#the heart is starting to stay above the water. feeling the warmth of the sun again | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cafeinthemoon · 1 year ago

Text

Ever Dream (Apollo x reader)

Chapter 1/1

Wordcount 7,3k

Title Ever Dream

Fandom Shuumatsu no Valkyrie / Record of Ragnarok

Symbols ✔ . 1️⃣ . 💛

Warnings: Apollo is extremely inconvenient in the beginning; angst with a soft, bittersweet ending

Tagging ? (If you want to be tagged in any of my stories, just leave a comment on this chapter or send an ask or a message)

N. A. Finally I can fulfill my promise and post this little story with Apollo!

At first, he wasn't appealing to me at all, but as his character was developed, I found myself liking him (I basically understood that my lack of interest in him and his fight was due to me not moving on from Hades' loss, since snv doesn't feel the same for me anymore) Also his personality is a bit weird in this one bc I've started to write it before his flashback came out, and since I've wrote so much it would be a waste to restart my work to adjust his depiction to something more "pleasing", so I just kept things this way. But I hope you have fun with it :)

“Come out, come out

Wherever you are [...]

Give in, give in for my touch

For my taste

For my lust”

(Nightwish, Ever Dream)

Summer days might be the favorites among the mortals, for they were long and favorable to the body and the heart, as a good presage for the ones who needed it, but that didn’t apply to you. Yes, as many, you appreciated cheerful encounters of friends under the shadow of a tree on a warmth afternoon, as well as playing games in the city’s lake with your sisters, but none of these small delights were enough to make you enjoy Summer above the other seasons. Honestly, you would be happier during Spring, when the beauty of the flowers would be in its apex, or during Winter, when you would stay long periods at home, in front of a good fire, with warm food and crafting to occupy your hands; even Autumn had a special place in your heart, with its meadows of red leaves and winds whispering mysterious tunes.

The thing is that you used to work as a gardener during Spring and Summer, and this latter was always the most difficult one, for the land where you lived was always too hot for any activity to be possible under midday sun, so you would adjust your routine to work at early morning or when the sunset approached.

It was a hard work: the plants would suffer with the heat, and you must know the right moment of the day to pour water in them, in order to not burn their roots; some of them would even become dusty with the lack of rain, only to be harmed after sudden, summer storms, and it would take an entire day for you to clean the fallen leaves, broken branches and garbage brought by the wind – not to speak about the mud; and, as if none of this wasn’t enough, you would have to fight against seasonal infestations.

It was a lonely work, also: there would be days when you would stay in silence for so long that hearing your own voice after going back home or speaking to yourself during work brought a sensation of strangeness. But you enjoyed the solitude, using it to perfect your abilities and organize your thoughts.

Some would say that you should start thinking seriously about your situation, that is, that you couldn’t live only for the plants and that you were already in the age of considering marriage, but you would just escape from their demands inside the labyrinths of the garden. Not that you would get angry with them, though. You understood their preoccupations, but you were aware of where they came from: they didn’t understand that happiness could have many sources in human life beyond building a family.

And, as long as your own happiness came from the garden, you would stay inside it.

***

If the humans who knew you were the only ones watching your steps with what you’d call an abnormal interest, you could deal with it. But fate wanted things to be complicated for you, so your peculiar, solitary routine hasn’t caught only the mortals’ attention.

It happened that, close to your garden’s location, upon a greenish hill, a temple was built centuries ago. A temple to honor the deity whose powers were always strong across those lands – Apollo, Son of Zeus and Guardian of the Sun, Master of Poetry and Music, and owner of more titles than you could remember. You’ve never seen him in person, though it was said that he used that building as his temporary residence on summer days, which explained the intense temperatures during that time of the year; it also explained why the lights of the temple would be fed until late hours and why there would be sound of chords, drums and high voices all day. You respected the work of the people living there, of course, but you’d appreciate a bit of silence during a period that was so difficult for you, and there you had another reason to show up only when the sun wasn’t shinning in all its splendor.

Little you knew that, from the highest spot of the temple, upon a parapet only accessible to himself, the Lord of that house, to whom all those honors were directed, has been observing that lonely, little mortal who would come every day to take care of her flowers with the same dedication as Heracles by the time he had to fulfill his twelve tasks.

He couldn’t remember when was the first time he saw you: the only thing he knew was that, while he stood at that temple, he couldn’t spend one day without seeing you. Every morning, before his worshipers woke up, Apollo would walk up the stairs that led to the private space where the highest balcony of the temple was, and he would sit at it, with his back leaning on a column, to witness the girl’s arrival and her preparations before work; he would stay there, watching in ecstatic silence as she separated her tools, touched each plant with those delicate fingers of hers, examined each spot of them and gave them the necessary treatment, smiling and, sometimes, mumbling to herself.

Not only he noticed your diligence and dedication, but it didn’t escape him how much you were beautiful. Yes, you were surrounded by appealing fruit trees, flowers of the most interesting shapes and shades, all of them between intricate green walls that only added in majesty, yet your figure caught the man’s eyes above all of them – eyes that were trained to not miss anything that could be pleasing to one’s sight.

The god would cheer at himself with the fact that you were oblivious to this, while he, at that height, was completely out of your sight. It was like in the old days, where he would observe the mortal realm from his spot at the Olympus, except that this time there would be no difficulties in reaching you: as one of the city’s inhabitants, you were basically his neighbor, and knowing that building like the palm of his hand, he knew the secret shortcuts that would lead him to your garden’s gates.

At first, Apollo would state that his morning observations were just a hobby, and that with all the work to keep him occupied at the temple and the attentions he would get from the worshipers – particularly from the priestesses – he would soon forget about you and your flowers. However, he wasn’t fool to the point of lying to himself for too long, and soon he would admit that he was interested in you. Well, he was already desiring you, in a way that didn’t happen since… a few centuries ago, maybe by the time of that temple’s inauguration, when he would lure some of the city’s mortals into it. And now, there he was, leaving the comfort of his bed every morning, sometimes even before the sun came up to greet him, for anything but to catch the exact moment when your feet stepped into that garden, wondering how your voice would send shivers all over his body in case you whispered in his ears with the same docility you did to the flowers, how soft your skin would feel if he caught your frail form between his arms, and the heat he would sense once his lips touched yours.

This extended for days, until he finally had enough.

That morning, he watched you as always, but this time something inside him awakened, and he just let his body move away from the parapet and reach for his private chambers, where he caught his best garments and a pair of golden sandals, and then wandered to outside the temple, to the narrow path behind the hill, covered in stones and sand, only known by himself, and in one minute or two, he was standing at the garden’s entry.

Today is the day. The day when I shall make you mine.

***

It should be a pacific, ordinary morning of work at the garden.

You arrived at the usual hour, reached for the spot of the garden where you started working the day before, separated your tools and went to take care of your tasks.

You’ve spent one hour, maybe two like this, so concentrated in what your were doing that the sudden rustling between the leaves somewhere behind you made you startle and drop your garden shears. You turned around…

And found quite a spectacle for that time of the day.

Coming out of a narrow space between two green walls, you saw a young man dressed in garments that you supposed to be only appropriate for the Summer Festivities, not so far in the land’s calendar: he had a white toga around his body, which hems and details appeared to be sewn with golden threads; golden were also the strappy sandals he had on his feet, as well as the laurel wreath on his head. The first rays of the sun reached the space between you at that hour, and the golden light poured itself over the man’s figure as the hug of a beloved one, revealing that the metallic ornaments he carried were, in fact, gold, and conceding a singular glimmer to his eyes, which you thought to be of the same shade. But that wasn’t the only peculiarity seen in his appearance: his hair, falling on straight strands to his waist, were of a soft pink that reminded you of some of the flowers in your garden, but a comparison wasn’t possible, since they were out of sight at that moment.

Yes, the visitor was a beautiful man, though eccentric, so your first thought was that he was the son of a noble family that came to the city to honor the god of the Sun at the temple beside your garden.

He’s probably thinking that the garden is part of the temple’s territory. I must clarify this mistake and lead him back through the right path.

And you were going to do that very thing, but he was faster.

Without waiting for an invitation or at least a question about his presence there, the man approached your spot and stopped in front of you, observing your tiny person surrounded by flowers and tools with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief: was this girl really engaging in physical work this early?, his eyes seemed to ask.

You stepped behind, closer to a bush of wild roses, but glanced over your shoulder before touching the thorns – something that made the stranger giggle. You didn’t like that at all.

The first words said between you were his.

– I’ve always said that wild roses were not my favorites, but the truth is that they’ve scared me and charmed me at the same time, and I just couldn’t deal with it – he stretched an arm to touch a spot above and behind you; not disguising the feeling that he was closer than a stranger should be, your eyes followed his movement and found his fingers reaching for a flower of the bush – A ridiculous mistake from an arrogant heart… – and, turning his golden eyes to you, – Don’t you think, my flower?

Your eyes widened, but you managed to control your mouth to not scoff at those words: you’ve been working at that garden for too long now, and from time to time there would be one and other man who would come to celebrate the Summer Festivities at Apollo’s temple, many of them from privileged houses… and about whom you’ve already had a clear opinion.

Let me see… Extravagant clothing at this time of the day, bad sense of direction, abnormally elevated self-confidence and no regard for personal space. Of course, another womanizer who relies on cheap flirting to win innocent hearts. He knows that this type of chatting only works when the speaker is young and beautiful like him, but things would be very different if we had an old, naughty man in his place.

You knew that, if you didn’t do anything to get rid of him, he would bother you for the rest of the morning, and you wouldn’t be able to complete the works of the day, but fortunately you also knew how to deal with this kind of situation, so you decided to act right now...

By moving aside and bending down to grab the garden shears that he made you drop. You stood up again and started removing the small, green leaves from its blades as you spoke.

– My Lord, I suppose you entered here by accident – you started; and, looking into his eyes, still with the shears’ blades up – Because, you see, despite the proximity, this garden doesn’t belong to Apollo’s temple. No festivities will happen here.

It was with a bit of diversion that you observed the bright smile fading from his pretty face, but you remained impassible, for you were aware that this one was an experienced gentleman and wouldn’t give up so easily.

And he didn’t.

– I must be indelicate and disagree with you, Miss – he moved his hand away from the flower, but, with an eye on your shears, he hid both hands behind his back – For a garden is a never-ending festivity itself, and the one that is going on right here owes all its beauty to the work of your hands.

You swallowed. He did have a way with words, then. But not even this would be enough for you to allow delays in your routine, and you made that very clear.

– If this is the case, my Lord, I must make use of the same indelicacy and interrupt our conversation here – in a swift move of your hands, the shears closed and opened twice with a metallic whisper – And keep working on the garden’s beauty.

And, without waiting for a response, you turned your back on the man and restarted to prune the bush with the roses, just as you were doing when he arrived.

Not even this was able to shake the young man’s confidence, for he just stepped aside and continued to talk, caressing the flowers at the same time. No irritation or offense was sensed in his tone.

– Then I must leave you to complete your mission – and, after a pause, – But I’m trapped here, and you’re the only one who can release me... by letting me know your name.

Your hands stopped and you turned to him again. You weren’t willing to reveal it to him, but if that was going to make him go away, you would do it.

– Y/n s/n.

The young man opened a satisfied smile. But, instead of saying his own name in return, he just stepped back and nodded.

– For this I will be forever grateful, my y/n. I will make sure that Apollo’s blessing falls over you and your work concerning this celebration of beauty.

And without waiting for a response, he turned away and left.

***

If only the Festivities in honor of the Lord of the Sun were shorter, or if your garden was located in somewhere else, the strange events of yesterday involving that extravagant individual would be just a funny story to remember in an encounter between your friends, or even something you would forget after a week.

But, unfortunately, things don’t always go as we plan, so to your surprise – and exasperation – the situation happened again in the next day.

You were pouring water on the soil, in a spot of the garden not so far from the one where your first encounter happened, having only the sounds of the water falling from the can and the early birds singing on the trees as your company, when the rustling noise of indiscreet steps upon the grass caught your attention.

You turned around… and found the shinning figure of the young man smiling at you, his right hand leaning on the tree at his side, his golden eyes upon you with the same enthusiasm of the last day.

You bit your lip.

I can’t believe it. Did he forget everything that happened yesterday?

If he noticed your displease or if he chosen to ignore it, you didn’t know, but he started a casual conversation without waiting for an invitation.

�� Good morning, dear y/n! – he left his spot beside the tree and walked toward you with no sign of embarrassment – As I can see, the festivities continue today.

You just gave him a silent nod in reply. The man’s smile widened in contentment.

– That’s good to hear, for today I bring you something that you might appreciate…

Only then you noticed the object he was carrying on his left hand: a bracelet made of gold, in the shape of a vine and with a white gem in its center, with rays surrounding it as an imitation of the sun. You looked at the object and hesitated.

– My Lord, it is not…

But when the words were still crossing your lips, you felt a strong hand holding your wrist and pulling it forward, making you drop the watering can; before you did anything, the man put the bracelet around your wrist and spent a moment admiring it, with your tiny hand between his.

You even tried to pull it back, but the he held you in place. You swallowed.

Heavens, his appearance is the most deceiving thing I’ve ever seen! I don’t know many soldiers who possess this strength!

Because of this, you understood that you might have been in danger since the other day, so that time you kept your mouth shut and waited to see what his next step would be.

And you didn’t know if you should feel relieved or shocked when you found it out.

– Now you were granted the necessary permission, my dear – he spoke with softness; and, pulling you closer to whisper in your ear, – The way to the Summer Festivities has opened to you at the Temple of the Great Apollo.

You had no time to respond, to move away or to show any form of refusal. The man, still holding your hand, pulled you with him and started running between the green walls and trees, rushing toward the depths of the garden and not allowing you to stop.

You glanced behind and your heart ached when you saw your work unfinished and the watering can forgotten on the spot it fell, the remaining water leaking and soaking the soil.

***

The path through which he led you, as well as the environment you found when you entered the temple was what you would sense in a dream: in one moment, he was carrying you by the hand through the green labyrinth, in a pace that defied time; in the next one, you were inside high walls of white, imposing columns with marble flowers surrounding them from their highest to their lowest spot, and countless tables of gold with goblets, jars and trays full of fruits, sweets and other tempting treats that were taken by uninhibited, joyful people dressed in flowing fabrics and barefoot, running, hopping and dancing between themselves to the frenetic sound of chords, flutes and drums. The place was a mixture of sounds, colors and smells that confused and numbed your senses, in a way that you were only able to stand thanks to the strong hold of the young man.

Despite that, you still noticed how strange was that those people seemed to move to the music as if they were just one, yet they acted like they weren’t seeing each other, lost in their particular world, to the point you wondered if they knew what they were doing or if they were just caught under a spell.

Are they really happy, or are they forced into this? It’s unsettling...

The people only showed a believable reaction when you arrived… Well, actually, when they put their eyes on the young man, and started reaching for him with no regard for your presence, pushing, bumping and even stepping upon your feet.

In a way you couldn’t understand, he opened his arms wide to receive them without letting go of your hand, with a satisfied smile on his face that seemed to light up when the first rays of sunshine entered the place, embracing him with the same passion as the people around.

It was when a thought crossed your mind as fast as those rays, and you stared at him with a knot in your stomach.

Could it be that he…?

The chorus around you, chanting the same words in delight, was the confirmation for it.

– Apollo! Apollo-sama! You finally arrived, Apollo-sama! Please don’t make us wait this long for you again, Apollo-sama!

His face brightened up with the call of the humans, as if it absorbed their joy and turned it into vital force, returning it to them with the warmth of the sun; to them, he was god, father, husband and master, and he was more than happy in taking all those roles for himself, in what you saw as a hungry, even predatory way. Though you still found it a beautiful thing to observe, you no longer saw any resemblance with a man in his figure.

He was something else.

Feeding himself with their energies and keeping them gravitating around him is like a diversion to him. How scary.

And with the same diversion, he pulled you to a tight embrace, giving you no choice to walk away, for many people came to him and were no dismissed, so that you were trapped between him and them, and you didn’t know for how long you would be able to breathe.

Somehow, he managed to walk among his worshipers and take you with him before you in fact were smothered, and without decreasing in enthusiasm, he looked around and chanted:

– My children, my flowers! Another day of Summer came to bless you! Enjoy it, cherish it like it’s your last!

Immediately, the people obeyed him and, as if slowly forgetting about his very presence, restarted the celebration, dancing and jumping around and opening the way for you two at the same time, not really realizing what they were doing.

Not wanting to join them and not being able to release yourself from Apollo’s grip, you had no choice but to follow him.

***

You walked up spiral, white stairs with golden banisters, ran through a corridor and ended up in front of an enormous pair of doors, which he opened with a slight touch of his hand.

They revealed a wide room that, even in your lack of experience in these matters, you knew to be worthy of a god: everywhere you looked, you saw comfortable chairs and couches, covered with satin sheets and surrounded by trays of sweets and fruits, and countless jars of wine; there was also a small fountain pouring water, with a jar and cups around it. You also saw books, parchments and musical instruments ready to be used. Everything there was arranged to display beauty and pleasure, as expected from its owner.

Once you stepped inside, you heard the sound of the keys turning to lock the doors from inside and shivered.

– My y/n, will you follow me to the balcony? – Apollo passed to your side – There’s something I need to reveal to you, but it has to be in an appropriate place!

And, without waiting for your response, he tightened his grip around your wrist and pulled you across the room, to reach the said balcony.

You passed under an arc with a pair of curtains of a peach shade and found yourself in a place that could serve as a common room of a human house by its largeness, except for the fact that it was uncovered; on it, there was wine, fod and water as well, and a couch twice the size of the ones inside the room, yet none of those objects interfered while you walked among them.

Apollo stopped at the parapet with you by his side. With his arm stretched over it, he indicated the entire view.

– Let your pretty eyes enjoy what’s in front of them with no shame, my dear – he laughed – Trust me, the view of your lands from the Olympus is no match for this!

And you were, in fact, impressed with what you saw.

From there, you were able to spot various things, from the mountains that surrounded the city, passing through the town itself, with its marketplace and daily movement, to nearer places… such as your garden, its open fields and the very spot where you were working this morning when Apollo arrived and abducted you.

Your face burned with the thought.

He has been spying on me from here? Since when…?

You never had the opportunity to inquire him on this, because he had no shame in telling you the whole story.

– Since this Summer started, though I cannot precise the day, I’ve been trapped in this balcony, just as I am now – he turned to you with a strange glimmer in his eyes; you sensed his hand letting go of your wrist and wrapping itself around your waist, bringing you closer as he spoke – I’ve been trapped by you, my flower, for I couldn’t spent one morning without seeing you from here, cherishing with your whole figure, your steps, the work of your hands, all for your precious garden…

You put your hands between you and him, in an attempt to prevent him from approaching even more.

– My Lord, with all the respect, this is my work – you managed to speak – I would never be able to properly take care of a garden if I refused to pour my heart into it…

The god’s response was to widen his already present smile, giving to it a hint of something that would be called presumption if he was a mortal man.

– I know it! I know well how these things work, and for this I am jealous – he caressed your face for an instant, his eyes swallowing each traits of yours with greed – I am jealous of your flowers, of your trees, and everything that has been blessed by the touch of your hands…

You gasped.

– My Lord, I think this is going too fa…

Your words were cut off by his next act, which consisted in wrapping his arms around you and lifting you from the floor, taking you to the couch you saw before, not so far from your spot on the parapet. There he sat you down, then knelt to take off your sandals – of course, without missing the chance to let his fingertips wander through your feet and legs. With no visible ways to escape this situation, you could only observe the scene in silence.

The door is locked, I don’t think I could open it as fast as he closed it, he’s too strong for me to put a physical fight and is too lost in his own fantasies to hear a word I say. I see no solution besides climbing up the parapet and jump.

While this thought was still crossing your mind (and your eyes glancing at the parapet), Apollo was already climbing the couch. You tried to move away, but he was faster: holding your jawline, he pulled you close to him, his lips brushing yours as he spoke.

– I beg you, my little flower… stop making me jealous… pour your heart to me… be mine…

You opened your mouth to speak, to reply, to try and reason with him one last time, to ask for his divine favor and beg him to let you go, but Apollo didn’t even give you the time to breathe: convinced that actions would teach you better than words, he covered your mouth with hungry kisses, his tongue reaching for yours in a hurry, his hands grabbing your body with voracity. With the lack of air, your lungs started to burn and your eyes got filled with tears.

Your hands, still free, pulled him away by his chin; he stared at you in incredulity.

– Please… my Lord… – you forced your words out, alternating them with gasps – Please… reconsider…

For the first time, Apollo seemed to have his patience tested, and the slight twist in the color of his eyes instilled fear in your heart like you’ve never felt before.

– Too late to think, my y/n… It’s time to act.

He pushed himself upon you on the couch and a second kiss happened, longer and hotter. Now that your attempt to stop him failed, desperation was taking over you, leaving you with two choices: letting him continue or dying for opposing to a god’s will.

The latter seemed less painful for you, so you opted for it.

Beside the couch, just like the other seats at that room, there was a small table with a metallic jar on it; you glanced at it when Apollo let go of your mouth and brought his kisses to your neck, and supposed that it was full. An idea came to you, but you had to be careful.

If I fail at this, it’s over for me.

With slow movements, you managed to bring your body closer to the table’s side, taking the god with you, leaving him too occupied in his caresses to notice anything around. You even reciprocated some of his touches to disguise your nervousness, and waited until you were sure that your hand would reach the jar’s wing.

When the moment came, you stretched your left arm… and your fingers closed around its wing, lifting it from the table with all the strength you could find.

Everything happened too fast for your eyes to follow: catching him in a surprise was your only and greatest advantage, and you managed to do it. The jar flew from the table and hit Apollo’s head, forcing him away from you and dropping the laurel wreath from his hair; confirming your prediction, the jar was full, and the water spread all over the place as the metal clanged against the floor.

You wasted no time: you dragged your body out of the couch and fled the balcony, leaving your sandals and a paralyzed, dismayed Apollo behind. You crossed the room like a ray and somehow unlocked the door easily despite your shaking hands; not only this, but you had the nerve to take the key with you and lock the door from outside to slow the man who would certainly come after you.

***

Your feet barely touched the stairs while you walked down. Behind your back, there was still silence, but you knew it wouldn’t take long until Apollo reached the door and found a way to open it, so you wouldn’t stay to see what was going to happen.

You soon were back to the wide room where his worshipers were celebrating, and it was with no surprise that you found them as happy as before, and that, as you joined the crowd to reach the exit, they barely remembered you. Still, you couldn’t help finding it scary to be squeezed and pushed to all sides by those strangers, who screamed, sang and danced with no regard for each other and for themselves, as victims of a sinister spell.

***

The image of you running away from him was the most terrifying of the nightmares.

Apollo could have ran after you, grabbed you and pulled you back to the balcony. He could have also stretched his hand toward you and used his golden threads to wrap your body and force you to stay, to submit to him. He even managed to raise his hand while you turned your back to him and moved away, passing under the arc that separated the balcony to the rest of the room… but he didn’t do anything.

He just stood there, paralyzed by the surprise with your reaction and the resulting dizziness in his head, his vision darkening as he came to the shameful conclusion.

What I did… there was nothing beautiful about it.

***

The sun was higher in the sky when he regained his consciousness and left the balcony. It must have been one hour or two, judging by its position now – long enough for the effects of the strike to diminish. His head hurt so much that he was sure he would be dead if he was human.

He left the balcony and passed by a mirror, not so far from its entry. He spotted the bruise on his forehead and flinched: it was darker, deeper than he first imagined. Not that he should be worried about having a permanent scar, of course, but it would ache for days.

The god crossed the silent room and stopped by the doors. One look to the lock and he noticed the absence of the key; the shadow of a smile came to his lips.

Clever girl. Trying to slow me down.

He raised his left hand and, working with his golden threads, he involved the doors and pushed them out of their hinges, destroying both with a thunderous sound. He walked out of the room in firm steps, the wreckage cracking under his golden sandals as he approached the stairs and walked them down.

In a minute, he has reached the first floor, where his worshipers continued to celebrate, yet this time a wave of uneasiness has spread silently among them, clearly provoked by the sound of wrecking materials upon there.

Of course, he was eager to leave and start chasing after you, but he was empathetic with the ones who were there just to love him, and made sure they were all calmed down by his words; with this, they were free to go back to their worshiping, knowing that their Lord would be back in a few moments.

He left the temple and rushed to the garden, as his feet were led by instinct to the place that first connected you, but it was with no surprise that he saw you weren’t there; you didn’t even use the garden as escape route. Still, his heart didn’t ache less with the sight of your tools on the soil, and your flowers abandoned, for they meant only one thing.

Not only you were gone, but you weren’t coming back.

***

Autumn came sooner to those lands that year.

The Temple of the Sun closed its gates long before the last week of Summer, and the worshipers returned to their homes with a strange weight in their hearts; it was clear that their god wasn’t content, but the reason was only known by himself, and perhaps as an act of mercy, he protected them from his wrath by sending them away, assuring them of their innocence and promising a warmer season of festivities for the next year.

The days quickly became short, and the winds of the new season were colder than they were in the previous years; the city’s inhabitants were caught in a surprise, and even feared what Winter has reserved for them. The streets were empty, the markets saw their clientele grow thin, the richest traveled to distant lands and the common people were hidden inside their houses. In the wild, the beasts and the small creatures were sharing the same difficulties, and just as it happened with the humans, there was no guarantee that they would make it through the longer period of cold.

Apollo, on his turn, stood in that house alone, instead of traveling back to his place and his divine fellows at the Olympus: he missed their company, but had no strength to face them after the ugliness he created; it has been a monstrosity and a shame, and this was something he must endure all by himself. And so he did it, spending his days and nights wandering among the cold walls of marble, inside which the sound of chords, voices of adoration and the wine being poured in the goblets wouldn’t be heard, and the echo of his own steps were his only partner; the fires lightened by his followers stopped making him warm even before they turned into smoke and cinders, the sweetness of their incense made him sick and the golden altars and objects of devotion turned gray to his eyes.

All because of what he did to you. Because in his eagerness to make you stay, he ended up scaring you away, and the sun that should have kept you content and safe almost burned you to death. How, he asked himself, how did he deprive love from its natural beauty, he who lived to exalt the beautiful? But silence was the only thing to reply.

***

Apollo visited your garden every morning, staying there for a while before returning to his temple and to his dark meditations. Protecting his physical form from the cold with a gray cloak, he wandered through the natural walls that were once green, but now had only brown and red to offer to his sight; the grass was now a shadow of what they were, just dried vegetation that would crack and whiter under his feet, and the flowers came undone to the touch of his fingers.

Many times he passed by the spot where he abducted you, and tears would fill his eyes as he looked at the watering can and the tools rotten on the cold soil, useless after so long time without executing their functions. One morning, he even considered touching them, but when he approached his hand no remnants of your spirit could be sensed in them, and he moved away.

Well, your presence just vanished from the garden itself, and even from the town: sometimes, he would disguise himself among the mortals and seek for your face in the corners of the streets, but he knew the search was worthless. You were long gone.

Actually, you left and hid on the other side of the land, and even your acquaintances haven’t heard about you since Autumn began. But even you couldn’t deny that the season was less merciful that year… and it didn’t take long for you to realize it had something to do with the episode at Apollo’s House. Maybe he couldn’t accept that a mortal woman defied him, and decided to punish her entire land in return; or maybe he just decided to leave sooner, and with him Summer has left. It was hard to be sure when it came to the gods.

However, as much as you weren’t willing to try and seek for his favor against your will in order to save the people of the city, innocent and defenseless against Nature, your heart has been yearning for your garden, your true house, where your happiness and strength and life purpose were. You’ve been struggling to stay in your hideout and wait until the god’s wrath was over, but you just couldn’t take it anymore.

One morning, despite the cold and the adversities, you dressed up and traveled back there. You had no idea of what you were going to find once you stepped into your beloved garden, and a thousand nightmares haunted you while you were on your way, and the times when you thought of giving up and return to the hideout weren’t few…

But all of this noise disappeared when you found yourself, in fact, standing before the garden’s gates. A breeze passed by you at that moment, coming from inside the garden, and sent a chill through your body – a chill that reached your heart.

You forced your feet to move ahead.

As you walked, farther from the entry and closer to the depths of the garden, you noticed that the sensation of loneliness that you were anticipating didn’t come. Yes, the flowers were dead, the grass was dry and the birds disappeared from the trees, but you had this strange feeling telling you that you weren’t the only living being wandering among the reddish vegetation.

A sudden instinct led your feet to the very place where your watering can and shears were left the day you were taken away by Apollo. Were they in the same place, still waiting for your return? You’d only know if you reached there.

And you did. And they were there. Covered in dirt, dead leaves and ivy.

But they weren’t alone. Someone was watching them in silence, standing among the desolation as if they were just a part of it that was waiting for you to come back as well.

And, perhaps, they were, for when they turned to you, your heart dropped.

It was him. It was him, there was no way for you to be mistaken.

The golden bright in his eyes has faded away, and so was his smile. The pink of his hair was no longer glowing, and the paleness on his skin was unsettling. He was still the god of the Sun, but the Sun just settled.

Suddenly, you were scared. What if he was there waiting to cease your existence in revenge? What if that was just a vision to deceive you, and you were now in a new trap, from which you had no chance to escape like the first one?

You tried to move your feet, but they wouldn’t obey you. Your heart ached inside you, and your eyes were getting filled with tears.

Is this how I’m going to die, then?

Apollo left his spot and walked toward you. He was still silent, but no sign of his intentions could be sensed, and you were too scared to try and guess them. Still, something wasn’t right – and when you finally had the courage to look straight to his face, you understood what it was.

From his eyes you saw tears rolling. And in his expression there was only room for incredulity and pain. It was when you knew: it wasn’t a vision; it was really him. And he couldn’t believe you were there.

Apollo stopped before you and you flinched, not knowing what to expect. You shut your eyes tight… and no touch, no extravagances nor punishment came.

You opened them again and found the proud god kneeling on the dirt soil, taking his cloak from his shoulders and leaving it beside him on the ground, his eyes glued on you all the time, as if you could disappear at the slightest distraction.

You didn’t know how long you stood like this, having only the winds to voice your anguish, but the silence became unbearable, and you opened your mouth to speak – but, as always, he was faster.

– Forgive me.

Two words only, but enough to shake your spirit and think of how strange reality could become. A god apologizing? When would you imagine such a thing?

– Forgive me, my flower – he repeated, since you stood quiet – For those things I’ve done weren’t but terrifying.

He stretched his hand to touch your clothes, but gave up on the gesture as to prove his feeling of shame.

Again, your heart ached, and your mouth dried out. You couldn’t just stand there with no reaction, no word, after traveling for so long to reunite with your beloved garden. But you didn’t know what to do or what would be right, so you just let your body decide.

You knelt on the soil too, before the astonished god, and didn’t try to stop yourself when you saw your arms throwing themselves around him, your head resting on his shoulder, and your skin shivering to the warmth of that embrace. You should be scared, you should be aware of any spell working at that very moment, you should be disgusted to see him there – but you weren’t.

– Yes, Apollo-sama – you murmured, not recognizing your own voice – They were terrifying. But I’m no longer scared.

And that was true. All your fear was leaving. And with the first signs that the Autumn was going away with it, you were strangely in peace.

#snv x reader #ror x reader #apollo x reader #ror apollo #snv apollo #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie apollo #record of ragnarok x reader #record of ragnarok apollo

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montammil · 5 months ago

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June of Doom Day 3 - "Well, well, well..."

| Hiding | Ambushed | Stalking |

Characters: Lawrence, Marshall

CW: Parental/yandere whumper, failed escape, manipulation, forming stockholm syndrome, minor injuries, infantilization

...

Marshall didn't know how he managed to do it, it was probably just pure luck on his side, but he managed to slip out of the house while Lawrence was asleep.

It was the perfect time to finally run away, especially since the older man would be groggy and confused in the morning. And hopefully by then, he'd be long gone from Lawrence's clutches.

The rain beat down on him for hours, but he didn't take shelter or more than a five minute break.

He needed to get as far as he could from Lawrence before the sun rose. Marshall shoved his hands deeper in his pockets to protect them from the icy cold, feeling the water seep through the thin fabric of his shirt.

This was a bad idea, a really bad idea.

But if it meant his freedom, he'd suffer through anything. He'd endure any torture to escape him.

He had no money, no way of getting any, and nowhere to stay for the night. Everything was dependent on a miracle now. It wasn't the smartest plan, but he had to take advantage of the only window of opportunity he was given. As long as Lawrence couldn't find him, he'd be fine. He could figure everything else out in time. Maybe he'd get a job, go back to school, start fresh somewhere else...

Despite his excitement, his heart weighed him down with guilt. He really shouldn't be abandoning Lawrence after everything he's done for him.

The blond loved him more than anything, and he betrayed that love by running.

Yet this was for the best, he told himself. It's the only way he'd be able to live his own life independently. And that's what he wanted.

Or so he insisted to himself.

It was past sunrise when he noticed a tiny gas station ahead of him. He rubbed his arms to bring some warmth to his skin. He was hungry, cold, and exhausted, which was an awful combination to have.

The rain had eased up to a slight drizzle, which provided little relief from the frigid weather. He trudged along, trying his best not to get hypothermia.

"I need help," he breathed to the man at the front, who only looked the slightest bit concerned. "Do you, um, have a phone? It's urgent."

The man opened his mouth, and then paused to look him over. "Sorry, only employees can use the phone. Do you want me to call someone for you?"

Marshall was baffled from his reply, but he didn't have time to get angry right now. He didn't want the police involved, he just wanted a ride to get out of here. He was glad he memorized his father's number--his real father--and gave it to the worker. He made a hand gesture for him to go sit down on one of the chairs a few feet away, and he reluctantly obeyed.

He noticed the man's voice was almost hushed, but he made out the words, "your kid is here", so he relaxed. He stared up at the clock above the counter, watching the seconds tick by.

He bounced his leg to keep himself from nodding off. His eyelids felt like a thousand pounds, threatening to close.

All he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and forget about all this bullshit.

Marshall didn't know how much time had passed, but then he saw a familiar car pull up at the gas station, but it wasn't his dad's car.

Lawrence got out of the car, looking every part of pissed. He was dressed in nothing but a sweater and sweats, obviously not prepared to come out here.

The blond stormed inside the shop. Marshall straightened and gulped, wanting to shrink back further into the chair.

The bell rang loudly over their heads. "Well, well, well," Lawrence seethed. He stood in front of Marshall, glaring down at him. His body trembled. "Where did you think you were going, hmm?" He reached down and grabbed his wrist. Marshall squeaked in protest. Lawrence glanced over at the employee. "Thanks, Colin, I'll take it from here."

Colin nodded. Lawrence pulled him up, who fought him the entire way. He was frozen, unable to form a single word as he dragged him outside.

Marshall managed to squeeze his wrist out of Lawrence's grip and staggered backwards. Lawrence stepped towards him in attempt to grab him again, and Marshall's hand acted on its own, punching him right in the jaw.

A few painful moments went by before the reality of the situation hit him. Lawrence cupped his chin, rubbing his sore jaw. Marshall covered his mouth with his hand. That was probably a bigger death wish than running in the first place.

When Lawrence growled, somehow more rage evident in his eyes, Marshall bolted to the nearby trees.

He ran as fast as he could, ignoring his body's protests against the exhaustion. His head ached, his lungs burned, his muscles throbbed...but all he could focus on was his impending doom.

He jumped over bushes and logs, dodging branches and rocks as they flew by. The thudding of Lawrence's shoes followed him from behind.

At one point, Marshall tripped over a branch hidden beneath the leaves. He screamed as he went down, clutching his ankle in pain. He could feel blood trickling down his cheek as he turned, spotting Lawrence stalking forward. Marshall got back to his feet and ran again, screaming when the pain shot through his ankle once he put pressure on it.

There was no winning this race. He wasn't fast enough or strong enough. This was always how it'd end.

He ducked behind a tree and crouched low behind the bushes. He listened to the sounds of the forest, hearing Lawrence call his name. Marshall wrapped his arms around his knees and hugged his legs to his chest.

"This isn't funny, sweetie! Just come home already, it's too dangerous out here."

Yeah right, Marshall thought. It was safer out here than being with him.

"Marshmallow!" Lawrence sang. He sounded more gentle now. Lawrence knew how to get to him. Nathan responded best to his anger, Sadie responded to his worry, and Marshall responded to softness. "If you come out, we can just go home and talk this over. We'll watch a movie and snuggle, I'll even let you pick. We can make a blanket fort and have some hot cocoa. And I won't be mad, I promise."

His head throbbed. His stomach dropped as he heard the crunch of Lawrence's footsteps getting closer. It's been so long since he's heard anything other than his voice.

"You know," Lawrence continued, "it isn't very nice to hit me. I'm willing to let it go since I know you were just scared, but only if you come out right now."

Lawrence knew how to play him like an instrument. Each sentence was calculated and precise, knowing exactly what buttons to press.

Logically, Marshall knew he could only hide here for so long. Lawrence knew he was in the area and he wouldn't back off until he found him. He'd rather just give up now than prolong this agony.

He wiped his eyes, the fear spiking each second he waited. Finally, he called out, "I-I'm over here!"

Lawrence found him crouched next to a large pine tree. The moment his eyes met the older man, the tears poured down. He could hear Lawrence sigh with relief. He bent down on one knee.

"Oh, kiddo, there you are." He pulled him into his arms. Marshall tried pushing against his chest to get away, but Lawrence's embrace tightened. He choked on a sob. Lawrence cooed to him, rocking him in his arms. "Shh, you're alright, don't cry. It's okay, I got you now. Let's get out of here, okay? You must be freezing."

"Are you mad at me?" he croaked. He pulled away and cried harder when he saw the forming bruise on his face that would no doubt look much worse later. He had no idea he was capable of such strength, and neither did Lawrence.

"I'm not mad. You listened to me, so there's gonna be no punishment, I promise," Lawrence told him. He cupped his cheek to bring their eyes together. "I've just never been more worried. What if something happened to you? Did you ever think about that?" Marshall remained silent. Lawrence sighed. "We're going home. And then we'll talk about it more after we get you warmed up and that ankle taken care of."

It was useless to argue. He let the blond carry him to the car and closed his tired eyes. It was times like these that Marshall started to wonder if Lawrence was really that bad.

#lawrence oc #marshall oc #whump #parental whumper #creepy whumper #june of doom #day 3 #june of doom 2024 #june of doom day 3 #tw stockholm syndrome #failed escape attempt #tw manipulation #manipulative whumper #yandere whumper #tw infantilization #carewhumper

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mstarcreates · 2 months ago

Text

At the request of @novabombbastic I have another snippet of the other Destiny AU I’m working on called Past Lives. As a refresher, this is an AU where Sundance does not die and Uldren takes Cayde prisoner instead.

This is the opening scene:

Those eyes. He’ll never forget those eyes. They burned and smoldered like the heart of a dying star, and Cayde was certain they’d be etched somewhere in the deepest recesses of his memory drives. Oh, how they blazed like with the fire of a thousand suns as they bore down on him with white-hot hatred from the other end of his own gun.

So, so much hatred.

“Any last words?” Uldren asked from the other side of the barrel, face half hidden in the shadow of his hood.

And still, Cayde blurted out the dumbest thing he’d probably ever said in his long life as a Guardian. He’d said a lot of shit too.

He figured he was dead anyway, might as well seal the deal. “How’s your sister?”

Then there was nothing inside those eyes. They were cold…disinterested even, as a shot rang out from the Ace of Spades.

****

“How’s your sister?” The words echoed in his mind as he started to come to, vision wavering for a moment until his orbital processors began to make sense of the blurry shapes around him. It was mostly dark, wherever he was at.

It didn’t take him long to surmise that he was in a cell of some kind, the walls made of old brick stones. The bed, if it could even be called that, was a bare mattress about as thick as a few pieces of flat wooden planks stacked together. It appeared to be filthy too, likely having been dragged out from some abandoned part of the EDZ.

There was a sink on one wall that was mostly rusted, water leaking in a steady dripdripdrip from what was left of the faucet. A cracked mirror hung above it along with one lonely fluorescent light that was bolted haphazardly to the wall. The poor thing was flickering and buzzing with what little power it still had remaining. It was barely even managing to stay on, let alone providing any actual light source to speak of.

Sundance appeared before him from her hiding place in subspace, scanning him for any other injuries. She must’ve just rezzed him. He hated the feeling of being freshly revived, it made his wiring all fuzzy and his mouth feel like it was full of old mothballs. But right now, he mostly hated it because his metal skull still felt like it was splitting in two.

Cayde groaned as he sat up, putting his head in his hands as he spoke. “Sundance…where are we?”

“Unclear,” She answered hesitantly, “Sort of.”

“What kind of answer is ‘sort of’?” He looked up at her, the Ghost’s shell dropping a little as if she didn’t want to tell him.

“Prince Uldren has taken us prisoner…but I’m not entirely sure where we’re at.”

“So call for help! The Vanguard, Petra—hell call everyone!”

“I can’t…” Sundance turned away from him, her shell spinning around as she contemplated the best way to break the bad news to him. “I tried, Cayde, I’m unable to reach anyone. I even attempted to transmat us out of here. I don’t know what Uldren did to us—to me…But I can’t do anything except heal you. Even my connection to the Light feels…weaker here.”

“Outstanding,” Cayde grumbled, he knew it wasn’t her fault. Hell, he was lucky to still have her. She had barely blinked away before that sniper…no he couldn’t go there. Couldn’t bring himself to think about how things would have ended without his Sundance, without his Light.

He would be six feet under. That’s all there was to it. He held his hand out and Sundance placed herself into his palm, her warmth settling deep into his circuitry somewhere. Cayde let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. He wasn’t sure what was next or how to move forward from here. But he knew one thing for certain:

He wasn’t going to let that Awoken Bastard Prince get the best of him.

Cayde was patient. He could wait it out.

He would find an opportunity to escape, and then bring the full fury of the Vanguard down on Uldren Sov once and for all.

#destiny uldren #destiny cayde #destiny 2 #destiny fanfiction #cayde 6 #destiny the game #writing #lost in the sauce #send help

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calummss · 1 year ago

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Reborn in Death | Thomas Shelby

masterlist

summary: things are not always what they seem. behind a happy facade hides the horror of reality not everyone can live with; including you

pairing: fem! reader x thomas shelby

words: 800

a/n: i’m not putting tw just bc i want the reader in the unknown. there’s a theme of death. if you don’t think you can handle it or unsure don’t read.

‘Say goodbye to daddy, Lillian.’ You rocked your daughter on your arm, stepping into the kitchen where Thomas was smoking.

Thomas turned to you before placing his cigarette on the ashtray, his hands reaching out for Lillian’s face, her cheeks never safe from his pinching.

‘Have a good day with mummy,’ he gave her a quick kiss, ‘try not to cry too much.’

‘You’ll be good, won’t you?’ You grinned at her.

Thomas also gave you a quick kiss, reminding you to stay safe on your morning stroll with Lillian.

Lillian loved your little walks. She seemed to be more relaxed when she could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin, the wind, the sounds of chirping birds when they were there.

‘We should be back in an hour or so.’ Another quick smile before leaving the door to place little Lillian inside the stroller. Tucking her in and making sure she was covered, the biting coldness of winter starting to get colder by the day.

The streets were mostly empty. The only ones that found themselves outside were the unfortunate, or workers, forced to take a shift no matter the conditions.

You took the usual route to the nearby park, trying to get Lillian to see the world for the beauty it had. Wanting her to see different things nature had created. Lillian liked ducks. You took notice of it when she started grinning at them, they’re quacks making her giggle hysterically.

The pond was not yet frozen, the water still flowing peacefully. Ducks floating above the crystal waters, their colourful feathers reflecting a beautiful ombré.

‘When are you going to tell her, Thomas?’ Polly took a drag of her black rolled cigarette, her eyes gleaming.

Thomas’ back was pressed against the wall, he inhaled the silver smoke that relieved him of his nerves.

‘You have to,’ she snapped, her voice growing louder, ‘her delusion is starting to spread across town. How will that make us look good? Let alone her.’ Aunt Pol bit her lip, her honey eyes glued on Thomas’ frame as he hung his head, the weight on his shoulders growing heavier as she continued to speak.

‘What do you want me to say, Pol?’ He glanced up, his voice the softest it had been.

‘That Lillian died and that what she is holding is a doll!’

‘You know I can’t do that!’

’You have to!’

‘I CAN’T!’ Thomas shouted back, hands sliding across his face.

Polly marched towards him, her hands trembling. ‘YOU HAVE—‘

‘SHE KILLED HIM!’ He yelled, his face eye to eye with her.

Tommy’s eyes bounced back and forth, unable to focus with the dragging noise of his heart that silently grew louder and louder as he looked at Polly’s face. The horror made him sick.

‘What?’ Her eyes somewhat softened, still wide as her heart stopped beating what seemed to be too long for her to still be alive, her hands no longer shaking. Paralysed.

Thomas’ hand brushed against his lip, turning around, pacing across the living room, his feet moving despite his wish to settle. ‘She was home alone when Kimber came here, the day we sent our men to the race. She hid in a kitchen cabinet when the baby suddenly started crying.’ His voice started shaking, just enough to tell that Thomas Shelby carried a heavy weight in his soul, every word harder to say out loud. ‘She was so scared. So scared to die. She covered Lillian’s mouth and nose to silence her. Stopped her from breathing…when they left, Lillian had already died in Y/n’s arms.’

‘Why did you never tell me?’ Polly asked.

‘Because if I told you, I would have to tell her the truth and I don’t think she’ll be able to handle it again. I cannot put her in that state again. Especially when part of it is my fault too,’ his voice grew quiet, shame washing over him like a wave trying to drown him. ‘I should never have made a move on Kimber. Never have left her alone in that house. I should’ve never done it.’

Polly opened her mouth wanting to respond but the sudden clicking of the door brought her to her feet, her arm brushing against Thomas as your familiar face appeared behind the door.

Closing the door behind you, the family portrait of you, Thomas and Lillian fell over.

‘Shh don’t cry,’ you rocked Lillian, her cries filling your ears. ‘Mummy would never do anything to hurt you. You’re safe with me, I’ll always protect you.’

Polly looked at Thomas, faced with an expression she had never seen on him, patting his shoulder to reassure him. ‘Switch it with a real baby, Tommy.’ She whispered in his ear, helping you with the stroller as you held Lillian on your arm.

Thomas smiled at you, taking Lillian into his arms from you, rushing upstairs, leaving him alone.

I stay where your calendar stopped.

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kurishiri · 4 months ago

Text

20 . . . main story

— this translation may not be 100% accurate or may contain creative liberties for characterization or narrative flow purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but don’t repost or claim these as your own!

— cw: drowning (nightmare), some obsessive behavior.

—— Elbert’s POV ——

——When I came to, I found myself standing on the shallows.

I could see the sun sinking beneath the distant horizons, and suddenly my body chilled.

Kate: Lord Elbert.

Elbert: Kate...

When I turned around, she was there, smiling... and somehow, one way or another, she was embracing me.

Her warmth on me filled my heart with an indescribable happiness.

But——

Kate: Gh... Lord Elbert, the waves...

Elbert: ...!

A large wave pulled up with a splash, and the warmth we were just sharing suddenly became soaked, washing away all of it and rendering my body cold.

The waves that had been frolicking around my ankles had somehow ended up rising to our arms.

(We have to get back to the shore, and fast, or...)

But, when I tried to move my legs whilst hugging her, they stayed fixed where they were, refusing to move.

When I looked down, a needle was piercing through my legs.

It was a needle I recognized too... that very needle I had used to pierce the butterflies’ backs when making them specimens.

Kate: Lord Elbert...

Kate’s eyes were filled with a deep sadness, and seeing that made it feel as though that needle had pierced through my heart as well, making it sting.

(——You have to return to the beach.)

(Please, don’t let go of my hand...)

The words formed in my mind, but they were stuck in my throat.

Elbert: ———...gh...

The water had already risen to her throat... and she was clinging onto my chest, with no sign of letting go.

(Please, Kate——)

Then, the water was far above her head.

It was painful to breathe. I couldn’t breathe.

And yet—

—I, too, held her tightly with my arms...

...with absolutely no sign of letting go.

—— Kate’s POV ——

Kate: Lord Elbert...!

Elbert: Hah... gh, haa...... ...?

Lord Elbert finally opened his eyes, his breathing haggard on the bed,

and with a panicked, confused expression, he looked at me, hugging me.

Elbert: ...I... fell asleep...?

Kate: Yes, you did. And you looked like you were having a really bad nightmare, crying out in your sleep...

As though melting into one another, we had made love, and at some point we had succumbed to a pleasurable drowsiness——

When I heard Lord Elbert’s pained voice while in his arms, though, I woke up.

Kate: Are you alright?

Elbert: ......

Lord Elbert didn’t reply, instead tightening his hold around me.

(He must have dreamed of something really frightening...)

I wrapped my hands around his back, gently stroking it so as to calm him down.

Gradually, Lord Elbert’s breathing steadied.

Elbert: I...

E: I dreamed of being pulled down to the depths of the sea.

Kate: ...The, depths of the sea?

Lord Elbert’s shoulders trembled, as though he were trying to endure the cold.

Elbert: ...I, was held down by needles, so I couldn’t move...

E: ...and when we were embracing each other, I knew you had already sunk, and yet... I couldn’t let go.

E: And you... never tried to let me go either.

E: ...It was, a truly frightening dream.

His hold around me grew so strong it started to hurt.

Kate: ......Lord Elbert...

To Lord Elbert, his existence in and of itself was the reason the people important to him were sad, to the point he had killed them,

so something so trivial could be enough to shatter those fragile and fleeting ‘happy days,’

(So, maybe that’s why, he was having a nightmare about that happiness shattering...)

I wanted to put a cover on those wounds that dream had reopened, even if ever so slightly, and so with my arms around his back, I, too, strengthened my hold.

Elbert: ...It felt like, I had stolen everything away from you.

E: That warm happiness, and a bright future… you should have been the one to have those, all of those.

E: But when I think about having hurt you… and making you sad, I feel like I’m about to go crazy——

E: And I…

E: I thought, if I was going to send you back to the beach, then… we might as well sink to the bottom, together.

Kate: …….!

Elbert: When you didn’t let go of me, instead sinking down into the sea with me, I… was happy.

E: And that thought alone…

E: …terrified me… so much.

(…Ahh, this isn’t good.)

(I know Lord Elbert was hurting right now.)

I knew he was tormented by the sins in his conscious, and frightened of the unknown,

and yet to see Lord Elbert want to seek me out so strongly——

(…makes me so happy, I don’t know what to do with myself.)

Kate: Well… there may have been times where I felt sad, or hurt.

K: But, even so, I… I want to stay together with you, by your side, Lord Elbert.

K: Besides… with the two of us together,

K: I feel like we’ll encounter many more happy things than sad.

Elbert: …Is, that so…

Kate: Yes. Because, see, even now…

K: With you hugging me so tightly like this, it makes me happy, Lord Elbert. So, so happy.

Elbert: ……

E: …I, feel the same way.

E: I really do want to become stronger… just like you are.

E: So that, I can make you happy. …So much so, you won’t go anywhere else.

His murmur was much like a prayer, filling my heart with endearment.

(His sin will surely, follow him wherever he goes.)

(And whenever I remember Daisy… even now, my heart hurt.)

(But, even so, I wonder what can I do — so that Lord Elbert doesn’t become consumed with nightmares.)

Just then, a cute sound came from Lord Elbert’s stomach.

Elbert & Kate: “…Are you hungry?” “…Could it be, you’re hungry?”

(Eh?)

Kate: …I’m pretty sure that came from you just now, Lord Elbert?

Elbert: ………It did?

His brows looked like that of a bisque doll as Lord Elbert blinked, lowering his line of sight to his own stomach with a somewhat bemused expression.

Elbert: ………I…see.

E: …Sorry about that… it’s just been so long, I didn’t know.

Lord Elbert averted his eyes to his side, his expression awkward.

(That’s… so adorable…)

I could sense a childlike innocence that I didn’t see every day, and it made my chest twinge sweetly.

(But, to think that his stomach has been empty for a long time...)

I could feel the weight of his suffering up until now, and it did pain me,

but, more than that, I was happy that Lord Elbert had changed.

Kate: I’ll go bring something to eat, okay?

Elbert: ...No, I’ll go.

Kate: No can do. You’re a patient, so you should be sleeping. So, is there anything you want to eat?

Elbert: .........An apple.

Kate: Hehe... will do.

K: Ah, but... I’ll have to go ask Roger first to see if it’s alright for you to eat or not first, just in case.

Elbert: Roger...?

Kate: Eating something might end up hurting your mouth or throat, so... I’ll need some way to treat the grating of the throat if it happens, you know.

Elbert: .........

(I believe Roger is taking a nap on the first floor...)

I lowered myself from the bed as I dressed myself, when I came to a sudden realization.

(Come to think of it, I have a feeling Roger said his ability was superhuman hearing...)

(And, I... my voice back then...)

While tying my ribbon around my neck, I thought back on the time we were making love.

I was so caught up in seeking each other out — I couldn’t think of anything else.

(Gh... suddenly I’m not sure how I can face him or talk to him...)

My thoughts whirring in my head, I put on the belt of my skirt, when——

Kate: Kyah...!

I felt arms wrap around me from behind, and I was pulled back onto the bed.

Kate: Lord Elbert...?

I stumbled back down, my back on the rim of the bed——with Lord Elbert’s long legs around me.

Elbert: ...I changed my mind. I don’t need anything.

Kate: Eh—? But, your stomach was...

Elbert: I don’t want to let you go.

Kate: ...!?

Elbert: Stay here, with me.

(...Could it be...)

(Is he jealous, of Roger...?)

Elbert: ...No can do?

With his face buried in the nape of my neck, I felt my skin grow hot.

Kate: It’s... not that. But... why?

Elbert: Because, right now... you are very beautiful.

E: And, I don’t want anyone else to see you, like that.

E: If they see you... they’ll surely want you.

E: ...Just like me, right now.

His voice had a somewhat spoiled quality, and it tickled my earlobe.

(Up until now... whenever Lord Elbert said he had wanted me, I couldn’t take his words at face value.)

(After all, what if he had reached out to me in order to atone for his sin? I couldn’t reciprocate that.)

(But, from here on out... I know that the reason why Lord Elbert is seeking me out,)

(is all because... he wants to become happy, together with me.)

The depths of my heart became hot, and I no longer had the will to push his arms away.

But, one way or another, I managed to gather my reason, and I managed to push the arms that were wrapped around my back away.

Kate: I’m happy to hear that, Lord Elbert, I really am.

K: But... I think you really should eat something.

Elbert: .........

(Uu...)

His eyes, which looked like the sea if it were enclosed in a jewel, stared intently on me, causing my feelings to waver.

Kate: Lord Elbert... please?

Elbert: ...No.

Kate: Ah...

Lord Elbert planted his lips on the nape of my neck, before sucking on it hard.

Kate: Mn...

A sweet sting rushed through me, and my voice let out a sound, as if being spoiled.

Kate: L-Lord Elbert......

Elbert: ......What is it?

Kate: What do you mean, wha... ah...

I felt something wet on my neck, and I could tell his lips touched it.

His teeth bit on my skin sweetly, and as the tip of his tongue fondled around it,

I once again felt a slight pain rush through me.

(Wait... if he gives me a mark, in that place...)

Kate: Ah... Lord Elbert, wait...

Elbert: Mn......

I tried to squirm around, but Lord Elbert had me restrained with both of his arms as he continued to suck on my skin.

——Then, that torturously sweet pain stopped when there was a sudden knock on the door.

(...!?)

Giving neither of us room to answer, the door to the room opened without a moment’s hesitation.

Alfons: Pardon me for my rudeness, did I interrupt you two as you were affirming your love with each other?

A: ...Oh, silly me, to think I asked while already knowing the answer, but I came in anyway.

Elbert: Al...?

Kate: Alfons...!

Alfons: It would seem you managed to avoid going through death’s door, Elbie. What a relief, indeed.

Kate: ...Wait, where were you at?

I asked without thinking, forgetting my current situation.

While Lord Elbert was teetering between life and death, Alfons had disappeared to... somewhere.

Alfons: Oh, what does it matter where I went? You see, I simply did not wish to see Elbert die.

Kate: And why is that...?

Alfons: ...I can’t help but feel repulsed by the idea that I might end up thinking it’s a relief that he had died before me, you see.

(...What is that supposed to mean...?)

Elbert: ...Welcome back, Al.

Lord Elbert seemed no different than before as he greeted Alfons.

Perhaps, the two of them had known each other’s true intentions from the start.

Alfons: Even so, aren’t you two having the time of your lives. Let me join in with you.

Kate: Join…?

His words were so sudden, I couldn’t grasp what his words really meant for a moment.

Elbert: ……….

Kate: Mn…!?

Lord Elbert sucked hard on my neck then, as if to show off to Alfons.

Kate: L-Lord Elbert…!

(Not in front of Alfons…)

Elbert: ……I refuse, Al.

Alfons: …Haha, I won’t take her. As a matter of fact, when have I ever taken any of your toys away?

A: I did say let me join in with you, not in place of you, no? I simply mean to say that we should sometimes play together.

A: …Well, from what I can see, it would appear that she went from being locked in your room to your arms.

Elbert: ………

Seeing Alfons look fed up as he shrugged his shoulders,

Lord Elbert let go of me, albeit reluctantly so.

Elbert: …Keep the mark out.

E: And when you’re talking to Roger, keep three steps worth of distance.

I didn’t even have to look into a mirror to know my neck must have red marks, a sign he made.

Lord Elbert looked at me intently.

Uncertainty, obsession, and lust mixed together——the depths of my body trembled at those deep eyes.

Kate: Yes, I will…

Elbert: …Mn.

Alfons opened the door for me, and as if reluctant to part, I left the room.

(For him to kiss me like that so as to leave a mark… and to stay three steps away on top of that, too…)

Perhaps the love I was faced with from him was—

—something more fervent, more heavy than I had initially thought.

(…What do I do?)

(My face, feels hot… and my heart hurts too.)

That extreme love I faced from him, whose heart had wounds not yet healed,

seemed to hold some sense of danger, and I had a feeling it was something I shouldn’t just be happy about.

(…I would like…)

(Lord Elbert to want me, more…)

I had just managed to escape from his arms, but already I found myself wanting to be held captive by them again.

—— Perspective shift ——

After Kate had left the room…

Elbert: …Al…

Facing upward from the bed, Lord Elbert called out in a whisper.

Elbert: Thanks, for bringing Kate out of that room.

Alfons: …What is this, all of a sudden? I’m sure you are aware that I take your stuff out of your room on my own free will, are you not? I’m simply doing the same here.

His lips curving up and shrugging his shoulders, Alfons looked in the direction Kate had left.

Alfons: All that said… this is quite an obsession you have, is it not?

Elbert: …I know. …I, couldn’t stop myself.

E: The voice she speaks with, the air she breathes in, her gaze, all of it and everything… I don’t want to give them to anyone else.

E: I want her… all of what she is.

Alfons: I reckon if anything did happen to Miss Kate because of you, you wouldn’t be able to go on living now, would you?

Elbert: ………Yeah, you’re right.

E: But, it will be alright… I won’t let that happen.

E: I will protect her. So that she doesn’t get hurt, or feel sad…

E: So, I will hold her dear… forever and evermore…

—— Kate’s POV ——

When Lord Elbert recovered, we returned to Crown Castle.

Victor: Ahh! My precious Cursed boys, and Kate as well! Welcome back!

V: And I am so, sooo very relieved you are safe and sound, Elbert!

Elbert: Urgh…

William: Victor, it appears Elbert is about to asphyxiate, so would you let him go?

Victor: Ahh, my bad, my bad!

The arms that had just been holding in a tight embrace suddenly let go.

And it seemed Victor was not the only one who was happy that Lord Elbert had survived and was safe and sound.

William: For someone who was just poisoned, your complexion is quite good now, Elbert.

Elbert: …I’m sorry, for that time. And thank you, for saving me.

William: If you want to thank someone, it should be to Roger, who treated you.

Roger: Ahh, about that, don’t worry too much about it. I already got what I wanted.

Elbert: …? Did I, give you something?

Roger: Yep, you gave me clinical data on how aconite affects Cursed ones compared to normal people over the course your recovery.

R: With this, I’ve made some good progress on my research on the Cursed ones. Thanks for your hard work.

Kate: Wh…

(I did hear that he was a former doctor, and I have no doubts about that, but…)

He had such a calm and logical mindset, it left me a little dumbfounded.

Alfons: You see, Miss Kate, this is the type of man he is, the brute.

A: While a dear friend is on the verge of life and death, he thinks about how many milliliters of poison will end up killing him.

Roger: Hey, now, back up. Don’t go saying disturbing stuff like that. I think you meant how many milliliters can he take and still live.

(Wow, Roger is… more of an egoist than I thought.)

Ellis: You’re not hurt anywhere now, Elbie? Do you feel unwell?

Elbert: …I’m fine now. Thank you.

Ellis: Really… then, that’s good.

E: …Maybe it’s just me, but it seems you look much more happy than when you left the castle.

Elbert: …

Lord Elbert blinked at Ellis’ words.

(So it seems so to other people, too…)

(…That kind of makes me happy.)

I smiled broadly without thinking, and it seemed Lord Elbert did the same.

Elbert: …Is that so.

Ellis: … [surprised]

Harrison: …………Well I’ll be.

Liam: Ahah, Elbie smiled just now. What’s this now, is this Kate’s power or love or what?

Jude: Tch… just how long are y’all plannin’ to hold this drama of a reunion.

Roger: If you’re jealous, you can join in on the hugs, you know.

Jude: I’ll beat ya up before that ever happens.

Victor: Jude’s “get along with others” gauge seems like it’s going to hit its limit at any minute, so I say we move on to the main problem!

Upon hearing Victor say the ‘main problem,’ I recall how we had left Mister Gabriel on that boat.

Kate: When you say ‘main problem’… do you mean the case with the Bernard Company?

Victor: That I do. Just what ended up happening to them——

That night, William had passed judgment unto Gabriel Bernard.

Victor said that Crown had succeeded in getting information on the politicians of each country the Bernard Company had connections to,

and that they will be punished accordingly as well.

William: I assume from here, the especially evil people from the client list will be exposed, and we will be passing judgment on them.

Kate: …Okay, I understand. Thank you for telling me.

Victor: That, and… Kate, it will soon be the promised one month since you became the Fairytale Keeper.

Kate: …!

(I see… so, it’s already been a month.)

So that I could keep my life, and so I could return to my normal everyday life, I stayed here in the castle, bound by a contract.

Victor: I see that, up to now, you have thoroughly protected our secret,

V: and if you continue to do so, I will be able to offer you the choice to go back to your normal, everyday life.

V: Anyhow, when the promised day comes… I’d like you to tell me, what you yourself would like to do.

Kate: …Alright, I understand.

I nodded in response, but I had already decided in my heart.

(I… can no longer return to the time when I had first agreed to those terms.)

(Even if I see many sad things from now on, and even if I face many dangers,)

(I, want to be by Lord Elbert’s side.)

Elbert: ………

Lord Elbert’s gaze was on me, and as I caught that, I gave Lord Elbert a smile as if to reassure him.

——At this time, though, I didn’t know.

Just how much being by his side would deepen the sin he bore——

← prev blind love →

mad love →

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#i was gon cry if elbie said #6ft instead of 3 steps #nhfkshgds #iykyk #ikemen villains #ikevil #イケメンヴィラン #ikevil elbert #ikevil elbert greetia #elbert greetia #ikemen villains elbert #cybird ikemen series #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #ikemen series #otome game #otome #ikevil translation #ikevil translations

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bloomstudioart · 4 months ago

Text

Thoughts part 1:

They are just thoughts, nothing big, vents, desires and points of view.

Robertsky peachman and Bloom

Sometimes there is this thought, that we are selfish, things go badly for all of us and others do well, when things go well for others, things go badly, Even if they are not connected to us, or really have a good opinion of us, we see that they suffer, they do not stop holding on to it.

Sometimes I see that, I feel bad about myself for it, like I don't deserve that happiness and I would love to give it to those who need it, but, at the same time, I start thinking about how ephemeral that is.

Pain can be as ephemeral as the blizzard in autumn, just like sadness and anger, people sometimes tend to think "why me? Why do I have to suffer all this?"

But they don't see their surroundings, they don't stop sometimes to think, stop their minds and breathe, accept what is happening and stop for a moment, Yes, things may be bad, but is everything really like that?

Sometimes we are so immersed in that pain or we get so used to suffering that when it is not there we feel restless because nothing is happening, We reach a point where we are in automatic and alert mode that does not leave us alone

And we tend to harm others because of it, distancing ourselves from others, pushing them away so as not to suffer, because we are afraid of doing harm or being harmed more.

Even if you think so, it's not true, we just... We hurt ourselves.

It is difficult to get out of that well, that well where you see nothing but water, darkness and a very distant light that slowly goes out every day.... But at the same time.... When you flow with the water you feel something, you learn from that pain, anything else that makes you feel drowned, it no longer feels like that, it feels light, although it is just covering the sun with your finger...

Sometimes I felt in that sea, tied, not knowing where to cling, there was nowhere, I was alone as if I were a flag in that dark sea

I didn't know what to do, alone, I floated, I sank so many times, I touched the bottom of the sand as if it were my old friend, but, I saw above, that light, and I did what I could to breathe, even if it was just for a moment.... Even if it's just an instant....

I focused more on seeing the darkness of the sea than seeing what was tied, I was afraid, since that tie on my leg was my comfort zone, If I untied myself, I would be in the open sea, but if I stayed, I would drown so much that I would lose my life when I touched the sand again....

But... If I didn't untie myself, how would I get to an island to get help? How would I find a way to get back home?

I wanted to live... I wanted to love... I wanted to feel alive again... I saw something floating.... Something sharp, I had two options... I was killing myself, ending all the misery and cold in this sea.... Or did I untie myself and scream for help?.... Take courage, cut the rope on my leg and scream... I screamed like never before... I cried, I cried like a child, I let out all that pain, my tears became one with the sea, I screamed like never before until I got tired and lost my voice... When I finished... I wait.... I thought no one had heard me...

But...

Someone came...

They found me....

They put me on the boat...

They sheltered me and gave me warmth, they hugged me like never before, I cried, I cried like never before, it was so painful, I felt like I was making a fuss, but no, they wanted to help me, help me heal that pain...

There I realized something, not everything was as I thought, in reality, they didn't know I was suffering, and when they did, They wanted to do their best to help me, they took me for a check-up, they checked my wounds, they checked my heart, it was broken...

But, i was no longer alone...

Maybe I still have scars.... I remember that pain.... But... Even with that, I'm still here

I'm still alive...

Sometimes it's hard, but I really can handle this... I believe in myself, I believe I can get ahead, this pain is part of living and learning

After that pain, nothing looks scary anymore

Maybe things aren't the best, but I can handle that, maybe not everything is the best, but, I really believe in you, I think you can do it, I think you can overcome that sea...

I want to sees you happy... Alive...

Feeling love...

If no one tells you before...

I believe in you....

I love you.... With all my life...

Thanks for exiting

You are strong, you are brave, you are a survivor, you can with this, you are the most beautiful thing in this life... Please, let me love you, and let love yourself

Thanks for everything

#tnmn #that'snotmyneighbor #tnmn fanart #robertskypeachman #ask blog #bloom!character #bloom! Robertsky

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dranna · 1 year ago

Text

Comfort in the dark

AO3 / Commissions / Links /

Includes: POV Lucius, which halfway through will be POV Severus, hurt/comfort, breakdown, feeling of dread and death, fluff at the end, not beta read, let me know if I left something out

Thank you for the request @tea-and-magic , I’m sorry it took so long ~

a/n: I saw the movies long ago and I don’t like the books (mainly because they are pov harry, sorry :’) ). I apologise if some things doesn’t make sense canon wise. So I’m certainly making things up here lmao ^^’

@giosnape thank you for the short and info filled summery of the books 😂🫶

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dark times we live in.”

As everyone’s been saying.

Recently Fear’s been silently sitting,

On Unmarked souls and Servants,

Creeping in homes and jolly feasts,

Choking their voices away.

With Fear came Darkness and Cold,

Spreading like snow,

Covering the Warmth and Sun,

Suffocating the blooming flowers of Trust.

Lucius was breathing in

The chilly night air,

Which he thought could never feel again,

The Dark Lord had risen to full fame,

Freeing his slaves from their graves.

The Dark Lord—

He Who Shall Not Be Named,

Holding all dread above heads,

How to have the courage to look,

Into those icy snake-eyes that ruin?

Lucius was thinking while he froze,

Onto the spot he was looking at the Moon.

Terror constrained his heart,

It’s long nails leaving wounds and alarm.

He looked at the Moon again,

As if begging for calmness.

She was the only light source that night,

Not even her Starts visible on the sky,

She gave off a chilly yet comforting light,

Blinking at Lucius from above.

I can’t stay here,

They will find me and—

No, this can’t happen.

He would torture me and mock,

With those reptile eyes and high pitched voice.

I can’t go home—

Home?

I don’t even have my mansion anymore,

It’s part of His kingdom for a while now.

His mind raced as he started to walk,

He didn’t know where or why,

His legs carried him silently towards a house.

Yes it’s His,

Like Everything,

One snowy touch and it’s belongs to him.

And Narcissa and my Draco?!

Are you alright?

Where are you?

Has he started to work his ‘arts’ on you too?

I hav—need to help you,

But I can’t!

He started to sob,

While his lonely steps echoed in the dark.

I can’t I can’t I can’t,

I can’t go back!

To see Him and feel His presence!

Goosebumps ran through his body,

While he felt coldness flowing through him.

“I ca-an’t”

The word breaking through his lips,

He felt freezing and desperate,

Sinking to his knees and stare,

Into the void he was in.

Tears started to flow down his white cheeks,

Growing bigger every minute.

His mind was slow and foggy,

Showing him only pictures of Him,

His thoughts couldn’t sail away,

From His thundering storm,

Locking Lucius under icy water.

He felt the numbing feeling in his bones,

But acting against it was impossible.

“Lucius!?”

A new voice entered his mind,

Which sounded familiar,

It was slow and deep,

Mixed with disbelief.

Lucius lifted his gaze and saw,

A man with crooked nose,

A shocked expression on his usually grumpy face,

Shiny dark hair melting into the darkness.

He looks.. I know him,

But I’m so tired I can’t think..

“Malfoy? Malfoy can you hear me?

What on earth are you doing here?!”

He sounded agitated and hused,

Looking over his shoulders as he knelt besides the blond one.

He shook Lucius’ shoulders gently,

But the other man was so far off,

He couldn’t feel anything.

“I-I’m so s-scared.”

A tormented whisper left the crying man,

Which made him sob harder again,

The crooked nosed professor stood up,

Taking away his warmth.

Gently, long, skilled fingers lifted the kneeling man,

Holding up in slim arms.

Lucius didn’t register what was going on,

He only felt friendly arms holding him close to a chest,

Carrying him to god knows where.

He must have fallen asleep or lose conscience,

Because he woke up in a bed,

However it wasn’t his,

He was in a tiny room,

Filled with the smell of herbs and books,

The walls were covered with books, plants and notes,

Making him feel safe somehow.

It was a messy room,

But organised,

Everything had its place,

Left out or tucked away.

Next to the bed was a fireplace,

Omitting heat and light,

Illuminating a thin figure,

Sitting on the only chair,

Reading next to the bed.

You could’ve mistaken his calm and collected,

But the line of his mouth betrayed him.

“Severus?”

Immediately to his name,

He moved towards the lying man,

Sitting beside him on the bed.

Severus’ face mirrored worry,

Both for his lovers’ health and because of Him.

“How do you feel?”

“I.. I feel nothing.”

To this reply Snape’s heart broke in half,

Oh dear Lucius,

Who was always so confident and cocky,

Now a shell of his beautiful glory,

All of his shining light is dead,

I can’t even find a sparkle there.

And it’s all because of Him!

He is the destroyer of everything.

He killed Her..

No, not thinking of it now,

I won’t let Lucius’ fire burn out too!

After decided this in this head,

He took of his shoes and climbed in the bed,

He covered him and his lover with is only blanket,

Hugging him tight,

While placing kisses on his head.

“Everyone will be alright,

I promise.”

It was stupid of him to promise such things,

When he had no power above anything,

He was just a floating leaf,

On the muddy stream,

Going where he flowed against his will.

But he couldn’t do anything else to release the other’s pain,

So he continued whispering reassuring words into his ear.

With every word and gentle kiss,

Lucius started to relax,

He sank deeper and deeper into the the others’ presence,

Breathing in his unmistakable herby smell.

They stayed there the whole night,

Listening to the fire and each other’s heart,

The icy fingers ceased to stop,

Warm entrance took away their place.

And they just stayed and stayed entwined to one another,

Drifting into peaceful dreams.

“Thank you Severus.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading ~

My writing requests still open

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echomymelody · 7 months ago

Text

Saki wakes up in a field of flowers.

Above her, the sky is blue and clear, without a hint of clouds.

She frowns, because she remembers, very distinctly, her mother telling her that there would be nothing but rain the next few days. But then, she also doesn’t remember falling asleep outside — not like she’d be allowed to stay out for so long, especially when the cold airs of winter hadn’t fully left and still hung over spring’s warm breezes.

Slowly, Saki sits up, feeling the cool but soft grass against the soles of her feet. There is no hint of dampness on the blades of green, a feat unusual for springtime, and she draws the conclusion that she’s dreaming.

There are a few sunflowers in front of her, swaying slightly under the influence of the gentle wind, accompanied by some tubular pink flowers, which Saki recognises to be one of the many flowers Ichika gave her a long time ago. How would she ever forget, when that was the only splash of colour in her bleak white room?

Feeling a smile form on her face, Saki picks the pink flowers up and brings them up to her nose, and a sweet scent washes over her. Weirdly enough, they smell like bubblegum.

Saki looks up, taking in the rest of the surroundings. The pasture in front of her, dotted with whites and blues and yellows and reds, seems to stretch endlessly, and curiosity gets the better of her. After placing the flowers down and getting up on her feet (and stretching out her slightly tense muscles — she’d stayed in the same position for too long), Saki steps forwards, the sun’s warm gaze draped over her.

With every new step, her curiosity grows, and restlessness crawls up her limbs. Not the nervous, uneasy kind, but the kind that excites her, that makes her want to run until she feels like she’s flying, free of any worries and doubt.

And so, Saki starts to run. The faint wind brushes against her cheeks, a cool contrast to the sun’s warmth. She feels her hair flowing behind her, twin tails fluttering in the air. Her heart rate increases, and she feels it thudding against her chest as she runs. Her breathing picks up its pace, and she feels her smile widening, tugging at the edge of her lips.

She feels so alive and free.

Around her, as she runs, the world turns into a blur of emerald green, accompanied by streaks of red and yellow and blue. Colours fly alongside her, twisting and turning and blurring into one as she picks up her speed. Joy blooms from Saki’s chest, and she continues to run, her body light and her eyes bright, without a care in the world.

Two — or three — minutes pass before Saki has to slow to a stop, panting heavily with her hands on her knees. After all, the human body has its limits, and her limits are lower than average, as much as she wishes it weren’t. Sweat trickles down her face, and she blinks rapidly to get the droplets off her eyelashes.

Ahead, there’s a pond, brilliant blue and still, only interrupted by the circles of ripples caused by the soft wind. White figures are scattered on the waters and the grass around the pond, and Saki, after her heartbeat returns to a calmer pace, makes her way over to it.

Closer up, Saki realises that the white figures form the shape of paper cranes. Some of them are crooked, folded with presumably unsteady fingers. Others look to be folded swiftly, with a precision that only came from repeated practice.

Noticing how some of the cranes have things scribbled on them, Saki sits down by the pond and gently picks up the closest one by her. She unfolds the crane, and takes in a surprised breath as she recognises what’s written on the paper — her own bucket list she’d made years ago, on what she wished to do when she was able to leave the hospital. Most of the items on this list have been checked off, and there are countless exclamation marks and all sorts of happy emoticons doodled around the list.

A few more paper cranes drift towards Saki, with similar scribbles and stickmen doodles on them. Like before, she unfolds the cranes, and scans over the lines with a happy grin on her face. Out of the hundred wishes she’s written, ninety-five of them have been ticked off, and she’s already working towards fulfilling the remaining five wishes of hers.

And yet, Saki feels her eyes getting wet as she stares at the first wish she’s crossed out — to be able to leave the hospital. Barely more than a year had passed since she’d been discharged, but oh, that felt such a long time ago! And in the year since her release, she’d been living life to the fullest, trying new things she’d never had the chance to do, and creating so many precious memories she’ll forever hold dear to her heart.

Blinking the tears away, Saki looks up again, trying to see what memories the other paper cranes hold. She reaches out, and nearly manages to pick up another crane just before an abnormally strong gust of wind blows past her. Yelping in shock, Saki draws away from the pond, and stares in wonder as the cranes in front of her begin to fly.

The wind lifts the cranes up from the pond, and they swirl up into the sky. Some cranes become unfolded, revealing the secrets hidden in them. Saki catches glimpses of music scores, with multicoloured circles and handwritten notes on them. Those must be her compositions, Saki realises, and even from her spot on the ground, she recognises her best friends’ handwritings. Ichika’s written some lyrics on her music sheets in blue, and Honami’s red pen had added some notes here and there, some of her neat words intersected by Shiho’s small but precise green circles.

There’s also cranes folded from her school notes, some decorated with doodles and Ichika’s handwriting as the two of them not-so-discreetly passed notes during last year’s classes, others with Shiho’s and Emu’s, as well as some assessments — she embarrassingly recognises the first assessment she’d ever had, where she barely scraped by with a pass.

The wind blows against her face, causing her hair to fly wildly in the air, and Saki grins widely, her heart bursting with elation. In just a year, she’s been able to do so much, and she’s had so, so much fun. Her body feels light and giddy with joy, and even as hair strands poke at her eye, she brushes them away, a bright, wide smile on her face.

She’s free.

(cross posted on ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55774057

#tenma saki #saki tenma #leo/need #happy birthday saki!!!#character study #(somewhat?)#fics #ichika hoshino #shiho hinomori #honami mochizuki #first actual post here is this how you use tumblr lol

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elluendifad · 1 year ago

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Earenya meditation and offering

Below is a long transcript of a weekday observation for tolkien elven religion <3 Thursday is Earenya, the day of waters and the three Valar associated with water.. It is a day of the external waters of the world (Lord Ulmo), and the internal waters of our hearts (Lord Nienna) and our bodies (Este.) These three Valar are communed with, worshiped, or worked with on this day. My practice every single day is to give a potion offering to the Valar of the day and meditate on their place in my life. Sometimes the moon phase or month changes how specifically i focus on this practice.

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Starting out with seven minutes of silent sitting with this drone in the background, just breathing and feeling the flame of my fëa, the light of the flame imperishable in the world around me. Slowly, the boundaries between my ideas of things and the reality of them goes fuzzy and soft.

Then, prepping my offering for today. Just clean drinking water with a little potion of powdered lion's mane, rhodiola, and orange, then tincture of mullein. Stirred while admiring the swirl of the water counterclockwise, opening the nets of my body and heart to release what it has caught over time.

I stand and sing lindë elenlotë using my finger to mark the points of the star flower: like a clock, 4-- Elenya, 8-- anarya, 2-- isilya, 7-- alduya, 12-- menelya, 5-- earenya (today! the warmth of Ulmo's joy washes over me), 10-- valanya, and back to 4-- arda.

I then face the directions and intone them one at a time: East, Rómen. (also 12 on the star: menelya, the day and direction of Varda and Manwe) Downward, Undo. (5 on the star: Earenya, day and direction of Ulmo and Nienna) North, Formen. (10 on the star: Valanya, day and direction of Tulkas and Vána (though valanya is day of all valar, not just those two.)) Within, Enda. (4 on the star: Elenya--day of Varda and all elves, but direction of Orome and Nessa) West, Númen. (8 on the star: Anarya, day of the sun and fiery valar, but direction of Namo and Vaire.) Above, Vilya. (2 on the star: Isilya, day of the moon and cool/silvery valar, but direction of Este and Irmo.) South, Hyarmen. (7 on the star: Alduya, day of the two trees and day and direction of Yavanna and Aule.) facing same direction, intoning Illúve for the illumination of Eru we all share.

Because today is Earenya, day of waters, day of Ulmo, Nienna, and Este, I crouch and set my offering down and put both palms on the floor to either side of it.

"Hail Ulmo, lord of all waters in the world, whose waves carry the sound of the original song of creation and stretch over all the width and depths of the world. You touch my life at every possible layer and support me in ways i cannot fully know. Thank you, for your joy in the creation, for staying with my people in all forms of exile, for your warnings and protections. Enjoy the fruits of my cup, which are your fruits--this clean water is your gift to me. My joys are your joys, and my sorrows are your sorrows.

"Hail Nienna, Fui, whose heart stretches across all darkness and all time, to every wound and uncertainty. Thank you for the cleansing process of grief, the waxing and waning of suffering that lets wisdom grow. Thank you for your constancy in my life and the depths of compassion you enable in my heart. Take the fruits of my cup, the waters of my tears and my labors. My joys are your joys, my sorrows are your sorrows."

I then stood with the cup and lifted it upward, Vilya, the direction of Este and Irmo.

"Hail Este, who teaches me my trade and has designed so many wondrous plants in communion with other Valar. Thank you for your kind attention to our bodies and their capacity to heal, and for the wide interwoven web of plants and other life that can heal and feed one another. The fruits of my cup are absolutely yours, the fruit of my learning herbalism, which could not be without your constant inspiration and remonstrations. My joys are your joys, and my sorrows are your sorrows."

I then faced south and held my cup outward.

"Hail Lord Yavanna, giver of all fruits and maker of life: this is your month, Yavannie, the month of final harvest. This time is rich with food and light, though soon it will wane and fade. Thank you for the cycle of life and death that feeds and makes food of all. My cup is your cup, my joys are your joys, and my sorrows are your sorrows.

I sat a while with the cup to my chest, breathing in joy in the light of our flaming souls, and then drank the offering after the Valar had their time to enjoy it.

This was crossposted a couple of places including cohost.

#elvenkin #tie eldalieva #elven spirituality #tolkien elfkin #tolkien elvenkind #tolkien elvenkin #witchcraft #tolkien spirituality #ardan paganism #letinwesselma #elfgang

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madpencil · 10 months ago

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Febuwhump 2024

Day 1: Helpless

Words: 1,285

Characters: Omega, Hunter, mentioned rest of batch, mentioned Phee (The Bad Batch)

Description: Omega pretty much lives the quote "how do you process grief? By running from it until finds me in the middle of sunny street on a beautiful day."

Omega hadn't had a good day in what felt for forever. She sat crisscrossed on the warm sand of Pabu. The sun embraced her with it's warmth as she stared out at the waves. It felt like this should be the day to break the pattern. So bright and sunny with a sky so blue it was perfect. It was too perfect. That was the problem.

The girl shifted uncomfortably in the sand, opting to pull her legs up to her chest. There was this nagging feeling in her heart that wouldn't go away. She sighed and tried to direct her attention elsewhere. There were a few birds flying around. Four songbirds, a blue jay, and a dove. They mixed together like they'd known each other their whole lives. They flew and almost seemed to play above the water.

Omega took a closer look. They reminded her a little of the batch. The blue jay could be their reg, echo. After all, he did come from the 501st. The four songbirds were Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and her. That makes Tech... that made Tech the dove. Of course he would be the dove. It was a mourning dove. The feeling returned, and she swiftly jerked her head away from the group. It wasn't something Omega could place. This feeling she had. All she knew was it was terrible.

She looked back at the homes in Pabu instead. In each one was sone version of a family. An elderly couple that had fled Ryloth at the beginning of the war. A married couple and their three kids that Phee had invited when she heard their hone burned down. The young man and his dog on second street that escaped the lower levels of Courasant. They made up a family, and together they all made up Pabu. The batch included. All of them.

Could it really be all of the without Tech?

Omega jumped up out of the sand, refusing to entertain the thought any longer. She started to pace a little. The feeling wouldn't go away. It was better to just go back to the Marauder and forget about it. She'd come down on her own so their was no reason to stay. Besides, the sun would be setting when she got back and she didn't want anyone to worry about where she'd gone.

It was something of a long walk. The ship was perched at the top of the mountain on the landing pad. It wasn't a big deal as she enjoyed walking around Pabu. Not only was Pabu pretty, but she could always smell the salt water. Omega had to pay attention to notice it after bring around it for so long. It reminded her so much of Kamino.

The cities are underneath the water now. You almost drowned.

She shuddered and picked up her pace, trying desperately to shake off the thought. Her chest tightened again. She took a deep breath and turned a corner. Omega paused and stood for a moment. Why did she have to think about all of this now? It was such a perfect day to be outside and to enjoy herself. It was too perfect.

Omega started up with a brisk walk. She just wanted to get back to the Marauder. She just wanted to go to her room and lay down a while; maybe cuddle to to Lula if Crosshair didn't have her. She figured he needed her more after everything he'd been through. The girl picked up her pace a little more again, attempting to outrun the idea of Mt. Tantiss.

"Where are you off to in such a rush kiddo?"

Omega froze in her tracks. The man behind her sounded eerily like Hemlock. So much so it hurt. She spun to see a man and his dog. A young man and his shepard. Hemlock couldn't be here. He couldn't be there for so many reasons.

"Just, headed home sir." Her voice shook a little. The blinde didn't wait around for an answer before nearly sprinting away.

Why was she acting like this? How had her behavior changed so much in just a few months. She didn't like it. She hated it. Omega practically ran the rest of the way to the ship.

She sprung up onto the platform and darted towards the Marauder. It was nestled near the tree on that grew on the platform. She hopped over a large root and hurried her way around another one.

She did not get so lucky as to miss the third. The girl's foot caught and she fell towards the platform. She put a hand out to try and catch herself. It proved unsuccessful and she tumbed down next to the tree. Omega hissed and looked at her right palm. Then was a little blood from where she scraped it against wood trying to lessen her fall. Her knees stung and her ankle hurt.

Defeated, she just pulled in closer to the tree. Tears stung her eyes as she rested her back on the trunk.

"This is helpless" She broke down into sobs. Every wound before this felt as though it was reopening, and the scabs that hadn't healed had been picked at by her thoughts until they bled again.

"I am helpless" she thought. She hadn't been able to help her brother's duing the war, she'd been helpless when Tipoca city fell, helpless when Tech did, helpless to Crosshair and helpless against Hemlock. Even before all that Omega had started to think she'd burdened her brothers with her presence. Tears rolled down her face as she repeated those thoughts over a d over in her head. Anything she'd done or tried to do would be helpless. She tried so hard to be helpful, but she couldn't be when it really mattered.

"I'm helpless." She muttered as tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't hear Hunter when he came up next to her. However, at some point in the past minute he'd gotten close enough to hear her. When he spoke, he was already sitting down near her.

"You're not helpless Omega. What's going on?" He looked tired and concerned. It was a common look for the past little while.

"I just- I'm sorry." Omega leaned into Hunter's chest and cried. She cried for a long time. The only words were occasional words and phrases Hunter hoped would comfort his little girl. She looked up at his with red eyes.

"Everything is just so much, and I can't do anything to stop it or to help or‐" Her tone indicated she'd spiral if Hunter didn't intervene, so he interrupted.

"Omega. You've done so much for us. It's okay. We can take care of everything right now. Just, focus on you awhile, okay?"

"I wanna help." Hunter sighed gently.

"If you wanna help up, then you can start by trying to get better, okay?"

Omega nodded and leaned back into Hunter. He wordlessly lifted her up into his arms to take her to the ship. She didn't reject him, so he walked up to the ramp and in the Havoc Marauder.

The squad leader mapped out what he'd do in his head. He'd take her to his bed and lay her down. He'd tuck her in and retrieve Lula (and tell Omega Crosshair didn't have her) and wait until she fell asleep. It was easy enough.

He did just that. Hunter took great care in making sure she was comfortable and asleep before he shifted towards Tech's old bed. The helpless feeling Omega felt was scarily relatable. If you asked Hunter, he'd say he failed Tech. He took a glance towards Omega.

"I won't fail you too."

#febuwhump day 1 #fanfic #star wars: the bad batch #the bad batch fanfiction #febuwhump2024 #febuwhump #writing challenge #tbb omega #omega the bad batch #omega whump #tbb hunter #the bad batch hunter #the bad batch #sw tbb #tbb #you can feel the lack of love in the end #lol #written pre season 3 #no beta we die like Tech

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thenavysealkie · 1 year ago

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Deliverance Part III (Final)

Timing: Current-ish

Location: Off the coast of Wicked's Rest, overlooking a siren colony

Parties: @thenavysealkie

Trigger Warnings: Partner abuse

Summary: Marcus and William enact his plan to steal back his pelt.

The sun was just beginning to set over Wicked’s Rest, and its rays turned the water a pleasant warm orange color. If it weren’t for the circumstances of why he was there, Marcus would have delighted in the scenery. Instead, he was out on a small rock, overlooking a known location for a siren colony. Next to him, was the former love of his life, turned into his captor and greatest enemy. William.

Marcus knew that his experiences with sirens growing up was not a typical one. Typically, sirens and selkies were great allies, often traveling the same waters and mutually helping each other with their endeavors. However, the ones who lived near his hometown were disdainful of the humans that many of the selkies had assimilated with. These selkies, predictably, weren’t too keen about having their friends hunted down and getting their hearts eaten. As such, there was a mutual disdain among the selkies and sirens where Marcus was from.

“You sure about this?” Marcus asked William, uncertain about such a risky plan. Of course they knew when the sirens would go out hunting, but that didn’t mean that every single member would leave. He and William would both be susceptible to their entrancement, making them easy prey for when the rest of the group would come back. And he knew they wouldn’t mind gorging themselves on the richer blood selkies held.

“Not especially” William replied. “But we don’t have much choice. I need to be me again, and stop relying on you.” The “you” had a bit of disdain and venom behind it. Then, all too quickly once again, his tone shifted and he put a smile on his face. “Not that I haven’t absolutely adored my time with you. I feel like we’ve really reconnected and bonded over these last few months, wouldn’t you agree?”

Marcus, in response, simply stared blankly ahead.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he muttered under his breath, barely audible.

“Okay, now that’s the spirit! After this is all over, we can part ways, and you can have your pelt completely back for yourself.”

The winter chill began to set in and seemed to cut into Marcus’s bones. He was almost looking forward to starting his mission just so he could transform and get some warmth. Also, as unforgivingly icy as the air surrounding him was, nothing seemed to sap warmth from everything around him quite like the act of merely standing next to William. With a fiery glare, he grabbed the pelt from William’s hand. His pelt. The one that was stolen. And now here he was needing the thief’s permission just to use it. Marcus had never felt smaller in his life than he had in the past few months.

Without another word, he dove from the rock they stood upon and seamlessly slipped into his pelt mid air, impacting the water already turned into his seal form. He slowly approached the colony, trying to keep anything but his eyes from poking above the water line. As he suspected, he didn’t see any activity or movement.

If nothing else, he had to give them credit for their city planning. The colony seemed well organized, almost like a scaled down grid system. At least these seem more refined than the ones back home, he thought to himself. He shifted back into his human form, as the water had become very shallow.

As Marcus looked out across the colony, he heard William cautiously taking steps behind him, making small splashes in the shallow water.

“All clear?” He whispered to him, afraid of alerting any sirens waiting nearby.

“So far” Marcus replied. “Just stay frosty, I’d be surprised if they didn’t have at least a few hanging around for protection.”

He then looked over William, usually very calm and in control, and he looked nervous.

“You got a scent yet?” Marcus asked.

“Faintly. I’ve been away from it for so long but…it’s definitely here. I’m gonna need you to cover me when I find it.”

“Cover you how? Be a meat shield while you run away?”

“Well at least you know your part” William said with a shrug.

Marcus felt his rage heat up again deep within himself. William really didn’t care whether or he lived or died, as long as he got what he came for.

“You really don’t care, do you? I mean, I know you’ve been using me. But you don’t care about me at all?”

William shot a look towards Marcus, but it wasn’t one of recognition or guilt like Marcus was hoping. Instead, it was one that somebody would shoot at a toddler throwing a tantrum because he wasn’t allowed another cookie. This was a mixed look of pity and annoyance.

“Marcus, babe. You were wonderful. Very strong hands, and excellent eye candy. But after today you’ve pretty much outlived your usefulness. Be thankful I’m letting you live, it’s not like you can compromise me since you’re legally dead.”

There it was. He was a piece of meat and a means to an end. That was all he ever was and all he’d ever be to him. He had still been holding on to hope that a part of William still truly loved him. He felt tears start to well up, but he quickly choked them back down. Now was not the time to show weakness.

His thoughts were interrupted by another voice, this one seemingly belonging to a woman.

“Stop there!” it cried out.

“Great job, Marcus” William scolded, “Now the whole colony’s going to be eating our hearts for dinner.”

As the siren glided downwards, the two men took on a defensive stance, both drawing their blades.

“Put your weapons away, selkies, if you wish to keep your hands.” the siren warned plainly. “I don’t mean you harm. But you are trespassing, and I need to know why.”

Marcus was frozen still, not sure whether he could trust the woman in front of him to be reasoned with. Still, if she meant to kill them, she probably would have already done so. Before he could muster up enough wit to speak with the woman, William piped up first. He spoke with the same saccharine charm that made Marcus fall for him initially.

“You seem to have stolen something that was stolen from me. The hunter you killed for it had it coming, thieving bastard. I’ll happily take it back. I wanted to talk to one of you, actually. Just didn’t seem like anybody was home.”

The siren seemed to study him carefully, before looking over to Marcus. Marcus tried his best to look as stoic as he could, but he had the feeling the siren could see right through him.

“You are a liar.” she began, again directing the statement at William. “I’ve watched you both from the second you set foot on that rock and started planning everything out. You wanted to come in and rob us blind while nobody was here to defend us.”

“That’s not true!” William sounded genuinely offended. “I simply wanted my pelt back.”

The siren seemed unamused, seeming to look right past the cool charming exterior William put up.

“And what of the other treasures it’s next to? You may have fooled your unwitting accomplice here, but do you really expect me to believe you had no intentions of taking anything else in spite of how valuable it may be. I’m very familiar with the insatiable greed of power hungry men.” She then looked between the two men, sizing them up and trying to get a read on their dynamic.

“If your pelt was stolen, as you say, then how were you both able to get here? The pelt we have down there has been there for half a year or so. Wouldn’t you have wasted away by now?”

Both men looked down, and William’s armor definitely appeared to be cracking under the pressure of the interrogation.

“Like I said, I’ve been watching. I heard your conversation on the rock too.” She then began to circle William, slowly. Both men’s defensive stances were dropped at this point, simply looking on fearfully at the siren. “You’ve become a victim of theft, so you became a thief yourself. Held another selkie’s pelt for ransom so you could force him into a suicide mission. I could enchant both of you right now, have you stab each other. But I won’t do that.” She then turned her eyes to Marcus once again.

“I don’t believe he deserves to die. You on the other hand…” she began to turn towards William, which is when he suddenly lunged at the woman, taking her down to the ground. His blade was back in his hand and he was trying to bring it down into the woman’s chest. She tried to use her voice to enchant him into getting off of her, but he quickly drove his knee into her lower abdomen, forcing air out and silencing her temporarily.

Miraculously, she was able to hold off the blade’s advance, but only temporarily. Slowly but surely, it was making progress. Marcus knew he had to make a decision. Palming the handle of his own knife, he knew what he had to do.

Quickly, Marcus plunged his knife into William’s back. Marcus couldn’t bring himself to make the fatal blow on him, however, so he only landed his stab into the other man’s shoulder. Still, it was enough for William’s grip on the knife to loosen just enough for the siren to wrestle it away from him. The momentum knocked William onto his back as the siren scrambled away.

William rose and looked back at Marcus with hate in his eyes as the blood continued to pour from his shoulder. It ran out and mixed with the shallow water. “Fuckin’ bastard” he said, shaking his head disapprovingly. He reached out his hands and lunged at Marcus attempting to strangle him to death. Marcus tried to resist, but he knew that William had him outmatched in physical strength. He hooked his legs around to the back of William’s knees, trying to draw his legs in and knock him off balance. William didn’t budge.

“You forget we had the same training. I know all your dirty little tricks, you little double crossing bastard.” He pressed both thumbs deeper into the center of Marcus’s throat, and Marcus could see the peripherals of his vision start to darken.

Then, Marcus felt something warm on his chest, and William’s grip loosened. He was dropped to the ground, and he looked up to see William’s blade had been plunged straight through his own neck. The siren stood behind him as she pulled the blade back out. The blood poured from his wound, as he moved his hands up in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. In seconds he fell to the floor, still gasping for air. After a few more moments passed, he went silent. The first and only man Marcus had ever truly loved lay dead in front of him. Yet, he was also his greatest enemy these past few months. He didn’t know what to do, whether he should laugh, cry, or just shut down entirely.

The siren was suddenly nowhere to be seen, and a panic set in as he felt the sudden need to get out of there before the others came back. He didn’t think the others would be so understanding, and if word got around that he was trying to rob them, then he would be in deep shit. He got to his feet, not taking the time to mourn or celebrate or whatever it was he should have been doing in that situation. He made sure he had his pelt secured before moving towards deeper water, when he heard the woman’s voice call out again.

“Wait!”

He stopped. Not out of enchantment, but because he had grown to see the woman as an ally. She approached him, holding up a pelt.

“That man…he was special to you?”

Marcus thought a moment, and then replied. “He was. At least, the person he pretended to be was special to me. I don’t think that person ever actually existed though.”

The siren looked behind her, and then back towards Marcus. She nodded her head understandingly.

“It still must not have been easy, making the choice to kill him in order to save me. But you did the right thing back there.” She then held the pelt out for Marcus to take. “I want you to have this. Maybe you can keep it as a way of remembering him, or maybe you can sell it on the black market. But it’s my token of appreciation towards you. You are welcome back in these waters anytime, selkie.”

Marcus hesitated before taking the pelt from the woman. William’s pelt. The object that kickstarted the entire chain of events that lead him here in the first place.

“Marcus”, he said, flatly.

“I beg your pardon?” the siren responded.

“My name. It’s Marcus. Just, in case we ever cross paths again.”

“Ah, well it’s nice to meet you! Mabel.” she replied, holding out her hand.

The two shook hands and Marcus made his way back to town, holding William’s pelt in his seal mouth and wondering just what it was he wanted to do with it. As he made it to shore and finished the long walk back home, he knew one thing was for certain. He was free now. The chains William had bound him in had finally been broken for good. And, as it turned out, sirens weren’t so bad after all. He may cross paths with Mabel and her colony again, or he may not. But at least he knew that he should no longer be afraid of them or William any longer.

#wickedswriting #thenavysealkie #rip bozo

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