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ollypopwrites · 9 months ago

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From Depths Unknown; Part 1

Rolan x F!Tav (AFAB, she/her) *Tav is a Storm Sorcerer, but no actual reference to her appearance.

Rating: M

Tags & Warnings: [18+ MDNI] Language, Canon-typical violence, drinking, sexual content (very brief, very not detailed BUT slight dom/sub dynamics), slow burn, slightly enemies to lovers but not quite, background Bloodweave, the use of ‘idiot’ as a term of endearment.

Series Summary:

The entire first half of Rolan’s life was spent feeling helpless and angry. Even after escaping his childhood home, Elturel and then the Grove, fate seems to be intent on reminding him of how small he really is.

Tav is the gallant hero, always swooping in to save him and it is infuriating. To add insult to injury, despite himself, he actually likes her.

Notes: hooooo boy. This got crazy. It was supposed to be vignettes leading to some smut and now we have a whole multi-part fic exploring both Rolan’s character as an outsider of the tadpole crew but still closely acquainted and the weight of responsibility on Tav during the entire narrative of the game. Smut will happen, promise, but first — some light whump and heavy yearning.

Read below or on Ao3

“Did you lose something, darling?”

Tav had upended her pack, a huge pile of random junk, valuable magic artifacts, potions and rations by the fire. She was

Frantically digging through it, sorting through jewelry and shoving it aside.

“You haven’t seen my necklace laying around have you? The one with the pearl pendant?”

“I haven’t stolen it if that’s what you’re really asking,” he replied.

“Sounds like something someone would say if they did steal it.”

“Ha-Ha,” Astarion snarked. “Last I saw it was when I fed from you last night,” he sighed, “such a lovely chain wrapped around an even lovelier neck.”

“It was a gift from… someone special. I can’t find it.”

“When did you last remember having it?”

“I wear it everyday,” she groaned frustratedly. “I noticed it was gone when I got dressed after my bath upstairs.”

“And before that?”

“We fought off that horde by the lake,” Tav frowned and then gasped. “Shit. It must have broken during the fight.”

In her mind’s eye she could imagine when it may have happened. She had been positioned directly in front of the portal in which Halsin had gone into the Shadowfell. Gale and her kept directly in front of it to hold off stragglers, while Karlach and Shadowheart flanked in front of them. A flock of undead Ravens had descended upon her and Gale, clawing a scratching and she had lost her balance careening into the water. Some undead Harper’s had made an effort to keep her from climbing back up on the stone outcrop.

She had made it back to her position, but only barely. Tav still felt herself tense and worn down after what was the longest five minutes of her life. The dead just kept rising, new apparitions of horror springing up when they finally had the upper hand.

“I’ll be back.”

Tav stood and left the camp they had set up near the docks below the Last Light Inn. Her feet took her to the same edge of the lake where even now there were remnants of their battle littering the ground. She checked up on the stone outcrop where the portal had been, dancing lights guiding her eyes as she scanned for a glint of metal from the lights.

Nothing. She danced the lights closer to the water but it was impossible to see through. Tav dug for the last dredges of her magic to cast detect magic, she felt something below. Not too far but hard to pinpoint exactly where with her magic so spent.

Tav examined the water. It was just as dark as the rest of this place, and who knew what lingered below its surface. With a sigh, she took off her shoes and stripped down to her small clothes. She dipped her foot in, the water was as cold as it was when she was pulled in earlier that day.

Then she leapt in. Darkness surrounded her, the muffle of the water creating a sense of pure nothingness around her. In a way, it was peaceful, and quiet, but she had to find her way to the bottom and find that necklace. It was not too deep, but she had to fully submerge herself to reach the floor and when she did she tried not to think about what she was grabbing as she blindly felt around.

With only the vague sense of detect magic to guide her, she grabbed blindly. She felt the metal of armor, maybe a rock or a long rusted weapon, but nothing that felt like a thin necklace chain. She had to thrust herself up to the surface to gasp a breath of air.

Just as she went to dive under again she heard a shout, “what the bloody hells are you doing?”

Her head whipped around to the stone she had jumped from. Tall and lithe, standing rigidly straight with fists balled at his side and eyes glowing slightly in the dark. It was Rolan.

“Are you insane?”

“I lost something!” She said back. “Just a minute!”

His call of, “wait!” Was cut off as she dunked under again. Her hands frantically searching, focusing on the detect magic spell that would fizzle out any moment now. She let it lead her, let it show her the pulsing of the magic it was picking up from the bottom of the lake. There was no way of knowing if it was her pearl, but she had to try.

Her hands dug into the muck of the bottom of the lake, pulling some up and bringing it back to the surface. She could barely see, but there in her hand the pearl sat amongst rot and mud. She choked on a gasp, her eyes stinging either from tears or the grime that no doubt was in the water. The chain was long gone, but the pendant was there.

The gold of the delicate clawed setting that held the Pearl of Power was dirty and dented, but the pearl itself seemed to be in good shape.

“I found it!” She called.

“For the love of — get out of the water!” Rolan yelled.

Carefully she tread towards the stone again, reaching it and dropping the pendant onto the stone so she could pull herself out. Just as she lifted herself up, something caught on her foot, and then tugged. She hit her chin on the stone, teeth clacking together and then she slipped into the water again, skin scraping against rock and her vision going dark as the depths.

Rolan’s hand delved deep into the water, clutching at whatever piece of Tav he could get a grasp of and pulled. Her hand emerged, his hand tightly around her wrist as he grunted with the struggle to lift her above the water's edge. When her face emerged she gasped for breath.

“Something’s pulling me,” she yelled.

Rolan had little time to think, and just kept pulling as Tav’s free hand grasped at the rock and started to get herself onto it. As she did, the rest of her torso was revealed, then legs where he saw a long dead, gnarled and rotten hand grasping her calf. He let go of her with one hand to cast magic missile, the angry red jets of magic landing each hit until the hand let go of her.

Tav crawled onto the rock, coughing up water, and catching her breath. She stayed on hands and knees, her hand coming out to grab the trinket she had dived in for.

Rolan turned on her in a rage. “What in the hells is wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” she breathed, “thanks to you. Appreciate it.”

“Weren’t you telling me not to go wandering off into the curse just yesterday?” He seethed.

“I told you not to go alone,” she clarified, “but I guess your point still stands.”

“Thank you,” he said sarcastically. “I watched you and your friends hold off an undead army just here earlier, another truly noble venture I’m sure — “

“We were trying to help lift the curse—“ she stood.

But Rolan’s ire was truly raised and he trampled over her words without acknowledging them. “You cannot truly be this stupid,” he spat, “you know what lurks in this land, what could possibly be so important you need to jump into the accursed lake?” Despite himself he found himself saying, “another hero’s errand, no doubt, the long lost heirloom of a poor, pathetic creature that will simper and whine your praises.”

Tav looked like she might hit him. Instead she grabbed her discarded clothes and started to walk away.

“You’re welcome,” he called after her.

“I already said thank you,” she turned to snarl at him, a spark of lightning curling off of her in her anger. “Would you like me to stay so you can yell at me more or can I go? Will that make you feel better? Will it bring Cal and Lia back?”

Rolan was charging forward before he could stop himself. “They are only gone because you can’t keep your nose out of other people’s business.”

Tav’s angry expression faltered, something he couldn’t quite parse flashed over her face. “Rolan -“ she started and then sighed, shoulders slinking into a hunch.

For the first time he noticed that she looked tired. The kind of tiredness that not even a good night's rest would fix. Bone -deep, mental and physical exhaustion written in the bags under her eyes, the downturn of her mouth. His stomach dropped, his jaw clenched and a new anger flared in him.

Prick, idiot bastard is what you are, Rolan, the thoughts set off in his mind, taking the flashing of rage with them. Can’t save the only family you have, and you kick the one person who can while they’re down. Useless. Idiot.

“Tav? Darling, are you alright?”

Both of them turned to find Astarion, accompanied by Gale who had a suspecting frown on his face. “By the stars, Tav, you’re soaked,” the other wizard said, coming forward, removing the cloaked cape he had and wrapping it around her shoulders.

“And quite underdressed,” Astarion quirked an eyebrow, “not taking advantage were you, little wizard?”

Rolan had hardly thought about her state of undress. Had purely been driven by whatever it was that made him run up when he saw her dunking into the lake. The worst case scenario had crossed his mind, she had fallen to the curse and it was pulling her under. It very nearly did.

Now he was very aware of it. Embarrassment and pure concentration to not look at her legs which were still bare kept him from saying anything in response.

“Rolan helped me, I fell into the lake.”

“You jumped into it,” he found himself saying.

“Why on earth would you do that?” Gale scolded.

“My pearl!” She held it up. “Chain must have broken earlier.”

Gale hummed thoughtfully, eyes slinking towards Rolan, then to Tav. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I believe another bath is in order.”

“Probably best,” Tav sighed, pulling some grime out of her hair. “Goodnight, Rolan.”

Rolan said nothing in return as Gale walked with her back to the shore, his eyes flicked up to the elf waiting for them. Astarion and him never spoke much, he was around and had a smart remark to provide at someone’s expense but they had rarely ever spoken.

There was something unsettling about the elf as he peered at Rolan while he waited for his companions to make their way. A stillness of his body that was unnatural, a look in his eyes that was half warning and half challenge. A predator, guarding its territory that almost immediately softened once Tav and Gale were next to him and they began their walk back to the inn.

Rolan rubbed his hands over his face, and made his way back to the inn. He needed a drink.

Tav had smiled sheepishly at Jaheira after requesting another tub of water. Gale and Astarion had slipped away after whisking her away from Rolan, and now that she was alone she found herself truly feeling exhausted. She bathed and went back to camp, found a chain from the endless piles of jewelry she had hoarded to sell for camp funds and slipped her pearl pendant back on.

The weight of it on her chest was comfortable, a sense of normalcy in a place that was far beyond her everyday life.

Tav played with the pendant as she laid in her bedroll, despite the tiredness her mind was reeling.

Rolan had been so angry with her. When they had rid the path of the goblins and held their little party she had comforted herself in knowing that the two of them parted on friendly terms. Her encouragement of his siblings to stay and help their kin had paid off, and she had spent a good chunk of the night talking with them.

The last time she saw him he was full of laughter, showing off his prowess which landed him a position as an apprentice with a well-renowned wizard.

Her mind played over their interactions. His drunken fury after Cal and Lia were taken, his resigned anger after they saved him from the cursed wraiths near moonrise - he was always so angry with her.

Perhaps he had a right to be. They had rid the path of the goblin threat and sent them straight into a horror beyond imagining. All her talk of doing the right thing, helping who you could and ‘playing hero’ as he put it was for nothing.

Laying in the dark with her eyes wide open became too much and she got up from the bedroll. She could grab some wine from their wares and head inside, not wanting to take anymore of the Last Light’s limited supplies.

“And where are you off to?” Shadowheart asked. They technically did not need a watch shift due to the Harper’s having their own but it was routine now.

“Need a drink,” Tav said. “I’ll be back.”

“No more dips in the cursed lake, if you please,” Shadowheart called after her.

Tav waved her off and headed inside. The Last Light was always somewhat active. Everyone’s sense of night and day was off kilter, at least one shift of Harper’s and the Fists were milling about at any given time. Healers were needed at all hours for returning scouting parties, and the bar with its meager offerings always had someone behind it.

She sat close enough to keep an eye on the children behind the bar, and look out at the space. There was still damage from the attempted kidnapping of Isobel, winged horror guts and blood stained the walls. Tav uncorked the wine in her hand and took a swig.

“You’re cut off for the night!” Umi said, head barely coming above the line of the bar with his hand pointing upward.

“I’ve had one glass, you little brat!”

Tav’s eyes slid towards the tiefling at the bar, robes still a little wet from fishing her out of the lake, and wearing his typical grumpy frown. At least he did not seem belligerent and the irritation in his voice held no bite for the child. Not like it had for her earlier.

“Give him a glass of mine,” Tav held out her own bottle. “He earned it.”

Rolan’s head snapped up and she immediately regretted speaking. It was meant to be a last ditch effort for a truce, but the way his face curled into snarl made her want to shrivel up and die.

“I don’t need any more charity from you,” he snapped.

Her heart dropped, her face got hot and she took a deep breath. Turning on her barstool, she leaned her back against the bar. She never could win with him. She wanted to apologize, she had been out of line by bringing up his siblings before. He had started it, but she was not too proud to own up to her own part in it.

It was clear he wanted nothing to do with her, so she turned her back to save him having to even look at her. She took a long swig of the wine, it was cheap and bitter, but it was what they had.

The scrape of wood made her look over. Rolan had sat in a stool on her side of the bar, not right next to her, an empty seat between them. He faced the bar, not looking at her as he held a tin cup out towards her. Tav leaned over to share some of her wine.

He was quiet, and that was better than yelling. And watching the activity in the inn was better than staring up from her bedroll all night. It would have to do.

“No chaperones with you this time?”

“They went off to… “ Tav trailed off, she didn’t know what Gale and Astarion were doing. Just that they slipped away as they had been doing more often lately. “Well, it’s not our business what they went off to do.”

Another stretch of silence. Tav played with her necklace in between sips from the bottle. They had to make their way to moonrise again tomorrow, finally entering the belly of the beast to figure out if they could free any prisoners and find a heading towards finishing all of this.

“What’s so special about it?”

“Hm?” She turned to Rolan.

His eyes flicked up from where he was watching her toy with her necklace. “The pearl.”

“Oh,” she said dumbly. “It’s a pearl of power.” She looked down at it, “an heirloom. Passed down from my father.” Her thoughts trailed off again, “when I thought I’d lost it…” she shook her head.

There was no world in which she imagined he wanted to know about her or her family. This was a truce, and he was being more gracious than she expected. She thought she may as well keep it as neutral as possible to prevent an argument.

Rolan was quiet again. For a long time neither of them spoke, at one point she heard the clack of tin on the wood and found he had put his cup out again. She poured him some more wine, and she felt at least relieved he was not unwilling to sit with her. Albeit quietly and only with her offering him wine, but it was something.

They sat quietly until the bottle was done. Tav felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. She thought she may finally be able to sleep if she laid down. Her heart still felt full of the weight of guilt, her body weak as if it knew only more horror awaited her the next day. But she didn’t get to rest more than one night, the chain of events of her life recently had made that very clear.

There was a lot she had to make up for, and a storm to weather before she could find harbor.

“If Cal and Lia are alive in Moonrise, I’ll bring them back,” she said, not having the courage to look at him. “I promise.”

She felt him staring at her but she still couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye. Guilt weighed too heavily on her, the weight of the journey ahead looming over her in the face of yet another promise she was not sure she could keep.

Bidding him goodnight, which was met by silence, she walked away from the bar.

Tav had left with a small group to head to Moonrise, leaving behind the Archdruid who was dead set upon helping out around the inn. This encouraged others to pitch in, Dammon was lending strength to fixing up the broken railings and doors at the inn. Rolan made himself useful, he had magic to spare and nothing else to do.

He employed two mage hands to help lift a beam of wood to repair one of the holes that had been created by winged horrors dropping through during the attack. Isobel chanted out on the balcony, while he and Guex worked. Tav had been in the room when it happened, he thought to himself, always in the right place at the right time.

Except by the lake. Even now he had no idea what possessed her to strip out of armor to get inside waters full of bodies in a place which undead walked so freely. In his mind’s eye he could see her bare legs, and though at the time he had not thought about her state of undress now he found himself trying to piece together any snippets in his subconscious of what the rest of her had looked like.

“Rolan,” Guex called. “Bit higher, mate.”

“Sorry.” He said, the mage hands lifting the wood up.

His mind kept drifting to her. The way she played with the pearl she had so desperately been trying to find. Her laughter as it carried over the sounds of the crowd from her camp. More annoyingly the glimpse of her legs he had gotten just a couple nights ago. She was pretty, objectively, he had noticed immediately, but he wasn’t a naive boy so easily distracted by a pretty face.

The storm behind her eyes as she had gone toe to toe with him at the lake seemed to haunt him. what she said had hurt, yes, but he was a little distracted by the vision of her soaking wet and looking at him with so much feeling.

“Rolan, if you need a break just say so,” Guex said.

“No,” he growled, shaking his head, “no, I’m fine.”

He was a wizard. He could control his own mind. He focused on the weave, the sensation of it taking shape into the mage hands before him. Rolan made it a point to close the door on any further thought of her while he went about his business.

Until the second day with no word from any of the party that had ventured into Moonrise. He had even gone as far to venture into their camp, where the remaining four of her companions were sitting around the fire.

“Rolan,” Wyll greeted him warmly. “How are you?”

The Blade of the Frontier was an invaluable asset during their time on the road into the grove. Rolan liked him, although he preferred him when he wasn’t doing his folk hero act.

“I’d rather not say,” he said. “I didn’t come here to dampen your mood.”

“Have the Harpers seen any sign of our companions returning?” Halsin asked.

“Not yet,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. Your tadpoles, they can transmit to each other can’t they?”

“There’s quite a distance between here and Moonrise,” the half-elf Shadowheart said. “I’m not sure our tadpoles can connect to each other so far.”

“Unlikely,” the Githyanki grumbled. “Attempting to do so is an unnecessary risk.”

“How?” Rolan asked.

“The ghaik tadpole could reach anyone, and give away our location.” She explained, haughty as if he was an imbecile for not realizing it.

“If anyone can get your siblings out of Moonrise, it’s Tav,” Wyll said, making eye contact with him.

“If they’re even alive.”

“Take your self-pity elsewhere,” Lae’zel replied. “You chose to save the offspring.”

“Should I have let them get taken?”

“No.”

A strange pause happened, Lae’zel expressionlessly staring directly at him .

“I think,” Shadowheart said, “what Lae’zel means is you made the right choice. Your brother and sister would have done the same.”

The only confirmation was a single nod from Lae’zel. “Your offspring are weak. Untrained. In order to maintain the continuation of your species you must protect them.”

“That’s her version of a compliment,” Wyll clapped him on the shoulder.

“Chk.”

Shadowheart laughed softly, and Wyll stifled a smile. “Join us,” he offered, “we have plenty of room by the fire.”

On the third day, Rolan was at the bar. Not drinking, well, not drinking as much. He liked to sit around with Umi and Ide, it felt sometimes like watching them play a game of pretend. Acting like grown up barkeeps, as if they’d been running the Last Light for more years than they’d even been alive. Everyone was willing to play along, and Rolan found himself playing the part of the grumpy regular.

“Hey arsehole!”

Rolan’s hackles went up at the sound of Lia’s taunt. Prepared to be annoyed at his sister — until he realized that it was Lia. A rush of relief spread through him so thoroughly that it made him shudder as he looked over.

“Oh, thank the gods.”

Lia was beaming, and behind her Cal had a goofy grin. They were there, in front of him. Alive and whole as far as he could tell, no trick of the curse making them strange and hollow. Just as quickly as relief came over him, anger flared. Nights and nights of constant worry not even dulled by multiple bottles of wine.

“Is that all you have to say, to me? Did you enjoy yourselves while I battled that wretched darkness? What were you thinking?”

“I’m sorry, we got captured by murderous lunatics.” Lia was just as ready to fight.

“I thought you were dead, you ass,” Rolan seethed. “Both of you!”

“We’re all safe, Rolan,” Cal finally said, trying to keep the peace as always. “That’s what matters.”

“Good thing you’re back!” Ide shouted from behind the bar. “He’s been drinking about it for a week straight!”

“I was just…”

Worried sick, grappling with the thought that I nearly lost the only family I had, rendered helpless and faced with my own failings.

“Overwhelmed.” He settled on. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sorry,” Lia folded first. “We should have been here.”

And how would they have done that? It wasn’t their fault they were captured.

“No - no,” Rolan winced. “It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have shouted. I’m sorry.”

Lia came up to hug him then. They were never very affectionate physically. Even when he had moved into their home he had shared a bed with Cal, Lia always teased them for the way they had to struggle for space as Cal grew stocky and Rolan grew ever more lanky.

But this was a comfort, to hold his little sister in his arms. Safe, and whole. Not even his pride could overpower the gratitude he felt to have them back, and as Cal’s bulky arms wrapped around them both in a steel tight hug he had to laugh.

“We thought the curse got you,” Cal said. “When Tav told us you were alive —“ his brother’s voice cracked and the rest of the sentence died.

Tav. He opened his eyes, half expecting to find her and her crew watching on as she seemed to be in every major upheaval of his life lately. But the only new faces were some deep gnomes, and a few other tieflings from their caravan from Elturel.

“Where is she?”

“Who?” Lia asked, rubbing Cal’s back as he tried to maintain his composure.

“Tav.”

“They needed to save face in Moonrise. Her and her friends had a big fight with the warden as a distraction while we got out.” Lia replied. “Apparently they’re posing as cultists.” His sister’s eyes narrowed, “why?”

“I — “ he started. “I owe her an apology. And thanks.” He cleared his throat, “but that can wait. I have a room upstairs and there’s baths, you two reek.”

“You’re such an arsehole.” Lia grinned.

“I’m starved,” Cal groaned, the only evidence that he was crying were some trails in the muck that coated his face. “They have food here?”

“We do!” Umi called. “But it'll cost you!”

The light of the inn was in sight. It had been a rough couple of days, but they had found their next heading. Tav was ready to debrief Jaheira, take a bath and sleep.

“The inn will be bursting now,” Gale said, “with the deep gnomes and the tieflings.”

“I hope they all made it okay,” Karlach said. “They’ve been through enough.”

“More than enough,” Tav agreed. “We will check in on them. Add that to the list.”

“Noted,” Gale tapped his temple.

As they passed through the barrier of light around the inn a weight lifted off of them. Traveling through the cursed lands was always exhausting, it was a suffocating darkness that covered the land and something always felt like it was lurking nearby.

After discussing with Jaheira and the rest of the camp, Tav took some time to check in with the rescued deep gnomes and tieflings. Barcus had bounded up to her before she could even take a mental count of who was present, dragging her over to Wulbren Bongle.

The leader of the Ironhands brushed both her and Barcus off, as if the former hadn’t just broken him out of a prison and the latter hadn’t begged so earnestly for her to do so. If she was not so tired she may have made a comment about it, but Barcus looked mortified and Tav didn’t have the energy.

As she moved on, she nodded to Lakrissa who was glued to Alfira’s side at the bar. There was no sign of Bex and Dannis, but she could only imagine their reunion was something they wanted to have in private. She saw the back of Cal’s head at the bar, heard Lia’s loud laugh and approached to find Rolan with them, leaning over the bar.

The two she had saved seemed better than she had found them. Clean, smiling and animated. Rolan’s shoulders were still an even line, but they seemed to have dropped a few inches, no longer settled up to his ears in tension.

“It’s you!” Lia grinned.

“I’m glad you lot made it back alright,” Tav smiled. “He’s been a pain in the ass.”

“Yeah,” Cal grinned. “But he’s our pain in the ass. Thanks for dealing with him while we were gone, we’ve got it from here.”

Tav just nodded. Rolan was staring at her, but she could not decipher his look. She awkwardly shifted and then said, “well, I was just checking in. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Wait,” Cal turned. “Thank you - for saving me. And the two idiots. I never thought I’d see them again.”

“It was nothing,” she shrugged.

“That black eye you're sporting says otherwise,” Lia said seriously. “I saw those hits you took. It wasn’t ‘nothing’. I’m not the best at showing it, but I love Rolan and Cal to death. They’re family - thanks for bringing us back together.”

Tav felt suddenly uncomfortable with the praise. Rolan had suggested before he thought she got off on playing the hero. His siblings' thanks felt like it would only prove his point further.

She just smiled, “I’m just glad you three are together again.” Clearing her throat, “I ought to check on my camp.”

Rolan stood suddenly as she turned, “Tav.” She waited, half expecting another comment about her heroics. “I’ve lashed out at you. Drunkenly and otherwise, and you helped anyway. You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry. And thank you.”

With a nod she took off for a bath. She checked in on camp, hearing any intel and updates she needed from those left behind. Everyone quickly began discussing strategies and next steps, they needed to find their way to this Balthazar and find Ketheric Thorm’s weakness. There was also the matter of finding Art Cullagh’s lute, seeing if they could find any hint that Arabella’s parents were alive and figure out how to finally put this curse to rest.

Even after a victory there was still so much left to do.

She slipped away to sit on the outcrop of stone by the lake again. Everyone at camp meant the world to her, but every once in a while she needed her space. It was dark and creepy, but if she closed her eyes she could hone in on the lap of the water against the rock. A soothing sound.

“Not thinking of taking a swim, are you?”

Tav jumped, and turned. Rolan stood not far off, a bottle in his hands and to her surprise a small smile on his face.

“Gods, you scared me,” she placed a hand over her heart. “I wasn’t expecting —“ she cut herself off. She wasn’t expecting anyone, let alone him and smiling no less.

“I’ve got a bottle of Arabellan dry, if you’re up for it.” He walked up and sat down next to her, showing her the bottle.

Tav considered him for a moment. “Is it poisoned?”

“Very funny.” He said sarcastically. “I would not waste poison in a wine such as this.”

“And where did you find it?” She looked at the bottle.

“I stole it from the cellar, the last bottle,” he said, popping the cork. “I brought cups, but I know pulling straight from the bottle is more your style.”

“I’ll try a cup,” she hummed.

He poured them each a cup, and held his up to clink against hers before the first sip. Rolan hummed in pleasure. “Gods, that’s so good.”

“It is,” Tav agreed. The flavor bloomed on her tongue, smooth and without the bite of the cheap stuff she had been drinking of late. “What’s the occasion?”

“An apology. A proper one,” He muttered. “You went out of your way to help us, it’s only right you get something in return.”

“You don’t have to —“

“You were right,” he said before she could finish. “I wasn’t really angry with you. I was angry with myself. Angry at the gods awful hands we’ve been dealt on this journey.”

“It’s alright if you were a little angry with me,” she admitted sheepishly. “I shouldn’t have used Cal and Lia against you.”

“That was rather wretched of you.”

“It was,” she agreed. “But I think I more than made up for it.” She was teasing, testing the waters in this new peace they had found.

“I thanked you once already,” he said haughty tone overdone and just as playful, “don’t be greedy.”

Something about the tone, about the smile on his face and the words themselves spurred her imagination into overdrive. Him above her, wrenching an orgasm from her only for her to ask for more. Don’t be greedy, she imagined him saying it again, condescending and admonishing. A truly mortifying high pitched giggle escaped her. She took a gulp of wine, her body hot and shocked at the instantaneous reaction.

She was very glad he did not have a tadpole.

A silence stretched between them that made her itch, he did not seem to mind but she felt like she would start to fidget if she didn’t say something. Luckily, he spoke while she floundered for something to say.

“I never asked, are you alright?”

She did have a black eye and possibly a concussion. She had left camp before Shadowheart could offer some healing. “Bumps and bruises,” she said casually. “Occupational hazards, nothing to worry about.”

“Hm,” he huffed. “That’s what you get for being a meddlesome hero. But I shan’t say more, you’ve done too much for me lately.”

“Karlach, Astarion and Gale were there too, you know,” she said.

“Yes, well, I won’t be sharing my favorite wine with them,” he said stiffly.

“Oh, and what makes me so special?”

He took a drink of wine, looking into his cup. “You are — “ he started, “particularly infuriating.”

“I’m special because I’m infuriating?”

He grimaced. “Yes.”

“You don’t make a bit of sense,” Tav laughed in disbelief.

“I make perfect sense,” he said haughtily. “You’re the one jumping into cursed lakes. Or risking your life for someone who has never been particularly nice to you.” He drank the last of his cup, pouring another as he added, “top up?”

She offered her cup for him to fill. “I told you why I jumped in the lake. A precious family heirloom was at the bottom.”

“And the gallant rescuing?”

Tav frowned, taking a drink. “I don’t know. I just… if I can help, I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

Rolan didn’t seem to find that worth responding to. The silence stretched on again. He cleared his throat and held out his hand. For a moment she thought he was asking her to hold it, and she felt a strange tingle throughout her body. On his pointer finger was a ring, old and a bit scratched up, but with some kind of inscription in a language she couldn’t read on the flat surface.

“This was Cal and Lia’s grandfather’s ring.” He said looking at it. “Their mother gave it to me when I came to stay with them for good. It’s not enchanted, nor is it worth much but it — it’s proof. We’re a family, bound by something stronger than blood.”

That sunk in slowly for Tav as she pieced it together. She had questions: if Cal and Lia were not his biological siblings what happened to his parents? How long ago had he been one of their own? These felt invasive, and they had been getting along so she chose not to voice them; happy to have been trusted with a small tidbit of his past.

Delicately her fingers came out to run over the inscription. As she did her fingers brushed over his, and perhaps it was the wine, but she grabbed his hand to bring it closer to her face. The writing was maybe infernal, with some sort of emblem.

“What does it say?”

Rolan didn’t respond.

Tav looked at him, finding him very intensely focused on her. She dropped his hand, “sorry, I shouldn’t —“

“It’s fine,” he replied tersely.

An awkward silence filled the gap and she kicked herself internally.

Rolan cleared his throat. “It’s his title and rank, he was a Hellrider.” He pointed it out on the ring and she ran her eyes over it. “The Hellriders protected their lodges with wards, and could only be accessed with ward tokens. This was his.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Elturel?”

“Yes.”

“We had nothing there, even before it fell,” he said.

Tav nodded her head. “So, Baldur’s Gate was always in the plan?”

“An apprenticeship, regardless of where it was, that’s what I was after.”

“Gale says Lorroakan is a well-renowned wizard,” she left out the part where her friend called him a ‘cad.’ They were talking and getting along and she didn’t want to ruin it. “You must be excited.”

“When I get to the gates I'll be excited,” he sighed. “The journey so far has been one disaster after another.”

“We’ll get you there, Rolan.”

He looked at her for a long while. “Another promise, little hero?”

“I know how much you love when I’m gallant,” she smiled.

“That’s the problem with you,” he pointed at her with a smile playing on his lips. “I believe you. I believe you will get me there.”

Tav wasn’t sure what to say. Her face warm and her smile wide as she felt the need to look away from him. She drank the rest of her wine.

“So,” he said, “what’s the promise this time, Tav?”

“Rolan,” she began, “I promise that when we get to Baldur’s Gate, I’ll buy you a new bottle of Arabellan Dry. since you so generously shared yours with me even though I saved your ass from the Shadow Curse. It was rude of me to come to your rescue, and you’re being just so gracious about it.”

He laughed a rich deep sound that made her heart flutter, and the rest of the night her only goal was to get him to laugh again.

Part 2 will be out very soon! Thank you for reading 💜

#rolan fanfic #rolan x tav #rolan x oc #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 fanfic #Olly writes

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thlayli-ra · 3 months ago

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Ficlet Request - Treat - Being playfully clingy in the mornings when one has an off day and the other has to rush to work - PunkIntyre + Seth Rollins (idk if they have a poly ship name yet?)

I’m sure plenty of people will request whump fics and I will enjoy every bit of it as it comes, but for now, I just want something cute and domestic 🥰😂

Something cute and domestic coming right up! 🥰

Treat - 'Being Playfully Clingy'

Characters - Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk

Rating - Teen and up

Warnings - None apply, domestic fluff

Drew was a hugger. And that was fine! Lovely actually. Especially on those lazy Sunday morning where all three of them would be tucked up in bed with nowhere to go and nothing to do, and Drew (in the middle where he liked to be) would wrap both of his titanic arms around his boyfriends and snuggle them in close. The soft, comforting body heat would lull them all back into a pleasant doze and they would stay that way for hours and hours.

That was the beauty of Drew, really - there was plenty of him to go around.

However, when there was only the two of them at home, Drew could be, well, how to put it delicately, he was... clingy as hell! Seth knew this well, considering he'd been going out with Drew the longest, and he also knew that the Scot was really missing his newer boyfriend. The pout he wore when they went their separate ways after Raw was devastating.

'I'm sorry, Big Guy,' Punk lamented, trying to breath as the huge Scot wrapped his arms tightly around his chest and refused to let go. 'I'm staying at the hotel tonight and driving onto the next town for NXT, remember? Got my special guest referee duties to do.'

'He'll be fine,' Seth said with a warm roll of his eyes, finally prising Drew's massive hands off of Punk. 'You have a safe journey tomorrow and we'll see you Thursday.'

'Bright and early, I promise,' Punk said, accepting a kiss from his sharply dressed boyfriend. 'Oh, and thanks for lending me your booty shorts.'

'Yeah, well, somebody's gotta wear them,' Seth joked with a shrug, 'since they arrived too late for the you two's match at Summerslam.'

'Well, thanks to you, I now know what not to do when officiating,' Punk gave a cheeky grin, opening the door to his rental. 'Love you.'

'Love ya, hon,' Seth returned.

'Love you, Punky,' Drew chimed in, watching crestfallen as the car drove away into the night.

Ever since then, Drew had followed Seth around like a overly affectionate cat, no, not so much a cat, more like, a full grown adult male Siberian tiger, wrapping his giant paws around Seth and gently digging its claws in, refusing to let go.

And that was fine! When they were both off with nothing to do. But today, Seth was scheduled for some media work, the first of which started in two hours and he was still stuck fast in bed with Drew's anaconda arms and legs coiled around him. He'd been awake for a while now, ever since his alarm had sounded at seven, but Drew (still loitering in the middle of the bed, even with Punk gone and all that extra space available) had whimpered 'no, no', rolled over and grabbed him.

Seth had allowed it. He knew this would be a tough morning for Drew and he fully expected him to be even clingier than usual so they lay for another half hour, spooning, Seth the tiny demitasse spoon compared to Drew and his extra large serving ladle. But time was now ticking on and Seth needed to get showered and smartly dressed and be out that door on time.

Peeking over his shoulder he found Drew's eyes shut, a serene look on his face as he dozed peacefully. Seth carefully slipped his hands under Drew's and gently opened them up in order to free himself when they abruptly clamped down again, gripping tighter.

'Nooo,' Drew grumbled into his shoulder blades, rubbing his face against Seth's bare back.

'I know but I got to, sweetie,' Seth said. 'I've got work to do today.'

'No!' Drew huffed like a toddler. 'Stay.'

'Believe me I would love to but Hunter would have my head on a platter if I missed these appearances.' An idea popped into Seth's head. 'You wanna come shower with me?'

Drew practically leapt out of bed with excitement.

So they showered together. And that was fine! They'd just had a new, larger unit installed so that the three of them could fit in together, which, it turned out was for the best, otherwise Punk would have hogged it all the goddamn time. Steaming hot showers, strong coffee and baked goods - his three main vices, which was a damn sight better than drugs, cigarettes or alcohol. None of them drank, although Drew enjoyed an alcohol-free beer with Sheamus now and again, so at least they didn't any awkwardness with that to contend with.

Speaking of awkwardness, this current shower was proving to be difficult seeing as Seth had what he could only describe as the equivalent of a bear-skin rug draped over him like a cape. 'Hey Drew, you mind moving over so I can-' The bear gave a growl and buried its snout deeper into the nape of Seth's neck. 'Ok, fine. Not like anybody will be seeing my back anyways.'

He eventually managed to wriggle out from between the Scot's tentacles long enough to slap on a pair of dress pants and an immaculately pressed button-down shirt but as soon as he'd fastened one cuff, it was snared between two jaws of a colossal Venus flytrap. 'Uh, Drew,' Seth cocked a brow at the Scot who sat on the bed, decked in only a towel knotted around his waist, dripping wet with his long, drenched hair sticking to his neck and shoulders, 'I kinda need that hand.'

'Tough,' Drew smirked cheekily.

'Fine, I can do my other cuff when I get there,' Seth sighed, adding with a mutter under his breath, 'and my tie and put on my jacket and my shoes and...'

Normally Seth would make something filling like pancakes for breakfast, and while he stood at the stove, Drew would come up behind him, place his arms on Seth's waist and his chin on Seth's shoulder and comment on how delicious it smelled. And that was fine! But today, Seth had no time to make anything fancy for breakfast, so instead he opted for a quick bowl of bran cereal with a dollap of milk. But he couldn't bend down to open the dishwasher with Drew pressed right up against him, and had to shuffle to the pantry under both of their weight and Drew's huge arm around his shoulders made it impossible for him to reach up - 'Uh, Drew, honey, can you grab me the- oh, thanks! - and then he had to drag them both across to the fridge then he couldn't sit down because he was now two human beings, one of which was the size of a house, fused together so he had to stand at the counter instead and as soon as he dipped his spoon into the cereal and tried to lift it to his mouth, Drew grabbed hold of his wrist and peppered kisses down his arm and-

-and now, this was really getting into the 'not fine' territory!

'Shit, is that the time?' Seth gasped at the wall clock. He was officially running late, and Seth Rollins never ran late. So he hobbled off in a panic, Drew still clinging to his shoulders like a fucking silver back mountain gorilla who'd been raised by spider monkeys to try and find his shoes (which he had no hope of shining before he left) and his jacket (which he'd hoped to press but had to give up on that too) and his open cuff caught on a door handle and his ears heard a horrible shredding noise and now his entire sleeve was torn apart and flapping around and when he glanced back at the clock, another twenty fucking minutes had passed!

'DREW! GET OFF!'

'No!'

'I'm meant to be at the studio in ten minutes and at this rate I'll hit the rush hour traffic. I need to go now!'

'Noooo!'

'Punk will be back any minute, so please, you only have to be by yourself for an hour or so at the most-'

'Noooooo!'

'URGH!' Seth despaired, but another three minutes had passed and he had to get out that door. So he gritted his teeth and squared his shoulders and waded to the front door like a kid at the carnival dragging around the comically over-sized bear he'd won at the stalls. That was... made entirely out of glue and bricks for some reason! 'Drew,' he grunted with each hard-fought step. 'I really. Really. Have to. GO!'

Just before he reached the door, it opened. A man stepped in and immediately jumped with fright at the sight of a bedraggled Seth lugging a huge, hairy Scotsman in a towel on his back. 'Uh... hi,' he said.

'PUNKY!' Drew cheered, hopping off of Seth. 'You're home!'

'Perfect timing,' Seth said, flying past Punk out the door, but not before planting a cute kiss on his cheek and whispering in his ear. 'He's all yours now.'

On cue, Drew rushed towards Punk and lifted him right up off his feet in an excruciating bear hug. Out the corner of his eye, the tattooed man saw Seth make a run for the car, and sweet freedom. Joke was on him though. There was nowhere he'd rather be than right here.

'Hey Big Guy,' Punk smiled down at Drew, accepting every kiss and hug and nuzzle that came his way. 'I missed you too.'

#Thlayli's Trick or Treat #Thlayli-writes #seth rollins #drew mcintyre #cm punk #polycule #wrestling fanfiction #wwe fan fiction #domestic fluff #fic request

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iriel3000 · 1 year ago

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Hurry, She Needs You - part 4

Summary: Natasha becomes ill from what they think is food poisoning. Tony and Bruce try to care for her until Clint arrives home from a deep cover mission. Part 4 of 6

Whumptober Day 4: Shock

Natasha whump, light whump, emotional whump

Precisely five hours and 47 minutes after Clint’s phone call, he burst into Natasha’s medical suite. Still in full uniform, he ripped off his arm guards and rushed to her side.

Bruce and Tony politely stood off in the corner.

Barton whispered something in Russian, caressing Natasha's cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Hawk?" She stirred.

"Tell me who did this."

She reached for him and wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing him to lift her into his arms.

“I’m here, I’m here. I got you.” Clint repeated over and over.

She curled into a tight ball against him.

“Get us out of here.” She whimpered.

“We’re safe. We’re at the Tower.”

“No, I saw James. They injected me...Tony.”

“Followed my orders, Widow. They gave you the antidote.”

“Don’t leave.” Natasha buried her face in his neck.

Barton swallowed hard.

“Not with a gun to my head. I will never leave you.”

He looked over at Tony.

“What time was the first shot?”

“Over three hours ago, she’s due for her second one soon.”

Barton exhaled, his troubled scowl lessening a fraction. Head Nurse Joyce Miller walked into the room.

“You're late.”

“Plane only goes Mach 2, I’ll have to make some modifications.”

“Well, hopefully now that you’re here, we can get her heart rate down. It’s been too high for my liking.”

Joyce adjusted the bed to a reclining position, moving about the room and talking to Barton as if one of Strike Team Delta on death's door was common.

He went to set Natasha down but she whimpered, clinging to him. Joyce clicked her tongue and Hawkeye turned sideways, keeping a tight hold of Nat. Nurse Miller removed his quiver, two pistols from his thigh holsters, and a large Bowie knife, allowing Clint to settle on the bed, adjusting Natasha across his chest and between his legs.

Joyce called attention to the monitor. Tony and Bruce watched Natasha's heart rate go down as she relaxed against Clint.

Without asking, Nurse Miller placed two fingers on Barton’s wrist and checked the clock on the wall.

“That always amazes me.” She shook her head. “I’ll be back shortly for the second round. See if you can get her to drink some water, please.”

She left the room. Tony and Bruce pulled their chairs closer. Bruce handed him a cup with a straw.

Before giving it to her, Clint made sure Natasha watched him take a drink.

No.” She whimpered, trying to knock the cup out of his hand.

“It’s safe, Nat.” He took another drink.

Trusting him like always, she sipped at the water, making a face.

“One more.”

“When can we go home?”

“Soon. I want you to get some sleep first.”

“No, they’ll take you.”

“Tony and Bruce won’t let them. They’ll protect me like they did you.” She glanced over at the two of them.

Tony hid a smirk. Barton and Romanov could give a shit about their own lives, but threaten the other...

“Nothing will happen, Nat.” Bruce promised.

She nodded. Clint hugged her close, nestling her into his side. She fought sleep for the longest time but eventually drifted off.

“I’ve never seen her cry like that before, Clint.” Tony kept his voice low.

“I know it was hard. We didn’t have your medical equipment last time. Thank you.”

“What happened in Thailand? How was she poisoned?” Bruce asked.

“Therillium is an assassin’s dream. It can be solid, liquid or gas. She was exposed when the Yazaki detonated a warehouse of hostages. I was too high in my perch to be affected.”

“Thankfully, or you both would be dead.”

Clint gave him a thoughtful look.

“How did you know what it was?” Tony wanted to know.

“It took two arrows to find out. Four more to get what she needed. She went into shock before the first shot.” He shuddered, wrapping his arms tighter around Natasha. “I didn’t think she was going to make it.”

“She did and she’s gonna get through this again.”

“Because of the two of you and Bucky.”

“Clint, it was Killian. We think the poison was meant for me. I’m sorry.”

Barton narrowed his eyes.

“Then I’ll rip both the bastard’s arms off, not just one.”

find the whole story below

Hurry, She Needs You

#whumptober 2023 #no. 2 #shock #the avengers #clintasha #fic #hawkeye #clint barton #black widow #natasha romanov #strike team delta #clint x natasha #hurry she needs you

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cabezadeperro · 10 months ago

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may i ask very normal questions 8 and 21? 😈🤡😈

hi tru!!!!! you may!!! how exciting!!!!!!!

8. Have you ever been commissioned by the devil to write, and what were you offered as payment?

my cwbb 2022 fic. i was promised "fun" and i only got burnt out.

21. If you were starving and had to feast on one of your fics to survive, which fic would it be?

i'd probably go with the fake dating au (a room with a view), and these are my very thought out reasons:

it's the longest fic i've ever written, and i'm pretty small and don't it much, so it should be enough.

on top of being very long i'd argue it's pretty balanced: it has plot, it has feeling; it has angst and whump and pining and a bit of humour, so it's a very complete meal.

and finally, it's shelf stable: it's a year old, but it's held up well, and we don't want to get food poisoning!

#ask game #very normal writer ask game #maríadont

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agentplutonium · 1 year ago

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another WIPW post

I can't remember the last time I did this and PK keeps enabling me SO gonna post this week. Not-so-unfortunately, I don't have anything fandom-related this week however I have been on an absolute bender for original universe content creation and i actually really want to share some of it. So, what I have for ya'll is a story based on how Vampires were created in my universe. It's a bit of a long one, so it will start under the cut. A little bit of information about it before then however: Despite being this world's gods, Terra and Caelus went a concerning amount of time before figuring out that Vampires had accidentally been created. Terra was briefly introduced in this post from a few WIPW ago, if you're interested. Anyway, onto the thing:

Terra never thought that this was possible. Her creatures were never supposed to hurt anybody, that wasn’t why she was making them. But, for some reason, the Strix didn’t conform to what she wanted. Caelus kept bringing up the problem, but Terra could only beg for more time with them.

“I can get through to them, I promise!” She would plead. “They’re just a bit stubborn, that’s all. That’s what happens when you give creatures free will.”

“I don’t know, Love,” Caelus would say, “I’m worried about the Humans. They already don’t like these creatures all that much. What if something were to happen?”

“I can do this,” Terra would insist. “On All Mother’s honor.”

The passionate fire behind Terra’s eyes was usually Caelus’ downfall, giving in to his Love once again.

For the longest time, Terra was making progress. It was slow, painfully slow, but it was progress none the less. Progress that was continuously cited every time she was challenged on the Strix’s existence. Terra was so certain that this would work out in the end, that it even started influencing Caelus’ thoughts on the matter too. They both thought that there was a breakthrough with the creatures just around the corner.

Oh, how they both could be so wrong.

They were quiet at first, the turnings. Nobody knew what was going on until there was an epidemic. Soon, there were Humans dying in every village, fear running rampant. Terra and Caelus were beside themselves trying to figure it out. It wasn’t until Terra witnessed what was going on did they figure it out. Terra was in the forest outside of Valhollow, looking for the Strix that resided there, wanting to warn them that they were to close. However, what she found instead was horrifying.

There was a teenaged girl walking along the path, presumably on her way back home. Terra stayed out of her way and hidden.

There was three whistle notes. A tune that Terra had never heard before. The girl, however, froze in her tracks. She spun around, eyes on the trees, chest rising and falling quickly. The notes again. A warning, it seemed. Or perhaps a call. Terra felt her heart sink in her chest. The girl bolted, tearing down the path as fast as she could. She didn’t get far before a swarm of the Strix flock descended on her. The girl screamed, a scream so visceral it made even Terra’s throat close up. The Strix squawked, their wings beating frantically all as they pecked and clawed at the girl, drawing more sounds of pain from her throat.

Terra cried out, stumbling forward. She slammed her hands into the ground, and it started bending and warping to her will, creating a dome around the girl to protect her. Terra, standing now, outstretched her hands and willed for the birds to disappear. It took more effort than she wanted, but one by one, the birds turned back into clay, before falling to the ground with a muffled whump. The creatures melted together upon impact, leaving a heap of crusty clay on top of Terra’s dome. Terra stumbled forward, hand reaching out and smoothing over her makeshift protection. The soil glowed softly around her fingers and at her touch, responding to her. The dome collapsed next, revealing the girl, sobbing and shivering, curled up on the ground.

Terra knelt down, reaching out and brushing the dirt off of the girl’s face. The girl groaned, but didn’t move away from the touch.

“It’s okay,” Terra whispered, “You’re okay.”

“Who are you?” a voice just beyond the girl said.

Terra’s head snapped up, eyes falling onto someone who she did not recognize. The stranger stared back, curiosity clear in their gaze.

“You’re not from here,” the person continued. “Who are you?”

“Terra,” Terra breathed finally. “What just happened?”

”You’re not human are you?” The person asked instead. “I’ve never seen power like that. Sure, there’s the Firmis, but I’ve never seen one of them exhibit that kind of power. What are you?”

“I can ask you the same thing,” Terra said, trying not to get annoyed at the diversion, “but, please, what just happened?”

“They found another victim,” the stranger said. There was a small puff of air, and suddenly they were on the other side of the girl. Terra blinked, not remembering seeing them move. “The creatures, I mean. I haven’t seen anything like them before I got attacked.”

“Strix,” Terra said, instinctively.

“Sorry?”

“They’re called Strix,” Terra repeated.

“Fascinating,” the person said. They turned their attention to the girl, hands brushing gently along her body. With each discovery of a new wound their expression grew more sour. They clicked their tongue when they came across a smear of gold liquid beside her lip. “That’s what I was afraid of,” they whispered.

“What?” Terra asked, wondering what this stranger meant.

“The blood got into her mouth. It means the change will happen soon.”

“What change?” Terra asked.

“She’ll turn like me,” the stranger gripped, looking back up at Terra, “a blood thirsty monster.”

At that moment, the moon shone down through the trees, illuminating the persons eyes, and Terra thought that she saw a hint of silver around their iris. Terra didn’t see it for long to continue wondering, though.

“Can you help? Reverse it maybe?”

“’Fraid not,” The stranger said. “We don’t die that easily. But, she’s lucky that I found her first. If she was alone, or, gods forbid, she was found by the others? This would be a whole different story.”

They slid their hands under the girl’s shoulders and knees, pulling another groan from her. It was ignored as the person, effortlessly it seemed, lifted her as they got to their feet. Terra followed suit, hands wringing in front of her.

“I’ll take care of her, don’t you worry,” the stranger said, giving Terra a small smile, “It was nice meeting you, Terra.” They turned to leave, but Terra stopped them.

“I didn’t catch your name,” She said. She felt like it was only fair.

“Dr. Farbridge,” The doctor said. They nodded to Terra, and within a blink, they were gone again.

Terra stood there for a moment, staring at the heaps of clay beneath her feet. The events of the night started to catch up, and Terra felt so many emotions coarse through her body. Anger, remorse, shame, grief. She didn’t know what to do with herself.

She had to tell Caelus.

#as always i am always open to questions and my ask box is open #not only because I love talking about my things but also because this is original content #and i understand there are things im purposefully not telling yall #it might get confusing is all im saying #anyways vamps are slowly becoming my favourite #like yeah vampires existed before #but they haven't existed in MY universe until like #idk a week ago?? smth like that #anyway that's all from me #plutonium_rambles #plutonium_WIPW #ocs #original content #oc #original character

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dangermousie · 1 year ago

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This is relevant to my interest but I am not sure any OTP in the world is worth that...

#cdrama #the longest promise #xiao zhan #whump

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only-shadows-dwell-where-we-are · 2 years ago

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I posted 371 times in 2022

28 posts created (8%)

343 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@only-shadows-dwell-where-we-are

@ziptiesnfries

@hufflepuffwritingstuff2

@whump-a-la-mode

@collapse-and-comfort

I tagged 17 of my posts in 2022

#whump community - 16 posts

#whumpblr - 14 posts

#lab whump - 11 posts

#medical whump - 9 posts

#whump drabble - 9 posts

#noncon drugging - 8 posts

#needles tw - 7 posts

#whump fics - 7 posts

#operation valkyrie - 6 posts

#iv bag - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 27 characters

#human experimentation whump

My Top Posts in 2022:

Capture - Operation Valkyrie (Part 1)

MASTERLIST

I'm back! I finally feel ready to post this, so here you go. Enjoy, and I hope I've put enough work into it so that I can really be proud of myself. Let me know what you think, feedback is greatly appreciated!

And I know that there's no lab whump in this, but this series will be full of it, I promise - I just gotta set the scene first 👀

CWs: female whumpee, kidnapping, violence, knives, guns, mild descriptions of torture, IV drip and needles, medical environment, noncon drugging/sedation

~~~

Valkyrie Lewis laughed as she strode down the sidewalk, her long, blond, partially braided hair flying out behind her. She clutched her phone closer to her ear, letting her friend’s joke echo in her mind.

“My Gods, Cass, you’re hilarious!” she sputtered.

“Says you!” chuckled Cass through the phone. “Val, I can hardly listen to you talk for two minutes before bursting into laughter, honestly. I can talk to you for hours. Actually, I have, tonight!”

“Oh shoot, speaking of, I better go. It’s getting late and I’ve still got a bit to go before I reach my place. Sorry.” Valkyrie told her friend.

“No worries! I’ll talk to you later. Say hi to Lacey and Jasmine for me. Buh-bye. Love you!” Cass exclaimed.

“I will. Bye, love you too!” Valkyrie smiled as she hung up the phone.

:readmore

Her friend Cass was one of the sweetest people she knew, and she and the other young woman had a tendency to get too carried away with a conversation, to the point where they whiled away hours while talking. Valkyrie thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Cass, however, it was now dark and late on the streets of the small American town that the British woman lived in.

Valkyrie had been so absorbed in the phone conversation with her friend that she hadn’t heard the sound of a second pair of footsteps that had joined her own. As she noticed the sounds, she was suddenly hit with the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. She swallowed hard, but continued on her way, showing no change in her behaviour. She abruptly stopped on the path. The footsteps stopped a split-second later. She started walking again, only to find that the sounds of the footsteps had started up again. Her blood curdled. Valkyrie turned a corner without warning. The other person was still behind her. Now, her fears were confirmed. She was being followed.

Valkyrie picked up the pace, speeding ahead. She had to shake this person, and she had no idea how. Eventually, she came across an alleyway. She darted down the dark street, hoping that her pursuer would lose her in the darkness. She raced down the alley, only to stop short as she was faced with a brick wall. It was a dead end. She spun around, panic rising in her throat, only to come face to face with a stranger clad in a black hoodie. She couldn’t see the person's face.

“Uh- e-e-e-xcuse me, I-” she stammered.

Her pursuer interrupted her with a deep growl. They pulled a large bat from behind them and brought it swinging down on Valkyrie’s head. The last thing she saw was the ferocious, hungry glint in the stranger’s eyes before the world went black.

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

When Valkyrie blinked back into consciousness, she was sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair, her arms tied behind her back with rope. Fear filled her veins as she tried to remember how she had ended up in this situation. Just as her memories began flooding back to her, a figure stepped into her vision. It was the same figure that had faced her in the alleyway.

“Who are you? Let me go!” She cried out.

“Shut up!” The kidnapper growled. “You’re not going anywhere.” The figure slowly circled the chair Valkyrie was tied to, reminding her of a predator inspecting its prey. “You, my friend, are going to stay right here and entertain me.”’

Valkyrie gasped. “No, you can’t! I- I can’t stay, please, you have to let me g-”

A heavy force slammed into Val’s face, interrupting her. As the figure pulled their hand back, she realised she had been punched. The impact left her stunned, and her left cheek stinging. Before she could react, she was punched again, this time in the stomach. She gasped, and doubled over as best as she could, being tied to a chair.

Valkyrie groaned. “Let.. me.. Go!!”

The attacks continued, blows raining down all over her body as she sat, useless, unable to defend herself. Just when she thought she could deal with this no longer, as her vision began to blur, her tormenter drew a dagger from their pocket. The figure loomed in her face with the blade. As they twirled it closer and closer, the light glinted off the dagger in a threatening fashion. Valkyrie whimpered, despite herself. Her heart was beating out of her chest. Then, the attacker struck. The knife carved a long, deep slash down her chin, followed by a series of smaller cuts and slashes across her face. Just as they brought the knife close to her right eye, a voice could be heard.

"Stop right there!”

Before her kidnapper could spin around, a loud bang reverberated through the room. Valkyrie closed her eyes instinctively. When she tentatively opened them a moment later, the person who had been torturing her just a minute ago was lying on the floor in a bloody heap. She glanced up to see a team of people clad in heavy black tactical gear. She was saved. They swarmed around her like flies, surrounding her. They quickly freed her from her bonds, then she was lifted onto a gurney. Medics enveloped her, strapping her down and wheeling her out the door of the dingy room. They emerged in a loading dock where a large, unmarked black van was waiting. The tactical officers swung open the back doors and slid Valkyrie, gurney and all, up into the van. The medics followed her into the van, where a plethora of medical equipment was waiting. One medic, a kind-looking woman with a long black plait and a warm smile, was busying herself setting up an IV kit. Just then, the doors slammed shut behind them.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” Valkyrie murmured, dazed.

“Don’t you worry about that, love. Now, you’re just going to feel a little pinch.” The medic assured in a sing-song voice.

See the full post

47 notes - Posted April 14, 2022

Operation Valkyrie Masterlist

We at Human Pet Providers (HPP) provide our customers with the highest quality pets for entertainment, romantic or platonic companionship, and domestic services. In order to continue to provide the highest quality, best-trained and easily punishable pets for your enjoyment, we have established the National Pet Research Organisation (NPRO). The NPRO labratory investigates the best training methods and devices for both the use of our trainers at HPP, and use in your home for the more rebellious pets.

Valkyrie Lewis' life is turned upside-down when she is kidnapped and brought to a laboratory to be experimented on.

Note: this is a BBU-adjacent style whump fic featuring lab whump as part of the main storyline.

~~~

Part 1 - Capture

Part 2 - Welcome to the Lab

Part 3 - Losing Control

Part 4 - Touch Starved

Part 5 - Vivisection

~~~

Taglist (just asked to be added/removed):

@whumppsychology @inky-whump @whumpnoire

50 notes - Posted May 7, 2022

Aflame - Subject 17 (Part 6)

Masterlist here

At long last, it's here! I'm so happy to be back to posting in the new year and I'm looking forward to putting more work into my confidence in my writing skills. Enjoy!

CWs: Lab whump, human experimentation, noncon drugging, restraints, needles, medical setting, hospital equipment

~~~

After several days of recovering from the experiment alongside Bree, Flynn found himself hearing footsteps headed towards his cell door once more. Flynn tensed, his eyes darting to the hallway. Hugo walked into Flynn’s field of view, dressed in his usual white orderly-type scrubs. The young man cleared his throat before stepping up to the door, which he unlocked using the key from his pocket. Hugo then entered the cell, and gestured for Flynn to follow him. Now is my chance. I could run.. Flynn thought. But within a split second he had reminded himself how useless that would be. While Hugo was probably not nearly as strong as his superior, nor was he likely to tell Doctor Barrick of Flynn’s disobedience for Flynn to be punished, it was likely that the Doctor would find out anyway. Not to mention, maybe Hugo did not look incredibly strong, but Flynn had been imprisoned and experimented on for what had to have been at least severely weeks, if not months already, with no exercise and little food or water. There was no way he would be able to fight off anyone who tried to stop him, nor run far enough and fast enough to escape. It would be completely and utterly futile. Flynn sighed internally, and followed Hugo out of the cell.

The walk was a silent one, and Flynn's mind was left to spiral out of control as he speculated about what Doctor Barrick had in store for him this time. By the time they reached the laboratory door, panic was quickly setting into Flynn's bones. He couldn't keep doing this any longer, he was getting too weak, and he was being pushed to a breaking point. It was only a matter of time before he came out of those very same doors in a body bag.

He swallowed down his fear as Hugo led him inside. Inside, the lab was organised and clearly ready to be used. Hugo steered Flynn over to the metal table in the centre. Flynn swallowed thickly and lay down on the table, wincing as the bare skin on his arms and legs touched the cold surface. A moment later, the door of the lab swung open once again, and in walked Doctor Barrick, wearing his white lab coat.

“Hello Subject 17.” He turned to Hugo. “Strap him down.”

Flynn felt his blood run cold as Hugo snapped on a pair of nitrile gloves, then grabbed the padded restraints from beside the table. He swiftly wound them around Flynn’s body, strapping him down at his calves, thighs, chest, across his shoulders and his forehead. The insides of his elbows faced the ceiling.

“Excellent.” Doctor Barrick thanked his assistant.

While Doctor Barrick prepared the camera and the live-streaming equipment, Hugo prepared the medical equipment, pulling out a rubber tourniquet, prep pads, a syringe and a vial filled with liquid. Flynn was certain that the colour was draining from his face upon seeing these items. He was distracted momentarily as Doctor Barrick took a step back, and announced his presence to his audience.

“Welcome back. Today I will be testing a new serum I have concocted. I’m not sure what the effect will be, as I discovered it rather by accident... But we shall find out, together.”

The menacing smile that crept across Doctor Barrick’s face, reflected to Flynn via the computer screen, was enough to make a chill creep through Flynn’s bones. Doctor Barrick returned to the side of metal table, snapping on his own pair of gloves, and proceeded to tie the rubber tourniquet around Flynn’s upper arm, just above the inner elbow. He prodded the skin, making sure he had easy access to the vein, then took out a prep pad and wiped the cold alcohol swab over the area. Then, he unpackaged the syringe, and inserted the needle straight into the vial of liquid, drawing the plunger until he had the right amount, before he placed the vial back down.

“I’m going to inject the serum into Subject 17’s vein now, and we will be able to observe the results.” Doctor Barrick announced.

The scientist lined the syringe up with Flynn’s vein, then slowly and carefully pushed the needle in. Flynn held back a small whimper upon feeling the sharp pinch as it pierced his skin. He watched in growing apprehension as Doctor Barrick continued pushing the needle in further, until it reached the vein, and then his gloved fingers pushed down the plunger, releasing the serum into Flynn’s vein. Once the entire contents of the syringe had been emptied into Flynn, Doctor Barrick drew the syringe back out, removed the tourniquet, and covered the area with a small band-aid. Flynn could already feel the cold seeping into his veins and spreading through his limbs.

Doctor Barrick turned his attention back to the camera. “Now, we wait, and observe.”

Flynn felt that previous cold feeling slowly change, warmth now sweeping across his body. At first, it was pleasant, and a small smile of relief crept across his face. That was until he was too warm, so warm that he began to feel fire creeping through his veins. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and he could feel droplets forming under his arms. Doctor Barrick leaned into his face, examining Flynn closely from behind his glasses. Suddenly, Flynn was seeing two of Doctor Barrick.

“Hngh..” Flynn murmured, trying to reach for the double Barricks to swat at them, before realising that he was still strapped securely to the metal exam table.

Suddenly, a blinding white light pierced his vision. He groaned, blinking to shield his eyes, but a gloved hand pried them back open one at a time, the light growing brighter each time. He could hear voices muttering around him, but he wasn’t sure what they were saying. God, couldn’t they be quiet for one second? His head was pounding, and the heat was still growing. It was now unbearable. It was burning hot, and he thought he might need to throw up, but his vision was too blurry and murky for him to see his restraints to try to undo them. Despite the heat, he shivered, twitching involuntarily against the straps which held him down. Let me go, let me go! He tried to scream, but he couldn’t hear to know if he had even spoken the words aloud. Too loud, too loud, let me go, it’s too loud let me- Another sharp prick in his arm interrupted his thoughts. Distantly, he thought it was incredibly rude of the pain to just interrupt his thought like that. But then he drowned in the darkness, and all was silent.

Taglist:

@ziptiewhump @lazy8whump @blackrosesandwhump @paleassprincess @bumpthumpwhump @jancameforthewhump @jaxonjekkels @inky-whump @verydeaninside @whatiswhump @aseasonwithclara @crystalquartzwhump @onthishamsterwheel @myst-in-the-mirror @simplygrimly @wolfeyedwitch

51 notes - Posted February 2, 2022

Needle Whump prompts

The quickening of Whumpee's breaths through their nose as Whumper brings out a syringe

Whumpee frantically stretches their arm towards the phone, but before they can call for help, Whumper steps down HARD on their arm. Bonus points if Whumper breaks or fractures Whumpee's hand in the process.

Oxygen masks. IVs. Tubes. Whumpee waking up to being in them and ripping out the tubes and IV, and yanking off the oxygen mask. Bonus points if the heart monitor beeps louder and faster - until Whumpee rips the electrodes off their chest, and the machine goes silent

Hero is kidnapped by Villain. Hero expects to be viciously tortured, but instead, Villain becomes Caretaker, gently treating Hero's wounds from all of their missions that had been left un-cared for.

Caretaker screaming and reaching for Whumpee. who is also screaming, too frightened to be seperated from Caretaker, but doctors are swarming Caretaker and forcing them away. Bonus points if Caretaker is so agitated by the thought of leaving Whumpee even for a minute, that they have to be sedated.

67 notes - Posted December 5, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Sedation Whump Drabble

CWs: sedation, 'for your own good' trope, medical whump, needle tw

“Whumpee, stop. I’m here to help you.” Medic held Whumpee to their chest, holding them in place.

“I’me fine, okay? Just let me go!” Whumpee yelled, yanking their fists free to thump them against Medic in a desperate attempt to free themself. “You have.. to.. please.. I have to protect them!” The last sentence came in a frightened whimper.

Whumpee was too upset to notice Medic’s frantic silent communication with Team Mate over Whumpee’s shoulder. ‘The bedside. Top drawer. Hurry.’ Medic mouthed.

Team Mate rushed to the bedside table and pulled the syringe from the top drawer. They stood behind Whumpee, waiting for Medic’s signal. Medic nodded, and Team Mate removed the cap and thrust the needle into Whumpee’s shoulder muscle.

“NOOO!” Whumpee screamed, digging their nails into Medic’s arms as their back arched in pain.

Team mate dropped the syringe and helped Medic lower Whumpee to the ground, whose muscles twitched as they struggled to stay conscious.

“Sh, sh, Whumpee. It’s okay. Just rest now, okay?” Medic murmured, smoothing down Whumpee’s hair. “You’re alright.”

“Please.. I-” Whumpee’s movements were too sluggish, too uncoordinated, but they tried to pull themself off the ground. “Mmph…” Their hand fell to their side, and their eyes rolled back in their head as they slipped into unconsciousness.

Team mate stared at Whumpee. “Now what?”

“Help me, let’s put them to bed.”

Medic grunted as the two lifted Whumpee’s limp, weak body and placed it on the bed in the middle of the room. They looked so small and frail in the large plush bed, swamped in pillows. Team Mate lingered there, staring at their friend.

“Go on. You have to go do your job. They’ll be here when you get back. I’ll take care of them for you, I promise.” Medic ushered Team Mate to the door.

“Yeah, you’re.. You’re right.” Team Mate took once last glance over their shoulder at Whumpee, and then turned on their heel, leaving their injured friend behind.

Tags:

@aseasonwithclara @bumpthumpwhump @inky-whump @ziptiesnfries @jancameforthewhump @blackrosesandwhump @whumpwillow @whatiswhump @whump-a-la-mode @hurting-fictional-people @equestrianwritingsstuff @clockworkwhump @wolfeyedwitch

246 notes - Posted July 5, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

5 notes · View notes

librathefangirl · 2 years ago

Text

My Writing Year in Review - 2022

I only joined ao3 in July and I've definitely haven't written as much as I've wanted this year, but I figured I'd celebrate the new year with looking back at the writing accomplishments I did manage in 2022. @LibraTheFangirl.

(Continue reading for my personal favorite posted stories of 2022 and why, as well as resolutions/plans and WIPs for 2023).

Stories posted: 6.

Fandoms posted:

Stranger Things (3 stories).

Nowhere Boys (1 story).

9-1-1: Lone Star (1 story).

S.W.A.T. (1 story).

Pairings posted:

Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler (3 stories).

Carlos Reyes/TK Strand (1 story).

Word count: 3, 249.

Longest story: TK Vs Tomatoes (9-1-1: Lone Star) - 944 word, 1/2 chapters.

Completed stories: 5 out of 6.

Most common tags:

Hurt/Comfort (4 stories).

Hurt Steve Harrington (2 stories).

Triple Drabble (2 stories).