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#“humans are smaller than i remember” suggests he's seen them before which only makes it more hilarious to me
apixrl · 4 months
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i think about how tfp starscream saw a rabbit and thought it was a human at least once a day honestly
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asmo-ds · 3 years
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Ok so you made a list on they guys toxic traits. How would they react if the MC just snaped one day and broke out into sob because of what they did and say to them and the MC calls them out on it pointed put how Diavolo doesn't do or say the shit they do and hes full blood demon unlike them all in a croaked voice from crying so hard
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React to MC Calling Them Out on Their Toxicity
Obey Me Brothers x MC angst HCs
Warnings: Yelling, toxic relationships, breakdowns, violence, Mammon being the guardian he was assigned to be :)
Summary: When MC finally breaks down and calls them out on their toxic behavior towards the human the boys finally realize just how different human emotions are from the creatures in hell they’ve grown so accustomed to.
I’m putting the contents of the original post this ask referred to under each of the characters to make it clearer for those who have not seen it
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i know Lucifer is hot sexy big sex dominant professional daddy master man BUT please remember he shows his love via punishment and cruelty towards his family
- Lucifer was in the middle of hanging a crying Mammon upside down when it happened.
- “He’s in pain Lucifer, you should let him down! There are better ways to handle this,” MC had suggested only to be met with a low growl followed by:
- “Stay out of this, human, you are here to attend RAD and nothing else. Do not butt into our personal business.”
- He could practically feel MC’s upset expression as he continued to tie the knots around Mammon’s body
- “I’m a human, correct,” MC starts and he’s startled by their cold voice, “but what makes me human is my inability to stand by while someone I know is in so much pain!”
- Lucifer is a bit taken back by their boldness and is in his demon form holding them up by the throat in seconds.
- “Who the Hell do you think you are?!” He snarled, tightening his grip and pushing their struggling body against the wall harshly, causing their head to bounce off the wall with a loud thump, blood slowly beginning to trickle from the sight of the impact 
- He could barely hear Mammon’s frantic cries for him to let go of the human as his adrenaline rushed, unable to believe that the human had actually spoken to him like that,
- He was suddenly ripped away from MC, thrown across the room and he looked up to see Diavolo had come
- “I had some paperwork I wanted to give you but instead walked in on you taking advantage of your strength over someone smaller than you, you’re pathetic,” Diavolo snarled, disgusted by Lucifer’s actions
- MC wailed and threw themselves against Diavolo, him tightly embracing them and trying to soothe them
- “Y-y-you’re the Lord of Demons and yet,” they sniffled and hiccupped into Diavolo’s chest as he continued to glare at Lucifer, who could only watch on in despair as he realized what he had done, “and yet you a-are so mu-uch kinder than them, th-thank you Diavolo!”
- “Wait, MC! I’m sorry!” Lucifer began to stand before realizing Mammon had managed to escape and was now holding him down, preventing him form moving toward the trembling human.
- “Lucifer... I don’t want to see you ever again!” MC had cried as Diavolo and them left the house.
- After MC was brought to the demon lord’s castle he received word from Barbatos that he had been suspended from his duties until further notice per the request of Diavolo.
- Barbatos also collected MC’s stuff, moving it to the Demon Lord’s castle where they would spend the rest of the year
- Lucifer couldn’t bring himself to leave his room, afraid of his brothers’ judgmental looks, he refused to see how much he had hurt the family and the relationship with the human he’d done so much to care for in just a matter of thirty seconds.
- Lucifer never forgives himself for hurting MC, but he acts like he was in the right for the sake of his ego.
- But he really missed MC and was angry with himself for letting them go so easily and for not just accepting that maybe they were right and he could change for them
- Everyone notices a decrease in the cruelty he showed towards his brothers
- how did a human manage to stir up these feelings within him?
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I know Mammon is an adorable tsundere with a chaotic streak BUT please remember he also insults MC in order to keep up his own self image of being a “tough demon” even if he loves MC underneath the mask
- Mammon had been on his way back from getting scolded for stealing from Lucifer’s wallet once again, when he ran into MC
- “Mammon! What’s wrong? Are you Okay?!” He hastily wiped the tears from his face, MC really cares about me... a blush rises to his cheeks at that thought
- “Nothin’ is wrong, mind yer business,” he shoves past them
- “but you’re clearly hurting, Mammon let me help!”
- “I don’t need help from a stupid human,” he says, not turning to look at them due to his still red cheeks as he continued to be flustered by their concern for him 
- “Stupid human....” he heard MC say quietly back to themselves, his heart sinking as he realized he said it so harshly 
- “Hold on-MC- I didn-” he starts but is frozen in shock as he sees the human glaring at the floor with tears streaming down their cheeks, biting their lips to keep sobs trapped inside themselves. “MC, hey liste-” He reaches out to touch their shoulder but they jerk away turning from him.
- “Not even the demon who is meant to be the cruelest of them all calls me names for wanting to help him,” their voice trembled and his heart broke, “I just wanted to help... why do you insist on insulting me?” 
- MC ran away from him, leaving the house, passing Asmo and Satan as they left.
- Satan chased after MC as Asmodeus walked up to Mammon, slapping him across the face harshly, “why can’t you just be honest with them for once?! Don’t you realize how badly you’ve been hurting them because you refuse to be nice to stroke your own ‘bad boy’ ego?!”
- Mammon stared at the floor, tears rolling down his cheeks silently, “I-I didn’t mean to hurt them,”
- “But you did. Not to mention you never even apologize for it,” Asmodeus walks away, leaving Mammon to stand alone, shamefully hanging his head as he fell to his knees.
- The one person who ever cared about him and he did nothing but insult them and yet still expected them to love him? What a douchebag he was...
- Guess he was nothing but a greedy scumbag
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i know Levi is a cute blushy otaku recluse that we all want to top BUT he also gets jealous very easily which leads to him often getting violent or guilt tripping MC by insulting himself until they feel guilty and stay with him to make him feel better despite their own wishes
- Leviathan had jus ordered a new game titled “I just landed in Hell, seven hot demon lords are my roommates and I’m trying really hard not to fuck them”
- He rushed towards MC’s room, desperate for them to play with him 
- He walked in without knocking and saw MC cuddled up with Mammon and Beel, watching some movie that none of them seemed to actually pay attention to as they just horsed around.
- “Hey, MC! I just got a new game, come on let’s go play it!” he tried not to let his jealousy show. 
- “Ah, maybe later Levi, I’m hanging out with Beel and Mammon right now!” MC smiles kindly, to which he grows a bit sad
- “I get it... who would want to hangout with a yucky otaku like me anyway...” he lowers his head pouting
- “Levi, just give me a few minutes to finish the movie!” MC says, still trying to be kind and patient
- “No you don’t have to... I’m just going to go play alone like the loser I am...”
- “DON’T” MC stands up, Beel and Mammon watching as MC walks up to Levi, thinking that the human was going to go with him and play
- Levi smiles thinking the same thing and gets ready to leave, but instead MC comes to him and glares at him, making his heart sink
- “You do NOT get to guilt trip me like that,” MC growls, “I told you I need a minute, I never said any of that stuff and I KNOW you were saying that stuff just to get me to come with you instead of staying here,” Levi blushes as MC calls him out, his heart beating rapidly with nerves as he realizes just how mad MC was at him
- MC pushes him out of their room, slamming the door and he hears them mumbling some angry stuff to the other two brothers behind the door
- Ashamed of himself he goes back to his room and locks himself there for a few weeks, kind of waiting for MC to come check on him and apologize, but then he realizes that is exactly why they are mad at him, so he decides to try and get his shit together
- But his anxiety gets in the way and he decides MC would be better off without him and he tries to avoid them no matter how much he craves their attention
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i know Satan is an intelligent man who is trying his best to keep his anger in check at all times BUT if you are in a relationship where someone is getting mad at you constantly despite their efforts pls look out for yourself and let yourself be selfish and avoid the person no matter how bad it may hurt them because your own happiness should come first
- After a fight with Lucifer, Satan had gone to his room to blow off some steam
- He was storming around and throwing things and throwing a temper tantrum
- MC came to check on him and they knocked politely, calling his name and asking if they could come in
- Despite using their manners and being as respectful as possible; their interruption of his tantrum pissed him the hell off
- He swung the door open and pushed them down, eyeing them like a normal demon would; nothing but an innocent soul to munch on
- MC tried to escape but he caught their ankle, and dangled them like a rag doll as his claws sunk into the limb he held
- He could see their mouth moving and tears streaming down their face but he couldn’t process the words they were wailing
- He only stopped when Mammon punched him harshly, causing him to drop the human and go flying through the nearest wall, which happened to be Asmodeus’s, who was infuriated by the destruction of his room, but his focus immediately turned to Mammon and the trembling human he held
- Satan could barely hear or see much of anything anymore as Mammon’s punch had knocked him nearly out-cold
- Later when his senses came back he went to MC to apologize
- When he walked in they screamed and cowered in the corner.
- “MC, I won’t hurt you I promise-”
- “You always say that! You promised to never hurt me, Satan! All I wanted was to see if you wanted anything to help you calm down but you decided that was reason enough to try and eat my soul. For fuck’s sake, Diavolo is the Demon Lord and he isn’t half as cruel and manipulative as you are!” He watched the human tremble and cry their response out
- The loud noises had once again caught the attention of the humans guardian for their time in the Devildom
- Mammon walked in and grabbed Satan by the collar, dragging him out the door and slamming it behind him
- Satan sat against the wall and could hear how much pain MC was in as they cried to Mammon and he wanted nothing more than to run in there and take his place but he knew he had royally fucked up
- Scared of his own anger, he decided to not leave his room unless he was attending RAD, family meals, or the Library, because he was so afraid of making the human he had loved afraid and he didn’t want them to feel so much pain just by seeing him
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i know Asmodeus is a cute feminine boy with a love for self care and pampering and fashion BUT he always be littles others for not being as good or pretty as him and is super gossipy
- MC had come to school after a sleepover with Asmo, where things got deep and emotional and MC’s most shameful secret was revealed to him
- and he said he wouldn’t tell anybody. he really wasn’t going to but...
- MC noticed the weird stares followed by giggles of the succubi at RAD, clearly whispering about MC which made their stomach feel sick
- MC wasn’t sure what the deal was today until a succubus came up to them at lunch,
- “hey human, i heard that *insert your most humiliating memory*” she snickers with her friends, watching mc turn pale
- Unable to form words MC bolted out of there
- Unluckily for Asmodeus, MC just do happened to run into him
- “Ah! MC, dear, be careful or you and I will both ends up bruised-“ he’s cut off by a slapping sound
- he’s in so much shock he doesn’t even realize MC had slapped him for a few seconds
- “I should’ve known better than to trust you with my secrets.” MC growled, turning around to storm off, “Guess I forgot you were a demon. No, demons are like Diavolo, they at least have some itty bit of kindness in their hearts. You. You’re a monster.”
- Asmo watched them storm off and felt tears come to his eyes
- They were right, for once he had someone who loved him for more than power, looks, and sex, and what did he do? He hurt them and destroyed their reputation.
- He eventually fell off of his skincare routine and stopped coming home every night, instead, he was too busy partying and passing out in strangers’ beds and being glad the demons and succubi who dances with him and slept with him didn’t care for his personality
- cuz he knew his personality was the one part of him that was ugly as hell and he hated it 
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i know Beelzebub is a gentle giant who cares for his entire family BUT he also throws tantrums that hurt people when he gets hungry and isn’t given food asap
- After his sports practice, he was starving and on edge
- He hungrily eyed a strangers’ meal as he and MC walked home from the campus
- “Beel, don’t even think about stealing that poor demon’s food,” MC scolded him, unknowingly lighting a fuse inside of him
- He shifted to his demon form and grabbed MC by the shoulders harshly
- “Well what else am I supposed to eat?! Do you want me to eat you?!” He shook them, making them whimper out in pain as his claws dug into their flesh
- “B-Beel, you’re hurting me!” MC cried out, but he was too hungry to care and leaned in, about to take a bite out of the poor human before he felt himself get pulled away and pin against the ground
- “Beelzebub, just what in the Devildom do you think you’re doing?” Lucifer’s chilling voice snarled at his younger brother, a crowd forming to watch the two demon lords fight
- “I’m HUNGRY!” Beelzebub went to strike Lucifer, but instead, MC being MC, grabbed his arm to try and stop him, causing him to fling them against the wall, them hitting it with a loud cracking sound, blood pouring out from the back of their head as they rubbed it
- Seeing them bleed made him more hungry but then he saw the look of despair and disappointment that he had seen on his younger sister so many years ago and he snapped out of it
- “MC!” Lucifer rushed to the human’s side, picking them up gently and giving Beel one last cold look before flying off quickly to the Demon Lord’s castle, where Barbatos would be able to heal MC
- Beelzebub felt his hunger dissipate, instead, the guilt eating away at him as the sight of MC’s despair filled eyes flashed through his head 
- When MC returned later that night he went to apologize when he heard them in the kitchen
- “MC,” they flinched and whipped around, immediately using one hand to grip their head as dizziness struck them for a moment, the other hand out in front of them in a defensive manner
- Beel’s heart broke and he felt tears starting to form as he started to approach them, intending to hug them comfortingly
- “STAY RIGHT THERE!” MC yelled, their pact forcing his feet to stay planted where they were
- “Y-you don’t have to apologize okay? I should have known better than to scold a monster,” he winced at the word but let them continue, “But that said it isn’t entirely my fault. Every other demon in that plaza could smell me and didn’t pounce me, they had better control than that. Even when I go out alone nobody attacks me! Hell, even the Demon Lord himself isn’t cruel enough to attack me I-I just, please, stay away from me Beel,” and when they looked up he had tears streaming down his face and he was biting his lips to keep from crying
- As badly as they wanted to comfort the crying boy, they knew that they would be putting their own safety at risk if they were to forgive him and make him think he would be so easily forgiven
- Beelzebub suddenly started to stop feeling hungry as every time his stomach growled all he could see was the image of himself about to bite into MC and he would start to feel sick to his stomach
- He doesn’t forgive himself and gets really depressed because he thinks MC’s pain is his fault just like Lilith’s death
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i know Belphegor is a sleepy baby with a love for pranks and mischief BUT he literally killed MC but as soon as he found out they were a descendant of his little sister he suddenly just flipped a switch and didn’t even really apologize
- MC was sleeping in the attic next to Belphegor, tossing and turning as a nightmare filled their head
- They could practically feel his claws wrapped around their frail neck snapping it and laughing as they faded from their body
- MC sat up panting and screaming, Belphegor waking up and rubbing his eyes sleepily as he wrapped his arms around MC
- “NO NO NO GET OFF OF ME STOP IT” they continued to scream, flailing around in his embrace, he refused to let go though, convinced they just needed a hug to comfort them from whatever had scared them so bad
- They began to sob hysterically, their voice screaming out for Mammon
- Panicking he continued to hold them in place, afraid if he let go they’d sprint off
- and he was right, they bit his arm and he pulled away as they stood up and sprinted down the hall
- “MC WAIT” he chased after them, worried they’d get hurt
- As they saw the door of their guardian (Mammon), they called out his name
- Belphegor placed a hand over their mouth, worried about the others waking up, but it was too late as Mammon and Satan had both been woken by the cries of the human
- “HELP ME MAMMON PLEASE” MC sobbed, Belphegor sending a panicked and hurt look to his brothers
- Mammon pushed Belphie away as he took MC back into his room to calm them down
- After a mini-argument with Satan that ended up getting shut down by Lucifer, he went back to bed 
- The next morning he saw MC was sitting at the breakfast table and he smiled at them, only to watch them shoot a look to Mammon, who then pulled their chair closer to his own protectively
- They all ate in silence, the awkward and tense atmosphere keeping anybody from starting a conversation
- After everyone else left he went up to MC and cornered them, covering their mouth to keep them quiet so he could say what he needed to
- “I already apologized for everything so why do you still need to freak out whenever you see me?!” he asked, annoyed that despite his apology for killing MC, they still felt uncomfortable around him
- They slapped his hand away, “You didn’t really apologize. You only apologized because I’m a descendant of your dead sister, you didn’t apologize to me, MC, you apologized to Lilith,” MC shoves him and starts to walk away from the stunned demon
- “Its kind of funny that despite all the problems I’ve caused for his program, Diavolo has never tried to kill me.” MC says before finally making their exit
- Belphegor gets lost in his own thoughts after that, as he finally realized that he had been seeing them as a replacement Lilith rather than themselves
- even if he wanted to try apologizing again, he was unable to as Mammon became more and more protective of them, shooing Belphie away with dirty looks anytime they were in the same room
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minniepetals · 3 years
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Rose & Thorns: 09
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— summary: a lone rose, a little broken, until Jungkook came along and the two of you saved each other. and in doing so, Jungkook showed you a world where he shared with his six other mates.
— pairing: dragon!bts x reader
— genre: fluff / slight angst / poly!au / fantasy!au / dragon!au
— word count: 8.3k
— warnings: none
╰ part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4 / part 5 / part 6 / part 7 / part 8 / part 9 / part 10
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"Hi there."
Just two single words are uttered from your lips and Jungkook is reminded of everything that has happened from the very first moment you spoke those exact first words to him.
He remembered those eyes of yours, so lost, so lonely, yet still having that kindness within to try and reach out a hand in order to ease his pain even if it meant just a small dose. Little did you know you'd end up as a true keeper of the dragons, lover to the seven princes of the East Sky and Mountains. But knowing the rewards, in the end, had never been anything you were seeking for at the time, and his heart warmed at the single reminder of how truly kind your heart is. After all, before you could even come to that moment of happiness with them all, you had to face serious consequences all because of that kind heart of yours.
Looking back on it, Jungkook only wished he could have dealt with it all in a better sense. If he were there for you like you were always for him, if he had gotten to his lovers a little sooner to make them see that nothing about you had been false, if he had been there through your pains and tears, maybe you could have reached that dream of freedom and happiness so much quicker.
"Jungkook?" Yet no matter what he thought, you were always there gracing him a sweet smile with such precious eyes that he knew he would forever hold dearly to.
"Back from taking care of the little whelps?" He asked, driving his thoughts away from the memories in order to look at what was in front of him instead. Jungkook knew he couldn't keep dwelling on the past no matter how much it had hurt him. Because here you were, lips curled into a brighter smile and he knew then that no matter what he thought, you'd never blame him for anything.
But perhaps that was what was hurting him even more.
You walked into the castle, feet having light bounces to them with a basket full of laundry. "I'm fairly certain Namjoon will hold an apprentice ceremony for Haeun soon. Who do you suppose her mentor will be?"
He grabbed you by the arm to pull you back in front of him before you could walk right past him without a second thought, surprising you just a bit.
"I'm sure Namjoon will make a wise decision on that but," the young dragon drew both his hands to hold you firmly by the shoulders as he expressed a disappointed face, "don't you think you're forgetting about someone else first?"
You giggled under his adorable pout. "Don't you have to get ready for the afternoon hunting patrol soon?" You reminded him, causing him to let out a grunt.
"Why is it that Taehyung and Seokjin are the ones to have you by their sides every day? Why can't it be me?"
"Kook," you laugh, "you know your hyungs would never let me go out there to support the patrols. For one, it can be dangerous especially for a simple human like me, and two, I don't have a clue on what to do during a patrol."
He sighed, allowing his hands to drop by his side again. "It's unfair. Sometimes I wish I wasn't a warrior."
"Don't say that. The clan has both you and Hoseok to keep us protected and that is something I would never want to take away from you."
"I know. I just want to spend more time with you" He looked up to meet your gaze again. "But for now this will do." Without any warning, he leaned in to give you a quick kiss to your lips, causing your cheeks to brighten in an instant as he strolled away with a giggle, knowing exactly what your expression would show without even looking.
You were too adorable for your own good.
.
.
"Have you ever had scented candles before?"
On one of the rarer days when you were free from your duties and didn't have the little whelps demanding for your attention almost every second you turned your head and Seokjin was well on his own, you accompanied Jimin in the lonely dungeons as he made his rounds as head of the guards, making small talks ever so often.
There weren't many prisoners locked up for their bad deeds just as the time you spent there a prisoner yourself so you knew Jimin often got lonely making his rounds all alone each time. Taking that into consideration, you weren't going to let the opportunity of your free time be spent doing nothing.
"Scented candles?" You tilted your head slightly to the side with innocent eyes that always got him every time and Jimin chuckled lightly after dropping his clipboard on a table from finishing his rounds with you by his side and turning to elsewhere. "I've heard of them before but they don't necessarily exist around here do they?"
"They don't but there are tales of the scented candles being of great help to be of comfort for anyone in need." Your eyes widened at his words, feeling quite intrigued, and when Jimin turned back around with a few things in hand, your breath hitches. "The first person that came into mind was you when I heard about them," he told you with bright eyes smiling as he brought them on over towards the table at the center of the room. You followed him curiously, rounding yourself to stand beside him as he displayed the candles for you. "So I had one of our traveler dragons to bring them back when they had the time."
"Jimin..." You felt so touched by his kind thoughts for you you almost didn't know what to say towards the sweet gesture. But when he graced you with a tender smile upon your gaze on him, you were sure he understood your thankfulness towards him.
"If only we had these at the time when you were our prisoner." His face fell with slight dejection but you were quick to shake your head lightly.
"Having you to help me then was more than enough, Jimin, I promise. Then again," thinking back to that time, you giggled upon the memories, "would you guys have really wasted such precious things on me at the time?"
He sighed. "I'm glad we can joke about it now but looking back at it, we were so horribly rude to you I can't believe I let my emotions get the best of me."
"You were just worried for the little one."
He chuckled upon your words with a tousle to your hair. "I don't think Jungkook would appreciate someone smaller than him calling him the little one."
You gave him a pout. "And why not? You do it to him all the time."
"Because I'm his hyung. Though he does often tease me about it from time to time." You giggled knowingly, already picturing their small bickering when it came to the two of them and their banters. Having seen that, Jimin smiled from where he stood beside you and brought his hand behind your head in order to pull you close and place a sweet kiss on your forehead, surprising you and making your cheeks flare up at the sudden gesture without warning. He found it cute how you had yet to get used to their kisses whether unexpected or not but returned his eyes to the candles despite the shocking state you were still in.
"Shall we try one of them?"
With his question, you blinked in a daze before shaking your head to return to the subject, and with your cheeks still slightly flushed, your eyes darted back to the candles laying on the table. "There are so many different kinds," you observed with a slightly opened mouth of astonishment to which Jimin found adorable.
"I didn't know what kind of scent you'd prefer so I got the dragon to get a couple different kinds."
"Lots of them are flowery scents," you beamed under the lowlights of the dungeon as you went on to pick up the candles in order to observe them up close. Pulling them up close to your nose, you waft at them in order to get a sense of how each of them smelt, your expressions clearly pleased each time you got a new scent to try as Jimin simply stood there watching you, happiness blooming in his chest at just the sight of you so content. "They all smell so great even without it lit up."
Your face fell with furrowed brows as you stared at each of the candles, having a hard time choosing which one to try first and Jimin let out a laugh. "You're so cute," he said. "We can try every one of them now if you still have time to spare."
"I have all the time to spare!" You exclaimed almost a little too happy for someone who had come in the dungeons declaring the desire to help. But he knew that was just the way you were and for that alone, Jimin wasn't at all dissatisfied by it.
"Well then, since you're having a hard time choosing which one to try first, just close your eyes and choose."
"Good idea!"
Upon Jimin's suggestion, you quickly closed your eyes and hovered your hand over the candles, blindly searching over each one before you finally settled with the one to the far right. With that, you opened your eyes again and held that one up.
"Lavender," the dragon beside you stated.
"Lavender's wonderful!" You were quick to say with your eyes lighting up at the chosen one. "It helps relieve stress and anxiety," you let him know and his brows furrowed a little at your words.
"Are you having trouble, little one?" He asked, concerned.
"Oh no, not me," you quickly said with a shake of your head. "I want to share this with Namjoon because I know being a leader to a clan isn't always the easiest. He comes home later than every one of us after all and most times I'm already asleep by then. I haven't seen him around lately so I'm a little worried."
His eyes softened at your innocent kindness that never seemed to ever leave your heart no matter what and for that alone, Jimin almost believed that he was falling in love all over again. "We're so lucky to have you by our side."
You looked up at him and gave him a humble shake of your head. "It's the other way around," you smiled. "Do you think he'll appreciate it? Oh, but you got these for me as gifts."
"Don't worry, it's always best to share gifts like these with each other," he said while gently stroking your head. "I know Namjoon will be more than happy to receive this."
"Then shall we also choose candles for the others as well? I think it would be really incredible to build a storage room for scented candles so that whenever one of us needs it, we can always—"
"Before that."
"Hm?"
Innocently, you looked up from the candles to meet Jimin's gaze only to have your lips captured in a sweet kiss, leaving your breath to hitch and your eyes to widen as you froze right there at the unexpected kiss.
Jimin leaned away just enough to give you some space with a chuckle. "Your reactions will always please me."
"J-Jimin!"
"But," his brows furrowing slightly, he brought his hand over to slowly swipe his thumb along his lip as you simply stood there, staring at those plump lips of his, not knowing what to do, "I want more, little one."
"J.." Your cheeks brightened even more as your eyes were quick to avert to the ground upon meeting his eyes, causing him to let out another throaty chuckle.
"I love you."
He found it amusing in the way your face only seemed to flush even more each time he did and said something. Your eyes were shaking, not knowing where to look, and he was sure your head was swarming with thoughts of how to respond to him. Surely you were panicking upon whether to return those sweet three words or not and it brought a tug at the corner of his lips.
"Well?" He raised a brow, waiting for your permission.
You bit your lip, still contemplating, but Jimin went on to take the lavender-scented candle away from your grasp to place it back onto the table as he inched towards you in a sly manner.
"I..." You opened your mouth shyly.
"Yes?" He urged you on.
"I-I..." You stepped back out of panic but he followed right away. "Well..um..."
"Hm?"
Bravely, you looked up to meet his eyes head-on and Jimin smirked, satisfied with that. But still, he waited to hear your words and despite how slow you were with it, hearing it made him happy nonetheless.
"I love you too." You told him and he smiled, letting his hand trail down your face in a gentle possessive manner before leaning in and pressing his sweet lips to your own.
It's a gentle kiss like the gentleman he is and not long after your thoughts are filled with him and him alone.
.
.
"I can't wait to become an apprentice! I just know prince Namjoon will choose the perfect one for me!"
You giggled fondly at the little dragoness who sat beside you helping you with your duties as the two of you fold the blankets for the whelps together. "But before that, you will have to let him know what you want to be first, right?"
"Ah," she said, almost as if she had forgotten about the beginning steps first.
"Well?" You urged her on. "What would you like to be as part of the clan?"
She looked away thinking, her hands coming down to a stop on top of the white blanket that laid on her lap, her thoughts going on to stray away to the different duties every dragon has as a member of the clan.
"Unnie how did you choose what you wanted to do?" She asked you instead of answering, her decisions still unclear.
"Well," you started, ready to help her to try and decide, "I chose to be both Seokjin's underling and helping out with the whelps because I love helping. I guess it was easy to decide because, for one, I enjoy taking care of the whelps' needs, and two, I'm used to the herbs and remedies as I've often had to learn them myself without relying on others to help me heal when I needed it. Plus it comes in handy when the princes need to be tended to."
"You don't like just watching on the sideline and would rather be of help, huh?"
You nodded with a smile. "Tending to them makes me feel useful. I can protect them in that sense while they help to protect the clan as warriors themselves. I'd hate to just stand back and watch them in pain, not knowing how to help them. It'd feel worse than anything"
Haeun broke into a beaming smile at your answer. "Unnie, that sounds just like you."
You chuckled at her words and went on to tousle her hair. "You'll find your purpose one day soon. Take your time, no one is rushing you."
"Oh!" She let out a cute little gasp. "What if I worked as a caretaker as well? That way I can be of more help here in the roosts!"
"That sounds—"
"No."
The two of you turned at the voice to find Taehyung walking up with a slightly displeased expression as he handed little Kihyun to Haeun before shamelessly pulling you against his chest right in front of the kids.
"T-Taehyung!" You quickly gasped and were ready to push him away at the unexpected gesture. Only he wasn't going to let you go.
"You already spend too much time with my princess, you can't keep taking her away from me. I'm supposed to be the one who spends more time with her than anyone else, Haeun!"
You couldn't believe this was the reason for his refusal of Haeun's help but rather than taking him seriously, the dragoness let out an exasperated sigh as she stood from her spot with Kihyun in hand before purposely sticking her tongue out at the prince. "Sucks to be you then, my prince, because unnie likes me more than you anyways!"
He let out a dramatic gasp with the grip around you only tightening. "How dare you say such lies."
Yet she made no comebacks and simply ran away before Taehyung could scold her anymore.
You giggled at their little banter and turned around to face your lover with a sigh. "I would appreciate it if you kept the affections to a minimum in front of the little ones."
"Why should I? Those little dragons are already trying to steal you away. I'm just marking my territory so they know not to steal someone else's mate, especially one that belongs to a prince."
"You know they're just playing around."
"That's what they'd like you to think, those mischievous little brats."
You burst out laughing at how ridiculous he was, jealous of the little dragons and even having quite the serious pout plastered upon his face. You didn't know what to expect walking into the relationship but even so, everything had been so well you were glad to be able to laugh and smile along their sides no matter how many times you'd get flustered by the things they did.
Frowning at you for not taking him seriously, Taehyung grabbed a hold of your face in both his large palms and brought himself right in front of you, making your laughter cease almost instantly.
"Is it fun making me jealous?" The prince asked with a raised brow, suddenly giving you a deadpanned look you weren't sure what to think. "Hm, princess?"
Your eyes panned away from his out of panic, already afraid to be caught by the poor little dragons in case they stumbled upon the two of you. "Tae—"
"I'm right in front of you yet you're focusing on something else?"
"If the whelps catch us like this, I—" He brought your face forcibly back to face him again with a displeased expression that is quick to bring your voice quiet all over again. "Tae..." Seeing him like that was a little surprising to you. After all, despite the many months spent in the dragon clan, there was still so much you had yet to know of including how the princes would act as your lovers, and now that you were with them, it still felt a little unbelievable they would feel such love and possessiveness over you.
Maybe that was just the nature of dragons. Just as you've heard stories of them being quite possessive with their treasures, perhaps mating was just as if not more important.
Your faces were so close you were sure Taehyung could feel the heat of your cheeks against his palm. It made you even shyer so you looked away, not brave enough to keep eye contact for much longer, and just for that, he let out a knowing chuckle.
"You're so cute." His voice was low, quiet. "I don't want anyone else to see this side to you, princess. You're ours after all, aren't you?"
You ignored his words in an attempt to hide your embarrassment. "Don't you think, um...you're being a little too brave doing this right here?"
"I'm sure Haeun's got us covered."
"That's not—!" You grunted. "We can't let her watch the whelps all alone, you know that."
"Eh," he shrugged, not caring one bit, "she's a good kid. She'll take care of it. In the meantime—"
"Noona!!"
You were quick to gasp and pushed Taehyung away as soon as you heard the young voice calling your name. "Do you need something, Minho?" You asked, turning around as the little one ran up to you while you both ignored the cry of agony and frustration falling out of Taehyung's lips as he leaned back into one of the beds of the whelps, holding his face against his palm at the missed opportunity that was now ripped away from him.
"Noona I wanna play with you!" The little dragon exclaimed with a bright innocent grin plastered on his face but Taehyung knew it was anything but. As if to provoke the prince further, he grabbed ahold of your hands and dragged you off, not even sparing Taehyung a single glance, knowing fully well what he had just done.
.
.
"Y/N."
"Namjoon!" He saw you quick on your little feet as you ran up to him with a beaming smile that was just enough to slowly ease the weights resting on his shoulders. But he knew it wouldn't last forever despite wanting to keep seeing that precious smile of yours even if it meant for just one whole night, dreading for the time that was coming. "I was just looking around for you!"
He gave you a tender smile as he drew his hand along your face, stroking it gently. "Did you need me for something, dear one?"
"Mhm!" You took his hand, ready to run off. "Come here, I—"
But Namjoon pulled you back to stand right before him again, he himself not having moved one inch despite you just about to drag him away. "Can it wait?" He said, causing your smile to fall with a slight concern.
"Oh. Are you busy?"
He hated doing that to you. "I was just about to have Yoongi call for a clan meeting."
"Ah," you said, nodding. "Then I will wait for you in—"
"Actually."
"Hm?"
"I want you to attend the meeting."
That took you by surprise as your eyes widened a little, totally unaware that Namjoon would ask you to attend a clan meeting. Usually, he would have all the princes and his most trusted dragons together for a meeting first before letting the rest know of any news that would be important to announce. You've never attended any meetings before and there hadn't been one for a while so surely the things he had to discuss had to be important, right? So why would he ask you to attend?
Seeing the confusion written on your face, Namjoon began to explain. "You're our Keeper now, remember?" He said, reminding you of the ceremony that had taken place just a few weeks ago. "Must I keep reminding you that you are now very important to the dragon clans?"
"Well..." They've mentioned that but you have yet to know what exactly that title meant for you. "I haven't exactly done much, have I?"
"I know," he nodded, understanding. "Truthfully none of us truly understands how a human would prepare for this role but I need you to begin seeing this title as your new duty. I know you have the whelps to take care of and also work alongside Seokjin but being a Keeper will begin to take up the majority of your time now. I need you to be prepared for anything, Y/N."
"I..." The serious gaze he held for you made you understand how crucial it was but still, you couldn't find the answer as to why. "I don't understand."
Namjoon nodded again. "It is best to let everyone know first before you ask your questions." He took your hand and began leading you towards the one room you hadn't exactly been to before; the meeting hall. "But just know that from now on, the Keeper will be attending every meeting that is to be held."
Knowing your questions would be answered soon, you gave him a nod. "Okay."
The meeting hall was a grand hall that laid a large table right in the middle with twelve chairs surrounding it all together. Seeing it up close and personal itself, you could understand just how serious the meeting was going to be. Even Taehyung himself who had already taken his place towards one of the ends held a grim expression.
But upon seeing you walk in with Namjoon at your side, his face lit up just the slightest bit.
"You look tense," he joked as if trying to ease your nerves with his little jokes. "It's alright, princess," the dragon assured you with a soft smile as he held his hand out to offer you a seat beside him. You easily took his hand, allowing him to guide you to the chair beside him as the others began to file in.
Hoseok took his place on your other side with a grin. "First time here?" He asked almost flirtatiously and made you let out a giggle.
Not long after the meeting began.
"The three clans have gotten news of me declaring Y/N as Keeper of the Dragons." You could feel all eyes turning to you at the report that left Namjoon's lips and just for that, you felt a weird feeling drop within your stomach but you weren't sure exactly what you were supposed to feel.
Was it a good thing? Or not?
Weren't the Clans all connected in one way or another despite them ruling their own skies and mountains? Questions swarmed in your head and you were suddenly realizing just how much you didn't know about lots of things that were important to the clan.
Sensing your confusion, Namjoon began to explain. "There are four main clans. The East, the West, the North, and the South. The other clans that exist are the smaller clans that protect other areas that are not covered by the four major clans. The warriors live protecting our territories in order to maintain the lands that were given to us from the first beginning wars many years ago. We are allowed to go to war with any smaller clan to gain land if we wish to do so, but none of us are allowed to attack any of the major clans so that no one clan becomes one over the other and dictates the rest."
"Hence that's where gaining a Keeper poses a problem, doesn't it, my prince?"
You turned your head at the warrior that had spoken. "It..does?"
He sent you a conflicted expression. "Us major clans may not be allowed to attack the others to maintain order but there are other ways to gain power and look slightly better than the rest."
"And one way by doing that is having our ancestor warriors accept a Keeper into one of the clans," another warrior added.
You were posing a problem as a Keeper already? Just by existing? Did that mean you'd have to leave in order to not cause more problems and potentially be the reason the clans may go to war?
Seeing those worried brows furrowing, Seokjin turned back to Namjoon. "The clans have given you their answers, I am sure. What did they say?"
With Seokjin's question, the attention returned to the high prince once again.
"They will accept the Keeper as long as we grant them the permission to use her in the case of any major wars."
Jungkook abruptly stood up in protest. "No!" He said in a thunderous tone with a face filled with rage at the thought of even bringing you to the wars. "I will not allow anyone to use Y/N in any way shape or form even if it comes to our own wars."
"But the Keeper has her powers to protect herself and the ones beside her."
"Y/N doesn't know how to use her powers yet," he was quick to dismiss the thought.
Meanwhile, you look at Hoseok and Taehyung beside you with confusion at this so-called power of yours. You really possessed powers now? And as if reading your thoughts, the two of them gave you a silent nod both firmly to let you know that all of this was real.
"She can learn."
"And she will."
"Whether she learns it well or not does not mean I will let anyone take advantage of her and put her life at risk. Y/N's already gone through so much, you can't just expect her to suddenly be thrown into the middle of our clan's problems."
But you were the root of the problem so it only made sense. And you were sure you weren't the only one thinking that as you looked around the room, noticing the hesitation in the warrior's expressions as some of them felt conflicted on whether to voice their true opinion on the matter or not since they all knew you were the lover of the princes.
Sighing silently with worry, you spared a glance towards Namjoon who seemed to be the one in the most conflicted position. After all, as leader of the East Clan, he had to consider both sides to the problem while also needing to take in the other clan's words without dismissing it so easily.
As you sat there while the debate continued on, you realized that the only way the clan could have accepted you at all was to become a Keeper. That was the only position available to you as a human in order to be someone not only the East Clan could trust but the rest of the clans as well. Which also meant that this was Namjoon's way of protecting you. Because as Keeper, you were given the power to protect not just the people around you but yourself as well.
"Hyung." Jungkook turned back to Namjoon, wanting the leader to declare the words of declining the other clan's orders but you knew it wasn't going to be that easy of a decision.
The room fell silent again as the youngest of the prince addressed the leader who sat tall in his seat at the end of the table. His gaze remained grim with both his hands clasped together in front of him with silent thoughts swarming in his head.
It remained that way for a while, the room waiting for Namjoon to speak.
He closed his eyes for a second before sitting back tall against his seat and looking up to rest his gaze right on you. Your heart skipped a beat, not knowing what he was going to ask of you or if he had come up with a decision, and whatever it was, you knew you had to be prepared.
"Y/N," he called, voice uttered in a low octave.
"Yes?" You were almost too afraid of what his next words were going to be but this was Namjoon you were talking about. You knew you could trust him with your whole life. The two of you went through danger together, helped each other up, carried one another, and made it out alive in the end. You knew more than anyone that he wouldn't purposely lead you to danger. After all, even though he had hated you then, he still protected you from that great fall because he knew you were special to Jungkook.
If there was anyone you could trust, it would be Namjoon.
"The wars that the dragon clans may involve themselves in can be quite brutal," he told you. "There will be enemy dragons far more dangerous than the ones that had attacked both you and Seokjin. You have to, however, be rest assured that our own warriors are far stronger than you can ever imagine. I will do all that I can to negotiate with the other three clans but be prepared to know that you may be needed in one of the wars in the future."
"Namjoon—"
He held a hand up to silence Jungkook without ever diverting his gaze from you. "No dragon that belongs to the clans, whether that of the major clans or the smaller ones, will ever dare to harm you. Every dragon knows not to try and harm a Keeper who lives to protect them. So if and when the wars ever come, will you give your complete trust to us in due time just as the clans will do the same with you?"
Seeing that complete resolve in Namjoon's eyes which hides no lies upon his vow to keep you from harm's way, you knew your answer.
"More than anything, I will entrust my life to the clans."
Proud with your reply, Namjoon let himself give you a faint smile in return.
"This will mean the clans will want to meet her, won't they?" Jimin spoke up upon the possibility and returning to his serious expression once again, Namjoon gave a nod.
"The Keeper has much to learn then."
"That's right."
Customs and courtesies along with the history of the Clans and their origins. Adding along with your training as a Keeper, the need to protect the dragon clans. You had much to do but you knew running away from it wasn't going to happen so you sat there with a resolved look in your eyes, letting the dragons know that you were going to do it all if it meant protecting them.
They smiled knowingly, proud to have you as their Keeper.
.
.
"Can't sleep?"
Namjoon's eyes turned tender upon the sight of you joining him out on the balcony later that night. He held out a hand for you to take and you gladly accepted it with no protest, allowing him to bring you forward and wrap his arms around you to keep you warm from the night breeze.
It remained silent for a while with the two of you just basking in each other's warmth, comfortable with just the sound of the crickets chirping under the night sky filled with the light of the twinkling stars.
"I'm sorry," he whispered a moment later and you turned to look up at him with confusion.
"For what?"
"When I gave you the title as Keeper of the Dragons, I should have asked you about it all first instead of just deciding it all on my own," he told you with a grim expression resting on his face. "Now you're going to have to face some challenges that you weren't prepared for."
His voice was soft against the wind, but you could hear the guilt and heavy stress weighing against him, letting you know that he had been worrying about you with all of this now going on. The other three clans weren't going to give in to his negotiations that easily but Namjoon would be working hard just for the sake of you and for that you knew all you wanted to do at that moment was to ease his burdens.
"It's okay," you told him softly as you leaned against his chest to let him understand that you weren't blaming him for any of it. "You gave me a place in your clan and that is more than enough."
"Being a Keeper is not going to be easy on you. Whether it was the only title I could give you as a human or not, this will only make things harder on you."
You chuckled a little at those words. "You know more than anyone nothing has been easy for me in the first place."
"Exactly." He let out a sigh as his arms around you tightened with worry. "This isn't exactly helping."
"As a Keeper, no one can hurt me, right?"
"You're going to have to learn to defend and use your powers first."
"Mhm," you nodded. "And I will."
"I know you will Y/N, and I trust you with all that I have," he acknowledged without any doubt. "I know that despite the situation you're suddenly placed in, the burdens you will have to face as a Keeper, you won't let any of that get to you and will do all that you can do for the clan. But," he gave you a squeeze, holding you tighter as if to silently tell you how afraid he was knowing he had no choice but to send you away as a leader who had to make the best decisions for everyone, "truthfully I wanted to agree with Jungkook and straight-up refuse the thought of even involving you in any future wars. The little one knows you best. He's seen through it all, feels the most guilty out of any of us for not being able to protect you as well as we should have. And I know you don't blame him, none of us does, he was after all the one who fought so hard for your life. But because he had to go through that, Jungkook will be the one to suffer the most when we have to send you off to fight."
You understood that. You understood the fact that Jungkook's heart was so big he wanted to protect everyone he could with his power. He was there beside you, always feeling helpless he couldn't do much to help you in your situation knowing he had been less powerful than the rest of his hyungs, but even then, you would never blame him because none of it was his fault.
He was a kind, gentle, and loving dragon who refused to let any of his lovers get hurt. But you understood where Namjoon was coming from and knew this wasn't going to be easy at all.
"I will tell you this though," you looked up at the leader whose eyes were already on yours with a firm resolve in his eyes. "As the leader of the Eastern Clan and as your lover, I will not let anything happen to you no matter what we will face in the future. So can you place your faith in me and do your part knowing I will be standing right beside you in all of this?"
"Namjoon..." Dealing with the Clans and potentially needing to be used in some of the future wars would not be easy, you knew, but you also knew that you weren't going to be alone. So you gave him a firm nod, knowing more than anyone that you could trust him. "Of course."
He leaned in to place a kiss on your head. "That's all I need to hear."
.
.
The days grew longer and longer as you took your duties off as Seokjin's assistance and the caretaker of the whelps in order to begin your training as the true Keeper of the Dragons.
You were given a teacher who taught you the history of the Clans and common customs and courtesies to prepare you for the meeting of the other three clans and had to face a challenge in trying to understand how the previous Keeper had lived.
None of it was easy, knowing you would be alone throughout most of it because the dragons themselves had no idea of how to train someone with a position they've never had to face. So you spent most of your time in the large library mostly to yourself with lessons after lessons on the history of the Clans and the first Keeper of the Dragons.
Given the ability to wield the power to physically protect someone while having no idea how to use or control it was hard for a beginner like you, but you knew you couldn't give up so easily because this was now your duty. You couldn't let your clan down nor disappoint anyone.
Everyone believed in you, it was your duty to show them that you were capable of this position without any doubt.
If the other three clans blindly trusted in you to the point of potentially asking you for aid in future wars then you could not let them see you as a weak and vulnerable human who would make excuses on how hard it was. You had to prove yourself to everyone.
Not just your princes, not just your clan nor the other three clans, but to yourself as well.
You were going to face this head-on, knowing it was your duty to protect the dragons now as Keeper of the Dragons.
.
.
"Tired?"
You quickly shook your head as you headed back to the private chambers after another long day of studying. With a big smile plastered on your face, you knew you couldn't let them worry over you so much.
"I'm perfect!" You said to Yoongi who held on to a skeptical expression.
"Well that's true but," he held his hand up to stroke your hair with eyes that didn't blindly believe you so easily, "you know it's okay to say when you're tired, right? You have it very rough right now, after all. We can all see it."
"Well I'm a little tired," you admitted sheepishly, knowing you couldn't hide anything from them as he brought you in to hold you in his arms soon after. "But it's been going well, I promise."
"I don't doubt that." Seokjin came up from behind you to place a kiss on your head. When you looked up at him, his eyes were just as concerned as Yoongi's. "I know you're a smart girl who is stronger than anyone I've ever met, however, you must remember to not push yourself too hard."
"You often go to the extremes for others, that's why we're so worried, princess," Taehyung said.
"If it becomes too difficult to face this all on your own, you have to tell us," Jimin chimed in. "Preparing for battles is not easy but doing this as a Keeper is something beyond our own imaginations. We may not understand some things but we're right here for you, okay?"
"Once you're done with the first steps of knowing how to defend and use your powers as a Keeper, the next step is learning how we fight our wars."
"I'm sorry," Namjoon said after Hoseok, looking the most worried out of them all since he was the one to have given you the title. "This is a lot more than I thought it'd be."
"I promise I'm alright," you said with sincerity at their concern for you. You hated seeing them like that but you knew it was coming from a good place. "Learning to protect the Clans is a privilege. I'm honored to be a Keeper. I won't let you down."
"Y/N."
You turned to the sound of the last prince to speak and saw the way he stood a bit further from the rest of you, an unsettling uneasiness clear on his face as his brows furrowed while he refused to look at you at first. It was silent for a moment as you waited for Jungkook to speak.
When he finally managed to look up and meet your face, you could see how much this was affecting him and felt your heart drop at just the sight alone. Jungkook was so worried about you.
He held his hand out, eyes averting from yours again but still, you took it without hesitation, letting the youngest prince have his way with pulling you into his strong arms. You couldn't see it from where you stood just seconds ago but now that you were in his arms, you could feel the way he was trembling slightly as he held you.
"'Please," he whispered as he let his cheek rest against your head, "if it's too hard you have to let us know. You can't lie to us no matter what. If you don't want to do this anymore then just say the word and we'll take care of it. But I know that is not something you'd ever do because you are much too noble for that so please...please don't push yourself too hard for any of our sakes. If you go too far you'll hurt yourself. So this time, this time I won't let you get too far. I promise I'll uphold my words and protect you. So please rely on me. Okay?"
You knew to some extent that Jungkook worried the most out of everyone but hearing those words coming out of his mouth, feeling the slight trembling of his body, you knew how scared he was right now. So worried, so afraid.
He loved you so much so you knew you couldn't do something that would make him think you were only going to make things harder for yourself.
You stepped back just enough to face him again where you reached up to hold his face in your hand. His eyes were filled with so much grief you wished you could just take all those worries away in a blink of an eye. But it wasn't going to be that easy. Despite that, however, you knew you had to do something to ease the pain even if it meant a small dose.
"I promise, Jungkook. I won't go too far this time."
"Good." He said and buried his face against the crook of your neck, his breath shaky as he let out a sigh. "Good."
"How about this?" Witnessing that moment between the two of you, Namjoon spoke up. "You should take a break tomorrow. You've been working non-stop these past few weeks after all."
"Hm?" You turned to Namjoon with a slight confusion while Jungkook remained in your arms, refusing to let you go anytime soon. "But—"
"The clan haven't seen you in a while since you've been buried in the library almost every day since your training started. I'm sure they've missed you."
"That's right," Taehyung let out a sigh at just the reminder of the little whelps demanding him questions after questions on when they were ever going to see you again. "You know more than anyone how much those little whelps love you. They've been asking for you since the day you started your training and Haeun isn't making things any easier. She's gotten so grumpy I can't keep handling all of them on my own."
You laughed lightly upon the mention of the little ones, already picturing them complaining to Taehyung and bouncing around him for answers about you.
"Everyone knows you're working so hard right now," Yoongi stated with a firm nod. "You should take tomorrow to catch up on things and take things easy. They've all missed you."
"I suppose a day wouldn't hurt."
"Then it's settled." With that, Namjoon gave you a faint smile as he walked up to both you and Jungkook, giving you a kiss to your head before gently patting Jungkook's head. He looked up, still slightly upset about this whole thing. "Y/N's going to be okay," the leader vowed firmly. "Everyone's looking out for her."
"Mhm," you nodded with a smile. "So don't worry too much, okay?"
He took a moment to stare at the kind smile you gave him and seeing how sincere you both were, Jungkook began to look relieved as his face relaxed for the first time in a while. "Okay," he sighed with a small smile of his own. "I'm proud of you."
Your heart blossomed with love.
.
.
Two weeks later, you were to leave to meet the three clans of the North, South, and West.
Dressed in formal wear, you took a deep breath as you stared out at the view of the horizon from the mountain top, knowing this would be the first time you would be leaving the mountain and being gone for a while.
"Are you ready?" You turned at the voice of Hoseok who stood tall beside Namjoon as the two of them would be the ones to accompany you on the journey. Behind them stood the rest of the princes and the clan to bid their farewells and wait for your return. Scanning the crowd, you could see some faces of worry and decided to give them all your usual kind smile.
"I have Namjoon and Hoseok with me, you can all stop looking at me like I'm already going out for war," you said with a small laugh to lighten the dampened mood. "I will be alright," you give them the vow with confidence in order to ensure that they did not have to worry too much.
It seemed to have worked since many of their faces began to lighten up again.
"We will be waiting for your return."
"Please stay safe."
"Send word if anything goes wrong. We'll be ready for anything."
You laughed again. "You all worry too much."
"For good reason." Seokjin walked up looking slightly grumpy. "We're sending our Keeper away after all."
"They won't do anything to me, I'm just going to be meeting them so that they will know who the Keeper is," you reminded him.
"I'm surprised you can be so calm." Truthfully despite Jimin's words, you were quite worried but you knew you couldn't show that now. It wouldn't be the best thing to do knowing the clan themselves were already concerned. "You're so brave, little one."
"Mhm," you nodded at his words with a confident grin. "So trust me a little more, hm?"
"Stay safe, princess," Taehyung told you as he gently tousled your hair.
"I will."
Meeting both Namjoon and Hoseok's gaze, there seemed to be some sort of a silent conversation going on as Yoongi met their gazes before he turned to you with a small smile. "We'll be waiting for you."
"Mhm," you smiled.
"I love you," Jungkook whispered before turning to Namjoon and Hoseok. "You too," he said. "Be careful out there."
"Of course," Hoseok nodded.
"Shall we go? We must reach the Southern Clan before the sun sets." Upon those words of Namjoon's the clan tensed up again along with an odd feeling dropping along your stomach. But you knew you had to do this whether it was scary or not. It was important to the future of the clans after all.
Once both Namjoon and Hoseok transformed into their respective dragon forms, you gave the clan a formal bow of respect. "I shall return in time."
With that, you climbed onto Hoseok's back and the two of them took off riding into the sky, leaving the Eastern Dragon Clan behind.
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reporterleroux · 3 years
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The Hybrids Society
Characters: c!hybrids x gn!striderhybrid!reader (/p)
A/N: Yet again suggested by my friend my ideas are on a low rn lmao
UPDATE AFTER WRITING:
I have been made aware that Ranboo is uncomfortable with x readers, I am trying to privately save any to find things that may possibly be uncomfortable for him in the future and avoid them, however I cannot do that with asks. This can be read as a friendship if you please, I personally don't think it's weird for friends to hold hands, but if youre uncomfortable please scroll.
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The hybrids of the SMP always seemed to be pretty innocent, doing their own things, living their own lives. But behind the scenes there was a secret society for them. A society away from normal humans. A society built for them. It simply went by the Hybrids Society, that's all. It was a group for everything, from healing and support, to meetings for when it came to more serious times. When it came to meetings, everyone had to attend, but otherwise it was open for any of them to stroll in and get what they need any time. The main people you would normally see there would be Ranboo, Tubbo, Fundy and Phil, Techno and Foolish would appear from time to time when needed, but otherwise the others were barley seen at all. It was content, quiet enough for them. They had all the support they could need, right where only they could find it. It was only these lot, until you came along.
It was just a normal day for you, strolling around the lowest points of your home on the lava, checking in on all your friends and family, even if they were full Striders and not Human hybrids. That was until 2 people saw you.
"Uh, Phil? That's a person, right?"
Ranboo asked Phil. They were out looking for some Quartz, it would usually be Phil and Techno or Ranboo and Techno, but he was busy today, so the 2 of them went instead. Phil looked awfully confused, so Ranboo pointed in your direction, both seeing you playing with the smaller Striders in the middle of the lava pool.
"Oh yeah mate, it looks so. How are they not burning?"
Phil said. Ranboo just shrugged in confusion. They stood in silence, careful to be aware of their surroundings, watching you trying to figure out how you weren't burning.
"Why don't we go down and talk to them?"
Ranboo suggested. Phil took a moment to look in his inventory for cobble, if they were going to head towards you, they needed enough.
"Got any spare cobble? I think I'm just slightly short of it."
Phil asked Ranboo. You didn't have to ask him twice, as he pulled out all the cobble in his inventory and passed it to Phil. You could tell he was excited to meet you.
It wasn't long until they were at a suitable level and started bridging towards you. About halfway through their bridging, you noticed them, and decided to walk towards them to help them save resources. They somehow didn't notice you, not until you started talking to them.
"Hello."
You simply stated. The bridging blonde was taken by surprise and fell from the shock. If it wasn't for you catching him, he would've fallen into the lava.
"Sorry about that, here, pass me that, I'll help you."
You said as Phil passed you the cobble, and you began to build a bigger platform for them to stand on.
"Thanks... Wh-whats your name?"
The bi coloured boy asked, clearly nervous about meeting you, now that it was happening in person.
"I'm Y/N, how about you guys?"
Ranboo looked at Phil, and Phil looked at Ranboo, both clearly confused on who's answering first.
"I'm Phil, and this is Ranboo."
Phil finally spoke up, pointing at Ranboo as he said his name. He waved in response.
"Nice names! Would you like to stay and chat for a bit? Obviously if you're not busy, it's just nice to talk to someone since noone here speaks English."
You said. The 2 looked at eachother, remembering what they came for.
"We gotta get some Quartz, but you can come with us if you can walk on land?"
Phil asked. You thought about it for a moment. You'd never been on land before. Would you drag them behind their schedule? Striders are infamous for walking slowly on land, is it the same with you?
"Yeah, sure! I'm not sure if I'll slow you down though, I've never walked on land before."
You answered, excitement dying down slightly in the second sentence. Ranboo looked at you in slight disappointment of your excitement dying down.
"Don't worry kid, it's fine. There's a first time for everything, isn't there?"
You nodded in responce, and Phil held out his hand to pull you up, as the platform was one block above lava level. You placed your bare feet on the cobble. It was cold, rocky. But nice. It was different, you liked that. Phil started walking back, Ranboo behind him and you behind Ranboo, surprising you as you were walking at the same speed as them.
You were next to Ranboo, the 2 of you walking behind Phil, talking while he looked for Quartz. Ranboo would unconsciously stop talking at times to study you and your hybrid features. You had pale red skin, dark red hair, and wore a raggy shirt and trousers.
"So,"
Ranboo began.
"What other hybrid features do you have?"
You thought for a moment. The issue is you didn't really know. You never went outside the lava, never tried something new before today.
"To be honest, I'm not sure. I've never left the lava before today. All I know is that I like mushrooms, it's the only edible vegetation here for me and it's quite nice."
Ranboo let out a slight laugh at your honest opinions, which made you smile. You didn't know what you did or how you did it, but it felt nice.
You were all there for a while, you got to know Ranboo quite well and he got to know you quite well. You got back to the portal, kinda upset that it was time for them to leave. They both looked at you, before looking at eachother, and back at you again.
"Would you like to come with us? Y'know, like live in the overworld with us, meet out friends?"
Your eyes visibly lighted up.
"Yes! I'd love to!"
You called out. Ranboo offered you his hand so he could help you through the portal, which you excitedly took. You all stepped through the purple swirls, and before you knew it, you were somewhere you've never seen before.
It was indoors and decorated like your home, granted, but you cod tell it was different. You felt scared. You gripped Ranboos hand tighter, he looked over to you confused until he realised how scared you looked.
"Hey, it's ok, it's a nice world out there, trust me."
Ranboo told you with a smile. You smiled back but still didn't let go of his hand fully, you just released your grip a bit. It was all fine until you got to the exit of the building. It was pouring down with rain. Phil looked over at Ranboo and handed him a coat. You looked confused.
"He's an enderman hybrid, so he can't go into the rain. Wait, since you're a hybrid from the nether, does that mean you can't go out into rain?"
Phil said. You shrugged before you stuck the back of your hand out into the rain. It only took a single drop for you to pull your hand back in pain. You could see where it landed, it was physically sizzling.
"Ah. In that case, wanna get under with me?"
Ranboo asked, lifting up the coat so you could get under. You edged closer to him, as he released your hand and rested it across your back and looped his hand to hold onto your stomach. You reached up for his hand with one of yours, the other pulling the edge of the coat down. It wasn't overly comfortable, it wasn't the biggest coat, and Ranboo had to bend down to your level due to his height. But it was whatever it took for you both to be safe. The issue is you assumed you were running and didn't know where to go.
"Uh, Phil? I guess we're running, right? I have no clue where were going."
Phil looked at you, before looking at Ranboo and turning back around.
"Don't worry, Ranboo will show you. Now, ready? Let's go!"
Phil said before running into the rain, the 2 of you close behind. Ranboo held you close, making sure you weren't hurt at all. He was used to this by now, but was aware you were new to rain, and wanted to make sure you get back in one piece.
You finally reached where you were heading to, and Ranboo stood at his full height, letting the wet coat fall off both your backs. Phil was aware of why you both didn't touch it and picked it up for you. You followed Ranboo into the place.
"This, Y/N, is what we like to call the Hybrids Society. It's a place open for all hybrids whenever they need it. It's hidden away from the non-hybrids, so please don't tell them about it."
Ranboo said. You nodded when he said not to tell the non-hybrids, as you both approached a corner. You tugged on his jacket to grab his attention.
"I'm not sure about this mind..."
You said nervously. Sure, you were excited to meet hybrids like you, but it was also nerve wracking.
"Don't stress, you'll be fine."
You grabbed Ranboos hand and walked behind him as he walked around the corner. Phil had already walked ahead.
"Hey Fundy, Tubbo, Techno! Were back!"
Ranboo said as he walked in. You hoped his tall figure would hide you since you were considerably shorter than him.
"Hey Ranboo! Why's your hand behind your back?"
Fundy asked, as Tubbo nodded in agreement to his question. Techno was looking through chests for potion ingredients, not paying attention to them. Phil was in the corner smiling, looking for some clothes for you to wear. Ranboo looked at you, as you looked back up at him. He smiled at you softly.
"Remember what I said, it'll be fine."
You slowly poked your head out from behind him, before showing your whole self, waving at them nervously, still holding Ranboos hand.
"This is Y/N. They're a Strider Hybrid and we met them in the Nether earlier."
Ranboo introduced you. Techno perked up at the fact you were found in the Nether and finally looked at you both.
"Hello Y/N! I'm Tubbo, I'm a Goat hybrid!"
Tubbo introduced himself as he waved at you excitedly. You smiled and waved back.
"I'm Fundy, a Fox hybrid. Nice to meet you."
Phil had finished looking for clothes by now and was watching you all. He could see Techno looking at you in curiosity as to your hybrid abilities. He made his way over to him and nudged him.
"Go on then mate, introduce yourself!"
Phil whisper-shouted to Techno.
"Uh, yeah right, sorry. I'm Technoblade, but you can just call me Techno."
He said in a monotone voice before turning back to what he was doing.
"Y/N, here, go put these on, it's probably more comfortable than what you're wearing now."
Phil said as he handed you the clothes he picked out, baggy jeans and a red shirt. You took them before Phil pointed towards where you could go change. You walked off to go change, while the others continued the conversation.
"So, about you guys,"
Fundy began with a smirk on his face. Ranboo instantly cut him off, knowing what he was going to say.
"Were just friends. They were nervous about leaving their long time home, and I don't blame them. We talked alot during the trip so I suppose we got quite close and they started clinging to me for safety? I'm not sure, we'll just see how it goes."
Ranboo said. It was a simple response, with a simple theory, he just didn't know if it was correct.
You later walked out of where you were changing in your new clothes, happy with the selection.
"These are nice, thanks Phil."
You said. Phil simply nodded his head slightly.
"Hungry? There's some mushrooms over there if that's what you fancy. They're overworld ones though, not ones from the Nether."
Ranboo asked. You headed towards where Ranboo pointed and looked at the mushrooms. They were way different to ones you were used to, they were beige or red and white spotted, rather than blue and orange. You looked back over as if to say "Are these safe to eat?" and they all nodded. You simply shrugged before taking one of each and trying them one after the other.
"Mm! These are nice! Different from the usual, granted but it's nice that they are different."
You sealed the approval of the mushrooms.
You hung out at the base of the Society for a bit longer, meeting more hybrids and getting to know others better. It was getting late, and there was just one problem. You didn't have anywhere to sleep. You started getting tired, and they all noticed.
"Hey, we got beds here, want us to stay here tonight and we'll find you somewhere to sleep tomorrow?"
Tubbo asked, praying the others wouldn't mind what he put them up to. All you could do was nod, before you physically went out cold.
"Damn, they are tired, huh. It's been a long day for them I suppose."
Phil said, while Ranboo picked you up before taking you to one of the beds and staying until you felt comfortable.
"Goodnight Y/N. See you tomorrow."
He said before walking out. It was a different life, of course it was, but it was going to be a nicer one for you, with more people to talk to, and a best friend you would trust with your life.
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A/N: a place for them would be nice where they just do stuff yeah
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five-rivers · 3 years
Text
Changeling Chapter 1
A DP Fae Au fic. I've been promising you this for so long XD. I can hardly believe I'm finally delivering, even if it's only one chapter for now.
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Chapter 1: In the Beginning, There Was an Offer
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They studied legends. According to those legends, today, Beltane, was a time of renewal, of birth, of fertility.
It was not supposed to be… this. Their dreams weren’t supposed to be crushed today. Not under this sun, not under these blue skies and among softly blooming flowers.
This kind of news should have come with rain. It should have come with storms.
Maddie wiped tears out of her eyes and Jack patted her on the back. The air smelled sweet and dusty at the same time. The bench was uncomfortable.
“We could try adoption,” said Jack. He sounded shocked, too. Drained. His voice was pulled taught over a great hollowness. “Lots of people adopt. We can- can do some good in the world, maybe.”
Maddie sniffed and cried harder. She’d wanted her own children, and Jack knew it. Adoption was all very well and good, but at this point the suggestion felt like some consolation prize, and she felt terrible for even thinking it was, because Jack was right, it could be a good thing, and…
She wanted children. Her own children.
“Excuse me, I believe I can help.”
There was something about how he said that, about how the voice wound and slipped through her ears that had Maddie’s head snapping up. The man who stood to the side of the bench wore a long coat with a deep hood. Symbols, symbols that Maddie had spent hours, days, weeks, researching were stitched into the fabric. His eyes glittered in the shadows. The fingers of his hands, clasped in front of him, were too long, their coloring faintly lavender, as if they had been dipped in ink and retained the stain even after they’d been washed clean.
This was not a human.
“How?” asked Maddie, feeling hope drip back into her limbs even as Jack tensed behind her. “How can you help?”
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“We shouldn’t have done that,” said Jack as they drove home. “We really shouldn’t have done that. Maddie, they’re evil, there’s always a catch and it’ll always be looking for a way to push us into it.”
“The catch is in the open,” said Maddie, leaning back against the seat of the car and closing her eyes. “It isn’t as if it’s in the fine print and we’re going to stumble into it. We have one, and then I get my tubes tied, or you get snipped, and we go on with our lives.”
“What if we have twins? Triplets? Maddie, we should have talked about this.”
“There wasn’t any time,” Maddie said defensively. “I had to decide right away.”
“What are we going to do if we have twins, Maddie?”
Maddie bit her lip, her eyes opening without her full permission as she thought. “We know how to deal with things like him.”
The car jerked just a little to the right as Jack failed to suppress his flinch. “Do you remember our work on motivations? On why they take artists, musicians, children?” he asked. He forged on without waiting for an answer. “Creative sterility, we called it. For this one to be able to cure sterility, he has to be powerful. I don’t think nails in pockets and inside-out clothing is going to stop him.”
Such protections were hit and miss to begin with. One faerie might hate bread, another might love it. The sound of bells would drive off one, and another would wear them in their hair. Even cold iron was no guarantee against them.
“We’ll have to find something better, then,” she said, firmly.
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Maddie laughed. Not a twin. A single child showed on the ultrasound monitor. A girl. A beautiful baby girl. Perfect.
On the other side of the bed, Jack sunk into a chair, obviously relieved. “She’s healthy?” he asked the OB/GYN.
“Completely,” she said. “This is quite the miracle the two of you put together here.” She shook her head. “We must have gotten something wrong during our examination. I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am to have put you through all that, and I won’t blame you if you wanted to find a new doctor.”
“It’s fine,” said Maddie, patting the woman’s arm. “It happens.” Yes, being approached by a powerful fae just ‘happened.’ “The important thing now is to make sure there aren’t any complications.”
.
They made sure Jazz was born on a Sunday, with two middle names, one of which Maddie made sure to forget. They scheduled her baptism for as early a date as possible, even though both Jack and Maddie were as lapsed as it was possible to be.
Precautions.
Jack had his surgery only a month later.
They were safe. They had won.
The family of three snuggled together on the couch. Well, Jazz snuggled inasmuch as a newborn was able. They watched TV.
“Jack, dear,” said Maddie, roused to awareness by a news story about a rising young businessman. “Is that our Vlad?”
Jack blinked at the screen. “I think you’re right,” said Jack. “I haven’t seen him since college. I don’t think we’ve talked to him since college.” He frowned. “Did something happen? The three of us used to be so close… He was the only one in the whole folklore department that would put up with our theories, do you remember?”
“I don’t know,” said Maddie, trying to remember. “It was like he was there one day, gone the next.”
“Do you think he’ll mind us getting back in touch?”
“Only one way to find out.”
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(As it turned out, Vlad did not particularly care to get back in touch.)
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Jazz was not a normal child.
She saw too much. She understood too much. Her teeth grew in early. She learned how to get the milk out of the fridge at about the same time she learned how to walk. Her eyes were too large, even for her age. She didn’t start talking until she was almost two, and when she did, it was in complete sentences. She took to responsibility like a duck to water. No, she demanded responsibility, from waking up the family in the morning to answering the door. She loved rules and games, and the rules of games.
But they had never raised a child before. Perhaps this was simply how they were. Perhaps this was within the expected variety of humanity.
Most importantly, Jazz was theirs. Completely.
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Maddie was not terribly concerned when her period missed a few days, or even when it was late by a week. But when it started pushing two…
She bought a test.
It came back positive.
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Danny’s birth was different from Jazz’s in almost every particular. Instead of being infused with a sense of joy, proceedings were overshadowed by dread. Jazz had been born in a hospital. Danny would be born at home, behind every ward and protection Jack and Maddie could conceive of. The midwife they hired was more than used to odd belief systems and threw a few of her own traditions in as well.
It couldn’t hurt.
.
It didn’t help.
After the birth, Maddie held Danny in her arms. He’d been born in a caul, which had been slightly alarming, even though Maddie had known that it was a thing that happened regularly, and that, by most accounts, it was lucky.
He was such a tiny little thing. Smaller than Jazz. Which made sense, he was a little premature.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” she promised him, whispering into the silky, wispy curls on top of his head.
Someone knocked on the door. Maddie jerked her head up, even though the front door wasn’t at all visible from the basement. Jack flinched hard enough to drop the towels he was holding. The midwife froze.
“Hospitality,” croaked Maddie. Those rules were always humanity’s first defense against the uncanny. Don’t want something in your house? In your life? Don’t invite it in.
Although, she had arguably already invited in the fae they were worried about. Hence all the other contingencies.
The knock came again. And again, louder.
Jack let out a sigh of relief. “It can’t get in,” he murmured. Then he smiled, broad and bright. “We just have to wait it out.”
Maddie nodded, tears in her eyes. The knocking continued. This was far from ideal, obviously, but she’d been half expecting the fae to simply rip through the wards like tissue paper.
Perhaps the theory that more powerful fae were more bound by custom, more vulnerable to their weaknesses, held water? She and Jack had always dismissed it as fanciful, but they’d never been able to gather evidence before.
Then, a sound that made her heart stop.
“I’ll get it!” called Jazz, childish voice muffled by distance and the obstacle of the floors above. She’d been told not to answer the door when Danny was being born, to wait patiently in her room, but for all her unusual maturity, she was only three.
Faster than she’d ever seen him move, Jack bolted for the stairs, pushing aside several pieces of furniture and medical equipment in his haste. He took the stairs four at a time and nearly taking the door off the hinges.
He wasn’t fast enough.
“Who are you, mister?”
“Me?” said a voice Maddie had prayed against ever hearing again. “I am your uncle, my dear. Did your parents not tell you about me?”
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Jazz tipped her head to one side and stared up at the man, making her eyes extra big. She knew it made a lot of people uncomfortable when she looked at them like that, so she treated it as a kind of test.
The man smiled, kind and patient. He was kind of funny looking, but in a good way.
“No,” she said finally. “Are you Mommy’s brother or Daddy’s brother?”
“Ah, you already know about uncles, then. I was worried I’d have to explain. May I come in? I would like to greet your little brother, as your parents promised I could. I have gifts for both of you.”
Jazz liked gifts. “Okay,” she said. “But I dunno if Danny’s been born yet. Mommy said it can take a while. And I dunno if he can have gifts, yet. He’s gonna be really little. That’s what all my books say, and also the internet.”
“Jazz! Don’t!”
Jazz turned to see her Daddy skid around the corner, just as her uncle stepped across the threshold.
“Not quite on time, I fear,” said uncle. “Young Jazz has already let me in.” He patted Jazz on the head. She ducked away and stuck her tongue out, like she always did when Daddy did that. “Having greeted my niece, I would like to see my nephew.”
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The fae did walk past the rest of the wards as if they weren’t even there. It didn’t even break them, just ignored them. Some of them he even commented on, as if approving.
He gazed down at Danny with his otherworldly eyes. The midwife had retreated to the corner of the room, refusing to look at what was happening. Jack had attempted to attack the fae with his bare hands, only to be pushed away with something approaching gentleness by an invisible wall. Maddie didn’t know where Jazz was. Upstairs, somewhere, hopefully.
“So beautiful,” the fae said, brushing Danny’s forehead with his off-color fingers. Faster than Maddie could react, he had a pair of scissors in his hand and was cutting off a lock of hair. “A lovely child.” The lock of Danny’s hair disappeared into the fae’s coat.
If Maddie didn’t know better, she’d call the expression on the fae’s face love. But she did know better. Love was as incomprehensible to the fae as fae laws were to humans, so she’d call it by its true name: avarice.
She tightened her grip on Danny, as if she could keep the fae from plucking him from her arms.
“Not now,” said the fae, after another moment. “Soon, I should think.” It ran a hand over Danny’s head. “Soon.” The fae looked up, meeting Maddie’s eyes. “I will return,” he said, “in one year.”
“For what?” demanded Maddie, unwilling to get her hopes up.
The fae blinked slowly. “For his birthday.” He tilted his head. “To determine whether or not he is ready. Perhaps, also, to visit my niece.”
“You stay away from Jazz!” snarled Maddie. “You have no claim on her.”
The fae merely shrugged, then smiled, slyly. “She does, however, have a claim on me. I promised her gifts, before your husband whisked her away.”
“Gifts,” repeated Maddie, hoarsely.
“For the sister of my child, yes,” said the fae, voice and face as calm and even as ever. “Would you ask me to forswear myself?”
“Then,” said Maddie, “you can leave them here, with us.”
“You will give them to her?”
“Yes,” said Maddie, through her teeth. She did not say how long she would let Jazz be in the presence of these ‘gifts.’
“Very well, then,” said the fae, pulling a number of boxes out from beneath his coat. “One year. Be prepared.”
And, with that, the fae faded from view, as if he had been an illusion all along.
Danny was still with them. Their son was still with them. Still theirs.
“One year,” she said, breathless. “Only one year.”
“One whole year,” corrected Jack, rushing to her side. “You’ll see, Maddie. Next time, that fae won’t know what hit him!”
“One whole year,” echoed Maddie, weakly.
“One year to prepare,” said Jack. “Look what we did with half that time! We’re Fentons! We can do it!”
“We can do it,” breathed Maddie. “One year. We’ll be ready.”
Jack nodded, firmly. “We’ll be ready.”
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Please Fix the Story pt 24 - Sci Fi
The battle with the Hive, and the traveler! Moving onto the end game after this. (Still will take a few parts, but the end is in sight!)
Masterpost linked here.
Enjoy!
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The atmosphere in the conference room was tense.
“The numbers don’t look good.” General Gladus stared at the display with a frustrated sigh. “We just have the few Mechs stationed in the Fifteenth Sector. The Hive have a full colony… thousands of drones, directed by a Queen. They have already landed on the nearest moon, destroying the defense base there, and will be within striking distance of the planet in..." He rechecked his numbers. "Eighteen hours.”
Pointing his finger at the hologram, the display zoomed in on the larger dot surrounded by countless other smaller red dots. “The Queen is the key. She controls all the drones. If we take her out, we can halt the invasion long enough for true reinforcements to arrive.”
I nodded, trying to follow along. “So if we don’t have the numbers to defend the planet, we go on the attack and try to strike the Queen?”
“It can take a whole squadron to take out a Queen. “ He quickly put a damper on my excitement, frowning. “A normal Hive drone is the size of a human. She’s larger than two Mechs put together, around six stories tall, with armor to match.”
I thought about the story, what I knew about what technology was available years ahead… Hadn’t Chris gotten a special Mech to fight Queens? “What about a bigger Mech? Big enough to take on the Queen?”
The general paused at that. “The military engineers at the academy have been working on some prototypes… but the bigger a Mech is, the harder it is to control. In a few years we might have one that a single Guardian could operate, but the ones we have now? No one would have the capability…”
“I do.” I interrupted, speaking with certainty. “Let Liam and I try it.”
“Honey, I know you’re a Grade S Guardian, but…”
“I’m more than that. You remember that I almost destabilized? It was because of a sudden increase of my power” Because I’m not really your daughter. “I’m much more powerful than a grade S… “ I reached out and grabbed Liam’s hand. “And that’s not even to mention our 100% resonance match.”
Liam grinned, squeezing my hand. “Trust us, General. Alaira and I can fly anything they can build!”
The General stared at us, obviously unnerved at the idea of sending his daughter into the worst of the fighting. I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Trust me, Dad. I’ll make you proud.”
“…” He let out a long sigh. “I’m already more proud than I could ever be…” He rubbed his forehead. “Fine. Let’s see if you can work the thing… but if you can’t move it perfectly, then the plan gets canceled. I’m not sending you out there to die.”
“Thank you!” Awkwardly hugging him, I felt a twinge of guilt as he patted my back gently.
I wish your daughter could be here to feel your love and pride in her.
“Don’t celebrate too soon… Even if you’re big enough to take on a Queen, we still have to get you to her.”
I stepped closer to the display, studying it. “She’s directly in the center of the army… hiding away on the moon in the ruins of the defense base. With their numbers versus ours… we just don’t have the firepower to get there.”
Warning! Mission Failure Imminent!
As the blue writing and loud warning appeared only to me, I felt no fear, no terror at my imminent doom. It was now more annoying than anything else.
If you're not going to suggest anything helpful, then shut up!
Warning!...
SHUT UP! I screamed in my head, feeling a thread of shadowy power emerge from around me, erasing the words from existence.
The warning fell silent.
What… what was that? Some sort of magic? How much about myself is still hidden in my lost memories?
Enjoying the new silence in my head, I looked over at Liam who was staring at me with a worried look.
“Are you okay? You weren’t responding.”
I reached out, smoothing out his forehead, which was wrinkled with concern. “Yes. It’s difficult to explain, though. What did you say?”
“If we don’t have the troops to blast our way to the Queen, then what about a diversion?” He pointed at the area of the diagram between us and the Hive. “We act like we’re staging a frontal assault, and when they’ve deployed enough forces to weaken the rear, you and I strike from behind!”
The General nodded slowly. “It would take quite an attack to make the Hive divert forces to the front… Even if we threw everything we had and left nothing to protect you two, it might not be enough.”
I grinned. “Don’t worry about protecting us.” Grabbing Liam’s hand I added. “You forget who I matched with. We can handle our own defense. All that’s left is to figure out how to make a big enough distraction to give us a way in.”
“DID SOMEONE CALL FOR A DISTRACTION?!”
Princess Ilene pushed past the guards at the door with the two other girls in her group at her sides. “Sounds like a job for the Harem!”
Liam raised his eyebrow. Harem? He mouthed silently at me. I shook my head, not wanting to get involved.
Alaira’s father did not look impressed. “Princess. I don’t recall you showing any interest in military matters previously.”
“That’s before the Hive kidnapped Chris!” Ilene cracked her knuckles. “Now I gotta go crush some space bugs.”
Who says Chris was kidnapped?
“YEAH!" "We're going to save him!” The other two girls struck dramatic poses on either side of Ilene.
“…” The room stared at them in silence.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, wishing away my headache. “Princess, maybe this would work better if you explained to my father what skills you three brought to the table? “
“… I suppose.” She sniffed, gesturing at Wen grandly. “She has designed a Mech with the ability to tow 50 mini cannons.”
Wen grinned, explaining further. “The guns are strapped to a small engine, and will fly at evenly spaced intervals behind the controlling Mech. It’s still a work in progress… You can’t target, and you can’t control them individually… at least not yet.”
“But that’s still 50 extra shots for one Mech.” General Gladus looked much more interested. “How many have you made?”
“Just one, but if I add a small hologram projector to the guns, it will look like we have 50 fully operational Mechs with us! THAT should get the Hive’s attention.”
Ilene and Allie chimed in. “ We’ve already practiced piloting the Mech and can operate it smoothly.”
“… That… might just work…” He shrugged. “Strong work, Ladies…”
“We call ourselves the Harem… Alaira came up with the name!”
“Don’t credit me, please..”
The General glanced at my cringing expression and chuckled. “…Glad to have you aboard… I think.”
“All right!” The young engineer high-fived her companions, grinning proudly. “I was originally saving this invention for Chris, but now I’m going to use this to SAVE Chris!”
“YEAH!”
“…” The General was now staring at me with a look of consternation, to which I raised my hands helplessly. “…Sure.”
“So that’s the plan then.” I took a deep breath, calming the fast beating of my heart at the thought of the fight to come. “The Harem will distract the Hive, and Liam and I will take out the Queen.”
We’ll save the world.
We’ll complete my mission.
It will work… it has to.
“We’ll strike first thing in the morning.” General Gladus watched me with a worried gaze, but obviously held back from speaking further. “… Good luck.”
_____________________________
Liam and I tested out the massive Mech prototype called the “Queen Killer,” able to move it with an ease that shocked Alaira’s father and the engineers. After confirming the plan a final time, I returned back to my dorm to get some rest before the battle.
I found myself too keyed up to sleep, staring blankly at the ceiling. If we complete the mission, will I get all my memories back? Will I stay in this world or be forced to leave? Will Liam stay with me? My frantic thoughts were interrupted by a quiet knock on my door.
Wary, I checked the security system, quickly opening the door once I realized who it was.
“Liam, what are you doing here? It’s still a few hours before we’re supposed to meet for the mission.”
Liam wrung his hands together, staring at the floor quietly. “I… was hoping…”
“What is it?”
“Can you come with me?”
At my nod he grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I started to ask where he was taking me, but seeing the determination on his face, fell silent. I didn’t feel any wariness, despite my lack of knowledge of our direction.
_____________________________
“Aren’t you scared?” A voice asked, coming from high above me.
“No.”
“Why not?” The despair in the voice was heartbreaking. “Everyone else is.”
“Because it’s you.” I grinned. “Can’t be scared of you, Liam.”
_____________________________
I blinked, my gaze once again resting on our clasped hands.
I’ll keep trusting you Liam.
He took me to the upper deck of the academy, a large platform surrounded by multiple gardens. In the dead of night, the multicolored flowers and trees were barely visible. Rather than a clear sight, it was a combination of the senses: of impressions of movement, of gentle sounds of the wind swaying the branches and leaves, of brief flashes of colors in the light of the multiple candles that lit up the platform.
In the center of the platform stood a minister, the elderly man looking tired but still smiling gently. Off to the side were the Harem girls, watching silently, and Alaira’s father who stood by with a combination of tears and joy.
The King and Queen were nowhere to be seen.
“This.is…” My voice trailed off, filled with awe at the sheer amount of work it must have taken to move everything up here from the ballroom we had planned it in.
Liam knelt down, holding my hand with a solemn look.
“Alaira... I don’t know if we’re going to survive this battle, but I know one thing: If I’m going to die tomorrow, I want it to be as your husband.”
His hands were shaking with nervousness as they held my own.
“Please marry me.” His words were simple, but they struck my heart with a force that made me sway on my feet.
_____________________________
“Please marry me.” A trembling man held me close.
_____________________________
I smiled at the thought that I had answered this question before. “Yes.”
Liam let out a sigh of relief, standing up and hugging me gently. “Thank you…” He hesitated. “Bel.” The name was spoken only for me to hear, sounding like a prayer.
“You realize we had already planned to get married today?” I chuckled. “You didn’t have to re-propose.”
“I needed to hear it again.”
With a wide grin, he led me over to the center of the platform. There, in front of friends and family, the minister led us through the vows. As I spoke the words, holding Liam’s hands tightly, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had done this multiple times before.
How many lifetimes have I already spent with him? How many times have we been married?
Liam leaned in to kiss me, the gentle movement the barest touch on my lips, and then hugged me tightly against him.
“I love you.” He whispered in my ear.
My father stepped forward and clapped us both on the shoulder. “Alright, kids, that’s enough excitement pre-battle. Go get some sleep. I’ll throw you a combination victory party and wedding reception once we survive the Hive.”
Laughing, Liam and I left the party behind. We were unable to sleep, and simply laid in each other’s arms. My head rested against his chest, hearing his heartbeat and breaths. Closing my eyes, I prayed that we would make it though this battle safely.
And just maybe, if we survive this, I’ll figure out how to get our memories back.
I thought of the shadowy power I had displayed to shut the system warning down, an ability I had tried to repeat without success several times since. I don’t know who or what I am… but I do know one thing:
I won’t accept my fate.
_____________________________
Soon it was time for the battle.
Liam and I boarded the Queen Killer Mech and flew it around the battle site, staying out of range of the Hive’s sensors. We floated in Space watching the holographic display from the Mech's communication system as the Harem and the few soldiers Alaira’s father had brought with him advanced from the front. It looked as if there were over a hundred Mechs, an intimidating site, but we knew it was just an illusion, holograms attached to remote guns. Their actual numbers were quite pitiful compared to the army in front of them.
We could only hope the Hive would fall for the trick.
“Advance!” The General’s voice came over the intercom. I felt myself tremble with nervousness at his serious tone. I wasn’t really his daughter. Most of the time I felt like the worst fraud when I was with him. But I genuinely cared for this gruff, strange man. He loved his daughter, and wasn’t afraid to take on the world to protect her.
I hope he makes it. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach at the thought that he might not.
But if we don’t fight, none of us will.
The army of Mechs, both real and fake, moved forward. As the Hive flew to meet them, I got a close look at them through my headset. I had seen their appearance in Alaira’s memories, but somehow, seeing them with my own eyes was all the more horrifying.
Large insects, each the size of a human, with a black and red exoskeleton that coated everything, even the wings. Enormous pincers grew outwards on their heads, sharp enough to tear a Mech open, to cut a human in half. Their dark, multifaceted eyes took in the space emotionlessly. They were unstoppable, insatiable. The Hive’s only goal was to devour, to destroy. They numbered in the thousands; enough to make even seeing the moon the Queen was hiding on difficult.
I felt a deep feeling of terror growing within me, fear and despair mixing, threatening to take away my reason.
It’s not my emotions.I tried to push down the feeling, but they continued to grow, trying to overwhelm me. It’s Alaira’s.
She had died there, next to that moon, surrounded by the Hive. Their pincers destroyed her Mech, pulled her out from the safety of the piloting sphere. She was overwhelmed, and even with the fracturing of her mind she knew she was doomed.
“Are you okay?” Liam’s voice in my ear calmed me down. “Your strong emotions are interfering with the Connection.” I took a deep breath, repeating silently.
You are not Alaira. You are not Alaira.
I knew exactly what it would feel like to die in battle with the Hive, though.
The Hive started swarming to the front, line. The Queen was directing them to defend her against the “larger” threat. There were only a few hundred left to guard the rear.
“It’s working!” General Gladus’ excited voice sounded out. “They’re falling for it.”
“Then we’ll get to work.”
“… Good luck, Alaira. I love you.”
I hesitated. “… I love you too… Father.”
It was time. I grabbed Liam’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Focus on your shield.”
He took a deep breath. “You know I can’t control it.”
“You can let me in, Liam. You are in control. Use it for its purpose: to protect yourself. To protect me.”
He closed his eyes, positioning himself behind me within the Connection chamber in the Mech. His hands were on my back, and through the physical touch I felt his nervousness. The air around the Mech seemed to shift, and I knew that I had to act quickly before the mental shield weakened.
I flew the Mech forward, quickly reaching the highest speed. At the noise of our passing one of the drones turned to face us. Soon they had swarmed around us, their pincers opened to attack.
FEAR.
Alaira’s emotions were running full force, but I pushed them down once more, going faster. I could feel Liam behind me, keeping the connection between me and the Mech easy despite its enormous size. We flew into the swarm, and the sturdy alien insects splattered against the mental shield, which held firm under the blows.
Liam and I sighed with relief.
“See? You CAN control it!”
“We still have the Queen to deal with.” Liam’s voice was worried, I could feel his concern though our connection. “She’s a little big to be squished by a shield.”
“Well that’s why we brought the big guns.” After a few more moments we broke through the Hive’s line of defense, and landed on the Moon, trying to locate the Queen.
“Where is she?” The scanners were starting to scramble, as if interrupted by an unknown signal. The Hive shouldn’t have that kind of technology, though.
“I don't see her on the Moon's surface. Has she left? First, let’s try the defense fort. It should be big enough to hide the Queen.” At Liam’s suggestion we flew forward, making our way to the building. The clear defense dome seemed intact, the computers opening an airlock, allowing us to pass forward after communicating with our Mech and confirming our identity.
“How would the Queen be here without destroying the dome?” I muttered, trying to scan the surroundings and noting that it was picking up several lifeforms, even if it was still too scrambled to give a clear location.
“ I don’t know, but I don’t think that hole was there before.” Liam tapped my back, and I looked towards the Hanger, the largest building in the complex. A six story hole had been torn out of the front wall. Wary, I moved the Mech closer, ducking down and entering the main area, which was fortunately tall enough to accommodate our oversized Mech.
The area was mostly lit up, a few of the florescent lights sparking and flickering from recent damage. The few Mechs that had remained had been torn to shreds and tossed in a pile. The space was wide-open, extending outwards into shadows.
“What the…?” My voice trailed off in shock as I stared at the unbelievable sight in front of me.
In the center of the hanger stood the Queen. She was bright white with red and black markings along the side of her rotund torso. She brandished hundreds of spiky claws like a millipede, with large bright red wings extended behind her. Towards the top she sported multiple large pincers, with a final one extending from her head. Her eyes glowed with a bright white light, staring at us with fury.
She was frozen into place, unable to make a single movement.
“What is going on?” I whispered to Liam.
“Bel, you actually made it this far!”
A cheerful voice rang out, causing both of us to groan with frustration. A Mech emerged from the shadows, we couldn’t see the pilot, but Liam and I knew who it was and spoke his name together.
“Chris.”
“I keep telling you, it’s not Chris.” The voice coming from the Mech seemed annoyed, the large robot swinging a sword back and forth. “As always, you two are wrong.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, clenching my fists at my side within the Connection Chamber of our Mech.
“Exactly what I told you, Bel: I’m ending this.” He lifted up his Mech’s free hand, and in it was a large bomb blinking with a bright red light. A single red button marked the trigger, and I tensed up as he caressed it lightly with a large metallic finger.
“That’s a uninite bomb.” Liam spoke up. “You’d destroy the moon with one that big! You'll kill us all with the Queen!”
“Exactly! I’m willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to save everyone. Not like you… monster.” He spit out the last word, his voice filled with hatred. “I’m the HERO. I’m the one who everyone cares about. I’m the one SHE SHOULD LOVE!”
“Oh, SHUT UP!” I activated the opening on our Mech, and slid down a cord to the ground, pulling off my helmet to reveal my face. The air inside the defense shield was slightly stale but breathable.
Liam was startled, jumping down to stand beside me. “Bel, wait!”
“It’s okay.” I grinned at him. “Trust me.” The Mech straightened up behind us, falling into a standby position. I looked up at the Mech controlled by the Pseudo-Chris.
“If you’re going to threaten me and insult my husband, then do it to my face.”
“Nice try. If I leave the Mech, I can’t control it. All you’ve managed to do is to give away your only advantage!” He laughed confidently. “I am in control, Bel. The Hive, the Queen… all of it! I’m the only one who can save your soul from destruction.”
“You brought the Hive here… you’re the one who advanced the story so quickly.” I paused, thinking it over. “How come you can go against the story? I always get warnings whenever we stray too far away from our characters.”
“You don’t understand. You never have. All that matters is that the roles are obeyed, that we follow our fate. I may have taken a… detour… but in the end I will fulfill my role as a hero, and save everyone, at the cost of my own life.”
“Why are you doing this?” Liam growled, standing close to me.
“He was hoping that I would give up.” I answered for him calmly, staring up at the Mech with a disgusted expression, “He made a seemingly impossible situation, hoping I would see accepting my fate as my only option.”
I thought of the system's warning that I had no chance of survival. They had tried to manipulate me. Tried to force me to do what they wanted.
But I hadn't.
“You see things so clearly sometimes, Bel.” Chris’ voice showed his approval. “And even though it didn’t work, I can still just end things here. I’ll destroy the Queen, which will complete your mission. The system can erase your memory again and we’ll start over.”
I felt a sense of fear at his words. How many times has this already happened?
“No matter how many times we have to do this, there will only be one outcome in the end: you will accept your fate.”
_____________________________
“You will accept your fate, Bel.” The young handsome man stared at me with disappointment. “You can’t keep hiding with this monster forever.”
“He's not a monster. Besides, you’re the one who sent me to Liam.” I grinned. “You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“It was temporary. You were supposed to be his prisoner.” He snapped. “Now, because of you, he’ll be the first to be destroyed. You can’t distort the higher realm. Everything depends on it.”
“It’s not right…”
“It’s the reality of our roles. Now enough stalling. What will you choose? Will you follow the rules, or will you let everything be destroyed to protect your precious independence?”
“No…”
“Even you can’t be that selfish.” He growled, reaching out to grab my arm painfully. “Accept your fate, Bel.
“NO!”
_____________________________
“NO!” I shook my head, clearing aside the memory. “No matter how many times you ask me. No matter how many worlds you drag me through. No matter how many times my memory is wiped. I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT!”
“Fine. Then it’s time to move to the next world…” His Mech raised its hand holding the bomb.
“You’re pathetic.” My words were quiet, but seemed to echo in the otherwise silent hanger. “Even when we were in the higher realm you were always trying to trick and scheme to get things to go the way you wanted. You thought by forcing me to Liam’s side as his ‘prisoner’ you could force me to accept my fate, but that backfired too, didn’t it?”
“… “ There was a long stunned silence.
“You… you remember?” The Mech’s head shook back and forth in a jerky movement. “No, your memories were wiped!”
I quickly thought through the few memories I had experienced over the last few weeks. “You wanted me to play my part… but I didn’t want to be in a romantic relationship with you. I would solve things my own way, which pissed you off.”
“YOU… NO! YOUR MEMORIES ARE GONE!” The whole Mech was shaking slightly.
“No matter the realm, no matter the roles we play, one thing remains constant: you’re a pathetic loser.” I smiled. “And I like Liam more than you.”
“HE’S A MONSTER! YOU CAN’T LOVE HIM! YOU HAVE TO LOVE ME!”
“Bel…” Liam whispered. “You realize you’re making the unstable man with the bomb angry, right?”
“Trust me, I have a plan… probably.”
“Oh, good.”
I looked up at the Mech, raising my voice. “I’ll never love you!”
“YOU HAVE TO!”
“Get used to disappointment, loser.”
The Mech was shaking more violently as he whispered hoarsely. “Y-you’re lying… you have to be. You don’t have your memories…”
I AM lying. “Too bad for you I’m telling the truth. I remember everything important.”
“…Then what’s my name?”
I spread my hands out helplessly. “Oh buddy, I just said I remembered everything IMPORTANT.” I leaned forward. “You were never important to me. You still aren’t.”
“SHUT UP! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!” The Mech was rocking back and forth with his screams and then suddenly became very still.
“Got him!” I pumped my fist in the air victoriously.
“What’s… what’s happening?! I can’t control my Mech!”
I chuckled at his panicked tone.
“You see, there’s a difference between you and me. You might be the hero, but I’m the one with greater than Level S Guardian abilities. In fact, you used that very trait of mine to try to force me to partner with you. It was a burden before I formed a Connection with Liam, but now?” I reached over and grabbed Liam’s hand. “It makes things really easy. One of the skills I’ve practiced was controlling Mechs from a distance.”
“That’s…”
“Impossible? Only if you’re weak. The distance makes things challenging but it’s still fairly simple for me.” I paused. “By the way, I WAS lying earlier. I needed you to have strong emotions to disrupt your Connection with your Mech so I could take it over.”
“…” Enjoying his stunned silence, I gestured, controlling the “Queen Killer” Mech to step forward.
“Now I could let you blow yourself up and kill the Queen to complete the mission, but unlike you, I don’t feel any satisfaction out of sacrificing myself or others needlessly. I’m also not going to let you die, because I have a feeling that could have negative effects on this world.”
The Queen started moving, whatever restraints the pseudo-Chris had placed on it obviously released. I could feel her anger at being obstructed in her mission. Her overwhelming need to consume life and move on drove her constantly, and even the briefest of pauses enraged her. Her hungry eyes focused on me, sensing a threat.
I released all my abilities to the limit, feeling a light throbbing headache at controlling two Mechs at once, and one of them being the large Queen Killer.
“It’s time for this story to end.” I whispered, feeling satisfaction as the giant robot pulled out a sword and brandished it.
“My mission will be completed.” The sword tore a huge rent in the Queen’s side, spilling green blood. The insect queen screamed in rage and pain, her pincers tearing off some of the armor on the Mech’s arm.
“The world will be saved.” A second strike hit, cutting off several claws. The Queen clamped onto the Mechs’ chest with her mandibles, trying to burrow into the center. I was glad I wasn’t in the suspension gel, feeling the pain of the attack.
“And it will all be done without you.” My Mech swung the sword downward, and the Queen’s head separated from its body. It still clamped onto the chest of the robot, its eyes’ light slowly fading away.
“NOOOO!” Pseudo Chris screamed out, but it was too late. The Queen was dead. Her army would become useless.
The world was safe.
A beautiful chime rang out, and bright blue words formed into the air.
Congratulations!
Mission 100% complete.
**** You have finished the mission! ****
Stay in this world?
YES/NO
“It doesn’t matter if you completed the mission or I did. I still have the next world, and the next and the next!” The Mech was still frozen into place, but it didn’t stop his angry words. “Time is on my side!”
I sighed. “No. It’s not.” As I had completed the mission, I felt a strange surge of power. A similar sensation to when I had stopped the system voice from speaking earlier. I focused carefully, and a shadowy power poured out in the world around me, much stronger than before.
“Bel?” At Liam’s worried question, I turned and smiled at him.
“Don’t worry, Liam. It’s just time to change the game.” He grabbed my hands and nodded silently at my words, supporting me.
I turned my attention to the System’s message.
“We will not stay in this world any longer.” The shadowy power around me increased.
WORLD TRANSFER FAILED. UNKNOWN INTERFERENCE.
“Oh, that’s just me. You see… this world’s victory was all I needed to finish piecing together my soul.”
“I really do remember everything now.”
And I did. Who I was. Why I had made the deal I had made.
“I fixed every world you sent me to. Without memories. Without my protected status as the heroine. Just a hated side character or villain. Admit it… I won.”
… NOT YET.
“You’re right. There’s still one last story to be fixed.” I grinned at Liam, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. “The Higher Realm.”
Our world.
YOU MUST ACCEPT…
“I must do nothing.” The dark power that surrounded me erased the blue words in the air before they could form that hated sentence. “YOU must transfer us back. Back to the beginning.”
“Do it.” I gave no room for argument.
WORLD TRANSFER INITIATED. LOCATION: THE HIGHER REALM.
“I love you Liam.” I hugged him tightly. “Let’s get married one last time.”
“I love you too… But what do you…?”
TRANSFER COMPLETE.
188 notes · View notes
travellingarmy · 3 years
Text
║Zhongli║Family Outing
Requested from Wattpad.
Female reader as requested.
Fluff.
Word count: 2.3k
---
Even when it was just the two of you, you were expected to bring mora, so why would that change when there is an added person into the family?
"Mommy, Mommy! Look here, I finally tie it on my own!" A little rascal came running to your room with booming footsteps echoing down the hall, where you were still getting ready, showing you their poorly tied tie. You look over at the door and let a little chuckle before walking towards the smaller male who was quite the unique set of eyes and kneeling down to his level. "Wow, it looks good!" you praised, fixing the bowtie for him, earning a cute, little laugh from him.
The little rascal whose bowtie you were trying to fix was none other than your child, Qian. Qian was a unique child as he had features that normal humans don't have.
A second set of footsteps came echoing down the halls and stopped at your door. You look up and see your dearest husband, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed and an unshakeable smile on his lips as he stares at the two most precious beings in the world. "Not going to mention how I helped you, I see." The older male chuckles. Qian turns his head to look up at his father before looking back at you again. "Oh yeah! Daddy taught me how to tie it, hehe," the adorable, little boy adds.
You laugh at the added statement and stood up. "Alright, should we go now?" you ask to which both of the males nodded- one with excitement. "Oh, right, Qian, make sure you hide your horns." You look at the two sets of horns that rested on top of the little boy's head.
As said before, the reason why Qian is unique is that he was a mix of a mortal and god-- yours and Zhongli's.
"Oopsies! I didn't know." He quickly retracted his horns so that they were no longer visible. His eyes, however, remained the same glowing amber eyes just like his father's; a truly unique set of eyes that makes him differ from everyone else along with his hair, and also the fact that he had the same immortality as his father.
You walked over to the door where Zhongli wrapped an arm around your waist and gave you a quick kiss on the lips. "Ew, that's gross!" Qian covers his eyes with his hands as he said so, making both you and Zhongli laugh at the little action. "Can we go now? I want toys and books!"
"Alright, we can go now. Come, grab mommy's hand," you said and offer him a hand for him to hold onto. He uncovers his eyes and reaches for your hand, feeling the warmth from his tiny hands and fingers trying to cover most of it. Zhongli went to the other side of him and held his other hand and left the house.
"Mommy, mommy! Look at the doggies!" Qian points at the two dogs that watch the inner part of the bridge, giggling as the dogs wag their tails and walking closer to the young boy. He let go both of his hands from either of yours and Zhongli's grasp and went over to the dogs, ruffling their furs. You smiled before turning to your husband, "Can you watch over Qian while I buy a few things?" Not wanting to take Qian away from the dogs, you relied on Zhongli.
He nods and places a kiss on your head. "Of course," Zhongli says. On every outing, you would take this as a chance for grocery shopping. It was hard to keep the fridge at home full especially when you had a little tyke that sneaks into the kitchen for snacks.
Not wanting to overfill the fridge, you bought only the necessary things that you have fully noted down on a paper along with snacks for Qian. He- although has the same mindset as his father's and a bit of his knowledge- could be quite the handful when he doesn't get his snacks-- throwing tantrums when he wants things. But that was just how kids were and there is nothing else you could do to appease them.
"Mommy, where did you go?" Qian asks when you returned with a bag, still playing with the dogs. "Just went to buy food," you answered, smiling as Zhongli offers to take the bag from your hands. A gentleman, he was.
"What about snacks?" He leapt up excitedly, walking away from the dogs to clung onto your dress. "I wouldn't dare forget them," you replied, seeing his eyes light up happily, then hugging your legs. "You're the best, Mommy!" You rolled your eyes. "So, I'm the best when I buy you your snacks, huh?" you ask, feigning offence and pick him up to meet your eyes. He shakes his head frivolously and re-worded his words, "Mommy is the best even when she doesn't buy Qian snack!" He kisses your cheeks and you giggled.
"What about me?" Zhongli speaks up, pointing at himself as he waits in expectance. Giggling, Qian reaches out for his father who happily engulfed him in a warm hug. The little boy then places a kiss on Zhongli's cheek and smiled. "There! Daddy gets a kiss too, so don't be sulky anymore." Zhongli chuckles and places a kiss on his son's cheeks as well.
"Where would you like to go, Qian?" Zhongli asks, carrying him with one hand as he holds the bag with the other. "Toys!" he exclaims, eyes glimmering with stars. Chuckling, the three of you made your way to a toy shop where Zhongli put Qian down to roam the store, excitedly picking a lot of toys. "Qian, you can only pick two things, okay? You already have a lot back home," you reminded, sweat dropping.
"B, but Qian really likes them..!" He pouts, giving you his doll-like eyes as he pleads. It was something that he always does and was very effective. You felt an imaginary punch to your stomach, picturing your soon-to-be empty wallet, but you just didn't know how to say no to such a face. You cranked your head to your side, looking at your husband who stood idly by cluelessly, hinting him to help.
He notices your graved face and immediately understood and clears his throat. "Qian, mora, you see, may just be a materialistic thing that one can obtain, but obtaining it is much harder than you realize, so mortals always make note of things called prices that requires mora. By doing so, they can save extra mora for other needed things," he lectures, though it doesn't seem that Qian understood what his father told him.
"Mommy can go get more, right?" he asks, clearly not understanding what Zhongli had said. "Money shouldn't be thrown around carelessly, sweetie," you spoke, kneeling to his level and placing a hand on his shoulder, his bright eyes reflecting off of yours. "Okay.. But we can come back to buy them, right?" Qian asks, to which you nodded. "Then, Qian will pick these two! Mr. Cyclops is cool!"
You look at the toy in his hand, knowing that it was a very popular toy from Snezhnaya. The toy maker was also very popular amongst children, so it was understandable seeing Qian choosing the toy. You stood up and ruffled his head before turning to place a kiss on Zhongli's cheeks. "It wasn't the best explanation, but it did make him choose two," you say and walked off to pay for the toys.
"Mommy, mommy, I'm hungry!" Qian tugs on your hands after so much walking. "Well, it is the afternoon.. Where does Qian want to go?" you ask. "I want to eat where that fire-breathing teddy bear is!" he says almost immediately, showing his enthusiasm. "Ah, Wanmin Restaurant it is." You chuckled, knowing he meant Guoba.
"Hello, welcome to Wanmin Restaurant! Please, sit wherever you like!" Xiangling greets. Qian's smile grew wider when his eyes landed on the girl and ran up to her as you and Zhongli walked to an empty table. "Miss, can I see Mr. Fire-breathing Bear?" he asks, tugging her clothes. "Oh, of course, Qian!" the female giggles and takes Guoba out. On every outing, Wanmin Restaurant was one of the places Qian loves to go and that's because of Xiangling's Guoba. He would never go to another restaurant even when suggested.
Xiangling sat her bear on the extra seat around your table- right beside Qian- and look towards you and Zhongli. "Please, take your time to look over the menu! Oh, I've also added new dishes that children might like," Xiangling says enthusiastically before leaving the table to tend to other customers.
After choosing lunch, Xiangling makes off to the kitchen and leave the three of you plus Guoba to chat for a while. "Mr. Fire-breathing Bear is cute!" Qian states, touching the bear. "Mommy, can Qian have one too?" He turns to look at you.
"Ah.. Of course!" you say, giving him a close-eyed smile. It was a good thing that Guoba was behaving on order or else it could hurt someone.
"Here are your orders!" Xiangling returns as quickly as she went, the order in her hands and places it on the table. "And a little snack for little Qian!" she says. Qian giggles and thanked her before she excused herself once more, bringing her Guoba along.
After that, you just strolled around the city until sunset and eyed interesting things, making sure that neither Qian nor Zhongli went off on their own for things they've found an interest in. It was indeed fun, but it almost felt like you had to babysit Zhongli as well who almost always wanders around to buy things without preparing money with him.
"Mommy, how come Daddy isn't allowed to bring money with him?" Qian asks, running along the edge of the docks, pretending that his Mr. Cyclops can fly. Zhongli was certainly caught by surprise and a tint of pink was seen on his face as he forcefully coughs onto his fist-- most likely embarrassed for the reason. You snickered, eyeing the man from the side of your eyes before looking over to the little boy. "He is bad at managing money, so that is why mommy has them. And also because daddy always forgets to bring his money," you answered. "When he was courting me, I had to pay for most things to which he will pay by taking me out for dinner." It was only times that Zhongli can date onto a calendar, that he will remember to bring money. Other than that? Expect to bring your wallet.
"How did daddy manage to marry mommy like that?" he asks, surprised and draws his full attention to the two of you. "Well, daddy has other charms to look at. He's especially good in b--" Zhongli immediately covers your mouth, knowing full well of what you were about to say. "I would take whatever means necessary to marry your mother-- mora aside, of course," Zhongli states, hearing you laugh from beside him, though having a mouth over you.
You remove his hand to add on but was then cut off by putting a hand over your mouth. He laced his arm around your waist and draws you close before removing the hand and placing a kiss on your cheek. "I'm just kidding. You know I will never say that," you say, giggling at his attempt to shut you up.
"Ew, daddy is kissing mommy!" Qian spoke, drawing your attention to the young boy. "It was just a kiss on the cheek.." you say. "That is still kissing!" Qian defends.
You chuckled. "Alright, come here, Qian. It's time to go home and make dinner," you say, outstretching a hand for him to hold. He excitedly runs towards you and grabs hold of your free hand, your other being held by Zhongli.
After dinner, you all sat in the living room for some more family bonding time, Qian now presenting his horns as he plays with his new toys along with his old ones. But it didn't take long for the hours to pass before looking at the clock and decided that it was time for Qian to go to sleep.
"Alright, Qian, time to go to sleep," you say. "But I still want to play with Mr. Cyclops.." He pouts. "You can play with Mr. Cyclops tomorrow, okay? He won't leave," you assured. He was a bit reluctant, but soon allowed you to pick him up to bring him to his bedroom, Zhongli trailing behind.
You helped him change into sleepwear and tuck him nicely under the blanket, then turning on the lamp on his bedside table and turning off the light before returning to sit on the edge of his bed. "Good night, Qian. Let mommy and daddy see you in your dreams," you say softly and kiss his forehead. "Good night.. Mommy.." With that, his eyelids fell heavy, drifting him off to dream land.
You stood up and turn to look at the door, seeing Zhongli's eyes glowing much brighter in the dark room. One more look at Qian before you made your way to Zhongli who waited outside the hall, leaving the door slightly open as usual.
"I'm tired." You yawned, wiping a tired tear from the corner of one of your eyes. Zhongli chuckles lowly and caught you by surprise by picking you up, bridal style. "Then, it must be time for my dear to sleep as well," Zhongli says, smiling down at you as he walks to yours and his bedroom where he lies you down and crawling to the other side of the bed, getting underneath the blanket with you.
You muzzled into his chest, letting him wrap his strong arms around you closely and engulfing you in his warmth. "Good night, my dear." He kisses your forehead. You hummed, tired, and said, "Good night, my love."
---
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Cheryl//maple syrup
Request: Can you do the secret and sins when Veronica comments on the Cheryl’s twincest and the reader defends Cheryl even though the reader kinda diss likes Cheryl.
hey! how is everyone? i hope you’re all well and good! i may have slightly cheated a bit and copy and pasted a previously written out bit from another request where they’re playing secrets and sins. but that’s only because i didn’t see the point in writing the same dialogue again. anywayyyy enjoy! 
It seems that whenever Cheryl Blossom arrives at a party, the party atmosphere disappears. Maybe it’s her grating personality or overbearing need to be liked, whatever it is, within ten minutes of her and Chuck gate crashing Jughead’s unwanted birthday party, there’s already tension. 
Which is not made any better by the suggestion of secrets & sins. Your friends are gathered in a circle in the living room, while you sit off to the side. You want to eavesdrop, but you don’t want to reveal your deepest, darkest secrets, not to your best friends and definitely not to Cheryl. 
It’s clear everyone that’s been roped into this stupid game doesn’t want to be there. Betty shifts in her seat uncomfortably and stares at you with pleading eyes. You shoot her an unsure smile back before taking a sip of your drink and she drops your gaze, glancing at Archie before staring down at the floor. 
Cheryl is the only one that looks like she’s enjoying herself, but you’re not surprised. Chaos and the chance to get dirt on everyone so she can control them even more than she already does is what Cheryl lives for.
You glare at the red-head, who’s smiling brightly as she looks around at her victims and when her eyes land on you, her eyes narrow and the smile is replaced by a smirk. 
“What’s wrong Y/n? Did nobody pick you to be on their team?” She asks, her bright red lips forming a perfect pout and you can’t help but stare at them for a few seconds longer than you should. You feel your face heat up and look away, blaming the alcohol for the affects you’re feeling and refusing to believe that you’ve just thought of Cheryl Blossom as attractive. 
A shiver runs up your spine at the thought and you lips pull into a pout as you stare down at the now empty cup in your hands. You scratch at the plastic and listen to the mumbles and whispers of the teenagers stood and sat around you. 
Whoever isn’t partaking in Secrets and Sins, have gathered around to watch and judge, and you can’t help but lean in a little closer, they may be some of your closest friends, but you can’t help wanting to know what they’ve been hiding from one another...you’re only human and at least you’re not as bad as Cheryl. 
Cheryl lives of rumours. Like Gretchen Wieners with smaller and redder hair. 
“What the hell is Secrets and Sins?” Jughead asks, all eyes on Cheryl as she moves around in a circle, eyeing everyone suspiciously as she starts to explain the rules. 
“Its a variation on Truth or Dare…in which we own our truths by telling it like it is. I’ll start the game with…Veronica Lodge.” She smirks and you roll your eyes at her. 
“Naturally.” Veronica sighs and you pat her shoulder. 
“Let’s begin with the day you and your mob wife of a mother came to town for a so-called fresh start.” She says, her eyes filled with accusations and anger before she’s even gotten to her question. 
You really don’t know why so many people like her, well you do, it’s because she’s rich and she bullies people into being her friend because she’s unable to make them any other way. 
She’s snobby, spoilt and just plain mean, but that doesn’t stop you from sometimes staring at her for longer than you want to and definitely should. 
“Tell us Veronica, what’s so fresh about defiling Archie Andrews in a closet?”
“That was your doing.” She replies confused, her arms crossed defensively against her chest.
“Moving on to dear Daddy Lodge…” She interrupts, getting more and more angry by the second. “Isn’t it true that your father, from prison, illegally purchased the drive-in land? Which makes me wonder, what else is he doing behind bars?” She continues and you glance to your side at Joaquin, who shares a very suspicious look with FP
“Well, I can’t speak for my father…but I can think of someone with a very dirty secret. Specifically, Cheryl killing her very own brother.” The tension in the room shifts and your eyes widen. 
As much as you dislike Cheryl, you know how close her and Jason were and you knew how much it hurt and how she’s still hurting now because of his death. You’ve seen her crying underneath the bleachers after school, you see how her eyes are a little more dull than they used to be. They don’t sparkle as much when she talks and when she’s not spreading hate, she’s just not saying anything at all. 
She smiles less when with her friends, and sometimes you think the only reason she’s horrible to people is so she can feel something. But that doesn’t excuse it and so you shake your head and earn a few confused looks as you try to stop yourself from defending Cheryl Majorie Blossom. 
“Everyone knows how much I loved my brother.” Cheryl defends herself.
“Exactly.” Veronica replies. “But did you love him, maybe in ways that a sister shouldn’t love a brother?” She continues and you watch as Cheryl becomes more and more upset. “And as you got older, Jason started to think it was strange, unnatural. So he chose Polly over you. So you shot him between the eyes with one of your father’s many hunting rifles.”
Her shoulders slump a little and her bottom lip quivers as she looks around the room helplessly. The confident look she usually has, has slipped off like a mask, revealing a very sad girl underneath and suddenly you find yourself standing up. 
“That’s enough Veronica.” You say, surprising everyone, including Cheryl. “Just leave her alone, it’s not worth it.” You add quietly and slowly sit back down again. 
Veronica hold her hands up in defence and you force a smile before going back to picking at the plastic of your cup. 
“I don’t need you to defend me.” Cheryl seethes, her eyes full of hatred as she looks at you, and for some reason it stings. You’re used to her not liking you, but her hating you, hurts you for some unknown reason and you have to take a few deep breaths in order to stop the ache in your chest. 
“This game is sick.” Dilton adds and Cheryl uses the distraction to wipe away the tears on her cheek. “I wanna go next.” He adds making everyone look at him.
“Thats the spirit, Doiley. What secrets do you have to reveal to us?” Chuck grins. 
“I saw Ms. Grundy’s car by Sweetwater River the day Jason went missing.” He says and everyone gasps. People mumble and whisper around you and Cheryl stares straight at Dilton, her eyes narrow. “I told Betty and Jughead, and then Ms. Grundy quit her job and left Riverdale, like, two days later. And let’s not forget that Archie was also at Sweetwater River that morning.”
“Oh, my God.” Cheryl whips her head round to look at Archie. “Colour me shocked. Archie Andrews, is that why you became a mediocre musician overnight? Because you and Ms. Four-Eyes were pulling a Mary Kay Letourneau?”
“Don’t say anything. Don’t get in the gutter with them.” Veronica mutters while glaring at Cheryl. 
“Wait, what? Andrews was banging a teacher?” Chuck asks, his tone a mix of surprise and impressed and you roll your eyes at him. “I wish I would’ve known. I would have added you and Ms. Grundy to the book of conquests.”
“Classy, Chuck, as always.”
“Wait a second.” Cheryl interrupts. “That also explains why Archie can’t seem to keep a girlfriend to save his life. He’s got serious mommy issues. Anything to say for yourself Arch? Were you a victim or a perpetrator?”
“Dilton Doiley plays with guns.” Betty tries to change the subject but she’s immediately shut down.
“Big whoop, Betty. So Doiley’s a psychopath. Everyone knows that.”  
“Well, I guess it’s my turn now. Boy, do I have a twisted secret to reveal, starring Betty Cooper.”
“Leave her the hell alone, Chuck.” Archie threatens.
“Shut up, Andrews.” He replies. “Look, you may get a free peep show every night, but you do not know her. Hell, Betty doesn’t even know herself. Everybody knows why I got suspended, but what you don’t know...she dressed up like a hooker, in a God-awful black wig, drugged me, handcuffed me in the Jacuzzi, and well, I almost drowned until she got me to say what she wanted to hear. And then she really lost it. She actually thought she was Polly. But, hey, you knew all about this right, Jughead?” He asks. For a second, the question hangs in the air, everyone trying to figure out what to say next and how to process what they’ve just been told. 
But then Jughead leaps forward at punches Chuck in face causing all hell to break loose. Everyone stands and FP shoves races forward to grab Chuck and throw him outside. 
While everyone else follows them outside, eagerly awaiting a fight, you stay back and watch as Cheryl disappears upstairs, quietly sniffling as she goes. You look at the front door and then at the stairs and sigh, knowing that this is not gonna end well. She’s gonna insult you and tell you to leave her alone, but at least you can say you tried to help and then you won’t feel bad. 
So you glance at the door one more time and pray that at least one person is filming whatever is happening out there, before wandering up the stairs in search for Cheryl. 
The slight scent of maple syrup and the sound of faint cries coming from the bathroom lets you know where she’s hiding and you quietly creep along the slightly creaky floorboards, trying to remember which ones to avoid after years of practice when sneaking into Archie’s room in order to break him out. 
You stop outside of the bathroom, light coming out of the cracks of the door and your hand hovers over the handle. 
“Whoever is out there, go away.” She sniffles and you roll your eyes. 
Turning on your heel, you start to walk away, but then you hear her sob and it makes you freeze. 
You let out a quiet groan and curse the side of you that can’t leave people that are crying alone, before making your way back to the bathroom and slowly opening the door. 
The first thing you see as you duck your hear around the door is Cheryl sat on the side of the bath. Her hands gripping the edges so hard that her knuckles have turned white. He hair has fallen in front of her face and you watch as she her shoulder shake and tears drip onto the bath mat. 
“Cheryl?” You whisper and she looks up, her eyes wide as she quickly scrambles to wipe away the tears that have ruined her makeup. “Are you okay?” You ask and walk into the room. You close the door behind you and lean against it and her expression hardens. 
“I’m having the best time.” She deadpans and you resist the urge to roll your eyes. God is she stubborn. 
“Look, I know we’re not exactly best friends. Most of the time, I don’t really like to be around you-” 
“Is this supposed to be making me feel better?” She asks and you shrug. 
“But you know that if you need someone to talk to that won’t judge you or really know anything about you, you can. I’ll just sit and listen and you can cry or rant or I dunno. Just, know you’re not alone. You may not get along with everyone in this town, but we will all be here for you if you need us, all you have to do is ask.” You say honestly but anxiously while playing with your fingers. 
She looks at you surprised, her lips part as if she’s going to say something and you’re sure she’s going to tell you to shut up and leave her alone, but instead she says thank you and you feel yourself relax a little. 
“It’s okay.” You nod. “And for the record, what Veronica said was out of line. Everyone knows how much Jason meant to you and for her to say that is just wrong. We all know you loved your brother...a normal amount.” You add the last bit quietly and she stares at you for a few seconds before a smile twitches at her lips. “Would you like me to leave you alone now?” You ask and she shakes her head. You look around the small bathroom, trying to figure out the best place to sit and she moves along a little so you can sit beside her. “Would you like me to sit with you until you feel better?” You ask and she nods slowly, her lip wobbling again. 
You sit beside her, place a gentle hand over hers and the two of you fall into a slightly awkward but not as bad as you thought it would be, silence. 
After ten minutes, Cheryl stands and makes her way over to the mirror. She swipes her fingers under her eyes to try and get rid of her ruined mascara before messing with her hair to try and get it back to looking like normal. 
“Do I look okay?” She turns to you and stands with her arms by her side. Your breath hitches when you look at her and you wonder how she looks so pretty even in the most unflattering light that is Archie Andrews’ bathroom. 
You stand in front of her and slowly tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and you watch as she takes a shaky breath. 
“Can I?” You ask, your fingers centimetres away from her cheek and she nods slowly, her eyes locked with yours and you feel yourself growing warm from the intensity. “There.” You smile once you’ve wiped a bit of mascara away from her cheek. 
She grabs her bag and pulls her lipstick from it, but when she goes to apply it, her hands shake and you take it from her gently. 
Your lips darts out between your tongue as you concentrate on keeping the lipstick in the lines, and you can feel her warm breath on your cheek. 
“There!” You smile proudly once your finished, but she grabs your arm before you can pull away properly as her lips connect with yours in an almost frantic kiss.
You gasp a little and then relax and kiss back just as frantically, but she pulls away after a few seconds and the two of you stare at each other wide-eyed and breathless. 
“Your lipstick’s ruined.” You whisper and her lips curl into a smile. 
“Worth it.” She replies before pulling you close to her and kissing you again. 
support my writing! if you want! 
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20moonchild21 · 3 years
Text
𝗦𝗲𝗵𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵𝘁 [𝗯𝘁𝘀]
⇉ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 12
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[pairings]
JK x female!oc, Bunny!JK x human!female!oc, Jin x female!oc, Leopard!Jin x human!female!oc, Jimin x female!oc, white Tiger!Jimin x human!female!oc, Taehyung x female!oc, black Tiger!Taehyung x human!female!oc, JK x Jin x Jimin x Taehyung x female!oc
[warnings]
angst, nightmare, dream of being taken away
[words]
3.9k
[author]
I am back with a new chapter, finally! I am so excited what you will think about it. Me personally, I absolutely love this chapter. I hope so do you!
By the way, you guys are crazy! I mean, 200 followers?! What the heck?! I can’t describe how thankful I am for every single one of you! It makes me so happy to read your cute messages and see your likes under my chapters. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!💜
I am thinking of uploading two chapters to honor the day! Be excited!
If two new chapters aren’t enough for you today, then I can highly recommend you to check out @starlightauroras-writes profile and her super cute store Inferiority complex. I love her story. She is super talented and the cutest author I know!
Enjoy your weekend and stay safe!
Mꨄ
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[chapter 11 ||| chapter 13]
“I am sorry, but you have to leave.” The girl had shoved both, Taehyung and him, towards the door of her apartment. “Here is no longer room for you.”
That was the last thing they heard from her, before she slammed the door shut in front of them. Jimin’s heart broke at her words. Now, the both of them were on their own again, alone and scared, like Taehyung had predicted.
If it was for Jimin, he would have stayed in front of her door and begged for her to let them in again, but Taehyung had lead him out of her building, pulling him down the streets, always careful that they would not be seen by any other human.
But luck had not been with them. Before they could had reached the small forest, they had been caught and taken away. The men had locked them up in cages and were now driving them god knows where.
“I am so sorry, Hyung.” Tae suddenly sniffed from the cage beside him. “This is all my fault.”
Never before had Tae cried. He had always been the one to be strong and rational when everything would fall apart, but not now. Jimin wanted to crawl over and hug him, but they were still separated by the heavy metal bars.
“No, Tae.” Jimin squeezed himself as far as possible through the metal bars, so he could touch Tae’s shoulder with his hand. “Nothing of this is your fault.”
“Yes it is.” He lifted his head to look up at his brother. “I should have never let her get our trust. I should have make sure we leave as soon as possible, but I was blinded by her, and now we have to go back there. I failed to keep you safe.”
The clicking of the car door was ripping Jimin away from his brother. They were coming, and there was no chance they could escape one more time.
“Jimin!”
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“Jimin!”
Jimin shot up from the bed. His normally fluffy, dark hair was now wet and sticky from his sweat, clinging onto his forehead. His heart was beating so fast, he was scared that it would jump out of his chest soon, ad his hands were shaking.
“Jimin!”
When he heard Tae’s voice coming from the darkness again, he quickly turned his head around, just to see him sitting next to him. A small lamp was lighting up the room behind him, and when he realized that they were still in the apartment of the girl, he felt his heart skip a beat out of relief.
“Jimin, are you okay?” Tae crawled closer, laying his hands on Jimin’s shoulders. “You mumbled ‘no’ and strange words over and over again, and you are sweating like crazy.”
Jimin, who was still shocked from his dream, just stared at Tae, before the tears the tears were sliding down his face. He threw himself into his brothers arms, pulling him close and holding him for a few minutes, while telling him about his dream.
He felt Tae’s body stiffen, as he told him everything he had seen in his dream. He knew that it wasn’t reality, but the experienced felt so real to him anyway.
“I would never let anyone hurt you again, Chim.” Tae eventually whispered into the smaller boy’s hair, wrapping his arm tighter around his slim body. “Never.”
Jimin needed another 10 minutes to finally calm down again. He pulled away from his brother, looking him into the eyes. Both of them knew that the other one was thinking, the dream was just a reminder on that.
“You know that we will have to leave, Jimin?” Tae said in an almost stern tone, trying to cover his emotions.
Jimin had known his brother for long enough. Tae was struggling to deal his emotions or to open up about them. He would rather keep them to himself so no one could hurt him.
“I know that, Tae.” He whispered back, squeezing the black tiger hand under the soft duvet.
He mind drifted again. He would miss the soft fabric of the bed. They never asked her to give them this much comfort. All they asked for was that she helped healing Tae’s arm. Jimin would have slept on the floor, he would have starved himself if it was what it would have cost them to make Tae healthy again.
But Hope offered the so much more. She gave them food, a bed and a safe place to stay for that period of time. Not once had she asked for anything in return, which made Jimin sometimes feel bad, because he didn’t want her to think that they weren’t thankful for her help. They were. Both of them.
“But where do we go?” He almost didn’t dare to speak it out loud, too scared of the answer. “We have nowhere to go.”
The younger tiger closed his eyes for a few seconds, nodding his head in response.
“We will hide somewhere.” He eventually replied. “We will be carefully, Jimin. No one will catch us, I promise. Do you remember that old building we stay for a couple of weeks after we escaped?”
Jimin nodded. They had found an abandoned house with a couple of furniture left. It was not comparable to this apartment, but it was more than that old parking garage they stayed in before Hope had found them. There had even been some blankets left, which were good to hold out the cold from the winter air.
Sadly, they couldn’t stay long. One day, they had been surprised by people coming up, looking all over the house, talking about something like ‘renovating’ or something. They had seen the traces both tigers had left and had immediately called the police, forcing Jimin and Taehyung to leave and look for something else to stay.
“I saw many abandoned buildings in that area.” Taehyung continued to talk. “They even had a small supermarket there. Every day in the evening, they throw away a lot of left overs into the trash bins behind the building. If we are careful, we can take something from there.”
Jimin didn’t say anything. He just nodded at his brother’s suggestion, knowing that there was no other option for them. He would miss the delicious meals Jin would make in the evenings. He even helped preparing them a few times.
Jin was the oldest one around here. Jimin was amazed by his cooking skills and his way of talking. The Leopard had given him a welcoming feeling from the first day they met. But also when he got to know the bunny Hybrid more and more, it had felt right. He couldn’t blame Jungkook for his concerns about the two tigers. Jimin would probably be reacting the same way.
“Hey, Jimin.” Taehyung turned Jimin by his shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes as he put his forehead against Jimin’s. “I will not let anything happen to us again. We will be okay. I promise.”
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“Do you really have to leave, Hope?” Jungkook whined as he dropped his ears beside his head. “Can’t you just write your professor an email or something?
The small girl stopped fiddling with the strap of her bag, before she turned around a gave Jungkook the ‘are you serious’ look, slightly shaking her head.
“I am sorry, Kookie.” She said as she swung the bag over her shoulder, looking back at the four boys that were standing in front of her. “I need to discuss this with him in person. But I will be back soon, I promise.”
She made a step forward and stepped up to her tippy toes, before she presses a quick kiss to the bunny’s cheeks. Immediately, Jungkook felt his face redden at this innocent gesture.
“The last time you said this, you came back with those two.” The bunny muttered, slightly pointing behind him with is thumb, where a clearly annoyed Taehyung just rolled his eyes.
The girl just smiled but ignored his comment. She went over to Jin and gave him a small hug as well, before she carefully waved at Jimin and Taehyung. The white tiger was the only one who happily waved back at her, while his brother just rolled his eyes again.
“I will be back soon.” She said and stepped outside. “Alone.”
She had turned back and said the last part directly into Jungkook’s direction, before she slightly waved again and closed the door to go to university.
When the door fell shut with an loud tuck, the apartment suddenly fell in salience, as the four boys stood awkwardly in front of the door. No one said anything, everyone was just staring at each other, as it was the first time they had seen each other.
Indeed, it was the first time for Jungkook that he actually saw Taehyung properly for the first time. Before, he had only seen him when Jimin and him had been here for the very first time, but the bunny had been too busy processing everything so there had been no time to look at him properly.
Taehyung objectively was a beautiful man. He had natural, wavy brown hair that fell fluffily over his forehead, almost covering his eyes. On top of them, there was set a pair of deep black ears, that even had a small patch of white fur at the tip. His deep brown eyes matched his hair, and with his straight nose and fully lips, he looked like a model. He even got that annoyed look all the time.
Jimin was not much different, beside that he was smiling way more often than his brother and the pair of snow white ears with a black tip. Jungkook actually like Jimin. The white tiger was fun to hang out with. Him and Jungkook had played a few video games together, and Jungkook had to admit that it was nice to have some other friends beside his brother.
The tension in the room seemed to increase with every second. None of them knew what to say to each other, because usually, it was Hope who would start a conversation. But Hope was not here in the moment.
“Hmm.” Jin cleared his throat, before he hesitantly looked at Jungkook, giving him the behave-look. Then back towards the other two Hybrids, smiling at them. “I will go and prepare something for lunch. Don’t make a mess here.”
The oldest boy turned around and walked into the kitchen, leaving the three young boys alone in the living room. Jungkook watched as his body disappeared in the kitchen, before he turned back and looked at Taehyung and Jimin, who were just looking as confused as himself.
“What – What are we going to do now?” Jungkook asked, rather talking to Jimin than towards Taehyung.
Jimin slightly scratched his neck, as his gaze flickered over towards the small table in front of the TV, where two controllers were laying.
“Can we – “ He hesitantly begin. “Can we play that game on the TV again? It was fun when we played it the other day.”
Jungkook just nodded in silence, before he moved over and dropped himself onto the sofa. Jimin quickly followed him and sat down next to him, before his gaze moved back towards his brother who was still standing at the same spot. The white tiger gestured him with is hand to come over as well.
Taehyung just rolled his eyes again, but he eventually walked towards the sofa, standing crossed arms next to it. He looked with cocked up eyebrows as Jungkook turned on the TV.
“What are you doing?” He asked suddenly, his tone held a small hint of curiousness.
“This is fun, Tae.” Jimin said happily, as he took a controller. “With those controllers we can make car races. Look.”
Jungkook watched as Taehyung looked wide eyed at the TV screen where now many cars were racing over the rode. Inside himself, he chuckled at the black tiger, knowing how confusing those human things were when seeing it for the first time. He remembered the first time Hope had turned on the TV and those yellow, funny figures had appeared. Of course, he had seen a TV before, but never had he been watching it before.
Jimin next to him was already absorbed in the game. He moved both of his thumbs wildly over the buttons, sticking his tongue out at the same time. Taehyung at the other hand was absorbed in the game as well. His mouth hung open slightly, as he carefully sat himself down at the edge of the sofa, never taking his eyes off of the TV screen. In that moment, it was the first time that Jungkook didn’t see a grumpy or annoyed expression on his face.
Jimin and Jungkook continued playing their car race for several more rounds, warming up more and more to each other. They laughed together when one of them drove his car into the ditch, or when the pushed each other around the roads. Even Taehyung sometimes cheered for Jimin when he was about to win a round, completely forgetting their incidents with each other over the past days.
“Do you want to try it too, Tae?” Jimin asked after the 8th round, holding his controller out towards his brother.
The black tigers eyes flickered from Jimin’s hand towards Jungkook, before he carefully nodded. He moved over next to his brother, taking the controller out of his hands. Jimin was already explaining him how to use all the buttons.
When the black tiger was ready, Jungkook pushed the ‘start’ icon and the race started. Immediately, the loud and wild clicking of pushed buttons was the only thing that could be heard in the room. The game was no longer about an innocent car race. Both Hybrids were rather triggered to win against the other one in proof to be stronger. What none of the realized, that they were unwillingly laughing together all along.
“I won!” Jungkook yelled when his car raced over the finish line.
He threw the controller next to him on the sofa, before he turned his head towards the black tiger, sticking playfully out his tongue. Taehyung just rolled his eyes and breath out hardly, not being able to hide the small grin that played on his lips.
“This is because I let you win.” He said, laying the controller next to him as well. “I didn’t know that human things can be this much fun.”
He crossed his arms and leant back against the soft cushions, flickering his eyes around the room. Suddenly, his gaze held no longer that happy look but once again, his eyes sparkled with arrogance.
“Tell me, bunny.” He said, looking Jungkook into the eyes, cocking his eyebrows up. “Does that girl let her pets do all human things, or are you only allowed to turn the TV on and off.”
Jungkook pressed his eyes together at the black tiger’s words.
“Her name is Hope, and we are not her pets.” He hissed at Taehyung. “We can do anything we want to do.”
“Aww, how cute.” Taehyung fake-awed. “Are you defending your human girl? Do you like her that much?”
Jungkook’s heart skipped a beat when the black tiger mentioned that topic. He slightly clenched his fists, pressing his ears flat towards his head. It was not the way Taehyung was calling him ‘pet’, but it was that he was talking about Hope in the respectless way which made him mad.
“Stop calling her that.” He pressed through clenched teeth. “She gave us anything we could have ever asked for. She gave you anything without questioning it for one second, but you do nothing but being respectless towards her. Do you think I didn’t see how you are always showing off your fangs towards her?”
The smirk on the black tiger’s face suddenly dropped.
“You are always trying to scare her away, but I never said anything because she didn’t want me to make you feel uncomfortable.” He continued and by now even Jin was looking out of the kitchen. “You are threatening her and still, she treats your arm. You are growling at her and still, she came to us crying, telling us that she doesn’t want you to go, because she is worried about your safety. But you don’t care you are just talking about her as if…”
Jungkook kept rambling, not noticing that the two tigers’ faces were speechless from what he was telling them. They looked at the bunny with eyes and open mouths until he finished his monologue. When he did, the room was silent again.
“Does – Does she really want us to stay?” Jimin asked after a few minutes of silence, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
It was just now that Jungkook realized what he just had told them. They actually were not supposed to hear that from him, because Hope wanted to tell them by herself when she thought it was the right time. Well, now the cat was out of the bag.
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The girl took a deep breath, before she carefully knocked at the door.
She had been out to discuss her term papers with her professor who was the first one that had been allowed to read them before the committee would. He had told her that he had proofed her terms for any holes that could possibly be a risk for passing that final hurtle, but he had said that it was bulletproof.
When she had come home a few hours ago, she had found the apartment in some kind of a mess. Jimin and Taehyung had been in their room again, while Jin had admonish Jungkook at the dining table in the living room.
When she had asked them what had happened, Jungkook had been near to cry when he told her what he had done. He was blaming himself that it had slipped out of his mouth when they had their small fight a few hours before she had come home.
She was not mad at him though. They would have found out at some point anyway, and that’s how she found herself in front of Taehyung’s and Jimin’s door, hoping to get the chance to talk to them again.
She waited a few more seconds when there was no answer, before she knocked again. Still, there was no answer from inside the room.
“Taehyung, Jimin?” She carefully pushed the door knob and opened the door, not waiting for another answer.
When she peaked her head around the door, she spotted both tigers sitting on the bed together, but something was wrong. Through the silent room, she heard small sobs coming from the bed. She immediately knew it was Jimin.
Though, no one had allowed her to step in, she took a step forward, pushing the door open with a small squeaking sound, making Taehyung’s head shot around. His exes formed to small slits, before he shot up from the bed, facing the girl directly.
“You don’t need to kick me out.” He hissed through clenched teeth. “I will be gone by this evening.”
Hope didn’t know what to response to that. Hadn’t Jungkook told them that they could stay? Why would they think that she would kick them out all the sudden? Jimin’s small sobs ripped her out of her thoughts.
She decided to ignore Taehyung’s statement for now, before she made her way over to the sobbing white tiger who was still sitting on the bed.
“Jimin.” She almost whispered, carefully laying her hand on his. The boy’s hand twitched for a moment, but he didn’t pull away, as he kept on keeping his head sunk low. “Jimin, why are you crying?”
Jimin sighed slightly, before he lifted his other hand to whip off the stains of tears from his cheeks, before he eventually lifted his gaze.
“I am so sorry.” He whispered, still sniffing slightly. “We never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable. Please, don’t make Tae go. I can’t be without him. Please.”
When Hope heard Jimin’s begs to not kick out his brother, her heart broke. She would never kick one of them out, while the other one was allowed to stay. She carefully wrapped an arm around the white tiger’s shoulder, pulling him close so that she could lean her head against his.
“No one will kick Taehyung out.” She said, feeling the tension falling off of the boy’s trembling body. The next part she spoke more towards the black tiger who was still next to the bed, watching the scene in front of him closely. “Taehyung, I know we hadn’t had the best start, but you don’t have to go and neither does Jimin. We can figure things out of you want, so please, stay with us.”
Taehyung’s eyes flickered between the girl and his brother, before his ears dropped in shame. He loved his head and carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, still keeping his distance between the girl and him.
“I am – “ He cleared his throat, his deep voice was holding a tone of shame. “I am sorry that I threatened you.”
He didn’t look up at her, as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt. Hope knew that he meant what he said. There was not a single hint from arrogance or irony in his tone.
“I – I just wanted to protect us.” He began to say again, looking up this time. “I – when we fled from those people, I promised myself that I will always protect us from any human, and I was so – so confused when you suddenly helped us. I thought you had some bad intentions, and that you would hurt us again at some point. I never wanted to hurt your or Jin or Jungkook.”
Hope could image how hard it was for the boy to bring up some trust against her. Humans had hurt them so many times, they had misused their trust and now, they were stock up with a human girl they didn’t knew at all. It would take time for them to trust her fully, and also for her and her boys to trust them.
It was also the first time that she noticed that Taehyung had actually called Jin and Jungkook by their real names. Another proof that he really meant what he was saying. She was still rubbing slight circles on Jimin’s back who had stopped his crying meanwhile and was instead looking at the girl wide eyed.
“And you did a good job doing that.” She smiled slightly at the black tiger. “Look, you both are all safe and sound here. No one will hurt you again, because now, you are with us. We protect each other.”
Taehyung nodded at her words, still trying to process what she was saying. He looked like he was about to cry, but was trying to hold it back at any costs. Hope carefully laid her hand palm up onto the space on the bed between them, hoping that he would take it. The black tiger looked at her for a few seconds, before he finally laid his hands on hers, squeezing it carefully.
It was a first step into the right direction for the three of them. They all had to get used to living with each other, but Hope had no doubts, it would turn out for good at some point.
“Thank you – Hope.” Taehyung whispered, squeezing her hands once again.
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[inspirations ||| recommendations]
@starlightauroras-writes
@wishesunderthestars
@agustdakasuga
@ditttiii
@angelicyoongie
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thefirstknife · 3 years
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We obviously don't have any real answers, but for idle speculation: what do you think Crow is on Venus for? I've seen people suggest Vex or Ahamkara reality-warping, but Crow doesn't seem depressed or angry enough for that.
Honestly my biggest question right now. I'll be a little unhinged in this post so bear with me.
Option 1, he wants to be isolated and it's been established that there are no authorised Vanguard operations on Venus so it's the most likely barren but available celestial body in the system. Going beyond the Reef is dangerous and the only thing left in the inner system that isn't yoinked by Darkness or occupied is Venus.
I think this is the most benign and basic explanation that makes the most sense for now until we know more. The rest under the cut:
Option 2, speaking of that same lore I linked, two other people went to Venus for an unknown reason: an unnamed Hunter (with an Eliksni friend) and Shayura. The Hunter was guided by the Eliksni to a part of Venus that didn't belong to the Ishtar Academy:
Hurrying up a shallow set of rubble-strewn steps, a short Eliksni bearing the crest of the House of Light pauses, gazing back at the chrome-armored Guardian moving up the steps behind him. The Eliksni looks the Guardian up and down, then motions to the stark silhouette of a gray concrete-block building rising up from the Venusian overgrowth.
"This ain't the academy proper," the Guardian says on ascent, watching the hazy sky for signs of danger. Moisture clings in glistening beads to his reflective mask; his dark hood shields him from the rest of the elements. "The hell was this place?"
The Eliksni tilts his head to the side, four eyes blinking independently from one another. "Not Human, don't know. But machine inside."
I'd assume that the Eliksni would know if it was a Vex structure, but he only specifies that it isn't human. He mentions "machine inside" which can refer to the Vex taking over, but the structure doesn't seem to be of Vex origin or the Eliksni and the Hunter would be able to recognise that. It's not exactly hard to notice their work.
Shayura came to Venus to find someone. We don't know who. It might be the Hunter in the lore (whom she killed), but it's never specified. The only thing specified is what her Ghost says:
"There are no sanctioned Vanguard operations on Venus at present," the Ghost clarifies, pivoting its cold blue eye up to its Guardian. "Why do you think he's down there?"
There's an implication that whoever she's looking for is known to work or has worked with the Vanguard.
I wonder if Shayura's Wrath lore is chronologically in order or not. Because if not, Crow would fit the description of who she's looking for. Worked with the Vanguard, went to Venus, is easily on Shayura's list of people to kill given his past.
But why would Crow be there in the first place? Maybe it has something to do with the structure described in Shayura's Wrath lore. Crow didn't fully leave the Vanguard, he just got reassigned to work with Lord Saladin in negotiating with Caiatl. Caiatl is hard at work fighting Xivu Arath's forces and the Hive in general. She even implied being willing to nuke the hell out of the Reef to kill Savathun, civilian casualties be damned. Thanks to Zavala, this plan was nipped in the bud.
So my question then would be what is Crow doing on Venus as a part of that assignment? What is on Venus, damn it? Oh, dunno, maybe... Hm.
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:) ?
Remember, Venus became a jungle world after the Traveler terraformed it. Now, the problem with the Venus look is that the screenshots are only from D1 and those are old. But the jungle, overgrown look with a lot of foliage is there:
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A better look might be from concept art:
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The question here is: is Savathun's throne world located somewhere in the physical world or is the jungle around it just a part of the throne world itself and the actual location is elsewhere? I lean to the former and if she wanted to hide her throne world entrance somewhere, where better than on an abandoned world of Venus.
Furthermore, Bungie already reworked Venus for Destiny 2, due to Vault of Glass. The textures are there, the loading screen is there, orbit look and music, everything is already transferred to D2. Would be a shame to only have it exist as entry to Vault of Glass. Now, I don't think this necessarily means that the entirety of Venus will be back, but some other smaller part of it, perhaps. There's been a lot of Venus mentions lately, starting from it literally being back as a part of the raid.
For more unhinged hints: Venus is highly sulfuric, something which is mentioned in most lore about Venus, including this week's mention of Crow being there. Witch Queen Warlock armour features many references to sulfur:
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"S" is the symbol for sulfur, 16 is its number in the periodic table and 32.066 is its atomic weight.
Venus is also symbolical for Savathun. Venus is the only planet named after a Goddess and all of its features are named after Goddesses, of which three appear in Destiny: Ishtar Sink, Maat Mons and Pomona Mons. Quite ironically, Maat is an Egyptian Goddess of truth and justice, while Pomona is a Roman Goddess of gardens. Ishtar (Inanna) is more or less the same as Venus mythologically, and both have very close ties to the planet itself as was observed by the ancient people, which is why the planet was named after them.
Best for last: ancient Greeks considered Venus to be two separate celestial objects because of how Venus sometimes appears early in the morning (morning star) and sometimes early in the evening (evening star). They eventually realised that it's the same object, but they continued using two words to describe it: Phosphoros and Hesperos. Its generally mostly used name was Phosphoros which means... Light-bearer. It's also where the name for the element phosphorus came from. Both phosphorus and sulfur are very much tied to alchemy, which is a huge theme for the Witch Queen. Phosphorus also precedes sulfur on the periodic table (with number 15) and was, alongside sulfur, instrumental in the alchemical search for the Philosopher's stone.
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^ This symbol from the same Warlock armour refers to the Philosopher's stone: this is a symbol of philosopher's sulfur. Another related symbol also appears on the Warlock armour that relates to sulfur:
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So why is Crow on Venus? Maybe he just wants a place where he can be alone in the world to process what happened. That's fair.
And maybe it's a part of the assignment to find Savathun's throne world because at this point, we all know that to kill a Hive God, they must be killed in their throne world. If the plan is to kill Savathun, and Caiatl is very much into that plan, she is probably looking for the throne world. Crow may be the one to find it. And perhaps someone else has already found it before, if we consider Shayura's Wrath lore.
Okay, I'm done being insane for today.
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akiraink-no · 3 years
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Empires SMP-Spirts/Fae AU
Hey! So I was watching Shubble’s stream(right after her first episode and as she was playing, I got some ideas for the Empires SMP!  Note: I haven’t watched everyone’s episodes on Empires, but I highly suggest that you check them all out. Pearl and Gem’s videos on Empires are some of my favorites, but I also love Shubble, Scott, fWhip, and Pixlriffs.
Initial World-building:  I like to think that the Empires SMP is a story of spirits/fae/royal courts. For example some of the players would be spirits or fae creatures. (Think Scott, Shubble, Jimmy?? And maybe Pixl), and the rest would be normal, human players that are royals. (Again, fWhip, Mythical, Pearl, Katherine, Joey, Gem, etc…)  I’ll start with the fae creatures first and if I’m up to it, I’ll post my ideas for the others. 
Scott Smajor: Ice/Wind
So in my head, I like to think that Scott is a fae creature from the court of ice and wind. (Mostly because ice powers are cool and because he’s in a mountain). He has explicitly stated that he’s building in an elven sort of style, which can still match with him being from a fae court. 
Personality: 
I would like to say he’s cold, calculating, and even ruthless or cruel at times (He murdered Gem after she died, guys, come on). He sees the people around him as assets that can help him, but he doesn’t form a real connection with any of them just yet. Everything is very strict and formal around him
I like to think that because wind spirits are pretty mischievous and free spirited, he has a softer side to him as well. He likes to pull pranks, but doesn’t know when too far is too far. His pranks can border on cruel and sometimes insensitive, but it’s because wind/ice spirits are probably the most detached from the other spirits
Appearance:
As for his appearance, I’m taking his skin as part of my inspiration. I like the idea of him in whites, blues, golds, and silvers. He has a crown of diamond shards that mimic ice and is held together with silver and gold that mimic branches. His robes are mostly white(representing snow) and there would be a trim of blue for the skies above his lands. He might have either arm bands, bracelets, or rings that are made of silver or gold(representing the times when the sun or moon hits the snow). 
Powers(?)
Because Scott is an ice/wind spirit, I think it would be cool if parts of him would reflect that. Maybe his skin is super pale and cold to the touch. Maybe he doesn’t wear furry coats because he doesn’t get cold. 
The air around him gets colder when he’s angry or stressed, and if he gets really pissed, he could make it start to snow around him. When he’s sad, ice starts to freeze the ground under his feet or plants around him. Maybe it gets windy when he’s happy or dies down when something shocks him
I also think it’d be cool if he had like… frost walker(?) on his feet. Like the water freezes should he get too close and he doesn’t even realize it until someone points it out. It makes travel easy for him, but also an annoyance when he is doing a build or getting a bucket of water
Shubble: Nature/Decay
So Shubble’s kingdom/empire is called the Undergrowth. When I think of that, I think of mushrooms, soil, roots, and trees. It’s pretty close to what she’s planning right now. Her style of building gives me very cottage core vibes that’s very overgrown. I like to think that she’s a nature spirit because she has said that nature provides and that just seems like a very spirit thing to say. 
So I know I said decay, but when it comes to decay, it has an interesting look to everyone. Sometimes it’s bleached bones and withered grass, sometimes it’s spongy soil and mushrooms. I like to think that Shubble is the kinder side to decay(That’s saved for someone else). Something that must happen for the cycle of life to continue, she isn’t ruthless or cruel, she’s just trying to help the earth along.
Personality: 
Shubble would be very kind, sweet, and overall very trusting. That doesn’t mean she’s stupid or naive, it just means she’s willing to be kind to people first and give them chances to show their kindness. (I spent a long time in her chat during her streams and… yeah, wholesome energy). 
She doesn’t see the people around her as assets and rather hopes to make friends rather than enemies. I won’t say she forms connections quickly(mostly because I haven’t seen her interact with others just yet). But she is very trusting. (remember fWhips potatoes and Pearl’s shovel). During her stream after her first episode aired, she talked about hoping to be friends with Katherine from House Blossom and is aiming to stay as peaceful as possible during the time of the server. 
Appearance: 
So I haven’t seen her skin yet(mostly because this is coming out before we see it.) But she’s using a lot of browns, yellows, greens, and reds. I would like to say that her outfit would sort of reflect that. Instead of a crown of precious gems and metals, it’s maybe a crown of twigs, branches, leaves, and maybe some smaller mushrooms. (Antlers would be cool, so… ) 
I don’t think a dress would work, since she does a lot of work around her base. (Her stream was having her working with trees, leaves, and mining), so I think maybe a pair of overalls (maybe a brown?), a yellow/red undershirt and maybe a dark green jacket. Her outfit would be perfect for her to get on her hands and knees and dig into the earth(Gardener! Shubble). 
Powers:
I feel like because Shubble has this overall sweet and kind energy, I think mushrooms would grow from around her feet. Maybe she can sense when things are about to pass on and tries to make them as comfortable as possible. She can communicate with the earth below her(again, nature provides), and can speak with the animals to some degree
I would like to see spore blossoms react to her. Since spores are also the seeds for mushrooms, it’d just make sense in my head. Maybe she can coax plants to bloom or grow slightly faster around her if she’s happy. Maybe when she’s sad, things start to wilt or shrivel up. Her anger makes things die or age rapidly around her. Her touch can either harm or heal. Knitting the body’s wounds or it could tear into them, causing them agony. 
Jimmy: Ghosts/Decay
I like to think that maybe Jimmy started out human. Or maybe he’s half human. Like one of his parents was human and the other was a fae. (It would certainly explain his skin) 
Personality:
So I haven’t watched a lot of Jimmy, but I wanted to get this off my chest because it’s been in my head for a while now. I think Jimmy, like Shubble, is trusting. Not as much as Shubble, but he does aim for friendship first and then enemy second. So, maybe he’s an opportunist instead. 
Another thing that he might be is petty or spiteful(see his and Sausage’s argument over a music disc). Another ruler might negotiate or bargain their way to what they want, but I think that either Jimmy is pretty young(for fae standards) or his mixed bloodline makes it hard for him to act with a clearer head. It’s pretty clear that he wants others to take him seriously, but at the same time, he can act very impulsive and rashly(See all of 3rd life). 
Appearance: 
It’s pretty clear that Jimmy has that green tinge to his skin. But I think he would have colours such as green(for obvious reasons), browns, and maybe some greys(for clay in the swamp). He wouldn’t have a crown, instead, he’d have a set of gills on each side of his neck. Since I like to think that he swims around in the swamp to talk to the cod in his kingdom. 
For more formal events, he might have a brown cloak and pants with a rich green tunic. He doesn’t look the most royal, but maybe that’s okay because he doesn’t want to be seen as super royal to the rest of his kingdom. Maybe he feels like if he appears to be too royal, the people of his kingdom wouldn’t approach him. 
Powers: 
So Jimmy’s was pretty difficult. Swamps aren’t like ice and wind or nature. But he is a spirit of decay. A less kind version of decay, but not overall cruel. Maybe his decay strikes faster than Shubbles. Where she is understanding and aims to help those along, Jimmy is buried with memories, sunken bodies, and ghostly apparitions. 
So maybe he can see the dead, ghosts who haven’t passed on and simply wander his empire. His eyes glow a faint green whenever he talks to them and tries to aid them to move on to the afterlife.When he’s happy, he shines in the dark backdrop of the swamp, drawing more of the dead, eager to pass on. 
Maybe his anger results in ghostly wails or being dragged into the soft earth around his home. His sadness draws more of the dead to his area, even if they didn’t die there. His pain and grief is like a blackhole, pulling souls in and forcing them to stick around, stuck in his orbit. Maybe a certain few stayed because he was the first one who spoke to them, who reached out to them, who made an effort. 
Pixlriffs:Time/Death
So Pixlriffs has said that he wants to watch over the others deaths with his vigil and he lives in a desert, so I thought they would work with each other. When you think of time, you think of hourglasses, they have sand so that’s the connection I made. 
Personality: 
So Pix has shown an unhinged side to his overall calm and collected composure.(Example, Episode Ten, I think?) His: I sent five people to their deaths and they granted me wings(paraphrased) line is both chilling and is also perfect for a spirit of time/death. 
He, like Scott, is a bit disconnected from the others. Not by accident or nature, but by choice. As a spirit of time and death, he sees the clocks above everyone’s heads, knowing when their last breaths will be taken and when those clocks finally stop. 
It’s not that he’s apathetic to his fellow kings and queens, but rather he is scared. He doesn’t want to form connections only to see them disappear like a drop of sand in a desert. He wishes to honour the people who have weaseled their way into his heart. So he keeps the vigil to count their deaths and remind them that they will not be forgotten. Pixl is a watcher, an overseer that is afraid of the day his friends will pass on and leave him alone. 
Appearance:
The man calls himself the copper king, so I have to have those shades of copper in his outfits somewhere. Teal, brown(for bronze), and those shades between (for copper)are very good(both in builds and on clothes). I also think that pale yellow(representing the sand) is also a nice touch and green for his lush gardens is also a wonderful tone. 
He has a cape that is mostly teal(I’m thinking the shift between the third to final stage) with a bronze belt. The pale yellow would be his shirt and his pants would be a darker brown. Matching his boots. 
I think he would have a crown with pale yellow crystals(yellow zircon or topaz) with bronze wires making up the rest of the crown. Maybe there are pieces of turquoise or aquamarine, that would be cool too. 
Powers: 
The man is basically a watcher. He has wings and can see through time. Like I said before, he can see the clocks ticking above the other players’ heads. Seeing how long they have until their last breath. Pixl is equal parts chaotic and calm. So I think he has a good control over his emotions. 
When he’s stressed things start to wilt under his feet(another reason he lives in a desert), in his anger, he can cause death. Maybe he’s just an omen or something that draws in death. (See his end raiding attempts one and two). I like to think that maybe he has the ability to hold flames or make small ones(just for his candles), he isn’t violent or uses them to hurt others. He simply just uses them to light his candles. 
He’s more than capable with his other abilities. 
This is all I have for now. If I decide to do the others, I’ll add a link to this post. I’d appreciate some information or ideas for the other players since I haven’t had the chance to touch down on all of them. If you have any ideas, feel free to send them to me too!
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evolutionsvoid · 3 years
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Flegor [flee-gohr] Alias: Fleaman, Bug-Saw, Jitters Date Discovered: April 5th, 1955 Place of Origin: United States   Notable Stomping Grounds: United States, Mexico, Canada   Height: 80 feet Length: 80 feet Biology: Flegor is a flea that has been turned into a kaiju through exposure to Yamaneon. The circumstances of his transformation aren't fully known, though some suggest he may have been aboard a lab rat that was used in Yamaneon experiments and wound up being collateral damage. Though this tiny parasite has been turned giant, he still carries many of the traits of his kind. The powerful limbs that give fleas such an incredible jump have been boosted by his transformation, allowing him to launch his massive bulk with ease. A tough exoskeleton allows him to take a hefty amount of punishment from attackers, and from any time he doesn't stick the landing. The combs and bristles that once adorned his body have hardened and sharpened, forming nasty spikes. These aren't the only pointy parts of him, as sections of his exoskeleton have formed razor sharp blades. All these sharpened bits can serve as weapons and defense on their own, but an unique part of his anatomy allows him to utilize them in different ways. With flexible segments of his specially arranged exoskeleton and the help of his internal setup, Flegor is capable of expanding and contracting his body laterally. When cornered, he can swell his body to give himself a bigger profile, as well as cause his spiked hairs to radiate outwards for a spiny defense. In times of escape, he can instead compress himself into a thinner form, allowing him to squeeze through tight spots and make him a smaller target to hit. This compression can be combined with his sharp blades and powerful jump to turn him into a living saw, spinning through the air to slice through any obstacle in his path. This change is not a permanent one, as he is using his muscles to cause this shift. Eventually these muscles grow strained and tired, so he must relax his body and return to his normal size. Flegor also possesses a sharpened proboscis, though he no longer uses it for feeding but as a desperate weapon in close quarters. It has been noted that one of Flegor's eyes is quite larger than the other. It is currently believed it was an abnormality Flegor had before he was transformed.     Flegor's kaiju powers include: - Super strength - An enhanced healing factor - Immunity to radiation - Lateral compression/expansion Personality: While many kaiju can be described as "frightening," Flegor is seen more as a "frightened" creature. He is extremely nervous, always checking his surroundings and never sitting still. He tends to twitch and fidget about, with this behavior becoming more prevalent as his stress grows. His panicked behaviors are increased when he is faced with open spaces and areas with no cover. He is terrified of such exposed places, so much so that some have claimed he is kenophobic. When forced into such an area, be it from fleeing a fight or trying to reach a better habitat, he becomes paranoid and terrified of the idea of being caught in this unescapable place. He is very jumpy and constantly looking around for threats, all while trying to leave this horrible place as fast as possible. While open spaces cause him stress, he finds solace in areas that are cluttered and full. Forests and cities are sanctuaries to him, as he feels most calm whilst hiding amongst the tall buildings or trees (though he may stick out a little). His frantic nature tones down when he is in these areas, allowing him to show a more curious side. In this sanctuary, he will move about and inspect his environment on a regular basis, either curious of his surroundings or ensuring that everything is as it should be. By contracting his body, he can squeeze through the trees and streets without causing too much damage, but that doesn't account for the things trampled underfoot or if another kaiju is pursuing him. Unfortunately, Flegor's habitats do not last forever, as larger kaiju may scare him from his forest home, and humans aren't too fond of a giant flea zipping through their neighborhood. Eventually he will be pushed out, and the terrified kaiju will be forced to find a new haven. When it comes to other kaiju, Flegor often wants nothing to do with them. Such creatures are big, loud and territorial, which are not appealing traits for this nervous flea. When one of these massive beasts make an appearance, Flegor is quick to vacate the premises. He will even run from more peaceful kaiju if he encounters them in an exposed area, as he is too scared to take any chances. His avoidance of other kaiju means that Flegor rarely takes part in battle. He prefers to launch himself away from a threat, or scurry away as fast as possible. Only when he is cornered or trapped will he fight back, but this just for the chance to escape. In these cases, he will use his jumping legs to fire himself at an opponent and tear at them with his razor-tipped body. If he can't go around, he will go through. In tight spaces where he can't jump, he will go for the "puffed up and pointy" method, hoping to discourage attack with his spiny hairs. If the foe is tripped up from this trick, it may create an opening for him to flee. While Flegor has no desire to cause destruction or death, his panicked escapes can still cause quite a bit of damage. His thin body can help him slip through the skyline, but the enraged opponent barreling after him is rarely so careful. His mighty leaps tend to shake and shatter the ground he shoots off from, which also happens to the places he comes crashing down on.   Though terrified by practically any threat, there are some kaiju out there that Flegor seems to trust. Flegor appears to have an affinity for kaiju who possess thick coats, especially mammalian beasts. Hairy kaiju are not seen as a threat but as a companion or protector. When Flegor encounters a furred beast, he will follow them around and stick close by. He does not need to be acknowledged or accepted, as long as the other kaiju does not attack him, he will be happy to hang around. When following one of these kaiju, Flegor will lose some of his nervousness, finding comfort in something familiar to his past life. While these hangouts may last for a while, they are not forever. Eventually this kaiju may travel somewhere that Flegor does not want to go, or they may grow tired of this skittering shadow and chase him off. These separations sadden him, but he does not appear to hold a grudge. He certainly remembers each of these "companions" and he will try to accompany them again if he meets back up with them, regardless if they were the ones who drove him away. An interesting note about this behavior is that these are the only times Flegor has been seen actively participating in a fight. If he is following a trusted kaiju and they are attacked, Flegor will actually try to help in the fight. No one is really sure if the presence of a companion gives Flegor courage to battle or if he is trying to protect his "friend." He will try his best to fend off this foe, though if a battle goes south he may scurry away, either in shame or fear. With him only fighting when another kaiju is beside him and his smaller size, people often joke that Flegor is some kind of sidekick or crazed assistant. This behavior has caused people to wonder if it is possible to permanently partner Flegor up with a hairy and welcoming kaiju, one who would not chase him away or travel where he is uncomfortable. If the humans can find one that is peaceful and relatively stationary, then perhaps Flegor can at last find a safe and happy home.       ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This nervous little fellow is for @tyrantisterror ‘s A.T.O.M Create A Kaiju Contest 3-D! I participated in the last contest and had an absolute blast with it, so I was eager to join in on the fun this year! Fleas are such neat critters with some weird bodies, so I tried to use some of that for this little guy. I also found the idea of a tiny parasite turning into a giant an interesting one, as this setting has them sustained off of natural energy over actual food. With no need to eat, and no bigger beasts to latch onto, a parasite like Flegor would pretty much be lost in this new world. It was a neat thought, which led to this poor fella. Hopefully he finds a good home or friend!     For anyone interested, here is the link to the contest! tyrantisterror.tumblr.com/post…
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wallwriterstuff · 3 years
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Our Dearest Moments ||Alec Volturi x Reader||
Warnings: None, this is nice and fluffy
Words: 2964
Summary: A request for @royalvolturisblog    Forever is a long time to live, an occasionally a little reflection upon who we are and how we got here is needed to maintain our sanity, and decided some very important answers to equally as important questions.
Sometimes, life is not all we expect it to be. Sometimes, life is cruel. Sometimes, life is disappointing. For me? I can safely say it’s none of these things. My life had always been easy, the best of everything and wanting for nothing. As doting as he was, my father had spoilt me rotten and never let me work hard for anything, never given me life skills that most normal people would need to live a functioning, adult existence. Why would I need them? Money was not a problem for my family nor would it ever be, so why go to the hassle of building a life where a nine to five job sapped the life from me when I could, quite sustainably, simply enjoy my life to its fullest at my loving father’s expense? Why make your child work if there was no need? I would not settle for a subpar life as nothing in my life had ever been less than luxurious.
That was my life in a nutshell. It was flat screen TVs in a ginormous bedroom which would have fit some people’s houses inside it, four poster beds and every new games console, every makeup palette fresh off the manufacturers line and vacations to the most remote and lavish corners of the Earth. I never even had to ask for some of it, my father simply expected I would want things and provided them without request – as those of guilt soul are wont to do.
“Well? What do you say?” Alec asked, his lips pressing the gentlest of kisses against my shoulder. I hummed, leaning back against him.
“Forgive me, I was hardly listening to a word you said, my mind is…elsewhere.” I admitted. Alec squeezed my hips, arms widening around my waist to tighten his hold on me.
“You’re ignoring me now? How very rude. I thought we were passed this.” He chided, though his tone was more playful than scolding.
“Call it introspection.” I sighed. Alec chuckled.
“Introspection? Now that sounds dangerous. I happen to like you as you are, if you haven’t noticed.” He teased, pressing a kiss to my temple. I turned in his arms with a smile. He stood a little taller than I did but I didn’t mind; it always gave me the best angle of the soft curve of his jawline, the fullness of his lips that didn’t like to stray from my own for too long. It also gave me the perfect excuse to nestle my head against his collarbone, escape those all seeing crimson eyes of his. Alec had seen right through me from the very start.
“I happen to know, you inform me every day…you sap.” I smiled a little as he lifted a hand to play with my hair.
“Then why decide to be introspective? What is there to reflect on? What would you wish to change?” he questioned.
“I already have changed,” I pointed out, lifting my hand to play with his coven crest, “I actually work for a living now.” Alec actually laughed at that, pulling back to feign shock.
“You? Spoilt? I would never have guessed.” he teased. He wasn’t wrong. Even now my room was lavish, silks and fine fabrics and luxuries filling every corner, but at least this time I had worked for it. Being a part of the Volturi was a privilege in itself but it required hard work, it required proving your worth and working for the greater good of your species. It was rather odd, how I had turned my entire life philosophy around in the span of a few centuries. Maybe it was Alec, making me humbler and wiser. Perhaps I owed some of it to Vladimir and Stefan, who had taught me to fight for what I wanted rather than throw money at it. I could still remember that fateful day, though faces and names were murky now in my ‘old age’.
Samuel and Scott were two boys I had craved the presence of a lot in my human days, though I couldn’t honestly tell you why anymore. Perhaps it was the familiarity of money, or the comfort that came from knowing someone of your status and experience walked alongside you and understood your world view, but they were the closest friends I had for a long time. What was better than going on vacation with your friends at the closing of exam season? Rome had been beautiful, the sights enamouring and the food…I suppose it was okay – my tastebuds had changed since then. I could still vividly recall the kind of heat I wasn’t accustomed to back home, and the dazzling brightness of the sunlight that spotted my vision and made my ever blurry human memories seem even worse quality somehow. I also remembered laughter, and warmth, the kind of warmth that flooded your soul and felt like a good hug on the worst of days. It was strange, the things that stayed with you.
Then there was too much warmth. The process to immortalise one’s body came at the cost of burning the eternal soul till only a shell was left behind, petrified and cold. That was how Stefan put it at least in his usual, grim way. The memories of my time with them had most certainly been the most vivid, since I was very much a vampire by then and I could remember every little glance, every change in the tone of their voice. Those days….those days were full of anger. My doting father taken from me, my best friends none the wiser as to where I had gone and yet never once pleading on the news for my safe return as most others did for their loved ones. Through time and trial and error, Vladimir and Stefan had shown me that I had actually lost nothing in this life, only gained. I was stronger, swifter, better than any human version of myself could ever be.
Then came the gift.
It had been purely accidental at first. Another boy taken in by Stefan only to be turned (in what I would later find out was an attempt at raising a small army) was similarly gifted. He had the quite remarkable ability to make anything he touched smaller or larger, depending on what he wished it to look like, and unintentionally I had taken his gift to use for myself. He hadn’t stayed much longer after that, Vladimir and Stefan reluctant to let him part but allowing it – only because they knew the Volturi would send the Guard after an unruly newborn causing havoc. Why should they need him when they had me? They had been the ones to train my gift, an enhanced trait from my human life they had said – as I had taken what I wanted then I could do so now with startling efficiency. By the time Alec had arrived I had not truly gotten it under control, hence my confrontation with Jane.
It turns out the unruly newborn had been smarter than we thought, and the Masters’ had dispensed the Guard to see about this gifted vampire the Romanian’s had collected. At this point it had been months since we’d even seen the boy, years since Vladimir and Stefan had stolen me from Rome’s streets on one of their daring missions taking them close to Volturi territory. My gift had made me indispensable to them, though I like to believe that on some level they cared for me as a person, given all the gifts and birthday celebrations they had indulged in for me. There had been trips and movie nights all at my request, and affectionate gestures such as hugs and chaste kisses to my forehead that had lulled me into the false sense of security that I was where I ought to be.
“Your mind keeps wondering. I happen to be trying to ask you a very important question.” Alec was sounding a tad frustrated with me now and my eyebrows furrowed.
“I’m sorry, really, I just…do you ever have one of those days where you feel like you can’t escape thinking about the past? Thinking about the things that led you to this moment?” I sighed. It was perhaps a tad dramatic, perhaps even silly of me to be this distracted by such errant thoughts, but they wouldn’t leave me be. Alec stared at me for a long moment, and then he tucked a lock of stray hair behind my ear and swept me off of my feet to seat us on the sofa before our fireplace. Draped across his lap as I was, he had made me his sole focus and gave me his undivided attention now.
“I can’t say I do, so explain it to me. What are you thinking of in particular?” he questioned. My head tilted slightly, the briefest of smiles tugging at my lips.
“Demetri fixing up his nose the day we met.” I giggled. Alec snorted, eyes rolling.
“Vladimir did hit him rather hard.” He agreed. The commotion hadn’t much bothered me, my head buried too deep in my book to really be bothered by such trivial things, but then he had screamed. It was a blood-curdling kind of scream, the sort you heard in slasher movies when the victim is disposed of. It was the first time I had seen Jane’s gift in action, and the only time since I had stolen it. I had only meant to shove the menacing little blonde away from the man I had grown to see as a second father, only to accidentally set her own gift on her. She had crumpled like a straw doll, screaming all the while, and anyone else who came at me went down the same way.
Felix, Demetri and Jane just writhed on the stone floor while I tried and failed to keep Alec at bay, the mate bond I had unknowingly just set with him the moment we locked eyes preventing me from hurting him and vice versa. His mist had danced at the edges of my feet as he gave me more warnings than I was sure was customary of a Guard with his reputation until I managed to calm the raging inferno in my own mind, and douse the flames in theirs.
“Then you misted me.” I recalled, scowling at him slightly. Alec looked amused.
“You were getting rather violent,” he pointed out, “I’d merely suggested an even trade, their lives for you accompanying us to Volterra, and poor Demetri lost his nose a second time that day.” I could still recall the crunch of his skin beneath my knuckles as I vowed to never let them take me anywhere, and now two centuries on I couldn’t bear the thought of being anywhere other than in Alec’s lap. His hand skimmed my arm as I dropped my head on his shoulder.
“You think he would forgive me for that by now.” I said. Alec chuckled and kissed my forehead.
“Not in a million years, his ego is more fragile than his nose.” He murmured against my skin. I hadn’t been happy for a very long time after that. Dragged away from my home against my will and told it was all for a mate bond I hadn’t been ready to accept. I was cruel, very cruel, and I called Alec all sorts of filthy names. Neither him nor Jane had ever really done me wrong, yet still I rarely addressed them as anything other than ‘witch’ or ‘terrors 1 and 2’. I spent the majority of my days avoiding as many people as I could really, though I found Marcus to be quite calming and consequently ended up with the Masters’ more often than not. It was with their encouragement I ended up confronting my two-arch nemesis, their gentle prodding that had led me into Alec’s arms in the end.
“God I’m sure your mother would weep if she could see you now!”
“She did! She wept and pleaded with the villagers tying us to the stake until they caved her head in with stones. How about yours?”
I cringed slightly, the memory as fresh as if it had been just yesterday. Jane had looked ready to roast me that day, while Alec had cut me down to size with his words. Their mother’s fate, their deaths, they were nothing such of tragic incidents that should never have occurred, not to these two. It had triggered a memory I had thought had faded as most other human memories had, though I could see no eyes in the soft, familiar features of my mother’s face given I couldn’t remember the colour of them. She had been reaching for me in my dreams for years, that single bloodied hand protruding from the wreckage of a car only I had escaped from haunted me to this day. How far I had strayed from the woman she would have wanted me to become.
“How could you forgive me?” I asked finally. Alec raised his eyebrows.
“For punching Demetri in the face? Quite easily. I found it entertaining.” He answered.
“Not for that! For…everything else. I was nothing short of difficult and downright cruel to you.” I reminded him. Alec tilted his head, quietly making a noise of understanding. It wasn’t so long ago Alec had asked me to marry him, at least, five years didn’t seem all that long for a vampire. He shifted till I was facing him, straddling his lap and chest to chest with our noses almost touching.
“I forgave you because I loved you, even then. I didn’t see cruelty, I saw hurt that never truly healed. Our scarred hearts were made for one another, even if you weren’t ready to accept it.” He murmured.
“But all those awful names I called you…” I sighed, closing my eyes as shame ate away at my insides. Alec chuckled.
“Some were quite inventive, I’ll give you that,” he said wryly, “Y/N…you replaced every bad memory with a good one. The time you gifted me that bookmark because you knew how much I loved to read? The memory of our first walk in the Garden’s together where you taught me all about gardening and when the best time of year to plant certain flowers was. Our first kiss, the first time you held my hand even. You made the effort to make it right.” He kissed my nose sweetly before capturing my lips with his. His every kiss had been intoxicating since our very first one, the sweet taste of his mouth on mine addictive, the way his lips moved a hypnotic dance I could forever get lost in performing with him over and over. When we parted I pressed my forehead to his.
“I do love you, you know.” I swore. Alec flashed me a smile.
“I know, you impossible little brat,” he teased, tugging my hair lightly, “Now will you please listen to what I’ve been so desperately trying to ask you all day now?” My eyes rolled, but I nodded.
“Make it worth my while, baby.” I teased.
“Don’t, you know I hate when you call me that,” he warned, though his lips twitched upwards, “Y/N, my impossibly stubborn, talented little beauty. I’ve never been in doubt you love me, and I hope I’ve never given you reason to doubt that I love you just as much. You challenge and enrage me daily, yet you are also my greatest comfort and strength when I need you to be. So stop being so bloody awkward and marry me already!”
“That wasn’t a question.” I pointed out, eyebrows raising. Alec groaned exasperatedly, his head falling back against the back of the sofa. My head tilted slightly.
If my day of reflection had done anything, it was show me how far I had come. I was no longer the same spoiled little girl I had once been. I had become a protector of our kind, and my journey with Alec had humbled my tongue. I was perhaps wiser, far kinder. I had not felt worthy of the mantle before but seeing him beneath me now, my love so ardent in his affection and persistent in his showing of it, I realised I had no need to be afraid – I had proven my worth to Alec tenfold. Gripping his chin, I forced him to look at me. He looked rather frustrated.
“This is the modern era Alec,” I scolded, “I will never say yes to your proposal.”
“But-“
“Because you are going to be saying yes to mine. Marry me, Alec.” I didn’t ask, more stated it. I knew he wouldn’t say no. With another exasperated groan he shook his head.
“You do make me work for it don’t you? So long as I slip a ring on your finger I really don’t care who asks who. Fine, I’ll marry you.” He leaned in but I pressed a single finger to his lips, preventing him from kissing me. His eyebrows arched into his hairline, almost as if to say ‘what now?’.
“It’ll be a Winter wedding.” I decided. A brief smile flashed his lips upwards.
“Spring.” He retorted.
“And the bridesmaids will wear emerald green.” I continued.
“Peach.” He countered, his smile growing as I pulled my finger from his lips.
“Oh and I want diamonds Alec, they’re a girls best friend.” I grinned, our noses brushing now.
“You’ll get a cereal box ring and be happy with it for all the waiting you’ve made me do.” He huffed. I didn’t get to protest, not when he smothered my mouth with his own, both of us laughing as we let the past be and looked forward to our future instead.
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vaindumbass · 3 years
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Do it. Elaborate on the Shrek au. I dare you.
oh god. oh god. well i cannot resist now i have been dared. remember that u asked for this. Also, this is mainly a collection of vague thoughts & details that maybe do not matter all that much, and will probably not make sense if u havent watched it.
fundamentally, shrek is a film (insert ‘im not even going to call it a movie’ meme here) about learning to love yourself as you are, but also about opening up to other people & letting them help you & also about how those two things interact with each other.
And who kind of hates himself and feels like a monster and uses the help of his friends? remus, of course. However! to even slightly maintain the vibe of the film the main character has to look hideous and intimidating to others, so we’re adding the lore that everyone can see that he’s a werewolf because of a particular scar on his head.
(sidenote: remember when sirius volunarily locked himself into a cave and looked like shit and ate rats? he would also make a good shrek, but if im going to list all the alternative ways this could be done we’ll never be done) 
Then, an enthusiastic four-footed sidekick: prongs. yes, it’s James in stag form. no, i don’t think he’ll be human at any point in the movie. (He has to be an outcast, that’s what unites them all, after all)
Also, the swamp is the shrieking shack.
now it’s going to get complicated, because unfortunately shrek wasn’t made with the idea of a marauders au in mind, which is kind of inconsiderate tbh. I’d make voldemort Lord Farquad just so that all the ‘compensating for something’ jokes can be replaced with something along the lines of: ‘well u know what they say: the smaller the nose,,,,’  
the magic mirror that snitches on them is Peter, and he tells voldemort that to be complete he needs a seventh horcrux and that the only thing fit for that is this one Black family heirloom. The black family will only give it away as a wedding gift. enter sirius black, stage left. 
lily is the dragon but. we’ve got to change the personality. lily is simply a Professional and wants to do her job, but james, overconfident as always, says he’ll be able to distract her with his seductive skills (yes, hes still a stag). Weirdest thing? it works. lily, who has never really talked to anyone before, just burned them to a crisp, is too busy laughing to really do anything. Somehow the whole ranting and never stop talking thing is the perfect approach, and Lily is quite curious about the outside world and how it has changed those past few years, and she is quite glad that she doesn’t have to kill him, because turns out he was just lost, and that must be true because he hasn’t asked about the prince yet. 
And then she spots Remus and Sirius getting away and realizes she was tricked. she isn’t exactly. proud of her reaction but to be fair trying to burn and kill people was just her knee-jerk reaction at that point!! she didn’t really have the time to get used to the talking thing!! 
ehhh sirius changes into a. fucking dog at night. and he can’t control it. that’s the curse. 
that one robin hood-like figure? that came to attack them? the blonde one with the song. yes that’s Gilderoy Lockhart and Sirius enjoys punching him very much (#letsiriusblackgoferal2021). Remus enjoys watching the punching and such and then the cute and slightly disturbing bonding montage starts. 
they take shelter in the windmill, sirius transforms into a dog but can still talk for plot reasons, and explains the whole being cursed and needing a true love’s kiss etcetera. remus got him a flower but drops it when he hears the words ‘but who could ever love a mangy mutt’ and it’s all a very sad misunderstanding and voldemort takes sirius away. (sorry abt putting the image of sirius and voldemort marrying into ur head <3) 
Here, for fun, I’d suggest just giving Lily some time to shine, going out, exploring the world, because she doesn’t really have a job anymore and doesn’t know what to do. She sees the fairytale people, the different ones, and how they are treated and how lord voldemort tries to get them all away because it doesn’t fit into his worldview. It’s horrible, and at her core, she’s a protector, so one day she just swoops two dwarfs (marlene and dorcas) onto her back, away from the soldiers who try to make them go down the mines and stay there forever, out of sight.
They have fun & explore & become friends, honestly, and her new friends want to show her some really cool dwarven shit let’s say a nice gemstone. Lily gives the appropriate reaction but unfortunately a very big dragon isn’t very subtle and the soldiers manage to find them and to capture marlene and dorcas, who both encourage lily to just get away as fast as possible. and lily does. she flies and flies and keeps flying until she can’t and then she stops next to a lake and cries.
that’s where she sees james again. they talk, james consoles her, says that at least she had that friendship because friendship is the most important thing in the world, and then we see him have a lightbulb moment. He makes up with remus. 
They crash the wedding! sirius appreciates the dramatics of it all, and, not one to be bested, reveals that he changes into a dog when the sun goes down. lord voldemort, appaled, calls for his guards (remember, the problem isn’t necessarily ugliness, here, but the exclusion of the non-normal, non-human people (shrek as a metaphor for queerness anyone?)) and lily eats him. #girlboss
remus hugs dog-sirius, and he’s smiling a lot more than we’ve seen so far in this film!! he also presses a small kiss to the top of sirius’ head just because. not much happens but a few seconds later sirius seems to concentrate and suddenly he’s human again (a delighted human, to be clear). he concentrates again and he’s a dog. human-dog-human-dog-human. remus, although he isn’t quite sure what’s going on, watches with a fond smile. sirius remembers he’s there and they kiss and it’s cute ig
ending scene is a big party with a banner of ‘we ended the monarchy!!!!’ and next to it there’s a painting of the person who was elected as president and it’s Just Some Guy. halfway through the party james decides to defend lily’s honour and crosses out the ‘we’ and writes down ‘I’ and drapes it around lily as if it’s a sash. remus and sirius are also vibing. dorcas and marlene are furiously digging out gems and giving them to each other (it’s how they flirt). the end <3
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narrans · 3 years
Text
Everyone needs a little Hero | Rings and Memories
The apartment complex wasn’t the newest and had few features that could be identified as the “latest and greatest.” Sometimes there were problems with the water and sometimes the lights flickered at odd times of the day and night. Every so often, things would go missing or just get misplaced.
One thing this apartment complex did have, however, were stories. Each of its dozen floors held people from different places and backgrounds. Some people were thriving, others trying to make their way. Some were going through hardships and a few just need a friend – someone to talk to.
One other thing this place had among its labyrinth of walls and wires was a whole other world – a smaller world consisting of dozens of families. Some of them big, some of them small, but all of them little – these were the Borrowers.
The four-inch folk live in quiet solitude, surviving by taking what they need in pieces, parts, fragments, and segments. Rarely did something of significance go missing and, even then, it was the humans’ fault for being so clumsy.
There were rules for keeping themselves undiscovered by the humans and, for the most part, these rules were upheld. There were times where humans spread rumors or asked if there were mice and such in the building. Thankfully, the Borrowers had managed to steer clear of the exterminators and their traps.
It was one of their biggest fears – to be seen and caught by a human.
Hero grew up with two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. He also had his parents, grandparents, and even a great-grandfather. His family had never immigrated, a rarity among their kind, and had always been careful. Subtly, the young Borrower with sandy brown hair and bright green eyes had always feared the humans, but also found them fascinating.
Humans were dangerous, yes, but were also ingenuitive and forward thinking. They had creativity and passion as well as the means to do so. Hero knew they had the ability to do horrendous things, but they also had the power to do good.
Every once in a while, he would venture through the walls and listen to the humans watching that big flat thing called a T.V. or a screen. They watched scary things, but the thing Hero was fascinated with was the show about villains and, like his name, heroes.
These heroes had powers and would fight against injustice, whatever that was, and the bad people hurting other people. Some could shoot lasers while others could fly. Some were strong. Some could use their hair. One thing that hero noticed about all of these people was that it didn’t matter who they were or what they looked like – they were all heroes.
Some of them, he noticed, didn’t even have powers. There was one boy who was drawn with green hair and cried a lot that talked about what it meant to be a hero – and somehow the young Borrower found this inspiring. He knew from that moment on he had to live up to his name.
Now, how he was going to go about this he wasn’t sure. He had only just had his thirteenth birthday and was three or so inches on a good day. Needless to say, height was going to be a slight issue, but it wouldn’t stop him. According to some people on a thing called the “inner-net,” you didn’t need to save lives or stop buildings from falling down to make a difference in someone’s life.
This is the notion that Hero clung to one night as he debated for the hundredth time with himself. He didn’t need to be big to make a difference. In fact, some guy by the name of “Gamdalf” said that it was the ordinary actions of small folk that made a difference.
It was settled – and Hero knew who he wanted to help first.
On the third floor, there was an elderly couple who loved each other very much. Hero liked going down and listening to them talk. They were hilarious, mostly because they were forgetful from time to time and would move things without telling the other.
“Where are my glasses?” asked the woman. “Well, I don’t know dear. They were on your head. Did you check there?” the man would respond, all the while wearing them on his head because he thought those were his glasses.
Hero could watch them for hours and be amused. There were a few times, accidentally, where he was laughing so hard that they stopped and looked up at the trim near the ceiling. “Those neighbor kids must think something’s pretty funny.” A handful of those comments made Hero well aware he needed to be careful even when they had a hard time remembering.
The final straw in his debate on helping them first in fact came from the saddest of events. The elderly man, on night, had fallen and went to some place for him to get better called a “hospital,” but that didn’t happen.
The woman came back so very sad and Hero wanted nothing more than to cheer her up. He had to come up with something, and he had to do it quickly as he began to hear rumors that she was immigrating and could see boxes being loaded up.
It was just after dinner and his siblings were out borrowing except for his younger sister Winnie, who was far too young to go borrowing being only six. Hero stood in his room with all of his necessary supplies laid on his bed.
He had a fishing hook, a safety pin, one band-aid, a pin, battery lamp with a new borrowed bulb, a piece of razor, and a strong line which he had checked a dozen times. There were a few moments where he paused to breathe, staring at his muddled reflection in a piece of tin foil he kept in his room.
“Heroes usually have some kind of outfit or a cape. Do I need a cape? I don’t know. Capes get in the way. What about a mask? Naw, that won’t work. It might get in my eyes. This is fine for now.” Hero puffed out his chest, grabbed his backpack of supplies, and headed out through the halls.
He made sure to wave to his grandparents as he ran past their hallway. His little legs carried him at a steady pace past the pipes to the wires he had to lay on to cross from one wall joist to the next. The drop was at least a floor and would certainly be a problem if he were to slip, but the wires were coated with rubber and were nice and thick. Hero had also learned the pro-tip from his oldest brother, Atlas, of hooking the safety pin from his backpack onto the line. Since it was strapped to him, it added an extra safety measure.
Hero slowed his jog to a brisk walk as everything began setting in for him. Was he ready for something like this? He was only 13 after all. He had been borrowing on his own, but this would be different in that now he was going to purposefully move something for the human to notice and become curious about.
Hero cupped his palms and smacked his face lightly to snap himself out of it. It wasn’t like he was going to be seen or anything. Plus, the elderly woman was forgetful. Even if he were seen, she would most likely forget. Right?
The labyrinth of walls passed by quicker than expected. Before the young Borrower knew it, he was standing above one of the ceiling fan tiles that they used to observe. He could already hear the daughter and the older lady talking.
“Mom, what are you looking for?” asked the daughter.
“I… well… I’m sure I saw it in here somewhere,” the older woman replied.
“Dad’s ring?” prompted the daughter. “Mom, you looked in there already. It’s been lost for years.”
“Pish posh I remember seeing it just the other day,” the mother responded as she continued to rummage through the next box. She started taring the tape off of another when the daughter intervened.
“Here, mom, why don’t you check this box,” she suggested, but the mother shook her head.
“No, I distinctly remember seeing it by the couch. These boxes must be on top of it.”
Hero listened for a few more minutes, saddened by the encounter, now knew what he had to do – he was going to find that ring. He pulled himself from the ceiling tile, ensuring it was secure, before heading for the nearest wall that could take him to the ground, which was not a far walk. The path to and from this apartment was well used and so had a permanent line anchored to it.
The sheer drop down was enough to makes his knees weaken and his head spin with vertigo. Heights weren’t always an issue, but that little bit of nervousness was something Hero took as a good sign. If he weren’t nervous, he might miss checking something before climbing the line. There was darkness below where there was usually light. Must be a bad bulb. He wrapped his hands around the line, checked his footing, and descended the line knot after knot.
It took some time, but he finally reached the ground by the floorboards. The walls absorbed the light on his hip lamp. Small dust particles drifted around in the air, lingering as the footsteps above knocked them loose. The Christmas lights which usually illuminated most of the main hallways they traversed were still hanging on the walls on top of the thumbtacks.
Something about the air didn’t set right with Hero. There was an eerie stillness under the floorboards of the older woman’s apartment. Hero felt himself freezing. There was a nervousness in his chest. His heart was beating so incredibly fast now. When did that happen?
The determined boy couldn’t let these things bother him now. He puffed out his chest with a deep inhale and stepped further into the darkness. The joists towered above him at a whole seven inches and effectively had him surrounded on his left and right. Hero began walking up and down the floor joists, starting where he was at the entrance and working his way to the sitting area.
Hero knew where the old woman’s couch was in the apartment; and he also knew there were several wide floorboards and some holes the other Borrowers had left in case they needed to make a hasty exit. Maybe it was unlikely, but Hero suspected that if something had been knocked into the floor, it could have fallen through one of their hiding holes.
He passed by a few more unilluminated lights and noticed a few of the wires were exposed – chewed through. Suddenly, his keen ears picked up something. If he hadn’t been on edge, he might’ve missed it. The light on the hip lamp only illuminated a foot or so in every direction, but sound didn’t need the light to be heard.
A skittering sound of clawed feet scraped just on the other side of one of the joists. It stopped. Then it started again. Immediately, his heart leapt into his throat and the Borrower boy stopped dead in his tracks. Hero instinctively pulled his pin from his side and held his hip light in his right hand.
He peered around the corner and could see with his bright green eyes the small tail of a mouse skittering away from the little bit of light from Hero’s lamp. He exhaled shakily. Maybe he wouldn’t need to fight it today. He glanced down the passage and decided to follow behind carefully.
Cautious step after cautious step, Hero eventually heard the mouse head back down through the walls as he turned down the next corridor. Sadly, there were only three left for him to check.
As he walked down the next hall feeling discouraged, he realized that there was a slight glint up ahead. Still brandishing the pin, Hero stepped forward with the light extended until he recognized the shape of a circle – a ring. He had found it!
The tarnishing silver ring was thick and heavy with writing Hero didn’t recognize. Reading was something his parents insisted that he learn, but even that didn’t help him with these words. There was also some kind of glittery rock in the middle. Now all that needed to be done was get it to the humans without getting caught. This was going to be interesting.
First and foremost – move it. It took some time, but the ring was eventually wrestled into the borrowing bag. The weight was significant and made normal borrowings feel light as a feather. Still, this would not stop the mission.
Hero now had to determine where to put it. Both of the humans were still at home and, from the sound of it, things were being moved around. Hero was usually very dexterous and quick, but he was incumbered by the weight. So, going up right then and there was out of the question.
While he walked back through the halls, he made his decision. He would wait until nighttime and put it in the woman’s bedroom where he knew she could find it – her bedside table. The thought of being so terribly close to a human made his insides flip anxiously. Still, he knew he had to persevere.
The trek to the elderly woman’s room was a long one and one that was taken with caution. That mouse was still roaming around and the last thing that Hero needed was a confrontation when he was debating how to get on top of the table with the ring in tow.
While he walked, he thought of scenario after scenario. I could climb it, obviously, but the weight on my back may make me tired before I reach the top. I could try to pull it up once I climbed to the top, but that leaves me on top of the table for a bit longer than I would want. I could try and tie one end to the ring and one end to me, jump, and have it slingshot up to the top.
Before he knew it, he was under the floor of the bedroom. Hero let his pack slump off of his shoulders and onto the ground, rubbing the aching muscles and tendons in his shoulders. Up above, he could hear the sounds of feet shuffling against the ground. She must be getting ready for bed. Earlier than normal.
The teen waited until the shuffling stopped to make his move, which he finally figured out. He was going to pull the ring up onto the desk. Climbing would be too tiresome and he weighed more than the ring, even if his shoulders argued otherwise, and couldn’t control the descent.
The pack was back on his shoulders again and he was on his way. Up through the opening in the baseboard under the bed, Hero tread lightly up to the immense bedside table, extinguishing his light before arriving. His keen ears picked up on the light sound of breathing just above him. Perfect. Completely quiet.
He tied the line onto his bag tightly before removing his hook. Pause for a breath. Aim. Swing. Swing. Hero let the hook fly from his hands and heard the hook sink in with a firm knock. Perfect. He shimmied up the rope in no time, glancing over to see the sleeping woman barely two feet from him. A shiver ran down his spine. It was completely involuntary and it was only then that Hero realized this was the closest he had ever been to a human before.
Everything about them was so much bigger than him. Their faces. Those eyes. It made his head and insides flip and swirl at the very notion of their hands. Don’t think about that now. You need to get the ring back on the table. He began pulling his bag up with the line. It tapped the table a few times on its ascent, which made him freeze and watch. Not a single stir.
It wasn’t until Hero had pulled up the bag and began pulling out the ring that he heard the older woman stir, shifting under the sheets that could easily smother him. His heartrate spiked, forcing him to swallow dryly as he finished pulling the ring free from the satchel.
The ring was right there in view next to the clock and the lamp. It wouldn’t be hard to find. Hero had almost reached his line when he heard something.
“What the… what is…” the voice of the elderly woman, still saturated with a groggy tiredness. Hero’s breath hitched in his throat. Every impulse shrieked. He almost threw himself off of the table when he saw a hand beginning to emerge from beneath the quilts and covers. Instead, he threw his bag over one shoulder and grabbed the line.
The rope burned his fingers and palms and he landed on the ground with a definite thud just as the light came on. There was no time. He back peddled as fast as he could from the line, regretting using his best hook. He was halfway to the hidden entrance when he heard her speak again.
“Oh… my… Stuart’s ring…” Hero stopped in his tracks. Stuart? Was that his name? The older man? “Oh… thank you little sprite.” Hero’s breath stopped completely. Was she able to see anything? Would she look?
All he knew was he heard the clattering of his hook on the ground, a sniffly sob, and then the lights turned out again. It was a risk, but Hero needed his hook. He quickly darted back and retrieved the hook; however, just before he left, he uttered the smallest “you’re welcome” before darting back into the cover of the walls.
Mission – success! Maybe he was seen. Maybe the old woman believed in such things. He didn’t know. What was certain was he had made someone’s day a little better; and that’s all that really mattered to him.
~Thanks for reading. Have any humans Hero needs to help? Suggestions and prompts welcome down below. Stay awesome!
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abarbaricyalp · 3 years
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Vampire/vampire hunter au? Sam/bucky or sam/steve/Bucky <333
Omgggggg I know you've been waiting for, like, six hundred years for this. And I know it was supposed to be a drabble.
But.
I like monsters.
I'm putting the first section here, on account of it's 16,000+ words total. The link to AO3 will be in the reblog
Put Your Teeth Into My Beating Heart
“Man, what the hell are these things?” Sam asked as he wrenched another stake out of a decaying ribcage. Moonlight streamed down the stake until it hit the dark blood on the end. Not as gory as a fight between a handful of vampires and two hunters could be. Still unpleasant.
“Ancient,” Steve said while he wiped down the shield with holy water, ground garlic, and silver flakes. “They’re not pure bloods, they were turned. But it looks like they were turned closer to Varnae than Morbius. Much closer.”
Sam pulled another stake free and then started collecting the much smaller silver spear-heads. “So why are they emerging now? Clearly they have no preservation skills. They ran right at us with no attack plan.”
“Could be anything. A decoy. A mind-controlled army. Something that’s been slumbering and has only just been awakened.”
Sam’s lips curled up in distaste and he finished sheathing the stakes. No sense in cleaning them yet. There was always more to do before the sun rose. “Why is it only the ancient ones that slumber? Why can’t they all decide to take a really long nap right now?”
Steve laughed, though it was not as light as Sam had heard it before, and clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Next time we find ourselves in front of the Council, you can suggest that to them.”
Sam kneeled down to break off bone fragments and teeth to take back with them. There were usually answers in vampire bodies, if someone knew how to read the text. Luckily, Sam knew vampire bodies very well.
He and Steve had been hunting vampires for years now. Sam had to admit, a walking World War II icon was not who he expected as an ally in vampire hunting. To be fair, though, he hadn’t ever really thought about vampire hunting in the first place. He’d only been looking for one. He found Steve instead.
Steve seemed to be looking for all of them with a wild sort of vengeance driving him. At first, Sam thought Steve had been bitten, between the strength and the regeneration and the fact he still looked twenty five after almost a century on ice. But that was just the super soldier serum, which was a good thing because Steve hated vampires and Sam was pretty sure Steve wouldn’t still be around if he’d been turned.
The extent of Sam’s knowledge about Steve’s history with vampires was that Dracula had something to do with the battlefields of World War II. They had teamed up to keep armies off of the grounds of Transylvania. Then Dracula and some mad scientist named Ravencroft began experiments on soldiers and that was around the time Steve vowed to stop all vampires. Sam assumed the three gouges that ran down the length of Steve’s face contributed to his hatred as well.
Sam was a soldier. He knew the look of a person who had lost someone important to them. He just couldn’t get Steve to say who it was or what had happened.
Then again, Sam had his own secrets, so he didn’t push too hard.
“Hey, Steve, come look at these hearts,” Sam called and wrenched a punctured one free.
“What about them?” Steve asked from across the room, coming over slowly so he could examine each body between him and Sam, as if he could see hearts through skin and ribcages.
“They’re full of blood. But there’s none in the rest of the bodies. I thought they just hadn’t fed when I first saw them but…” Sam dragged a silver knife down the arm of the vampire in front of him and found only skin and bone and dry muscle. “This just makes them easier to kill. No chance of reanimation when the stake is removed.”
Steve hummed and scratched his neck absently. He did it all the time. Sam thought he was checking for puncture wounds. “I’d say husks, but you don’t have to feed husks.”
“What about mules?” Sam asked suddenly.
“What are mules?”
“I mean, what if they’re just being used to move blood from one place to another.”
“That’s a lot of work in a world where blood banks and the technology for them exists freely,” Steve pointed out.
“Yeah, but think of how often we’ve staked out blood banks to catch a dozen vampires in the act at a time. All hunters know to do that. Ambulances have stakes in them now. The world is evolving. Maybe vampires need to too.”
“If they’re mules, where are their shepherds?” Steve asked gravely. The thought sent a chill down Sam’s spine. “And why use ancient vampires?”
“If they’re reanimated, maybe someone found a mass grave. Besides, the longer something’s dead, the easier it is to control it. Or, like you said, they came up on a sleeping nest and overtook them all at once.”
Steve grunted and kicked a body. It dissolved into ash.
Something flashed behind Steve and by the time Sam really understood what he was seeing, he didn’t even have a chance to cry out. He leapt forward, putting his body between Steve and the vampire melting out of the shadows.
“Sam! No!” Steve shouted as the vampire tackled Sam down onto the ground. He didn’t have time to worry about his head hitting the tile because the next second, the vampire’s teeth were in his neck. It hurt like a bitch every time.
It hurt more when Steve tackled the vampire off of Sam and the vampire took a not insubstantial chunk of Sam’s skin with it. Sam was just about to throw himself into the fight, to protect Steve again, when he realized the vampire was spitting out his blood, staring at Sam wide eyed. The hands on Steve’s shoulders were only pushing him away, disregarded.
Steve also wasn't fighting. His wide eyes were focused on the vampire. It was a beautiful creature. Eyes so blue, Sam felt like he was getting frostbite just looking at them. Long hair that curled against his neck. Pale skin with blue veins snaking down strong features and long, elegant fingers. Lips so red-- Oh, right. That would be blood.
“Bucky?” Steve breathed.
The vampire looked away from Sam long enough to scan Steve’s features. “Who the hell is Bucky?” he asked and finished shoving his way out of Steve’s hold. “And what the fuck are you?” he asked Sam. “You’re not the Daywalker, but you’re not all vampire either. Why does your heart beat?”
“What? Buck-- Your name is James Buchanan Barnes. Don’t you remember who you are?”
Again, the vampire--Bucky, apparently, he was much sexier before Sam knew that--tore his eyes from Sam like it was the last thing he wanted to be bothered to do. “I don’t remember anything,” he said, like he’d said it a million times. “I don’t remember anything from before I was born.”
“Turned,” Steve said and held onto Bucky’s shoulders tightly. “You were turned. You were born a human, in 1917. Your parents’ names were George and Winnifried.”
“This information isn’t important to me,” Bucky said and wrenched Steve’s hands off of him.
“You have a metal arm,” Sam said and Steve jumped like it was the first time he was seeing it too. Sam kept a wary eye on him, trying to remember the stories Steve had told him on long night stakeouts and over painful breakfasts the mornings after brutal hunts. Bucky tickled something at the back of his head, but he couldn’t bring it forward. Mostly he was thinking about the blood seeping between his fingers on his neck.
“Observant. A vampire hybrid and you’ve got eyes. Wonders never cease,” Bucky said drily. “I assume you weren’t moving these things,” he said, and kicked a vampire body the same way Steve had. Again, it collapsed into ash.
“No,” Sam said evenly. “Which I assume means you weren’t either.”
“I was trying to track them down,” Bucky answered. “To kill them,” he added, as if that wasn’t clear.
“A vampire vampire hunter,” Sam said.
“We’re a fine pair.”
“What are you talking about, Buck? Sam’s human. Even more than me.”
Bucky barked out a laugh and Sam saw his fangs retract in the split second. When Bucky stepped towards him, Sam stepped back, which only made him pull an unimpressed face before he reached for Sam’s hand at his neck and pulled it away.
“It doesn’t work that fast,” Sam said, though he knew his skin had stitched together at least a little bit. His neck itched like crazy.
Bucky produced a cloth from one of the half dozen pockets in his jacket and wiped away the blood from Sam’s neck. It did not start bleeding again. Of course it didn’t, why would anything ever go his way?
“Sam, what the hell?” Steve asked and stepped over too, running his fingers over the fine skin where the wound had started to heal.
“Your friend is a hybrid,” Bucky said and shoved the cloth back into a pocket before the blood had finished dripping off of it. “But not one that I’ve ever seen.”
“Sam…” Steve said, looking to his friend for answers that Sam didn’t have. Unlike Bucky, he knew who he was before he was turned. It was the turning he didn’t remember.
“I just know it was the Claws that found me,” he said. “Or, at least, a handful of them. My partner got shot down, I went after him. Landed hard, got disoriented, got picked up by these weird things with total body wraps and orange eyes.”
“On account of the sun,” Bucky pointed out.
“Shut up, vampire. I was delirious by then and I don't remember anything else until I woke up in a pop-up military hospital by myself. Everyone else was dead and there was an icebox of blood bags next to me. That’s all the introduction into this life that I got.”
“What the fuck?” Steve said. “How did you fail to mention that?”
“Well, Steven, if you recall the first time I saw you, you were stabbing a vial of holy water into a vampire’s eye. Forgive me if I didn’t want to come clean immediately.”
“Badass,” Bucky said.
“I’m not done with you yet,” Steve snapped at him and then looked back at Sam. “What are you then? Why--How did you know you weren’t a full vampire?”
Sam shifted from foot to foot. “My heart still beats. And I can drink the blood of other vampires.”
Bucky’s head snapped up and it was his turn to take a step back. “Stay the fuck away from me,” he said.
“You already tried to eat me, asshole,” Sam snapped.
“No, I was trying to kill you. I had no desire to drink from you.”
“ I can touch silver. The sun doesn’t affect me as much,” Sam continued, ignoring the sexy but ultimately very irritating vampire next to him.
“A lot of hybrids take and leave the original characteristics. But I’ve only ever seen a beating heart in the Living Vampire and his creations. And he’s not actually a vampire,” Bucky said. Those light eyes landed on Sam again, thoughtful, studying.
“I’m not like Morbius,” Sam said tightly.
All three of them snapped their gazes to the door and the shadow pacing outside it. “We can continue this conversation later,” Steve said, face hardening for the encroaching battle. Sam turned to hand Bucky a wooden stake, a wordless truce, but the vampire was gone by the time the door burst inwards.
Again, there's more to this story. Much more. Link in the reblog.
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