#that little noise after “you get me going” is artic opening her eyes and finding herself in the bathroom

[articskele]

Ourghh thinking about Artic in Buckshot Roulette………

[ungojirasapiente]

Motherhood (an Ice Scream one-shot)

Another cold day in Iceberg Isle, the inhabitants of the village where going on about their daily lives, fishing, chatting with each other, the kids were playing around, making snowballs and throwing them amongst themselves, making snowmen, the usual day-to-day experience. Yukisada had come from a quick trip to the only market in the entire village and the only place in the Iceberg in general, where one could buy vegetables, since they couldn’t be planted and grown in the icy permafrost, Yukisada came back home with a bag full of groceries, some veggies, some meat, she was planning on making a nice homemade stew, to change up the pace from the usual clam chowder she made basically every single day, as lovely and warm as it was, at a certain point, it got tiresome to eat and prepare the same dish over and over again.

Yukisada laid the recently brought stuff in the dining room table, humming a little song while she did, to entertain herself a bit, but she was interrupted by the sounds of footsteps, she looked behind her and saw Shirogane, the wolf girl had finally left her bedroom after staying there for almost an entire week.

“oh, Shiro, you came out!” Yukisada smiled warmly, happy to see her friend finally leave her hidey-hole, when the wolf girl had barred herself inside her bedroom, she had some immediate concerns, while it wasn’t unusual for Shirogane to stay in her rooms for days at a time, an entire week seemed too much.

“I-I smelled food…” Shirogane explained, feeling a little embarrassed for that to be her reason to finally leave.

“I’m making a nice stew tonight, clam chowder is nice and all, but I was getting kinda tired of it, besides, I want to make something nice and tasty for the two of us!” Yukisada explained.

“yes, something nice and tasty, I’m sure my puppy will love it!” Shirogane smiled, her tail wagging excitedly.

“of course, a nice homemade stew for me, you and your pupp-“ Yukisada paused for a second, processing what her canine friend just said. “WAIT, WHAT!?” she screamed in shock.

Shirogane was taken aback by her friends’ reaction. “m-my puppy, I had a puppy!” Shirogane explained, well, not exactly.

Yukisada was left speechless, aghast, she blinked a few times, a thousand thoughts running through her mind.

“Shirogane… puppy!?... Shirogane had a puppy!?, when!? Who!? How!?... well… I know how, but… who did it? Rocma? No, that polar bear can’t even stand to look at her, much less go as far as to have sex with her… nonono, maybe… maybe… PERACO! That perverted, bastard penguin, when I get my hands on him, I’ll…!”  Yukisada was making strange strangling gestures with her hands, a look of absolute fury in her usually gentle face.

Shirogane simply looked at what her friend was doing, a bit weirded out by her unusual behavior. “well… yeah! I had a puppy, he’s really cute, you should see him!”

Yukisada snapped out of her enraged trance. “wait, of course, if I see what the baby looks like, I’ll know who the father is”.

“yes, let me see him” Yukisada said with a completely serious face and a lower tone of voice, almost like a cop asking to see a criminal.

“r-right!” Shirogane responded, still weirded out.

The wolf girl led the snowy owl to her room, Shirogane opened the door as slow and as gently as it was possible, before stepping into the room, making sure to not make any noise, turning on the lights in the bedroom, then turning to look at her friends, making a “shhh” sound with her mouth, putting her finger in front of her mouth to tell her friend to keep quiet, in response to this, Yukisada merely nodded.

“come closer” Shirogane whispered, walking up to the bed, on top of it there was a big pile of clothes, bedsheets and pillows, arranged in a vaguely circular pattern, making some sort of small, makeshift den, Yukisada approached the pile and looked inside of it, expecting to find the infant… Instead, inside the “den” was a small plushie of an artic wolf, with button eyes, it’s limbs and head attached with black thread, a sewn-on smile on it’s cute face.

“eh…?” Yukisada was absolutely bewildered, she expected an actual, alive-and-breathing baby, not a stuffed toy, she looked at her friend like the wolf girl had gone completely crazy, Shirogane simply smiled, a genuine, warm smile that could light up a whole room, she seemed so happy, like the owl had never seen before.

“he’s absolutely adorable, isn’t he?” Shirogane asked, her tail wagging like crazy, looking like a white blur, the most adorable of smiles on her lips.

Yukisada wasn’t sure how to respond, she was concerned for her friends’ sanity, maybe all the bullying she received had finally made her snap? But she also didn’t want to ruin the first moment of genuine happiness in her entire life, an internal debate raged in the owl’s mind. Shirogane walked up to her “den” and grabbed the stuffed wolf doll, cradling it like an actual baby, she smiled at the toy, the smile only an actual mother could give.

“I… I… I” Yukisada stuttered, she was completely speechless, Shirogane truly believed that the plushie was her actual baby.

Shirogane moved aside her overalls straps, then lifted her stripped shirt, exposing her breast, putting the doll’s mouth up to her nipple, as if breastfeeding it.

“you need to eat so that you’ll be a big and strong wolf when you grow up” She talked to her “baby”, before looking at Yukisada. “right, Yuki?”

“… I… I” Yukisada still couldn’t speak, but something suddenly clicked in her mind, she had seen this before! Or at least heard of it. “w-wait here a second, okay Shiro?”

The owl ran out the room, to his “clinic” (actually the entrance room of the house, which Yukisada turned into a small space to help her patients), she went straight to the bookshelf she had next to her desk, scanning the book titles with her vision and finger, she stopped at a thick, green book, in its spine it read “canine medicine, volume 4”.

“AHA, THERE YOU ARE!” Yukisada screamed, before realizing how dumb she looked, screaming at a book like she caught it stealing something.

The snowy owl took the book from its shelf, opening it and quickly skimming through the index pages. “dingoes, foxes, maned wolves, no, no, no” her eyes widened, she found what she was searching for. “wolves!”

Yukisada skimmed though the pages, looking for Shirogane’s specific ailment, she finally stopped at a page, in the top of it, in bold black letters read “faux pregnancy or pseudocyesis”, looking down from the title, she started reading the passage:

“False pregnancy in wolves are the result of a rapid decrease in the hormone, progesterone and an increase in the hormone prolactin. These hormonal changes occur normally in female wolves about 6-8 weeks after being in heat, symptoms range from physical, like sudden engorgement of the mammary glands and nausea and vomiting during the mornings, as if having an actual case of morning sickness…

Yukisada thought about if for a minute, she didn’t remember if she saw Shirogane with those kinds of symptoms…

“nausea… I don’t exactly remember… wait” she muttered to herself, a sudden memory appeared in her mind.

it was an average morning, she was sitting in the dining room, drinking some hot cocoa, she took a big sip of the cup, giving a satisfied sigh after finishing, it seemed it was going to be a normal day. Shirogane walked out of her room, looking depressed, this wasn’t unusual for her, but her face looked worse than usual, she was clutching her stomach.

“s-shiro, are you alright?” Yukisada asked, concerned for her friend.

“i-I’m fine…” Shirogane responded, obviously a complete lie.

Suddenly the wolf covered her mouth with her free hand, while clutching her stomach harder with the other one, the wolf ran to the bathroom, Yukisada following behind her, when she finally reached the bathroom, she was her friend hugging the toilet bowl while retching.

at the time Yukisada didn’t think much of it, it wasn’t unusual for Shirogane to feel ill after being berated by all the inhabitants of the island, the day before that, she had almost been eaten by Idate, then insulted by Rocma for her weakness and then insulted and literally spat on by Rock,  Yukisada thought that she had a nightmare of that event, repeating it over and over while she slept, that when she woke up, she felt ill to her stomach, it wasn’t uncommon for the wolf to feel nauseous after a nightmare like that.

“I should have known something was up with that… god… I’m such an idiot” Yukisada berated herself, she ignored her friend’s wellbeing, if she had paid more attention to her, maybe she could have avoided this whole situation, or maybe helped her friend through it sooner.

Another memory manifested itself in the owl’s mind…

She was talking to Shirogane about random stuff, when she suddenly noticed something about her friend’s chest, had… had her breasts gotten bigger? Yukisada stared at her friend’s bosom, she didn’t remember her being this busty, or was she always that size and she only noticed now? No, that was impossible, right? Yukisada kept ogling at Shirogane’s chest, like in a trance.

“um… Yuki, are you… alright?” Shirogane asked.

Yukisada snapped from her trance, before laughing awkwardly, her cheeks flushed with red.

“y-yeah, I am. Sorry, I just thought you had a… stain in your shirt, yeah, a stain” Yukisada forced a laugh, to try and make the situation less awkward…

Yukisada cringed at that memory, she would have rather kept it forgotten, but it did help reaffirm  Yukisada’s suspicion, she began reading the book again.

“in the behavioral side of the things, the symptoms can range from simple changes in behavior because of the hormones, like restlessness, mood swings and anxiety to even “adopting” objects to act as “pups”, guarding and defending the object, talking to it, to even trying to “feed” the object by placing it right against the breast”

“there it is…” Yukisada had her suspicion confirmed, Shirogane had a faux pregnancy.

Yukisada kept reading, “faux pregnancies usually resolve themselves in 2-3 weeks without any treatment…”. Yukisada closed the book, feeling slightly frustrated.

“two to three weeks, huh…” Yukisada said to herself, engraining the words on her brain, she sighed. “well… at least it isn’t anything bad, just normal canine stuff” while the duration was a bit longer than she would have hoped, she was relieved to see that it wasn’t something awful or incurable, she would just have to give her friend company while she went through the experience, and it’ll resolve itself.

Yukisada put the book back in its shelf, she exited her little “clinic”, returning to the dining room, Shirogane was already sitting on the table, holding her “puppy” in her arms.

“Yuki, you came back!” Shirogane smiled, her tail wagging at the sight of her friend.

“y-yeah, I just needed to do something”

“what was it?”

“well…” Yukisada was silent for a second, trying to think of something to say. “I was reading up on canine medicine, to help with your baby” she lied, she figured it was better to play along, rather than cause the wolf even more distress by revealing the truth too early.

“oh, Yuki, thank you so much, I know I can always count on you, you’re a great auntie”

Yukisada blushed, while the circumstances weren’t the ones she expected or wanted, it was nice to get a genuine compliment, especially from Shirogane.

“now, lets eat, I’m hungry and I need to make more food for my little puppy” Shirogane explained, rocking the baby side to side in her arms, smiling at it like an actual mother would do with her child.

“r-right, I’ll go ahead and start cooking, we’re having stew tonight!”

“that’s great” Shirogane smiled, those genuine smiles she gave were rare, but every time that she smiled with all her heart and soul, it warmed the snowy owl’s heart, she always loved to see her friend smile, as rare as it was, it gave her the determination to keep going.

They were going to be the longest two or three weeks of Yukisada’s life, but she was willing to help her friend in any way she could, as long as it meant seeing her happy and healthy, the snowy owl finished making the food, setting it on the table, seeing Shirogane happily eating something she made was amazing, it truly made it all worth it, so maybe… maybe it wasn’t going to be that bad.

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so, i hope you guys enjoyed this little fluffy story i wrote for Yukisada and Shirogane, well, their genderbend versions, but still, i had fun writing it and i hope you guys had fun reading it!

[scott-mccall-the-hot-girl]

my ultimate guide to thiam fic !!

( as a new teen wolf stan )

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the classic post war, long ass (multi chapter) fic !!with great development that genuinely made me laugh out loud, they have the best friendship in this & i love it very much. ( like theo teaches liam to drive and i just *happy sobs* ) a fundamental in thiam fanfiction !! all stans have probably already read it but if you haven’t this is in fact a threat ,, go show this vv iconic story some love !!

Airplanes - Captainmintyfresh

Summary: After the Anuk-ite and the hunters are dealt with Liam needs a break. Cue Theo and a road trip that Liam should know better than to think will be peaceful.

Not Rated, No Archive Warnings Apply, Completed, 43/43 Chapters, Words: 236,875 (236k)

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okay okay so this one is also post 6B !! but ,, now we introduce fighting monroe & the hunters again ,, so we get the boys & a new mission !! so if you like an intresting plot 11/10 would recommend !! just to be clear this ISN’T complete ,, if that turns you off i understand but definitely give this one a read !! it litterally have theo doing crossword puzzles & fighting zombies

Vacancy Signs - LovelyLittleGrim

Summary: Theo and Liam are in Manhattan negotiating a pack allyship when the zombie apocalypse breaks out. Now, the two of them have to find their way back to Beacon Hills without getting eaten by zombies or killing one another.

Rated: Explicit, Graphic Description of Violence, Not Completed, 15/17 Chapters, Words: 89,605 (89k)

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Royalty AU !! I REPEAT ROYALTY AU !! a fantastic au where i stan their moms more than i stan them !! genuinely so good at the childhood rivals to lovers trope !! i’m genuinely obsessed with this one. has made me cry more than once ,, hurts in a good way <3 the ending is just *chefs kiss* also one of the tags is genuinely: # theo and liam make bad choices for over 130k straight !! if that doesn’t sound appealing i don’t know what does !!

Artificial Love - songbvrd

Summary: Prince Theo and Prince Liam are forced to spend every Summer together from age five onwards. They hate each other, and usually find ways to make each other miserable as much as possible in their six weeks together. But when they're reunited because of intended unions as adults, things change. They're both supposed to be married to noble women, but neither of them is as interested in anyone else as they are with their childhood rival.

Rated: Mature, No Archive Warnings Apply, Completed, Chapters: 32/32, Words: 172,935 (172k)

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so if you are in the mood for a crack fic that’s not explicitally a crack fic this is for you !! okay so i’m really hit or miss with AU’s ,, sometimes i feel like they don’t quite capture the characters right but this story have the BEST dramatic liam i have ever seen in my life !! basically they all live in the same apartment building & it’s fantastic !! i saw this one floating around a lot but the summary didn’t really unrest me until i have it a shot !! so go read it rn !! also nolan & brett are genuinely fantastic and make me wheeze ,, LIKE ACTUALLY VERBALLY LAUGHING !! all i’m gonna say is that my fav characters are scott & the beetles but that won’t make actual sense until you read it !!

The Neighbors Song - TheodoreR

Summary: “I always hear you singing on your balcony every morning, but suddenly you’ve stopped?”

Or the one where Theo annoys Liam every morning with his awful singing until he doesn’t anymore and Liam is even more annoyed. Liam hates every single thing about his mornings -the fact that they happen in the morning alone is enough. The thing Liam hates the most about his mornings though is the terrible voice of the guy who lives below him. He can’t sing for shit and Liam tried to politely let him understand that by throwing flour and water on his balcony, and also by shouting it to him, you can’t sing for shit!, and then by writing it into a note he proceeded to attach to his door, but this Raeken guy just keeps doing it, every single morning, like a fucking rooster. Liam did nothing to deserve this. He probably didn’t do anything to deserve better either to be fair, he doesn’t expect to open his window and be welcomed by some angelic voice singing him good morning, he’d just be happy with nothing. Silence. That’s something Liam can appreciate in mornings. Just some bark from his dog and the sound of his misery and that’s it. But no, god forbid the new guy lets him have that.

Rated: Explicit, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Wanrings, Completed, 8/8 Chapters, Words: 42,814 (42k)

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me: i’m not a big fan of AU’s ,, proceeds to talk about ANOTHER au… OKAY BUT THIS ONE !! it’s not complete but the author has been updating regularly ,, vv slow burn !! but in a REALLY intresting way !! i lOVE LIAM IN THIS SO MUCH ,, he is such a diaster of a person and it’s wonderful !! they have a great dynamic & i’m sucker for general puppy pack content ( and erica reyes being a badass ) !! also theo plays lacrosse in this & i really like it ahhhhh ,, also liam is just being an artic monkeys stan the whole time & theo is like *que confused repressed gay noises*

Inglorious Roommates - honeyscape

Summary: A roommate is defined as “a person with whom one shares a room.”

Theo would say a roommate was more along the lines of, “The person who's the bane of his existence. The weirdo that sleeps for days. The spaz that exercises at 3am. The guy with a revolving door of annoying friends. An insufferable human being that Theo has no control over living in his room.”

Example: Theo hates his roommate Liam.

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okay okay i hate myself but i have another WIP for y’all !! this one is jUST FANTASTIC. i’m genuinely so upset it’s most likely not going to updated again *incoherent screaming ensues*. for this story ,, it’s very theo-centric bUT thats bc it ends right before liam becomes a concrete member of the story !! ANYWAY: basic plot = theo & acquiring not one but two children ,, so #dad theo but he is still crusty & homeless and i love him very much. it’s just so GOOD !! just read if you want to experience my fav theo coming out story & him etching high school musical

Look who's talking - Captainmintyfresh

Summary: Theo had been labeled many things in his life. Evil, failure, monster. He'd never thought Father would be one of those things but as he looked across the table to a six year old with blue smears of bubble gum icecream across her face trying to coax the first words out of her sister. Finger jabbing towards Theo's face as she repeated 'Daddy' again and again he couldn't bring himself to dispute the label.

(Theo accidentally adopts two young werewolves)

Not Rated, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings, Not Completed, Chapters: 16/?, Words: 48740 ( 48k )

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so here me out: post-canon ( poetry like angst ) summer get away !! just the boys doing cute little domestic things together whilst pining !! theo’s guilt in this is just so powerful & aGjffkgkkfkvkdlv !! i think it’s so interesting to see how they interact in this one, it’s just very heart warming !! and it features one of my favorite niche teen wolf tropes of theo being great with like seven year old girls- it’s just so good ,, very much a wonderful little one shot that just makes your heart happy.

(next time i see you you'll show me) a hundred different ways to say the same things - cherrysprite

Summary: “...You deserve good things,” Liam says eventually. He makes sure not to look at Theo even though he can feel his eyes turn on him. Somehow he can already tell that Theo doesn’t believe him.

Liam instantly makes that the goal of this summer - making Theo believe him.

Rating: Teen and Up, No Archive Warnings Apply, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 28875 ( 28k )

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okay so this next section of fic recs is a bit different !!

two of my favorite authors !! and a compilation of fics i’ve read by them both !!

for context: these two have written some genuinely gorgeous fics, like pure poetry, they explore the real gritty & scary side of our boys relationship in such a wonderful way. they’ve both used some of my favorite tropes & i love them very much !!

whenever i need something soothing but so genuinely intresting & enticing these are my go to !! ( also they both write a lot of good nolan angst & some vv good fics with hayden )

go check out:

eneiryu

as well as fallingforboys

here are some of my favorite fics by them ~

darling i want you here in my arms (kiss the pain away, i know you can) - fallingforboys

even before you touched me, i belonged to you (all you had to do was look at me) - fallingforboys

memories linger like tattoo scars (but your touch on my skin is just as permanent) - fallingforboys

skin, bones, a stolen heart, and an ugly creature lurking underneath -fallingforboys

i don't know how to breathe in the place i called home - fallingforboys

whisper your gossamer truths into the shadow, maybe you'll find the answers you're searching for - fallingforboys

between the mountains and the valley we built a monument to our regret - eneiryu

cracked the hinges of the cage and waited for you - eneiryu

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okay and finally: since i am a self centered whore

my own fic: an rendition of the # elevator scene

it’s basically my version of post canon if we did get the kiss in the elevator. we got a classic liam pov in which he is has 12/10 for extreme bi diaster energy even whilst being shot at !! so go him ig…

Fuck Off, Fuck This & Fuck It! - nefelibata_peach

Summary: Liam thought to himself heart rate climbing, they were bound to be dead by morning. So he thought with everything but his brain and he kissed him.

Where Liam Dunbar is very confused, slightly traumatized, and just a bit scared but hey, aren't they all! Bad decisions ensue as two boys fight in a war they never did sign up for.

Rating: Teen and Up, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Chapters: 1/1, Words: 3558 ( 3k )

[amintyworld]

Wilbur's Crows - A Dream SMP Drabble

A/N: Have a little fluff for the soul, featuring Phil's Chat! - Minty

TW: Crying? (Lmk if I need to tag anything else!)

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Sunrise bled through the white curtains, slowly melting away the peaceful starry night into a new day. Creatures stirred out of their slumber, and monsters retreating back to the darkness from whence they came, a few slowly turning to ash and bust. The smell of burning flesh ran potent through the forest, a smell that meant safety to those living within, a smell they were more than used to, blind to. The ground began to warm under the sun's gaze, the cool breeze of night turning to warmth. A warm hug mother nature gave to her children, easing them away from dreamland.

Beside a window, a crib rocked slightly back and forth as a breeze blew through the room. A messy brown-haired tyke held a teddy bear protectively to his chest, sleeping soundly. The light growing brighter behind his eyes, he shifted uncomfortably. Finding no relief, a noise of annoyance rose from his throat as he buried his face into the stuffed animal.

Swiftly, hearing the distress, a few black crows landed on the windowsill overlooking the three-year-old. Some brandished shiny necklaces they wore as a badge of honor. Some were simply bare. A crow to the left of the other two put down a shiny glimmering rock from its beak down by its feet, putting the gift aside for now. Looking to the side, the left crow could see the one on the far right putting down a large chunk of a diamond before the one in the middle met its gaze. Together, all three stared down at the toddler in concern for a moment as the small human squirmed, his chest heaving in breath like he was about to cry.

The two crows looked to the right one with the badge, wondering what they should do. The right one hopped over toward the headboard of the crib, taking in the child. Then, they let out a loud call. "Caw!" The loud noises made the small human's eyes snap open to see a black crow staring down at him, cawing. "Caw! Caw!"

The other two chimed in occasionally, adding to the caw-rus. That was, until the toddler in both annoyance and a little fear clutched his teddy closer and began to cry. The two on the windowsill looked at each other in panic - something was wrong with the small human, it was crying! - and began to caw louder to draw the attention of their owner.

As the door creaked open, all crows silenced, watching their owner as he entered. Watching for any sign of what he wanted them to do. The blonde locks fell a little past his shoulders, with kind blue eyes. He approached the child, reaching his hand down and gently brushing any hair out of his son's face. "Shh, it's okay mate, everything's okay..." When the child's eyes met his father's he silenced, simply looking up at him. Phil smiled as he moved to pick him up, holding the toddler against his hip. Wilbur's grip failed on the teddy during the transition, dropping on the ground as the left-sided crow flew down to try and grab it, flapping its wings wildly to get the surprisingly heavy stuffed animal in the air. Phil let out a warm chuckle as he kneeled down to take it, the crow backing off. After the small child got settled in his arms, he raised a finger to his lips and kissed it, pressing it to his son's nose as he giggled. "There's the Wilbur I know." Phil cooed.

Turning toward the window, his crows looked on silently, wanting to help but unsure as of how. "He's okay, Chat. Wilbur's okay." The caws returned in relief at the statement, breaking the somewhat silence. The crow with the necklace flew over toward Wilbur, trying to land on Phil's shoulder before the tyke waved his arms in protest and annoyance.

"Caw!"

"Caw!" Wilbur mimicked. "Caw!"

Phil chuckled at his son's outburst, trying his best to sound stern. "Now Wil, we don't wanna try to hurt Chat, do we?"

As Wilbur turned to face his father as he talked, the crow in question changed course, landing on top of Wilbur's head with a "caw". Phil tried to hold back his laughter at it all as the door creaked once more, someone else entering the room. Their voice was warm like Phil's but soft, comforting. "So I'm guessing Wilbur's okay?"

"Yeah, just a little grumpy this morning," Phil answered.

"Mumza!" A crow chanted.

She walked further into the room, behind her husband, giving him a small peck on the cheek. "Hm, I wonder where he gets it from..." She teased. Phil turned to face his wife with a smirk, leaning over to give her a proper kiss on the lips. As Wilbur moved closer, he could see a silver glint around her neck.

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"Uhm, Wilbur..." Ranboo began as he looked up from the crafting table and out the window of their van. "Wilbur they're here again."

Wilbur sighed from his spot on the hammock, arm over his eyes. "You've gotta be joking. I told him to stop sending them!"

"Honestly? I don't think he has any control over them, they just kinda... do what they want." Ranboo shrugged.

Grumbling, frustrated, Wilbur marched out of the door of his burger van and toward the thousands of black crows lining the trees of the surrounding forest. A few brandishing those unmistakable necklaces, he knew exactly whose crows these were. He told Phil multiple times he was fine. He told Phil multiple times he didn't need a babysitter and that he wanted to change. Phil told him multiple times that he trusted him.

Ha, 'Trusted him'. He was sending in his fucking bird surveillance!

If scaring them didn't work, talking to them didn't work...

He pulled out a water bucket from his inventory, the murder of crows staring down at him as he stared up at them. "This is your final fucking warning, go away!"

Spinning he launched the water into the air as it came splashing down on top of the tree. Caws rang out amongst the forest as a few gave up and flew away, but the rest simply flapped their wings and flew a little higher, soaking wet... and mad.

"Oh Shit."

Wilbur's eyes widened as a murder of crows flew toward him as full speed, knocking him over onto the grass. Their talons caught on his skin and clothes, scratching and leaving him sore. Blinded by a sea of feathers and black, Wilbur struggled to his feet, coughing out a few feathers that landed in his mouth before finally getting his bearings, the murder traveling to settling on top of the van. After shaking himself free of feathers, guilt weighed on his heart - they were only following their owner, after all.

"Look, I'm sorry Chat. I... I didn't mean to hurt you, I... uhm..." Wilbur sighed. "I just don't like being watched, okay?" As Wilbur turned to leave, he heard the fluttering of wings and saw the crows surround his feet, one perched on his head and one on each shoulder. He mustered a bit of an awkward smile - it was strange that he was literally talking to birds. His father's birds, but still. "Thanks, Chat."

Walking off deeper into the forest, Wilbur could hear the flapping of wings behind him, and found himself smiling. Maybe it had some weird psychological effect from trying to run them off his property for almost a week straight... but his father's crows were growing on him.

They settled wherever he went as he worked collecting wood and finding some cows to bring back, the flapping always a telltale sign. One always liked settling on top of his head, and after a few hours, Wilbur allowed it. Chat was a silent presence, but not an unwelcome one to Wilbur, who didn't have many friends besides Ranboo to hang around.

As the day came to a close, he walked back toward the van. "I'm guessing I'll see you all tomorrow, then?" He got a few caws in response as the murder took off into the sky and over the horizon, back towards his father's home in the artic. One crow remained - the one perched in his brown curls. "Go on then, you'll see me tomorrow after all." Wilbur gestured toward the others. "And please learn to listen to Phil, okay? You guys could've gotten yourselves lost trying to find me."

The crow landed on Wilbur's outstretched arm, and for the first time, Wilbur could see the crow had something in its beak. A grand silver necklace with a black stone pendant, that shimmer silver in the sunset's glow. Wilbur's eyes narrowed, scanning it. "Is... Is this...?" He looked up toward the crow, who let out a caw and flew away.

Wilbur ran his finger over the pendant that he'd never seen before, and yet he felt like he'd known it his whole life.

Mom.

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General Writing Tagging List (Let me know if you'd like to be added/removed!):

@bones-sprouts

@foolishcaptains

@benzel

[grapenamjams]

Night Routine

Genre: OMG fluff! a little angst in the middle there but nothing to big

Characters: Muriel from the arcana and my apprentice Eliza

A/N:   my heart! I loved writing this so much! dad Muriel is just to pure 

a little bit about my MC

Her name is Eliza (she/her. Female.) She is 5′2 has brown wavy hair, brown eyes (with specks of green) she also has adorable freckles across her nose. lastly she has a artic fox, named Nell as a familiar who is enchanted to keep cold during the summer and whenever Nell walks she leaves behind snow prints on the ground (think of what Olaf from frozen has lol)

The orange glow from the hearth provided the perfect amount of heat for the small hut. The gentle warmth being able to lull anyone into a deep slumber, well almost anyone. Eliza carefully pacing back and forth held a small figure close to her chest. A figure who kept on squirming and letting out small frustrated cries contrasting with the calm silence of the room.

“There, there it’s okay, it’s okay” Eliza repeats making some shushing noises to get her baby boy to calm down. Inanna lets out a small whine making Eliza look down at the wolf, who looked up at the fussing child in her arms with concern. 

Ever since Eliza and Muriel had their baby a few months ago inanna sort of took him under her care, looking after him as a nanny of sorts. However, The same couldn’t be said about Nell, although she cared for the baby deeply she much rather liked to be able to sleep through the night instead of being woken up a number of times by crying. Needless to say Nell couldn’t wait until the baby was older so she could finally be able to play with him probably and not be told “be careful!” every two seconds. So the white fox spent most of her time outside or coiled on her bed watching the chaos.

Eliza smiled at Inanna as the wolf nudges her arm with her snout. Eliza reaches a hand down to pet her “it’s okay Inanna, you know how he gets when Muriel’s not here to say goodnight” the wolf whines again turning to look at the door. Eliza rubs her soft ear “I know, I hope he gets here soon too” Eliza says before shifting the baby to her other arm, rocking him while humming slightly. 

The small child had gone through his night routine, bathing, changing, feeding....changing again. the only thing left in the process was getting him to actually go to sleep, but with all the efforts from his mother, the tired baby fought against sleep, which made him frustrated leading him to voice his annoyance in the only way he knew how.

His cries continue as his mother tries to calm down. Eliza knew that the only other way to make her sleepy baby find Rest for the night was with Muriel. A habit that started out early, Muriel didn’t hold the baby much in the beginning convinced that he would scare him or hurt him in some way, the only time he spent holding his son the longest is when the baby was asleep. So from then on if Eliza could not put the baby to sleep, she knew it was because he was seeking his fathers comforting warmth.

Eliza pressed a kiss to his forehead “I know baby boy I know.” She rubbed the tiny back “dads going to be here soon I promise” Muriel had gone out to check the traps and set new protective charms, he’d begun to renew the charms every few days ever since  Eliza told him she was pregnant, wanting to make sure that everything was safe for them. 

It was dark outside the moon barley starting it’s climb across the sky, the beginning of winter air blew against the outside walls of the hut. Making Eliza begin to think if she should send out inanna to go check on him. but before she could voice out her request she felt the protective spell on the door fade for a moment before opening to reveal a cloaked Muriel. 

The large man bends down slightly to cross underneath the overhead and places the bag he had been carrying on the ground. He lifts his head to the sight of Eliza smiling at him with their baby in her arms. Muriel’s heart fluttered at the sight, once again feeling the familiar warmth of Immense happiness come over him like it did every time he saw them.

“See? what did I say? Dads home!” Eliza bounces the baby slightly in Muriel’s direction, she kisses the baby again on the forehead before walking over to Muriel who was hanging up his cloak, he looked at the fussing baby in his wife’s  arms and a sense of worry sprouted in his stomach. “What’s wrong? Is he sick?” Eliza sees the panic in his eyes making her laugh a bit. “Thankfully no, he just misses you” Muriel looks from the child to her a blush crossing his cheeks “m-me?” Eliza nodes before another cry rings out, the baby finally being able to hear his fathers voice.

“you should hold him, your the only one that can calm him down when he gets like this” the baby lets out another impatient cry. “You sure?” Muriel asks not wanting to accidentally hurt him in some way, but he still takes a step forward lifting his arms towards the baby. “Positive” Eliza says as she places their child in his arms, Muriel brings the baby up to his exposed chest and as if it was magic the baby boy instantly stops crying and fussing around, his little body relaxing into the familiar warmth of his father.

Muriel feels a new wave of love at getting to hold his baby close like this and see him drift off to sleep in his arms. The child’s features soften from his previous burst of frustration and their mouth opens slightly letting out even breaths, Muriel can’t help but to smile at the little person in his arms that he gets to call son. ‘My son’ Muriel hums out a chuckle he would never get used to it. 

He was actually a father to a actual person, a person that depends and trusts in him to provide. Muriel swore from the first day he felt his sons movements, he would do just that, he would provide any thing that was necessary for his child to be safe and happy, no matter the costs. He didn’t want his child to suffer like he had. To grow up alone in a dark world feeling unwanted and unloved, he never wants that for him. 

Muriel runs the tip of his nose against the soft skin of the baby’s cheek. He knows that tough times are still ahead, his mind can’t stop the dark thoughts that sometimes make their way in, like the moment his child comes to know the things that Muriel has done in the past, ‘what would his reaction be?’ ‘Would he leave them? Never speak to him again? Muriel couldn’t blame him if he didn’t want anything to do with him.

Muriel feels Eliza come to his side breaking him away from his thoughts. she rests her head against him running a hand up and down his arm soothingly, looking at their tiny child sound asleep in his large arms, a Beautiful soft smile appears on her face. Her eyes meet his green ones and just by looking into her own eyes he is once again reminded that with whatever laid ahead for him in the future he wouldn’t be alone, they both would face this new path of parenthood together one day at a time.

Muriel bends down carefully and kisses the top of Eliza’s head earning him a colorful blush and a wider smile before turning into a yawn. Muriel chuckles at her cute action “we should go to bed too” he states glancing back at their baby Eliza nodes in agreement “that sounds like a good idea.”

The small family settle down amongst the furs. Muriel lays down carefully on his back keeping the baby on his chest, Eliza shifts closer to his side and brings a hand up to brush the baby’s already thick black hair.  she lets out a soft laugh “he looks so peaceful, you wouldn’t think he was throwing a fit just to be with you a few moments ago” 

Muriel rubs his child’s back softly a small smile appearing on his lips “yeah.... he takes after his mother I guess” Eliza turns to look up at him scoffing at his teasing. “Did not!” She whispers earning a soft chuckle from Muriel as he brushes her hair back with his other hand “Asra told me how you would get when you had to close up shop late and couldn’t come here”

Eliza blushes at the memory of her sulking around and pouting at Asra for not being able to see Muriel that day. She suppresses a smile “fine, once or twice. But you can’t blame me and I can’t blame him” she glances down again “for wanting to be with you” she settles against his side again putting an arm around his stomach. “We love you too much” she  mummers closing her eyes. 

 Muriel runs his fingers through her hair once more, glad that she can’t see his watery eyes as he looks down at his little family around him, safe in his arms. His heart swells again with happiness, ‘was he allowed to be this happy?’ But even the dark thoughts he usually had did not come because all he could think of right now is how much he loved the family that he had created and how much love he felt from them. Before closing his eyes to follow his wife and child into sleep Muriel whispers out “I love you both more”

[shyvioletcat]

23. “Just pretend to be my date.” elorcan light the sparks

I’m getting really excited about this au, just FYI...

Masterlist

~~~~~

“All I’m saying, Lorcan,” Fenrys said around a mouthful of his sandwich, “Is that you should have some fun.”

“I don’t need your opinion, Moonbeam,” Lorcan bit back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“When was the last time you went on a date? Or even just, you know,” Fenrys asked after swallowing his sandwich then waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“What if I don’t want to date?” Lorcan countered.

Now Vaughan lent forward, brows high. “Is that true? Don’t lie to us.”

Great now they were ganging up in him. Lorcan stayed silent, but that was answer enough for them it seemed.

“Come out with us tonight then,” Fenrys said. “See what we can find.”

Lorcan just rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to see what he could find, he knew what he wanted. He just didnt know how to get it.

“We’ll all go!” Vaughan suggested eagerly.

Rowan scoffed from where he sat. “No thank you.”

“Wedding planning, is it?” Fenrys said.

“As a matter of fact yes,” Rowan admitted, but didn’t seem disappointed by the fact.

“Already on a tight leash then. Such a good dog,” Lorcan muttered.

“There’s no leash,” Fenrys chimed in. “The lucky bastard is just in love.”

Rowan grinned. “Exactly.”

“Rowan’s out, but everyone else is in, no buts,” Fenrys declared fixing Lorcan with a stare that told him he would not give up until he agreed to come.

“Fine,” Lorcan growled.

~~~~~

They had ended up in a bar on the nicer side of town. The place was brighter, smelled cleaner, than some of the other places they frequented. Drinks were a little more expensive but they tasted better too.

The night was turning out as miserable as Lorcan felt, the skies were letting out a downpour. So much so the steady stream of rain could just be heard over the music and the voices. Well, from where Lorcan was sitting at by bar. By the door. It wasn’t even late yet but lorcan as considering leaving, they’d come here as soon as their shift had finished and they’d been here for a while. Fenrys, Connall and Vaughan had all gone chasing after one drink, and that was when Gavriel had excused himself, claiming he was too old for such pursuits. He was probably right.

So that left Lorcan to mope at the bar by himself, pointedly ignoring anyone who looked his way. He’d been nursing the same drink the whole time, no desire to lose himself in alcohol tonight. 10 more minutes and then he’d go, Lorcan decided.

There was a burst of noise from the door as it opened. The rain must be pelting down outside. The emergence of a soaking wet figure confirmed his suspicions. It was a woman, most likely ducking in here to escape the weather. It took him a second to recognise the small figure and dark hair, but when she turned Lorcan looked away quickly.

It was Elide.

He didn’t know what to do, whether or not he should call her over. He took a glance around the bar, all his friends were occupied. But then his eyes connected with someone else, someone who was vaguely familiar. She was pretty with red hair, and she smiled at him when she caught him looking. She was one of the girls from that night they’d gone out for Vaughan’s birthday. One of the girls Aelin had lied to. She was part of the reason he hadn’t dated in a while, the redhead and her friend seemed to know everyone and spread the false information around.

But the way she was looking at him, the way she smiled as she began to stalk over to him, she either forgotten or didn’t care. Lorcan looked away, hoping that she would take the hint. He chanced another glance at Elide and it seemed she had spotted him too, because she gave him a smile and flicked her wet hair over her shoulder and started walking towards him as well.

And here he was. Caught in the middle. What cruel twist of fate was this?

He hoped Elide would reach him first, leaving the redhead to take the hint and leave. But given her behaviour with Rowan the last time, he wasn’t too hopeful in that regard. He’d been all too eager to chase her that night, but once was enough when it came to dealing with her vapid personality.

Elide did reach him first, soaked to the bone but still smiling. “Fancy meeting you here,” she said as she occupied the empty stool beside him.

Lorcan glanced over his shoulder and Elide followed his gaze. As he had suspected the redhead hadn’t given up her pursuit. Elide didn’t baulk though, she just asked, “Not a friend, I assume?”

Lorcan shook his head, “No.”

Elide gave him a smile he couldn’t read, then she put her hand palm up on the bar counter and wriggled her fingers. Then she whispered, “Just pretend to be my date.”

~~~~~

Elide thought she had sent Lorcan into shock from the look on his face. It took him only half a moment to comply though, and more gently than she expected he took her hand. She gave him a smile that she had seen Aelin give Rowan a hundred times, and he returned it with what could only be described as a grimace. That had Elide had laughing, louder and more obnoxiously that she would normally but the non-friend redhead had reached them and it was time for a show.

“Hey, handsome,” she said, ignoring Elide completely.

Elide moved their entwined hands to draw her attention to them and she saw the redhead’s eyes narrow.

“This new? I don’t remember you being attached last time we met,” she said with a disarmingly pretty smile and a tilt of her head.

“Very new,” Lorcan said, as he gave Elide a sideways glance. No doubt meant to be endearing, but he just looked awkward.

Elide held in her sigh, she needed to get this over with before Lorcan blew their cover with his tactlessness.

“If you don’t mind, we’re in the middle of something,” Elide lent her chin on Lorcan’s bicep. Good gods, he was solid muscle.

The redhead’s eyes flashed with a flicker of anger, she’d lost and she wasn’t happy about it.

“Just some advice,” she said, a look of triumph on her face replacing the anger. “You might want to make sure he gets checked before take it all the way.” Then she gave a pointed look at Lorcan’s crotch and his face went a deep shade shade of red.

Elide watched her walk away, brows high and a slightly incredulous look on her face as she sorted through exactly what the slighted woman had implied. Lorcan dropped her hand as the redhead disappeared from sight. That made Elide look at him.

“What —“

“Nothing,” Lorcan said and took a sip of his drink.

“As your girlfriend a think I’m entitled to know,” Elide said, failing to stop her amused smile.

“It’s not true,” Lorcan said.

Elide elbow on the bar. “What, pray tell exactly, isn’t true?”

Lorcan turned towards her, not returning her smile which only made Elide smile more.

“We were out for Vaughan’s birthday a few months ago. Her and her friend joined us. They were pretty keen on Rowan and when Aelin came to pick him up she got angry. I called her a bitch, she told them I had herpes.”

Elide tipped her head back and cackled. Then asked through her laughter, “What?”

“She told them I was her ex and that I’d given them to her. I swear it’s not true,” Lorcan said so earnestly Elide almost felt sorry for him.

“Well,” Elide said but started laughing again. Lorcan’s lips twitched up in a ghost of a smile, then he turned to her.

“What has you stumbling in here soaking wet?”

Elide had been so distracted by the recent events she had almost forgotten about her sodden state. “I was heading for the bus top to get home and the rain came out of no where, this was the first place I could find that was open. Did you know there are practically no awnings along this entire street?”

“I did not,” Lorcan added. Then there were a few beats of awkward silence before he said. “Do you want a ride home?”

The offer came as a surprise and Elide sat up a little straighter.

“I don’t want to ruin your night by ending it early, I can just wait the rain out,” Elide said, now feeling a little awkward herself.

“I was about to leave anyway,” then when he saw her questioning look he added, “truly.”

Elide thought for a moment, the rain was coming down pretty heavily and the streets were getting slick. She really didn’t live that far.

“Yeah, okay. That would be great.”

~~~~~

You’ll find the incident Lorcan is referring to in the Drabbles section of the Striking Matches masterlist under drunk Rowan says the wrong thing. 

Tags:

@fucking-winchester-trash // @literary-licorice // @galyxsy // @tangledraysofsunshine // @highqueenofelfhame // @3am-reading // @soup-that-is-too-hawt // @aelinfire-bringer // @nalgenewhore // @highladyofthesith // @http-itsrebecca // @sleep-and-books // @average-girl-at-best // @alifletcher2012 // @westofmoon // @sleeping-and-books // @ttakeitbacknoww // @armixers-unite // @mariamuses // @chocolate-eating-bitch-queen // @velarian-trash // @queenofxhearts // @princess-galathynius // @heroesofterrasen // @ladyofstoriesandmusic // @empire-of-wildfire // @camerooonchiu // @crackedship // @lowhangingtreebranches // @over300books // @yourwhisperingshadows // @thesirenwashere // @tswaney17 // @impossiblescissorspeachpaper // @cat5313 // @judelovescardan // @flowerspringsea // @chaoticskyy // @the-regal-warrior // @fanfictrash3000 // @blueeyes425 // @starseternalnighttriumphant // @bamchickawowow // @thehuntressofmoon // @giorgia-the-trashpanda // @flora-and-fae // @thereaderandfangirl // @illyrian-bookworm // @lovemollywho // @someonemagical // @ella-enchanted27 // @littlehoneyybee // @artic-rowan // @acer6437 // @ariadneswake // @exersize-me-i-dare-u // @clockworkgraystairs // @chemicha // @wifeofchrishemsworth // @meltalgel-ig // @gay-book-nerd

[cookieundertherock]

The Prince’s Bride

I know this isn’t a request, but it is some writing. I’m working on a Shinsou x reader rn so I hope this fantasy/royalty au Kirishima x reader will suffice until I can get it out. Please enjoy!

I’m planning on making this a series so if you guys want more please tell me!

warnings: some language and a pissed off reader, but that’s about it for this chapter  word count: 1,562

You sighed as you stare out across the gardens from your balcony. The dragon lilies are in bloom so that’s nice, but they don’t have dragon lilies in the North Lands that you knew of. You sighed once more and groaned as you draped your arms across the balcony railing. 

Out of all the princes that your father could marry you off to it had to be the most mysterious one from the land farthest away from your home. Obviously he couldn’t bear to be around you anymore so he had to ship you off to the Northern Kingdom. Yeah, thanks dad.

For the last time you sighed, shaking your head as you pushed off the balcony railing, Your hair moving around your face as a slight breeze brushed past. You turned and trudged back into your room, looking around at the place you’d called home for your whole life, feeling a painful ache in your chest, knowing that you’d be leaving it.  

“I’ll miss you the most old girl.” You commented to the teacup dragon you were gifted with as a young girl. The poor thing was too old to travel anymore and besides the Northern Kingdom was too cold for a Desert Teacup like herself. 

Gently you scratched under her chin and exhaled softly, looking around your room once more. ‘It’s almost time.’ You thought, gently touching your bed. Stepping away from the bed you walked out your door and down the hall, taking one last breath to calm your nerves. It was finally time. 

The journey to the Northern Kingdom was as long as you had expected, thankfully for you the ride was scenic. Scenery does not, however, make up for company, and your company was not at all enjoyable. Of course your father had to send the most annoying attendant with you they could find. 

You sighed again as the attendant attempted to make another joke at you, cackling at his stupid quip. You rolled your eyes and sighed, a glare in your eyes. How you hated this journey so much already and how you despised your father for doing to you what he had done. You still couldn’t believe that he had sent you away just because he couldn’t make an agreement with the king of the north. 

“Agustar, if you don’t stop with your horrible excuses for a joke I’m going to throw you out of the carriage myself.” You growled lowly, eyes sharp. The man shut up after that. You were tired of this. Tired of everything that was happening. It was all so... tiring.

The trip lasted several more weeks, making you nearly bash your and your attendant’s heads in several times. It was almost a relief to you when you pulled up in front of the large castle of the Northern people. 

You stepped out, startling as a sudden loud noise sounded above your head, making your insides quiver and your body freeze. You looked up, eyes widening as you saw a large, unearthly creature flying above your head. An Artic Dragon. You’d never seen one in person before, only heard stories, and seeing one now, only confirmed how magnificent they truly were. 

The large beast alighted on a balcony attached to the castle. Huh, so that’s why the place was so big. You watched as the crimson red dragon promptly sit as a figure came out and began to talk to it. The dragon almost seemed human in its responses, becoming very animated at what the person, a young woman from what you could tell, was saying. 

After a moment longer the beast shook its head and jumped off the balcony, flapping its great wings as it flew away from the castle before suddenly dropping in front of you. Scarlet red eyes gazed into your own (e/c) ones as the beast stared you down, large nostrils flaring as it presumably inhaled your scent. 

You had only heard stories and read about the arctic dragons. They were some of the rarest and most reclusive dragons, only living here, in the Northern Kingdom. You felt a shiver run down your spine as the dragon took one, two steps closer to you, its hot breath hitting you in waves. 

“I guess the stories about you having the multiple pairs of horns is true…” You whispered softly as you finally managed to get the breath back in your lungs. The dragon seemed to snort in amusement at this and slowly stretched its neck forward, grazing you with its snout. You laughed breathily as you managed to graze your fingers along the crimson scales before the beast took off, a moment before the doors to the palace opened. 

Your legs were quickly growing tired from being ushered around the large castle so quickly after being caught standing in the courtyard by the queen herself. She had rushed out to you, immediately beginning to fuss over you and your unsuited dress. She had gone on to prattle about the new, much warmer and more weather suited dresses and outfits you would soon receive from coming to live here in the North. 

All you could was smile tightly and nod along with everything she continued to spout. You weren’t really paying attention to what she was saying anyway, being far to enraptured by the stunning palace around you. You couldn’t believe this place! It was…breathtaking. You had never seen a palace like this one before, even your own home couldn’t rival the primal beauty of the place. 

“And this is your room!” The queen’s voice finally rang through your daze. “This is where you’ll be staying until the wedding. You Dlainians must think us strange for insisting a custom like this, but it makes more sense to us for the soon to be spouses separated until they know each other better.” She explains.

Your eyes snapped to her face and you smiled in a slightly strained manner. “No, it’s great. Thank you your majesty. It’s plenty.” You said, doing your best to try and get away so you could rest before dinner. “I’m very tired from my journey so I would love to rest up a little if you don’t mind.” 

The queen paused her ramble for a moment before smiling kindly, her expression softening. “Of course my dear. Rest up my dear, my family and I will see you at dinner, my son has been eager to meet you.” She said sweetly. 

It took you some time, but eventually, you had calmed yourself down enough to face what was happening. In the large luxurious room you’re staying in you found multiple dresses and outfits already ready for you, including the dress you figured you were supposed to wear to dinner. It was...crimson. Crimson like that dragon’s scales that you saw earlier. You briefly wondered if that was just a coincidence or if there was a reason. 

You pushed the dress to the side though, instead heading straight to the bathroom to clean yourself up. It was a seriously long journey and you wanted a little bit of time to freshen up. Thankfully the bath you found, already drawn, was still steaming hot and ready for you to relax and clean up. It was perfect.

After taking your bath all that was left to do was dry off and prepare for dinner. Oh goody...the dinner of doom.... 

You sighed to yourself as you sat down at the beautiful vanity in your room, staring into the mirror at your reflection. You didn’t feel like the soon to be queen of the Northern kingdom, instead, you felt more like an imposter of some sort. 

Finally, you picked up the makeup left on the table for you and applied a light coat, something simple, for the dinner. You had to make an effort, but you didn’t want to really try. You brushed your hair out after, doing you your best to get the dress done up after. Damn. These dresses were so much simpler than the ones you had at home. It was….nice in a way not to be burdened down by so many petty coats and skirts. 

After a bit of struggle with your new boots you were presentable for your dreaded dinner. You took a deep breath before you began to descend the stairs to the dining room. The time had come.

You took a deep breath as you stood atop the stairs, doing your best to settle your nerves before you plunged down into the unknown. One more deep breath entered your lungs as you took the very first step, the stairs quickly flying under your feet until you were at the bottom. Well...here went nothing. 

As soon as you stepped into the dining room the queen was at you, immediately complimenting you and asking you how your rest went, but the only thing you could focus on in that moment, was the pair of eyes that were staring into your own (e/c) ones. 

The prince was staring at you and the color of his eyes made the breath leave your lungs. He was certainly handsome: Chiseled jaw, strong cheekbones, a cute nose, silky hair, and a broad shoulders. But the thing that caught your attention most, was his eye color. His eyes. They were...

Red. Red like a dragon’s. 

[gusu-emilu]

Cantatio: Chapter Nine

Ship: Lan Zhan / Wei Ying (POV Lan Zhan)

Summary: Lan Zhan gets caught up in a sparring showdown.

Cloud Recesses Academy AU, Rated T - read on AO3

After scurrying away and hiding behind the lantern arrangement once more, Wei Wuxian peeked out to look at Lan Zhan, then tilted his head and batted his eyelashes. He voice was like a low flute melody twirling around Lan Wangji.

“Lan Er-Gege,” he said, dragging out each syllable. “You’re going to scare little Xianxian.” He lifted the jars of liquor with another clink. “Why not savor a cup of Emperor’s Smile with him instead? Hm?”

< Ch. 8 | Ch. 10 > | chapter list

There was only one thing to do. Lan Wangji and Wen Qing hurtled down the stairs to flee the corpse and the haunted guqin. Lan Wangji skipped three steps at a time, while Wen Qing pitter-pattered on each individual step, somehow managing to keep up. The guqin raged behind them.

They did not stop until they reached a lofty door at the bottom of the stairs that swung open to a courtyard. The slammed the door closed.

The guqin could no longer be heard.

Lan Wangji heaved in the fresh spring-water air of the Cloud Recesses. It embraced him, swelled inside him, and instantly quieted his mind. The familiar white, moonlit gravel shifted under his feet as if to welcome him. They were safe.

This courtyard was near the edge of the central Cloud Recesses, where roofs of pavilions formed a wall around the academy.

Lan Wangji looked behind him to see that the building they had been in was a tall watchtower guarded by two lion statues. It was the mingshi, a tower used for spirit-summoning. But Lan Wangji had never heard of housing corpses in the mingshi, nor a secret room at the top that contained a wailing guqin.

The two guardian lion statues outside the mingshi had snarling faces. Like pixiu, guardian lions came in pairs: one male, one female. These two had been joined in protection of the mingshi for countless years, frozen in their powerful stance, ready to ward off evil. Hopefully they could also contain whatever type of evil was possessed by the corpse and the guqin inside.

Wen Qing staggered over to a tree in the center of the courtyard and sank down along its trunk to sit. She panted from their race down the stairs. “What just happened to us?”

Lan Wangji did not have an explanation, so he did not reply.

Rule #49: Do not trespass.

With self-loathing, he mentally added another round of beatings that he would have to receive tomorrow as punishment for breaking more rules.

A silhouette flashed on top of one of the roofs.

Lan Wangji jerked his head toward the motion. It disappeared with a rustle.

He scrutinized the buildings of the courtyard, scouring every crack and corner for movement. The hairs on his skin prickled. Someone else was here.

Wen Qing rose to her feet, having also noticed the disturbance.

Bracing himself in a martial stance, Lan Wangji unsheathed Bichen. The sword absorbed the bright glow of the moon overhead and emitted its own hungry shine. He listened for any hint of sound.

On one of the terraced walkways that lined the buildings, a soft blue sphere flickered behind a lantern pole.

Lan Wangji leapt forward. In one fluid motion, he cornered the neck of the intruder beneath the fierce blade of Bichen.

It was Wei Wuxian.

“Ahaha! Lan Zhan! No need to be so hostile! I’m just on my way back to our dorm! No need to behead me!”

Lan Wangji slid Bichen back into its scabbard. “Why are you out past curfew?”

Wei Wuxian puffed his fluffy bangs out of his face and grinned. “Why are you?”

Wei Wuxian’s eyes darted through the crack between two of the lanterns and spotted Wen Qing under the tree. Then those sly irises grazed over Lan Wangji’s ruffled robes, all the way down to his feet.

“Ohhhhh. Hm, hm, hm. I know precisely what’s going on now, Lan Zhan, you big promiscuous radish. You’re having a moonlight stroll with your girlfriend. Well, I won’t disturb you two lovebirds! I’ll just be on my way now!” He raised his voice to direct the last two sentences toward Wen Qing, who shot back a disgusted glare.

“Untrue,” Lan Wangji said with a slight edge in his voice.

Wei Wuxian backed away down the walkway and raised his hands apologetically. “Really, really, I don’t mean to intrude! I’ll keep your secret safe, don’t worry,” he said with a wink.

Beneath his left hand, two egg-shaped turquoise jars hung from a string and clinked against each other.

Lan Wangji’s upper lip twitched. “Alcohol is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses.”

Wei Wuxian swung his hands behind his torso to hide the liquor. “Ah, really? I didn’t know.” His eyes crinkled into a rueful smile as he continued backing away. “Oh well, they’ve already come in with me, so I might as well enjoy them. I’ll see you later, Lan Zhan.”

As he turned to run away, Lan Wangji pounced in front of him and swung Bichen at the thread that bound the jars together. He missed by only a millimeter.

Wei Wuxian jumped back and cradled the flasks into the bend of his arm. “Hey! What gives! Isn’t it prohibited to fight without permission in the Cloud Recesses?” His eyes filled with mirth. “Mr. Head Disciple, don’t tell me you’re going to break one rule just to enforce another.”

Lan Wangji swiped at the string again.

“Hey! Stop it!”

After scurrying away and hiding behind the lantern arrangement once more, Wei Wuxian peeked out to look at Lan Zhan, then tilted his head and batted his eyelashes. He voice was like a low flute melody twirling around Lan Wangji.

“Lan Er-Gege,” he said, dragging out each syllable. “You’re going to scare little Xianxian.” He lifted the jars of liquor with another clink. “Why not savor a cup of Emperor’s Smile with him instead? Hm?”

Heat rose to Lan Wangji’s cheeks.

“Shameless.”

He dashed Bichen against Wei Wuxian, who checked it with his own white blade. Soon they were flying to-and-fro, leaping up and down and across from roofs of the Cloud Recesses, swords striking each other with metallic clangs that reverberated across the courtyard.

Although Lan Wangji’s precise, trained movements were executed with merciless force, something light bubbled in his abdomen. A hint of thrill. Pleasure, even.

Wei Wuxian was a match he had never met in a swordsman of his age. His technique was nothing like that of the Jiang Clan. It was wild, spontaneous, unorthodox, like a devil twirling its limbs in a cunning tango. Their blades were intertwined in a cosmic dance, more celestial than the stars that twinkled above their sparring figures.

It wasn’t the first time that Lan Wangji had to guess what his opponent would do next. But it was the first time in a while that sometimes, he guessed wrong.

They descended to the floor of the courtyard and struck at each other with flashes of their blades, even more vigorous than before.

Suddenly, Wei Wuxian’s sword dropped. His arm slackened at his side, and he fell limp to the ground with a plop. The porcelain jars shattered, crimson liquor snaking through the gravel beneath them.

A needle stuck out of the side of his neck.

“I can’t believe the level of idiocy I have to put up with around here,” Wen Qing hissed as she marched over from the tree she had been sitting under, hands clasped behind her back. “And you’re called one of the Twin Jades? Are you really this incompetent? Why would you swordfight out in the open? You’re going to wake someone up with all the noise and get us caught for being out after curfew!”

Lan Wangji stared at her, then down at Wei Wuxian. The tan young man’s his mouth was lolled open, his body pressed into the ground like a deadweight.

“Forgive my carelessness.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wen Qing crouched down and plucked the thin silver needle out of Wei Wuxian’s flesh. He jolted up with a start, his eyes glassy.

“What? What just happened?” he said loudly.

“Shhh!” Wen Qing pressed a finger to her mouth. “I won the swordfight. That’s what happened. Let’s get out of here before someone finds us.”

Wei Wuxian looked very confused. “You won? What?”

“Never mind. Get up. We’re leaving.”

“Nooooo! My Emperor’s Smile!” Wei Wuxian wailed when he saw the red fluid puddled at his side.

“Be quiet!!”

He clamped a hand over his mouth, then slowly stood up, his back slouched. He let his hand fall and pouted.

“Lan Zhan, I worked so hard for that liquor,” he whined as they walked across the courtyard. “It was a reward for myself for being so focused on my studies, my only glimpse of joy in this soulless place. I even paid for it with Jiang Cheng’s own money. What am I to do with myself now? I think my entire life has lost its meaning.”

Just as Lan Zhan was about to shush him, they all skidded to a stop in front of the stone path leading to the dormitories. Two figures were walking up the trail toward them.

They scrambled behind a wall to hide. Wei Wuxian’s elbow jutted into Lan Wangji’s stomach, causing a sharp exhale of pain to escape from him. Could Wei Ying be any less careful?

They peered the around edge of the wall. One of the approaching figures wore artic blue robes, the other a grayish seaweed color. It was Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue.

“Are you really sure that’s where Young Master Jin went?” Lan Xichen said in his balmy voice, sounding slightly amused as always.

“Guangshan’s slimeball son has servants of his own,” Nie Mingjue said. “He has no business bothering a Lan Clan servant of the Cloud Recesses in the middle of the night.”

“Xichen-ge, Mingjue-xiong, I’m quite certain,” said a demure voice that did not match either of the senior disciples. “I overheard him discussing it with his cousin before our quad retired to sleep. He vowed to scold the servant woman for stepping out of line.”

Jin Guangyao appeared between Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue.

“It’s such a stupid fucking reason.”

“Mingjue,” Lan Xichen chided.

“I’m right, though! What blockhead gets free soup and a love letter from a young lady and then struts over to her house to insult her for daring to give it to him!” Nie Mingjue’s footsteps became a bit louder. “Every one of those Jins is a self-important ass. Every one. Almost as bad as the Wens. I regret letting them take you away from Qinghe, Meng Yao.”

“Jin Guangyao,” he corrected.

Nie Mingjue shook his head. “Your old name was better.”

They passed the wall that the three curfew-breakers hid behind. They clutched each other and sank deeper into the shadows. Lan Wangji scooched an inch away from Wen Qing and into the slender masculine figure of Wei Wuxian beside him. His breath sharpened as dark hair brushed his neck.

“I’m sure Young Master Jin is planning to thank the Lan servant, not scold her,” Lan Xichen said. “He might have only spoken such words as a matter of pretense under peer pressure.”

“Maybe. But Xichen-ge, he sounded rather convincing.”

“Doesn’t matter what he plans to say,” Nie Mingjue said. “When I find him, I’m chopping off the arm that he dared push away that bowl with. Fucking prick can’t even treat a lady properly. And I had to get woken up because of it.”

“Guangyao is sorry for waking you, Mingjue-xiong. I only wanted to see my young master returned to the dorm safely.”

Their voices faded into mumbles as they disappeared around a corner at the other end of the courtyard. Lan Wangji stayed motionless for several seconds to ensure they were gone.

And also because—

Wei Wuxian smelled like plum blossoms.

Disgusting.

He gave the young man a mild shove with his shoulder as he stepped out from behind the wall and away from that offensive scent.

“What was that all about?” Wen Qing scoffed as she followed.

Wei Wuxian was still crouched in the corner. His face was covered in a shadow that seemed to be created by his own aura and not by the darkness beneath the wall. He laughed, but the sound was chilling. Eerie.

“Soup from a Lan servant? Are you kidding me?” His eyes narrowed. “My shijie made that soup. My shijie made soup and a note to leave outside Jin Zixuan’s dorm as a gift, to try to make her future husband—oh, I don’t know—acknowledge her existence. I already knew that he didn’t accept it, but he actually thinks a Lan servant did it? Are you fucking kidding me?”

His fists shook as he rose to his feet and stepped into the bright moonlight of the courtyard. The shadow of his rage still covered his face.

Lan Wangji rested a hand on Wei Wuxian’s chest, trying to send calmness through his fingertips and into the trembling body beneath them. “Wei Ying.”

He pushed Lan Wangji’s arm away. Lan Wangji placed it right back.

“Wei Ying.”

The young man’s breath started to stabilize. His chest expanded and shrank under Lan Wangji’s palm in a raw, laggard pattern.

“Fine. Let’s just get back to the dorms. I’ll deal with the peacock later. I’ll make sure every he knows that not a single golden thread in his trashy robe lets him deserve Jiang Yanli.”

His anger simmered down as the three crept along the stone path to the dormitories. Wen Qing turned at the fork in the path and departed for the girls’ dorms. Her only words of goodbye were a sharp glare at Lan Wangji and the cryptic, “Tomorrow, we talk.”

Indeed, they would talk tomorrow. With the discovery of a secret room, a corpse, and a haunted guqin, it seemed that their list of mysteries was growing rapidly.

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian walked across the moonlit grass to their dorm.

“You do not approve of your sister’s fiancé.” Lan Wangji said it like a statement, but really it was a question.

Wei Wuxian scoffed. “Do you?”

Truthfully, Lan Wangji had never thought about Jin Zixuan before with much more than indifference. But if his own sibling—if Lan Xichen—were in love with someone who spurned them, he would have had very strong feelings about it.

Except, Jiang Yanli's situation bothered him more than he expected.

“It is not my place to approve or disapprove,” Lan Wangji said.

“Of course it is,” Wei Wuxian said. “You’re my friend, so you can tell me what you think.”

Lan Wangji took a few moments for these words to sink in.

They really were friends? What did friends do together? Run into each other after dark, swordfight on rooftops, and share their thoughts with each other?

…Maybe that wasn’t so bad.

“Young Master Jin should work harder to be her best partner."

“And he’s doing the exact opposite,” Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji listened to the gentle sound of their footsteps, which had somehow fallen into sync with each other. After some thought, he said, “He may come to recognize her value.”

Wei Wuxian looked over. “You think so?” His gaze was questioning, but accepting, like he truly cared about Lan Wangji’s opinion even if he disagreed.

Lan Wangji nodded. “Perhaps if he learned of her true affection.”

“How could he not know? It’s so obvious.” Wei Wuxian sighed. “I just want Shijie to find someone who will be good to her. Maybe I shouldn’t be so resentful all the time. I don’t know.”

“It is not wrong to defend your family.”

Wei Wuxian only smiled, and did not have anything else to say after that, which felt unusual. At least his anger had been quelled, and some of the brightness returned to his face.

They arrived at their duplex.

An unnerving sight made Lan Wangji flinch.

There was a body sprawled across Wei Wuxian’s bed with a leg hanging over the side. It was in the same position as the person Lan Wangji had seen in the bed at the moment Wen Qing jumped in through the window. Lan Wangji had thought the sleeping man on the other side of the room was his roommate.

Now that Lan Wangji recalled the image again…could there have been two bodies in the bed?

And one of them was still here.

Wei Wuxian laughed nervously.

“Oh. Haha. I forgot about him.”

* * *

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, you can be a supportive sibling like Jiang Yanli by liking, reblogging, and visiting me on AO3! New chapters posted every Monday on AO3 and Tuesday on Tumblr.

Ch. 10 > | chapter list

[lu-undy]

Chapter 30 - SBT

Here it is!

"M, I must say that your opponent is very skilled. He hit points that do hurt a lot but did only very superficial damage…" 

The Doctor was a man who looked like any other beggar. He was dressed in rugs and has an unkempt beard, and bushy eyebrows. He was very short and equally old, behind his round pair of spectacles. Beyond the appearances, he turned out to be indeed a medical expert. His surgery was at the end of Maurice's district. 

Mundy was sitting on a hospital bed and Lucien was sitting on the one next to him. 

"You are welcome, Bushman." 

The Doctor sniffed the air and turned to the Frenchman. He removed the cigarette off his lips and Lucien pouted.

"This is a non smoking area…! And M, you did not tell me that this man is the cause of your injuries." The Doctor shut the curtain between the two and started removing Mundy's clothes as he was done with cleaning and patching up his face. 

"He is the cause of mine too." Lucien added from behind the curtain. 

Mundy rolled up his eyes. 

"You looked for it, you fancy ski teacher." 

The Doctor raised his head off Mundy's chest. 

"He is a ski teacher?!" 

"Yeah." Mundy answered. 

"Non!" Lucien said. 

"Good Lord…" The Doctor shook his head and resumed his tending to Mundy's bruises. 

"Ouch, Doc', that hurts…"

"Oui, Docteur, he is delicate, please don't break him further." 

"Oi! I'm not delicate! You just hit where it hurts!" 

"Oops…?" Lucien answered and Mundy clearly heard that he wasn't really sorry at all.

"It is the first time you bring me your foe to heal too, M." The Doctor said. "And it has been a decade since I last saw you." 

The tone in the room became serious again.

"Can I speak freely?" The Doctor raised his eyes to Mundy. The Aussie knew that Lucien would hear everything. 

"Go ahead." 

"First, lie down on your back please. Thank you. Now, as a doctor, I am the happiest when I don't see my patients, because it means they are in good health. But with you, M, I had my doubts. You were either in excellent health or in a state that no doctor could fix."

"Y-yeah… I see what you mean. Uh… Sorry I didn't say anythin'. And uh, I was in both of these." 

Lucien listened closely. 

"What happened, M?"

"I… I lost my parents and decided to stop everything. I disappeared and just… I don't really know, time passed." Mundy tried to explain himself without giving too many details, as Lucien was no doubt listening. 

And indeed, on the other side of the curtain, Lucien had lied down too and let Mundy's voice just fill the silence. 

"I am sorry to learn about your parents. They were good people, very good people." The doctor had applied medicinal creams on the bruised areas and was now putting some bandages. 

"Yeah… Thanks." 

"But why are you back now?" The Doctor asked.

"Because the bloke who killed them is here and I want to kill him." 

The Doctor shook his head. 

"M… In all those years of remarkably good work, in all these years of saving lives, you now want to end one?" 

Mundy frowned.

"He didn't even give them a painless death." 

"Can you turn on your side, please. Thank you. Now…" The Doctor took care of Mundy's right side. "What did your parents do to end up… gone? I presume it was an accident." The Doctor asked. 

"No, it wasn't. They did nothing. Absolutely nothing." Mundy answered, staring in front of him. He was facing the curtain and could distinguish Lucien's silhouette. "They…" He sighed. The Aussie was unsure. 

"Take a deep breath." 

Mundy's eyes snapped wide. It was the same voice as in the sugar factory complex. The one that had asked him to relax. And then, the eyes, artic blue, as calm as the ocean could get, everything disappeared, the eyes again, light blue, almost grey, and streaks of darker blue, like threads intertwining with the lighter blue… 

Peace. 

Mundy took a deep breath. 

"My parents did nothing wrong. They happened to live on a bit of land where there was some oil. They were asked to pack up and go somewhere else, they'd be offered a large cheque as compensation. But my parents loved it there, it was the house that they built together, with their farm, the chickens and geese. I loved it there too. They refused to sell it. A few months later, after being almost harassed about it, receiving countless letters about it, the cheques growing bigger and bigger, they still refused. One day, I was off on a job and…"

Mundy sighed and took another deep breath. He closed his eyes and saw the blue ones that had brought peace to him. 

"When I came back home that day, the farm had been burned to the ground, the house was entirely devoured by the flames. I called for the firemen but it was too late. They… There was no one to save anymore." He screwed his eyes shut tighter. 

Lucien had listened in utter shock. His lips had parted and his eyes were open wide. How the hell could anyone set fire to a house where two peaceful people lived there? They were harmless, they were just… living there.

"I see." The Doctor said. "And now you are off to find this man and kill him, hm?" 

"Yeah. I want to make him suffer, I want him to understand what it was for my parents, and for me."

"And you stopped working for a little more than a decade now?" 

"I swore to never touch a rifle ever again. My dad hated them and they got me far away from my parents when they needed me the most. I hate those things."

"Yet, you are incredibly gifted at using one." 

Mundy and the Doctor looked at each other. The voice had come from the other side of the light green curtain. 

"And you did use a rifle again." Lucien added. "What made you break your oath?" 

There was a bit of silence. The Doctor collected his tools and threw away the packages, and dirty compresses in the bin.

"I… This is my last job. It's not even a job, it's somethin' I need to do. I have to kill that bloke and then…"

"And then what?" Lucien asked, looking in the direction of Mundy but only seeing his silhouette through the curtain.

"Then, whatever happens, I don't care." 

The Doctor shook his head. 

"M, you know that we care for you, don't you?" He said. "Maurice, Eddy, me, the animals' reserves of this country… You have always been doing an incredible job and you did it without killing anyone, ever. I remember the young M, the one who would rather cut his own hand than hurt people, or animals."

"Yeah, well that version of me died the day my parents did." 

The Doctor sighed. He let Mundy dress up again and pushed the curtain to go to Lucien. 

"Now, to us." He said, and Lucien lifted himself up to sit. "What is your deal?" 

"I am after the same man as M." 

Mundy put on his polo shirt again and lied down on the hospital bed. 

"Ah, is that why you have been fighting? You each thought the other was an enemy when in fact you want the same thing?" 

"Not exactly." 

The Doctor was cleaning the blood off of Lucien's face. 

"What then? You both bumped into each other as you were going to kill that man?" 

"Non." Lucien answered. 

"And what is your motivation to kill him?" 

Lucien sighed. If Mundy had managed to make an effort, then he shall try. 

"The same man who stole M's parents away from him, took my family away too." 

"Oh… Quite the serial killer that man…" 

"Indeed." 

"Did he go for your parents too?" The Doctor asked. 

"Non. Not my parents. My…" Lucien frowned. 

"Hey, mate?" Mundy said on the other side of the curtain. "Deep breath." 

Lucien obeyed.

"He took my… My fiancée, and our young son." 

Mundy's jaw dropped and his eyes snapped wider than plates. Lucien's voice had cracked, he could hear it. 

"Remove your clothes and lie down, please." 

Lucien did as he was told. Mundy could only hear the muffled noises of fabrics being moved but his mind was stuck. Duchemin had killed a sheila and a kid…? What kind of heartless bastard was that…? 

"Thank you." The Doctor said and started tending to Lucien's chest. "How did it happen?" 

Lucien took a second. He closed his eyes, lying down on that hospital bed and saw it all against his closed eyelids. 

"They were off to buy some groceries. I was watching them from our house in Boston. Jérémy was holding Marie's hand and they were walking on the pavement. Such grace she had when she walked, her hips swinging ever so delicately, mon Dieu…" Lucien bit his lip and went on, his eyes still closed. "They arrived at the end of the street and crossed. That's when a car arrived at full speed, took a turn and…" 

Lucien opened glistening eyes. 

"I went out running to them and… Putain de merde… Marie gave me her last smile, as the tears rolled down her smooth cheeks. She looked down at Jérémy and when she saw him in my arms, unconscious, her last tears streamed down her beautiful face and she closed her blue eyes, never to open them again."

Mundy had frozen on his hospital bed, across the curtain. 

"When did that happen?" The Doctor asked, as he finished spreading the cream on the bruised areas of his chest and stomach.

"A bit more than a decade ago." Lucien opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. 

"And, uh," Mundy's voice pulled Lucien out of his remembrance. "I guess Duchemin did that?" He looked in the direction of Lucien but could only see the silhouette of the doctor and that of the masked man lying on the bed. 

"Oui. That car that ran them over, it was being chased by the police. I enquired about the case and it turns out that the man behind it all was none other than Arthur Duchemin. You see, that black 4x4 was transporting a load of gold that the police had been tracking down. And that gold had been stolen by the man we both are after. It is because of him that my Marie and my little Jérémy are gone now."

"What did you do after all that?" Mundy asked. 

"I quitted my job. I left everything behind me and flew back to France where I just… time passed." Lucien said, quoting Mundy.

"What is your job?" The Doctor asked. "You clearly know a lot about close combat, or at least where it hurts. Were you a field medic?" 

"Non, not at all. I am… I am a jack of all trades."

"But not a master of none, eh?" Mundy said and Lucien's ears pricked up. "Whatever you are, you're good at doin' it, mate." 

"I have a good reason to do what I am doing, nothing more." He smiled.

The Doctor finished patching Lucien up. 

"You can dress up again, I am finished." 

Lucien slipped his shirt on and buttoned it up. When he was done, the Doctor pulled the curtain away and both Lucien and Mundy looked at each other. They were much cleaner, but their faces were covered in plasters here and there, there were still some red and sometimes even bluish bruises. 

"Look at yer ugly mug now, spooky bastard..." Mundy teased and they both chuckled. 

"Hey, you're the one with a large plaster across your cheek, Bushman." 

"I will be back in a moment." The Doctor left them. 

They looked at each other. 

"I'm uh… I'm sorry for your loss." Mundy said as he sat up, letting his long legs dangle in the emptiness below him. 

"And I apologise for the words I have said about your mother. You seem to love her quite a lot." Lucien answered. 

"Yeah, she and my dad were everything I had. Now I don't have anything anymore."

"Don't say that." 

Mundy raised his eyes from his feet to Lucien's eyes. 

"Easy for you to say, you told me you had someone in your life again. That's nice for you. But I don't."

"An exceptional sharpshooter like you, it would be a shame to see you die." Lucien answered. "An exceptional sharpshooter, and a good teammate, for someone who lives in a hut." 

"A hut? I live in my van." 

Lucien's eyes snapped wide. 

"W-what?" 

"My parents' house has been burnt down."

"Didn't you move to a flat, or a house?" Lucien asked. 

"Nah." 

"So you stayed in that van for ten years?" 

"Y-yeah." Mundy looked away and pushed his hat deeper on his head to hide his blush. 

"Hey." Lucien left his bed and put a hand on Mundy's shoulder. "There is nothing shameful in that. I locked myself up for the same amount of time as you did. I refused to see anyone, I disappeared and I thought I would just wait it out." 

"What made you come back? How did you learn that Duchemin was here?" Mundy asked, raising his head to look into Lucien's eyes. 

"Through my job. I know people, they know things." 

"And so you came here?" Mundy asked. 

"Oui." Lucien hopped on to sit on Mundy's bed, next to him. "I took the first flight to Australia and here I am, to complete my last task." 

"What will you do after that? I mean, if we get out of it." 

"We?" Lucien asked. 

"I mean… We both want the same thing. And we kinda make it work, don't we?" 

"We do indeed." Lucien nodded. 

"So, uh, what d'you say? We do it together?" Mundy extended his hand and Lucien stared at it for a while. Silence fell and the clock on the wall counted out loud the tics and tocs of Lucien's indecision. 

"D'accord." He shook Mundy's hand. 

[Agreed.]

"Oh, alright… Thanks, eh." 

"Thank you too." 

The Doctor entered again. 

"Here, for both of you, some aspirin. Use it if it hurts." 

"Thanks, Doc'."

"Merci, Docteur."

[Doctor]

They both exited the surgery and walked back together until they arrived at Mundy's van. 

"Well, uhm… Let me know if you have any ideas what to do next, eh." Mundy said, looking at Lucien. 

"In the immediate future, why not take a few days off and let our bodies rest. We cannot take our next move while being barely able to walk straight." Lucien answered. 

"Yeah, you're right. Ok, uh, d'you know where to find me?" 

"Non, but I don't need to. Maurice knows."

"Ah, yeah, true. Alright, see you then, Spook."

"Spook?" Lucien repeated. 

"Well, I'm a Bushman, and you're one hell of a spooky bloke with your mask, and suit and tie. So you're a Spook." Mundy said with a smile. 

"Fair enough, take care of yourself."

"Yeah, same to you." 

Mundy drove away and Lucien watched as the van grew smaller before it took a turn and disappeared. 

"Well, back to my piano." Lucien said to himself as he walked back to his motorcycle. 

-- A few days later, the Queen Victoria --

"The usual, Sir?" 

"Uh, yes, please. Actually, could I get a coffee with it, please?" 

"Certainly." 

The waiter disappeared and left Mundy at his table. He leaned back and waited impatiently for the show to start.  He had been waiting for that night with high anticipation and had kept on listening to that song about solitude in his van. His heart didn't have it to switch on the radio. Only that cassette understood what he felt and could sing it. Although, in all fairness, there was nothing like the live performance of that singer on stage. Each time Mundy closed his eyes to see it projected on his closed eyelids, he felt shivers shoot through his spine and diffuse through his limbs. 

He adjusted his position on his chair and wiggled his shoulders to shake the shivers away. Mundy was now almost used to the suit and each time he would wear it, he would feel less apprehension. The souvenir of his parents' burial started to fade from that black suit, and his mind started to associate it with the shivers of a new show. Wearing the shirt and tying the tie meant that he was off to see the man that managed to speak directly to something inside him. His soul perhaps, his heart surely.

"Your dessert and coffee, Sir." 

"Thanks." 

The waiter nodded and turned on his heels before leaving him. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen…!"

Ah, Mundy smiled like an imbecile, on his own, and he didn't realise it. People were still chatting left and right from him. He wanted to shush them, like the quiet kid in a busy classroom. But the singer soon appeared on stage and Mundy's eyes couldn't leave him. He was handsome, that man, and always had a different suit. The ladies in the room applauded louder and shouted at him. Mundy was impressed...

"Thank you for coming each night in bigger numbers, I deeply appreciate it." Lulu bowed on stage and people applauded him warmly. 

Bugger, he really sounds like L… Mundy thought to himself. 

"I was pleased to receive letters from some of you sitting in the audience tonight or on the previous shows, complimenting my performance."

Again, the women in the room all agreed to applaud him and let him hear them. Mundy blushed and tensed. He, too, was one of those people. He felt put on the spot and the heat of the embarrassment crept over his body from his legs which turned to jelly, up to his cheeks and ears burning hot. He clenched his jaw.

"And I was surprised to receive so many. But you also have to thank Andy and his orchestra, without whom none of this would ever be possible." 

Lulu stepped aside for the conductor and the musicians to bow courteously at the audience, who again applauded them loudly.

"Tonight, I would like to sing an answer to these letters, if I may."

Lulu went to the piano. He pinched his trousers' legs up and sat down elegantly. It reminded Mundy of L and how he had sat on the chair back in Maurice's hideout. The singer put his fingers on the keys and started playing. 

The keys were slammed powerfully and the rhythm was quite fast. Oh, that change of tone was unexpected and it made Mundy curious and eager…!

{To the reader: the song is "La groupie du pianiste" [The fan of the pianist] by Michel Berger} 

"Elle passe ses nuits sans dormir,

[She spends her nights without sleeping]

À gâcher son bel avenir,

[Wasting her beautiful future]

La groupie du pianiste.

[The fan of the pianist]

Dieu, que cette fille a l'air triste,

[God, how sad she looks]

Amoureuse d'un égoïste,

[She's in love with a selfish man]

La groupie du pianiste."

[The fan of the pianist]

Mundy couldn't understand a word of all that French but his soul read the subtitles that his eyes couldn't see, and he felt the meaning of the words. That was better than any translation anyone could have provided him with.

"Elle passe sa vie à l'attendre

[She spends her time waiting for him]

Pour un mot, pour un geste tendre

[For a word, for a tender gesture]

La groupie du pianiste

[The fan of the pianist]

Devant l'hôtel, dans les coulisses"

[In front of the hotel, backstage]

Oh he was something to watch that man… He was dancing in rhythm, as his fingers slammed the keyboard along his words, on the black and white keys, making the sheen of his Burgundy, satin jacket reflect the spotlights beautifully on Mundy's irises.

And the Aussie was slouched on his chair, his face on his palm, his elbow on the table. He was drinking the music of the man with the poetic salt and pepper hair beautifully. Ah, that grey front tuft that jumped and brushed the air before Lulu's ice grey eyes… 

"Elle l'aime, elle l'adore

[She loves him, she adores him,]

Plus que tout, elle l'aime, c'est beau 

[More than anything, she loves him, and it's beautiful]

comme elle l'aime"

[The way she loves him]

"Bloody hell…" Mundy whispered to himself. Lulu was half seated half standing and he was singing with such passion on the microphone…! His eyes were screwed shut and it was as if everything had disappeared around him. He was alone on the stage, and sang something about love quite obviously, with his blood boiling in his very veins! 

Mundy was gobsmacked by the performance. He couldn't see himself, but his pupils had dilated to the size of planets and in them were engraved the image of Lulu singing his heart out to a lady who was way too lucky to understand it… 

The Aussie bit his lip. That bastard made him feel things he hadn't felt in years, decades even. Even with Emma, a few months ago, he hadn't felt half of the quarter of what was happening inside him now. Oof! What was that?! There was something that came from his very guts, from his eyes, from his chest, something that grew out of his body from his very core and launched towards that man on the piano, thumping his foot on the pedal and shaking his head left and right… 

Mundy put a hand on his chest. His heart was pumping hard and fast, to the rhythm of Lulu's words and his music. 

"Gosh… What the hell…" 

Mundy was breathing fast, as if he was running after something, after someone. His eyes were open wide and he felt his heartbeat on his temples, bugger, he was blushing now that he stared at Lulu…

"Il a des droits sur son sourire

[He has rights on her smile]

Elle a des droits sur ses désirs

[She has rights on his desires]

La groupie du pianiste

[The fan of the pianist]

Elle sait rester là sans rien dire

[She knows how to stay there, mute]

Pendant que lui joue ses délires

[While he plays his heart off]

La groupie du pianiste

[The fan of the pianist]

Quand le concert est terminé

[When the concert is finished]

Elle met ses mains sur le clavier

[She puts her hands on the keys]

En rêvant qu'il va l'emmener

[While she dreams that he will take her]

Passer le reste de sa vie

[To spend the rest of her life]

Tout simplement à l'écouter"

[Just listening to him]

Mundy was hanging on Lulu's very lips. Gosh, he stared at them, his thin lips, how they moved in front of the microphone, not even an inch away from it, declaring a love that a damn woman had without doing anything else but existing! 

"Bloody hell…" Mundy sat straight on his chair as he started to figure out what was happening inside him. His hands patted his chest repeatedly, left and right, as if he was looking for something that he had forgotten, in a pocket he didn't know existed anymore. He ended up wrapping his hands around himself. Oh, he needed air, he needed so much air…!

Lulu turned his eyes to the audience, people were applauding in rhythm enthusiastically, the waves of applause crashed, making the air snap and Mundy's heart pumped harder, as Lulu's gaze swept across the room and got closer to him.

"Elle l'aime, elle l'adore!

[She loves him, she adores him!]

Plus que tout, elle l'aime, c'est beau

[More than anything, she loves him, it's beautiful]

Comme elle l'aime!"

[How she loves him!]

Lulu took the microphone off its stand and left the piano to come at the edge of the stage and repeated that infernal chorus that Mundy felt like a dagger to his chest. Oh he wished…! Mundy wished he was the one at the other end of those words. But he wasn't a she, despite being, as hard at it was to admit, a fan of the pianist. 

The song ended in a thunder of applause and cheers from the audience, women in the room made their high-pitched admiration shoot through the very air and Lulu was proud. Gosh, he was handsome when he was singing but his smirk was something that split Mundy in halves.

And Mundy was left there, breathless, his eyes, his mind and his heart full of colors, tastes and euphoric feelings he could not describe. When he emerged from his shock, Mundy looked around him to see people eating their dinner left and right, as if nothing had happened a few minutes ago. A few minutes? Mundy looked at his watch. The show had stopped at least half an hour ago. 

Crikey… 

He needed to vent. To yell at someone, empty himself of what he had just been through. He would write another letter, screw it. Paper? Pen? Mundy patted his pockets. Nah, of course not, he's wearing a suit, he isn't going to school, why would he carry a pen and paper. No, no, of course not! He looked left and right. 

Oh? 

He got an idea. It was foolish, absolutely out of both his character, and his comfort zone. But screw it all. If he had managed to team up with someone to find Duchemin, how hard could it be to just…? 

Mundy took his hat off his table and pushed his chair back. He stood up and walked resolutely to the backstage area. He slipped through a door without anyone stopping him and saw the musicians here and there. His eyes scanned the crowd but he couldn't see the man in the suit. Bugger, where was he…? 

"'Scuse me mate, you know where Lulu is?" He asked one of the musicians. 

"Yeah, he must be in his dressing room, that's the door at the end of the corridor." 

"Ah, thanks." 

"No worries." 

Mundy walked to the white door. There was a sign on it. It read "Lulu." 

"Well, that seems like the right door, eh, so uh, here we go…" 

He knocked at the door. Three knocks, like the three words that his heart was beating. 

[storytimefromthecreed]

I Make My Own Luck

(16)

The Arctic Circle. Frost clung to the Morrigan, and snow fell on her lashes. Her palm itched with anticipation as they docked. Haytham was silent, Shay helped her off, and the trio began the final leg of their journey accompanied only by the sound of snow crunching underfoot. “Are you sure, Master Kenway?” A crew member asked, eyeing (Y/N).

To which Haytham replied, “There’s no one else I would have at my side, sir.” His tone was not as annoyed as it usually was. Shifting through the snow was a tiring task as she had to bring her knee almost completely to her chest to get over the heaps. Haytham and Shay traveled with ease. Curse them and their long limbs. Keeping her wits about her, (Y/N) tested the range of her finger to her hidden blade in case the need arose, and repeated the tenets to herself as the mouth of the cave grew until it was large enough to swallow the Morrigan herself.

The opening stood before them, and it was Haytham who spoke. “We all know what must be done?” His eyes fell to her. “We do whatever we must to ensure the Assassins don’t get their hands any farther into the sites than they have. Agreed?” His eyes never left her, and it dawned to her that he was speaking to her. This was it. This was the moment where she would be turning against the Assassins. Joining the enemy.

“We do what we need to to protect the sites.” She nodded, and Haytham turned to face the caves. “After today, they will never be disturbed again.”

“After today, these sites will never be disturbed again.” Shay repeated, and they headed in. Towers of ice and walkways of glass reflected their stern faces as they hurried through. One walkway made her dizzy. A single path with death drops on both sides. Shay was behind her, Haytham in front, and she noticed him wavering. Not caring if he would stab her and throw her off the bridge, she slid her hand into his and lead the men across. Once on the other side, Haytham released her.

Running into a clearing, they found Achilles and Liam in the midst of conversation. “Shay was right.” Disbelief colored Achilles’s tone and they turned when the trio entered. Both men stared, and (Y/N) gulped as Achilles’s eyes landed on hers and he glared. Liam on the other hand was far worse. His eyes hardened once they found hers, and never left. It was like he was judging her, was hurt, and wanted her to know.

Before she could open her mouth to apologize, Shay called, “So you finally admit I was right?” Though his hands were relaxed by his side, she could see his fingers itching to use his Hidden Blade.

“Such arrogance.” Achilles growled, and Haytham took a step, his hand on the hilt of his sword so all would know his intentions. He did not come here for idle chat.

“Yes, we’ve been working on that.” He responded, stone faced though his tone was playful.

“So, you’ve sided with them.” Liam spat, eyeing Shay and then her. Those eyes once filled with such kindness now held venom. (Y/N) felt very small.

“The only side I have is for these sites.” She responded.

“What are you going to do, Liam? Shoot her in the back?” Shay growled and the men regarded each other. (Y/N) and Haytham inched closer, feeling Shay’s wrath.

“Shoot you? That was Chevalier.” Liam rose a brow, then quickly reached for his own gun. “I don’t miss.”

“Stop!” (Y/N) pushed Shay behind her. One hand pushing on his chest and the other outstretched to Liam who was being held back by Achilles. “That thing goes off, we all suffer.”

“You’d protect him?” The gun pointed at her wavered. For once, the room went silent. The only noise was the breathing of the party, and the crack and groan of the ice.

“Yes.” Puffs of vapor left her lips. Slowly, Liam lowered his gun, but continued to glare. “We all know the nature of these sites now. Let’s leave them be. If it’s a fight you desire, let’s begin it outside.”

“Stand down, Liam. We have the Manuscript. We’ll find the others.” Achilles was saying, and she intervened.

“About that.” She beckoned. “I need it back.”

“What?” Achilles was aghast, the offense coloring his face and tone. “You insubordinate little girl.”

“I’ll take it back, Achilles. Hide it where none may find it.” She could see the resolve abandoning him. Any thought that this might end peacefully began to ebb from her mind. “Must this always end in violence?”

Achilles seemed to think about it. Growing, he took the Manuscript from his pocket and held it out. Looking away as if the act disgusted him, he eyed the site. (Y/N) looked at Shay. His mouth was set in a hard line, and he shook his head. Placing a hand to keep her back, Shay strode up the steps, hand outstretched. Liam stepped down to give them room, and took his place beside (Y/N). She tried looking at him, but he wouldn’t look at her.

“Thank you, you don’t know-” Before Shay could finish, Achilles struck. Like a striking snake, Achilles whipped his pistol to Shay’s temple. (Y/N) wasn’t aware she’d screamed until Liam sprang to hold her back.

“Mentor!” Liam was just as shocked as her. Grunting to control her, he span around and crossed her arms around herself. 

“Liam, let me go!”

But he ignored her, staring at his best friend shaking under his Mentor. “Mentor! Don’t do this.” Liam’s arms were binding her, and fighting against him only made him tired. (Y/N) wilted.

“Never trust an Assassin.” Haytham growled, hand resting on his own gun. Calculating if he could get a shot before Achilles could, and wondering what that would do to the room they were in.

“I’ve wanted to do this a long time, Shay.” Achilles pressed the gun to his temple, making Shay flinch. His eyes never left hers. “After all you’ve done. It is a pleasure saying goodbye.”

“Close your eyes, (Y/N). Alright? Close your eyes.” Shay said softly, like they were the only people in the room. “It’ll be just fine, my love”

It would. (Y/N) couldn’t tear her eyes away from Shay’s. Her mind was moving too fast, jumping from idea to idea until it finally landed on...“You can’t read it without me, Mentor.” The room went silent. Achilles froze. “Trade me for Shay.” Liam tightened his hold on her, and even Haytham took a step between them. (Y/N) pried herself from Liam’s grip and moved Haytham over. “How will you find the other sites without me?” Achilles eyes were glued to hers, and she spoke only to him. If this was what would save Shay, then she’d do anything. “Can’t use Franklin’s machine, it’s broken. That means I’m your only way.” Sensing the Mentor contemplating this, (Y/N) disengaged her hidden blades, dropped her blade, and her guns. They clattered on the ice. Climbing the icy steps slowly, she kept her eyes on Achilles.

“No, no, Achilles.” Shay’s voice was raising the closer she got. But Achilles was no longer interested in him, and it showed. His words became frantic. “I swear to God if you take her, I will not stop until I hunt you down. Do you hear me?” Shay vowed, and Achilles kicked him down the steps where he landed in a pile at Liam’s feet. Helping him up and dusting him off, the pair rolled their shoulders and judged the scene. Standing together like this, she could see how they were trained the same. Shay was a bit more lithe than Liam, but the way they moved was similar.

“Little girl, do you know what I’ve lost because of you and your crusade? You’ve undone years of work, and the foothold the Assassins had is lost.” She’d reached him now, and his gun was pointed at her stomach. “Can’t think of a better way to fix that than with your help restoring the rest of the sites.” Grabbing the back of her neck, Achilles moved her farther past the hovering artifact and towards a smaller, secondary tunnel. (Y/N) complied. At least the guys would be safe.

“We’re leaving. Anyone follows us, she dies.”

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine.” She stared at the secondary tunnel. Her eyes went to Haytham, and the hand hovering over his gun faltered. Liam put a hand on Shay’s shoulder, holding him back, and (Y/N) prayed he wouldn’t do anything stupid. (Y/N) trembled and allowed Achilles to walk her out. 

The artifact grew nearer and nearer. Her plan coming together. When they were beside it, (Y/N) pretended to stumble on the ice. Achilles lowered his weapon to help her, and that’s when she kicked it. The artifact shattered on the floor.

The ice fortress began to quiver and shake, and the floor between her and the men fell apart. She heard someone calling her name, but she couldn’t tell which one yelled it. Achilles grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, but the shaking ground ruined his balance.

That was all she needed. Smashing her head backwards, she was rewarded with a crunch and managed to grab the Manuscript from his hand. Achilles took a step back and raised the gun. The ground shook again, and his balance left him. She ran.

This hall was smaller and reflected back her fear etched face. The echoing steps of Achilles behind her panicked her heart as it sounded like a hundred of them pursuing. Pushing forward and losing her footing on the shaking ground, she found the mouth of the cave. Picking herself up, she ran until her stomach pained and her heart felt it would explode. The Manuscript heavy in her hand, she saw a piece of ice descend slowly over the mouth.

I’m not going to make it. I’m not going to make it. This cave will be my tomb.

Diving and praying for luck, she slide through the opening with time to spare and rolled head over heels down the snow. Snow soaked her back and the sun above blinded her. In her state, her mind had no direction, so she rolled to all fours and crawled in any. Just far from the mouth of the cave. That’s all I need to do.

A grunting behind her alerted her of company, and she already knew who. Raising to her feet, she faced Achilles. Manic eyes, a foaming mouth, (Y/N) couldn’t recognize the man before her.

“There was a better way, Achilles, you just wouldn’t listen.”

“That Templar got into your head. If your ancestors could see you now, they’d thank me for what I have to do.” Achilles bounded for her, and she readied herself for a fight. He was stronger but she was faster. All she had to do was keep the Manuscript from him.

Circling one another, (Y/N) realized they were beside the Morrigan, she could see it in the distance. Achilles stood between her and home, and that thought returned fire within her. “I am so sick and tired of people like you perverting what Altair stood for. He would’ve wanted us to work to protect the people, and you would use his name to cause harm. You don’t deserve to wear the title of Assassin.” Her words striking a cord, Achilles rushed her. Allowing him, she side stepped and kept control. He was acting out of emotion, but that was shifting. Her footwork, her actions, were placed in fact. Rolling around his shoulder, she clipped the back of his head with her elbow, then kicked in his knee. “Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent.” Achilles fell into the snow, but turned to punch. Stepping back, she raised her fists. “Even if another sheds blood in your name, your hands are also stained.”

“High and mighty!” Achilles leapt, and she fell back into the snow. Allowing the momentum to let her roll, she slid him off her and crouched. Achilles was shaking the snow from his arms and legs, and struggled to stand. “Allow me to teach you that even the mighty fall.”

Spitting a mix of blood and spit from her mouth, (Y/N) wiped her lips with her sleeve. “Hide in plain sight. We Assassins protect the world from the shadows, Achilles. We do not shake it’s foundation to win a war not worth winning.” Achilles rushed her. Grabbing her waist, he punched her face. The first caught her skull and made her vision blur. The second caught her jaw and made her thoughts skip and eyes swim. Strong hands went to her neck, and she felt the pressure as he began to strangle her. Breathing cut off, (Y/N) struggled.

The additional weight caused her to sink deeper into the snow. It crept into her clothes and chilled her to the bone. She had to get out of here. Allowing him the hits and gritting through it, she wiggled until she freed a fist and punched Achilles in the manhood. He fell off her. (Y/N) staggered to her feet and kneed the old man in the face. Coughing, gasping, and spitting out blood, she drew her leg as far back as it could go before releasing her pent up frustrations on him. His head flew back, blood spattering over the snow.

Panting, he kept his head down and (Y/N) kept her distance. “Finally,” She coughed, the air burning her throat. This was no time to keep track of injuries. The fight wasn’t over yet. Achilles needed to stay down.

Unfortunately, her vision was blackening, and her eyes were losing focus. “Never compromise the Brotherhood.” She spat blood. Droplets colored the overturned ice. Her voice was a yell now, rebounding off the palace around them. It reminded her of home, reminded her of Masyaf. Reminded her of Altair, and all the evil done in his name. The thought alone ignited a fire deep within her heart, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “By your tutelage, you’ve poisoned the Brotherhood of the Colonial Rite. You’ve polluted everything we strive for! Killed many in the name of our creed! Turned brother against brother! And for what?” She spat, her head swimming. Faltering a step, she took a knee into the snow, allowing herself some rest. Achilles hadn’t moved. “Because of this, Achilles Davenport.” The crunching of snow sounded to their right, and Liam put his hands up. (Y/N) continued, undisturbed. Good for Liam to be here. She needed a witness. “I strip you of your title, your weapons, and vestments. Not even a novice, you are an Assassin no longer.”

"Liam, please, help me.” Achilles coughed, and (Y/N) looked at her friend. Her old friend. Liam was frozen. “We don’t know what Shay has told her. Don’t you see? We can turn this around!” Achilles rolled to his side. His face was beginning to bruise, and the blood sprayed from his mouth when he spoke. Red covered the snow so much so that one could read their paths in battle without needing to track their steps. He captured Liam’s eyes. Liam’s gaze shifted between her and Achilles, but lingered on his Mentor. “Everything we’ve lost will not have been in vain.” Liam pondered this and conviction entered his eyes. (Y/N) felt her eyes tear. She was going to die here today. Liam was nodding, and began to approach. Achilles, happy his student was understanding, relaxed and laid on his back, looking triumphant.

Liam approached slowly, stepping closer to her. (Y/N) tried taking a step back, but her legs gave out. Leaning against a shelf of ice, she tried to formulate a plan against Liam. 

And couldn’t. 

His gentle eyes were the first she saw when she came here. Liam was, and had always been, her friend. Fighting Achilles meant something. Achilles stood for the wrong he’d done the Brotherhood. Liam? He was an Assassin learning from his Mentor. He was a good guy. 

A sigh of defeat escaped her, and the blackness ringing her vision closed slightly. Liam took another step, and Achilles laughed. Liam said, “When I first joined our Brotherhood, Achilles, you told me it was our job to protect innocents. No matter the cost to ourselves. I think I’m beginning to understand now.” Liam’s eyes slanted, his expression darkening. “What’s one death if it saves the rest of the world?” Liam said, focusing his eyes on (Y/N). Achilles had his age working for her, but Liam was strong, fast, and had all his weapons. (Y/N) tensed herself for another fight, but the action alone weakened her. In steps, he would have her. One bound, and he’d be atop her.

“I am proud of you, my best student.” Achilles was looking at the ship when Liam winked at her, and returned his look to the Mentor.

“I suppose that’s why Shay thought I’d make the best distraction.”

A cry from above made her and Achilles look skyward. Liam pulled her into his arms, covering her head at he dove them away. Her face buried against his chest, and she felt the final crumb of her energy leave. He smelled like mint. Snow crunched on her face, leaving her skin raw. Grunts and shouts sounded behind them, and Liam held her up. A safe distance away, she allowed him to support her as they watched Shay wrestle with Achilles. Haytham pointed his gun at the man. Once properly beaten and on his knees, Achilles glared up at Shay. “You’ve become a monster Shay. Come to finish what you’ve started?”

“That may be so, but I wear that mantel proudly.” Shay placed his gun back to his hip. “But you’ve no students now. No Brotherhood. You’ve been ended in the way that matters.”

“Not to me.” Striding up, Haytham shot and everyone leapt backwards. A scream filled the valley. Achilles clutched his knee. Haytham seemed unaffected. “Remember what happened here.” Haytham growled and turned on his heel leaving Shay to stare at his old Mentor before following after his new one.

“How are you?” Liam asked her and she nodded. Exhaustion set in, the fight leaving her system, and the weight of the Manuscript. Not trusting her words, she nodded. Liam secured his hold on her and moved her away from Achilles line of sight. “Let’s get that head looked at, aye lass?”

Haytham looked over his shoulder to the broken Achilles and shrugged, again bored of the ordeal. His dark eyes flickered intensely up and down her state. “If anyone is going to end you, it’s me, and not before we’ve had our rematch.” He scoffed, returning his weapons and looking back to the Morrigan. “Are you well?” His tone was short, clipped.

Heart warming, (Y/N) smiled. “I’ll be fine.” She breathed, watching the corners of the Templar Grand Master’s mouth pull up. “Thank you Haytham.”

He looked back over all of them. His genuine smile turning into a smirk. “Assassins and Templars working together. Who would’ve thought?”

“I quite enjoyed it. Wouldn’t mind making it a habit.” Liam chuckled. Haytham didn’t frown.

“What will you do now?” She looked up at Liam, and he shrugged. His gaze went to his Mentor, laying motionless in the snow, and he flinched away.

“The Brotherhood is broken.” He responded, “Someone has to put it back together again. Correctly this time.” He paused, returning his gaze to her. “I’d say it would mean a lot to have my friend beside me while I do so, but,” he looked at Shay and extended a hand. Shay stared at it a moment before taking it with a boyish grin. “I suppose there are more sites that must be found and protected.”

“There are.” She said and Liam helped her into Shay’s arms. His arm secured her waist and she leaned against him. Her head thudding against his chest. “Might need help translating the Manuscript.”

“Depends. You gonna lose it again?” Shay wagged it in the air, fanning her face, before handing it over.

“How did you?” Grabbing it from his hands, she moved it from her outside pockets to her inside one. She’d have to make a bag or secret place for it later.

“Maybe this was a good thing.” Shay continued, and they looked at him like he was crazy. “I mean, Assassin and Templar relations can only get better.” His hold tightened.

“Is that what you two have been calling it?” Haytham asked. Liam, Shay, and (Y/N) stared at one another wide-eyed, until Liam exploded in a fit of laughter. Shay turned bright red and (Y/N) spluttered. “But you’re right,” Haytham continued, his smirk deepening. Finally interested in the conversation, Haytham was enjoying himself. “Perhaps between the four of us, this war can end.”

“I know it will. I, for one, have seen enough for one lifetime.” (Y/N) groaned and Shay rubbed her arm.

“Let’s get her back to the Morrigan. Can you walk, love?” Shay’s lips brushed against her ear. Shaking her head, Shay handed Liam his guns and lifted (Y/N). Carrying her to the ship, her eyes fluttered closed. The crunch of snow accompanied them back, and she could imagine what her guys looked like. 

"Have the Manor running by the time we come to visit.” She mumbled, listening to Shay breathe.

“May it be soon.” Liam paused. “Better get him to a doctor.” Oh yea, Achilles was still in the snow.

“Until we meet again, Liam.” There was a clap on Shay’s back.

“Wouldn’t that be your luck, Shay.”

“I make my own luck, Liam.” (Y/N) impersonating Shay caused both Liam and Haytham to laugh.

Shay pouted. “Yea yea, let’s get outta here before we freeze to death. Can’t have our new Brotherhood ending before it begins.”

“Til we meet again, Master Kenway.” Liam’s voice grew farther away, his footfalls growing distant.

“Not if I meet you first.” Haytham responded. The sound of their footfalls on dull board indicated that they’d reached the ship. “Here.” Haytham said softly. A door opened and then swiftly closed. They were probably in Shay’s room. “I’ll get some ice and make some packs. Tilt her head up like this.” Shay eased her to the bed, and she felt her head propped up. “Keep her awake. I’m grabbing medicine.”

“Thank you, Haytham.” The door closed, and Shay’s breathing hitched. Wavered. Halted. (Y/N) fought to crack open a lid then another. Tears trickled down Shay’s face, and he’d lowered his hands into his prayer hands. Mouth moving but no words being sound, (Y/N) waited until he was done. When his eyes opened and found hers, she smiled.

“Are you ok?” She asked, feeling like her head weighed a thousand pounds.

Shay’s tears began anew as he threw back his head, and his chuckle echoed off the walls. (Y/N) winced at the sound. “I’m-I’m sorry.” Shay said softly. Kissing her temple, she leaned against his chest again and he stroked her hair as they talked. “Just hate seeing you like this.”

“What choice did I have?” She asked, and he kissed her temple again. It made her feel better.

“I didn’t want you to make that choice.” Shay’s voice dropped to a whisper and, he cradled her in his arms. She felt her lids growing heavy. 

“You would’ve done the same thing.” She yawned, fighting the urge to close her eyes. Everything hurt. “I heard what you called me. Didn’t you think I’d feel the same?”

Shay’s fingers never stopped, neither did his kisses. “I lov-” 

The knocking cut his sentence short. Haytham arrived shortly after and instructed Shay on how to hold her. “How are you feeling, Mistress Cormac?” He smiled, a true, kind smile. (Y/N) almost didn’t recognize him. Maybe she had to get almost beat to death on a regular basis. “Take these, you’re going to be asleep for a while. These are for pain, but Shay is here and will ensure you get them so don’t worry yourself. This,” Haytham placed a cloth filled with snow on her eye, her cheek, and her head. The relief was instantaneous. Groaning a thank you, Shay gave her the medicine, some water, and her eyes went heavy. “Rest well.” Haytham told her, and she was out.

When she awoke, she felt....great. Bruises had begun to heal, and her head felt better. The stitches on her eyebrow were removed and left her with a scar. Shay was laying in the bed beside her, his nose buried in a book.

Humming and burying herself in the crook of his arm, (Y/N) kissed his ribs and was rewarded with a giggle. Hm, it appeared Shay was ticklish. Must abuse that knowledge in the future.

“Hey!” Shay giggled, shimmying away before looping his arms around her and pulling her near. “Maybe I liked you better when you were sleeping.”

“Hm.” She chuckled, wincing a little. Her ribs still hurt. Shay reached over and grabbed her some medicine and water. When those were downed, she relaxed against him, his arms still around her, and gazed at him. “How long was I asleep for?”

“Only a day.” Shay smiled, happy that she was more herself. His eyes were gentle and he liked the look of her in his arms. “We’re heading back to the Colonies.”

“What happens next?”

Shay sighed, lips pursed. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather rest? I could read to you.” But she was already shaking her head. Shay sighed again, defeated. “First, we’re dropping off Haytham. He has work there and asked if I’d help him.” Shay paused, cheeks growing red. “I declined.”

(Y/N) rose her brows. “Why?” After everything Shay went through to become a Templar, it didn’t make sense to just...leave. 

“Do I really need to say it?” Shay chuckled, growing redder. (Y/N)’s grin grew. She was beginning to understand, but she just wanted him to say it. “I-I suppose I found a better calling.” His eyes flickered down to hers before looking back to the ceiling. “With you.”

“Oh.” She laughed softly, pulling herself up to kiss his cheek. 

“I love you.” Shay said, like he’d practiced those words a thousand times and would say them thousands more.

“I love you too.” Suddenly, Shay pulled at her and their lips met. Lips soft, delicate, and passionate. (Y/N) rolled on top of Shay, and sat at his waist. 

“Good.” Shay whispered, tracing his fingers over her cheek when they pulled apart. Eyes watching her like she was art. “Otherwise it would be embarrassing. Me leaving the Templars, you still an Assassin.”

(Y/N) played with his hands, chewing on her bottom lip. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that anymore.”

“Oh?” Shay twisted their hands to his chest and kissed hers while waiting for an explanation.

“After everything that’s happened, I suppose I see the Assassins in a different way. They can be corrupted, and no one is there to keep them in check.”

“Except us.”

“Except us.” She repeated, “But we’re going to need more people.”

“Are you suggesting we go rogue?” Shay wiggled his brows. “Who are you and what have you done with my love?”

“Oh hush.” She lowered herself to his face. Their lips a breath apart. “Rogues. I like that name.”

“As do I.” Shay grinned, appreciating her nearness. “What other work would you like to discuss, Mistress Cormac? Or are you satisfied with the way the world is?”

“Momentarily.” (Y/N) grew serious. “Though there is one thing we need to discuss.” Shay’s smile dropped, and he looked concerned. Her grin grew and she wiggled her hips. 

His eyes darkening, cheeks growing red, Shay’s grin copied hers. “Are you sure?” 

Her response was kissing him passionately.

Liam had assured them Achilles would live out the rest of his days under his watchful eye. He also promised to revitalize the Brotherhood and train Assassins again. Haytham bid them farewell at the Colonies, bowing low to (Y/N).

“Until we meet again, Mistress Cormac.”

“Haytham, I told you to call me (Y/N).”

Haytham thought this over, his shark grin reappearing. Adjusting his stance, and his hat, he smirked. “The next time we met, I’d imagine that shall be your true title. Why would I want to learn your real name now?” 

The Colonies were a smudge in the horizon. “Where now?” The wheel was heavy in her hands, but Shay was standing right beside her. The power of the Morrigan could be felt at her fingertips, and she planted her feet firmly. Just like he’d told her.

“Anywhere you want.” Shay whispered into her ear, watching the sunset. Hm, bed sounded nice, but how could she say that without him making a joke of it? 

“You’re distracting the Captain.”

Shay rolled his eyes and stood straighter. Wouldn’t want to wreck the Morrigan by flirting. The crew wouldn’t like that too much. Still, the enjoyment of bothering her was too overwhelming. Shay kissed her neck and shoulders, lips gently touching the skin. His breath caressing her.  (Y/N) pouted over her shoulder, and Shay resumed hovering over her. It was like an angel was watching over her. “Shay!”

“Fine, fine, steer the ship.” Shay chuckled. “Where would you like to go?”

(Y/N) thought this over. “Somewhere sunny.”

“Somewhere sunny it is.” Shay stood beside her as she tried to give the wheel back. With a shake of his head, he pressed his body against her, his hands over hers as he turned the wheel. Shay’s voice was soft in her ear. “Didn’t the Great Altair marry a Templar?” (Y/N) found her throat suddenly very dry, so she nodded. Shay hummed. “Good to know.”

Their course adjusted, they sailing into the sunset.

[andrea-lyn]

I was listening to 'Do I Wanna Know?' (Chvrches cover of Artic Monkeys) & these lines screamed Malex: Ever thought of calling when you've had a few? 'Cause I always do Maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new Now I've thought it through Crawling back to you Maybe one half of Malex is drunk, really wants to call the other but doesn't & the next day goes to have a sober talk with him about them?

When Michael wakes up, it’s to nearly fifty texts in his drafts. They’re all unsent, but they paint a very vivid picture. Sitting up slowly, he groans as he glances behind him to make sure he didn’t bring anyone home last night after a blackout night at the Pony, but luckily he’d been both smart enough to come home alone, but also not to send any of the texts.

Staring at them, he reaches for a bottle of acetone, because hair of the dog is a necessity if he’s going to cope with this.

They’re mostly to Alex. Early in the night, there’s a few drafts for Isobel (what was w/ ur weird muppet vest the other nite? did you skin fozzy bear?) and then a few to Liz (i need u to know that if u call me mikey in front of witnesses, i will crush u w/ my brain).

From there, it looks like he’d had a little too much to drink and had gone one-track mind.

Alex-minded, more like. 

u know what i miss, i miss the way you kissed my neck

fuck, how come we only ever woke up together once?

i miss you

ilu

They go on like that, and on, and just when Michael thinks that his parade of pathetic pining is over, he scrolls down and finds some more. Grabbing a bunch of his curls in his hand, his only relief is that the messages are all sitting in his drafts, so even drunk, he had some sense. He groans and collapses back on the bed. 

He knows he’s not doing so well, not since Max, but this is a new low. When he hadn’t been able to explain to Maria how his hand had healed, that relationship had grown complicated too, and he’d cowardly bolted from going down that road because the last thing he needs is yet another complicated thing that makes him feel like shit.

His drunk self doesn’t agree, it looks like. 

There’s a few texts to Maria in there, but they’re mostly apologies, the kind of drunken sad ones that radiate regret. He definitely didn’t text i want to lick every inch of your body to her the way that he had to Alex. 

For a few hours, he hydrates and drinks acetone until he feels like he can move a few steps without puking. 

Once his head is clear, Michael has the feeling that he needs to talk to Alex. He brings up a brand new message and texts Alex to ask if he can come by the cabin to speak to him. He sends this one, and this is the one that gets an instant reply.

only if you bring coffee

Right. Coffee run it is.

He drops by the Crashdown to get Alex’s usual and then adds two extra espresso shots to his own order before he makes the drive out to the cabin, caffeinating until he’s jittery. He owes Alex a lot – apologies, explanations, actual lines of honest communication – but right now, he just needs to sort out his head so he doesn’t have nights like last night. 

“Hey!” Michael calls out, letting himself in the cabin. Alex has already said that he can come and go as he pleases, which would be exciting if it weren’t for the fact that he’d also made keys for Liz and Kyle and said the same thing. He’s no better than a friend, right now, which is the bed he’s made and has to lie in.

He can hear rustling from the bedroom and Michael heads to the door to see Alex finishing with his prosthetic, fiddling with some of the adjustments. 

“Coffee,” Michael says, setting it on the nightstand beside Alex since his hands are busy. He’s nervous and a bit frantic, and he puts his phone down on the nightstand beside the coffee because he’s worried that he’s going to press the wrong button and send all those drafts, seeing as they’re open so Michael can let his eyes skim over them to remind himself why he’s here. He navigates back to the home screen, lingering at the edge of the bed, trying not to think about Alex getting undressed instead of this.

He wants to talk about the messages in his phone, wants to show Alex and talk about how much he still wants to be with him, but not yet. Michael decides that he needs a minute to collect himself. He can talk to Alex about it, he can, he just needs a minute. 

“Hey, can I use the bathroom?”

Alex nods, distracted with the latches, cursing under his breath. Michael takes advantage to bolt for the bathroom, where he spends a good five minutes staring at his reflection in the mirror, telling himself that he can do this. He’s here to talk, that’s all. They’re not ending things, no one is walking away, and they can be mature adults about this.

When another few minutes pass, Michael figures that either he’s got to get out there or Alex is going to think he only came over to the cabin to abuse bathroom privileges. 

When he leaves the bathroom, it’s to the sight of Alex with Michael’s phone.

“Fuck!” he can’t help his automatic reaction on the heels of a panicked noise, and the severity and suddenness of it makes Alex nearly fumbles the phone. 

“Sorry,” Alex says. “Sorry, it was ringing and I saw it was Isobel, so I was trying to silence it, only I think it shifted to your messages and I…” Guilt flashes over his face. “I saw the messages. The drafts.”

That wouldn’t just be there. That means that Alex had to go looking for them. “Why would you…?”

“Because last night, I got this one random text from you, and it looked like it was part of something else and I…” Alex gives him an apologetic look. “What you wrote me was pretty safe. It just said something about my mouth, how you missed it when I was reading something and i started mouthing the words out loud. I didn’t really think much about it, because it was kind of really badly typed and I know that you’ve been drinking, lately.”

Understatement.

“Guerin,” Alex exhales. “You’re not the only one with unsent, unspoken words. I just never know how to bring them up.” He gives him an unsure look as he steadies his weight on the prosthetic, standing carefully (with Michael’s help as he reaches out to hold onto him). “Is that why you’re here? To talk about them?”

He nods. “I think it says something about the fact that I wrote more than ten times the texts to you than I did to anyone else. I’m glad my finger only slipped the once, that some part of my brain knew it wasn’t right to send them to you, but I’m here because it also says that there’s something still there.”

Michael’s in pain and fighting grief and it’s not that he wants to use Alex as a bandage, but maybe part of his grief is because of the wound that he and Alex never let heal.

Alex reaches for the coffee and Michael’s phone, handing the latter out to him.

“Look,” Alex says quietly, “when you’re ready, send me the texts. Okay? I don’t want there to be things unsaid between us. Not anymore. I also don’t want you to think that you have to keep drinking instead of talking to me. So…” He reaches over to squeeze Michael’s shoulder. “Think about it?”

Michael nods, feeling like he’s been struck mute. It’s a terrifying ask, but it’s one that he knows will take them to a new level – a better place, even. All it will take is some courage, some honesty, and some willingness to try; on both their parts. 

“Come on,” Alex breaks into that unnerving silence. “Since you’re here, I was gonna clean out the eaves today and…” He waggles his brows at him, tapping his temple.

Michael huffs out a laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, my alien powers were definitely meant to clean out blockages.”

“You’re here,” Alex points out. “And you brought me coffee. It’s up to you.”

Because Michael is a sucker and because it’s better than obsessing over all those unsent messages, he does stay and he uses his powers to help clean the eaves of the cabin. His phone is in his pocket and it feels like it’s burning a hole, but he’ll figure it out. He even thinks soon, because it feels like he’s sitting on a landmine and at this point, he’d rather it just go off. 

*

It turns out that Michael doesn’t need much time to figure his shit out.

He knows that he’s not automatically healed. He knows this won’t fix everything and that he has a lot of damage to undo both with Maria and Alex, for what he’d done. Still, he also knows that the only way out is through and if that way happens to end with Alex at the finish line, then he definitely wants to pursue it. He’d come over to Alex’s place with coffee again, because yesterday after they’d finished with the eaves, Alex had mentioned something about needing to dig out the foundation to repair a crack.

So here he is, ready to work, and ready for other things, too.

The next day, Michael presses a button and sends all his drafts. He takes immense joy in hearing Alex’s phone going wild with notifications, combined with the strangled sound that Alex makes from the kitchen that tells Michael that he’s read all of them, including the filthy batch that Michael had drafted nearer to the end of the night. 

That smug feeling of victory evaporates when his own phone goes wild with alerts and he sees his inbox:

278 unread messages from Alex Manes

It looks like he’s not the only one with things unsaid. Grinning as he catches Alex’s eye, he can feel his heart pounding in his chest. 

“No more unspoken words?” Alex suggests. 

That’s a promise Michael can definitely make. “No more.”

[agent-shield-blog]

Sunburnt

After a long day in the sun you return home with a terrible sunburn, and someone cant seem to let the situation go.

Pairing: Reader X Tony Featuring: Reader X Tony X Peter Warnings: Language

“Can I just say I told you so?” Tony was quick on your heel as you both entered the Avengers tower. Doing your best to ignore the fool behind you, you made your way through the lobby and got on the elevator that was already waiting for you.

“Shut up Tony.” Tony walked in and stood next to you with his hands held up surrendering, knowing it was not the best time to test you. With you both having the day off you had decided to take a stroll in Central Park. You and Tony both knew some paths that were relatively empty, but they also had no shade. So when Tony asked you time and time again if you wanted to put some sunscreen on you responded each and every time with a hard no.

Tony lowered his hand instinctively on your shoulder, causing you to cringe as his hand brushed up against your exposed skin.

“Ugh, Tony!”

“I’m sorry!” Tony made his way around so now he was facing your front. He leaned in a gave you a soft kiss before taking a step back once the door opened. Feeling a little better you walked to the kitchen to grab some water, but you didn't make it far before the other Avengers saw you, and today you were a spectacle.

“Damn (y/n) you are so sunburnt,” Peter spoke from his spot at the counter where he was eating some chips. If looks could kill, your side-eye would have burnt a hole through Peter’s head. After taking a quick sip from your water bottle you searched the medicine cabinet for some ibuprofen, hoping it would help.

“Peter (y/n) obviously knows that she’s sunburnt. Maybe if she would have listened to me when I told her to put on some sunscreen and that she didn't need to get rid of her farmers tan we wouldn’t be here but-“ Having enough of Tony's rant you were quick to close your water bottle and throw it at his legs. Once it made contact with Tony, he was fast to shut up, knowing you had perfect aim and could have gone for a more sensitive part of the body.

After taking something for the burn, you made your way upstairs leaving Tony behind to talk with Peter. Once inside your shared room with Tony, you headed straight towards the shower, praying that the cold water would soothe your skin. Once locked in the bathroom you shed your clothes fast, revealing some even more awkward tan lines, and big red splotches of sunburnt skin. You turned around and looked over your shoulder into the mirror. You sighed when you realized that your back was probably worse than your front.

As you turned on the shower, you kept turning down the temperature until it was to the point where it was cool, but not so cold that it would be like swimming in the artic. You were quick to step in and relieve the pain. At first, when the water brushed down your skin, you could feel nothing but a stinging sensation, but after a minute or so, the cold water calmed your body.

You could have stayed in the shower for the rest of the day, but Tony knocking on the door for a few minutes was enough to get you out. You put your hair up in a towel and dried yourself off before wrapping the towel around your body. When you opened the door, Tony took a step back and gave you a small smile.

“I’m sorry that I was a little insensitive down there. But I brought you some aloe with special pain relief, and I brought your favorite t-shirt of mine out of hiding just for the occasion.” You grinned at Tony before taking a step to close the gap. You gave him a kiss on the cheek, brushing up against some of his stubble.

“Thank you, Tony, I appreciate it. Um, would you mind helping me put some aloe on my back before I put the t-shirt on?”

“For you anything.” You lowered your towel, so most of your back was showing, but so you were still covered. Tony sat down the t-shirt on the bed before dousing his hands in the blue substance. As soon as the ice gel graced your skin, you let out a small moan, earning a chuckle from Tony. “Man if I knew putting aloe on your burns was what I had to do to get some noise out of you, I would have gotten you sunburned sooner.”

“And if you continue poking fun, you’re going to find aloe all over your lab, and probably some in your hair just for good measure.” Tony fake gasped as he finished rubbing in the aloe on your back.

“You would never dare. You love me too much.”

“Eh, debatable.” You mumbled under your breath, as you grabbed the shirt and made your way back into the bathroom. As soon as you got your undergarments on you pulled the t-shirt over you. It was one of Tony's old rock band shirts, that he never wore, but claimed it was his favorite t-shirt. So it was only natural that it became your favorite pajama shirt to sleep in. When Tony noticed how much you were using it he almost let you keep it. Almost. He was quick to hide it away who knows where. But whenever you were feeling sick or sad, he’d always bring it out of hiding.

The t-shirt already being about two sizes too big for Tony, was even larger for you, almost hitting your knees. When you walked out, you headed over to your bed where Tony was laying, looking for something on Netflix to watch. As you carefully climbed into bed, Tony positioned himself so you could lay next to him. You put your head on top of his chest, as he carefully placed one arm around you, making sure not to touch any burnt part of your skin.

Tony scrolled through Netflix a little more before he chose your favorite tv show. You both sat in silence and watched the tv. You felt your head bob up and down just the slightest to Tony’s breathing. You looked up and placed your chin on Tony chest so you could make eye contact with him.

“I’m sorry I was so short with you when we got back. I was just mad that I got burnt, and yes you told me so, and don't look so surprised I can admit when I’m wrong, sometimes.” Tony moved your damp hair behind your ear before tracing his hand along your cheek.

“I’m sorry that you got sunburnt, and that I should have just tackled you to the ground and forced you to put some on. I’d rather that then being able to tell you I told you so.” You scootched forward, so your lips met Tonys. You stayed there for a moment, before returning to your original position and turning your attention back to the show.

“By the way don’t get used to me admitting I'm wrong, cause we both know 99.9 percent of the time I'm right.”

“Your calculation is way off I mean first of all-“

‘Tony?”

“Yeah?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

[littlepurplechipmunk-blog]

So I finally found this Artical from America Now that I wanted to share. Had me falling off the couch!

There's an inevitable moment in every parents life when your children catch a glimpse of something you'd much rather they didn't.

Something that the retinas of any grown adult human would need a full lifetime and then some to erase from their [traumatized] memory boxes but your own child? 

Fortnightly shrink sessions for life and replacement eyes are a must. 

And I would give serious consideration to hypnosis.

I'd had two full beers that night and

Joe had emptied the dishwasher without having to be asked. 

I knew right then and there it was game on. Pants . Off!

We shipped the kids to bed as quick as [lightning] and the very moment they slipped into a slumber, Mission slipping into other things commences for us as we hopped on straight down to sexy town.

Things were getting heated. 

We were just getting to the bit of the act about half way through where you actually consider going professional and you wonder why you ain't teaching these kinda moves on some sort of intense weekend course for beginners. 

Ye know, your about 2 mins in and all of a sudden bitches be thinking they some sort of Christian and Anastasia yoga instructors.

It was getting hotter then [hell] and I was trying to hold in the noises . 

There was nails digging and hair pulling and and headboards knocking and we were JUST about to be reminded whyyyyyyyyy the HELL I ever put up with this [dude] leaving his crap all over the house when suddenly,

" Mammmmmmmmy??????????"

HOLY

[EXPLETIVE]!!!!

My panic sweat glands jump into emergency mode busting open like a military operation and my vagina zips itself up to my back immediately before I've even had a chance to turn my head.

I look up to see a moving smudge of [color] in a 'my little pony' night gown rubbing its eyes and [whining].

I pray to the baby Jesus that we have a poltergeist and I also pray it's legally blind.

My vision is blurred with both the sheer fright and with truth tears over fears of who I'll find behind the blur of doom. 

I knew the answer.

In that same split second I hear a small girl scream. It's Joe, it was the noise accompanied by him leaping off me higher than a kangaroo hurdler while very nearly giving himself a home circumcision from the ceiling fan in the process.

I watched him, almost in slow motion fly through the air in panic, the anaconda swerving all over the place threatening to strangle me to death in the act.

Seriously, the thing nearly slapped me in the face and blackened the eyes off me on it's jump up there.

I sit up in a rush, my [behind] is still lingering up at my throat where it jumped and hid at the first "m" of "mammy". My hair is looking like I've just had the misfortune of science project exploding in my face. Joe is huddled in the corner of the room under a white duvet, rocking back and forth like he's going through an exorcism all the while muttering pleads to Jesus under his breathe that this isn't happening. 

After another few blinks my vision becomes clear and I see .

It's Frankie, my poor poor misfortunate child. 

She's standing at the side of our bed. 

For how long ?

Who f***ing knowsssss!!!

She's rubbing her eyes and momentarily I consider the fact that she may actually be trying to scratch them out.

She tells me she's lost her soother in her bed and she needs me to look for it.

I oblige.

She wanders into her room and says nothing.

Puts her soother in and goes back to sleep while me and Joe stay awake all night staring at the ceiling and speak not one word to each other.

I don't know what she saw that night.

I can't say for definite if she saw too much or if she saw anything at all.

All I know is, if in the future, My poor poor innocent child ever comes to me and tells me she remembers a very vivid dream where two large warthogs were trying to give each other a hoosh over a wall or that two friggin tapers where playing an aggressive game of twister, well,

I guess I'll have my answer.

Myself and Joe are due to finish our Trauma Counselling sometime in the year 2045.

@this-kitty-has-claws @tilltheendwilliwrite

[fortheloveofpearlet]

Straightjacket Feeling - Pearlet [Chapter 4]

This is something I wrote AGES and AGES ago. First few chapters set in college but its NOT a college AU I swear! Kinda based on ‘Do I Wanna Know’ by the Artic Monkeys, lyrics throughout fic. Kinda angsty, also includes a small dose of Viadore. After the next chapter it will finally stop being in college! 

Chapter 4

Daytona Beach was already abuzz with Spring Breakers when they arrived some seven hours later. It was already dark when Matt pulled the SUV up in front of the hotel. When Jason opened the door he was bombarded by noise from every angle and he groaned a little. He'd half hoped he would get some studying done while he was here but that was looking unlikely. Their hotel had an outdoor pool with a bar next to it and there was loud music blaring from large speakers that people were dancing to. They all exited the car and grabbed their bags before checking in, thankfully Jason, Kurtis and Matt all had separate rooms this time. 

'So we gonna go party or what?' Matt asked as they headed to their rooms.

'No, need sleep.' Jake grumbled, clearly not over his hangover yet.

'He piqued too soon. In fact I think I'm going to call it a night too, how about you Bri?' Brian squeezed his boyfriend’s hand.

'Yeah I'm pretty beat.' Bri nodded.  

'Me too.' Kurtis agreed.

'Fucking light weights!' Matt groaned. 'You'll come party with me won't you Jay?' He beamed at the younger boy, the smile he had so much trouble saying no to.

'I'm really tired Matt.' Jason pulled a face. Matt widened his eyes and quivered his bottom lip; his fucking puppy dog face, the one he knew Jason couldn't resist.

'Just one drink?' He batted his eyes. Jason groaned.

'One drink.' He repeated. 'Let me get changed first though.' 

Suddenly Matt was engulfing him in a huge hug.

'You're the best.' Matt spoke into his ear and Jason practically melted. That made it worth it.

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

No sooner had Jason changed into a more weather appropriate outfit, because despite being night time it was still hotter in Daytona than it was in New York in the day time, Matt was knocking on his door. He put on a pair of his tightest shorts, the ones that made his ass look incredible, a Pearl Liaison vest top (because he knew Matt loved her) and his old boots. He opened the door and Matt was smiling at him. He too had opted for shorts and a baggy vest top but his was a plain dark green one. He spotted Jason's shirt straight away.

'Oh god can you get me one of them for graduation?' He pointed to the queen on Jason's top, swooning a little. 'I don't even care that she's a dude, she is so fucking hot.' 

Jason laughed, rolling his eyes. 

'Maybe, if you're good.'

'I'm always good.' He winked at Jason and started leading him towards the bar by the pool. Matt whispered something in the bartender's ear whilst Jason was distracted taking in the chaos. It was loud, really loud, and he would bet he and Matt were the only sober ones here. He felt Matt nudge him in the arm and he tore his attention away from the other party goers to see Matt handing him a plastic cup.

'What's this?' Jason sniffed it, that familiar smell of battery acid.

'That's the Violet Kiss.' He smiled brightly. Jason hadn't had one of Matt's secret concoctions since that first night he took him to that party. He took a small sip, he couldn't deny it was really nice.

'Are you ever going to tell me what's in it?' Jason said as he followed Matt over to a free sun lounger where he sat down and Jason sat next to him.

'Maybe one day. But not tonight.' 

'What about where you came up with the name?'

'Again, maybe one day, but not tonight.' Matt had a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at Jason. 'You should take your hair down, you look so much prettier with your hair down.'

Jason's heart skipped a beat. Did Matt just call him pretty? 

'I uhm...'

'Oh don't start with the uhming again.' Matt laughed. 'Take your hair down.' 

Jason bit his lip and nodded using his free hand to pull his hair and from its bun and let it cascade down his back. He ruffled it a little, Matt was smiling at him.

'Much better.' He whispered. Jason didn't know what to make of this. Was Matt hitting on him? He wasn't even drunk either, which made it all the more confusing. 

'Yeah.' Just stuttered. 

'You know, I always meant to talk to you about that night I came to your dorm. You know when Bri came home and outside in the corridor...'

When you kissed me Jason said in his head when Matt trailed off.

'What about it?' He croaked, were they finally going to talk about it? Had Matt just called him pretty and now he wanted to talk about their kiss? 

'Well,' Matt placed his hand gently on Jason's leg and Jason felt like a thunderbolt had just shot through his body. 'I've never done anything like that before you know? But I just...I can't explain it. I just had this urge you know? And I knew I should have talked to you about it but it never seemed like the right time. You know sometimes...sometimes I think...' Matt trailed off and it felt to Jason as though he was leaning closer. Was he going to kiss him again? Had Jason brushed his teeth? His head was spinning but Matt was definitely moving closer. 'Sometimes I think that maybe I'd like to-'

'Oh my god you are like super fucking hot!' A female voice interrupted them and suddenly a girl was falling down to the sun lounger between Matt and Jason. No, no, no fuck off! Jason screamed internally. 

'Why thank you.' Matt smiled at her, seemingly ignoring Jason was there anymore. Jason wanted to scream at her, he and Matt were just getting somewhere, and finally, she couldn't have chosen a worse moment.

'I'm Chloe.' She was clearly drunk and she ran her hand through Matt's hair. 'And you are fucking gorgeous.' 

'I'm Matt and I'm flattered.' He chuckled a little. 'This is my friend Jason.' He pointed passed her to Jason but she didn't look.

'Are you coming to the club? Everyone's going to the club.' 

'Uhm I'm not sure. Are we going to the club Jay?' He looked at Jason over Chloe's shoulder. Jason pulled a face and shook his head frantically. Matt half-smiled. 'Sorry, we've been driving for two days, maybe tomorrow?' 

'Ohhhh come on, we'll have a really good time.' She kissed Matt's neck now, her other hand working its way up Matt's thigh. He gasped and closed his eyes. Jason clenched his jaw. Fuck this, he wasn't going to be the third wheel. He especially wasn't going to sit and watch while the boy he loved hooked up with some drunk bimbo. He got up and stormed away. He briefly looked over his shoulder to see if Matt had noticed but he hadn't. His eyes were still closed as Chloe continued to work her lips on his neck. He didn't blame Chloe, Matt was fucking gorgeous, and Jason was surprised there weren't women lining up down the block for him. But Jason didn't want to be part of it. He also didn't want to go back to his room because he would no doubt curl up in bed and cry pathetically. So he went for a walk, and tried to burn the image of Chloe kissing Matt's neck from his mind.

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

The sand was soft under his bare feet. He loved the way he sank into it as he walked, he loved the way it felt between his toes. He loved the feel of the soft sea breeze on his skin. He loved New York but sometimes, Matt missed the beach, a lot.

 He could see him sitting down by the shore, his long hair blowing in the wind. He lifted a bottle to his lips and downed it and then made a disgusted noise that made Matt laugh. Jason turned, hearing the noise and he rolled his eyes as he saw Matt closing in on him.

'That was quick, even for you.' Jason sighed as Matt fell to the sand next to him.

'What was quick?' Matt took the bottle from Jason, it was whiskey.

'The sex.' 

'Where did you get this?' Matt chuckled taking a sip from it. He saw Jason shrug.

'The bartender was preoccupied with his own bimbo so I swiped it. Seems like a recurring thing down here.' 

Matt laughed again.

'So Chloe was a bimbo?'

'Wasn't she?' Jason turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. 

'I don't know I wasn't with her long enough to find out. I left after I realised you did a disappearing act.' 

Jason's facial expression turned into more of a frown. 

'You didn't sleep with her?' He snatched he bottle back from Matt.

'No!' Matt scoffed. 'I'm not Jake.' 

'Oh come on Matt, you might not be Jake but you aren't exactly a virgin either.' Jason rolled his eyes and swigged from the bottle, making the disgusted noise again.

'What are you implying?' Matt frowned now, and if Jason wasn't mistaken he thought Matt looked a little annoyed.

'Well I mean...we both know you get around.'

'Fuck you!' Matt spat, taking Jason back. He'd never seen Matt get angry before. 'I don't know what you think you know about me, but you're wrong.' 

'Oh really?' Jason knew he should just drop it but he didn't drink a lot so the alcohol he had consumed had gone straight to his head. 

'You know what, I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't even know why I bothered to come and find you.' He stood back up picking up his shoes. 'Just try not to drown yeah?' He spun around and headed back up the beach. Jason bit his lip feeling bad. He jumped up as quick as he could, grabbing the whiskey and his boots before attempting to run after Matt.

'Matt stop! I didn't mean that the way it sounded.' 

'Yes you did.' Matt turned back to him. He looked hurt. 'You as good as called me a fucking man whore Jason! Get your facts straight before you go making accusations ok? I thought you were my friend, I thought you got me.' He turned to leave again but Jason grabbed his shoulder.

'I am your friend! I'm sorry Matt it's just that from what I've seen...you do seem to have a lot of...female company.'

'And that immediately makes me some kind of whore?' Matt stopped again and folded his arms over his chest. 'Don't jump to conclusions when you don't know what the fuck you're talking about it.' 

Jason thought he was going to march off again but stayed put, glaring at Jason. 

'Well you've got to admit it looks a certain kind of way.' 

'Yeah well looks can be deceiving.' Matt sighed unfolding his arms and running his fingers through his hair. 'You wanna know the truth? I've only ever slept with two women. I was a chubby kid remember? Girls never looked at me. The first girl I slept with was in freshman year of college and I couldn't believe my luck that a hot girl wanted me. And the only other girl there has ever been was a long term girlfriend. We met towards the end of freshman year and dated right up until just before I met you. I'm not some kind of whore that just jumps into bed with anyone Jason. In fact I still don't get why girls are always hanging off of me, because to me, I'm still that fat dorky kid from high school. I don't see myself the way they see me! So yeah I like the attention, I like when a hot girl throws herself at me because it makes me feel good but I do not sleep with them all. I thought you knew me well enough to know I wasn't like that but I guess I was wrong.' A small tear rolled down Matt's cheek as he turned away from Jason again and started walking away. Jason dropped his shoes and drink to the floor and took off after Matt. He grabbed him by the shoulders when he reached him and turned him to face him and then he didn't think anymore. He took hold of Matt's face and he kissed him. It was much more than the small kiss they'd had once before. Jason kissed him hard and bit Matt's bottom lip to let him know he wanted access and Matt allowed it. Soon after Jason's tongue was in Matt's mouth, massaging the older boys tongue, Jason holding his face firmly all the while. Matt was so taken aback by Jason's surge of confidence his arms just hung limply at his sides as he let Jason take the lead. The kiss lasted several minutes and when it broke they were both panting.

'You are beautiful Matthew. Inside and out. Never, ever let me hear you doubt that.' Jason told him. Then he picked his stuff up from the sand and walked passed Matt towards the hotel. Matt just stood there frozen to the spot. His heart was hammering in his chest. He'd always had his suspicions that Jason had a crush on him, but of course he never would have said anything because he didn't want to ruin their friendship. But more worryingly, Matt had always had a suspicion that he too had a crush on Jason. He'd tried to write it off as a phase, he couldn't be gay could he? But that kiss had actually sent chills down his spine. For the first time in his life Matt had felt truly alive. And he wouldn't be happy until he had more. 

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

Jason was avoiding Matt. When he'd woken up the next morning his head had hurt from the whiskey and his one coherent memory of the previous night was grabbing Matt and kissing him. Matt was acting completely normal as if nothing had happened but Jason was a bundle of nerves. Had he ruined their friendship? Was Matt just acting cool because he had to? Maybe when they got back to college Matt was never going to speak to him again. 

 Jason hadn't been out drinking with them since that night. He'd spent his nights in his room studying and Matt didn't even care enough to check on him like he normally would have done. Jason didn't blame him, it was his own fault. He was starting to wish he'd stayed on campus, then maybe he and Matt would still be friends. On their last day before they started the long drive back tomorrow, Jason and Kurtis headed down to the beach. 

'I still can't believe you just ran off after without seeing what he would say! He probably thinks you regretted it the moment you did, that's probably why he's not talking to you.' Kurtis sighed.

'I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm starting to wish I hadn't told you.' Jason groaned. They were looking for a spot on the beach that wasn't over run with obnoxious college students, somewhere away from the crowds so they could relax for a bit. But they were spotted. 

'Jason! Kurtis! Over here!' It was Bri waving them over. Jason rolled his eyes under his sun glasses. He knew he couldn't very well pretend he hadn't seen him. Kurtis shrugged.

'You have to see him at some point. We've got to get a ride back with them tomorrow.'

Jason rolled his eyes again and they headed over to the rest of their gang. 

'Where the hell have you been hiding?' Jake playfully punched Jason in the arm. It hurt but Jason hoped Jake didn't notice.

'Studying.'

'Urgh dork.' Jake groaned. Jason ignored him. He also tried to ignore Matt who was sat on a towel smoking a cigarette. He was shirtless and his skin was sun kissed and Jason felt a little weak at the sight of his toned abs and tattooed arms. He set his towel out in front of Matt so he didn't have to look at him and Kurtis set his down next to Jason. Kurtis immediately whipped his own shirt off and laid back on his towel folding his arms under his head and slipping on his headphones. Jake and Roxy were now making out, her straddling him in the middle of a public beach. It made Jason cringe. The Brian's were playing some kind of game with a ball closer to the water. That left Jason and Matt. Jason wasn't the kind of guy that revelled in taking his clothes off in public but it was sweltering hot and he'd made the stupid decision to wear a black t-shirt. All the other guys on the beach were shirtless so he tried to not put too much thought into when he stripped it off and folded it neatly before putting it in his bag. He could practically feel Matt's eyes on the back of his head as he tied his hair back into a bun. He knew he'd have to speak to him eventually, but every time Jason looked at him he went bright red. So he decided to keep looking straight ahead when he spoke.

'Sorry about the other night.' He spoke so quietly he wasn't even sure Matt would hear him. There was a long pause and he thought maybe he hadn't heard him but then Matt spoke.

'S'ok.' 

Jason bit his lip. Was that all? Was that really all he got?

'Are we...you know...are we ok?' He said now still not looking at Matt.

'Yeah why wouldn't we be? You're the one that's making a big deal out of it.' 

Jason turned to look at Matt now, pulling his sunglasses onto his head. 

'What's that supposed to mean?' He frowned. 

'I mean, you're the one that's been avoiding me. I forgot about it as soon as you walked away.' Matt still had his sunglasses on so Jason couldn't tell what he was thinking. But his comment hurt, and if he didn't know any better he would think that's why Matt had said it.

'Good, glad that's settled then.' Jason spat and turned back around so he didn't have to look at his asshole friend anymore. Matt bit his lip. He hadn't meant that, not at all. The truth was he'd thought of nothing but that kiss since. And that scared him but it also annoyed him that Jason was acting this way. 

'Whatever.' Matt scoffed lighting a new cigarette.

'You know what? I'm glad you're graduating soon. It'll make avoiding you so much easier.' Jason shook his head, trying to keep his eyes focused on the Brian's. 

'You don't mean that.' Matt's voice was suddenly so sad and it actually made Jason feel a little bad. For a second. But then he remembered what Matt had just said to him and he thought, good, I'm glad I've upset you.

'Oh don't I?' Jason turned back round to look at Matt. 'I don't even know why we're friends Matt. We have literally nothing in common, and to be quite honest you annoy the fuck out of me sometimes. Most of the time actually.' Jason wanted Matt to hurt like Matt had hurt him. He couldn't tell what Matt was thinking.��

'You're the one that kissed me.' Matt spoke quietly making sure no one else heard.

'Yeah because I felt sorry for you.' Jason told him. 'And it was the stupidest thing I've ever done. If I could take it back I would. Let's just get on with our last day here and then when we get back to campus we can go our separate ways.'

'Fine by me.'

'Fine.' Jason spat and turned back around. Matt felt tears stinging his eyes. That's not what he wanted, not at all. He was about to speak again, to tell Jason he was sorry for being an ass and that he wanted things to be ok, more than anything else in the world but there was suddenly a slim, messy haired man approaching them. 

'Hi there. I'm so sorry to just come over like this but I saw you across the beach and, I'm sorry to be so forward but I thought you were gorgeous so I just had to come over here.' He spoke to Jason. Matt wanted to tell this guy to fuck off but Jason spoke.

'Hi, well that's very nice of you.' Jason smiled at the stranger. 'I'm Jason.' 

'Danny.' The man held his hand out to shake Jason's. 'I don't supposed you'd like to go grab a drink?'

'Bit early isn't it?' Matt scoffed. Jason looked at him over his shoulder. He was going to say no to Danny's offer but Matt had made him have a change of heart. 

'Sure, a drink would be great.' Jason turned his attention back to Danny and heard Matt scoff. Jason stood up and brushed the sand off of him before grabbing his bag. 'Tell Kurtis I'll see him later.' He told Matt without looking at him.

'I'm not your fucking secretary.' Matt replied but Jason wasn't listening, he'd already started following Danny away. Matt groaned and laid back in the sand. This was his own fault. If he was just honest with Jason about how he felt then maybe that could be the two of them strolling down the beach together. Matt was an idiot. And now he'd probably lost his chance.

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

'What was that guys deal?' Danny asked Jason now they were sat back up by the pool with a drink. Jason sighed, shaking his head.

'I wish I knew. He's supposed to be my best friend, or so he says.' 

'He sounded a little...jealous to me.' Danny sipped his drink with a small smile. He had a really nice smile Jason thought, just not as nice as Matt's. 

'I don't think so.' Jason laughed. 'He's an idiot, I don't want to talk about him.'

'Ok.' Danny smiled. 'Where are you from?'

'Atlanta originally but I'm at college in New York. How about you?' 

'I'm from California, Azusa, but I'm at college in Tampa, not too far from here actually.' 

Jason wanted to like Danny. He wanted to like Danny because Danny wasn't Matt. He needed a distraction from Matt, he really didn't care what it was at this point. So for the second time in as many days, Jason put on his confident hat and leaned in close to Danny and kissed him. It was nothing like kissing Matt. That was probably a good thing. It didn't feel like a good thing though.

[for-the-haunted-mist-i-ride]

An Ally? (completed Roleplay between Traxex and Abaddon)

silentasmist:

On her rounds as usual, Traxex felt an eerie presence drift into the forests being her. An odd mist flowed past, and the sound of gentle clopping hooves could be heard. The ranger could guess who it was, but the thought of someone like Abaddon making his way through the woods was puzzling.

Feeling it get closer, Traxex snapped out of the trance she got herself into and dashed into the forests, stopping only when she was at a fair distance. Peering out, now, the ranger awaited the incoming lord with mixed emotions; why would he come out here? What was his purpose? All of these she wondered.

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Riding through the forest, along the dark stone path the Lord of Avernus gazed outwards and into the darkness of the forest, beneath him Netherax made no a sound but the clop of its hooves, sending out an eerie pulse into the air.

Sighing to himself the Lord looked to his flanks cautiously, he knew the Ranger patrolled these woods and that she may well be watching him, in truth he had barley spoken to the Ranger in recent moths. Looking into himself the Lord of Avernus breathed deeply and felt as he always did, he was right, their was a fate nearby, a presence, though he could not locate the source of the fate, he knew  it was nearby but that was it.

Smirking beneath his helm the Lord continued on, Netherax’s steps slower, “I wounder if it is the fabled ranger watching me? I have not seen her beauty in a very long time…. nor her arrows.” he added cautiously, looking around carefully as he progressed along the path.

silentasmist:

Peering out at Abaddon, Traxex wasn’t surprised at all with his knowing she was there, that “fount” or whatever it was wasn’t something she wanted to mess with, or doubt the powers of. Still, she remained at her position, following alongside the horse and its rider.

She was still rather deep in thought, trying to figure out why exactly Abaddon of all heroes would visit here… Lich was someone with a lot of time on his hands, but a lord? Visiting the woods that were well known to house many low ranking creatures, such as the Drow? All of this she wondered, until what Abaddon said managed to make it to her ears, then she sighed aloud, perhaps loud enough for him to hear, or maybe not. It all depended on whether he was listening attentively… Could that be why he came here? To see her?

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Abaddon paused, it had barley been a whisper, but he could of sworn that he had heard somebody. Yet, as quickly as he heard the sound it vanished like falling mist upon the moors.

Straightening his spine Abaddon called out in the forest, his ethereal voice echoing through the trees in a spectral fashion, “who goes their?” He demanded, his hand open and ready to summon his mace from the air itself.

"I know you’re one in number" he continued, feeling only one fate nearby besides his own. "Show yourself and you may find a friend, attack me and you will feel my steel" He reiterated turning Netherax to where he thought he had heard the noise. In this moment he both hoped and dreaded it was the Ranger for whom he sought,he was here to negotiate, introduce, if she took aggressive upon him now all that could be lost; then again, if it wasn’t her…

silentasmist: 

Listening to the words of a lord wasn’t something she ever did or had intentions of ever doing… They were all pompous and thought too highly of themselves, but Abaddon was an exception. She watched his abilities do the best to help his allies, and had grown quite fond of watching him do his work on the battlefield. His devotion to his cause was also something she found admirable… "…Hmm…" She said aloud, though barely above a whisper, it would most definitely travel lightly through the mist of the forest.

Thinking now of the consequences to not answering him, and not wanting any combat for herself anyways, Traxex made the decision to show herself and speak to the man. Silently as she always did, she walked forward so that she might face Abaddon properly, and strode out onto the path before him. Pulling down her cowl, she stared into the glowing eye of Abaddon. “…Traxex here. Now, state your reasons for entering my woods.”

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Turning as he saw the Ranger emerge from the woods, Abaddon let out a silent thanks to whatever was listening that the Ranger had chosen to talk and that it was her face he saw now and not the shards of her arrows.

Bowing his head to the ranger Abaddon smiled beneath his helm, “Lady Traxex my buisness is with you, or so I hope you will allow. I came here seeking to introduce myself to you, a lot has changed in recent months.” He declared simply and to the point, he knew how the ranger hated pointlessly conversation.

Relaxing his hold upon the reign of Netherax, Abaddon waited, prepared to dismount if the Ranger granted his request but equally prepared to leave if the ranger requested, though he would not be happy with it.

silentasmist:

…His business was with her? A lord such as himself was seeking a mere ranger? The thought took Traxex by surprise, though it was minuscule at most. “…So a strong lord atop his mighty steed came to visit little old me?” She said sarcastically. “Heh… Very well.”

Putting the drawn arrow back into her quiver, and her bow to be latched onto her back along with it, Traxex crossed her arms over her chest and stared straight at Abaddon, stare as icy cold and serious as ever. “…What has changed in the recent months, and how does it concern me?”

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Abaddon watched the ranger holster her weapon with a cold contempt in her eye, he understood such caution though he disliked it. He was once the enemy and he probably still was in her eyes. Dismounting with practiced ease and straightening his posture the Lord of Avernus sent Netherax into the mist from whence she had come, vanishing in a spiral of sorcery.

“A lot has changed as I have said, but not anything I wish to discuss where we might be heard, is there somewhere we might talk where prying ears will not hear us Traxex?”

He had to keep his change of allegiance unknown to the Dire for as long as possible, though he suspected a few notable figures knew, Ostarion certainly did not know yet and he wished for it to remain that way.

silentasmist: 

Though she didn’t entirely know what to think of Abaddon, he was a member of the dire, and to be treated with caution; not an ally, nor an enemy, not that Traxex’ allies got much better treatment than this, anyways.

Seeing the mount vanish so quickly was something Traxex was intrigued by, though she knew better than to pay more attention to that than Abaddon talking. She listened attentively, thinking of what he could possibly want, and why he would ever come to her of all people.

“…You believe anyone would hear us here? Even though this is the main path, creatures living here are few and far between… Ugh. Follow me.” Deciding that arguing would just be pointless, she motioned for the lord to follow her through the woods, silently whispering enchantments to herself that surrounded them in mist in a matter of seconds. Turning ‘round, she peered out at the other and waited for him to follow, if he would.

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About to argue the point the Lord was grateful for the Rangers discretion. Following the ranger and listening attentively as mist began to form around them Abaddon breathed deeply and feeling nothing a miss he followed the ranger into its embrace.

"I appreciate the understanding Traxex. Even if you do not understand why, you will shortly. May I ask where we are going?" The Lord inquired further, looking the ranger up and down curiously, he had not seen the blue hued archer in many moons.

silentasmist:

“…” Traxex didn’t reply, focusing instead on the enchantment and making sure the mist wouldn’t break around them. Walking through the mist, the forest itself appearing to part for the ranger as she silently made her way through it.

After what would seem like a while of walking in complete silence, the mist faded away to reveal an area of woods hidden to the normal inhabitants of it; an abandoned resting place for the Drow, and now Traxex’s very own personal one. Flowers grew along the edge of it, and the faint light streamed through the treetops and illuminated the place beautifully.

Walking forward, Traxex turned around to face the lord again, this time ready to answer him properly. “…This was once a place that the Drow told me of. They move on quickly, so it’s belongs to me now.” She said removing her hood and getting a proper look at Abaddon. “…Not a sound escapes from here, so you can feel comfortable speaking about whatever it is you’ve hunted me down to talk about.”

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Abaddon remained silent as the Drow had continued walking, her ways and the ways of the Drow were unknown to him. Still, as he walked he could feel strange magic at work, magic he knew he would never understand.

As the ranger took them unto the hidden Grove Abaddon couldn’t help but smile, it was peculiar how the world had so many treasured spots , hidden from so many. It made one winder who found them first? How they were found and by what process they were made. But, alas, that was not the speciality if the Lord; even if the workings of fate had made him curious to the wider workings of the world.

Feeling the sunlight upon his skin beneath his shroud of shadow Abaddon smiled, it was a pleasent spot filled with life. As the ranger removed her hood and spoke he could not help but smile at her words and the artic hair that flowed down from the blue skinned archer. Though it was her eyes that made Abaddon stare for just a moment, they were so cold and full of contempt, unakin to his luminous, curious lights. It made him wonder what had done that to her.

"My thanks Lady Traxex, I appreciate your discretion. I have been making my way to a few of the Radiant chosen hero’s to inform them of this information, this who I have respect for; you being one of them." The Lord began simply, Nodding to the Ranger.

"I presume you know of the brooding war over the city of Franktou to the North yes? I doubt such an event went on by your gaze." The Lord began, waiting for the Rangers responce. The truth was,he didn’t know what to expect from the ranger, she may well just shoot him down anyway.

silentasmist:

“…A few of the radiant’s chosen?” She muttered. Could one of the dire really go and ask the radiant ancient of who were its choice heroes? This left Traxex on wondering even more just what he could possibly have come here for.

The war was somewhat well known to her, as it was one of the loudest and most provocative things she’d ever seen, and has considered firing a volley of arrows into there just to see if it would quiet them down the slightest bit, but better to not get involved, she thought as she watched and waited to see if Abaddon had anything more to say.

While she thought of her response, Traxex took the precautionary arrow she drew when she confronted the lord and put it away, and strapped her bow to her back as well. Now staring down Abaddon again, she was more than suspicious, but didn’t want to act out of hostility. “…I’ve heard of it, yes. The damn thing has caused more than some commotion among the forest dwellers, and even the Drow have been curious of it… Why do you ask?” Why did you come here? Why me?! Was what she wanted to say, but such things might make this situation more dramatic than necessary.

for-the-haunted-mist-i-ride

The Lord sighed as he the ranger spoke, at least she wasn’t involved as he had been told, that was something at least. He could see her thinking as he began to speak, though he did not know on what she thought, his words maybe? what was to be said? maybe the war? he did not know, nor would he ever know.

“Traxex, Ostarion the would be king has called me to his service at Franktou” the Lord began with a clear and deliberate bitter taste. “An order I will be declining. You see Traxex, the House of Avernus and myself included of course. Are changing sides and are joining the radiant, not only in this war, but permanently. I wanted to inform you of this so that you know my lands will welcome you and prove a safe heaven if you ever require them. I am telling you this because I have always valued your opinion and your discretion.”the Lord concluded, wondering how the ranger might respond to such news, would she even care? The truth was he did not know.    

silentasmist:

What in the world was this? Traxex cocked a brow at Abaddon. First, the highly esteemed lord of Avernus goes out of his way to seek out a foundling ranger, and now he’s telling her that he’s going to be joining her side in this silly little war, And that he valued her as a possible ally?! She could only raise her hands up in pure confusion and some disbelief as well.

“…Oh.” Her response was simple, and completely devoid of any confusion she expressed before with her expression. “…I’m happy to hear someone such as yourself sides with the radiant over the dire, but why have you come after me of all people to tell this to? Is there any particular reason?”

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The Lord was somewhat taken aback by the Rangers markedly divided response, first clear and understandable disbelief, followed by almost cold contempt. Taking a step back in uncertainty Abaddon gave a curt nod. “You’re in fact the second person I have informed, the first was Nortrom the Silencer, not the inquisitor obviously.” The lord continued, for once, somewhat unconfident in his words.

“I am telling you because you’re trustworthy Traxex and because I can respect your skill in arms and your honesty.” the Lords eyes shimmered as he continued on, “Why would I not tell you might be a better question?” he rebutted, regaining his confidence. “You’re the finest archer in the land and your ill contempt for the majority of the Dire is famous amongst us hero’s of it, or formerly anyway.”

“Is it such a shock to you Traxex?”

silentasmist:

Glowering, looking him over with the same contempt she had before, Traxex crossed her arms over her chest. She didn’t want Abaddon to cower in fear and run off; she was only confused, thinking that he had gone after her specifically as if to recruit her. Hearing that he spoke to Nortrom, she eased up more.

To hear him speak of her being trustworthy made her question him more, now thinking about why exactly someone who was a mighty Lord would go after one who the dire despised. She smirked when he said she was famous amongst the dire, thinking only of how they would probably wish for her to die at their hands, or perhaps that they might corrupt her and make her join their ranks. “…Hmm… Very well, Abaddon.”

“…And yes, it’s shocking to think someone like you would want to speak tome of all people second, and not to be among the last on the list.” She said placidly. “…When you say the dire dislike me, however expected it may be, I thought you would be among those who did.”

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The Lord sighed, he had hoped that this conversation might have gone easier. Finding a soft spot of grass the Lord kneeled down and sat upon the earth. Breathing slowly the Lord indicated for the ranger to sit.

"Someone like me? You mean a dire hero? Or a Lord?" The Lord inquired,leaning back against a tree. "As for my thoughts on you Traxex" The Lord began, hearing the font swirl and churn in his head, fates breaking and snapping in a myriad of life and death.

"I am a Lord Traxex, I have responsibilities, I must protect my people, so few in the Dire understand such a concept, most are power hungry, war mongering snakes. And even within the Radiant such a responsibility is rare. Nortrom stands for his order and as such is to a degree responsible for it. You Traxex" he looked to the ranger, his ethereal voice echoing with a supernatural edge. "You have taken the stewardship of the forests under your wing. With that comes a cause and a responsibility. For that I cannot hate you, for that, the font of Avernus respects you." The Lord concluded, smiling beneath his helm at the blue skinned archer.

"But you have not said what you think of my change of sides Traxex, do you plan to shoot me anyway?" The Lord added, looking away from the ranger and too the surrounding Grove.

silentasmist:

Seeing the lord sit, and gesture towards her to do the same, Traxex kicked at the ground where she was and sat down. Looking across from her at Abaddon, she nodded at what he first said, though she did nod in agreement to both things; his lordliness, and his affiliation with the dire.

Listening attentively, she took notice of his voice changing ever so slightly, as well as how troubled he seemed. However hard she tried, she couldn’t see what was beneath his helm, and she was curious as to what was. To hear him speak of such things… Such selfless things… It made Traxex think of why he joined the dire rankings in the first place. She kept her stare for as long as she could until staring into a noble’s eyes- as well as his compliments- got to her, and she found herself staring off into the wood. “…To think… A whole font respects a little foundling girl like me… Heh…” She couldn’t help but laugh, as the thought of anything of a higher order favoring her wasn’t something she would expect, not in her wildest dreams.

“…As for you…” She said, looking back to Abaddon. “…I never shoot anyone who doesn’t deserve it, Abaddon. I came to that war so that the Drow might not think of me as a complete failure, though I wouldn’t know if they do. The dire… The dire are ones who I think do deserve an arrow or two, but there are exceptions amongst them…” She gestured to him. “…Yourself, for example. You fight for your cause, and I find that to be quite admirable. However, though exceptions do exist… They are few and far between. You and Balanar are the two prime examples, and not many exist outside of them.”

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The Lord nodded as the ranger spoke, his luminous eyes staring into her own until she broke the gaze and stared off and into the distance. “Thank you for undeserstanding Traxex, I have not in fact conversed with Balannar in a very long time, but I trust your word on the matter.” Leaning back as he spoke the Lord settled into the Grove, making himself comfortable.

"As for this foundling girl you speak of, you will have to introduce me one day. For I see only the ranger who is skilled enough to enter the darkest war this land has ever known; no small feat."

Sighing to himself the Lord noted the Rangers stance, even when she sat she was ready to spring into action at any moment. Looking to her eyes again Abaddon found himself lost in the blue jewels that they were, for just a moment. “So Traxex, that is my news. This new ally of yours may have questions for you, but they can wait, I have spoken enough. Do you have questions for me?” The Lord inquired, relaxing slowly as the conversation continued.

silentasmist:

She swore she was blushing, but payed it no mind. To be recognized as a hero for these little efforts was all she really wanted, but she wouldn’t let that be known. Instead, relying on chance was all she would get. Glancing away from him again, she started to conjure a bit of mist around them, not enough to aid in any traveling, up instead to comfort her. Though this situation was anything but uncomfortable, to be surrounded in the only thing that had truly stuck by her throughout her life was something… Special.

“…Questions?” She blurted out, almost surprised. “Well… Hmm.” She had to think about this for a little bit. The thought that came to mind first was asking what he looked like beneath his helm, and the other being why he’d ever join the dire rankings in the first place. One of them was childish in her opinion, and the other made sense. “…Why would you ever join the dire? Was it a matter of their being persuasive, or…?”

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The Lord smirked beneath his helmet as she swore he saw a darker hue appear upon the Rangers cheeks. Was she blushing? It was to faint to tell. Before he could tell properly Traxex began to summon her mist, it was beautiful, a faint smoke of earthly life drifting through the air. Extending his hand out and into the mist Abaddon swirled his gauntlet through the mist, slowly and deliberately, playing with the pale mist with his own darker strands of magic and mist.

As the Ranger posed her question however, the Lords hand closed, why had he joined the Dire? It wasn’t that simple, no matter, she had a right to know. Raising his head and looking the ranger up and down again, Abaddon could not help but have her aesthetic cool his hatred of this subject somewhat.

"You could say I inherited it, before this war of the Anceints, before my time as Lord of Avernus, my Father made an alliance with Ostarion the then Skeleton King, to spare our Kingdom and this under our protection from his ruthless hand, but it was not to be. Feeling betrayed those noble houses reveled against my own house and the crown of Ostarion." The truth was he had been but a boy at the time. "They were crushed, of course, so then the House of Avernus is left in aleigence to Ostarion? But with no friends to assist us, and no trade, no one wants to be trade partners with an ally of Ostarion. Then the war of the anceints came and I had an oppertunity to restore the honour of my house, I beleive ending this aleigence is the first step." He finished, sighing deeply, telling this story was always difficult.

"The House of Avernus is string now, independent, but it does need friends."

silentasmist:

She noticed how his own magic seemed to twist the mist around them, and how it added its own ethereal presence and something other than what she knew so well. How strange.

Looking up as he began to speak, Traxex’s eyes widened in surprise. She thought he was joining the dire so that he might become some kind of destructive and malevolent being, but instead he had a whole story to tell. She was no stranger to the skeleton king, as he often would lead his armies through the wood, not looking for her, but she held suspicion that if he caught the slightest glimpse of her that he might send them all in her direction.

“…Fascinating, Abaddon. You truly look after your cause… It’s admirable.” She smiled and held her stare. “…The house Avernus can add one cold ranger to its list of friends, then. I’d be happy to associate myself with something like that house.” She began to think of how the Lord’s abilities and her’s would mesh; how they worked well together at the very least, and how he would be able to help her survive in combat.

“…I suppose I should allow you a question, then? It only seems fair… Ask what you wish.”

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The Lord smiled beneath his helm at the Rangers words, her wide eyes an enchanting sight to him. They were the pale blue of winters morning, sparkling with the sunlight filled snow of the same early morning.

"Thank you Traxex, it means an awful lot to me that you have said this. I assure you, I will not regret it." He paused for a moment, considering his next words, his hand absent mindedly playing with the mist again.

"But you give me far to much credit, I am just a Lord, I have responsibilities along with my be nights, it is how the world works, it gives and it takes; but I digress." Nodding to the Ranger as he spoke the Lord of Avernus wondered to himself just what he wished to know, he could ask for her advice in recruiting the other Radiant hero’s to him or even who to avoid? But then their was the ranger herself, a mysterious figure even to the most knowledgeable of hero’s in the valley. Her fate even gave little clues, bright and intense like all the fates if those who fought, Traxex’s carried scars, a fate deprived of its family and so much childhood; it left an imprint.

"You have mentioned many topics in our conversation Traxex, and I have noticed that whenever you mention yourself, you think so little and it has made me curious. Why do you do what you do Traxex? Why so you do this? The Lord inquired, watching not only her wide eyes, but also her shifting fate.

silentasmist:

She listened again, nodding in agreement and choosing not to speak again. For once, there was another who didn’t entirely appreciate their cause being complimented and their duties being called “pure” and “selfless.” It was refreshing to see.

The question tugged at her a bit, and she choked on the words she was about to say. She began to think, but the thoughts only made her get more annoyed. “…I…” She said, sounding almost frustrated, but still wanting to answer the question. “…I do this because it’s all I’ve known, I suppose… My entire life was dedicated to being stealthy and lithe, and I could do it better than any of those brats…” She spat her last words, as she was talking about the Drow children who were not rejected or ridiculed for their appearance; how they lived without a second thought about it, where as she had to bear the burden of thinking she was an abomination.

“…To guard these woods is… Is all they’ve left me. These are the same woods that I was raised in; these are the same woods that I know better than anyone else… Without them, I guess I really am just a reject who couldn’t do anything for those repulsive and horrible Drow…” She was obviously upset. “…Sure, I didn’t look like them, but I also was better than them at what they claimed to be the great believers of… Idiots… All of them…” At this point, she was thinking out loud, and she quickly caught herself doing so.

“…I’m sorry. This is probably boring for a lord of such importance as you.” The mist became thicker, doing a better job of hiding her now than it did before; acting as a blanket, almost. “I’ve been left in the cold so many times, and I still can’t stop myself from ranting about all who have done it to me… Weak.”

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Abaddon began to lean forward as the Drow became visably upset, her words full of hate and bitterness. But as the mist began to grow about the ranger he paused, did she wish to be alone? Or was the mist a natural reaction to her mood swings? Deciding it was better to stay were he was, Abaddon straightened his posture against the tree and looked directly at the ranger, at this range her shinning fate was all he needed to know where she sat.

"Traxex, you have presumed too much, for to long" he began, his ethereal voice cutting through the mist, his luminous eyes shinning in its pale cover. "I asked you this question, do not think the answer bores me simply because it is not some fable filled answer."

Pausing for a moment, the Lord considered his next words carefully, he barley knew the ranger after all. “Traxex, it is not weak to speak of one’s injuries, in my experience, those who do are stronger in fact. But I suspect you do not wish to hear such words Traxex, you don’t want excuses, you hate them. so tell me” he continued, his voice rising a notch. “If you’re the best, the greatest even, at your trade, as you have suggested to me. Then why do you despise yourself so Traxex? Last I checked it was our actions that defined us and not others perception of us.” He concluded, not angry at the ranger but surprised she thought so little of herself.

"You’re not a reject here" he added, albeit quieter than before.

silentasmist:

The ethereal, almost booming voice took her by surprise. She turned to look at him again, his gleaming eyes cut through the mist as his voice did, and stared straight at her. She held her stare, clearing the mist more to allow a clear view of her face again, her expression showing concern and surprise, and she nodded in agreement. To assume her answer bored him purely because of higher rank was stupid of her, she thought.

“…You’re right about that…” She muttered, thinking about his question. “…To cast aside your past isn’t an easy thing, Abaddon. My true family left me before I knew it, and my new one? They rejected me as I was meant to be… Even if I discarded all of my anger against them, I’d still not feel right with myself. I believe myself to be the best because, well, I don’t see anyone else fit enough to protect the forests… and because I don’t want to give them up…”

She shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling of utter loneliness and discontent she had grown so accustomed to dealing with in the past. “…Not in these woods… They’re the only things that haven’t rejected me, yet.” She said in response to his little attempt at comfort. 

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As the mist cleared the Lord of Avernus saw the confusion and pain written across the Rangers face. A lament worthy of song and sonnet. As she spoke the Lord of Avernus recalled far to quickly how in his youth the elders had scorned him, his brothers had too, because he trained not in war, but instead meditated in the mist. He had of course quieted them quickly upon his climb to Lordship of the house.

"You can never discard it Traxex, but…" he trailed off, the ranger was lonley, that much had been made clear by her find words, she feared rejection. Shaking his head the Lord of Avernus rose to his feet slowly, not saying a word he took two quick strides across the forest floor and sat down next to Traxex, his gaze holding hers as he walked and sat, luminous eyes with the jewel like sapphires of Traxex.

"You’re no reject to me Traxex, I cannot speak of what your family fought of you, but I would say that of they cannot be proud of what their daughter, adopted or not, has become, then, I say, they did not deserve so valiant a daughter." Falling silent for a moment, the Lord quickly continued, "I apologise of my words appear out of turn, but I mean them with utter sincerity. In truth the Lord of Avernus could not stand to see individuals so low, he had fought with it himself, and when one saw and heard every possibility of what they could become then it was natural to become saddened when so many thought so little of themselves. When he could see everything that they were and could be, it hurt for others to see nothing.

silentasmist:

She noticed how concerned he appeared to be, and that made her wonder why he was… Being a Lord of such a house must be a stressful occupation, and one that made her own one look laughable; pathetic, almost. Still, she decided not to dwell on comparing herself to others. Abaddon approaching her and sitting close was something she didn’t expect, and his kind words even more so… Did he really care that much?

She started to think of what he was saying, and his words brought up more conflicting emotions within her. Her head was starting to become something more chaotic as she attempting to internalize  what she was feeling, and it wasn’t working out well for her, and only made her appear more troubled.

“…They’re not… Out of turn.” She managed to saw, though she was very much trying to keep her composure, and found it difficult to speak. “Thank you, Abaddon… A- as you’re probably unaware, compliments such as those to a loner are scarce, and you have my gratitude.”

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Abaddon nodded as the ranger spoke, he could see the confliction written over her face. "I am in fact very aware of this fact Traxex, I myself do not respond well to compliments. I understand if you wish to drop this line of conversation Traxex, but please remember, I mean what I have said.” He concluded softly, curious how the Ranger would react. She seemed conflicted in her words, was it her past that haunted her? Or was it her mind that hurt her?

“we can walk if you wish Traxex?” The Lord added simply.

silentasmist:

She didn’t really know what to think at this point, after all, he came out here with the intention of becoming her ally, and had successfully turned her emotional stability upside-down. She nodded, though in agreement to both dropping the conversation and to get moving.

The mist cloaked her more this time, enough time for her to stand up, the mist covering her until she was standing fully again, and then it cleared to reveal the beautiful Traxex again, looking almost good as new. “…Very well.”

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Rising to his feet and ignoring the mist as best he could the Lord of Avernus bowed to Traxex, “Then let us walk, we have spent enough time speaking of the past, how about we speak of current events?” he proposed, following the ranger into a more suitable part of the forest, he was less concerned for additional ears listening in now, he had spoken his more dangerous lines of conversation much earlier.

“What are the goings on for your woodland home then Traxex? nothing out of the ordinary I hope?” the Lord pondered, looking about where they walked, doing his best to avoid looking directly at the beautiful ranger, the Lord knew he had a problem letting his eyes stray to long when encountering a beautiful women.

silentasmist:

Thoughts still stirring, Traxex tried her best to put them aside while she began to walk once again. “…I agree.” She muttered, making her way out and onto the woodland path once more. She had to think for a moment about how to best answer Abaddon’s question, and her head quickly filled with answers that replaced the exposed feelings of hurt she held before.

“…Mostly routine. Checking in on the inhabitants of my forest is most of what I do, and there hasn’t been much out of the ordinary… Though, there was one instant where a centaur went mad and began to terrorize his clan…” She paused for a moment, grinning while she felt pride at having shot down such a horrid beast. “…He didn’t live much longer. Despite their size, you can take down a forest centaur with five arrows if you know where to shoot.”

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Abaddon followed the ranger, not quite abreast to her in an effort to give her some space. He nodded as Traxex spoke, her feat was impressive indeed, the Centaurs were renowned for this durability and strength. “You’re a fine archer Traxex, the finest i would argue.” he complimented, laughing in joy at her remarks, his voice an dlaughter echoing through the canopy. He looked to the Drow as they continued to walk, she was a strong looking women, her leather armour worn from natures elements but a clear sign of her fitness. He couldn't help but take her in as they walked, she was tall, though not quite as tall as him, her hair reaching past her shoulders and her body firm and fit from years of training, it made her in all a beautiful women aesthetically; through it was well known the Ranger did not engage in conversation, never mind relationships with ease.  

Shaking his head from that line of thought Abaddon smiled, “It is a good thing you do here Traxex, it is good for the forest, so few people now look beyond their own childish needs”. he complained, both to Traxex and himself.

silentasmist:

She always tried to not enjoy compliments as much as she did, but even with whatever practice she had doing so, she still ended up relishing in the commendation given; especially so when she remember who had given it. Traxex caught herself smiling, and shook her head to dismiss it.

She glanced back for only a moment, and did see that Abaddon was eyeing her up. Typical, really. Not many got to see her in this way; it was only natural to be fascinated with what you don’t see often. She nodded in agreement at what he said. “…Selfish idiots. All of them.” She spat, spite ever apparent in her voice. “…Devotion doesn’t matter to them at all… I guess that’s why we fight against them, right?”

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Abaddon shook his head slowly as they walked, he shouldn't be looking at the ranger that way, they were meant to be new found allies; it was hardly the behavior he should be exhibiting. Taking a quick breath the Lord of Avernus pushed the images of the ranger from his mind, focusing on the path ahead and not the glistening hair of the ranger. Yet, as he turned to focus on the road ahead the ranger became vocal and potently so, turning back, Abaddon quickened his pace to be beside her.

Looking directly at the ranger Abaddon spoke in a serious, but quiet tone, “So few understand responsibility that they cannot even comprehend it affects others. It is the fundamental difference between these two sides, one is filled with independent ambition, the other, responsibility of one form or another.” he let out a sigh as he spoke.

“So yes Traxex, that is why we fight them and that is why I changed sides.”

silentasmist:

Traxex nodded her head in agreement while she thought of a response. IT was wonderful to hear that Abaddon shared the same mindset as she did on this matter, and was now looking forward to the day he joined the Radiant’s ranks and to fight alongside him…

…But that wasn’t it entirely. Where was an aura about the lord that Traxex couldn’t identify clearly; one that made her feel… safe, almost. IT was comforting to have nearby, and she was relishing in it in this time, still trying her hardest to not let it show.

Eventually, the woods looked to be clearing slightly, and after a few more minutes of walking, they happened upon a beautiful lake. The ranger knew this spot well, and ventured off the main path to stand by the shore of the lake. “…How long until we see you fighting alongside us?”

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Walking besides the ranger as his words faded into the night, Abaddon could not help but wonder if the ranger found his words agreeable, he could see no reason why not, but the truth was she was a hard one to read.

As they walked together and the Lake appeared before him, the Lord of Avernus stopped, the ranger walking ahead of him and to the edge of the lake. It was a beautiful sight, the water was a glistening mirror tranquillity. The sunlight a radiant beam of warmth upon his armour. As he admired the view, songbirds singing in the distance, Abaddon couldn’t help but notice the Traxex, her form a dark silhouette against the tranquil.

So much for not looking at her that way, the Lord of Avernus shrugged, a smile forming beneath his helm. In this moment, Traxex resembled something out if mythology, a strange symbol of something he wasn’t quite familiar with.

Shaking his head again, Abaddon slowly walked forward and to the shore of the lake. “I suspect” he began in his spectral voice, his words carrying over the song birds chorus. “You will see me with the Radiant forces at the siege of Franktou, I will in fact be heading to Nortrom’s war council soon.” He explained away, “but as I said before, you can count on my assistance from here on out.”