#when you can't protect your most vulnerable ward

[dirtytransmasc]

[22ayla19]

Jiaoqiu x Reader PART I

From the author: I don't want to believe what happened in the 2.5 plot... it's very painful even for me... At least I'm glad that he's alive. (I was preparing this post for update 2.5, but due to my condition I had to postpone it for a whole month. I apologize.)

Summary: Feixiao kept her promise and found a healer for Jiaoqiu who could restore his sight.

Warning: grammar errors (English is not my native language), female reader, possible plot holes, as I wrote it emotionally after completing the plot of update 2.5

For many years, General Yaoqin tried to find a healer who could restore the sight of her close subordinate. Many healers waved their hands, saying that it was impossible, it was better to accept the fact that Jiaoqiu would no longer be able to see.

- Get out of my office! - Feixiao didn't even want to hear that Jiaoqiu would remain like this after everything he had done for her. She was desperate, because she wanted to help him.

- I can't heal Mr. Jiaoqiu, General. However, I know someone who can, - answered another healer, whom Feixiao turned to.

- And who is it? - asked the general.

- I can't say if this is true, but recently there has been a rumor about a healer who can cure all ailments in the world. Although all this is just rumors, there are those who confirm this fact, - the man answered with the hope that at least in this way he would be useful to General Yaoqin.

- Do you know the name of this woman?

- (Y/N), madam.

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

The search for that very healer took months, but all was unsuccessful. People who met her said that she existed, that she could heal even the most complex diseases, but no one knew the location of the healer herself. She never stayed in one place. Until one day, a girl came to the general himself, introducing herself as that very healer.

- Can I believe your words? - Feixiao asked coldly.

- If you do not believe my words, then I will prove with my actions what I am capable of, - the girl answered confidently.

Feixiao did not want to believe her just like that, because many had already refused, saying that they were not able to do it, but for some reason the girl radiated an aura of confidence, as if assuring that she was still worth trusting.

- What do you want as a reward for healing my ward? - the general understood that the girl would not agree to heal for nothing. Accordingly, whatever the girl wanted, Feixiao would give it to her.

- Protection, - Feixiao was perplexed by such an answer, - during healing I become extremely vulnerable, besides, after healing I will need months to recover. I need protection, since there are people who hunt me, because of my abilities. That is why you could not find me for a long time, since I was recovering and hiding.

- You will have protection. I swear by the name of General Yaoqin.

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

Quite a long time had passed since Jiaoqiu went blind, and he gradually began to get used to the fact that he was now sightless. This was not critical, because he only needed time to adapt to his "defect". Until Feixiao came and said that there was hope for you that he would get his sight back.

- Is something like this really possible? - the fox asked, not believing the words of his general.

- According to others, she literally saves those who suffer from Mara, so it would not be that difficult for her to restore your sight, - Feixiao was more than happy that there was a chance to restore your sight, but she saw the frown on her subordinate's face, - Aren't you happy?

- To tell the truth, I'm confused. After I went blind, I tried to adapt to my "defect" and when I had already resigned myself, a girl appeared who assured me that she would heal me. Sounds impossible...

- I thought so too when I first saw her, but she gave off a very strong aura of confidence. You'll understand when you meet her. Tomorrow she'll come and examine you. Rest, - Feixiao left, leaving Jiaoqiu alone with his thoughts. Deep down, he wanted to accept this girl's help, but something prevented him from accepting the fact that someone else would heal him, not himself.

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

A girl entered the room, Jiaoqiu understood this from her light steps, which differed from the secretive steps of Moze and the loud but confident steps of Feixiao.

- Hello, are you probably Jiaoqiu? My name is (Y/N) and I am a healer like you, - the girl's words were short but confident.

- It's somehow awkward that a healer is being treated by another healer... - the fox answered awkwardly.

- There is nothing awkward here. Even doctors sometimes need help from other doctors. Now I will examine you.

Using her power, the girl quickly learned the fox's condition. Jiaoqiu felt that a tremor and vibration from the girl's power went through his body. He could already tell that her powers were connected to more powerful beings than ordinary mortals.

The girl finished examining the fox and began to look at the tests and treatment of other doctors.

- Well, the healers from Xianzhou are quite skilled, they did a good job, so I will have a little less work, - the girl said looking through the papers, - well, let's not drag things out. Let's move on to treatment. The treatment will take some time, so I advise you to lie down and even sleep.

Jiaoqiu was at a loss, but what else could he do? If he was stubborn, Moze and Feixiao would force him to undergo treatment, so following the girl's advice, he lay down on the couch and closed his eyes. It was unlikely that he would be able to fall asleep for now, but perhaps he would be able to later.

The girl approached the fox, folded her hands one on top of the other and activated her abilities. Jiaoqiu could feel the aura of this power. It was so calming that the mental suffering that had tormented him for a long time calmed down and he was able to feel peace of mind for a long time.

The fox soon fell asleep, and the girl healed him all day and all night. Moze guarded them outside the door so that no one would disturb them. Feixiao, despite her duties, was also nearby and waited for news.

The next morning, the girl left the room, surprising the general and her assistant. She looked exhausted and tired. Her hair was disheveled, her face was pale and there were circles under her eyes. The girl needed rest, but before leaving towards the guest room, she said:

- Don't worry, now your friend's eyesight is even better than before.

These words pleased the general so much that she immediately flew into the room and greeted Jiaoqiu, happy that he could see again. Moze, unlike his general, bowed low in gratitude and decided to take the healer to the guest room so that she could rest, but the man did not expect that the girl would faint from exhaustion. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught her.

- Lady (Y/N), what's wrong with you? Lady! - the man shouted, although not loudly.

At the man's shout, Jiaoqiu and Feixiao came out of the room, and seeing the girl unconscious, they immediately became worried.

To be continued...

[pr0blematic-h0unds]

You are disgusting. Do you have any idea how harmful this is?? Do you have any idea how damaging this is?? You're targeting minors with this kind of content, and your damaging their minds! They'll grow up thinking that this kind of behavior is okay! And the world will be full of incestuous freaks like you! That is not a world I want to live in. I can't believe you people are okay with this. How many people. How many people are like you? How many people think this is okay? Be a normal person and go outside. I can't believe it. What would your parents think?? Would they be okay with you saying this is okay? Why do you even think this is okay? Don't fucking say the "Fiction doesn't affect reality." bullshit. You aren't using this to cope. You aren't using this to have fun. Your using this because your disgusting and want to do bad things to innocent people! Fuck you, unkindly.

Awhh guys look!!! Hosts first hate comment!!!! Lol, funny you think were gonna get affected by a coward who hides behind anon <33333333333

We know were disgusting lolllll, were a lil sociopathic rainbow fag dog who has thoughts that belong in the psych ward on the daily but wdc <3333333333

Also lol we are using this to cope??? Who are you to tell us how we cope with the absolute horrible shit we endured for fucking years. If it doesn't fit your morals womp fucking womp we literally could care less.

Yall think by sending us hate that were magically gonna 'see' how us abusing PIXELS is more wrong than REAL FUCKING VICTIMS LIKE US who survived literal hell when they were at their most vulnerable and unable to do shit but take it.

Yall say you're trying to protect real victims of this shit? Well guess what, most of yall are nothing but double standard assholes who are so stuck up your ass that you ignore the fact that you unapologetically treat us like we deserved that shit. NO ONE, DESERVES THAT SHIT. No matter what they are.

Also, the whole 'targeting kids' thing, im sorry but people tend to forget that fandom space was never intended to take care of kids and be their little safety haven to watch their stupid little pixels waddle around. That is up to their parents, we are not the kids babysitters here to watch them and cater to their young minds.

"It'll damage their minds!!!" Okay?????? Not my problem the fuck?? I could care less because again, NOT MY PLACE TO CATER TO KIDS!!! I'm not gonna drop to my knees infront of a fucking 12 year old and be all:* "OH MY GOD1!1!1 IM SOO SOWWY THAT I POSTED TWO SIBLING CHARACTERS HOLDING HANDS YOUR POOR MIND IS RUINED FORGIVE ME PLZZZZ!!!!!!!!" lmaooo yeah no id rather punch myself in the balls then do that xD

Suck my fat cock and choke on it babe because we cope how we want and little wimps like you are stuck behind your computer heaving and foaming at the mouth because were over here happy and alive just posting little doodles.

Come say this shit off of anon, you won't. If anything you wouldn't even have the balls to say this stuff to our face.

-

Also, we know that you're just copy pasting to other proship blogs ;)

You're not creative, hop off our dicks and take your own advice to touch some grass because it reallllly isn't a good look for you <3

[moons-and-mobility-aids]

Disappointed

Pairings: poly!marauders x disabled!reader Summary: You're struggling after you couldn't finish in sex. Your boys know better. [wordcount: 2.7k words] Tags: fem!reader, wheelchair user!reader, self-doubt, supportive!marauders, emotional hurt/comfort, overthinking, open communication Series Masterlist

"Don't worry, Y/N," James's voice echoes in your mind as you lay awake in bed long after the boys have left. "We're here for you."

His words were meant to soothe, but they only serve to deepen the pit of unease that has settled within you. You turn onto your side, pulling the blankets tightly around yourself, trying to ward off the lingering chill of vulnerability.

The room is dark and silent—your own private sanctuary—but tonight it feels like a prison, the walls closing in with each passing second. A heavy sigh escapes your lips, the sound hollow and empty in the vastness of the night.

You want to believe them—to trust in their reassurances—but doubts gnaw at the edge of your consciousness, refusing to be silenced. It's not their intentions you question; it's your own response—or lack thereof—that leaves you feeling adrift.

"I'm sorry, love," Remus had murmured against your skin, his touch gentle yet insistent. "We'll do better next time."

But there was a rush—a desperate need to reach the peak they promised, to prove to them—and to yourself—that you could. That you were enough.

Yet despite their patient coaxing, the much-anticipated climax eluded you, leaving behind a trail of frustration and self-doubt. The memory of your failure burns brightly, a beacon signaling your inadequacy even in the most intimate of moments.

"You did great, Y/N," James had assured you, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead before he too retreated into the night.

Did I? you wonder now, staring up at the ceiling where shadows dance like specters of your insecurities. Did I really?

A part of you wants to scream, to let out all the fear and disappointment that's been building inside. But you swallow it down, pushing it back into the recesses of your heart where it festers, feeding on your uncertainty.

What if you've let them down? What if this changes everything?

"You were amazing," Sirius had said, holding your trembling body close to his. His voice was steady, grounding. But could he see past your facade—the tremors of desire masking an undercurrent of apprehension?

The questions are relentless, each one chipping away at the confidence you'd painstakingly built over time. With every replay of the evening's events, the reality of your inability to finish looms larger, casting a shadow over the shared laughter and whispered promises of earlier.

A strange and unyielding sense of guilt begins to creep into your interactions with the boys, a constant reminder of your perceived failure. Instead of seeking their company as you once did, you find yourself withdrawing—pulling away from their gentle touches and avoiding their lingering gazes.

It's not that you love them any less; rather, it's the fear of falling short again that holds you back, the nagging thought that you might never be able to give them what they truly deserve. And so you retreat further into your shell, putting distance between your heart and theirs—a protective measure against the imaginary blow you're certain will come.

"You okay, Y/N?" Sirius asks one morning at breakfast, his brow furrowed in concern when he notices how quiet you've been.

"Fine," you murmur, forcing a smile onto your face even while your chest feels like it's being crushed under the weight of unwelcome thoughts. "Just... tired."

But the lie tastes bitter on your tongue, and you can't help but wonder if they see through your facade. Can they sense the turmoil roiling beneath the surface? Do they know about the battle raging within you?

You begin to avoid those stolen moments—the secret kisses shared in hidden corners of the castle, the playful banter that would often lead to more intimate encounters. Each time James' hand brushes against yours, or Remus' gaze lingers a little too long, you pull away, making excuses about needing to study or catch up on sleep.

Your actions don't go unnoticed. The boys exchange worried glances, their brows furrowing in confusion and concern. But you brush off their questions, assuring them that everything is fine even though nothing feels right anymore.

As much as you crave their touch—the warmth of their bodies pressed against yours, the familiarity of their scent enveloping you—you can't shake the feeling that you're holding them back, that you're denying them an experience they should be having. It's this thought that haunts your every waking moment, planting seeds of doubt where there was once only certainty.

You see the way their smiles falter when you flinch away from a touch that was once welcome, how confusion clouds their eyes as you avoid sitting too close in the common room. And each time you make an excuse to leave early or decline an invitation to sneak off somewhere more private, the silence that follows is deafening.

"Y/N," James calls softly one evening, settling beside you on the plush sofa of the Gryffindor common room. His arm wraps around your shoulders, pulling you into his side for a cuddle like so many times before. But instead of melting into him, you sit rigidly, every muscle tense with unease. "I thought we could..."

"I have to study." The words are out before you can stop them, filling the space between you with a new kind of distance—one not measured by physical proximity but by the gulf widening in your hearts.

James blinks at you, surprise etched onto his handsome features. You've never turned down a moment of closeness before, and he's left searching for answers in the depth of your evasive gaze. As you rise from the couch and head towards the girls' dormitory, he watches you go, a frown creasing his forehead.

The pattern continues over the next few days, your laughter growing quieter, your presence less constant. Sirius picks up on it during one of your usual study sessions, the library's vastness suddenly feeling oppressive without the sound of your shared chuckles echoing off the stone walls.

"Something's up," he murmurs to the others later that night, his grey eyes clouded with worry.

"You think?" James retorts, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words as he runs a hand through his unruly hair. "It's been days since she's even looked at us properly."

Remus, ever the observer, nods in agreement from his place by the fireplace, his amber eyes flickering with concern. "We should talk to her."

So they do.

The following evening finds you curled up on your bed, a book open but unread in your lap as thoughts whirr relentlessly through your mind. A soft knock pulls you from your reverie, and before you can respond, the door creaks open. James peeks around the edge, his hazel eyes filled with trepidation.

"We need to talk, love," he says softly, stepping aside to reveal Sirius and Remus waiting behind him.

Your heart stutters in your chest as you sit up, setting the book aside. You swallow hard, nodding for them to enter despite the knot of anxiety tightening in your stomach. This is it, isn't it? The moment you've been dreading—the confrontation you've been hoping to avoid.

They move in unison, crossing the threshold into your sanctuary. Their presence fills the room, their silhouettes outlined by the warm glow of the setting sun streaming in through the window. Each step they take feels like an echo of the distance you've created—intentional yet painful, necessary yet heartbreaking.

"Y/N," Sirius starts, his usually confident voice wavering slightly. He settles on the edge of your bed, so close yet miles apart from where you're sitting. "We're... we're worried about you."

"Worried?" You laugh, but there's no humor in it, just bitter disbelief. How could they possibly be concerned when all you've done is hold them back?

"Yes, worried," Remus confirms, taking a seat next to Sirius. His fingers drum against his thighs, a nervous habit betraying the calm exterior he presents. "You've been distant lately. Not just physically, but emotionally too."

"And we want to understand why." James completes the thought, standing near the foot of your bed, his arms crossed over his chest. His gaze never leaves yours, searching for answers within the depths of your guarded expression.

At their words, something inside you breaks—a dam holding back weeks of pent-up emotions. Tears prick the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over as you look between the three faces before you. Faces that used to bring comfort now only serve as reminders of what you believe you can't give them.

"I don't..." Your voice cracks, and you have to stop, swallowing hard against the lump forming in your throat. You draw in a shaky breath, steeling yourself before attempting to speak again. "I don't want to disappoint you."

"Disappoint us?" Sirius echoes, furrowing his brow. "Y/N, how could you—"

"But I am!" you blurt out, unable to contain the wave of desperation crashing over you. "You all expecting something I can't give!"

Confusion passes between the boys before realization dawns on each face. It's James who speaks first, his tone gentle, understanding creeping into his voice. "You mean... during sex, don't you?"

Your silence serves as confirmation, the weight of your admission hanging heavy in the air. The truth, once hidden beneath layers of fear and self-doubt, is now laid bare before them, exposing the raw vulnerability you've fought so hard to conceal.

"Y/N," Sirius begins, reaching out tentatively to brush a lock of hair from your face, "is this about... finishing?"

A single tear escapes, trailing down your cheek as you nod. Yes, that's exactly it. That elusive peak of pleasure that seems to come so naturally to them remains stubbornly out of reach for you, and you can't shake the feeling that you're somehow less because of it.

"I'm afraid," you whisper, your voice barely audible. "Afraid that one day, you'll grow tired of me, tired of trying... because I can't... I can't finish the way you do."

The boys listen carefully to your confession, their expressions filled with nothing but love and understanding. There's no trace of judgment in their eyes, only concern for the pain you've been shouldering alone.

"Y/N," James says softly, his voice a soothing balm over the rawness of your exposed fears. "You don't disappoint us—never have, never will."

He moves closer, sitting on the edge of your bed, his hand hovering just above yours as if asking permission to comfort. You give him a small nod, and he gently takes your hand into his, offering silent support.

Sirius shifts next to Remus, leaning forward so he can look directly at you. His grey eyes are intense, not with desire this time, but with determination to make you understand how much you mean to them—all of them.

"Our love for you isn't dependent on whether or not you reach climax," Sirius begins, his tone steady and sure. "It's about so much more than that."

"Exactly," Remus adds, his own voice a touch softer, yet equally reassuring. "We care about you, Y/N. More than I think you realise."

They remind you that their intimacy isn’t about performance or expectation; it’s about being close, about sharing something meaningful and intimate.

"It's not about reaching some end goal," James explains, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. "It's about being together, experiencing pleasure and connection in whatever form that takes."

"And we do feel connected to you, Y/N," Sirius insists, his gaze never leaving yours. "Every touch, every kiss—it means something. It's real and beautiful, regardless of where it leads."

Remus nods, agreeing with the others. "And it's perfectly okay if you don't finish—we’d like you to, of course, but it’s okay if you don’t. That doesn't take away from the intimacy we share or how much we love you."

They tell you that your worth to them is far beyond physical pleasure, and they don’t need you to finish to feel fulfilled.

"You're not less because of this, Y/N," James assures you, his thumb tracing circles on the back of your hand. "Your worth to us isn't measured by orgasm counts."

"That's right," Sirius chimes in, his resolve unwavering. "You fulfil us in countless ways, love. Don't ever think otherwise."

The boys' words start to seep into your consciousness, washing over you like a soothing balm. The weight on your chest feels a little less heavy, the knot in your stomach loosening ever so slightly as their reassurances begin to take root.

"Everyone has insecurities," James admits, his voice barely above a whisper as he continues to hold your gaze. "Even us."

"Especially us," Sirius adds with a wry smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "You should hear Remus fretting over his transformations or me worrying about living up to my family's expectations."

"And don't get me started on Prongs here," Remus teases, nudging James with his elbow. "He can be just as unsure of himself, especially when it comes to Quidditch."

Your eyes widen at their confessions, surprised by this glimpse into their vulnerabilities. You've always seen them as confident, almost untouchable in their self-assuredness. Yet here they are, sharing their own doubts and fears, reminding you that everyone—no matter how strong they appear—has moments of insecurity.

"That's what makes this relationship work," Sirius explains, his hand gently squeezing your knee for emphasis. "We navigate through those feelings together."

"For all of us, being intimate is more than just physical," James echoes, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks as he brushes a stray hair from your face. "It's about trust, vulnerability... allowing someone else to see us—not just our bodies, but our souls. And Y/N, believe me when I say we see you. And we love what we see."

"You trusting us enough to let us in—to share not only your body but also your worries... That means everything," Sirius says, leaning closer until you can feel his breath against your skin. His grey eyes reflect sincerity and warmth as he holds your gaze. "More than any climax could."

Remus nods, agreeing with his friends. "Pleasure doesn't always look the same for everyone, and that's okay. What matters is that we're here, together, caring for one another." He reaches out, placing his hand over yours and Sirius's where they rest on your knee—a silent vow of support and understanding.

When the conversation finally winds down, you feel lighter than you have in hours. Your insecurities haven't disappeared entirely—you know they may never fully go away—but for now, they seem manageable, less overwhelming. The boys' words echo in your mind: It's not about performance. We care about you. You fulfil us...

"Perhaps we should just spend some time together," suggests Remus, breaking the silence that has settled over the room. "No expectations, no pressure... Just enjoying each other's company."

"Yeah," Sirius agrees, standing up and stretching his arms above his head. "Sounds perfect."

James gives your hand a final squeeze before letting go, pushing himself off the bed to join Sirius. "Come on, then. Let's make ourselves comfortable."

What follows is an evening filled with shared laughter and whispered secrets, the four of you huddled together on your bed, talking about anything and everything that comes to mind. There's no urgency, no expectation of what might happen next; just the simple pleasure of being close, reaffirming the bond that goes beyond the physical.

As the night draws in and the glow of the setting sun fades, replaced by the soft light of the moon spilling through your window, you find yourself nestled between James and Sirius, Remus's arm thrown lazily over your legs. Their presence is warm and comforting—the best kind of anchor—and with every passing moment, you feel a little more grounded, a bit more secure.

"Thank you," you murmur into the quiet, your words barely audible yet carrying the weight of your gratitude.

There's a beat of silence before Sirius speaks, his voice low and laced with tenderness. "Always, Y/N. Always."

And in that moment, surrounded by their warmth and love, you realise the truth of their words. They love you, wholly and unconditionally, despite your flaws and insecurities. And perhaps most importantly, you haven't let them down. If anything, you've shown them once again why they fell for you in the first place: your strength, your resilience, your willingness to open up—even when it scares you.

[its-jaytothemee]

WIP Wednesday

I had an idea for a very late chapter of my ongoing slow burn, and I just can't resist posting part it as a standalone fluff piece as well.

This will eventually be part of the Until I Met You fic, but I'm just too excited to not share this piece of it!

Full fic here: Tumblr AO3

Word count: 2,013

Rating: Mature

Tags: Halsin x Tav post game, Fluff, Daddy Halsin, Innuendos/mentions of sex, Halsin and Tav POVs

Summary: Halsin gets ambushed by a bunch of the children staying with him in Thaniel's realm. They're led by Tav, who can't seem to get enough of watching him interact with his little cubs.

Halsin decided to start the morning by finishing his cleaning of the area outside of the old mason’s guild. When he woke up, Tav was already out for the day and he hadn’t been able to find her yet. Most likely she was out with Lunari, their morning walks had become a routine for her. She was always patrolling, looking out for bandits and thieves who would come to try and take advantage of their vulnerable group. He had tried to assure her that Thaniel’s Realm was far from a desirable location for most, having been surrounded by shadows for years it was unlikely that anyone would even want to attempt looting the area. Still, she insisted on traps and glyphs and magical wards to protect them.

It had been just over a month since he and Tav had returned here with their mass of refugees. Each day was filled with more manual labor than he had done in decades, not to mention the hard work of looking after the dozens of children that had joined them. Plenty of others had joined them as well, all kinds of citizens who had their lives upended by the war with the Absolute, but he saw the children as his responsibility. He was never able to start a family of his own and being here now with all of these orphaned children and Tav…it was still hard to believe it was his reality. The overwhelming love he felt for them made his chest ache. His days were filled with little laughs and hugs from the children as well as some much bigger laughs and hugs from Tav. His ears were always filled with a chorus of happy screams, laughter, ‘Daddy Halsin’ being yelled over and over, and with questions…by the gods so many questions from their little mouths. Their curious minds kept him on his toes, having to be ready to answer any question about magic or music or family or animals or cooking – the list went on forever.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

His thoughts were interrupted by some quiet giggles and whispers behind the nearby bushes. The sound brought a large smile to his face.

Oak Father preserve me…what do they have planned today?

***

Tav gently shushed the giggling children with an excited smile.

“Shh! You’ll give away our position!” She kept her voice playful as she scolded them.

They were all looking at her, vibrating with excitement. The first wave of her little soldiers were clutching their makeshift swords, some sticks that they had whittled after Halsin taught them. Her second wave had their tiny practice bows that she had helped them make, their arrows were each tipped with soft burlap filled with grass and hay.

“Okay little ones, remember the plan. The infantry goes in first, charge the Netherbrain and overwhelm him.  Once he’s fully distracted the archers will take care of the rest.” She whispered and watched as each of their heads nodded in understanding.

“General Yenna,” She turned and saluted the little red-haired girl, “the troops are yours to command.”

Yenna nodded in approval, turning her attention to Halsin just past the bushes. She stood up and lifted her bow in the air, pointing it towards him.

“Charge!” She yelled, causing the gaggle of children holding swords to rush towards him. Tav cackled as she saw the horde overtake him. He cried out in feigned shock, unable to believe his little cubs could turn on him so viciously. His large body disappeared beneath the pile of fighters. The kids all giggled as they hit him with their play swords, he writhed in exaggerated pain with each stab and swipe. They all let out their own battle cries against the nefarious Netherbrain beneath them. Tav stood up to call out the next orders.

“Archers! He’s down…hit the Netherbrain with everything you’ve got!” She yelled to her loyal followers. The rest of the army popped out from behind the bushes to launch their arrows. When Halsin caught a glimpse of her he had a look of fake betrayal on his face.

“My own love, turned against me!” He exclaimed, the smile on his lips betraying his false cries.

A small cloud of “arrows” rained down on him. Sort of. The toy bows she made didn’t exactly have a good range, but a few did at least fall in the group tackling Halsin. A few of the kids caught in the crossfire fell over in dramatic defeat.

“We win! The Netherbrain is dead!” A little elf boy named Jareth called out in triumph. Halsin obliged and let out a gurgle before allowing his head to collapse to the ground. The scene caused uproarious laughter and cheers among the children. High-fives and victory dances ensued.

Tav kept her eyes on Halsin as the kids danced around them, celebrating his defeat. He opened one eye to look back at her. It made her heart skip a beat.

I know that look.

Seeing him with the kids just did something for her. He was so soft and gentle with them. He had talked about his regrets in never having a family of his own, and now she could see this was truly where he belonged – here in Thaniel’s realm. Creating a community based on balance and compassion, teaching others to know and love nature, beneath a pile of laughing children. She was coming around to the idea that maybe he deserved just one more…one of his own flesh and blood…

A blush crept over her cheeks as she walked over to stand over his defeated body, placing one foot on his chest to pin him down. She heard a quiet, sultry growl escape his lips from the motion.

“Victory!” She yelled to the kids, causing more cheers and laughter.

Gods their little laughs are so cute. 

Her eyes moved down to Halsin, who was looking over her entire body. She gave him a quick wink before relinquishing her hold on him and helping him back up.

“I’ll accept your complete and unconditional surrender now.” She teased as she brushed some of the dirt from him.

He responded by grabbing her by the waist and kissing her deeply.

***

Halsin could barely contain his heart from bursting out of his chest looking at Tav in this moment. Still kneeling next to the bushes, her head was thrown back laughing at his complete and utter defeat. Her loyal little soldiers taking him down with ease. When they left Baldur’s Gate, she had told him how terrified she was of coming back here. How she felt like she could never help raise children. She was so worried that she would be too strict, too mean, too boring, that she would be useless. She had told him once that she wasn’t good with kids, that she didn’t know how to talk to them. And now…now here she was, leading a small army of little heroes in training against him. So many of them now preferred her company to his, not that he could blame them. Yenna especially had taken a liking to Tav, the two were inseparable since leaving Baldur’s Gate. The sight made his heart soar. He thought he couldn’t be any happier in this moment, then Tav stood up to give another command for a second wave. Toy arrows shot out from their little bows, some of them even making it all the way over to him. Another bout of unhinged laughter rang from Tav.

Oh, once I get her alone…

 Eventually, the children declared him officially defeated allowing him just a moment of rest as he feigned his death. When he peeked out of one eye back at Tav, she was looking at him with a loving expression.

By the Oak Father. What did I do to deserve her?

She made her way over towards her army, accepting salutes and hugs as a reward for their triumph. He could see the familiar flushed color across her face and chest as she got closer.

Caused by thoughts not suitable to speak of here I’d wager.

She rested one foot on top of his chest as he lay there defenseless, holding him to the ground, stirring him to his core. An involuntary growl crept out of his throat. Based on the small smirk that twitched at the corners of her mouth, she heard it. How she loved to test his self-control.

Another chorus of cheers erupted around him as she officially proclaimed their victory and helped him back up to his feet.

“I’ll accept your complete and unconditional surrender now.” Her smile was bigger and brighter than he had ever seen it. Nature’s most beautiful creation.

He pulled her close and kissed her, holding her in place tight against him. She smiled against his lips, moving her hands to wrap around his neck and pull him closer.

“Ewww!” The ever-present crowd of little voices teased from behind them. A gasp followed their cries of repulsion.

“She’s working with the Netherbrain! She’s a mind flayer!” Yenna shouted to her fellow soldiers.

Without hesitation, her once faithful followers turned on her, bringing another storm of wooden sticks and toy arrows down on them. They broke apart from one another, trying to  defend themselves against the unexpected onslaught. Tav’s laugh filled his ears as it mingled with the children’s battle cries. They were both dragged to the ground, being attacked by the kids who were now mad with merciless bloodlust.

Once the small army decided beating him and Tav with sticks was no longer fun, they broke off into their own groups. They started sparring with the toy swords, trying to decide if they had enough participants to start a tournament. The archers picked up their small arrows that littered the ground, taking them over to practice shooting some targets Tav had made for them.

Tav laid next to him, still laughing from their embarrassing defeat. Wisps of her silvery hair were already making their way out of her signature braid to swirl around her face. He tucked the loose strands behind her ears before helping her stand up. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug, lifting her chin so she could look up at him. The sight made him dizzy.

“You’re lucky the children are here, my heart. Otherwise, I think I’d have to find a way to punish this little mutiny of yours.” Halsin purred the words into her ears, careful to keep his voice quiet enough so only they could hear.

“I’m so sorry, Master Halsin. Surely, I can do something to make it up to you.” She whispered with a wink.

“Oh yes, yes you can. Rest assured you’ll beg for my forgiveness by the time I’m done, Tav’ahria.” Tav bit her lower lip in response, he only used her full name when he was desperate to have her. He knew exactly what she wanted, but why stop the fun now? Leaning over to give her a quick peck on the cheek, he reached around her to grab a broom resting against the wall.

“You could finish up here and give me a chance to go gather some berries from the woods.” He kissed her nose before turning on his heels and walking away, leaving her blushing and with her mouth agape.

“You’ll pay for that!” Tav called after him, an exaggerated pout clouding her face. Her arms were crossed over her reddened chest.

“Gods, I hope so!” He teased back as his usual trail of children caught up to him.

He would let her stew just long enough to keep her flustered. Once they finished their work for the day, he’d let her kiss all of his fake wounds from the battle, and he’d do the same for her. Later, he’d pin her down and get her to beg his forgiveness for her “betrayal.” He’d relish in every whimper and shiver he sent down her body until he finally gave in and showed her mercy. He might even have to teach her the lesson a couple of times…just to make sure it stuck.

[pact-if]

PACT - IF

updated 8/28/24

DEMO(TBA) | GENERAL PLAYLIST | PINTEREST | RO INTROS

You're finally doing it. You're finally setting out on your Quest, as is tradition. Though it's been a few years since you technically came of age, this rite of passage will settle it into tradition. The trip has been postponed long enough, and you won't let anything distract you!

Until, of course, you come across a strange creature unlike anything you've seen before. And, somehow, bind your souls together.

A soul bond, a pact, can't just be undone. They can fade, sure, but they're never broken. A pact blends the magic, emotion, and even physical traits of its members. Along with adjusting to the webs that now grow between your fingers, there's a pull in your chest you know is from the creature. It wants you to follow it.

What else can you do?

PACT is a light fantasy IF Game focusing on found family and love of all kinds. Design your character (including name, gender/pronouns, and magic specialty) and explore the bonds that form between life, for the smallest of reasons. The only major warning right now is attempted violence against (fantastical) animals.

ROs:

THE RESEARCHER: Vyn (nb, they/them)

A scatterbrained researcher and magizooligist, who is fascinated to see a creature even they don't recognize. Excitable and driven by their unending curiosity, Vyn insists on tagging along on your journey. They're incredibly smart, and have been offered multiple positions at various prestigious institutes... that they've turned down in favor of spending their time staring at bugs. Vyn’s tendency to wander makes them difficult to form a real connection with, something they’ve insisted they’re fine with—but they’d be lying if they said it didn’t get a bit lonely sometimes.

(Vyn is aromantic. They can be "romanced," but not in a traditional sense. You can be friends, queerplatonic partners, or romantic partners. In a romantic route, Vyn is still aro! They're not going to engage with this relationship like an allo person would.)

THE ACADEMIC: Lyra (f, she/her)

The daughter of the prestigious Augusti family was born with very little magical energy, a stark difference from her family. Lyra has been sheltered and kept mostly a secret since birth, both for her protection and the protection of the Augusti legacy. Though a bit late, Lyra is embarking on her Quest to throw off her family name and come into her own identity as a scholar of magical theory. As gentle as she is stubborn, Lyra has spent her life learning the intricacies of magic, and how she can make it work for her.

THE ARTIFICER: Aster (m, he/him)

An engineer specializing in integrating technology and magic. The only thing Aster loves more than machines is his Phoenix companion—his pactmate is the most important thing in the world to him, and the two are so closely bonded they may as well share a soul. Aster is an open book, and exudes the kind of genuine warmth that makes you feel like laughing with friends around a campfire, but the burn scars that cover his left arm point to his fierce dedication and willingness to jump into fire for those he cares about.

THE GUARDIAN: Eilivur (f, she/her)

Born with enough magical energy to make her glow in the dark, but preferring a greatsword, Eilivur found the life of a knight far too restricting for her. Instead, she protects the places that often fall through the cracks. Her very presence is intimidating enough to ward off crime, but the locals know she's the one to turn to when they need food, muscle, or just a shoulder to cry on. Ei isn't the most open of people—basing your identity and sense of self around being a protector doesn’t exactly lend itself to vulnerability—but she's a steady presence for those who need her.

THE GUIDE: Jae (nb, xe/xem)Parents tell their children stories of an old witch in the woods who will eat them if they get lost. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Jae is a guide of the dead, a ranger who has sworn an oath to silence among the living. Xe’s not bothered by the stories, though—the woods are dangerous, and xe has enough passed children coming to them confused. Xe’s very private, and if people find xem unsettling, that just means xe can do xir work in peace.

[psychicvarun]

Effective Methods for Evil Spirit Removal and Protection

Evil spirits are often thought to cause chaos and negative energy. Many people have experienced strange feelings or unexplainable events in their homes or workplaces. These disturbances can be unsettling and affect your mental and physical well-being. The concept of evil spirit removal has been around for centuries, with various methods designed to cleanse spaces and individuals of these dark forces.

In this guide, we'll explore what evil spirits are, how to identify their presence, and the most effective methods of evil spirit removal. We'll also discuss how you can protect yourself from these negative entities and restore peace to your life.

What Are Evil Spirits?

Evil spirits are often believed to be malevolent forces that can disrupt our lives. These spirits can cause negative feelings, bad luck, and even illness. They are typically associated with supernatural beliefs, such as ghosts or demons. An evil spirit can make you feel drained, anxious, or fearful.

In many cultures, evil spirit removal is a traditional practice to restore balance and peace. It's believed that these spirits may linger in areas where there has been trauma, grief, or negative energy. In other cases, they might be attracted to emotionally vulnerable individuals.

How to Identify the Presence of an Evil Spirit

Recognizing the signs of an evil spirit can be difficult. Sometimes, the symptoms are subtle; other times, they can be pretty obvious. Here are some common signs that may indicate the presence of an evil spirit:

Unexplained Noises: If you hear knocking, footsteps, or whispers that can't be explained, this could signify an evil spirit.

Cold Spots: A sudden chill in certain areas of your home or workplace, even when the temperature is otherwise normal, can indicate a supernatural presence.

Strange Smells: Foul or unexplainable odors, like rotten eggs or burning, are often associated with negative spirits.

Feelings of Being Watched: A constant sense of being watched or followed, even when no one is present, could signify an evil entity.

Sleep Disturbances: Nightmares, sleep paralysis, or restless nights can sometimes be linked to the presence of opposing forces.

If you've experienced these symptoms, consider evil spirit removal as a solution.

Methods of Evil Spirit Removal

There are various methods for evil spirit removal, and the right one for you will depend on the severity of the issue and the cultural or spiritual practices you follow. Below are some of the most effective methods for removing evil spirits:

Cleansing with Smoke (Smudging): Smudging is used in many cultures, especially in Indigenous and Native American traditions. It involves burning herbs like sage or sweetgrass and using the smoke to cleanse an area of negative energy. Light a bundle of sage to perform this ritual and allow the smoke to spread throughout the room. As you move the smoke around, focus on your intention to remove the evil spirit.

Salt and Water: Salt has been used for centuries as a protective element in evil spirit removal. It is believed to absorb negative energy and create a barrier against malevolent forces. You can sprinkle salt in the corners of rooms, place a bowl of water and salt near doorways, or even take a salt bath for protection.

Spiritual Cleansing with Prayer: Prayer is another powerful method for removing evil spirits. Whether you follow a religious faith or not, praying with intention and asking for protection can help remove negative energy. Many people turn to their faith to guide them through evil spirit removal. You can seek help from spiritual leaders, priests, or shamans specializing in spiritual cleansing.

Using Holy Objects: Many cultures believe that particular holy objects, such as crosses, crystals, or talismans, have the power to ward off evil spirits. These objects are often blessed or consecrated, making them powerful tools for protection. You can place these objects in your home or carry them to protect yourself from negative influences.

Sound Therapy: Sound can also play a significant role in evil spirit removal. The vibrations produced by sounds such as bells, gongs, or chanting can disrupt negative energy. You can use instruments like Tibetan singing bowls or simply play calming music to restore peace and remove any malevolent spirits in your environment.

Professional Help: If you feel that the presence of an evil spirit is too strong or persistent, you should seek professional help. Spiritual practitioners, energy healers, or paranormal investigators can assist in performing evil spirit removal. They have the knowledge and experience to deal with powerful forces and can help you regain control of your space.

Protection Against Evil Spirits

While evil spirit removal is an effective way to deal with negative energy, prevention is always better than cure. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself from evil spirits:

Keep Your Home Clean: Physical cleanliness often leads to spiritual cleanliness. A cluttered or messy environment can attract negative energy. Regularly clean your space and clear any stagnant energy by opening windows and allowing fresh air to flow.

Set Clear Boundaries: If you sense an evil spirit, assert your space. State your intention clearly and confidently, letting the spirit know it is unwelcome. Your words and intentions are powerful tools in spiritual protection.

Use Protective Symbols: Many people place protective symbols or charms around their home, such as an evil eye or a pentagram, to keep negative entities at bay. These symbols act as a shield and send a message of protection to the spirits.

Create Positive Energy: Surround yourself with positivity. Practice gratitude, meditation, and mindfulness. Positive energy is the best way to shield yourself from the negative influences of evil spirits.

Trust Your Intuition: If something feels off, trust your gut. Your intuition can often detect negative energy before it becomes a significant issue. Take steps to cleanse your space whenever you need to.

Conclusion

The concept of evil spirit removal is both ancient and powerful. Whether dealing with minor disturbances or more severe paranormal activity, numerous ways exist to restore peace and protect yourself. From spiritual practices like smudging and prayer to seeking professional help, the methods of evil spirit removal vary depending on personal belief and severity.

[thebirdandhersong]

Not Great:

Ward’s ‘explanation’ >:(

the “okay I did all that but I LOVE YOU” approach (noooo)

Great:

Skye. I love her. She has such a good heart, and she still believes there’s good in people, and she tries to remind them of it, and I Love her

Maria Hill :’)

Coulson’s on his way!!

the Coulson and Skye hug :’0 it made up for all the damage done this episode tbh (I’m still trying to process Ward’s character in general)

[monstersdownthepath]

Hi, long time fan of your work here. Ever since I saw the Baba Yaga Milestone I wondered if you'd ever considered taking a look at the Runelords. I really hope this doesn't come across as pushy or demanding but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Sorshen, Krune and Belimarius especially, and if they're actually worthy of their CRs.

My specialty lays in monsters, not people with class levels and unique equipment, sadly. I can't drive myself mad opening up a hundred tabs trying to figure out every little thing a character can do! BUT! I can at least answer your question.

Sorshen's power cannot be described by her statblock alone. She's a 20th level Enchanter--one of the best magic schools for ending combats in single actions or preventing combat ouright--with 10 Mythic Ranks... in Trickster, rather than Archmage. This does hamper her raw spellcasting prowess somewhat, but it means she can, among other things, turn invisible at will and take a swift action to move up to 30ft away, attacking with her Sinuous Guisarme at any point during the move.

When I say 'cannot be described in her statblock,' I mean you kind of can, but the implications have to be spelled out. Sorshen, like any Wizard you can catch alone, isn't a direct threat to the party as she is an existential one to whatever country she happens to be near. She's the Face to end all Faces, having +41 in Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidation and 40 Charisma besides, as well as every suite of powers high-level Enchanters have at their disposal (like Quickened Dominate Person) to warp the perception of everyone in the room around them. The only thing stopping Sorshen from ruling the planet is A) there's other mages that can keep her in check, and B) Spoilers in Return of the Runelords. She is a political nightmare in addition to a spellcasting one.

Comparatively, Belimarius and Krune are rather plain, as they have no Mythic power and haven't even reached level 20. Krune has some spice in his statblock with his dragon-tooth longspear (which fights on its own) and his enormous suite of Quickened summoning spells that make actually getting to him (the primary challenge when dealing with casters) a nightmare in and of itself, and his own unique item--Krune's Runed Rod--can freely staple upwards to three metamagic feats to any of his spells at a time without costing him any of his extra spell slots. As a Conjurer, he's already a powerful and flexible caster, but his total control over Thassilonian Rune Magic, granting him the power to manipulate any rune near him and twist their functions to suit him (including warping any bonuses his enemies may be gaining into penalties), theoretically makes him one of the most powerful Runelords that ever has or ever will live... but it's utterly useless if his opponents have no runes on them.

In contrast to the two above, Belimarius exists to thwart other casters. Her signature weapon drains magic from anyone she hits and dispels magical protection on them, but her natural prey is anyone who tries hitting her with actual magic, because between all of her defensive spells, her various wards and protections (including a +8 to saves vs mind-affecting spells, Sorshen), and her specialization in Abjuration magic (including Spell Turning and Globe of Invulnerability), it's shockingly hard to hurt her with spells... though she, like all the Runelords, is still vulnerable to tricks like petrification, sleep, death effects, and the humble Slow. She has also used many of her precious feat slots on the Steal feat line which, while in-flavor for the Lord of Envy, makes her weaker than the optimized Enchanter/Trickster and Conjurer of her listed competition.

She is, statistically, one of the weaker of the Runelords, but I like her more than either of the two listed above for personal reasons.

[nerves-nebula]

OOOOOOOOOOH MAN the rabbit hole of adoptive child syndrome. You're pretty right with it being about "this adopted child isn't appreciating me enough" but it's like..

When you're adopted the whole nerrative is that you ""owe your adoptive parents"". Whether that be owing them for their kindness, or quite literally owing them your life. (not that many people will admit it, but it is heavily pushed onto you growing up with how adults treat you differently)

It gets messier depending on the style of adoption. Is it a "open and close" case of "birther gave up the child when the child was born" or was it a "birth parents suddenly died" situation? Those ones still experience it, especially if their disabled and/or neurodivergent, annnnnd if they aren't white (mostly applies to white people adopting non-white kids.)

For kids who, like me, were up for adoption because it was too dangerous to live with birth parents (example: made a ward of the state AKA legal orphan so birth parents are completely removed from the situation) or generally in the fostercare system the whole "adoptive child syndrome" is pushed a lot harder.

I could go on about how fucked up it is, especially with how a lot of kids end up in the foster care system and/or up for adoption, but I'll spare ya the rant xD

I think it stems mostly from just how much focus people put into blood-relations being important. Like, there's a large part about how a lot of what the average person thinks of the system is outdated or plain wrong etc etc etc. But also like.

If being related to someone means so so incredibly much that even if the person wasn't great or made mistakes they're still considered family and you still owe them, to some level, forgiveness and loyalty, then what does it mean if you don't have family?

It's a subconscious sort of "you're defective if they got rid of you" sort of thing, at least that's one of my best guesses? Plus like, there's a really really weird idea that adoptive/foster parents are being extremely generous and kind and oh-so-wonderful to be taking in a kid, doesn't the kid see how amazing that person is?

It all boils down to you being treated as having to be better than your peers constantly. If you cry in class or say something off or try to defend yourself, you either get treated as some sort of stray cat they're trying to tame (stupid, inherently wrong), or something dangerous that people need to be protected from.

And of course there's the other element of you knowing from whatever age that family isn't permanent. You can't depend on people to be there and you can't trust that the next place would be better. It's not uncommon for people to make jokes about kids being "returned", and some people actually do get "returned" by their adoptive parents because they "weren't good enough" <- I forget the names but there's a well-known family-blog channel that "rehomed" their adopted kid because he ended up being autistic (also the family was white and he was asian so there was a whole other level of stuff there too)

something something kids don't get to be kids and are viewed as malfunctioning products because the system is set up in a way that heavily commodities adoptive kids as products to shop for and buy rather than people who are hurt and need help

Also rehoming exists -_-' TW for dehumanization and similar stuff if you go down that rabbit hole

yeah it sounds fucking awful. It sounds like Hysteria but specifically for adopted children.

like kids are supposed to be sooo grateful and if they aren't then there's something Diagnosably Wrong With Them.

I remember that situation you're talkinga bout, it broke my fucking heart. parents never "re-home" their biological children. even if they abuse their kids and kick them out, having a parent just DECIDE you aren't their kid anymore is so taboo if they're your bio parents, that most ppl don't even consider it and it frustrates me to no end that especially vulnerable children get treated like that. That was your FAMILY. You picked them! You decided to take care of them! You can't just decide they aren't family anymore you souless monster!!

UGH.

sorry for taking so long to respond to this btw. finals coming up & all that.

you're right about the weird commodification of adoptees though, i've heard a lotta weird stuff like people basically "Shopping" for the perfect kid which is. uh, interesting, i guess. tbh I'm not really sure how I'd pick a kid either.

anyway that's all kinda why I'm planning on doing more research when (god fucking willing) I adopt to figure out the best way to go about it, cause I've heard some adoptees advocating for getting rid of "adoption" as it's set up in the USA right now and instead opting for just having a legal-guardianship model. which is similar to adoption in that you're now the kids guardian, but you don't get to like, change the kids name and hide their history from them or something?? But also the bio parents can terminate your guardianship at any point?? I THINK?? Which is weird and tbh I don't trust parents in general (hypocritical I know) soooo

idk i'll have to look into it more. I think the best option as of right now is like, an open adoption. That seems to be the best case for most kids (who aren't in situations like yours I mean. obviously it all depends)

not that I'm adopting anyone any time soon...

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #196

Today on Fate and Phantasms we're building the last of the Three Goddesses Alliance, Ereshkigal! (It took her long enough to show up.)

Eresh is a Grave Cleric for relatively obvious reasons, as it lets her do pretty much everything she does- raise the dead, care for the dead, raise the dead properly, cause earthquakes, and start pandemics. Maybe don't do that last one right now, we're kinda busy with one already. It's a shame Soul Cage is a wizard spell, but pobody's nerfect.

Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: Now all of China knows you're on the naughty list.

Race and Background

Ereshkigal is part chthonic god, part human thanks to being a pseudoservant, that means Fallen Aasimar is a pretty good choice for her. You get Darkvision, Celestial Resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, Healing Hands to heal with your hands, and the Light cantrip to help the mortals with their dumb mortal eyes, using Charisma to cast it.

She's also the Three Goddess' Representative on behalf of humanity, trying to squirrel some away to prevent them from being entirely wiped out. This gives her proficiency with Intimidation and Religion, as well as an extended spell list we'll go over as it comes up. If you're wondering about the Intimidation: Yes the fandom thinks she's cute now, but you have to remember she's still a god of death. Most people aren't going to be as chill with her.

Ability Scores

Wisdom is first, Ereshkigal spent millennia honing her art alone in the underworld, so either she has a super high wisdom or an incredibly low one. But high wisdom works better for the build, so we'll go with that. Second is Charisma- some people love you, some people are terrified of you, those are both charisma. Your Dexterity is also solid, because your armor is not. Your Constitution is above average because while we don't need it for the build have you SEEN her HP stat? Your Intelligence is okay. You're not dumb, we just need other stuff more. Finally, dump Strength. You're a bit awkward with that spear, but we'll get some stuff to make it work later.

Class Levels

You're 100% Grave Cleric, so we'll just get into it. Starting off in this subclass gets you proficiency with Wisdom and Charisma saves, as well as Persuasion to show off your awkward charms and History because you're literally older than the written word. At first level you also enter the Circle of Mortality, so your healing spells automatically heal for max HP on creatures with 0 HP, and you get a suped-up version of the Spare the Dying cantrip that uses a bonus action and has a thirty foot range. You also get Eyes of the Grave, meaning you can sense undead creatures within 60' of you if they're not behind cover. It won't tell you about their identity though, so make sure you don't pick a fight with Strahd, you're still only level one. You can do this Wisdom modifier times per long rest. Starting in a spellcasting class also gets you Spells, surprise surprise, and having a Ravnica background gets you even more. Being a grave cleric gets you Bane and False Life for free, giving you easy access to curses and HP boosts early in the game. Something I want to bring up about the ravnica background before we move forward: I misread how these backgrounds work before. They add spells to your class' spell list, not your spells known. That means builds where you pick spells every level only get the opportunity to learn those spells, they don't just get all of them for free. Clerics can prepare spells from their spell list every long rest anyway so it's not a big difference here, but it is something I'll have to go back and fix for the other members of the alliance and Ishtar. Anyways, you get Illusory Script added to your spell list, not exactly something you'll probably use. For spells you can actually choose, grab Resistance for a goddess core that adds 1d4 to your next save, Thaumaturgy for when you need to get dramatic with extra magical effects, and Toll the Dead to do just that for some necrotic damage. You can also choose to prepare spells like Command to flex your authority and Protection from Evil and Good to flex on your sister.

Second level clerics can Channel Divinity once per short rest in two flavors. Turn Undead takes care of undead that fail their wisdom save, and Path to the Grave will clear out anything else. Spend your action to curse a creature, giving vulnerability to the next attack that hits it. Rules as written you can't target a mountain with this, and you definitely can't get the bonus for an Earthquake spell, but I'd allow it for the cool factor. Alternatively, you can Harness Divine Power to spend one use of Channel Divinity for an extra spell slot which is a level equal to or less than half your proficiency bonus. You can do this once per long rest, but that will grow as your Channel Divinity uses do.

Usually your third level doesn't get you much of anything as a cleric, but since you're a fallen aasimar you get a Necrotic Shroud, spending an action to get really spooky for a minute. Mechanically, this is your big ghostly form, and it'll frighten nearby creatures that fail a charisma save, and for the minute you're transformed you'll deal an extra bit of necrotic damage once per turn. You can go ghost once per long rest. You also get second level spells now, including your freebies Gentle Repose to prevent people from rising back as zombies and Ray of Enfeeblement, which weakens a creature's weapon attacks for up to a minute. They can make a constitution save to shrug it off, but not until the after the spell's already hit, so at least you'll get your money's worth. Thanks to your background you can also learn the spell Enthrall, making it harder for people to notice anyone but you. As someone who's existed in this fandom for any period of time, I can confirm Ereshkigal definitely has this ability. You can also prepare spells like Spiritual Weapon to have a spear that actually hits good and Protection from Poison for more goddess core shenanigans. Finally, make sure you pick up Silence. I'm still not entirely sure how we'll build Tiamat, but that should help shut off her immortality.

At fourth level you get your first Ability Score Improvement, which won't actually be improving your ability scores. grab the Eldritch Adept feat for the Armor of Shadows invocation so you can cast mage armor on yourself for free. You also learn how to cast Friends to make it easier to make friends and terrify your enemies.

Fifth level clerics get third level spells, including your freebies Revivify and Vampiric Touch. You're the god of the dead, so people should only really die when you want them to. Alternatively, you can Animate Dead to summon some skeletons for your own uses. You can also use Spirit Guardians to get more ghostly defenses. They'll slow down creatures of your choice in your area, and if they fail wisdom save they'll take radiant and/or necrotic damage, with it getting halved if they succeed.

At sixth level you get a second use of Channel Divinity per short rest, and a second use of Harness Divine Power per long rest. You also become a Sentinel at Death's Door, shutting down a critical hit near you as a reaction, turning it into a regular attack Wisdom Modifier times per long rest. Sure, you can bring people back later, but this is way less expensive.

Seventh level clerics get fourth level spells, like Blight and Death Ward. It is really hard for flowers to grow in the underworld. You can also use Leomund's Secret Chest thanks to your background, or you can prepare Banishment to throw Tiamat back where she came from, use Guardian of Faith for more ghosts, and leave an Aura of Purity around you to give your allies the blessings of Kur.

Eighth level clerics get another ASI, and this one will improve your ability scores. Kinda. We're grabbing another feat, but being Shadow Touched will improve your Wisdom by one point. It lets you cast Invisibility or Disguise Self once per long rest for free, or you can cast either spell as if it were a normal spell on your spell list. Now you can really make yourself look ghostly, if a bit undersized for your boss fight. Your destroy undead also bumps up to hit CR 1 creatures, but that'll blow up your skeletons as well, so be careful with it. Finally, Potent Spellcasting adds your wisdom modifier to your cleric cantrip damage. Nobody can toll the dead harder than the god of the dead.

Ninth level cleric, fifth level spells. Antilife Shell prevents anyone from getting too close to you, though it also means you can't get close to them without breaking the spell. It's almost poetic. Anyway, you also get Raise Dead, which is like revivify but with a more lenient time frame. You can also instigate your very own christmas event now with Contagion! This spell poisons a target, and at the end of each of its turns it has to make a Constitution save. After succeeding three throws, the spell ends. If it fails three throws, it gets a disease for the rest of the week. The closest thing to Sumerian Flu is probably Filth Fever, which gives disadvantage on saves, checks, and attacks that use strength, but there's all sorts of diseases you can give people. Technically this isn't a contagious disease, but talk to your DM, I'm sure you can work something out. You can also use Hallow to turn your room into a little slice of the underworld, shutting down your sister even further.

Tenth level clerics can invoke Divine Intervention with a 1 in 10 chance of getting a free favor from your god. Your god is you, technically, but it'll make more sense later. You can use this once per day, but it takes a week to recharge after it actually works. You can also cast the Light cantrip now. You could do it before, but now it's stronger.

Destroy Undead grows to hit CR 2 undead, and you can cast sixth level spells. Create Undead makes stronger undead for your army. Sadly dinosaur skeletons aren't available, so you'll just have to settle for ghouls. At higher levels you still won't get dinosaurs, but you can get ghasts, wights, and even mummies! Just be careful you don't stop recasting the spell, mummy rot can be rough. You can also summon a Heroes' Feast for more blessings from Kur, and you can take on an Otherworldly Form for another ghost transformation. This spell makes you immune to fire and poison damage as well as the poisoned condition. You can fly 40' per round, get +2 to AC, and you can attack with weapons using your wisdom twice per attack action. You're stuck with the UA version of this spell, so it takes an action, but on the plus side this just gives you an excuse to use Spiritual Weapon more.

Use this ASI to bump up your Constitution for more health. Health gets added retroactively, so you get +12 HP now instead of just +1. It's pretty nice.

Seventh level spells! Resurrection further cements your control over death with a time limit of a century, and you can also Plane Shift yourself (or an enemy) into the underworld.

Destroy Undead hits CR 3 creatures now. Not even mummies can stand up to your power!

Fifteenth level clerics get eight level spells. If silence won't keep Tiamat down, Antimagic Field should do the trick. The one problem there is it's only a 10' sphere around you, and you rely on magic way more than Tiamat does. You can also cause Earthquakes, turning a very large area into difficult terrain, disrupting concentration, knocking creatures prone, and destroying structures in the area. The one problem here is that you can't fly, so be careful where you're pointing that thing.

Yet another ASI. Use this one to finally max out your Wisdom for super strong spells and better protection from crits.

If you make it to level 17, you get the super powerful ninth level spells. Also, Destroy Undead hits CR 4 creatures, and you become a Keeper of Souls, stealing away some of a dying enemy's soul to heal an ally based on the creature's hit dice once per turn. Right though, ninth level spells. True Resurrection brings someone back even if they've been disintegrated 199 years ago. It's expensive, but you can always grab some gems from your sister if you're pressed for cash. The benefits of sharing a body.

At eighteenth level you get a third Channel Divinity and another use of Harness Divine Power. Really get those paths to the grave filled, it's kind of your thing.

Use your last ASI to grab the Tough feat for 38 HP now and another 2 next level. You have one of the highest HP stats in the game, this only makes sense.

Your capstone level is an improvement to your Divine Intervention. You know how I keep bringing up multiclassing as a con when we include cleric levels? This is why. Your divine intervention now always succeeds. Period. I mean, it makes sense. You are the god giving you power. But yeah, you get guaranteed god-level power freely given as an action. You truly have the power of god and anime on your side.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Clerics have a good variety of spells, and you take it even further with your background. You can heal but you're not completely hosed on your own like Medea Lily, you can deal damage and still do stuff outside of combat unlike your sister, and you have utility without your build being dominated by it like Hundred Personas.

You might not be good in a one on one fight, but you don't get into those that often thanks to your skeleton army. If you just dedicate harnessing divine power to keeping them in line, you can have nine extra bodies on the field to turn the action economy in your favor.

Even when we're not talking about spells, you're still really supportive of your team. Shutting down critical hits and stabilizing your allies quickly will seriously improve the longevity of your party.

Cons:

Dabbling in so many areas of magic means you're unfocused, so you won't excel in any one. You won't heal as much as Medea, deal as much damage as Ishtar, or be a skill monkey like Hundred Personas.

You also rely on magic completely for combat, which means stepping into an anti-magic zone can be deadly. This is especially bad for you, since an anti-magic zone will probably be the best way to deal with Tiamat.

You might have an undead army, but your best spells are area of effect and you're a cleric. Destroy Undead is kind of a big deal for you.

[dirtytransmasc]

I find it deeply depressing that every adult in Spider's life had children, yet he was never anyone's priority. every adult he could and most likely attempted to match in to. the adults he remembered as the closest things he had to parents since birth (Jake and Norm, even if they weren't acting as his parents, because Spider, genuinely, would not know better). down to his actual foster family (the McCoskers). essentially went out of their way to de-prioritize him.

like I'm not faulting them for having kids, for having a family. but Spider was their first priority. he didn't need to be adopted by any of them, per say, but he was their responsibility. he was their orphan, Jake especially, considering he was the chief of his people, but Norm as well, seeing as he's a prominent figure head of the clan/Hellsgate.

the McCoskers took him in, but over the years, as they had their own children, he was more and more neglected. he was now no longer his actually appointed guardians priority. and that only gets worse and worse as he ages until they become outright abusive (Nash does anyway, cause thats what I'm gonna call violently kidnapping his, throwing him in a room and locking him there, and trying to kill all of them, him included, when they run away. as abuse. and I'll get back to the whole "you have to turn yourself in to the RDA" x2 speech from Jake in a second). they also didn't really accept his culture. with their resentment towards the Na'vi brewing, Spider most definitely faced some heat for being more of the forest than of humans, in terms of culture.

3 times over, Spider came first and was put last. put last by parents who know damn well how much love, time, care, and attention a child needs. who should be able to see when a kid is being neglected. who dialed to advocate and protect him from neglect (instead of calling him a stray).

he was a child and they were his advocates. all three parties failed in their duty as advocates, to protect Spider. to ensure he always had a loving home that made him their priority. that fulfilled all his needs, not just the physical ones. but all put their own families first, and abandoned Spider to the scraps of their love, time, and affection.

imagine being Spider, an orphan who can't even mention his birth parents and is always treated like he is the physical rebirth of his father's sins by half the people around him. every adult in your life has kids and seems like they're such a good parent. you watch their kids being loved and tended to and having a steady home. they receive love and affection constantly. but your fosters pay less and less attention to you as they have babies. and now your a stray to the man you look up to so much. and the man who probably taught you how to put an exopack on has less and less time for you. no one has time for you. you're no one's child. no one's priority. just a stray. a nuisance. and you don't truly belong anywhere.

no one was putting him first. children need to be someone's priority. psychology. they need it.

and then the RDA returns. the McCoskers leave, Spider is expected to leave everything he has ever known, to join the very people he hates and has been trying so hard since he could understand what it meant, to prove that he wasn't like them. Jake, the man he once looked up to, was telling him to leave. sending him away. stripping him of the little amount of family he could somewhatly claim, that being his siblings.

once again, Jake is his chief, should be looking out for him. not even as a father, per say, but as his duty to Spider as his chief. a chief should never be sending away his most vulnerable ward, a child he should consider his own (as all of his clans children should be one with his own children), to the opposing enemy force.

this happens again when they're running away, Jake tells him ever more directly to hide in the forest alone until the RDA stops shooting at everything that moves and then turn himself in so he can his own children could run. once again, putting him last, instead of protecting all of them.

then for a year, Spider has no family. no one. the McCoskers are gone and no one has stepped up to bat for him. he's 15/16 and alone. his the big sibling to the Sully's. those kids are all he has, but they aren't really looking out for him. he's looking out for them. cause he's the oldest. that's just how it is. he is one with the clan. lives with them. does chores. watches out for his siblings, the whole nine. but Jake isn't doing his duty of watching out for his ward. he is once again giving and giving and giving, and not receiving.

and then he is taken, he is taken, and while Jake may not have had the means to go back for Spider, or been able to take the risk of going back for him, he abandons him without a thought for his safety, and puts his children first. it's the language and attitude be poses towards the situation that is wild to me. he has every right to be worried about his children, but he could not spare Spider an ounce of concern, even knowing the danger he was in, and is more concerned about him spilling details then anything else. Spider is, once again, not his first, second, or even third priority. he is a means to an end. a necessary loss.

people only care about Spider when there's nothing else they can put before him.

[shyrose57]

Brothers anon, sorry its been like 2 days since I last submitted something! I've been busy and whenever I finally had time to sit down and write this all its like 1 in the morning. I hope its still ok for me to send these.

🌹 anon ima respond to you first, your The Deal au could be the reason why and how Ranboos and Dreams soul got mixed and linked together. But then a problem is how did it pass to Ranbob? In my au, each person has their own soul basically. And while certain attributes like DNA can be passed through bloodlines, souls can't, as their unique to their person. 

What left Ranbob vulnerable to Dream is that he was seen as the star student. The apprentice everyone wanted. He always got perfect grades and was seen as the smartest in the City. This did not go well. As Ranbob was put under a ton of pressure to always stay perfect and get everything right. When his grades started to slip and his chosen mentor started to put even more work on him, his mentality started to suffer. With him losing sleep and starting to not care for himself or do the basic necessities like eating or drinking, all in an effort to be "perfect". Its through this need, and weakened state over all, Dream's presence was able to slip in and convince him to let him help.

Benjamin is 30, Isaac 29, Cletus is 24, and Charles is 27. 

When Ranbob first told Ran about the Dream mask and how he wasnt himself, Ran did not believe him at all. And kept saying that he needs to stop lying and fess up to what he did and pay for it. Others tried to convince him that his brother really wasn't in control of himself, but was met with strong skepticism, scoffs, and disbelief. With Ran not beliving that was the truth at all.

Watson was very shocked but quickly reorganized himself cause he had to calm Jackie, and its only after Jackie fell asleep he was like "Oh fuck. I really am the dad huh?" Jackie was embarrassed at first but after some prodding did say how he truly saw Watson as a dad figure in his life. And everyone had different reactions to Watson suddenly accepting and fitting into the dad role. Jackie was excited and immediately started calling him dad and asking him awkward dad questions "Dad whats puberty?" "Uhhh-" "Dad where do babies come from?" "Ask your dad about that!" "But you are my dad!" Ran seemed indifferent about it but Watson can tell he's revealed to have someone to talk too, and someone to go to if things get to much. Grievous keeps sating he doesn't need a dad but he's the one that goes to Watson the most for things like hugs, comfort, and advice. 

Jackie and Grievous do everything. They rig the battle field so if someone steps in a certain area water will shoot up into their face, Grievous usually taunts and distracts opponents so Jackie can sneak up behind them and just latch onto them and cover their eyes while giggling like a madman as the opponent screams and runs around trying to get him off. Jackie regularly pulls peoples seat out from under them, while Grievous scares them and makes them choke or drop something. But they do know peoples limits. Like for Ran, no water related pranks (there was an incident where Grievous spilled a whole bucket of water on him and Ran got severe burns and had to stay in the hospital ward for a few days), for Watson don't mess with his bow or arrows, he will stab you. And for eachother, Jackie, no pranks that leave him alone for extended periods of time or makes it seems like everyone is gone/left. For Grievous no pranks centered around food or drinks (like putting toothpaste in his sandwich or putting pepper in his beer). 

Ran and Jackie have a 50/50 win if that makes sense. They both win and lose pretty often. They play games like Spoons, Go Fish, Dart Throwing (Watson needs to be present for this one), something similar to Cards Against Humanity, Poker (everyone plays during this one), and Tic Tac Toe. 

Sometimes Jackie loves being the smallest and other times hates it. He hates it when Ran steals something of his and holds it above his head, he sometimes resorts to aggressively climbing Ran to get it but Ran tends to just pluck him off, and people make fun of him in a mean natured way (he's fine with light teasing). But he loves it when he rides Ran's shoulders or can duck under peoples legs and trip em. Because he's also small and fast he's hard to catch and that definitely comes in handy during fights. No ones particularly protective of eachother (excluding Ran who's protective of everyone), because they know none of them like being babied and they can all hold their own, though they will quickly flock to help eachother if they need it. Ran definitely flaunts it whenever their in a agurement. 

There is a area under the fighting arena of the pit where they stay. Theres separate rooms for everyone, training areas, dinning areas, and just chilling areas. Theres even extra rooms meant for often visiting friends (Like Genevieve) and some for storage of weapons which also holds things to sharpen them or get new ones. The Pit itself is in the middle of a gaint city, so there are tons of stores and food areas around. And because of a high salary the King gives them they go out quite often, often eating out and browsing stores when their not training or sleeping. 

If by other combinations you mean like Ran-Jackie, Ran-Grievous, Watson-Jackie, and Watson-Grievous then it highly varies. Watson and Jackie are by far the worst team, their styles just don't match and constantly but heads during battles. Watson and Grievous are probably the best out of the 4 teams because Grievous can be serious and works well with Watson as he's much more willing to change his fighting style to accommodate whats needed. Ran and Jackie are like Jackie and Grievous, but they aren't nearly as insane. Rather Ran provides distractions while fighting to give Jackie time to sneak up behind them. Ran also is the only one able to actually throw Jackie, which they sometimes do during battles. And Ran and Grievous work well together, but not as much as Watson and Grievous, its just a few things of both their styles don't match or could potentially cause problems.

He's clumsy flat out, he isn't used to having full control and needs to get used to certain things like walking or talking again. He is also severely dehydrated and malnutritished because Dream didn't care enough to drink or eat. He's also incredibly skittish and scared easily. He and Cletus's relationship isn't solved fast at all, it takes months and the work of everyone to get the two comfortable around eachother. They start by putting Cletus on watching duty, where he watches over Ranbob to make sure he's eating and drinking and resting while not tiring himself out. Then after a month or 2 Isaac, Benjamin, and Charles start purposely leaving the two in a room alone toghere to get them to talk stuff out. It takes 3 months until their comfortable enough with eachother to willingly talk and hang out. Oh the house building attempts went aboustely awful. They sometimes fell on Ranbob! And when they didn't they just collapsed or got blown away by the wind, but Isaac did ofter help a few times and showed him multiple different ways to make sure the walls stay up and keep the cold out. 

Ran is very unhappy with Ranbobs haunting, he thinks their kind of like Ranbob in which they've all killed people and considers them a threat at first, but when he sees how his haunting likes and interacts with Ranbob's, he losens up a bit, his group trusts them, so he has to trust them a little bit. But he doesn't trust them or like them nearly as much as he trusts and likes his haunting. 

Im guessing you mean who from the two groups get along the easiest. Most of them take a while to get to know eachother, like a few hours. But after that their all really close. Charles and Jackie, Cletus and Grievous, and Benjamin, Isaac, and Watson are the groups that get along really well really fast. 

Im honestly probably am going to go for them adventuring outside the City to try to get the brothers to get along again. Mostly cause I thought of the idea that what if Watson, Jackie, and Grievous all lie to Ran, and while they are actually going on an adventure, they lie to him that his brother and his group isn't coming. Then when its much to late for Ran to back out, Watson just goes "Oh yeah! Your brother and his group are traveling with us. And you can't do anything about it." And Ran just sits there shocked. 

Ran and Ranbob are both subtle protective of their group. With Ranbob never really getting aggressive or going into overbearing. But for Ran, if someone in his group is injured badly enough or if there's a big enough threat he does get overbearing and extremely aggressive towards whatever/whoever the threat is *cough cough Ranbob cough*. Ranbob tends to be very physical, listening more to a certain instincts that tell him to constantly have a view on or hold his family, as if he doesnt see or touch them for a long time he gets very anxious and panicky, thinking his family is dead and that he's all alone again. His group understands this and so tends to not stray to far away from Ranbob. He will also follow his group like a lost puppy at times. Ran while listens more to the instinct that tells him at random times to make sure his family is ok and to bond with them. The bonding leads to him randomly grabbing them and just sitting down with them, most likely playing games. While the random urge to check on them has led to him waking them up during the middle of the night or interrupting his own conversation or others conversations just to ask if their ok. His took a while to understand why he does it, but now if he wakes them up or drags them somewhere, they know to go along with it and comfort him during those times. 

Hybrids are rare! Especially aggressive or netural type mobs like Ran, Ranbob, and Porkius are. Their actually seen as monsters and are chased out or hunted in other city's because people aren't accepting of them. Theres very few city's like Subbin that fully welcome and are even led by hybrids. So there are more hybrids in Subbin, than there is anywhere else. 

Sorry this is so long ':)

Asks are always welcome here, and don’t worry about taking a bit or anything. The questions aren’t going anywhere, there’s plenty of time. 

Here’s that for you,🌹anon.

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

1: Wow, Ranbob’s really going through it, huh? Does he ever start to fall back on that need to be ‘perfect’ while with the others? If so, how do they deal with that? And how is he with others offering to help him? If he even can really recall falling under Dream’s thrall, by accepting such an offer, how does he react to others doing the same, even if their intentions are far different?

2: So we’ve settled all the ages down, nice. You figure out anything for their backstory yet? And how do their ages affect their relationships with one another? Does Benjamin take the lead a lot? Or is he more of a follower that still has a lot of say? Who met who first?

3: So Ran’s obviously going to be awhile before he believes what went down. Still, I can’t imagine he’d have been as willing to go along with his hauntings little roadtrip plan if he wasn’t swayed at least a bit, since I can’t imagine he wouldn’t have put his foot down if he truly though Ranbob had done what he did. Why exactly does he go along with it? Does some small part of him want to give his brother a chance? Is he just confident he can overpower him, and looking for an opportunity to settle the score? Does he see something that makes him hope a bit? What’s going down there, anon?

4: On one hand, very adorable. One the other hand, poor Watson. Does Jackie actually not know that stuff, or does he do that just to mess with his new father figure? It seems like they all take to it pretty well overall though.

5: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Two people to truly fear. How many people straight up forfeit when faced with this combination? It seems like they’ve had some interesting times, good and bad. How’d those play out? As for those last two, I’m sensing a bit of a backstory. Why does Grievous not like stuff being put into his food? And why’s Jackie not good with being left?

6: So it’s fifty/fifty, huh? Who wins the most at what games? And uh, Watson has to be present for Dart Throwing. What happened there? How’s everyone’s poker faces? Who’s got the best luck in games of chance?

7: A love/hate relationship with height. I feel ya, Jackie. Very funny to imagine though, Jackie just, physically climbing up Ran. How tall even is this guy?? How do they deal with meaner teasing, not just from the gladiators, but from general bullies? Not everybody’s as friendly as some of the Pit fighters, after all. And how do the fishermen react with their fighting skills? Obviously, they must know how to fight somewhat, to have entered the Pit, but the gladiators do this for a living. How much is the difference in skill level? And does the gang ever get to show off just how skilled they are? 

8: Their home sounds very nice, honestly, I wished I could live there, minus the people. What’s everyone’s rooms look like? How have they personalized them? Which brings up another question-what kind of interests and hobbies do they have? What kind of things do they do that aren’t fighting and related to such? And they must be pretty well known, to have such high pay. Any of them have an arena title, or some sort of stage name? How many people can recognize the city’s top gladiators on sight? And how do they get around that, when they don’t want to be seen? How do people feel about them in general?

9: All these team ups sound terrifying, and I wouldn’t want to be facing them. How do they deal with it when they get a bad match up? Do they just stay out of each other’s way? Try to take their opponents out quick? Make it one on one? Ran and Jackie have to be my favorite team up, solely for the fact that you’ve said Ran straight up throws him. Like?? Imagine coming to the King’s Pit, a well known, popular place, hoping to prove yourself, and then getting taking out by a flying midget, just tossed at you by a ridiculously tall endermen hybrid. How would you feel?? 

10: Ranbob is just really going through the ringer here. How many times does he just drop stuff, or trip over his feet? Does he ever get better, or does he still retain a clumsy streak? If so, how does Ran react to that? It’s very good he and Cletus bond! Are they just as close as the others, or is there still a bit of distance? How often does Ranbob forget to eat or drink, or really just take a break? How long does it take to get him to start remembering to do that stuff again? 

Does he ever slip up while with the gladiators? Also, in a room? Do the fisherman expand their house more, or do they just leave them in the house? Does Ranbob ever get his own house up? If so, does he use it at all, or is it more for storage? And how many times did he fall asleep out there, get injured, or not realize it was about to rain? How long did it take before Benjamin or Charles put their foot down and make him stay in for a bit?

Has Ranbob ever even dealt with rain before, or a storm above water? If not, how’d he react to it? 

11: Oh, boy, Ran. Your concerns are understandable, but definitely going to lead to some angst. Is he just on edge the whole time? How many times does he just glare at them, or straight up steal one of his haunting back a few feet away from Ranbob’s? Are the fishermen ever worried he might hurt them?

12: How do both hybrids deal with their groups bonding? I imagine Ranbob’s pretty happy with it, but how about Ran? As you said, he doesn’t seem to be the biggest fan of these guys. 

13: Roadtrip! Gotta love a roadtrip! What kind of places do they head? Any transportation, or is it just walking, enjoying nature? Do they go on an adventure to look for something cool? What’re they getting up to?

14: So Ran and Ranbob both act on their instincts in different ways. How do they feel about seeing how the other acts? What happens if any of the fishermen stray too far, or get separated from Ranbob? Same question to Ran. Ran just...like...picks up members of his haunting? Do people just see him walk around with them dangling in his arms? He must be pretty strong. How often does he do this? How else do their instincts lead to them acting? Cuddle piles, picking up blocks, keeping their groups close together, ect?

15: So Subbin’s pretty much a safe space for hybrids? Interesting. But since the groups are heading out, does this mean they run into some trouble outside of the city? And is there ever trouble within it? 

Other questions: Does Karl play any further part in this, or has he already played his role for good? Does the gang ever end up back at Mizu? Do any of the group have a pet or something similar? With there be any sort of connection to other Tales, even if only slightly, or will they be solely focused on these two? Does Ranbob pick up his studies of Ranboo as best he can once he’s free, or does he leave it all behind entirely?

Thanks for the ask, this AU’s become quite interesting. I can’t wait to see where it goes!

[justdani14]

“Now no more talking ok?”

This is a prequel to lovehacks book one. Its something I've been mulling over in my mind for a while now. I'm a huge Dani and Mark shipper I love the best friends turned more story. This is a combination of clues that I've gathered from the books with my own twist.

Description: In the books you see a scene of Dani and Mark before they graduate he walks her to her dorm. They talk about how she's leaving, that he should come visit, they almost kiss but they get interrupted. All I keep thinking is what if he did go to New York and they did end up kissing and maybe more. It's in Marks pov

“No more talking ok” A couple weeks after graduation I find myself in my car finally entering the city of New York. It's been a long few days traveling cross country but I'm finally here. I follow the gps directions to her apartment. I've been driving for 10 hours today and I'm dying to get out of this car. The traffic is insane here, how do people drive like this? Duh Collins they use the subway mostly. Why am I even thinking about this? Is it nerves? It's just Dani she's my best friend why should I be nervous? We've known each other for years and spend countless days together and even some nights in each other's beds. Sleeping of course there's never been anything between us. I sound a little bitter about it even to myself. Ever since the night before graduation I’ve let more and more of those thoughts come. I use to be better at keeping them away. We almost kissed though and that was enough to break a dam in me. The dam that kept at bay the feeling I have for her. Feeling that I shouldn’t have for my best friend. Maybe I'm nervous because we're in New York away from everything we know and everything we're suppose to be.

Finally I reach her apartment and I send her a text that I'm here. I start collecting my bags and I scan the crowds for a familiar face. I catch sight of her and she takes my breath away. It's not like I forgot that she was beautiful but there's something about seeing her in person again. I can't even move, I'm sure I look like an idiot but I don't care. She finally gets to me and she wraps me in a huge hug. I hold her and breathe in the sent of her perfume. As we let go and I feel a small twinge of regret, get a hold of yourself Mark you have a whole week to hug her. "Come on Collins we don't have all day" she says as she grabs my hand and pulls me away. She leads me to her apartment building and I'm still in shock that I'm looking at my best friend right now. We make it to her apartment and she apologizes for it being so small but says her roommate Rylie won't be home all week. We order pizza and decide to stay in to catch up and I'm grateful it helps me feel more like myself around her. She tells me two days after I leave she'll start her new job and you should see how her face lights up when she talks about it. It makes me want to be excited about it but a part of me still aches that her dreams took her so far away. Why leave to New York? It was selfish but the question had lingered there for months. Her smiles makes me want to smile though and I do because I should be supportive.

The next few days we spend at museums and doing touristy things. We go to Central Park and visit Coney Island and it's the most fun I have had in a long time. After a couple days I confess to her that Amy and I are taking sometime apart. We’re not the same people we were when we first meet. Things have been hard with us and Amy wasn't to happy about me coming to New York to see Dani. She’s always made a big fuss about Dani and me being so close. She thinks it’s strange I'm using my savings to do this. Its worth it right? Yes Dani is worth it she always has and always will be. She frowns when I tell her about Amy. “Oh Mark I’m so sorry I know how much you wanted it work.” she says softly not looking into my eyes. She’s looking at her feet bitting her lip. Huh most be try not to say something but what? “What is it?” I ask her curious. Sometimes even I have a hard time figuring what’s going on in her head. She sighs “I just worry that you want it too much like your forcing it, that maybe it shouldn’t be so hard?” she looks at me expectantly. “I want you to be happy I need you to be happy best friend code one oh one.” she says with wide eyes. Well shit I need that too but I say “I think that too it shouldn’t be and I need you happy too why do you think I’m here?!” I make the goofiest face I can muster at her. She giggles “Ok Collins race you to the cotton candy stand!”. Thats just how it is for us, its easy sometimes we communicate without words. I don’t need to tell her in so many words that bummed about Amy but also a bit relieved. She already knows she just does because she always been there. She knows when to give me an out and am in. I don't know what I'm going to do without her.

Before I know it the night before I'm leaving comes and it's really bumming us out. We decide to have a couple drinks and that turns into a couple more. Before we know it we're stumbling back to her apartment. Its late but we fall into a fit of laughter on the her bed. The alcohol is weakening my resolve because all I can think about is kissing her. She’s just so beautiful when she laughs. I can't help myself I push a strand of hair out of her face. She stares at me with a look in her eye I saw right after graduation when we almost kissed. Would it ruin our friendship if we did? Would it make it better? All those doubts are gone though it’s just me and Dani. “Mark?" she says breathless. Is it from the laughter or something more? “Dani?" I say just as breathless. She moves closer to me and I don't dare move I don't want to break the spell. Before I know it she's holding my face in her hands as she bits her lip. She does that when she wants to say something but doesn't know how. I want to tell her that I need her to kiss me more then air right now. I want to say something to put her at ease tell her she can say anything to me. Before I can say anything she kisses me.

It's better then I ever could imagine it could be. It goes from tentative and gentle to passionate. Like all those years of pent up emotions bursting at the seams. The admiration, familiarity and love. I crush her close to me hoping its not a dream. I kiss her with everything I have hoping she can feel it all through the kisses. I run my fingers through her hair and she starts trying to take my shirt off. "Wait wait wait are you drunk?" I ask her breathless. Terrified that she is and she doesn’t really want this that I crossed a line. She stares at me like she’s staring into my soul. Her lips slightly swollen from kissing and her hair messy from me running my fingers through it. Her eyes are so wide oh no what have I done? “No do you want me to recite the alphabet back wards for you?” she laughs. “No that’s ok.” I say laughing. Relief washes over for so many reasons. I didn’t take advantage of her and it’s not just me that wants this? She smiles at me the smile that can bring a grown man to his knees. “Mark I need you I’m not drunk but I need you.” she says it in one breath. She looks so vulnerable I know how much it took to say that to someone. She doesn’t like to need anyone for anything. So I nod and say “I need you too maybe I always have.” then I clamp my mouth shut. I say no more not trusting my own voice afraid I’ll say too much and scare her away. “Now no more talking ok?" she says nodding. I nod too and and that our lips collide and we resume where we left off.

It’s like a switch goes off in my head. That insecure voice that tells me to be smart, to think things through shuts up. It’s just Dani its all Dani. The sent of her skin, the sound of her voice and the feel of her body. I methodically take off her clothes. Im finding it hard to concentrate when she bitting my lip. I moan her name as she kissing her way down. I eventually pull her up by her arm pleadingly I need all of her not just her mouth. I flip her on her back now it my turn. I need to kiss every inch of her and I do until she’s moaning and screaming my name. My name never sounded so good. I lay down next to her trying to catch our ragged breathes. She gently pushes me flat on my back and climbs on top of me. We share more delicious kisses as our hips move in perfect unison. The moans continue into the night until were breathing each others name through ragged breaths. We stay in this perfect bubble all night. We doze off and wake after a few hours to start all over again. After we’re done again we spend the rest of night in each others arms. It’s by far the best night of my life.

The next morning though reality starts to sink in. She’s not next to me when I wake up so I get up and look for her. I find her in the kitchen but before I can say anything to her she blurts out "I'm sorry." I'm sorry is not the words you want to hear after you sleep with a girl. I study her face she's staring at me and I'm thinking back on last night. Unless she was faking it then it was good for her so what was it why was she sorry? Then I see her bite her lip and instantly I know. With those two words her walls were up again. The walls that kept her safe from getting too close to any boyfriend in college. We all have our patterns and this was her's. In order to protect her self she puts walls up. I sigh instantly more tired then I’ve ever felt. Time to say what I know she needed to hear in order for her to live out her dream and salvage our friendship. “I'm sorry.” I say feeling defeated. Was I actually sorry though? No not in the least bit what had happened was amazing. It was more then sex it was an extension of the connection we already share. She interrupts my inner monologue. "Mark please stop I started it you didn't do anything wrong." she said looking so sad. "Dani let's just forget about it ok?" Urgh I feel sick just saying it how could I ever forget about it? "Your right it was just a one time thing." she says with sad little smile. It’s working were going to be ok if I could just force a smile and make her laugh. "Well it was more then one time but sure a one time thing." I force the best smile I can and wait to see if it works. "Omg Mark stop!" She starts laughing and even though I hate it I laugh too. Huh it worked I must be better at pushing my feelings down then I thought. Maybe I’ve been doing it for longer then I was willing to admit. If I could keep it together for a little bit longer we might be ok.

The rest of the morning goes by in a blur of packing and before I know it it's time for me to go. She walks me outside and says "I guess this is your stop." Was it my imagination or did she sound wistful. I study her closely she's looking at me with a that sad smile again. Was she sad because I was leave or something else? I didn't have the courage to ask. I was too afraid of the answer or of ruining our friendship. We seemed to find a way to keep it together but it was fragile, breakable and I wasn't going to break it I refuse. The hustle and bustle of people coming and going on the street is distracting this isn't how I wanted to say goodbye. Suddenly I feels her grab my hand and lead me to a quiet alley. We stare at each other for a moment and I realizes that we are still holding hands so I pulls her into a hug. I feel her starting to cry against my chest and with all the strength I have left I forces myself not to. I blink away the tears I have to. We stay like that for a long time, until she's all cried out. She finally looks up at me a little puffy eyed but still beautiful. How could she still look so beautiful? Its like a knife though my heart. "What is it do I look like a hot mess?" she asks me. “Of course not you always look beautiful.” I tell her. I fell so tired a part of me just wanted to get in my car so I could stop pretending. She's still staring at me and blushing a little from my comment. "You better go, you don't want to get behind schedule.” she says. No we wouldn't want that would we? All I could muster was "right I guess this is goodbye." I say wistfully. Who was wistful now, I pushed the thought out of my head and hug her. Trying to commit to memory everything about her. “Take care of yourself” I say in a whisper. I kiss the top of her head, look at her one last time and start walking away. She stops me by grabbing my hand. "Wait Mark I love you, your my best friend and I'm going to miss you so much it's killing me.” she says it all in one breath. Like she was afraid that if she didn't say it fast she'd never get it out. So I hug her again and say "I love you too and I hate this so much." “Ok go before I start crying again!" she says with a half hearted laugh. I laughed too the tension gone for a moment, her laugh had a way of doing that. "Text me along the way and when you get there." she pleads. "I will." I say and that’s it I walk away and don't look back because if I do I know I would never leave. I put the bags in the car and go before I do something stupid.

I let the empty feeling wash over me, I welcome it. I had made it I was where I was suppose to be and so was she. She'd start her new job in a couple days and I’d start mine in a week. For now at least I would let myself feel bad. Id let regret, anger and sadness wash over me like waves. I let the tears come as I stare out the windshield silently, the words I never said to her choke me. I text her along the way give her updates. I'm still trying to hang on to what we had before we slept together. Four long days later I'm finally in San Francisco. I just moved into my new apartment a couple days before the road trip. I didn't know Cole that well yet but he seemed like an ok guy. I didn't know he'd become one of the best friends I’ve ever had.

“I'm home :)” I text her.

What more is there to say she was probably sleeping. My phone starts ringing and my heart jumps but it's not Dani it's Amy. What could she want? She calls again and again by the time I reach my apartment. There front and center is Amy and she runs to me and hugs me. I stiffness a little. Her arms and her should be comforting but there not. I push the feeling down. I puts down my bags and hugs her trying not to think of Dani. "Marky I missed you! Can we get back together please?” she asks me.

That was three years ago and since then I've found my calling at Zabble, made some amazing friends and rededicated myself to my relationship with Amy. I don’t know if part of it was that she'd been right about me and Dani all along. She never thought we could be just friends and she was right we couldn’t. Or maybe I just desperately wanted things to go back to the way they were. My friends say I'm a pushover, they'd call Amy names but they don’t get it. Sure Amy and I had changed since college but she cares for me. A part of me was still in love with who she use to be and maybe can be again. Why am I here at 1 o clock in the morning mulling everything over? Remembering New York with Dani and San Francisco with Amy. It comes in flashes the feel of Dani’s legs wrapped around my waist. The way she’d bite her lip and her infectious smile. Amy’s arms around me like she’s hanging on for dear life. Amy’s laugh and how her eyes light up when she talks about work.

I thought those feelings for Dani had faded it took time but they did. Or maybe I just hoped they had. It took a while to forget and in that time I kept Amy at bay telling her I needed to think. It wasn’t a lie but eventually I gave in to her. I needed to feel something that wasn’t Dani and Amy gave me that. Time made the memories fade but now Dani is here in San Francisco. She texted me a few days ago saying she was coming home. Home like it was where she should have been all along. Maybe things would have been different between us if she had never left. What is wrong with me?

Tomorrow was going to be a very long day if I don’t try to sleep. I roll over and think of New York again. The Statue of Liberty, cotton candy, holding her hand on a crowded street. The memories are faded around the edges but there still in my mind. I though I was free of them I spend less and less nights thinking about them. Until now that is, they come flooding back torturing me with guilt and hope. I roll over again as if that would knock the memory out of my mind. She had been such a big part of my life for so many years I reason. How could she not be in my thoughts? It means nothing. We did try to hang on to us and we succeeded for a while. It just didn’t work out in the end. She had some doctor boyfriend in New York and I was back together with Amy. We only randomly texted or emailed now. This last year has been more and more infrequent. We had our own lives now. So why am I feeling like this from just the thought of her being back in San Francisco?

[virmireisms-a]

She ignored him. She ignored every word he said, too stuck in her own head to handle it. She weaved through the crowd, ducking this way and that, knowing right now she couldn't face him. If she did, she'd crack. Curse her for letting that vulnerability be exposed; it just made her easier to hurt in the process. Her feet took her along the most secluded route once they were off the Strip, back alleys and corners of the Wards where no one could witness her breakdown.

And yet he still followed her. Normally, she would've torn her arm away, but she couldn't. Even though she faced him, she couldn't look at him. She couldn't let him see that look in her eyes. It wasn't him who believed she wasn't good enough; it was her, failing to convince herself she was worth enough for that. That she was worth that kind of thing.

"The best option for whom? You, or me?" She snapped, finally bringing her gaze up to look at him. It was a face he'd never seen before; she looked broken, vulnerable, exposed. Not even facing down the Geth, not even the look on her face while she ran on Eden Prime, nothing could compare to the fear that was in her gaze right then.

Ashley didn't show fear. Ashley was confident, headstrong, shoulders squared, gun at the ready. Ashley didn't crack under pressure. Ashley didn't cry. And yet, there she stood, shimmering trails down her cheeks, sparkling in her eyes, blurring her vision as she tried to stare at him. Regardless, her voice was quick to soften, her posture looking defeated. More defeated than she'd ever looked.

"I know you think protecting me is the thing to do, but... I have spent my entire life fighting for everything I got. I fought to get into the military. I fought for every promotion. I made sacrifices so I could get there, buried parts of myself that couldn't fight so that I could fight harder. And when that finally came to fruition, when I finally had a place I could stand from, get somewhere--I finally started believing that I was worth all that fighting. That I was worth the grit I had as a soldier, as a fighter--because there was someone there who saw that potential. He's the same damn jerk who brought me books to cheer me up at Huerta, who told me to stop blaming myself for Virmire, for Eden Prime, for letting him die on the Normandy. Who reminded me that I was a fighter, and wanted me to watch his six with a gun or five. Who watched me go from a measly Gunnery Chief to Lieutenant-Commander, and even Spectre, challenging me to be better in every way possible." She didn't have to say his name. She knew he wasn't stupid.

"So... stop... saying that you have no empathy," she said, trying to sound like she was berating him and failing miserably; she even punctuated it with a weak punch to his chest, with no more force than a small child; it wasn't even enough to hurt. "Because you do care," another hit, "you're just an idiot," and another, "who doesn't recognize," she continued, "that he deserves the chance at a. little. happiness!" She stopped, knowing the strikes were just a way of venting frustration rather than to cause harm; her hands balled into weak fists, gripping the fabric of his shirt.

"It's not you saying I'm not worth it... it's me not believing that I'm worth it--because it's taken so much for me to believe I'm worth anything. That I'm--that I can do that kind of thing. To believe that I could have both, that I... that I can be both a soldier and a woman, at the same time. I do want you. I do, but I... I can't believe in myself, not--not in that respect. And I know that's hard for you to wrap your head around, because--because I hide this part of myself for that exact reason. I don't let people see it, because... because it's my one weakness." And yet here she was, letting it be on full display for him.

"I'm not going to fight you," she croaked, her voice weak and hoarse. "I can't fight you." Thankfully, no one else was around to see them; she hung her head, forehead resting against his shoulder like she might just collapse to her knees at any moment from the pressure "Because this side of me, this... this part of me was never meant to be a fighter. She lost her will to fight years ago."

virmireisms​:

Ashley disagreed with him—wholeheartedly. Did he think she wouldn’t try if there wasn’t a chance? She wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to waste her time. She watched him, noticed things he did, noticed the way he treated her; he’d always been good to her, for the most part. He worried about her, cared about her. But this… no, this wasn’t his fault. This was hers. All hers.

When it came to love, her self-worth was trash.

She gave him an agonized look when he pulled away, tormented by by the look on his face and the way he talked about himself. She was also tormented by her own feelings; there was an ache deep in her chest, one she feared because she knew it would break her. It felt like losing him all over again, but worse… because she’d let him see just how vulnerable she was.

“I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t want to try if I didn’t see something there,” she explained, wishing she didn’t sound the way she did. She sounded like… a heartbroken girl, not a soldier. “I wouldn’t want to try if I didn’t know what I was facing. This isn’t—it’s not like a fight or war. I know what I’m in for—and I want to try anyway. But if… if I’m not enough for you to want to try, then… I get it, I guess.” She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, and she fought to mask them, cursing herself over and over again. Ashley was too proud to let anyone see her cry, yet here she was… inches from having him witness it.

“You’ve always been… kind to me. Kinder then you think. Sometimes unprompted. By your side, I was given a place to grow and feel proud of my own accomplishments, while standing beside a friend. But—in order to do that, I had to bury a part of myself. I had to bury the woman in me, and I thought… I thought…” her voice cracked, and she looked away just as one tear escaped. She had her arms wrapped around herself, like a shield, like she was trying to hold herself together, and failing miserably.

“I thought maybe… maybe you could be a part of that, too—but I…” She drew in a shaky breath, wishing she didn’t sound like a pathetic mess. She certainly felt like one.

“You say you don’t want to break my heart, but—you just did.” She couldn’t say anything more than that. She couldn’t let him see her like this; she couldn’t let anyone see her in this manner. She turned and brushed past him, back turned and fighting to ignore anything he might have to say. She was headed back to the Normandy, where she was certain she’d find two things: a dark, secluded corner for her to break down in, and a lot of alcohol to help her forget.

Not good enough for him? That wasn’t what he had said to her. He said the opposite, that HE didn’t deserve her. “Now, wait a minute. I never said that you weren’t good for me. Don’t put those words in my mouth. I might be an asshole, but I know what I’ve said and what I haven’t.” Why were women like that? Wasn’t he being obvious that the problem was him and not her?

Fuck. It was all about him, and not her. She was a good woman, strong and gentle at the same time. But she never got what he meant. As she left him, Shepard turned around to look at her, desperate. “Hold on a minute! That’s it? You’re going to blame yourself now??” He followed her, shoving the people aside if they got on his way rudely.

“Fucking hell, I’m trying to give you the best option, Ashley! That victim syndrome is pissing me off!” Because damn, he wasn’t rejecting her. If he wanted to allow his fucking disorder to get the best of him, he would. But Ashley didn’t deserve any of that crap, his leech personality would suck all her energy and make her live for himself and not herself. “Besides, that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, c’mon!”

He reached her, grabbing her arm, forcing her to look at him. “I’m not going to let you make me feel like crap so I’ll give in to your wishes. I’m a terrible person, but I won’t tolerate any kind of emotional manipulation. You want to be with me? Is that what you want? This fucker here who has no kind of empathy? It’s not your fault that I’m saying this, damn it. I have reasons not to risk your happiness because we both want each other.”

[meenawrites]

some valid points all around fr