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whbfan · 1 month

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Leviathan (Selfie) | Part 2/5

You were taken aback.

There were surprising events every day since coming to Hell, but you were never flustered in this way before.

Y/n: No, wait, Leviathan! I really don’t want to hurt you or beat you—!

Y/n: To use violence on someone who didn’t do wrong, someone you didn’t dislike!

You weren’t such a mean person and you didn’t even have the guts to do that.

Y/n: (And… he didn’t even ask me about it—!)

You were afraid because you didn’t know when the rope that tied you so firmly that your skin burned would move again without warning.

You were the one beating him but the situation made it look like you were the one being beaten.

But… there wasn’t even the tiniest understand nor warmth in Leviathan’s eyes.

Leviathan: Did I ask what you were thinking?

Y/n: No, you didn’t—!

Leviathan: Yet you still answer everything in a situation like this.

Leviathan muttered ‘what a strange human’ quietly.

Feeling your still stinging palms, you almost begged him.

Y/n: Leviathan, I really don’t want to mark your face. That really… makes me feel like I’m sinning—!

Y/n: Please untie me!!

Leviathan: Hmm. True… marking my face won’t be enough.

As soon as Leviathan spoke quietly, your other arm instantly stretched out for Leviathan.

You clamped your eyes shut, thinking that you would be hurting Leviathan again this time.

But instead of slapping Leviathan your hand grabbed him by the collar and pulled.

SNAP—!

The rough strength made all the buttons on Leviathan’s shirt fly off and the single button remaining on his chest also dangled sadly from it.

Y/n: A-argh–! Your clothes—!!

Leviathan: The wider the canvas, the better drawing you can draw.

Said Leviathan, hooking a finger over the last button that was barely hanging on and pulled it to the top of his chest.

Y/n: …..!!!

Abs so beautiful that they looked like they were carved out of pure white marble and lively nipples shone before your eyes.

Like precious stones that shone by themselves, an odd light ran along his skin.

His moist skin was soft and resilient everywhere so you thought if you folded your bare body over his, it would feel like drenching your body in a sweet fruit.

Feeling captivated, you gasped at Leviathan’s body and even forgot about the situation.

But you didn’t have a long time to enjoy the piece of art.

Leviathan: Your eyes seem to have no intention of hiding your desires.

You flinched at Leviathan’s dry voice and blushed.

Leviathan was right.

Because you were exclaiming and being aroused by Leviathan’s body, oblivious of the time, place, and situation.

But when you came to because of Leviathan’s voice, you still found this situation terrifying…

Y/n: …Hey, Leviathan. Why don’t we talk this through?

Y/n: What you wanted me to help you with. Maybe another devil can help you and not me.

Leviathan: Do you think other devils could do things like this?

When Leviathan twitched his finger, your hand was forced by the ropes to grab Leviathan’s chest.

Y/n: …!!!

Under Leviathan’s bare chest under your palm, you felt the thump, thump of his heartbeat.

You grabbed Leviathan’s chest powerfully as though trying to pop his heart under it.

Y/n: (N-no—! It will hurt if I hold it this tightly—!)

You strained and tried to defy it, but you couldn’t beat the power of the firm ropes encircling each of your joints.

Y/n: Let me go—!! Stop—!!

Leviathan: You’re the one holding me.

Y/n: I know, so please let me go—!!

Leviathan: Hmmm…

The tighter you gripped, Leviathan’s mouth let out a drowsy sigh.

You grabbed his chest so powerfully that you thought Leviathan’s chest would squeeze out through your fingers.

Leviathan: Hmm. This much…

When Leviathan turnt around towards the mirror and gestured with his hand, only then did the strength leave your hand.

There was a reddish black handprint like a bruise on Leviathan’s bare chest in the mirror.

Leviathan: Still, we’re nowhere near close.

Leviathan: But we’re on a good start.

Said Leviathan, with a rather satisfied look on his face.

But you really felt afraid.

Y/n: (T-that is enough to leave a mark—?!)

You did think that you grabbed him quite strongly but you never thought it would leave such a clear mark.

Along with the worry that Leviathan’s skin might be much weaker than you thought, you felt even more afraid that you may be able to leave larger wounds or marks on him in the future.

Of course, there was no way that Leviathan would change his mind just because of your expression or thoughts.

Leviathan: Looks like hitting leaves a mark more quickly than grabbing or rubbing.

Y/n: You want me to hit you again—?!

Leviathan: Strictly speaking, I am beating myself. So don’t you mind.

Y/n: N-no—! Let me go!! Right now!!

You were sniffling before you knew it.

You felt afraid of undergoing things like this by force, regardless of your intentions.

Y/n: I— I’m scared—!

Y/n: Why should I hit you—?!

Y/n: I want to cherish you—!

Leviathan: But I never wanted that.

Leviathan spoke as though it was cumbersome.

Y/n: I don’t want to do something that would offend the other person—!

Leviathan: Offend? Ah. Is that the problem?

Leviathan nodded as though he realized something and approached you to speak.

That placed the placed the pink nipples that looked like they would taste sweet when licked near your eyes.

Y/n: (I-I can’t be dazed by it—!)

You shut your eyes and tried to look away from his chest.

Just then, there was a squelching sound.

Y/n: …?

Leviathan: Open your mouth.

You opened your eyes dubiously at Leviathan’s words, whom he looked down at pathetically.

Y/n: ……?

Leviathan: Do I have to do this for you?

He grabbed your chin roughly and forced your cheeks open with his index and middle finger.

Then, he pushed his other hand all the way inside your mouth.

Y/n: Urp—?!

Leviathan: Swallow.

You realized too late that something sticky was on his hand.

You were afraid of swallowing something you didn’t know but Leviathan was pressing your tongue and you gulped it down in the end.

#leviathan selfie #what in hell is bad #what in ‘hell’ is bad #whb #whb spoilers #whb leviathan

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jaeminzie · 3 years

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lion boy | l.mh

↳ mark lee x fem!reader

synopsis: you would never ruin your slytherin image by exposing your crush on the gryffindor head boy. but for mark lee, you’d put it into consideration.

genre: fluff

word count: 2,074

a/n: a new series hehe, i’ve been procrastinating on this but i’m rlly proud with how it turned out ! mark lee best boy sigh ( also happy holidays :] )

part of ‘the dreamies in hogwarts’ series

“can you quit your act already?” your best friend pulled you through the hallways so powerfully causing both of your green robes to flap everywhere, gaining some raised eyebrows from the paintings surrounding your moving bodies. you continued to wince as her grip on your wrist became tighter and her strides became faster, you swear her heavy foot stomps could be heard throughout the castle.

you huffed in annoyance. your best friend has been side eyeing and sighing throughout the entirety of herbology whenever you spoke, but now she decides to speak to you. “what are you on about?” you let out a deep breath once she lets go off your wrist when you reached the restroom. thankfully, it was empty so no one can see you absolutely destroy your friend after she just destroyed your bones from dragging you too hard. “no need to drain all our energies, y/f/n, just talk to me.” you snapped but added a tad bit of sincerity, while dusting your robe.

she stood there, arms crossed and tapping her foot on the tile while watching you with grimace in her eyes. “infuriating, you are.”

“i’m quite aware, thank you very much.” you clicked your tongue and turned to the sink next to you to wash your sweaty hands, not sparing a glance at your friend stood in front of you.

the clicking sound on the tiles stopped and you could see her arms dropping by her sides in the corner of your eye. “you know i love you, right?” despite the wholesome meaning of her words, the way it sounded off her tongue seemed a different story.

breathlessly chucking at your friend, “you have an absurd way of showing it, but yes. i’m also aware of that.” you sighed, wiping your hands on your robe which made your friend cringe as she saw the water streaks appear on the ‘special’ robe.

“you’re the one to talk.” her arms made their way back up against her chest all crossed.

you furrowed your eyebrows so much that you could feel a headache coming. “okay now, what are you talking about?”

“always so oblivious, y/n.” she brought up her hand to tuck in a piece of your hair behind your ear, making you slap her hand away. “get out of my face before i hex you, mark lee.” she mimicked your voice and giggle using an obnoxiously high pitched tone. “you really need to work your on flirting skills.”

your face softened at the mention of his name, and began to heat up once your friend noticed the change in emotion in your eyes. you quickly replied before she could further taunt you, “saying that i want to hex someone means that i’m flirting with them? make it make sense.” you paused to roll your eyes. “and i don’t giggle.” you scoffed, trying your hardest to stop yourself from blushing.

“if you really do despise that boy like how you claim you do, you would’ve done it by now.” she poked your cheek with the tip of her wooden wand. “but you haven’t.” she smirked at you, waiting for the response she wanted but she was not going to get it out of you. at least, not that easily. after a good portion of silence, she dropped her smirk and waved her arms up in the air. “oh my god, just say you like him!”

“i am not saying i like a-“ you whisper, “-a gryffindor.” your friend rolled her eyes at your immaturity. “but is it really that obvious? do you think he’s noticed?”

and her smirk that you wanted to slap away made another appearance. “god no, lee has got to be the biggest dimwit of the school. i can’t believe he’s head-boy of gryffindor.”

you glared at her. “please, he’s not the biggest dimwit if you’re around.” you smiled at the satisfying reaction she gave. “it’s all out of love, babe.” you caressed her hair and reassured her since you were slightly fearing your life after the look she flashed you.

you began to walk out with your friend stomping behind you, clearing still frustrated as her plan didn’t go her way. though she wasn’t about to give up that easily, she needed both you and mark to stop rejecting your obvious feelings toward each other.

though, what both of you failed to hear were the giggles echoing in the bathroom. it seems like your best friend doesn’t have to work so hard for her plan to work.

—

it was a tiresome day and you wanted nothing more than to go back to your common room and relax with your peers. the whole day you’ve gotten weird looks and quick glances from people who you didn’t know even existed. you weren’t phased by it. as a slytherin, it wasn’t uncommon to get odd looks from the new students since they don’t know any better and stereotype. though, it seemed like everyone was looking.

a free period is all you needed, and that is what you had at the moment. using the precious time wisely, you chose the middle courtyard to spend time by yourself in. you walked your way to the area humming your favorite tune since you can finally get a break, then making yourself comfortable on the grass. sighing contently, you took in the fresh air and admired the greenery surrounding you before pulling out your potions book to study before attending after your free period.

being so focused on the words on the book that you barely understood, you didn’t notice the sudden shade casted upon you before hearing someone clear their throat from above you. you turned your head up to that someone — mark lee.

“uh hi,” he croaked. “free period?”

you laughed at the boy, making sure it sounded more like a scoff rather than a giggle. “yes.” you went back to reading the book laid on your lap, ignoring the boy dressed in red. you could honestly barf at how dashing he manages to look in that horrid color.

you could slightly see him fidgeting with his fingers as he tried to say some words, making your heart flutter. “oh same.” you made sure your hair covers majority of your face before smiling at his dry response. he was trying so hard but to him, it wasn’t enough. to you, it was enough to make you feel nauseous over how adorable he was being. god, your best friend would pay to see this moment. you rolled your eyes when you realized that you’d have to share what’s currently happening to your friend later. then she’d finally brag over how she was right all along, never ceasing a moment to use the fact that you’re head over heels over a lion boy against you. but there was nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to mark lee.

“what do you need?” you continued to flip the pages of the damaged book because you couldn’t show your tomato face just yet.

“okay uh-“ he cleared his throat. “i just wanted to inform you that there are rumors going around.”

“about?” you sounded completely uninterested in the topic which surprised mark. you became disappointed since you had hoped that he came to talk to you because he wanted to, not because he felt obligated to. you guess that’s what happens when you aren’t the sweetest to the boy you’ve liked for years.

“apparently, moaning myrtle heard your conversation with y/f/n earlier today and she’s been telling every girl who enters the loo.” he spoke cautiously, trying not to press the wrong buttons of yours.

you felt your heart race. though, you weren’t sure if it was out of nervousness or excitement. maybe both? yes both. you could feel the beating of your heart throughout your whole body and you hoped that mark couldn’t hear how embarrassingly loud it was. you stayed silent until you managed to piece yourself together enough to look at him. “and you’re telling me this because....?”

his voice cracked. “i don’t know. maybe because...” and he cleared his throat once again. “i like you too.” he shoved his hands in his pockets and made direct eye contact with you. you mentally applaud him for the courage, perfectly exhibiting his house’s prominent trait. but the long silence and you not attempting to create a response made his eyes look at everything besides you who calmly sat legs crossed on the grass. he failed to see the adoration that you have for him in your eyes as he was too busy worrying that he had made you ‘despise’ him even more.

mark, undeniably the most popular student in hogwarts, was the one standing above you and looking down at you, but it was obvious that you are the one whose got him wrapped around your finger.

you smirked slightly once you realized that you can have some fun in this. “you think that i’d have even the slightest interest on the muggle born, lion boy that you are?” you teased, quirking your eyebrows.

the overly nervous boy obviously didn’t catch the joking tone laced in your voice but being the gryffindor head-boy he is, mark puffed up his chest and spoke with full confidence. “yeah i do think that.” after getting no response from you, his chest fell down and his back began to hunch. replying with a soft tone that almost made your lip quiver, “i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have even believed in the rumors in the first place. i’ll tell everyone to st-“

the guilt became bigger and bigger the more he talked, and you just couldn’t take the image of him standing there not knowing what to do with his hands anymore. “well you’re right.”

mark’s eyes were popping out of his head with his mouth wide open. “seriously?”

“i mean, wasn’t i obvious?” you stood up and wiped your robe during the process.

he raised his eyebrow and refrained himself form laughing. “you truly have a special way of showing it then.” despite the lighthearted tone in his voice, he still couldn’t look at you.

“so i’ve been told.” you giggled, slightly covering your mouth with your fingers. giggled. mark thought. he immediately looked at you at the sound of your giggling since he’s never made you do that before, and it made his pride swell seeing your eyes crinkle and face glow red by his words.

mark was so entranced by your appearance, he’s never seen you like this before and he could definitely get used to it. so entranced that his body began moving for him, leaning closer and closer with his hands reaching for your waist.

before he was close enough to get a taste of your chapstick, you separated your lips with your index finger. you tutted, “not yet.”

“yet?”

you hummed at his question. “if you work hard enough.” you bend down to gather your books from the ground and mark followed your actions, handing your books.

“of course i will, you know me.” he teased while standing back up with you and flashed a side smile that caused the release of the butterflies caged in the pit of your stomach.

the bell rang, indicating the end of class which meant that everyone should be coming out now. you looked at mark once more, “fortunately.”

his smile grew but disappointment took over his face when he saw you barely stepping back from him.

before turning your back, you poked his chest with your pointer finger — getting surprised at how muscular he felt. wanting to have more fun, you leaned close to his ear and whispered, “i’m counting on you.”

the feeling of your lips brushing against his ear made mark’s face heat up and focus unclear. he only managed to see you strut into the hallways, leaving him flustered and shaking his head at your antics that he found so endearing.

mark continued to watch your figure become smaller and smaller the further you walked away, only getting pulled out of the trance once his friends called out his name. he looked back at you and was met with a genuine smile that you gave him, which made him stumble as he was trying to make his way to his fellow gryffindors. you’re going to make me lose my mind. mark thought. and you made sure to prove him right.

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bamf-jaskier · 3 years

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Who the Fuck is Eskel?

If you have ever gone on The Witcher tag on Tumblr, I’m sure you’ve seen dozens of blogs dedicated to this guy named Eskel and for people who have just seen the show you might be wondering - who the fuck is this guy?

Hi, I’m Aaliyah, and this is Part 5 of my WTF Series - a crash course in subjects from The Witcher Books.

Post under the cut

Let’s jump in by talking about what books Eskel is in. He’s only mentioned in one line in The Last Wish, The Tower of Swallows and The Time of Contempt. He has a flashback scene in Lady of the Lake and the only book where he plays a heavy role in is Blood of Elves.

For all you Eskel Stans out there, this is good news, because it looks like S2 of the show is going to be taking some cues from Blood of Elves and we do know Eskel is going to be appearing so these scenes might be showing up in some form or another in the show.

We first meet Eskel in Blood of Elves when Geralt is first bringing Ciri to the keep:

“Who comes?” Ciri heard a menacing, metallic voice which sounded like a dog’s bark. “Geralt?”

“Yes, Eskel. It’s me.”

“Come in.”

The witcher dismounted, took Ciri from the saddle, stood her on the ground and pressed a bundle into her little hands which she grabbed tightly, only regretting that it was too small for her to hide behind completely.

“Wait here with Eskel,” he said. “I’ll take Roach to the stables.”

“Come into the light, laddie,” growled the man called Eskel. “Don’t lurk in the dark.”

Ciri looked up into his face and barely restrained her frightened scream. He wasn’t human. Although he stood on two legs, although he smelled of sweat and smoke, although he wore ordinary human clothes, he was not human. No human can have a face like that, she thought.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” repeated Eskel.

She didn’t move. In the darkness she heard the clatter of Roach’s horseshoes grow fainter. Something soft and squeaking ran over her foot. She jumped. “Don’t loiter in the dark, or the rats will eat your boots.”

Still clinging to her bundle Ciri moved briskly towards the light. The rats bolted out from beneath her feet with a squeak. Eskel leaned over, took the package from her and pulled back her hood.

“A plague on it,” he muttered. “A girl. That’s all we need.”

She glanced at him, frightened. Eskel was smiling. She saw that he was human after all, that he had an entirely human face, deformed by a long, ugly, semi-circular scar running from the corner of his mouth across the length of his cheek up to the ear.

“Since you’re here, welcome to Kaer Morhen,” he said. “What do they call you?”

“Ciri,” Geralt replied for her, silently emerging from the darkness. Eskel turned around. Suddenly, quickly, wordlessly, the witchers fell into each other’s arms and wound their shoulders around each other tight and hard. For one brief moment.

“Wolf, you’re alive.”

“I am.”

“All right.” Eskel took a torch from its bracket. “Come on. I’m closing the inner gates to stop the heat escaping.”

Couple things here. First, for all the game fans out there, Eskel’s scar in the books is VERY different. It’s not the lightening-like claw marks that go over his eye but instead it goes from the corner of his mouth to his ear. This is interesting because it really parallels in my mind Ciri’s scar she gets later on that extends from under her eye to her ear.

Also, the little reunion between Geralt and Eskel, so sweet. The line about Eskel in Last Wish establishes that they were close friends so here is the snippet just to give more backstory to the two of them:

“Once, years ago, when a little snot-faced brat following his studies in Kaer Morhen, the Witchers’ Settlement, he and a friend, Eskel, had captured a huge forest bumblebee and tied it to a jug with a thread. They were in fits of laughter watching the antics of the tied bumblebee, until Vesemir, their tutor, caught them at it and tanned their hides with a leather strap.”

Childhood friends and brothers is just so damn great. Actually, speaking of brothers, it is stated in Blood of Elves that Geralt and Eskel actually look very similar and are often mistaken for brothers such as in this scene from Triss’s POV.

Eskel stood next to Geralt, resembling the Wolf like a brother apart from the colour of his hair and the long scar which disfigured his cheek. And the youngest of the Kaer Morhen witchers, Lambert, was there with his usual ugly, mocking expression. Vesemir was not there.

“Welcome and come in,” said Eskel. “It is as cold and blustery as if someone has hung themselves. Ciri, where are you off to? The invitation does not apply to you. The sun is still high, even if it is obscured. You can still train.”

“Hey.” The Enchantress tossed her hair. “Politeness comes cheap in Witchers’ Keep now, I see. Ciri was the first to greet me, and brought me to the castle. She ought to keep me company—”

This really interests me because Ciri is very young child when she meets Eskel and she is very terrified of him and intimidated. Which makes sense, she is very traumatized. But, when Triss meets Eskel she only makes a short note of his scar and focuses more on his resemblance to Geralt and commenting on the lack of politeness. It just goes to show how different characters perceive people differently. A child’s perspective of a warrior is not going to be the same as a Mage’s.

“You didn’t even know.” She nodded in what was now a calm, concerned and gentle reproach. “You’re pathetic guardians. She’s ashamed to tell you because she was taught not to mention such complaints to men. And she’s ashamed of the weakness, the pain and the fact that she is less fit. Has any one of you thought about that? Taken any interest in it? Or tried to guess what might be the matter with her? Maybe her very first bleed happened here, in Kaer Morhen? And she cried to herself at night, unable to find any sympathy, consolation or even understanding from anyone? Has any one of you given it any thought whatsoever?”

“Stop it, Triss,” moaned Geralt quietly. “That’s enough. You’ve achieved what you wanted. And maybe even more.”

“The devil take it,” cursed Coën. “We’ve turned out to be right idiots, there’s no two ways about it, eh, Vesemir, and you—”

“Silence,” growled the old witcher. “Not a word.”

It was Eskel’s behaviour which was most unlikely; he got up, approached the enchantress, bent down low, took her hand and kissed it respectfully. She swiftly withdrew her hand. Not so as to demonstrate her anger and annoyance but to break the pleasant, piercing vibration triggered by the witcher’s touch. Eskel emanated powerfully. More powerfully than Geralt.

“Triss,” he said, rubbing the hideous scar on his cheek with embarrassment, “help us. We ask you. Help us, Triss.”

Now, if you can’t tell, Triss’ favorite is Eskel. This scene is also implies that Eskel is more magically powerful than Geralt which Is very interesting. But Triss is an Eskel stan, in fact a couple lines later Triss thinks to herself:

Vesemir hawked again. But Eskel, dear Eskel, kept his head and once more behaved as was fitting.

“Of course,” he said casually, smiling. “We understand and clearly we will postpone your exercises until your indisposition has passed. We will also cut the theory short and, if you feel unwell, we will put it aside for the time being, too. If you need any medication or—”

Eskel definitely has the older sibling energy where he ends up in charge sometimes and knows how to keep a cool head. He’s also the most aware of societal norms of behavior which is why Triss likes his so much. She really respects people who know how to move in society.

There’s also this scene in Blood of Elves where Eskel is drinking and offers Triss some:

“White Seagull.”

“What?”

“A mild remedy,” Eskel smiled, “for pleasant dreams.”

“Damn it! A witcher hallucinogenic? That’s why your eyes shine like that in the evenings!”

“White Seagull is very gentle. It’s Black Seagull that is hallucinogenic.”

“If there’s magic in this liquid I’m not allowed to take it!”

“Exclusively natural ingredients,” Geralt reassured her but he looked, she noticed, disconcerted. He was clearly afraid she would question them about the elixir’s ingredients. “And diluted with a great deal of water. We would not offer you anything that could harm you.”

I think it’s very funny how secret The Witcher keeps all their potions and elixirs. Whether it’s mushrooms or potions, they gotta keep those secret drugs locked down tight. Also the fact that Eskel is the fantasy equivalent of high every night? Love that for him.

Eskel really is the peace-maker of the group. He’s not a push-over by any means but he is definitely more willing to play along that any of the others. When Triss is talking at night, Eskel is really the only one listening and engaging, even if it’s very half-hearted.

In the evenings, consistently and determinedly, Triss guided the long conversations held in the dark hall, lit only by the bursts of flames in the great hearth, towards politics. The witchers’ reactions were always the same. Geralt, a hand on his forehead, did not say a word.

Vesemir nodded, from time to time throwing in comments which amounted to little more than that “in his day” everything had been better, more logical, more honest and healthier.

Eskel pretended to be polite, and neither smiled nor made eye contact, and even managed, very occasionally, to be interested in some issue or question of little importance. Coën yawned openly and looked at the ceiling, and Lambert did nothing to hide his disdain.

And he is really the only sort-of listener to Triss’ stories and retellings of events:

This time it was Triss who began to yawn and stare at the ceiling. This time she was the one who remained silent – until Eskel turned to her with a question. A question which she had anticipated.

“And what is it really like in the south, on the Yaruga? Is it worth going there? We wouldn’t like to find ourselves in the middle of any trouble.”

“What do you mean by trouble?”

“Well, you know…” he stammered, “you keep telling us about the possibility of a new war… About constant fighting on the borders, about rebellions in the lands invaded by Nilfgaard. You said they’re saying the Nilfgaardians might cross the Yaruga again—”

“So what?” said Lambert. “They’ve been hitting, killing and striking against each other constantly for hundreds of years. It’s nothing to worry about. I’ve already decided – I’m going to the far South, to Sodden, Mahakam and Angren. It’s well known that monsters abound wherever armies have passed. The most money is always made in places like that.”

“True,” Coën acknowledged. “The neighbourhood grows deserted, only women who can’t fend for themselves remain in the villages… scores of children with no home or care, roaming around… Easy prey attracts monsters.”

“And the lord barons and village elders,” added Eskel, “have their heads full of the war and don’t have the time to defend their subjects. They have to hire us. It’s true. But from what Triss has been telling us all these evenings, it seems the conflict with Nilfgaard is more serious than that, not just some local little war. Is that right, Triss?”

Once more, Eskel is the peace-maker of the conversation and he brings it back around to what Triss originally said and also points to her expertise. Basically, Eskel is not really a fan of verbal conflict.

This is actually the last line we see Eskel in a scene outside of the flashback in Lady of the Lake. After this, Triss, Geralt and Ciri head off. It is important to note that near the end of Blood of Elves Ciri says this about Yennefer:

The lady magician knew a surprising amount about a witcher’s sword and “dance.” She knew a great deal about the secrets of Kaer Morhen; there was no doubt she had visited the Keep. She knew Vesemir and Eskel. Although not Lambert and Coën.

Yennefer used to visit Kaer Morhen. Ciri guessed why – when they spoke of the Keep – the eyes of the enchantress grew warm, lost their angry gleam and their cold, indifferent, wise depth. If the words had befitted Yennefer’s person, Ciri would have called her dreamy, lost in memories.

So clearly Yennefer is also friendly with Eskel and knows him. I love the idea that Yennefer regularly visited Kaer Morhen before Ciri came into Geralt’s care and I would literally cry if they did a flashback sequence in S2 of Yennefer visiting Geralt in Kaer Morhen.

The flashback sequence in Lady of the Lake with Eskel goes like this:

The fire in the huge fireplace went out. A gust of wind from the mountains whistled through the crevices of the walls and screamed through the improperly closed shutters of Kaer Morhen, Home of the Witchers.

“Damn it!” Eskel said, standing up and going to the cupboard. “Seagull or vodka?”

“Vodka,” Geralt and Coen said with one voice.

“Sure,” interjected Vesemir, hidden in the shadows, “Yes, of course! Drown your stupidity in vodka. Damn fools!”

“It was an accident…” muttered Lambert. “She had already mastered the comb…”

“Shut your big mouth, you idiot! I don’t want to hear any more! I warned you, if something happened to that little girl…”

“Enough,” Coen interrupted him, softly. “She sleeps peacefully. Deep and healthy. She will wake up a bit sore, but that’s it. About the trance, and what happened, she will not even remember it.”

“As long as you remember,” said Vesemir, panting angrily. “Cabbage heads! Pour for me too, Eskel.”

They were silent for a long time, listening intently to the howling gale.

“We will need to call someone,” Eskel finally said. “We will need to bring a sorcerer here. What is happening to the girl, it is not normal.”

Eskel is one of The Witcher who really pushes to call Triss in order to help with Ciri’s trances. Also, once again this guy is hitting the drinks.

So yeah! That’s Eskel in the books. Based on how in the non-canon wedding short Asaps wrote where he ended up having Triss and Eskel get together, I think his hints of them having a connection in the books is very intentional and if The Witcher wasn’t such a god damn tragedy and Triss wasn’t mooning over Geralt, I’m willing to bet they would have gotten together at some point.

Eskel is the peace-maker of the family and is the best at recognizing the norms of “polite society” (or at least noble society) and while Ciri might have been scared of his appearance, it isn’t enough to phase Triss who is considered rather vain. In fact, she seems to respect Eskel the most out of the Witchers. Just imagine a dark-haired, scarred Geralt and BOOM, you got yourself an Eskel.

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life-observed · 3 years

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The Moral Peril of Meritocracy

Our individualistic culture inflames the ego and numbs the spirit. Failure teaches us who we are.

April 6, 2019

David Brooks

By David Brooks

Mr. Brooks is an Opinion columnist. This essay is adapted from his forthcoming book, “The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life.”

Many of the people I admire lead lives that have a two-mountain shape. They got out of school, began their career, started a family and identified the mountain they thought they were meant to climb — I’m going to be an entrepreneur, a doctor, a cop. They did the things society encourages us to do, like make a mark, become successful, buy a home, raise a family, pursue happiness.

People on the first mountain spend a lot of time on reputation management. They ask: What do people think of me? Where do I rank? They’re trying to win the victories the ego enjoys.

These hustling years are also powerfully shaped by our individualistic and meritocratic culture. People operate under this assumption: I can make myself happy. If I achieve excellence, lose more weight, follow this self-improvement technique, fulfillment will follow.

But in the lives of the people I’m talking about — the ones I really admire — something happened that interrupted the linear existence they had imagined for themselves. Something happened that exposed the problem with living according to individualistic, meritocratic values.

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Some of them achieved success and found it unsatisfying. They figured there must be more to life, some higher purpose. Others failed. They lost their job or endured some scandal. Suddenly they were falling, not climbing, and their whole identity was in peril. Yet another group of people got hit sideways by something that wasn’t part of the original plan. They had a cancer scare or suffered the loss of a child. These tragedies made the first-mountain victories seem, well, not so important.

Life had thrown them into the valley, as it throws most of us into the valley at one point or another. They were suffering and adrift.

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Some people are broken by this kind of pain and grief. They seem to get smaller and more afraid, and never recover. They get angry, resentful and tribal.

But other people are broken open. The theologian Paul Tillich wrote that suffering upends the normal patterns of life and reminds you that you are not who you thought you were. The basement of your soul is much deeper than you knew. Some people look into the hidden depths of themselves and they realize that success won’t fill those spaces. Only a spiritual life and unconditional love from family and friends will do. They realize how lucky they are. They are down in the valley, but their health is O.K.; they’re not financially destroyed; they’re about to be dragged on an adventure that will leave them transformed.

They realize that while our educational system generally prepares us for climbing this or that mountain, your life is actually defined by how you make use of your moment of greatest adversity.

So how does moral renewal happen? How do you move from a life based on bad values to a life based on better ones?

First, there has to be a period of solitude, in the wilderness, where self-reflection can occur.

“What happens when a ‘gifted child’ findshimself in a wilderness where he’s stripped away of any way of proving his worth?” Belden Lane asks in “Backpacking With the Saints.” What happens where there is no audience, nothing he can achieve? He crumbles. The ego dissolves. “Only then is he able to be loved.”

That’s the key point here. The self-centered voice of the ego has to be quieted before a person is capable of freely giving and receiving love.

Then there is contact with the heart and soul — through prayer, meditation, writing, whatever it is that puts you in contact with your deepest desires.

“In the deeps are the violence and terror of which psychology has warned us,” Annie Dillard writes in “Teaching a Stone to Talk.” “But if you ride these monsters deeper down, if you drop with them farther over the world’s rim, you find what our sciences cannot locate or name, the substrate, the ocean or matrix or ether which buoys the rest, which gives goodness its power for good, and evil its power for evil, the unified field: our complex and inexplicable caring for each other.”

In the wilderness the desire for esteem is stripped away and bigger desires are made visible: the desires of the heart (to live in loving connection with others) and the desires of the soul (the yearning to serve some transcendent ideal and to be sanctified by that service).

When people are broken open in this way, they are more sensitive to the pains and joys of the world. They realize: Oh, that first mountain wasn’t my mountain. I am ready for a larger journey.

Some people radically change their lives at this point. They quit corporate jobs and teach elementary school. They dedicate themselves to some social or political cause. I know a woman whose son committed suicide. She says that the scared, self-conscious woman she used to be died with him. She found her voice and helps families in crisis. I recently met a guy who used to be a banker. That failed to satisfy, and now he helps men coming out of prison. I once corresponded with a man from Australia who lost his wife, a tragedy that occasioned a period of reflection. He wrote, “I feel almost guilty about how significant my own growth has been as a result of my wife’s death.”

Perhaps most of the people who have emerged from a setback stay in their same jobs, with their same lives, but they are different. It’s not about self anymore; it’s about relation, it’s about the giving yourself away. Their joy is in seeing others shine.

In their book “Practical Wisdom,” Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe tell the story of a hospital janitor named Luke. In Luke’s hospital there was a young man who’d gotten into a fight and was now in a permanent coma. The young man’s father sat with him every day in silent vigil, and every day Luke cleaned the room. But one day the father was out for a smoke when Luke cleaned it.

Later that afternoon, the father found Luke and snapped at him for not cleaning the room. The first-mountain response is to see your job as cleaning rooms. Luke could have snapped back: I did clean the room. You were out smoking. The second-mountain response is to see your job as serving patients and their families. In that case you’d go back in the room and clean it again, so that the father could have the comfort of seeing you do it. And that’s what Luke did.

If the first mountain is about building up the ego and defining the self, the second is about shedding the ego and dissolving the self. If the first mountain is about acquisition, the second mountain is about contribution.

On the first mountain, personal freedom is celebrated — keeping your options open, absence of restraint. But the perfectly free life is the unattached and unremembered life. Freedom is not an ocean you want to swim in; it is a river you want to cross so that you can plant yourself on the other side.

So the person on the second mountain is making commitments. People who have made a commitment to a town, a person, an institution or a cause have cast their lot and burned the bridges behind them. They have made a promise without expecting a return. They are all in.

I can now usually recognize first- and second-mountain people. The former have an ultimate allegiance to self; the latter have an ultimate allegiance to some commitment. I can recognize first- and second-mountain organizations too. In some organizations, people are there to serve their individual self-interests — draw a salary. But other organizations demand that you surrender to a shared cause and so change your very identity. You become a Marine, a Morehouse Man.

I’ve been describing moral renewal in personal terms, but of course whole societies and cultures can swap bad values for better ones. I think we all realize that the hatred, fragmentation and disconnection in our society is not just a political problem. It stems from some moral and spiritual crisis.

We don’t treat one another well. And the truth is that 60 years of a hyper-individualistic first-mountain culture have weakened the bonds between people. They’ve dissolved the shared moral cultures that used to restrain capitalism and the meritocracy.

Over the past few decades the individual, the self, has been at the center. The second-mountain people are leading us toward a culture that puts relationships at the center. They ask us to measure our lives by the quality of our attachments, to see that life is a qualitative endeavor, not a quantitative one. They ask us to see others at their full depths, and not just as a stereotype, and to have the courage to lead with vulnerability. These second-mountain people are leading us into a new culture. Culture change happens when a small group of people find a better way to live and the rest of us copy them. These second-mountain people have found it.

Their moral revolution points us toward a different goal. On the first mountain we shoot for happiness, but on the second mountain we are rewarded with joy. What’s the difference? Happiness involves a victory for the self. It happens as we move toward our goals. You get a promotion. You have a delicious meal.

Joy involves the transcendence of self. When you’re on the second mountain, you realize we aim too low. We compete to get near a little sunlamp, but if we lived differently, we could feel the glow of real sunshine. On the second mountain you see that happiness is good, but joy is better.

#meritocracy #David brooks #spirit #individual #ego #community #love #success #failure #self #culture #happiness #joy

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jonathanvik · 3 years

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Starlight Dream - Chapter 1

The slop squelched onto Seina's plate. Pieces of her dinner splashed onto her plain blue dress, staining it. Not that the server cared, glaring at her to keep moving. The workers only had two twenty-minute breaks in their thirteen-hour day. The servers tolerated no dillydallying, especially from rambunctious young girls like her.

Seina kept her head down and kept moving, else she draw more attention to herself. She'd have to spend some time before bed cleaning it. By rule, the higher-ups allowed the workers only one outfit.

Her parents waved her over, and Seina joined them. Before the darkness, her father had worked at an insurance firm as a salaryman. Years of hard labor and ill nutrition had left him gaunt and bony, losing most of his hair during the process. Despite this, he kept a positive attitude. Her father never stopped smiling, always saying there was a silver lining behind anything. Seina wasn't sure what silver lining existed to a life with a 78-hour workweek of menial labor, and being fed food even dogs would be reluctant to eat. Still, she appreciated the encouragement.

"Oh dear, did you receive a stain, Seina?" Seina's mother said as she approached the grimy rusty table her family sat around. While somewhat plain, the matronly woman wore a face people instinctively trusted. "I'll ask around to see if I can get an extra detergent ration. Can't have the taskmasters seeing my daughter walk around in soiled clothes." Like her father, her mother was also always smiling. It made Seina feel guilty for being miserable most days.

Not that they really had days anymore. Thick smoke covered the sky, making even the sunniest days hazy and ugly. The masters' power had ensured the sun would never shine again.

Seina gave the nearest taskmaster a nervous sideways glance. Pointed teeth glistened from under his lips, marking him as the monster he was. She gave him a respectful nod, not showing an ounce of disrespect. She'd seen people staked for less. Their boss enjoyed twisting people into grotesque art pieces to mock their human workers. For the majority of Seina's ten-year existence, vampires had dominated the world.

Somehow, Seina got her stomach to agree with the slop they'd served her. Her parents weren't as picky, happily sipping away at their meal. After another tentative bite, an interruption caught her attention, making her blood turn cold. A high-ranking vampire had entered their eating area, a black silk cape flowing behind him. They were never a good sign.

"Attention. The Dark Lord is looking for volunteers for tonight's entertainment, and you're the lucky bunch, 2-B!" The man gave them a cruel smile. "Come this way. I'd advise not to keep Master Lothaire waiting."

Fear rooted Seina's feet in place, knowing the likely fate which awaited them. She'd seen it often enough. Master Lothaire loved making them watch his entertainments. Her father put a comforting hand on her shoulder, wearing a bright smile.

"Don't worry dear. Most groups come back alive afterward. They can't afford to kill entire scores of us. They'll pick a few and leave the rest alone."

Her mother nodded in agreement, also wearing a wide, encouraging smile. "He's right, Seina. I better take care of that stain. Have to look our best for the vampire lord! How's my hair look?"

"Just smashing honey!" Her father replied. "You'll knock them dead!"

Her mother blushed. "Stop it!"

While not as optimistic, Seina got her feet moving. She joined the others in her workgroup towards Master Lothaire's favorite colosseum, allowing the head vampire to shackle her.

"What a dreary place!" Colten said, examining the strange new world he'd found himself in. He flew high into the smoky area, examining everything with interest. What a terrible place to find himself. The people looked shabby, dressed in rags. Their living conditions seemed little better. Most buildings were either dilapidated or empty. The fear behind the human's eyes broke his tiny heart. Something terrible had happened here.

As he scanned his surroundings, something caught his eye. Were those people in chains? Dark creatures were guiding their captives towards one of the few well-maintained buildings in the city. It was a massive dome-like building and, unlike most structures, had bright flashing lights. From the captive's expressions, most believed they were going to die. It shocked him to see children among them.

Colten screamed in frustration. What could he do? His power was limited, drained from his trip, and he was only a tiny fairy. Dark energy spilled from the people's captors. They were powerful creatures of pure darkness. The evil intensified when he looked towards the shining dome. He sensed great malice there.

"Darn it!" He looked towards the scared people again and made a decision. Moments later, he flew towards the colosseum, praying he could do something.

People packed the stadium. They bumped and jostled Seina as she attempted to walk through them. Master Lothaire must have called everyone in the Osaka district to attend his games. The vampire elite were jeering and having fun, watching the helpless, terrified humans with amusement. One grabbed a random passerby, and Seina looked away, not wishing to see what happened next. She'd heard and seen enough to know the rest.

The entire building was a testament to the master of humanity's power. Statues of people wearing expressions of agonizing pain decorated the walls. Rumors said they were actual people, turned to stone through a vampire's power during their death throes and maybe even still suffering. The details on them gave some unsettling credence to this theory.

Soon they reached a large circular room with countless bleachers, each occupied by a vampire eager for tonight's festivities. Master Lothaire himself sat on a throne of ivory, looking down upon his domain from the balcony. The vampire lord was handsome beyond words, taking Seina's breath away, despite knowing his true monstrous nature. The proof hung around his neck. He wore a necklace of skulls, each of a world leader he'd killed after taking their country for his own. In the throne beside him sat Lilha, his queen. She also shared her husband's inhuman beauty, only her eyes betrayed her lack of humanity, and Seina shivered when they shared a glance. She was only a toy Lilha would enjoy before throwing away.

"Welcome, friends!" Master Lothaire said. Despite not raising his voice, Seina could hear him despite the distance. "Tonight marks the fifth anniversary of my conquest of the world. In honor of that victory, I've provided entertainment and games for all to enjoy. Eat, drink, and be merry! For this kingdom will last a thousand years and beyond!" The vampire crowd broke into uproarious cheering and applause.

Seina's legs shook. This was worse than she'd first suspected. The odds of survival seemed almost impossible. She calmed down somewhat when her father put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, we'll get through this." Her father said, wearing a warm smile.

"Our first entertainment will be a favorite of mine, a battle to the death!" Master Lothaire said, continuing. "Against your favorite and mine, Dreven the Unkillable!"

Bar doors opened in the fighter's pit, revealing a shirtless vampire. Unlike most of his kind, this vampire had a powerfully built body, seeming more alive than his undead kin. He played to the crowd, who gave him cheers and tossed him decayed flowers.

_Wow, Dreven the Unkillable. I feel sorry for anyone who's going to face him. He's never lost a fight, ever. _Wasn't his win count eight thousand to zero or something?

"And his opponent will be a volunteer from worker group 2-B!" Master Lothaire said, surprising Seina out of her pondering.

_This is so bad! _That meant someone she'd know for most of her life would soon die. It was too horrible to even consider. The girls in her division openingly wept, almost terrified beyond reason. Uncle Kenji offered brave words, but they fell on deaf ears.

"No need to rush." A vampire dressed like a cheesy announcer, complete with a tacky polka-dot bow tie, said. "But if you don't volunteer soon, there will be consequences."

The captive humans remained silent, too frightened to do anything. The vampire announcer's annoyance grew by the moment.

"Still no response? Oh well." The announcer shrugged. "I'll make it easier for you. The fighter will come from chapter D. That simplifies things. You better choose quickly, or you will all die in one minute."

D? That was Seina's division. No, please no. Anything but that. Usually, divisions had five people, but 2-B was missing two. One died of exhaustion last week, and the other suffered a terrible mining accident.

It was too horrible to consider. Would this mean that... Seina yelped in surprise as someone pushed her forward, howling in pain as she landed face-first on the fighter's pit floor. She spat after getting some dirt into her mouth.

"Well, well! Looks like we have a volunteer!" The announcer said. The crowd burst into laughter.

"What? No!" Seina's eyes widened in horror. What had just happened? Who pushed her? She looked up to see her father with a hand extended outward.

"Dad?" Seina said, too stunned for words.

"Sorry honey, but it was either you or us!" Her father replied.

"Don't worry, Seina. We'll always remember you!" Her mother added.

"W-what?"

"We'll be sorry to see you go. But don't worry, we'll have a new daughter in your honor!" Her father continued.

Her mother gave an emphatic nod. "Yes, Seina is a beautiful name. I'm sure she'll love it!"

Seina just stared, unable to believe what just happened. The crowd broke into more laughter and cheers, and the vampire king gave a nod of approval.

"Silly child," Lothaire said. "Haven't you listened to my teachings? In this world, it's kill or be killed. Love is only a weakness. Your parents were right to sacrifice you."

"Yep, sorry dear, but he's right!" Her father said, nodding in agreement. "You should have known."

"Hopefully, the new Seina will be smarter." Her mother added.

"Bring out the weapons. This should be entertaining." Lothaire said.

"What?" The shock of her parents' betrayal still hadn't left her. Seina had trouble adjusting to the concept that they expected her to fight for life. "But I'm only a ten-year-old girl!"

Dreven smirked and shrugged. "Them's the breaks, kid." From the audience's expression, they would enjoy seeing her torn limb from limb. The humans, except her parents, looked away, not wishing to watch Seina's gruesome fate.

A vampire pulled a wide variety of weapons into the fighter's pit. They ranged from swords to guns. None looked light enough for a ten-year-old to wield. Seina broke into tears, beyond terrified, unable to even stand straight. She didn't want to die. How could this happen?

With an exaggerated swagger, Dreven walked over to the weapon rack and withdrew a sword larger than Seina's entire body. With his vampiric strength, it seemed like a toy in his hands.

Since fighting back was pointless, Seina closed her eyes, preparing for the end. She prayed it wouldn't be too painful.

"Please don't cry! Be strong!" A kind voice said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Seina blinked through watery eyes, looking towards the kind stranger who comforted her in her final moments. She gasped in shock when she got a good look at them.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves, you jerks! You're the worst of the worst!" The strange creature said, berating the vampire horde.

Her rescuer was the purest white she'd ever seen. His head was bulbous, larger than his torso. The face somewhat resembled a cat, but with longer ears. Puffs of fur popped out from his enormous ears. Somehow, tiny wings supported the creature's weight, allowing him to fly around. He was also the cutest thing Seina had ever seen.

"What are you?" Seina asked in amazement, wondering if she was dreaming, or if the recent events had shattered her sanity.

"My name's Colten. And I refuse to allow this farce to continue any further!" The cat creature puffed out his chest.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Dreven said, pointing his enormous sword at the intruder.

"Um, just a fairy here to help." Despite his obvious fear, Colten refused to back down.

"A creature of good?" Lothaire snorted in derision. "How ridiculous. Another fool rushing to their death."

"He's right! You'll only get yourself killed!" Seina refused to allow someone else to die for her sake.

"No way!" Colten shook his enormous head only to scream in pain a few seconds later as Dreven struck him with the blunt edge of his enormous sword.

"Colten!" Seina rushed to her fallen friend's side. Thankfully, he only seemed bruised and not dead. A wing looked damaged, though. It seemed unlikely he could fly anytime soon.

"How adorable. Wanting to die together, I see." Dreven turned towards the announcer. "Hey, is it alright if the fairy joins the girl's side?"

The announcer gave a thumbs up. "Sounds like a plan!"

"Looks like we're in this together." Colten gave Seina a weak smile as she cradled him in her arms.

"Yeah." Tears dropped onto Colten's little head as Seina broke down.

She'd just made a friend, and he was now dying for her sake. Seina hugged him, holding him tight and began sobbing. The vampire crowd broke into mocking laughter, enjoying seeing this helpless girl suffer. Seina didn't care or even notice, focusing on her new friend instead. She supposed at least she wouldn't die alone. Seina held one of the fairy's legs as they waited for the end. Somehow, despite everything, some happiness bloomed in her heart. Seina was glad she'd met someone as wonderful as Colten.

"You're lucky, little girl. Two on one is much fairer odds." The vampire warrior broke into uproarious laughter. "Start the round already. I'm ready for some carnage!"

_This is it. _Seina cried out in pain and surprise as bright light blinded her, almost dropping Colten. The light faded, leaving a very confused Seina.

"What was that?"

"No way!" Colten said.

"What is it?" Colten's expression surprised Seina. Was that hope on his tiny face?

"Look down!" Colten pointed towards a strange object that hadn't been there before. Seina grabbed it without even thinking, turning it around in her hand. It was a pink-colored diamond-encrusted brooch.

"It's so pretty." Seina had seen nothing so beautiful in her life. It made the splendor the vampire lord surrounded himself with seem dull in comparison.

"You're a magical girl, Seina? I don't believe it! I'd thought only a special few could become one!" Colten was ranting, speaking at speeds almost impossible to understand. "This is amazing, spectacular!"

"What? Magical girl? What are you talking about?"

The tiny fairy's expression turned smug. "It means we can wipe the floor with these vampire creeps!"

Dreven snorted in derision. "Really?"

"I'm not following." Seina was beyond lost. How could a brooch allow her to fight? Blind the vampire to death?

"Hold you brooch up into the air and yell, Change Change, Magical Love Dress Up!"

"Okay." While certain it would make her appear ridiculous, she'd try anything at this point.

Seina stood up and gave Dreven a determined glare. She sent another one towards the vampire king himself. If this gave her power, she'd put an end to this nightmare herself. "Change Change, Magical Love Dress Up!"

Bright light engulfed Seina, and her entire body glowed a transparent blue. In a flash, everything about her body changed. Her short black hair extended into two long, luxurious braids. The bland rags she wore transformed into a pink frilly dress with a short skirt. The elaborate new costume gave Seina the vague impression of the long-dead lotus flower she'd seen in old books. A large yellow bow was across her chest, and her brooch stood in its center.

Colten laughed. "I knew it! You are a magical girl!"

"Huh?" Seina blinked and looked down at herself, both amazed and baffled.

"That's the terrible power that will destroy us all?" Dreven broke into mocking laughter, and the other vampires joined him. Lothaire chuckled, sipping at his wine. His wife only looked confused.

"That was disappointing. I was hoping for something more exciting!" Seina's mom pipped it.

"How am I meant to fight with this?" Seina gestured to herself. Except for her new pretty outfit, she didn't feel any different. How could a simple dress protect her from bloodthirsty monsters?

"What do you mean? You can totally floor him now!" Colten argued back with far more confidence than she felt. "Hold out your hand and focus. You can summon your special weapon that way."

_A special weapon! That might change this situation around! _Seina did as instructed, and a long staff appeared in her hand. Attached to its end, was a bubble blower?

Dreven snorted. "That's your great weapon?"

"Yeah! What the heck!" This magical girl deal was a rip-off!

"Well, with that mighty weapon, I better switch to something more dangerous." Dreven threw aside his sword and withdrew a pistol from the weapon rack. "Start the fight already. I'm curious what this magical girl can do."

"Don't worry, you got this," Colten said with the utmost confidence.

"What are you talking about! I have a bubble blower, and he's got a freaking gun! This isn't even remotely fair!"

"Alright. The battle will begin..." Before the announcer could finish his pronouncement, the sound of the gunshot echoed through the stadium, and Seina toppled over.

"What?" Colten said in shocked outrage. "You can't do that!"

"I'm a vampire. I don't fight fair," Dreven replied, and the crowd broke into mocking laughter. They berated the magical girl who believed anyone could defeat the ruthless, unstoppable vampires.

"Seems the fight's over with, folks! The winner is Dreven!" The announcer said, not caring about the vampire warrior breaking the rules.

"Um, actually I'm fine!" Seina stood up, shaking the dust from her dress. "It just startled me."

Much to her amazement, the bullet hadn't even scratched her skin despite striking her right in the forehead. It amused her to see the vampires shocked at her survival. Maybe victory wasn't impossible after all?

Dreven, however, didn't seem that impressed. "You survived, so what? A vampire can survive much worse." He threw away his gun and took back his sword. Without waiting for the announcer to begin the fight, he charged forward with blinding speed, sword raised to sever his opponent's head.

The colosseum's roof exploded as Dreven crashed through it, exposing the building to the chilly night air. Vampires screamed in fear and surprise as pieces of the roof collapsed on top of them. Seina stared at her extended arm in amazement.

"Wow." Seina couldn't believe her strength. She could have sworn she'd only tapped the vampire.

"Um, Seina. Your bubble blower is meant for casting spells, not a blunt weapon." Colten said. "But that works too I guess."

"Oops." Seina blushed with embarrassment.

"She won." Lilha, the vampire queen, said in the dead shocked silence.

"She has some power, I suppose." Lothaire didn't seem too impressed despite Seina's astounding display of strength.

A strange thought popped into her head. "Does this mean I win? The announcer didn't actually start the fight."

"I guess so. Congratulations!" Colten patted her on the leg.

"I'm not finished yet!" Dreven tossed people out of his path as he stomped back towards the fighting pit. The vampire warrior was soaking wet and pieces of seaweed latched to his body. Had Seina knocked him to the ocean? That was miles away.

"Oh, you're back. Ready for another butt-kicking?" Colten said. Seina nodded, not sure why the vampire had returned after she'd beaten him with little difficulty.

Dreven broke into a disturbingly wide smile. His grin stretched out unnaturally, cackling while doing so. "Foolish girl. You think you can beat me?"

The vampire warrior extended a hand and drove it into his chest. Much to Seina's horror and shock, he withdrew something red and beating. Had Dreven just torn out his own heart? Clenching his fist, he crushed it. Gore and blood oozed down his hand. Dreven's grin extended as the hole he'd torn into his chest vanished like it never existed.

"I'm not like other vampires. Destroying my heart can't kill me. Nothing can! As long as a single atom of my body exists, I can't die!"

"Okay, but was that really necessary?" Seina's stomach felt queasy, horrified by the display. He could have just told her.

The vampires in the crowd broke into mocking, jeering laughter. They sent praises towards their champion and insults towards his magical girl opponent. Lothaire gave them a tilt of his head in respect.

"Hold on!" An irritating realization struck Seina. "Why are you fighting in a colosseum if you literally can't die? That doesn't seem fair at all!"

"We've vampires, kiddo. We don't play fair." Dreven said in a purr.

"No, you're just being a jerk," Colten replied.

"So, shall we begin our game again?" Dreven withdrew a nasty-looking rusty spiked mace from the weapon's rack.

Seina, however, was unimpressed. Already, she'd grown tired of the vampire's nonsense. An idea popped into her head, and her lips curled into a small smile. Yes, that would solve her problem nicely.

"Ha! You'll find Seina not so easy to beat!" Colten said. "Use your magical bubble blower to finish this fool!"

"I can't agree more." Seina walked up to her opponent, who watched her in bemusement. She gripped her staff tight, adjusted her aim, and swung with all her strength. Dreven screamed in pain and terror as the magical girl launched his body high into the air, flying the hole in the ceiling. Seina watched as the vampire flew higher into the sky, bursting a hole through the smoke cover and disappearing into the starry night sky.

"There, he won't cause anyone any more trouble!" Seina said, proud of herself. "If he can heal himself forever, fine. But that doesn't matter if he's stuck floating in space!" It amazed her that the plan worked. Just how powerful was she now? The entire audience broke into another stunned silence.

"Seina, that isn't what I mean at all," Colten said.

"Sorry?"

"I meant for you to use your magical powers to obliterate him."

"I can do that?" Seina blushed with embarrassment.

"Yes, you're a magical girl. It's in the name." Colten sighed, then shrugged. "Well I guess a victory's a victory." A clap interrupted their conversation.

"Very amusing," Lothaire said, standing from his throne. "It appears you have some power."

"Lord Lothaire, are you going to face this child?" The vampire lord's wife asked. "Surely it's beneath you. Let me handle her. I'd love to punish a misbehaving child."

"No, this girl represents something that I can't allow to stand. The pathetic scum down there must learn that no such thing remains." Lothaire gestured to the humans, watching the scene. Seina saw what the vampire lord meant. They stared at Seina with awe, their eyes sparkling with an emotion she'd rarely seen in her short life. It created a strange bubbling feeling in her stomach.

"It looks like we're fighting the big boss guy now," Colten said. "Good, that saves time."

"Understand this, child," Lothaire said. "Dreven was the weakest of our number. A vampire of lesser capabilities. I won't be such an easy opponent."

Seina gulped and her hand trembled, not doubting the vampire king's pronouncement for a moment. When humanity fought against him, no weapon could stop him. Even a barrage of nuclear weapons had proven useless. Rumors whispered that his vampiric power made him invincible.

"Smart girl. You understand the trouble you're in. You won't even lay a hand on my husband." Lilha said. "You will die, not even realizing it until it is too late."

Lord Lothaire stared down at his opponent. His expression was unreadable, but his confidence was undeniable.

"Did you know, no weapon has ever even touched Lord Lothaire?" Lilha said, continuing her boast. "They can't. He has utter mastery of eternity."

Colten, however, seemed unperturbed. "So what? Seina will kick his pointy teeth in."

"Understand this, little fairy," Lilha said, her tone superior. "My husband's power allows him to control time. Any timeline he doesn't care for, he discards like trash."

"Time control?" Alarm had crept into Colten's face. Seina's hand trembled, realizing how much trouble they were in. What a fool she'd been thinking anyone could defeat the masters.

"He sifts through the possibilities until the one he desires comes into fruition." Lilha extended a hand, gesturing to everything around her. "Nothing ever happens unless Lord Lothaire wills it!"

Seina put her hands into her face. With some difficulty, she fought back tears, refusing to cry again in front of these monsters. So much for hope. Fate had a twisted sense of humor.

"That's not good." While Colten's confidence had faded somewhat, he continued putting up a brave face.

The entire crowd of vampires broke into applause, and Lilha soaked in their admiration. Lothaire continued to stay where he stood, impassive.

"Give us a good show, magical girl. It should be quite entertaining. Wouldn't you agree, my husband?"

Lothaire continued to stay where he stood, unresponsive. Seina blinked in confusion. Why was he just standing there, motionless? Why wasn't he bragging and jeering, as usual?

"Husband?" Lilha asked in concern.

Lothaire's body jerked uncontrollably, foam gathering around his mouth. He stumbled forward, each step clumsy and awkward. With a strangled gurgle, the vampire king toppled forwards, landing in the fighter's pit. His body jerked several more times before stopping to a halt. Dead.

"No, has he overused his power?" Lilha's voice barely rose above a whisper. Her eyes were wide in horror and disbelief.

Siena blinked. "Eh?”

#stories #parody #magical girl #adventure #vampries #anime #anime stories #Starlight Dream #written story #vampires #fiction #story #cute #novel #young adult

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kaimultimuses-moving · 4 years

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Omegaverse Lore

Alphas

Commonly the most territorial of the three and are commonly (but not always) the most dominant. They are often bigger and more built then the other classes and go into ruts.

The are seen as the leaders of society, just think male white privilege in america but instead it’s Alpha’s.

They are usually possessive of what they consider theirs and will try to mark them with their scent, even if its a person.

Usually they are the most physically powerfully, that why they can protect what’s theirs. However that doesnt mean you won’t come across a beta or an omega that can overpower an alpha, everyone is different.

Female Alpha’s are rare they are just as powerful as their male counterpart and have the same standing.

Female Alpha’s in my lore do not have dicks, and they can get pregnant it is just alot more difficult for them. But if they had a male. alpha, beta, or omega lover. They could possibly have a child with them. The lowest fertility rate is with a M!alpha/F!Alpha pairing. For F/F they would have to adopt or seek medical help to have a child.

My male alpha’s here will not have Knots either <3

Alpha’s can claim anyone as a mate. No matter what their secondary gender is. Alpha/Beta couples are actually quite common. Having a sane beta to calm down a hot headed Alpha is a blessing.

Alpha’s are known to growl and huff

Very Mellow Alpha’s can be mistaken for and pass as a beta

Alpha’s generally have strong and almost overpowering scents. They usually have a more earthly/nature like scent

Betas

A general term for someone who is between being an Alpha or Omega. They are able to detect scents and are able to scent others, their scents are just more tame and not as strong as an Alpha’s or an Omegas

betas are versatile. They are able to fill in the gaps that are needed in different situations. If a leader is needed and there isn’t one, a beta steps up. If there is no one to do something, betas do it.

Betas can smell everything just the same, but don’t always have a intense reaction.

Betas can go into weaken version heats and ruts, but it all depends on their mate. If their mate is an alpha, they will go into heat. If their mate is an omega, they will have ruts. If their mate is another beta, they will have neither.

They are the peacekeepers so don’t underestimate them. (Beta’s could survive all by them selves if Alpha’s and Omega’s got wiped out. The other two classes can’t say the same. SO smh, beta’s need more love in my opinion.)

Female Beta’s can have children, and Male beta’s can knock up F!alpha’s, betas and omegas. Fertility rates vary and aren’t nearly as high as a male Alpha’s would be

Beta’s don’t really make much sound but if you piss them off too much they might growl or hiss at you.

Some beta’s can be mistaken for an Alpha or an omega depending on what class they lean towards.

Beta’s scents are very calming and relaxing, very good for calming an angered alpha or a distressed omega down. They even help other beta’s if they are upset

Omegas

Commonly the least territorial of the classes and are commonly (but not always) the most submissive. They exhibit heats and a need to nest.

They are generally known for being nurturing and eager to please. They are stereotyped alot so many bold omegas are mistaken for beta’s. Some very dominant Omega’s have been mistaken for and can pass an an alpha or beta

Male Omega’s are pretty rare but they are valued for *being rare* in most cultures

Female Omega’s are the most fertile beings on the planet, Don’t put your dick in them without a condom they will somehow get pregnant if they aren’t on some kind of birth control. Male omega pregnancies are very rare as Male omega only have the one whole so pushing a baby out that way could kill them. They would need a c-section to have a child AND survive child birth.

Many Omega’s are sensitive to smell and can be overwhelmed if their is too much going on

They also need the other company of fellow omega’s to remain emotionally healthy. Even if it’s just a hug or a small chat a day. They should not go too long without the contact and support of another omega. Going over two months without seeing another Omega could make them drop.

Drops are a self-induced coma-like state that an omega puts themselves in when extremely scared, upset, or hurt. It can be life threatening if left alone for too long and usually only a mate or someone very close to the omega can pull them out. It’s like a very bad form of intense depression where you completely disassociate.

Many omega’s don’t work but they make excellent daycare workers, teachers, nannies, and therapist. They can do any sort of job an Alpha and beta can do as well, though this many be frowned upon by some people.

Male omega’s can get females of other classes pregnant. They are still male and their dicks work just fine

They are known to purr and hiss.

Omega scents are usually very sweet and light

Terms that I just think are helpful!

Scenting: Alphas, Omegas, and Betas all give off a very specific sort of scent as a personal marker to their primary and secondary sex. They all have the ability to scent others, which is simply the process of spreading their specific scent on another person or object (often by physically rubbing against them).

Heat: A period of 3-5 days where an Omega-identified individual will experience sexual excitability and have an increase in fertility. This often comes in tandem with a large release of pheromones to communicate the biological shift to others.

Rutting: A period of 3-5 days where an Alpha-identified individual will act more possessive and territorial than normal, but not specifically in need of mating with someone. They are still pretty horny though. Normally, rutting periods are more common after being mated, as part of a biological cycle to protect said mate and have an increase in fertility. This often comes in tandem with a large release of pheromones to communicate the biological shift to others.

Suppressants: Medication given to Alpha or Omega-identifying individuals, specifically to suppress rut or heat cycles. It can also suppress the fertility of the individuals, and is often referred to in conversations about birth-control.

Guarding: is an alpha trait of extreme protectiveness where they can become very volatile and must be approached with EXTREME caution.

Omegadrops: self-induced coma-like state that an omega puts themselves in when extremely scared, upset, or hurt. It can be life threatening if left alone for too long and usually only a mate or someone very close to the omega can pull them out.

Nests: usually a place where an Omega can be comfortable, whether if he is in heat or just having a bad day. It can be a closet or a couch, a small room or a bed. It will usually be filled with soft things, the most smelling like his/her mate if they have one. Most omega feel the urge to make a nest at a young age

#tw: omegaverse #long post #ooc #verse lore #feel free to disagree with my lore everyone is entitled to their own thoughts <3 #i won't be offended if you don't like it #now that this is done i can work on a few replys!

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ryder-s-block · 4 years

Text

Jaig Eyes (Ch 54)

Jaig Eyes (54/?)

Summary:

Kida, a former slave who now thrives as a bounty hunter, finds herself sucked into the war she advised Jango Fett against. Now that she’s involved, she has to finally mourn the loss of Jango, seeing his face in the clones that man the GAR. What happens when she allows herself to get attached to one, not for his resemblance to her former mentor, but for his heart?

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Chapter Fifty-Four: Master Piell

“Ah,” Bendu’s voice boomed as I emerged from the tunnels with a triumphant grin. “I sensed your success. Come, let us see it.” He gestured with his giant hand, the Force responding to him easily. My saber hilt lifted easily from my outstretched palm to float before him, igniting in a brilliant white color. Bendu hummed in response to my kyber’s gentle singing. “Your crystal is whole once again.”

“It is.” I stood calmly as he lowered my saber back to my hand.

“And the krykna?” he asked, referring to the spiders.

“I’d thought they were there...but when I looked, they never were.” I shrugged. “I guess they had no reason to fear me this time.”

Bendu’s massive face crinkled slightly in a smile. “You have learned much since separating yourself from the war. What will you do with this knowledge?”

I breathed slowly through my nose. “I’m going home. I’ll get back to work...and maybe...one day when I’m ready...I’ll rejoin the war--if it’s my path.”

Bendu’s eyebrow rose in question. “Rejoin the war?” He sighed lowly. “I hoped you were above all that.”

“Above it? How can I be above it when the people I love are directly affected by it?”

The giant creature shook his head. “When you exist in the Bendu...the war of these petty beings are nothing to you. There is only the Force.”

“No,” I whispered, looking down at the saber in my hand. “If the Sith exist for power and the Jedi for peace...what do we exist for?”

“The will of the Force.”

I glanced sideways with a small shake of my head. “I don’t believe that. I listen to the will of the Force, yes. But I was gifted with the ability to guide that will. And if we value balance, should we not work to protect it?”

Bendu straightened his back slightly in distaste at what my words implied, making him tower over me. But I’d gotten used to talking to creatures that were far bigger than me over the years--I wasn’t about to back down now.

“You have watched empires rise and fall,” I commented gently, the reality of his inactivity hitting me at once. “Anyone who was ever close to you, if they ever existed at all, is long gone. Tell me, Bendu,” I prodded. “What would that cave have shown you, were you working to find your balance?”

Bendu’s deep gaze settled on me darkly, the Force shifting around him. Creatures such as Bendu, I’d come to find out, were a tedious bunch to deal with. Like the Father at the Citadel, He existed within a higher knowledge of the Force--able to wield it in a way I would never understand in my short life. Well...short compared to him, at least.

Thunderclouds rolled in the distance, making my hair stand on edge, my gaze flickering to it nervously. That was Bendu’s doing.

“War is prodded by the desire for power. Yours is no different.” He ignored my question, but I let it slide. I preferred not to be murdered by the storm Bendu was rolling in than know his past.

“Maybe not. But if we have the power to help people, shouldn’t we?”

Bendu chuckled darkly. “We? The Force will do as it wills. Who am I to interfere?” I scowled. We were going in circles. “Even those that strive to do good, as you do, young follower of the Bendu, may be led down the path of darkness.”

“I’ve beaten that before.”

“And will you again?”

I ground my teeth. “Of course.” Bendu hummed at me, but said no more. I sighed slowly, looking sideways at the cave I had emerged from. Did I have a place in this war? I wanted to protect those I loved...but was that interfering with the balance? “What should I do?”

“Ah, that is not a question for me, is it?” I quirked my eyebrow at the creature. “That is an answer for you to find. Within the Force.”

I nodded, kneeling slowly, placing my saber before me. Settling across from Bendu, I closed my eyes, meditating with him. “I feel...conflict.”

“Yes. The war rages on outside of my quiet domain.”

“Anger. Loss. Suffering. Fear.” I turned my head, eyes still closed, as I heard a familiar voice.

“Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” It was Master Yoda. I turned my thoughts away from the Jedi, trying to focus on what I should do. Where my place is.

“I smell...alcohol. And perfume. It’s my club.”

“Ah, and the Force shows where you must go.”

I opened my eyes, raising my brows. “It...just wants me to go back to being a bounty hunter?”

“I didn’t say that, though that may be the will of the Force. But for now, you know where your path will lead you.”

“What do I do when I get there?”

“What do you usually do?”

I shrugged on the ground. “Run my club I guess? Party? Find odd jobs as a hunter.”

Bendu hummed, leaning back on his haunches. “Go. Live. The Force will guide you. Just remember to listen to it, young descendant of the Sith.”

I stood slowly, glancing over his form. “You look tired.”

“I have not been woken from my slumber this often in some time,” he teased gently, offering a low chuckle that echoed across the quiet planet.

I glanced down at my lightsaber, taking it up and clipping it to my belt. After a moment of thought, I met Bendu’s gray gaze. “I think...you can rest now.”

He gave me a gentle smile. “I believe I can, as well. But you, Kida Fett, Descendant of the Sith, Daughter of Jango, Bounty Hunter, and follower of the Bendu...will you rest?”

I returned the smile. “Maybe one day, my friend.” I meant it. I considered him a friend...I had to, after all he had done for me. “And that’s far too many titles for one person,” I joked.

Bendu hummed as he turned away, glancing over his shoulder. “Very well. Goodbye Kida Fett, Slave to No One.” He looked away before curling back into his rest, blending in with the rest of the coral-like scenery perfectly. I smiled at his choice of title for me.

I knew he meant more that just freeing myself from slavery. He meant breaking free of Bane. Breaking free of expectations of the Jedi. Even breaking free of my own expectations. And in the end...I was even willing to try and guide the will of the Force, rather than bow to it. And Bendu knew that, even if he didn’t ever point it out directly. I really was a slave no longer.

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

In the end, going back to my club was exactly what I needed to do. I hadn’t been back on Coruscant long before Windu had shown up on my doorstep.

My eyes slid across the stone that glowed in the light of the lava below. The howling of the anoobas was almost painful now. They were close. I tapped Ahsoka’s elbow, nodding in the direction our pursuers would come from.

We all crouched in waiting, watching as a pack of five anoobas raced by, following the scents of Anakin and Obi-wan. Above us, five commandos on STAPs zoomed by as well. We waited a few moments longer before Piell stepped out of hiding, scanning the area. He gestured silently for us to follow before taking off in a run after the pack of anoobas.

We weren’t far down the path before a spider droid lunged up over the ledge, taking down two of the rescued clones. They were at the back, making us all turn in horror. Piell acted first, racing forward to slice through two of the droid’s legs, tearing it to the ground. More began to emerge as Piell sliced through its mainframe, my lightsaber igniting before me.

It was weird. I hadn’t been wielding it long...but it felt almost natural to resort to it. My kyber hummed happily as I pulled it from my belt and held it beside me, energy hot near my skin.

“Keep going!” Piell yelled back at me. “Ahsoka and I will take care of the droids. Fett, follow Obi-wan!”

I nodded, the group glancing at me before I turned and led them faster down the path. I heard Ahsoka’s lightsabers ignite, joining Piell in the battle against the spider droids. The rolling plains of snow that we raced across were covered in a thick fog, smothering my lungs. I puffed them out tiredly, following the sound of gunfire.

We lunged suddenly to the sides as a commando on a STAP raced over us. The clones opened fire immediately as I raced forward after the Jedi, lightsaber igniting beside me. My kyber sang powerfully in my grip as I raced after a STAP. Another came at us on our flank, its fire blasting the stones around us.

“Go!” I yelled to Rex, the captain rushing past me after the droid now attacking Anakin ahead. I skidded to a stop, deflecting the shots of the oncoming STAP away from the clones. Ahead, Rex shot down the STAP attacking his commander, Anakin crouching with a determined expression as it crashed behind him.

I turned, sensing Fives aiming at the droid attacking me. The ARC trooper was always reliable, hitting his mark and sending the commando careening on his speeder. I lunged sideways, wall running up the rock formations and leaping sideways in the air. My blade sliced through the middle of the commando and speeder, sending both scattering in pieces.

I landed deftly, feeling my Force abilities weaving together with the skills Jango taught me. They were becoming more in sync the more I used them.

And the more I used them, the more I realized that physically moving things with the Force was far harder for me than using it to improve my own abilities. Move a bit faster. Jump a bit higher.

I was also noticing that my senses were becoming more attuned. Not only to keep me focused in battle, but to emotions around me...as well as some hints towards things that haven’t yet happened.

Such as Fives taking down the STAP.

“Anakin!” I yelled, the Force prodding me to look past the crouching Jedi. He turned before the anooba barreled into him, throwing him to the ground. I rushed forward as his lightsaber tumbled away, the anooba’s incredibly jaws trying to clamp down on the Jedi’s throat.

I stabbed forward with my lightsaber, shoving my armored shoulder into the creature’s side to push it off of Anakin. It let out a terrible screech of pain that made me feel a bit bad--only because of Embo’s loving pet, of course.

“Thanks,” Anakin panted as I offered him a hand up. He grabbed his lightsaber as he stood, dusting off his tunic. He glanced up quickly before shoving me to the side, thrusting out his metal hand. Skywalker’s connection to the Force was almost smothering when I was in his presence. It flowed through him in a similar way I sensed it flow through my kyber crystal. He launched an anooba that was lunging for my neck backwards and into the lava.

“Consider the debt repaid,” I chuckled back. The Jedi leapt away to attack another droid, my own lightsaber rising again to slice through the belly of a lunging anooba. I was about to move to join Rex when a chill fell over me, my muscles freezing me in place. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I could feel that something terrible had happened.

It seemed this mission was full of terrible happenings.

I turned easily, deflecting a final bolt at an oncoming STAP, Tarkin shooting it down as it passed. I walked past the Captain, glancing over to watch Cody and his troops destroy the last of the droids.

“So much for the hunting party,” the commander said, glancing back at us. Rex moved up beside me as my lightsaber disengaged in my grip.

“There are more squads on their way,” Tarkin announced, following me. “We should get moving.”

The Force rippled with the chill of death. “Wait,” I whispered, turning my head to look through the thick mist. “Ahsoka,” I breathed, prodding the clones to follow my gaze to the silhouette of the Togruta, fallen Jedi Master over her shoulder.

The Jedi raced to join us as she approached, Anakin stepping forward to help her place Piell on the ground. His shoulder and neck were spattered with dark blood--an anooba bite, by the looks of it.

“He died honorably,” Ahsoka stated sadly from where she kneeled beside him. It seemed there was no end to the losses we were facing on this mission. There weren’t many of us left now.

“What about the information?” Anakin asked his downtrodden padawan.

“I have it,” she muttered. “He told me just before he died.”

I stepped back as the Jedi moved in, working to remove the Jedi’s outer robe in order to wrap him in it. As they worked, I took the time to sit among the lava stones, dirty hands doing their best to wipe away the blood and grime on my face.

The clones that remained, which were only two of the rescued clones outside of Rex, Cody, Charger, and Fives, found rest near their commanders and worked to inventory their weaponry. I watched in silence as the Jedi performed their ceremony for their dead, a small frown slowly growing on my face.

“I always felt like that was messed up,” Fives said from beside me, nearly making me jump out of my skin. So much for the Force. I was too caught up in my thoughts.

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “What?” He nodded meaningfully towards the Jedi who were finishing wrapping their fallen brother. “You mean that they take the time to do rights for a Jedi, but not a clone?”

It was Fives’ turn to be uncomfortable, shifting in his armor. He removed his helmet for the first time since Echo died, revealing a tired face and a glazed gaze. “We never get to...mourn our brothers on the field. Not to mention incinerate their bodies.”

I shook my head, a small smile coming to my face. “You’ve got it wrong. The Mandalorians burned their dead, sure, but not in an incinerator. They put them on massive pyres while those that loved you in life celebrate having you for the time that they did. They drink and tell stories and dance and chant. It’s the send-off warriors deserve.” I glanced sideways at him as the other clones moves to join their commanders as they readied to move Piell’s body. “Maybe one day we can all celebrate Echo together. Even if we can’t have the pyre.”

Fives swallowed thickly before nodding. “I’d like that,” he said curtly, putting his helmet back on to join his brothers at the Jedi funeral. “Thank you.”

I stayed back under the guise that I was keeping a lookout. But in reality, while it was tragic that Piell died, I also mourned the loss of all the other men that had died that day. We didn’t stop for them due to the dire situation. But why could we waste time for a Jedi?

I watched from afar as Obi-wan and Anakin used the Force to lower Piell’s body into the river of lava to burn away. Looking away to continue on as Piell’s body was carried over the falls, my mind drifted to the pyre that burned on Mandalore....all those years ago.

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

There were still distant echoes of the battle happening outside the arena. Most droids had been redirected to defend the stations, the clones of my father-figure following them with their new Jedi leaders.

I pushed my way through the last remaining Geonosians that were fleeing, shoving their bug-like faces away from me with the butt of my blaster. I’d seen my mentor die in that arena and knowing Boba...my little brother had seen it too.

“Boba,” I breathed, seeing him across the arena floor. He was crouched, still dressed in the blue clothes the Kaminoans provided for him. He was lifting his father’s helmet to meet his forehead, grief rippling off of him in waves.

I finally made it to the terrified boy. He was filled with anger. Loss. Confusion. My fingers touched his shoulder, making him tense and whirl, drawing his father’s blaster to aim at my nose. He froze when he saw my face, goggles and mask drawn away to reveal my devastated expression.

His brown gaze melted from hatred to grief, tears flowing freely as he pushed his face into my chest plate. I held him, holstering my own weapon to let my arms wrap around him. “We have to go,” I whispered wetly into his tousled hair. He shook his head against me, but let me pull him up.

“I won’t leave him,” he cried.

“I would never ask that,” I responded gently, touching my knuckles to his cheek. “Do you know where Slave I is?” He nodded again, wiping at his eyes. “I need you to get it. Bring it here. I’ll bring him aboard.”

“I can’t-”

“Boba,” I said firmly, doing my best to keep my own face stoic. “If we stay, we die. We will grieve for him properly when we are safe. Do you understand? Can you do that?” He nodded, forcing his own tears down. “Good. Go.”

The young boy ran off to get his father’s ship, while I worked on collecting Jango’s things. I put his blasters back in his holster, collecting each piece the Jedi had severed. By the time Boba arrived with the ship...the arena was all but deserted.

Boba wouldn’t speak again until we’d made it to the desolate surface of Mandalore--a planet destroyed by years of war. Despite saying he hailed from Concord Dawn, I was never really sure about Jango’s past. That was something he was proud of, really.

But I knew he lived the Mandalorian way.

So he deserved the Mandalorian end.

Boba sat silently with his father’s helmet on the gangway of Slave I while I built a pyre with anything I could find. Finally, when it was time, the grieving boy helped me place his father’s wrapped body on the pyre, his weapons and armor all stored away on the ship for when Boba was older--it’s what Jango would have wanted.

I touched under Boba’s chin, lifting his head as the sun began to slide over the flat horizon. With a steadying breath, I struck the flare against my leg, igniting the end in a blossom of red sparks. It ignited the pyre smoothly, smoke billowing up and drifting across the desolate planet.

Closing my eyes, I felt Boba’s anger. His grief. His hopelessness.

With a long breath through my nose, I started to sing. “Motir ca’tra nau tracinya.” I glanced sideways at the young Mandalorian boy, watching the tears stream silently down his cheeks. “Gra’tua cuun heet su dralshy’a.” His jaw clenched, staring into the rising flames as they devoured his father. “Cuun hett su….”

We stood in silence as the pyre burned. I knew we would have to leave shortly, considering the Pacifist government of Mandalore now didn’t much care for our kind. I let us stay for as long as we could, the tears slowly drying from Boba’s face.

I put my hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “We have to go.”

He hesitated for only a moment, his still-young mind craving some type of support. He pushed into my hand just slightly, as if searching for more, before he suddenly pulled away. I watched silently as he boarded Slave I, his father’s helmet tucked under his arm. He never looked back at the pyre.

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

It was at our next stop on the way to Kamino that Boba bolted, taking Slave I with him. I was left behind with the supplies from the goods run I’d made in my arms--ingredients I’d collected for my attempt Uj’alayi. Jango had always been the best at making it. It was Boba’s favorite food.

I had never tried making it again after that.

The back of an armored hand grazed me forearm, but it didn’t shock me. Letting my memories flow as we walked was like a meditation, connecting me to the Force. It let me….see things clearly. The presence that came with the touch was gentle and comforting. Warm, even.

“You alright?” Rex asked under his breath, his voice modulated through the helmet. “You’ve been pretty quiet since Piell died.”

“I’m not apologizing for going against your orders, if that’s what you’re expecting.” Even I was shocked by the bluntness of my words.

Rex barely missed a step, though, even letting out a low chuckle through his nose. “I wasn’t. It’s never been one of your stronger suits, anyways.” Despite his snark, he earned a light-spirited eye roll from me. “But are you okay?”

I sighed slowly. “I was thinking about Jango and his pyre.” That earned the attention of those present. The clones openly looked at me, but the others merely tilted their heads to listen better without being obvious.

“You made him a pyre?”

I nodded. “Like Mandalorians are supposed to have. We did it on the surface of Mandalore. It was all wrong, of course. There’s supposed to be a big celebration and instead it was just two sad kids.”

“I…” Rex paused for a second before lowering his voice to a whisper. “I understand.”

My gaze flickered to him briefly, a sad, but grateful smile lifting my lips. “I know you do.” We were in the back of the group, with only Fives behind us, so I dared to quickly grab his gloved hand, giving it a squeeze.

He didn’t reciprocate, nervous over our current company, but I knew no one but Fives had seen us. And I could feel the small amount of anxiety my touch had eased away from Rex. I suppose as a soldier in a time of war, you learn to appreciate the little things. Then again, I wasn’t much different in that way.

I glanced up as our group slowed, nearing a river of lava. “There’s the extraction point,” Kenobi announced, pointing ahead at a small island in the middle of the river. Cody and Anakin immediately moved forward, both securing lines across the lava.

Rex ran forward first, touching my arm a final time before beginning to crawl across the cable, Tarkin on the other. Fives and one of the rescued clones went next. I nodded to Ahsoka as she stepped up to crawl across, just as Rex was helping Tarkin up on the island.

“Incoming!” he yelled across the river, pointing behind me. We all turned to see squads of commandos on STAPs, led by none other than Sobeck. Maybe I should have risked capture just to kill the bastard before….

The droids rained fire down on us, my lightsaber igniting in my grasp to deflect whatever I could from the cable tethers. Anakin and Obi-wan took to the skies, finding their way onto STAPs of their own and commencing in a dogfight.

“Ahsoka!” I cried, seeing Sobeck targeting her and Cody as the crossed the cables. I took a deep, steadying breath, trusting my body and the Force, and threw myself forward. My feet landed deftly on the cable Ahsoka was crawling on, my knees bending fluidly to match to wavering of the cord.

I turned in my balance, deflecting the incoming shots from Sobeck’s speeder. As he drew closer, I started to worry that I’d just gotten myself killed by putting myself over lava. But I was saved by R2, who came sweeping in with a gust of exhaust he spewed from his ports, blinding Sobeck.

I ducked below his whirling STAP, watching as Fives shot out the engine and sent the Phindian crashing to the ground. Ahsoka made her way up onto the island, followed closely by myself. Panting heavily from the incredible amount of exertion over this mission, I bent over, hands on my knees.

The Force rippled, turning my head at the low growl from Sobeck. Tarkin fired a shot at the warden, confident rolling off him in waves. But Phindians were tougher than that. Sobeck took the shot with an angry growl before throwing himself into Tarkin. He lifted the captain in his claws digits, before slamming him back into the ground again.

“Captain!” Ahsoka yelled, the first one to come out of her shocked daze. She raced across the island as Sobeck lifted Tarkin above his head, meaning to throw him into the lava.

“If I can’t have the information,” the warden screamed, “It will die with you!”

Ahsoka reached them as the others reached me, jabbing her lightsaber through Sobeck’s heart. He screamed, but fell, letting Tarkin walk away safely.

“My thanks, Padawan Tano,” Tarkin gasped as he did his best to straighten his clothes. He sighed indignantly as he stepped past Anakin, Obi-wan, and I. “I see you’ve trained her well,” he said to the former.

We all blinked for a moment before Obi-wan looked sideways at Anakin and I. “The rescue ship should be here by now,” he declared.

Anakin chuckled sarcastically. “So should the rest of the Seperatist army.” As they said it, Ahsoka stepping away from Sobeck’s body, engines whirred through the mist. A Republic gunship emerged, blowing hot air over all of us. It was welcome.

As was the face of Jedi Master Plo Koon. “I believe you’ve worn out your welcome,” he suggested, gesturing for us to board. Spider droids began to climb over the edges of our little island, weapons firing.

I drew my saber immediately, briefly feeling the surprise from the new additions to our group. Rushing the first droid, I ducked beneath its blasters and sliced up through its center, before turning to deflect fire back on another. The clones rushed to board as we were pushed backwards, Ahsoka and Obi-wan retreating onto the ship as well.

Anakin glanced at me over his shoulder, and I understood. I disengaged my saber and leapt aboard the gunship just before it began to rise in the air. I felt no fear from Anakin as he faced the droids alone before calmly leaping high into the air and flipping into the gunship.

“Let’s go!” Ahsoka yelled into the cockpit, the doors sealing around us. I always hated this part most of travelling--being sealed inside with no way out and the vacuum of space on the other side. That’s why I preferred navigating myself. Or at least having some damn windows.

“Admiral Coburn,” Plo said into his wrist comm, “We have the survivors. Recall all fighters.”

“Yes, General,” came the reply. “Prepare to jump to lightspeed.” I closed my eyes, hand resting gently over the over-head grips. I let myself find my balance again. I mourned for Echo. Maybe even for Piell. He was one of the first Jedi to not treat me as dangerous when meeting me. He even encouraged me to embrace my abilities more.

I guess I mourned a friendship that could have been.

The ship rocked gently beneath my feet, indicating we had landed in the hangar. “We’re all ready, General,” Koon spoke into the communicator. There was the brief feeling of weightlessness, like that queeziness you get in your stomach when you are free falling--we were in hyperspace now.

The gunship doors hissed open, our weary band practically falling into the hangar. We were met with medics and water--a jug of which I happily took. I was offered quarters of my own and supplies to wash my gear with. A part of me wanted to stay and spend time with Fives and Rex. But as I watched Rex put his arm around Fives’ shoulder and lead him towards the mess hall, I decided against it.

Right now, they needed their brothers.

So with a last sad glance as the many faces around me that looked just like Echo….but nothing like him at all….I walked alone to my quarters to wait out the trip.

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

MANDO’A

Motir ca’tra nau tracinya. Gra’tua cuun heet su dralshy’a. Cuun hett su….

Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame. Our vengeance burns brighter still. Burns brighter still….

(SONG FOUND HERE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7f-HvIKYzs)

Uj’alayi - Mandalorian dessert (dense, sweet cake with nuts and fruit)

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chubbyooo · 4 years

Text

Blurred Lines: Cursed Past Chapter 91 - The Recuperation of Broken Families

Gacen continued waiting for Lana and talks to Risha about family

Gacen sighed, explaining the wait to Sumalee had been a pain, she clearly was not a fan of uncertainty and had begun drilling Gacen for questions to confirm whether they were getting the help or not.

Still she’d understood eventually maybe Sumalee would’ve been better suited for this task she brought up a bunch of things Gacen hadn’t even thought to mention, he guessed that could come later though they needed the face before the logistics right?

Gacen let out a deep breath “well that was just as condescending as I expected” Risha let out a slight chuckle

Gacen walked back towards the bar he still had his drink to finish “Hey I know she’s a little intense she’s just devising a strategy and wants all the information possible I promise she appreciates it” Gacen shrugged he knew Risha was right but still

He walked up to the bar to see his drink empty and frowned “hey bartender where the heck’s my drink” the bartender turned around

He apologised “sorry sir the Commander came in looking pretty upset I wasn’t gonna stop her she’s like my boss’ boss’ boss” Gacen grimaced well that was unfortunate he hoped the Commander wasn’t angry with his proposal, Lana had probably mentioned it to her.

He waved it off with the bartender he didn’t mind “get me another one to go and we’re square dude” he nodded and Gacen turned around “so get this Rish while we were chatting my drink got nicked by the Commander” there was an audible gasp from Risha it wasn’t that impressive though

Risha responded quickly “I thought you said she wasn’t there” the bartender passed him his drink, he decided to avoid any further drink theft he’d have it on the top balcony he saw it looked quiet.

He began to stroll out as he answered Risha “so did I, guess she just got back” he made his way over to the lifts he saw one just closing as he arrived and cursed, now he’d be here for ages the person inside could’ve held it.

He tapped his foot waiting for the other elevator as Risha responded “well did you see her?” Gacen frowned he didn’t care that much

Gacen shook his head as he stepped into the elevator “nah Risha I didn’t don’t worry I’m not crying over a stolen drink the bartender fixed me a new one” he took a sip from the straw he’d been provided

Risha sighed “I’m not thinking about your drink you could’ve asked her about the proposal you clearly have some stuff in common if you both like that awful drink” Gacen had to admit someone liking the drink was rare but it was kinda a weak connection

Gacen shrugged “maybe, maybe I’ll see her later when I meet back up with Lana” the elevator arrived and he strolled out onto the balcony, it was quite nice, quiet and peaceful although up high it seemed like it’d been rebuilt once or twice judging by the clear repair marks. He sipped his drink quickly as he made his way around; he wasn’t letting it be stolen this time.

Gacen strolled out towards the edge, there was a large statue of someone he swore he’d seen before lots of armour, a mask, a hood and very built but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He looked out over the balcony at the world of Odessen, dense jungles all around it was a beautiful planet.

He smiled “you know this place is like a less humid and less hidden Gabredor” it had been a secret base once apparently so Gabredor was probably much more secure with the extra precautions

Risha laughed “yes well we can’t all have poisonous nebulas to hide our activities” Gacen nodded it had certainly given him the run around

Gacen leaned against the balcony “so what are we gonna do after all this stuff with Dubrillion Rish, I got time so thought I’d ask” Risha took a long moment before responding clearly it was a loaded question

She seemed excited in her response “well first thing to do is remove the absolute power the Monarchy has and establish some form of democracy” Gacen nodded he’d never really expected Risha to rule all powerfully

But he still would tease her about it “whaaat you don’t wanna an all powerful queen Rish” he could almost feel the eye roll from lightyears away

Risha laughed “first off I’m already a powerful queen and you know it, and I’ve already been head of a criminal organisation after we save Dubrillion I just wanna take it easy with you start maybe thinking about my family” Gacen swallowed he straw and choked on it for a few seconds

Family? Like Kids!? He hadn’t even thought of that “I uh what like our family” he could hear Risha laughing at his surprised reaction

She did respond eventually “well yeah I love you and well you’re plenty but don’t you want to start a family eventually” Gacen felt a little conflicted on the one hand he’d love to but he’d never done well with family

He stammered “I uh I guess it’s just my track record with family isn’t good Rish you know that story” he did want to just maybe not so soon when he was such a mess

Risha sighed “yeah I know Gacen but you never know hun things could change, I think you’d be a great dad” Gacen let out a weak smile

He sighed “I feel like the only way to go is up considering my father” Gacen shivered thinking about all the pain he’d caused by leaving, then again that’s just what Gacen had done too.

He took a big swig of his flask as Risha responded “not just yours mine ordered me to kill you so we’re even in the bad dads club, but you’re not like that Gacen trust me” Gacen shivered sure he wasn’t

Gacen finished his swig “I just well I don’t know if I’m ready Rish what with my family and my own problems” Risha had always known about his drinking but tried to help him tone it down, not as much as Ash had but still

Risha responded “well don’t worry then I don’t think I am yet either I’m talking in like 5-10 years Gacen” Gacen let out at sigh of relief

He smiled “oh ok well maybe I’ll be ready then” Risha seemed fine with that stepping away from the comm leaving Gacen with his thoughts

Good timing too it sounded like someone else had just arrived in the lift, he didn’t want to look like a crazy person talking about babies. He took a long deep breath, he’d not really thought about family as he said he didn’t have the best track record with family and keeping it, his dad left and he’d never got a reason leaving Gacen to look after everyone. Gacen frowned; he didn’t like thinking about all that man hadn’t been there for and what it’d caused, his mom died a year or two later and he was powerless to stop it.

Gacen wiped his eyes not expecting to get like this he just didn’t want to make those same mistakes with any new family, he’d lost the only family he had left for the same reasons. Could it happen again? And to his offspring that was even harder he wished he hadn’t run his sister had deserved better, he’d just been like his dad running and what if he did again he didn’t want to be like that

Gacen took a deep breath, he did want to have kids one day but he had to make sure to not make the same irreversible mistakes as he did with Kyradia, Gacen held his neck he realised he was being watched out the corner of his eye. He frowned, had they been watching the whole of his little episode? He sighed without context he doubted it mattered but they were still standing there not moving as if waiting for him.

He frowned, he guessed maybe they were shy and were here to take him to Lana, he felt like he had to turn around or this would just get more awkward. He turned around to face them and gasped his stomach becoming tight and his breath shaky as he saw the figure, the red hair, tattoos and the shocked expression.

His sister Kyradia stood in front of him all grown up, mouth agape and clear tears in her eyes “G-Gacen?” Gacen just stood there in shock. What was she doing here? Had she been-? Gacen realised it all at once, the drink, the interest Risha had in the Commander, why he was sent here he felt like a moron. Kyradia’s breath was shaky as she suddenly pulled him into a tight hug and mumbled “I thought you were dead” Gacen was completely overwhelmed not quite sure if this was real.

He was being hugged by his little sister and she was crying he put his arms around her and comforted her “I’m sorry Dee I thought you wouldn’t want to see me” Kyradia looked up at him tears welling up and shook her head Gacen let out a half smile maybe he was wrong all along maybe there was a chance…

https://open.spotify.com/track/2n0U2OG5d6TuW5mKx7YrC0?si=e_12UUeaSFui0npz0wMC6w

91/92 chapters it took to write this scene it's not over yet but it's begun and I hope you all love it :D

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wolf-555-writer · 5 years

Text

Target On My Back

Hope you guys like this!

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow x Reader

Summary: Takes place before Natasha joined SHIELD and Avengers, hence the name Natalia Romanova instead of Natasha Romanoff. Reader is an Agent at SHIELD.

Word Count: 2,676

Casually walking on the sturdy pavement with a relaxed pace like there’s no worry in the world. A strand of her red hair playfully swings back due to a man in a cheap suit rushing by her, probably too late for his boring appointment. She simply continues her path with a calm and friendly look in her beautiful, sparkling green eyes. A ray of sunlight manages to break through the tall skyscrapers and shines on her face, causing her to close her eyes for a moment while a subtle smile of enjoyment emerges. Reaching the end of the block, she makes a sharp turn around the corner, passing a hipster coffee place that’s likely filled with freelancers and their laptops. She’s in casual attire, wearing skinny denim jeans and a black leather jacket that’s unfastened with a basic black t-shirt underneath. Losing sight of her for only a second as a large garbage truck drove by. It has become quiet on this part of the street, no other persons or cars around, it’s just her, Natalia Romanova.

“I’ve got a clear shot. Permission to take out the target, Coulson?”, you affirm, staring through the riflescope, fully concentrated and locked on. How can this woman be so deadly? You wonder, considering you followed her for a while, patiently waiting on this rooftop for the perfect opportunity to arise. You’ve taken a good look at her. She seems so innocent and doesn’t look like a cold-blooded killer at all. You’ve read and studied the files, seen her pictures- well, the limited amount thereof, because there’s not much information about the Russian spy. It’s mostly a lot of speculation about her involvement in a significant amount of cases, but has never been proven.

“Confirmed Agent (Y/L/N). Take the shot”, you receive back. Seeing her in real life makes it different though. It shouldn’t, you know that, but you can’t help it. Doubts have flooded your mind, is this really the Black Widow? However, you got your orders and cannot ignore them. Actually, you never would, ‘cause there’s nothing and no one else you’re more loyal to than SHIELD.

Quickly snapping out of your thoughts, can’t get distracted now. Your finger is on the trigger, ready to pull and you squint your eye a little more to get a better visual through the scope.

“Wait… What the hell!?”, you shout out unwittingly. Shocked, yet still actively in shooting position with your fingertip fairly pressed against the trigger. “H-how did she-”.

A pair of green eyes are staring right at you from afar and a provoking wink with a matching grin shows up on her face. But only for a brief moment since Natalia already started running towards a more crowded area on the sidewalk, where she skillfully evades innocent pedestrians. You almost had her, almost…

“My position is compromised, I’m going in pursuit!”, you state while jumping up from the stake-out post. In a moment of not clear thinking and haste, you leave the sniper rifle behind and sprint towards the fire escape at the corner of the rooftop.

“No Agent (Y/L/N)! Stand down!”, Agent Coulson orders through the comm with a loud and authoritative tone. You ignore him blindly, ‘cause you are the closest one and probably SHIELD’s last chance of catching her this time. ...Right? Well, that’s what you told yourself anyway.

Sliding down the rusty staircase as fast as you can so that you won’t lose her. Once back on solid ground, you hop on your bike parked nearby and put on the helmet. Okay, once in a while you do ignore a direct order, but it’s for the greater good, for SHIELD, for… um, yeah, the exact reason is not that important at the moment. You tighten your grip on the handlebars and accelerate as you speed out of the narrow alley. Beating yourself up for getting distracted back there, you can’t fail this assignment, because you never fail. So this sure as hell ain’t gonna be the first slip-up of yours. Gotta keep your head in the game.

Turning a sharp right, you end up on the road and immediately notice a covert SHIELD SUV in your side view mirror. I guess not so covert after all. Your attention is quickly shifted towards a woman up ahead, also on a bike, passing an intersection and driving through a red light at full speed.

The results of her little stunt are the least of your problems right now, however the situation could have been better… Multiple collisions, smoke formation under the hoods and honking cars with angry drivers inside, loudly cursing while making offending gestures to one another. The road is blocked and a traffic jam is preventing you from continuing the chase. It’s a total mess and Black Widow got away. There's no other option. You rapidly steer to the right and bulldoze over the sidewalk tiles, almost hitting an innocent bystander who dove aside just in time. The adrenaline is now rushing through your veins, it's a feeling you haven’t felt in a while. Though it has become so addictive that you're always craving more. Back on the road again, you proceed with the hunt and enter the busy highway. The black, armored SUV is gone now that you don't notice your fellow agents anymore, probably forced to take another route.

Highly focused on safely passing the cars, you use dangerous maneuvers, switching your weight from left to right. You're on her tail, but it takes a lot of effort to keep up. She's fast… really fast. And she knows that too, because there hasn't been a single moment she looked back over her shoulder. Or is she always looking over her shoulder? Anyways, you can't keep this up for long, so you have to find a way to stop her. Grabbing the Glock from the holster on your upper leg, you aim precisely and fire. The bullet pierces through the thick rubber back tire. Natalia doesn't even flinch and immediately reacts when hearing the gunshot.

She hits the brakes powerfully, a trail of smoke behind her, and pushes herself off of the leather bike seat. She shoots high up in the air, only to make a perfect backflip and lands on both feet right after. Meanwhile the motorcycle has tilted on its side and the metal body scrapes over the asphalt, making an awful, high-pitched sound while leaving dark paint marks on the road.

After putting the handgun back fast, sight partially blinded by the smoke, you instantly hit the brakes too and stop. Opening the helmet cap and using your left foot to push down the kickstand. “Coulson, I've captured the target. My position-”. Before you could even finish that sentence Natalia already ran towards the concrete edge, slid over the hood of a stopped car first, and jumped from the bridge. “What the fu- Again!?”.

“Copy. What is your position Agent (Y/L/N)?”, you hear back, a voice much calmer and not as loud as before. “Um… 4 kilometers south of the primary location”, you reply a bit unsettled, not sure about the state Romanova’s in, because -let’s be realistic- she just flew off a bridge...

“We’re 8 minutes out. Suspect is secure? In custody?”

“... No, um, not really… But I'm close. Well, kind of”, you mumble as you dashed to the edge and watch her on the road below, apparently all alive and well. “I still got a visual”, you declare, starting the engine again and closing the helmet visor as you’d run back to your motorcycle. First, you need to exit the highway. The closest one was a couple of hundred meters back, so you make a 180 with skidding tires and go against traffic. Always choose the shortest route, which is possibly also the most dangerous one. You gotta hand it to her, she has got a serious amount of determination and doesn’t get caught easily. Something you weirdly start to admire about her. She’s also not getting rid of you that easily though, 'cause you’re not done yet either.

“Can I expect a report back? Hello?!”. Judging by the tone in your ear, you apparently missed his question the first time, or the second time? Maybe even the third, you don’t know. She's seriously messing with your head, in more ways than you dare to admit. “I’ll report back when I have her detained”, you assert while driving head-on towards oncoming traffic that you bypass with ease.

Once you safely exited the highway, you race towards a dark alleyway between some abandoned and degraded buildings where you last saw Black Widow. The headlight on your bike makes it possible to spot Natalia fleeing in the distance. She’s still on foot, which is a disadvantage for her as she’s way more slower than you are. Eventually you have her boxed in. A high fence with barbed wire on top is preventing her from continuing her course. You give a short update about your current location to Coulson as a precaution before coming to a halt with screeching tires. Rapidly jumping off the vehicle while you grab your gun.

“Stop! There’s nowhere else to run!”

She slowly puts her hands up at the sound of a click, knowing the Glock’s safety is off. Knowing that you’re ready to pull the trigger.

She turned around, now face to face, and you stare into her eyes, still with the gun pointed at her. “The previous SHIELD Agents would have already given up by now”, she says with a calm voice, “but not you”, while she checks you out from head to toe.

“Aw, I'm not your first?”, you taunt back, in a more relaxed state since you've finally completed your assignment. Third time’s a charm, right? A grin appears on her face. “You're cute”. Without breaking eye contact you reach for the handcuffs on your belt, you can’t let her distract you. Not again.

In a flash of a second she kicks something your way. Don’t know what it is but it gets you startled as it grazes your forehead. Before you even know it she’s in front of you and slams the gun out of your hand. Trying to follow its trajectory with your eyes to see where the gun drops, but your field of vision doesn’t let you because Natalia has grabbed your extended arm and throws you over her shoulder onto the dirty ground. It’s an unpleasant landing but you quickly push yourself off and stand up again, only to catch her leg mid-air with both hands since she wanted to land a brutal kick to your left side. This doesn’t stop her though. She hooks onto your shoulders with her hands and pushes herself off to swing her other leg around your head. Both her legs are wrapped around your neck tightly, her thighs are choking you now that you can’t breathe anymore. You want to free yourself from her strong grip and swing your arms about but lose balance. Due to the weight, you fall backwards and touch down on the hard ground again. The restriction around your neck disappears. Gasping for air you get up once more and your jaw meets with Natalia’s fist. You luckily counteract the next punch and slip and block while retaliating with a fast, but powerful left hook. Directly after you pivot and want to do a roundhouse kick, but she smoothly ducks down and sweeps you off your feet instead.

“You ready to give up?”. She’s even letting her guard down. Now she’s just drawing you out and taunting with you. You look up at her and scoff. “I got this completely under control, okay”, wiping the blood from the corner of your mouth. There are drops of sweat on your forehead and your breathing frequency is faster than usual. Natalia is a worthy opponent. It’s a challenge, something you haven’t had in a while as most of your missions are routine jobs and have become boring. You’ve missed this, it feels so good. Your heart rate is rising and you get that surge of adrenaline once more.

Natalia blows a strand of red hair away. “Oh, okay. You sure about that?”, she answers with a light chuckle and moves one eyebrow up.

You get up from the ground, once again. Sensing some painful, nagging spots scattered all over your body, but you suppress it, ignore the aching parts, and defensively put your hands up high to protect your upper body and face.

“Yeah, I’m totally sure about th-”. Barely able to finish that sentence, you get floored again by Natalia. She has used her legs to grab your neck and moves you downwards. With a great impact you end up on the asphalt, head first and flat on your stomach. Natalia has got you pinned down while she’s forcing you in this position with her knees buried in your back. Not the most comfortable situation you’ve been in...

You move your head to the side and let out a deep groan. A bit disoriented due to the smack on your head, but suddenly, hidden in between some pieces of trash nearby, you notice your handgun. Without hesitation you grab it and roll onto your back with all the strength left to hold her at gunpoint. Natalia backs away and puts her hands behind her head.

“I've got her Coulson”, you state, speaking through your comm while you painfully stand up. “Coulson?”. Still pointing your gun at Natalia. “Are you there?”

“You lost this?”, she taunts, now opening her left hand which she’s moved from behind her head. It's your earpiece. “Wait, how did you-”. With a puzzled look you glare at her. How did she do that? You have to admit, you’re kind of amazed by her skills. The way she fights and moves, it’s impressive. She’s impressive.

Although, it pisses you off that you keep losing.

“So…”, she drops the communication device on the ground and crushes it with the ball of her foot, “it's just you and me now”

“Yeah, I guess so…”. You’re out of words since you don’t know what to say next and deeply stare into her intense, fiery green eyes. There's something holding you back. She could have killed you, several times already to be fair, but she didn’t. It’s like a game. A game you seem to enjoy very much. Still aiming the handgun at her, yet it’s like you’re in a frozen state. What should you do? Take her in and complete the assignment, keeping a spotless record, which actually doesn’t seem that important anymore.

...Or let her go. So that there will be a chance of seeing her again, hopefully in the near future. No, I can’t… My loyalty is with SHIELD, you keep repeating in your mind. Convincing yourself. Or better said, trying to convince yourself. Is it working?

Slowly lowering the gun and turning your head away as you gaze at the ground. “You don’t have much time before the other Agents are here. Go. Now”, you suggest with a low, hoarse voice. Natalia doesn’t need to think twice and takes this opportunity for granted as she jumps on your motorcycle. It feels as if you’re not in control of your own actions anymore. What are you doing?! Realizing you let your target escape, willingly, and on top of that, on your bike. How will you explain this?

There’s something about her… something that makes her special, that makes this all worth it somehow. No regrets at all. She’ll still have a target on her back though, because SHIELD will not stop. But as of now you got one too. You watch her put your helmet on and she winks at you again, with that same signature grin too. Before closing the visor and driving away full throttle, she locks eyes with you one last time and softly speaks:

“Till next time, Agent (Y/L/N)”

PART 2

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jj-lynn21 · 4 years

Text

Take a seat ch 4

Warnings: flirtation, smut: oral on female, hand job, hair pulling.

ch 1 ch 2 ch 3

Tom hanks comes out to announce Best female performance in a supporting actor roll. The nominees are Rooney Mara for Nightmare Alley , Zazie Beetz for Nine days , Amanda Seyfried for Mank and Van Veronica Ngo for Da 5 Bloods .

Tom announces, “And the winner is Zazie Beetz for Nine days .”

You applaud with vigor as she rushes up to stage all smiles and tears of joy. A message comes in your earpiece to go back over to The Northman table. They have request that when you move you should move there next. So, you do as you are told happily. Bill pulls your seat out when you get to the table at the same time. He also thanks your handler.

As Tom continues on to the best actress category, you lean over to Bill whispering, “Congratulations, Bill. You deserved it.”

There are other seat fillers at the table that look at you like you broke some sort of law that would get you imprisoned for life. They are further shocked when he leans his forehead to your, his face reddened with embarrassment as he smiles. His high from his first win has his hand playing with yours under the table which no one sees.

“Slip away with me.” Bill coos. “I want to see your…”

Alex hoists him out of his seat to stand as Tom announces, “the winner for Best actor female performance is Nicole Kidman for The Northman.

You stand with the rest of the table smiling and clapping for her win and she kisses Alex and then her husband and makes her way to the stage. Bill takes your arm threading it through his and nods for you to follow him away from the table. One of the other seat fillers shoots daggers at you with her eyes. You giggle.

“Such a cute little laugh,” Bill puts his hand on the small of your back.

You look up at him as you walk, “Where are we going?”

“Privacy,” is all he murmurs.

He takes you to the unisex restroom where a bouncer stands incase a celeb wants more privacy. “Anyone in there, buddy?”

“No Sir,” the big burly guy replied.

“Keep it that way until we come out,” Bill orderd.

“Yes, Sir.” He opens the door for you both to go in. Stands right up against it so no one can go in while you and Bill are inside.

Its only seconds after the door shuts that Bill has you pinned against the wall. His hand pulling your wrists up above you. His lips attacking yours powerfully until you open letting his tongue and your tango passionately.

“How long do we have?” You gasp as he moves his warm soft lips to suck on your neck.

“Enough,” he mumbles. “You going to be your Lord’s good Princess.”

“Yes,” you breath heavily aroused. “Just don’t mark me on my neck My Lord.”

He looks at you with a wicked grin. “I mark you, your mine.” He glances around the room. “Your so damn perfectly petite.”

Bill lets your hand go and pulls you into a stall shutting the toilet lid. He picks you up to stand on it. Now you are a little taller than him. His hands envelop your face when he pulls you down to kiss him. You hold his shoulders.

“hold on,” Bill disappeared under your dress.

His hand ran up your legs. He hooked his thumbs in your panties to slide them to your ankles. Then you feel his lips on your inner right thigh slowly sucking to cause a mark. You gasp holding the walls of the stall. Bill nuzzles his face between your legs. His tongue darts out to taste your sweetness. He had already made you slick with anticipation. Now he circles your clit with his tongue as you start to moan. Your legs start to shake as he sucks at your nub.

Your eyes shoot open feeling that intense sensation that will only lead to satisfaction. You bite your bottom lip to prevent yourself from crying out. But that becomes impossible as he works you toward your orgasm with precision. Your moans become louder when you finally let go. Your hip roll pushing right on his face when he pushes you over the edge. You have no control over the obscenities that come from your mouth and calling his name out.

Your eyes close as the high takes you. When you start to come down you open your eyes to see Bill standing there with a big smirk on his face. He had already pulled your panties back in place. Some of you still dripping from his mouth.

“We need to get back,” he lifts you back to the floor.

You feel a bit unsteady, “What about you?”

He washes his hands and face. Gargles some water. “You’ll think of something later I’m sure. Can you walk alright?” He grins with satisfaction as you hold the countertop.

“Yeah, maybe, I’ll be fine.” You hold on to him as he leads you out.

The guard doesn’t look at either of you when you exit. You walk back to the table with a smile. Bill is expressionless as he pulls the chair out for you to sit. The winner for best song currently onstage thanking fans and the industry people for loving what they love to do. Alex and Bill exchange a few looks like they are having a conversation without words.

Alex looks around Bill, “You doing good, Princess?”

Again, you get vicious stares from some of the other seat fillers as he not only acknowledges you but calls you by a nickname, they might only dream he calls them. You can practically feel their glares.

“I’m perfect,” you smile. “thanks for asking Alex.”

Alex and Bill exchange another look. Alex shakes his head and returns his attention to the stage as the next presenter begin walking up to the stage.

Renée Zellweger takes her place in front of the microphone holding the envelopes for the awards she will present.

“Good evening friends and colleagues,” She smile looking around the room. I know it been a long night and we’ve all imbibed some vises. Some of us more than others.”

Everyone laughs.

“First Best male performance actor in a supporting rule. The nominees are Chadwick Boseman for Da 5 Bloods , Gary Oldman for Mank , Winston Duke for Nine Days , Alexander Skarsgard for The Northman, and Bradley Cooper for Nightmare Alley . And the award goes to.” She pauses to get the envelope opened. “Alexander Skarsgard for The Northman.

The whole theater rises in celebration as Alex hugs everyone he can get his hands on including you and the other seat fillers around the table male and female alike. Its just part of his big personality.

As Alex gives his speech you reach over under the table rubbing your hand up Bill’s thigh. He glances at you. As he turns back to watch his brother’s speech, he takes your hand to move it over his bulge. You feel him getting more excited, so you gently make your way down his pants to stroke him. He blink a bit but maintains his posture as you step up the pace.

You hear him suck in his breath. He leans his head back, eyes going every which way as he paws for the cloth napkin on the table. He fumbles to undo his pants quickly so he can cum on the napkin instead of his five hundred-dollar pants. You get exactly what he is doing and help so he cums on the napkin soon after your free hand has it in a good place.

He takes a breath sitting up straight as he takes the sopping napkin out tossing it under the table. You remove your hand. He buttons and zips his pant right before Renee’ announces, “The Best Picture of the year is Nine Day.”

Bill stands, “WOO!” He throws himself around you. “meet me right at the entrance. I have to do some photo shit before leaving.”

He runs to catch up with the others to take the stage. The director makes a big impassioned speech thanking anyone he might have forgotten before and his cast again. You smile proudly.

In your earpiece you hear, “everyone back to holding to sign out. Thank you all for joining us tonight.”

You go to holding and sign out. Then hangout by the door as people start filtering out. You wait nervously for an hour or more when a tall blond woman in a dark blue skirted suit comes up you. “Mr. Skarsgard will be in the blue cobalt outside in two minutes.”

You walk out the doors. The red carpet has been rolled up, but some fans have stayed in hopes to get a glimpse of one of their movie favorites leaving. Instead for now they get you. A girl working for small parts and a chance at something fun. And you definitely found something fun tonight.

The door opens to his vehicle. You get inside quickly as cameras flash.

“Hey,” you buckled your seatbelt tightly.

“Hey,” Bill zoomed down the road on to the freeway where you were trapped in bumper to bumper LA traffic.

He pulls your face over to kiss you holding the back of your hair. “Sorry, it took so long. Fucking photogs didn’t want to let me and Alex leave. We were the last ones out of there. Fuck I enjoy a good hand job, but I really just want to get back to my place to fuck you. You good with that, Princess?”

“Yes, My Lord.” Is all you could think to answer.

#bill and princess #sit filler #being a seat filler #au #bill skarsgard #awards #actors life #fanasy #fiction #creative writing #writing

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kaleidiope · 4 years

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Story pitch for the drawings I’ve been doing.

Heads up! This is long, and i'm so sorry!! It won't be about things that go on in the story, but things about the story. If that makes sense? (Also, I apologize if there’s spelling errors. I’m not the best with spelling.)

(And some of this might change closer to completion. A lot of it isn't set in stone. So, even though I've started writing it, it still might change a bit from what it is. It stands at roughly 10,000 words right now, and we're not even half way yet.)

This story has been in my folder by the name of, "OUL". (Don't ask!) XD And it will be on a site called, "Quotev."

Thus, that's what i'll most likely refer to it as. It will get a name, but I want to name it when it's closer to being complete. I think I've talked about it twice before? But this has been my main focus story. I've been working things out with it since, I believe it was February? A lot of it has changed, some has been the same, I've mulled over many ideas for it. And it's fantasy. No getting around that! XD It makes no sense in some parts. I find some bits of it to be silly now. But I don't like the idea of changing them.

I also took different ideas from games, and i'll referencing those games to try help get a better idea of what I mean? If you guys remember me saying it's like One shot and Borderlands. That's because there's not much more of a, (Setting? Theme? Atmosphere?) I loved more than One Shot!! I loved that game's feel! Which is why I've based it around the same kind of feel! No sun, it's sandy, so on, and such. And the two main cities, are based like the,"Refuge" (Jade), and the "Glen/Barrens" (Beryl). (The Barrens works better for the out-skirts, though. See what I meant about it being like One-shot? I kind of feel bad about it now!) And Borderlands, because those two cities remind me of "Hyperion", and "Pandora". Two cities, Well...those aren't cities...But they do kind of hate one another. And one's powerfully ruled by someone kind of bad, while the others a bit...shabby? And Borderlands just reminds me of how the out-skirts would be like! XD (That's horrible!) And no sun due to the moon, so it's like a twisted, "Majora's Mask" Moon now? XD (Sure, why not!)

So, lore of the world. I like to consider this a whole new different place. I've called it 'Hanabano". Before, but i'm not completely sold on the name? And the moon has blocked the sun. A presumed eternal eclipse.

Now, and I quote from the story:

"A world, Hanbano. Presumed to be, once a world of beauty, now a world of sand and sea. The small planet's moon was large enough to block the sun for decades. If not far longer. An eternal eclipse. Leaving the world to adapt to it's new conditions. For better, or worse. The world fell apart. But as all things will do, the world adapted. The people made the best of what they had. And the world didn't leave the people, truly, in the dark. "Starworms." A type of glowing water dwelling bug with bioluminescene, rumored to have magic inside their shell's, due to the evidence of life around the ponds they inhabit. They live in the water, and in the water far beneath the ground. Along with the "Starworms of the sky". A flying bug with a far fainter glow. rumored to be the souls of the dead. Other than stars themselves, they were the world's only source of light. "GlowCo." A company made for harvesting the Starworms. GlowCo took the Starworms and turned them into lights. GlowCo knew the world relied on their lights. Crazy with power, GlowCo charged great deals of pearls for their lights. Some people seen the damage it was doing, to the world, to the people, to the starworms themselves. And retaliated. They started wearing masks on one half of their face, so when there was no light, one eye would be adjusted to the darkness. The people who could afford lights rejected those with masks, and started calling them, "Off Ones". For they're seemingly "Off" logic. The Off Ones relied on the many small bodies of water about the world for light. Along with the deemed, deadly source, that was fire. The people lived in one city, but not together. Most "Without Masks" were anything and everything they dreamed of, while the Off Ones often became merchants. GlowCo was not fond of the Off Ones, They decided that if there is no natural light then they too, would have to buy their lights. GlowCo destroyed the city. And everything around it. Many things relied on the Starworms, they depleted too much, too fast. And destroyed that portion of the world. Those Without Masks moved on, and made a new city. While the Off Ones stayed. They wouldn't let GlowCo win. They stayed in and throughout the chaos. Their masks let them see, they weren't afraid to use fire as light. Both something GlowCo couldn't do a thing about. With a old city in ruins and a new city on the rise, The two groups got farther apart with growing darkness in the world. And in their hearts."

So yeah! :D I'm going to talk about the characters now. And then i'll try to describe some things about the world.

Crimson, Cyan, and Umi aren't really in it a lot. If at all. Also, Maskless/ Without Masks, are in Jade. Off Ones are in Beryl. Jankers are in between the two cities, the out skirts, if you will.

To get a better idea of what the characters look like, I've mulled over the idea of ages for them. I've thought about making Pax young, around 11. But I feel that's quite young for what's going on in his life. I know things can't always be good. But I've thought about bumping it up to 12, or even 15? But since I've been thinking having Umber as 16, and Eben as 14. And I want an age gap between them. I don't like the idea of bumping it four years. She'd then be 20, and I do want them to be young, not kids, but, young? I just don't like the idea of those three being adults? And that Umber and Pax are around the same size, despite the age gap. Pax is a bit shorter than Umber. But I do like the idea of them being around the same size. I once, (apparently? I found it in my drawings drawer.) that I wrote down heights. But I've completely scraped that idea, because I didn't like it, and it would never come up. Thus, no need to work it out in numbers?? And it's fine just saying they're about the same size??? Just like the currency???? Since it's only mentioned once?!?!? There's a currency?!?!?!? Why did I make a currency?!?!?!?!?But all this is just one of those things i'm not sold on, but don't really like the idea of changing!

Also, Those three are the only confirmed kids? Tal, i'm thinking about 17, 19? 15 would be nice, but I don't want him that young for what he does. Pax being 11 works pretty well for him, Tal I feel needs to be a bit older. I think of Indigo being 26, 28? And Cyan being 32, 36? Crimson has the same deal as Tal, so 17, 19-ish. And Umi doesn't ever show. Tobias I think about 23, 25-ish. I haven't thought about it with them as much. But I do know Indigo's a pretty tall guy, like, ridiculously tall. :\

Eben, Umber, and Pax are the only ones in this story that aren't merchants. (Well, Eben and Pax are, but not professionals.) And the only ones without a full face mask. Tobias isn't an Off-One. So he gets his own look to him. Full face masks are worn my traveling merchants to hide their identity. As for, they go back and fourth from Beryl to the out-skirts of Jade to sell whatever it might be they have. (Every Merchant specializes in a different skill.) So, Cyan, Indigo, and Crimson (And Tal, too!) have full face masks and tend to wear a kind of cloak? While the others wear a kind of sweater? I consider this world to be dusty and windy, so those masks protect their eyes, too. Those masks I feel would have one lens a solid color, so you couldn't see out of it, and one clear, so you could. (Because a colored lens would be a bit hard to see out of in low light?) And some of them would have an animal element to them, like ears. Also, the odd designs "Sigils"on the masks work kind of like a family crest? Anyone in the same family will have the same mark.

PAX: (Paxton Loi) Knowledge merchant. Lost his Parents at a young age. They worked for GlowCo and died in a harvesting accident. The People of Beryl called it, "Devils work" and kind of resent Pax for being the, "blood of such horrible people!" In an attempt to make a new name for himself. He became a Knowledge merchant. (He keeps records of things. Buys and sells stories and information.) He has short-ish? light blue hair. Brown eyes. Light yellow-ish colored skin. Can be a bit cold towards people. More as a defense mechanism than anything. Even though he can be overly blunt and cold, and a bit sarcastic. He's a sweet kid. Even when he's being cold, I feel he would be saying it in a more of a questioning tone of voice? like, he's blunt, not mean. Has a hard time showing what he's really feeling, and things can come out not as intended. He has a green sweater, and a red scarf. With a half face mask.

UMBER: (Umber Ozu) Student. Was never told about her Parents. (Presumed, and confirmed dead.) Lives with her Aunt Umi. Was always being yelled at for never paying attention in class. Always messing with creations instead. When she made her light, GlowCo heard of it. Got angry. Decided to try to buy her light. To destroy it. She seen through their plan and refused. Umi didn't care, and wanted the money they were offering. And made a plan to sell it without Umber knowing. She found out. And on the night of the trade, she left Jade and ran off to the out-skirts of the city. Found a Merchant cart getting ready to leave for Beryl. Thinking of the years long feud the two cities have, she decided the news of her would never reach Beryl. And took a chance. Umber has dark purple hair, and eyes to match. Her skin is a bit of a deeper yellow tone. She's smart, and knows just what she's doing and how. Pretty friendly, and speaks her mind on most things. Fairly proud, and doesn't like losing or being wrong. Gets sad when she makes a mistake. She wears a Light purple sweater, and the full face mask with a green lens on the right side, and rabbit ears. It gets broken later on, which is why she has a bandage on her cheek later on.

EBEN: Apprentice. The daughter of Cyan. She was working to become a knowledge merchant like Pax. But over some family matters, she decided to stop and be where she's needed most. (Her Grandmother got sick and now she helps her mother take care of her. Along with her father with his work.) She has a lighter colored green hair, blue eyes, and very light skin. She's very bubbly and can come off as rude. Can cut people off mid sentence and is a bit childish. Will pout if she doesn't get her way. But only around the people she knows well, she won't do it to strangers. Knows when to be silly and what kind situation require a silly charm. Will try to make light of bad situations. She wears a dark purple sweater, and a half face mask.

(These other characters might change, as for, they're still in development. And i'm really fighting with Crimson's design, It's just, whatever I do, doesn't feel like it fits him?)

INDIGO: Traveling merchant of tools and other things of the sort. Also the guardian of Pax. (As instructed by Pax's parents.) He's very tall, with green hair. With indigo colored eyes. And a more neural skin tone, not dark, not light. and a bit of stubble on his chin, not a beard, but not a 5 o' clock shadow. (Since he does have a full face mask, and a cloak, a large part of him will be hidden. I've thought about giving him a small crack in his mask, reveling his eye and part of his skin. But at the same time, I don't think Cyan would allow him to continue like that. Though, I do imagine him having a half mask for home use. With a dark purple lens on the left side.) Due to a past accident, he has a bad knee, the left one. And should be using a cane. But he doesn't like looking like an old man. He has demons that follow him. Due to the lies he keeps. He hates it, but he's grown numb to the feeling, thanks to the help of his liquid spirits. He's the kind of Person that will always tell you what he's thinking. A bit of a joker, and enjoys teasing people. No filter on his mouth. Is very insecure of Taking care of Pax. Doesn't believe he does a good job at playing a fatherly role in Pax's life. He wears a deep, dark purple/red colored cloak. With a blue sweater.

TAL:(Talos)(My newest lil' guy!) Janker. He hates working with Jankers, but a job is a job. And you can't really get out of what you're born into. But don't judge him by the company he keeps! He's a great guy! Takes a lot of risks to help people unlucky enough to get caught up in the group. He has short grey/blue hair. and eyes to match. With a a bit of a tanned toned skin. He let's people sneak off, gives them food, really cares about them. He can be pretty cheeky, can and will talk himself out of any tough situation. More up beat, and friendly than Indigo, but both get along and can act the same from time-to-time with their joking personalities. But is well aware when I situation needs to be treated serious and knows when to hold his tongue. He wears and full face mask with cat/fox ears, and a light purple lens on the left side. He has a light purple band around his head, and wears a light purple sweater along with a deep, dark blue cloak.

CRIMSON: Knowledge merchant. Low-key villain? (Kind of. Works along with jankers, and is a puppet for GlowCo.) Pax's rival. Has little to no talking part. Is mainly only mentioned and comes into it only once.(For now.) He has bright red hair, and deep light blue eyes. And a tanned, darker colored skin. (Full-face mask and cloak, too.) And a deep blue lens on the left side. Despite being a "Bad guy". He doesn't act like a bad guy. He's just trying to do his job. (Too bad it's a horrible one.)With a deep, dark blue cloak.

TOBIAS: The Villain? (Kind of. He's the head of GlowCo. Need I say more?) Yet, he isn't in full charge. He's the next in line to take over the company. ( Can't say too much without giving away too much.) He has dark, kind of black/blue, colored hair. Light blue eyes, and VERY light skin. Almost white. He's a very cunning, and a bit charming. Can easily make people do what he wishes. Far too street, and book smart to be trusted. He wears a white, and light purple trimmed cloak. I can also see a cut on the bottom left side of his cheek.

(These guys will not have drawings with them. I'm sorry. It's just, how I imagine Cyan looking, is out of my skill league. I can't draw men. At least not manly looking men. Indigo was pushing it!) XD

CYAN: Eben's father and mask merchant. He's the one who made Umber's mask. (And is the reason Indigo won't be having that crack in his mask.) He's also the main reason Indigo is insecure. Cyan doesn't believe that he can take care of himself, let alone Pax. Though, the two of them go way back, and are good friends. They just don't always see eye-to-eye. (He has a full face mask, and a cloak, too. With a Cyan colored lens on the right side. But I imagine red hair, even though his name's Cyan. His eyes would be a cyan color, though! And his skin would be like Eben's since he's her father.) He's a very serous guy, and only wants the best for everyone. Can be very ruff and rude. But he always has the best intentions. He has a brown cloak.

UMI: Umber's aunt. Never shown, nor does she have talking part. (Yet, may change?) Most likely would look like an older, more mature looking Umber? I feel she'd have a tight bun on the top of her head. Along with a few others that haven't been named yet. I know I want one to be called mauve, but that's only if I don't change what i'm planning. :P

Now for the main look of the world! :D

The world it'self isn't something I've thought a whole lot about. I've sketched up a few things in the past, but i'm not sold on a good portion of it. But there are elements I know I like and want to keep in it. Like starworm lanterns and fire glasses. So, still something I need to think about. Mainly, how to put what's in my brain, into words. XD

I see this world to be really sandy, dusty and windy. And kind of bare? Maybe some dead trees, like really big logs that just haven't rotted through the time yet? (Because no one really knows when it went dark, or should I say, when the eclipse started?) With a lot of small ponds and such around with Starworms swimming about inside. Like tide pools? (Except in Jade, because GlowCo would have harvested all of them by now.) I've always thought of the starworms to give off a light blue glow. But it's pretty bright? And firefly type things that float about in the sky, varying in size. But they have a very faint glow, which is why GlowCo doesn't care about them. But it's a light blue type of color, too? And that starworms are also found underground. In caves. Water caves. But the light Starworms give off can allow some plants to grow??? And that the bug it'self is told to be magic??? Rumors? Or truth? Duh-duh-duhhhhhh!!!! XD

Also! Since there'd be no light pollution, the sky would look B E A U T I F U L!!! Just think! It'd look like some galaxy wall paper for a computer screen!

And then there'd just be a large black circle! That's just the moon, chilling out in-front of the sun, blocking it and the stars from view!! XD (Oh my goodness!!) XD

The biggest issue is, I find how I word things to be silly? But a large part of this story is dialogue. And if I don't give the characters their own way of wording things, it'll become dull. And it's something I'm finding a bit hard to do. My favorite style of writing is narration, and I feel when it's not dialogue, i'm just writing out the obvious? I don't know.

It feels a bit redundant at times. But I also have to realize, that I know what I mean, but the reader will not. I know what the place looks like, but the reader does not. So it might not be as silly as I feel it is? There will be mentioning of alcohol, death, and a lot of joking about random stuff. I hope not to go over anything more than a PG-13 type writing? But let's be honest, Jankers are the kind of people you call if you want someone to disappear! XD I mean, they do work with GlowCo from time-to-time. (They work for no one. Only themselves, but will work with others for a small price.)

And as most can also guess, there won't be curse words. I don't curse myself after all. Though I don't mind curse words, it's not a problem with others saying them or with the words themselves. (It's just I feel weird saying them? It feels wrong to say or even write them for me? I don't know why...)

I hope whoever has stayed this long to read my future story is having a great day and enjoyed! Also, I'm more than fine with questions. They can sometimes help me work things out. (But there’s no need, if you don’t want to!) Also, there's no such thing as a stupid question! I mean it! This story doesn't make perfect sense. Trust me.

Also there is some things I just can't talk about. Well, I mean, I....COULD....But....That ruin the story plot! XD So, i'm really sorry about that!

#Story pitch

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popatochisssp · 5 years

Text

Make Your Mark, 4/10

Series: Undertale, Underswap Relationship(s): US!Papyrus/Reader, US!Alphys/US!Undyne Chapter Warnings: none

AO3 Link

In a world where soulmates exist, monsters and humans have one thing in common: the first time two soulmates touch, a mark randomly appears somewhere–anywhere– on their bodies to represent their match.

It still doesn’t make relationships easier…but maybe it does make them a little more interesting!

“YOU HAVEN’T SHOWN HIM?!”

You wince at the nearly ear-splitting demand and hastily shush your friend.

“Undyne,” you nervously remind her, “volume…!”

Undyne’s gaping jaw clicks shut, her fins drooping as she looks around and realizes that you’ve attracted some stares from the other café patrons. The scales on her face darken and you watch her physically shrink in embarrassment.

“S………sorry,” she mutters eventually—at a thankfully normal decibel this time.

“It’s fine,” you assure. “And no, I haven’t. Yet.”

“Well…you’re gonna, right?”

“That’s usually what ‘yet’ means.”

“Don’t get sassy, human,” Undyne shoots back and…well, she has a point.

You keep your mouth shut.

“Okay, but like…why not?” she wonders. “You already know it’s mutual.”

Also true.

Papyrus—your dearest bonefriend—had been sporting your soulmark for months for everyone and anyone to see…all while you hid yours away beneath your clothes.

“I mean…he’s asked about it…right?”

That makes you scoff.

“Of course he hasn’t,” you say. “He’s Papyrus!”

Soft-spoken, gentle, patient to a fault—that was Papyrus, and he hadn’t said a single word about it since it happened.

Undyne grimaces at you. “Ugh… Well…is it…is it bad…?”

“No! It’s not…”

You frown, reconsidering.

Really, you know the reason you’ve been hiding Papyrus’ mark.

You’re worried he’ll take it the wrong way; that he won’t see it the way you see it.

But as much as she’s your friend, Undyne is Papyrus’ best friend, and the last thing you need is for him to hear anything about his own soulmarkfrom somebody who isn’t you.

“Look,” Undyne says, peering at you over the rims of her glasses. “You gotta show him.”

“I know.”

“Soulmarks are an incredible thing! They don’t just happen every day, y’know!”

“I know.”

“It’s…! It’s two passionate hearts beating as one, ambient soul energy reacting so powerfully to its match that it just…! Bursts forth onto their bodies in living color! Calling out to everyone who sees it to say, ‘HEY WORLD, I FOUND MY MATE!’”

You don’t even bother to hiss another ‘volume’ at her.

“I know,” you groan.

Only to pause at the fiery passion in Undyne’s eyes, her raised fist and squared shoulders that make you chuckle, “You look like an anime right now…”

Undyne flushes again, but looks downright grumpy as she settles back down. “Anime’s awesome, don’t be a punk,” she mutters.

“Sorry, ‘dyne.”

You must not sound very sorry, because she growls at you a little.

“Rrgh, listen, though! It’s serious business!” She points to the patch of sunny-yellow scales on her cheek. “Do you know how cool it was when I got my butterfly from Alphy?”

You’ve heard the story—from both of them—at least a hundred times.

Which is plenty for you to know that you’re about to hear it again.

“She was handing me a glass of water…she’s so thoughtful, Hotland sucks and she knows how much I hate it…”

Undyne really looked like an anime now, with sparkly eyes and kissy fish-lips just from thinking about her wife.

“But her claws brushed me, and she went so red! She tried to tell me I had something on my face, but she was so nervous, I couldn’t figure it out through her stutter, stars, she’s so cute… And when I finally got to a mirror, I wasn’t even surprised! Do you know why?”

“Because you’re big gay for that lizard.”

“Because I’m—hey! Who’s telling the story here?!” she demands.

You shrug and let her continue.

“But it wasn’t just that, alright! I wasn’t surprised because Alphys…she’s my butterfly! She’s all tough on the outside, but if you give her time to open up, she’s so! Pretty! And dainty! And cute! Fuck, she’s cute, I love her!”

Undyne was hardly one to talk with how adorable her gushing was.

Until suddenly, she goes serious again, looking at you sternly. “I knew what she was already. I didn’t know who I was until I saw my mark on her.”

You remembered—the mossy green compass across the back of Alphys’ hand.

“I found out that the way she thought about me was… She looks to me when she’s lost, even though she’s so strong on her own, already. She’s my butterfly…but I’m her compass and that’s so… It was wild, seeing that for the first time. It was so cool, I never felt so special in my life!”

The sheer romance of it all makes you want to sigh…but you know where Undyne is going with this now.

“Papyrus deserves to get that from you,” she says, in a tone brooking no argument. “You know that, don’t you?”

You sag in your chair. “Yeah…”

You must look pretty dejected, because Undyne reaches over the table, grabbing at your wrist in a very awkward gesture of what you assume is meant to be comfort.

“Hey…whatever his mark is…do you see it and think of him?” she asks. “Do you look at it and know that it’s just…him? And everything he is to you?”

Stars above, you do.

“Big time,” you say.

Undyne seems satisfied. “Then just…make sure he gets it! When you show him. And you’ll be fine…okay?”

You huff…but you really don’t have any other option here.

She’s right: Papyrus deserves to see it.

“Okay.”

It’s a lazy summer day—Papyrus’ favorite kind of day—and he’s lounging peacefully in his favorite hammock with his favorite human.

Between the gentle sun and the warm weight of your body snuggled right up against his, he figures he’s been dozing in and out for at least an hour with no responsibilities, no interruptions, just the two of you swaying idly in the breeze.

perfect…

It’s not until he feels you squirming a little that Papyrus even bothers to open his eye-sockets.

He thinks, at first, that maybe you need to go to the bathroom or something, but when he looks, he realizes instantly that isn’t it.

You seem tranquil enough…except your shoulders are tense, the way they only are when you’re in deep thought about something that upsets you, and your gaze is directed straight down—locked onto his soulmark.

Papyrus spares a second to admire it himself. The fluffy cloud curling whimsically around his tibia is one of his favorite things to look at, and as often as he just throws on his cleanest pair of cargo shorts, he gets to ogle it plenty.

Sans told him once that it’s the same color as your soul and Papyrus has no idea how his brother would know that without having pulled you into an encounter… but that’s impossible.

Sans is the biggest pacifist Papyrus has ever seen and he’s always seemed to know a lot of stuff it didn’t make much sense for him to know.

That was just Sans and Papyrus was used to it by now.

Besides, it seemed like a reasonable fact to him: he loves the color floating over his bones like a fanciful dream and if it’s yours, that seems perfectly logical.

You, though…

You don’t seem quite as thrilled with it as he is.

Papyrus follows his instincts and takes a wild guess.

“hey. you know you don’t have to show me, right?”

You freeze and he knows he hit the nail on the head.

“How…?”

He chuckles. “didn’t read your mind,” he promises. “just saw you lookin’. you don’t have to show me if you don’t wanna.”

You squirm against his side a little more.

“I feel…bad,” you admit, a little petulantly. “You show yours off all the time…”

“nyeheheh, that’s not showin’ off, hon,” he says, nuzzling the top of your head. “i just hate long pants. gettin’ to look at your mark’s a perk, not the intention. last thing i wanna do is pressure you. you know that, yeah?”

“Mmm…yeah. I guess.”

“good.”

Considering the matter duly settled, Papyrus wraps his arm around you and tugs you just a little further onto him. Your cheek settles nicely against his chest and his fingers curl around your hip, fitting like they belong there, and he’s not sure he’s ever felt more comfortable in his life.

Actually, he’s almost asleep again by the time you speak up.

“…You’re touching it.”

And hell, that has a way of waking a skeleton up.

Unbidden, his gaze angles toward his own hand, wrapped around your hip. He squeezes you once, and can’t deny the sudden surge of curiosity he feels.

“here…?”

You don’t say anything else, but you nod, just once.

Papyrus starts to stroke at you with his thumb, staring hard. If he had a heart, he thinks it might be starting to beat out of his chest by now because as content as he was—is—to wait…

There really is something exciting about your soulmark; the thrill of knowing exactly the spot he’d marked his mate and wondering if…

If this was your way of telling him you were ready for him to see it.

He can’t possibly look until he’s sure.

Slowly, Papyrus lets his phalanges slip beneath the hem of your shirt, resisting the urge to push it aside.

He says your name with just as much care, making absolutely certain you’re listening.

“do you want me to…?”

You take a deep breath………but you nod again.

And Papyrus tugs up the fabric and gets his first look at your soulmark.

It’s…bigger…than he thought it’d be.

Sat there on your bare hip is a thick, heavy-looking anchor, solid steel with sharp prongs and a weighty chain.

…Papyrus isn’t sure what to make of it.

He laughs a little, probably very awkwardly.

“well. i, uh…i’m not…draggin’ you down…am i?”

He jumps when your grip around him tightens almost aggressively.

“No,” you say forcefully. “Never.”

Papyrus’ soul melts a little when you nuzzle his chest. It always melts, no matter how many times you do that.

You seem to take a moment to sort out your words, and when you do…

“You’re…steady. You keep me from…floating away. Getting lost.”

It’s not exactly poetry…

But it reminds Papyrus of some.

“‘the guide, the guardian of my heart, and soul of all my moral being.’”

He can feel your wide-eyed stare turn to him, lit up with delighted agreement.

“Yeah!” you exclaim. “It’s like that!”

Papyrus…might be blushing, just a little.

“can’t…can’t take credit for that,” he admits with a cough. “s’wordsworth.”

You keep looking at him, blankly, and the color on his cheekbones feels like it must be darkening.

“tintern abbey,” he clarifies. “er, well. it’s…actually, the full thing is, ‘lines composed a few miles above tintern abbey, on revisiting the—’”

The sound of your laughter is like instant relief.

“Oh my god,” you snicker at him, “you’re such a nerd. You make me wanna…stuff you in a locker or, give you a wedgie!”

Despite himself, Papyrus laughs, too.

“give it your best shot, hon,” he dares you. “too big for lockers since i was twelve and not wearin’ any underwear today.”

“………you’re kidding.”

“nyeheheh, wouldn’t you like to know…?”

“Papyrus, you can’t just say that and—hey, don’t go back to sleep!”

Papyrus gives you a blatantly fake snore and lets the airy sound of your laughter lift him up.

He knows now that the two of you aren’t about to drift too far.

#undertale #fanfiction #papyrus #sans #alphys #undyne #alphyne #papyrus/reader #make your mark #myfic

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choicesatnight · 5 years

Text

Restart

Title: Restart

Pairing: James Ashton x Vivian (MC)

Rating: NSFW and stuff...

Word count: 2,507 words

My disclaimer: This character is owned by PB, I just enjoy some elaboration. I really love James Ashton and I love Choices fanfics, especially nasty ass stuff but there isn’t much featuring my original bae, James Ashton from The Freshman series

So, I decided to put my amateur ass talent to work and write with James being the *star of the story*

A/N: * is a separator due to scene change, very very very minor use of Daddy. Super tame.

“Ohhhh…” James can't control his moaning. His dick between her breasts, he stops thrusting to focus on savoring the feel of her lips around the head of his member. She can't stop moaning either, his dick in her mouth as he runs his thumbs repeatedly over her erect nipples. Her moans are becoming louder and lasting longer each time his dick pops in and out of her mouth. Her appetite for him is as insatiable as his for her and she'd suck his dick all night if he never stopped her. Her lips around his dick is a sensation he’s addicted to feeling though his desire to taste her becomes overwhelming and he immediately moves off of her to lower his face between the thighs he loves so much. No words are spoken before his tongue meets the lips of her pussy, delving inside to find the treasure he seeks. “Daddy" she moans in a whisper, hands on the back of his head, resisting the urge to push his face until its smashed against her pussy. She can feel the vibrato of his baritone groans as he feasts on her center, her limbs writhing involuntarily responding to his tongue until he moves up to speak “This pussy is so damn perfect “ he licks her slit, “tastes amazing “ inserting a couple fingers to play a little before pushing himself up to lie on top of her, aligning his hips with hers releasing a loud grunt upon insertion “Its wetter, warmer than ever before" he starts to thrust “Faster Daddy, harder" and he increases the speed of his thrusts. She likes it rough and being pregnant hasn’t changed that. “Harder, baby I can take it.” James is devoted to giving her exactly what she wants. Bracing himself by gripping onto the couch they're lying on, he thrust powerfully into her pussy causing her to scream his name. He loves the sound of her pleasure scream, especially when she’s calling his name and he continues to thrust until her moan sounds like a balloon that's losing air, a decrescendo, a downward whistle. Pleased knowing that he has satisfied Vivian, he quits thrusting though remains on top of her, inside of her.

Vivian only smiles before sitting up to kiss his cheek, letting him know to get up so she can get dressed. It has only been a couple of weeks since they’d agreed on a temporary separation that they didn’t seem to be adhering to considering they're still sleeping together. Once her dress is over her head, “James, tomorrow we have a prenatal appointment. I'll call you.”

“I wish you'd just stay. You're carrying our baby. You should be here with me.”

“It’s too hard to live with you and not be with you. Plus, I call you for every single thing. Appointment. Tomorrow. Okay?”

“Of course. Call me when you get home. Or at least text me that you're safe.”

“Okay James “

Without so much as a farewell kiss, she leaves the apartment that was once home to her and drives minutes away to her new place. James is fully aware that a friend helped her with her place though he is unaware that the friend in question is Shaun. He invites himself over all the time. He’s even got a key meant to be used professionally since he is the maintenance man for this complex as well, but he pops in to visit Vivian regardless of business nature. Shaun is walking the hall when Vivian arrives home.

As confident as ever. “Hey, sexy" he flashes his golden smile that usually flusters her thoughts completely.

“Just left James. We had sex.” Stating facts as coldly as she could, hoping to deter Shaun from any flirtation although she left the door open for him to follow after her. Of course, he does.

“I guess I can get why you wanna sleep with your baby's father that you're separated from. There’s still love there, right?” Surprised that he isn’t calling James “money bags” or making fun of him in any other way, she continues talking about James.

“I love him so much and I wish he'd drop this separation bs. I'm pregnant by him. What does he think I'm going to do?”

“This separation won't last long. He won't wanna be away from you or that baby for too long"

“Thanks for listening, Shaun. I didn’t realize I needed to complain."

“Anytime, sexy" that smile. This time Vivian notices his smile and finds herself stuttering when encouraging him to leave

“Um..se-se-see you tomorrow?”

“No question.” He walks out the door, she shuts it behind him and falls on the couch irritated thinking about calling James when she should be lying in bed beside him, she texts him at his request for safety assurance. He responds to the text by calling her.

“I’m glad you’re home safe. You could have been at home if you continued living here.”

He can’t see her roll her eyes at his words, but he can certainly hear the snarky attitude when she snaps back at him,

“End this dumb separation. Let’s just be together and I’ll come right now.”

Silence. She speaks again,

“Exactly. So, shut up about my living situation and I’ll see you tomorrow. “

“Don’t act so innocent Viv. I have trust issues, yes but I also WANT to be with you. Can you blame me for being scorn? Afraid? Cautious?”

“I’m not trying to act innocent. I just miss your kisses. I miss being wrapped in your arms. I miss lying beside you. I miss everything about us.”

“Let’s keep working on it; on being 'us' again. For starters, we can converse about the happenings in our lives."

She grabs a bag of Chex Mix to start snacking, munching by the handful. Even eating the bagel crisps she usually hates.

"Well, James, next week I'll officially be two months along. We have an appointment tomorrow. There’s nothing else going on in my life.” she speaks in a monotone to accentuate her boredom with daily life sans James.

"Don’t underestimate how largely important that is. What I have to say fails to compare with pregnancy but, it's all I've got."

"I'm all ears"

"My parents are having a soiree honoring a partnership my father has made in business. His business partner Jeff and his wife are relinquishing a good amount of control to my dad. I thought it'd be kind to give them a gift upon arrival. "

"Okay. What'd you have in my mind?"

"They love spending time at the spa. I was thinking of getting them a $1,000 gift card to a spa."

"For $1,000? James. Are you crazy? These people are not special to you. No. That's stupid. "

"It’s polite. Everything costs so much these days. Spa treatments are expensive. A thousand dollars is like dimes and nickels "

"It’s too much. You wanna be polite? 80 bucks. 100 max. 1,000? James, what the hell? When did you become so dense? You’re the first to remind me that we have a baby on the way to take care of, but you're gonna drop a thousand bucks on a gift for your parents’ friends? Use your brain, James. I can't even deal with you right now. I gotta go " she hangs up the phone without waiting for James’ response. While changing into her pajamas she notices her a low on her phone. It's James calling. She can see his face as the phone vibrates, rolling her eyes while ignoring his call, she gets into bed; James calling again, as she drifts into a sweet slumber.

The night passes and Vivian awakens still feeling annoyed with James for being so careless with his money. The idea of talking to him gives her a headache and thinking about their appointment today makes the headache worse. Walking toward the bathroom she hears the clicking of her front door being unlocked and knows its Shaun. She turns directions back toward the living room to meet him,

"You can at least knock as a warning. What if I were naked?"

Shaun smiles. A smile the seems so golden. Like everything else should instantly be in glee after he smiles. "That's what I'm hoping for."

"Whatever perv." and they stand staring in one another's eyes in silence for seconds that feel like minutes. Usually, Vivian can shake this off but this time, she stumbles. Struggling to find words to change the conversation from this silent flirting. Fixing a piece of hair behind her ear she exclaims, "James!” successfully snapping out of her Shaun induced trance. Shaun's expression of confusion is so pronounced, she would claim she could see the question marks floating around his head until she continues speaking “Um...James kinda irritated me last night."

"What'd he do?"

"He wants to gift his dads’ friend a thousand bucks. I know they’re financially set but doesn’t he know priorities? We’re having a baby and he’s just giving money away. To people he doesn't even know. For his dad!" Her chest bounces and ponytail come a little loose after her animated gesturing when explaining to Shaun

"Damn sexy, why you do your moneybags boyfriend like that?"

"He's supposed to be smart and he’s not my boyfriend. "

It was the first time she denied claim on James and Shaun notices.

"So can you take me to my appointment? I'm going without him. I'll make up an excuse. I don't wanna see him."

"Yes, I'll take you but I'm also staying. You shouldn't be by yourself if you've got someone around during your pregnancy. Deal?"

"Deal. Let's go."

She begins walking out the door when Shaun puts his arm out to stop her

"You're forgetting something, sexy" he looks at her from head to feet.

"Oh yeah. I gotta shower. Come with?"

"Come on, sexy. Why you gotta tease me like that?" She giggles, appreciating his knowledge of her little joke before she walks into the bathroom.

Her phone starts ringing, and she sighs seeing James face on-screen Here we go she thinks as she picks up the phone

"Vivian. I finally got you. So we're on for today, right? I should head over there in about 20 minutes?"

Speaking softly, "No James. I didn't sleep well last night. I rescheduled. "

"Do you need anything?"

"No. I just wanna shower and lie down.”

"Okay, well I--" but she has already hung up

Meanwhile, at James apartment, he’s stuck constantly wondering if Vivian is telling the truth about needing more sleep. She seemed adamant about the appointment yesterday, she hurried off the phone and let’s be honest, she simply doesn’t have the greatest record of being forthcoming with James. In an effort to change his thoughts, he opens his laptop to purchase the $80 gift card that Vivian angrily suggested while still thinking of his distrust in her. It feels like an out-of-body experience when he looks up at the screen realizing he has searched private investigators. His distrust in Vivian controlling him as he reaches for his phone to dial the number. Feeling a little shy at first but more confident as the phone rings, James explains exactly what he’s looking for, and gives Vivian's address, they hang up so that James can text the investigator a few photos of Vivian as requested. With only a smidge of guilt and much more satisfaction, James sets down the phone trusting the investigator much more than he trusts Vivian.

After completing the transaction with the investigator, James takes the short walk to the library where he sits at his laptop working on his next play.

Beside him is a dark-haired woman on her laptop, reading reviews of Rosethorne Park.

He can't help but to speak to her,

"You saw Rosethorne Park? What did you think?"

He holds out his hand, “I'm James, by the way" she shakes his hand while turning back to her screen "Comfort. I saw the movie, but I’ve heard the movie was loosely based on the play. I also heard that the play is a million times better than the movie. The play is touring small venues in this city only so I'm reading reviews before I buy my ticket."

"I didn't get your name."

"Comfort. I said Comfort."

"Oh, I'm sorry I missed it before. Nice to meet you, Comfort and I'd argue to agree, the play is better than the movie. The movie kinda sucks."

"In comparison, I can imagine that the movie sucks. Original work is usually better."

Comfort's enthusiasm for James work has an effect on James comparable to Cupids arrow. The magnetism between these two is more than James can comprehend. He wants to kiss Comfort and somehow, he knows she wants to be kissed by him. He and Vivian are separated so it's okay, right?

No, no she's having their baby and he wants to work things out. Guess there will be no kissing tonight.

"So, James, when do you plan on telling me that you are the accomplished James Ashton? The playwright? The author? That Rosethorne Park was your first play, and this is your first-time touring?"

He sits shocked that she knows this stuff though his expression gradually becomes a grin showing that he is impressed by her knowledge. And a little turned on. This girl just keeps getting better

"What gave it away? Was I too interested in the play?"

"No, your interest level was perfect. I simply can't forget such a handsome face and I saw your picture in your author bio to your book, Prescribe to love."

"You recognized me from that? The girl I was dating at the time gave me a mini makeover for it. I don't look like that."

Why did he say that!? He just had to make it known that he's technically single right now.

"James, I'm looking at you. Yes, you do look like that. Anyway, are you teaching these days? I'd love to pick your brain."

“I don't teach, but I'd be willing to meet with you."

She closes her laptop,

"Let's set that up."

"You closed your laptop. Are you leaving me already?"

James brand of flirting isn't so obvious, nor is it usual though he can't seem to refrain from flirting with this girl.

"Yes, I promised my grandmother I'd go to T.J Maxx with her. But I won't leave before we make our date." They share the same brand of flirting and she whips out her phone going directly to the calendar.

"Let's not wait long. How about tomorrow?" Even her eagerness is come hither to James.

"Tomorrow is perfect. Here's my phone number. Text me your address. I'll come to get you"

He hands her one of the business cards he had previously printed but has never used.

"Okay, James. What time?"

"Text me and I'll text you back." James smiles feeling suave and mysterious, Vivian not on his mind at all as he watches Comfort walk away.

Teeny tiny tag list:

@zigortega4life

@littlecrookedheart

#JamesAshton #Choices #TheFreshmanSeries #FreakyFics

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flowers-creativity · 5 years

Text

Bad Luck (Chapter 11)

Fandom: The Musketeers Characters: Porthos du Vallon, Athos (Comte de la Fere), Aramis (René d’Herblay, d’Artagnan (Charles), Jean Tréville, Flea Warnings: Violence, whipping, racism, slavery, abduction, minor character death Summary: Porthos rarely had bad luck at the card table. But when he hit a streak of really bad luck, it was only the beginning …Soon, the other three Inseparables were desperately searching for their missing friend while he did his best to get back to them.

AO3 link

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20

The first man they encountered he ran through without a pause but not before the slaver called out; but the second man did, too, so it really didn't matter. Only seconds behind the first, the second man nearly ran him through, and it was only due to Marcel throwing himself at the man and stabbing at his gut, inexpertly but viciously, that Porthos only gained a long slice down his side, from his chest to the waistband of his breeches. He choked back the sound of pain and pierced the man's chest with his sword, finishing what Marcel's knife had started.

After that, things devolved into splintered moments, running a few paces, then there was another enemy, this one good enough that it took a few parries and ripostes until he managed to slip under his defence and send his sword flying, knocking him out with a strong left hook – then running again, and the next time they met two, but Robert was able to keep one busy while Marcel drew a pistol – he hadn't even known that there had been another pistol than the one he had taken – and shot the other man, without a moment's hesitation, and Porthos turned to the remaining man, just as he knocked Robert's knife from his hand, and buried his sword in the man's back. Fadil hung back from the fight, supporting a thin-lipped Jean, but they kept pace as they started running again. Porthos could feel sweat sliding down his back and burning in the barely scabbed-over whip marks, mingling with what he's sure was blood from where the scabs and new skin had split again, and his side was bleeding freely, soaking his breeches. But he had to keep going.

Then they burst through a door, and suddenly they were on deck. There were men assembled on it, but most of them looked to be sailors, engrossed in their tasks necessary to keep the ship going. Several others were approaching, though, drawing their weapons, and Porthos knew that if he let himself be drawn into a fight, if they only took a few moments too long, it would all be over. “Jump!” he roared and barreled towards the ship's starboard, between two startled sailors. There was no time to look for a different way, not even to look whether this side or the other was closer to the river's edge, to either reach it more quickly or even jump to the ground immediately. All the time he had was to hope fervently that his companions were good swimmers and pray for their forgiveness that he hadn't been able to release their wrists, to tuck his stolen sword into his belt.

And then he jumped.

It seemed to take ages to fall. His body struck the water with punishing force, and he opened his mouth to cry out, only for water to rush in. Choking and disoriented, he did not know which way was up or down for a moment before he remembered how to use his arms and legs.

He struck out powerfully, and after a few strokes, his head broke through the surface, and he heaved in air, coughed, drew in another breath. Finally, he could look around and saw with pleased relief four other dark heads bobbing nearby.

Porthos managed to raise a hand from the water and give a weak wave. “'m alright,” he ground out.

“Swim downstream at an angle,” Marcel all but ordered and started off, moving fluidly in the water. Porthos trod water, looking at his other comrades and for the ship. Robert seemed to struggle to keep himself afloat but both Fadil and Jean seemed to do alright, even if the latter's face was a rigid mask of pain as he forced his injured arm to move.

And the ship was already two lengths ahead of them, even as the men on it swarmed over the deck like angry ants, presumably to stop it. But a ship was no horse or carriage, to be easily swung around on its watery road. Even if his instincts wanted him to turn around and swim in the opposite direction, he knew Marcel was right – angling their trajectory towards the river's edge but not directly fighting against the stream was their best bet to get on dry land as fast as they could.

“Holdin' up, Robert?” he called out to the older mulatto. The other man coughed up some water but nodded. “I'm alright,” he swore, “just not a good swimmer.”

Porthos nodded back but paced himself slightly as to not pull ahead of him yet. He was not a great swimmer either, had never learned it during his childhood in the Court when the only body of water available for swimming was the Seine flowing sluggishly through the city and bearing all the waste and refuse Paris was constantly shedding, and the only men who voluntarily entered its waters were those too drunk, too unlucky or too weary of life. But early on in his time with the Musketeers, Athos and Aramis had discovered this and had taught him, patiently practising with him whenever they had the time and opportunity. So he knew that even if his style lacked finesse and he wouldn't be able to make any difficult manoeuvres or last for very long, he could keep himself afloat quite well, and hopefully, he could help if Robert needed it. He was holding up, though, and ahead of him, Porthos could already see Marcel pull himself out of the water and onto solid ground.

The next moment, though, a shout rang out, from whom he could not tell, and without a moment's hesitation, Marcel dove back into the river. Porthos cursed under his breath and looked around to Robert, then sped up. As he drew near, he realised that he could only see one dark head bobbing in the water, and it was Fadil – there was no sign of Marcel. And no sign of Jean.

“What happened?” he asked.

Fadil looked around to him, then continued scanning the river's surface, his eyes wide and near-frantic, while he trod water and tried to keep himself from drifting off. The river's current was strong, though, and already they had been pulled a few metres along. “I-I don't know,” he said, “Jean was right behind me, and suddenly he was gone.”

Porthos' heart sank. Jean had been hurt, and he'd held up admirably despite what had to be significant pain and blood loss … It was not hard to guess that his strength had finally failed him, in one of the worst moments possible.

A few paces ahead, Marcel broke through the surface. “I can't find him,” he gasped. Porthos cursed again. No, that wasn't how their flight was supposed to end!

Marcel took a deep breath again and dove back in, leaving them to tread water and stare at the river's surface. Porthos looked up, down the river, and something in him clicked at the sight of the ship. It was a good distance away but not as far as he had expected. They're stopping, his brain supplied. They're stopping, and they're coming for us.

“Fadil, Robert,” he said harshly. “Get out of the water. Marcel and I will be right behind you.”

Fadil looked at him and then towards where they had last seen Marcel, his face full of conflict. In the end, he did not speak, though, just nodded and followed Robert who seemingly didn't need to be told twice.

It was only a few moments later that Marcel reappeared, and before he could even do much but take a deep breath, Porthos had traversed the distance to him with a few strong strokes. “Get out of the water,” he repeated his order.

Marcel stared at him with a look of betrayal. “But Jean--”

“Jean is gone,” Porthos told him, even as it pained him to say it. Jean had wanted to die a free man rather than live as a slave – had it been enough that he did not have to die on that ship? “We need to get out of here.”

Marcel stared a moment longer, then nodded and quickly, with strong, even strokes, swam towards the river's edge. Porthos followed as fast as he could and heaved a relieved sigh when he reached the shallows of the shore. Stumbling, his limbs heavy with exertion and cold, he made his way to dry land.

Fadil and Robert came to join them, and Marcel sank to the ground, one hand pressed to his mouth as if he feared he would be sick. “Jean,” he said, his voice full of anguish.

They had barely known each other for two days, but some things forged a bond quickly, it seemed. Porthos could not deny that it hurt, losing the strong, stoic bricklayer just as they had made their escape.

Still, there was no time.

He bent down, closing a large hand around Marcel's biceps, and pulled him to his feet. “We have to go,” he said. Now that he did not have to concentrate on swimming and on his companions, he could see the ship in a distance – it seemed to have stopped, dropped anchor, and there was activity on the deck that he thought meant they were lowering a boat.

Marcel made a small sound of protest but after a moment, he nodded, found his feet and stood. Porthos looked around to the other two, meeting first Fadil's, then Robert's eyes in turn, and nodded to them. “Let's go,” he repeated and pointed to a rise in the distance where shadows of trees rose against the sky.

They nodded back. And then they ran.

#the musketeers #bad luck #bad luck story #Porthos #Athos #Aramis #d'Artagnan

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creedtheconquer · 5 years

Text

A Christmas Miracle (Pt.4 final part) AU

Summary-"Michael and (Y/N) take it to the next step then have a cute morning together.'

Pairings- Michael Langdon x Reader

Warnings- S.M.U.T smut smut then some fluff

*Hello everyone this kicks off day 10! I really hope you enjoy this part, it's my first smut on this blog. This is also the final part for this series but I will be starting up a sequel that takes place after the events of this series so please stay tuned! Remember my ask box and requests are always open so feel free to request away! I write for Cody and any character he has played minus David for obvious real life reasons and I wish to respect him as a person. I also write for other AHS characters.*

Pt.1 Pt.2 Pt.3

______________________________________________

"I guess I should give this back to you." (Y/N) says softly as they step through Michael's front door. He looks down at the red glove and he laughs taking it back from her grasp.

"Thank you." He says brushing past her and he takes his coats off leaving him in his black slacks with just a thin black t-shirt. He turns towards (Y/N) and takes her coat and hangs it on the rack along with his.

"Do you live alone?" (Y/N) asks as he leads her to the living room and he gestures to the couch. Taking the hint she walks around it and she instantly makes herself comfortable.

Michael walks away and into his kitchen. He grabs a bottle of wine and two glasses and carefully makes his way back into the living room to join (Y/N), "Yeah I do, but Ms Mead lives a few houses down." He says handing her, her glass and he fills it half way doing the same with his own.

After he pours their wine he sets the bottle on the table. He leans back on the couch, bringing his feet up to rest on the table as he turns slightly to face (Y/N). (Y/N) moves slightly to tuck her feet under her and she lays a pillow across her lap and faces him.

"You seem to be very close to her." (Y/N) says taking a sip of her whine and she lets a sigh of satisfaction as the red liquid hits her tongue.

"She adopted me when my family threw me out." He says and (Y/N) instantly feels bad bringing up the topic.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She says softly dropping her head. He reachs over and softly touches her chin raising her head back up so she can look at him.

"Its ok, I've been so much happier with her, all I have is good memories. She found me when I was 15 and raised me into the man I am today." He says letting his thumb ghost over her bottom lip and across her jaw before removing his hand from her.

"Well she did an excellent job." (Y/N) says softly taking another sip and he smiles doing the same.

"Tell me a little bit about you." He says moving and he cuddles one of the side pillows to him.

(Y/N) sets her glass on the table and lays her head against the back of the couch, "My dad dipped when I was in middle school leaving just my mom and I. I had a good childhood, I did excellent in school got into college. After I got into college my mom became a bitch refusing to help me with my apartment and she's constantly threatening to disown me every time I get below an A in any class. Before you offered me the job I worked 2 horrible jobs just trying to make ends work, so yeah." She says with a sigh cuddling into the pillow she had in her lap.

"Fuck both your parents, that's if it is ok if I say that." He says looking at her and she laughs nodding her head.

"More than ok." She says sitting up and she moves closer to him and he opens his arms for her to nuzzle into his chest and he feels her relax.

As the night wore on and after a bottle of wine, the two learn so much about each other. Michael told (Y/N) about his gang but he explained to her that they are not you're typical gang. He explained that they don't get their hands dirty unless they absolutely have too and that's very rare. She listened and accept it all not even batting an eye and he feels his heart grow fonder for her. Blaming it on the wine coursing through his veins or just his blind love for her, he places his finger under her chin and raises her head up and he presses their lips together. She moves slightly so she could get a better angle and he deepens the kiss.

He pulls away panting softly pushing away from her, his cheeks flushing a bright red, "I'm sorry." He whispers avoiding eye contact and she smiles turning his face to look at her.

"For what?" She asks cupping his face as her thumbs rub across his cheek bones and he finally makes eye contact.

"We've both had a bit to much to drink. I don't want things to escalate and then you regret it in the morning." He whispers as his eyes fall to her lips briefly before making eye contact again.

"I don't think that's gonna happen." She says kissing him again and he pulls her into his lap. She smiles against his lips as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Are you sure?" He asks again as he breaks the kiss so he can search her eyes for any sort of discomfort.

"Yes I'm sure." She whispers placing kisses along his jaw and his eyes flutter closed allowing his head to roll back to rest on the back of the couch. She smiles against his skin as she makes her way to his neck and a breathy sigh leaves his lips as she finds his sweet spot. She sucks and nibbles at the spot leaving her mark and he whimpers as his grip on her hips tighten. She sits up slightly and she runs her fingers down his clothed chest reaching the hem of his shirt and she grips it tugging it up and off of him, throwing it behind her returning to trialing kisses down his neck and across his chest.

Michael sits up and grabs a hold of her thighs and stands up off of the couch and she locks her ankles behind his back and her hands around his neck as he brings their lips back together. This kiss being heavier than the last and it takes her breath away. He pins her against the wall of the hall and it's his turn to explore her upper body as he kisses along her jaw before moving to her neck. She moves her head to the side to give him more access as she tangles her fingers in his curly blond hair. She moans softly when he finds that spot right under the left side of her jaw and he leaves his mark there.

"Arms up." He whisper his icy eyes blown wide as he looks at her. She lets go of her grip on his neck and she lefts her arms and he pulls her shirt off. The second it's off he attaches his lips to her collar bones and he nibbles softly causing a soft noise to fall from her lips and he smirks moving away from the wall.

Michael carries her into his room and lays her down softly on the bed. She scoots up the bed and rests against the pillows as she watches him unbuckling his belt before letting his slacks pool at his feet leaving him in his blue boxers. He kicks his pants away before walking to the bed and he crawls up to her and she smiles running a hand down from his chest to his waist and she slips her fingers slightly under the band of his boxers and she pops the fabric against his skin and he sucks in a sharp breath. He runs a shaky hand from her neck down her body to her jeans and he stops looking her in the eyes.

"Go ahead." She whispers taking him all in and he smiles slightly as he pops the button open and he pulls down the zipper. He shimmies away from her as he brings her jeans down, she kicks out of them and he tosses them behind him. He lightly runs his fingers up her legs and she squirms causing him to smirk laying down and his lips follow where his fingers just were. He grabs her thighs and he pulls her closer to him and she yelps. He giggles spreading her legs so he can comfortably lay between them as he place wet sloppy kisses to her inner thighs. She moans softly tangling her fingers in his hair and she tugs softly and he can't stop the soft moan that leaves his lips as he looks up at her. He ghost over her core as he makes his way back up her body causing her to tense up and let out a soft whimper. He presses a soft kiss to her lips as he unhooks her bra and he tosses it. He brings his hand up to massage her left breast and her breath hitches as his thumb grazes over her nipple. He breaks the kiss and peppers kisses over her chest and she sighs. His fingers find their way down to her underwear and he stops looking up at her.

"May I?" He whispers and she nods and he smiles sitting up and he pulls her underwear down her legs. He looks down at her in awe, he's lost in thought when she sits up and presses kisses along his chest and he sighs letting his eyes close just feeling her touch. His breath catches in his throat as she slips her hand into his boxers and he feels her smile against his chest. She pulls his boxers down and he kicks out of them and he pushes her back on her back. He pulls away from her and he reaches over to his bedside table and he pulls out the shiny wrapper. He opens the condom and rolls it on to himself before moving back over her and he checks to see if she was ready for him, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" He asks pressing their foreheads together just letting everything hit him.

"Yes I'm more than sure, Michael please." She pleads wrapping her legs around his waist and she pulls him closer. They both moan softly when his length presses against her.

Michael nods pressing his lips to hers again as he slowly pushes into her. She moans softly against his lips and she clings to him. He lets her name fall from his lips softly as he buries his face in her neck. He nearly pulls all the way out before pushing back in powerfully causing (Y/N) to see stars as he hits that sweet spot deep inside of her and she moans his name. Michael continues his slow steady pace bringing both of them closer and closer to their high. (Y/N) softly rakes her nails down his back and he groans rolling his hips into her as he intertwines their fingers above her head and he rises up slightly to look down at her sensing her release. He lets go of one of her hands and he drags his fingers down her body to where their meet and he starts to rub tight circles and she clinches around him and he moans as his hips stutter and she feels him twitch inside her. With one last sloppy thrust they both reach their highs with a soft whimper of each other's names.

"Thank you." He whispers collapsing on her and he breathes heavily and so does she.

"No no thank you." She whispers placing kisses all over his face and he giggles rolling off of her to throw away the condom.

"Stay the night?" He asks softly crawling back into bed with her after he slips his boxers back on.

"What else would I do?" She asks cuddling up to his side and he smiles wrapping his arms around her and he kisses the top of her head. She sighs closing her eyes and she feels the pull of sleep and she relaxes into him letting sleep take her.

"Good night." He whispers softly rubbing her back and he too falls asleep completely content with life.

(Y/N) wakes the next morning with Michael's arm wrapped tightly around her waist as last night's events come back to her. She can't help the smile that spreads across her lips as she thinks back. She feels him stir behind her and she turns to face him. His eyes flutter open and he groans at the light covering his eyes with his arm.

"Good morning." She whispers and sees him smile as he removes his arm so he can look at her.

"Morning beautiful." He whispers back pressing a soft kiss to her lips and she giggles caressing his cheek softly.

"What is your favorite breakfast food?" She asks looking over his face as she traces over his near perfect features and he lets his eyes shut at her touch.

"French toast." He says softly causing (Y/N) to smile and she sits up looking for something to throw on. She spots on of his shirts laid out over his desk and she gets up and throws it on. She smiles to herself when she notices it comes down to just above the middle of her thighs.

"Come show me around your kitchen so I can make us breakfast." She says coming to stand at the foot of the bed and he opens his eyes to look at her. When he sees what she's wearing he smiles as he groans softly.

"Alright come on." He says standing and he runs a hand through his mess of curls as he leads her to the kitchen.

"Thank you." She smiles up at him and she stands on her tip toes to place a kiss to his lips.

"No, thank you." He says stealing one more kiss before he helps get the ingredients together. He watches her cook and he can't help but smile and fall just that much more in love with her than he already was knowing that he has found the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

@madamfae @rainbowxmisa

#cody fern #ahs #ahs apocalypse #michael langdon #michael langdon x reader #michael langdon imagine #michael langdon x reader smut #michael langdon smut

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