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kisses4lao · 6 months

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Lin Kuei bros get pegged like little bitches

I had someone DM me asking me to do this so no request window :( sad

Tw/cw: separate hcs, hand cuffs in Tomas' part, Bi Han being a bitch, pegging obviously, AFAB reader rimming and anal fingering(m! receiving)

No beta I will die like a man

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Bi Han

No.

This man is not letting you anywhere NEAR his ass.

It took him an extremely long time to consider it, but once he did start thinking about it, it was only a matter of time before he actually let you.

You guys ended up having as long talk about it, mainly for Bi Hans comfortability.

When you guys actually got to the session, it was a lot of stretching. Like, a lot.

Bi han hasn't really ever thought of putting something up is ass and because of that he isn't stretched. So, like a good girlfriend, you did it for him.

A fuck ton of lube later and you'd be pushing the strap slowly inside him.

He was trying his hardest not to make any sounds and make it seem like he wasn't having a good time, but you could see his face twitching in pleasure as you pushed in further.

You stay for a minute or two for him to adjust, as per request, and you could see his chest rising up and down, much faster than usual. His breath became heavy and he was holding the sheets slightly. He was enjoying this, but he wasn't going to admit it.

Once you did start moving, every small bit of his facade started to fade. He was desperately gripping at anything he could: the sheets, pillows, you. Anything.

He was desperately holding onto you as his head fell back in pleasure, biting his bottom lip so hard he ended up bleeding.

Slowly, his groans became more and more audible. His fingernails were digging into you harshly as his cock began twitching and leaking precum.

He'd be cursing under his breath and you could hear him silently begging for release, saying please over and over

Once he did cum, it was the harshest you've ever seen. He'd let out a guttural moan as ropes of cum would spew out of his cock, painting both you and himself.

He'd be practically panting throughout the entire aftercare. His head would still be back as he overcame his high and he'd flinch at your touch.

He wouldn't look you in the eyes afterwards. He'd have a rosy blush painted across his face as he'd avoid your gaze.

He'd give it a 2.5/10. He'd pretend he didn't like it, but deep down, he gives it a 9/10. He's probably thinking about asking you to peg him more often

Kuai Liang

Very open to try it. You propose the idea to him, explain what it is, and he's willing to try it

Kuai Liang seems like the type of person that would try anything at least once, and pegging is no exception. When you get the strap and show it to him, it suddenly hits him that he's about to do this, but he overcomes that when he sees how excited you are

He was admittedly nervous, but having you rim him was all he needed to get that out of his head.

When you begin to ease in the strap, he's begging you to move, almost immediately after it's all the way in.

When you do start moving, he's squirming. Like, everywhere.

Hes panting like a dog and he can't keep still, his hands are very indecisive on where he thinks they should be, flying from your waist, to the bedsheets, to the pillows, to your waist again, to settling on hanging onto the headboard.

He'd probably also be crushing you with his thighs. Like, instinctively, youre in-between them and so he's wrapping them around you, pulling you closer while also crushing you.

He probably wouldn't last long, you can see him twitching after a few minutes and he cums soon after.

Luckily, he's pretty vocal during sex, so he was also vocal here. He was showing you he was being pleasured, so he has to give it a good score, right?

He gives it a 6.5/10. He doesn't dislike it, far from it, but he'd do it very sparingly

He was also very energetic afterwards and insisted on pleasuring you, something he'd much rather do than get himself off.

Tomas

100% recommended it.

He even went out and bought one for you to use before asking 😭

Once you said yes he'd be ECSTATIC

He's always been really into rimming/anal fingering so stretching him out was no problem.

He'd probably like... Want you to handcuff him to the bed before you pegged him.

Full on CUFFED to the bed. Legs too probably he a freak like that

Hes probably really into sensory deprivation which is why he wanted his first time to be like this, would probably go vanilla next time around

Once you got the strap in, he wants you to move, like, immediately

He's begging for you to move

So you do

And he cannot handle it

He's squirming, he's twitching, he's trying to touch you but he can't. All of them above. And he loves it.

He can feel you hit his g spot I've and over and his head falls back, mouth agape as he moans your name repeatedly

His back began to arch and you can see his cock twitch repeatedly. At this point, you can't even see his face, but you know it's contorted

Also wouldn't last long. Like, at all. He's so sensitive and knowing you, his girlfriend, is pegging him, something he always wanted, has him cumming very early.

He wouldn't be lying if he said this exact scenario has gone through his head consistently

And because of that, he practically screams your name as he releases

Back still arched, he'd be thanking you over and over for doing this and he'd fall asleep immediately after

He'd rate it a 10/10. Most definitely asking you to peg him multiple times a week now

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A/N:eil Gaiman????? What are you doing in my falafel??!!

#mortal kombat smut #mortal kombat x reader #mortal kombat x reader smut #bi han mortal kombat #bi han x reader #bi han smut #bi han x reader smut #kuai liang x reader smut #kuai liang x reader #kuai liang smut #tomas vrbada #tomas vrbada x reader #tomas vrbada smut #tomas vrbada x reader smut #lin kuei x reader

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crimsonbubble · 2 months

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How about having an argument with Smoke, turning to walk away only for Smoke to grab the reader, push against the wall with one hand holding both the reader's hands over the head and passionately kiss them?

cw. suggestive/borderline nsfw, gn!reader, slight manhandling, strength kink, grinding *not proofread, just pure horny

[I'd let Tomas fold me like a pretzel] @smmy-winchster

This argument is meaningless

But the way he's staring at you just made this game that much more fun

You could feel his eyes bore into you

Piercing holes into your skin as you fought a meaningless battle

Sensing this argument was getting you nowhere, you rolled your eyes and began to walk off

Tomas’ eyes narrowed as he pulled you back by your wrist

He had your back pressed into the cold stone wall behind you

His hands held your wrists firmly, his body pressing against yours to keep you still

Your eyes widened slightly, your breath hitching as your eyes flickered over his face

He moved to hold your wrists in one hand, the other moving to your hip

His lips found yours easily, slotting them together like a puzzle piece

His hand wrapped around you, pressing you together while his hand laid across your back

The kiss was urgent, persistent, and longing

You both pulled away, breathing heavy and lips swollen

Not even a second after pulling away, Tomas leans in for another

Your hands curl around his, pushing your body against his even further

Tomas lets go of your hands, opting to arch your hips into his

Your hands find themselves tangled in his hair, making a mess of his usually neat look

Your were both dishevelled, rosy lipped and breathing heavily, anyone could tell what transpired between the two of you

His hands held you gently yet firmly

There’s pushing and pulling of clothes and hair

Messily and hastily grinding against one another to feed into the other's desires

Giving and taking what you so longed for

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vinaxxo · 3 months

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17+ | I want you in my bed 🩶 (song by millionaires)

A/N: I live tomas. I laugh tomas. I love tomas. I wanna treat this beautiful man to dinner, and i want him to *********** my ***** and *************. This came out longer than expected, oops! LISTEN TO THE SONG. If you listened to it tell me in the comments!!

I think Tomas would really appreciate your help. Lucky for him, YOU ALL BOUT THAT!!! (you should be if you’re reading this)

CONTENT: nsfw, fem reader. we’re all pervs, next.

Tomas had the longest day. During training, recruits screwed up drills, causing Bi han to punish them all with even more taxing ones– to which he had to demonstrate and practice with the other ninjas ten times as hard.

While he was sparring with Kuai Liang, Tomas missed more than a few hits that would’ve been guaranteed had he been in top shape. Not that he isn’t now, but off days are inevitable, as nobody is perfect.

Tomas, frustrated, silently headed to the bathroom near his quarters, hoping to wash the day down the drain.

As the water ran down his toned back and arms, he let his head roll, completely forgetting about the plans he made with you to grab dinner at Madame Bo’s. The water soothed Tomas for a while before the frustration came clawing right back at him. He turned the water off soon after washing his body with a sigh.

After finishing your work for the day, you refresh yourself with a quick bath and fix up your appearance. You’d die before you let Tomas see you looking crazy, as if he hasn’t seen you beat up and disheveled after a fight. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good for him, he’s your biggest crush. Everything from the way he walks to talks has you leaping over the moon, and you wonder if he notices. You don’t think he has. Even if he’s teased you back before, you were never sure if he was flirting or not.

You checked your phone, which read 10. Tomas said he’d come by to get you, but it’s been at least thirty minutes after the time you both agreed on. You hope that he didn’t forget, but you open messages and send him a text. He’s been good at keeping up with newer technology with your help, cutely enough. You wait a little for a response, but nothing comes through.

Maybe Lin Kuei territory cell service isn’t the best? Shit.

Since you know where Tomas stays in the temple, you take it upon yourself to meet him at his quarters. He could be sleeping, which makes your steps unintentionally light as you approach his door. Dim light came from under the heavy wood, further fueling your curiosity.

The door made no noise as it was pushed aside, revealing Tomas on his bed. No shirt on, dick in hand, Tomas panted as he stroked himself, dying for any type of relief. It was beyond concerning that he didn’t notice you— he must’ve really been off his game. Not knowing what the fuck to do, you stand there and blush, feeling your heart beat in your head… and core.

“Damn it.” he huffed, letting go of his dick and running a hand through his hair. Tomas finally looked at you for a second before his eyes widened, face paling, and he immediately shoved a pillow into his lap. He wished his abilities would make him disappear without hesitation, but he was frozen.

He looked almost defeated. He was at a loss for words, but you weren’t that far off his wavelength. Tomas’ rosy blush from a moment ago returned, and he met your eyes again. His expression was bashful, but not as much as you’d expect from him.

“...How long have you been there?” he asked, clutching the pillow.

You respond quickly, not wanting silence to overcome you both again. “Not that long…” You feel bad for doing him like this, but really, this has got to be your biggest break. You can’t miss such an opportunity! (Fuck dinner when you can have Tomas instead.)

“I can help… if you want me to,” You offer with a sheepish smile, stepping into the room and letting the door slide closed behind you. Tomas looks you up and down with those silver eyes, and you can see his fist tighten its grip on the pillow, his knuckles going white. He studies you hard, weighing all the possibilities in his head. He’s tired and unsatisfied, but you could be the solution to that… He briefly wondered why he hadn't approached you before.

Though his mouth didn’t move, his eyes said everything for him. He wanted you to help. He needed you to help. He needed you. Taking his silence as a yes, you crawl onto the bed and put your hand on his, slowly moving that pesky pillow out of your way. He hissed at the chill of the air as his cock twitched, looking down at his lap before making eye contact with you again, this time with a lustful glint in his eye.

He placed his hands on the bed by his sides, lounging back slightly, watching you like a hawk. You reposition yourself and kneel, taking his dick into your hand and giving it a teasing stroke, to which Tomas’ breath hitched. Your body was thrumming with anticipation.

All you’ve ever wanted was to kneel before Tomas like this and show him how much you wanted him; he was so big, and feeling the weight of his cock made your underwear stickier than it already was. Tomas was sensitive because of his previous attempts to try cumming, so every touch you gave him made his cock twitch even more.

Without any warning, you went down on him with your drooling mouth, humming in delight when one of his surprisingly soft hands buried itself in your hair. He groaned, letting his brows become furrowed as he got used to the feeling around his cock. Your mouth was sucking him in so tight. It was like lava the way it made him feel like he was fucking melting.

“It’s so warm,” Tomas moaned and bit his lip, slightly moving his hips closer to your mouth. You gagged slightly, struggling to take him to the base in one go as your hands wandered to his thigh. Tomas felt his dick throb again as you lowered your head, and it was hard for him to not just manhandle you in that moment. He wanted nothing more than to push your head down further on his cock, but he decided to be gracious for your sake. He’d feel a little bad if your throat ended up being sore because of his greed. How sweet of him, right?

As you started to bob your head, lewd wet noises sounded through the room mixed with Tomas’ heavenly moans. They weren’t overly loud, but the edge to them added to the satisfaction you got from pleasing him. Your saliva and his precum made his dick glisten in the warm light as you hollowed out your mouth, earning you a grunt.

“Ugh..!” Tomas whined, gripping your hair tighter as he started feeling lightheaded. His hips were starting to involuntarily buck up into your mouth, which you welcomed with a moan of your own. He was starting to lose it, and bad. As his mind started to swirl with more and more filthy thoughts, he found it impossible to be gentlemanly any longer.

“I’m sorry—“ was all he murmured before he started moving your mouth up and down on his cock, releasing his loudest groan yet. It felt too good, the stress he felt from earlier dissipated completely as his mind turned numb from the way you gave him head. He never knew how much he’d been missing out on until this moment. Your beautiful face choking on his cock, sticky fluids coating your lips, your eyes glossy and glittering, he couldn’t have asked for a better sight.

You eagerly returned his greed with your own, choking briefly and breathing through your nose before swirling your tongue where you could while sucking on his dick harder than before. Tomas’ head and eyes rolled back as he swore in what you presumed to be czech. He looked so sexy like this, your fantasies could never compare to the real thing. You were getting wetter by the second. Tomas tried to keep his voice down, not wanting his brothers or any passerby to suspect anything, but it was hard. Really hard.

Before he knew it, your scalp was being tugged on enough to make you feel a burn— Tomas was signaling that he was close without saying a word. His pants grew a little faster as his thigh muscles clenched under your hands, and his eyes were lidded as they looked down at you.

“I’m— I’m gonna cum—” Tomas grunted, trying to pull your head off. How unclean would he be if he let himself release into your mouth? He only ever imagined it in his own fantasies, but he was under the impression that you wouldn’t like his cum in your throat. That’s why he was surprised by your resistance as you kept your pretty lips suctioned around the head of his dick. His expression was confused for a moment before it melted back into pleasure as his high came over him like a tidal wave.

He came in your mouth with a another grunt, the huge load leaking from your lips. You took in a breath after pulling off, the sticky strings connecting your tongue to his cock still keeping you both together in a way. Tomas put a hand in his hair and eyed you down, partly speechless.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” He asked, cracking his cute, classic smile. He was trying not to look at your lips that were still connected to his tip with the white strings of his cum— he’d be damned if he got hard in front of your face.

You licked your lips and playfully squeezed his thighs, silently admiring the solid muscle they carried.

“Just now.”

Tomas’ brow raised. You really never gave any head before? That was the best thing he’s ever felt. You ruined his hand for him. He then noticed the way you observed him with your eyes, the way you pawed at him, the way your thighs were squeezed together… fuck. His dick stood right back up against his will, which was the queue you were waiting for.

“I’m assuming you can help me with this too?” Tomas asked, letting himself pull you into his lap. He looked up at you curiously, allowing his hands to rub your lower back and trace the skin there. He sent shivers down your spine, made you weak in the knees— you couldn’t believe this was happening right now.

“Yeah… I can help.” You manage to say meekly, suddenly feeling shy under Tomas’ gaze. The way he looked at you never failed to make you feel like jelly, helpless to his effortless charm. He allowed his back to rest against the pillows, giving you the chance to do what you want. His hands, however, never left your body.

Eagerly but nervously, you pull your pants off and discard them, revealing dark gray lace. You forgot you had that pair on, immediately feeling heat rush to your ears. Tomas was never supposed to see your panties tonight, even if you did wear them because you were planning to have dinner with him.

Tomas tore his eyes off your underwear to smirk up at you, even being bold enough to snap the hem of them against your hip.

“Did you wear these for me?” He chuckled, bringing your hips down so you sat in his lap once more. When he pulled you down, your hands automatically planted themselves on his chest. It was soft, yet firm, you realized. A perfect match.

“My color looks good on you. Would you be mad if I told you I wanted to see you in these again?” Tomas peered at you with a mischievous smile, insinuating that he wanted to do stuff like this again with you in the future.

Susceptible to his mere existence, you nodded your head, letting him guide your clit to his cock. You started to grind against him, the wet spot on your underwear growing at a rapid pace. Tomas bit his lip and helped you, the delicious friction of fabric making his cock leak like crazy. As your low moans rang in his ears, he felt something inside of him snap. He needed to hear more.

Tomas pulled your panties aside and slid his middle finger up your cunt, surprised at how easy it went in. “You’re so wet,” he commented incredulously, looking at you for answers as he was able to slide in another thick finger. You whimpered above him, grinding yourself down on his fingers as all your inhibitions melted away.

“I wanted you so bad…” you mumbled, pussy clamping down on whatever he gave you. It was something, but it wasn’t enough. You really couldn’t wait any longer, the need to beg for more bubbled in your throat. Tomas blushed a little at your confession, feeling the heat rise in his stomach. His dick was aching to be touched again.

“Just let me on it already, Tomas, please,” you sniveled, already pulling his hand from your cunt and holding his dick. He didn’t object as your sopping pussy lowered onto his cock, swallowing it into your warmth. Tomas swore in czech again, this time a short string of different words, grabbing your ass with both hands on either side.

“Ngh, so tigh—“ cutting him off with a kiss as you easily let him bottom out, you both moan against each other’s lips. He gropes at the soft skin of your ass as you run your hands over his chest, letting your tongue play with his while your hips start to move back and forth in his lap.

This sensation made him bite your lip, enjoying the small sound you make when he does. He could feel his cock twitch between your velvety walls, ugh, he could never go back to his pathetic hand after this. Not after he’s had a taste of heaven.

When you reposition your legs at Tomas’ sides to get a more stable position, you feel him easily lift you up just to pull you right back down on his cock. It pulled two loud moans from you both as you got drunk off each other. Tomas felt his greed take the reins again as he helped you to start bouncing on his big dick— you were really starting to feel the stretch now. He was thick, and even with how wet you were, the strain on your pussy made you shake.

Sparing you the work like the sweetheart he is, he helped you ride him at a faster pace, causing you both to make more noise adding to the sounds of your sloppy cunt gushing around his dick. It felt unbelievably amazing, the way he massaged your walls and repeatedly rammed into your weak spot.

You weighed nothing to Tomas, so moving your body up and down quickly like a doll came easy. He watched your face as he dug his nails into your hips, memorizing every expression of ecstasy you made.

If nobody in the temple heard you both before, they sure did now. Tomas fucked up your insides like there was no tomorrow and you couldn’t escape him if you tried— not that you ever wanted to. You tried kissing him again only to be get open mouthed messy ones, your tongues being the only thing that could keep you both close together. Tomas groaned against your lips when you put your hands in his hair, your tits pushing up against his pecs as you did so.

Tomas never wanted to leave this moment. You got him addicted to this feeling, there’s no way he’d ever turn back. His cock was being squeezed and fucked so well, he felt his orgasm creeping up on him earlier than he expected. Oh well, that's what more rounds are for, right?

“T-Tomas, I’m g-gonna cum!” you whined, squealing when he started to slam you down on his dick even faster. He was kissing your cervix at this point, he’ll probably leave it bruised! As you babbled to him about your impending orgasm, Tomas nipped and kissed your neck after he sat up, his cock starting to twitch once again deep inside your pussy.

“L-Let’s cum together, just cum with me,” Tomas said breathlessly, rolling his hips up into you. You saw stars, Tomas’ voice commanding you with ease. As soon as your core clenched tightly and spasmed around his cock, he came, spurting his thick, hot cum up into your cunt.

He groaned loudly and panted again afterwards, the spasms of your pussy milking him dry as his release oozed down his cock from your entrance. You shook and whined in his ear, struggling to control how your body trembled in Tomas’ arms. He held you closer to him and stole your incoming thoughts away with a sensual kiss.

Not even a second after said kiss, you felt Tomas’ cock harden again inside you, and he gave you a wry smile. He wasn’t done, as he had so much pent up energy from even before today. You were in for a long night. Not that you minded, you always wanted to provide for Tomas, because you’re madly in love with him— and now you know he’s madly in love with you.

#vinafics🩷#smoke x reader #mk smoke #smoke mk1 #tomas vrbada x reader #tomas vrbada #tomas x reader #tomas mk1 #tomas x you #tomas vrbada x you #tomas vrbada x y/n #mk1 x reader #mk smut #tomas vrbada smut #smoke smut #I 🩷 TOMAS VRBADA

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chilschuck · 29 days

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Since you mentioned Mickie, may I request Mickbell with a fem tall-man reader who is super protective of him and Kuro physically (she would be a fighter class I guess, maybe barbarian or something in dnd terms) but kind of clings to him because she is socially anxious and not used to crowds and people? Relying on Mick being the street smart one and trusting his judgement one that?

`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ anon this is SUCH a cute idea!!!! i love mick and kuro so much so i definitely wanted to whip something up for you!! i hope this is okay and that you enjoy!! <33

— MICKBELL TOMAS: x fem!tall-man reader

꒰ warnings: ꒱ none, fighter fem!reader & sfw + some love for kuro too! they’re your lil guys <3

꒰ wc: ꒱ 651

✦ lots of love for these two and i love writing for them!! i like to think of you guys as a found family! <3 i hope these are okay!!

✦ The first time you made yourself known as a fighter class, Mickbell immediately knew where he was going to hide during battles from now on. When he (and Kuro, since he made sure to drag him along) found out you were great to hide behind, your protectiveness immediately kicked in.

✦ It didn’t help that you were already protective of both the half-foot and Kuro, always making sure they were safe and out of harm’s way while you did the brunt of the physical work. In awe of just how tough you were when it came to combat, Mick knew he had to get you on his side. (Not that he had to do much work in doing so.)

✦ To say you were smitten with the duo was an understatement. You found yourself clinging to Mickbell when put in any kind of social situation, which would make his chest swell with pride a bit. Especially now that he had both you and Kuro to pick him up and carry him. You were much more cuddly and handsy with him though, which would definitely cause him to sputter out a few flustered words for sure.

✦ Kuro was given lots of attention too. You couldn’t help but want to make sure he was getting enough food like Mick, which he was more than happy about. Giving both of them pats on the head once getting them to safety was routine, and Mick found himself craving more and more of your affections.

✦ Anytime you felt they’d be in danger, you immediately stood your ground, ushering them behind you or even making sure to carry them off to safety like said before. When it came to their wellbeing, you weren’t afraid to crack a few skulls (or other bones, lol.) The rest of Kabru’s party was more than accepting of letting you settle things when it came to your two guys, and grew used to your protectiveness over time.

✦ You knew of Mickbell’s street smarts and past, letting him do most of the talking when it came down to it. It was rather a sight to see when you’d step behind him and Kuro, allowing him to speak for you. When it came to crowds and lots of people, you definitely clung to him, even going as far as to hold him as you walked. (Mickbell didn’t mind this in the least bit. I like to imagine when it comes to you, he’d like to be held and doted on.)

✦ Your height as a tall-man kept you protecting them when needed, but always keeping your guard up. One day, Kabru even pointed out the height difference and relationship, rather amused with it.

— Mick puffed out his chest, hands on his hips in pride. “She and Kuro always have my back! If you think about it, I’m the brains, and they’re like my brawn!”

Despite his words, you couldn’t help but softly giggle, scooping him up after he spoke. You even reached out a hand to Kuro, scratching his head with a sweet smile. “Yeah, you’re my guys. It’s my job to look out for both of you.”

That definitely made him happy, if evident from the rosy glow on his cheeks and even the pleased look on Kuro’s face. You were more than content in fighting tooth and nail for them, making sure they were well aware that you always had them in mind.

✦ You even made sure to sleep beside them, just in case something happened and they needed you. You weren’t worried about Kuro as much as you were about Mickbell, but you had such a soft spot for them both that your protectiveness knew no bounds.

✦ It was safe to say that you had made your own small little family within the party, and both were more than happy with it. (And with you!)

— dividers by @/cafekitsune! <3

#⟡ lilia writes! 🌿#i hope hcs are okay!!!!#feel free to send in a Drabble rq if you’d rather have that!!#i just thought this would be more fun hehe #mickbell tomas x reader #mickbell x reader #dunmeshi x reader #dungeon meshi x reader #delicious in dungeon x reader

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shirshik72 · 6 months

Text

BiTomas week

Day 2. Injury/Sick day

Author's notes: the characters' images are taken from the classic games and supplemented with my headcannons. This is completely unrelated to "Mortal Kombat 1" (2023).

Content with young!Bitomas affects me addictively. Yes, it's a dependency. No, I won't fight with it.

In the heat of training, it is very important to remain vigilant and attentive, otherwise at some point your ice dagger, not at all in training manners, will cut the thigh of your closest comrade with a deep painful wound. And this could well have remained an empty warning for Kuai Liang if one day he had not been lucky enough to become a direct participant in such an unpleasant story.

— Ouch! — Smoke hisses, grabbing his hip with both hands and doubling over in pain.

— Crap! — Tundra only now realized what he had done. With a quick movement, he clung to Tomas, trying to assess his wound. — Sorry, I'm a little...

— Everything is fine? — Bi Han’s rough voice calls from behind, unceremoniously interrupting the words of his younger brother.

Someone's hand rests on Kuai Liang's shoulder:

— Let me look, — Hydro asks politely, moving him slightly to the side.

Tundra doesn't resist, only taking a few steps back, getting closer to his older brother. Bi Han's intense gaze does not turn to him, but only silently studies Smoke. Hydro carefully sits the victim on the floor, examining his injury closely. With a quick gesture, he asks Bi Han for a first aid kit, which within a couple of moments ends up in the hands of the water mage. A couple of minutes pass in absolute silence, only thickened by Bi Han’s unfriendly attitude. Having bandaged the wound and stopped the bleeding, Hydro clicked busily, standing on both legs:

— You need to go to the first aid station.

— I don’t think it’s all that serious, — Tomas modestly resists, trying to get up, but only hisses from the pain piercing his thigh.

— You need to go to the first aid station, — the water mage insistently repeats, with a short gesture, lowering Smoke back to the floor. — I’m telling you this as a doctor’s son. Bi Han, will you take him to gaffer Chen?

— I’ll take it, — Kuai Liang interjects. — It’s my fault, it’s up to me to rake it.

— No, — Hydro remarks with a sly smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. With a subtle wink at Tundra, he continued. — Don’t take this as rudeness or underestimation of your abilities, but I’m not entirely sure that you won’t make things worse. The path to the first aid station is long, and you have to carry Smoke in your arms. Of course, I know that you are strong, but I am sure that Sub-Zero is much stronger.

— Okay, — Kuai Liang nodded in bewilderment. He definitely understood that his brother’s friend was up to something, but so far, he could not quite understand what exactly.

— Bi Han? — asks Hydro, to which he just silently picks up Tomas in his arms. — Make sure you don’t drop it, — he adds, grinning.

Sub-Zero no longer pays any attention to his friend's words. Trying to subdue his rapid heartbeat, he mentally thanks all the Elder gods for the fact that the mask perfectly hides his rosy cheeks from prying eyes. Approximately the same thoughts arise in Smoke’s head when he feels Bi Han’s grip on his body. Tundra and Hydro just silently follow the guys with their gazes right up to the exit from the dojo.

— Do you want to bring them together too? — Kuai Liang asks, looking sideways at the guy in bewilderment.

— Indeed it is, comrade.

***

Doctor Chen's hut stood far away on the outskirts of the Lin Kuei fortress. Far from the bustle of the world, the old man, whose age, according to rumors, had already crossed the mark of 100 years, valued the proximity of nature and fresh air too much to place his home in the heart of the fortress, near the dojo. However, he never kicked out visitors, especially when it came to youngsters.

When the doctor was sorting through the dried medicinal herbs he had collected in the mountains, Bi Han’s loud and unceremonious call was heard:

— Hip, — the ninja said briefly, walking deeper into the hut and closing the door behind him.

The deaf old man turned to the guys, pointing to the bed with a simple gesture:

— Here.

Sub-Zero carefully placed Smoke in the indicated place.

— Turn him on his side, — the doctor asked again, hastily changing his glasses. He examined Tomas for a short time, after which he muttered with an important click. — It turned out ugly...

— I can go? — Bi Han asked, trying to hide his anxiety behind his cold indifference.

— No, — the healer resists, sensing the true state of the ninja’s soul. — Please help the old man and your friend. Then you can go wherever you want.

― Okay, — Bi Han exhales heavily, crossing his arms over his chest. By chance he meets Smoke's gaze, but, like him, he hastens to look away, breathing unevenly.

In complete silence, gaffer Chen smears the wound with herbal ointment with some pungent and disgusting smell. Tomas bites his lip, trying not to hiss from the unpleasant sensations, but nothing escapes the doctor’s attentive eyes.

— Take his hand.

— For what?! — Bi Han and Tomas ask at the same time.

— Take it, — the old man insists, looking steadily at Sub-Zero.

Hesitating a little, he still carries out the elder’s order, justifying himself by saying that without this, gaffer Chen would not have continued the procedure. His heart began to beat faster and his breathing became stifled. Perhaps there was nothing outstanding in this touch, but it naturally turned Bi Han’s head, causing his cheeks to fill with a crimson flame.

— Take it tight, — Chen demands. — Take my word for it, he doesn’t bite.

Heeding the doctor’s demand and obeying the desire of his heart, Bi Han clasps Tomas’s palm with both hands, looking shyly at the floor. His heart seemed ready to jump out of his chest from the feelings that overwhelmed him.

Satisfied with the current situation, the doctor began his work, wisely conjuring over Smoke’s injury. Everything was used: decoctions, ointments, powders, sayings and spells. There was little pleasant in this process. Everything stung, smelled bad and was very bitter.

However, Bi Han's touch eliminated any discomfort. His cold, rough hands were more pleasant than the most delicate silk or lily petals. Tomas's heart beat hard from this innocent gesture, his cheeks flushed red, and his whole body trembled with a surge of euphoria. He no longer paid any attention to the healer’s actions, because only one question was circling in his head: “Does Bi Han feel the same?”

He didn't have to wait long for an answer. When their gazes crossed again, Smoke clearly saw in those charming blue-black eyes the same awe that he himself experienced. This time they looked at each other for a long time, almost continuously admiring the charming reciprocity.

— It’s done, — concluded gaffer Chen, pleased with the absence of whining and sobbing during his work. — His training is over for today. Take him home and then you can go to the four winds.

— Can he walk?

— Yes, but you had better insure him anyway.

— Thank you, gaffer Chen, — Smoke says, bowing low to the doctor.

— I’m always happy to help, — the old man grins good-naturedly, handing him some bottles and hastily giving him instructions on how to use all these infusions and ointments.

Having said goodbye to the doctor, they went outside.

— Lean yourself up, — Bi Han ordered briefly, offering his shoulder.

Tomas obediently hung on him, feeling his heart beat wildly again, when Sub-Zero pulled him close to him by waist. The ride home was also silent. However, both of their thoughts were occupied only with that long gaze, full of reverent reciprocity.

Bi Han, as instructed, accompanied Tomas all the way to the house and, having received the silent approval of the owner, even went inside. Frozen in the hallway, both understood perfectly well that it was time to say goodbye... But for some reason I didn’t want to leave so desperately.

With his eyes fixed on the floor, Bi Han frantically searched for an excuse to stay, while Tomas, similarly looking at the wooden boards, could not find an excuse to detain him. A long minute passed in deep silence.

— Stay, — Smoke asked, timidly touching his hand.

— I’ll stay, — Sub-Zero responded confidently, looking into the depths of his happy gray eyes.

Postscript: I am not an English-speaking person and this is my first experience in writing a literary text in a foreign language. I apologize in advance for all my mistakes in this text and ask you to point them out in the comments or personal messages. Thanks a lot in advance to everyone!

Thanks to @bitomas-week for organizing the event and awesome themes.

#noobsmoke #bitomas #bi han x tomas #bitomasweek2023 #bi han #bi han sub zero #smoke mk #mk smoke #tomas vrbada #kuai liang #kuai tundra #tundra mk #mk #mortal kombat #hydro mk #not mk 1 #fanfic

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mariacallous · 13 days

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Since it gained semi-autonomous status in 1992, Iraqi Kurdistan has largely charted its own course, separate from the federal government in Baghdad. But in recent months, increasingly organized federal authorities have attempted to impose greater control over the region. And ethnic and religious minorities are caught in the middle.

Since the start of the year, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has eliminated seats in the Kurdistan Parliament that had been reserved for Christians, Turkmens, and Armenians. The Ministry of Displacement and Migration also announced that remaining camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Kurdistan Region, which house tens of thousands of Yazidis and Sunni Arabs, must close by the end of July.

The Kurdistan Region’s image on the world stage has long been one of exception; Kurdish leaders have carefully cultivated a reputation that, “whereas in the rest of Iraq and the Middle East, minorities are prosecuted for being Yazidi or Christian … in the Kurdistan Region, they are protected, they are given a shelter,” said Shivan Fazil, a researcher at the Institute of Regional and International Studies, housed within the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani.

On Easter last year, the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cited a “culture of coexistence and unity between the different communities.” The frequently invoked line is a central plank of the KRG’s pitch for political support and economic development aid to foreign partners and donors, including the United States.

The situation on the ground was never as rosy as Kurdish officials claimed, however. The KRG “might claim coexistence, brotherhood, and peaceful living together, but none of this is true,” said Toma Khoshaba, an official with the Assyrian political party Sons of Mesopotamia. “We still feel a lot of bias and prejudice.” Christian communities, for example, regularly complain that their land is taken without compensation. Last year, Yazidis were subjected to attacks and abuse online after baseless rumors circulated on social media that a mosque had been burned in Sinjar.

Now, Baghdad’s steps to dismantle vehicles for minority representation and protection could imperil the KRG’s global stature—and leave minorities in the Kurdistan Region even more vulnerable to discrimination. These communities are caught in the middle of a larger shift in Iraq’s federal system that empowers Baghdad at the expense of the KRG in Erbil.

When the Kurdistan Parliament was set up in 1992, it included five seats specifically for Christians. In 2009, the body added five additional spots for Turkmens and one for Armenians. The 11 seats for minorities—out of 111 total in the last parliament—enabled the KRG to claim that its institutions reflected its diverse constituency.

In recent years, however, the reserved seats became more and more controversial. Critics alleged that the representatives acted as de facto representatives of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which has been accused of being increasingly undemocratic. By subsuming state institutions under party authority, the KDP has co-opted some legislators within the minority communities and allegedly gamed the electoral system to ensure loyalists win the reserved seats. Minority communities also complained that open voting lists allowed KDP-affiliated security forces and KDP supporters to dilute authentic minority participation. Some activists, like Khoshaba, feel that voting on these lists should have been legally restricted to members of the minority communities rather than to all voters. Many felt that the MPs failed to stand up for the interests of their communities once elected.

The Kurdistan Region’s other parties argued that the system provided the KDP with an unfair advantage in parliament by giving the party an 11-seat head start. Seeking to capture some of those positions for itself, the KDP’s rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in May 2023 filed a lawsuit in Baghdad challenging the Kurdistan Region’s electoral law.

This intra-Kurdish division gave the authorities in Baghdad an opening to exploit. In a bombshell Feb. 21 ruling that went beyond what the PUK sought, the Federal Supreme Court abolished the seats entirely. It did not outline a specific logic in its decision. While opponents of the KDP celebrated the decision, Christian and Turkmen parties felt as if they had lost, even if they harbored complicated views about how the reserved seats worked in practice.

“By eliminating the reserved seats, they are eliminating our ethnic rights and our votes,” Khoshaba told Foreign Policy. He had hoped the court would reform the system rather than scrap it.

The KDP reacted furiously to the court’s decision, writing on X that the verdict violated “the principles of federalism and the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the Iraqi constitution.” But many consider the KDP’s protests political because the party so clearly benefited from the minority representation system.

“We are not even able to select a cleaner to work in our schools because the KDP selects them. The Kurdish authorities must select them. We do not have the right to select a mukhtar for any of our villages or in any Assyrian area because they are always selected by the KDP and the Kurds,” Khoshaba said. “We want to have authority. We want to be in a real partnership and not just to live and be safe and practice out religion.”

The Kurdistan Parliament could still pass a new, better electoral law to ensure authentic minority representation in the future, Fazil told Foreign Policy. “If they genuinely care about representation of those minorities, they can still salvage something,” he said. Instead, the KDP chose to boycott new regional legislative elections slated for June 10 in reaction to the court’s decision.

Baghdad is playing a bigger game. The court’s ruling is consistent with a pattern of decisions by Iraq’s federal government that undermine the Kurdistan Region’s ability to manage its own political and economic affairs—and instead boost the fortunes of the country’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework, which came to power in 2022 after the election of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. It is made up of a range of Shiite parties, many with strong ties to Iran.

While the Coordination Framework includes many major parties, some important factions like the Sadrists are not present in the current cabinet. Both the KDP and PUK have ministerial posts, but their presence is the result of Iraq’s sectarian power-sharing system rather than a reflection of their ability to drive policy. Reducing Erbil’s ability to govern its own affairs is key to rebalancing federal power toward Baghdad and centralizing decision-making across all of Iraq.

Minority communities are also significantly affected by Sudani’s order to close the remaining IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region, most of which were established in the 2010s. In January, Iraq’s Ministry of Displacement and Migration set a deadline of July 30 for the facilities to cease operations. Baghdad is also providing monetary incentives to tempt displaced families to go back to their homes in federal-controlled territory.

Fazil said that the government’s campaign to close the camps is partially an effort to move past a period defined by the Islamic State, but there is a clear political dimension to the decision as well. IDPs are a rich source of votes at election time, with the next round of federal parliamentary polls expected in 2025. The closure policy will likely push many IDPs back into disputed territories where they can be integrated into political patronage networks. Most IDPs are vulnerable and can be threatened or incentivized into voting a certain way. When they are located in the Kurdistan Region, the KDP can exert greater influence over IDPs’ voting behavior than if they returned to the disputed areas.

Asaad Barjas was a teenager when the Islamic State attacked his hometown in the Yazidi district of Sinjar in August 2014. He and his family escaped the militant group and have lived in the Kabarto IDP camp in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok governorate for the last nine years. Life is hard in the camp and, like many others, Barjas hopes to return to Sinjar. But his village of Tel Azer lacks basic services, adequate housing, and jobs.

In January, there were an estimated 161,000 IDPs living in the 22 camps currently operating in areas controlled by the KRG, according to statistics published by the International Organization for Migration. It is not clear from publicly available data how many of those in the camps are members of minority groups, but it is likely to be a high proportion given the IDPs’ places of origin. Almost 90 percent of those living in the camps are originally from Nineveh governorate, which includes diverse areas like Sinjar, Mosul, and the Nineveh Plains. Shabaks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Yazidis, Kurds, Sunni and Shiite Arabs, Kaka’is, and Turkmens all call this area home.

“I think this is a political decision. If they really want people to return to their homes—it’s been 10 years—they could have done something about that earlier,” Barjas said. “This decision is not well-studied. It’s not right. It’s not the right time, and we don’t see it as something logical to do.”

International humanitarian actors and foreign governments are closely watching the camps’ impending closures. As part of a shift from emergency humanitarian assistance to development, they are also in the process of shifting programming for IDPs to the federal government and the KRG, who will be primarily responsible for providing services to this population once they leave the camps. Nevertheless, the question of what will happen to the IDPs and where they will go looms large.

The KRG’s Joint Crisis Coordination Centre, the local department in charge of the camps in the Kurdistan Region, did not return a request for comment.

Since November 2023, three camps have shut down in Sulaymaniyah governorate, which is run by the PUK. The most recent to close was the Tazade camp on March 19. But so far, no camps have ceased operations in areas where the KDP is in charge. Those facilities host 94 percent of the IDPs currently living in the Kurdistan Region’s camps. The Ministry of Displacement and Migration has filed a lawsuit to force the KRG to act.

“The federal government is pressuring the KRG, and the decision to push the IDPs to return is part of a broader campaign to reduce the KRG’s authority,” Fazil said.

But it is minority groups that will suffer amid this escalating conflict between Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Region. “As long as this minority-majority mindset continues, we are going to be continuously persecuted,” Khoshaba said. “We will not have a bright future here and everyone will leave.”

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gyusimp · 21 days

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Quería comentar esto en tu última publicación, pero "demasiadas palabras para un comentario" (No seas ridículo, Tumblr 🙄 )

Lamento tanto que las cosas no estén yendo bien ahora contigo, espero que puedan mejorar pronto y logres encontrar algún trabajo donde te sientas mucho más cómoda y en paz. Puedes estar segura que nadie se enojará si te tomas un tiempo para ti o no haces unas cuantas solicitudes, creo que todos podemos entender que tienes una vida y/o compromisos fuera de Tumblr. Todos tienen diferentes tipos de problemas y no por eso significa que unos sean menos importantes que otros, no te sientas mal si necesitas desahogarte un poco de vez en cuando. Espero que este año pueda mejorar para ti. 💖

Me acabo de dar cuenta que tenía algunos mensajes y Tumblr no me notificó 😑

Muchas gracias por tus palabras siempre es lindo ver que hay gente apoyandome a pesar de no conocernos en persona pero me hace sentir bien que por medio de mis escritos pedorros se logran hacer amistades bonitas 🤧💖 de hecho ya me siento mejor desde que renuncié con otros 3 amigos a ese trabajo de mierda jaja, mis ahorros me ayudan por ahora a sobrevivir y a seguir con mis estudios mientras consigo un nuevo trabajo.

Por ahora, me he estado centrando en alimentar más que Tumblr mi cuenta de arte en IG ya que es algo que me tiene más entretenida y disfruto más que escribir (amo escribir, pero amo más dibujar) pero, igual tengo un par de ideas de escritura tanto con Gyutaro como con otros personajes y tal vez me gustaría abrir comisiones de dibujo pero no se que tan solicitada sea ya que aun no soy muy conocida por mi arte jaja.

Lamentablemente, la vida no es rosa y si bien ya no me afecta ningún trabajo tóxico si lo está haciendo una persona en la universidad. No me quiero creer la importante ni superior pero siento que la chica esta obsesionada con tener 1 millon de amigos y por eso no acepta el hecho de que yo no quiero ser su amiga a pesar de que yo ya se lo haya dicho (indirectamente). No me gusta estar con ella porque es egoísta, hipocrita y hasta un poco narcisista, le encanta llamar la atención de manera exagerada y no me siento nada cómoda con ella pero ella aun me ruega que al menos la deje sentarse al lado mío en clases 🙃

Esto paró siendo un resumen de los últimos 6 meses jaja pero muchas gracias por tu mensaje y tus palabras de ánimo, espero que todo esté yendo bien para tí también ❤✨

@blaubeeren 's message:

"Wanted to comment on your last post, but "too many words for a comment" (Don't be ridiculous, Tumblr 🙄) I'm so sorry that things aren't going well with you right now, I hope they can improve soon and you can find a job where you feel much more comfortable and at peace. You can be sure that no one will be upset if you take some time for yourself or don't make a few requests, I think we can all understand that you have a life and/or commitments outside of Tumblr. Everyone has different types of problems and that doesn't mean that some are less important than others, don't feel bad if you need to let off some steam from time to time. I hope this year can get better for you. 💖"

Thank you very much for your words, it is always nice to see that there are people supporting me despite not knowing each other in person, but it makes me feel good that through my silly writings I can make beautiful friends 🤧💖 in fact I already feel better since I quit with others 3 friends to that shitty job haha, my savings help me survive for now and continue with my studies while I get a new job.

For now, I have been focusing on feeding my art account on IG more than Tumblr since it is something that I am more entertained and enjoy more than writing (I love writing, but I love drawing more) but, I still have a couple of ideas for I write both with Gyutaro and with other characters and maybe I would like to open drawing commissions but I don't know how requested i can be since I'm not well known for my art yet haha.

Unfortunately, life is not rosy and while I am no longer affected by any toxic job, a person at university is doing it. I don't want to believe I'm important or superior, but I feel like the girl is obsessed with having 1 million friends and that's why she doesn't accept the fact that I don't want to be her friend even though I've already told her (indirectly). I don't like being with her because she is selfish, hypocritical and even a little narcissistic, she loves to attract excessive attention and I don't feel comfortable with her at all but she still begs me to at least let her sit next to me in class 🙃

This ended up being a summary of the last 6 months haha but thank you very much for your message and your words of encouragement, I hope everything is going well for you too ❤✨

#thanks for the ask!#random

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mykingdomforapen · 11 months

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human faces

All Meryl Stryfe wanted was a scoop. What she got was a situation.

This was to be expected when a rookie journalist was chasing after the story of the Silver Hurricane. Senior journalists hastily dodged any assignment related to the infamous catastrophic duo, citing family obligations or various other reasons to live. Rumor had it that other journalists who tried to track down the Silver Hurricane were the first to be killed in the aftermath of whatever devastation those demons inflicted–the dangers of trying to get too close for a good story.

Meryl scoffed loudly, which made Roberto raise his eyebrows.

“Think they’re cowards, newbie?” he asked. His voice was as flat as the desert terrain.

“Demons is a bit much, isn’t it?” Meryl said. “We’re not supposed to exaggerate, or use that kind of inflammatory language. Cheapens our journalistic integrity.”

Roberto grunted as he pulled his hip flask from his pocket. Meryl never figured out how there was still liquid in the little flask when he drank out of it every seven minutes (not that she kept track). Last she checked, he hadn’t snuck any liquor bottles into the back seat.

“If you think demons is an exaggeration,” Roberto had said, “you haven’t been paying attention to the stories.”

Meryl’s lips flattened petulantly. University had taught her an overwhelming checklist of best practices and model behavior for a recent graduate in the liberal arts, and being contrarian was one of them. But she hadn’t lived under a rock, either. The city of November had designated “Silver Hurricane drills” for as long as she remembered: city-wide protocol of how to seek shelter and lock down the Plants should the two mysterious and merciless��beings–descend upon them. Even she knew that the massive, metallic bunkers would stand no chance if the ghost stories of infinite knives slicing open Plant warehouses and reducing guards to pulp were true.

Sometimes, she questioned why of all the journalists at Bernadelli News Agency, she and Roberto did not refuse to the assignment. She still had the unshakable delusion of youth that she was invulnerable and tied to nothing to go chasing after a story. She didn’t know why Roberto never used the excuse of needing to get back home in time for dinner like everyone else of his level.

This was what brought them to a stretch of bleary deserts and pockets of small, rusting towns where rumors were as common as static noise–and Vash.

“Just Vash,” he said brightly in his introduction.

He was in an agreeable mood for someone whom Roberto and Meryl found dangling upside down with only decomposing bodies as company. Got caught in a bit of trouble, he said lightly when he reattached his prosthetic after giving Meryl one of the biggest shocks of her life. Let me treat you to a drink for your trouble–are you heading to Jeneora Rock too?

“We can’t drink on the job,” Meryl said sharply, more directed towards Roberto than Vash when she saw a hopeful gleam in Roberto’s eye. “But we can give you a ride if you’d like.”

“What? Really?” Vash exclaimed. His eyes widened behind his rosy glasses. “But I’m the one who should be giving you a ride for helping me out of a tight spot! I don’t have a driver’s license, but…”

“Might as well let him buy us a drink, rookie,” Roberto said under his breath amidst Vash’s stuttering. “Let the kid sleep easy tonight.”

They piled into the van, and as Meryl drove towards Jeneora Rock (“When you see the rock that looks a little like a gigantic Tomas egg, go northeast,” Vash piped up. “Then you’ll avoid the gigantic Worm carcass.”) she couldn’t help but take second and third glances at Vash through the rearview mirror. Not entirely because he was lovely to look at, but she could have sworn she recognized his face. Something about the birthmark just below the eye, maybe.

“Are you from around here?” she asked.

“I’ve been past here a couple of times,” Vash said easily, and without answering directly. “I’m glad that you’re coming through this area. It’s a good town, even if it’s small and quiet. And the people here are kind. They could use a couple of visitors.”

His smile softened as he watched the window for some heartwarming nostalgia somewhere among the scorching sand and bleached tomas bones. When he turned his head, that was when Meryl noticed it.

The rose gold sunglasses he wore added a perpetual blush to his face, and in particular to his eyes. Inside the shade of the car, away from the oppressive heat and glare of the noontime sun, she saw with piqued interest a glimpse of his eyes.

One eye–brilliant, carefree blue. The other eye was a shocking, smoky red.

Before Meryl could do a double-take, he turned his head and the golden glare of his sunglasses shielded him once more.

“What are you doing in Jeneora Rock, anyway?” Vash asked.

“We’re following a story!” Meryl said, always eager to share her work. “There are more and more cases of the Silver Hurricane, and the public need to know the truth behind them. If Roberto and I track them down, we can tell the true story–not just rumors! Oh, I’d love to get an exclusive interview–the human faces behind the Silver Hurricane!”

She glanced up at the rearview mirror with a hopeful expectation of his reaction. Much to her dismay and self-consciousness, Vash fell silent. The easy smile that he juggled during the whole drive unexpectedly faltered. Maybe it was Meryl’s imagination, but she swore that his red eye glinted.

“Human faces, huh?” he said lightly. “Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

(1) (2)

#trigun stampede #LC writes #au where tesla lives #i know that seems like that isn't relevant to this at all but it is #vash the stampede #meryl stryfe #EVENTUALLY million knives and tesla #...maybe

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mcsupernova · 1 year

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ugh I wanna peg Toma so bad. but specifically, I want to peg him right in front of a mirror, so he can appreciate how cute his face looks when he's being fucked silly <3 He sure looks so cute with his teary eyes and rosy cheeks.... Almost drooling from how good it feels ♡

#supernova thoughs...#paradox live #toma hikage #visty #sub paradox live

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rsshq · 1 year

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FINIS MALI é uma celebração religiosa de culto à vitória dos humanos sobre as forças malignas de Bellator. Tornou-se feriado universal e celebração oficial há 100 anos, e é esperado que em homenagem ao seu centenário as celebrações sejam superiores - algo que ocorreu em sua 75ª edição, a mais comentada até os dias atuais! A celebração atual contará com a presença do Cardeal do Equilíbrio Saedrann Crestmane, um veneficu bem quisto pelos mais tradicionais, por conta de suas opiniões bem formadas e fervorosas críticas ao Desequilíbrio. Os habitantes do mundo inteiro param hoje para celebrar esse momento, e não poderia ser diferente com os estudantes no Chipre.

Os portões cujo metal dourado contém rosas entalhadas, e delimitam a entrada para o Instituto de Rosis, encontram-se totalmente abertos para a passagem do Cardeal no momento em que a procissão rumo ao Vilarejo Ethos se inicia. Os venéficos são instruídos pelo corpo docente a seguirem logo atrás dele, seguidos pelos humanos e só então os professores do Instituto. A caminhada não é longa, mas existem reclamações no percurso em linha reta de quinze minutos. Durante todo o caminho também são entoados cânticos contando parte da história de Bellator e da vitória dos humanos, isso por conta do compêndio que acompanha o cardeal, mas alguns dos alunos mais dedicados também cantam essas histórias.

Assim que chegam no vilarejo da ilha, todos são recebidos por um corredor onde, em ambos os lados, percussionistas tocam tambores para recepcionar humanos e venéficos. O primeiro ato, realizado junto ao pôr do sol, é próprio da ritualística venéfica e trata-se de uma benção realizada por Saedrann. Ao fim dela, os seres mágicos recebem uma vela, e são instruídos a entregá-la a um nobre que deseje servir. O acender da vela pelo nobre, durante a noite, representa sua disposição em conhecer as habilidades do veneficu, mesmo que não seja nenhum tipo de promessa de que atuarão juntos no futuro. Essa é a vitrine, mostre o que tem de melhor!

Tendas se estabelecem em locais estratégicos, e venéficos são incentivados a realizar pequenas demonstrações de suas habilidades — como leitura de mãos, levitação de objetos, venda de poções ou mesmo truques de ilusão. É o momento de vender seu peixe para os humanos de seu convívio, tentando já garantir um parceiro no futuro, não sendo incomum que veneficus que estão prestes a se formar e que ainda não encontraram herdeiros que os favoreçam se desesperem por atenção. Também há um espaço similar a uma arena no centro do vilarejo, para que veneficus entrem em disputas para expor seus poderes - uma réplica bem menor e menos sangrenta do que acontece na Nigéria — mas danos graves não são permitidos nessa noite.

Mesas rodeiam uma fogueira, e o banquete serve os cortes mais nobres de carnes, assim como frutas vistosas — mesmo aquelas que não são da estação — guloseimas, sementes, flores comestíveis e diversas bebidas importadas do México. Deve-se tomar cuidado, contudo, com uma surpresinha deixada por veneficus mais arteiros em meio a boa comida: o licor solutus — bebida que deve ser ingerida com cautela, em vista que, se tomado em excesso, provoca picos de euforia e até algumas alucinações.

Assim que escurece, é como se Ethos inteiro se acendesse com pequenas lâmpadas penduradas nos posts e árvores, mas sua iluminação é tão fraca que as estrelas ganham nitidez. Entre conversas altas, música barulhenta, risadas e a energia alegre regada a vinho que toma a noite livre dos alunos madrugada adentro, o clima de festa contagia e o motivo real da confraternização parece se perder um pouco. Mas eles serão lembrados disso antes do amanhecer, quando parte de Saedrann a ordem para que queimem um boneco posto abaixo da fogueira, representando o Desequilíbrio que deve ser derrotado.

INFORMAÇÕES ADICIONAIS:

Aqui está o evento/abertura de jogo, uhuuuul!! Com essa ambientação vocês podem interagir em três momentos: no Instituto, quando receberam o lembrete da comemoração; durante o caminho para o Vilarejo Ethos, e na própria confraternização.

O evento começa hoje (23.11) às 20h e durará até sexta-feira (02.12), podendo ser estendido caso vocês tenham interesse.

No tempo IC o evento inicia à tarde e pode se estender até antes do sol nascer no dia seguinte, como mencionado no último parágrafo.

O licor solutus possui propriedades que causam efeitos semelhantes ao LSD mundano, assim sendo, explorem bastante essa questão caso seu personagem decida beber um pouco.

Looks não são realmente necessários, mas aqueles que desejarem podem postar com a tag #rss:traje. (com ponto final) e reblogar no nosso blog de likes.

A tag de starters é #rss:trama. (com ponto final) Por favor, lembre-se de responder os da tag antes de postar o seu!

Quaisquer dúvidas, podem me chamar no chat!

#solenidade.#finis mali.

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magic-spirit26 · 1 year

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AU Suggestions

Hi everyone Arhi the hedgefox here so this will be new of the blog which are AU suggestions I haven’t said anything about this yet but now I amSo I’ll be taking AU suggestions for my ocs and I’ll list the resent ones below so you can suggest one for me to doMy ocs from the Sonic universe but they are hybridsJake the jaghog (Jaguar and Hedgehog)Danny and Xavier the bunndog twins (Dog and Bunny)Kelly the hedgehogGabe the HedgehogIan the hedgekidna (Hedgehog mix with one I can’t pronounce correctly but it’s a hybrid)Arhi the hedgefox (Fox and hedgehog)Zozo Lucifer (Sonic.exe and Arhi the hedgefox child)Lucy (Sonic.exe and Arhi the hedgefox child)Isa (Sonic.exe and Arhi the hedgefox child)Jack & Nick (Sonic.exe and Arhi the hedgefox children)Alex (Mix of 4 characters)Alice (Sil x A)Stacy (Sil x A)Raven (Son x A)Ace (Sha x A)Max (Sha x A)Linda MacyLily CollinMaxwell BlueMaxy and Macey the hedgebunny (Hedgehog and bunny) Hodarr Zabus Taylor Kai Arhi the Dog Amber the bunny Alex the rabbit Dominic the Rabbit Jessica the Dog James the Bunny Max the wolfMikel the catAmanda the hedgehogAce the werehogJack the werehogMaddison the werehogMaddox the werehog Max the werehog Ian the werehog Mike the werehog Micale the werehog Jim the werehog Angel the werehog Zamen the werehog Josh the werehog Nick the werehog John the werehog Kim the werehog Jay the werehog Stacy the rabbit Miranda the dog Jaquinn the hedgehog Kayla the dog Oliver the dog Amilia the cat

Owen the hedgedog

Emma the hedgehog

Olive the rabbit

Angela the hedgedog

Pam the rabbit

Jason the wolf

Jonny the fox

Mason the rabbit

Grayson the cat

Ava the Dog

Conner the hedgehog

Lucas the Hedgehog

Jake the hedgehog

Aaron the hedgehog

Pat the hedgehog

Mat the dog

Jade the hedgehog

Kade the hedgehog

Jema the hedgehog

Kacey the cat

Jeremiah the hedgehog

Kenny the hedgehog

Ken the hedgehog

Melody the cat

Ortensia the hedgehog

Bob the hedgehog

Cole the hedgehog

Opal the hedgehog

Bobby the hedgehog

Chris the hedgehog

Janus the hedgehog

Jackson the hedgehog

Jacob the Hedgehog

McKayla the wolf

Eli the hedgehog

Jin the hedgedog

Layla the dog

June the Dog

Sam the dog

Rosey the rabbit

My exes and others: MS.exe Arhi.exe Danny.exe Xavier.exe Needlefox Isa needle Gorge Spirit Garry Spirit Len Spirit Jake Glitch King Glitch Alice Spirit Gabriela Spirit Ash Spirit Glitch Coby Grown Zosia Way Dallas Grown Maddox Way Marcus grown Mack Grown Ian Way Angela Way Gabe Grown Nick Way Sam way Owne Grown James Grown Jax Way Susan I. Speye and Linda I. Speye (Twins Identical) Karter Spirit Leo error Cristy Curse Cail Curse Ben Magic Kai Chaotic Malissa Chaotic Macey Chaotic Len Magic Nick Needle Nikky Magic Max Grown Sally Spirit Isaac Magic Samuel Spirit Angela Error Alice Needlefox Eil.exe

Olivia.exe

Backroom oc entities: Anti-gravity jack Ava Isaiah Ghost Sam Demon kitty Spider boi TV man Rainbowy Dreamcore ocs: Austin woodlock Tomas Woodlock (Resent character) tick tock tim/tom blind Emily rabbit Tarry Henry dream Kenny the robot cat Sana the robot rabbit Creepypasta ocs: Lexi Wolf Lost Exe Lost Alex Grey Elizabeth Morningstar

Cuphead OCS:

Cuponna

Cherry Mocha

Green tea

Chocolate mocha

Strawberry Calypso

Orange Jamaica

Black tea

Batim ocs:

Emily

MHA ocs:

Trinity

Macy

Lucy

Danganronpa ocs:

Leo Komaeda

Lucky Komaeda

Roy Komaeda

Lily Komaeda

Roy Hinata

Jim spirit

Jessica Hinata

Sally

Dexter

Cassandra Kamukura

Katy Kamukura

Conner Spirit

Xavier Kamukura

Rosy and Cane

Vanessa Naegi

Sam Spirit

Samara Spirit

Isaac Komaeda

John Spirit

Cortney Naegi

Luna Naegi

Tim Spirit

Lessy

Madoka Magica ocs:

Kocho

Animals:

Carter

Lily Jackquin

MVA ocs:

Susie

murder drones ocs:

Eto

Eli

ocs:

Magic Spirit and Blare Spirit

Tai Kai

Macy Harkquinn

Jake

Casella Tarisa

Marcus June Keller John Keller Zen C. Akuma/Damien C. Akuma Zane B. Akuma Mr.Akuma Mrs.Akuma Leon Spirit Amilia Magic Azrail L. Zozo Thomas Quinn A lot more down the line So here’s a list of all ocs Yes you can ask me to make your ocs into this as well or draw the actual character them selves Please have a good day/Night or afternoon

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notordnary · 6 months

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ㅤ ㅤㅤ@rosalindfisher sent :ㅤ ( ∗ 𝟏𝟏 )ㅤㅤ𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝗋𝗎𝗇𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝒄𝒐𝒄𝒐’𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗂𝗋 .ㅤㅤ 🔮 ㅤㅤ ⠀♡ ㅤㅤ🗺️ 𝗊𝗎𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝖺 𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖾𝖼𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝖽𝖺 .

não julga ser capaz de carregar o peso da obstinação quando apenas aceita aquilo que o universo dita para si . e além do universo , há o convite feito antes que , fosse em gracejo ou não , é na porta de rosalind que bate quando pode com suas cartas em mãos , as quais não tardam a serem espalhadas pelo acolchoado sobre a cama . mesmo dispostas ao seu alcance , são facilmente ignoradas quando envolvida pela presença de rosie , pouco acanhamento quando toma o espaço ao seu lado e se permite inclinar a cabeça sobre o ombro da mais velha , um suspiro cansado e ligeiramente forjado escapando de seus lábios . — as cartas não estão sendo muito claras hoje . queixa-se em manhã , sem muito cuidado quando bagunça as cartas ali dispostas , no entanto , surge em seus lábios um sorriso terno quando a palma paira sobre uma carta específica ; o sol . — ah , essa me lembra você … toma a carta entre seus dígitos elegantes , elevando-a para que as duas pudessem observá-la . — positiva , radiante e calorosa . a última parte é dita em um sussurro confidente e divertido enquanto se aconchegava contra outrem . — desafios e sombras também , mas podemos ignorar as partes ruins , uh ?

#ׁ ꕮ ⠀ ⠀ 𝒙𝒐 ‚ 𝒄𝑜𝑐𝑜 ⠀ ⠀ 𓂃 ⠀ ⠀ oratory .#rosalindfisher .

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tengomilpalabrasparati · 8 months

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Rosii un consejito dame 🥺

Verás que con mi ex pareja tuvimos un rompimiento feo (por su culpa) y me lo encontraba muy seguido y sentía feo verle y se me viniera ese mal recuerdo ya que estuvimos mucho tiempo y le amé mucho fue mi vida esa relación, entonces hace unos días me marcó y respondí me dijo que quería verme pero no estaba yo en la Ciudad y me rogó mucho pero no podía yo llegar en ese momento así que no nos vimos hace cuatro días de ahí emos estado hablando todos los días solo por llamada xq por mensaje está bloqueado, ayer fue mi cumple y quieras o no se me mueven cosas esperaba que tuviera un detalle conmigo pero nada es igual , me había dicho en la primera llamada q hicimos hace días q fuéramos a un pueblito mágico x mi cumple pero me quedé esperando me lo mencionara pero no dijo nada solo me dijo feliz cumpleaños…. Es solo que me habla y lo hace en forma de volver pero bueno el problema es que hoy no me a llamado en todo el día, me pongo triste me hace falta y se que eso está mal y siempre es lo mismo parece que siempre sufro más yo 😿 y ahora no sé cómo terminar es solo que emos tenido tantas rupturas que no se si lo correcto sea decírselo nuevamente de que ya no me hable y así, creo que ya ni si quiera le importa porque igual en la primera llamada yo le dije que sólo quería terminar bien y le dije cuídate mucho y unas palabras de despedida y le dije que si él no tenía nada que decirme y solo dijo pues es que ya lo emos echo antes, como que le daba un poco igual porque siempre terminamos y volvemos a hablar, sin el miedo de qué tal vez esta vez fuese diferente, entonces ayer todavía después de sus “felicitaciones” hablamos bien y normal, no sé si este bien así de una sólo bloquear su número sin ninguna explicación después de hablar bien oh decirle que esto lo hago y

Y dar la explicación, creo que para mi es importante por educación pero con su reacción del otra vez no se, oh qué decirle, aunque también sé que si se lo digo puede q me diga que no tenemos porque cortar la comunicación y así

Siento mucho el texto tan largo Rosi te agradezco el tiempo que te tomas para responderme, saludos:)

No me molestan los textos largos, cuanta mas información, mejor.

Pues verás, habéis roto ya tantas veces y os habéis despedido de tantas maneras que cuando volvéis a romper ya no hay nada nuevo que decir, solo esperar a ver quien toma la iniciativa para volver de nuevo, habéis convertido esto en un hábito o costumbre y no es nada sano.

Tu aludes a que parece que él sufre menos que tu en cada ruptura, y no es así, solo que cada persona lo demuestra y siente de forma diferente, además el es hombre, criado para no mostrar sus sentimientos.

Amiga, el ciclo de separación y reconciliación es perjudicial tanto para la pareja, como para el bienestar personal. Cuanto más frecuentemente ocurre, mayor es el deterioro de la relación en la que hay más interacciones negativas, menor satisfacción y compromiso.

Las rupturas son muy difíciles, y pueden incluir sensación de angustia e insatisfacción vital. Y a pesar de la alegría que puede suscitar la reconciliación, las rupturas repetidas traen consigo un alto nivel de estrés para ambos.

Evitar relaciones de ida y vuelta, las llamadas relaciones Guadiana responde a una necesidad de estabilidad mental. Puedes estar soltera y feliz, puedes buscar otra pareja y romper con ella si las cosas no funcionan, pero no puedes vivir como un perro del hortelano ni tampoco con un perro del hortelano. ¿No lo tenéis claro y por eso volvéis y rompéis una y otra vez?

La duda es lícita, rectificar es lícito, lo que no es saludable es pasar por el mismo proceso de ruptura con la misma persona una y otra vez. Piensa en lo que significa realmente esa persona para ti, tal vez ese amor no vale tanto la pena como pensabas en un principio, tal vez vuelves con él por miedo a la soledad, tal vez crees que es de verdad tu príncipe azul…pero ninguna razón es válida para haceros sufrir el uno al otro de esta manera.

Desgraciadamente estas relaciones nunca terminan bien

Tenéis que hablar los dos y entender que aunque lo hayáis intentado varias veces, nada ha cambiado y habéis terminado en un bucle.

Os estáis haciendo daño y aunque siempre da miedo finalizar una etapa y comenzar otra, es precisamente lo que tenéis que hacer por vuestro bienestar y felicidad.

Podéis terminar a buenas y NO POR ELLO seguir en contacto, no aconsejo seguir en contacto

Cuando algo se cierra es mejor dejarlo así para evitar posibles confusiones o ilusiones.

No hay que confundir amar con necesitar , lo vuestro solo es Codependencia

Las relaciones no siempre funcionan y la vuestra no lo va a hacer por mucho que sigáis intentándolo

Es hora de soltar amiga

Psdt: Feliz Cumple

#relación guadiana #perro del hortelano #ask #chat

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totalisandro · 1 year

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⊱ ˙ ៹ . — Não é surpresa contar com a presença de ISANDRO ABRAXAS DEL SALVADOR no Instituto de Rosis esse ano! Todos sabem que ele é um VENÉFICO da Ordem dos TELEKIS, vindo de MÉXICO, porque aqui as fofocas correm rápido. Ouvi dizer que apesar de seus VINTE E OITO ANOS, ele pode ser bastante FINGIDO quando está de mau humor, mas sua BENEVOLÊNCIA compensa.

﹙ 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 ﹚ ✶ ﹙ 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ﹚

○. Isandro é filho de um antigo general do coven Telekis, sendo ele desde sempre ensinado e orientado a ser tal e qual o homem. É claro que tamanha pressão diante de si só resultou em pensamentos distorcidos sobre o próprio coven, embora sinta-se confuso do porquê fora escolhido para ter aquela habilidade. Seja por influência ou destino, sua única meta é a de provar para o pai que pode sucedê-lo, por mais que não se sinta pertencente e tampouco sagaz o bastante para agir como o soldado que se espera de um Telekis.

○. A adrenalina de ser tão diferente dos demais lhe toma, às vezes, ainda que não demonstre para ninguém em específico. Por isso, sua personalidade envolve ser alguém apático e que não parece possuir sentimentos, algo que é, certamente, o contrário de quem Isandro realmente é. De toda forma, pratica os poderes e em seus acessos de raiva momentânea devido ao uso da habilidade, não sabe configurar exatamente o quê quer como objetivos e muito menos se deseja pessoas por perto. Gosta de sua solidão e pode ser encontrado apenas em situações atípicas, que o faça demonstrar uma parte de si da qual o pai não aprova - e que ele deliberadamente tenta esconder.

○. Apesar de odiar a violência e não querer agir dessa forma, vivendo essa mentira constante, o Del Salvador não gosta de fugir das regras e geralmente é muito restrito e careta. Sempre abaixa sua cabeça para a realeza, tal como também não busca se impor de forma alguma; afinal, tem um nome a zelar e seu pai odiaria saber que ele está tentando subjugar alguém de alguma forma - até por ser impossível para eles qualquer ato de rebeldia.

PODERES

Além do básico que a habilidade de seu coven lhe proporciona, Isandro desvendou uma capacidade de criar suas próprias armas, sendo sua específica uma katana. A manifestação da arma acontece através da telecinesia, composta de energia psiônica pura, que, na sua menor intensidade, a katana psíquica tem a mesma função que o ataque mental já possuiu: causava um curto-circuito no sistema nervoso da vítima no momento do impacto. No entanto, ao invés de conseguir fazer isso com a mente, como quaisquer outros conseguem, Isandro só pode fazê-lo através de sua katana. A maioria de suas limitações telecinéticas se dão porque ele concentra todo seu poder em um item, e, por isso mesmo, tem que ser completamente são para ter controle máximo de sua habilidade. É por isso que seu pai exige tanto de si e essa pressão acaba interferindo vez ou outra em seu próprio sistema nervoso, fazendo com que a provocação de sua arma psíquica seja inútil se a sua própria mente estiver desorientada.

#ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ﹙ 🔮 ﹚ ✶ ׅ ࣪ ૮ VISAGE : feel the sickness﹐𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓹𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾﹐and throw it on the fire. ੭ #ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ﹙ 🔮 ﹚ ✶ ׅ ࣪ ૮ MISCELLANEOUS : the gift of 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷. ੭ #ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ﹙ 🔮 ﹚ ✶ ׅ ࣪ ૮ INTERACTIONS : following the moon for the morning star﹐guided by 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝔀. ੭ #ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ﹙ 🔮 ﹚ ✶ ׅ ࣪ ૮ ABOUT / DEVELOPMENT : so we 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 and the devil came. ੭ #rssintro

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butterflies-and-blades · 9 months

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Session 8: Close Calls and the Briefest Brushes

My walk with Verca started quiet. The silence was heavy--it seemed we both had things we wanted to say, or at least knew there were things to say, and were hesitant to break that soundless wall.

Still feeling guilty about not asking Verca how his night had gone, I started by asking how he had slept. I had wanted to jump straight to whatever had happened when he grabbed my wrist, but it felt wrong to try breaking the tension with something that would likely only invite more. He said he slept fine. He also said that things were more intense than usual, which is an odd pair of sentiments to hold beside each other. Confused, I had asked what he meant by that, but he insisted it was nothing important. More of a disruption than anything. Unsure of what else to say about the dream, I reassured him that he can always talk to Talo and me if something is bothering him. I do not know how much he actually believed that, though; the best I can do is hope.

More silence wormed between us the way a persistent breeze separates the previously touching branches of nearby trees. That increasingly familiar ache at the top of my chest--tucked neatly behind my sternum, slid between my lungs--had returned.

Still trying to coax the words from my mouth, my struggle was interrupted when he spoke first, asking how I was doing.

The past day had been a series of heavy weights, one dropping down after another. With each addition, I felt less certain that I really knew myself. I was drowning in feelings, unable to even find the words to properly describe them. And I told Verca as much, which opened the door to ask what had happened before.

He initially tried to play it off as nothing, which was starting to resemble a familiar pattern. Keeping in line with the pattern, I kept pressing. I did not have any expectation of where the conversation would go, but I surely did not anticipate being asked if I had ever been aware of my heartbeat or pulse. Of course I had. I did not understand what that had to do anything, and he explained that he was surprised by how slow it had been--that he must be used to something faster because of being a tiefling. He said he had worried, but now that he knew it was normal for me, it was fine. Seeing my confusion, he took my hand and guided it to his wrist. Like when we first met and shook hands, his warmth was a pleasantly unexpected contrast to everything else.

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump. His heartbeat was the pounding hooves of a runaway horse beating against the ground. It sounded like he was on the verge of unraveling--like he might simply fall over any second. Waving away my worry, he pointed back to whatever went into his infernal constitution. And so we continued our walk.

Another handful of minutes later, as we were turning a corner and the fountain was peaking into sight, a frigid thought slid to the front of my mind. There were details surrounding John that had not made sense. As much as I hated entertaining the possibility, I could not look away from the nagging chance that John might have been involved in the orchestration of his uncle's death--whether that be as Rosi's employer or as her partner.

The day we arrived in Legen, John was there, telling Rosi to leave. He had said that they'd been through those motions before. But any time that we had pointed to that interaction, those details had always been failed to be acknowledged. What if that was all a setup to attract the attention of some group of fools like us?

Similarly, John had refused the logistical inconsistencies related to blaming us for the mayor's death. Initially, I thought it made sense to be dubious of a group who had been seen at the crime scene, but then Toma had agreed with us without needing the truth spell. Our points were right, but he would not hear them out. Perhaps because he needed to solidify someone to attract public attention outside of himself. Admittedly, it made his willingness to bring in Toma odd, but it likely would have been more suspicious if he had not.

And then there was the way Toma constantly ridiculed John. I would not be surprised if that kind of treatment came from more people than just the priest. What if he was tired of being treated like that? What if he wanted power?

I also was struggling to wrap my mind around John's lack of care regarding Rosi's fate. He lost his uncle. His family. If something happened to my fathers, I cannot imagine coming back from that. I am who I am because of them. Their love, their care. That's what family is.

Our first mistake upon coming to Legen had been being too trusting; what if we were repeating that mistake again?

I did my best to organize all these jumbled thoughts and laid them out to Verca, half expecting him to wave me off as paranoid. But he didn't. He listened, and we talked through our options, and determined we could not decide on any direction without Talo.

I was tired of all the not knowing. Now John was just another question added to that pile. I do not think I can handle feeling so far from myself much longer.

While we were waiting, Verca commented that he did not know much about his father. He barely knew the man and did not even know if he was simply gone or dead. He put his hand on my shoulder--again, that warmth--and said that he had always not known, but I had fallen into not knowing, losing the comfort that being blind to not knowing had carried. It was that loss of presumed stability that made him think my version of the experience was the worse of the two.

When Talo came back, we repeated the process. We tossed around a handful of ideas--each coming with their own downsides. In the end, we figured it would be best to be direct. We were set to leave Legen soon anyways, so if we ended up burning this bridge, maybe the fire would not hurt as bad. And for some reason Verca wanted us all in the area of the planned truth spell, anyways.

By the time we came up to the guards' quarters, John was the only one there. That buzzing feeling was back in my chest and the tips of my fingers. Looking at John, I felt a snake wrap itself around each of my ribs and squeeze.

From the start, I did my best to let him know how much I hated the conversation we were about to have and asked his permission to cast a truth spell--which he agreed to. Everyone present submitted themselves to the spell's effects without resisting.

And then I asked John if he was involved in the organization of his uncle's death, again emphasizing that we were not asking this terrible question lightly. And I do not think I can honestly say I was surprised when John avoided the question. We pressed, and he kept avoiding--up until he said he did not "hire" Rosi, leaving half of the question unaddressed, and moved to leave.

Verca pinned him to the wall with his two-pointed spear--one prong on either side of his neck--before he could make three steps.

So I asked again, practically pleading with John to be open with us, until he said that the mayor had been terrible. His uncle had treated John, his father, and his mother--the mayor's own sister--horribly. All of which culminated in John having reason to believe his uncle had his parents killed. So he had worked with Rosi to get rid of him, but he did not hire her. That was someone else's work.

The flood of information left me unsure how to proceed. He was involved in what happened, like we had suspected, but the pages of the story about the mayor had more going on than we had thought. The mayor we had met had seemed serious but kind enough; I cannot fathom how he--or anyone, really--could hurt their own family in such a terrible way like that.

I asked John if he had any intention of hurting anyone else, and he said no. That information, alongside a point Verca raised regarding the fact that Rosi was still the real threat to others' continued safety, made our decision to leave him be--rather than turning him into whatever other authorities existed in the city--much easier to stomach.

With that dealt with, Verca asked Talo what they were hiding. As the pattern goes, they avoided answering as long as they could, Verca kept pressing with the caveat that specifics were not needed, and eventually some level of information came out. At first Talo said it had to do with their identity, leading to a brief whirl of confusion until they clarified that they had promised not to say their last name.

I honestly did not understand what the big deal with something as simple as a last name was, but I appeared to have been in the minority in that stance. Both Talo and Verca were surprised to learn that neither my dad nor I had a last name. Verca asked if Da did, which he does, but it never came up enough at home for me to remember it.

They were also both surprised to learn that Dad and Da are not married or even vaguely romantically involved whatsoever. That is not to say Dad does not love Da--he is is his best friend; it's just not the kind of love that gets paraded around in stories.

With our time in the truth spell finished, we left Legen and began our trip into the desert to hopefully find Rosi. Partway through the trip, we went through the same forested oasis that had brought us here about five days ago. While the time there was brief, the return of dirt and roots beneath my feet--much more stable than slippery sand--was a relief. The only thing missing was the familiar dancing of butterflies in the air.

While going through the forest, Talo asked me to help them find some plants and herbs used for healing. I remembered a few flowers Dad had taught me about whose properties related to healing, but I wasn't able to find anything during our time there--instead too stuck in all the stress that was still sticking to my insides.

Back in the desert, we saw the massive dragon skeleton in the distance just as sunset was starting to color the sky. We estimated that we would be able to get there before it got too dark, which was good because we learned that Talo seemingly cannot see very well without an active light source.

Rosi had certainly been at the skeleton at some point given the papers we found at a desk carved into the last rib on the left side of the dragon. The first set of documents were written in nonsense symbols that none of us could read, but there was a drawer with a letter written in Common. The letter, addressed to Rosi--confirming that was likely her actual name and not an assumed or stolen one--detailed her assignment in Legen. It was all information that we already knew from living it, but it was at least evidence of her presence. The letter was signed, "Yours, Sala," which at the very least might be able to point us in the direction of her actual employer. I moved all of the papers into the Bag of Holding. Maybe they will be helpful in the future.

There was only a small amount of light left, and the clear horizon was enough to tell us that we would not be able to get to Greston within that window. Seeing a tent left behind near the remains of the tail, we decided to camp for the night, but before we could settle down, a cloud of white mist drifted down from the spine.

And then a large, shimmering, winged creature dropped down in front of us. The dragon's dark copper scales were the color of wet sand.

And once again, my memory of the resulting fight was blurred by the Mask. However, unlike other incident, I had flashes of coherency this time. The first time, I simply saw the scope of the scene spread out before me before hearing an aggressive voice yell, "NO!" before cutting me off.

The second time, I saw Verca diving between me and the dragon, trying to block an incoming attack.

When I woke up, he was with Talo. The two were close, talking and going over the details of something concerning the dragon. I was lightheaded and had fallen to my knees upon coming to--covered in a caky mixture of blood and sand--, so I wasn't sure of the intricate details.

As we came back together, I was surprised to hear from Verca that he had tried to stop the fight. While it was unexpected, I was proud of the attempt, even if it had not ultimately been successful. When the fight had started, I had told myself I would try talking to the dragon--hoping to appeal to it using Draconic--but I quickly was swept away in the combat. No one is perfect; we can only try our best. With all of the churning feelings writhing inside of me, constantly growing, the familiarity of fighting--returning to Da's years of lessons and the internal calm required to assess a situation--was one of the first substantial things to ease that sensation.

I was not ready to sleep, so I quickly volunteered to take the first shift of watch to delay the inevitable a little longer. Talo was scheduled for second watch and Verca third.

After they had gotten as comfortable as they could in the tent, leaving me alone to scan the surrounding dunes and trace butterfly-shaped lines into the sand at my feet, I realized that I probably should have let Talo watch first so that they would be able to see for a larger fraction of their watch, but it was too late to correct the error. The best thing I could do was search the campsite for anything to potentially make a fire for them.

Looking through the darkness that had draped itself over the desert, I didn't find anything useful for making a fire, though. Instead, I saw the distant silhouette of a tall, slender, feminine figure. And she was approaching the camp. She got closer, and the vague edges of her blurry outline became clear. Long black hair with pointed ears that peaked out from the sleek locks. A gentle expression that shone against sharp elven features.

She said she was looking for a friend whom she was meant to meet in Greston. I briefly worried that the dragon we killed had been the friend in question, but the body was still out in the open, and she did not comment on it, so that seemed unlikely.

I asked her name. Before she answered, she smiled and asked mine. I remembered Dad and Da once mentioned to be careful with names, so I told her she could call me Vesper, and she said she was Lana.

After I apologized for not being able to help her find her friend, the tone of the conversation shifted. She stepped closer, saying I was lovely and that she would not want me to be alone. That I was beautiful despite the marrings.

I am beautiful, but not despite my scars. They are a part of me and they are a part of my beauty.

Lana was beautiful, too, though. So I told her that.

She brought a hand up, touching the underside of my chin. I froze, eyes wide. I had never been touched like that before. Firm and soft, like the petals of a sturdy flower that could not be shaken by the elements.

She tilted my head up. I followed without resistance. There was a new buzzing bouncing around my stomach, unlike any of the pointed blurs from earlier in the day. This was different and made all of that tension slip away. Maybe for the first time that day, I could breathe without feeling like I was about to fall over if I took the wrong step.

Her hand moved to my cheek. I leaned into her touch, the most comfortable I had been in days.

She was so close. "I'd hate to waste an opportunity," she said, her thumb brushing over my cheek. It was like the rest of the massive desert was not there at all.

"Then let's not waste this opportunity," I said.

And then she kissed me, lips just as light and inviting as the hand on my face. Having never kissed anyone before, I had not expected it to be so blissful.

As Lana was preparing to leave, after saying that she hoped we see each other again in the future, her sweet goodbye--spoken with a smile and with glittering light in her eyes despite the night--used the fake name I had given her. A decision I had made before really getting to know her the way I did afterwards. I corrected her as she turned to go.

She looked back to me and said she understood why I had to be careful. Left with a simple "Good girl," those pleasant sparks were back in my gut long after she had disappeared from sight.

The mess of blood and sand on my body had been cleaned away at some point during it all.

With that, it was Talo's turn for watch. A fragment of me felt guilty for never getting to make that fire, but the regret was swiftly forgotten as I went to bed thinking how I hoped to see Lana in the streets of Greston soon.

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