mr Arne with a little shrug, as if this was the most logical thing in the world. “I want boy with strong shoulders and good workmanship.”

Puck shot Arne a dazzling smile. “I’m your man.”

“No. Puny.” Mr Arne said and dropped his cigarette to the stone floor, stomping it out. He promptly left the forge and Puck continued with setting up for the day. They had an order from Farmer Gruff for some new hoes and sickles since the Harvest moon was almost upon them.

Mr Arne returned when the bustling in the marketplace was starting to get busy, no longer just merchants and workers, the customers had arisen. Puck was waiting for the metal to smelt, practicing his swings on Mr Arne’s old sword. It was a beautiful piece, never rusting, Mr Arne took care of his blades. When he spotted Puck eyeing the sword, Mr Arne had taught him a few moves for Puck to practice.

After Puck had trained the moves, getting his muscles used to the weight of the blade and the stances, Mr Arne had ordered the local carpenter to make two practice swords to spare with whenever they had free time. Puck preferred to practice with the real thing every now and then though. To remember the weight and feel and power.

Mr Arne brought with him the smell of sizzled meat, sausages and bacon and eggs, and the smell of soft, freshly baked bread.

“Hmph,” he said to Puck, stopping in the doorway and assessing the boy’s form. “Elbow higher, there’s a good lad.”

Puck obeyed and grinned at the praise before putting the sword back on the wall and standing to attention. Mr Arne walked past him and set the food on the table Puck had found him at.

“Sit. Eat. I don’t need weak boy. Muscles must be fed properly.”

“I already ate,” Puck said, hiding the flush in his cheeks.

Mr Arne stood over Puck, his wide face looming over him. A pair of thick bushy eyebrows raised causing creases in the man’s large forehead. “I have no need for liars, either. Sit. Eat. Or I feed it to the dogs.”

Puck knew better than to refuse man twice and when he sat down at the table, the first taste of the salty meat was divine, as if the Gods had made it themselves.

“Thank you.” Puck said. If Mr Arne heard him he didn’t reply. Instead the burly man whistled a foreign tune as he started forging the molten metal into a sickle mould and went about working.

The day was long, and by the midday Puck was tired. His muscles sore from hard work, sweat clinging to his face like a thin layer of second skin. He didn’t see the soldiers arrive until one was in the forge, grabbing him by the elbow and dragging him out. Mr Arne was out, having a cigarette behind the forge so he couldn’t stop the soldiers as they rounded up everyone into the square.

A tall man dressed in black sat atop a black stallion, overlooking everyone in the village. Puck found Marlyn quickly, asking her what was happening. She told him that the soldiers were sent by the King for something.

“Sorry to interrupt your market day,” the man on the horse said with a smile that showed he was anything but sorry. “I call on you from urgent business from the King.”

The man paused, his dark eyes scanning the crowd. He was a strange looking man, handsome and built, but a strangeness pervaded him that Puck couldn’t quite put his fingers on.

“Yeah?” One of the villagers asked. “What is it?”

Puck was interested to know too, but the man paused as if to create suspense that was lost on the villagers. Marlyn leaned into Puck and said: “I bet they want more soldiers for the war.”

“More than likely.”

“Of course. The King has noticed that in the outer regions there has been a lack of proper law and order. He has been informed that some outskirt villages still worship the old gods, and should be brought up to speed on his majesty’s rules.”

“Why does the King give a fuck?” Another villager asked. “We’re just trying to survive and make a living out here.”

The man’s smile was wan. “Yes, well. The King has appointed new generals to oversee the transition and reinforcements of his laws.”

Puck saw Mr Arne emerge from the forge, leaning against the wall of it, another lit cigarette between his teeth. “When will this general arrive?” Mr Arne asked.

There was a murmur when the man on the horse turned his attention to Mr Arne. The man’s smile turned sweeter, trying to turn on the charm.

“I am that General, good man,” said the General.

Mr Arne inclined his head. “You are the General?”

“Yes,” the man replied, like it was an obvious fact.

“Are you sure?”

Puck laughed as the general fought to keep his expression neutral. “I have a signed order by the King, good man.”

“To change our laws?”

“Not at all. Just to ensure that the King’s laws are followed.”

“Which includes changing our gods?” The previous villager asked.

The general raised his hands, placatingly. “I understand it is a lot to take in, but things won’t change overnight. I am here to ensure that all the changes happen smoothly.”

“Is that why your men have swords and crossbows?” Mr Arne inquired with his thick, knowing accent.

The General plastered on a wide, charming smile, looking over every villager with a pleasant expression. “I’m sure we will all work together to bring about this change. It isn’t a hard task your King asks of you, all you have to do is obey and all will be well.”

Before Mr Arne could reply the general clapped his hands together. “Now, my men and I have travelled far and are road weary. We will set up in the Manor house as has been arranged by his majesty. Please, continue with your days. That will be all.”

The crowd dispersed, muttering between themselves. Puck looked at Marlyn who had a tightness to her face. “I don’t like him,” she told Puck. “There’s something not right with him.”

“It’s fine, Mr Arne put him in his place.” Puck said with a small laugh. Marlyn turned to him, her limbs tense.

“It’s easy for you to say! You’re not a woman who breaks the King’s laws everytime you hunt.” Puck’s eyebrows pinched together, opening his mouth to speak, but Marlyn spoke before he could. “Not to mention the tariffs we’ll have to pay to ensure that the General and his men are well fed while they lounge about in the Manor.”

“Hey,” Puck said, grabbing Marlyn’s wrist and holding her palm to his heart. Marlyn softened, her cheeks growing rosy with a blush. “You’re smarter than him. Nobody will rat you out. As far as the general knows, you sell what your father catches. You have nothing to worry about. Under the king’s laws women can be merchants.”

“Or is that just our customs?” Marlyn demanded, her eyes flashing a mix of desperation and anger. Maybe Puck shouldn’t be promising things that he didn’t really understand, but he used to make deliveries with his father in other villages where women merchants were allowed so he just assumed…

“I don’t think it matters who sells goods, Marly. Really.”

“You don’t know.”

Puck set his mouth into a thin line. “No. I don’t.”

Marlyn sighed. Puck rubbed circles over the back of her hand, and Marlyn stepped closer, her face flushing. “You shouldn’t do that in front of the entire village.”

Puck flashed her his charming smile. “Why not?”

“You know why,” Marlyn said with a smile of her own, retracting her hand gently. “Go back to work already.”

“I love it when you’re bossy.”

She shoved him playfully on the shoulder. “Go!”

Puck held his hands up in surrender, already walking backwards towards the forge, not taking his eyes off her. “I’m going.”

Marlyn rolled her eyes, shaking her head before turning back to her own stall across the square. Puck’s smile widened as he turned and walked up the steps of the forge and into the building.

Mr Arne was staring out the window, up the hill where the soldiers disappeared to. “Kingsmen are never good,” Mr Arne grumbled.

“You seemed to handle them just fine,” Puck replied, grabbing the liquid metal from the furnace and setting about work.

Mr Arne hummed disapprovingly. “Hmm. We better keep our heads down, Puck.”

“You can’t seriously be scared of—” Puck began but faltered. His eyes flicking to Arne who was looking over his shoulder at Puck with a grave expression on his face. “But you’re not afraid of anyone.”

“All brave men are afraid,” Arne said with a humph. “And all smart men are cautious. If those kingsmen discover my past—”

“They won’t,” Puck said quickly. Was he the only one in this village that believed there were like one big family? That they were neighbours? And neighbours don’t turn on neighbours. Maybe he was being naive. Maybe Marlyn and Mr Arne saw something that Puck couldn’t, or maybe they were the paranoid ones.

Mr Arne puffed out his chest, looking back out the window. “I hope you’re right, Puck. Gods help us if you’re not.”

[stargazedwinchester]

Telephone | Sam Winchester #01

I actually wrote this 4 (yes 4) years ago, but I've been thinking about redoing it a little bit and republishing it, hopefully its a little better and everyone enjoys it!

I also have this on Wattpad, link here

Part 2 here

-

Your local library was quiet, yet soft, mumbled words came from all directions at any given time. It was a good quiet, though. So comfortable and calming. You browsed the fiction area looking for information on witches, their spells and origin. Your parents were outlining a mammoth-sized hunt at a rather large cabin in the deep forests of Connecticut.

You were new to this whole thing, but your parents had been hunting their whole lives, they knew letting you grow up in a world where you won't know whether your parents will come back from "work" alive or not was no life to live. As they were careful, they had many hunter friends who would go with one of your parents on a hunt, while the other can look after you without leaving you alone. At the age of 13, your parents asked you if you wanted to join them on your first hunt in Nashville. Of course, you agreed.

You found a witch mythology book in the fiction category, you slid it out of its slot, and managed to pick it up with one hand. You tossed the book a little higher so you could reach your right arm underneath it. It was a heavy book, almost the size of A3 paper. The spine of the book had silver embedded leaves, almost vine-like crawling up the side. The front held a cauldron with three witches gathering around it, the background a deep, crimson velvet red. The title read 'Witch Mythology: Spellbinds and Myths'. You were so captivated by the intricate detail of the book, when at the last minute, you noticed someone on the right, searching for a book. You jump and step back.

"Sorry. I almost bumped into you." You apologise, still remaining quiet. The guy turns around to face you, his grey, almost blue eyes glance into yours. He smiles and looks down at the floor, before returning his eyes back to yours. "It's okay, don't worry." He gives a reassuring smirk, and you smile back. "What are you looking for? I practically live here, so I know where everything is." You chuckle, attempting to not sound too nerdy, but it's true. You spent a lot of your free time here while your parents went away for a weekend or whenever you were bored. He purses his lips together and furrows his brows. "Something about demons, like demonic possession." He struggles to find his words, as if he's confused himself. You slide your book and balance it on one arm, while pointing at the shelf. "Right there." You say, and he nods. "Ah." He chuckles again, picking up the book. "Thank you. It's exactly what I was looking for." He says, scanning the book that you carried. "What's that you got there?"

"A book on witch mythology," You start, frantically trying to think of an excuse to not sound like you're either a weirdo, or a hunter. "It's for my history class I'm taking. It's a weird subject but I don't know, it kinda sounds interesting." You say, focusing your gaze upon his. "History? Where are you studying?" He questions, moving his stance onto his left leg. "Wichita State. Are you studying there too?" You ask him, and he shakes his head. "No, I'm at Stanford. I'm back here in Lawrence to visit family." He says, slowly walking backwards, ushering you to follow, and you comply.

You both sat down at a desk, opposite the bookshelves you were just chatting at. You scoot yourself into the desk, and feel yourself glancing at this tall, strange man as he does the same. "What's your name? I feel bad for not asking." He asks you, and you tell him. "Just Naomi?" he examines your face, as if to find an answer. "Naomi Grace Greaves." You tell him, and he smiles. "Well, nice to meet you Naomi Grace Greaves. I'm Sam William Winchester."

–

Some time passes and you both agree to talk outside of the library, the main reason of this was due to the librarian having to get up out of her seat every 5 minutes to hush you both and point to the "NO TALKING" sign glued onto the bookshelf. You both go to the reception and apologise, while also getting the book stamped for return in 4 weeks’ time.

You both exited the library walking next to each other, crossing the road and planted yourselves onto a picnic table where you both could talk freely and as loud as you like. Sam is across from you, wearing a light blue flannel button-up with orange accents, with a white t-shirt underneath. 'The colours matched him well, you thought. It allowed his naturally tanned skin to show against the bright white, also bringing out the relucent Olympic blue in his eyes. You force yourself to look away before he's driven to think otherwise. "So, what do your parents do? You said you study at Stanford, which is great, but what did your parents do?" You ask, seeing the question almost burn into his skull. "I just want to get to know you better, that's all." You manage to make out, and he coughs. "My mom died before I was born, my older brother Dean was about 4 years old. I haven't seen my dad for a few months, though. He disappears from time to time. I guess it's from losing mom, he wants to be alone." Sam informs you, and you feel your heartbreak inside. You felt for this guy, even though you met him an hour ago, it already felt like you were best friends, despite even knowing anything other than names. "Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry." You empathise, leaning more towards him."I lost my sister in a car accident when I was 6. She was 14. Jasmine was her name... She ended up in a coma for 4 months and she eventually woke up while my father and I was there, and she kept repeating that she saw black eyes. Black eyes and smoke. She'd say; 'Nai, they had black eyes. Smoke inside of them, Nai. Oh my God, black eyes. It's so scary.' Then..." You stop, glaring down at the picnic table. "She'd pass out. We still don't know if it was due to her comatose or from shock or something. She died 2 weeks later." You sigh, Sam looks at you with bleakness in his eyes. "I'm sorry." Was all that he managed to say, and that was alright.

The pair of you sat there in silence for a few minutes, collecting your thoughts whilst unsure on what to say next. Sams ringtone broke the silence, and he quickly answered his phone. "Hey, Dean." He says, then covering the microphone. "Sorry, one sec." He says, removing himself from the table and walking 3 feet away from where you were. You grin at him, attempting to not listen in to his conversation. Was Dean his brother? Maybe father? You asked yourself, unclear on who Dean was.

"Are you serious?" He exclaims, furrowing his eyebrows. "Look, I'm with a friend, and I-" He motions his hand at you, then smirking. "Okay, Dean. Okay. Okay, okay, give me 10 minutes and I'll be back." He hangs up the phone and makes his way back to you. "Sorry again, it's my brother." He explains, and you nod. "Do you need to be elsewhere?" You try to not pry, while still attempting to get a straight answer. "Yeah, my brother needs me somewhere, so I need to go. What's your number?" He scrambles out of the seat again, and so do you. You pull out your flip phone and tell him your number. He enters the digits and sends a quick "It's Sam" text, before picking up his library book. "Sorry to cut this short but I'll text you when I'm next in town." He grins, walking away. "See you later, Sam." You almost yell, and he waves. "Goodbye, Naomi."

You pick up your mythology book and stare at your phone screen, you changed the 10 digit number to 'Sam W'. You smile to yourself, uncertain on what could unravel with Sam Winchester.

–

Later on that night, you receive a call from Sam. Your heart felt like it warmed from seeing his name on your screen, and you press answer. "Hello Sammy." You giggle, thinking of the little nickname on the spot. "Ha ha, very original." He says, then chuckles. "What are you up to?" He asks you, and you softly view the contents in your room. "Nothing, why?" You sit up properly on your bed, one hand sandwiched between your thighs. "Just wanted to see if you were free to call, that's all." Sams' end of the call went silent, and you look up at the clock. 9:42PM. "Yeah, sure, I can talk."you smile, laying back down onto your bedsheets. "When will you be back in town?" You ask him, smiling to yourself. "Soon." He laughs, understanding that the word 'soon' could mean tomorrow, or in 6 months time. "Sam!" You exclaim, and he huffs playfully. "What? I said soon." He guffaws. "When is soon?" You ask again, hoping for a serious answer this time. "Maybe... two weeks?" He even questions himself, "I'm not sure. I go back to college on Friday. Then my brother wants me to go on a roadtrip with him on Saturday." He sighs, you hear him rub his face, the facial hair coming into contact with his hand. "Okay. I guess I can wait." You joke, and he laughs. "You miss me already?" Sam practically smiles through the phone, and you do too.

"Yeah. I do."

[sboochi]

I'm about to be annoying 'cause I like you, and I do that, so you can ignore me if you want. I swear I won't get upset (pinky promise).

Since you like crossovers I might as well present to you my httyd centered crossover & AU combination. Or whatever I should call this.

It's simply a turn of events in the first movie, where Astrid never finds Hiccup, and thus, he leaves with Toothless.

In the future, people still hate dragons, they're just a but more advanced technologically (around the middle ages, I suppose). This is where one chooses the characters for the crossover and makes them the main characters.

Okay, in this future the characters are still in school, the island is sealed from the outside, because dragons have expanded their territories around the forest where Hiccup meets Toothless, and now there's a huge variety of them behind the walls protecting the island. Our characters, who are around the age of young adults, meet at their first years of college, {insert all crossover characters} form a friend group.

It depends on how big you imagine it, how many characters you insert, personalities, etc. but the general idea is that one or two of them jump the wall (illegally, ofc, but they don't get caught) and find an old book conserved in ambar, which is odd, because why would a death-song target a book? So they free it, and it's Hiccups old notebook, that he left there on purpose after successfully protecting it from the pass of time, in hopes somebody would finish what he started.

Here starts the main plot, like, the point between the setting and the conflict, because the friend group in the future one by one start finding out, reading it, getting their own dragons, etc. And learning that Hiccup wasn't the great dragon hunter he was made to be in history books, but rather a dragon trainer, and that's what they call themselves.

At the same time we follow the story of Hiccup, after leaving the island, he learns about dragons, and somehow meets Jack. I haven't really thought of this part of the timeline yet, but he meets Jack, and writes on his notebook, and then later he seals it on amber and leaves it in the same place where he first met Toothless. He decides he has written enough and someone with his same heart will finish what he never had the courage to, so he places it there and leaves again.

Sorry I invaded your inbox, you're very, very, VERY cool and I really enjoy your work and I wanted to share this with you as a gift, bc I can't ever give artists I like normal gift stuff.

Thank you for sharing this fun idea! <3

Honestly it sounds like an actually good version of Nine Realms, except for the canon divergence part ofc

Noooo not my baby Hiccup being remembered as a dragon hunter!!!! And the Hiccup&Jack sideplot aw :')

[avatarmerida]

Meeting the parents ✌️ read on AO3 or under the cut. I know it’s been a month since I updated don’t mention it I’m sensitive

It was so odd how a simple word can change everything and nothing at the same time?

When they saw each other at school, she still greeted him the same way. She’d either rush into his arms, laughing as he spun her around or she’d wrap him in a tight hug to spin him around (it all depended on who got to the other’s locker first). Hunter was surprised at first, he had assumed that them dating would change everything, but somehow it hadn’t. He realized that it meant that the way she felt about him hadn’t changed, that she really had liked him for awhile. It still made him blush like an idiot.

But now he didn’t mind if she noticed the blushing, because he was her blushing boyfriend.

When his hand would brush hers when they walked, she took it. She’d link their pinkies or laced their fingers and he didn’t have to make an excuse or it in his mind like she didn’t want him to get lost or something. She did it because he was her boyfriend and she wanted to be close to him, and she wanted everyone to know it. Because he was something to her that no one else was.

Nothing in his world had drastically changed. He still went to school, went to flyer derby practice, helped Dell with the palismen, but now everything he did he did as Willow Park’s boyfriend. He roamed the realm as someone Willow Park publicly liked as more than a friend. He knew he was someone, but now he was someone to her . He’d endure 100,000 “That’s Hunter, the old Golden Guard” for one “Hunter? Oh, you mean Willow’s boyfriend” identifier. It was the first title that did not make his heart feel tied down, but bursting and free. A title he hoped to never pass on, only to rank up.

He hadn’t changed; he looked the same, talked the same, dressed the same. And yet, he was totally different. Because he was Willow’s. He was Willow’s boyfriend.

And he did not get tired of saying it.

“Sorry, I can’t talk right now, I’m waiting for my girlfriend Willow. Since I’m her boyfriend, I wanted to walk her to class, ya know? Since we’re advanced friends. Just wanna make sure my girlfriend doesn’t need help carrying her books. And if she does, I can help. Since that’s a boyfriend job and I’m her boyfriend after all.”

“Okay… I literally didn’t say anything but I’m glad you two are happy,” said Viney, who was literally just walking by. “Tell Willow I said hi, okay?”

“As her boyfriend, I will be sure to let my girlfriend know,” he said proudly as Viney picked up the pace.

Willow’s hair had never been more full of flowers. The sight of Hunter waiting for her made her absolutely giddy and that unbridled joy manifested itself in flowers so vibrant and colorful she looked like a walking topiary. She was too enamored to be sly and her inability to hide her joy made his wide, toothy, dopey grin even dopier. Which made more flowers and it was just a never ending cycle. It was like every day was the first day.

The way he looked at her hadn’t changed but now the look lingered and he didn’t turn away when she caught him. He still got nervous around her but now it was a nerve he was confident about. Willow couldn’t describe it with words but she felt the subtle change between them. It was a new kind of uncertainty, a different brand of scary, it was more exciting and less heavy. She had been worried for awhile that it was all in her head, that she was misreading his blushes when she complimented him or misinterpreting the soft way he said her name, like it was something precious to him.

Willow made it clear that she was a fan of affection and Hunter made it clear that he loved receiving that affection. But as much as Hunter absolutely loved letting Willow know how much she meant to him, he sometimes still had trouble being a “just because” person. He was used to everything having a reason, a bigger purpose. So when Willow would lean over the table to quickly peck his cheek as he was sketching “just because he looked cute,” well he didn’t know how to adjust. He felt he hadn’t earned it. Granted, he was not complaining, but he was unsure how to return the gesture. If he went to kiss Willow every time he thought she looked amazing or was on his mind well… he may never stop.

But Willow was always ready and willing to validate him. Whenever he made a move, no matter how small, she made sure to show her approval. If he placed his hand on hers, she’d lace her fingers through his as though to say “I’m keeping you.” If he put his arm around her shoulders she would grab his waist as though to say “this is where you belong.” And when he embraced her, she would wrap her arms tightly around him and lift him off the ground to say “you are the best thing that’s ever been mine.”

So every morning when they eventually needed to part for class, Willow would quickly kiss his cheek and it was like a shot of caffeine. She had just kissed it to say hello minutes ago and just when he was shaking off the daze that brought, she lured him into another. He practically floated to class after that. She loved the effect it had and she loved that he was helpless to hide it. She wished she could dedicate her mornings to covering his whole face in kisses, but Gus was threatening to start charging them a snail for everytime their goo goo eyes distracted them from a group conversation. Willow knew he was kidding, but noticed the next day Hunter had brought some in a pouch, just in case.

They were insufferable to everyone around them and Willow absolutely loved it.

“So, what did Willow’s dads say when you told them?” asked Luz as she sat on the basement coach reading as Hunter worked on yet another gift for Willow at his sewing machine. He was adding pockets to a dress she had found at the thrift store ( Willow, my girlfriend, loves having pockets to keep things in , he had said proudly to the lady at the craft store who did not ask). Then on top of the pockets he was adding patches and stitches so there was no mistaking who the dress was for and who it was from.

“Told them what?”

“That you and Willow are dating,” said Luz like it was obvious. “They can be pretty strict, so you must’ve been pretty nervous when you asked for their blessing.”

Hunter stopped what he was doing and when Luz heard the sewing machine stop she looked up and saw Hunter staring at his hands in a panic.

“I was supposed to… ask them?” he said, beginning to sweat.

“Woah, uh hey! It’s okay!” assured Luz, jumping up from the coach to make sure he didn’t accidentally stab his hand with the needle while he was distracted. “You technically don’t have to ask them, that’s just something people sometimes do! But I mean as long as you told them that you…” the panicked look on Hunter’s face did not let up. “You haven’t told them, have you?”

“I… don’t think so.”

“I mean, you’ve told everyone else on the Isles,” laughed Luz. “Plus everyone in line at the supermarket.”

“I know I just… I mean, I wasn’t hiding it or anything but I’m weirdly scared of them?” said Hunter. It still baffled him, he had no reason to be but he knew that if he even suspected they disliked something about him he would throw himself into the boiling sea. But that was normal, right?

“Well, I’m sure Willow has told them,” said Luz, hoping to undo the stress she had summoned.

“But what if she hasn’t?” Hunter was beginning to spiral. “W-what if she just assumed I did that part right and they already know? I mean, I didn’t do anything else right but I would’ve if I had known-.”

“Hey hey hey, chill out hermano,” said Luz. “The Parks totally love you, out of all of Willow’s friends you’ve definitely gotten her in the least amount of trouble.”

“But… I kidnapped her when we first met.”

“Has she told them that?”

“Um…” Hunter knew she had told her dads about him, she had mentioned it here and there in the human realm but she never went into much detail. The subject hadn’t come up when they first met, he could recall the day in perfect detail. He had just helped Willow find her dads and was catching up with Darius…

“... and they’re pack animals which means they create families and they’re always-,” Hunter looked up and saw Darius’ eyes were elsewhere. “Sorry, I’m probably boring you, huh?”

“Hmm? Oh, no no little prince of course not,” Darius chuckled fondly. “I just think there’s a certain someone trying to get your attention.”

He followed Darius’ gaze and saw Willow talking excitedly with her dads, who looked over at him to suggest he was a topic of discussion. Willow’s eyes found Hunter’s and gave him a quick smile before turning away, her cheeks flushed.

“Something tells me she doesn’t need to try all that hard,” said Darius, giving Eberwolf a knowing glance. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Huh? What? Why?” said Hunter nervously. “Y-you know Willow, you’ve seen her before.”

“Hmm, that’s not who I meant,” smirked Darius, looking across the room somehow knowing that the flyer derby girl was having the same conversion with her fathers. He walked over as Hunter trailed nervously behind him, unable to help but smile at the way Willow’s fathers whispered more intensely the closer he got. Darius extended his hand to them and smiled.

“Hello, I’m Darius,” he said, the two men looking up at him as though starstruck before Gilbert took his hand and mumbled ‘pleased to meet you’. “It’s a pleasure to meet you sirs, I’m a big fan of your daughter. Though, I have to admit I think Hunter here will fight for the status of her biggest fan.”

“Oh, so this is Hunter,” said Harvey in a tone that suggested he had come up in conversation long before this. Suddenly all eyes were on him and all the grimwalker could go was offer a shy wave as he gulped. He knew how important Willow’s dads were to her and he suddenly wished he had more time to prepare. He wished he smelled better and his clothes weren’t so disheveled so they didn’t think he looked like this all the time.

But before he had the chance to say something embarrassing, he was pulled forward and was suddenly wrapped in a tight hug with the entire Park clan. Willow was right beside him as her fathers towered over them, and there was no room to be nervous here. This was just warmth and love and safety and gratitude.

Hunter chuckled nervously as the embrace only tightened, as Darius chuckled endearingly to the side.

“Thank you,” whispered Harvey and somehow Hunter knew he was talking to him.

“Uh, y-you’re welcome,” said Hunter as they did not loosen their grip around him and Willow buried her head in his chest. He fought the urge to let the tears fall again, somehow hopefully he had wordlessly made a good first impression. It felt undeserved. “What ah, what did you tell them about me?” he whispered to Willow.

“I just told them you mean alot to me,” she whispered to him as she gave him a smile.

Unlike most people, the Parks had liked him from the moment they met him. He was certain that no matter what they learned about him, they would still like him because Willow liked him and he made her happy.

But that just meant he had so much to live up to. It meant he had to do everything he could not to sully their opinion of him.

“You could do what Amity and I did for mom,” suggested Luz, sensing his mind was fabricating a mission.

“You mean make a video?”

“Yeah! Willow has tons of pictures of you two together, it’ll be easy,” said Luz. “Plus, they’ll see how happy you make each other.”

“And the video convinced Camila to give Amity her blessing?”

“Well, I guess so,” said Luz, jumping up to get the photo album Willow kept there. “It was actually more of just a cute way to officially tell her that I’m bi.”

“Oh,” said Hunter, getting up to help her select photos to start. “Good idea then, I didn’t know I had to officially tell them.”

-

Hunter arrived nearly an hour early. He was so paranoid about being late that he hadn’t considered being too early. But he hid the bushes and rehearsed what he’d say and how he’d say it. He wanted to show them he was a confident, capable boyfriend. He needed them to know he was worthy of the title.

When the time finally became appropriate for Hunter to knock on the door, the door flew open almost immediately as though Willow had been equally anxiously waiting for him on the other side.

“Hiya,” she said sweetly, beaming at the sight of him as though she hadn’t just seen him at derby practice a few hours ago.

“Hi,” he said, the sight of her looking so happy to see him easing him a little. He was worried he had overdressed, a light green dress shirt and bright, floral tie had been carefully selected to show how much he belonged in Willow’s world. But as she stood in the doorway in a golden sundress that matched her glasses, he felt validated in assuming the evening's importance. “Y-you look beautiful.”

She smiled and he could tell by her smile she was about to lean up and kiss his check, an action that never failed to make his ears flutter, when suddenly they were joined by two taller figures on either side of Willow.

“Well, that’s exactly what we said,” laughed Harvey as he put his hand proudly on Willow’s shoulder.

“Hello sirs! Pleased to meet you- see you! Haha, we have met before,” he said nervously as Willow tried to hide her smile, unable to help but to find the whole scene endearing. He held out his arm as he turned between the two men as though trying to calculate how to shake two hands at once while still concealing the bouquet he hid behind his back. Whenever he brought flowers, he tried to have Willow guess what they were, he’d give a fun fact about their land of origin or what they signified as a hint. It was a silly little game that allowed them both an opportunity to impress the other but for some reason it felt too silly to do in front of her dads.

After the managed to help Hunter pick an order to shake their hands, they welcomed him inside and Willow leapt up and whispered in his ear

“Primroses, iris, and zinnias,” she said softly.

“Correct,” he replied with a smile, revealing her prize to which she happily took. She smelled them, knowing he had spent a great deal of time selecting the perfect shades to balance the collection.

“And what’s this?” she said, noticing the laptop bag hanging from his shoulder for the first time. “Are you gonna have them watch the Cosmic Frontier movie? Because I think you should probably-.”

“Oh, no no,” said Hunter as his nerves caught back up with him. “I wanted to tell them we’re advanced friends in a special way, so they know I’m a good choice.”

“Awh Hunter, that’s so sweet but I promise-.”

“I know I was supposed to do this sooner, but you mean so much to me that I wanted to make sure I didn’t skip any steps,” Hunter said sincerely, and Willow knew he was determined to see it through. When Hunter liked something, he gave all of himself to it. Whether it was sewing or palisman or Cosmic Frontier or derby, being something he cared about meant you were something he did not give up on. And at the top of that list written in the most precious handwriting was her, and she could not deny the lengths he went to in order to remind her.

“Okay,” she said with a smile. “I’ll go help you set up.”

“Thanks,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I want to make sure I leave plenty of room after for questions before game night officially starts.”

“So what’s this all about, kids?” asked Harvey as they sat on the couch, watching Hunter set up the laptop as Willow adjusted the lights. “Showing off your human realm items? What’s this one do?”

“Oh! Is this the one that toasts things?” asked Gilbert. “Or the one with all the dancing?”

“Not exactly, Mr. Park,” said Hunter as he finally remembered Luz's Lessons on how to queue the video, as he turned to face them standing beside the laptop. “I um, want to thank you for having me over tonight because there’s something important I wanted to tell you, about how I feel about Willow.”

The flowers in Willow’s hands seemed to poof, as though literally elated by Hunter’s words. He locked eyes with her and became stuck there for a moment, finding another reason to hopelessly admire her every time he did, but he managed to return to the mission at hand.

“But uh then I thought, why just tell you when I can show you!” he said, his voice unable to shake the obvious memorization in his delivery as he pressed the spacebar to play the slideshow. He smiled nervously, hoping it would be to their liking, but when the song he had carefully chosen from Luz’s online music gallery did not begin to play he grew worried.

Because instead he heard his own voice.

“Are you recording?”

Which was not the plan.

“Yes, ” came Luz’s voice on the video. “ But don’t worry, I’ll edit this out.”

“That’s uh, haha t- the wrong video,” announced Hunter as he tried to make the computer go back. But Luz had preset it for him, unaware the wrong video file had been pulled up.

“Okay, now you just need to record a voice over,” came Luz’s voice, the screen black and trying to come into focus.

“Well what do I say?” asked Hunter’s voice on the screen.

The little button had disappeared from the screen and he didn’t know how to get it back. Oh, why hadn’t he watched the video all the way through before bringing it here?

“I dunno, say something cool?”

“Like about Willow?”

“Well, I’m sure they know Willow is cool but show them that you’re cool too!”

“They’re not stupid! They’re gonna know Willow is cooler than me!” said Hunter on the recording. “What if they think I’m too weird or sweaty to go out with her?”

“Awh, she makes you weird and sweaty?” Luz gushed sweetly on the recording.

Meanwhile, Hunter was frantically pushed every button he could but the torture did not stop.

“They’re not gonna believe she’s my girlfriend. I can’t even believe she's my girlfriend.”

“What if they don’t believe you? Are you gonna kiss in front of them to prove it?”

Hunter felt as though he was melting into the earth and in a moment of panic unmatched by anything else he had ever experienced, he threw the laptop across the room. Not so hard that it broke or became unusable but enough to render it silent.

Hunter’s eyes widened as the Parks’ eyes darted from the broken human technology back to him, trying to process what had just happened and why. Hunter was positive they’d recede any blessing they had been ready to give. Hunter was too embarrassed to speak or move or blink and the room was silent until Willow broke it with a sigh.

“Okay,” Willow said softly as though in defeat. “You guys can show him.”

Her fathers gasped at the same time. “Really?” asked Gilbert. “Are you sure, petal?”

“Yeah,” Willow said as though bracing herself. “Go ahead.”

“What are you talking about? Show me what?” asked Hunter, confused as her fathers ran into the next room, giggling like school boys. They were obviously excited about something. The uncertainty made Hunter nervous. Was this some kind of punishment for failing the advanced friendship announcement?

“Here,” said Willow, patting the seat beside her. “You’re gonna wanna sit down for this.”

Hunter confusingly obliged as he sat beside Willow, unable to read her expression. Her fathers rushed back in and sat on either side of the pair, as Harvey’s scroll floated in front of the group and a video waiting to be played.

“What is this?” Hunter whispered to his girlfriend.

“You’ll see,” she sighed. “They’ve been dying to show you this for months.”

“Okay, okay, shhh!” said Gilbert as though they were in a theater as he managed to press play, despite his giggling nearly overtaking his body.

“ The healer said we need to monitor her symptoms,” said Harvey on the recording, the camera failing to focus but Hunter could tell they were looking at Willow laying on the couch with a blanket and an army of pillows around her.

“Papaaaaa I’m fiiiine,” Willow groaned in a tone that suggested otherwise, congested and strained. “I need my scroll back please!”

“Sweetie no, you need to rest,” said Gilbert lightheartedly, suggesting she had made the request many times.

“Daaaaad, I need to message him back!”

“I’m sure Gus will understand if you take awhile to-.”

Willow in the recording started to giggle. “It’s not Gusss,” she smiled as she began to fiddle with her braid.

“Oh?” asked Harvey, trying to recall another ‘he’ in her friend group. “Wait, is this the boy from flyer derby?” Harvey set his scroll on the table, unaware that it was still recording, as he adjusted the quilt on Willow.

“Maaaaybe,” said the slightly delirious Willow, out of frame but still able to be heard.

“And does this boy have a name?” asked Gilbert’s voice with a smile that was audible.

“Maaaaybe,” Willow giggled once more. “He has a face though, and it’s veeeery cute.”

On the couch, the current Willow hid her face in her hands as Hunter’s face turned a matching shade of red.

“Oh, so he’s cute and he plays flyer derby?” teased Gilbert. “Sounds like you and I have the same type.” Hunter knew the Parks well enough to know through hearing it alone that he playfully nudged his husband’s ribs. “So when can we meet him?”

“Daaaaad stop!” Willow said, her voice too giddy to be convincingly irritated.

“I didn’t say anything, petal,” he laughed in response. “You know we like meeting all your friends.”

“ Something tells me he’s a little bit more than a friend,” teased Harvey.

“Papa!” Willow gasped as though the suggestion was utterly scandalous. “That’s so… I mean, why would you think…”

But Willow could not finish her accusation as she dissolved into a fit of giggles. She could not convincingly deny it, but it was still a new realization for her. The common mold did not offer her clarity, just the chance for her mind to entertain the notion unfiltered. Her fathers joined in her laughter, delighted to see her so delighted. It had been a while since their Willow had been so happy, so if there mere mention of this mystery boy caused such a reaction, well then how could they not approve?

“Why did you show me this?” asked Hunter delicately.

“I think it’s really sweet that you made a video to tell my dads we’re dating,” started Willow. “And I think it’s even sweeter that you were so worried about getting their approval, but I wanted to show you that you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Really?”

“Basically every day since they took that video they’d ask about you,” laughed Willow. “If I had talked to you, how you were and then when we got back from the human realm it was always ‘have you asked him yet?’ or ‘has he asked you yet?’”

“Oh petal, it’s not like it’s the first thing we asked you when you come home from school,” said Gilbert as he got up to go to the kitchen.

“Yeah,” agreed his husband, following him to fetch the games from the cabinet . “It was the second.”

“I’m sorry, just to be clear,” said Hunter. “The boy you were talking about in the video was me, right?”

Willow just smiled and looked over her shoulder to make sure her dads weren’t close before darting up to kiss his cheek. “Of course, who else?”

“So your dads… approve of me?”

“Hunter, every time you come over they have to hold themselves back from making every single one of your favorite foods,” she said with a laugh. “I promise you don’t have to try so hard, they want you to like them just as much as you want them to like them.”

“Well, that’s easy for you to say,” he joked, taking her hand in his. “You already know everyone here likes you.”

She squeezed his hand. “And isn’t that the most important thing?” She teased with a grin. “It’s also really important to them that you’re comfortable.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she said as she heard her dads return, one carrying a tray of Hunter’s favorite snacks and the other a pile of board games almost blocking his vision.

“Plus they don’t want you to hold back when we divide into teams,” she finished quickly with a smile, too excited to be embarrassed as the coffee table became covered in boxes and plates. There was no question that Willow’s competitive nature was hereditary.

Hunter chuckled to himself as he watched the scene unfold, as Willow and her fathers debated about the order to play and who would be what piece and the rules they would follow (theirs or the ones that came with the box). It was loud and vibrant and warm and chaotic.

But one thing was not up for debate: Willow would always be on Hunter’s team

[profound-bouquetbird]

Hello! How's your week been?

I was wondering if you would be willing to write a Hunter x Basilisk!Reader? I think it would be interesting considering Hunter just found out he's a grimwalker.

Hello! My week has been great thank you for asking :) Sorry that it took me so long to write your request 😅

I made these in to HC since you weren't too specific on what scenario i sould write, so sorry if this isn't what you were asking :(

Anyway, since I'm dumb feel free to correct my mistakes if I get anything wrong :)

To start things off the first encounter with Hunter and how he acts around you depends on what the scenario is

If he met you in a forest in your non basilisk form he would freak out and run away. Since, well you're a basilisk

But if he met you in the Noceda household he wouldn't be as scared

Yes he would still be very cautious around you but he'll warm up to you pretty quickly

Since we kind of know how exactly the hexsquad reacted the first time they saw Vee, assuming that Luz already told them about Vee when they were still in the Boiling Isles, let's make things easier for me and just say that you never appeared during the time that Luz was in the mirror world (idk how else to call it)

So the hexsquad would be pretty surprised but seeing Vee and Mrs Noceda so calm around you makes them somewhat relax

They would still be on edge for the most part but they will learn to warm up to you

Now back to Hunter

He would be extremely cautious around you, since he clearly remembers Luz only mentioning only one basilisk

So expect the cold shoulder around him and always feeling eyes on you when you knew no one was around for at least two weeks or so

The more Hunter inspects you the more he feels amazed

As we know Hunter is a huge nerd and he probably came across a book about creatures such as basilisk's at least once, and he probably knew tht they were extinct. So him seeing a basilisk, let alone two basilisk's he is amazed

But still because he knows the awful stories that are portraid in books he is very cautious, more around you that is, since again as I mentioned, Luz probably mentioned Vee back in the Boiling Isles

Now, onto the more fun part to write

When Hunter finally comes to the conclusion that you are in fact not a danger (which the others realized weeks before) he will feel a lot more comfortable

For example he will actually start talking to you and get to know you better

But as the days pass you two seem to grow a connection

The two of you would talk more. Go on walks around the park just to enjoy nature. Do fun activities together such as cooking (you're doing all of the work while Hunter watches). You even shapeshift in front of him to different people and do stupid stuff while Hunter laughs his ass of and tries to copy you

And then there's that one feeling that makes hunter question reality. You could probably guess what feeling I'm talking about

At first he wouldn't understand exactly what's going on with him, because of his time being Golden Guard he never exactly had the time to explore his emotion's

Plus the whole thing in Belos's mind got him even more confused on who he is and if he can even feel what others feel

And so he does what any curious boy does and goes to Luz to ask her about this weird thing he's feeling, of course him not knowing that the feeling is in fact love, or more realistically the feeling of like liking someone, he mentions your name

And to say Luz would be excited is an understatement

She would be squeeling like a fan girl and running around the room, jumping around as she talks to herself excitedly on what your shop name sould be

Hunter is just looking at her with one of his brows arched as he's asking why she's excited all of a sudden

When Luz explains that the feeling he is going through is love he'll be shocked

From then on hell me more awkward around you. Constantly fiddling with the ends of his sleeves and fingers, blushing insanely and his ears would wiggle slightly when you spoke up

Everyone would slowly pick up on Hunter having a crush on you (Luz probably told them a bit later on) but you would be the only clueless one, just thinking that Hunter's going through an awkward stage or something like that

Luz and Vee would probably drop little hints to you, not obvious hints of course, but they would leave you slightly confused

Hunter will be scolding them 100% but they would just make him even more embarrassed by making kissy faces and acting like him

But let's get into the thanks to them episode a bit more

You would notice that Hunter is acting strangely but you just brush it off as mood swings or something like that

But you would get a bit more worried when you saw Hunter running in to the woods and Luz running after him with a scared expression

You being curious, wanting to know what the hell is going on, you follow them

And the next moment you're fighting with a possessed Hunter

Your heart breaking every time he would get hurt, still knowing and trying to tell yourself that that wasn't Hunter

When Hunter finally comes back to his senses and throws the titans blood in to the lake (?)

Your heart dropped when he jumped in. Already getting ready to jump in, but Camila was already one step ahead of you

Pulling him out of the water you were the first one to run up to him, hugging him close as tears build up in to your eyes

But flapjack was there to save the day, jumping on to Hunter's chest, and well... You know what happened next

Now, everyone was walking through the portal, Hunter the last one to enter, but he turned towards you

As he looked in to your eyes, and took in every single detail of your face he slowly walked towards you, grabbing on to your hand

And after a short but emotional confession he put his lips onto yours, putting a had on his cheek you turned your head slightly, smiling in to the kiss

You two pull away slowly and Hunter brushes your knuckles with his thumb, but the moment was ruined when the portal starts to flicker

He quickly runs through it and you're left there with a dumb smile on your face, looking at the portal as it slowly faded away

You were cut out of your thoughts when Vee starts to re-enact the moment you shared with Hunter

Leaving you embarrassed and leaving as Vee teased you while following you, suddenly remembering tha the keys to the car were still with Camila

But you couldn't help but repeat the kiss you and hunter shared over and over in your head. Already getting excited at the thought of seeing him again

Damn, this is way longer than I expected-

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and feel free to correct any mistakes :)

[skyrim-forever]

for the asks: 2, 8, 10, and 23 for theodora and rochelle!! (and ondolemar if you like, i wanna hear ur headcanons!! :3)

Hello friend! Thank you so much for the ask!

2) Who's your OCs best friend? How did they become best friends?

Theodora: Theo's best friend is her childhood friend Phy! Phy is a Bosmer/Altmer archer and thief. After her father passed Theo moved in with Phy and her mother in Northern Valenwood. They eventually move to the Imperial City and she joins Theo a few months after the events of Helgen. They became best friends because Theo's father used to commission Phy's mother for leather (she's an excellent hunter and craftsmen) . Theo kept begging her father to take her on one of his trips to Valenwood and he finally agreed when she was 11 and as soon as they said hi they were fast friends, in only the way 11 year old girls can be <3 They were born 1 week apart and refer to their birthdays as "our birthday is coming up" (this is a nod to me and my bestie <3)

Rochelle: She struggled a lot growing up and not having many friends. First half of her life her and her sister Colette (they had Reachmen names during this time but this keeps it less confusing) lived with their mother in the Reach. Then they were sent to live with their father at his estate in High Rock. In both places Rochelle struggles to make friends, she's shy and doesn't really understand social signals. So for a while her closest friend is Colette, who she's also jealous of being everyone's favourite. Her time at the CoW is reletively short so no time to get invested in anyone, she did get along with Brelyna tho <3 Though he would scoff at such notions, she considers Neloth to be the closest thing to a best friend, he encourages her research and that's all she really wants :)

Ondolemar (Eve's version): So I have a few thought son this. My version of him is that before joining the Thalmor he was studying the Dwemer and had a love of history. So I think he would get along well with Calcelmo and Aicanter, enjoying having dicusses and learning about their research. It'd be bittersweet as he'd look and them and think "this is likely what I'd be doing if I stuck to the path I was on" I won't get into my hcs of why/how he joined the Thalmor but if you're curious feel free to ask it's kind of an essay haha. I also think he'd be of course friendly with his guards, who I've named Cisephona (made her his cousin for fun!) and Ganlian. But he's in an authority role to them so it's difficult to have an organic friendship with your boss haha. Not long after they start seeing each other he would consider Theo a friend, sort of his cop out of admitting he has feeling for her, "I have feelings for her and that feeling is friendship" :P But they do grow to be friends and lovers.

8) What hobbies does your OC have? What do they do to unwind?

Theodora: She likes dancing and drinking, big on socializing which goes from heavy unhealthy partying to hosting large gatherings as she gets older. She also enjoys swimming as well as alchemy and herbal medicine sleeping with Ondolemar

Rochelle: She likes to read, that's her favourite thing in the world, gaining knowledge. She unwinds by mediating, something her mother taught her as a Reachmen wise woman.

Ondolemar (Eve's version): He also enjoys reading, particularly history books. He likes to unwind alone with a glass of wine and a dense historical account. And of course he does a fair bit of unwinding with Theo haha

10) How does your OC handle their mental health? Do they take care of themselves?

Theodora: She does not handle it <3 She opts to distract herself, something that started when she moved to the Imperial City looking to cope with the loss of her father and uncle. Distracting include dangerous men, fighting in the arena, and lots of drinking. In take years but she does get to a more stable place and just talks about her feelings when she's feeling them with people she loves. Oddly enough, when she unexpectedly gets pregnant this helps a lot! She's gotta take care of herself to take care of the future baby so she gets 9 months to build better habits.

Rochelle: She bottles things up and pushes them way down until there's too much and she blows up. She has trouble communicating and opening up due to often feeling misunderstood.

Ondolemar (Eve's version): My hcs for him involve him having the need to prove himself worthy in the eyes of the Dominion. And not feeling worthy and some of the treatment he's received hurts him but he believes that they are correct in their assessment. So he tends to rationalize his feelings instead of feeling them. As he grows as a person he ends up confessing a lot of negative experiences of his life and how they've directly impacted him and how he views himself. This also directly ties into my hcs about why he joined the Thalmor.

23) Is your OC reliable? Can I call them up at two in the morning if I have a flat tire?

Theodora: answered this here :) she's kinda reliable :P

Rochelle: Unless you're Colette, Neloth, or Talvas (most of time anyways) no. She'd rather be alone with her books and making tea.

Ondolemar (Eve's version): Being in the military for so long has instilled reliability in him. You have to be reliable because others are counting on you, gotta get those reports to Elenwen on time! And he does stick his neck out for his gaurds and Theo when they need him, doing so first and asking questions later.