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#(Ascension) Don’t Ever Wonder
tha-wrecka-stow · 11 months
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The Album
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justanerdy-gal · 4 months
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"Do You Resent Me?" (Astarion x Tav)
-> pairing: Astarion x Tav -> content: fluff/angst -> summary: In which Tav wonders whether Astarion resents her for convincing him to choose to reject the Black Mass ritual and not Ascend. Full of angsty fluff.
-> notes: The finished version of the WIP I posted yesterday. Astarion & Tav draws all the angst and cheesy fluff out of me 🥹
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“Do you resent me?”
Astarion looks up, wearily, from the corner of the Elfsong Tavern room that they had been staying in for some time now.
“Darling….what would I have to resent you for…?”
You slowly walk over to his corner of the room, and sit beside him on the edge of the bed. You observe him as he turns his gaze over to the hands in his lap.
“It…just feels like…you may have made your choice because of…me.”
Astarion turns his head to look back at you, betraying nothing in those crimson eyes at the moment, but listening.
“If I wasn’t around….you would have been free to make the choice you always wanted,” you continued, your eyes glassing over as you ponder the thoughts that have been plaguing you since the moment Astarion made his choice in the Szarr palace.
“The freedom that you always craved… did I take that away from you?”
Astarion’s eyes widened as you made your declaration.
“You… think it wasn’t the right choice?”
“Not that,” you tried to clarify. “Maybe… maybe I don’t know what the right choice is. But what mattered is… your choice.”
“You trusted me. You trusted me with a choice that, in the end, goes back centuries…” your voice starts to shake. “A choice with consequences you must live with for…eternity.” You look up at him as tears finally threaten to pour from your eyes. “What right did I have, to ask you to sacrifice yourself to the shadows?”
Astarion stares at you as he ponders your statement. He looks away from you as he stares at the cracked, drying paint on the wall of the old room.
“I think about it every minute, every moment.” Astarion speaks slowly, softly. “I think about the colours of the city. The warmth of the rays at dawn, beckoning me towards the next day. I think about the sanguine hunger I have suffered for over 200 years, and how I could be free from that pain. Free from all limitations. And how that will never be now… once the parasite is destroyed.”
You look up at him in despair as your body threatens to let out a sob.
“And I think about… how it would never be enough.”
It was your turn for your eyes to widen. His gaze had softened as his fingers move to entwine in your own.
“I see the colours through your eyes, through the stories that you tell me of your adventures. I feel the warmth through your skin as you lay beside me every night.”
“And your blood can sate me better than any power can.” You giggle as he smirks, softly wiping the tears from your eyes.
“Before you, before this nautiloid fiasco … I had no reason to want anything else but freedom and power. I only lived to escape what I was. I had everything to gain. And nothing to lose. So ofcourse, this Ascension seemed like an obvious choice.”
“But everything changed,” Astarion said breathily. “From the moment you wormed your way into my heart…you became a complication that I never expected. Suddenly, I had everything to lose.”
“I would have stayed,” you say thickly.
“I know you would,” Astarion says sadly, “but would you have been happy?”
“I probably would have been happy…happier than I was, for sure.” Astarion stares distantly at the wall as he speaks. “But where would that happiness end? What would sate me, if my happiness was dependent on power? I would have to take more, control more, be more…it is surely the fate that befell Cazador, that befalls all with power…more power than they know what to do with.” Astarion winces as he utters his late master’s name. “The need for power, for control, can never be sated. It would never be enough. Nothing would ever be enough.”
“But you, with me, here? That is enough. You are enough. We are enough.”
You pause as you ponder his words for a moment.
“Am I?” you whisper weakly as you stare at your entwined hands.
You feel the chill of his hands as they move up to hold your face tightly, and tilts your head up to look at him. The intensity in his eyes at that moment was like nothing you’ve ever seen on him before.
“Listen to me,” he says firmly, staring fiercely into your eyes, as if he was speaking through to your soul. “There is nothing in the world that I wouldn’t sacrifice to remain here by your side. You are my eternity. My mad love. Besides,” Astarion smiles as he stares into your eyes. “I still think it was the right choice, regardless. If I could go back and do it all over again, I’d make the same choice. Every time.”
Astarion’s words cause the tears that you were holding back to creep up to the surface, as your body begins to wrack with heavy sobs, as you let out the doubt and fear that you have been holding since you both learned that the Ascension was a thing – since you have contemplated that potential decision every minute of every day, since the moment Astarion asked you to help him, and you convinced him to give away that power, to save those souls, to save himself. Astarion pulls your head to his chest and holds you tightly as you shake against him.
“My darling, why do you weep? Don’t sell yourself so short. No one else has a heart like you. You’re the only one,” Astarion whispers into your ear.
“I love you,” you declare into his shirt, tears still staining the soft, white material.
“I love you too,” Astarion says, leaning backward, pulling you down with him until he was laying on his back, with your head resting on his chest, hands softly caressing your hair. “I can’t imagine another way I would want to spend the rest of my days, my love. I’m not afraid – not anymore. And especially not of our future.”
And that is how you both fell asleep, with the two of you in eachother’s arms and your dreams of the future in eachother’s hearts.
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My AO3 and Twitter 🙂
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blitzyn · 1 year
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unintended effect
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dottore x m!reader
request : none
Synopsis: Meeting a new stranger at your shrine didn't go as well as you had expected it to.
cw -> non-con, blood and spit as lube, anal sex, public sex, sadist dottore, kitsune reader, crying, tail pulling, face slapping, non-con drug use, choking, yall get caught but dottore doesnt care lol, brief ear pulling, not proofread
wc -> 3.6k
a/n -> i need him so bad omg. anyways super sorry if its shit. spoilers for the end of the aranara quest!
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"It's not often I get new visitors."
Dottore instinctively peered up to face the voice, spotting a figure cloaked within the shadows the night offered. He could faintly see the way they curled atop the statue he stood in front of.
"I'm not visiting." He spoke with unhidden confidence.
"So what brings you here, then?" They questioned. Truth be told, finding the shrine was an accident. Although he read about them, he was far too busy with Scaramouche's ascension to "godhood". But he'd amuse you for a while longer.
“I’m simply taking a stroll,” he answered, placing his hands behind his back.
“It is quite the night for a walk, isn’t it?” He could faintly see something swish within the air. "Our village is well known for its night."
That was strange. He would have thought it would be a tourist hotspot for the sunset or sunrise - not the night. There wasn't anything noteworthy that he could see.
"Not here, of course." He could hear the amusement in your voice when you saw him slightly tilt his head in confusion. "I haven’t done anything praiseworthy yet.”
He quietly watched as you jumped down the statue, finally able to see your features. He was a bit surprised to see that you were not a human and had fox attributes. Your five tails swayed behind you, so he was able to surmise that you were around five-hundred years old. He heard about kitsunes before, though the only one currently well-known was the Head Shrine Maiden: Yae Miko in Inazuma.
He must admit, your species mildly fascinated him for a time, although the interest very quickly died out throughout his time in the Akademiya. Now that one was standing before him, that interest may have been rekindled.
"I am the guardian of the village," you spoke, ever graceful in your movements. Though, he did wonder what exactly what you were guarding against. As far as he knew, his agents informed him of the famed Traveler who adventured with the Aranara and defeated something called the “Marana Avatar '' which was the source of all Withering Zones. The only formidable enemies he saw on his journey here were the Fungi that mindlessly hopped around.
“It’s not the most interesting thing in the world, I admit,” you turned around to collect the offerings gathered within the foot of the shrine. “Not much to protect.”
You quietly laughed to yourself. “My mother would have my head if she ever heard me say that.”
“How so?” he questioned, watching as you organized a few things.
“She passed away during the Cataclysm. This village was her pride and found joy in defending it. I was but a kit at the time, so she was mostly on her own while she fought.” You sighed, though you didn’t appear the least bit upset.
It wasn’t a very thrilling tale, but he was able to surmise that you thought so, too.
“Do you enjoy guarding the village against rogue mushrooms?” The way he spoke almost made it seem as if he were genuinely asking, but the small, condescending smile that adorned his face told you that he was teasing your profession.
You laughed. “Oh, Gods’ no. I would very much rather be somewhere else right now.”
“Then why haven’t you left? I don’t see any benefits in staying,” he said. “I’m confident your villagers will be able to defend themselves if the Fungi wander around.”
“The only thing keeping me anchored here are the children that offer me some of their candy every so often,” you explained, motioning to the small basket in your hands. “They look up to me.”
“They want to become avid Fungi hunters when they’re older?” He was beginning to enjoy speaking with you, even if there wasn’t much to talk about. Maybe it’s natural Kitsune charm? 
You barked out yet another laugh. “I don’t see why, either. But, hey, free candy.”
Dottore uncovered an opportunity in your words. Various reports submitted to him reveal that children were far more likely to see the Aranara if they stumbled upon a dangerous situation. To ordinary humans, the Fungi posed a threat even to adults (as pathetic as that was), so if he managed to persuade you into leaving, one of the children could maybe encounter one of the fairies. But he was not opposed to taking you away by force, either. He would not let this chance slip by him - not after the majority of his agents stationed in Sumeru failed their mission.
“But other than that, what’s really stopping you?” Pride? A sense of responsibility? “It seems you’re not needed here.”
“Harsh.” You knew he was just saying it as it was. “Realistically? Mora. Ideally? The children.”
He hummed. “I am capable of providing you with sufficient housing and a generous amount of money.”
Your ears visibly perked up at his proposal. “But I do ask that you work for me in return.”
You looked off to the side, seemingly in thought before you looked back at him. “I’m no mercenary.”
“Maybe not, but don’t you crave a change of pace? To finally bask in what the rest of the world has to offer?” You were seriously tempted to accept his suggestion, but the chains of doubt wrapped around your wrists and pulled you back down to reality. You didn’t know if he was lying or not. While you were able to defend yourself just fine if anything were to go wrong, you preferred the safer option of just not letting it happen.
You shook your head in response. “That would be amazing, but I’ll have to decline your offer.”
He was confused. You complain, but you decide to stay? Where was the logic behind your words? Were you tied down by your mother’s legacy, perhaps? Maybe there was something else besides the weak reasons you so confidently spoke of.
A chill ran down your spine as he studied you. You were unable to see the majority of his face with his mask covering the top half of it, but it doesn’t take a genius to tell that he was unhappy with your answer.
While he wasn’t satisfied, he wasn’t left at a loss, either.
“Very well, then,” he said after a time. You smiled at his understanding, before turning on your heels to begin your trek towards the village. He watched your back for a moment before he felt his fingers slightly twitch. He managed to come up with a plan as soon as you declined; inject you with a type of drug that would make you pass out and tie you up in one of his laboratories. Simple, but effective.
He walked in your direction as his hand reached into one of his pockets to grab a syringe already full of the drug. He discreetly uncapped it before lunging towards you to tug your head forward and force the needle into the back of your neck. It was done before you could be given time to really process what just happened, but the sharp sting kept you grounded. You looked back in surprise and pressed onto the injection site in reflex while backing away from the man.
“What did you do?” Your voice was weak in shock, a pit of fear beginning to form within your chest. You heard the rustling of his clothes steadily grow louder, but you simply chalked it up as him on his way back to wherever he came from. He amusedly observed your ears flattening alongside the back of your head and how two of your tails wrapped around your legs while the others curled in a way that reminded him of a fearfully submissive dog.
“I gave you a dose of a simple knock-out drug,” he explained, leisurely striding closer to you. “It was originally for one of those forest fairies, if I ever got the chance to find one. They’re quite difficult to come across so I do hope using it on you is worth my time.”
He hummed and looked away in thought. He had heard they were relatively easy to befriend as long as you helped them out a little, so he hoped one didn’t show up right at this moment. Once he transported you to a well-hidden spot, he could create another drug and use it on a fairy. But he was slightly taken aback when he realized that you were still standing. It should’ve affected you by now.
It clearly had some type of effect on you, judging by the flushed look on your face. You were panting and your legs were trembling, it was a fight in and of itself just trying to keep yourself from falling over. There was a raging inferno within your body, and you felt like you were overheating. An arousing sensation arose in your abdomen. You quickly realized that this was no knock-out drug. At least not to you.
Dottore curiously moved so that he was face-to-face with you. He looked at the syringe in his hand to reconfirm the content that was once in it. He knew there was nothing wrong with it (after all, what use would having an aphrodisiac be?), so it was interesting to see the difference compared to his expected result and the current outcome. Your hands futilely tried to tug down your shirt now that he could see everything clearly since he was so close up, but you accidentally pressed them onto your aching cock, forcing a moan from your lips.
“Hm. This wasn’t what I expected.” He placed a hand on his chin as he began to circle you, inspecting your body. You were the one with the features of a predator, although you certainly felt like prey under his watchful gaze. You continued to display fear, as shown by your ears and tucked tails even though you so desperately tried to hide the lust that effortlessly overpowered your senses. He enjoyed seeing you this way.
He suddenly kicked your knees out from under you, forcing you to kneel as a pained expression briefly overcame your face. You had to hold back a groan when his hand found its way into your hair, fingers tightly curling around the strands to tug you around. He made you look up at him as he dug the sole of his foot onto your sensitive dick. You choked on a moan and ground your nails into his leg, weakly trying to pull him off of you.
“Aren’t you a pathetic little thing?” He pushed his foot harder, relishing in the noises you tried hard to keep from releasing. Shame squeezed your chest, making it difficult to breathe. But your mind was caught in a messy haze of arousal, confusion, anger, and fear. Each of their components only coerced you further into a stupified state, and you soon took the appearance of a babbling slut. You were fleetingly aware of the mortification when you began rutting your hips into the hard surface of his boot – just like the mutt in heat you were – but you’d be lying greatly if you said it didn’t feel relieving.
Your desperation only served to arouse Dottore as he felt his cock harden in his pants. He smiled, memorizing how quickly you were reduced into nothing but teary-eyed and stupid. Lightly palming himself, he thought of all the time he had left to spare. He might as well use some of it now.
You stifled a sob when he removed his foot, grunting when he kicked you onto your back. You were a bit disoriented due to the sudden change in positions, but as the fresh air of the night caressed the burning skin of your legs, an alarm rang through your head. It took you a moment to realize what he was about to do. Out of reflex, you attempted to sit up to try and stop him before he harshly pushed you back down from your chest.
“Fighting it will only make it worse,” he said, lining his cockhead against your asshole after spitting on it. “Relax, will you?”
“Wha–No…No..!”
You raised one of your feet in a last ditch effort to kick him away, but he simply held onto the underside of your knee and hiked it up on his shoulder. You squirmed futilely as he did the same to the other one, keeping you in place with a mating press. Now that he was finally towering over you, he used most of his body weight to force his cock deep into your hole.
Nothing could’ve prepared you for the pure agony that came with it. With his hands occupied with pinning your arms down, he had the audacity to place his lips over yours to silence your scream. You struggled to free yourself from his grasp, though the tense of your body made you tighten around him. He let out a satisfied, shuddering sigh.
It felt like he tore you apart, a burning sensation that originated from your hole reverberated throughout your body, pulsing in rhythmic waves. You hiccuped pathetically as he pulled off of you, taking away some of the strain in your legs. He noticed that the slide out was smoother than he expected, peering down to where the two of you connected. His cock throbbed fervently when he noticed that it was coated in your blood.
You bit your lip hard when he leisurely thrusted back into you. Tears rolled off of the sides of your face as you turned away from him.
A sensation akin to electricity traveled up and down his spine. “Oh, don’t cry yet. We’ve only just begun.”
He finally began his pace, irritating whatever he tore, and using you however he liked. The pain was dizzying. He refused to allow you a moment of respite as he wallowed within your agonized whimpers and grunts, thrusting hard enough to fuck the air out of your lungs. Your lower half was on fire from the tearing, the muscle strain, and the sting when his pelvis slammed against your ass. You didn’t know if you were going to be able to walk after this.
You were terrified to feel the familiar feeling of lust pooling in your gut, mixing in with the burn in your asshole. Though the drug was still hard at work, amplifying your arousal far more than you would’ve liked. Your cock weeped precum, to which Dottore gathered on his fingertips after releasing one of your numb arms.
“Look at how much you want this.” His hand was shaky on account of his relentless thrusts, but despite that, you were given a clear view of your shame. “Perhaps you were made to be my whore instead, hm?”
He groaned. “Instead of staying here for something so… ngh – insignificant. You’ll be much better off as my cum-dumpster ready to serve me at a minute’s notice. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
You shook your head, sobbing slurred ‘no’s’ and pleading for something, anything, just not that. He almost couldn’t believe how intensely he’s getting off to such a sight, and he decided, at that moment, that you were going to be his new pet. His good little dog.
He suddenly leaned backwards a bit, avoiding the sloppy attack you made.
Though, he was going to have to train you first.
You were aiming for his neck, so it’s only fair he gets to return the favor, right?
Your eyes widened when you felt his hand wrap around your throat, holding you so tightly your head began to ring almost instantly. You felt like you were going to pass out. You could feel your eyes roll back under your eyelids as drool escaped the corners of your mouth. Everything began to sound muffled when you were suddenly forced back into reality.
Agony shot through your face as your head was abruptly tossed to the side. He had slapped you. Fresh tears cascaded down your cheeks, trying hard to process everything that you were feeling. Pain, pleasure, pain, pleasure… which was it?
You unknowingly shivered when Dottore pulled out of you, but you knew better than to assume he was finished with you. He flipped you onto your stomach, a small smirk present when you didn’t put up a fight. You were far too disoriented to do so. A wince crossed your face when the cold concrete floor touched your cock, although you made no move to adjust yourself.
He placed you on your hands and knees, manipulating your body so easily you could’ve been mistaken for a fuck doll. He pushed the tip of his dick inside your throbbing hole before separating your tails in half, taking three in one hand and two in the other. Your fur may have been thick, but it was nothing a (very) tight squeeze couldn’t handle. Once he found his grip, he yanked you backward as he thrusted forward, a loud slap echoing throughout the forest. The tip of his cock pressed against your prostate, and you couldn’t help but let out your loudest moan of the night.
His pace was as punishing as before, fucking you hard enough to make your ass burn. You tried your hardest to quiet your moans with a bite of your lip and a cover of your hand, but not even that was enough to silence your noises. The ache in your tails prompted you to fuck yourself back on his cock. He let out a small grin, though he decided against commenting on it when he noticed something moving in his peripheral.
It was only a moment later when your ears shot up and swiveled in the figure’s direction, eyes widening when you saw who it was. “G-Go… ah – go home..!”
“Oh, don’t make them leave now, they’ve only just arrived.” You barely registered the firm hand on your thigh. “Let’s give them a show.”
Your back was suddenly pressed up against his chest as the thigh he was holding was held up high enough for the person to see. The new angle allowed him to target your prostate with more accuracy, fanning the uncontrollable flame in your abdomen. You shook your head – to Dottore or the person, not even you were sure of. You weakly held onto his wrist when he reached around your body to jerk you off, digging your nails into his glove.
You tried your hardest to stop yourself from orgasming, you really did, but it persisted twice as intense until you were no longer able to hold it. Your eyes rolled back in ecstasy as cum spurt out of your cock, back arching against him. You could’ve sworn you blacked out for a second. You tightened even further around him as he finally stilled, feeling uncomfortably warm as he came inside you with a deep groan. He held your thigh so tightly you were sure you’d have bruises.
You looked back over to the spot the person was at, but was relieved to know that they no longer stood there. The leg keeping you up burned in exhaustion from holding nearly all of your weight. You trembled due to your overwhelming emotions; shame, arousal, fear, anger, confusion, exhaustion.
You stared ahead, unmoving as he pulled out of you. You rested on your folded legs, head throbbing painfully. You winced when he yanked you to him by your hair, keeping you on your knees as you faced his softening cock.
“Good pets know to clean up their messes,” he said, relaxing his grip on you, but refusing to move his hand elsewhere. You swallowed nervously before reluctantly holding onto the base to place him in your mouth. “Though, bite me, and I’ll do more than just simply tearing out your teeth.”
You nodded. He smiled to himself. Good, he was getting somewhere with you.
An urge to hide away formed in your mind, but you willed it away with the fact that he wasn’t going to let you go. Not unless some miracle saved you. You ran your tongue over his cock, licking away the remnants of his cum and your blood. The salty, metallic taste raised goosebumps all over your body, and you had to stop yourself from throwing up.
Though, just as you got to the head, he suddenly grabbed you by the ears and pulled. You choked and gagged, completely caught off guard. He kept you there, watching amusedly as you drooled and sputtered over his dick. It wasn’t until he could feel your grip on his legs weakening did he allow you to push yourself off of him, coughing hard.
He composed himself while you had your fit, crossing his arms expectantly when you finally caught your breath.
“Hurry and fix your clothes. We’ll head towards the area I’m temporarily staying at where you’ll wait until the ship to Snezhnaya arrives.” You wiped your teary eyes and put the bottom half of your clothes back on. Your legs trembled as you got up, only able to take a few weak steps forward before you fell to your knees.
He sighed and swiftly made his way over to you, grabbing you by the arm to carry you bridle style. Everything hurt now that the entire ordeal was over (at the moment), and you watched with saddened eyes as the statue gradually shrunk the farther away you went. You blinked hard. You didn’t want to fall asleep in his arms, but the feeling was far too strong for you to resist. With a heavy heart, you closed your eyes and let your slumber take you.
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cross posted on ao3
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brabblesblog · 5 months
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Ch 18: — and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Astarion has ascended, and she has stayed with him. Life in the Crimson Palace isn’t as idyllic as it seems. Is there a chance for their relationship to go back to how it was? Or is it too late for the Ascendant and his consort?
This series is about Ban, my Tav, and the Vampire Ascendant. Will be angst and smut, with sprinkles of fluff.
This fic is a softer take on Ascendant!Astarion and of the changes he undergoes after the rite. Can Ban handle the change, and if a chance came, would she choose to run? And can the Ascendant win her back in time? Inspired by the concept of vampire wives and that IGN interview with Larian that discussed the ascension.
Professionally edited by @editing-by-night
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Halsin's gift gets put to use.
Read on AO3.
Masterlist.
Together with Halsin’s gift there was a leatherwork harness and a bottle of oil. Ban bit her lip, holding the items in her hands as Astarion stripped off the rest of his clothing.
“I did bathe in the hope you’d be agreeable to this,” he said excitedly, tossing his underwear onto the pile with the rest of his clothes. He scanned her face, saw her nervousness, and frowned.
“We don’t have to,” Astarion ventured, “If this isn’t something you want, then just say the word.”
“Have you ever done - what am I saying? Of course you have.” Ban fidgeted. “Is this… is this something you think you might like?” she asked instead.
His ears reddened again. “Yes. It could be enjoyable, in theory, but I haven’t done it with anyone I genuinely wanted. It will be as new for me as it is for you, in the ways that matter most.”
“Then why not bring it up before?” She looked at the wooden cock on the bed. It wasn’t too large, but Halsin had made the phallus curved.
“Ban.” Another look of impatience crossed Astarion’s features. “I know you’re flustered, but think a little. When in the last, gods, year, have we had time to consider things like this? Half the time we were trying to survive out there, and the other half we-”
Another sigh. “You know.”
She nodded. Fair enough. Ban set the bottle down, picking up the cock instead. She silently threaded it through the harness, careful not to scratch the protective coating on the wood, then looked back to her husband.
“I don’t know how to do this. Don’t be disappointed if I don’t perform well.” Ban held the cock gingerly in her hands, nervousness evident in her face.
“I have enough experience for the both of us, trust me,” Astarion said, eyes softening, “And it’s you. You never have to do anything as a performance to make me feel good. You just have to be you.”
Astarion’s pulse thrummed with excitement as he sat on the edge of the bed, watching Ban peel off her clothes and step into the harness, securing it around her hips. “Grab that chair, love, and bring it here.” He gestured in front of him.
She did as asked then sat down, fidgeting a little apprehensively. They faced each other, knees touching. The bottle of oil sat beside Astarion, unstoppered and ready for use.
He drew his legs up, the soles of his feet flat on the bed, offering his backside to her. He leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows to watch her, torn between equal parts anticipation and worry.
Will she be alright, doing this for me? What if she doesn’t really want to do this-
That line of thought evaporated as firm, strong hands wrapped around each ass cheek, spreading him open.
“Pretty,” Ban crooned, her tone perfectly even. He was a perfect shade of pink, clean and begging to be fucked.
Astarion raised an eyebrow at her. “Is that all you’re going to s-”
His remark cut off in a choked moan as she leaned forward and her tongue made contact with his entrance. Her first lick was hesitant, but hearing his response gave her more courage. The next passes of her tongue were more insistent, tracing slow, drawn out circles.
“Gods, Ban. That’s wonderful, but ah- you could go faster.”
Astarion stared at Ban unblinkingly; the sight was one he thought he’d remember for the rest of eternity. His hands dug into the sheets, cock twitching in anticipation.
“I could,” she conceded, lifting her head to meet his gaze, “But do I want to?”
He looked delectable, spread open for her like this. His ears were the pinkest she’d ever seen them, his cock already beginning to moisten at the tip.
“Ban.” He glowered. “I thought you said you had no experience in this. You ought to let me lead.”
Even as the words left him he knew he was powerless. He’d do anything to feel her tongue again.
“No experience at all,” she agreed, “But when it comes to you? I’m a quick study. Now, stay still.” With that she leaned back in, tongue laving all over his entrance enthusiastically. She traced another slow, firm circle, then plunged her tongue inside.
The moan that escaped him was exquisite, high-pitched and dripping with need.
Ban smirked, her fingers digging into the flesh of his ass to spread his cheeks further apart. Pressing her face flush against his entrance, she thrust her tongue in and out before retreating to lavish him with languid laps. She could feel him trying to rock his hips against her mouth, and she pulled away.
“I’m warning you, Astarion. Behave.”
He whimpered, forcing himself to still. He watched his cock throb, watched the drop of precum glint with the movement.
She resumed her ministrations, her tongue slowly spreading him open. Satisfied, she drew back.
“Perfect,” she cooed at him, “You know that, don’t you?” She reached for the bottle of oil, pouring some onto her palm.
It took him a moment to register her words; he opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was a strangled gasp as her oiled finger slowly slipped inside of him.
She was enjoying exploring a new part of his body, enjoyed even more how much he was enjoying it. The tightness and gentle suction tugging on her index finger was oddly arousing. She pressed carefully on, watching him intently for signs of distress. She could see his cockhead gleaming with precum, his thighs twitching, his chest heaving. He was so responsive, so beautiful.
His eyes locked onto her face “More,” Astarion gasped out, his voice heavy with need, “Please.”
She smiled softly at him, slowly adding a second finger. She gently stretched him, moving deeper with a slow, measured pace she knew would drive him near to madness.
“Faster,” he hissed, “I’m not some godsdamned virgin-”
The fingers inside him curled, and he lost what little coherence he had left. His face went blank in shock as he realized she’d found his spot, and then the pleasure of it overtook him. He moaned so desperately it was nearly a sob. His back arched as his head fell back and his grip on the sheets tightened so suddenly he nearly tore through them.
Ban couldn’t remember a time he’d ever looked more lovely. She curled her fingers again, pleased with the sight of him writhing under her touch, his cock twitching, sweat beginning to bead on his pearlescent skin. She paused for a moment, hesitating.
“Was that okay, Astarion? Tell me what you want.”
He lifted his head to look at her, nodding fervently, not trusting himself to speak.
He took a deep breath to steady himself. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready. Just keep… keep doing that for now.”
She nodded, giving him a soft kiss on his inner thigh. “You’re so beautiful like this.”
A quiet whimper was his only reply.
Her fingers resumed, working him open with a gentleness that set his heart ablaze with love. It took a little longer than it could have, but he wasn’t complaining. He savored the feel of her inside him, stretching him open, making sure he was ready and not in pain. Loving him.
Astarion enjoyed her exploration with a patience he didn’t normally possess, unwilling to hurry her along, no matter how eager he was for the next step. He could feel the tenderness in her touch, her concern for his pleasure, and that was everything. He relaxed further, his tightness slowly ebbing with the overwhelming buildup of pleasure and desire.
Finally, he was so keen to be filled he couldn’t stand it.
“Ban. It’s time.”
A soft chuckle escaped Ban as she drew her fingers out, kissing his thigh again. She watched as he reached for the prestidigitation scroll Halsin had included with his gift, casting it over her while she repositioned herself. She leaned back on the chair, feeling cleaner than she had since they’d left the palace, waiting until his eyes were on her. Pouring more oil into her palms, she made a show of generously spreading the oil over the shaft of the wooden cock, eyes locked onto his.
“Come ride me then, Astarion,” she crooned, her lips curving in a teasing smile.
He got up a little clumsily, cock bobbing as he straddled her lap. She grasped his hips, guiding him while he slowly lowered himself onto her.
As he sank down, his weight pressed the base of the wooden cock harder against her; she instinctively rolled her hips up to meet him, earning his grunt of pleasure.
Astarion settled, shifting a little to get comfortable. The cock spreading him felt pleasant, the feeling of being full almost too much, but oh so welcome. He rested his hands on her shoulders, meeting her gaze. His eyes were lust-blown, curls sweat-damp and glued to his forehead.
Ban’s grip on his waist tightened, holding him firmly in place. Slowly, methodically, she began to thrust, fucking him gently.
The mewl that escaped him was completely involuntary. He wanted more, needed more, and so he began to move his hips, angling himself into her thrusts. With every movement the cock inside him hit his spot; he pleasured himself on it eagerly, rocking back and forth. His untouched cock shone, twitching, begging for stimulation, the ache only adding to his pleasure. His gliding sped up, his heart racing, his arousal slowly approaching its peak.
Ban leaned forward to press her forehead against his. She could feel his breaths as he panted, desperately chasing his release.
“Close?” she murmured, her hands moving from his waist to his thighs, massaging lightly.
He nodded, his hips rocking faster; she closed the gap between them to kiss him.
He took her hand and placed it over his chest. “Feel,” he whispered, “For you. Only you.”
As delirious with lust as he was, the love he felt for her was even more overwhelming, each emotion feeding and intensifying the other in a dizzying spiral that left him breathless.
Ban felt the frantic beating of his heart as his hips rocked again and again. His rhythm slowly became erratic, and his eyes closed.
She considered how to heighten his pleasure further, then softly caressed the head of his cock.
Astarion whined, his body writhing at the bolt of pleasure that shot through him, the sensation almost pushing him over the edge.
“Not yet,” she warned, “You’ll have to beg me for it.” She ran her finger over his tip, spreading his precum in slow circles, but doing nothing more.
She could feel him throbbing, wonderfully hard and hot against her fingers; she knew it wouldn’t be long at all.
He attempted to glare at her, but only managed a pout. He gave up, expression changing to one of wanton, desperate need.
“Please, Ban. Let me come.”
She didn’t need to be asked twice. Ban captured his lips, wrapping her hand around his neglected, aching cock.
It did, indeed, not take long at all. She stroked him a few times and he plummeted over the edge into bliss. He shivered head to toe, lips opening in a noiseless gasp; his head flew back and he arched into her. His legs spasmed; she quickly steadied him with her free hand, gently holding his back as he came undone.
She continued stroking him, milking every drop of come until it was just shy of too much and he shuddered.
When he finally opened his eyes again, she lifted her stained hand to her mouth, sucking each finger methodically, gazing at him adoringly.
“You…” Astarion shook his head. He looked down; seeing both their bodies streaked with his spend sent another shiver of satisfaction racing through him. After such an intense experience, he didn’t quite have his vocabulary back yet. Instead he gave her a quick kiss.
He slowly raised himself up off the wooden cock, gingerly taking a seat on the bed. Ban stood, removing the harness before joining him.
The moment she was in bed he pulled her close.
“Would you want something for yourself too?” he asked. He would gladly reciprocate, but he was feeling exhausted.
She shook her head, smiling softly at him. “Tonight was for you and I enjoyed giving it to you. That’s enough for me.”
He planted a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered, “It… it helped.”
He felt valued, knowing that she did this for his pleasure; that she cared enough to attempt it for him. She had been so gentle and attentive. It was exactly what he’d needed.
Ban hummed, her own eyes drifting shut. “I love you.”
As challenging as things had been, she was grateful to be here with him; to be trusted with this side of him. Being given that trust…it aided in assuaging her lingering doubts.
“I love you too,” he mumbled as he slipped into trance.
She stayed conscious for a few more moments more, her head on his chest, listening to his heart slow as he rested.
Forever, she mused, wouldn’t be so bad after all.
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mrsoulstice · 5 months
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Maxwell
Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder) 1996
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a-dragons-journal · 3 months
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Humanity and the Lack Thereof
This essay was co-written between Rani and Viridian; Viridian's text is in green and bracketed.
Humanity is an interesting thing.
I am otherkin. I am nonhuman, a dragon-in-human-skin, draconic to my core. I feel phantom wings and tail, the instinctive knowledge of how to breathe fire even though I don’t understand how it works, a bones-deep longing and homesickness for the sky, numerous instincts and urges tied to being something other than human. Many who are like me reject humanity entirely, don’t feel human at all. And yet, I am also human, deeply and truly. I am just as human as I am dragon - I like my human body, I love the things I can do with it (hands, dexterous hands, are a wonderful thing), I overall enjoy my human life. I am nonhuman, but I am not not human.
Viridian, who is watching “over my shoulder” as I write this, is a vampire. She is a fictive, from one of the Vampire: the Masquerade games that I play in, wherein vampires are typically considered to be… on the boundary line between “human” and “nonhuman.” Many vampires cling to their humanity and adamantly consider themselves human; I would go so far as to say this is the norm. Those who do not often become monstrous indeed, though often they do not.
[ I do not consider myself human. I am Kindred, vampire, Cainite. I am part of humanity, as a general populace - but I do not like being called human.
[ I think part of it is that being human is often put in direct opposition to being vampire as a personal identifier. Those who adamantly insist they are “still human” often mean as opposed to being a vampire instead. Being no longer human is, as Rani wrote, often considered a sign of becoming a monster instead.
[ But I worked hard for my Embrace, my being turned into a vampire. I worked to earn the right to call myself Kindred for nearly a decade. And yes, perhaps some of it is that I was taught by my original sire that the Embrace was an ascension above humanity, and that still colors my feelings on my own vampirism even if I acknowledge that he was wrong to consider us inherently above humans. But much of it is that being called human feels like a denial of my vampirism, a rejection of it, and for me that is not empowering - it is denying and rejecting something deeply important to me. Kindred is who I am. Human was only ever circumstantially true, a circumstance of birth - Kindred was something I actively sought out, pursued, chose. ]
Which is interesting, because to a certain extent, “human” is only circumstantially true for me, too. If I hadn’t been born human, I sincerely doubt I would identify as one in the same way that I identify as a dragon despite not being born into a dragon body. I could be wrong, of course - I have no way to prove it either way - but I suspect that if I am correct about reincarnation and I end up in another body after this one, I will not have the same “spillover” of humanity that I do of draconity from my dragon life.
And yet, I am human, and I actively dislike it when people try to strip that from me. Part of that, admittedly, is that the handful that try to see me as only dragon, and reject that I am human, are usually doing it because they’re violently misanthropic individuals, so it’s soured the whole thing for me because the reason they’re rejecting my humanity is so they can try to get me to shit-talk the rest of humanity with them. (If I have to hear one more dragon legitimately, whole-heartedly say that they think humanity should be extincted, I’m going to lose it.) But part of it is that my humanity is important to me, just as important as my draconity. I am both. I’ve written whole essays on this topic.
[ In that way, perhaps we’re not so different after all. I dislike being called human because it feels like a rejection of who I am, who I chose to be; you dislike being called not-human because it is a rejection of who you are. ]
Maybe so. Funny how different societal circumstances can yield opposite results from the same kind of pressures.
I think that part of the discrepancy between us is also that I’m a very physical person. Frankly, I am a chemical creature; I enjoy physicality, I enjoy affectionate touch, I enjoy the physical pleasures life has to offer. I enjoy food. I enjoy sexual pleasure. I enjoy the exhilaration of getting my heart going and my instincts fired up in a self-defense class. I live, I live, I live! is ever a cry of joy in my heart. And a lot of that ties into my animality! I am a dragon animal, yes, but I am also a human animal, and both of these things must be satisfied! The dragon yearns for the wind and the view when I climb up to a height, for the fire of battle I can get out of a sparring match; the human yearns for the taste of sun-warm berries right off the bush, for the warm press of bodies when I hug and cuddle with loved ones. Both of them love a good nap in the sun. I am a physical creature, I am an animal, and my animal-ness connects me to my body and thus to my humanity, rather than separating me from it.
[ Meanwhile, none of this has ever been true for me. Yes, of course I enjoy certain delicacies; I miss my brother’s cookies periodically, it’s true. But I’ve never loved these things the way Rani does. It’s not that I dislike the pleasures of life, but I’ve just… never really cared. It wasn’t much of a loss when I was Embraced, to trade food and sunlight and heartbeat for immortality and knowledge and power. It was almost convenient to not have to deal with the maintenance a living body requires - no excretion of waste, no inconvenient aches or pains or stomach cramps, a frankly much more manageable frequency of requiring sustenance. My body is just a tool, and the Embrace made it more efficient in most ways. And now, after twenty-three years of being dead, being in a living body again is overwhelming in some ways and just downright unpleasant in others. Even most of the physical matters Rani actively enjoys are either overwhelming or uninteresting for me. I am happy to leave the care and maintenance of the body to them. It’s not necessarily that I actively had a disconnect from my human body, originally, so much as that I didn’t have an active connection to it to make me identify with it, and thus my being “human” was, as I said, only ever circumstantial. My becoming Kindred overrode it, and I prefer to leave it that way.
[ Ironic, that the one whose nonhumanity is so human-shaped should be the one to reject humanity, but here we are. ]
Here we are.
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Fangs and Fractured Hearts
Chapter 17: Unearthed
Summary: After embracing eternity as a vampire spawn under Astarion's wing, the Crimson Palace becomes a haunting symbol of the man he once was. As his personality unravels into a dark abyss, you flee. A year of hardship unveils the harsh reality of existence as a vampire spawn.
Just as all hope seems lost, a twist of fate reunites you with Astarion, revealing a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows. As you navigate the complexities of your relationship, you must confront the unsettling truth behind the Rite of Profane Ascension and the devilish secrets it holds.
In a race against time, you embark on a daring quest to save Astarion from his descent into darkness. With each choice you make, the stakes grow higher, testing the limits of your courage and determination.
Will Astarion find redemption, or is he destined to succumb to his own inner turmoil?
Word Count: 6k
Pairing: Ascended Astarion x female!Tav Spawn
Warnings: [Will try to continue to add more, but in general expect explicit content for mature audiences]
Possible spoilers. Eventual Explicit Content. Slow Burn. Thoughts of Suicide. Violence. Blood. Injury. Mature Content. Self-Harm. Mentions of in-game content. Completely fabricated camp events. Mentions of Astarion's Trauma.
If you notice a very critical tag missing, please don't hesitate to let me know
Rating: Explicit 18+ - [Meant For Mature Audience]
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The air is stagnant, damp, and smells heavily of earthy soil. Your eyes creep open, only to find a darkness so impenetrable that you blink to make sure your eyes are indeed open. Your body is gripped by a sharp agony. Every muscle enflames with icy blistering that somehow feels like you’re on fire and freezing simultaneously.  
You contort and twist in abject anguish as you jerk and writhe unnaturally. Your frame tries to collapse in on itself. Your knees, shoulders, and forehead thunk off of an unseen barrier with every concurrent wave of your ligaments and tendons contracting so vehemently, it's a wonder they don’t snap like overwrought twine.  
This torture blanks out your ability to think. Everlasting pain and darkness are all you have ever known and will ever know forevermore.  
When you’re sure your body is going to rip itself apart, and you can take no more, the throes subside. You’re gasping like a fish out of water, trying desperately to fill your lungs with precious air, but there is no reprieve. It doesn’t matter how much breath you draw; you cannot fill the void in your chest cavity.  
You sag forward, your nose and forehead bouncing off the rigid blackness. A new feeling emerges — panic — and you toss your body around only for your shoulders, back, feet, and knees to smack against the invisible obstruction lurking in the gloom.  
You are walled off on all sides. You can’t move. You’re trapped. 
Where are you? How did you get here? Who the fuck are you?  
You cry out, your voice rough and weak, like it hasn’t been used in some time, and you struggle to whimper out high-pitched screams. You flail, banging your fists against the obstacle. Something rains down on your face and into your open, shrieking mouth. You try to spit out the coarse and grainy material.  
It tastes like rust and rot and necroses.
Dirt. 
Your stomach drops, churns, and you dry heave between sobs, banging and clawing at the wood above your chest. Splinters spear under your fingernails, causing sharp, skewering pain, until your nails are ripped from their beds.  
Balling your hands into fists, you batter at the slats of wood above you, flecks of dirt falling into your wild eyes, until your knuckles split and bleed.  
“Let me out!” You yelp, in a voice that does not seem right to your ears, but is somehow so familiar. Tears roll down your cheeks, soil sticking and smudging to the wet trails, and you wail, a broken, distraught, cursed sound. “Please! Help me! Anyone!”  
“I’m not dead!” You howl, but somehow, you know you are. Maybe it’s the inability to satisfy your need for air or the fact that your heart isn’t pounding against your ribs like a wild animal trying to break free from a too-small cage, but something tells you that you’re dead. “I’m not dead! I’m not dead… I’m not….”  
You batter your fists against the wood again, harder, frantic, and desperate. The slats begin to give, moaning under the ferocity of your strikes. One splits, cracks, and with one more punch, it breaks apart.  
Loose soil avalanches into your casket, amassing on you so quickly that, for a moment, you’re frozen. Your dead body still fights for the air it thinks it requires, and you inhale the earth, clogging your windpipe.  
You weep as your fingers clamber, reaching for the planks above you, and you pull and push them with all your might until pounds of slurry dirt eclipse you completely.  
Your arms swim through the loose, freshly moved terrain, but it is like swimming through a gelatinous marsh. The weight of it restricts your movement, making your ascent slow.
Foot after foot, you claw your way up to the surface, and when your hand bursts through the final layer, you bawl, a gush of relief and despair braided into the rasp of your voice. Your feet plant on what remains of your coffin, thrusting and kicking furiously, and you pull half of your body out.  
Your hands plant, braced on your palms, stomach upending, and you regurgitate earth, blood, and death. Bile and acid burn your already raw throat. You purge every last drop of the clumpy clots of coagulated blood, strings of slimy mucous stretching and drooling from your mouth. 
Head hanging limply, you gawk at your grimy hands. The skin is torn, bloodied, and ragged across your knuckles. The brisk air stings the sensitive, flame-red beds where your fingernails should be. Something in your brain twitches and tells you that these hands do not belong to you. You flex them, digging them into the vomit-saturated earth.  
Something slams into your ribs, robbing you of the fresh air you’re gulping down and flinging you to your back. You bark out a wheeze of surprise, hacking, and choking.  
“Open your eyes, my child.” Another recognizable voice, although less so than your own. “You shall bestow thy Master due respect when in my presence.”  
Your eyes snap open completely out of your control, and you gaze upon a ghostly white figure looming over you like a dark cloud. He adorns a cloak of blood red and gold. His pointed face holds an air of rather bland curiosity, but more so, there’s a bitter contempt knitted in the impatient pinch of his brow.  
You seethe with loathing, a hatred so intense that your lips peel back. “What have you done to me!?” You squawk through your threadbare larynx.  
“Me?” The figure laughs nasally and arrogant. He smiles snake-like. “I’ve given you the greatest gift a degenerate like you could ever hope to receive. I’ve snatched you away from the mandibles of death. You will serve me until I have no use for you anymore, and then your vile soul will serve me still for eternity.”  
“I will kill you for this!” You scream indignantly, scrambling to push yourself upright, but your muscles are exhausted.  
“You died screaming, boy.” The man with raven, slicked-back hair sneers, slamming his cane across your forehead and ribs, making a squall erupt from your tight lips. “Your screams are succulent. Rest assured. I shall procure that sweet harmony when it suits me, but it does not suit me now. Dig.”  
Dig?  
You do not understand the instruction and frown, but the order lacerates through your psyche, skin, and bones, and you obey. Turning toward your grave, you crawl on your hands and knees and excavate the earth.
You growl and sob out of hate uncontrollably. Your fingers itch to gouge out the man’s vermillion glowing eyes, and your teeth long to rip his throat out, but your muscles are not your own any longer.
Your body, mind, and soul are his possessions now.
The staff clouts across your lower back, “Faster. We do not have all night.”
Even though your arms ache, your fingers and hands work faster, and handful by handful, you move earth until the wooden shackles of your coffin are staring back at you from the hole.  
“Take something quickly.” The voice barks at you, but it is not the same voice as the man with black hair.
Your vision vibrates, tremors, and the hands knotted into the ground before you reform into your own as they reach into the abyss you dragged yourself from and wrap around a navy shroud, embroidered with silver, pointed stars, and delicate lace fringing.
You’ve seen this before, and it makes the strings of your heart snap, shattering under the strain of despair. You pull it from the wreckage, and when you sit back on your heels, the twisted metallic spindle of a cane butts under your chin, making your teeth clatter together. 
When you look up, it is not Cazador that sneers at you spitefully; it is Astarion.
Another memory, you realize, as you look around at the iridescent environment that flickers and fluxes unsteadily. Your hands flex in the sullied fabric, and you bring it close to your chest, squeezing your eyes shut and whimpering at the realization of just how much suffering lingers camouflaged underneath his skin and beguiling grins.
“Stand, boy!” Astarion shouts harshly, thumping the staff on the ground. “I grow tired of watching thou rollick in the dirt.” 
“Astarion,” you stammer. “Astarion, wake us up.” 
He laughs, bitter as nightshade, a hollow sound that chills your bones as Woe slams across your shoulders, lurching you forward, and scraping your face on the cold earth. His eyes glow with infernal heat. “I said stand!”
Your body begins to obey, but you grit your teeth, and anger, wild and raw, riots in your obsolete heart. You find your voice, and a rattling roar arises from your throat.
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Beads of sweat glisten in the sunlight on your forehead; rainbow dewdrops refract the light that’s bouncing off your pearlescent scales. Your lungs are too constricted to even scream as the remanent feeling of the weight of the earth continues to press in on you, and you thrash against the confines of your limbs. 
“Illyria!” A warm hand cradles your cheek, but the name barely registers as your own, and you snarl, baring your teeth. “Open your eyes, sweetheart.” 
Your eyes surge open, casting off the weight of sleep like a projectile. You are draped with black, rumpled silken sheets that smell like brandy, rosemary, and lovemaking. Astarion is propped up on an elbow, as close as he can get to you without making you feel more claustrophobic. His eyes shine richly red, almost glowing in the glare of the sun streaming through the open double doors leading to the terrace. 
Blinking rapidly, you try to dispel the mirage of him standing over you in that graveyard, gripping Woe, but the images of the memory still dance at the edge of your vision. Your chest heaves as if you had been running miles, and you stumble out of bed with all the grace of a newborn Gnoll trying to find its footing on a slippery bed of ice.
Astarion jumps out of bed but keeps his distance, giving you room to breathe. The kinship remains open and strong, and you can feel his heart galloping in your chest, the pricking in his palms and fingertips to hold you, and the guilt-ridden rumination harrowing him. 
You stare at your hands, remembering the way splinters pried your nails from your fingertips, how your knuckles cracked and popped, the skin splitting and bleeding. You grit your teeth, grasp the Weave, and summon flames that climb up your forearms like snakes. It’s tactile — the authority you wield over the element. It begs to serve you, and there is asylum in that power. 
You take a deep breath, but unlike when you were alive, it does nothing to mollify your unease. 
“Take deep breaths, Astarion,” you whisper, glancing at him. 
With the connection open, he does not need any explanations. You can feel the shift in your psyche as he touches your mind with a little more intensity, though not uncomfortable, and imbues you with the sensations of his own body while he fills his lungs, deep and steady. 
You close your eyes and let yourself settle into the rhythmic respirations. You don’t hear Astarion approach, except for the increasing thrum of his heartbeat, but if you focus, you can almost see yourself out of his eyes. 
Holding your hand out, he takes it and pulls you into him, pressing your head and ear up against his chest to the regular beats of his heart. Your hands glide up his back and press firmly into him. 
“I’m sorry.” It floats through your head as his fingers lace through your hair. He rocks you ever so subtly from side to side. “I forgot to withdraw the connection.”  
“It’s okay. I’d rather you didn’t rescind it anyway.”  
This gives him pause, but he just nods, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Next time he speaks, he uses his voice in a plush and gentle timbre. “Will you come back to bed? You must have questions.” 
You nod, following him to the bed. Astarion leans against the velvet headboard and slips an arm behind your back, pulling you up against his chest. He smooths your hair behind your ear and leans his cheek on you. 
“Well?” He asks expectantly. 
“We don’t have to talk about it.” You glance up, meeting his eyes. “I know you don’t like discussing your past.” 
He chuckles, cocking a brow at you. “I think we are a little past simply discussing it. No? I’m not entirely sure how much you saw, but...” 
“Lived,” you gulp. “I relived it.” 
“What?” He starts, an icy shock running through both of you. “What do you mean? Surely, you were not in there with me.” 
“Thank you for not burying me.” You wince, recalling waking up to the smell of decomposition and musky earth. The taste of it grating against your tongue, sprinkling on your face. “Thank you.” 
Astarion scans your memories and emotions, and you don’t bother trying to barricade them from him. 
“Shit.” Astarion tears his fingers over his face and through his handsomely dishevelled hair. “Are you okay?” 
Bringing your hand to his cheek, your eyes are drawn to the ring on your fingers. You smile, looking deeply into his eyes. “Are you?” 
“Me?” 
Astarion swallows hard. His eyes scramble side to side, as if he needs time to consider the question. Finally, he looks at you with a quivering gaze and speaks through your connection as if his throat is too tight to utter words, or perhaps - perhaps he just doesn’t want to admit it aloud. 
“No.”  
Pushing yourself up to lean on the headboard, you open your arm to him and pat your chest. Astarion’s stunned expression makes you sad. How often has he needed to be held but never said anything? When was the last time someone offered to comfort him?
He contemplates the offer, sliding down the bed slowly, and places his head on your chest, draping his arm across your waist. 
Folding your arms around him, you kiss his forehead and lean your cheek against his head. He heaves a contented sigh as you brush your fingertips up and down his arm. You stay like this with him for some time, closing your eyes, and submerge yourself in the enchantment of the love permeating the harmony of the bond. 
“If you tell anyone that you cuddled me, I will have to kill you,” he laughs relaxedly. 
You roll your eyes as he glances up at you. “Oh, I doubt anyone would believe that I was bestowed the great honour of cuddling the fearsome Vampire Ascendant.” 
“Fearsome, am I?” He giggles, trailing a hand up your thigh, making your breath hitch, stomach tightening in anticipation. 
You shudder as Astarion ghosts his lips over your nipple, giving it just enough attention to stiffen and goosebumps to erupt over your skin. “A very formidable meal.” 
“Ever the brat,” he chuckles, propping himself up on his elbow and tracing his fingers between your breasts. “Hungry, love?” 
“In so many ways.”
“Shall we quench that thirst of yours?” Astarion kisses you. Your tongue demands entrance, and he gives it, tangling his fingers in your hair. He finds you fang, running his tongue over the tip, and you whimper as soon as the ferric honey greets your tastebuds. 
Astarion’s fingers slip between your thighs, and you gasp as he spreads your lips and strokes through the silkiness there. 
You whine when he breaks the kiss, stealing away the succulent snack of blood. “We will have to be cautious today. As much as I would adore staying sequestered away, keeping you naked and wet for an eternity, we must return home, and it would simply not do to have both of us stumbling like drunk fools through the streets.”
“It could be fun,” you muse. “We used to shamble drunk through the streets before.” 
“Yes,” he smirks, toying with your sensitive flesh, making you arc your spine. “You were a terribly bad influence on me.” 
You scoff, but it comes out as more of a moan as he rains slow, lingering kisses down your neck. “That’s a far-reaching supposition. I believe we were both already equipped with a broken moral compass.” 
Astarion jerks back, feigning bewilderment theatrically. “Darling! You wound me. I was a virtual paragon of virtue until you came along and corrupted me with,” he motions toward your body with a crooked, beguiling grin, “all of this.” 
You giggle, “Oh yes. I forgot how you prevented my wicked ways from harming all the unicorns, puppies, and bunnies." 
“Mhm,” he groans darkly, sucking your nipple between his lips and swirling his tongue around the hard rosebud.
Your hands curl into the silken sheets. Astarion’s fingers tease your entrance and plunge deep into your channel. He peppers kisses down your stomach, driving your legs apart with his free hand. You cannot help but watch him — the way his muscles rise to the surface of his skin, flexing as he crawls down your body, the perfect curve of his lips. He is impossibly stunning, unimaginably powerful, and he belongs to you. 
Astarion’s fangs drag down your inner thigh. “May I?” He growls, all gravel and saturated in carnal longing. 
“Gods, yes.” You pant. “Take me how you want me, Astarion. I want you to take your pleasure from me.” 
He twerks his fingers up, paying homage to the pad of flesh that sends you spiralling into toe-curling pleasure as his fangs snap into your skin. His thumb circles your clit, fingers pumping, and he draws from you greedily with a moan.
When you’re close to your climax, Astarion lips wrap around your clit, tongue fluttering and tracing the aching border. Astarion watches you melt into bliss through thick lashes, and you reach your hand out to him. He doesn’t hesitate to take it, interlocking your fingers, and you squeeze as the pleasure builds. 
“Come, my wife.”  
You’re pushed over the edge, thighs wrapping around his head in the profound rush of rapture. Astarion wraps one arm around you, pulling you snug to his chest, and you fold your arms around his neck. He takes you out to the terrace in the midday sun. 
“What are we doing out here?” You murmur as he sets you on your feet, directs you to turn around, and places your hands on the railing. 
“You said take you how I want you,” he purrs. His cock slides between your slick thighs, your arousal dripping. “I want to take you while we are bathed in the sun, where you agreed to marry me.” 
He catches the shot of fear that runs through you and halts all movement. Astarion brushes your hair back from your shoulder and places a gentle kiss on it. “Tell me why you’re afraid, love. Is it too… public? If you are uncomfortable, we can go back inside.” 
Honestly, the fact that you could be seen had not crossed your mind. You glance around quickly. The terrace is well hidden from the view of the streets, and if you’re being truthful, you don’t really care if anyone sees you. 
“Your control won’t lapse, right?” 
“Hm?” He quirks a brow at you, and you nod toward the fiery sphere of death aloft in the sky. Astarion kisses your cheek. “Ah, no. Extending you that gift is nearly an unconscious feat now."
You lean back into him, pressing your ass into him and arching your back. Astarion trails his fingers lightly down the delicate skin of your arm. Grabbing your hips, he positions you, fists his cock, and steers the blunt head through your seam to your entrance. He buries himself to the hilt, sliding in with no resistance. His breath hisses, and he nips your ear as he begins to fuck you. You push against his thrusts, his hips poisoning at a punishing pace. 
“Take my cock, Illyria,” he groans. “Gods. Take all of me. Tell me how it feels when I make you mine, when I claim you.” 
You whimper, grasping the railing to keep your knees from giving out. “Fucking perfect.”
Astarion’s hand snakes down your stomach. He hooks one of your legs on his forearm, allowing him to bury himself deeper with every snap of his hips. His fingertips delve between your lips and glide rapidly over your throbbing clit while he ruts into you, taking his pleasure however he wants it, and Gods, does it feel so fucking good to be stuffed full and stretched. You stop trying to stifle your moans and cry out lewdly, falling so deeply in your passion that nothing exists beyond his skin on yours.
Astarion’s wrist butts up against your lips. “Feed. Taste my bliss, my love.” 
Opening your mouth, you sink your fangs into the branching veins and draw. His blood tastes different, spiced with desire, buttery, smooth, and Hells below, hot. Your eyes close against the overwhelming ecstasy as nerves blaze, and the spasms of your orgasm clench around Astarion. 
His hips jitter in erratic thrusts, and he loses control as he chases his own climax. Astarion moans, guttural and ragged, as he comes, unravelling completely for you, emptying himself into you with each pulse.
Astarion chuckles, giving his wrist a jiggle in a request for you to unlatch. It’s easier this time to surrender the meal. He lets your leg down slowly, wrapping his arms around you in a tight embrace, his cock still nestled inside you. He uses a finger to guide your head to turn and kisses you passionately. 
“Such a good girl,” he groans, nuzzling your cheek. You roll your hips teasingly. 
“…Hmph.” Astarion grunts as his oversensitive head shifts inside you, and he grabs your hips to still you. He grins, fangs peeking out from his lips and glinting in the sun. “So needy.” He tuts. 
You smile back, displaying your own fangs proudly.
“Those are utterly adorable, like a kitten," he taunts. You scoff and stick your tongue out at him. He chuckles with his nose in your hair. “I love you.” 
There’s a twinge of pain in your head, sharp and stringent, forcing itself to be felt. Astarion winces nearly imperceptibly and covers it by kissing up the back of your neck. 
He pushes along before you have time to question what the pain was. “I suppose we should return home and speak, hm?” 
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Illyria sits on the ottoman in front of him with her head hung low, shoulders slumped, fidgeting and picking at her fingers. Astarion notes her every glance and the way her eyes dart around. She’s assessing their surroundings, taking inventory of exits, and searching for places to hide from him. She was always good at taking appraisals of the battlefields they were about to shed blood upon, making sure everyone had an exit strategy should death come knocking. 
Her guilt and fear radiate over the bond like a dark stain spreading through silk fabric. She is keeping her thoughts well-hidden from him, and he’s a little vexed about the barrier. Maybe he should never have taught her that was possible. He should have kept that secret guarded so he could read her like an open book. 
He is the Ascendant, after all, and she is his, so why should he not have unfettered access to her most intimate thoughts? Why should he be left here, staring at her like an idiot, waiting for her to open her fucking mouth and tell him what she’s been keeping from him?
He owns her. He made her. She is his bride, his consort, his wife — his, his, his! She belongs to him, and thus, all her thoughts and feelings are his to sup on as he sees fit. Astarion feels the chill of Cania sweep through him like a polar gust with every whisper of the shade within him. 
She’s made you soft and weak, dragging you down into the dirt you emerged from as a pathetic spawn, and she’s going to bury you once again. How long has she known? How long has she managed to make a godsdamned fool out of you?  
He could force all her deceit from her lungs with a simple thought. He wants to compel her to tell him so eminently that it takes him substantial effort to govern himself.
No. No. No.
He should not be doing that to her. He should not yearn for it so feverishly. Is it truly him who wants to force her submission, or whatever ails him? Sometimes, he cannot tell what his inclination is or that of his sick mind.  
Gods. It aches in every bone, as if ice crystals are forming within them and splintering them as his blood thickens in his veins. Astarion starts to feel himself fade as the monster in him begins to run free. Every muscle smoulders under his restraint. He wants to grab her, hurt her, and make her suffer as he is suffering.
If he must languish in the dark, he will plunge the world into darkness with him. 
“Astarion. Look at me.” 
Her touch is frosty against his sweaty skin, and he snarls at the unexpected contact, lashing out like a cornered animal. He grips her shoulders, feeling the bones grind together under his fingers and relishing in his strength. 
“Open your eyes, my love.” She whines through gritted teeth. 
Time seems tacky, the seconds and minutes sticking to his skin. It slips away with the same tangibility that he can feel himself departing from his body. Gods, what will he do to her? He cannot allow himself to be swallowed. 
Astarion. Astarion. Astarion. He chants to himself. 
This is why she’s kept this from him, why she fears him. He is a wretched, ugly thing now. Isn’t he? The Rite may have given him safety and power, but it alienated him from everyone and everything he ever cared about. 
But if he gives in to whatever is inside of him, he will disappear, along with all his inadequacies. 
She needs me, he reminds himself. She needs him, Astarion.  
The pungent bouquet of her blood hits his nose first, then he feels her wrist push against his lips. His eyes snap open as his tongue laps at the elixir of her essence. His heart beats fast in his chest as he watches her eyes flicker just as his do. They fade, but she is fire, and her flame burns brighter, rebelling against that which threatens to choke her. 
Astarion jerks back, relinquishing his hold on her, and scrambles to close the connection. It cannot have her. It can have him, but he will not allow it to infect her as well. Had he known, Gods, had he known that was possible, he would never have let their minds meld.
She hugs him… She hugs him?
Though she is cold as death, she is warm like the sun, melting the ice solidifying in his veins and heating the arctic whirlwind threatening to propel him away. 
“Did I hurt you?” He murmurs, but what he really wants to ask is, did I fail you again?  
“You did not fail me,” she answers his innermost thoughts.
Shit. He did not realize he had let his control slip, and his thoughts rove freely across their connection. 
“Are you okay now?” She looks up at him with those eyes — those cracked, piebald eyes that never cease to wrest the air from his lungs. They are like an antidote to the chaos, and he is calm. 
“I’m me,” he nods. 
She moves away from him, taking her seat back on the ottoman. “I kept it from you.” 
“Yes,” he nods. Sitting beside her, he lets his finger graze over the engagement ring her eyes are anchored to. “I’ve gathered that much. You had a good reason to hide it from me. Why tell me now, then?” 
She rotates the ring on her finger. “Do you actually want to marry me?” 
“More than anything,” he whispers softly. Astarion brings her eyes to his and lets his feelings flow as freely as he can through the union they share. Her eyes widen, and tears well. Not exactly the reaction he was looking for, but she is not crying due to him.
Astarion sits back on the settee. She is quiet again, lost in the thoughts she’s hiding from him. 
“Come here, my treasure.” Astarion extends his arms, wrapping them around her when she settles in his lap with her head against his chest. His thumb wipes away the teardrop creeping out of the corner of her eye. “You had your reasons for keeping it from me, but I would rather like to know why I am, shall we call it, unstable?”
She sighs, easing herself back to look into his eyes. “Mephistopheles created the Vampire Ascendant contract so that he could imbue a willing vessel with part of his violent nature to rid himself of it. The vessel was never supposed to have a soul, and thus, yours has been damaged — fragmented.” She takes a moment to consider him, watch his eyes, and feel her way through the bond, but in truth, he just feels empty.  
Numb. 
Illyria continues, “That entity, for lack of a better word, is infecting you like a virus. It will eventually... Hells, Astarion,” a sob erupts from her lips. “It will consume you eventually.”
“HA! Ha-ha-ha.” She flinches. Astarion rolls his eyes. Gods. When will his decisions not turn out to be a disaster? He sighs. “How long do I have to live as me?”
“We’re going to save you, Astarion,” she concludes. Her eyes are alight with glittering determination. “You’re just really not going to like what we have to do.” 
“Oh Hells. I am going to regret asking this, but whatever would that be?” 
“We need to steal your contract back from Mephistopheles.” Her voice does not even waver. 
Now he understands why she didn’t want to tell him. She knew he would never allow her to do something so fucking stupid. The anger is creeping back up, tingling from his toes to the tips of his ears. 
“Absolutely not.” Astarion shakes his head and takes on a brusque, commanding tone. “There is no way in the Hells I am letting you go on that little suicide mission. I have lived a long life. If it’s coming to an end, let me spend what time I have remaining with you.” 
“I’m going!” She shouts at him, jumping off his lap and baring her adorable little fangs. “You are welcome to lay here and let yourself die, but I will not. I am going to find a way into the Hells, to Cania, and I’m getting that contract back.” 
“The Hells you are!” He flies out of his seat, pacing. The psychosis in his mind is wide awake now. Wide awake and raging. He must regain control of himself. He must not let his emotions blow him over. Astarion takes a deep breath and says, “No. It’s too dangerous. I will not have my wife gallivanting around the Hells. It’s not happening, Illyria.”
“What are you going to do, Astarion?” She challenges, all the sharpness of her draconic ancestry ablaze in her timbre. “Compel me?” 
He wracks his hand over his face, resting it on the back of his neck with narrowed eyes. “If I must. I told you; I will always do what is necessary to protect you.” 
“Is that really how you want to start our engagement, our marriage?”
“No,” he growls. He’s losing control of himself. He can feel the authority he has being slowly funnelled away again. “I do not wish to compel you, but if you force my hand...” 
It feels like thorny vines of icicles are crawling up his spine, humming the haunting song of Cania through his bloodstream. The serenade of frozen wastelands, glaciers, and abyssal crags swoons through him. 
It’s enchanting. 
Kill her before she destroys you. You are nothing without me and your power. I warned you the enchantress seeks to undo and lay waste to all that you’ve become. She is your greatest weakness, your only weakness, the last reminder of the pathetic spawn you were that keeps you attached to this soul. She must be vanquished. 
His heart twists at the thought, corkscrewing in his chest. Are these his soulless thoughts? Mephistopheles thoughts? A combination of both? How does one tell the difference? His power surges, and the furniture all begins to tremor, thunking on the floors and fluttering in the air, staggering this way and that. 
Astarion tries to shut it out, tries to regain control, but it hurts.  
Pain is something he is well accustomed to. He would not have survived under Cazador without building a tolerance for pain, but this is somehow different. It is not merely pain; it is temptation, alluring in its seraphic oath of asylum, salvation, and shelter. 
You do not have to feel; it hums. You do not have to suffer so.  
His lips pull back, baring his fangs. He yearns to allow himself to be washed away in the black quintessence of nonexistence, where he can lay weightless, carefree, and safe.
Safe from the world that broke him and laughed as he suffered. Safe from the eyes that view him as nothing more than a monster. Safe from the fear, judgement, and revulsion he saw in his friend’s faces. It promises endless safety for all the parts of him that are still soft, vulnerable, and weak.  
He craves it. 
Her voice breaks him from his spiral. “Like you are trying to force my hand to live eternity without you?” 
This catches him off guard, and he pivots. “What?” 
Rivulets of tears roll down her cheeks. His heart palpates in his chest; a steak molded from sorrow drives through their combined heartbeat. She is terrified that he really will force her to watch him perish slowly, eaten away by the cancerous malignancy nested in his soul. Yet, her determination soars on the steel wings of a dragon, and her eyes are a flaring pyre of obstinacy. 
There will be no talking her out of this; no amount of reasoning with her will suffice. She stares at him with an inflexibility that makes the parts of his remaining soul gasp. She had been so weak and small when she returned, her fire all but snuffed out by death, but now here she is blazing like a phoenix rising from the ashes. 
Stupid, stubborn woman.
“You’re not just asking me to sit back and watch you be emptied until there’s nothing left of you but a shell with your face. You’re asking me to watch you cease to exist and then go on living without you for eternity. I cannot do it, Astarion. I cannot fathom a world without you in it, and if I have a chance to save you, I’m going to take it, no matter how slim the odds are.”
“You wish to rob me of this power?” He howls indignantly. He cannot go back to being enfeebled by the sun and insatiable hunger. He cannot go back to having to prostrate himself to get anywhere. “You wish to undo the Ascension and turn me back into that spineless swine of a spawn I once was?” 
He will not go back — even for her. 
He can feel his eyes flashing manically. The winds of Cania howl in his ears, wild glaciers flow through his veins, and icebergs accumulate in the crevasses of his mind. Melanoid gloom froths around the edges of his sight, always creeping closer, closer, closer. 
He is being frozen and buried alive in his own body, and he cannot dig himself out quickly enough. 
He is going to lose.
“Run.” He growls at her. 
“What?” 
“I cannot hold it,” he grunts, doubling over. By the Gods, it hurts worse than any pain that's ever split his skin or cracked his bones. It avalanches over him, dragging him back down into the dark, dank coffin, and he does not know if he has the strength to crawl out of his grave again. “Run!”
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Big thank you for everyone who takes the time to read/reblog/comment, and all the other magnificent things. Your support gives me the motivation to keep this fic going, and I appreciate each of you! ❤️
AO3 [Crossposted]
Master List of Chapters: Fangs and Fractured Hearts
If you're interested I write another fic with Spawn Astarion x Tav called - Shadows of the Past
Small Notes:
Should she run or hold her ground and have a showdown with the soulless part of him that wants nothing more than to destroy her?
Will Astarion be able to pry himself out?
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amatorygirls · 2 months
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GtN and HtN spoilers!! CW: talk of not having control over your body
just randomly thought of this now so excuse my incoherentness or possible ignorance or if anyone has said this before (this is also my first ever tumblr post so sorry for formatting errors), but i was looking at fanart of cytherea the first and just loving it. i realized there’s just something so baroque about her, and i think that’s on purpose. because she’s of the 7th house yes, the emperor’s joy and all that, but also because she’s a woman, and also because she’s dying. she’s expected to be beautiful because of her affiliation and her gender, all while she’s decaying from a disease that she was doomed to be born with and could never escape until it ultimately killed her. wilting away infront of everyone. and the ENTIRE time, she was given roses. roses, the pinnacle of beauty. every single rose she was given had a meaning, a life. and every single rose died. inevitably, wilting away infront of her. reminding her of her own fragile, ‘beautiful’ self. and even after she was dead, she was laid to rest drowned in roses that were modified to stay perpetually fresh, along with her body (i think) ((which of course john would do, after reading nona i’m not surprised)). not even eternally asleep could she catch a break. i think tamsyn muir was saying something here about how the ‘ideal woman is a dead one’. she is silent, still, and malleable. that’s what she pretended to be in canaan house. but i don’t think she ever could truly be. she was too angry. too enraged. also the fact that she became a lyctor in hopes she could be cured but just ended up suffering in a stagnant state of sickness for thousands of years, the fact that she was purposely given this disease. the fact that john LIED. lied to everyone. lied to HER. before her life, during her life, and after her life, things were done to her body without her informed consent. her cancer being almost prophetic, her unknowing improper lyctoral ascension, and the possesion of her empty shell of a body. (also it being used as a medium for pyrrha and wake is a whole other thing) she IS the rage of not having control over your own body. i think, ultimatley, that’s what her character is about. i mean, i’m pretty sure harrow stabbing The Sword™️ INSIDE her unwilling corpse was probably a metaphor or something…
“we take so much. i’m so sorry.”
(again i just thought of this thirty minutes ago so feel free to add anything 🙏) ((i also wonder how this parallels dulcinea and her life but it’s 1 am and i don’t feel like thinking anymore. but i think we’ll learn more about her in alecto.))
the art that inspired this was a beautiful cytherea and harrow drawing by pygmypouter on tumblr!
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the-apology-dance · 7 months
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The Years Aziraphale Did The Apology Dance….
DID I JUST FIGURE SOMETHING OUT ACCIDENTALLY…..
So I love overthinking and bothering myself even MORE so I was thinking of when Aziraphale says the specific years he did the “I Was Wrong” Dance:
1650. 1793. 1941.
Curiosity got the better of me and I thought “I wonder what those are as verses in the Bible…”
WELL OH BOY-
Ezekiel (16:50) : “And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.”
(17:93) “-or, to have a house of gold or you go to heaven-but we would not even believe in your ascension unless you return with a book that we can read! "Say, "May my Lord be exalted in His glory, am I other than a man appointed as a messenger?"
John (19:41) “At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.”
I thought nothing of this until I decided to look up 2023. The year Aziraphale left and the beginning of 2024.
(20:23-20:24)”I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I finish my work. I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.”
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This is The End and The Beginning of a new era. Aziraphale is going to heaven to finish what he started…Don’t forget this is labeled “The Apology Dance”. What’s the last thing Aziraphale says to Crowley? He FORGIVES him. Even if Crowley is unforgivable, forgiveness is one of the things Aziraphale is best at.
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NEIL ARE YOU SERIOUS-
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I could be way off base, but I have been thinking about this since she said this and trying to figure out what moral? At the time, the best they could figure would be to follow Alyx’s path, but not make the mistakes she made. We now know not only was the story changed from what Jaune was there for, but Alyx wasn’t like the girl who’s in the story.
If there is some “moral” to be learned here, I did wonder if it was to respect and understand different people. Because that’s something up until this current chapter NONE of our main cast have done. RW.BY have been operating out of a story with people as a means to an end. They aren’t really people in their own right, just a way to progress forward. They never really ask anything about the Afterans, outside of asking Curious about ascension, and it’s not like they are a reliable source of information since they seem to have the ability to influence Afteran’s will and only will answer what is asked.
Jaune mentioned that Alyx was cruel and didn’t think the rules applied to her, and while they’ve not been cruel about it we’ve not seen anyone from Remnant treat the Afterans like actual people until (R)WBY listens to the Paper Pleasers. @professorspork spoke about Blake caring about the Paper Pleasers and speaking up for them, and it’s really the first time any of them think about the lives of the people there and not just getting home… Not that Jaune or Ruby agree that they are people.
Just because it’s a fairy-tale to them doesn’t mean it’s not real to the people there. It doesn’t mean they don’t have full lives, even if the visitors of Remnant don’t understand or agree with their culture. Ever After has shown Blake specifically that her culture is very important to her, and if there is some moral to be gained by Blake in this “story” is that understanding different cultures only enhances everyone and leads to greater cooperation. Almost like that’s a goal of hers...
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emrystheedgedancer · 2 years
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“Idealism should have a cost”
This is from Brandon’s chapter annotations of the Well of Ascension. It’s for chapter 38, the chapter where Elend officially and finally gets deposed from the throne.
And I just love this. Elend Venture is one of my favorite characters in fiction because of this idea. Idealism has a cost. Honesty has a cost. And Elend learns that the most brutal way he can and then is STILL a good man after.
I think in fiction there’s a tendency to make fun of good men. Most people I know tend to be more interested in the Kaz Brekkers or Darklings or Phantoms or Snapes instead of the Mals, Raouls, and Harrys. There’s nothing wrong with that but I do wonder if it’s because most writers don’t bother to give their good men interesting things to do and challenging ways to develop like Brandon does. They tend to put their heroes in challenging situations to learn some lesson but rarely ever show much of a change inside. They don’t test their morals at their core, they only show how those morals are applied to the world.
Elend is a brilliant character because he shows what it is to truly have your morals tested. That last part in chapter 38, where only Elend and one other person in the room know that the law says they can change their vote- it’s so good. Many men would have lied. Elend knows that lying will keep him his throne. But he doesn’t. And because of his honesty and idealism he has to sacrifice what he knows is best and what he wants.
I just appreciate the attention that Brandon pays to good men rather than having flat good men and interesting grey men or villains as so many others do. Elend is a good man. Kaladin is a good man. But they are also flawed men, who still have to learn and grow and sacrifice. Kaladin sacrifices for his idealism all the time.
I just really love Elend Venture okay
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glorianamultistan · 2 years
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Requested by @ledosbunnyboy - Hi was wondering if I could request a Juyeon x male reader with corruption kink? Juyeon is a thief who went into a castle to steal some treasure but prince reader asks if he can take him to cuz he hates the Royal lifestyle and cuz he’s abt to be made king and Juyeon agrees and snatches him away. They just live pretty domestically until reader asks Juyeon to teach him abt sex and they do the nasty. Mostly Juyeon guiding Reader thru the motions and some muscle worship (Juyeon receiving). It’d be kinda based off “The Stealer”. If u don’t wanna write it it’s okay 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 have a nice day/night 🫶🏽
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I don't own the pic
Juyeon × male reader Pt. 1
(ps:- I am so excited about this because Juyeon is one of my ults! This turned out to be longer than I expected but I assure you, it is worth it. I might write a second part if yall like it)
Part 2
Contents - SMUT, a bit of life crisis, protective violence
Y/n was never satisfied in the position he was forced to be in, and neither was he ever mentally or physically ready for the throne. His ascension was undisputed, as the first in line to the throne, he was always treasured and pampered like a god because that was what he was supposed to be, the head of the empire, the centre of every and all lifecycle in it and their protector.
For a guy who never went out of the palace, to be thrown suddenly into the foremost castle of the capital for training was a traumatic experience. But, while he used to train with weapons in the morning, he sneaked into the kitchen of the castle to learn to cook secretly with the help of the head chef.
In the main palace, doing this was an impossibility due to the presence of the king and the queen who had every line drawn in stones, but here, y/n was the highest-ranking royal, so he was able to change a few things.
After 7-8 months of training, he was supposed to move to the very frontlines of the empire and do a border tour before the coronation but, just after 2 months of training it was clear to most of the high-ranked warriors that the crown prince was not ready. He was too naive to attack, too clumsy in the armour, too depressed to have the will to do better and was becoming weaker as the days went by because of this burden.
On the other hand, y/n was already a great cook, well-versed even in local medicinal plants and soups. The head chef was very proud of the young prince for being such a diligent learner.
Y/n realised soon into the training that he never wanted to finish the process, that would mean going to the borders and coronation and he was in his own words "just incapable of taking care of the whole empire." His younger sister would do a better job than him, she was already an admiral of a victorious fleet which out mastered many neighbouring nations. Her character was even stronger than the current king.
But for that to happen, y/n would have to die. How can he leave end this life when he has so much to do, so many wishes to fulfil, yet he knew he cannot go on like this too.
One night during the eleventh hour when y/n was reading a cookbook describing the ways teas can be healing, he heard a scratchy sound outside his chamber. As his positioning in the castle was supposed to be very strategic, he knew the dungeons close by had treasury for the castle.
Was it a test? Were the officials trying to test whether the crown prince would go head-on into such a situation without notifying others? After all, he was supposed to become an expert in warfare, a persona y/n was disgusted by.
He slowly mustered up his courage and went to the treasury with a cat-like movement.
Due to it being only candle-lit, there was a lot of darkness down the stairs and before he could reach the bottom, he slipped.
Y/n ended up in the treasury with a sprained ankle and was in so much pain that he actually started to cry but stopped when he heard a sound. "Oh, look what we have here. A royal insignia... You must be the crown prince, my pleasure to meet you, your royal highness." The guy was taller than y/n, clad in skin-tight black attire, he looked as if another royal just walked in front of y/n.
"Are you a gentleman?" Y/n absent-mindedly uttered and got a hearty laugh as a reply. "Name's Juyeon sir, I am just a passerby, who thought why not take some treasure to my friends, you must have heard of them, the famous bandits called TBZ."
Something is wrong, this guy's voice and presence should scream danger but for y/n it is as if he was engulfed in a warmth that not even his family ever provided him. TBZ have vandalised many of the castles protecting major ports, obviously, y/n heard of them.
"I see you are not well, you look sick my prince, I will just take my portion and silently leave, you should get better soldiers, by the way, they did not even hear me sneaking in."
"Why are you not afraid of me? I am the heir to the throne, you are one of the most wanted criminals, yet you talk as if we can not harm each other. Why such bravado?" Y/n merely whispered it all as he began feeling pain in his leg again and hissed while lightly touching his ankle.
Juyeon came closer to the prince and softly bent to look at y/n's leg. "You have sprained it, you were crying a few moments ago, and you look so pale and unaccustomed to the surroundings, the weapons you carry and the way you talk too. Do you think I will be scared of you, my prince? I will leave, you should pull the bell if you want."
"Wait!" Y/n screamed as he tried to get up but he hit something in the dark and fell again. "Wait..." he whimpered, "Take me with you."
'What!? Take you with me? Why? Where? Do I look that kind to you?" "No, please listen, take me with you, out of here, I know your gang has routes around other kingdoms too, please, I don't want to go on like this, please, help me." Y/n tearfully whispered these words as if a prayer for salvation.
"Are you sure about it? You are the next king, what about this empire? I don't want my people to be hunted for kidnapping the crown prince."
"Yes, just, help me cross the border, I will be fine." "Okay."
Juyeon picked up the prince and carried him out of the castle on his back, then with the help of his friends outside he covered y/n up and they left for the kingdom in the East of the empire.
~time skip~
After a week's journey, Juyeon realised that y/n was never let out in the real world, so he had no social inhibition and often was a target of weirdos praying on his naivete. Y/n was so curious about everything that Juyeon had to conform to the rest of the members of his gang that he did not mean any harm as y/n really just want to know things for the sake of it.
Y/n on the other hand was fascinated and now that his leg healed completely thanks to the medicinal balms Juyeon gave him, he roamed around in the foreign land freely looking at the people in the market with awe and talking to the spic merchants and florists.
Y/n and Juyeon lived outside a city in a forest area, this base was supposed to be safe and was well connected to the main routes to the city and port. Since Juyeon brought the prince, he was given the responsibility to look over him which in reality was to look after him.
One day y/n asked Juyeon to bring some vegetables and berries and other food items promising nothing will go to waste as he was tired of just bread and soup. And that was the day Juyeon decided that if anytime y/n was to leave him, the first thing he will miss would be the food made by him. Even though y/n was clumsy all around, in the kitchen he was a magician, weeks went by as Juyeon would return from the city to meals only his moans while eating could describe, rest of the members when they came to check upon them found it all too domestic and started referring y/n as the house-husband and homemaker.
Through this time Juyeon began to understand y/n more and more and wanted to protect the prince even from minor scratches he had while cooking or just randomly stumbling and falling. He would never want to see the prince as he saw him in the treasury again. This y/n was healthier, happier and livelier than anything he ever experienced, this was the prince he was blessed with, his prince.
"My prince." He suddenly uttered as y/n was sitting beside him on the same sofa, trying to understand how to weave something, while Juyeon was admiring him.
"Yes?" "What?" "You said my prince, you tell what." "I did?" "Yes, Juyeon, you just said it and after such a long time."
Juyeon liked y/n. It was made clear to everyone on the day he almost killed a gang of three middle-aged warriors who tried to have their way with y/n when the prince got lost in the market and got separated from Juyeon. Only one hand was able to rip the veil off the face of the prince he always wore to hide his identity, in that very moment, the very hand got cut and fell off with the now mythologized remark heard by the child whom y/n was trying to save from the three men, "move one step closer to him and next will be that leg."
It was a blood bath and if y/n wouldn't have cried to stop Juyeon for the sake of the child who would be traumatised beyond help seeing it all, Juyeon would have killed those three men.
Since then, that child frequented their home and they got to know that he was the only one left in the family as those loan sharks killed his parents for money. Y/n asked his name, but the child did not know so he named the child Ruka. Now, Ruka was referred to by the city people as y/n and Juyeon's child and this provided him security too. Nobody dared to touch people related to the TBZ.
After all of this fiasco y/n got pretty scared and they started sleeping in the master bedroom together, when Ruka was not with any one of his friends, he joined them too.
One morning y/n got up to an embarrassing hard-on as he had a very sensual dream about Juyeon. And before he could leave the bed, Juyeon hugged him from the back and whispered "you moaned my name with such passion and are now leaving me alone in the bed like this."
It was too much for the virgin prince to handle, the voice, the bare chest, the breath at the back of his neck.
"Ju-juyeon, what are you saying? Let me go please." Rather than doing that Juyeon moved his hands in y/n's shirt and whispered again. "Remember when you said you wanted to learn about sex and I said you were not ready? Let me teach you now, my prince." His hand flicked y/n's left nipple while speaking, making y/n moan.
Curiosity to know about his body and pleasure Juyeon came over y/n and the next thing he knew, he was being guided to touch the bare abs of the same person he has liked for so long.
"You can touch me, baby, my dear prince, I am all yours." And so y/n did, his hands were moving on their own as he touched every curve and admired every ridge of Juyeons bare upper body. The muscles he admired from afar as Juyeon walked semi-naked around the house, were divine to touch, this must be the holy grail, this knowledge and body must be godly.
Slowly, Juyeon was on top of y/n kissing, licking and biting as if claiming his reward finally, the real treasure he found in that castle was this person and all the love and warmth he got from him.
As he began eating y/n out, the prince was a crying moaning mess, so much pleasure, he did not know what to do, his tongue failed him and only broken syllables of Juyeon's name were echoing through the bedroom. Then he came for the first time and his scream was enough to make Juyeon too come back to reality as he was so engrossed in eating the other out he forgot to look up. And the sigh was heaven to behold, y/n looked like salvation, the answer to his own prayer in that treasury. This was the liberation they both needed.
As Juyeon inserted himself in y/n and as he picked up his pace, he made sure to wrap the other up around him tightly to hold him, suck his nipples, and kiss his lips in such desperation that after they were done and Juyeon finally came for the first and y/n for the nth time. Both were sure that their bodies had no boundaries from each other, just one vast sweaty mass heaving and kissing as if itself.
"You did so well my prince, so good for me. I will never let you go." Ple-ase, d-dont let me go. I love you, so much, you are my god, how... how will I live without you?"
With such declarations, they left the bed together to have a warm bath. That evening when the members found out about what had happened due to y/n's loose shirt and him proudly wearing the marks Juyeon left, all anyone would ask was a date for marriage.
P.S.:- If you liked it, you can support me by buying me a coffee; link's on my page.
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mx-metronome · 4 months
Text
Meditations on Eden 3
I talk a lot about moths. Eye of Eden spoilers under the cut, naturally
I used to make the pilgrimage much more often. All 63. Once a week. I hammered out the ascended candles I needed to purchase every single wing buff. Then all the Elder Masks when they were first introduced. But now? Now Eden provides no tangible currency that means anything to me. There’s only one reward for me left of any significance:
I go for the moths.
I was a very independent moth, veterans never had the opportunity to guide me. Perhaps it was because they turned their nose up at me, a greenhorn, a nuisance. Perhaps it was simply because I never sat still long enough to let them help me. At this point, it isn’t my business to know.
I remember my first ascension. I remember large swaths of sky kids traveling up the mountain together, not even giving me a passing glance. I tried to follow their footsteps but they were much too fast.
I didn’t struggle with the krill, but I did struggle with the flying rocks. I knew there was a rhythm to them, I didn’t know that there were places you could take cover. Lost plenty of winged light to the rocks.
The final hallway was where I lost the most wings. The rocks would knock me down and while I was on the ground the krill would pour salt on the wound. That was frustration unlike any other kind. The mass of winged light inside the hallway soothed me a little bit, but I was still angry. The only thing that could quench my ire were answers, purpose, anything. I needed to see what was at the end of the road that would make this entire struggle worth it.
Inside the Stormlock, it didn’t take me very long to figure out what I was meant to do. My winged light count was falling, both by flying stones and by self sacrifice. The truth of my inevitable death sank in very quickly, so I rushed to do the best I could before I hit 0 and the darkness took me.
I did all of this alone. And I often wonder how much more efficient about it I would’ve been, how much more or less impactful it would’ve been, had I had a companion with me.
So three years later, long after ascended candles have stopped meaning anything to me, I still go.
I go for the moths.
Eden is dark and scary, it scars and scathes and tries to beat down your hopes and your innocence. But it’s a lot less scary when you have a friend with you.
Every time I ascend now - every time - I meet a newer player on the way up and look after them as we both march to the end. Most quickly learn to cling to me, follow in my footsteps, and I always trek slowly enough that they can keep up. I can keep them safe, for a time.
But I can’t tell them. Without unlocking the chat function on the friendship tree, no combination of emotes on my part could ever convey to them that they are going to die. They simply and blindly trust me that we will be okay in the end, that whatever is happening is for the best, that I’m leading them to someplace nice.
It’s like leading an innocent lamb to slaughter.
After the death, after the heavenly flight back to the Womb, after the rebirth back into the kingdom of Sky, I like to think everything makes sense to those poor moths afterwards. Like they attained this enlightenment by my actions alone and all of this was as intended. If they hadn’t, I like to think that seeing the credits roll, or suddenly seeing seasonal spirits in the familiar realms, or advancing the Aviary quests would clue them in.
On rare occasions I’ll get the opportunity to continue to bond with them, even after I sentenced them to death. After all, they trusted me this much with their life, and I clearly know what I’m doing.
But usually I don’t get that chance.
I go for the moths,
but a lot of the time, the moths don’t come back for me.
I can’t say I blame them too much.
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quills-of-freedom · 1 year
Text
Headcanons (s/o who struggles to orgasm)
It’s easy to write and imagine having multiple orgasms with a partner. But in reality, not many women can actually orgasm with penetrative sex. So, let’s dive in to how these wonderful people would treat that.
Warnings: 18+ Smut NSFW
Eren - Hange - Armin - Jean - Reiner
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Eren
Eren makes it his goal to have you reach a climax by his doing. He won’t say this though; he doesn’t want to put any sort of pressure on you.
He acts like it’s not a big deal, reassuring you that you’ll get there with time and patience.
He takes extra care with you, focusing on your clit a lot more than he usually would with anyone else and praising you the entire time.
If you do end up orgasming with him, he’s dripping with sweat from the extra hard work he’s put in - but it doesn’t matter. He has the biggest dumb grin on his face when you’re done.
The first one is always the hardest so after that they just get easier and easier, your perfect s/o the most patient man ever.
Hange
Hange has had so many books on female anatomy and sexual studies sprawled out over her desk. She will find a way to make you reach the heavens with her.
When she learns that a large chunk of a female orgasm has to do with feelings and emotions, she makes it her mission to get you as comfortable around her as possible.
She’ll fart in front of you a lot more and laugh about it, pull weird faces and just really trying to get you to feel at ease around her.
Her laser focus is your clit and G-spot starting you off nice and slow, showering you with praise and affection.
She’s screaming as loud as you when she finally gets you there, her face red and silently patting herself on the back for another job well done.
Armin
Much like Hange, hes in the library studying up on how he can help you - except he’s incognito. Shades. Hat. Long coat. The whole get up while he scans the books on “How to make your lover scream” and “Turn no no, into yes yes!”
Armin is meticulous at remembering your sweet spots and mapping out your body. Out of anyone in this list hell get you there the quickest.
He’ll reassure you it’s fine and it doesn’t matter, he just wants you to feel good.
Your eventual ascension into heaven is earth shattering, you don’t even know what’s happening as he’s doing so many things to your body at once.
He’ll be so happy when you do, telling you he’s so proud of you and that it’ll be easier from here on out.
The entire next day he’s got a huge smile on his face - even when he’s returning those books.
Jean
Jean is a flustered mess at the best of times when it comes to fucking your beautiful self. When you tell him it’s difficult for you to orgasm, like Eren, hell make it his mission.
He will low key go to Armin for advice though. He’s too lazy to sprawl over books himself. But if he really had to, he would.
After Armin’s knowledge has been bestowed upon him, he’ll put it to practice. Making you feel as relaxed and as comfortable as humanly possible.
Bubble bath. Wine. Chocolate. Oysters. He even brought out his softest bed sheets and throws.
After you do cum, he pretty much high fives you when you’re done, raring to go and make you do it again and again. He never wants to not give you this gift of ecstasy.
Reiner
Reiner tries his damned hardest. He’ll fuck you for hours - pouring with sweat but he doesn’t care. He wants his love to feel good.
Reiner gets a little down about it at first but he won’t ever let on that he is. He’ll just have to be patient and understanding.
He just wants to make you happy.
Reiner goes to Jean for advice who just looks at him like he’s speaking a different language. So he goes to Armin.
After Armin’s advice he feels a lot better about it, his confidence beaming and gosh does that show in bed.
He’s ecstatic when you climax around his cock, his eyes wide and jaw slack. He can’t wait to make you cry his name like that over and over again.
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Flame of Autumn - Chapter 21
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Part 22/26 | Ao3
Tilly
Tilly groaned as Eris sunk his thumb into the arch of her foot, tipping her head back on the arm of the couch.
“Who needs a High Lord when you could make so much coin as a masseuse?” He laughed, tickling her foot gently and making her yank it back. She scrunched her nose at him, laughing too. “Do we have to go to the council meeting today?”
“You don’t have to do anything, love. But I probably need to be there.” She sighed. She knew he was right, but she felt like it was good for her to go, to be seen there. “The only way you’d need to come is if you’re High Lady, which you can be any time.” She shot him a look. It was a conversation they’d had almost weekly for the past two months.
“Yes, Eris, I know. Soon, but not yet.” Tilly didn’t have anything against being High Lady, and she fully intended to take on the mantle someday, but she didn’t want to unnecessarily rock the boat. Eris had done so much good in Autumn already, but it would take more than a few months to change the mindsets that had been plaguing the court for centuries upon centuries. She wasn’t sure that they were ready for a High Lady just yet; she wanted to earn it.
Which was why it was important for her to be at all these meetings, even if the nausea and sore feet and exhaustion made her want to crawl back beneath the sheets with her mate and lounge the days away. He wouldn’t push her, and he always took great care to make sure she had everything she needed and more. He was a wonderful mate; he was going to be a wonderful father, too. She saw it in the spark of his eyes whenever she caught him staring at her growing stomach, his hands always finding their way to it, both in waking hours and asleep.
Eris had been so insanely busy since his ascension, and Tilly was worried she was going to see much less of him, but he’d made sure to make as much time as he possibly could. She’d offered to take over what she could of the paperwork side of things, her and Bray splitting the work between them. It was good for Tilly to see this aspect of things–despite growing up in Autumn, it was giving her a much clearer look into how the politics of the court worked. If she was ever unclear on a concept, Bray was quick to explain it to her in a way she understood. He was also taking the time to research Gwyn’s lineage for them, a task Tilly had been quick to reach out about when she returned to Autumn after the summit.
Eris had been making big changes, and they were mostly very well received. In fact, the family had been shocked at how quickly even some of the more noble houses accepted the sweeping legislature to bring Autumn forward into a more progressive world. Eris had immediately rid the court of all regulations against females and lesser fae in power, additionally allowing for marriages of all genders, races, and otherwise. This had surely ruffled some feathers to begin with, but it had been pleasantly surprising to see how many of the members of the court supported this. It seemed many of the houses of Autumn had been ready to modernize, but had been feigning support for Beron out of fear. Lots of families had lost their patriarchs in the war, and the younger generation was more than ready to move on and see things differently. The court loved Eris for the most part, and there was no shortage of support when they rode into the various towns for goodwill visits.
This was not to say that there had not been dissenters. More than once, there had been attempts on Eris or Tilly or the brothers’ lives, all thwarted fairly easily. Eris had had enough violence to last him a lifetime, but he didn’t hesitate to kill when his family’s safety was involved. Now, two months in, enough examples had been made of those who attempted to hurt them that the attempts were becoming fewer and far between. They’d bolstered the guard and armies back up under Cormac and Callum’s instruction, which also helped.
After two busy months of meetings, legislature, meetings, trying to relax, and more meetings, they’d finally reached a day that everyone had been looking forward to: Killian and Shanna’s wedding. Tilly was currently standing in front of their full length mirror, struggling to reach back behind her to finish tying off her dress. Her stomach wasn’t entirely large yet, but it had become unwieldy suddenly, and things were no longer fitting how they should. She was hot, sweating, frustrated, and ready to cry–as she always seemed to feel these days. She was ready to sit on the bed and give up when Eris came into their room, looking absolutely lovely in his fancy jacket and trousers, and then she did cry.
“Oh, love. What’s the matter? I didn’t think my outfit was that horrid.” He immediately came to embrace her, which only made her cry harder.
“It’s so stupid. I don’t even know.” She sobbed into his chest. “My dress doesn’t fit right, and I am so sweaty, and I just feel like we’ve been going for months, and all I want is for you to climb in this bed with me and forget the wedding altogether.” She huffed, and Eris lifted an eyebrow in amusement as he turned to sit on the bed, moving his hands to her hips and pulling her straddling him so he could rub his hands up and down her back.
“First, you look beautiful, and I like when you’re a little sweaty.” She laughed wetly against his neck. “We have been going for months, but things are starting to even out, and they’ll begin to slow down soon. Killian has been attending the meetings with us, and will be able to oversee some things as they get going. I know Bray has been helping with the paperwork, so that will begin to be less burdensome as the changes start to take effect. We’ll be able to slow down soon.” He kissed her, wiping the tears from her face with his thumbs. “Did I get it all?”
She pouted, but nodded, sighing.
“I just miss you. It’s all just felt so busy, and all I want is you. I am looking forward to this wedding, of course. I just miss you is all.” She felt silly, but the words felt good coming out. She hadn’t quite realized she’d been holding onto them. Eris pulled back and took off his jacket, unbuttoning the Autumn seal buttons and shrugging it off his shoulders. Once he had tossed it next to them on the bed, he returned his hands to her arms, rubbing them up and down.
“I miss you, too, Til. We’ve almost made it through the hardest parts. Tell you what, let’s get through this wedding, and next week we can go somewhere. Just you and me. Bray and Killian can handle things while we’re gone, and we can just spend some time together to relax. Hm?” She felt her heart leap at the possibility of a few days of just the two of them, maybe the hounds, somewhere alone and isolated and quiet.
“Mmhmm, I would very much like that.”
“Perfect. All better?” She nodded, brushing the stray hairs out of her eyes and the remaining tears from her face. “Now pull up that pretty dress, and come sit on my face.” Tilly blushed to the tips of her ears. Sometimes the way he spoke to her still had her kicking her feet like a youngling. Suddenly, she felt shy all over again.
“Absolutely not, Eris. We have to get to the ceremony, and honestly, I don’t think I should be doing that anymore for a while.” Eris feigned hurt and grasped at his chest.
“Why ever not, my love? You would take away such simple delights from me so easily?” She shoved at his shoulder, still sitting in his lap.
“I’ve just gotten a bit bigger, and I don’t want to crush you.” She was embarrassed to even say it aloud. Tilly had never been self-conscious in her life, always feeling confident and beautiful as her parents had raised her to be. But being pregnant and witnessing her body changing had brought out feelings in her she’d had no idea existed. Despite the miracle growing within her, she couldn’t help but feel a little foreign within this new and ever-changing shape.
“Is that it? Worried you’re going to crush me?” She blushed again, looking away as Eris scoffed.
“Oh, don’t tease, Eris.” He let his hands fall back to her hips and gripped, looking sincerely into her eyes.
“I am not teasing, love. First, I find you absolutely stunning, especially now.” He let his eyes roam down her body. Truly, he’d never given her any reason to believe he didn’t find her stunning in her current condition. In fact, he’d been all the more ravenous since she’d begun to show, choosing to have hands on her at every moment possible. “Second, there’s absolutely zero chance of you crushing me. None at all.” She rolled her eyes and laughed lightly, but still refused to meet his eyes.
“And the wedding?”
“Fuck the wedding. We’ll get there.” With that, he grabbed her hips firmly while leaning himself back against the pillows, hoisting her up his body until the skirts of her dress splayed over his face. From beneath them, he mumbled.
“And even if you did crush me, what a way to go. Grab the headboard.” She laughed and did as he said, steadying herself and sighing as he pushed her underwear to the side and sent a flat lick languidly up her center. Nothing she could have done would have prevented the moan from leaving her throat, rising out of her beyond her control and into open air. She could feel Eris smiling against her, his hands moving back to grab at her ass as he pulled her down flush against his face.
She was already too far gone to care about her previous worries, the gentle grinding of her hips and the press of her husband’s tongue already building her release fast in her spine. She could feel down the bond Eris pushing emotions at her–adoration, arousal, passion, love. Finally, just as she was reaching the precipice, he sent a single, quiet, echoing thought to her of how good she tasted, and it was enough to throw her violently over the edge. He let her come down and swing her leg off of him, collapsing into a pool of skirts next to him on the bed. Eris, for all the world, looked blissed out. They’d need to fix their appearances before leaving for the actual ceremony, but Tilly did feel better, and not just physically. Eris had a way, even before the bond had snapped, of knowing exactly what she needed. And he was always willing to give her that little push.
Eris smiled at her a final time, rising from the bed and reaching out for her. He took her hand to help her up, her legs still wobbly, and steaded her in front of him. Then, deft fingers began to tie the laces of her dress back, tightly enough it fit her well and complemented her figure, but loose enough that she felt comfortable. When she looked into the mirror, all she could see were the amber eyes of her mate looking back at her.
“You look lovely, darling.” The smile that crept across her face was genuine. “Ready?” He held an arm out to her and she took it.
“Thank you, Eris.” He smiled and kissed her. “For everything, always.”
Eris
The wedding had made Eris surprisingly emotional. Perhaps it was because he’d been remembering his own wedding–over a year ago now–with fondness, and getting lost in the nostalgia. He seemed to be doing that almost constantly lately, the nostalgia. He could hardly believe how long he’d been blessed to have Tilly in his life, his mate, his wife, his partner in all things. Parenthood had clearly made him weak, but there was no one to persecute him for it anymore, and he found that once he learned he could do it, he didn’t mind being vulnerable at all.
Watching Killain and Shanna dance, their sweet daughter in their arms laughing as they all swayed to the music, he felt the now-familiar press of tears behind his eyes. This was not a life he’d ever dared to imagine for himself or those he loved, even in the darkest moments of the night when he was the most alone in his bed, let alone hope for. Cormac and Callum were leading a drunken line-style dance with the guard, and Tilly and Bray were trying to learn the steps beside them. Eris had gone to get water, but turned just to take it all in, feeling the joy and love radiating from his family.
He’d invited the High Lord’s and their families to the occasion, and the reception had been opened to any from Autumn who wanted to join. They’d lit up the entire far fields with bonfires as large as those on Spring Solstice, and people celebrated for miles. The villagers and farmers had come for miles, bringing foods and wares and bands and storytellers. The people of Autumn loved a good reason to celebrate, and the joy in the air was so palpable that it threatened to choke Eris in the best way. He wasn’t used to being this overwrought with emotion all the time, but he couldn’t say he minded having things to be thankful for.
He’d invited the Night Court, too, and amazingly, many of them had turned out. Autumn had greeted them with open arms, to Eris’ great surprise. Lucien had come, and he was currently conversing with Helion and Alanna. Rhysand and Feyre had come too, bringing Cassian and Azriel, who in turn had Nesta and Gwyn on their arms. Eris and Tilly had hoped they’d come for another, more secretive reason, though it seemed that it hadn’t quite come to fruition yet.
Bray had come to him and Tilly in their rooms a few weeks ago, pale-faced and sweating profusely. He’d been doing the research into Gwyn’s family line–a grandmother who was a river nymph who had seduced a high fae of Autumn to create her mother–when he’d researched his way into finding his own grandchild. The story had seemed awfully familiar to him, and a bit more digging had revealed that the child, Gwyn’s mother, had been in the Forest House, even, for a bit before being moved to Sangravah. Bray had been away. It had been the time period Beron had sent him to the seaside to oversee some new treaty or another, and it had just so happened to coincide with her presence. He’d never even been aware of her existence. They’d decided to let Gwyn know and offer her the chance to get to know her family on her own terms if she was still interested. Bray had planned to broach the topic tonight.
Eris hadn’t noticed the slight shift in the atmosphere, but he had felt a prickle through the bond–that protective flare raging through him, but everything happened too fast. He’d turned back to where he’d last seen Tilly with Bray, but she wasn’t there anymore. She was right next to him suddenly, her eyes wild with fire as she swung a longsword–his longsword–through the air directly at him. He didn’t have a chance to do anything–lift his arms, defend himself, even scream–and he was suddenly on the ground.
Eris had enough sense to hear the crowd go silent then fill with gasps and then screams. He turned, looking up at Tilly above him, silhouetted by the fires blazing brightly behind her, holding the sword and…a head? Eris’ brain finally caught up to his body, and he understood what he was seeing. A fae, or, rather, the body of one, laying on the ground behind him, a jeweled dagger covered in something green and glistening grasped in his hand. Tilly, covered head to toe in blood, holding the fae’s dismembered head, his hair gripped violently between her fingers as she gasped for air.
Assassination attempt. He’d missed it entirely, but Tilly hadn’t.
“He was…he almost...” She gasped and her face crumpled. She dropped the head and sword and collapsed into great heaving sobs and Eris calmed his bewildered heart and crawled to gather her in his arms. He opened his eyes and finally saw all those who had taken pause around them, mouths wide open. Cassian, the great bat, was already inspecting the scene, Azriel beside him looking at the fae, blood still pulsing from his neck onto the ground beside them.
“He was a second away from killing you, Eris. Tilly saved your life.” Eris couldn’t even speak, and Tilly was still holding him for dear life and crying. Azriel pulled the dagger from the fae’s hand and carefully lifted it to smell it.
“It’s cardwillow. You’d have been dead if he’d struck you in the heart. There’s no antidote we could have gotten to quickly enough.” Tilly sobbed harder.
“Til…” Eris couldn’t say anything else, couldn’t do anything else–he just held her more tightly to him, his heart pounding like a drum of war.
His wife, his pregnant wife, had just beheaded a male to save his life. She’d seen the threat and, without hesitating, grabbed Eris’ longsword and killed him. Her sobs were quieting as he held her, but he had to pull back and look down at her, covered in spattered blood, eyes rimmed red with tears. He was in absolute awe of her.
His family had gathered close, Killian having sent his mate and daughter away somewhere safe. Tilly saw him and began to cry anew.
“Killian, your ceremony. I am so sorry!” Killian just laughed, kneeling next to them and clapping her on the back.
“Tilly, no one has ever fit into this family better, please don’t apologize. It’s hardly a Vanserra event without some bloodshed, anyway. It was the greatest present you could have given.” She laughed through the tears, trying to nod as Bray and Callum attempted to coax everyone back into the party. Cormac had already brought in the guards to remove all traces of the dead male from the sight of the partygoers.
Everyone began to get back to the party at the urging of the brothers, but Eris remained, holding Tilly and feeling the deep, unfamiliar, comforting weight of someone being willing to do anything to keep him safe.
Taglist (lomls): @cauldronblssd @queercontrarian @byyalady @thelovelymadone @clockwork-ashes @lovingkelj @lilah-asteria
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letstrythisout4 · 2 months
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Chapter 6: Blaise Zabini and the overlooked allies
Series Masterlist
Ever since Halloween, Blaise had been growing increasingly uncomfortable in the Slytherin dormitories and common room, nothing compared to the atmosphere of Hufflepuff common room. He couldn’t tell if it was because of how willing the Hufflepuff first years were to allow Blaise to join them for breakfast, or how he abruptly realized how kind Professor Sprout was to all of her students (even those who refuse to respect her) or just how…homey the atmosphere of the Hufflepuff common room was. Isabella seemed to have picked up on this - despite Blaise being careful to have never voiced his opinions - and had begun to invite (read drag ) him there more frequently (read all the time). 
Seemingly Isabella’s plan came into effect, gaining him many Hufflepuff … acquaintances. He formed quick connections with all of the Hufflepuffs of his year, except Smith, once he finally met Hannah Abbott who had slept through his first meeting with the Hufflepuffs in the kitchens. They would now invite him into games of Exploding Snap, Wizards’ Chess and study sessions held, absurdly late at night before and after their midnight Astronomy class, weekly. And the older students had warmed up to him once realizing that he was friends with Isabella, apparently she had established a reputation as a great judge of character in the short months she’d been at Hogwarts.
Which is why Blaise was incredibly confused when he walked into the Astronomy tower and saw Isabella chatting with Theodore Nott of all people as Theo was setting up his telescope, enjoying her company if his soft laughter was anything to judge by. Blaise aggressively cleared his throat as he fully entered the room, fiddling with his astronomy chart.
“Hey Blaise.” Isabella chimed as if nothing was strange about the exchange he just witnessed.
“Hey Reyes.” Blaise responded shortly, deciding to question her thoroughly at the Hufflepuff meet up after class.
He spent the rest of class trapped in his mind running through all the possible reasons as to why the two would be speaking together.
“Mr. Zabini! Can you share with the class the current ascension and declination of Jupiter?” Professor Sinistra asked, tired of his lack of productivity.
“Yes, Professor. Right ascension is 03h 01m 05s, declination +16 degrees, 16 seconds, 07 minutes.” Blaise stated slowly.
“Thank you.” She said, narrowing her eyes at his dragged out answer.
Later that evening Blaise wandered into the Hufflepuff common room, briefly greeting students as he made his way to sit next to Isabella on the floor near the fire.
“Reyes, quick question for you.” She hummed without looking up from her astronomy essay, “What- hm- since when- hmm- since when are you friends with Theodore Nott?” he eventually stammered out .
“Oh, Theo!”
Theo? I don’t even call him Theo, and I’ve known him since we were seven.
“ Just a bit before I became friends with you sooooo”, she tilted her head side to side, “about mid-September, why?” she mumbled clearly not paying him much attention.
Blaise didn’t answer, he was too busy wondering how Isabella survived this long. “No reason, I’m really tired. I'm going to head down to the dorms. Goodnight, Reyes.” he blurted out as he smoothly got up, trying not to alert her.
“Night Blaise.”, she muttered, still not paying his attention.
The second Blaise was out of sight he ran all the way down to the Slytherin dungeons, outpacing Ms. Norris and narrowly dodging Peeves’ dung bombs. Only to hear a posh voice call to him upon entering the common room, “Zabini, can I talk to you for a second?”
Perfect, just the man I wanted to speak to, Blaise thought as he took the armchair next to Theo’s. “What do you want to talk about Nott?”
“Your girlfriend actually. She is making quite a few enemies recently, we may need to step in soon.”
“She isn’t my girlfriend.”
“Sure. Listen Zabini, I don’t know if she told you but the older students have taken…an interest in her.” Theo raised his eyebrows with purpose.
Blaise instantly knew what he was talking about, the bullying and harassment that Isabella was open to because of her heritage, blood status and race. He wasn’t even necessarily worried about the Slytherin’s in his year, the older students could be far more cruel and dangerous than Malfoy and his entourage could dream to be. “How much interest?”
“Enough for her to prove herself to be a great duelist but not enough to discourage them. They’ve decided instead of taking her on one on one, they're going to attack her as a unit, soon.” - he held up a hand when he saw Blaise go to speak- “I don’t know how soon but soon enough that people are starting to sound excited that someones going to finally “teach her a lesson”. And we-” we pointed to the two of them ”-need to warn her and stand beside her, together.”
“Okay but why are you warning me, what’s in it for you?” Blaise added, “Specifically.” as to not allow Theo room to avoid his question.
Theo leaned in, “ Believe it or not, Reyes and I are friends. And you and I both don't want to see your girlfriend get attacked by the older students. And we both don’t like this blood supremacy bullshit.” he whispered after his eyes darted around the empty common room.
It was well known in the Wizarding World that Tiberius Nott was a Death Eater, a good one, a deadly one and a rumored unapologetic one. No one quite knows how he managed to escape Azkaban, no one knows the details of his hearing and all of his documentation is private. All anyone knows is that he only affiliates himself with purebloods who were involved with You-Know-Who and advocates strongly and loudly for the anti-muggleborn laws to be passed, as he has somehow maintained his seat in Wizengamot.
“Since when do you not believe in it?” was the only question Blaise had left.
“Since I was eight.” Theo muttered, his shoulders sagging as if he finally had a weight lifted off of him.
They sat in silence watching as The Giant Squid cast a shadow over the room, “Alright we’ll work together to help her.” Blaise said, holding out his hand to Theo.
With a firm handshake Theo agreed with a simple “Deal.”
They decided to not tell Isabella until after the holidays as there were only three days before everyone boarded the train to go home, they also agreed it would be best to warn the rest of the ‘puffs of the attack as they would be able to be around her far more than Blaise and Theo. The Hufflepuffs took the news surprisingly well, they already knew about Isabella’s run-ins with the older students, and Blaise saw their eyes hardened with determination as they promised to make sure Isabella didn’t face off the Slytherins alone. Blaise spent the last days completing busy work in his classes, lounging around the Hufflepuff common room and keeping a close eye on Isabella in case Theo and his assumption was wrong.
Thankfully the days passed without issue and Blaise watched as Isabella, bundled up in a thick robe, oversized Hufflepuff yellow scarf and mittens, boarded the train with her Hufflepuffs. They were surrounding her with Wayne casually observing their surroundings for potential threats. The train ride was uneventful; the only difference between this time and the beginning of the year is Blaise would catch Theo’s eyes and they would both subtly shake their heads at Draco’s dramatics. 
As the train slowed pulling up to the station, Blaise gathered his things and rushed to the doors, ready to go home. Over the past few months he had written to his mother weekly but his letters were admittedly vague as he felt so awkward describing everything to his mother in written words, he always finished his letters with “ I’ll tell you more when I get home.” Now that the time had finally arrived Blaise felt as if he were going to burst if he didn’t get to tell his mom everything now. The doors opened and there she was Elizabeth Zabini in the flesh wearing her hair in long butterfly locs decorated with silver jewelry, and wearing expensive purple robes. He immediately rushed to her, enveloping her in a hug which she instantly reciprocated, Blaise didn’t care how he looked, all he cared was that he was going home. He had grown comfortable with Isabella and the ‘puffs but he couldn’t confide in them as he did his mother. 
His mother rubbed his back gently, “Shall we grab your things and head home my love?”
Nodding eagerly Blaise let go and went to the cargo compartment of the train to gather his things (grateful he remembered to place a featherlight charm before leaving Hogwarts). He heard behind him, “Your mom looks as kind as you described her.” a soft voice he had become so familiar with remarked.
“She does, doesn't she?” he said with a smile as he turned to Isabella with a new found respect for her for the way she described his mother. “Where are your parents?” he asked, looking out a window at the mass of people in the station, searching for the people that Isabella talked so little about compared to how much Blaise told her about his mother. 
“Oh they're waiting for me in a taxi on the other side of the barrier. They don’t really trust …all of this.” she whispered vaguely, uncharacteristically nervously, as she used her hand to gesture to the sea of witches and wizards.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” she said with a grim smile. “Well I’m off, I don’t have an owl so I’ll give you your gift after break.” She grabbed her things and strut confidently into the barrier despite Blaise seeing her eyes water.
He slowly walked towards his mother, feeling as if someone had just dropped a boulder on his lungs. As he struggled to breathe he almost begged, “Mother, can we invite a friend of mine to stay for the last week of break?”
“Of course. Is something wrong?” she questioned her eyebrows furrowing.
‘I don’t know.” Blaise replied honestly.
Author's notes: this chapter was a pain in the ass yall. And i dont think its the longest chapter i've written. Sigh. i fought with this chapter like snoopy fought that chair in the thanksgiving charlie brown special that might be to niche but i don't care please tell me yalls thoughts in the comments, like if you enjoy and as always thanks for reading
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