#we’re losing visibility of the stars

[lokiiied]

autistic/sensory issues people 🤝 indigenous peoples 🤝 animals 🤝 hating light pollution

[taurasiluvr]

how you can help palestine

★ to the public, you and diana taurasi hated one another – you were the new, best young thing in the wnba and she was the seasoned vet – there was no other option. however, maybe that's not the whole story. ★ enemies w/ benefits ft. dt

 ⠀ ── ⠀warnings ;; nsfw under the cut, mdni. strap-usage, slight degradation and fluff, mommy kink (nothing too crazy), aftercare. might turn into a series if enough people ask for it ;)

 ⠀ ── ⠀word count ;; 2.6k

the final buzzer sounded, showing the end of a heated game between the phoenix mercury and the las vegas aces. the aces had come out strong and won, the crowd's roar echoed through the arena. the players were a mix of exhausted and exhilarated, their emotions raw and visible. you were standing with your teammates, and you couldn’t resist the chance to bother diana, the vet whose shadow you were often compared to.

as the players began to mingle and exchange the usual post-game pleasantries, you approached taurasi with a sly smile. "tough game, huh?" you say, your voice loud enough for those nearby to hear. the grin on your face was deliberately infuriating.

diana turned to face me, her eyes narrowing. she was still catching her breath, sweat trickling down her face, but her competitive spirit was undiminished. "yeah, well, you win some, you lose some," she replied coolly, but the irritation in her voice was unmistakable.

"guess you’re losing more than winning these days," you continued, the taunt coming easily.

the rivalry between us was well-documented, and the media loved to play it up. they thrived on the narrative of the veteran versus the rising star, and moments like this only fueled the fire.

diana's eyes flashed, and for a moment, you thought she might lash out. instead, she stepped closer, her voice low so only you could hear. "you really want to do this here, now?" she asked, the edge in her tone making it clear she wasn’t in the mood for games.

the intensity in her gaze gave me pause, but you weren't about to back down. "why not? it's not like we’re friends," you shot back, keeping my voice just as quiet but no less pointed.

"oh trust me sweetheart, being your friend is the last thing on my list," she spat as she looked me up and down.

your lips quirked up into a smirk. "good, cause i'd hate to be disappointed."

diana's eyes narrowed further, but there was a spark there, something more than just anger. "really wanna start this now, princess? sure you can handle it,"

the tension between you two was palpable, that neither of you could deny, even if you wanted to. as the crowd began to disperse and the arena started to empty, you both knew how this would end.

you hated that nickname, "princess" – it seemed everyone and their mom liked using the fact that you're a young, rising star to belittle you. not to mention you've gotten quite popular with media, nicknamed the wnba's princess.

however, you wanted to see how far you could push diana.

"see you around, taurasi," you said, turning away with a casual wave. but you didn't get far before you felt her hand gripping your arm, stopping you.

"not so fast," she said, her grip firm. "we're, not done here."

you raised an eyebrow, looking back at her. "oh? got something else to say?"

her eyes held yours, and for a moment, it was as if the rest of the world faded away. "you know where to find me," she said, her voice low and unmistakably suggestive.

later that night, under the cover of darkness, you found yourself outside her house. you knocked, a part of you wondering if this was a terrible idea, but the larger part of you knowing exactly why you were here. the door opened, and there she was, the same fierce determination in her eyes that she had on the court.

"get in here," she said, pulling you inside. the door closed behind you, and the air between you crackled with unresolved tension.

before you could say anything, her lips were on yours, urgent and demanding. you kissed her back with equal fervor, the line between hate and desire blurring rapidly. it was always like this – a collision of raw emotion and physical need.

you pushed her against the wall, your hands tangling in her hair as the kiss deepened. she responded with a growl, her fingers digging into your sides. it was a battle, a struggle for dominance, but that was part of the thrill – and at the end, you both knew who would win.

her hands found your hair, pulling it just enough for you to let out something in between a yelp and a moan. "wanna test me right now, princess?"

you couldn't help but smirk at the challenge in her voice, the nickname "princess" now tinged with a hint of admiration rather than mockery.

"always up for a challenge," you replied breathlessly, your own hands finding their way to her waist, pulling her closer.

diana's lips curved into a wicked smile as she leaned in close, her breath hot against your ear. "good," she murmured, her voice low and husky. "cause i plan on making you remember who you're dealing with."

with that, she kissed you again, fiercely and hungrily, her tongue sliding against yours in a dance of desire and defiance. the air was thick with tension, the room alive with the sound of ragged breaths and quiet moans. clothes were discarded in haste, each move driven by an unspoken challenge to push the other to the edge.

you backed her towards the bed, your hands exploring every inch of her body as if trying to memorize the feel of her beneath your touch. diana responded eagerly, her nails grazing your skin in a way that sent shivers down your spine. it was a clash of wills, a battle of dominance, but in the midst of it all, there was an undeniable attraction that neither of you could deny.

she pushed you on to the bed, you sat down and looked up at the older woman – her slicked-back bun, her slicked-back bun starting to come undone, wisps of hair framing her determined face. there was an intensity in her eyes that made your heart race, a mix of challenge and desire that left you breathless. you watched as she stood over you, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath, the air between you thick with anticipation.

she gripped your face, pulling it upward so she could fully watch you. "didn't like that attitude earlier princess, do i need fuck some politeness into ya?"

her words sent a shiver down your spine, the mixture of dominance and desire igniting something deep within you – diana always seemed to have that effect on you. "maybe you do," you shot back, your voice trembling with a blend of defiance and arousal.

diana's eyes darkened, a smirk playing on her lips as she leaned in closer, her breath hot against your ear. "again, with that damn tone. didn't i tell you to fix it?"

her voice was a low, dangerous whisper, the threat behind her words only heightening your arousal.

"guess i'm a slow learner," you replied, your voice shaky but filled with a defiant edge.

diana's grip tightened on your face, her nails digging slightly into your skin. "then i'll have to teach you a lesson you won't forget this time, huh princess?"

without warning, she captured your lips in a bruising kiss, her teeth grazing your bottom lip in a way that made you gasp. she pushed you back onto the bed, her body pressing down on yours, her hands pinning your wrists above your head. the weight of her, the strength in her grip, was intoxicating.

"you think you can handle this, princess?" she murmured against your lips, her voice a mix of challenge and desire.

"try me," you shot back, your own voice breathless with need.

diana's smirk widened, her eyes glinting with a predatory gleam. "oh, i will, honey. i will,"

the next few moments were a blur of heated kisses and urgent touches, your bodies moving together in a franticly with need. she moved with a fierce determination, her hands and lips exploring every inch of your skin, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. it was a battle for dominance, each of you pushing and pulling, trying to assert control even as you surrendered to the her touch.

diana got up for a second, a disappointed moan coming out of your lips before she sent you a warning glare. when she came back, she had exactly what you were waiting for – her treasured strap (or as dee liked to call it, her dick).

she moved with a predatory grace, climbing onto the bed and straddling you, her hands pressing you back against the mattress. diana tore at your clothes, the sound of fabric ripping adding to the intensity of the moment as you let out a small whimper.

her hands roamed over your bare skin, her touch alternately rough and tender. she always knew exactly where to touch, where to kiss, to drive you to the brink and pull you back again.

diana leaned down, her lips capturing yours in a searing kiss that left you dizzy. her hands roamed over your body, exploring, claiming, as if trying to assert her dominance. you responded in kind, your fingers digging into her skin, pulling her closer, the need to feel her overwhelming.

"dee," you whimpered as her lips moved to your neck, her teeth grazing your sensitive skin in a way that made you shiver.

her hands gripped your thighs, spreading them apart as she positioned herself between them, her eyes locking onto yours.

diana's smirk widened as she aligned her strap, teasing you for a moment before pushing in slowly. the sensation was overwhelming, a mix of pleasure and a slight edge of pain that only heightened your arousal.

"oh fuck, dee." you moaned as one hands moved to your hips, the other quickly found itself on your neck. your eyes fluttered shut, you felt whole again – despite the earlier pain, it felt good now.

"you like that, princess?" her gaze lingered on your face, taking in every expression, every sound, every little thing you did.

she waited for response and when she didn't get any, she gave your neck a squeeze, a moan spilling out of your bruised lips. "y-yes, mommy."

she let out a throaty laugh at that, shaking her head. she wouldn't admit it anyone – except you – but she liked the pet name and the sound of your voice dropped down to her pussy.

"fuck, baby," she rasped out as her head fell back. you gasped, your hands clutching at her shoulders, nails digging in as she began to move.

her thrusts were deliberate, controlled, driving you to the brink and pulling you back again. diana watched you closely, her eyes dark, the connection between you was unyielding. she leaned down, capturing your lips in another searing kiss, swallowing your moans as she continued to move inside you.

the rhythm of her movements was relentless, pushing you closer and closer to the edge. your body responded to her with a need you couldn't control, arching against her, meeting each thrust with desperate urgency. the filthy sounds filled the room, a symphony of gasps, moans, and the slap of skin against skin.

"mommy, please," you whimpered, feeling yourself teetering on the edge of release.

"oh now you wanna be all polite, huh princess?" she growled, her pace quickening, her grip on your hips tightening as she drove you further into a frenzy. "wanna hear you beg."

"please!" you gasped, the word barely more than a whisper as you clung to her, every nerve in your body on fire. "please, mommy, need it."

her eyes flashed with satisfaction, and she leaned in, her breath hot against your ear. "that's more like it," she murmured before increasing her pace, each thrust driving you closer and closer to the brink. "good fuckin' girl," she praised.

when your release finally came, it was explosive, your body arching against hers as waves of pleasure crashed over you. diana didn't let up, riding you through your climax, prolonging the intense sensations until you were completely spent, trembling beneath her.

she finally slowed, her movements becoming gentle as she helped you come down from the high. she pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, her fingers gently tracing patterns on your skin as you caught your breath.

"better?" she asked, her voice softening, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"mhm," you replied, your voice weak but nonetheless satisfied. you looked up at her, seeing the same mix of satisfaction and maybe a hint of affection in her eyes. "always know how to put me in my place."

diana chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "and you always know how to push my buttons, sweetheart."

she cleaned you up, a care that contrasted sharply with the intensity of your previous actions. diana's touch was gentle as she wiped the sweat and remnants of your passion from your skin. the intimacy of the act sent a different kind of warmth through you, one that was softer, more enduring.

as she finished, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, her lips lingering for a moment longer than necessary. "you should get some rest," she said, her voice a gentle murmur. "you're leaving early tomorrow,"

you nodded, feeling a mix of exhaustion and contentment. "mmm, you're right."

diana helped you get comfortable, adjusting the pillows and tucking the blanket around you. it was a rare moment of domesticity between you two, a fleeting glimpse of what things could be if circumstances were different.

"will you stay?" you found yourself asking, your voice barely more than a whisper. it was a vulnerable question, one that you weren't sure you wanted to hear the answer to.

if you were at your place, she'd usually leave and if you were at her's, she'd usually sleep in the guest bedroom. however, for some odd reason, tonight felt different.

she hesitated for a moment, her expression softening as she looked at you. "just a little while," she finally said, climbing into bed beside you.

you turned to face her, your bodies fitting together in a way that felt both familiar and comforting. diana wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close, her warmth enveloping you.

"you know this doesn't change anything," she whispered, her breath warm against your ear.

"i know," you replied, your voice equally soft. "but maybe, just for tonight, we can pretend it does."

she didn't respond, but the way she held you, the way her fingers traced soothing patterns on your back, told you that she understood. for now, in the quiet of the early morning, you could both set aside the rivalry, the competition, and just be.

when you awoke, you both lay there for a while, the early morning light casting a soft glow over the room. eventually, you knew you had to leave. as you got dressed, diana watched you, her expression unreadable.

"good luck with the next game," diana said, her tone neutral but her eyes betraying a hint of something more. "i'll be watching it," she added, her voice tinged with amusement (and maybe a bit of mockery).

"me too," you replied with a smile. "try not to get a tech next game,"

she rolled her eyes as she waved you away, pushing the covers over her face. you laughed, getting out of the room and walked toward the door.

and you stepped out into the early morning light, you couldn’t help but smile again. whatever this was – enemies, rivals, lovers – it was yours and diana's alone, a secret game played in the shadows, far from the prying eyes of the public. and for now, that was enough.

if you enjoyed, any interaction is greatly appreciated!

with love, rylin 𝜗𝜚

[mmelionsblog]

The Lights [Finnick Odair x Reader]

warnings: (panic attack),, n just overall cuteness overload !1!1!<3

You were having yet another panic attack inside the bunker, Katniss was by your side in an instant when Finnick was nowhere to be seen. “Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. Follow after me,” she whispered, rocking you back in forth in her arms. You tried following her directions but in the end, you failed and your panic attack was getting worse and worse.

“Is she okay?” Peeta asked Katniss, who looked back with a ‘does she look okay?’ look towards him. ‘ go get Finnick . NOW ’ she mouthed to Peeta, he nodded and walked off.

It was just you and Katniss again, and Katniss felt you to the core. You had just started to hyperventilate, and all she could do was hold you close to her body to keep you warm and try to get you back on track.

About ten minutes after Peeta had left the two of you, pairs of footsteps clicking to the floor could be heard. Katniss turned her head towards the sound, and exhaled out when she saw Peeta and Finnick behind. “Thanks for looking after her Kat.” Finnick nodded his head towards her, “she is my best friend. I’d be a bad best friend if I didn’t do anything,” Katniss gently lifted you up, the two of you walking towards Finnick.

“Hey, hey princess. What’s wrong? What’s got you so worked up?” Finnick took you into his arms, thanking Katniss once again as the other two walked away to who knows where. “I- I- I shot him,” you whispered, your hands going to your face to scratch at it. Finnick grabbed ahold of your hands, rubbing them gently with his thumbs. “That’s not what we’re gonna do today,” he chuckled with a soft smile.

Whenever you had panic attacks, you’d always scratch your face to the point it bled. Finnick helped you get out of that mess. He led you to the stairs, always getting permission for you to go outside the bunker just to look at the stars whenever you had your panic attacks.

He led you up the stairs, at a slow pace to not startle you. “How was your day, my love?” He hummed, wrapping an arm around your back and rubbing it slowly with his hand.

Finnick waited a few minutes for you to calm a bit down, he knew whenever he started conversations it would take some time for you to answer. “O—Okay,” you stuttered out. “What was your favorite part of your day?” He asked you.

You twiddled with his other hand that held yours. Playing with the golden ring on his ring finger. You smiled softly. “waking up next to you,” you whispered. the tears from your eyes finally came to a stop, wet streaks visible on your cheeks with your puffy red eyes. “Really?” Finnick’s lips turn to a huge wide smile onto his face. You giggled softly and nodded. “Really.” You repeated.

The two of you finally got to the top, and both of you had to climb up the ladder. Finnick got up there first to open the trap door, and then you followed suit. He grabbed your hands to pick you up quicker, and then sat you on the dirt ground. He closed the trap door and placed grass over it.

The two of you walked and walked till you got to your safe log that was surrounded by trees and bushes, big enough to fit you and Finnick sitting on the green green fresh grass. You sat on the said grass, while Finnick sat on the log behind you.

You leaned back into him, getting comfortable as Finnick wrapped his arms around your waist. You grabbed ahold of his hands and started to play with them, while you heard Finnick counting the stars.

“You’re never gonna get them all,” you giggle out, looking up at him from your spot. He looked down at you, “you made me lose my spot.” He pouted. “How many stars did you have in counting just right now?” You asked.

“50. 50 stars.” Finnick hummed. You made a duck look face, moving your lips to signal to Finnick you wanted a kiss. He chuckled and leaned down to you, to kiss you softly. He pulled away, his eyes half open as he looked at you with nothing but love.

“I love you,” Finnick spoke, kissing your lips once more.

“I love you too.”

[jedi-order-apologist]

There's no sun in the shadow of the wizard

Bail and Breha discuss their fears and their hopes under the new regime. Written for Fandom Empire Mahjong 2024 - Prompt: Lost/300 words and Star Wars 100 - Prompt: Child and Lyrical Titles Bingo - Prompt: Free Space ("Stargazer" - Rainbow)

Read on AO3

“I was worried,” Breha admitted, “I kept checking the names on the arrests, wondering when I’d see yours.”

“We were strategic about it, Mon and I,” Bail said. He reached out a single finger to brush Leia’s face, and she shuffled in her sleep in Breha’s arms. He’d already explained everything to his wife that he couldn’t over comms. “I’m sure Palpatine has his suspicions, but we weren’t the visible face of his opposition. He expects the arrests will serve their purpose to make everyone else fall in line.”

“Far too many will, I’m sure.”

Bail closed his eyes briefly. “We saw the signs. We made our preparations. And yet there’s still a part of me that can’t believe this is the situation we find ourselves in. The people offered up the Republic on a platter. And now, so many lives lost, and so many more I know we will lose. Dark days are ahead, Breha.”

She fixed him with an earnest look. “We will not let that stop us.”

“I had no doubt of that,” he said, a hint of a smile returning to his face as he met her gaze, before returning his attention to the child in her arms. “All is not lost. It never is, as long as we keep hope in our hearts. But there’s work to be done if we’re to keep the memory of the Republic alive, and disrupt the Imperial effort. I can only hope that there will be enough of us.”

“More will come,” Breha said, and leaned against Bail as he tenderly took Leia out of her arms, careful not to wake her. “We all have our part to play.”

“Empires fall in time. We may not live to see it, but let our efforts be enough that Leia will.”

[quinacridonered]

ROP Recap - Season 2, Episode 5

Ring of Power: Wear meeeeeeee!

Entire World: Don’t wear it!

King Durin: *wears it*

Prince Durin: Dad? 

King Durin: SIRE! Dig over here.

Prince Durin: Sire! Who is also Dad! You’ll bury us!

King Durin: Get out of my way or I will bury *you* specifically.

Sun Shaft: *emerges*

King Durin: If you don’t do what I tell you, our previous falling out will be your best family memory.

Prince Durin: This seems like a lot even for you.

--

Celebrimbor: Work party! Dwarves and elves! Awkward standing around! Mediocre beverage!

Sauron: Too bad about that First Age wine.

Celebrimbor: ’Tis a loss for the world.

Sauron: You know what will fix it? Rings for Men.

Celebrimbor: Not this again.

Sauron: I already put on a Broadway-level production to convince you. Are we gonna have to upgrade to Vegas? 

Celebrimbor: If we give humans anything, it should be something like Xanax.

Sauron: Have to do everything myself around here.

Assistants: We'll help!

Celebrimbor: At what point did I completely lose control of my own ring factory?

Sauron: Probably back when I wandered in wearing Halbrand pyjamas.

--

Pharazon: If a mob made me king, does this constitute a democracy?

Miriel: We should ask the eagle.

Pharazon: The eagle has already spoken.

--

Eärien: Dad? You are demoted.

Elendil: This is the kid I’m stuck with.

Miriel: Wow.

Elendil: You should have seen her as a teen.

--

Dwarf Business Improvement Association: What news, King Durin?

King Durin: I give you magic rings. You give me half your money.

Dwarf Business Improvement Association: This seems like a lot even for you.

--

King Durin: Dig, motherfuckers! DIG!

Disa: We’re digging too much.

Prince Durin: I thought you wanted him to?

Disa: Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

King Durin: I’m proud of you, my son!

Prince Durin: You’re right. He’s off his rocker.

--

Invisible Mirdania: AAAAAAAAH!

Celebrimbor: On the plus side, now we know how to make rings of invisibility.

Visible Mirdania: The unseen world sucks and I want to unsee it! What was that demon?

Sauron: Your boss.

Mirdania: You mean you?

Sauron: Your other boss.

Mirdania: Obviously.

--

Prince Durin: The ring you gave us is fucked up.

Celebrimbor: Did you fuck up the ring?

Sauron: Is it me who is a lying liar?

Celebrimbor: …No?

Sauron: Is it you perchance?

Celebrimbor: …Yes? Oh god, what do I do?

Sauron: Make more rings.

Celebrimbor: Obviously.

Sauron: Thank god, your prefrontal cortex is no longer working.

--

Kevin: Guards! Rough up the faithful!

Valandil: Or we could rough up Kevin.

Kevin: *kills Valandil*

Elendil: My son-in-law, everyone.

Kevin: To your chagrin and mine.

--

Sauron: Can I play with your hair and pretend you are my ex?

Mirdania: You are beautiful, good at smithing and 600 meters tall. You can do whatever you want.

Eregion Industries HR Department: Would you like to report workplace harassment, defined as vexatious conduct that is known or reasonably ought to be known to be unwelcome?

Mirdania: To be perfectly honest, he is welcome to vex me straight into next week. Or next fiscal year, for that matter.

Sauron: Noted.

HR Department: We tried.

--

Galadriel: A star shines upon me taking you hostage, asshole.

Orc Daddy: Ex-of-Sauron Support Group is now in session.

Galadriel: He’s not my ex!

Orc Daddy: Does the thought bring you relief and regret in vast and equal measure?

Galadriel: Crap. It does.

Orc Daddy: Welcome to the group, Galadriel.

---

More recaps:

Season 2, Episode 1

Season 2, Episode 2

Season 2, Episode 3

Season 2, Episode 4

[prettypumpum]

Title: Crossed Dimensions I Logan Howlett x Reader

Summary: You were living an ordinary life until the day a portal throws you into the Marvel universe. Trapped between an unbearable Deadpool and a Wolverine as troubling as he is charming, you discover powers you didn't know you had and an unknown past with certain heroes. As your anxiety grows in the face of this new reality, will you be able to find your place and perhaps become the hero they need?

Warnings: strong language, mentions of violence.

Previous part / Masterlist

Chapter 2

“Rise and shine.”

I jolted awake to find Wade’s face uncomfortably close to mine.

“Why don’t you just teleport?” the mercenary asked, visibly disappointed.

“I don’t know, Wade, I can’t control my powers. But believe me, it’s in the top 5 of my to-do list,” I replied, getting up from the couch and rubbing my face.

“Leave her alone,” Logan grumbled from the kitchen. I joined him, grabbing the cereal box on the counter. I didn’t even recognize this brand. This universe was so different from mine. Oddly, the most disturbing part wasn’t that the Avengers existed or had superpowers, but rather the little details, like different logos or stores and restaurants in completely different locations.

“Do we have oat milk?” I asked, staring at the strange tiger on the box.

“We don’t even have regular milk, so forget your fancy whims, princess,” Al replied, fiddling with a small bag of white powder.

Great, so no milk, but we still had hard drugs. At least the household priorities were clear.

“We’ll add it to the shopping list,” Wade grinned, grabbing a small notepad and a unicorn pen.

“And with what money?” the old lady asked, outraged.

“About that, I was waiting for everyone to wake up,” Wade said calmly, fixing his gaze on me to emphasize that I was the “everyone.” “I called one of my contacts, Dopinder, and he found us a mission for our team!” he added enthusiastically, clapping his hands.

“What team?” Logan asked, clearly already on edge.

“Ours,” Wade replied, pointing at Logan and me.

“Hell no, I’ve got my own plans,” Logan growled, getting up to rinse his coffee mug.

“And what, you’re just gonna go back to living in the wild forests of glorious Canada like an animal until some old Japanese guy tries to steal your powers?” Wade asked.

“That’s exactly my plan,” Logan replied, not understanding half of what Wade had rambled but clearly wanting to end the conversation.

“I knew you’d be hard to convince, so I prepared a little PowerPoint,” Wade said, opening his laptop to show a slide titled, Reasons to Convince Logan and Lydia to Be My Best Friends (And More if We Feel Like It).

“Reason 1,” Wade said, pressing a key, triggering a star transition so tacky even Al cringed. “You’d really make me happy.” The image showed a little cartoon Deadpool hugging a tiny Lydia and a tiny Logan. “Number 2,” another horrid transition, “Disney saw the money they made off of us and they want a sequel, maybe with a love story. Reason 3: if you don’t come, you’ll ruin the whole team-sandwich aesthetic. People won’t get it if we lose the mustard,” Wade explained, outraged.

“I’m done with your nonsense,” Logan groaned, heading towards the bathroom.

“Reason 69: we’re out of booze and you’re out of cash!” Wade shouted, frantically looking for slide 69, which featured a little Logan looking delighted at a giant whiskey bottle.

Logan seemed to be weighing his options, but they weren’t any better than mine. He rubbed his temples, finally relenting.

“Fine, alright,” he grumbled as he walked into the bathroom.

Wade couldn’t have been happier. He was literally bouncing with self-applause, then turned his gaze to me.

“I have another PowerPoint for you, in 130 parts,” he said, searching through his files. “Here it is,” he said, opening a file titled, My Super Arguments for a Threesome with Logan and Lydia, Part 1: I Have Lots of Fun Toys. “Oops, that’s not it. You saw nothing,” he said to the wall.

“Why do you even want me to come? I’ll just slow you down.”

“Logan’s the muscle, you’re our emotional support, and I’m our brave and fearless leader, not influenced by Captain America at all,” Wade said as if it were obvious. “Come on, it’ll be fun. And most importantly, we need cocaine for Al; trust me, this place will get unbearable without it,” he whispered like it was a terrible secret.

I had two choices: go on this mission and, at worst, get shot, or stay stuck in this apartment with a coke-addicted grandma going through withdrawal.

“Alright, I’ll come.”

“Great!” Wade cheered. “You’ll see, it’s going to be awesome.”

Honestly, I doubted it.

It was not awesome. I’d been stuck in this damned forest for hours. At first, everything was fine. I’d met Wade’s smuggler friend, who talked way too much, and the mission was simple: we had to take out a drug lord with a bounty on his head. But we hadn’t expected the guy to be armed to the teeth with alien weaponry. We found out the hard way after Wade mocked the boss’s haircut, and the guy fired a laser that left a huge hole in Wade’s abdomen. Logan barely had time to grab him, and I managed to teleport us into the forest. The problem was, we didn’t know where we were and had lost track of our target.

“Do you smell anything?” I asked Logan.

“They’re not nearby. We can rest while this idiot regenerates,” replied the mutant, still on guard.

He didn’t seem bothered by the surroundings; his powers helped with that. Wade, on the other hand, still hadn’t regained consciousness. Watching his broken body was both fascinating and gross.

“Did you talk to Laura last night?” Logan suddenly asked.

“Yeah, we chatted a bit… she wants to spend some time with us,” I replied, a little uncomfortable with this conversation. Co-parenting was challenging enough, but adding a multiverse element made it insane.

“I know, she told me,” Logan replied. “If you’re not comfortable with it, don’t feel obligated.”

Honestly, I wasn’t comfortable with it. I started fiddling with my coat sleeves, avoiding eye contact, and instead focused on Wade’s wound.

“No, it doesn’t bother me,” I replied in a small voice. “But this whole situation is completely crazy.”

“Tell me about it,” he said, smiling.

He was really handsome. I’d never been a superhero fan, but I’d always had a crush on Logan, and seeing him in real life was pretty overwhelming. The TVA had offered to send me back to my universe, but I’d refused. That would’ve been even weirder—to be in a world without mutants, with teleportation and healing powers. That would complicate things, especially if I lived as long as Logan.

“I’m sorry for getting us lost,” I said, lifting my head. I couldn’t control my powers, and I didn’t even know if Dreamwalker was a real character in the comics.

“It’s alright. The most important thing is that you got us to safety. And the real problem is this idiot. He’s the one holding us back,” Logan said, pointing at Wade. He hadn’t enjoyed the plane ride, and it was a miracle Wade’s buddy was still alive.

“Do you still want to finish this mission?” I asked, a bit resigned.

“Damn right, we’re finishing this mission!” said a voice behind me. “Look at what he did to my suit. I just patched it up! People have no respect,” the mercenary said, examining the damage. “And look at you, Mr. Grumpy—there are bloodstains everywhere. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that out of this beautiful yellow suit I just stitched up?”

“By the way, how did you fix it? Because from what I remember, there was nothing left to save,” I asked.

“For convenience, I’d say it’s magic, even though I know you loved the old suit, you little pervert,” Wade replied.

I couldn’t help but lower my head, blushing. I could feel Logan’s eyes on the back of my neck. It was true, I’d had trouble forming a complete sentence after he’d disappeared.

“So, what’s the plan now?” I asked, hugging myself and trying to change the subject. But Wade kept staring, and even under the mask, I could guess his little smile and nonexistent eyebrow wiggle.

“We’re gonna kill that guy, then celebrate with mojitos. Come on, gang!” Wade said, clapping his hands and starting to walk.

I shot a small glance at Logan, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me.

“We’ll finish our conversation later,” he said. I nodded in response. “Not that way,” Logan yelled at Wade.

“I know, I was testing you,” Wade said, turning back. “Is it this way? No question, I totally know where I’m going.”

Logan groaned but followed Wade. It was the first time he’d gone this long without trying to maim the mercenary. And honestly, I already pitied the guy with the ridiculous haircut and his henchmen.

[the-tropes-are-hungry]

4 - The Cat Laughs

I don’t have a clue how long this Cat – Worm – Lamb pattern will hold considering the story I want to tell but for now it’s a good frame to work from. Have a cat in a hat with a spider and a squid.

[First] / [Prev] / [Next]

Shamura was never kind to him. It took him years to understand their concept of kindness was something else entirely.

A crown did as much as its bearer allowed, but the spider forbade him from using his to curb hunger, or stay sleep, or anything else truly useful.

“You are not yet grown, therefore have no true grasp of your abilities.”

“Then let me use them.”

They looked at him with their too many eyes and his vision fizzed. The shadows of thoughts, the web of impenetrable life woven around Shamura like their black and gold armor, the unflinching stare. Narinder was a predator in his own right, but they were something else.

Shamura was seated at the low table in their tent, discarded maps and the remaining bones of their dinner resting next to candle stubs. Narinder stood in the doorway where he’d burst in, and the spider remained perfectly still as they regarded him.

“Why?” they asked.

He stared at them, clutching his young anger.

“What do you mean, why? Because we’re fighting a war— because we’re losing one!”

Shamura watched him, listened to him, and answered with: “Our standing in this conflict is my burden, as our supplies are Kallamar’s, and growing is yours. Why should I let you use your crown when I do not believe you are ready?”

Ears back, his words keened past his fangs. “Because it’s mine.”

“It is yours,” the spider agreed, holding one long hand over their tea and calling the tiny ceramic cup into their grasp. “But that is not a reason to use it.”

“I don’t need a better reason.”

“You do, if you want my permission.”

“I don’t need your permission!”

“You do,” they squeezed the cup and his ears popped at the pressure change, black ears pressed to his skull and half-sheathed claws now soft against his palm. Shamura blinked slowly, one eye at a time from left to right, then right to left. “You do, if you want to leave my web alive.”

The entire camp was their web. Narinder had felt it after waking up the first time, sensed it without really knowing what about the ground upset his fur, why his whiskers twitched at every tent door and post, why his vision doubled and the stars moved too much at night.

He’d experienced it the first time one of Shamura’s soldiers, a beetle of all carapace and no sense, threw their meal on the ground and declared they’d had enough of rancid flesh and deserved something better.

The beetle had spasmed as, from everywhere and nowhere, silk threads snapped tight and pulled their limbs back before they could curl into a protective ball. Their glossy chitin didn’t mean anything as Shamura’s slow steps made the beetle’s heart quicken, then race, then thunder in Narinder’s ears. The spider had walked as slowly as possible to give every onlooker time to find a place to witness their judgment. One blue finger had trailed up from trembling thorax to mandibles, and the slender demigod rose up on six legs to tower over their prey.

“Very well,” they’d said, and a silk wire lopped the beetle’s head off. Several more tightened around still-squirming limbs until they detached. All Shamura visibly did was wave a dismissive hand at the wrist, and their web deposited the open body on the fire, belly up, for the camp cook to decorate with salt and herb and oil and simmer with his own armor acting as pot and pan to serve him.

It had been, Narinder hated to admit, one of the best meals they’d had since his arrival.

Shamura’s threads were already in his fur. They touched his wrists, his ankles, trailed against his black robe and irritated his whiskers. There was no tension in them, just the ghostly presence holding his chest and winding around his tail.

The spider sipped their tea.

“You are not yet grown, Narinder. I do not mean this metaphorically: your kind do not come of age until they are ten and six years old, but the males do not reach their true strength until twenty and eight. If you will not tell me why you must rely on your crown before you are ready, will you heed my reasons why you shall not?”

Shamura had already made up their mind and even the best reason in the world would not sway them. Still, to stop the growing pain in his throat and the burning in his eyes and the pressure in his nose, he bared his teeth again.

“When my mother taught me the sword, she gave me a sword to practice with.” The mere mention of her hurt. Speaking of her was like licking glass, or breathing fire, or being forever in this world without her. “I’m not saying let me fight the Green-Eyed Queen myself, but you’ve got to let me learn!”

Shamura nodded, but he swore the wisps of web grew thicker.

“The words you are looking for are, ‘I am afraid, and believe a better weapon will keep me safer.’”

They stood up, four legs moving sinuously beneath their black robe, four arms folded politely in pairs as they drifted across the tent toward him. One set of hands parted and they rested one cold palm against his bristled cheek. They had too many eyes and he never knew which ones to look at.

“If I clothed you in the strongest armor and then struck you one hundred times a day for one hundred days, it is true that you will stop fearing my blows and focus on hitting back. But if there is one day, not of your choosing, where I would make those hundred strikes on you without your armor, what would happen?”

His vision was blurring again, this time with frustration. His throat was growing tighter and it wasn’t Shamura’s silk. His chest and arms were trembling and the spider hadn’t struck him once.

“I would die.”

Shamura nodded, and released his face.

“That is why I will not let you use your crown to hold back sleep, because already you do not sleep enough. And I will not let your crown suppress your hunger, because you do not eat enough. And I will not let the crown make you stronger, or faster, or anything else you desire, because this weakness is born of things no crown can fix. You must train your mind. You must grieve your loss. You must let your body grow, child. Return to your duties.”

Duties. All Shamura had him do was practice symbols in wax and ink, and read the same marks off paper and metal. He was to learn the stars by different names, and the plants in their times and properties, and the many lands by their rulers and laws. Narinder’s duties were to grow his mind and eat hearty off the army’s stew pot, as if he were some kind of pet in the spider’s keeping.

He left with rage pulsing under his skin, humiliation turning his fur up as the silk whispers of the camp kept sticking to him, thickening around his ankles until he could almost see the strands. He sped up, all but ready to begin dashing past soldiers, and barracks, and cook fires and—

“There you are.”

His body stopped. A shimmering blue light encircled him and his muscles couldn’t move, his momentum halted. A webbed hand pressed warm to his shoulder before Kallamar’s spell vanished, and the third crown-bearer in this camp steered Narinder off his path between another set of random tents and tables, the squid’s long face pulled in an affable smile.

“Bold of you, to challenge Shamura directly,” he chittered. Narinder was only half-grown, but Kallamar was only just taller than him, too long, too nothing beneath his robes. “I can see how that went by the look on your face. No—don’t stop, be mad. Get it out. You can’t close a wound with the knife still inside.”

“What do you want?” Narinder asked, teeth clenched, whiskers flared as he kept walking and Kallamar kept pushing.

“To stop you from ending up on a spit,” he said. “Shamura is unkind, but rarely unreasonable. Come, running off will get you in trouble, but I’ve prepared something for you.”

Shamura and Kallamar had journeyed together for two years now, amassing followers and striking out at the Green-Eyed Queen’s champions: the Seven Toed Oak, the Marble Tongue of Dawn, and Ashblight. Shamura’s real target was the Wrath-Bringer, for their own reasons. Kallamar had come from the white waters of the Serpent, and beyond Shamura’s trust in him that was all Narinder knew.

Most of the followers in this camp were the spider’s. Kallamar’s followers were weepy-eyed creatures that hissed at the sun and plied their master with even more miserable gurgles than what Kallamar paid the spider.

There was something the Green-Eyed Queen possessed that Shamura wanted before taking their campaign elsewhere.

The mobility of Shamura’s forces was crucial, as staying overlong in any one place cleared the trees, dirtied the water, and ate the land barren. Never-mind counter attacks from the Queen’s champions.

Narinder had been with them a month. During the four battles this army of two hundred followers had fought he’d sat at Shamura’s heels with clean claws and sheathed blades and a leash short enough to call a belt-loop. Every time he saw Kallamar, the Serpent’s exiled son was either flustered with the logistics of keeping this army fed, or impatiently keening at Shamura to send Narinder out of earshot so they could speak.

The cat and the squid had never been alone together before now.

“Hurry up! Hurry up! I think you’ll hate this until you learn to love it.”

Narinder’s tail kept lashing. “You have the worst way of saying things.”

“Do you know what’s more fun than having a shard of the Serpent’s power sitting on my head?” Kallamar asked, the membrane of their face bubbling with their words as they tapped their crown.

“Leaving me alone?”

“Having my own power to wield as I like.”

Kallamar brought him to a freshly cleared bit of forest at the edge of the encampment. Fresh stumps littered the ground like boils, sweet sap still bleeding from the saw-marks. The squid kept giggling to himself, but trying to hide it with his mouth closed. The hrm! Hrm-hrmhrm!! Was enough to make Narinder’s claws itch. He’d never eaten squid before.

“First! An exercise I’m sure you’ve done before!” Kallamar wiggled his way forward and called back to him. He shook out his robe sleeves, getting shorter and squatter as his upsettingly fluid physiology squirmed around under his bipedal guise. With a delighted gurgle, he rose up and spread three tentacles from each sleeve, raising his new arms up with a flash of white.

Ten liquid bubbles gathered from the sap and soil, hovering over the stumps. “Ten seconds to destroy them all! Have at ye, young demigod!”

Narinder stared. “What?”

“Ten! Nine!”

Oh, he meant it.

Narinder’s reflexes were sharp, his legs always half-wound springs that sent him flying at the first bubble with claws out. Its skin was tougher than expected and his lead claw curled past it, but the dew claw on his smallest finger snagged it right and tore the bubble open.

A grotesque sploosh of half-warm-too-cold gelatine that sluiced down his leg and stayed there.

“What is this!?” Narinder shrieked, his voice splitting like hairs as his tail bristled.

“Six!! Five!”

He spun with three darts in hand that burst three bubbles, and vaulted another log with a hand at his sword to tear another. That made five, with only—

“Three! Two!!”

“Kallamar!” he roared back, his sword coated in the same blue ick as his robe and hand.

“Ding-ding-ding!! You lose!” The squid trumpeted, throwing his head back with laughter.

Lost? He’d lost? Narinder never lost anything. He never failed anything.  He couldn’t lose a game like this—one of speed and reflexes and sharpness, no!

“Again!” he shouted.

The laughing stopped. “Again?”

“Start it again!” He stomped his foot, sword dripping, his leg and hand so cold they felt numb.

“Hmm!” the squid put four hands to his wide chin, pouting. “Maybe! But I want my prize for winning first.”

Narinder stiffened, ears swivelling, weight on his toes. “What prize?”

Kallamar’s face split with far too many teeth at far too many angles. Narinder was a predator in his own right, a killer and a hunter, but his fur went rigid at the sight.

“Here, kitty-kitty, dodge this!”

The first unpopped bubble sailed straight at him. Narinder twisted with a yelp, but another crashed the back of his head and erupted with cold slime down his shoulders. He screamed. It didn’t hurt—it was cold and slick and horrible but it didn’t burn or bind or harm him, and the lack of danger made his screaming worse when he took two steps and was slammed at the knees by another bubble that took out his legs.

The last two pelted his back, one and then the other, and left him in an inch-deep puddle of viscous blue slime.

He pushed his face up, spitting, the fur on his cheeks dragging down long, his whiskers coated so thick he could barely breathe, his ears dulled with gelatine.

He was so fucking cold.

Kallamar was laughing to the cloudy sky overhead, the drip-drip of his tentacles slithering over the trampled grass.

“Oh! What fun, your poor face!” he cackled, wiping one webbed hand under his eyes to stop the tears.

Narinder bared his fangs, felt the cold slick trickle into his nose, and sneezed so violently his back arched.

Kallamar doubled over, wheezing, his eyes bulging in delight.

Narinder was cold, he was embarrassed, he was sopping wet. He was a month without his mother and denied his own power. He was stuck in a puddle of slime on a bright spring day with the sun parting the overcast sky and birds were singing and Kallamar was laughing and they were too far away from the edge of camp for anyone to see or hear them.

Narinder grabbed the tentacle that counted as Kallamar’s ‘foot’and yanked it. The squid yelped and tumbled down in a glorp. Before he could think twice or Kallamar could get away, Narinder slapped a handful of muddy slime in the other demigod’s mouth.

The sound Kallamar made was worth the laughter that burst out of Narinder. His goopy tail coiled around his bent legs as the alien sound scared his ears back and he reigned it in quickly, afraid of—just afraid.

Of Shamura? Of dying? Of the Green-Eyed Queen? Yes.

As quickly as he’d laughed, tears cut through the frigid slime, like embers down his cheeks.

His mouth trembled, spit and slime on his lips. He couldn’t breathe.

He would never see Mother again. She would not groom this ick off his fur, or run her claws over his ears, or warm him with her purr. Her tail would never twine with his, and she would not pick up his blade and hand it back, and she would not be with him, and she would not come back.

And Narinder was her Lord of Lords but he was twelve years old and frightened and alone and he had never been frightened and he had never been alone and he had never had to decide what to do and he had never been told what he could not do and—

“Me too.”

Narinder was sitting in this puddle sobbing like a kitten, and he couldn’t close his mouth or stop the sounds or the tears from hiccupping out of him. When Narinder looked at Kallamar, he expected everything except the broken hinge of the squid’s mouth, or the thick-rolling green slime that counted as his tears.

“I miss everything too,” he said. “Everything from before… this.”

“W-what happened?” one lost little boy asked the other.

“The Serpent was afraid of something,” Kallamar explained, his own tears rolling into his mouth. “They called everyone in to their temple, but I got caught in the tide pool that morning and couldn’t answer the gong. I watched the waves turn red, and the sea boiled, and then everything went dark. By the time I got out there was nothing left at the seabed, just this—this hole. Like a storm beneath the sea. Everything was gone. The coral, the vents, the sand, the kelp. Just dark water too scary to swim through, so I didn’t. They’re still down there, I think. They keep pulling everything inside, and Shamura thinks one day they’ll swallow the whole world.”

And that, two small children in two large crowns decided, was too much for them to think about.

They cried until they couldn’t cry anymore. This left Narinder only wet and too cold, and Kallamar dry and too hot, so when the cat scraped one hand down his slimy sleeve he smeared it on the squid’s ugly face.

This made Kallamar laugh.

“Here,” he said, taking Narinder’s hand in two of his. “Let me show you what I brought you out here for.”

It was a spell. A little mote of magical light between his tentacles that drew the wet ick from the fur and fabric down his arm. He wasn’t quite clean, but he wasn’t wet either.

“Now you try. But not with this,” he pointed at the crown. “Just this.”

He tapped Narinder’s forehead, where the fizziness and shadows and double-vision kept coming from.

“This is where your magic will manifest. It means you aren’t like other cats, so even without your crown you’re still something different, something else.”

“What else?”

Kallamar shrugged. “Whatever Shamura and I are. Demigods, they say.”

They practiced the spell together. It was finicky, but only difficult until Kallamar talked him through the noise in his own mind. They pulled the slime off his fur and ears and tail and clothes, and with the last of it the squid gurgled shyly in his throat.

“There was one other thing,”

“You have more one other things than you do arms.”

“No, this is actually it,” he bubbled. “You’re something else. You’re something between Shamura and I. You see, their body is hard and spiny on the outside, protected even without the armor they wear. Then there’s you, who grows your bones inside your body with the soft parts outside—which is bad design, really. You’re very poorly made.”

Narinder showed his teeth. He flexed his claws too. “As poorly made as a bag of water?”

Kallamar held up another bubble of slime. “I’m not afraid to use this.”

The cat relented.

“My point is,” Kallamar continued, holding the bubble in their lap and slowly running their tendrils over and around it, peeling off slime to slick themselves after sitting so long on the prickly grass beneath the blazing sun. “Neither of us can fight like Shamura. But you don’t have your own magic, and I don’t… Well, I know lots of magic. I know spells, and enchantments, and incantations, and charms, and curses. And you…”

Narinder followed the squid’s eyes this time, and snatched up Mother’s sword from beside him.

“No,” he said.

Kallamar quickly folded himself on his ‘knees’, leaning forward. “I don’t mean give me your sword, just practice! Or your knives? I saw you practicing with a rope dart the other day and it was so fast! Imagine if you could sling spells the same way, and I could carry a sword—or a staff. Can you use a spear?”

This felt… not allowed. It felt like breaking one of Shamura’s rules. Kallamar had real duties to the war, counting food and provisioning armor and setting up where tents could go and tables set up.

But Mother had always protected him, and Narinder had never had someone boldly ask him about what she’d taught him. “I… can?”

“What about a javelin?” Kallamar asked, eyes now alight. “A glaive? Shamura has a glaive, you’ve seen it, with the gold blade and obsidian handle?”

“I have.” He had. And he’d also seen… “…their sickle chain is faster than my rope dart.”

“It is!”

On that day, two boys made a pact with each other. The older would teach the younger magic, and the younger would teach the older weapons. Through their web the spider heard all of this, even the part where they struck a bet to see who would get to hold their glaive first. It made them smile.

To Shamura’s surprise, it was Kallamar who won the bet.

Surprise became wonder, as Narinder’s Third Eye opened right as his oath-brother raised the gold blade.

Somehow, both these achievements mattered more to the Demigod of Victory than the fact that they had just been split open, mandible to abdomen, by Champion Ashblight.

“Shamura?!”

“Shamura!!”

It was a good day to die.

[First] / [Prev] / [Next]

:)

I HC Kallamar is like 15/16 at this point.

[sincerelyhannahx]

To celebrate Asexual Visibility Week (which Happy Asexual Visibility Week by the way omg), here is a list of characters who are now asexual because I said so:

Crowley and Aziraphale (Good Omens) I mean, this is basically canon for me already but their relationship genuinely means so much to me because it's not inherently romantic or sexual or even strictly platonic, they just have such a strong emotional bond and love each other in a way that I think could only be asexual. And being fairly new to my sexuality (not even a year yet) I really needed that. Maybe I don't want an allonormative relationship - maybe I just want what they have. Idk they're just really special to me.

Belle (Beauty and the Beast) Belle being ace removes the beastiality aspect of the story so I think this is best for everyone involved. (This goes for Tiana too, actually - ace!Tiana, let's go). But she literally fell in love with the Beast because of his personality alone after spending a long time getting to know him (and because of a library but ykw me too girlie). And it helps that I've had a strong attachment to Belle since like forever (I actually played her in a school production when I was 6).

Peter Pettigrew (Harry Potter) Right, so I do hate Peter and I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to, but omg he is so asexual. And definitely not saying that asexual people are going to betray and murder their best friends but I feel like not fitting in with his very allonormative group and maybe not even knowing what the term asexual means could be an interesting motivation for his actions. Peter feeling like he's broken somehow for not feeling what the others are feeling, thinking there must be something wrong with him since everyone else is falling in love, viewing himself as unloveable because platonic love isn't enough when everyone else has a brilliant romance, turning to the Dark Lord because he's been left behind but maybe this will fix him... and then losing that platonic love too and realising he didn't need fixing after all and his friends were enough, but now it's too late. So, anyway, ace!Peter makes me sad.

Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) "There's never been anything romantic between Gale and me." This is 100% because Gale is a walking red flag but I'll take it as an aroace thing too. “Remember, we’re madly in love, so it’s all right to kiss me any time you feel like it.” The fact she didn't fall head-over-heels in love with Peeta as soon as he said this is honestly all the evidence I need. Also trying to act like you're madly in love with someone? I know it was for survival but, again, I'll take what I can get. "What I need is the dandelion in the spring... And only Peeta can give me that." This is not an allosexual relationship, I will not change my mind. Personally, I think Katniss is probably demisexual and I love her for that.

The Doctor (Doctor Who) If I had a nickel for every time David Tennant played an 'immortal' genderfluid asexual non-human who loves the stars and humanity, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice. But, yeah, the Doctor is asexual, that's just canon for me (and David Tennant said it too soooooooo).

Zoe Nightshade (Percy Jackson) The Hunters of Artemis are a sisterhood that requires you to swear off love and relations with men. Oh no, what a sacrifice! Come to think of it, she also has a connection to the stars - this is becoming a recurring thing.

Artemis, Athena, and Hestia (Greek Mythology) The fact there is a trio of asexual goddesses will never not make me so happy. In the Homeric Hymns, 5, To Aphrodite, Aphrodite is described as having "no power" over these three, which basically just confirms what everyone was already thinking. Artemis is quite literally the Maiden Goddess, who asks her father, Zeus, to forever remain a virgin and protect those who wish the same. Athena never took on any lovers (and in the Percy Jackson series, her children are conceived through her thoughts and born in the same way she was). And Hestia just wanted to be left alone with her hearth, also never marrying or having children.

Barbie (Barbie) "To do what?" Girlie literally has nothing going on down there (for the majority of the movie, idk what happened at the end) and doesn't understand why Ken wants to stay over because they're girlfriend boyfriend. The point of the Barbies is that they show women can be everything so, legally, no one can stop me saying she's an asexual icon.

Regulus Black (Harry Potter) I apologise to all the Jegulus stans out there but you can pry Regulus from my cold, dead hands. Asexual and Bi/Pan friendships are my absolute favourite (shout out to me and my bestie <3) and that is exactly what he's got with Pandora. Also, after Sirius was disowned, the responsibility of continuing the Black family line would fall to Regulus and that aroace pressure makes for some beautiful angst. And it means he's okay with sacrificing himself because at least he won't have to force a life he doesn't want. Why does the Marauders era always turn so sad so quickly?

Inej Ghafa (Six of Crows) Again with the Asexual and Bi/Pan friendships - I'm really just projecting myself and my best friend onto Inej and Nina, but who's going to stop me?

Elsa (Frozen) and Merida (Brave) Watch out, Disney; I'm coming for all of your princesses. I'm putting these two together because they could be asexual but I could also see them as lesbians - or maybe they're both.

Charlie Weasley (Harry Potter) He is the blueprint. Mum wants me to get married and settle down? Yeah, okay, but have you heard about dragons?

Newt Scamander (Fantastic Beasts) He is also the blueprint. Yeah, okay, but have you heard about every beast to ever exist ever?

I could keep going but I won't (for now). But honestly, we need more asexual characters in media because we're so underrepresented and it's such a serotonin boost. Like in S4 of Sex Education, I actively gasped and had such a big smile on my face when O came out as ace (at the representation, not the being forced to come out). Anyway, Happy Asexual Visibility Week!

[lavendermin]

busy. try again later | welt yang

pairing | welt yang x reader

wc | 2.6k

genre | fluff, implied secret relationships, lighthearted banter

warnings | suggestive but nothing explicit, pregnancy, written following the pov of Stelle around the express, welt is railing your stars on the down low

Idleness. Boredom. It left Stelle a little fidgety when there was a slight break from major tasks. The Astral Express was currently stationed near Jarilo VI for a quick visit. No major missions were queued up and if she counted all the visible stars outside the window of the main parlor car for the 44th time she would surely lose her mind.

‘I should go check with the others. Maybe there’s something I can do… or risk losing my mind like this.’ Stelle hops off the parlor car seat and heads toward the passenger cabin.

A soft knock to the first door. No answer.

“This is technically a public room on the Express. You don’t have to knock every time you stop by,” Dan Heng responds flatly without looking up from a few open books on the table.

“It's still your room,” Stelle counters with a shrug, eyes skimming the room curiously.

Dan Heng lets out a quiet sigh that ends in a chuckle. He turns to look at her fully, arms crossed over his chest. “Something on your mind?”

“Just checking in. Need any help?”

“No, I’m busy but it would take longer to explain than the task would take. Try March. She wanted to head into Belobog to restock on some supplies while we’re still here.”

With a nod Stelle turns to head out of the data bank. Dan Heng watches the door slide shut, letting out a quiet exhale before getting back to the various books he has to sort through for information.

Oddly enough, Stelle finds Himeko standing just outside March’s door speaking to the newest Astral Express member. They don’t seem to pay Stelle any mind as she walks over.

“Are you sure? It would make a lovely walk,” Himeko offers. You shake your head and offer an apologetic smile.

“No, no, I’ll be okay. I’m pretty busy today with some… errands,” you reason, hands tugging and fidgeting with the hem of your shirt. “I’ll go next time.”

Himeko relents and sends you on your way. You quickly disappear down the hall toward the passenger car over where your room is. “Stelle, would you like to join March and myself on a quick trip to Belobog?”

She nods with a small smile. “If you’re not heading out too soon I’ll join you.” There were still a few others Stelle wanted to check in with just in case. You said you had some errands to do today so maybe Stelle could help.

Understanding her current little task, Himeko assures Stelle that they’ll be heading out in about an hour so there’s not much of a rush. March has been known to take a little longer than most at getting ready if it’s just a casual outing. The soft music and humming coming from her door gave way to the fact that Himeko had been waiting for longer than originally planned. She stays for some idle chatter to help Himeko kill some time as she waits before continuing down the rooms.

The door all the way at the end of the hall— Welt Yang’s room. Stelle gives a firm few knocks.

Silence.

She tries the door but, as always, it oddly doesn’t even budge an inch. He might be elsewhere on the train or engrossed in a new book so much he didn’t hear her knock. Well, it’s not like he usually needs help. More often than not Welt is the one offering help to those that approach him. Best to leave it at that for now. There was an attempt at least and that sat okay with her conscience.

Onto the cart over, your room is the only one in use save for the guest room just next to yours that will occasionally house a visitor. Stelle approaches and knocks.

There’s muffled shuffling on the other side and a hasty, ‘Just a minute!’ The hand that was reaching for the door handle pauses and instead Stelle waits patiently for you to answer.

The door slides open just enough for your breathless face to come into view. “Sorry I was, uhm, reorganizing my room a bit. It’s a mess,” you chuckle apologetically.

Stelle quirks a brow at your slightly disheveled appearance when you step outside into the hall and shut the door behind you softly.

“If you’re moving furniture I can help. Don’t hurt yourself,” Stelle offers with a kind smile. As much as you appreciate the offer you quickly shake your head.

“No, no, I’m fine. Almost done putting stuff away. Thank you for the offer anyway. If you’re looking for something to do, Pom-Pom might need help now that I think about it.” You quickly divert the conversation. “He was looking a little troubled the past couple of days.”

That being said, the conductor always has something troubling them. Pom-Pom was a busy bee every day keeping the Express in top condition and takes pride in doing so. Still, it didn’t hurt to check on him before heading out with Himeko and March.

You wave your brief thank you and goodbye, a polite yet nervous smile on your expression. Stelle subconsciously makes note of the way you don’t head back into your room until she leaves. Everyone on this train has secrets and with you being the newest member of a few months, she couldn’t fault you for being a little more reserved as you got adjusted.

And just as you said, Stelle comes across the train’s conductor who is uneasily sweeping around the parlor car to keep busy. Even the slight tap of the conductor's hat to get their attention makes him yelp before realizing it’s just Stelle and not whatever terrifying end Pom-Pom thought was finally catching up to him.

“Stelle…” Pom-Pom clearly looks uneasy and distressed.

“Something on your mind?” Stelle asks.

Pom-Pom glances around, looks behind some chairs, under a table, and hobbles back over to Stelle. The little conductor’s face scrunches in thought.

“Lately, Pom-Pom can’t help but feel that there’s something that changed on the Express. Like there’s another faint presence at times.” A look of fear crosses his face and Pom-Pom gulps down a few stray scary thoughts. “Stelle, do you think a ghost could have followed you onboard in your travels?”

She looks around. One end of the cabin is empty save for Dan Heng who heads out of the Express alone. The other end is just as desolate— not a single movement.

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Stelle notes. “Are you sure it was a presence you felt? Have you been sleeping well?”

The conductor stomps his little foot down angrily. “H-Hey! Pom-Pom knows what he felt! Sleep is not the issue,” the little rabbit argues with a huff. “But, please go take a look around the Express and make sure a stray animal or something didn’t get on board accidentally.”

It really was strange if what Pom-Pom is saying is true. Generally, Stelle is quick to pick up on something amiss but nothing has seemed out of the ordinary lately. Still, to give Pom-Pom the ease of mind she takes another more thorough look around the parlor car. Nothing under the seats, hands swatted away from Pom-Pom’s plant, not a sound or sight out of place.

Stelle turns to the conductor who has started trailing behind with concerned eyes that shift around the room. “Pom-Pom, do you feel this presence right now?”

He takes a moment and scans the room, then shakes his head. “Well, no… But what if it’s hiding? Waiting for an opportunity to eat a tasty conductor?”

“Like a giant space rat?” Stelle quips with a laugh.

Pom-Pom lets out a whimper. “Hey! Stop trying to scare Pom-Pom!”

She puts up her hands defensively with a chuckle. “Alright, if you don’t sense it here maybe we should look around the other cars to figure it out,” Stelle suggests.

Though uneasy, Pom-Pom agrees. “Okay, but if something attacks it’s your job to protect and save Pom-Pom!”

Stelle agrees if only to calm down the fidgety conductor.

In the first passenger cart Himeko and March are now chatting among themselves about their plan for the outing. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. Stelle takes another look around with Pom-Pom in tow.

“Any presence here?”

The little rabbit shakes his head. “N-No… But Pom-Pom swears it’s somewhere!”

“Did you lose a button again, Pom-Pom?” March asks curiously as the two look around the cart.

Stelle shakes her head, quickly explaining the situation to save the conductor some stress. At this point he’s practically glued to Stelle’s leg, eyes shifting to and fro.

March forces out a shaky laugh that only gives way to her nerves. “Oh, haha… A space rat wouldn’t be on the Express… I hope.”

And maybe everything at once was a little too much for the little conductor. So much that he momentarily snaps. Which isn’t too extreme given Pom-Pom’s stature. “Stop, stop! Pom-Pom did not sense a space rat!”

It’s lighthearted banter at best between March and Pom-Pom. Just enough to at least alleviate some tension from this little unsolved train mystery. Stelle is in the middle of brainstorming any other possible reasons when the other passenger car door opens down the hall.

Your head peeks out to assess the situation, clearly on alert due to the loud bickering. As soon as you see the group down the hall you let out a little sigh of relief and head over.

“What’s all the commotion?” you ask Himeko.

She offers a shrug and a hand gesture that indicates it’s nothing too big of a deal. And it would seem that way, that is until Pom-Pom lets out a shriek.

“Th-There it is!” he yells, jumping behind March and Stelle. “The presence came in with Y/n!”

All eyes are on you and you’re hopelessly teetering between confused and dreading the next moments.

“The presence came in with Y/n,” Himeko muses calmly. She lets out a sly little chuckle, one that knows too much while keeping a perfect poker face. “Pom-Pom, do you think perhaps the presence is with Y/n?”

The conductor finally peeks from where he hides, uncovering his eyes. “O-Oh. Pom-Pom didn’t think of that… Passenger Y/n,” the rabbit starts as he cautiously waddles over to you. “Please hold still.”

Oh no.

Oh no. Oh no.

You don’t even get a word in. The tiny robot that Pom-Pom uses is quicker than you can register as it gives a brief scan of your form. The conductor is silent as his eyes quickly scan the data displayed on its tiny screen. The little gasp he lets out only further forms a cold sweat down your neck.

“Passenger Y/n… you’re carrying a tiny being,” Pom-Pom finally announces with a look of awe and confusion.

“Please don’t call it that,” you interject with a nervous laugh. “It’s just a baby Pom-Pom.”

March is the first to snap out of the momentary shock, her jaw dropped. “What?! You’re pregnant?! A baby?! Since when?!”

“Calculated to be an approximate nine or ten weeks of development so far,” Pom-Pom clarifies, eyes glued to the data.

“And there you have it,” Himeko concludes. “Our little mystery is solved for the presence Pom-Pom felt. I’d say that’s excellent teamwork as always from our Astral Express family.”

And it seems to be a satisfying enough conclusion for Pom-Pom thankfully.

“Well if there’s no real danger to the Express, Pom-Pom will be leaving. There’s much to do!” And with that the little conductor scurries off to the main parlor car.

The passenger car door shuts and March is immediately an explosive flurry of questions. Her insatiable curiosity leaves her speaking faster than she can really stop to properly think through. She’s next to you in less than a second, her hand gently on your stomach as she looks from your barely-noticeable bump to your uneasy expression. The questions are nonstop and practically all in one breath, one after another.

Did you know? When did you find out? Are you dizzy? Eating enough? Any pain? Have you contacted Natasha yet for a checkup? Any names? There’s an audible gasp as March pauses with a new train of thought, or maybe to take in air after the barrage of questions.

“Who’s the father? Don’t tell me it’s someone on the Express,” she interrogates further. Your nervous smile and avoidance of eye-contact is all the body language she needs to confirm her suspicion.

You push her away gently, suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed by all the questions. “March, p-please. You don’t have to worr–“

Amidst the chaos of the new shocking revelation, Dan Heng returns from his unannounced outing. March is quick to snap her gaze at him. It only takes a split second for her to put two and two together in her mind.

“Dan Heng… you jerk!” March lunges at him, shaking his shoulders wildly. “Not using protection?! Are you serious right now?! Are you even supporting her at such a crucial point in her life?! You better not run off and ditch her because I’ll find you and drag you back frozen if I have to!”

It’s comedic, despite the chaos, how expressionless but uncomfortable Dan Heng looks right now. He just lets March give him an earful before prying her hands off of him.

“March. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I just got back,” he explains calmly.

The tears of passion and frustration are brimming on March’s eyes. You can only watch the scene unfold with mild unease, a hand protectively on your belly.

March huffs with a pout, hands on her hips. “Y/n is around nine weeks pregnant and you are hardly any help.”

“Wait, March—“ You try to stop her, face warm with embarrassment, but she’s too caught up in her passionate berating to listen.

March and Dan Heng are bickering back and forth without end when the door to the second passenger car opens soundlessly.

“It’s not me. And it’s not my problem if you don’t believe me.”

March lets out an exasperated groan. “If you haven’t noticed, there aren’t that many guys on the Express. I just don’t see how–“

“Is there trouble?” Welt interrupts as he comes up behind you and Himeko. He looks to the latter for explanation but she can only let out an amused chuckle. The knowing glint in her eye has you swallowing a whimper.

“March,” you start, face growing warmer by the second as you try to stop her to no avail. But everyone notices it— the way your body instinctively turns toward Welt.

March halts, voice growing smaller by the second as the words come out. “If it’s not… Dan Heng…”

Everyone watches as March reassesses her thoughts in real time now that Welt is there. Slowly the truth unfolds and you watch as her eyes grow wider by the second, jaw dropped.

“Mr. Yang?!”

The older man seems taken aback by her sudden exclamation. He looks to you for further explanation but you’re too flustered to speak. Your silence and averted gaze only further confirms March’s new theory that you two were sleeping together… and for quite some time now.

“Will someone care to explain what’s going on?” Welt asks with a sigh and pinch to the bridge of his nose.

There’s a chuckle that comes from beside him as Himeko interjects. “It seems our crew just found out about the result of your many little… escapades. But,” she continues, “We’re all adults here. Everyone’s private matters are to be respected. And we will all receive the future little addition to the Astral Express Family warmly.” She shoots a meaningful look at March, Stelle and Dan Heng.

They all nod solemnly.

“Oh,” Stelle begins with a look of realization. “So that’s what you two were doing when I stopped by her room.”

[starlightsreigns]

finally getting around to writing and editing a roman series, and I'm so excited for everyone to see it... so here's a quick sneak peek. this from a random chapter. a lemonade series ; coming soon x

The water felt warm against my skin. If today’s the day I was to die, I’d be at peace, right here, in the ocean. The sun warms my stomach as I float lazily. In the early mornings, the beach was thankfully empty enough for me to completely wipe my mind of all the pain, anger, and hate that filled it. 

A sigh escapes my lips when I open my eyes. The stars are still semi-visible even with the now-rising sun. This was perfect. How can I ever go back to my reality where everything is now a mess? How can I face everyone who seems to know the truth – even if they don’t utter the words aloud. We all know. 

“Mellie,” His voice echoes around me. 

I wish it was his ghost, but I know it’s him in the flesh. The waves around me flutter with more force. His voice louder now. 

“I knew I’d find you here,” He speaks softly. “I called this morning.” 

My eyes slowly close when I feel his arm on my shoulder, “Please, I’m trying to find myself.” 

Roman doesn’t say anything else for a while. We watch the sun come up, and for the first time in months, we’re one. I want to give all the thanks to the ocean, that’s what’s bringing us together. But, can I accept that? This can’t be how it ends, and unfortunately, this can’t be where we bridge the gap in our separation. 

Back on the beach, I wrap myself in my towel and take a seat on the now warm sand. Much to my dismay, Roman sits down beside me. 

“Mel, please.” 

There’s a part of me that wants to fight. It wants to continue screaming and pushing, but the other part is tired. I finally meet his eyes with a sad sigh. His eyes are big, and they’re pleading with me. So for the first time in a while, I crack under the pressure. 

“Losing you will kill me, and I’ll regret this for the rest of my life,” 

soooo excited and i've come up with a new aesthetic that'll debut with the series. see u soon! xx

[pastanest]

if you’re wondering why I’m having to repost this, or why you were perhaps previously following me but no longer are, please refer to this post. I was able to retrieve this thanks to the very lovely friends who have relentlessly sifted through tumblr archives to recover them, thank you all so much!! ♡

Courting Aragorn Would Include

- well we’ve all seen, and some of us have read, what it’s like to be in a romantic relationship with Aragorn, so we’re all pretty familiar with the territory

- however I would just like to take this opportunity to personally apologise to Arwen for this blasphemy ok we all stan u bb

- you’ll have to prepare yourself for some brooding angst if Aragorn is the one you plan to give your heart to

- it’ll also take a while to break down those angsty walls of his, he’s a difficult egg to crack

- but once you do get past his harsh and quiet exterior, he will love you more than anything in existence

- you wont have been prepared for a love this strong, and it will be incredibly intense, so strap yourself in

- as a lowkey royal figure, he’s more naturally accustomed to the art of courting, rather than casual dating that is consistent among the species of men

- courting in itself will include bouquets of flowers, which he has picked himself, being delivered to your front door with handwritten love letters from him

- Aragorn will be as patient as you need him to be, and because he’s already smitten, going at your pace wont bother him at all

- given the amount of time he has spent travelling, he’s bound to know some incredible romantic spots for picnics, campfires, stargazing, skinny dipping; anything you can possibly think of

- he wont treat you like a queen, because let’s not forget he isnt a big fan of royal positions to begin with, but he will look at you everyday like you are an angel at his side, and he will thank his lucky stars that you chose him to bare the weight of your heart

- and this doesnt change even when the process of courting is complete

- once you’re officially bound to him, his intense love for you will be visible to anyone that sees him

- Aragorn isnt big on aggressive PDA, he’s a very gentle man, but he does adore playing with your hair and holding your hands

- forehead kisses are a given

- linking back to his brooding, he’s quite stressed a lot of the time, and you will often give him shoulder and back massages to ease his physical tension

- over time, he loses the embarrassment brought on by asking for a massage, and will ask without hesitation, because he falls in love with your touch

- if anyone tries to sway your heart away from his, Aragorn will not hesitate to destroy them first with words, and then - if their poor attempts at persuasion continue - with a blade

- your heart could never be swayed from his, of course, but the mere act of someone trying to achieve such a thing is enough reason for him to be royally upset

- as already mentioned, Aragorn is very intense, and this comes across through his physical affection in moments shared between just the two of you

- when you’re enveloped by his arms, with your head on his chest and his heart beating in harmony with yours, words are no longer necessary

- and when he stares into your eyes, you catch a glimpse of the seas of turmoil, which now have rays of light beaming down on them, the light of your love for him

- he can never find words strong enough to describe his love for you, he chooses instead to express himself through his actions

- lying in bed on your sides, facing each other, your legs intertwined, his fingers caressing the side of your face as his eyes stare into yours, and your souls embracing each other

- when Aragorn loves, he loves more than any other creature possibly could, and if you are lucky enough to find yourself loved by such a man, dont let yourself forget, not even for a moment, that you are the luckiest person in Middle-earth

[nothingkillsyoulikeyourmind105]

“I’m Scared”

TW-None

Master List

Keegan Russ

-a/n- this one is visibly in view and does let me know @ave661 tumblr account. This was pure laziness on not crediting the artist. I apologize again.

Credit to @ave661

“I’m scared Keegs”

*clinging to his arm and breathing heavily and tears falling down her cheeks*

“Kid? Look at me?”

*he sighs and gathers his thoughts before speaking again to her*

I’m so sorry baby look at me. We’re gonna make it out together. Me and you.”

The sounds of gunfire getting louder and closer. Sounds of explosions getting closer as well. He looks out the window looking for a way to escape and he tries to call Hesh and Logan on his radio. It’s all static. He looks back at (y/n). Seeing how scared she is makes his heartbreak and he starts to tremble with fear. He knows they can’t be captured.

Looking at his beloved trembling face. He walks over to her grabbing her face in his hands he kisses her passionately. Soft moans escape her lips and his lips.

“Baby look at me, you have to trust me okay?

*he presses his forehead against hers looking down at her*

She trembles with fear. She nods her head to him.

“Okay”

She sighs and bites down on her lower lip looking at him.*

“Baby you see the building right there?

He points to the building across them. He holds her close to his chest. He smells the rose shampoo smell from hair. The smell makes him calm down and think of her safety more then his.

“Yeah?”

She trembles and answers his weakly. She clings to his vest with desperation.

“I’m gonna throw you across okay”

He looks around, he has to make a decision quickly. Time is running out.

“Baby don’t leave me alone. I want you to be with me I’m not going alone.”

She realizes he only mentions her. And that he’s not gonna be joining her.

“(Y/N) I love you okay!”

He grabs her gently holding her face so she can look at him and listen to him.

“Please don’t fight with me on this?”

“I will find my way around, I can’t have you here if they find us. These men will not treat you with respect. They will do horrific things to you. I don’t want them to touch you. I will do anything, anything in the world to protect you my love. You mean everything to me. Your my moon to my night sky, the stars that light up my entire sky. Without you, being my stars I have no way on navigating my way back to you.”

He gets shy but he finally allows all of his emotions out to her. He starts to speak from the heart.

“I will always find my way back to you (y/n). I know you’re scared, I’m scared too. But I’m more scared of losing you. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

His eyes start to water up.

“I would never forgive myself for that.”

He wipes the tears from his eyes. Smearing the black paint on his face.

She blushes at his response. She starts to cry, she grabs his and holding him in a tight embrace. She cry’s into his vest.

“Keegan Russ I love you. I love you so much. My love for you is like all the worlds beaches. Every grain of sand is how much I love you.”

“Keegan please come back to me. I won’t be able to survive without you in this life if I lose you.”

“I will always come back to you. I will always find my way back to you and to hold you in my arms.”

He hugs her tightly. Holding her close he feels her warmth.

Keegan opens the window looking around to see if any of the federation soldiers are near by. He quickly gathers his things and her stuff. She nods to him that’s she ready.

“I’m sorry about this baby it’s gonna hurt like hell.”

He throws her to the building next to them. She lands hard on the roof and scrapes her arms and elbows I’m the process. She rolls over and see Keegan standing there. She hears the sounds of someone trying to break open the door where Keegan is at.

“Keegs jump now!”

Keegan looks around him and he nods to her. He turns around and gets a running start. He jumps across to her. She runs to the edge she grabs his arms and catches him.

He dangles from the side of the building. She gasps with fear and pain as she caught her lover.

“Baby hold on, I’m not gonna let you go, hold on!”

She gasps and panting heavily as she pulls him up.

She pulls him up and they hide together on the roof top. He uses his body to shield her in case someone starts to shoot. The static on her radio crackles with the sound of Hesh voice. She perks up to the familiar voice.

“Baby it’s Hesh”

She passes the radio to him. She sighs with excitement.

“Hesh this is Keegan do you copy over”

He takes the radio and answers with relief.

“Keegan hear you loud and clear. What’s your twenty?”

“We thought we lost you? Is (y/n) with you?”

Hesh is relieved to know Keegan is alive but he worries for (y/n).

“Yeah she’s with me we’re okay. We need help we’re trapped on a rooftop. We don’t have enough ammo to get us out of here without a fight.”

“I can give a description of our location”

Keegan describes the location to Hesh over the radio.

“Sit tight we’re coming”

Hesh ends his call.

The federation search team walk pass them and they continue their patrols and advance forward. The others a ghosts show up be rescue Keegan and (Y/N). As they are leaving she holds Keegans hand as they make their way to safety.

-A Few Days Later-

“Keegan I love you more then you know. I will always be there at your side no matter the cost. If I have to sacrifice myself to be with you I will do it in a heartbeat. My life isn’t complete without you.”

“I’ve always been honest with you. And this is me being honest to you.”

She smiles to him. Looking up to him.

“Yes! Yes Keegan I will agree to be Mrs Keegan Russ. I know you asked me before and I had cold feet at the time. But this time yes, yes, I want to be with you forever. I want to be Mrs Keegan Russ.”

She holds out her hands to him

Keegan smiles to her pulling the wall blue box from his pocket.

He takes the ring out to place it on her finger.

She starts to cry. She hugs him tightly.

Keegan looks at his fiancée. He smiles to her kissing her forehead.

“(Y/N) we have a wedding to plan now.”

She looks at her engagement ring and jumps into Keegans arms. He picks her up bridal style and carries her to the ghosts to announce their news to them.

[cosmic-consumption-au]

Chapter 6 - A Two Star Consolation

That night you have no real dreams of note, the only one you can remember being you riding on a strange small ride of sorts in a darkless void. You woke up after losing your last coin that supposedly kept the ride going in a grate that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

You are confused.

Either way, you try to not think about it too much seeing how nonsensical it was. You have something else to worry about today, and it’s not traveling.

When you all gather for breakfast, Loop is surprisingly still asleep on the couch, positioned like they’d just been hit by a wagon.

(They deserve to sleep in…just a little longer.)

However, Bonnie will not let this atrocity go unpunished. They stomp up to them, inhale, and scream before you can take action to stop them.

“LOOOOOP!!!!” You and your friends flinch at their volume, and Loop seemingly jumps up like a cat in surprise with a scream.

“WHAT’S HAPPENING, IS THE WORLD ENDING?!?!” Since they’re in their star form, the sparks and sparkles are much more visible and you can’t help but laugh.

“HAHAHAHA!!! You look like a cat!” You point at Loop, who looks rather angry at you for this comment.

“Oh, haha. How funny,” They sit up and roll their eyes at you. They do their strange ripple-like transformation back into their more humanoid form with a stretch. “I really need to find some way to make this stick…” Loop seems a little…disappointed by this.

Nonetheless, Loop joins the rest of you and eats as if they were starving once again. Only this time, they feel the consequences of fast eating, placing their face down on the table with a pained groan.

“Yeah. Can’t gorge yourself,” Odile lectures with a chuckle and a smirk as she shakes her head.

After everyone gets everything set up, Mirabelle realizes something and turns to Loop. “Oh! Loop! Since we’ll probably be outside for a while, do you need some sleeping supplies?”

Everyone kind of side-eyes them in a similar question.

“Not really,” Loop shrugs. “I’ve been rather warm to say the least, so less stuff on me the better.”

You still aren’t sure just how hot Loop is, being a star and all. When you fought them, they felt like an overheated person rather than a flame though.

(Grabbing their face didn’t burn me, and neither did pinning them down. If it did, that fight would have had a very different outcome.)

You kind of shudder, wondering what would have even happened.

(Best not to think about it.)

The party heads out of the city, luckily having to wade through a less crowded street. Since you’re changing directions, it will take longer than expected to come across another town by night.

Walking along a path through a grassy field in silence is…you could cut the tension between you and Loop with a knife. You occasionally look over at them, but look away when they notice you. However, when you notice them looking at you, they don’t look away.

(That look…you’ve seen it before. Back in the loops…)

“Ya know,” Nille says, looking back at the two of you. “You two kinda look like siblings!”

Her chuckles make it seem like a little joke, but it unintentionally leaves the two of you kind of uncomfortable.

“Teehee! I guess we do, huh?~” Loop laughs it off with a forced smile.

“Maybe that’d be a good cover story?” You raise an eyebrow at them.

(It’ll be easier to tell strangers we’re related than the same person.)

Odile overhears your plan, and hums an agreement. “It would be more believable.”

“Guess it’s settled! Me and stardust are siblings, as far as the world is concerned,” Loop nods.

Even if they’ve fooled everyone, you know Loop isn’t exactly stoked about this idea. Having a proper face already gave them away, but you can see faint sparkles come off them for a moment.

All of you keep walking in a tense silence, everyone obviously wanting to say something but not having the guts to do so. Even Bonnie seems hesitant to start a conversation.

By the time it’s noon, you all settle down for a lunch break on a nearby field of lush grass. Loop, despite having socialized with them yesterday, diverts from the group to sit alone. Everyone seems a little worried, looking at one another with questioning looks.

“Did we do something wrong?” Mira asks, looking at you with an anxious stare.

“Um…” You aren’t sure what to say. “Maybe they’re just…recharging? They did talk to you guys a lot yesterday.”

Everyone seems to be satisfied with that answer, but Bonnie got another idea by ‘recharge’.

“Oooh, so they’re like glow-in-the-dark?” They seem convinced of this hypothesis.

You laugh at this. “Yeah, maybe!”

“Well, since you’re kinda them,” Bonnie takes some praline chips out of their bag. “Could you give them these? They said they like bananas, and pralines are close enough, right?”

You take the chips with a nod. “I’m sure they’ll be thankful for these! It’ll help recharge their glow.”

Isa chuckles a little at you fueling their little theory, and you respond with a cute wink at him.

Loop’s sitting still, their new hair ruffled by the wind. You still feel the tension between you two as you shuffle closer to them.

“Hey,” you say in a nervous tone, “got some praline chips for you…”

They hum an answer, extending a hand for the chips. They look over them with a stoic look.

“Praline chips, huh?” They chuckle coldly. “I suppose enough time has passed.”

With a shrug they eat the chips. You’re honestly sick of this tension, and decide to be blunt.

“Ok, what is it?” You stare down at them, and they look back with a raised eyebrow. “I thought we made up! Why do you still have this…this problem with me?! Did I do something? Why can’t we just move on?”

You didn’t mean to be that blunt, but your emotions got the better of you. Loop looks up at you with raised eyebrows, seeming shocked by this outburst, but not surprised.

“Guess I haven’t been…the most transparent when it comes to my thoughts and feelings lately.” They rub one of their arms nervously. You sit down next to them, so you two are more or less at equal height. “Ok,” they sigh out, looking a little less tense. “So I did talk to…them yesterday. That wasn’t a lie. But…I didn’t tell them about our little…disagreement at the end.”

You can’t really blame them for leaving that part out. You’re not sure now they’d take it, but odds are; not well.

“I just…I miss them, you know?” They continue, looking up at the sky. “They aren’t…them. Just your versions of them. I really thought…I was going to see them again, after our fight. Either that or dying, I was happy to take either one. But…The Universe just…repurposed me, I guess. I looked like a star, so I was a star. Seems like solid logic, right?” They laugh darkly at this, seemingly bitter about this. “It wasn’t that bad to be honest. Even if I missed them, I had developed a sickly pleasant heartache that was oddly…comforting. So in a twisted way, I kind of liked the isolation. I was able to see the stars up close, and felt at some kind of peace. But then I…”

They slow their words down, and wince before rubbing their temples. “I saw…” They look in pain at the mere thought of whatever they’re remembering, and you worriedly reach a hand towards them.

“It wasn’t good, I can tell you that,” they eventually respond, still rubbing their head. “It’s similar to our country, I think; the headache thing that keeps happening to me?” They explain in a half questioning tone, looking to you for some kind of confirmation. You nod a little, putting it together that they really can’t explain what they saw out there.

“Either way, it was enough to snap me out of my bittersweet bliss, and caused me to fall back here. Blinding hurt, but I’m still standing here aren’t I?” They look over to you with a small shrug. 

You think back on the dream you had, seeing some similarities.

(Was this some kind of connection to them? That’d explain the wish acting up suddenly.)

Even when you try, you can’t pin down what it was you saw that caused you to fall away from the stars. But you can agree with Loop on one thing.

Whatever it was, it was bad.

“Aside from the Universe deciding to just let me see horrors beyond comprehension and throwing me back here,” Loop continues with minor annoyance in their tone, “I…I still…I’m still mad at you. I still kind of want to…I don’t know, take your place? But honestly, we both know that’s a stupid idea. Even if I could easily morph my body to look more like you, steal your clothes, and say you just ran away or something…it’s too much of a hassle for me.” They wink with a smirk as if to write it off as a joke.

Even as a dark joke, it still makes you shiver for a second.

You smile and laugh nervously to brush it off too.

Loop sighs and looks away, their face dropping from its almost manic expression.

The two of you stare off for a while before speaking again.

“Well,” you say to break the silence, “I am genuinely glad you’re back! I hoped that you could get another chance. You’ve changed so much…literally!”

Their eyes shift to look at you, but they still face ahead.

You continue speaking. “You aren’t me. That’s been apparent. And it’s not just because you got all starry and stuff; it’s because you experienced the House differently. You stood by me and watched from the sidelines, a different role! You weren’t the ‘hero’ anymore. But that didn’t make you worth any less. It just gave you a different perspective. And now…you can go forward with those new understandings, and you can go on a different path.”

Loop stays quiet for a while, and you don’t look at them for a while so as not to make them uncomfortable.

Then you hear sniffing.

You turn a little to see Loop holding back tears and failing, big drops beading along their narrowed eyes.

You aren’t sure what to do, so you just worriedly look around and hold your hands in front of you.

“You blinding crab…” Loop’s voice cracks as they cover their eyes with the palms of their hands. “We both know we don’t deserve this.”

You chuckle a little with some tears in your own eyes. “You’re right.”

They look a little caught off guard as they peek one eye out at you with confusion behind the tears.

“We don’t. But you do.” You smile at them warmly, trying to reassure them with a simple expression.

They move their hands down and wrap their arms around their legs in a hug. Still crying, but a bit less than before.

(They’re probably just too dehydrated to keep crying.)

You offer them your water canister, which they take after some hesitation. They chug it for a while before they give an empty canister back to you.

You’re a little annoyed, but glad they’re hydrated nonetheless.

They go back to looking ahead of themselves, but their eyes seem to be more…focused. More thoughtful.

“Thanks, Stardust.” They say in a much better off tone. “I needed that.”

You smile and gently pat their shoulder. “Anytime, Loop. Or whoever you choose to be.”

The two of you sit up and head back to the others together to chat and get some more food. After a while, the lunch break is over, and you all head back on the road.

-

Somewhere further away from the party, but following them for afar, a stranger lurks in the tree line.

“So…these are the saviors of Vaugarde, huh? Kinda…disappointing.” They say to themselves, a pair of arms on their hips as they pout. 

“A child…a traveler…a Housemaiden…a Defender…and those two…mmm…yes, I think this will be ‘fun’. At least, those two will be something. And I can tell…they’re sick too! Sad it took people in Vaugarde too…a shame.”

A pair of arms shrug and they chuckle with a smirk before continuing their dialogue. “I’ll leave them be for now. After all…it’s not like it’s going to get more broken.” They laugh at that last line, wiping a tear away with a hand as they clutch their sides.

“Well, whatever. Everything’s rotting anyway. I’m sure the world won’t mind if I waste a few more days observing before I make another futile effort.”

Without another word, they step back further into the tree line, low hanging branches being snapped out of their way.

End of Chapter 6

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Previous - Masterpost - Next

[palfriendpatine66]

oooh abba lyrics? Love that! #47 there was something in the air that night with Obikin 💖

ABBA song lyric prompts

Hello there! Coming at you with a quiet post battle celebration (look at me trying out these snippets in the gffa!) apparently I have no idea how to keep these things short. I hope you enjoy! 💕

The battle had dragged on and on. Grueling days and sleepless nights blended together into an indistinguishable blur of advance-fight-retreat-regroup. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

But then when weariness had taken hold, the exhaustion so deep it was hard to remember feeling any different, to think back to a time that wasn’t filled with the constant chaos and injury and destruction of war, the tide had shifted.

The 212th had broken through the blockade and met up with the 501st and together they were able to accomplish what they hadn’t been able to apart. By the time the sun had set they had driven the Separatist forces away and reclaimed the base.

There was something in the air that night, in the simple celebration that took place under the night sky. The clouds of acrid smoke had cleared and the stars were visible once more. Fires burned late into the night, far past when exhausted men should have been awake. Yet all around figures stayed close, pressed together and voices low, unwilling to part. Not when it had been so uncertain who would be left among the living when daylight broke once more.

The Generals were among those lingering. Kenobi looked as though he hadn’t slept in years and it was a real possibility that the only reason he remained seated in the warm glow of the fire was that he couldn’t find the energy to rise. Skywalker’s shoulder leaned against his side so they were effectively propping each other up; by all rights they should have collapsed long before.

Cody and Rex exchanged a knowing look and subtle nods after they’d fallen silent for an extended period, glazed eyes staring into the flames, their faces as blank as though they were deep in meditation - or else sleeping with their eyes open which, to the commander's knowledge, was a skill neither had yet achieve. Not for lack of trying.

“Generals,” Cody addressed them as he stood, holding his helmet under his arm in the loosest attention he was capable of. “We’re going to check in with the men one last time before we turn in.”

“Yes, of course, Commander.” Obi-Wan began the seemingly monumental process of shifting to rise but was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

“General Kenobi, sir. If I might be frank,” Cody paused.

“Go on.”

“It’s an honor to serve with you. Not all the troops are so lucky. Not all of the generals are there in the front lines with their men. Not all care whether their men live or die, see them as more than numbers.” Obi-Wan started to respond but his commander uncharacteristically talked over him. “BUT the battle is over now. You two should get some rest.” He nodded to them both before walking away brusquely.

“Neither of you are good to anybody dead,” Rex stated more curtly. “And it’s senseless to survive all of that,” he jerked his chin toward the battlefield, “just to die of exhaustion.”

“Understood, Captain,” Anakin dismissed him with a nod and a crooked smile. “What’s gotten into everybody,” he questioned wryly as the clone saluted and took his leave. “It’s like there was a truth serum in that ale - and it was about as weak as water. Even I’m not feeling anything, but everyone else has been sentimental.

“It’s not anything to do with the liquor, lightweight,” Obi-Wan lightly nudged his elbow into the younger man’s side. “I’m not sure how it looked on your side of things but on ours…it was pretty bleak,” Obi-Wan admitted. “We didn’t expect to break through. Most of the men were prepared that this battle would be their last. Staring down the reality that we might lose was eye opening.” He gave a deep exhale and then cleared his throat before adding on, “or so I would imagine.”

Anakin snorted. “Right.”

“What?”

“Just say it.”

“What? I have no energy left for guessing games.”

“You thought you were going to die,” Anakin’s voice broke at the end. “I did! I’m not ashamed to admit it. Why can’t you acknowledge your feelings, even if you did accept it like the perfect Jedi that you are?”

“Perfect Jedi,” Obi-Wan muttered under his breath. “You can’t be serious.”

The flickering light of the fire threw deep shadows over Anakin’s face, the dark angles rendering it unreadable as he awkwardly turned, still half pressed against the older man’s side, in an effort to look directly into the other’s eyes.

“Yes! Dammit Obi-Wan! I was afraid, alright? I was so afraid. Every hour, every minute, that I couldn’t get to you was an eternity. I knew how bad it was and if I didn’t get there in time you were going to die. I was going to break through and it was going to be too late.”

“Anakin.” The fire reflected in Obi-Wan’s eyes, flames dancing in the shadowy depths of his emotions. “I didn’t accept it.” He turned and they slid together, foreheads touching, looking directly into each other’s eyes. “I didn’t accept that it might be my time. I rejected it with every fiber of my being. I had to make it to you. Anything else was unacceptable.”

Long lashes blinked back at him, plush lips open but silent as the younger man attempted to assimilate the statements into his worldview. They didn’t match the one constant in the universe he could count on: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

“Besides,” Obi-Wan continued, “I knew it couldn’t be my time. Not yet.”

“Why not?” Anakin asked the easiest question of the many all racing through his mind, despite the protests of his dry throat.

“I’m just certain that when I go, it will be with you by my side.”

Obi-Wan’s lips twisted into a sad smile, and Anakin found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight. He’s never spent so long looking at his master’s lips. Not when they’d passed on patient lessons or the biting words of frustrated rebukes and lectures. Not when they’d planned shared trust and crafted battle plans. Now, chapped and rough and barely visible in the low light of the dying fire, he couldn’t have looked away if he’d tried.

As focused as he was, he didn't miss those lips coming closer to his own — although he couldn’t have said for certain who was responsible for moving them together. All he knew was that when they finally met in a soft kiss he felt a peace unlike anything he had ever known. Obi-Wan drew back and for a long time simply stared into his eyes, searching for answers to the question only he knew the details of. Finally found what he was looking for, bringing their lips together once more and finding they fit together like they were two halves of a whole.

“I’m really, very glad you’re here with me tonight,” Obi-Wan eventually admitted shakily into the breath of space between them.

“Me too.” Anakin closed the space once more, seeking the warmth and reassurance of the other’s presence as the embers died down and darkness grew. The stars were shining above, seemingly only for the two of them to see, and they were both there to see it. Together.

[eddiemunsonsmiddlefingers]

I was looking through my fic notes because I'm poking around at my long fic again (how has it been almost a year? oh my God) when I found this fix-it snippet that I will never finish, but personally like too much to let rot in a folder unseen. The assumption is that instead of going to the Creel house, the Party is trying to go directly to the Upside Down to fight Vecna there.

Enjoy?

---

Robin often questions her life choices.

Joining band? Good choice. 

Trying to kiss Jenny McNeil in 8th grade? Bad choice.

Getting a job at Scoops Ahoy? Really bad choice, because that’s what led to a long list of terrible events she would prefer to selectively forget. Not that she can do that, really, but you know. She can daydream sometimes.

The thing is, she’s currently sitting in a stolen Winnebago with Steve Harrington in the driver’s seat. That would be fine, given that becoming his best friend was one of her better decisions, except he’s hauling ass in reverse, his body painfully twisted around so he can see out the back window. He’s chanting “shit, shit, shit,” but as frantic as the words are, his hands are confident and his face has settled into a sort of calm determination that Robin knows all too well. She’s seen it before and knows what it means.

He thinks we’re going to die. She wishes she didn’t know Steve quite that well, but then again there are a lot of things she wishes she didn’t know right about now. That includes the fact that she, too, thinks they’re going to die. She could do without that thought for sure.

“Could you get us the hell out of here sometime this year, Steve?” Dustin is clinging to his seat opposite Robin, his eyes fixed on the strobing lights and angry mob visible through the windshield. He’s scared and angry all at once; Robin can practically feel him revving up to start yelling. 

“Can it Henderson,” Eddie says. He’s crouched behind the driver’s seat, his entire body folded in on itself to stay out of Steve’s way. He reminds Robin of a gargoyle with his dark clothes, tightly-coiled muscle, and ringed fingers clutching at his knees. “Stevie needs to concentrate or there won’t be enough of our remains left for the cops to care about.”

“That’s a bit—” Lucas loses what he’s about to say as they swerve around a corner and come to a screeching stop, “—morbid.” He looks behind them, at the concrete wall literally inches from his face, then turns back looking a little green. “Got it.”

“Hang on,” Steve says as he falls back in his seat and wrenches the wheel to the left. 

A moment later everyone is tumbling over each other as gravity shifts from front to back and they barrel forward. There are people running after them at first; Robin is pretty sure she sees Ms. O’Donnell carrying an actual pitchfork next to a kid named Lenny who used to talk her ear off about Star Wars every other day at Family Video. He has a hunting knife in one hand and a torch in the other tonight, and he’s yelling something she can’t hear. Monsters from an alternate dimension have nothing on the surreal impact of seeing her neighbors armed to the teeth and roving the streets like bloodthirsty lunatics. At least Robin isn’t the only one making terrible choices these days. It’s a small comfort, but it will have to do.

“There is no way we’re getting to my place through that crap.”

Eddie’s stating the obvious, as far as Robin’s concerned. They’ve tried every possible approach and been blocked at every one. Their options are give up or give in, and the latter isn’t truly an option at all. She’s relieved to see Lucas and Nancy nodding agreement. Dustin looks conflicted, but after a moment his chin jerks up as well. 

“Okay, so we’ll go to the lake,” Steve says.

“Can’t do that,” Erica calls from the very back where she’s sitting by Lucas.

“What, why?” Robin catches Steve’s eyes in the rearview mirror as he speaks; he looks tired and harassed, maybe ten seconds from a complete meltdown. “It’s massive; they can’t guard every inch of it.”

“The water would ruin our gear,” Nancy says. “No firepower, no fight.” Her lower lip is chewed pink and puffy and her eyes are somehow even bigger than usual, but she has her hands wrapped around her shotgun with confident ease.

“No music, no protection,” Lucas adds. He and Max aren’t going to the Upside Down, but he has a point. What if Vecna grabs one of them like he grabbed Max and Nancy? The Walkman tucked inside Robin’s vest suddenly feels much heavier. 

“That about covers it,” Erica acknowledges in a magnanimous tone.

“God damn it.” Steve drums his hands on the wheel as he guides them around a corner and into relative darkness. 

Dustin sits up suddenly. “We’re forgetting something.” Everyone looks at him and he rolls his eyes. “The reporter guy Nancy mentioned, remember? Frank.”

“Fred.”

“Right, Fred. Vecna took him, so there would be a gate where he died.”

“That’s practically on top of Forest Hills,” Steve says. “Crawling with angry locals and cops, remember? Not exactly accessible.”

Nancy straightens, her lips pursed in a way that indicates thinking cap on. “If we can find it fast enough, we might be okay. The police are more interested in catching a perverted mass-murderer—”

“Harsh,” Steve interjects, dry as old popcorn.

“—Than in guarding a cold crime scene, so—”

“—So let them have me and use the distraction to get to the gate.” Eddie starts out confident, but his voice breaks mid-sentence and then he’s burying his face in his hands with an odd strangled noise. “Jesus.”

“What? No!” Steve yelps. The RV lurches to the side as his head whips around. 

Robin lands on her knees next to Eddie before she even realizes she got up. “Hey,” she says, awkwardly patting at his arms, his shoulders, his hair and back. She doesn’t know what she’s doing, has no idea what to say, but Steve needs to drive and Dustin’s yelling at Nancy, and no one else is moving, so she’ll have to figure it out. “We’ve been over this, dingus. We’re not giving you up.”

“If you don’t, I will,” he whispers, looking up at her from behind the fingers caging his face. His cheeks are streaked with tears, and damn, Robin is really out of her depth here. “Chrissy’s family deserves justice and admit it, won’t you? My future’s looking pretty bleak.”

Nancy and Dustin’s voices clash in the background.

“Take a number and have a seat. Everyone’s future is looking pretty bleak right now,” Robin says. She hears Steve huff a pained sort of laugh. “We aren’t going to turn you in, and we won’t let you do it on your own, either. We kick Henry-Vecna-One’s slimy ass. Together. Then we sort out the rest. Also together.” 

She keeps talking, the words washing over one another. She wishes Eddie would stop crying. She wishes they were literally anywhere but hurtling toward certain death in a Winnebago that smells like stale smoke and armpits. She wishes she’d never even heard of the Upside Down, because maybe then she’d be hiding under her bed instead of talking down a guy who used to scare the living shit out of her. She sort of wishes Eddie still did—scare her that is—because at least that would make sense.

“If Hawkins can buy Will Byers coming back from the grave, it can deal with Eddie Munson being significantly less freaky than they thought he was. Jury’s out on whether your ego will survive, but you’re going to be fine. We’re all going to be fine,” she finds herself saying and yup, it’s time to stop talking because she’s officially hit the babbling phase.

Eddie unfolds without warning, arms spreading wide. The next thing Robin knows, she’s toppling into a hug that is somehow aggressively tight and shockingly gentle at the same time. She braces herself for an awkward come on, the sort of gratitude-driven romantic garbage that Harrington of yore once tried to pull, but all she gets is Eddie’s voice in her ear, husky and sincere as he whispers, “thanks, Buckley.” 

He squeezes her shoulders, then helps Robin settle against the opposite wall with a small smile and oddly business-like hands. He doesn’t like me like that, Robin thinks with bewildered certainty. It’s strange to feel such profound relief when every other part of her life is an active shit show, but she isn’t about to question it.

“Okay buttheads, show’s over,” Eddie declares as he shoves himself upright, visibly collecting the fraying edges of his dignity about him. He makes a show of pushing his hair back and adjusting his bandana; when he looks up, the only sign he’d been crying is the red rimming his eyes. “If any of you brats say a word about this, I’m burning your character sheets and confiscating your dice,” he adds, extending a threatening finger at Dustin, Lucas, and Erica.

The boys tumble over each other reassuring him, but Erica puts her hands on her hips and tilts her head to one side. “What makes you think I care?”

“You wound me,” Eddie says, eyes going comically wide. “What is our party without Lady Applejack the Nimble?”

“I want better gear.” 

“As you wish, my lady.” Eddie flourishes one arm in an awkward seated bow. “When our battle is won, we shall discuss your arms for the next campaign.”

“It better be damn good…jackass.” 

“Language!” Steve exclaims, sounding exactly like a middle-aged mother about to turn this car around, damn it.

Erica flips him off with a wide grin, and chaos ensues.

“What’s next?” Dustin asks as things begin to quiet down. When everyone looks at him, he heaves an exaggerated sigh and starts ticking points off on his fingers. “We can’t go to Eddie’s place. We can’t go to Lover’s Lake. We aren’t sacrificing Eddie to find the other gate.” He glares first at Nancy, then at Eddie. “By now the police also know this thing is stolen, they know Eddie’s in it, and they know Steve is driving. They may even know we have weapons if someone at the War Zone bothered to tell them.”

“Looks like Steve’s a felon after all,” Max comments out of nowhere, a sly smile dancing across her face. “How are you getting out of this one, jailbird?” Lucas snort-laughs, and Max’s smile grows until her teeth are showing and her eyes are scrunched up in glee. 

“Hide,” Steve says decisively. His body shifts and the RV skids to a stop. It’s dark outside, but Robin’s pretty sure she can see trees.

“Hate to break it to you Harrington, but the police can find this piece of shit far easier on the side of the road than they can while it’s moving,” Eddie drawls around the cigarette he just put between his lips. He lights it, inhales, then blows the smoke toward the front seat as he tucks his lighter away. “And they can definitely catch us faster.”

Steve rounds on them, running a hand through his hair with the same energy a starving man might attack a burger and fries. “We aren’t staying here, dumbass. This is Murkywood, or whatever it’s called. The Byers’ old place is about twenty minutes away if we cut through the forest.” 

“Isn’t that a bit, well, obvious?” Nancy asks, frowning. “Will is their friend and I mean…Jonathan…” She does an odd gesture at her chest rather than finishing the sentence.

Steve reaches down and plucks the cigarette from Eddie’s hand, takes a drag, then passes it back as he looks from one kid to the next. “Have any of you dickheads been playing at the Byers house since they left?”

Robin is too preoccupied with the front row seat she has to whatever the hell is going on with Eddie’s face to hear their response. Eddie is staring at his cigarette like it sprouted horns or something, brows drawn together as he rolls it back and forth between his thumb and forefinger. When he realizes she’s watching, he jams the filter in his mouth and looks away. 

Huh. 

Steve’s voice penetrates Robin’s churning thoughts. “Get it together kids, we’re going for a walk.”

[writertitan]

Perennial // Part 2

a/n: hello! i'm a little late, but here's to a belated bday for levi! and happy holidays to those who celebrate!

pairing: levi x fem!reader

overall themes: fantasy AU, strangers to lovers, traveling through realms, explicit content

part 2 themes: worldbuilding, reader annoying levi, some softness

read part one here

You weren’t in the temple anymore. You turned and watched as Levi seemed to come out of thin air, a little out of breath, but the both of you remained intact, still joined at your hands. With a racing heart, you let go. Whether the pounding of your heart was due to what just happened or this incidental moment of physical touch, you didn't want to know.

“What’s wrong with you?” you asked, raising your brows. “Why are you out of breath?”

Levi frowned at you, wiping the last bit of sweat off his brow. He seemed almost surprised at your question, but his face eventually cemented back into nonchalance.

“What did I say about asking questions?” he mumbled, walking in front of you to lead the way.

You took in your surroundings as you walked behind Levi, feeling that wonderful sense of peace embrace you. The mirror had taken you to some kind of valley. Mountains that were so high they reached the sky flanked you at both sides, mostly rocky with bits of greenery here and there. The valley you walked on was what was lusciously green, a river cutting through the moss and soft grass. You noticed you were following the direction the river’s water was running, but looking behind and in front of you, there was nothing but this view for miles and miles.

You wanted to ask where you were going and where you had come to, but you knew better by now. Best to just let Levi lead the way.

Part of you also knew that you should still be absolutely losing your mind right now. There was still no logical explanation as to what was happening to you, but it was like this valley stifled those feelings. The air was still and calm and smelled a little sweet, and the night sky was still sprinkled with an astounding number of stars and meteors shooting across the sky. The moon was still bright and big above you, its craters clearly visible. You admired it for a moment until you slowed your steps, confused. Earlier, when you’d liked behind you to examine the length of the river and valley, you saw the moon there, peaking over a mountain. Had it orbited to be in front of you so soon? You whirled around just to make sure, eyes like saucers when you saw…another moon. Just as bright, maybe a little smaller.

“What the fuck?” you choked out, tripping over your own two feet.

“What is it?” Levi asked. You turned to face him, your heart racing, and with shaky hands, you pointed each hand towards each moon.

Levi seemed to immediately understand, and his jaw set a little, his smoky eyes on you in an instant, looking wary. He took a very slow, very gentle step towards you, as if you were a scared animal that might run away with any sudden movements.

“We’re almost there, Embla,” he murmured, deliberately calm. “Just a few more minutes until I can know for sure you’re really safe, and then—”

“We’re almost where?!” you shrieked, your entire body trembling. That calming feeling was ebbing, making way for your undiluted fear. “I’m freaking out, Levi! You’re asking me to trust you when I don’t even know you! You won’t even call me by my actual name. And I don’t know where I am, but I’m clearly not…I’m not where I should be. I’m in a place I’m not supposed to be in.”

“That’s right,” Levi said, his response immediate. “You came from somewhere else. I know it’s scary, but you need to take a deep breath and calm down. There’s a reason I’m making you wait for answers and taking you to a specific place. Please, Embla. I need you to trust me just a little bit longer. I’m going to help you.”

You were hyperventilating and frozen in place. And, even though you were outside, where everything looked and felt endless, you had never felt so stifled and claustrophobic in your life. In a weird way, it felt like you were trapped in your body, which didn’t make sense.

“I can’t move,” you gasped out, and Levi’s gaze softened.

He closed the distance between the two of you and took hold of your hand, the warmth of his palm blazing through you. As if on cue, your heart raced within your chest again, like it had before after going through the mirror.

“I told you not to stay still for too long,” he whispered. “Take a deep breath.”

You did as you were told, albeit the breath was pretty shaky, and then closed your eyes as the air whooshed from your lungs. Levi’s hand squeezed yours and you let yourself focus entirely on that, opening your eyes when you felt him manipulating your hand until your palm was facing the sky and your fingers were spread wide. His pointer finger traced some invisible symbol on your palm, a few times over, until your heart began to slow and your breathing steadied, and your limbs loosened up.

You took a step toward him, bumping into him with how close you were, and then you were acting without thinking. You threw your arms around him and hugged him tight, needing the comfort more than anything. He was stiff and you ended the hug before he could even really react, but you felt much better.

“Let’s go,” he muttered awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. You bit back a smile when you noticed his ears were pink. His embarrassment was enough of a delightful distraction to keep your blood pressure down.

Levi was right about not needing to walk that much longer. Within a couple of minutes, you were standing in front of the rocky wall of a mountain, bare of anything other than more rock. However, Levi took a step forward and placed both of his hands on the mountain, whispering something you couldn’t make out, until a low rumble filled the air. You watched in shock as the mountain wall shifted, a crack in it expanding until you realized it was opening up for you. It was dark inside, so dark that you couldn’t see how big the inside was, but you followed behind Levi anyway.

A few steps in and you heard that rumble again. Turning your head, you watched in horror as the mountain’s opening closed behind you.

“Levi!” you half-whispered, half-shouted, tugging at the arm you were holding onto for dear life.

“It’s supposed to do that,” he replied casually.

When the mountain fully closed you in and you were swallowed by the darkness, that’s when light brimmed out.

You blinked in surprise as what could have easily been little stars of light came to life, came out of nowhere, and guided you down the remainder of the rocky hallway that you now realized was rather short, and led to a wooden door that was perfectly framed into the inside of this curious mountain.

Levi opened it with ease and you followed him into the room, the lights following you, and you gasped a little as more light bloomed in the large room you entered.

Candles lit themselves atop an iron chandelier above you, and even more ignited along the walls. Shelves and alcoves had been carved into the rock itself, filled with trinkets, jars, books, and loose pieces of paper. Despite how many things there were, everything seemed to have its own little place, and it didn’t feel cluttered. A few velvet chairs decorated the place, the biggest one placed at a wooden desk that was shoved against the wall.

“This is weird,” you muttered, though you were very much charmed by it. “Where are we?”

Levi was quiet for a moment, and then motioned for you to sit in a chair. You took an emerald green velvet chair, taking off your backpack to place on your lap, while Levi took the deep blue one across from yours.

“This is a safe place for you. One of my many hiding spots,” he explained. “It’s guarded, I promise. No one gets near this place unless I allow it.”

“Okay…,” you murmured, looking around before letting your gaze settle back on Levi. “I still have, like, a million questions, Levi. What happened to me? Do you know? You seem like you know.”

Levi frowned a bit at that, then nodded his head once a little, though he seemed hesitant to.

“I don’t know how, exactly, you managed to get here. But you’re in Eldia.”

The words struck you like bricks, a shock to the system.

At first, you wanted to laugh. You were in total disbelief at what he’d just told you.

“Eldia?” you repeated. It felt like you had blinked a thousand times in one second while trying to process what he was saying to you. “Eldia’s not real.”

Levi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before saying, “It would be great if you could skip past the denial stage. It would save both of us so much grief.”

Eldia.

Eldia.

There was no way he was being serious.

Eldia was a story. A myth. Another realm where magic beings walked the earth and held the power of Titans. A realm full of beings that were tied to the devil and had tried to destroy humans. It wasn’t real.

“I know that humans don’t believe anymore. We prefer it that way and even had part in making it that way. As far as I know, we cut off every…point of entry, I guess is the right way to put it. You technically shouldn’t even have access to us,” Levi said. “You can imagine the shock of knowing a human being made it over to our side.”

It felt like all the blood rushed out of your face. Your backpack suddenly felt very heavy in your lap.

“It’s not real,” you whispered, mostly to yourself.

But how else could you explain everything? You’d had this sinking feeling the entire time, that you weren’t in the right place. That you weren’t in your true reality. And mirror and the sky and the moons and everything…it all pointed to Levi telling the truth.

“I’m gonna throw up,” you groaned, tilting your head back until it collided with the plush velvet of your chair.

“Please don’t,” Levi said with a grimace. But you could see that he looked nervous, which was odd. You were the one who should have every right to be nervous, and that was at the very least. If you were in Eldia…you were most definitely in danger.

“I don’t understand. You don’t look like a Titan. Shouldn’t you be, like, a hundred feet tall?” you asked. Levi was short and looked…normal. He looked human.

Levi didn’t answer, though. He frowned, clearly bothered by what you were saying, and you decided to focus your attention back on fighting the urge to be sick.

You really did feel lightheaded and dizzy, but maybe that had something to do with the fact you hadn’t eaten in a while and maybe you were dehydrated. On top of the fact that you’d accidentally teleported into another realm, of course.

With a trembling hand, you unzipped your backpack and pulled out a stolen treat, ripping open the package to shove a handful of chips into your mouth.

“We’ll have to get you something to eat from here, too,” Levi said, watching you crunch on your chips. “From what I vaguely remember, your body will need to acclimate to this realm. That’s why I’ve been telling you not to be still for too long.”

“Will something bad happen to me if I don’t acclimate?” you asked through a mouthful of chips. Levi didn’t seem too pleased at your lack of manners but didn’t comment on it.

“I should have explained better. It’s not quite your body, but your soul that’s attached to your body. It just…freaks out, as you put it. Like earlier, when you felt you couldn’t move, that was likely your spirit trying to…,” Levi sighed again, giving you a look. “Don’t panic at what I’m about to say, but that was probably your spirit trying to leave your body. It needs to adjust to being in this realm.”

You shuddered at the thought of earlier, and how it had felt like you had no control over your own body, and how it felt you were claustrophobic, like you were confined despite being in open space. It had probably been your soul, feeling trapped in a body that was trapped in a strange place. You’d never given much thought to souls or anything like that, but you maybe believed in the concept a little, and the idea of yours trying to abandon your physical body was terrifying. Still, it was interesting to think of how it would react to your situation. It was a little funny to think that souls weren't very into the idea of realm-hopping.

Levi got up from his chair and moved over to the alcove, rummaging around until he came back with a mug filled with dark liquid. The way it swirled in the mug hardly made it look like liquid, though; it looked like air. It also reminded you of Levi’s eyes.

“This is smokeroot tea. I put little charms in there as well for your protection. It should be enough to make the soul adapt,” he said. You took the mug from him and peered inside, taking a whiff of the tea. It smelled good, definitely kind of smokey, but a little earthy, too.

“An Eldian helping a human,” you murmured, but held the mug solidly in your hands. You had to keep trusting Levi, even if this was all true and he was an Eldian. He hadn’t done anything to harm you yet, and had done nothing but help, so you took a sip of the tea. You didn’t know what to expect, yet it still surprised you to enjoy the taste. It was nice to have something to wash the chips down with.

“Thanks,” you whispered to Levi, gazing at him through your lashes.

He got a little stiff and awkward then, taking an involuntary step back.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered, his gaze turning back to the alcove. “I also have some dried rabbit meat. Let me give you some of that.”

That made you a little queasy.

“I’ve never…I’ve never had rabbit before,” you said, trying to be polite. “Will the tea be enough to keep my soul tethered to my body or whatever?”

“You should eat it just to be safe,” Levi said, handing you what looked like a strip of beef jerky. You took it to examine it and swallowed thickly, mentally preparing yourself for what was probably going to be an unpleasant taste, but you ate it so fast and downed it with tea and chips that you hardly noticed the taste at all.

It was then that you held the bag of chips up to Levi, giving him a hesitant smile.

“Want to try these? Do you have potato chips here? These are just sea salt ones, but they’re classic,” you rambled.

“No, but thank you. I’m just going to work at my desk for a bit while I give you some time to…process,” Levi said. Oh, well. More for you.

You finished off the tea with your chips, feeling much better by the time both were fully in your stomach. Neither of you really said a word to each other, though Levi also made himself some tea, which helped ease some anxieties you felt guilty about having. Though the quiet was nice and helped lull you into a sense of safety while your mind whirled with all you’d been through, you still had so many questions.

“How did we get here?” you asked quietly, careful not to disturb the peace too much. “I don’t understand. I know you’re not sure how I got here, but how did we move through that mirror thing?”

Levi, who had been sitting at his desk, looked at you from over his shoulder wearing that same guarded look.

“That was what we call a verse mirror. Do you still have telephones in your realm? You can think of it like a phone call, where you are able to call another place, but this is a physical manifestation of that. The thing is, calling through a verse is a little more complicated. It takes a lot of skill. You have to make sure you’re completely connected to the mirror and where you’re going. Otherwise, you could risk ending up somewhere else.”

You nodded, contemplating this new information. You remembered then, how transporting through the mirror had felt so much like what you’d felt before crossing into Eldia.

“What I felt during those moments as we passed through it…that’s what it felt like right before I got here,” you confided, voice barely above a whisper. You were staring at the empty mug in your hands, peering deep inside as if there was something helpful in there. “I was at a gas station though. There wasn’t a verse mirror anywhere in sight, I swear it.” Levi was silent as he took in what you said.

“There isn’t much magic left in your world, that’s true. Any magic there was brought over by us, and we haven’t crossed into your territory in a very, very long time,” he murmured. Then, his gaze was very much fixed on you, smoky eyes staring right into you. “One thing has been puzzling me about that trip through the verse mirror, now that you mention it. You had no problems going through it.”

“So what?” you asked, frowning. “Was I supposed to be all out of breath like you were?”

“Honestly, yes, at the very least you should have been feeling winded and out of sorts, especially with your very spirit feeling so disoriented. I was expecting you to faint, or worse,” he explained. “It can be taxing even on the most experienced Scout, but it didn’t seem to affect you at all.”

“Scout?” you repeated.

Levi stiffened, then gave you one of his looks that told you he was getting irritated.

“I could bore you with several hours’ worth of Eldian politics, but I’m thinking that would be a waste of both our times,” he quipped. You knew his sass was just to change the topic, and part of you wanted to press the subject just to get on his nerves a little bit, but you decided to let it go.

You sighed deeply and looked around, your mind whirling once again. This was certainly a different place, a different realm, somewhere that seemed out of time, but it also didn’t feel entirely too strange to you, which was the weird part. You were expecting the mental breakdown to come at any minute now, and yet you were lounging around Levi’s little hiding place and doing a damn good job of keeping it together. A far away part of your brain was worrying about the movers and your new place and the grief of your life that was in some unreachable place in space right now, but your rational brain was also very aware of the fact that those worries were at the bottom of the list for the foreseeable future.

You should have been worrying about some big things, actually. Not just the fact that you were in some entirely new realm, but also that it was the Eldian realm. This was the most dangerous place for humans to be.

You were racking your brain, trying to remember the bits and pieces of Eldian myth that most of the human world had grown up with.

In most legends, Eldians were once humans themselves, and magic was rampant in the human world. Humans mostly used it for healing purposes or celebrating, but eventually witchcraft was born and it began being used for more sinister purposes, and more and more people dedicated their lives to hoarding magic, rather than letting it be a free thing to share. Eventually, Ymir, the Eldian founder, was born and became the most prolific witch of all. She made a deal with the devil, who created a realm for her – this realm – to funnel all the magic of the human world into it for her sole use. She became the first Titan, an enormous humanoid monster that ate any human who dared attempt to slip into the Eldian realm, and then eventually sought out and resurrected 9 of the most cunning demons from the netherworld to bestow the Titan gift onto, in order to help her grow her realm. All 9 of them were demons that feasted on human flesh, and so Ymir crossed over to the human realm with those 9 demons to dominate humanity and use them like cattle. But, humanity had been able to put up enough of a fight to not only hold their ground, but even capture one of those Titans, thanks to a hero in the myths named Helos. Stories differed around the end of this fight, but in every story, Ymir and those 8 remaining Titans crossed back into Eldia. The most popular myth was that the humans captured the most powerful Titan, one that held the power to control passage between realms, with some even saying it was the actual devil himself, and it had forced Ymir to return to Eldia and use her last breath to close all entries but one into Eldia, which is heavily warded.

Most of the myths surrounding the realm of Eldia were tales of morality and cautionary tales, like many legends and folklore. You, like most others, learned these stories as children from adults who wanted you to stop being a brat or wander off, lest you find yourself in Eldia and get eaten by a Titan. You remember studying them again as a young adult, dissecting the stories and ultimately coming to the conclusion that they were also religious propaganda, a way to stop people from dabbling in witchcraft or other “dark” practices.

You hadn’t thought about Eldia in years. And now, you were literally here, a sheep among wolves, so to speak. And yet, you remembered the way the hordes of Eldians looked at you today. It intimidated you, yes, even scared you, but you didn’t feel a real threat to your life. Everyone had been so startled, so confused, but from what you recalled, nobody had wanted to take a bite out of you. And you hadn’t seen any actual Titans, no huge beasts as tall as skyscrapers with jagged grins and fiery bodies.

“What are you thinking about?”

Levi’s voice made you nearly jump out of your skin, and you swore as the mug you’d been holding clattered to the floor. Thankfully, though, it didn’t break.

You bent down to pick it up, but Levi was already there and doing it. You didn’t miss the dirty look he shot you before he put the mug away.

“You scared me,” you muttered.

“So, you can ask a million questions, but I can’t?” Levi asked.

You rolled your eyes. Then, as you were about to answer, you felt your face heat up.

“I was trying to remember everything I’ve learned about Eldia,” you admitted.

“Trying to figure out how fucked you are?” Levi asked, his voice flat. It almost made you laugh, but you managed to stifle it to a short snort.

“Something like that.”

“You’ll have to tell me what you’ve been taught. I’ve always been curious as to what humans think they know nowadays, after so much time has passed,” he said quietly. At that, you got curious.

“Have you ever been to the human realm?” you asked before you could stop yourself.

“Yes. I never interacted with humans in depth, though, and most of my visits were a very long time ago. My last one, however, was recent enough that I know humans are making great technological advancements, even without magic. The telephone was a personal favorite of mine. I liked the dial,” he mused.

You, however, were in awe. Your eyebrows shot up at his words. First, you were honestly a little surprised he would divulge any information about himself. He was so cagey with you. But also, to think he was this old, seeing the invention of the telephone...it was almost impossible to wrap your head around it. It was starting to make sense. Sometimes he paused when he was speaking, as if trying to use the correct “lingo” with you, though he wasn’t quite with the times on that front. And if it had been that long ago that he'd seen what the human realm was up to, did he still think the first renditions of the telephone were humanity's greatest technological achievements?

“Do you wanna see what phones look like now?” you asked him.

Without waiting for an answer, you dug through your backpack to fish out your phone, standing up so you could go to the alcove and show him.

Though he was clearly trying to look unfazed, you could see something flash in his eyes as he took the phone from your hand.

“We call them cell phones now. Or just phones,” you said, letting your phone come to life so he could see your home screen. “With this little thing, we have access to the entire world. Uh, human world. You can have everything at your fingertips, basically. It’s not just for phone calls anymore. It can be kind of overwhelming sometimes, now that I think of it.”

You unlocked your phone so you could prattle on about apps and the internet and your limited knowledge on how it all worked, but Levi stopped you.

“How are you making everything…come to life? You’re just pressing your finger on these strange symbols,” he said, slowly, trying to find the words.

“It’s just…the way technology works now. The screen can sense that I'm touching a particular area and gets me to where I want to go. Something science-y,” you answered, a little embarrassed you couldn’t give a more detailed explanation.

Levi seemed invested, however, and that made you happy. It also eased your mind a little bit; your other life was real, and waiting for you, and this would all be in the past one day.

"I had no idea you'd all come such a long way," he mumbled.

You let him touch the screen and direct him onto certain apps, and felt a little embarrassed when he looked at your social media. He seemed surprised to see photos of you there. Pictures of you with friends, traveling photos, and the occasional selfie. He spent a second longer on your selfies, which made you feel a little nervous, but you were just happy to see him so curious.

"Is photography more accessible?" he asked.

You gave a sly grin and took your phone back, showing him your camera. You made sure you had it on your front facing camera and angled the screen to capture mostly Levi's face, snapping the picture before he could react. His eyes grew wider when you showed him the photo, immediately available to view, but his wide gaze was replaced by a narrow glare.

"Don't do that again," he warned.

You rolled your eyes and put your phone away, turning it off to conserve some battery. Not that it had any signal here, but you would probably need it soon, when you were back on the other side.

You looked at Levi, who was now seated across from you again, not sure how to word what you needed to ask.

“So…what’s the plan to get me home?” you asked. Well, that would have to do.

Levi didn’t seem bothered, though. He was lost in his thoughts, his brows knit together to form a very concentrated look on his face, and you watched him curiously.

“First, we need to figure out how you got through. Once I know that, we can start working on getting you to cross realms,” he said.

“Fair enough,” you sighed. “How do you propose we figure that out?”

“I know someone that may be able to help with that,” he said vaguely, his eyes sliding to you. “But that’ll have to wait until tomorrow. Maybe you should rest.”

As soon as he said that, it was like your brain finally registered how tired you were. So much stimulation and change, on top of an already stressful day.

You yawned involuntarily, despite your best efforts not to, and then looked at Levi sheepishly.

“I guess some sleep wouldn’t hurt,” you admitted.

“I don’t really have a bed here,” Levi said, and if you didn’t know any better, you could have sworn his eyes held a little bit of sheepishness as well. “I don’t want you to tire yourself out getting to a place that does have one –”

You cut him off with a wave of your hand, already curling up in your chair.

“You’ll come to find out that I can sleep just about anywhere,” you told him. You were already drifting off. Levi didn’t say anything, but he did procure the softest blanket you’ve ever felt to toss over you.

Would he come to find out? If you were leaving tomorrow, then he wouldn’t come to find out a damn thing about you. Maybe you were dreaming it, but you could have sworn your heart sank a little at the thought.

---

You had no idea how long you’d slept, but it must have been a while. There weren’t any windows in the room you were in, but when Levi noticed you were awake, he immediately got some tea started and then put some bread and butter in front of you and curtly announced it as, "Breakfast."

“How did you sleep?” he asked, taking a sip of his tea. It was the same as yesterday, smokeroot, and you happily sipped from your mug.

“I slept like the dead,” you said. “Neck is a little sore, but that’s fine.”

“Good. Then you’re well-rested enough for all we have to do today,” Levi said flatly.

You made a face behind your mug and then took another sip of tea, mulling over everything. A comfortable silence fell over the two of you, but as your mind spun round and round, you finally had to just blurt out some thoughts.

“I keep waiting for my brain to just…I don’t know. Break from all this,” you admitted quietly. “I keep waiting for a freakout. I keep expecting to curl up in a ball because I can’t process what’s happening. At this point, I’m more freaked out about having to wait on the freakout, than the actual freakout.”

“Well, that tea was going to help calm you down on top of helping your body keep your soul. Now that you’re acclimating, that’s probably a big part of why you aren’t feeling too bad.”

“No, you don’t understand,” you began, “I’m…I’m not used to adventuring. I’m used to keeping myself safe. I’m kind of in disbelief that I’m able to deal with this at all.”

“You seem to be handling this just fine,” Levi said. “I don’t see how that’s a problem. Why are you expecting all of that?”

Your face heated up and you looked down at your half-empty plate, ripping off a piece of bread just to rip that little piece into even tinier pieces.

“Because I’m not exactly the bravest person ever,” you said. “I’ve always been more of a scaredy-cat. I scare easy and I’m always anxious about one thing or another, and I hate sudden changes, and I hate not knowing. I’ve always been like that. You’re the only reason I haven’t been eaten alive here, and that should really scare me, and I should be so terrified right now, but I’m not. I think it’s all going to come crashing down at the worst moment.”

Levi was quiet. You dared to glance up at him and were surprised to see that he was staring right at you.

“The human mind is very durable. Humanity itself is very durable, if I remember correctly,” he said. “You shouldn’t sell yourself short. I think you would be surprised at what you’re capable of.”

It was strange, receiving such a sincere compliment like that. No one back home would have ever come close to saying you were durable.

But now that you’d gotten it out of your system, you felt lighter, and you wanted to change the subject. Your curiosity was getting the better of you again when it came to Levi.

“When’s the last time you visited the human world? It sounds like it’s been a while, if the last thing you saw be invented was the telephone,” you said. Then, in a quiet voice, you asked, “Do Eldians go into our realm often?”

It was hard trying to decipher Levi’s facial expressions. He was so good at hiding behind a calm mask. It was like trying to see past a brick wall. But you could see emotions flickering behind his eyes once in a while.

“That was the last time I was there, that’s true. It’s been a long time in human years. And I’ll never go back again, not for anything,” he said, and the way he said it made you not press for more. “The last time I went was the last time most Eldians went. I haven’t heard of a single one of us returning to that place since then. If it’s happened, I know nothing about it.”

So, he wasn’t fond of the human world. Which was funny, considering that he had just hyped up humanity only minutes ago.

After another silence, this one a little more tense, it was actually Levi that spoke first.

“No one is going to eat you,” he said, taking your empty plate from you when you were finished.

You blinked in surprise, not expecting that.

“Excuse me?”

“There’s a lot of misinformation – let’s just call it misinformation. About Eldia,” he said. He gestured towards his own empty plate. “I’m sure you noticed that I’m not munching on human bones.”

“Variety diet,” you said blandly, hoping the joke would land, but Levi’s glare told you it didn’t. “I’m only kidding. Kind of.”

Levi sighed, signaling he was done with the conversation, and you felt like you’d failed somehow.

“Tell me why every story mentions the fact that you eat people, then? I’m not following,” you told him, folding your arms over your chest.

“Because that’s what you were told to believe,” Levi snapped. “We don’t…do that. A lot of what you think you know is actually false. You don’t know anything at all.”

That struck a nerve in you.

“It’s not like you’re ever keen to answer any of my questions,” you quipped back.

The two of you were glaring at each other now. Levi’s jaw was set and your entire body was rigid.

“I’ve known you less than a day, with you being asleep some of that time, and you’re already the most aggravating person I’ve ever met,” Levi told you.

You gave him an exaggerated smile, your eyes still flashing with your glare.

“That pleases me,” you said through your smile, before rolling your eyes and standing up.

“So much for being a scaredy-cat. You’re more like a feral cat,” Levi muttered under his breath, but fully with the intention that you’d hear him.

You ignored him and straightened out your clothes, then put a hand in your hair, frowning to yourself; you probably looked like a total mess.

After doing what you could without even a mirror to guide you, you turned back to Levi, arms crossed again, trying to keep your face neutral like he often did.

“When are we leaving to find your little friend?” you asked.

“Right now,” he said. “Grab your things and don’t forget anything. We won’t come back.”

The quickness startled you, but you did as he said and then followed him back into that hallway inside the mountain, until it eventually opened to the valley outside again. The sunlight hit you hard and you squinted, holding a hand over your eyes to shield them until they adjusted.

The valley was just as beautiful in the day as it was at night. The plush green grass and sapphire sky looked magical. Wildflowers bloomed in pockets here and there, and the rocky path along the mountain even held some pretty weeds in the cracks. The river was so clear that you could see fish darting around, and the rocks at the bottom glittered and looked like they all held vibrant colors.

How could such a dangerous land be so beautiful?

You held the straps of your backpack as you walked alongside Levi, your neck craning this way and that while you took in the sights. The only sounds were the rush of the water and the songs of birds and your footsteps that moved the loose stones and pebbles in your path. Levi didn’t say a word and neither did you.

There was nothing to see for miles but the beauty of the valley, but you knew better by now. There was magic here, and it didn’t matter if you were in the middle of nowhere. You could be taken to entirely new places with the help of Levi.

Levi.

You slightly tilted your head to peek at him from your peripheral vision, taking in the sight of him. He was looking straight ahead, posture straight and confident as he walked. His hair was still night-black even in the daytime, and you marveled at his strong profile. His nose was straight, and his jaw was strong and defined.

“Don’t stare at me like that,” he spoke up, only glancing at you briefly. His eyes glinted silver in the sunlight.

You felt your entire face grow hot and looked away, heart racing. Why was it racing? How did he know what you were doing?

---------

You walked for hours, but it didn’t feel so tiring, not when there was so much to see. You loved how the sun felt on your skin, you loved the gentle breeze that ruffled your hair, you loved how sweet the air smelled. It was nice to get away from the ugliness back home.

It hadn’t been totally silent the whole way. Eventually, you just had to strike up conversations with the ever-reluctant Levi.

You asked him little things occasionally, things that wouldn’t piss him off, but you mostly commented on your surroundings and revealed the occasional fact about yourself.

“I fell into a river once, when I was a kid. I didn’t know how to swim back then, and the river currents were really strong, so I was swept away pretty fast. But I got lucky and the current pushed me against this huge boulder on the edge of the river, and I was able to pull myself out. My parents put me in swimming lessons after that,” you rambled, your eyes on the river at your side. It was narrow, some would have probably even called it more of a stream than a river, and the water seemed to idly bubble along. You knew better, though; underneath the surface was a whole different story.

Levi seemed a little interested in this particular story of yours, though you’d told plenty today. He gave a look you couldn’t decipher, then looked away.

“I saved a human child once, from drowning in a river,” he revealed quietly, his voice level.

You looked at him in awe, surprised at this confession of his.

“That was very kind of you,” you told him, suppressing a smile.

Levi barely reacted, but his face remained calm.

You took it as permission to keep rambling.

---------

The trail had eventually led you out of the valley and into a great expanse of land, still as beautiful but leaving the mountains behind.

There were fields of crops, you noticed, and actual livestock.

And then, up ahead, by the time the sun was signaling late afternoon, you could see what you were sure was a village.

At first, it was exciting. Then, that pit of worry sank like a stone in your stomach.

Eldians. Surely there would be Eldians there.

You remembered how it had been running into them the first time. Levi had to get you out of there. Now he was leading you towards more of them.

You hadn’t noticed you’d slowed down until Levi cleared his throat.

“Don’t start going all chicken-shit on me now, Embla,” he said, his face unreadable. “What’s gotten into you?”

“They’ll know I’m human, won’t they?” you asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. “What are they gonna do? Is it gonna be like last time?”

Levi softened imperceptibly and stopped walking, standing a few feet away from you.

“They won’t hurt you,” he said. “It’ll be just before dusk by the time we get to the outskirts of the village, so the sun will still be out. They won’t come out until dark.”

That didn’t make you feel any better. You thought back to yesterday, how it had been so quiet and lifeless during the day. It hadn’t been until night descended that you saw any traces of life.

“What’s up with that?” you asked, stepping closer to Levi. “Why can’t they come out during the day? Are you like vampires or something?”

Levi scoffed, his glare back full force.

“We can obviously come out during the day, shit-for-brains. I’ve been walking with you all day, haven’t I? There’s a ceremony of sorts being carried out by Eldians. Last night was the first night of it, and tomorrow night will be the last night,” he explained.

“Why aren’t you participating in the ceremony?” you asked, already fired up with questions.

You could see that he didn’t want to answer, but you pressed on this time, using it as a distraction for your anxiety.

“C’mon, Levi! I’m trying to learn,” you said, your tone pleading.

Levi’s shoulders became less tense as you began to walk with him again, although, even as you looked at him with wide, curious eyes, he didn’t look at you.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “If it’ll get you to shut up and walk.”

When he finally turned his head to look at you, you gave him a smile, your first genuine one since getting here. He blinked a couple of times, his lips parted, but in a flash, he was composed again.

“It’s the Three Nights of the Daughters, but we usually just call it the Three Nights. It’s a yearly event where we honor Maria, Rose, and Sina.”

“Who are they?”

This time, it was Levi who stopped walking, an eyebrow raised.

“What?” he asked.

“Maria, Rose, and Sina…who are they?” you asked again, a little more hesitant this time.

“You really don’t know?” Levi asked, and you shook your head, feeling your face heat up yet again.

Those names didn’t sound familiar at all, and yet Levi was acting as though you were missing some important piece of information.

“No. Should I?”

“They’re Ymir’s daughters, her direct descendants. When she died, they – how could you not know all of this?” Levi’s face was incredulous, the most animated you’d ever seen him.

“She never had…none of the stories…”

Try as you might, you couldn’t find the words. Any time you had a thought, it trailed off.

Ymir had a family? None of the stories you’d ever come across even slightly hinted at that. Maybe it was human error. After all, these stories were so old, and they weren’t exactly all yours to tell. People considered them myth these days, not as historical events. Eldia had only been a fairytale to you until yesterday. But something nagged at you. This absence of knowledge felt intentional, like you weren’t supposed to know about it.

You looked at Levi, feeling unnerved for some reason.

“The last time you were in my world, did the humans know about her daughters?” you asked.

Levi seemed taken aback by the question, but his face was slowly melting back into neutrality.

“I never asked about the full extent of how the myths were told, but knew that things were...altered. I just never knew how much. I was never exactly in direct contact with you people,” he said. It was such a vague answer, but you let it go for now, tucking the little information he gave you for later.

“Tell me more about the Three Nights, then. Why do you celebrate her daughters? And why at night?” you asked, attention fully on Levi.

“Because of what they had to go through when their mother died. They each had to stay up all night with Ymir’s remains. They had to do unspeakable things in order to inherit the Power of the Titan,” he said casually, eyes fixed ahead. “But they did it for us, to save us. They used the Power of the Titan to attempt to close all pathways between this world and yours.”

You blinked in surprise. Her daughters saved Eldians, from what? From humans? That’s what it sounded like. Levi was telling the story like Eldians had needed to be protected from humans, which meant removing access between realms. Or, the way he’d put it, attempted to remove. Clearly, there was still access.

At first, you felt an automatic sense of defensive come alive within you. How dare he, when the stories pointed to countless humans getting eaten or tortured by Titans! People kept these myths alive to remind humanity of what to fear.

But again, that feeling of being unnerved set in. Something about Levi’s version rang true, though you didn’t know why you should trust him, why you were trusting him, despite everything you’d been taught. Even if you’d originally believed it all to be nonsense, these stories were now the only thing you could reference to survive in this different place. And here was Levi, tearing all your knowledge to shreds and claiming it to be false. Maybe not directly, but it was obvious he was trying to steer you in another direction.

“So now you all celebrate them every year by staying up all night outside?” you prodded.

“You’ve got it a little backwards. Do you remember yesterday, when everyone was coming back into town from the forest after sundown? That’s because people are resting in temples together. None of our temples are within towns. And before you ask why,” Levi said, eyeing you, “it’s because the temples are meant to be tied to the earth somehow, as a separate haven from whatever nearest town or village there is. It’s a time to gather as a community and people like coming together to celebrate and rest under one roof. During the day, people all come together in the temple to start preparing their feasts and offerings to the altars that are built for each daughter before they sleep. At night, families go back home and fast until morning.”

You mulled over all this new information and this unique celebration. Instead of looking at Levi, your gaze turned towards the village. You were closer now, and the sun was lower in the sky, casting long shadows and golden light. It was strange, knowing it was completely empty.

“Seems like it would be cramped, all holed up in a temple together,” you said aloud, mostly talking to yourself. “That temple we were in, Norchek Temple, was nearly decrepit, and so small. It wouldn’t have fit an entire village inside.”

“The temples I’m talking about are Temples of the Titans,” Levi explained. “They’re dedicated to Ymir and her direct descendants, and they’re big enough to hold many people. However, in some places where the population is bigger, they’ll assign different days for different groups to rest, usually going by neighborhood. Temples like Norchek Temple are different.”

“How is Norchek Temple different?” you asked.

Levi sighed, then stopped walking. You stumbled at the quick change, but then turned to face him fully, a questioning look in your eyes.

“Embla.”

That’s all he said for a few moments, just that odd nickname for you. But you knew he wanted to say more, so you kept quiet. When he didn’t say anything else, even though there was clearly a storm brewing in his eyes, you spoke up.

“Levi, just tell me what you wanna tell me,” you whispered, a hand outstretched to reach out to him. However, he stepped back, which made your heart sting, and his eyes hardened.

“Humans have told their own version of our history for a very long time,” he said. “I’ve never involved myself much with humans, and for good reason. There's no point in explaining all of this to you. It’s pointless trying to make you see.”

“See what?!” you pressed, hands balling into fists.

“The truth,” Levi said, not giving in to your anger.

His answer fizzled out your anger, though, and your outstretched arm fell limp to your side. So, he really was trying to convince you that you’d been lied to all your life. That all humans had been lied to.

Your gaze slipped from his and you focused on the fields and lines of trees instead, deep and rich sunlight saturating their colors. The sun was going to set soon, and the village wasn’t much farther. Now, though, you weren’t so afraid of who you might run into.

Levi seemed to harbor some resentment towards humans. He was so hesitant to tell you anything at all about his world, and you wondered why. Wouldn’t he want to tell you the truth of Eldia, so that you could go back to your world and spread that truth? Did he think that it wouldn’t matter, because you wouldn’t be staying here long enough to give you enough of the truth to pass along?

Besides all of that, you were battling your own mind. You wanted the truth, but you had to admit that you were also scared of it. You were so sick of being scared all the time. You’d always thought you were just especially mindful of self-preservation, but now you were seeing it for what it really was: cowardice. This was a chance to learn something life-changing, and yet you were still shying away from it. Part of you wanted to keep the stories you’d been told and hold them in high regard. You wanted to keep believing that those stories were the most accurate, and not whatever Levi could tell you. Everything you thought you knew was crumbling in on itself, and you felt powerless and stupid and bared to the world in a way that made you uncomfortable. It made you feel like a blank slate.

“Let’s just keep going,” you mumbled, hating yourself. Such a coward, such a scaredy cat. You could have pressed Levi more, hounded him for answers, for the truth, but you didn’t.

You fell into step together and entered the outskirts of the village, where you learned the name of the village by looking at some signs.

“Ragako,” you breathed out, admiring the structures of the buildings and houses.

It was a small village and it seemed so open, with wide roads and plenty of space between buildings. Nothing at all like the town you’d been in before.

“What was the name of the other town?” you asked Levi out of curiosity. You never did find that out.

“Shiganshina,” he answered curtly.

You frowned at him, not appreciating the tone, but decided to steer the conversation a different way.

“We’ve been walking all day,” you complained, rubbing your grumbling stomach.

You’d aired this grievance earlier, around noon, when the beginning pangs of hunger struck you. Levi had merely grunted and only let you stop long enough to peruse through your backpack for a snack, but then told you to keep it moving and walk while you ate. The snack was barely enough to sustain you, and now your hunger was back with a vengeance, coupled with thirst.

“Stop being a crybaby. It’s not gonna kill you to wait a few more minutes until we get to Hange’s house,” Levi said, his grey eyes peeking at you from his peripheral vision.

“Hange,” you repeated, tasting the name in your mouth. “Finally, you tell me who we’re seeing.”

“You never actually asked,” Levi reminded you, and you felt your face grow a little hot. Technically, he was right. He doubled down by adding, “You spend all your time asking millions of questions, but never the right ones.”

You felt there was some sort of double entendre in what he’d said but you didn’t want to press him anymore.

Sure enough, as golden dusk cooled into pale twilight, you were standing in front of someone’s home. From far away, you could hear people emerging from the forest, their distant chatter sounding like coils of wind.

You were about to question whether Hange was even home, but Levi pounded roughly on the door and startled you into silence. Surprisingly, the door swung open to reveal someone, presumably Hange, with messy dark hair and glasses that were askew on their face.

“Levi?” they asked incredulously, sleepy eyes suddenly alert. Then, their gaze turned to you, their jaw immediately dropping. “Is this…?”

“A human? Yeah. Let us in before anyone else sees her.”

read part 3 here