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ditzydoefx · 3 months ago

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Stowaway ✿ Poly Pirate!141 x Reader

*pics for aesthetics only!

Summary: You accidentally sneak onto pirate crew 141's ship CW: Inaccurate depiction of pirates, poly!141, fem!reader, ghost and price are kinda assholes (for right now), soap is well soap, gaz is an angel sent from heaven, reader is held captive (ish), stockholm syndrome core but like in the way beauty and the beast is, no romance yet (sorry, but don't worry it won't really be a slowburn), self-edited! WC: 1.8k

It was a mistake, honestly you should have just stayed put. You have no idea why you thought it'd be a good idea to sneak onto any ship, at all, ever.

You suppose this cruel fate is karma for your actions.

It started in the early hours of the morning, when many passenger ships were docked. You had decided to pack a small bag with your most important belongings and sneak into one of the ships cargo holds. In theory it was a good idea, you figured most of the crew we be pretty occupied tending to passengers needs, therefore your chances of getting caught and thrown into the ocean were slim. It's a shame you the ship you decided to board wasn't a passenger ship.

You should have known, it didn't look remotely like a passenger ship. There weren't any nice amenities, only one small dining room, not nearly enough beds for the amount of people that come to and from your island, and there were too many suspicious looking locked chests. There was a voice inside your head screaming for you to get off the ship but the adrenaline being pumped through your body was too high, and the yearning to escape the hell your home brought to you overruled almost all your sense of logic and reasoning. When you found the cargo hold, you didn't even think twice before making your way inside, quickly scanning your surroundings to find the best place to hide. You decide to hide behind some unmarked crates, figuring they'd be bothered the least. You squeeze your body behind the boxes, maneuvering so all of you can be hidden well.

It feels like you're there for days, realistically you know that's not true, but you're so close to leaving this island and never looking back. No matter how tempted you are to bolt, you keep yourself firmly planted behind the crates. Finally, you hear voices, it doesn't seem like there's very many people and that makes your anxiety sky rocket, but it's much too late to sneak off and try to find another ship to become a stowaway in. Pushing your knees further into your chest, you take a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm your nerves. For hours you hear voices and footsteps above you, but no one seems to have any suspicions. In fact it's been so calm the rocking of the ship has your eyes fluttering shut, you've been fighting sleep but nothing has transpired for so long maybe a few minutes of shut eye won't hurt. As your mind battles between alertness and staying asleep you hear something.

Footsteps. Coming down the steps, right into the cargo hold.

Your heart drops into your stomach and your breath hitches. You squeeze your body into itself in an attempt to make it smaller, one of your hands coming to clasp your mouth shut. The footsteps get louder and louder until you see a large figure standing in the archway. You go rigid as you get a better look at him. He's no average sailor, he's a fucking pirate.

"Great." You think wryly. "If he finds me then I really am dead."

He's moving around some boxes, you're not quite sure why, and for a moment you think he has no clue you're there.

Unfortunately for you, that's where you're wrong.

In the blink of an eye he grabs you from behind your crate wall, holding you by the scruff of your neck like a naughty kitten. The look in his eye is dark, and the rest of his face is covered by a mask, a skull print adorning the fabric. He says nothing, only staring at you for a moment before throwing you over his shoulder and walking back up the steps, presumably to bring you to the rest of the crew.

Oh. you're totally fucked now.

The mans footsteps attract the attention of his crew as he walks across the deck, when he stops walking, he practically throws you onto the ground, forcing you to kneel before three other men.

"Wha' a bonnie thing she is… S' what tha' noise was? Was startin' worry I was finally losin' it." A man, Scottish you think, says as he stares at you. His thumb dragging down the side of your face as a devilish smirk graces his lips.

You flinch under his touch and the Scotsman quickly removes his hand but his touch is soon replaced by another, a man much more imposing than he. Rough hands gripping your face, forcing you to meet his gaze.

"Was wonderin' why it sounded like there was a rat down in the cargo," A dark glint flashes through his eyes, but it's gone as quickly as it appeared. "Now tell me, stowaway, wha' the hell are ya doin' on my ship."

Tears well in your eyes as you struggle against his grip, and you can feel his impatience growing as he waits for you to respond. After another moment, the final man turns to speak to you.

"Captain asked ya a question love, best answer him before he gets angry." His voice is surprisingly gentle, and when you meet his gaze, soft brown eyes stare back at you, eyes filled with pity.

The look in his eye breaks you, and fat tears begin rolling down the apples of your cheeks.

"I'm… I'm sorry!" You choke out your words between sobs, your body taut under the piercing gaze of the Captain.

A beat of silence passes before the Captain of the ship releases you from his grip, your body crumbling into itself.

"I didn't know! I didn't- I don't… I just wanted to leave! I promise I didn't take anything a-and you can drop me off at your next stop, just please don't hurt me…" Your words come out watery, your voice hoarse and snot coming out of your nose, ugly sobbing as these men surround you.

The man with the soft brown eyes crouches down next you, his gentle hand wiping tears off your cheeks.

"You poor thing, you're all outta' sorts. M' sure you didn't mean any harm…" He looks towards his Captain but his head is still angled in your direction. "Go easy on her sir, poor thing is trembling."

The Captain scoffs, his arms folding over his chest as he studies you, his gaze scrutinizing, piercing through you.

"She shoulda' thought of that before sneaking onto my ship." He gives you another once over before ordering you to stand on your feet. You figure it's best to do what he says so you rise from the ground, knees almost buckling under you.

The group of men stare at you for a while, seemingly unsure of what to do with you. After a few moments, a deep voice from behind finally speaks, you turn to look at him, his skull mask making your spine tingle with terror.

"We should just throw er' off the ship, no bloody reason to keep the thing around." You wince at the way he refers to you, objectifying, dehumanizing.

"Now, now, Ghost, nae reason tae make such a hasty decision. The kitten's completely harmless! I say we keep er', it'll be so nice to have a bonnie thing on board." The man, Ghost, scoffs.

"We don' need liabilities layin' around Johnny. Sides' got no use for er'. M' sure Price is inclined to agree with me." Ghost turns his head towards Price, presumably waiting for some type of agreeance on what he said.

Before the Captain can even get a word out, he's interjected.

"M' inclined to agree with Soap- for different reasons," He pauses shooting Soap a look, but he merely shrugs back. "But I agree all the same. I mean look at er' poor thing is terrified, I doubt she came to pillage our goods Captain."

Price sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he mulls over his, limited, options. Everyone, including you, waits for him with bated breath. Selfishly, you hope he'll keep you around a bit longer, at least then you'll get a chance to make an escape plan.

Finally, the Captain speaks.

"She can stay, for now. We can keep er' in the cellar until I figure out wha' the hell to do with her." His words carry a tone of finality, a fact that has Ghost scoffing.

"You're jus' pickin' sides cause' Gaz wants to keep er' around." He motions towards the man next to you, bitter venom coming out alongside his words.

Gaz rolls his eyes, blowing out with an irritated sigh.

"Price isn't picking sides, he's doing what's right. Just cause' you don't agree with it doesn't mean that-" Price puts his hand on Gaz's shoulder, interrupting his sentence. A silent way of telling him "settle down."

Gaz relaxes under the Captains touch.

"Gaz, Soap, take er' down to the cellar, we'll keep er' there for now. Ghost, come with me to my quarters." Ghost mumbles something in response, but his words are muffled by his mask, something you're sure he's grateful for at this moment.

You, Soap, and Gaz watch him for a moment as he follows Price like a kicked puppy. When they're finally out of view, Soap and Gaz turn their attention back to you.

"C'mon kitten, yer gonna ave' tae be a bit uncomfortable tonight, the Captain didnae plan for any stowaways.." He chuckles at you playfully, something you'd find much more comforting under different circumstances.

You suddenly feel a hand on your back, the skin a bit rough even through the fabric of your clothes. You whip your head to look behind to see Gaz, his soft brown eyes still filled with that same look of pity. He and Soap begin gently guiding you towards the ships cellar.

"It's alright love, The Captain can be a bit cruel but he won't hurt you. Even pirates have their limits… Besides, I assure you we're not nearly as bad as some of the other pirates out there. We'll get you sorted out in the morning."

You have no reason to trust these men, all you've known is that pirates cause pain and destruction everywhere they go, but the only thing you can do right now is trust them. So, you nod timidly, letting them guide without resistance.

Hopefully you can escape at the next docking place.

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fawninthesnow · 2 months ago

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞: Part 1

𐙚 Emperor Geta x Fem Reader! 𐙚 18+

Summary: You are the daughter of General Marcus Acacius. After an argument with your parents, you find yourself alone in your garden with an arrogant, and peculiar stranger.

Warnings/contains: dom fem, f4m, teasing, pinning, size kink, not proof read

Word Count: 1.2k

More on my Master list!

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Under the command of the twin emperors, Marcus Acacius has been made to expand the army and therefore train new recruits. In the training room, the recruits arrive and line up without saying a word. Marcus notices an unusual presence. He comes closer, “[Y/n].” He groaned your name, running a hand through his hair. You stared straight ahead, ignoring your father. “Gods, why don’t you listen? You need to go home. Now.”

You broke the act, reaching for his arm. “But Father! I want to help!” You held his arm to your torso, “I am capable- “

“[Y/n].” The other trainees inside of the room turned to the sound of his stern voice. “I will not repeat myself. Go home to your mother.”

“But it is boring!”

“You are so stubborn.” He picked you up by the waist. You accepted defeat once again as he put you out. He placed you down on your feet before shutting the doors. You were engulfed by a herd of guards while they escorted you home.

Upon your arrival, you had already been scolded by your mother and sent away. She was expecting guests anyway and would deal with you later. You sat on the stone bench of the courtyard, overlooking the city from a distance. You felt as if you were being held captive in this home. Although vines, bushes and flowers blossomed wherever they so pleased, it lacked life. With full honesty, you were being dramatic.

Your parents tried time and time again and convince you that fun in Rome lacked longevity; you should find a husband instead and think of settling down but that means losing the two people who truly gave a shit about you.

At this age, your restlessness knew no end.

“Darling, if you pout any longer, your jaw might lose its integrity.” You rolled your eyes. Your mothers’ guests seemed to always pester you, especially the men.

“That is the goal.” You spat back, turning around to the sound of the voice. “In case she did not tell you, my mother hates when guests come into the garden.” You looked over the young man with distracting eyes and a red toga draped over his shoulder and body.

“Tsk, I am confident she will not care.”

“You must not have met my mother.” You rolled your eyes, turning your gaze back to the city.

“This is a beautiful view. A wonderful empire, no?"

The man stood behind you, his eyes trailed down from your braided hair to your backless gown. “Sometimes.”

“Why so pessimistic?” You didn’t answer him, and instead playing with a soft curl from your hair, “Do you have a clue who I am?” He asked with a scoff.

“No. Now, will you leave?” He laughed, walking around the bench to block your view of anything else but him.

“My name-“

“I don’t care.” The man stepped back in shock. It was the first time a woman of any importance silenced him.

“Listen to me, you minx.” You immediately stood. You were taller than the man, looking down upon him. “…ahem, be seated.”

For a moment, you laughed in his face. “Seated? You must have me mistaken. I do not obey the words of a *child*!” He gulped, squeezing his hands closed. The sensitive nerves in his hips were slowly stimulated; such made it hard to move. “Who do you think you are?” You stepped closer to him, and he moved back. “Some kind of God?” You look him up and down. “God of bundle wheat?”

As you had another laugh, the man huffed, “Excuse me?! I was trying to be kind to you but-“

“No, you listen here, tiny.” You cornered him between a marble pillar and wall. He held onto the ribbed pillar; his hips slightly buck with need. “You dare disturb me, the daughter of the great general, Marcus Acacius! And think you have some kind of power over my actions? Stand up straight!” He gulped as you yelled, feeling like cornered prey. His hard cock leaked precum over the front of his toga, not that you noticed or cared.

“U-u, young lady- I-“

“You’re a mess. You can’t even speak, let alone stand up. Stand up!” You commanded him again.

“You cannot tell me what to do!” He chuckled nervously, looking for a way to escape the corner. His eyes fell on your bosom in his face--

“Are you looking at my breasts?!” His glare continued to flicker from your lips to your sweat-glistened breasts. He tried his best to hold his erection between his legs, but it was impossible.

“Well, I do as I plea-“ You glared at the short man, your nostrils flared in anger. “No…I was not…looking.” He said softly.

“The audacity of you men should go into history books!” You pinched him by the ear, pulling up.

“Oooow! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! I am sorry!” You smirked before letting go. He held his ear, “Please do not do that again.”

“What’re you gonna do?” You teased him, poking his face.

“You could get into a lot of trouble if you keep pestering me!”

“Me? Pestering you? Well, karma exists.” You continue to poke at him, “I’ve never met a man so small.”

“I am not *that* short! Watch your mouth!” He bit back a moan as his toga teased his shaft. “Women shouldn’t be this tall anyway!” You tilted your head as he paused speaking.

You stood up straight, holding your hip, “Such confident words but the posture doesn’t match.” As the words left your lips, he stood straight up against the marble. “Look at that, you listen to commands after all. Insecure little man.”

“Lady Lucilla!”

You slap your hand over his mouth and lean in close to him. He squirmed as your breasts pressed on his chin. “Do not…call my mother.” He let out a moan as the tip of his hard cock brushed against the soft fabric of his toga. “Hm? Why are you moaning, tiny?” You look down at the stain on his toga and back at his face. His eyes rolled back, and his eyelids closed. “You are filthy…” He only enjoyed the shame; more precum left his penis. You curiously moved the fabric of his clothes out of the wall. His tip was covered in his own mess. Your hand cuffed his penis, gently squeezing him in your fist. He squirmed for a moment before giving in to you.

You left go of his mouth, pressing your breasts on his face instead. He moaned in response, your hand on the back of his head. “I- I am not filthy,” He whined into your soft bosom, “I- I am Emperor Geta.”

You shrugged, you did not even know the names of the emperors’ names, nor what they looked like. Your father kept you from them. “I do not care, ‘emperor’ Geta.” After only a few minutes, the emperor came over your fist and dress. “Ahg. Taste.” You slip your come covered finger into his mouth. He tasted himself and sucked on your finger.

Part of him could not believe he allowed a woman to control him in such manners; however, a part of him felt controlled by your words, your actions. He stood up and covered himself, attempting to leave. You smirked, “Tsk, you’re not leaving yet, tiny.” On his tip toes, he kissed on your neck, leaving light marks. He went down to your breasts, kissing them. He gently pulled on your dress, sucking on your nipples gently.

Second part on my Master list!

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felmonth · 1 year ago

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(Edited and slightly better developed! Will be updated until further notice)

Hey, neighbors! I am alive! XD

AAAAH! I finally managed to finish Tom's sheet, but for Au "Actors," the author of this AU is @ frillsand. I've been wanting to create drawings related to this AU for a while now, and there are still comics that I want to share.

Wally won my heart -cries- 😭💘, of course, haha. I'll be sharing with you all the comics that come to mind regarding this AU.

WARNING: Before proceeding, this may contain sensitive content, you have been warned. I hope you enjoy the extended blog and the extra mini-comic to lighten the mood.

Well without anything else to say about it...let's start with Tom Sweetheart, the stylist!!

Tom Actor's Story:

In a town called "Titirilquén," Tom Sweetheart grew up alongside his mother and brother Diego Sweetheart. They depended on each other for everything. They didn't own a television, but they would find TVs on in stores where mostly there were news and interviews with celebrities. Both of them dreamed of becoming actors inspired by the experiences shared by those celebrities on television. Their school further fueled their interests, as it offered a theater subject and a variety of art-related courses.

At school, Diego exhibited a captivating personality in his school theater performances, earning admiration from everyone. However, Diego felt uncomfortable because nobody paid attention to his brother, who was also improving with each performance and costume. Therefore, Diego decided to involve his brother in everything to make him stand out just like himself...

Over time, the school grants Diego a special scholarship that involves working in one of the largest studios in Titirilquen despite being very young. This news greatly delights Diego, so he mentions it to his brother about this opportunity to become what they wanted to be at that time. Unfortunately, those who gave Diego the opportunity were very disappointed when he brought Tom to work with him, so they reluctantly accepted Tom only because Diego requested it.

When Diego was not around Tom, they assigned him different tasks than what an actor should do, completely deviating from the agenda that Tom had planned for the week. This led him to become overloaded with tasks, but he didn't complain because he thought it had to happen when living the life of an actor.

Diego and Tom were the first young actors (They were about 20 years old, Diego 22 and Tom 20) in the Titirilquén studio. They initially performed in a few presentations for a museum, and then the director decided to create a program with them. Both did their best until they became somewhat more known thanks to the news in their town, and Tom was no longer as ignored as when he first joined. They reached a broader audience, leading them to want to learn more about the people in their town. So, they started learning sign language and refining their voices for musical sections to begin a small program aimed at families.

Both were directed by the same assistant, "Ron," but due to unforeseen circumstances, he had to retire because he had to move to another country for another job opportunity where he could earn more money to support his family. They had a new assistant, a woman named "Jenny" (She was 24 but was not interested in working with puppets.) and from this moment, problems arose. The new assistant was serious and easily stressed when the director had to tell her what to do. As a result, she left the job of directing to the two young actors.

This assistant was starting to have too many problems with the brothers, she envied that both brothers mentioned the previous assistant's actions. However, they did not say this with bad intentions but rather so that he could do his job well, since the director was demanding regarding what should be on the schedule of both brothers. Over time, the work environment between them improved, but something was missing in the assistant's life, the brothers did not say many things to her or chat with her, but instead spoke only among themselves.

One day, Jenny overheard a conversation between the two brothers about the previous assistant. Jenny misinterpreted this as a threat to her job and felt worthless to both brothers. He decided to come up with a plan with his fellow students. The plan was to put one of the brothers in a problematic situation so that she could do something to help them and get recognition for it because according to her, the brothers did not value her.

The chosen target was Tom, as Jenny considered him weak and incapable. After finishing his singing section of the show, Tom left the studio to take a break and have a drink.

He noticed that his co-workers near a restaurant were calling him to chat, Tom without noticing any suspicion in them, approached them with great joy, because he admired what his co-workers were doing in the studio.

And being recognized and starting a conversation by them was a great joy for Tom, since he always lived underestimated as just a simple doll who cannot stand out among humans.

Unfortunately, there were ulterior motives. While they were talking to Tom normally, they took him behind the studio, which looked like an alley, and there a cruel scare developed. These coworkers mentioned negative things when they entered the alley and Tom felt uncomfortable by his coworkers' sudden mood swings. He tried to back away, but was easily caught. While saying negative things, they gradually destroyed parts of his body, including arms, legs, wrists, and fingers. They showed no concern for the little puppet's screams and fear because, to them, he was just a doll that couldn't feel pain, or so they claimed, they made fun of him for being too dramatic when he screamed.

When this situation came to an end, the group of companions left, leaving him alone, Tom remained on the ground, crying without understanding how the situation took such a sudden turn. Just a few moments ago everything was fine and now he was helpless on the ground, motionless. He could only see the cotton sticking out of his body and his limbs outside his body, he could only move his head at the moment, he felt completely useless. He prayed that his brother would find him and help him, but then Jenny appeared, pretending to be worried about Tom. She helped him in this terrible situation and took him to the emergency tailoring service.

Now, with Tom recovered, he was mentally depressed and shattered. He looked at his stitched-up body and felt very insecure about venturing into the streets inhabited by humans. He didn't want to go through a similar situation again, so his only support rested on Jenny.

Tom was immensely grateful to her for helping him in this terrible and stressful situation. After a few long minutes of silence, he told his assistant that he didn't want to continue his acting career. This surprised Jenny, but she said nothing and just listened, offering ideas. She felt quite good about helping Tom in these moments of stress. She informed the director about this decision, and of course, he was very concerned and saddened, especially when Tom requested not to inform his brother.

When Tom was discharged on the same day as the accident, he didn't want to go home because a thought crossed his mind: he had always depended on his brother and was only causing him problems. So, with a heavy heart, he decided to distance himself from his brother. The assistant supported all of Tom's ideas, including the idea of complete separation. She was happy that Tom depended on her, so she found him a job outside the country without consulting him.

From Diego's perspective, after the accident, he found it strange that his brother didn't appear on the show. He asked the director why there were sudden changes in the program and why his brother wasn't there. The director decided to be tough with him, saying they hired him and not his brother. He gave Diego new rules for the new direction of the show. Diego was devastated by this news. He considered quitting his job but thought better of it; he wanted to see his brother at home.

When he arrived home, there were no traces of his brother or his belongings. He tried calling him, but there was no phone coverage. In his desperation, he contacted the authorities to inquire about his brother, but they only started working after at least two days of being missing.

This situation was stressful for Diego and his mother. They were very worried and considered various possibilities of what might have happened. Tom decided not to tell them anything when offered a call by the authorities and declared that he wouldn't return home. His family was concerned because they heard a weak voice through the phone, but it was all they could do as the studio was too secretive with the information.

Both brothers remained separated for a long time. For Diego, nothing was the same without Tom, and the show looked depressing. Despite this, he maintained a forced smile for his audience. Children asked a lot about his brother, leading him into deep depression.

Tom, moved to another country, working in a new studio as a stylist. He adopted a fearful, anxious, and panicked attitude, afraid of everyone. To distract himself, he overloaded himself with work, trying to maintain composure by breathing deeply. He couldn't stop thinking about his family, and he knew what he was doing wasn't healthy, but he wanted to stay away for a while.

Well, that's roughly the story. It's long, but I feel that now it's better understood than before. Thanks for staying to read and loving Tom Actor! -cries-

Curious facts about Titirilquén today:

Lately, I've been hooked on a series called "31 minutos," so I included some things from that series. I highly recommend it, it's in Spanish, but there are English subtitles available. Titirilquén is from that show.

Titirilquén doesn't have hospitals because literally no one gets sick there. However, there are places like Mrs. Juanita's service, who takes care of the damaged puppets in this town.

Titirilquén was a town of only puppets but tired of being anonymous and as an unknown town, they decided to include people in their town, building a civilization, the negative of the town only benefits the humans that its own puppet inhabitants.

Facts about Tom:

(Diego's data was deleted to create his respective sheet)

He is 27 years old now.

He speak spanish but he learned English thanks to Jenny.

He is very naive, and that works against him, as he decides to trust everyone.

He has a puppet friend in this studio and his name is Lulu but he affectionately calls him "Wolfy" After going through hell with Jenny, he dates Wolfy but that's when he realizes he doesn't want a romantic relationship.

When he first arrived at the studio, the studio people confused him with Wally, so since that day, some just call him "Pink Wally." (This is due to his height, skin tone and hair shape, so Tom changed his look to messier hair to not look like Wally)

Tom is a very good worker, but he always hides after finishing his work and doesn't get distracted by anything while working. If a human talks to him, he ignores them, but if it's a puppet, he takes time to chat.

Despite hiding, he is found by children, most of whom are human.

He misses being an actor but is very afraid.

Alongside his brother, they worked on a children's educational program called "Sing until Counting to 3." They taught children songs that included sign language. However, when they leave, the program is completely forgotten by the director.

Tom and Diego are not the same height, Jack has to bend down to hug and talk to him.

Tom usually wears makeup, always in pink or fuchsia, which is his favorite color.

Tom often sees little due to his poor eyesight, so he sometimes needs glasses to see clearly, but he usually doesn't use them because he finds them unnecessary.

Tom has fallen in love with Jenny because of her concern for him but by the time they are "boyfriend and girlfriend" Jenny ignores him, she is with him out of pity. Sometimes Jenny yells at him and hits him when he is loving with her.

As you can see, Tom is afraid of humans, and you rarely find him crying in studio places where people don't live, or even paranoid. If you find him in this situation, make him feel comfortable because he is completely unstable at that moment.

People consider him strange and curious because he often hides and is fearful, and they don't understand why he behaves like that. (It doesn't mean he avoids bad situations with the studio's humans; some of them respect the puppets, while others decide to hate them.)

Tom in this Au has a human brother, in the style of muppet protagonists. His name is Diego Sweetheart and they are both very close and have achieved many things together by working as a team. Diego is very attentive to his puppet brother, caring for him and trying to understand him as best he can.

Will Tom manage to become an actor again? Will his life improve? Will his brother Jack locate him after a long time? Will Tom continue to call himself unfortunate? Find out in the next episode... *Felmonth bids farewell to the viewers watching the video.*

NOW, COMIC! YAY!!

Title: "First unlucky day"

Reference movie: "White Chicks"

I don't know what Janet's design is like, I didn't find any reference, so I made it with what I found.

And well that was all, I hope you liked everything, I did the best I could and as always if there are questions ask without problems.

Bye byeeee!

Extra: It is assumed that in this unplanned part, Wally told Tom "Consider yourself unlucky for working with me from now on." (No canon for me xD but extra)

Bye uwu)/💐

#draw #drawing #art #my artwork #welcome home arg #welcome home #welcome home fanart #wh wally #welcomehomeproject #welcome home oc #welcomehomeau #welcome home artist #welcome home actor au #actor wally au #wallydarling #wally darling au #wally darling fanart

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fairuzfan · 1 year ago

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academia is often used as the forefront of much of the violence inflicted on palestinians — for example in the library of congress, there is a collection called "the american colony of jerusalem" with racist photography and items that help visually perpetuate the "people without a land, land without a people" part of herzel's ideology, which itself is the forefront of much of zionist ideology. pointing out the systematic harm in academia is often considered "irrelevant" by zionists.... denies the origins of zionism as a political and academic ideology with physical consequences.

much of palestinian history throughout the last century has to do with erasure and silencing — that is how we got to this point. when i say no one listened to palestinians i mean NO ONE listened. they were ignored. all their demands were unreasonable. instead they get blamed for much of the world's unwillingness to listen. even my family members — i have stories of their work in academic resistance since '48. and some of them are well known contributions throughout euro-american and swana society. yet they're still ignored because of their palestinian origin.

"if you were just more reasonable" or "if you took the time to listen with compassion" or "you have to appeal to people's sense of reason" ignores the fact of the matter — this ideology's founding principals were built on "a people without a land for a land without a people." you cannot and should not ignore that. in order to complete the zionist ideology, you must remove the native population. therefore any subscribers to the idea of zionism are violent, whether they intend it or not.

and if it were true, that academia were irrelevant.... then that doesn't explain the systematic torture and imprisonment of writers and scholars, the exile of my family members who were journalists and activists, the captivity of friends for no other reason than they were deemed a threat by some list or the other.

oftentimes zionists, or zionist sympathizers, ignore our (diaspora's) material ties to the occupation and dismiss us as being "disconnected" from the "situation" in Palestine and "misunderstanding" or "misconstruing" israeli society. what am i misunderstanding exactly? that the origins of this "country" relies on violent displacement and exile? that for the past 75 years, that violence has not stopped once? that no matter what we say about the violence of zionism as an intrinsic aspect, it takes a secondary seat to the imagined realities of zionism?

therefore, anti-zionism is the logical conclusion for valuing palestinian lives. but what are the arguments against anti-zionism? that arab governments expelled jews from SWANA? do you think that's a result of anti-zionism? then you must not understand that palestinians are often treated poorly by the same governments that claim to have done this in the name of "anti-zionism," living in poverty in refugee camps, tortured and arrested, even in some cases exiled by governments. this also neglects to mention zionist collaboration with said governments to exile the jews of their lands.

so then, what?

if anti-zionism is the rejection of the settler colonial state of israel, which you must admit to be truly anti-zionist, then it is an exclamation of palestinian sovereignty and identity. so when you say anti-zionism and antisemitism are linked.... do you realize what you are implying? do you realize that zionism, the root cause of palestinian suffering, is the reason for our expulsion and displacement? so then when you write academic thinkpieces about the "complexity" of zionism, do you realize the harm you're doing? do you realize that this, in fact, is not a new or useful argument? that i've seen iterations of it for years and years? that at the core, the zionist ideology relies on this muddying of the waters for you to not do anything?

to be frank, your constant reminding of the complexity of zionism when people in palestine are suffering from the material effects of it only scream, to me, utter contempt and selfishness. zionism is violence, to me and my family. it is violence for every palestinian in this world. you must admit that to be a sincere advocate for palestinians, otherwise your words ring hollow. the present reality outweighs any possibilities.

#just been thinking about this for a while

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nikalaeva · 18 days ago

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It's easier for me to criticize than to praise, but I'll try. And to make it more interesting, I'll compare my favorite fantasy romances with most empty waste of my time.

Your Feyre became High Lady by marriage, devaluing the title of Cursebreaker. She had magic of seven High Lords, but it didn't help at all in most important war, and she has no friends or allies of her own.

My Jude became Queen of Elfheim because the land chose her, saving from death. She outsmarted her father, the most cunning and cruel general, ruled in secret as seneschal, and made advantageous alliances.

Your Rhysand is supposedly the most powerful, surrounded by strongest fighters, his army is the best of all, but he couldn't protect his wife's sisters, fucked up with Book of Breaths and almost lost the war.

My Cardan is a pathetic loser twink, very young and almost always drunk. But he is cunning as hell, saved the woman he loved from underwater captivity, avoiding the war, pal up with her allies while being their prisoner, and created an entire island.

Oh, Jude is still human. And Cardan is a true fairy, not just a guy with pointy ears.

Your Feyre left the man she died for in a fucking message and married her rapist. My Rose went to a strange, faraway country to save her man, but to kill him if she couldn't. Not to turn into a bloodsucking killer to be with him forever - kill him.

Your Rhysand thought for a second that age gap between him and his wife more than between her and their son. My Dimitri was going crazy and pushing away his love because he was her teacher just several years older. He is more responsible than 500+ years old ruler.

Oh, and despite being coolest, Dimitri became a monster. And Rose had an "alternative" - Adrian, who wasn't turned into an abuser and asshole, to show how beautiful love with Dimitri is.

Your Feyre hasn't done a damn thing for women (or anyone), her "feminism" is to be proud of role as a thief, saboteur and half-naked toy of a powerful man. My Vasya Petrovna (I'll die and rip anyone's throat out for her) dresses up as a boy and defends her right to be a witch, challenges ancient monsters, and saves everyone she can with her brains, courage and unbending will.

Your Rhysand chose to die with his mate, leaving his son an orphan, and at 500+ years old he's an infantile sexoholic. My Morozko, the ancient god of death and winter, make a deal with his enemy, a monster of chaos, choosing to be an eternal prisoner without memories about his love, saving woman that he loved as he could.

Whoa, Morozko didn't rape her in order to "protect" her. And it wouldn't be Vasya who would have to change - he would have become a mortal for her. One PG-13 sex scene was hotter than all the sex in ACOTAR series.

Why am I only comparing to Feyre? Well, she's the FMC, three books were enough to show her. I just don't believe Nesta would go to HoW with Cassian, and not decide to die in slums or run away. Elain is so side character that most of discussions about her will be fiction, not canon. Rhysand and Cassian were not even close to any of the men mentioned above. They are not otherwordly, old creatures, not morally gray, but only insulting to women whom they supposedly love more than life.

Romance in ACOTAR is vulgarity, violence and gaslighting, feminism is a mask and illusion, and the characters are too "cool" and therefore boring and flat.

Respect yourself. Read books where authors give a care about the plot, worldbuilding and development of unusual, fairytale love.

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misspelledwordswizard · 2 months ago

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THE COLORS WERE SO CUTE EVEN THOUGH I IMAGINE IT WOULD BE CHAOS IF THEY TRY TO WOO THE READER BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING IT AND THEY COLLIDE WITH EACH OTHER JAJSJJSWNSJUAJSJDJW 💚❤️💙💜🖤

Yeay I love writing for the colors, I love chaos! Ok, this was supposed to come out a few days ago, but there are some unforeseen issues. Hope you like it <3

Doing it right

I was finishing getting ready in the morning when I heard a knock on the door of the room in the inn where we was staying, which I found strange, considering the conditions. I had gone to bed very late, as I had spent the entire night reading a book that captivated me, so I woke up only an hour ago, at eleven in the morning. Therefore, I did not expect that any of the boys would still be there. In theory, they should all be spread out across the village we arrived at yesterday, with a lot to explore and search for.

Even without understanding, I went to the door, bracing myself for the possibility that it might not be any of the heroes either. When I opened it, my gaze naturally went a little lower, that’s when I came across the Blacksmith there, looking at me with a cheerful smile.

No, that was not Four, but Green, one of his parts. I was surprised to see him separated in broad daylight. I thought he was waiting to tell his brothers about his special ability. If he’s here, it must be important.

— Good morning, did you sleep well? – He began, before I could say anything. – You must be hungry, you missed breakfast and it’s already lunchtime. I thought maybe you’d like to join me? I found a lovely restaurant nearby.

— Oh, um... – I am indeed hungry, and it was endearing how confident the boy was, but the fact that he was suddenly separated makes me uneasy. Still, having his company during lunch sounds great and I couldn’t help but smile at the suggestion. – Of course, I’d love to!

He seemed even happier, and I thought it best to leave my questions for later, I don’t want to ruin this. I finally stepped out of the doorway and closed it behind me, ready to follow the blond to the place he mentioned. I’m excited for this, as much as I love Champion’s food, I miss eating at restaurants every now and then.

I followed the shorter boy out of the inn, as I thought, none of the other boys were around, not even the other colors, which made me even more intrigued and curious about the whole thing. Every time I had met them so far, they had been together, it was unusual to see them so far apart.

Finally, at the restaurant mentioned above, I was enchanted by the architecture of the place, which had large glass walls that allowed a beautiful view of the lovely little street and a wooden structure that made the place cozy. This whole village was really very beautiful and peaceful, from what I could see. We sat at a table for two in the center, thanks to this I had a view of the front of the restaurant and one of its sides, while I had my back to the other. Green sat in front of me, he was smiling and excited, he seemed happy to be here. Well, I can understand him, the place was amazing.

I entertained myself looking at the menu, lost in the many options. The place also offered breakfast, which looked divine, I will have to come back here another day to try it. Looking through the dishes, I came across one that I liked, but that served two people, so I immediately thought about the possibility of sharing it with Green.

When I turned my attention to him to comment on it, he seemed a little... distracted. He was looking at something behind me, his face didn’t look good at all as he looked with a certain desperation at whatever it was. Combining my curiosity with the sudden noises I heard coming from that same direction, outside the restaurant, I was about to turn around to see, but my attention was once again caught by the blond man in front of me.

— Hey, look at this dish! – He said, pointing to something on the menu, which when I looked at it was... water? – You know what, you can go ahead and order if you want, I’m going to the bathroom, I’ll be back in a minute!

He hurriedly left the table, his eyes never leaving whatever was behind me, but by that point I had already lost interest, with my hunger screaming louder for me to order something right away. The noises seemed to get even louder outside, but I was too focused on reading each ingredient of each dish and evaluating my possibilities.

I only took my eyes off the paper when I saw the blond sit down again in front of me, raising my eyes momentarily to confirm his presence, going back to reading, only to look back at him abruptly when I realized what I saw.

In front of me was no longer Green, that was Red, with his smile and sweet gaze, looking at me as if nothing had happened, but what really caught my attention was his state. His beautiful blond locks were disheveled, with dirt, leaves, and even twigs stuck in them, his face was scratched, as if he had gotten into a fight with a skittish cat, his clothes were dirty and wrinkled, his breathing was irregular, and other things that made it look like he had gotten into a fight with a wild boar, run away from it, and then rolled down a hill after tripping over a rock. Come to think of it, that’s quite possible.

— Oh, hi, my goodness, who would have thought I would find you here! Hey, taking advantage of this coincidence, do you want to go for a walk with me? We could have a picnic!

— Oh, well, the thing is that Green...

— Don’t mind him, he must have had a stomach ache and went back to the inn, come on, there’s the perfect place for us to go!

Red said, looking like a happy child, stood up and took my hand, leading me out of the restaurant. Oh, goodbye, dear food, I’ll be back tomorrow! I followed the blond almost out of the village area, where there was plenty of vegetation and trees, but our objective seemed to be in reality a peak near the limits of the place, which was divinely touched by the sun and had a few trees and bushes on top, which made the place very rewarding to be.

When we finally reached the top, I had an incredible view of the entire village, and there, under the shade of the largest tree there, there was a picnic set up, ready for us to enjoy, full of fruits, sweets, and various drinks. Oh, how great! I wouldn’t even have to wait for the food to arrive like at the restaurant.

Even though I was anxious to eat, I stayed there, standing, enjoying both the beautiful view and the gentle breeze that seemed like a reward after the effort of climbing up here. The hero in red was next to me, doing the same as me. These calm and peaceful moments had become somewhat rare on our long journey, so I began to appreciate them more than ever.

— I’m so happy to be here with you today... – Red started to speak, I remained attentive, but still focused on the view of the horizon in front of me. – You know, I’ve been thinking- Ahhhh!

The boy’s voice faded, becoming distant after his cry of surprise, making me turn around at the same moment to know what had happened, and then, once again, in the place where the hero in red should have been, his other part, Blue, was. The same one, with his breathing irregular as if he had run a marathon and a few scratches here and there, looking victoriously at something behind me, which, when following the direction his eyes pointed, I saw a bush further down the hill.

Finally, he seemed to realize my presence, straightening up, coughing lightly to clear his throat and giving me a confident smile.

— What a coincidence to see you here, oh, it seems Red was a little busy, you know how that airhead is, right?

— Good morning to you too, Blue. Let me guess, you have an amazing place to show me?

— What? Noooo... – He said with a weak smile. – Okay, yes, I do, but it’s way better than anything these idiots prepare!

I could only laugh, not like I was making fun of them, I’m just finding it intriguing, funny, and even kind of cute how each of the boys were acting today. It makes me wonder what happened to Four. Maybe he was indecisive about what to have for lunch.

— Okay, let’s go, you can tell me what it is on the way.

We continued, walking the entire path I had taken earlier to climb the summit, but not before I grabbed a strawberry from the nearby picnic basket, just like the other two had done before. Blue led me by the hand, heading deeper and deeper into the bustling village. It wasn’t long before the sounds of crowds could be heard around us, and I soon realized that we were close to the center. I really wanted to stop by today. I heard the owner of the inn say that this place gets very busy on the weekends, with a lively little market full of activities and different foods to try.

I soon got excited too. All the excitement of the city was energizing and made a great contrast with the calm environment before. The food stalls immediately caught my attention, the smell of different foods invaded me, making my stomach growl for the fiftieth time today. There were also several game stalls with prizes to be won, and as interested in eating as I was at the moment, the hero’s interest in winning these games was clear, so I just followed along as he made his way to the archery game.

— Look, I’ll get that one for you! – He said confidently, pointing to a blue shark plush, very big and cute. I smiled foolishly at that.

It was a simple game, you paid a small amount and they gave you a bow and three arrows, three attempts to hit the center, and then take the prize. Blue seemed confident, and rightly so, with all the experience accumulated in his adventures, hitting the center of a stationary target would be like child’s play, but even so he seemed very focused while aiming, after all, he would hate to be too confident and miss, even if only one of the arrows.

The moment he shot the arrow I felt a soft touch on my left shoulder, which made me turn around just in time and end up missing his eventual hit. The blue eyes mixed with violet caught me by surprise, hypnotizing me, while the bearer of them gave me a calm and serene smile.

— I finally found you, come on, we’re already late, at this rate we won’t have enough time to appreciate this. – Vio��s voice was soft and calm as he led me by the hand, without further explanation, to the goddess knows where.

— Here, see, I said I would get it for... you? – I could hear Blue’s voice in the distance, turning to try to see him, but he was already lost in the crowd we were leaving behind.

Without many options, I just kept going, further and further away from all the noise in the center of the village. I sighed, a little tired from all the walking I’d been through. It must be around three in the afternoon now and I still hadn’t eaten anything, I hope Vio is taking me somewhere with food.

The most surprising thing so far is that I haven’t run into any of the other boys so far, which is lucky, I wouldn’t know how to explain why Four was wearing a single color outfit and acting “strange”. When we finally stopped walking, in front of our destination, I felt a little disappointed. A library. I mean, I love reading, I love books, I love libraries, Vio definitely knows what I like... but I really wish I could eat something right now.

The hero took steps forward, ready to enter the place, but stopped when he noticed that I had fallen behind, still looking at the place, wondering if I would have time to stop somewhere to get something before we went in. Seemingly reading my mind, Vio laughed softly and approached me again.

— Don’t worry, there’s a coffee shop inside, you’ll like it.

A smile has never appeared so quickly on my face. Books and coffee? The combination of gods! I quickly began to walk excitedly towards the place, being followed by the blond who laughed at my childish excitement.

Finally, with a nice cappuccino and a croissant in hand, I was able to sit at a comfortable table, with a good book and with the pleasant company of Vio by my side, who, not content with just one, had a pile of books on the table, that he intended to read, and a cup of tea.

I was able to enjoy this moment of peace in the day, with my stomach happy to finally be fed, feeling satisfied, although still somewhat lost in thoughts that blocked my focus on the words on the page. As good as it was to be able to have a moment alone with each of the four colors, I still felt like something was missing. Maybe it was because this competition between them took away precious time that we could have spent together, or maybe it was also because they weren’t together, it felt wrong.

Well, this peace didn’t last long, of course. Soon three identical boys burst into the library, causing a commotion that earned them a good scolding from the others who were there to read. But as soon as they saw me and Vio sitting in a corner of the place, they came towards us, not happy at all.

— Vio, you traitor! How dare you? – Blue was the first to complain, taking care to keep his tone controlled so as not to end up getting another scolding.

— Well, you’re no saint either. Don’t forget that you pushed me down a hill! – Red retorted.

— The three of you started a fight outside the restaurant, and when I went to see, you stole she from me, Red! Your saintly face doesn’t fool me. – Green seemed, in fact, upset.

Of course, by now, I already knew what all this was about; they didn’t even try to hide it, after all. But anyway, I hate seeing them fighting, and I hate even more that I’m the reason for it, it just makes me think about how Four was having this problem because of me.

— Okay, enough of this, you four! This is all getting ridiculous. I understand that you wanted to do different things, I understand that you wanted some time alone, but that’s no reason for all this fighting.

I started and they fell silent looking at me, almost embarrassed, but I honestly didn’t even know what to say next, I didn’t want to seem exaggerated or annoying, especially when I can see that there’s something serious bothering them and that’s why they’re acting like this.

Apparently, there was no need for me to say anything else, the four boys looked at each other, they seemed to have a mutual understanding, which made me wonder if they didn’t have some kind of twin telepathy or something. The moment of silence lasted for a while, but before I could ask what was happening, I saw something I hadn’t witnessed until then.

I saw Green reach for his sword and then suddenly they all merged, turning back into Four. In the middle of the library, which may not have been the smartest thing to do, but he didn’t seem to care much, especially since there was no one around at the time.

Seeing Four in front of me was somewhat of a relief, as it meant he was no longer in internal conflict. I wonder what could have happened for that.

— I want to apologize for my behavior today. I was so worried and indecisive about how to do this in the best way, that I ended up making you uncomfortable and dragging you around the village.

I wanted to tell him that it was okay, that I hadn’t really bothered him. I enjoyed spending time with the colors, I always enjoyed spending time with them. But the blacksmith continued before I could do so.

— The truth is that I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I finally know that I’m ready now. Spending this day with you, even with all the problems I caused myself, was amazing, being by your side is always wonderful, and I also realized that I don’t need to be as nervous about it as I was. – He paused, looking away shyly before taking a deep breath and looking at me, with those blue eyes that reflected the other colors, with his cheeks and the tips of his ears slightly pink. — Do you want to go out with me?

I was quiet for a moment, probably looking like an idiot, too surprised to answer. So that’s what this was about? I felt my chest beat faster as a silly smile formed on my lips.

— Yes, I would love to.

#link x reader #linked universe x reader #linked universe #lu x reader #linked universe fanfic #tloz #legend of zelda #x reader #lu four x reader #lu colors x reader #lu colors #lu four

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theneverfadinglands · 6 months ago

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Heraldic devices; Fëanorions

Maedhros: It was quite a challenge to design Maedhros' device. He is the heir and therefore it must show, but it also have to contain his personality. Which I always interpreted as more elegant and simple, neat. I wanted to incorporate the motif of rose. Since I connect Maedhros (and Nerdanel) to roses. I wanted to incorporate both the star of Fëanor and rose of Nerdanel.

I. the first picture shows the device of Maitimo as he used in Valinor

II. Maedhros after Fëanor's death, high king of the Noldor in Beleriand. Used briefly of course. I believe it was designed by Maglor and he used it during Maedhros captivity. Maglor was not thrilled to be a king and so I can imagine he would use Maedhros' a lot. It has 16 points, just as Finwë's heraldic device.

III. Maedhros after his abdication, lord of Himring.. a lot of point for a lord, right? Fingolfin had 8 as well.

I. Makalaurë, I remember holly leaves were mentioned in Return to Aman (written by @cycas ). Since then they stuck in my head as Maglor's heraldic device. Of course they are golden. Picking themes for Maglor was not hard at all. The red circles are supposed to signify the berries of holly.

II. Maglor after Maedhros' capture. I am not sure if he was crowned the high king of the Noldor or not. He is not listed anywhere as one, it seems to me he managed to escape the kingship. After Maedhros' rescue, the golden circle was reduced in size as to not touch the sides. Maglor used this device in Beleriand and never used the Valinorean one again.

Celegorm, I was a little unsure what to choose, but it have not took me a long time to pick silver pine cone. I could not find any suitable animal-related theme, everything looked wuite ridiculous. I suppose even this look a little ridiculous. I was also unsure if I should go all the way and use the green or pick someting more inline with his siblings. However, Celegorm is odd one in the group really. He is Fëanor's third son and still deserve distinct design, not to be confused with any other. 4 points obviously, his device follows the conventional rules.

Caranthir, oh Caranthir, I always have a problem with him. Caranthir is the one I do not know much about. I do not have headcanons about him, I just do not know. I could not pick anything personal for him and there are not informations about him. We know Celegorm, Amrod and Amras were hunters, Maedhros is the heir, Maglor is golden and musician, who is Caranthir? He is known for his temper, the dark Finwë.

I chose dark moody colours and many many stars. Instead of one central star he has 7 of them. His device is wuite formal. Of course the reason is that I did not know what to do with him. Yet what is the in-story reason? Maybe he used to have different device in Valinor, but began to use this one in Beleriand. He must have some very good reason to slap so many stars in. Maybe because he managed the trade, he used this neutral, formal and very "Fëanor's son" screaming device?

I think that his Valinorean device might have some moths. Moths are suitable dark and moody.

Curufin, it was not hard to design. I wanted his device to be similar to Fëanor's, yet it shall not outshine Maedhros. Technically the device break rules as there are 8 sides touching, but Curufin was never a king. I think the yellow can be ignored as a "point." After all the same motif is featured in Maedhros'. I wanted to reapeat the Maedhros theme, because although he is the oldest, Curufin is most similar to his father.

For Curufin I had chosen gems as symbols. I think diamnods are very fitting for him. I had it on my mind the entire time from the beginning. The question was only where I am going to place them. I think the inspiration by Fëanor is also clear. I am not sure how Curufin felt about it later... he is always Atarinkë.

I have to do Celebrimbor too, but I think he had more than one device.

Amrod and Amras, I went a little wild with them. They are the youngest and therefore can have some fun. As such I chose more creative devices. Red maple for Amrod (because aesthetic, not really for the meaning) and oak for Amras. Oak is in many cultures regarded as the kingly tree. I think the devices are both similar enough and different enough to denote their relationship as twins while maintaining separate identities. Honestly Amros' device and Maglor's kingly Beleriand device are my favorites.

I would like to do Fingolfinwean and Finarfinwean devices as well, but I am not sure I'll have enough creativity in me.

Fingon & Turgon below!

#noldor #feanorians #tolkien #silmarillion #noldor heraldry #house of feanor #maedhros #maglor #celegorm #caranthir #curufin #amrod #amras #elvish heraldry

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dinarosie · 7 months ago

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Beyond the Fan Theories: Insights from J.K. Rowling’s

I see bizarre fan theories and headcanons about Severus Snape every day that never happened in the books. The problem is, these headcanons are repeated so often that some Harry Potter fans believe them and forget that they are just fan fiction and not the truth. Therefore, I am sharing this old interview with Rowling to remind of some facts.

1. Like many insecure, vulnerable people (such as Wormtail),Snape craved membership in something big and powerful, something impressive: It’s interesting that 17 years have passed since Rowling's response, yet many people still believe Snape joined the Death Eaters because he was a sadistic, racist, antisocial person who wanted to harm people and use dark magic to destroy Muggles and Muggle-borns.!!! However, the writer believes Snape's goal was not to kill and torture Muggle-borns, nor was it racism. He was a poor, insecure, and damaged youth who had never known security or peace in his life. His childhood was a nightmare, and his adolescence was filled with humiliation and bullying. He was seeking acceptance and thought that becoming a Death Eater would give him power, attractiveness, and a family that he never had. However, it is clear that these factors led him to make a big mistake.

2. He never really understood Lily's aversion: Severus Snape didn’t want to harm or retaliate against her. He was simply blinded and misled, so foolish and ignorant that he didn’t realize how deep and serious Lily’s hatred for dark magic and the Death Eaters was. He believed that becoming a Death Eater would make him so powerful and captivating that Lily would be influenced and change her beliefs, convinced that dark magic was extremely attractive, potent, and intriguing.

3. Given his time over again, he would not have become a Death Eater: This sentence shows that he has truly changed. Rowling claims that if Snape had a second chance, he would never join the Death Eaters again. Snape's genuine regret is that, starting at the age of 20, he attempted to make amends for his past actions until the time of his death. He refused to make the same mistake again, unlike Wormtail, who eagerly returned to serve Voldemort when given the opportunity.

4. Like Snape, Harry is flawed and mortal: Do those who see Snape as the story's villain and an unforgivable character understand that, in the author's opinion, Harry is also like Snape? Do they understand that Harry can be flawed and potentially harm others? Harry is never described as a saint. He tortures someone and uses unforgivable curses; he can be arrogant and aggressive while remaining brave and heroic. Snape is flawed and mortal, just like Harry. He makes many mistakes, but in the end, he remains brave and self-sacrificing, and, like Harry, he saves many people's lives.

5. James always suspected Snape harbored deeper feelings for Lily, which was a factor in James' behavior toward Snape: Listen, this is one of the reasons James Potter had for bullying Severus Snape for seven years. Please refrain from saying things like, “Snape was bullied because he joined the Death Eaters” or “because he was interested in dark magic,” as none of these reasons are canonical. These reasons belong to James Potter’s fans, not James Potter himself. The author of the book has clearly explained James Potter’s motives. James Potter just had two reasons for bullying a person for many years:

_He existed (in a way that was ugly and poor). _He was close friends with Lily Evans.

6. It was Voldemort's attempted murder of Kreacher that really turned him: Isn't a change to save a living being's life familiar? I don't understand why Snape's change for Lily's salvation is seen as demonic motivation, whereas Regulus's change for Kreacher is considered epic. Recently, in fan fiction, Regulus has become the little knight of the Black family, whose parents tortured him so much that he is forced to join the Death Eaters and then rebel against Voldemort's ideology to eradicate racism in the wizarding world. But Snape's efforts, sacrifices, loyalty, and spying over the course of 19 years are reduced to being a loser obsessed with a dead woman!!! Such double standards are embarrassing.

I'm curious: If Regulus Black were not Sirius Black's brother and not from a pureblood family, and Voldemort had killed Kreacher while Regulus survived and fought Voldemort, how would fans react to Regulus? How ridiculous would it be to say, "Oh, Regulus Black? He is simply a deviant who was obsessed with his dead elf"?

"Please do not change the characters based on personal preferences and instead see them as written. The writer uses Lily's and Kreacher's salvation as symbols of redemption to demonstrate the characters' growth and maturation. If the concept of love, loyalty, and friendship has changed over time among new generations, this is not the fault of Severus Snape."

#severus snape #pro snape #snapedom #anti snaters #lily evans #snape meta #regulus black #snape defender #anti double standards #harry potter #anti james potter #pro severus snape

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peachy-writings · 1 month ago

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PARADOX | Viktor AU Pt. 1

Summary: Reader receives the shock of their life when Viktor essentially materializes into their world, forever altering their version of reality as he tries to get back to his own.

Content Tags: Gender neutral reader with They/Them pronouns (no use of Y/N), Kinda follows S2 Pt. 2 canon, Angsty, Vi and Jayce deceased in this universe, Strangers to Friends?

Note: May become a series, or at least a 2-parter if people like it!

Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Sulfur.

That tang has always sprinkled pockets of air in the Undercity, to the extent that those dwelling within barely take notice anymore. Therefore, when you do, it takes you by surprise. You glance around the room, troubled. Had the ventilation system halted? Or worse—had Piltover’s best decided to poison your already polluted oxygen with sewage, or something similarly offensive? And then a sharp, metallic singe punches you square in the nose. So sudden that your eyes squash shut, overwhelmed.

After taking a moment to reorient, you are shocked by the sight of a man scorched onto the coarse floorboards of your shabby homestead. Like a meteor had cannoned through the building, but a cursory glance upward reveals no such destruction.

Even more curious is the man’s appearance; he is a sinewy splat, draped in a white robe, crumpled on his side and perfectly pristine. Despite the edges of his garment and the surrounding space having been kissed with char. Mahogany tresses cover most of his pale face, shifting over sharp peaks as he stirs to consciousness. All the while, you are struck statuesque with bewilderment and a whisper of utter captivation.

How?

Who?

Why?

The stranger groans, a hand coming up to soothe his head that must be pounding from such a sudden entrance. Amber eyes blink open slowly into a squint. Confusion, then some kind of realization has his eyes widening when they meet your own. Your expression must match his as the two of you scrutinize one another, a pregnant pause scribbling the walls of your mind with even more questions that you cannot fathom one single answer to.

“Tell me…” He breaks the silence with an accent that tells you he is a Zaunite, in spite of such an odd appearance for this origin. “Do you know who I am?”

“No,” you reply softly, cautiously. And then your walls come up, as though your subconscious punches an internal panic button. No matter how otherworldly this materialization has been, this is still a stranger. “You better explain whatever the hell this is before I manually eject you from my home.”

A nimble hand reaches for the nearest weapon: a knife you’d left out on the counter to be washed. In his direct line of sight, you hold the flat of the blade against your thigh, posed to get rid of any threat quickly and efficiently.

“There is no need for that.” He says your name. Your real, given name. You almost don’t react since it’s been eons since the last time you’ve heard it said aloud. That hand at your side clenches the hilt of the blade—Not in anger, but petrification. “You don’t seem to know me in this timeline. I promise I am not here to hurt you, but to ask for your help. You are the only person I can trust.”

“How do you know my name, and what do you mean by in this timeline?” You take a step backward, bumping into the counter and jolting when the rough surface meets your clammy skin.

“I will answer all of your questions, but first,” he clears his throat. “May I have some water?”

Viktor is the name of your unexpected guest. This is the first thing you learn about him, after he drains two full glasses of water. The second piece of information you glean is that he is a scientist from another version of your world. A version in which you knew one another. In fact, the two of you were co-creators of a scientific breakthrough in his world with Jayce, another man you don’t know. Supposedly, this creation led him to end up here, on the other side of your dining table, looking as if he has been through hell and back.

While it is an interesting anecdote, you still do not trust that he isn’t someone sent by the heathens that haunt your past. How can you even believe something so utterly improbable? Does this man take you as a fool?

“If you are who you say you are, from where you say you’re from, how can I know that? How can I know what your intentions are? That little magic trick was impressive, but if you’re a minion of my father’s, I will find you out and you won’t be leaving in one piece.” You begin in an even tone, but work yourself up to a growl by the time the last words rattle from your mouth.

A small smile quirks the left side of his mouth upward. Fed up, you plant the tip of your knife into the table in the blink of an eye. “Your time is up.”

“Wait! I can prove it,” Viktor sputters, shock widening those gemlike eyes. “You cannot stand the way looking into deep water makes you feel. You have a need to protect those weaker than you, especially if they are children. And one of your dreams is to be able to ride in one of those fancy carriages the wealthy do, no matter how much you despise them.”

Your stomach churns, nauseous from the fact that all he said is true, even the truths that solely live in the back of your mind, never voiced to another soul. He explained himself perfectly— The how, the why, and the who— but you have great trouble comprehending that what he says could be— No, it is true. It has to be, right?

Is he attempting to disarm you so that he can kill you? No. The man could barely stand and make his way across the room to his chair. He is weak. He is begging you for help. And worst of all, he knows another you. That fact makes you feel as though you stand in front of him exposed. He has all of the power, even though you could take him out in seconds.

“What are your intentions?” You finally ask after a good few minutes trapped in lip nibbling thought.

“I am determined to get back to my world, with your help of course.” His tone is so annoyingly matter-of-fact, it brings out some of the bitterness you’ve been attempting to wrangle since he first said your name.

“And how am I supposed to help you? Clearly I’m no big scientist in this world!” Frustration is the way you naturally cope with all of this.

“That is fine, but you still harbor a love for inventing, do you not? Over there.” He points to a shelving unit on the other side of your living space. “That was your favorite creation: A simple device perhaps, but it works as a security system for the community, to warn children and the weak of impending danger. Your city would be left vulnerable without your work.”

That crude little contraption is, in fact, your proudest work. A vaguely cat-like creature that joins two wires when provoked, to make a noise the whole town can hear. To give the people enough of a warning to protect what they hold dear… If only there was someone in your hometown that had such a thought. Maybe you would have ended up in Piltover with your version of Viktor. Maybe things would have been different.

A deal is finally struck after hours of slow conversation. The two of you sit at that table until you can hear his stomach growl, and his expression screams exhaustion. Over a meal you almost burn in your distracted state, you agree to try to help him. But in exchange, he must answer all of your questions about the other version of yourself.

He agrees, of course, but not without a warning that some things are better left unknown. That flying too high does, in fact, come with grave consequences. You can only imagine the horrors those tired eyes have seen. A man beyond his years, steeped in tragedy, from a world that seems a whole lot better than yours. How so? You must know, even if it destroys you.

First thing on the agenda is to get Viktor equipped with a cane or crutch and some regular clothes. You learn of his disability and the impact growing up in the lower levels of Zaun has taken on his overall health. As he tells you more about his life, you wonder if the two of you could have been friends if you’d bumped into each other organically. Even though he has an irritating air of knowing what you do not, something about the way he looks at you makes you feel… odd. You mull this over as you browse the town market for the items on your shopping list.

Kids run between peoples legs, causing a man to fall on his ass and yell after them. They laugh and sprint faster with reckless abandon. A woman with a large basket of goods spins gracefully to save herself from the same fate, giggling as she adjusts her grip. The smells of the street food and perfumes and the people fill you with a sense of pride in your environment. A moment of peace amongst the absolute shitstorm that awaits you back home.

Last night, you were unable to get much rest with a virtual stranger on your couch. The lack of sleep as well as all that you’ve gleaned from the sudden appearance of Viktor has left you pensive. Your hand skates over the fabric of a plain shirt and you wonder what he usually wears, how he would look in something more familiar to you. It isn’t lost on you that this man is attractive, and his attentive attitude toward you leaves room to wonder just how close he was to the other you. You could see yourself falling for him, maybe in a different life. A fleeting thought that causes you to chuckle under your breath. There is no time for such thoughts, never has been.

A slightly banged up, but still fine-looking, cane catches your eye and you immediately inquire about it. It would cost nearly the rest of the coins in your pouch, the money you need to use for food. You stand dumbly in front of the grizzly man that runs the small shop off the top of beaten up tables, a hand on your chin as you go over your options. All the while, the man in front of you looks unamused at your indecision.

As he goes to spew some most likely unkind commentary, you hear a familiar voice bellow from behind you. “What’cha doing at the market? I never see you here.”

“Powder!” You chirp in surprise as your blue haired friend rounds you, peering curiously at the cane sat atop the table.

“What the hell do you need this for?” She considers the object, not paying any mind to the vendor as she holds it in front of one eye, mimicking peering through a telescope. “Some kind of sex thing, huh? Always knew you were a bit…” She makes an inappropriate gesture that shocks you into temporary silence.

“Whatever,” you disregard, gently prizing the item from her sly hands. You sigh as you roll it up and down your palms. There is no doubt it was made well, with consideration for anyone who may need it. “I was just trying to decide if it was worth the coins.”

“Ah, I see. Old man Harry’s marking up his goods again?” One pointed look from her has the aforementioned scrambling to explain himself, but she interrupts him. “How much did you get this for?”

“Well, you see, I- I didn’t buy it, so much as acquire it,” he splutters.

Powder hums. “And so you’re gonna make our people pay out the ass for some stolen goods?” She shakes her head, scolding him with a simple motion.

“Fine, I’ll lower the price.“ He chuckles nervously. “And tell Vander I say ‘Hi’.”

“With pleasure!” Powder remarks, her infectious smile beaming at him as she drops a small fraction of your coins into his open palm.

The two of you swiftly exit the area with all of your items stuffed into a rough, burlap pouch. The cane hangs safely from the strap, rhythmically thudding against your leg as you rush forward. Powder is hot on your heels, no matter how hard you try to lose her on the way home. She is relentless as always, too inquisitive for your own good.

Shit, she can’t see Viktor, you think. But there is no stopping her once a seed is planted in her head.

“You gotta tell me what all this is for, c’monnnnn,” she whines as you arrive at your doorstep.

“I’ll talk to you later, I just have a lot to do and it’s all so boring, you should just—“

With no consideration for your privacy, your friend bursts into the front door. Viktor is in plain view of the doorway, sitting on your grungy couch with a book poised in one hand. His eyes widen at the sudden invasion, taking in your embarrassment and then focusing solely on Powder.

“Ha! I knew it was a sex thing,” she exclaims, all the while you attempt to push her out of the door, talking over her in an attempt to distract from her brash exclamation.

“You.” Viktor’s voice is barely audible, but the iciness to it causes pause for both you and Powder. He scrambles for something, eventually landing on a glass vase that he holds as if to defend himself.

As you look between the two, it clicks that something must have happened between them in Viktor’s original world. Now is not the time for theorizing though. The energy in the room is building and you must get Powder out of here. A protective feeling overpowers you as Viktor glares at the girl.

“Jinx,” he spits at her, then he turns to you. “Why did you bring her here?”

“Whoa, okay. Chill out. What the hell did I do?” Powder’s hands fall onto her hips and her bottom lip pokes out in a provoking manner.

“She’s dangerous, get her away from me!”

“Wow, your boyfriend’s being rude—“

“He’s just a friend,” you grit out, nearly seething now. A harsh inhale through your nose. “Listen, Powder, I need you to leave. I’ll explain later, but things are complicated and I need some time. Please understand.”

She is silent for a moment before scoffing and quickly leaving, slamming the door behind her. A frustrated groan escapes you and your knuckles kiss the rough wall paneling.

Your gaze lands on Viktor. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” You throw the bag of clothes and the cane at his feet. The things you’d spent your hard earned coin on. “She’s not dangerous, she’s a nice fucking girl.”

“That girl is a terrorist in my world, responsible for countless deaths. Jinx—“

“Stop calling her that!” You scream, every muscle within you coiling up with rage. “She is the sweetest person I know. Do you know how much she’s gone through? How many times I’ve had to pick her back up after the guilt of her sister’s death nearly destroyed her?!”

You rant on about that day, about how early on Powder learned the value of life and kindness. When their little group showed up at The Last Drop without Vi, three kids in tears, all covered in soot, you made a promise to yourself and Vi that you would take care of her little sister. Claggor and Mylo were never remotely attentive to her, Vander and Silvio had their own things going on, and Ekko was just a child himself. It had to be you.

“… Violet. She is dead?”

Another sharp look from you wounds Viktor as you snap, “How do you know Vi?”

Viktor runs a hand over his face, appearing even more exhausted than you know him to look. “Things are so different here,” he whispers to the floorboards beneath his feet.

Heavy breaths turn calm as you watch him, clearly having a hard time adapting to this place. You can acknowledge that this must be like a weird dream to him. Hell, if you were in his place, in a timeline different than yours, you would most likely lose your mind. Two long breaths.

In.

And out.

“Listen. This is a whole lot to take in, for the both of us, but I think laying out a few ground rules and giving each other the benefit of the doubt would be very good for us. If we intend to get along and get you home.”

“Home.” Viktor nods slowly. “I think you are right.”

“Anyway,” you nudge the bag you tossed at him earlier with the toe of your boot. “I got you these.”

He notices the cane and gains the first genuine smile you’ve seen out of him, mumbling something about feeling like himself again. Quietly, you observe as he tests it out, getting used to its assistance after a few steps and then giving the object a little nod of approval.

He looks over to you with an unearned softness that irks you just a bit. “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. Just some things to help you blend in and get around,” you brush off, scooping the bag up and handing it to him. “Get changed. We have a lot to do.”

When Viktor returns from getting freshened up, you find yourself taken aback. Replacing the man with scraggly tresses and a tattered robe, is a completely new person. He has tied up the top half of his shoulder length hair, and you notice the blond underlayer for the first time. The look softens his striking features, and accompanied by the casual style of clothing you picked out—a long sleeved yellow shirt tucked into some straight legged brown slacks—it looks as though he will fit in quite well now.

“Lookin’ good,” you comment offhandedly, looking him over and mentally patting yourself on the back.

You catch a faint redness painting his cheeks before he turns away from you, fiddling with the cane. An oddly nervous innervation wraps around him for a moment, and you choose to ignore whatever is going on with him. There is a mission you must complete. The sooner you finish it, the sooner you will be rid of this man.

“So, how do we get you back?”

What a simple question for something so complicated that it may nearly be impossible.

“We will have to go to Piltover and talk to Jayce. He is a friend, one of the only people who will understand this situation and be able to help us,” Viktor supplies after clearing his throat.

Simple enough. Although you hate going up there, you follow his lead, creating a plan and mapping out where exactly this Jayce guy lives so you can get in without raising too much suspicion. A quick meal, some supplies from a couple trusted merchants, and you’re off.

Viktor and you begin the journey through the undercity, to the elevator that will spit you out on the opposite side of the river from Piltover. It is silent from the moment you exit your place, until Viktor dares to cut the odd atmosphere.

“I may sound crazy, but I missed walking through these streets,” he muses offhandedly, eyes taking in every little detail on your path through Zaun’s city streets. As amusing as this is to watch, it is dangerous nonetheless.

“Don’t act like a tourist, unless you’d enjoy getting your ass kicked. Or worse.”

Almost as if on cue, the two of you round a corner and nearly bump into somebody. You are initially ready to square up, but then you spot a familiar head of choppy, blue hair.

“Powder, what are you doing this far out?” Your tone is scolding, but your hands grasp her forearms protectively, having stopped her from tumbling over.

You feel Viktor’s hand on your bicep, tugging you backward, away from Powder as if on instinct. It pisses you off just a bit, scratching at the just barely scabbed over wound that was the last interaction you all had. You must center yourself, remembering the agreement of peace that came into place right after all the theatrics. He should remember too, though. His hand falls from you when you move out of his grasp to the side, freeing your hands and standing between the two.

“I could ask you guys the same thing.” Powder’s arms cross over her chest, hip cocked out in a defiant, and admittedly petulant, stance.

“Uh, we were just going out,” you explain, half-honest.

“So you are together!” A shit eating grin causes your eyes to roll. “You should’ve just been honest from the start, instead of rudely kicking me out.” She punctuates the statement by sticking her tongue out in the direction of Viktor.

Quick on your feet, you decide to go along with this narrative. It’ll be easier to get out of this quickly without involving her in this mess. “Sorry, Powder. You know I’m not the most… open person, and Viktor here was just confused. He thought you were someone else. Isn’t that right, babe?”

“Mm. Yes, of course. I do apologize, Miss Powder,” Viktor quickly plays along.

Powder hums and accepts the shitty explanation in all her victory. She values being right over being alert.

“Well, where are you going? Somewhere fancy, I bet.”

“I can’t afford fancy, but—“ Viktor cuts you off.

“But, I want to show them some beautiful spots I’ve come across in the uppercuts. The sky is so beautiful there, when I first saw it I was in awe.”

It’s your turn to become struck off guard and Powder giggles excitedly.

“Oh, I see. Treat them well, or I will find you and kill you.” She says it in an overly matter-of-fact manner that is clearly humorous, but the way Viktor’s eyes narrow lets you know that he isn’t trusting of the girl at all.

It is true that the sky is beautiful in Piltover. The way the fluffy clouds dapple the rich blue backdrop is breathtaking. Yet there is no time for sight seeing. Viktor is leading you straight to your destination with the vigor of somebody who is late. You know he’s trying to get back to his timeline and all, but his urgency leaves you a little on edge.

Finally, you reach the outside of an apartment building and he stops dead in his tracks, focusing on a giant hole in the space where you can only assume a very nice penthouse used to lie. Viktor begins mumbling to himself, something about the explosion still happening but a something-core can’t exist here because— he stops and turns to you.

“Something is wrong here. We must make another stop, but first I would like to investigate.”

He suggests that you stay outside, but there’s no way in hell you’re doing that. You stick with him and end up in front of a gate at the base of a staircase within. Locked. Viktor curses in defeat after rattling the barred door. You scoff at his simplicity, grabbing a set of lock picking tools from your pocket and instructing him to keep watch. Upon seeing your rolodex of tools, he is baffled, but then a smile develops on his face. He is impressed.

Upstairs, you come upon a memorial outside the door the two of you seek out. Viktor freezes for a moment, closes his eyes and sighs. He places a hand atop the one already resting on his cane, the weight of this revelation leaving him physically laden. You inspect the display and spot the name Jayce Talis.

Realization instantly hits. The man with the answers is dead. More so, Viktor’s friend doesn’t exist here. Hesitantly, you place a hand on his shoulder and he squeezes his eyes shut harder, lips pressing together. A long silence before he turns to you.

Voice just above a whisper, eyes still cast downward, he says, “I hate to ask for more of you, but would you happen to have anything to add to the memorial? It would mean a great deal to me.”

You slowly nod, shucking off your bag and finding a pretty rock you collected on the way over here. You place it near an unlit candle on the polished floor, gentle and with care. The heaviness somehow extends to you and wraps around the both of you for the time that you spend in that hallway.

“We must continue,” Viktor finally says, gesturing to the door. You try the handle and find the wooden slab barely attached to its hinges. It swings open and then adjusts to its weight, hinges squeaking before it settles on the floor permanently.

Viktor waits outside for a moment, eyes cast downward, and you wait to go further until he joins you at the threshold. Fragments of a blue gem embedded in the wall are collected and placed in a stray vile you find on the floor. It is difficult to maneuver the place. It looks as though there was an explosion that blasted the hole through the outside wall.

Some effort to clean up afterward was made, but you notice some blood spatter on the floor and wall. Your skin crawls, and you wonder if this incident could be connected with Vi’s death. From the little Powder has filled you in about that day, you are able to spot connections within the little details here and there. Your heart sinks and you halt your imagination from going any further. As soon as you get what is needed, you rush to get out of there, Viktor in tow with the same sentiment.

That secondary destination Viktor spoke of is Piltover Academy. You ask many questions about why you’re here exactly, and Viktor feeds you continuously bland answers. All you can glean is that you seek a person that will be in the courtyard shortly. Viktor has memorized their schedule, so they must’ve been close in his world. You hope, for his sake, that they actually appear.

And they do. The person in question is a professor: Cecil Heimerdinger. You’ve heard of the Yordle inventor in passing, word of his contributions to Piltover reaching even the far sides of Zaun. Enough to know that he is a highly respected scientist, and you deduce that this is why Viktor was so insistent on finding him.

Viktor gets straight to the point, spilling his guts about traveling to another dimension and wanting to get back to his original timeline. He speaks of the crystal fragments you gathered, how they have the potential to create a machine capable of taking him back.

“This is very much feasible with the correct mechanics, I am quite impressed,” the professor remarks, a hand on his chin as he mentally scrutinizes the possibilities. His eyes then land on you. “And who is this friend?”

A pregnant pause. Viktor stares at you for an uncomfortably long time before speaking. “This is my only ally here, a co-creator of the technology I speak of… They were also my significant other in my original world.”

This is news to you, and the way Viktor tears his gaze away from you tells you that he didn’t want to divulge this information. But why? What difference would it have made in this whole affair? The unearned affectionate glances and his shyness around your compliments all make sense now.

“Oh, I see. How poetic that they should lend a kind hand to you here as well,” Heimerdinger muses.

Viktor hums, looking lost in thought. You remain silent, ruminative for the rest of this interaction. The Yordle agrees to lend one of the university’s labs to the two of you, with the condition that he oversees your work. He connects the explosion at the apartment with the gem fragments and notes the dangers of the operation. While he is wary of such a conquest, he seems almost tickled by the prospect.

An appointment is made for Viktor and you to return tomorrow. At that time, you’ll receive the keys to a lab and the consent to invent… A magical machine, you suppose. You just hope this endeavor doesn’t take too long. You have already grown tired of the friction Viktor is causing in your personal life.

On the long journey home, a thought you’ve had since you heard Viktor’s confession spills from your mouth before you can hold it back any longer. “If we were together in your world, why did you tell me you hadn’t seen me in a while when you—appeared here?”

“I don’t wish to discuss that at the moment. It has been a long day,” Viktor responds, voice rough with his exhaustion.

You let it lie, for now at least. He promised to tell you all that you ask, and you intend to hold him to it. A quiet meal and a few more words are exchanged before bed. Tomorrow, more answers await the two of you. You can’t help how heavy you feel after today, or what to think of Viktor’s unwillingness to divulge the truth about your other self. It must be more than a simple falling out, or a breakup.

What could have happened to the other you? Could he have hurt you? You don’t think so, but the guilt behind his eyes makes you uneasy. Once again, the night is restless with too many unanswered questions. You will get to the bottom of this, but will you regret it when you do?

Viktor’s haunting anecdote rings in your mind all night.

Some things are better left unknown.

• next chapter here

Viktor nation! It is done!!! Please leave me your thoughts, I would really appreciate it :) The huge, positive response to the preview post motivated me to get this done quicker than I thought I could. Anyway, thanks for reading, I appreciate every single one of you 💕

#arcane viktor x reader #viktor imagine #viktor fic #viktor x reader #viktor nation #viktor arcane #fluff #angst #fanfiction #peach.pen

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sorrowsofsilence · 9 months ago

Text

Discipline • Sebastian

Pairing: Professor!Noah Sebastian x fem!student!reader

Words: 2.3k

Warnings: MDNI 18+, Smut (PnV pls wrap it b4 u tap it, spanking, fem!receiving, male!receiving, hair pulling, slight degrading / rudeness) professor x student, swearing

Prompt: Professor Davis is a stuck-up know-it-all who hates when you talk back, especially in front of the class. Perhaps, some discipline is necessary to keep you in line.

THIS IS A FANFICTION USING REAL PEOPLE IN A FICTIONAL SITUATION! I AM NOT IMPLYING THESE PEOPLE WOULD DO THE THINGS IN THE STORY OR ACT THE WAY THEY DO IN THE STORY IN REAL LIFE! IT IS FICTION! IT IS JUST FOR FUN! <3

Tags: @sammyjoeee @cookiesupplier @th4t-em0-k1d @dsireland86 @whenthesummerdies @spicywhenspeaking @gretaswhore28 @veronicaphoenix @lma1986 @calleyx13 @somewhere-diamond @talialovesmiw @auratheopossumwitch @blackveilomens @skulliecadaver-blog @silentglassbreak @darkmxgician @philomenie @sprokat @thatchickwiththecamera

He was a stubborn know-it-all, and a stuck-up smart-ass. Therefore, you loved pushing his buttons, especially in front of the class.

He hated being wrong, and he was a perfectionist who nit-picked everything you did.

Yet, from the first day you met your physics professor, you were captivated by his sheer ego and wit.

You wanted to hate him because of how frustrating he was, but something about the way his eye always caught yours mid-lecture, and the sheer glint of pride that would shadow his cocky demeanour when you proved him wrong: well it left your heart pounding every time you stepped foot into his class.

He acted like he hated it, and if the sass came from any other student, he probably did.

But from you? God, he lived for it.

Professor Davis loved your technicality and scholarly attitude, and he admired your confidence and flirtatious jesting; but it took everything in him to push away the urge to treat you like homework by throwing you onto his desk and doing you all night long.

He knew it was wrong to think this way, especially during the countless nights he relished in the mental image of you in that short skirt and collared jumper, the hand that stroked himself in the shower a pitiful attempt at imagining it was yours.

It was wrong to imagine fucking you and delving his head between your legs, lapping up your arousal until you shook from the pleasure he gifted you, his student.

The code of conduct required teachers to remain professional and competent; and not have their minds clouded with lust; even if it was between two consenting adults.

It was no doubt that Professor Davis was the hottest teacher on your university campus. Students oggled over him constantly, especially with the way his not-so-hidden tattoos poked just above his black turtleneck, or how his hands that wrote out equations on the chalkboard were covered in intricate drawings. It was a mystery what else was lying underneath his all-black uniform, but it always left your mind wandering to scandalous thoughts.

The academic power and breach of trust that would ensue if anything happened between the two of you would surely make him lose his job.

But you wanted to push the boundaries, your mind begging to watch his inked fingers sink into your pussy.

You were sitting in your usual spot in class, your pen copying the equation Dr. Davis had placed on the board. He turned, eyes meeting yours for what felt like the hundredth time this period before he scanned the room, twirling the chalk between his fingers.

“You have one minute,” He said, his free hand running through his chestnut locks, and the sound of pencils scraping paper filled the room. You averted your attention from him, something hard to do because you loved the way he would tilt his head back to shake his hair back into place, before jotting down your work.

You quickly answered the equation, placing your pen back onto the desk before resting your elbow on the surface, your chin sitting on your palm. Once the brunette noticed you were done he waited a few more seconds before announcing to the class to stop.

Watching him turn back to the chalkboard, he expanded on the equation, answering it with the given numbers. He faced the class, pointing at it, “If your answer looks different, you did it wrong.”

His tone was cocky and rude, and you squinted your eyes in frustration at him.

He is such a dick. And so fucking attractive.

Glancing between your paper and the board you shook your head slightly. You knew you had the correct answer, but what he had written did not match what was on your page.

A few students began to murmur around you, comparing their answers to one another. The few who had gotten it correct looked at their paper confused, and Professor Davis watched his students with a disappointed look.

“Did anybody solve it correctly, or do we need to review the literal basics before your exam next week?”

You raised your hand and Professor Davis rolled his eyes, an attempt to be demeaning, but you knew behind his gaze a tinge of playfulness lingered.

“Dr. Davis, you’re asking us to calculate variance, right?” You pushed, raising a brow.

He hummed in response, nodding curtly as he leaned back onto his desk. Crossing his arms and legs, he chewed on the inside of his cheek, watching you with dark eyes as he awaited your response.

“Then you answered it wrong.”

He shared a smug smile, tilting his head slightly before looking at the board, “How?”

“The degree of scatter is parameterized by the quantity. So you placed the 3 in the wrong spot. Therefore, you got the wrong answer.”

The brunette scoffed, standing straight as he walked over to your desk. Leaning forward he placed the chalk on top of your notebook, his hair falling over his forehead, “Why don’t you come to teach the class then Miss. Y/L/N?”

I gave him a sarcastic smile as I slid out of my seat, “Maybe we’ll all learn something then, huh?”

A low laugh erupted from the class and Professor Davis bit back a smile, his jaw clenching in annoyance as his eyes followed your trail to the front of the class.

You flattened your skirt as you bent down to pick up the eraser, wiping away your professor's mistake and filling in the equation with the correct numbers.

It was such a small mistake, that it surprised you he even made it. You glanced at him briefly, avoiding his gaze as you walked back to your desk.

He held his hand open and you placed the chalk in his large palm, your fingers grazing his skin in temptation.

His onyx eyes refused to leave yours as he spoke to the class, “You’re all free to leave. Make sure you read chapter 8 for Thursday as we talk about angular momentum and static friction.”

As people began packing up and exiting the room your attention turned to Dr. Davis when he called your name.

“Y/N, I’d like to speak with you.”

Your heart hammered as he nodded toward his desk, and you packed your items into your bookbag, hooking it over your shoulder as you approached him.

Professor Davis walked toward the entrance door, nodding at the remaining students and giving them curt smiles. Once the last person left he closed the door and locked it.

He then turned to face you, folding his arms, “I’m sick and tired of your attitude Miss. Y/L/N, especially when it’s in front of the class.”

You shrugged, tilting your head back in annoyance, “Look I want to pass this class, and when you’re constantly wrong, I’m going to speak up.”

“Constantly?” Dr. Davis laughed bitterly, “I think I deserve a bit more respect from you.”

“Respect goes both ways Professor,” You licked your lips as he stared at you intensely, his eyes dancing with unspoken words. The tension between the two of you caused your breathing to quicken, and he slowly approached the desk.

“You got quite the mouth on you, y’know?” His voice was hoarse as if he was holding back his next words, “Someone should teach you what to do with it.”

You swallowed in response, his words causing you to chew on your lip in anticipation as your heart raced.

“You’re inappropriate,” He spoke lowly, stepping closer toward you with each word, and you backed up from him, “Disrespectful, Disruptive-” you gently hit the brick wall behind his desk, his eyes narrowing at you as his forehead was inches from yours, “you’re distracting.”

Dr. Davis’s proximity made your stomach begin to churn with butterflies as your eyes danced between his own and his lips, before staring at the smile that grew on his expression.

“Discipline is necessary,” He said as you looked up at him, his eyes filled with infatuation.

You dared stifle a laugh, “You want me to write a thousand-word essay apology?”

Professor Davis was careful to not touch you, but his body was almost pressed against yours, daring to push you into the wall. You wanted him to make the first move, but you knew he wouldn’t. Not without a little motivation.

“No,” He swallowed, his lips parting as he stared at yours, almost desperate.

“Then what?” You pried, looking up through your lashes, taunting him as you placed your bag on the ground.

The two of you stood there, breaths exchanging as the warmth between you built. Your eyes stared at his lips again before flickering to his eyes as a form of contentment.

“fuck it,” he muttered ever so quietly before his hand reached up to your jaw, lips attaching to your own in haste.

You closed the gap between your bodies by tugging on his sweater, pulling him toward you as he pressed his hips into yours.

He held your face firmly as your lips melded together, the kiss opening as he pressed his tongue against yours. You couldn’t help but moan into him, brows furrowing in lust and need as his free hand gripped your hip. He trailed his fingers down your leg, reaching for the exposed skin underneath your skirt.

The unholy sounds that escaped you as he gripped onto your body left him groaning, tugging at the fabric of your long sleeve.

He pulled away, allowing you to peel the layer of clothing off before pulling you against him once again.

Dr. Davis wrapped his arms around you in an embrace as he kissed you with desire and greed. He pulled you toward his desk, pushing off the books and papers, letting them fall to the ground in ignorance.

You sat on his desk, allowing the brunette to push you down so your elbows supported you from behind. Staring at him, your skirt slid down your thighs as Professor Davis pushed your legs apart, staring at you hungrily.

“Look at you, literally begging for someone to put you in your place,” He scoffed, tugging at your underwear before letting it snap back against your skin, “Pathetic.”

You rolled your eyes as you sat there, soaking and desperate, “What are you going to do about it?”

Professor Davis kneeled as he spoke, “I’ve always wanted to taste you.”

He pulled your panties to the side as you slid to the edge of the desk. You watched him eagerly, abdomen clenching in anticipation as he slid his fingers along your folds.

“Please-”

“Sir.” He scolded, slapping your desire slightly, and you impatiently rutted your hips toward him.

“Please sir,” You begged, and he obliged, burying himself between your legs.

The first strip of his tongue made you shake, the second one called out his name.

“Professor I-”

“Just say, Noah.” He sighed, sucking on the skin that created a haze in your mind. You hummed.

Noah hungrily devoured you, lapping up your arousal before sinking his fingers into you. You groaned in relief at the feeling, and he curled and twisted, pulling an orgasm from you in seconds.

But then he didn’t stop.

You cried as he pulled you into him, refusing to move as he kept eating you out with fervour. The overstimulation was almost painful and you tried pushing his head away, but he held your thighs against his face firmly, lapping and sucking at the skin in hunger and punishment.

Your legs shook as your head tilted back in lustful agony, begging him to stop.

He finally pulled away at his own pace, breathing heavily, “You don’t get to tell me to stop. I’ll make you cum as much as I want.”

You groaned at his words, allowing you to lay back fully as your legs spread wider for him. Your hand gripped Noah’s hair, pulling him toward you as he began exploring your body once again.

“If you’re going to discipline me like this, I’ll be speaking up in class much more.”

Noah immediately pulled away with a scoff, standing up to watch you below. He began to pull apart his belt, unzipping his fly as he stroked himself from above his briefs, “You’re such a brat you know that-”

He pulled down your underwear, tossing it onto the ground before pulling you off the desk. He turned you around, bending you over the wooden surface, “-and fuck I love it.”

He flipped your skirt up, exposing your ass as he slapped the skin. He pressed your chest into the desk as he spit into his hand, stroking himself.

You felt Noah line up against you, and in greed you pushed back, earning another slap across your skin.

“That impatient?” He laughed, reaching to grip a fistful of your hair. He tugged you back to look at him, before pushing into your body without warning.

A string of curses left his lips as his hips slapped against you, the size of his cock stretching and filling your desperate core. Your arms reached forward to grip the edge of the desk, holding onto the wood with mercy.

“You feel better than I ever could’ve imagined.” He whispered, quiet whimpers escaping his chest as he fucked you harshly, pounding faster with each thrust.

Your whole body shook as the sounds of sex filled the room, your eyes rolling back in pleasure as Noah gave you everything he had, months of tension easing as the two of you finally gave in to temptation. He gripped your hips with both of his hands, pulling you as he pushed into you. His fingers dug into your ass as he slapped you again, your face pressed into the desk.

“You-you get the problems wrong on purpose-” You cried as Noah gave you another orgasm, your body clenching around his through your release.

Your professor slowed his pace, tilting his head to watch as his cock slid in and out of you, the slick of your cum causing him to groan.

He didn’t answer your question, sliding out of your body and tugging on your arms to pull you off the desk.

“Get on your knees so I can fuck your mouth. That way you’ll shut the fuck up,” Noah growled.

You followed his instruction, succumbing to him as he gripped either side of your head. You took him eagerly into your mouth, sucking all of him as he pushed his length against your tongue.

Noah thrust into your mouth quickly, causing you to gag. He thrust a few more times before his head fell back, eyes closing while he held you taut against him.

“Fuck,” he cried, and you squeezed your eyes shut, his release coating the back of your throat.

You swallowed everything he gave you, smiling up at him in contentment. Noah’s chest heaved, legs shaky as he zipped himself back up, buckling his belt. He helped you up off the floor and you licked your lips, the salty tang of Noah reminiscent.

“Same time next week?” You asked, straightening your skirt as you leaned down to grab your underwear.

“How about I take you to dinner first?” He straightened the collar of his turtle neck, and you couldn’t help but look away, blushing.

#sorrows of silence #sorrows of silence masterlist #bad omens #noah sebastian #bad omens cult #bad omens band #noah sebastian davis #noah sebastian smut #noah sebastian fanfic #bad omens smut #smut #bad omens oneshot #noah sebastian oneshot #noah sebastian x reader #bad omens x reader #professor noah sebastian #professor x student

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angelshadowsinger · 2 years ago

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oh my fucking god your work is incredible! holy literal shit balls i have never felt that entranced by a fanfiction until reading yours. thank u thank u thank u your azriel is PERFECT.

also i’m totally gonna need your thoughts on azriel sharing with his shadows 👀

re: ummmmmmm call me parmesan bc u got me CHEESIN!?!?!! that is literally sO sweet of you to say, i am touched 🥺 as a fic author you always worry if you’re making the character OOC and, it just makes me so happy to hear your praise!! thank you so much anon~ ♥︎ This HC is a bit more than what you’ve asked for, but it does includes it, so pls enjoy!

Azriel’s Shadows Around his Mate Headcanons

･゜��・．｡･゜゜・．｡･ﾟﾟ･．｡･゜゜・．｡･ﾟﾟ･

ɴᴏᴛɪᴄᴇ: ʙʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴇʀᴛɪꜰʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ 18 ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴍɪɴᴏʀ. ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴍᴀʏ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀɪɴ ɴꜱꜰᴡ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇꜱ. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴅɪꜱᴄʀᴇᴛɪᴏɴ.

･゜゜・．｡･゜゜・．｡･ﾟﾟ･．｡･゜゜・．｡･ﾟﾟ･

In my eyes, Azriel’s shadows are a part of him. There hasn’t been much insight that Maas has given us with shadowsingers and their capabilities in general, but this is what I choose to believe~

Since Azriel’s shadows were perhaps the first of his powers, and the first entity to treat him with some kindness/obedience, I think he would be very in tune with them and he himself would consider them a part of him. He has had over 500 years to develop his relationship with them and therefore, I believe once he found his mate, his shadows would be just as captivated with her as he himself.

Obviously, Azriel is a total simp for his girl (but that’s another hc in its own), so that means his shadows are too. Honestly, it could be viewed as annoying how often at least a few of his shadows are constantly at your side. He’s used to having them totally loyal to him, so now that he has to share them with you… well, it’s not really actually that cumbersome, because he knows that even when you two are apart, he’ll be sure to know if you need him/his help. Though he has a couple less to send out on his spymaster business, technically, the ones with you are acting as his spies anyway. Just, with a far more interesting and important subject.

His shadows do a variety of things for you, making your everyday life easier and more pleasant. Just as their master, the shadows like to give you princess treatment.

For example, they go out of their way to help you with mundane things. If you’re making dinner and a tomato rolls off the cutting board, they’re pushing it back to you. When you’re putting on a dress, they’re helping you with the zip and clasp. If you’re writing something and your pen runs out of ink, somehow they’ve procured a new one that matches your exact preferences.

Both Az and his shadows notice the small things. They take notes of your likes and dislikes, what makes you giggle, cry, or provides you comfort.

At times when he’s away for a long while, and you’re missing him, they will deliver small gifts to you. A couple flowers tied with twine, native to the strange lands he’s currently working in. A special spice he knows you love to use in the foods you share with him. An especially-delicious pastry made with your favorite fruit/flavor. Though the shadows themselves do not find you gifts, they are happy to deliver whatever Az requests they send.

They also will take anything you wish to send him. Whether he’s in another country, or simply training at the House of Wind with his brothers, his shadows will deliver your every gift. Most of the time it’s little sweets or a lunch you’ve packed. Sometimes when you’re feeling cheekier, a receipt from the lingerie store informing him of your latest purchase. If you’re really feeling brazen, sometimes the panties themselves. His shadows are perhaps happiest to carry those items, either to get into contact with them or to see their master’s red cheeks as he shoves them out of his brothers’ view.

His shadows are your caretaker when he is not with you. When you’ve fallen asleep staying up for your mate’s return from yet another mission, his shadows will tuck you under your favorite blanket, taking off your reading glasses and ensuring your spot in the open book on your lap is not lost. Az nearly melts when he comes back to the sight, you dead asleep on the couch in front of the blazing hearth, his shadows perched dutifully there, guarding you.

However, they grow attached to you and even when he is with you, they will not leave you alone unless he commands them.

Azriel likes to take full advantage of his time alone with you. There is nothing he finds more comfort and pleasure in than being in your embrace. Sometimes that’s hard to do, though, when his shadows steal away your attention, or beat him to helping you with the zip of your dress.

It’s a very endearing sight to see him get jealous of his own shadows. He’d have a scowl on his face as he glared at them, silently ordering them to leave your side so he could have you all to himself. The shadows would melt onto the floor, gloomy in a way, whisper once more around your ankle before they go off to fulfill their master’s instruction.

Most of the time, you manage to guilt your mate into letting a few of them come back. And as soon as he calls them, they appear and shoot right for you. Az rolls his eyes but of course he understands. How could they not fall in love with you?

Azriel is actually very good with sharing. This usually applies to you when his shadows are involved, though sometimes he just needs to be alone with you. Whether it’s to have his way with you or just to snuggle up and bask in his mate’s presence. When he needs time like that, he will have his shadows guard your quarters and they will do so without question— fiercely protecting the only two beings they care for.

~spicy hc’s begin ;)~

Most of the time, Azriel will take the lead in pleasuring you— as he should, as your mate— but he’s likely to let his shadows watch or join his efforts if they play a supporting role.

For example, his favorite thing is to be between your legs, feasting on your sweet cunt and making sure you know you are his, while his shadows hold you down so you can’t move an inch. This way, you have to take the pleasure in the exact way he desires, unable to greedily chase your high or buck your hips or push him away.

Usually he plays with you for a while like this, teasing you and edging you a handful of times before he’s ruthless, unstopping even after you’ve come. He does cease his ravishing after you’ve come again, only to ensure he doesn’t overstimulate you before he’s had a chance to fuck you like you both want.

His shadows are happy to shackle you and render you helpless to his onslaught of pleasure; they love hearing your wanton cries and will dry away any tears of pleasure that escape with a cool, ghostly caress.

Speaking of their caress, one of his favorite uses for them is to soothe your skin when he’s done marking it up. Meaning, after every spank or particularly hard bite, the shadows will rove over the irritated flesh, kissing you with their cooling tendrils.

Since the shadows are slightly cold, sending them to curl around your nipples while he fucks you from behind is also another favorite. The temperature-play heightens everything— especially when they move down your curves to tease at your clit or your ass, depending on your preference…

Sometimes he lets them fuck you as part of your foreplay— usually while you’re sucking his cock. He just loves the surprise that flickers in your eyes when you’re choking on the length of him deep in your throat, how your lashes flutter when that familiar cool touch tickles your inner thighs and pushes your wet panties aside, how your moan feels vibrating around him when they thrust inside of you. He savors how your rhythm gets thrown, how you struggle to continue when his shadows are running over every sensitive crevice of your most intimate parts.

On rarer occasions, Azriel will let the shadows have their way with you. He’d sit back in a comfortable, wing-friendly armchair, darkened hazel eyes drinking in every movement before him— you with your eyes rolled back in ecstasy, the darkness holding your legs spread and fondling every inch of you— cupping your tender breasts, tweaking those pert, hard nipples… stroking your face, your hair, your hips and thighs… flowing over your puffy clit, slipping between your dripping folds and even wandering inside of you, perhaps just as deep as Azriel’s cock could reach. He would jerk his leaking shaft at the sight before him, lip held prisoner in his feral snarl. He wouldn’t be able to last very long, the sight before him too much for him to keep his composure.

When you’re both spent and panting for breath, the shadows will run up and down your moistened back, taking away the heat that lingers there and helping to lull you to sleep.

Only when you’re unconscious do they return to Azriel, curling around his shoulders in thanks. They know they are lucky to be the sole creature/presence with which he shares his mate, and any time spent with you is valued payment for the many services they provide their master with.

#anon love #anons make angel blush (˘◡˘)#azriel x you #azriel x female!reader #azriel x reader #acotar x you #acotar x reader #azriel smut #azriel fluff #azriel fanfic #azriel fic #azriel headcanons #azriel hcs #angelshadowsinger #my hcs #my work

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genshin-side-piece · 1 year ago

Text

Tell Me You Are Mine

Hopefully he'll leave me alone now.

Sequel to : Love Me Tender & Love Me True

Warnings: Yandere Content, Dark themes, Implied Kidnapping, Implied Captivity, Implied Stalking, Somnophilia, Non-Consensual Touching, Sexual themes, not smut (sorry),Not Fluff, Uncomfortable themes, not a portrayal of Stockholm Syndrome, but can be interpreted that way, my bad writing, anything else I missed, 18+, Minors DNI

“Good afternoon.” As if by instinct, your jaw tightened at the sound of his soft voice. A swift glance out of the window told you he was early. Way early. Normally, it was closer to dinner when Neuvillette made his presence felt.0 The golden light of the setting sun seemed to herald his return. The second it began to peak through the soft sheer curtains that hung on all the windows, you made every attempt to hide. Drawing room, breakfast room, the back corridor that led to the servants quarters. It didn’t matter. He always found you. Even after you slipped your little wardens or convinced them to give you privacy, he still found you within minutes of his arrival. It was almost like he had a sixth sense in that regard.

As of late, you had taken advantage of the mild weather, opting for one of the more out of the way spaces so that you might enjoy your novels in peace. You had read the one that was currently in your hand a hundred times before today. It was one of the few pieces of fiction you were permitted to read, therefore it brought you the greatest joy you could muster. The escapism was a much needed break from the monotony you faced on a day to day basis. Which was why his gentle voice breaking your train of thought at the best part was nothing short of annoying. Especially when his presence was neither expected or invited. “I see that with the change in season, you’ve adopted a new spot. This room does keep the afternoon light longer than the drawing room. With the days becoming shorter, I imagine it is exemplary for reading before dinner.” You tried not to visibly roll your eyes as you made every attempt to ignore him. The faster this was over, the faster you could enjoy your solitude before you were forced to perform the abhorrent ritual that was dinner. “I wonder if you are at a stopping point. I have something I wish to show you.” There was an unusual giddiness that his calm voice generally lacked. He was uncharacteristically excited about something. That generally meant one thing. “A present, of sorts.” A heavy sigh was your only reaction. He had already tried to shower you in presents as a lame attempt at an apology. Aside from the book in your hand, all the others had fallen flat. The only time he got to see them was when you felt he was in need of punishment. Where you forced him to see and be near the version of you that he so desperately wanted, the version that you would never let him have. “Please, I have been working on it for quite some time. Will you let me show you?” The sheer hope in his voice grated on your nerves. Every instinct in you said no. Mentally you wanted to crush that hope he had. If you did, then perhaps he might finally see there was nothing to gain in keeping you here beyond your mutual misery. Once he realized that, then he might grant you the one thing you so desperately wanted, which was to let you go. “Is it not something you can leave on the table for me?” You didn’t bother to take your eyes away from the page you had been reading. Instead, you made a half hearted gesture in the general direction of the rest of the room. “I am afraid not.” Gods above you hated he sounded pleased, but you supposed he got something he wanted from the brief interaction. You had avoided speaking to him for weeks now. “This gift has a bit more permanence to it.” You furrowed your brow in confusion. Permanence? Another sigh escaped you, this one smaller than the last. You couldn’t deny that after months of trying, he finally didn’t something that made you want to know more.

With zero flourish you closed your book, giving him what he truly wanted, which was your full attention. The soft smile he offered you as a reward for your compliance was no less annoying than his voice. “I will need to escort you to it, but afterwards you are free to go there on your own.” He toyed with his fingers for a moment, a tick you had noticed whenever he was nervous. Your eyes narrowed at it, momentarily focusing on his hands, questioning the action. On closer inspection of Neuvillette you noticed he was as rigid as a board. His frame lacked the somewhat relaxed countenance his normal posture tended to have. From your vantage point, you could see that small beads of sweat had begun to form on his brow, while his eyes swirled with what you could only guess were the emotions he refused to acknowledge or show. Neuvillette was always so calm, so collected. He never exercised anything but absolute control over himself around you. The only time he had come close to losing that control was when someone had dared to threaten one of the melusines. The weather had seemed to match the fury that filled him as the storms lasted for days.

Now was nothing like that time. His mood, his posture, even the slight shakiness in his speech was nothing short of bizarre. You blinked, a realization washing over you. God, it couldn’t be, could it? Was he nervous? Another look at him told you all you needed to know. His handsome face was strained, struggling to hold the disarming smile he was wearing. The sweat on his brow was growing by the second. He actually broke eye contact with you long enough, to allow his smile to fall into a slight frown. What made his present state so curious was that he never got nervous when giving you something. It was often left for you in your room or he would drop it on a table nearby and wait for you to open it. Why was this different? “Will you allow me to escort you?” The expectation in his voice grew. He sounded almost desperate for you to say yes, for you to take down the invisible barrier between you long enough for him to get close to you. Based on his proximity to you, he had already broken it, but given that he had you cornered there wasn’t much you could do other than say no. “Please?”

Again it was a chance to hurt him beyond all measure. To just absolutely crush him, possibly once and for all. The longing in his eyes alone would make it worth it, but for once, your better judgment granted him a reprieve. While Neuvillette was many things to you, the one thing he was not, was intentionally cruel. He had never been abusive, nor had he ever raised his hands to you to bring you harm. Even at your worst, when you could do nothing but scream at him, he just took it. He never interrupted, never raised an objection to a single thing you said. He just let you rage at him until the anger that had possessed you left your body, reducing you to a quivering, sobbing mess. Then he would still be there; a glass of cold water and handkerchief in hand, ready to comfort you should you wish him to.

His compassion for your situation, despite being the cause of it, was the only reason you bit your tongue now. Over the many months you had been with him, you had come to the realization that while you loathed his actions, you did not necessarily loathe him. At least not entirely. You were still angry. You still sought your petty revenge. You still denied him all that you could, but crushing his hope, crushing him felt needlessly cruel. His motives had come from a decent place, as had his actions. At the time he had believed something horrible had happened to you. With a serial killer lurking, you could make yourself understand it. In some way it was almost flattering. The Iudex of Fontaine cared enough for you that he came to personally rescue you from harm. What you resented was not what he had done before, it was what he did now. You despised being kept, but your abhor at your own situation was not a good enough reason to harm him like that. Deep down, you knew it would not bring you the outcome you desired, nor would it bring anyone any satisfaction. If anything, it may make things worse for both you and the nation as a whole. Living with a kind man was easy, you often shuddered to think what kind of man Neuvillette could be if he wished to see someone suffer. Given his place in the world, it wouldn’t be difficult at all if he wished that upon you. His little friends were all too happy to tell you about the caverns and caves and oubliettes that lurked in the darkness beneath the waves. It would be nothing for him to disconnect from your world completely and send you to live in eternal darkness for the rest of your days. Your entire body involuntarily grew cold at just the thought.

It was easy to forget Neuvillette was dangerous. His calm nature and gentile manners were a clever mask for the power that laid just beneath the surface. You had heard the rumors, same as all the rest. It was all the melusines had talked about for days. They had fretted and fawned over the events that had taken place. Neuvillette had recently had to suppress an outburst in court. The offender had managed to land a blow, but it had only been by luck. Not even a blink of an eye later and the individual in question had been subdued thanks to Neuvillette’s strength. The entire interaction had lasted seconds. You knew based on your own experiences with him that he wouldn’t even need that for you. It was another sobering reminder that his treatment of you was a choice. He chose to love you, just as he chose to be gentle with you. But you knew, even gentle people had their limits. You briefly wondered where his actually were, if rejecting him now would push him past the point of no return. You silently worried if you could weather that kind of storm.

Reconsidering your options, you took a second look at the current situation. Unlike past gifts that were left for you, this one was different. He had arrived unexpectedly, nervous and hopeful, with something he could not simply hand you. Neuvillette had to escort you. It possessed permanence. To say that you were cautiously intrigued more than you were worried was not an understatement. It was impossible for you to imagine what it could be. “Petit?” The intrusion of his voice, distracted you from your thoughts. You looked at him again, his nervous feelings were clear as day now. The smile had fallen in favor of pursed lips and concerned eyes. “Will you walk with me?” “Will it take long?” You did your best to sound disinterested, quickly using your book as an excuse. “I was at the best part.” A breathy chuckle escaped Neuvillette’s lips, followed by what felt like a sigh of relief. “Not long at all petit chou. In fact, bring it with you. I believe it may come in handy.” That statement only served to encourage your curiosity further.

The walk was a quiet one. Neuvillette either wasn’t in the mood for small talk or thanks to the situation, he had been rendered silent thanks to his nerves. You found that fact irksome. The one time you wanted him to speak to you, to tell you what was going on, he wouldn’t. Neuvillette was stalwart in his silence. The only sound that passed between you was the sound of his robes moving in time with his body as he silently led you to wherever you were going. His home in comparison to yours was quite large, but in reality not so big that you wouldn’t be able to reach a set of locked double doors within a few minutes. You noted there wasn’t anything particularly special about them. The only thing unique to them was that they were on the north side of the house, a place you rarely ventured as Neuvillette’s office and chambers were located on this side. It made complete sense the object in question was on this side. If it possessed any sort of permanence, then it was logical that he would keep it close.

There was no fanfare when he unlocked the doors before you. No music. No confetti. No shouts or utterances of the word surprise. Just an open door and second set of doors, that led to a walled garden. To what you gathered later was his extreme pleasure, your jaw hit the floor.

It was a peace offering between you and him. A cage within a cage really. The stone walls were far too smooth and far too tall for you to scale, but that didn’t detract from the meaning behind his gift. Neuvillette was expanding your privileges, offering you a semblance of freedom in a world where you had none. Here, you would have the feeling of the sun and the wind and rain on your skin. You could hear the sounds of the court, albeit at a distance. You could even detect the faintest scent of the sea as it hung in the air. All the things you had lost the day he had taken you. All the things you had yearned for since being locked behind the heavy stone walls of his home. After the first few weeks of being here, you hadn’t asked for them to be returned to you. Neuvillette had made it clear that they wouldn’t be. His personal matra to you was that the outside world was dangerous. You were not safe. He had done his best to protect you from afar, but it had not been good enough. Your trip outside the city had triggered him to the point that he felt the only solution for his dilemma was to keep you in a place where you could be monitored full time. If you wanted sun or rain, then you could gaze at them through the filtered light of the windows. If you wished to smell the sea, then you would have to be near him to do so. As of that moment, you would never be in the outside world again. It had absolutely crushed you. “I know it is quite late in the year to gift this to you. I offer my apologies for that oversight. The meulsines and I were in agreement that it should be nothing short of perfect. Some of the flowers were also quite difficult to grow. It was insisted upon that as many of them as possible were to be in bloom when this was presented to you.” He hesitated. “I do hope you like it.”

The trepidation in his voice pulled your attention back to him. There was a pang of guilt for how you had treated his gifts in the past. Your lack of appreciation where he was concerned had made the act offering anything to you, gift or otherwise, a challenging one. It was another sobering reminder that Neuvillette himself wasn’t a bad man. His intent towards you had not and was not malicious. Everything he had ever done for you had come from a place of admiration, of love. Even now, as he stared at you, almost bracing himself for the negative reaction you were sure to have, he still looked at you like the moon and the stars hung by your hands. For the first time since arriving, you felt cracks form in the ice around your heart. “It’s-” You paused, allowing yourself a moment to take the entire space in again. “It’s wonderful.” You bowed your head slightly, doing your best to hide the genuine happiness that was bubbling up from inside of you. It was wonderful. You would never deny that. Outside of letting you go, this was the best thing he could ever give you. “Thank you.” Your downcast eyes missed the look of utter relief that washed it’s way across his face. “I am glad then.” There was a breathy laugh that followed that. “Cosanzeana has been so worried over the flowers. She cultivated many of them, just for you. It will be a great comfort to her to know that you like them.” You nodded, bringing your eyes up to meet his once again. “This is not just for today. Going forward, it is reserved solely for your own use. No one will trouble you here unless it is for an emergency or we are preparing to eat.” You didn't know what to say to that. What could you say? Your own place? Your own private place? Better still, you could use it whenever you wished. You felt as if you had witnessed a miracle. While the garden certainly wasn’t the freedom you desired, it was a giant step towards achieving it. Allowing you this was a sign of trust. One that you were sure to take complete advantage of as time went on. “I only ask that you be mindful of the weather, especially when winter arrives. It would be most disagreeable if you caught a chill due to overexposure to the elements.” You nodded, silently agreeing with that sentiment. Becoming ill would be incredibly disagreeable considering he and the meulsines would be the ones to take care of you should you become that way. He had already gotten close enough as it was. Giving him a legitimate reason to be so near you, to touch you, was something you couldn’t bear. “If you are content, then I shall take my leave until this evening.”

“Monsieur.” You thickly swallowed, watching him pause as you called after him. The look in his eyes made you falter slightly. They were brimming with adoration. Instinctively you knew he was pleased as punch that this had gone as well as it had. That he had done something to make you happy. Even if it was only for a few moments, he had managed to pull a genuine smile out of you. It had been the point of all of his gifts. He wanted to make you forget that for that moment he wasn’t your keeper. That you weren’t a captive. He wanted to paint the illusion for himself that you were both happy. Up until now, you had resisted. All the fine things he had presented you did little to achieve the lie he wanted. They did nothing to change the circumstances in which you lived. Clothes would never open the locks that kept you here. Jewelry could never help you get away from the walls that surrounded you. Only the book in your hand had given you even the slightest hint of escape. It was why it was your favorite and you imagined that now, like your book, this too would become a favorite. That should have been enough in your eyes. He gave you a garden, you would use it on the days that the weather would permit. That should be the end of it. Your conscience, though, disagreed. Maybe it was your own guilt for how you had acted, but in your mind a step deserved to be met with a step. The use of the space didn’t seem like a proper thank you. Even if it would bring you his unwanted attention, in this instance, you decided to make an exception and go one step further. “We have a while before dinner. Perhaps-” You gently sighed as he continued to stare at you with those eyes of his. Damn them for being so beautiful. Damn him for being as he was. Damn yourself for making you say what you were about to say. “The weather has been very nice as of late. It seems a shame to enjoy it alone. Would you care to sit with me?” His normally pale skin flushed. Neuvillette looked as if you could knock his lithe frame over with a feather.

“I-” He cleared his throat, the blush on his cheeks growing as he visibly fought his own surprise at the invitation. “I had thought of catching up on some work before dinner.” You raised your eyebrows almost stunned for a moment. He wasn’t going to refuse, was he? Surely he couldn’t. Not when you knew the invitation alone was something he yearned for. Briefly, you considered he would be well within his right. You had given him a rare chance to pay you back for your behavior for the last few months. To your surprisingly great relief though, he did not. “But I believe it can wait until after we eat.” The spirit of peace between you continued, with Neuvillette accepting your olive branch, just as graciously as you had accepted his. “I would be all too happy to join you mon petit.”

#yandere genshin x you #yandere!genshin #yandere genshin #yan genshin x reader #yandere genshin impact #yandere neuvillette #neuvillette #genshin neuvillette #genshin impact neuvillette

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bitchy-craft · 2 years ago

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Fun Compliments From Your Future Spouse | Pick A Pile

Hello and welcome to this Pick A Pile! In here you'll find out about a few fun and light-hearted compliments your future spouse and friends want to give you. I hope you guys enjoy and find this useful. Do make sure to leave comments down below on your experience! I do want to remind you all that this is a General Pick A Pile which means this is for a lot of people; therefore keep what resonates and leave what doesn't.

Masterlist

Pick A Pile!

Pile 1:

1. You have a great sense of humor.

2. Your smile is infectious and brightens up any room.

3. Your intelligence is inspiring.

4. You have a kind and compassionate heart.

5. Your creativity is impressive.

6. You are an excellent listener.

7. Your generosity knows no bounds.

8. You have a unique and captivating personality.

9. Your positivity is contagious.

10. Your work ethic is admirable.

Pile 2:

1. You have a great taste in music.

2. You are always willing to lend a helping hand.

3. You have a beautiful voice.

4. Your sense of style is impeccable.

5. You have a contagious passion for life.

6. Your patience is truly remarkable.

7. You have a talent for bringing people together.

8. You have a great sense of empathy.

9. Your perseverance is inspiring.

10. You have a magnetic personality that draws people in.

Pile 3:

1. You have a great way of making people feel at ease.

2. You have a unique perspective that is always interesting.

3. Your thoughtfulness and consideration are truly appreciated.

4. You have a sharp wit and a quick mind.

5. You have a kind and generous spirit.

6. Your attention to detail is impressive.

7. You are a true original, one of a kind.

8. Your loyalty to those you care about is unwavering.

9. Your courage is inspiring.

10. You have a great sense of adventure.

Pile 4:

1. Your creativity knows no limits.

2. You have a genuine interest in others.

3. You have a beautiful and infectious laugh.

4. Your optimism is truly admirable.

5. You have a natural talent for leadership.

6. You have a great sense of humor that can always lighten the mood.

7. Your passion for life is contagious.

8. You have a kind and gentle soul.

9. You are a great listener and offer valuable advice.

10. You have a unique and interesting perspective on the world.

Pile 5:

1. Your intelligence and quick wit are impressive.

2. You are always willing to learn and grow.

3. Your dedication to your work is truly admirable.

4. You have a natural talent for making people feel valued.

5. Your kindness and compassion are truly inspiring.

6. You have a great sense of humor that can always brighten someone's day.

7. Your positive energy is contagious.

8. You have a great sense of style that is all your own.

9. Your dedication to your passions is truly inspiring.

10. You are a wonderful and amazing person, and I am lucky to know you.

1K notes · View notes

panda-writes-kpop · 6 months ago

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twin flames ~ yours is bright, mine is smoldering - ng. y.

a/n: apologies for the thirteen day wait between the two fics - within that time, I got obsessed with and then finished one route of Fire Emblem: Three Houses (golden deer house my beloved), got sick and had to call off one day of work, had a family member experience a medical emergency, and then had to prepare for another college semester and an internship as well. I'm... tired to say the least. gonna take a few days to mentally regroup and then I'll get to requests and anon asks, I swear. ❤️ also last pirate! aespa fic wooo!! loved writing these four fics so much 🥹

tw: mentions of alcohol, violence, and weapons, but reader doesn't partakes in anything, reader is bad at their job but it's kind of charming, reader's a jailor but one that's actually doing their job of reforming their prisoners

related fics: Oh Captain, My Captain, Second Chances, your home is the sea, my home is you

summary: ningning, the famed mercenary, is caught by winter's pirate crew after a botched attempt on winter's life. after she's caught, she's your prisoner - and you're nothing like she expects.

♡ Masterlist ♡

“Bombs away!”

The sound of revelry, fighting, and pirating comes from the upper deck as you sit, alone, in one of the lower deck cabins. You sigh, fidgeting with the key in your hands, as you admire the empty jail cell across from you.

Being the ship’s only jailor could be considered a lonely, miserable job, but you didn’t see it that way. It wasn’t like you weren’t a fan of your fellow crewmates, but combat was not your strong suit; therefore, your Captain, Winter, had found a suitable job for you.

“I need someone to watch any captives that we take.” She explained as she took you to the lower deck, where the holding cell was.

“And you want me to do this? What if I have to physically restrain them, or if they try to escape-”

“-they’ll be disarmed before they get to you, I’ll make sure of it.” Winter reassures you with a hand on your shoulder. “You belong here, just as much as the rest of my crew. I want to make sure that my crewmates are in suitable positions for their talents. If this doesn’t work out for you, then we’ll look at other options.”

You scoff at the memory, as if any of Winter’s other options were any better - scrubbing the decks and scrounging dinner from food scraps weren’t jobs that you were keen to take.

She was right, however, this position suited you, oddly enough. Most of the prisoners, if you could call them that, weren’t particularly violent. They were resigned to their fates, and you often found yourself trading stories with them once they realized you wouldn’t rip their tongue out for looking at you the wrong way.

Cruelty wasn’t your style, anyway. It might be the way of the pirates, or your Captain at times, but it didn’t have to consume you as it did to some of your other crewmates. Sure, Winter course-corrected when they went too far, but those occasions were few and far between.

Somehow, through meaningless chatter, you managed to convince a few prisoners to join your crew - with your Captain’s permission, of course.

“I knew you were made for this,” Winter offers you a proud smile, “and I knew my plan would work. It was never simply about holding them in a cell, after all.”

“I’m not just a jailer to you, am I?”

“Not in the slightest.”

Nothing would prepare you for the woman who would be carried through your door on this night, after the fighting above you had ceased.

“Let me… go!” Ningning weakly cries out as a pirate holds both of her arms behind her back.

She struggles against their iron grip, but they don’t even budge as another pirate ties her hands together with a spare piece of rope.

Think, Ningning, you’ve been in worse binds than this. How can I make it out of this in one piece?

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite rogue mercenary!” Winter says with a bit too much cheerfulness in her voice.

“Minjeong.” Ningning growls as she stares at a plank on the main deck.

I will not give her the satisfaction of seeing me beaten and bruised, within her clutches.

“No one calls me that, not anymore.” Winter shakes her head as she approaches Ningning from the captain’s quarters. “How much did your guild pay you for my head?”

Ningning stays quiet as Winter places her hand on the mercenary’s cheek.

“Don’t touch me!” She yells and thrashes around, but it’s no use.

That pirate must be inhuman, to resist someone of my strength and fighting prowess!

When she tires herself out, Winter roughly grabs Ningning’s chin and forces her to look her in the eyes.

“You’ll talk soon enough, believe me.” Winter smirks to herself. “Take her downstairs to see my friend.”

“You won’t get anything out of me!” Ningning yells as she’s carried away. “I’d rather die than give away my secrets!”

“Death is the easy way out, Yizhuo.” Winter chuckles as Ningning shivers at the mention of her name. “What? You’re not the only one who’s done a bit of digging.”

“I will have your head one day, I swear!” Ningning screams before she’s dragged down to the lower deck.

To meet my torturer, of course.

You find yourself nearly falling asleep as a loud knock on your door brings you back to the world of the conscious.

“What is it?” You mumble as you rub the sleep out of your eyes.

“We have a prisoner!”

“Fuck.” You grumble as you quickly open and clean the cell in front of you. “You may enter!”

You nervously stand by the door as two of your crewmates enter with a black-haired woman in their grip. Her hands are tied behind her back, but they’re still holding on to her for dear life.

She must be an assassin or a mercenary of some sort. The crafty type, by the look of her.

The woman looks you in the eyes for a moment, trying to read your emotions and intentions in one go.

Good luck with that.

“You…” She mumbles as the two pirates set her in the cell and close the door behind her.

“Yes, me, that’s who you’re stuck with.” You crack a small joke as you lock the cell door from the outside.

“I could kill you.”

“Let’s hope you don’t, huh?” You smile as the key slips into your pocket. “Oh, and don’t try to escape, this cell was built by our genius Captain.”

“Genius?” The mercenary looks astounded. “She’s a liar, a thief, a murderer-”

“-Everyone’s done those first two things once in their lives, and Winter, to my knowledge, has not murdered anyone that hasn’t tried to kill her first.” You feel the need to defend your Captain, as she would fiercely defend her crew without hesitation.

The mercenary pauses as an argument dies on her lips – she’d be a hypocrite to argue any further, as someone who has done quite a bit of lying, thieving, and murdering.

As the two of you talk, the two pirates quietly exit the room. You find yourself enjoying the comfortable silence as you look back to your dinner. It hadn’t struck your fancy, especially since the ebb and flow of the ocean waves made you a little nauseous, so you decide to extend an olive branch to the imprisoned woman in front of you.

“Here, take this. It’ll be a long night for the both of us.” You hand her the plate along with a wooden fork and knife (one that couldn’t be used as a lockpick, you and Winter had both tried and failed).

She lets out a dry laugh as she grabs the bars of her cell.

“Why would you do this? Why would you offer me food when I just tried to kill your captain?”

You stand, unwavering, with the same brilliant smile as always.

“Everyone deserves kindness.”

Everyone deserves kindness.

Ningning was scared of you. When she looked you in the eyes, she didn’t see the hatred, anger, or disdain that most people held for mercenaries like her; instead, she saw empathy and the smallest shred of curiosity in your eyes.

Curiosity about a killer? Seems ironic.

That curiosity is what gets you killed in her line of work. You stick to what you know, and you get the job done.

Well, curiosity wouldn’t hurt her when she was already in prison, so she decided to indulge her curiosities for one night.

One night to stay here and plan my escape.

What intrigued Ningning the most about you was your behavior as a jailer. You weren’t trying to physically torture her with knives or water, as she was used to, nor were you trying to push her to mental collapse with starvation or a lack of proper rest.

You, instead, were the least intimidating person she had ever met as you peacefully slept on your cot. She could’ve easily, if she had her knife and a hair pin, picked the lock, sliced your throat open, and then went on her merry way.

But you had the smallest bit of trust in her, enough to give her food when you had just met.

What is wrong with you?

She asks herself about you, as well as her own thoughts.

You chuckle as you spot the girl peacefully sleeping on the floor of the cell.

I’d offer her my bed if I was more sure that she wouldn’t kill me.

After a quick midnight nap, you had awoken to your hunger and the curious sight of a sleeping mercenary in front of you.

As to not disturb her, you carefully crawl out of your cot so as to not make a noise. Your feet gently brush against the ground before you fully commit and plant both of your feet down.

A small creak rings out in your cabin, but the mercenary shows no sign of waking up soon.

Good. She’ll need her rest if she’s not used to the sea life.

Someone knocks on your door once, pauses, then knocks three more times in succession.

A light smile appears on your face as you recognize the knocking pattern - a secret code for a friend who liked to visit you on occasion.

One knock, a pause, followed by three more knocks meant “Hello, may I come in?”

You respond with two quick knocks, a pause, then three more knocks: “Yes, you may, but I’m busy tonight.”

One knock.

“You sure?”

You knock back.

“I’m sure as shit.”

You open the door to see Giselle grinning back at you.

“You remembered the code.”

She looks pleased as you make room for her to enter.

“How could I forget? I helped you make it, after all.”

Giselle carefully observes the sleeping prisoner before softly chuckling.

“Hard to believe that this is the same girl that tried to kill Winter earlier.”

“I don’t think they are the same girl.” You quietly say as Giselle leans in to get a closer look at her.

“You think she’s putting on a mask?”

“It’s a hunch, really. You’d have to, in her kind of business.” You explain as Giselle nods along.

“Well, if anyone can get her to come around, it’s you.” Giselle presents you with a bundle of papers. “Here - it’s Winter’s research on the girl. Turns out that she’s been looking for Ningning for a long while. I just don’t see the merit in recruiting a girl who would happily remove your head from the rest of your body.”

“Winter’s mind works in mysterious ways.” You take the bundle of papers and set them on your cot.

A bit of night reading couldn’t hurt, I guess.

“I’ll drink to that.” Giselle shrugs before looking at the door. “I just finished polishing all of the weapons, and there’s a nice bottle of whiskey waiting for me in the my cabin-”

“-I’m alright, Giselle, but thank you.” You decline her invitation, but she doesn’t look surprised.

“A pirate who doesn’t drink, shoot a gun, or participate in any schemes. They should write a novel to dissect you because I certainly don’t understand you.”

You let out a hearty laugh before Giselle leaves you alone for the night.

“Be careful!” She says before closing the door.

“I will, I promise.”

“You’re strange.” Ningning comments as you stare out of the only window in the room. “What kind of pirate doesn’t carry a gun?”

“What kind of mercenary doesn’t know how to escape a jail cell without any help?” A teasing smile plays on your face as Ningning physically recoils.

Ouch.

“Shit, I didn’t mean it like that, I swear!” Your panic causes you to grab the bar cells in front of Ningning. “I’m sorry, I’m not very good at this… jailer thing.”

“I can tell.” Ningning dryly says. “Why does Winter trust you with this job? Did you pay her off?”

You have to repress a snort as you hide your smile with one of your hands, as the other continues to hold onto one of the bar cells.

“There’s no amount of money that could make her change her mind. It’d take divine intervention for that to happen.”

I remember Winter being like that when she was younger.

Ningning softly smiles.

“I remember her being like that in her youth.”

Your mouth hangs agape as you take in her words.

Did they not know? I thought it was in that bundle of papers that appeared two nights ago.

“I thought she told you-” Ningning gestures to the papers behind you, but you shake your head as you close your mouth.

“I didn’t want to read anything about you - I want to hear it directly from your lips.”

Something stirs with Ningning - compassion and camaraderie, perhaps?

You think differently than I do - interesting.

“I still think you’re strange - your behavior and your way of thinking.” Ningning repeats her earlier statement, desperate to get the conversation away from the secrets of her past.

“I suppose I’ll never change your mind, then?” You tilt your head at her.

The rare smile on Ningning’s face only grows bigger.

“Never.”

“Come on, up you go.”

It’s been a week since Ningning has been entrusted to your care - a long yet fruitful week of trying to pull any information from the girl in front of you.

You do have that handy bundle of research papers, but even hours of research can’t explain why Ningning chose to be a mercenary, why she chose to attack your captain last week, or why she’s so tight-lipped about any information pertaining to her at all.

Odder still, your Captain won’t tell you a word about her past with Ningning. Any account of their earlier interaction when Ningning was captured would tell you that they seemed to know each other, despite referring to each other as strangers.

What’s going on here? Why won’t either of them tell me the truth?

If there was one thing you could do, despite any limitation, it was getting answers to unsolvable questions. You would get one of them to crack, Ningning or Winter, so you could figure out what was going on between them, or rather, what had happened between them.

A bit of shock therapy is in order, then.

Ningning looks at you in shock as you pull yourself out of your thoughts.

“What do you mean, ‘up you go’?”

“We’re taking a trip around the ship, so you should prepare yourself.” You play with the keys in your hand for a moment. “Hope you have your sea legs.”

“You think I won’t kill you?” The surprise in her voice is evident as you unlock the door.

“It’s more of a hope, really.” You move out of the way as Ningning gets up from the floor and approaches you.

Her eyes meet yours as the distance between you closes. One of her hands lingers behind her back as she stands mere inches from your chest.

Have I made a mistake? Was I too trusting? Is this my bitter end?

“You’re lucky I like you.” She quietly confesses before pulling a wooden knife from behind her back and handing it to you.

“I…” You pause while looking down at the knife in your hand. “You didn’t?”

“Why would I?” She smiles softly. “You have somewhere to take me, right?”

“Winter’s going to fucking kill you.” Giselle emphasizes the potential murder that may happen, as if you weren’t aware of the potential risk of your plan.

“I need answers, and someone has to start talking.” You shrug before grabbing Ningning’s arm with your hand. “C’mon, it’s time that you, the captain, and I had a chat.”

Giselle chuckles as you climb the stairs to the upper deck.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you about Winter.”

“Don’t say you didn’t warn them about me?” Winter parrots as she stands at the top of the stairs.

“Nope, fuck this.” Giselle quickly gets out of dodge as you haul Ningning up the stairs.

You can’t read the expression on her face but you can tell that she’s hesitant about this.

She’s not used to her secrets being out in the open, out of her control. Can’t blame her though - secrecy is how she keeps her head as a mercenary.

“I can’t say I’m surprised at this.” Winter offers you a weak smile. “I thought you’d connect the dots and come to see me sooner.”

“I respected my captain’s privacy until I had concerns on behalf of my prisoner.” You look over to Ningning, who glares at Winter.

“I’ll talk to you,” She stares down Winter before looking at you, “both of you, in private. Not out here - there’s too many eyes and ears for my liking.”

“Alright, you have my word. I’ll lead the way.”

Winter’s quarters are a bit cozier than you remember - an improvement made by their partner and first mate. A small candle that smells of lavender sits in the middle of Winter’s desk, along with a few maps scattered around the table.

You let go of Ningning’s arm as you sit down on the left of your captain, but her hand quickly finds yours as she takes a seat on your left. You bite your lip before hiding your interconnected hands under the table - you don’t need your captain getting the wrong idea, after all.

She won’t sit next to Winter. The bad blood between them runs deep.

“So…” Winter trails off before grabbing a glass of brandy. “Where do we start?”

“I don’t want to talk to you. I want to tell the truth.” Ningning harshly replies as Winter offers you a glass of brandy.

You shake your head before passing it to Ningning, who happily sips from the cup with her free hand.

She’s cute when she’s not insulting me or my friends.

You allow the thought to quickly pass by your mind - now’s not the time for those types of thoughts.

“You never were one to talk about your feelings.” Winter shrugs before taking a sip from her glass. “Why don’t I go first?”

“Why, so you can try to justify why you left me with those people?”

Your eyes widen as you look between the two girls. Ningning, who looks oddly justified by this reveal, and Winter, who’s trying to gauge your reaction as you’re trying to find hers.

Why is she worried about what I think? Is this about her past?

“Yes, your dear Captain,” Ningning spits out, “was a mercenary. A damn good one, before she up and left me. She stole from them too, and guess who took the blame for that? A person near and dear to her heart that she once called a friend.”

“I-” Winter looks away in shame as you look up to the ceiling.

I feel like I’m intruding on something that should be said in confidence.

“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what they did to you after I left.” Winter quietly says as she stares into her glass of brandy. “That’s why I left, you know. I couldn’t take the cruelty of it all. Satisfied, Ningning?”

“I should be,” Ningning takes a deep breath, “but I’m not. I imagined this exact conversation happening over and over, and yet-”

“-it wasn’t how you hoped it would go?” You finish her thought as she nods.

“I thought that it’d happen with a knife to her throat,” Ningning continues, “but I never could’ve killed her. Not you, Minjeong. No matter how much I hate you, I can’t find it in my heart to kill you. I had so many opportunities to kill you when I snuck onto this ship, but the only moment I could truly do so was when you turned your back. To watch life leave your eyes… it would’ve been torture.”

“I knew you didn’t want to kill me, and I didn’t want to torture you for your-” Winter pauses in thoughtful contemplation, “our betrayals of each other.”

“So what now?” Ningning asks as she squeezes your hand for comfort.

“We start over, as friends, and this all stays between the three of us.” Winter looks at you. “Has your curiosity been satisfied?”

“Most definitely.” You give her a teasing smile as she nods.

“I figured, but let’s make this all official.” Winter stands and walks over to Ningning.

She offers the mercenary her hand - an olive branch.

“Come join my crew. Start anew. You won’t have to go back to those mercenaries, I promise. We’ll take care of you.”

“You promise?” Ningning lets go of your hand before her hand hovers over Winter’s hand.

“My word’s as good as my gold.” Winter smiles as the other girl shakes her hand.

“I’ll join your crew, but there’s only one thing I ask.”

“Anything, Ningning, name it.”

“They,” Ningning points an accusing finger at you, “have to learn how to fight with weapons.”

“Did you really have to sign me up for fighting lessons?” You whine as Ningning settles herself in her new quarters.

“Can’t have someone I care about getting hurt, can I?” She chuckles to herself as you fold your arms in protest.

“First off, I can fight with a knife just fine, and secondly, when did you start caring about me?” You ask half-heartedly, hoping that she won’t joke with you just this once.

“When you started caring for me first.” She shrugs before walking towards you.

“I can’t believe I got you to care about me after you threaten to kill me.” You tease as her eyes meet yours.

“Neither can I,” She says before leaning in to whisper in your ear, “but fate must’ve had something different in mind for both of us.”

With a quick kiss to your cheek, Ningning leaves her room while leaving you in shock.

She… kissed me?

“Wait, that’s not how you did your work as a mercenary, right?” You call down the hallway, which only causes her to loudly laugh. “Answer me, Ningning!”

Although she’s (hopefully) tugging at your heartstrings, you can’t help but want to know more about Ningning. She’s a treasure trove of secrets and stories, waiting to be uncovered.

Maybe, in time, you’ll get around to telling her some of your secrets as well.

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