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chaceccrawford-archived · 1 year

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blanket forts and pillow fights | chaia

who: kaia ( @minicrawford ) & chace + hawkins, rivers and jones

date: december 24th, 2022

location: paris, france

summary: kaia invites chace’s nephews for a sleepover to their hotel room so his sister and brother-in-law can prepare everything for christmas morning.

warning: none

Kaia: Nothing was quite as magical as Paris over Christmas. That by itself would have already been a truth but Christmas not just with her husband but both of their families? Not even a hallmark movie could have come up with anything quite as perfect and yet, here it was, very much a reality. Where most people her age, or well, their age, perhaps would have viewed a family vacation like this a bit of an obstruction – after all being childless and free of responsibilities in a city like Paris would and could have its charms, Kaia wouldn’t have exchange a second of this for a weekend with just Chace, especially not over Christmas. To see their family blending like this was very close to the only present she would ever want to ask for or need and it was hard to imagine she‘s ever be able to come up with something quite as magical for Chace, but at least she could promise his nephews a sleepover, blanket forts and everything to try and stay away to catch Santa whenever he‘d come through the chimney – a plan that obviously involved her being very convinced that the three boys would eventually fall asleep because otherwise she‘d have to come up with a very plausible solution. She had obviously asked Candice after dinner if she‘d be okay with sending the boys to their room and something told her her she probably gave her husbands sister a gift all by itself when she offered her a night without the boys and while Kaia had been giddy and excited to tell her husband, a bit of wine and a great dinner later she had somehow forgotten to inform him that they‘d be welcoming little guests later. Admittedly she might blame him for the oversight, the minute they‘d been back in their hotel room it suddenly was incredibly hard to not just walk over to him and kiss him, not even with the intention of things heating up so quickly but festive spirit combined with him having looked so incredibly handsome all evening had made that happen all by himself. She could actually swear her hands were suddenly unbuttoning his shirt without her even noticing and obviously from there on it seemed to have only been a small step to limbs tangled up in the pristine white hotel sheets that were her very favorite...and meant to be used for pillow forts, a fact that the excited loud knocks on the door and Candice voices shushing the overly excited boys reminded her of. „Don‘t hate me...!“ Kaia groaned against his skin, eyes meeting his. „I meant to tell you that we are going to wait for Santa and give your sister and Tony the chance to...do this?“

Chace: When the idea of the Paris trip first popped into his mind, Chace had questioned his sanity. Not because a trip to Paris over Christmas was an overall insane idea but taking their families with them could technically still have the potential for things to escalate between him and her mother again. But when things came together so smoothly while he was planning it, knowing that no one needed to be bribed to join, it started to feel like the greatest idea he ever had. Which seemed to be confirmed from the moment their families came together in Paris, no tense situations and everyone actually seemed happy to be… there with one another. Cindy was bonding with his mom over how different it was to raise a boy and a girl but how much they loved the siblings bonds, his dad and Rande talking about golf and whatnot and Presley was at least not giving him the cold shoulder anymore (maybe he thought he was quite alright after they’d actually spent some more time together lately). He wasn’t completely sure if it was just because of the holidays and the festive spirit that seemed to put at least some people into a better mood but he’d take it any day than a Thanksgiving 2.0 situation. Most definitely since this trip meant having their own room, and not sharing a wall with either of Kaia’s family members so they didn’t really have to think about being too… loud. From the moment her lips had met his, it felt like their clothes had become the most unnecessary items on their bodies, one that Kaia quickly took care of and earned her a low chuckle from him in response. No matter how determined they’d been to get rid of their clothes, something seemed to have interrupted that Chace hadn’t even taken note of, confusion written all over his face as he tried to pull himself out of this haze and the only thought that currently was on his mind: sex with his wife. It was admittedly quite difficult to come back into reality but the voices in front of their door eventually did the trick, the confusion now disappearing from his face and making room for a rather amused look he gave her. He wasn’t mad that she’d invited his nephews for a sleepover, maybe a bit disappointed they couldn’t continue this now but maybe he was naive for not expecting something like this to happen already. “You invited my nephews so my brother in law can bang my sister? That what you’re saying?” Chace laughed softly before he pressed another kiss against her lips and then looked down his body as another knock followed. “Good. Okay. Well, I think I’m gonna go take a quick and very cold shower and you get dressed and open the door for them?” He looked at his wife again, waiting for her to get off the bed and let her get properly dressed again while he made sure the bed didn’t look like they were just about to have sex in it before he helped her zip up and then disappeared into the bathroom to take said cold shower. “Auntie Kaia!” The boys called almost in unison through the door and Chace couldn’t help but chuckle as he shook his head, this was so typical of his wife but he’d lie if he claimed he didn’t love that about her.

Kaia: “No, I gave them the chance to spend an evening together while we look after the boys…and banging is a horrible word anyways!” Kaia argued laughing a little and followed his gaze when the realisation clearly had stated sinking in. “Or you’ll take a shot shower and finish what I started!” The brunette whispered into his ear before she stole one more kiss, clearly not really willing to let go of him just now and yet she did get up relatively quickly and put her clothes back on and finally opened the door with one last glance back at the room to make sure everything and everyone was in fact decent. She had barley opened the door before the boys all stormed in, already chattering excitedly about their plans because obviously the boys had thought this through and they would certainly be catching Santa tonight. “First one who reaches the phone can order snacks…!” Kaia called out after them while she still stood by the door to reassure Candice that the boys were in good hands and that Chace was totally on board as well, omitting the fact that he was although he hadn’t really been given much of a choice. Kaia was sure one day they’d both be glad to possibly use Tony and Candice in a similar way. “Just enjoy your night, we will be more than fine!” She reassured her one last time before she winked at her sister in law who didn’t seem opposed to leaving the boys with them at all. “Okay, if you boys didn’t order fudge I’m going to be so disappointed!” She announced grinning when the boys started telling her all they had ordered with room service, an order she made sure to quickly confirm with hotel staff and add some large hot chocolates with marshmallows for all of them, possibly regretting all the sugar in a little bit but for now it seemed like the perfectly reasonable idea. “You need PJs!” Jones told her, adding a quick “sleepovers need pjs!” Obviously Hawkins and Rivers enthusiastically agreed, only now seemingly realising their uncle was nowhere to be found just yet, almost running into the bathroom when she mentioned that he was in there, only letting go off that idea when she threw a pillow at them with a wide grin, something that thankfully seemed to be more than enough to cause them to immediately jump on the bed to tackle her, three small but mighty attempts for sure – a view chance was greeted with when he did come out of the bathroom. “Help me out here?” She asked her husband in between laughs which were only underlined by the laughs and shrieks of the boys whenever she reached on of them to tickle them.

Chace: Once he stepped out of the bathroom properly dressed for the sleepover in his pyjama and right into what certainly looked like a pillow fight/tickling match between Kaia and his nephews, Chace couldn't help the bright grin that instantly stretched across his face. Kaia didn't have to ask him twice to join and help her, grabbing Hawkins who was so focused on tickling his aunt that he didn't even notice his uncle walking into the room, the protesting sound he let out proving how surprised he'd been but that quickly turned into laughter when Chace now tickled him. "Three against one is a little unfair, don't you think so?" He teased his nephews to which Hawkins quickly countered "Two adults against three boys is unfair!" while he was still laughing. Only a few seconds later, he felt Rivers jump on his back in an attempt to help his older brother announcing his attack with a playful fight scream, his small hands now trying to get a laugh out of his uncle as he was struggling to find a ticklish spot - all while Hawkins used the distraction and escaped to now grab a pillow and throw it against Chace only for it to land on Kaia's head when it barely touched his arm, finally causing their uncle to let out a laugh. "I think you're not as helpless as you pretend to be!" He pulled Hawkins towards him again as he grabbed his foot causing his nephew to beg Kaia for help, promising to be on her team if she did. "And now you're trying to get my wife on your side? Rude. I don't know if Santa will like to hear that." His words were followed by another attack of all the ticklish spots he knew of while Rivers slid off his back - something he'd only waited for, catching the younger and focusing his tickling attack now on him. "Kaia! Help!" Rivers now joined in on Hawkins previous plea, interrupted by laughs, both his own and Chace's.

Kaia: “Don’t listen to your uncle boys, Santa and I are very close friends and he will love hearing pledge your allegiance to me!” Kaia joked when her husband playfully threatened the boys with an unhappy Santa which in hindsight has much less effect on them then it would have had on her as a child but they possibly were distracted by Chaces clever little manoeuvre that had them screaming and laughing simultaneously. There was a proud little grin spread across her face for the sole reason that the boys would choose to team up with her although she was well aware that it’d be just as likely they’d choose their uncles side again at the next possible moment. “You want help?” She asked finally as if she had to ponder their question before she looked at the boys conspiratorially “think we have a chance against chace if we try…?” She added to which the boys little battle cry was more than and answer which resulted in Kaia throwing her husband a playfully apologetic look, surprise not exactly on her side since she had announced her plan to help the boys and was quick to instruct Hawkins to tickle his uncle while he was tickling his brother, an order he followed with more enthusiasm than necessary for it to be effective, which in turn made it easier for Hawkins to wriggle out of his uncles grip only for Kaia to playfully tackle her husband onto the bed (which he knew he first of all was allowing her to do and second of all would have been an almost uncomfortable repetition of moments prior if it wasn’t for the boys immediately understanding that her holding their uncle down was the ideal way to attack him full force, little fingers tickling him mercilessly until the roomservice announced the arrival of treats, possible the only thing that could get the boys even more excited, almost tackling the poor waiter as they peaked at what was on the cart after they argued about who would get to open the door.

Chace: While Chace knew that kids need to be taught that they can’t always win, it was also too much fun to give in and see the joy written all over their faces when they thought they were winning - truthfully something that in turn gave him joy. But he also couldn’t deny that he was thankful for room service to eventually interrupt the attack and put the kids focus onto something else, the amount of food, especially sugary food, on the cart something that did cause him to raise his eyebrows and give his wife a look. “You let them order, didn’t you?” He asked quietly, amusement clearly audible in his voice even though he was well aware it would kinda backfire and the boys would be on a sugar high in no time. “Boys, boys, careful,” He laughed softly when he approached the waiter and hushed the boys back into the room, tipping him generously after Chace had made sure he could set everything up properly on the table in their room. Once the waiter had left, the boys hopped on the chairs by the table, Jones needing a little help from his uncle but once seated he grabbed a chocolate muffin munching on it happily. “Make sure you’re eating slowly, we don’t want you to get tummy aches again, right?” He playfully teased Rivers who’d been the one getting sick once before as he messed his hair up slightly, earning him an instant complaint which he only grinned at. “How much did you guys order? We could feed an entire football team with this.” Maybe he was exaggerating a little as he now finally sat down next to Jones, taking one of the hot chocolates as his gaze settled on his wife again, “You’re spoiling them.”

Kaia: When her husband asked if she had ordered she couldn’t help but grin and shrug, the assortment itself a very obvious indicator - part of her was surprised the hotel even had all their wishes, including little s’more kits on hand. “Are you actually going to make them eat at the table?” Kaia asked teasingly, loud enough for the boys to hear hear and exchange glances but they were anything if not well behaved and seemed to be content as long as nobody took the more than generous amount of treats from them. It was an ideal moment, while the boys were focused on their feast, to get changed into pjs herself, grabbing one of chances hoodies for comfort. She’d watch him interact with the boys while she was gone, door to the bathroom open just so she could hear them and she’d be lying if she’d pretend watching him with his nephews didn’t make her heart beat a little faster, a possible future opening up even though it might be a distant one. When she joined them at the table she couldn’t help but laugh at Jonses chocolate smeared face and the boys wild excitement that even Chace little warning couldn’t properly contain. “We can eat like a football team..we play foofballl!” Came Hawkins little witty reply, a comment Kaia would hardly disagree with, especially not when she was reaching for a piece of muffin that Jones had dropped and she happily popped into her mouth. “What do you say, should we see if Chace can make a fire and we can grill those marshmallows or…candlelight?” Kaia asked before she leant against her husband. “Only a little bit and they deserve it, it’s Christmas!”

Chace: “Yes, the Crawford-Romo household does have some manners!” He answered his wife, grinning as the boys considered another option for a second it seemed but quickly decided they’d rather keep eating than interrupt it to eat anywhere else. Jones was grinning bright at Kaia when she laughed once she returned, bopping his head to non-existent music, obviously very happy to be eating his treat. Chace rolled his eyes at Hawkins’ reply, probably something he should’ve expected because their witty replies didn’t come from nothing and maybe, just maybe because they’d watched their uncles behaviorism a little too often. “Yes please!” The boys replied in unison to their aunt’s question, all expectantly looking at their uncle now. “Of course they do.” His arm snuck around Kaia’s shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple before he looked over his shoulder at the chimney contemplating which would be less dangerous for the boys. “I think we’re gonna try with candlelights.” Getting up again to grab his lighter and a few candlelights, he put them on the table before taking his seat again, Jones instantly using the opportunity to climb on his lap this time. “Can you melt mine?” Jones asked Kaia, still too occupied with the muffin and licking the chocolate off his fingers. Meanwhile, Chace lit a few candlelights giving Hawkins and Rivers their own but not without telling them to be careful with the fire. Hawkins was helping his uncle by handing each their marshmallow on a stick before he started to melt his own, a little suspicious of the small flame but it did end up working perfectly.

Kaia: "Don't tell me you don't know how to actually light a fire!" Kaia teased softly when Chace got them all some candles and lit them for the boys. Jones climbing on his uncles lap distracted Kaia for a moment, her gaze on her husband – her mind flashing forward to something she knew could make him run and hide but it was hard not to think about the kind of dad he would be, especially knowing he'd be the all time best father ever. Shrugging out of her thought she nodded when she looked at Jones' expectant little face and grabbed a marshmallow and one of the sticks the hotel had brought alongside graham cracker and some chocolate. "Look at you guys being absolute experts!!" She told the boys grinning as she watched them, their little concerned faces so cute that it was hard to focus on the task at hand but she ultimately handed Jones his between two crackers, purposefully leaving the chocolate out since the boys face was still full of chocolate from his muffin. Holding up a second one over the flame she purposefully held it a little too close to it, earning a little gasp from the boys when it caught flames which she quickly blew out only to produce a perfectly molten marshmallow half of it hers, the other half offered to chace though she could not quite resist smearing it against his lips more than anything – this time earning a laugh rather than a gasp from the boys, a predictable but very welcome reaction.

Chace: "I do know, I just didn't want to risk Santa getting his butt burnt." It was more of a joke than him actually defending himself but his nephews at least thought it was funny and that was really all that mattered. Chace was the only one who caught the brief moment of her getting distracted, though he wasn't entirely sure what the reason was, the look on her face should've technically told him enough. He'd seen the same look on his sisters face when she watched Tony with the kids, and maybe he'd gotten the same one from his ex before but blissfully ignored it. To his own surprise, his first reaction wasn't a note to himself to make sure later she wouldn't get any ideas, it also wasn't exactly the thought that he wanted a family with her right now either but he at least didn't feel the urge to run. He knew he wanted this, their own little family, eventually with her. His focus went back to his nephews the moment she snapped out of it, glancing at Jones who happily waited for Kaia to prepare his s'mores, taking it from her without even complaining that there was no chocolate on it, somehow he had a feeling the youngest didn't even notice, the taste of chocolate probably still very prominent on his tongue. His gaze met hers when she tried to feed him, though Chace should've known she wouldn't just share her marshmallow with him without any mischievous plan on her mind, chuckling as she smeared it all over his lips. Something he obviously couldn't let her get away with, no, it had to have some repercussions. Which was exactly the reason why he instantly leant in for a kiss, making sure to leave some of the sticky marshmallow on her lips and also her chin as he trailed a few kisses down it. This time Hawkins and Rivers both told them to stop because kissing was 'ew' and only allowed today if there was a mistletoe above them, causing him to laugh in return. "Oh, so you're setting kissing rules in our room now? That's bold." Chace grinned at both of them, tempted to kiss Kaia again just to annoy them but he didn't. Not yet at least. "No, it's fair!" Hawkins argued, determined to make it an actual rule for their sleepover as he looked at both adults but the serious look on his face only caused his uncle to laugh again.

Kaia: She should have seen it coming, his sticky lips suddenly connected to her skin and she had to admit, the boys were right to call it “ew” though for different reasons than their general take on kissing. “You are a monster!” She told Chace laughing when he let off, not actually complaining about his touch every but it did amuse the boys so the mission was basically achieved. “It is fair because once you boys bring home a partner we will make all the rules!” This however did not amuse them, immediately arguing that girls were gross and they’d never bring them home, which the only amended slightly to let Kaia know she was okay. “I wish we had recorded this just so we could one day show it to your ‘gross’ partners and embarrass you!” She teased once more before she finally decided to eat what was left of her marshmallow, the taste already present in her mouth though thanks to her husband.

Chace: "You gotta expect payback when you do things like that!" Chace licked the remains of the marshmallow off his lips while trying his best not to laugh since that surely would cross his plans to get rid of the stickiness but the ongoing conversation between Kaia and his nephews made that task harder than he thought. "Good save there, boys." He commented when they assured Kaia didn't fall into the gross category, chuckling softly as he shook his head at their antics. "Oh, I don't think we need a video of this situation to embarrass them. They'll so get payback for this." Tilting his head slightly to look at his wife with a bright grin on his face, he then gently ruffled Jones' hair. "Except for him, he's the only nice one so we'll be nice to him too." Of course, a statement like this didn't come without protest from the other two, though they just kept insisting that there wouldn't be anyone they could embarrass them in front of in the future. Something Chace was already very sure wouldn't be the case and he secretly couldn't wait to see if they'd turn into the troublemakers he almost expected them to be. A couple more sugary treats and plans how to catch Santa delivering the presents later, the boys decided it was time for the blanket forts Kaia had promised them earlier - plans that Chace briefly crossed as he made sure they took a detour to the bathroom first and get their fingers cleaned. He was sure neither of them wanted chocolate finger prints on the white linen sheets of the hotel and while Hawkins and Rivers were quickly clean, Chace took a moment to properly make sure Jones' face was also chocolate-free before they returned, watching how Hawkins stood on the bed and gave his younger brother instructions where to put one of the chairs they were planning to use to support the blankets. "Reporting for duty, how can I be of help?" He teasingly asked Hawkins who ignored his uncles tone and just gave him one of the blankets' ends to place over the chair Rivers had just put into the instructed position. "Aye, aye, sir." He grinned as he grabbed the end and hung it over the chair, making sure it'd stay in position by grabbing one of Kaia's hair clips which he attached to the construction. While Hawkins was busying his brothers with his instructions and putting Kaia in charge of making the blanket fort cozy on the inside, Chace couldn't help but take advantage of the currently distracted boys as he snuck inside the fort apparently to help Kaia but he was rather on a mission to distract her - even if it was just for a few seconds. "Look what I found on the tray room service brought with all the snacks," He lifted his hand to present a mistletoe hanging from his finger, a smirk appearing on his face as he looked at his wife. "It means we're not even breaking any of the boys' rules when we do this," His words were merely a whisper against her lips when he now kissed her, still out of sight from any of the aforementioned boys but just in case they were caught, he could at least blame it on the mistletoe.

Kaia: Jones has it quite easy with them, the youngest and snuggliest of the boys – his older brothers a cheekier and rowdier though she had a feeling Jones would follow into their footsteps eventually. While Chace steered the boys towards the bedroom Kaia quickly double checked their bed for any leftover...evidence of anything they perhaps would not want to explain to the boys – perhaps good practice for their future life when this would possibly be their own kids, and not his sisters. Kaia had been interrupted by Rivers and Hakwins though, both boys jumping on their bed for a moment before they decided how they were going to build that fort, instructions being given quickly and Chace roped in the minute he joined them in the bedroom again. The brunette almost argued when he used one of her hair clips to fixate the sheets but was distracted when she was given instructions to make the inside of the fort comfortable, several pillows and a leftover blankets placed inside to it all plush for them, only looking over her shoulder when her husband joined him in the fort, the mistletoe in his hand making her grin. "Ever had sex in a blanket fort?" Kaia asked him grinning against his lips, obviously not a thought they'd be able to follow right now but she could not help but entertain it for a moment. "we're totally leaving this up tomorrow...!" She then added with a smirk before she pulled him in for a kiss, the boys antics above forgotten for a moment while her lips greeted his with some the passion that had not exactly left the room after their interrupted earlier plans, though it did come to an instant halt when the blanket fort came down on them, clearly the boys having had a little too much fun outside of it. "Right....guess we are meant to get back to reality, no?"

Chace: Chace's grin mirrored hers at her question, muttering "Temptress," against her lips before he rather focused on the kiss - one that was much too short for his liking but it wasn't exactly bad that they quickly got pulled back into reality. "Yep..." He trailed off when he noticed that the room had gotten suspiciously quiet right after the blanket fort collided and just when his hand grabbed the sheet to pull it down, the three boys attacked them with pillows. "We said no kissing!" Chace laughed while he (unsuccessfully) tried to shield Kaia from the attack but at least he managed to grab the pillow from underneath him to fight back. "There was a mistletoe!" Though right now he couldn't find it anymore, figuring it had gotten lost when he tried to avoid getting hit by pillows or maybe already earlier when he almost started a make-out session with Kaia. "You guys are destroying all the hard work!" It was an attempt to make them stop, which once again wasn't really that successful but he at the same time couldn't really complain, pillow fights were far too much fun and it wasn't like it had taken them much time to build the blanket fort in the first place. While Hawkins was busy trying to pin his uncle down so he could no longer fight back, Chace's gaze searched for Kaia's noticing that Jones and Rivers had both chosen the tactic of stealing his wife's pillow to unarm her, chuckling at the sight of Rivers running with two pillows and leaving Jones to fend for himself. Those boys really were something. "Come on, boys. Can we call it a truce if you three get to decide which movie we're gonna watch?" He asked, interrupted by laughter while he was still busy trying to get Hawkins off his back, his question either getting completely ignored or the boys were too caught up in fighting the adults to even register it. "Why did you think this sleepover was a good idea again?" Chace teasingly asked his wife, grinning.

Kaia: “Do you boys have laser eyes or what?” Kaia asked laughing when the boys stormed the already destroyed fort, pillows drown and ready for attack. She wasn’t quite sure if they had just assumed that’s what was happening or if the boys had already seen right through Chace and her dynamic which wouldn’t be too surprising either. Her husbands mistletoe comment clearly done nothing to dissuade anyone, his attempt to shield her noted but not exactly fruitful, at least not until Rivers stole all pillows which seemed to end the game for Jones who then thankfully accepted her hug and cuddle into his aunt, which gave Kaia hope that a movie was in their future - even if it first was ignored by the rest of the rowdy bunch. “Consider it your sisters Christmas present!” She teased her husband back before she loudly declared “think jones gets to pick the movie…he’s the only one who isn’t attacking us and I’m her Santa appreciates that as well!” Clearly that was enough even for Hawkins to let go of his uncle and finally calm down at least enough to start discussing good movie choices with his brothers. “Are they old enough for home alone?” Kaia asked Chace though there probably was no way they’d get a movie choice in if they boys were already so excited just discussing options, though something told her they’d probably fall asleep before the movie ever got started - sugar high eventually deemed to crash

Chace: The grin on his face softened into a smile when he noticed that Jones was cuddling with his aunt, the sight unquestionably adorable. But it was also giving away that at least one out of three seemed to slowly but surely actually get tired - which was not something you could say about Rivers or Hawkins, at least not just yet. His gaze wandered from watching his nephews discuss movie options back to his wife, her suggestion causing him to playfully widen his eyes. “Do you want to them to turn into little evil Kevin’s? This movie is just going to give them ideas we don’t want them to have.” The conversation was overheard by the oldest, quickly overruling his brothers by telling Chace and Kaia that they want to watch Home Alone - and maybe this had exactly been his tactic to 1) make sure the boys wouldn’t take forever to make a decision and 2) trick them into watching the movie Kaia had technically chosen for them. He just knew it’d work if he made them think it was something that could potentially annoy the adults because they’d take the main character as an inspiration for future pranks. The decision whether they’d rebuild the blanket fort and watch the movie on the iPad or if they’d just make a cozy pillow paradise on the bed instead and watch it on the hotel’s TV was almost as quickly made when Jones climbed into the bed, giggling the moment his brothers joined with the intention of leaving all the work to the adults. “Taking a picture for evidence so Santa can spare himself the trip next year at least.” He teased his nephews as he took a picture with his phone before telling Kaia to join them for another pic and then taking a selfie with the four of them - certainly wouldn’t hurt to have some pictures of this wonderful time they were having. A wonderful time that ended, just like Kaia had already expected, with the three boys all asleep halfway through the movie.

#//uh yeah i don't think i have to mention that this thread happened a loooong time ago lol #//cleaning out my drafts haha #❛ &. interaction ⋮ para #❛ &. interaction ⋮ para: blanket forts and pillow fights #❛ &. featuring ⋮ kaia g.#❛ &. i don't know what it is but i got that feeling ⋮ kaia g.

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brvdges · 3 years

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Like A River Flows - Stark!Reader x Peter Parker

Title: like a river flows

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: Y/N hopes to meet her soulmate on her eighteenth birthday. Soulmate No Blip AU

Warnings: none

A/N: I've been gone so long but here's a new imagine! I got a new laptop! So hopefully there will be tons more of these. I listened to "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Kina Grannis if you wanna get the full experience.

Word Count: 1824

___

You could hear the sound of glasses clinking and laughter echoing up from the main room as you tugged at your dress at the top of the stairs. You turned around and looked in the ornate mirror behind you.

Everything about you was perfectly polished and plucked; your lace was perfectly laid with every hair beautifully framing your face. Your ears were adorned with simple gold diamond studs and a matching name necklace sat daintily on your collarbone.

Your makeup was done to perfection with your brown eyes sparkling from behind layers of shadow, liner, mascara, and false lashes. For the first time in your life, you had gotten your makeup done professionally. Your father had paid for it of course -- it was at his insistence that you had gotten it done.

In fact, the entire party was at his insistence and he had taken it upon himself to have every detail perfect. You didn’t really want a big elaborate birthday party, but today was the big day.

Everyone had a special day when you’d finally know the person you’re meant to be with. At a young age, you’d come to the conclusion somehow your meeting would be on your eighteenth birthday. When your father was enlightened with this fact, he had taken it upon himself to make everything perfect -- including you. Thanks to him, you looked undeniably stunning. It was the most beautiful you had seen yourself in a long while. Ever since your mom had passed, you hadn't felt the need to dress up anymore -- so it no longer felt like you.

“You look absolutely radiant, Y/N.” Pepper assured you as she joined you in looking in the mirror. “Your father outdid himself. Just wait until he sees you.” You understood immediately what she meant, you were almost a spitting image of your mother. Your mahogany skin and high cheekbones were hers, as was your smile and arched eyebrows. The only evidence of your father was the occasional facial expression. “You ready?” she asked turning you back towards the steps.

You nodded and smiled cautiously, “You’re gonna be okay. There’s so many people down there and they’re all excited to see you.” The two of you peered over the banister down all the sea of people below. Your father had indeed gone for a more sophisticated approach, but as with all Stark parties it was pretty much promised to liven up as the night went on.

“All right! Chin up!” You did as you were told and began your way down the grand staircase. As you made your descent, you saw the attention shift to you as everyone took you in for the first time that night. “The birthday girl is here!” Natasha raised a glass to you. You smiled to her as you were welcomed with a myriad of birthday wishes.

As the party continued on, you felt almost like a princess. So many promising people had come up and introduced themselves to you; however nothing had clicked yet. You were starting to wonder if all the theatrics had been for nothing when your dad found you. You were standing against the wall watching your friends have a ball of a time dancing to the DJ that had recently taken place of the string quartet.

“Y/N, shouldn’t you be dancing?” he asked, his dark brows furrowing in confusion. You sighed disappointedly, “Yeah, I guess.” You picked at a string on your dress, “I thought I’d meet them today.” Your dad nodded glancing over at Pepper. She was talking excitedly to Natasha -- likely about wedding plans. The way he looked at her was so beautiful. The way you could tell everything he felt for her from just a look was absolutely amazing. That was it -- that what you wanted.

“Well, Y/N, you never know there’s still a few hours left to your birthday.” you frowned a bit, “I’ve talked to every person here that I’ve never met. I’m pretty sure it’s not happening today.” your dad chuckled, “You know Y/N, I know I’ve told you the story of how I met your mom.”

“Italy, 1999.” you mumbled looking up at your father. He nodded, “We met and it felt right. I’m not one to be very emotional, but I knew I wanted to keep her around. There was just something about her.” you tilted your head, “She wasn’t your soulmate though. Pepper is.” He sighed, “She was the one for me -- well until she passed, of course. By that time, I had known Pepper for years and I didn’t see her in that way until one day, I just did.” He looked over at her again, her and Natasha had been joined by Maria.

“I don’t know if you're understanding what I’m getting at. I don’t know if I’m explaining it clearly. What I’m saying is -- it could be someone you’ve already met and maybe you just haven’t realized it yet. No one ever said it had to be someone new -- just that there was a day that you would know.” He gave you a small smile, “You should enjoy your night because either way, you look amazing, kiddo. Happy birthday.” he playfully hit you on the shoulder before walking away.

Taking your dad’s words to heart, you decided to let it go for the night and just have fun. You made your way out onto the dancefloor, your friends cheering at your arrival.

...

It was finally the end of the night, cake had been eaten and presents had been surveyed as there were too many to open. Most of the guests were beginning to go home but some still lingered out on the cul-de-sac. You stood on the front porch, your heels in your right hand as you waved people goodbye with your left.

“I seemed to have missed most of the festivities.” A familiar voice made you turn around to see your father’s prodigy, Peter Parker, standing behind you. You were pretty good friends with Peter as he had been working with your father for little over three years now. Even still, he seemed to have his moments where he seemed to shut himself off from you and get quiet. He seemed to have his moments and his secrets and so you didn’t really hang out much outside him visiting the tower.

He also wasn’t a social butterfly so even though you had invited him to your party, you didn’t actually expect him to show. Even though it was the end of the night, your spirits still rose seeing him here. “Yeah, you did. My dad got so drunk he serenaded Pepper on the bar.” the two of you laughed.

You looked out over the seemingly never-ending property, your father had held your party at the summer home. It aided in you feeling like a princess, there was a garden maze on the south side of the home and a long driveway lit by lanterns. You glanced over at Peter and stepped off of the porch, “Would you like to join me on a walk?” He smiled and followed.

The two of you slowly made your way towards the garden maze on the other side of the property. “You look...” he trailed off while admiring you. You could feel the heat rise to your cheeks and were glad he couldn’t actually see it, “Thank you.” The two of you turned into the garden maze as lightning bugs flew overhead and a cool breeze filled the air. As you walked, you tried to catch and release a few lightning bugs.

The sounds of late summer night hummed in the background as you spotted the small black rectangular box in his hand, “What’s that?” you asked. He looked down at it sheepishly, “It’s just something I got you. I don’t know if you’ll actually like it.” He had thought to buy you something? That was unexpected, but very welcomed.

Without you saying anything, he slowly opened the small box to reveal another gold necklace. “It’s not 100 percent pure gold like the ones your dad gets you,” it was absolutely gorgeous. It was a small heart pendant attached to a gold chain. “It’s stupid really-” he scratched the back of his neck, looking down at it. “It’s beautiful, Peter.” You whispered in awe.

“Would you mind? You can take the other one off.” You said turning around. He carefully removed it from the box. He put it over your head and placed the pendant on your collarbone before securing it in the back and you felt a warm sensation in your heart. Suddenly, everything changed.

It was like your senses had sharpened. You could hear the distant conversation at the front of the property and the chirping of the crickets. You could feel the soft summer breeze across your body and Peter’s soft breath on the back of your neck where goosebumps had started to form. Every time his skin accidentally brushed yours, it felt delicate yet intense all at once. The world seemed to slow as he pulled your hair over the chain after removing the other necklace and turned you to face him.

You studied his face and your eyes fell upon his brown ones. His hand found yours sending shivers through your body. You lightly squeezed his hand before pulling him closer feeling your knees start to get weak.

Resting your hand on the side of his face, you slowly guided him to the ground. You were close enough to lightly feel the air escaping his nose. He looked down at your lips and was about to lean in when- “Y/N! Come say goodbye to your grandmother!” your father called off from the distance somewhere.

The two of you fell apart still sitting on the ground the closest you had ever been. You frowned slightly looking away, “I should say goodbye to my nonna. I usually give her a kiss and a hug goodbye.” You licked your lips looking down to avoid eye contact. “She flew in from Italy -- my mom’s side of the family. I don’t get to see her like that.”

“No, no. I understand.” he mumbled as you both quickly stood. You began dusting off your dress as he helped. You looked up at him again quickly before looking back down again, “Thanks again. It’s beautiful.” You couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eyes again because his gaze suddenly felt so intense, it felt like you’d melt. “You’re welcome.”

“Y/N!” your dad yelled off in the distance again. You gestured towards the balcony of the house where your dad was likely yelling from, “I have to go.” Peter nodded quickly, “I understand.” You admired him and watched as his eyes softly gazed over your features one last time. “Good night, Peter.” you waved quickly, “Good night, Y/N.” You gathered your dress and hurried off towards where your dad and nonna waited for you on the balcony.

That was it.

#avengers imagine #avengers au #avengers x reader #stark!reader #peter parker x reader #dad!tony x reader #peter parker x y/n #peter parker x you #peter parker imagines #tom holland x reader #tom holland x you #tom holland imagine #tom holland imagines #peter parker au

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macbetha · 3 years

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below the cut, you'll find an interest check chapter for quatervois, a nancy drew pc fic. it's francy and also my idea of my absolute dream game. please let me know what you think and enjoy!

+++

After Ned breaks up with her and she loses her father, Nancy struggles to find her old vigor for detective work. While on vacation in London with Bess and George, Nancy accepts the urgent invitation to return Blackmoor Manor. Her English getaway quickly turns into an investigation once Nancy realizes the true reason Nigel Mookergee asked her back to the moors. Finding Deirdre Shannon at the manor under the same pretense only sets Nancy’s nerves further on edge. It isn’t until the Hardy Boys show up in Blackmoor that Nancy gets a glimpse of who she once was. With a manor full of suspects and a glass heart cracked open, Nancy is determined to find the truth.

Dear Ned,

How are you? It’s been a while. I’ve always started off my letters telling you about my latest case, but I’m not on one right now. I’m sure that’s hard to believe. Bess and George have whisked me away to London. I’m sure you would love it here. This is the first time I’ve seen Bess and George since I sold the house in River Heights. I stayed with Kyler and Matt in Ireland for a while. I needed a change of scenery. Their daughter just turned two. I’m somewhat jealous I’m happy for them. Anyways, I miss you I hope you’re doing well. I’m sure New York is lovely at Christmas time. I hope Stephanie is I wish Stephanie well How is Stephanie? I hope Stephanie is doing all right. I appreciated the card Stephanie sent when dad passed away. Warm regards, Merry Christmas, Love Nancy

She stares down at the letter as if the red ink were her own blood. It feels just as wounding, seeing her emotions made physical in the words on the paper. Only when a tear splatters on the page does she break free from her trance to the past. Nancy is the only person in her hotel suite, yet she works to rid the evidence like one of her own suspects. She pulls her feet up in the desk chair and crosses her ankles, holding the arch of her right foot – it recently became the victim of her latest culprit. Nancy’s foot got caught under the getaway car’s tire, and she is lucky to even be able to walk after the event. Months later, it’s stiff as hell with the most intense cramps she’s ever endured. Heart racing to forget the night it happened, she focuses on the snowfall out the window – counting little sparkles of snowflakes, though the world blurs when she squints. The doctor thought her failing sight as well as the daily headaches were on account of being hit in the head so many times.

She busies herself with choosing a postcard to send Hannah and Nancy selects one with a cat dressed up as a royal guard. The cuteness puts a smile on her face, however small – she hopes it’ll do the same for Hannah, but there is no telling. Nancy had the gut-feeling Hannah was lying about recognizing her the last time Nancy visited the nursing home. Torment swirls like wind to fallen leaves. She doesn’t have Hannah or Togo to come home to. Togo passed just before Nancy’s thirty-second birthday, and Carson fell ill soon after that. Nancy looks to her hotel bed where Mr. Woogle Woggle sits tucked between two pillows. It seems he is the only one that hasn’t left her. A knock on her hotel door reminds her that is simply not true. Nancy rights herself, fixing her posture to the stance of someone passionate, and she opens the door. Bess and George greet her with blazing smiles; Nancy gives silent thanks for their presence in her life. She would still be in Scotland with Kyler and Matt, had Bess and George not insisted to take her on a vacation. Nancy imagines that their insistence was due to them wanting to keep Nancy from spending Christmas alone on the road again like last year. “Nancy,” Bess stresses. “You’re never going to guess who we ran into in the lobby!” Horror strikes dull and loud in her ears. Surely, it’s not Ned. Please, don’t let it be Ned. George says, “Give you a hint: they were involved in one of your cases.” Nancy’s despair leaves her throat tight. She glances down the hallway, preparing to yank Bess and George into her room and dial her Cathedral contact to get them set up in witness protection.

“That didn’t narrow it down at all, George,” Bess says with a roll of her eyes. “Nancy’s been on hundreds of cases.” Nancy’s strain creeps into her one word: “Who?” Bess and George beam. “Maya Nguyn!” ++

Nancy follows Bess and George to the elevator in a hurried stupor. No thoughts can she conjure as she steps free from the elevator walls which seem to close in on her; Nancy marches into the lobby and notices a woman in the crowd of tourists. She stands with her back to Nancy, her hair drawn up in a bun, and her chin is lifted high with no time for games. Maya turns around and her bright red mouth stretches into a smile. “Nancy!” “Maya,” Nancy huffs in disbelief. She tenses in Maya’s sudden embrace before all but falling into it. This is something good I did; Nancy cherishes with shut eyes. This is someone I helped. When Maya pulls back, Nancy says, “What are you doing all the way out here? You said in your last letter, you were still in Washington.” “My house is technically there,” Maya nods. “But I get to work on the road more these days.” Her brows crease over a sympathetic smile. “Bess and George tell me you’re kind of in the same boat.” Nancy shrugs, struggling to hold Maya’s concerned gaze. “It’s just easier,” Nancy lies. Maya seems to see right through it, but she doesn’t speak on it. Nancy will have to thank her later. George says, “Maya offered us free tickets to a play she’s reviewing tonight and get this – it’s at the Globe Theater!” “Remind me what’s so special about a globe theater,” Bess sighs, checking her nails. “Not ‘a’, Bess, the.” George shakes her head. “The Globe Theater – well, technically it’s a reconstruction of the first one, but it’s where Shakespeare wrote his plays.” “It’s the opening night of a new play,” Maya explains. “And Nancy, you’ll never guess who the star is.” Nancy cannot take anymore guessing games. “Brady Armstrong.” Maya blinks. “Well – yes, actually.” Nancy frowns. “Wait, really?” “Yes,” Maya laughs. “I’ll be conducting an interview with him after the show if you want to go backstage and chew him out for all the stunts he pulled back in the day.” A spark of vigor heightens Nancy’s senses. That doesn’t sound bad at all. Still – “Are you sure we won’t be a distraction or –” “Nancy.” Maya’s hand falls on her shoulder. “You saved my life. You’re the furthest thing from a distraction.” Gratitude floods her before Nancy nods. “All right, then.” +++ The walk to the Globe would be depressive what with the sky being the color of a soaked napkin, but the Christmas decorations lift everyone’s spirits. Nancy limps by a shop playing Christmas oldies through the open door and she is borne back to her father listening to records over cocoa on Christmas morning. She tries to push the memory from her mind, then she thinks of building snowmen with Ned and having snowball fights that turned into the sweetest kisses she’s ever received. The music won’t stop. There are three Christmas trees in the display window and their flashing lights strike pain behind Nancy’s eyes. She pants through a sensory overload before someone squeezes her hand. Maya smiles in understanding as Bess and George walk obliviously in front of them. “It’s hard,” Maya says. “This life on the road. You pick up a few habits.” Nancy squeezes her hand in thanks before tucking her own in her peacoat’s pocket. “I want to enjoy this,” she admits quietly. “But I think the holidays are always hard.” Maya nods. “It won’t be this way forever, Nancy,” she promises. “I’ve got my fingers crossed for you.” Cross your fingers, there’s a story behind this door! Nancy swallows around the lump of panic in her throat. She plasters on a smile. +++ The theater is packed with noise and touching and all-around boisterous patrons. They find their seats in the crowd and Nancy doesn’t watch where she’s going – she must keep her eyes on the open ceiling to remember how to breathe. She sits down at the end of the group and Maya passes out programs. Quatervois, the title reads. Bess says, “What does that mean?” “It means you’re at a crossroads,” Maya says. “A turning point.” “Sounds a little dramatic,” George grumbles. Nancy traces the swooping lines of the title with

her thumb, repeating the process until the lights go down. The masked chorus emerges from the shadows and gives a synopsis: Down from Olympus a great hero emerges, Mighty in his strength and courage! A choice he must make Shall he ignore fate? Will he choose love, Or follow his destiny there-of? When Brady saunters on stage in an impossibly short silk chiton, it’s an out-of-body experience for Nancy. He still hasn’t grown his ponytail back, so Simone could very well be in the audience right now. Nancy rubs her aching temple at the thought. Brady begins his journey as the character Diogenes, a demigod that was supposedly – according to the play’s plot – written out of ancient Greek mythos. Diogenes must defeat those who want to leave him forgotten in history, lest he admit that he can’t win this fight and live his life like everyone else. Nancy assumes the play’s ending too soon. She imagines this will be a droll experience written only to paint Brady as a glorious hero that can conquer anything – but she is quickly surprised. Brady is stabbed in the final act and addresses the audience in a wail: And so my story ends a breath too early, No time to even be weary! The moon shall pass over my corpse, And the sun will beat down on my ashes with no remorse. Today, I have failed my quartervois Alone, forgotten, and lost. When the curtain falls, Nancy’s mouth is parted in disbelief as a tear burns down her cheek. They don’t receive a proper goodbye with Maya since the rest of the crowd is bustling toward the exit. She does have time to say that Brady is producing a new television series and will be scouting some locations further into Essex; Maya will be following the film crew there for test shoots. She embraces each girl individually and holds Nancy for a beat longer, whispering, “You’ll call if you need to talk?” “Of course,” Nancy says by impulse. “Same to you.” +++ Nancy is proud of herself for going out, but when she closes the door to her hotel suite, her back thunks against the wall and she must take deep breaths for several minutes. She decides to treat herself to a bubble bath even though it’s nearly midnight. She rolls her hair up into a bun and looks at it in the mirror, how haphazard and messy hers is in comparison to Maya. Nancy isn’t jealous – but she can’t help but notice when people are thriving. She wants to figure out how to do it herself and hasn’t found the cure yet. The bath is claw-footed and deep. Nancy sinks into the steaming water before goosebumps rise on her arms, and her freckled skin blushes in the heat. The water does wonders for her foot. She eases her head back on the lip of the tub and nears a light doze when her cell phone rings. It rests atop a stack of towels by the tub. Nancy wipes her damp hand off before looking to the screen. Frank Hardy. Nancy answers and taps the speaker button to relax back in the tub. “Hey.” “Hi, Nance,” Frank says, his voice a familiar balm after such a stressful time. “What’s going on?” “Things aren’t too different from last week’s call,” Nancy smiles. “But I’m on vacation with Bess and George.” “Oh wow! That’s awesome. I hope it’s been fun.” Nancy’s glazed eyes blink. “Yeah,” she rasps. “It’s nice.” She clears her throat, searching for her old enthusiasm. “But what about you? How’s Joe?” “Same as usual, a pain in my ass.” Nancy chuckles before a distinctive lift raises Frank’s voice. “We’re actually getting ready to get on a plane for a case – but I wanted to make sure everything’s good with you.” Nancy’s hand closes in a fist on her raised knee. “Gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve been on a case.” “Not really. You just took a few months off to stay with Kyler, right?” “Yeah, but that’s the longest I’ve ever gone without a case since I started.” “I’d give you ours if I could,” Frank says. “Really not looking forward to such a long plane ride. Oh, they’re calling for our gate – but do you want me call you when I land?” Gratefulness is a warm glow in her heart. “No, that’s okay – but

thank you. Be safe on your trip and tell Joe I said hi.” “Can do.” Frank pauses. “I – tell Bess and George I said hi.” “Can do,” Nancy repeats. She chews her lip. “See you soon?” She feels foolish for saying something when Frank is headed to a case. While the weekly phone calls have kept Nancy sane, it would be even better to see the Hardy Boys. “I’ll make it happen,” Frank promises. “See you, Nance.” After they hang up, Nancy struggles to get out of the tub with her swollen foot. She gets into a pair of sweats and wraps up some ice in a washcloth, then holds it against her foot. Nancy mulls over her conversation with Frank, wondering how much of her poor mood could be due to not solving a mystery. With a deep yawn, she tosses the soaked washcloth in the wastebasket, not able to walk to the bathroom to put it in the sink. She cuddles up to her teddy bear and flicks the lamp off when her phone rocks to life on the nightstand. Bewildered, Nancy turns the lamp back on to look at the screen. The number is unknown; she sees her hand tremble around the phone. She lets the call go to voicemail before the phone vibrates to life once again. Bracing herself, Nancy answers. “Hello?” “Yes, hello – I’m trying to reach a one Nancy Drew?” The voice is British and eerily familiar, like Nancy heard it in a dream. “This is she.” “Splendid! Oh, you wouldn’t believe the trouble I’ve gone to in order to find your number.” “Sorry? Who is this?” “Why, Nigel Mookergee. We met at –” “Blackmoor,” Nancy whispers. “Nigel, hi. What’s going on?” “I’m afraid the manner of my call is not a jovial one,” he says. “How should I explain this? Well, I suppose from the start. You see –” He sighs. “Don’t tell anyone I’m speaking of this, but the Penvellyns have fallen into a bit of… financial trouble.” Nancy says, “’Financial trouble’?” “It’s certainly not my business to spread, but yes. It’s not that they are a poor family by any means, but one diplomat’s salary is not enough to keep up a castle.” Nancy sits up, grabbing a pen and notepad from her bedside table. She jots as Nigel continues. “The Penvellyns began to host historical tours at the manor – much to Mrs. Drake’s dismay, I might add. Jane wishes to expand the business to the paranormal side of things, and I don’t quite agree with the idea myself, but she insists it’s just what the manor needs.” Nancy finishes scrawling and says, “So, you’re working for the Penvellyns now?” “Yes. I’m afraid there’s been some situations – inconsequential events, if you will – that need a glance over.” Nancy arches a brow. “You mean an investigation.” “Ah, such a serious word. I simply want to make sure we are fully prepared to expand the business.” Nancy’s eyes narrow. “Right. When would you need me there?” “As soon as possible -” Nigel catches himself. “I mean, at your earliest convenience.” Nancy glances over her notes, running her hand over the page filled by red ink. She closes her eyes against the sight and says, “I’ll be there tomorrow.”

thank you so much for reading! please let me know what you think and stay safe. and please consider following me here and on twitter! xoxo

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honey-dewey · 3 years

Text

All the Write Places

Pairing: Javier Peña/Reader

Word Count: 3,041

Warnings: Mentions of canon typical violence, some use of (Y/N)

Permanent Taglist: @phoenixhalliwell @star-wars-hell

A collection of letters between the Reader, who is still in Texas with Javier’s family, and Javier while he’s hunting Escobar in Columbia.

Mi Amor,

It’s Javier again. I know it’s been too long since my last letter, but the DEA doesn’t want any of my personal information to be intercepted. Steve is doing well. He and Connie just adopted a baby. I think her name is Olivia.

I’m sorry I haven’t called in a while. It’s for the same reason I don’t write all too often. I can’t wait to see you again, I promise it will be soon.

Yours forever, Javier.

P.S. keep an eye out for a package.

———

My Javi,

I miss you so much my dear. Your last letter brought me to tears, and I’m over the moon about the package. The jacket is huge on me, but it smells just like you. You be sure to give the Murphys my love, and kiss their little girl for me.

Things are alright here at home. Your mother treats me like one of her own kids, and it’s very sweet. Your father has begun to teach me Spanish, and your cousins constantly ask about when their Uncle Javi is coming home.

We all miss you, but I miss you most my dear. I can’t wait to see you again.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

———

Mi Amor,

The Murphys insist I tell you Olivia is doing well and has received your love. The hunt is long, but the promise of you waiting for me at home is a sure comfort.

I apologize, but I must keep my letters short. Just know that I love you and I will be coming home. I promise.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Corazón,

I know you must keep your letters short, but your mother insists you write more. She misses you dearly. I don’t think she understands the gravity of your job. Your father understands. He is worried for you, and his brother helped him rig his radio to listen to the Colombian news. Every time I hear that name, I shiver. He’s a horrible horrible man, and I cannot wait to see him rot in prison.

To keep this letter happy, I want to tell you your sister is pregnant! She’s overjoyed, and so am I. I know you won’t be home to meet the baby, but I’ll send photos, just as I always do.

I love you my dear. I’ll wait for you to return to me, no matter how long that is.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

———

Mi Amor,

The pictures were just what I needed. They are in my apartment, and I put the one of you and my parents on my desk so you’re always with me.

Tell my sister I’m proud of her and cannot wait to meet my niece or nephew. With luck, we’ll be home soon.

I’m sending another package for you and the family. I love you.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Corazón,

The pregnancy continues to go well, and the kids loved your package. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.

Unfortunately, I don’t know when I’ll be able to write again. I know it’s hard for you, but my mother just passed, and I’m headed back north for the funeral and to spend some time with my dad. I’ll give them your love, as always.

I wish you were by my side, Javier. The days seem so long without you.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

———

Mi Corazón

You shouldn’t have called me Javier. It was risky, for the both of us. However, I do so desperately miss your voice. I’m glad I got to speak with you.

I promised I’d write when I returned to Texas, and I am home beside your family once more. They’re all jealous I got to speak with you, but the adults understand. Your mother especially understood, and made me swear to tell you she wants you to call for Christmas.

Javier, if at all possible, please listen to that annoying American station on the radio, you know the one that’s obsessed with 50’s music? We listen every night during dinner, and it would warm my heart if I knew you were listening too.

Give Murphy my love. Tell him I can’t wait to meet him one day.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

———

Mi Amor,

I apologize for the call, but you must understand why I risked it. I couldn’t have you grieve alone, not without me to help you through that pain.

I do know the station you wrote about, and I agree it’s annoying. The boys at the office like it, and it’s on while we work. Knowing you listen to it too, it makes my heart swell. One day, we’ll listen to those old songs together, I promise.

My letters will be few and far between, and I apologize. Things are getting worse here, but I vow to return to you alive and whole.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Corazón,

You mother has decided our song is that Bobby Darrin song that plays every day. The one about the man who’s away from his woman and wishes he could grow wings and fly to her side? Beyond the Sea, she says it’s called.

Your father always changes the station when he thinks we’re all asleep. He listens to the Colombian news, and I think he prays. You said he doesn’t miss you, but he does. He absolutely does.

In other news, your sister is about ready to pop. She’s always complaining about how much her back hurts, and she’s adamant that the baby is staying in all nine months only to make her suffer. I’ve enclosed pictures, because we all painted her stomach and it was hilarious.

I hope to hear from you again before Christmas. The holidays haven’t been the same without you.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

———

Mi Amor,

And I thought my family decorated for Christmas. Columbia has some of the nicest holiday decorations I’ve ever seen. I tried to get Murphy to photograph them, but they didn’t turn out quite right. I’ve sent them anyway.

Tell my sister I cannot wait to meet my niece or nephew. I’m sure that tiny bundle of joy will be just what you need over the holidays.

The Embassy is allowing me to call on Christmas, and I’m allowed to stay on the line for as long as it’s safe. With the precautions they’ve taken, I might even be able to talk with you for hours, my love. I cannot wait. It will be the best Christmas present, being able to hear your voice.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Corazón,

I don’t know when this letter will reach you, but the baby came today! Only a day before Christmas. Your sister is pissed that she’ll be spending Christmas in the hospital, but the baby, a beautiful little girl, is so cute. She’s lifted everyone’s spirits, and the promise of your call tomorrow is only making them happier.

I know this will be our reality for as long as it just be, but I want you home Javier. It sounds selfish, I know, but I want you beside me, no matter the price. Please come home soon, my love, or I fear I may forget you.

I’m eagerly awaiting your call. I’ll talk to you soon.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

———

Mi Amor,

Hearing your voice was just what I needed today. I assume I’ll be receiving a letter soon that tells me my sister had her baby, but I couldn’t wait to write.

My love, I have a surprise for you. Before you get excited, I’m not coming home soon. The fight only grows harder, and I don’t know if I’ll be home for years. But I found you a gift, one I know you’ll adore. I must be there to give it to you, in person. I know, how cruel of me to deny you your gift for what may be years. Just know, I will never forget it. It sits on my desk and Murphy teases me about it relentlessly. One day, I’ll give it to you. One day.

I’ll see you again, my love. I swear it.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Corazón,

Your last letter stunned me Javi! You must’ve written that as soon as we hung up. As for the gift, it will be aging waiting for it. Am I allowed to guess? Will you tell me when I get it right?

Your mother was a bit disappointed you couldn’t be with us for Christmas. She made an absolutely heavenly apple pie that she said is your favorite.

The baby grows stronger with every passing day. Maybe one day, she and the Murphy’s little girl can be friends. I think they’d like that.

I’ll see you soon Javier.

Yours truly, (F/N).

———

Mi Amor,

This will be hard to hear. I’ve had trouble simply writing it, and I know it will be hell to read. I have to stop sending letters. One of the DEA’s men wrote a letter to his wife, and two days later he was found dead in a river. It won’t be forever, and I will still receive every letter you send me as long as you keep mailing them they way you are, but we cannot risk anyone finding me right now.

To answer your previous question, yes. Please guess what the gift is. I bet you’ll never be able to guess.

I’ll write as soon as I can.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Corazón,

Not knowing whether you’ve received my letters will be torture Javi. But, as you’ve told me many times, I must remain strong. I will admit I cried when your last letter arrived, but then I imagined you sitting next to a radio, listening to our song at the same time I did, and it was like you were beside me. I miss you dearly Javier, but I will remain brave until your next letter arrives.

Until then, I will simply have to keep you updated. The baby is almost three months now and starting to be a troublemaker, just like her uncle. Your sister jokes her first word will be ‘Javi’ with how much we speak of you around the house.

I also heard, via phone, that Connie is back in the states with Olivia. She says Columbia was just too much, but promised to come and visit me. Give Steve my condolences, I know it must be hard.

Until my next letter, I love you dear.

Yours truly, (F/N).

P.S. Is the gift that book I spoke of over Christmas?

———

Mi Corazón,

Another month, another letter. Now, I make no effort to conceal myself when I listen to the Columbian news with your father and mother. Your mother cries, and your father prays. Sometimes I cry with her, and sometimes I pray with him. It’s hard, not knowing who’s reading this letter first.

Connie came to visit, and she brought Olivia. She’s such a sweet thing, and she adores your cousins. She told me about what she’s seen, what’s happened to her, and I wish for you home more than ever. It sounds horrible, her retellings coupled with the news I barely understand, it sounds awful. The price on your head, and yet you walk around anyway. Please, my heart, be careful. I cannot lose you.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

P.S. This guessing game is such fun. Your sister gave me an idea. Is your gift a camera? I doubt it is, but she wanted me to ask.

———

Mi Corazón,

I apologize for not writing for months. I was traveling to visit my father. He had a health scare and wanted me by his side.

The baby is almost eight months now! Her first word was ‘Javi,’ and we all had a big laugh about it. It’s painful not having you here, or at least having letters.

I listen to our song every night, whenever it’s on the radio. Your sister teases me for it, but I don’t care. It connects me to you. To makes me wonder if some day, we could have a future where there’s no threat, where we could be together.

Please promise me Javier, you won’t get involved with any of this dangerous shit happening in Columbia if you can help it.

Yours truly, (Y/N).

P.S. is the gift jewelry? Your mother thinks it’s a ring.

———

Mi Amor,

I have another torturous request. Please stop writing. Your last letter was intercepted by his men and it was almost very bad. Before I go, please know I listen to our song every night. Tell my sister I love her and her tiny troublemaker, my mother I wish I were home, and my father I’m grateful for the prayers. As for you, I miss you so much my love. I tried to delay the inevitable, but we must stop communicating. I love you, no matter how far apart we are. I’ll write as soon as it’s safe.

Yours forever, Javier.

P.S. No it isn’t the book, no it isn’t a camera, and yes it is jewelry.

———

Mi Amor,

Are you still the same person I wrote to years ago? How’s my sister and my niece, and my parents? How are you? And your father? Murphy and I are good, if a little stressed, because I know you’ll ask.

Things have gone maddeningly quiet. He’s gone, it seems. Disappeared, but I’m sure the radio told you. I know you asked me not to get involved, but I did, and I think I’m in trouble for it. Big trouble.

Anyway, I may be home soon, depending on how it all goes. I cannot wait to kiss you again.

Apologies for such a short message after years of nothing. I missed so much, you’ll have to tell me all about it.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

Mi Amor,

Please tell me these letters are reaching you. Are you still with my parents? Should I call? I think I will, at the end of the week. It’s Monday now. I guess I should tell you, right?

I received good news for you today. They’re sending me home. I know, he isn’t dead yet. But every action has a consequence and unfortunately mine are sending me home before my job is done. Murphy is understandably upset. Yelled for almost twenty minutes about how it wasn’t fair. I’d put my life on hold for almost a decade to catch Escobar, it was only right I was there when he was brought down.

But life isn’t like that, and I’ll be on a plane home in a week or two. I can’t wait to see you. I hope you’re still waiting for me.

Yours forever, Javier.

———

“Mi hija?”

You looked around, seeing Javier’s mother come out for you. The tinny radio playing your song flickered next to your leg. It was on repeat, on a CD Javier’s cousin had burned for you. You’d taken to sitting on the porch swing after dinner was over, simply to take your mind off things. The letters were stacked beside you, the newest one on top. You hadn’t had the energy to even open the new ones. What could you possibly say after years apart? Who would he be? Was he still your Javier?

“Mi hija?”

“Yes mamá?”

Javier’s mother sat beside you. “There’s a new letter in the kitchen for you.”

You smiled. “Okay.”

Standing and gathering your letters and the radio, you followed Javier’s mother into the kitchen. It was warm, and there was an envelope with your name on it resting on the counter.

Picking it up, you turned it over to see two tiny words scrawled across the back.

Open me

You popped the letter open, seeing a small card inside.

The porch. Hurry, before the sun goes down.

Confused, you headed back outside, where the sun had just begun to paint the sky. There was someone on the porch swing, rocking back and forth and humming your song, the same song that was playing from the radio by his side.

The creak of the porch door brought his attention to you, and you immediately put your hands over your mouth and sobbed. “Javi.”

“Mi amor,” he said, standing and wrapping you in a hug. “Oh how I’ve missed you. I promised I’d come home.”

“You did,” you said weakly, collapsing into the hug. “Oh Javier, my heart I’ve missed you.”

Javier kissed the top of your head, smiling as you pulled away a bit. “May I have this dance?”

You laughed, beginning to sway as Javier swayed, both humming your song.

Eventually, once the sun had set completely and the Texas stars were out, you and Javier separated, sitting together on the porch swing.

“Oh,” Javier said, standing suddenly. “Your gift!”

You smiled. “You forgot?”

“I was too busy with something else,” Javier said. “But I think I’ve made you wait long enough, mi amor. Close your eyes.”

You did, closing your eyes and hearing him shuffle in front of you. After a minute of silence, Javier spoke. “Open your eyes.”

Opening your eyes, you gasped. Javier was on one knee before you, holding out a gorgeous ring. “I knew,” he whispered softly. “I knew the minute I received your first letter that I wanted to marry you. If we had been married all those years ago, you would’ve been able to come with me, to have me by your side. And now, if you’ll have me, I want to remain here, with you at my side and with me at yours, for the rest of my life. No more letters, my love.”

You nodded, crying as you practically threw yourself into Javier’s arms. “Yes!” You said happily. “Yes!”

Javier smiled, sliding the ring onto your finger. A perfect fit. “Now we’ll always be together,” he said, kissing your knuckles. “Always.”

Kissing Javier firmly, you nodded. “Always. No matter what.”

And you did stick together. The day he got sent back, you packed a bag and boarded the plane right beside him, ready for whatever horrors would await you. He didn’t want you going, but you insisted. Together always, no matter what.

#narcos #Javier Pena #javier pena x reader #javier pena x you #Pedro Pascal #My writing

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percedurza · 3 years

Text

I HAVE ALREADY SPOKE ON LENGTH ABOUT THE PRINCE OF EGYPT BUT NOT THE WHOLE THING ONLY THE PLAGUES AND MOSTLY PASSOVER. I JUST WATCHED THE FULL MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I WAS A KID IM GONNA TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD. OKAY.

okay let me first say that i was in tears within the first ten minutes of the movie. deliver us was so powerful and heartbreaking i cried BEFORE THE TEN MINUTE MARK. yeah.

when moses' mother sang her final lullaby to her son and pushed him downstream in that (blessed and very fortunate) basket my heart hurt. i cried with her. that was the last time she would ever see her baby.

when his sister sang her prayer for her baby brother, wishing for him to come back to deliver them as well, that just drove the nail in harder.

in a later scene before the banquet you can hear moses humming that last lullaby and since deliver us was just maybe ten minutes prior you remember it and realize he really did keep that final song.

and the banquet oh yeah ramesses gets appointed this big title? and he names moses as the grand architect

and theres this captured hebrew lady brought in for ramesses but shes fierce (i would be too, she was captured and brought to the people she hates the most) and so ramesses orders her to be brought to moses' chambers instead

moses goes to his chambers and suprise! she escaped! moses chases after and sees her sneaking out with her camel and distracts some guards so she wont get caught and once the guards are gone he goes after her again aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand

miriam (moses' sister) meeting him in the city streets and recognizing him, telling him he's her family and him shutting her down and calling her a slave.... it hurt. when she hums that lullaby and he RECOGNIZES and then rushes back home to have a dream about that day he was sent away (in beautiful animation designed to look like the hieroglyphs on his wall) its all so painful to watch him be forced out of nowhere to realize his life is a LIE because hes not a true prince of egypt, he's born of the slaves, and then his father the pharaoh justifies the order to slaughter innocent babies by saying "they were just slaves" and OUGH

moses kills a man. unintentional but he killed a man while trying to stop him from beating a slave. oops.

he cant live with this so he runs away into the desert. theres this scene where he collapses to the ground and sheds all of the jewelry and adornments from his life as royalty but as he takes off the ring ramesses gives him, he looks at it. and slowly puts it back on. because no matter what, he still loves his brother, and he always will.

moses falls into a well. yeah. chases off some ruffians and then basically faints and falls in. these girls the ruffians were harassing started pulling him out and SURPRISE SURPRISE the captured lady from the banquet is there and she drops him back in when she recognizes him and walks away all smug and her name is tzipporah! just an fyi (very pretty name love it)

moses basically gets adopted into the group of hebrews and moses says something about not ever having done anything of worth and so tzipporah's father jethro sings a little tune to him!

through heavens eyes is a masterpiece. i really dont know what else to say also i want jethro to be my dad hes so nice

aaanyway moses and tzipporah get married during the through heavens eyes montage! i just think thats nice

OKAY now juicy stuff the BURNING BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the scene in which moses encounter the burning bush and god.

god claims that he has seen his people (the hebrew slaves) suffering and cannot stand for it any longer, so he wishes to send moses as a sort of ambassador of god

and moses doesnt think hes worthy of being god's messenger, which god quickly shuts up by pointing out how he's kind of, like, GOD

and he teaches moses those big old words, "LET MY PEOPLE GO" wahoo!!!!!!

he rushes home to tell tzipporah, and shes like "but ur just one dude" and hes like "well i kinda have to also the hebrews are suffering in slavery so :////"

tzipporah and moses head on over to meet ramesses and theyre all excited to see each other and then moses is like "behold the power of god!!!!!!" and his staff becomes a snake. pretty gnarly if i do say so myself

and then the high priests are like "ok" and start basically performing and rapping the names of the egyptian gods at moses in response i really dont know how to describe it but its basically a whole lotta smoke and mirrors. not actual miracles

moses talks to ramesses and asks him to let his people go, and instead doubles the slave's workload. the slaves basically hate moses now because yeah he technically is the reason theyre getting pushed harder and even his own brother aaron seems to loathe him. miriam talks to moses and he sees ramesses' ship gliding down the nile nearby

he calls out to ramesses and he just sends his guards after him. and so moses brings the staff down and turns the river to blood.

THEN THE REST OF THE PLAGUES ENSUE!!!

theres this specific part of the plagues scene in which ramesses stands between two statues of egyptian gods and glances at them as if to ask why the fuck arent they doing anything about the LITERAL hellfire and general havoc being brought down on the city. just thought that was a really cool detail.

AND OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH passover. i really shouldnt get excited about talking about an event that killed a whole heck ton of kids but its like fnaf at this point who cares ANYWAY THE DEAD KIDS

i already talked about the passover scene but what i didnt include (i think) is how when god's spirit or whatever idk enters the palace, it passes over a statue of ramesses and you just think, oh fuck wait RAMESSES HAD A SON.

and sure enough, that son is dead. moses walks in as ramesses pulls a sheet over his sons dead body and ramesses finally, after all of the plagues, tells moses he can take the hebrews and leave.

as moses walks away you can see ramesses glare at moses because he may have said he was done but. hes not. of course.

moses and the hebrews are leaving with yet another beautiful musical sequence (when you believe) and you can see the hordes of former slaves walking to the sea.

AAND just like i said RAMESSES WASNT FINISHED! he brings a whole bunch of soldiers on horseback and chases the hebrews, and god literally rains fire on them again this time in the form of a flaming tornado that sweeps across the sand, making a big old wall of fire that the egyptian soldiers cant get through

which gives moses the time to do the famous parting of the sea. he brings that staff down in the water and DOES GODS WONDERS!!! yay!!!

watching them walk on the seabed was beautiful. with some lightning strikes you could see the silhouette of some kind of shark swimming in the water (looked it up there are sometimes whale sharks in the red sea this is accurate)

and the fire tornado recedes into the earth, the fire fades, the soldiers chase on at ramesses' orders. the water sweeps them away just as the hebrews make it to the other side and it later cuts back to ramesses, alone on the rocky shore, screaming out at moses. hes completely alone, soldiers presumably dead, and no family to speak of. his side of the sea is cloudy and gloomy, still stormy, but when it jumps back to the hebrews in celebration, the sun shines bright and happy. the hebrews are free.

the movie ends with moses walking down the mountain sinai, ten commandments in hand, while the last snippet of deliver us plays once again.

only one other movie has evoked this much of this kind of emotion in me.(the one movie is klaus LMAO klaus made me ugly cry) there was not a single second of watching this that i didnt have goosebumps.

the movie itself just looks pretty. all of the characters have unique and neat designs. (its also nice to see a movie with only poc in it like im just saying)

the musical scores and numbers are so expertly made. my favorite has to be deliver us but through heavens eyes is a very close second. through heavens eyes made me feel better about myself, in a way. the entire movie was like some healing experience.

all in all, this is an S tier movie, and i BEG BEG BEG anyone who hasn't seen it to watch it. just pirate it or something (i did lol watched it on an illegal streaming site)

if you're not religious and havent seen it, think of it as a chance to learn more about abrahamic faiths. if you are religious and havent seen it, well hey! here you go!!

#the prince of egypt #long post #beware

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lucreziaborgiagf · 3 years

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HELLO JESS. BBC GHOSTS ARTHURIAN AU GO (by which I mean the arthurian characters in the premise of BBC ghosts, not the other way around)

REY oh my god i love you for this here we go

So in Ghosts the alive characters are a married couple, right?? Wrong!! Well, not wrong, because yes that’s exactly what Mike and Alison are. But wrong for this version because though I seriously considered having one of the couples as the main characters I then thought “hey what’s more fun than a family!!” and luckily for us (me) we have a ready made family in the form of (drumroll please) The Orkneys!!

The rest is under a read more because I got what some might call “carried away” and others might call “obsessed”

What happens is this: as the Orkney brothers grow up, they rather naturally become separated, until at last Gareth is the last one, at seventeen, living with their mother. Their father (or at least, their supposed father: they all know that Mordred looked too dissimilar to Lot to really be his son, though they never said it) died a while ago, and Morgause could not find it in her to really focus on her children over her job.

The five of them seem to unspokenly care about each other, but in a way where it was clear that they were all waiting to be contacted first.

Nonetheless, when Morgause does die, with Gareth having just turned eighteen and seriously wondering why he had taken a gap year from university, they all show up, and find that they had jointly been bequeathed the old family house in the country.

Gawain has been recently promoted and is now working from home. This meant more time than he usually spent inside his flat, and he had been getting rather claustrophobic. So, after an admittedly short heart to heart with Gareth, who was looking quite nervously towards a future without parents and with no idea what to do, he packs up his brothers in a typically Gawain-like fashion and moves them all out to the manor.

Mordred has been able to see ghosts since an incident in his youth involving a large body of water, an ill-timed trip and a sudden storm. He hasn’t been in water since, but the near-death experience left his with the ability to see those spirits left when their bodies had departed. This is especially unfortunate for him, because half the time he doesn’t particularly want to be able to see living people, let alone ghosts who do not leave when he throws things at them. But he puts up with it enough: there is, beyond all logic, a particular cup he took from Morgause’s house when he left which somehow has three ghosts attached to it, and they happily provide a deterrent for any others.

(It does create a somewhat awkward car journey: he’s being driven by Agravaine, and between the boxes in the back and the only two seats in the front, there’s not much room even for a ghost. Aggs keeps looking at him weirdly when he fidgets, but it’s not his fault that the only free place left is his lap or that Galahad decided that he simply had to see the journey to the house rather than simply confining himself to the cup like Bors and Percival did.)

Anyway, this means that he arrives at the house and immediately sees a crowd of variously costumed figures and tries turning around and leaving. Unfortunately Agravaine anticipates some “young adult hormones” and quickly steers him straight inside.

It takes him a while to finally be alone with the ghosts, who seem to quickly realise he can see them. There are eleven of them in total, though a couple seem to spend most of their time in the little gatekeeper house rather than the main building. He immediately makes a note to avoid Dinadan, who looks at Mordred once and immediately makes fun of his choice in band t-shirts (and like, he’s a ghost, what does he know about bands, it’s like trying to talk to Gaheris—) and Lamorak is instantly relegated to Mordred’s extensive “least liked people” list, which is different to his “disliked people” list. Kay seems kind of mean, which is funny, and Bedivere is responsible enough to try and control the others, but they are clearly “not dating” which honestly Mordred has no time for.

He gets on best with Clarissant, probably, as she’s smart and not too grating but still sweet enough that she likes sitting with him when he wants to be quiet but doesn’t want to be alone. Owain, likewise, has shown him several spaces in the garden for birdwatching or other wildlife (which Mordred doesn’t particularly have used for, but he does appreciate the effort).

Owain is “not dating” a different ghost, Laudine, but in a different way than Kay and Bedivere are “not dating”, in a way that doesn’t get on Mordred’s nerves and lets him acknowledge that Laudine is kind of funny. Elaine doesn’t really talk to him: there’s a river and lake by the house and she seems to prefer it there, or else by the old tower. But she has great stories, and never minds when he really needs a vent, usually about his brothers.

It’s Palamedes and Brangaine who live (in the loosest sense of the word) in the gatekeeper’s cottage. This is very useful, because it means he can set up a little bedroom inside, though it’s mostly for storage now, and sleep there when he wants to pretend he has his own space. He has a strange nervousness that they might see him as a sort of pet, but he’s pretty sure that’s not the case.

Relatively sure.

Not that it matters. They have a clearly delicate history together, one Mordred is not about to ask after for fear that one or both will start crying, but they manage in a sort of sweet domesticity. He’s left the goblet in there for now, because Palamedes seems to enjoy Galahad, Bors and Percival’s company.

And it’s—

Nice.

And then, of course, there is Lancelot. He seems far too well meaning for Mordred to carry on any kind of maliciousness for long, except that for some godforsaken reason he has also decided that Gawain is an ideal muse. He spends way too much time following Gawain around, thinking up sappy poetry about Gawain, or else sighing blissfully out of a window (presumably over Gawain). Mordred thinks that if Lancelot were to ever be able to actually talk to Gawain (physically, he means. Or figuratively? Because even if Lancelot wasn’t a ghost he does not seem to have any cognitive abilities around Gawain anyway) then this image would be shattered. Gawain looks pretty, but so does this waterfall Mordred once read about that falls down into nothingness and despair, or the river stretch that looks like a lovely refreshing swim but actually is an fierce riptide with a 100% mortality rate. Something like that. But the point is that it’s difficult enough with Gawain constantly around without having his admirer hanging round all the time too. Gawain is insufferable already without Gaheris and Gaheris getting to add to their board of “Is Gawain Secretly (Or Not-So-Secretly) a Changeling” with ‘every time he puts something down it always seems to move just within reach when he goes to pick it up’

(If you’re wondering why there isn’t an Arthur, that is a subplot that I just suddenly decided on just now. I was going to have Arthur as a Captain-like ghost but then I was thinking and long story short there’s a tangent here—

It was Arthur’s house. He’s still Mordred’s dad, though here I guess he isn’t their uncle as well, and he left Morgause the house in his will. He heard she was pregnant, and there was a little but if him which knew he could never acknowledge his child but he still wanted to provide in some way. Arthur doesn’t have to be a bad parent.

Incidentally this also solves why the brothers didn’t really know about the house before rather than “Morgause wasn’t a big fan of the country”.)

(OH MY GOD also so Guin isn’t a ghost either bc I wanted her alive. So now she’s an important plot point. She moved into the outskirts of the nearby village because she liked the area but didn’t want to contest for a massive empty house. Anyway she’s smart and despite the problems her and her late husband went through, she does respect him for this. So eventually the Orkneys will have to go for a discovery on the house’s secrets aka there are ghosts and so they will find Guin and discover the Truth. It’s all coming together now lads)

They invite their neighbours over for dinner one night: the house needs some pretty desperate renovating, but it’s now moderately liveable at least and, according to Gawain, this requires a party.

So invite them over he does. The ones to the left, a couple named Tristan and Isolde, though Gaheris swears that when they were introduced in the village Isolde looked completely different, and the ones to the right, Morgan and Vivian. They pass a very pleasant evening, despite the fact that a fox manages to get on the roof.

No one is sure how.

Gaheris and Agravaine are charged with rescuing it, which is by far the stupidest decision Gawain has ever made. However, despite them all living together, the brothers are really not in a brilliant harmony yet, and so Gawain sends those two off whilst he entertains their guests.

The two of them are staring out the window at the fox for a while before Gaheris dares Agravaine to climb up. He doesn’t want to, but Gaheris is his little brother, and if he passes over a dare from him he’ll never hear the end of it. So he climbs out.

It’s a dry night. But it was not a dry day. And the leaves packed on all the footholds are wet and slippery, and Agravaine—

Falls—

And hits the ground, several stories below.

They’re all terrified, of course, regretting every moment they spent apart or arguing. Agravaine is declared legally dead for fourteen minutes, and it is the worst fourteen minutes of any of their lives. But finally— finally— the doctors emerge to tell them that their brother is resting, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Which he does! There are several more doctor’s appointments and physiotherapists scheduled, but eventually he can return to house. (Unsurprisingly, the arguing starts again quickly.)

There is, however, one major difference.

Agravaine can now also see the ghosts.

Mordred, having been able to see them all his life, had not considered this possibility, and thus does not prepare.

Agravaine discovers these new abilities when he walks into a room to find Mordred, pretending to be on a phone call, chatting away with Clarissant whilst Lamorak inexplicably floats nearby. He stares, screams, and blacks out.

When he comes to after a moment he is faced with a lengthy, surprisingly bored conversation with Mordred, and seriously considers blacking out again. Lamorak has not left the room despite his presence being an inevitable disaster, and Agravaine perhaps unsurprisingly decides that He is to be the newest mortal enemy in Agravaine’s list.

(Lamorak is silently gratified that he is on lists for both alive people who can see him, and chooses to ignore the reasoning behind the lists.)

Mordred has been dealing with ghosts for most of his life.

Agravaine has Not.

This means that, pretty quickly, Gawain, Gaheris and Gareth realise something is even more wrong with those two than normal.

And of course they have to come clean.

Gaheris is half convinced that the two have found his conspiracy journal and that this is an elaborate ruse to trick him into confessing love for Nessie or something. Gareth is mostly concerned about the logistics and privacy, though Mordred’s narrated conversations between him and Owain seem to make him much more comfortable with the whole thing. Gawain is genuinely tempted to jump out a window to see if he can join to newly discovered exclusive club of ghost watchers, but eventually decides that it’s too much a risk to his beautiful face.

(Lancelot silently agrees, though it has not escaped his attention that it would be nice if Gawain could actually see him.)

#arthuriana #rey thank u this is the best ask ever #i got so carried away i’m so sorry #the ghosts were just a game of ‘i love these characters and you can’t stop me’#but i’m not tagging them all #just #orkney clan #gawain #agravaine #gaheris #mordred #gareth #the fox is reynard #if you were wondering it is astolet elaine not corbenic elaine #in a more extended version of this her and lancelot best friends #arthurian literature #arthurian legend #bbc ghosts

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audiblesmirking · 3 years

Text

erratic heartbeats ~chapter 6: you gotta love them over-affectionate characters~

Legend: "English unless stated otherwise" --- 'Thoughts' --- "Telepathically speaking" --- [Authors' Note]

"what are you saying, mother...?" Azumi's eyes glistened with the tears she's been suppressing. "you had other intentions...?"

Akina sighed exasperatingly, raising a hand to rub her temple, trying to ease the growing headache. "... This wasn't the right time to tell you."

"Well, when were you planning to tell me?! Years later after I've mastered my psychic abilities?!"

"Yes." Aiken answered bluntly, looking straight at his daughter's eyes as it darts from his to his wife's. The look of betrayal was prominent on Azumi's face; with eyes the widest they have ever been since she was a child, and eyebrows furrowed in denial. She refused to comment on her father's brutally honest reply. Not like she could anyway; a lump had already formed in her throat, preventing her from speaking clearly without her voice cracking midsentence. As if a rope of thorns are wrapped around her neck, occasional sharp pains pricked her throat.

"There was no other options to choose from so quickly. We feared your powers would be too much too soon, so we went with the best decision we thought." Aiken explained, maintaining eye contact as Azumi takes unconscious small steps back until her calves bumped the sofa. At the unexpected impact, she almost lost balance and, fortunately, didn't fall on her butt on the couch. It would have been embarrassing to argue after just falling.

"This issue involves me! Why didn't you consult to me first?!" She was now yelling, the dam in her tear ducts breaking and sending rivers down her cheeks. "If you thought lying to save you the trouble of talking to me would be best, you were wrong!"

"But I suppose you're too busy with other things to care about—" Azumi cut her sentence short went she silently choked on her saliva. Usually, she'd be embarrassed, but she was too deep in emotion to be feeling only a specific one for a moderate amount of time.

"What does that supposed to imply?!" Akina joined her daughter in standing, seemingly understanding her words despite it being abruptly cut. "We're doing this for you! For when you've given up all your powers you've had your whole life to your child! When you turn into an ordinary person, atleast you'll live in comfort. In luxury!" Azumi was irritated at her mother's assumption of procreating. How dare she, she doesn't get to decide on that. Whether she decides on an offspring is up to Azumi.

"I don't need luxury if it means I have to be neglected by my own parents! Parents who could always spare time for their lonely daughter, who spent all her life trying to achieve all her parents' expectations hoping to be rewarded with praise and attention." Azumi tried not to sniffle too loud, not bothering to wipe her tears. "and receiving nothing after all those years." Azumi walked away, the first time she's done that to her parents, and she felt a new sense of freedom by doing so.

"Azumi—!" Aiken was already by his wife's side, shutting her up.

"It's fine. Let her be alone for the remainder of the evening. We'll discuss about this again some other time..." He looked at his wife in the eyes as he held her in place, knowing she'll follow their daughter to her room demanding an explanation for her deplorable behavior. "We're also at fault here, Akina."

——————————

The next day, Azumi woke up all puffy and blotchy after crying so hard last night. She intended to wake up just after Aiken and Akina left for work, so she could prevent running into them in breakfast and in departing. Not like they ever encounter everyday in the morning, anyway.

Azumi arrived at school early, so she decided to take a detour from her usual walk straight to her classroom. She headed to the side of the school, where very few people would choose to walk through, and sat down on the concrete bench surrounding one of the trees. It was a windy morning, mild gusts of air blowing from the east, providing Azumi with the coolness she needs to feel as comfortable as possible. She was content on simply watching the leaves sway and fall from the wind until the morning bell chimes, but she was interrupted.

"Huh? Little buddy?"

Azumi turned to see Nendou approaching her. 'I didn't pin Nendou to be one of the early birds.' She gave a small wave, before redirecting her attention to the sky. 'But maybe it's just for today that he arrived here early, I do remember him mentioning about some early morning try-outs.'

"What are you doing here? Let's go to our classroom!" He beamed, before shifting his expressions to a more playful one. "Or did you forget where to go? Don't worry, little buddy, I'll show you the way!"

Azumi smiled at this. "No, I didn't forget. I just thought of clearing my head before school starts." She watched as he walked closer to her to listen more clearly to what she was saying, before another gust of wind blew the trees and drew her attention back to them.

Nendou decided to sit down next to her, planting each of his palms on the concrete beside his thighs and leaning back, using his arms for support. "Eh? Clear your head? Where will your brain go then?"

She lightly laughed, sparing her friend a glance. "It's not that type of clearing. I just want to forget about what happened to me last night."

"Huh, something happened to you last night?"

"Say, Nendou, how is your relationship with your parents?" Azumi realized her confession, and attempted to change the subject before her companion pries too much.

"I only have my mom. My dad died before I was born..."

"I–I'm sorry to have brought it up." Azumi felt bad for being so insensitive, she intertwined her fingers together and broke eye contact with Nendou. "How is your relationship with your mom, then?"

"Oh, we're doing fine!" His drastic change in expressions is questionable. "She got a new job at this company that she says pays more. I'm really happy about that, because my mom says she can buy me new shoes now! Though, last night she made me clean my room because I came home late and made her worry... Oh yeah! What happend to you last night? You hadn't told me that yet"

'To think that he came back to the topic after my distraction.'

"A–Ah, that..." Azumi hesitated, 'I guess telling him would be fine. I mean, he's not one to judge the lives of his friends, right? I'll just leave out the whole psychic powers thing.' She sighed.

"... I had a fight with my parents..."

•°●•°●•°●

"I feel like a kid who got beat up by a delinquent on their first day at a new school."

Azumi wanted to talk to Saiki about what she found out from her parents last night. She wished to tell him, most likely out of spite from being lied to, but also because it involves him as well. Just after she rounded a corner, she was surprised to see an unfamiliar student walking next to Saiki as she was heading to her classroom. She raised a hand to fiddle with her ear cuff, curious to know what his relationship was with the new student.

"I don't get why you want to hide it. Psychic powers would get you all sorts of attention." The new student was being too loud with his words in their sort of environment.

Azumi raised her eyebrows at the thoughts incoming behind her and hid in an empty classroom. She felt Teruhashi about to walk by and pass the two boys walking ahead of her.

"That's what I don't want."

A few seconds and a gasp later... 'Looks like the new transfer student fell for me, too.' Kokomi cheered in her head as she leaves the hallway, bringing Azumi out of her hiding spot. She furrowed her brows at what Teruhashi had done, confused on why she would actively search through the school looking for the transfer student only to receive a mere gasp for her efforts. She can always wait for him to hear about her and watch as he finds her. Atleast in that way, she can just sit pretty.

"Wh–Who is that beautiful girl?!"

"That's Teruhashi-san. She passed by us on purpose. You should be thankful."

Toritsuka Reita reacted loudly, shaking the shoulders of Saiki, before quickly being flocked by girls. All of which are curious about the news that spread about his psychic abilities.

"Saiki-san..." Toritsuka began, seemingly shocked by the crowd, but easily recovering. He smiled and gave a thumbs up in Saiki's direction. "Maybe I can settle for this."

'It'll die down, soon enough' Azumi thought, taking the chance to stand beside Saiki as if she had just arrived. She kept her hands in her pockets as the two psychics witness Toritsuka do his job in impressing the girls before him. "Who is he?" Azumi feigned ignorance of the situation, turning her head to look at the friend beside her.

Saiki shortly glanced at her in masked skepticism, before looking back at the gathering people around the spirit medium. "Toritsuka Reita." Azumi nodded in response, turning as well to watch the commotion in front of her.

Takahashi and his friends insisted Toritsuka tell their spirit guardians after initially being ignored, which inconvenienced the spirit medium in his quest to woo every girl that are around him. "Okay, let's see..." Toritsuka deadpanned, sparing them only a quick look. "Geezer, hag, hag, and hag. Okay, it's done."

Azumi got overwhelmed by the growing number of people gathered in the hallway, she sought solitude. In her attempt to walk away, she drew the attention of Toritsuka. "W–Wait—! You there, don't you want to know your guardian spirit?!" He gaped as she ignored him and left to go to her classroom. Toritsuka turned to the psychic he knows. "Saiki-san, do you know her?!"

"Ah, that was Kanasawa-san. She was new here on the first day."

"She's got a crazy powerful guardian spirit. Maybe even a psychic...?" He whispered to Saiki, to which his words piqued his interest.

He was about to repsond, when Kaidou came and interjected. "Guardian spirits? What nonsense." He acted uninterested, despite his thoughts telling otherwise. "Still, I'd suppose it would be rude not to hear you out. So tell me what my guardian spirit, or whatever, is."

Toritsuka was about to deadpan at him as well, but his guardian spirit was too interesting to not comment on. "Huh? Your guardian spirit is quite abnormal."

'Seriously?! 'Quite abnormal'?! Is it a demon?! A sealed monster?! A dark spirit?!' "I-I see. So what is it? Tell me." Kaidou had an obvious blush on his face, but despite his excitement, he lowered his voice to maintain his appearance of uninterest.

"It's a chihuahua."

"Ch-Chihuahua?!" Kaidou exclaimed as the students around started laughing. Looking down on his clenched fist, he started mumbling to himself. "How dare he?! I bet he's a fraud!"

Toritsuka faced Saiki. "Introduce me to her so I can tell her about her guardian spirit." His favor sounded friendly, but adding in his expressions and his true thoughts, it became too friendly and borderline perversion. 'Cute, cute, cute, cute, cute, cute, cute. She looked so cute...' Not like he wasn't a pervert, anyway.

"What was that about, Kanasawa-sensei? Are you feeling alright?"

"Quit repeating 'cute' in your head...!" Saiki directed his thoughts to only the spirit medium, irritated at his noisy mind.

——————————

Aiken looked up from his desk, seeing the faces of two of his co-workers. "Hmm? What do you mean, Kinji-san?" He addressed the hospital resident who was with him in the OR, lowering the pen he was holding.

"In the surgery a while ago..." Kinji started.

"Why, what about it? Did I cut something wrong in any way?" Aiken knit his eyebrows, worry bubbling within him.

"No, it's not that. You did everything perfectly."

"So what's the problem here?"

"The problem is, you did everything. It was as if there was no one there to assist you in the surgery." The other doctor, Taiji, replied. He was there to confront Aiken after having been approached by Kinji. 'I appointed a number of residents under Kanasawa-san, because he was the best of the best, but how can they learn from him if he doesn't give them a chance?'

"Yes, is there something bothering you? This normally isn't the case." Kinji held on the backrest of the chair on the other side of Kanasawa's desk, contemplating if he should sit down or not.

Aiken sighed, leaning back on his chair. "It's a family issue. I apologize. I promise it will be ameliorated by tomorrow."

"Kanasawa-sama, the new managers of the marketing department have arrived. We are waiting for you to teach them the ropes." A petite young woman entered Akina's office after notifying her presence with a knock.

Akina looked up from her documents, she had finished little in the span of the morning, and the executive secretary took notice of this. "Is that so?" She turned back to the papers on her desk, lifting her pen to scribble in her signature. "Call in one of the presidents to lead on the managers. Whoever you choose that best fit the role will be my substitute." She spoke after a moment of silence.

"Are you not feeling well, Kanasawa-sama?"

"Yes, and so I entrust the decision to you, May-san." Akina looked at the young psychic in the eyes, an aura of superiority radiating off of the CEO. "Good luck."

"Come on, Saiki-san..." Toritsuka pestered Kusuo after he followed him around the whole day, through lunch and even now as they were walking out of the campus.

"As you wish, Kanasawa-sama" She bowed before leaving the room. May heard the sigh coming from her supervisor right before she fully shut the door.

——————————

Toritsuka mistakenly thought Nendou was a ghost a while ago, having swung his bag at him, and were now on their way to his home at the temple to explain his reason for assault.

"Just tell me more about Kanasawa-san!" He whined like a child that was denied from eating candy. "The ghosts avoid me like the plague when I ask about her from them."

"They do?" The new information grabbed Saiki's attention, but he didn't turn to look at his companion. "Well, they should."

"Is she a psychic like you? Because I think her guardian spirit might be an ancestor of hers. They look alike..." Toritsuka gave up on his begging, knowing that Saiki will not let out information even if he cried all night. Toritsuka leaned his head back on his interlocked fingers, before his saliva was practically drooling from the corner of his mouth. "But if she is someone with psychic powers, then I should've come to her instead."

Saiki smacked the back of his head with his psychokinesis, glaring at him from the corners of his eyes. "Hey! Don't go changing your mind after annoying me last night."

"Ow—! That hurt you kno—" Toritsuka cut off his own sentence when something in him clicked, as if the slap urged the gears in his brain to work. "Kanasawa... Does Kanasawa-san live next to you?!" He held the shoulders of the psychic beside him.

Saiki frowned at his personal question and invasion of personal space. "Why would you want to know?"

"Last night, while I was walking to your house, I passed by this huge house that was beside yours. It had 'Kanasawa' written in the gate's plaque." Saiki raised an eyebrow, having already known the information, but Toritsuka continued. "It was strange, because there were no ghosts hanging around and in the lot. There are a lot of ghosts that prefer to hang out in mansions, so it came as a surprise when I saw absolute zero ghosts when I passed by."

Saiki hummed in response, before throwing off Reita's hands from his shoulders using his powers. He contemplated with the new information he received, continuing with his walk. 'Her family is a mystery, even with the help of ghosts. As I thought, there is no other way to figure them out without getting close to them.'

"We're here. Okay, could you touch me while using your psychometry?" Toritsuka said after they stopped infront of his house, making Saiki push the topic of the Kanasawa's some other time. "I think you'll know why I made the mistake I made a while ago."

As Saiki stared at him suspiciously, he held his shoulders and activated his psychometry. "This is..."

Kusuo trailed off as he saw a Nendou lookalike sleeping on the ground while leaning on the stairs "Let me introduce you. This is my guardian spirit" Toritsuka looked ashamed, and didn't even look at Saiki in the eyes when he talked.

"You really do have it tough"

•°●•°●•°●

Azumi dreaded to enter her house, standing in front of the double doors and contemplating whether to enter or to retreat to a nearby park. 'No, I shouldn't postpone this any longer. It is bound to happen, anyway.' With gathered confidence, she pushed opened the door and walked in.

'They're either waiting in the main living room, my room, or the dining room.' Azumi hoped they were in the dining room, but the call she heard after being halfway in walking past the main living room, proved otherwise. 'Living room it is...'

She silently entered and sat in the exact spot she was the other night, feeling the gazes of Akina and Aiken as she does.

A heavy silence hanged in their air, each member of the family waiting for the other to speak up. Aiken chose to start. "It has come to our attention that you have been feeling neglected and ignored by your mother and I... and, we wish to amend the mistake we made and be given another chance to become proper parents to you." He spoke slowly, thinking over his words before it would be said, so as not to offend anyone. "I hope our talk today will enlighten all three of us of the hardships we each have encountered, and discuss a proper solution to help."

"There should be no raising of voices. We are here to talk and to listen." Aiken finished, looking at the expressions of his wife and daughter to see if they understand and agree or not. The two nodded, making Aiken nod as well.

The Kanasawa couple met gazes, and Aiken prompted his wife to talk. "I... have come to realize that I oftentimes cut you off... Zumi-chan. I didn't know it would have a greater effect on you than waiting for you to finish what you're saying. I'm sorry. This is more on a problem of self, so I don't wish for you to change because of what I've done."

Azumi stared at her mother, harboring mixed feelings on the apology she received. She looked down, thinking over of what to say. "An apology is the first step to redemption... and so, I accept your apology." She took notice of the wistful look on her father. 'Ah, I guess he has nothing to talk about, because we almost never talk—or do anything, really—alone.' Despite Azumi thinking her father had nothing to share, she was surprised to hear his voice.

"I apologize for not spending any of my time with you, Zumi-chan." He looked down, with his eyebrows low, he refused to look at his daughter. "I will make it up to you over time. We'll be bonding together atleast once a week, now."

Azumi furrowed her eyebrows at his words. "But your work..."

"I can always have a number of leaves a month. Since I'm a talented volunteer, they treasure me enough to let me manage my own schedule."

"And I can always reschedule." Akina added in. "You were right. No amount of money can ever replace the love from your parents." Akina genuinely smiled at Azumi, who slowly returned the smile. "I'm sorry it took so long for us to realize."

"it's okay, as long as you both won't forget." Azumi weakly said, afraid to hear her voice crack as a lump formed in her throat just as what happened last time.

"Ah, before I forget. About what you said of being well-rounded yesterday." Aiken raised his head.

"A–Ah, that. You can just put it off as me blabbering because of anger. I wasn't thinking straight last night."

"No, what you say matters." Azumi locked eyes with her mother. Her eyes widened by a fraction at the words she never expected to hear from Akina. "I cared too much about you being powerless, I pushed you to be perfect in every aspect. I hoped that even without psychic abilities, you can live your life whatever you wish, and pursue your dream job, as if you had them. I was obviously wrong."

"I'm sorry, as well, that I made you master various martial arts. I was simply concerned for when you encounter immoral people, and had no other way to protect yourself. By the time your powers awakened, you've already achieved all the highest honor of belts." It was Aiken's turn to lock eyes with his daughter. "I'm very proud of you."

"I pushed you to perfect every instrument, sport and hobby I give you. And I truly am sorry for everything I have put you through." Akina said after her husband finished. "I am very proud of you as well, Zumi."

Everything was going too fast and is overlapping with each other in Azumi's mind. She heard an apology and words of praise from both her mother and her father, so why isn't she satisfied? Was she too stuck up to genuinely accept their words? If so, she's feeling very horrible right now. Nevertheless, she forced a smile and wordlessly nodded. She didn't know what to think of right now, and ought to think it through the night.

"We'll be holding something similar to this every week, so we can improve our communication with each other." Aiken concluded, standing up from his seat, his family following suit. "Now, let's have dinner. I'm famished."

——————————

It was Saturday, and Azumi woke up pretty early; that is, if you can count 10:15 am as early. She had a sports lesson with Furushima Yumi, the volleyball captain she met during 'chapter iii.', and ought to prepare before their agreed time of 11:30 am.

She finished everything, from changing into her sports attire to packing water and towels in one of her bags, after almost an hour. 'Alright, 15 minutes is probably enough time for me to arrive at the school. But only if I run... Should I take the car?' While she was contemplating whilst headed for the stairs that lead down to the ground floor, she saw, from the corner of her eye, a frantic boy in front of her gate. 'Toritsuka-san?'

Azumi watched as he shouted at seemingly nothing, elaborating huge gestures as he does. 'What in the world is he going on about?' She was curious to know what has gotten him so worked up. 'Kusuo-san's house is over there, anyway.' With her heightened hearing, without touching her power limiter, she listened in on what the spirit medium has been talking about with the air.

"Come on, it'll only take a few seconds to peek inside..." Toritsuka dragged on, slouching his back and hanging his arms, slowly getting tired of all the ruckus he's been creating. "What's so terrifying about that mansion, anyway...?"

He stayed silent for a moment, most likely listening to the ghost he's conversing's explanation. "Eh? Is that so?" He looked at the front door of Azumi's house, before sighing. "I guess I'll wait for Kanasawa-san to come out. Oh, I bet she'll be super cute today, too~!"

Azumi grimaced in disgust at his last words. 'Yeah, I should take the car.'

"Azumi-san—!" Furushima took notice of the approaching figure of Kanasawa, placing down her water bottle and excitedly jogging towards the girl. "You're here!" She beamed, eyes creasing in delight and arms open to hug.

Azumi slowed her walking at the gesture the volleyball captain was showing, hesitating on whether or not she was comfortable enough to accept the hug.

In the end, she awkwardly wrapped her arms around Furushima, choosing to be polite and accept the gesture of affection.

After the first few volleyball lessons that happened between the two, Azumi thought they were close enough to be called by each other's names. "ah-hah... Did I make you wait, Yumi-senpai?" She let out a short nervous laugh before stating her question.

Furushima released herself from the hug, but let her hands rest on Azumi's forearms, smile unfaltering. "Not at all. But I have missed you since our last meeting." Before the psychic could respond, the volleyball captain was already ushering her towards the court, a hand gently guiding her back. "I thought you were ready to play with a team, so I invited a few of my friends, if you don't mind."

"No, it's fine. It's a fundamental part of playing volleyball, after all."

As if Furushima's smile couldn't possibly get any bigger, it just did. "You look pretty as usual today, Azumi-san..." Once again, Kanasawa was unable to reply when one of Yumi's friends yelled their greeting once they saw them walking towards the court.

==========

A/N

discuss plot holes of "erratic heartbeats" with us! @ the link in my bio.

#Fluff...?#original characters #reverse harem #Saiki Kusuo no PSI Nan #saiki kusuo no psi nan cast #i sprinkled a little angst in there

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shes-an-oddbird · 3 years

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Christmas at River’s End Mall

Summary - A Christmas AU in which everyone navigates their seasonal jobs, relationships and Christmas spirit, or lack there of, through woven together tales inspired by holiday prompts.

So excited about this little challenge for myself. 25 Days of Christmas, 25 Holiday prompts and a dozen or more characters I love and miss. Each chapter should spot light a different character or relationship and the stories become more and more intertwined (think Valentine's Day).

Chapter 1 - Decorating for Christmas

Prompt - Decorating for Christmas Relationship - Philindaisy Family Feels POV - Coulson

There was something magical about the River’s End Mall at Christmas time. The largest mall in the state and ideally suited for events all year round but an absolute must see come the holiday season. A massive tree, an indoor ice rink, sleighrides outside, lights, decorations and of course Santa himself.

All of this was made possible by the efforts of the mall’s event coordinator, Melinda May, who upon meeting, wouldn’t be pegged as the festive type. It would however be assumed that she was the type to be exceptionally good at her job. Whatever that job may be. She was an excellent event coordinator because she got things done. So, when it comes to Christmas, she hires the best.

A man who brings a winter wonderland to life within the walls of the mall.

A man who believes in putting the spirit back in the holidays, even in the most commercial of locations.

A man who loves a good suit, red or otherwise.

A man by the name of Phil Coulson.

And on occasion, Santa Clause.

“If you don’t lay off the cookies, you’re not going to need the pillow to stuff your suit this year.” Phil smiles as Melinda appears next to him. He’s got a mouth full of crumbs and can’t get his own quip out before she’s taken in the hundreds of decorations they’ve brought in. “You’re out doing yourself this year.”

He swallows down the last of the cookie and grabs a few more off the tray that was set out for the workers and volunteers. “We got so much publicity last year, national news remember, can’t disappoint now.”

“I see and when does the tree arrive?”

“It’s here, they’re trying to figure out how to get it through the door.”

Her eyes snap to his, “Coulson, we’ve driven trucks into the mall, exactly how big is this tree?”

“Could be worse, Rockefeller Center already had dibs on my first pick.”

May rolls her eyes at him but he knows it’s all for show. When May first came to him twenty-five years ago, inquiring about setting up a Santa Experience at the mall he knew she’d accept nothing less than the best and every year it got a little bigger and a little better. It had been great publicity for his business, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t trying to impress her just a little bit.

“When do my elves arrive?” His own crew of employees handled most of the setup, installing the ice rink, hanging decorations from the balcony, setting up the tree, but over time the mall had acquired a group of volunteers who came in to help hang ornaments and set up activity tables.

“Daisy and the other volunteers should be here shortly.” Phil nods and watches as May moves around the towers of boxes, inspecting the contents of each of them.

“We’ve got everything, enough ornaments to coat a forest, the undecorated ones for the activity tables arrived yesterday, we’re also on 100% low energy LED lights this year.” May nods along but clearly isn’t paying much attention.

“We’ve got an excellent wrapping paper source this year too, lots of variety, different colors.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Came up with a tag line for the print advertisements, Christmas at River’s End Mall, it’s a Magical Place.”

“Coulson.”

“I think the box you’re looking for is over here.” Finally with her attention back, he leads her over to a foldout table with a small box sitting at the edge. May peers inside to see it full of handmade ornaments and a small spark appears in her eyes. Shortly after they had started the Santa Experience at the mall May had partnered with the local orphanage to bring in the kids in to do crafts and receive gifts. It was that first year that they had met Daisy, an unlucky but optimistic little girl and accidently bonded with May. While most of the kids took their crafts home to decorate as best they could for Christmas, Daisy always gave hers to the grumpy coordinator. May would then hang the decorations on the large tree. He still remembers the look on Daisy’s face when she came back the second year and saw her messy glitter ornament front and center. Phil had watched the pair get closer every year from then on and to be honest he knows he’s gotten attached too.

“I know you’re not Santa you know.” She says, her tiny arms crossed and messy dark hair obscuring her face.

“Oh.” He doesn’t know if that means she doesn’t believe in Santa at all or just knows that he’s not the real thing.

She leans against the arm of his chair. “Yeah, but I won’t tell the other kids.”

“Well I appreciate that; do you still want to tell me what you want for Christmas?” He always played Santa with the kids from the orphanage. He handled it better than his other employees when all these kids ever asked for was a family.

“I don’t really want anything.” She’s admiring the tree they’re situated in front of, he can see the lights sparkling in her wide eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, but can I hang out for a minute anyways?” She asks, still distracted.

He smiles. “Of course.”

Every year it was the same with Daisy. She wouldn’t ask for anything, just go through the line for show and sit with him and stare at the lights when it was her turn. He found himself looking forward to the few minutes they shared together but then one year she wasn’t there. He had gone to May immediately. His friend, he had thought had been in a bad mood since the start of the holiday season, but that day she seemed particularly distant. “No Daisy this year, was she adopted?” He asks. Several little kids look up at him with curious eyes.

After ensuring all the activity tables were covered, May gestures for him to follow her a few steps away. “They’ve placed her with a foster family.”

“Well that’s good, a step in the right direction.” May says nothing. “But you don’t sound convinced.” He jokes.

“Its happened a couple of times before, they always send her back.”

This shocks him. Daisy was such an easy kid. Didn’t ask for anything, helped with the younger children, “she seems like such a good kid.”

“She is, just not a good fit, that’s what Sister Anne said.”

“Maybe this time will be different.”

“Maybe.”

Coulson knows somethings up. He’s gotten pretty good a reading May over the years. “You don’t seem too thrilled about that possibility.”

“That little girl deserves some love and support in her life, if she’s with a family that will give her that then I’m ecstatic.”

Daisy was back the next year. Things hadn’t worked out well with her foster family and she had been sent back to the orphanage shortly after the new year. On the plus side May seemed merrier than she had the past year, even if it was just slightly.

When Daisy comes through the line this time she doesn’t sit on the arm of the chair and stare at the lights and she doesn’t mock him about his crush on May. Daisy was a very perceptive child. Instead she shifts uncomfortably and whispers, “I think I know what I want this year.”

“Really?” Phil perks up. Whatever this kid wants he’s prepared to make it happen for her. He’ll talk to May and they’ll make it happen. A pony, a car, whatever.

“Yeah, but I don’t think I’ll get it.”

“Oh no? Well I know you know I’m not really Santa, but I could still work a little magic.”

Daisy still doesn’t give it up but her eyes that normally stare at the sparkling lights are directed now at the activity table where May is helping some of the younger kids glue cotton balls to Santa hats.

“She’s teaching me to ice skate.”

“Yeah?” This surprises him if only just a little. He had found out not long after they first installed the indoor ice rink that she was an excellent skater but he’d yet to see her set foot on the ice.

“She’d be a good mom, I think.”

So that was it. “That is a pretty big request.”

“I didn’t say – “ She protests.

“I know, but also, I know.” Daisy gives him a small smile before it fell back to a frown. “Look,” he said softly, taking her hands, “I don’t know if I can make that happen but I do know that she cares a lot about you and so do I, it makes me really happy that you shared that with me.”

“Thank you Coul – um, Santa.”

“COULSON!” Phil is jarred from his thoughts in time to see Daisy spiriting up to him. She’s grown now into a young woman, with a passion for computer science and a close batch of misfit friends who she’s built a family out of. Its no longer just her and May and occasionally himself at the Christmas dinner table.

“Long time no see, how come you never visit anymore?” He pulls her in to a tight hug. Its been too long.

“I don’t know, maybe because I’m a busy working adult now.”

“All lies, you’re ten years old in my mind.” He steps back, “you’ve got time to help me decorate though?”

She beams back at him. “Always, but uh, where is the tree?”

Yeah he should probably check on that. He turns to May, who at some point during his reminiscing had answered her phone. “They just got it through the doors, Coulson I swear if this doesn’t fit – “

“I will personally go chop down a smaller one,” he promises. “You try to give her the best and she complains about it.”

“I’m not complaining I’m being rational; someone is going to have to take care of this tree.”

“I have been doing this for twenty-five years and never once had a tree die on me.”

“1999, 2007, 2013, last year – “

“Last years was sick, what did you want me to do put it out of the street, have you never seen a Charlie Brown Christmas.”

“Alright mom and dad," Daisy interrupts, "let’s just call this one a draw, its sounds like we’ve got a lot of work to do.” She looks eagerly at May and he knows she wants something. “And speaking of work, I brought my roommate, Jemma, you remember her, right?”

“She's the expert gift wrapper you mentioned?”

“Can she interview with you?”

“These aren’t really convenient hours, she knows that right?”

Daisy nods enthusiastically. “She does, absolutely does, her labs have her working weird hours, late nights and early mornings, so this should be perfect for her.”

May nods in agreement. “Sounds great, let’s go.” Daisy does a short victory jig and begins to lead the way. May starts to follow but stops suddenly. “Coulson - "

“Yes?”

“The Tree.”

“I’ll ready the ax, Melinda.” She smiles a genuine smile and his heart thuds like he’d a kid again. Maybe this would be the year. Maybe.

#aos fic #aos #philindaisy #melinda may #phil coulson #daisy johnson #25 days of christmas #my fic #christmas at the mall

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casputin · 4 years

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Miss White & The Unlawful Seven

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Inspired by these wonderful creations by Ástor Alexander.

1. A Fairytale Beginning

Once upon a time in there lived a man named Franz Weiß. He moved over to New York City from Berlin. When the war broke out in 1914 he anglicised his name to Frank White. But most people called him The Duke. The Duke was in charge of one of the biggest drugs operations in the city.

In 1920 The Duke courted a young nightclub singer called Ruby Scarlett. Later that year Ruby died giving birth to a daughter Frank named Scarlett White. As the babe grew into a free spirited young girl she gained the nickname 'Snow' due to her pale complexion. Frank knew that Snow needed a mother figure in her life so married Orla Kelly, daughter of an Irish Mobster which also allowed him to expand his territory.

Snow was an observant child and soon began to learn the ways of the drug trade under her father's guidance. Much to the chargrin of Orla and the Irish Mob, The Duke was clearly lining Snow up to be his successor. Then in 1936 tragedy struck as Frank White got caught in crossfire after a job gone wrong, leaving Snow all alone, save for a stepmother who despised her.

2. Across the Bridge

Now Orla was a jealous woman. Jealous of the love Frank had for his daughter over herself. Jealous of Snow's beauty. Jealous of her youth. And so she ordered a hit on the teenager.

Hunter Murphy was Orla's weapon of choice. Hunter was a cold blooded killer through and through, with plenty of notches on his Smith & Wesson M&P. He was the best at what he did, but what he did wasn't nice.

He followed Snow one night to the edge of Manhattan. But something tugged at his conscience. This wasn't right. Snow was barely a dame. A hit on a 16 year old? There were some lines even Hunter Murphy wouldn't cross.

'Get yourself across the bridge, kid,' he growled, stepping out of the shadows. 'Lay low. There's a price on ya head. If Orla finds out you're alive we're both in the firing line. Find a quiet job in Brooklyn somewhere. Don't ever come back. I can't guarantee you'll be safe there, but at least you'll have a chance.

Snow saw something in Hunter's eye. She knew he wasn't bluffing. Across the bridge she ran, and she never looked back.

3. The Unlawful Seven

Hungry, cold and penniless, Snow found her way to a little restaurant called Pizza Cottage. She went round the back alley, and started to check the bins for any leftovers. That was was Happy Tony, the chef, came out with some more bin bags. He saw the teenager in the moonlight.

'Who's there?' he asked, cocking a gun. 'Show yasself!'

Snow nervously stepped forward. She'd been around enough gangsters in here life to know what to do in this situation.

'Whatcha doin' kid, huh? Rummaging round da bins like dat? Come inside, I'll bake yous a fresh one.'

Snow shuffled behind the chef. It was only then she noticed that he was shorter than her, his presence before had commanded her attention and made him seem bigger, scarier. But as he led her to a booth she noticed a warmth about him.

'Sit down here, kid. I'll grab you a pizza and you can tell me your story.'

Soon they were sharing the biggest Margherita Snow had seen in her life.

'I'm an orphan,' she explained, keeping details vague. 'I've nowhere to go. Trying to find a job, but no luck yet.'

'Well, I think your lucks just rolled in, kid. Just so happens I'm in need of a waitress. Pay ain't great, but there's a room upstairs if ya need it. And you'd have protection.'

'Protection?'

'Oh yeah. Just so happens kid, that you wandered in to the hangout of the Seven Dons of Brooklyn. So yeah, you'd be under our protection.'

Now Snow had never had to deal with the Seven Dons before, her father's business being the other side of the East River, but she'd heard of their reputation. These were the meanest mobsters the Mafia had to offer. Goddamn she'd gotten lucky.

'Doc' Salvino ran a numbers game all over the borough. 'Sleepy' Santoro was the person to visit if you needed someone to visit the fishes. 'Bashful' Gambini was less tactful than Sleepy; you went to him to send a message if someone wasn't toeing the line. 'Sneezy' Spinelli had the cops in his pocket. You so much as sneezed, Spinelli would hear about it. 'Dopey' DeVito was their drugs man. 'Grumpy' Minaldi was the head. He'd set the whole operation up, was older than the rest by a good thirty years. He didn't need to do anything, he had his reputation. And if you called him Grumpy to his face, well let's just say, you would be needing yours anymore. And Happy, well his restaurant was the front.

All were just as short as each other, but all commanded respect.

4. A Call to Arms

As the months turned into years Snow, now going by the name Scarlett Franks, kept her head down and gained the trust of the Seven Dons. She was a particular favourite of Don Minaldi, meaning she enjoyed a status not many others did. If any of the diners forgot their place and so much looked at her the wrong way, they were taken care of appropriately.

But news of this pretty young woman made its way across the river to the ears of Orla Kelly. And she knew who this Miss Franks really was. First she dispatched Hunter Murphy for his betrayal. Then she sent a calling card to Snow; an advert in the Eagle. A full page spread with her face leering out for all to see. And a caption, 'June is soon upon us and we all know Snow melts away with the heat.'

Snow knew she'd been found out.

She had no choice but to come clean to the Dons in the hope that the 4 years she had spent with them meant something.

Once she had told he tale there was silence. Until Minaldi said with a glint in his eye, 'I've always wanted an excuse to get those Irish bastards!'

With 2 weeks until June 1st, the presumptive date of attack, Sleeping trained Snow in how to use a gun. It turned out she was a natural sharpshooter. She also trained with Bashful in hand to hand combat in case it got up close and personal. Sneezy alerted his cops as to what was going to go down. They'd be waiting in the sidelines to assist the Italians and arrest the Irish.

And then the day came.

5. Showdown

Snow and the Seven had barricaded themselves in Happy's restaurant. They had men stationed around the streets.

As soon as the clock struck midnight on the morning of Saturday June 1st the gunfire began. Distant at first as Orla and her men made their way across the bridge. But steadily it got closer, until rapidly it burst across the glass window from the mouth of a machine gun.

Snow ducked behind the counter, gripping her own M1941. The bullets stopped flying. Their turn.

Snow jumped up. 'Say hello to my little friends,' she quipped as the Dons came out of their own hiding spots. They sprayed the Irish mobsters with storm of slugs, taking them down where they stood.

And then, silence again.

A flash of light caught Snow's eye as the moon reflected off the barrel of a pistol. Out of the rubble cam Orla, a crazed look on her face. She pointed the gun straight at Snow.

'Eat lead, bitch.'

6. The End

Snow opened her eyes. She was lying in a hospital bed.

'Glad to see you're up, kid.' Happy's voice drifted across the room to her. She sat up, looked around, and found him. Then she found her voice.

'What happened?'

'Grumpy jumped in front of the bullet. It passed through him then hit you. But he slowed it down enough to save your life. He... He didn't make it.'

Snow reached out and placed her hand on Happy's as a tear ran down his face.

'Thanks, kid,' he managed to sniff. Pulling himself together he continued. 'We took care of the Kellys, they won't cause you any more trouble. And your dad's territory is yours again. Turns out Orla wasn't the Golden Queen she made herself out to be after all. Most of The Duke's old crew turned on her as soon as they saw the opportunity arise. But we gotta place on the council of Dons now. There's gotta be seven of us. How about it?'

'But I'm not an Italian.'

'You are as far as we're concerned. And we always wanted to expand into Manhattan. It'd be an honour to do it alongside you, kid.'

'You're sure?'

'As eggs is eggs. Besides, it's what old Grumpy would've wanted.'

'Then let's do it.'

'Alrighty, Miss White, let's do this. Though as a member of the Seven, I think Don Bianca would be more appropriate, don't you?'

And they all lived happily ever after.

#disney #disney au #noir #noir au #snow white #gangsters #mob #mafia #fanfic #1930s America

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dreamingsushi · 4 years

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Legend of the White Snake - Episode 33

There’s already a problem and Ruyi hasn’t even come up yet lol. Suzhen is kind of trapped in an imaginary world where she takes of Xu Xian and the baby and wishes that it would stay like this forever... Xu Xian has to go in the dream and convince to come out, otherwise, they will both be in the same state and die. Almost nothing too dramatic here. Xu Xian still wants to go. Fahai agrees to send him in and gives him some rosary beads to protect him and keep him in touch with the real world. So he gets in the dream, which is a mix of West Lake and Emei mountains. He has just been there for like three seconds and he doesn’t want to leave either. This is going to be... hm... hard.

Oh crap. Crap big time, big big time. Xiao Qing is going crazy and is also possessed by inner demons. This is no good. Wow, my only hope now is Wang Daoling. However, I must say that Xiao Qing in black with a more mature hairstyle is gorgeous.

Fahai’s staff is starting to acting up because Xiao Qing has turn dark. It’s going to be a hard night.

Back in the dream, Suzhen won’t believe Xu Xian and he has to fight with a fake vision of himself.

Xiao Qing wrecks havoc in town and gets stopped by Gongfu. When she sees him, she looks so lost and runs away. I hope she doesn’t do anything to him and I hope he can save her. I love that character. Oh wow! It kicked out the inner demon! Li Gongfu, you’re so special! Please keep our Xiao Qing safe and out of that evil spirit.

Since there is danger in Ling’an, the four immortals sends Fahai take care of it, they will keep on helping Xu Xian and Suzhen while he’s gone. He makes a barrier around them and they shall not take one step out of it.

In town a lady has gone crazy and now Ruyi tells the town people that in the Nuwa temple, there is a demon snake. She gets everybody on her side and they all run to the Nuwa temple.

Okay, Xiao Qing is still corrupted and she’s asking the people she kidnapped to die for Suzhen. Please Fahai, save her now. I can only believe in you... But now that you left the temple... I am worried for Suzhen and Xu Xian since all the villagers are going to the Nuwa Temple. Oh thank god. What Fahai did made them invisible, people can’t see them. They press Xu Xian to go faster, but Suzhen isn’t really willing to trust him. Please, realize that this is your real husband... Meanwhile, Ruyi locks all the townspeople inside and she’s about to set fire to the temple. All the people inside get corrupted by the inner demon and starts to fight together. The immortals... They are stuck making a difficult choice. Xu Xian, faster so we can save everybody TT Why is this so hard to watch? I’m crying a river now... Suzhen pushes Xu Xian away after he let her stab her and said if she doesn’t come, he will stay with her in there too. She sends him back to his body. Please Suzhen, come out... Xu Xian blames himself for hurting her so much that she doesn’t want to come back to him.

Xu Xian begs them to bring the villagers in the protection too. They say that right now if anything happens, they won’t be able to bring Suzhen back, however Xu Xian pleads that they save everybody.

Fahai and Xiao Qing and fighting together. Then he sees fire coming from the temple and he realizes that he was forced out of the temple. It was all a trap ):

The inner demon teaches Ruyi how to cultivate dark side. Or something like that. So she would be like the first demon, the one who lost her child.

Xu Xian says that if he and Suzhen can’t pass this trial, than that’s it, please let everybody in. He keeps hugging Suzhen next to his heart.

OH! SUZHEN! She’s starting to realize that’s a dream. She asks Xu Xian what date is it and he says it’s duanwu festival. Then she’s surprised that it’s a full moon. Thinking even a little bit more, it’s always the full moon, which makes no sense. Please Suzhen, come back. She realizes that this is the doing of the inner demon. Then he asks why she didn’t go bakc with that real Xu Xian? He says she has been doubting for a while and that she didn’t go because she didn’t want to. She feels so bad to have refused him when he risked his life to come and get her. Those two. She leaves. Suzhen TT

Just right when the people come in, Suzhen’s human appearance is pale in Xu Xian’s arms. But they want to kill her now ): But at least Xu Xian is happy, his adored wife decided to believe him and came back to him. At least the four immortals protect them.

Outside, the inner demon got more powerful thanks to Ruyi. She looks way older also. Now, I am waiting for Wang Daoling to come to the rescue. I know you don’t like Xu Xian, but can’t you at least do it for Ruyi? I think he’s quite genuine towards her. The four immortals are almost down, they can’t hold much more longer.

Xu Xian expresses his regrets to Suzhen, saying that he’s sorry for not having took care of her. He begs her to open her eyes and talk to him. He doesn’t care if she’s angry at him, whatever she wants to say is fine as long as she wakes up. If she doesn’t.. well he’s going to join her in death.

SHE FINALLY OPENS HER EYES. They are so happy to have each other again. Suzhen can feel she retrieve like 80% of her powers. The immortals tell her the humans became murder instruments. She helps them maintain the barrier so they can relax a little bit and they altogether stop the fire and causes damage to the evil spirit whatever that smokey black thing is.

They wonder from where Suzhen got back her energy, she believes it’s because they retrieved her essence. Well I think that’s because she’s pregnant and the deities decided to help her. It would make more sense. Anyways.

Suzhen is going out to look for Xiao Qing with the four immortals. She begs Fahai to spare Xiao Qing and give her another chance. At first she’s happy to see Suzhen, but when she learns that she knew who the four immortals were, she’s angry again. So one of them decides to tell her the whole story. So basically, the Dragon King fell in love with Xiao Qing’s mother, but when she got pregnant, he was afraid of the punishment for having a relationship with a snake demon. So she kept hiding to give birth to Xiao Qing and after her birth, she kept moving everywhere so they wouldn’t be found. But she was found at last and she didn’t want to say with whom she had an affair and was willing to take all the blame. So they confined her under Leifeng pagoda. Oh. So they switched that from the original tale. Usually, the White Snake is trapped underneath and she gets released by the green snake. In some version, it’s because her son his so filial that she gets free. Interesting.

Well, Fahai wants to suppress Xiao Qing’s demon blood, but she doesn’t want to. She would rather die than to lose her mother’s blood. Also, Suzhen says that even so, she won’t be able to go back to the immortal realm, because her dad won’t recognize her as his daughter, he didn’t even want to give ten drops of blood to let her live her love. Since they won’t let him, Fahai traps Xiao Qing.

Why is he so obsessed with her immortal blood? Why can’t she be a demon anyways? Like you see, some demons are nicer than immortals.

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madsmikkelsenschesthair · 5 years

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Blood of the Dragon: Chapter 1

Summary: Y/n is rapidly growing every day and it doesn’t take long for Robert to set out a large reward for anyone that finds her. Preferably dead. It’s up to Ragnar and his people to protect the little princess. And a surprise visit from the North.

Rhaegar Targaryen aesthetic made by yours truly :) pics belong to their rightful owners

Pairings: Ivar x Reader, Sigurd x Reader, Hvitserk x Reader

Warnings: attempt assassinations, blood, angst, major fluff along the way, protective Dad!Ragnar

A/N: Your feedback means a lot to me! Thank you for the kind words, reblogs and likes. Let know what you think of this one :) As always, be nice and courteous. Have a nice day/night!

Baby Freyja’s first few days in Kattegat were as terrifying as they were lovely. Everyone was one edge, they didn’t know if and when Rhaegar was going to send a raven letting them know everything was alright not only that but anyone they did not know that came into the Great Hall was questioned. It was mostly Ragnar’s idea. He was scared Robert was sending assassins. He could protect her but the very idea of Robert finding them scared him.

His little sons absolutely adored the baby princess. When they first saw her Ubbe and Hvitserk begged him to unwrap her from the blankets to see how tiny her fingers and toes were, little Sigurd squealed in delight when he touched a little hand. Ivar, still a baby himself, couldn’t properly talk but he smiled at her and reached to touch her. They were fascinated by her and wouldn’t leave her side. Aslaug noticed that Ivar’s pain had vanished completely since her birth and wondered if maybe it was a sign from the Gods or if she actually had Freyja’s healing touch. She didn’t know but she loved the baby even more.

Over the few days they settled into a routine; Aslaug would be the first to have her for the day. She still had plenty of breast milk from Ivar and baby Freyja took it gladly. She was bathed, fed and rocked to sleep. Then once she awoke Aslaug nursed her again. Then it was Ragnar, he went outside with his sons to watch them play by the river while he minded the child. Sometimes him, his sons and even Athelstan went deep into the woods for a walk. The entire time he would look over his shoulder making sure no one was following them. Yidu and Siggy would follow soon after, they went back to the Great Hall though and stayed with Aslaug and Ivar. Soon after Helga, Floki’s wife, came down from the mountains to see the famous Targaryen baby everyone was talking about. Having just buried her daughter she needed a distraction, better yet, anything to do with a baby. So when Helga met baby Freyja, her heart bloomed with love and wouldn’t let her go not even when she started to cry for more milk. Aslaug had to practically rip her away from her arms to feed her.

Like his father, Bjorn had a special place in his heart for Freyja. He didn’t know what it was but he didn’t need that questioned answered. Harsh as the truth was, he never really cared for his own daughter Siggy yet he had so much love for the sleeping baby in his arms. He prayed that Rhaegar never came back for her everyone loved this little baby so much already. He walked around Kattegat showing her off to neighbors, old playmates, and sparring buddies. He was the first one to see her little eyes flutter open and his mother wasn’t wrong; she had the most beautiful indigo eyes he had ever seen!

A few months passed and the fear of Robert Baratheon’s assassins faded but the fear for Rhaegar’s safety did not. Ragnar sacrificed a goat to Odin in hopes that will help them with their answers and the King’s well-being. Freyja was growing fast already giggling and smiling at them. Her beauty was blooming as well and everyone could tell she was a Targaryen through and through.

“Maybe he’s already dead,” Aslaug told him that night. It was after they had put all of the children to sleep, Ragnar had been drinking to silence his thoughts.

His eyes went to her face and took another sip of his ale, “Why do you say such thoughts, hm? Do you not want her to have a father? Do you want a usurper to sit on her rightful throne?”

“I am only thinking, Ragnar” she answered, “Maybe there is a reason why he hasn’t sent a raven or a messenger. I am truly worried”

“You think you’re the only one that’s worried Kraka? Because of me my best friend could be dead or fighting a war and here I am doing nothing!” He pushed away his chair from the table and stood up so fast he knocked over the jug of ale, its contents spilling on to the floor. Aslaug didn’t flinch and opened her mouth to speak when Bjorn burst into the Great Hall, breathless and with a worried frown in between his eyes.

“Fire father!” he managed to wheeze out “Someone set our boats on fire”

A horrible feeling grew in the pit of Ragnar’s stomach, there were warning bells in his head that told him this was the work of Robert Baratheon still he wanted to ease his own anxiety and hopefully this was the work of an arrow going in the wrong direction. “Stay with the children,” he told his wife and followed his son out of the Hall and into the fearful night.

Aslaug went to grab one of the weapons from the wall they were hanging and studied the room. She had never held a weapon in her entire life let alone trained to be a shieldmaiden like her mother or a warrior like her father. Still, a lioness must protect her cubs. If she died protecting them then she will. Aslaug walked to the back room where they were sleeping, she abruptly stopped when she noticed a man standing over Freyja’s and Ivar’s cot. He was as tall as her husband wearing dark and weathered leathers. A rotten smell came out of his gaping mouth as if he didn’t expect to see her there, his face dirty with his hair hidden underneath a tattered cap. A shiny glint in his hand caught her eye and she looked down only to see a dagger in his shaky fingers.

“You’re not supposed to be here” the man mumbled.

Her breath hitched and adrenaline wired her entire body. “Don’t” she whimpered, her voice small and fragile.

He raised his dagger dangerously slow. “It’s mercy m’lady. She won’t live long anyway”

“No!” she screamed and launched herself at him dropping the ax. Her hands wrapped around the blade with all her might trying the pry the dagger off his hands. The man fought back just as hard, he pushed her on to the bed where her sons woke up with a start. They began to scream and cry for their mother. Aslaug brought down his hand and bit him, the man howled in pain, she pushed both of them into a dresser trying to knock him into anything so his grip would loosen but the man would not stop. One wrong move and he hit her causing the woman to fall to the floor. One hand clamped over her mouth and the other ready to slice her throat open. Aslaug managed to cover herself and closed her palms against the blade again and the man pulled it slicing her hands open. Warm blood oozed out of her and the man hit her in the back of her head again, not hard enough to make her go unconscious but hard enough to see stars.

The man’s attention went back to the sleeping infants, now no one will stop him from completing his mission. He raised his dagger again and in the corner of Aslaug’s eye she saw a huge white figure dash into the room, the man turned just as the wolf leaped into his body both of them falling backward. The man screamed in terror and the wolf went to his throat. The assassin’s scream did not last long as blood sprayed the wolf, the floor and Aslaug’s dress. The wolf stared at her. It was a female the parts that weren’t bloody, Aslaug could see her pretty white fur. She was huge! She was not a normal wolf but a direwolf her eyes were the same shade of grey as Lyanna’s.

Lyanna.

Had Lyanna sent her spirit down to watch over her daughter? Tears welled up in her eyes, “Thank you Lady Stark” she croaked and brought her body to the edge of the bed, her elbows supporting her weight. The pain from her palms was agonizing and her entire body shook. Of fear, adrenaline, and pain. Her sons stared at their mother with wide eyes only when the wolf padded to and began to lick away the blood from her wounds did she let out a loud sob. Not long after, Bjorn and Ragnar returned and that’s how they found them; a dead man with blood pouring out of his throat, Aslaug with blotchy eyes, two scared children and a direwolf guarding Freyja’s side of the cot.

“Who was he?” Bjorn asked his stepmother much later. They were back in the Great Hall, cleaning her wounds and comforting two frightened Ragnarsons. Lagertha was holding baby Freyja. She had woken up hungry and Ragnar ordered the thralls to heat some cow milk over the fire and with a clean cloth, Lagertha dipped a corner of the rag in the warm milk to feed her. Ragnar did not bother to send the wolf away, he too was sure that Lyanna sent a direwolf to watch over her baby daughter.

“I don’t know but I believe he was sent by Robert Baratheon”

Yidu held up a rolled up piece of parchment paper, “He was. It says here he is rewarding two hundred pounds of gold to anyone that finds Lyanna Targaryen and her child. He wants them dead and to bring him their heads”

“They also found a map to Kattegat in his pocket” Siggy added and slid the map to Ragnar.

“But how did they find us?” Bjorn asked, still confused.

“They must have seen us escape that night with Lyanna”, Lagertha suggested making herself shiver. They could be out there looking for them. Poor Lyanna was dead but the babe survived. If Robert found out...

Bjorn studied the weapon. It was far too fine for the man that was going to use it to kill his baby Freyja. In fact, it was also an exotic beauty. “Father, I don’t recognize this sort of metal” Ragnar extended his hand and his son handed him the dagger.

He studied it long and hard. He didn’t recognize it either. It was a strange weapon. He had never seen such luxury and he had to agree with his son, this weapon did not belong to this man. Either Robert or one of his allies gave it to the assassin.

“I don’t know who it belongs to” Ragnar twirled the knife and then set it down on the table, “but I know that Robert Baratheon won’t stop until all the Targaryens in the world are dead”

“We must keep her safe at all costs,” Aslaug said and winced at Yidu cleaning her wounds.

A man knocked on the Hall’s door and let himself in, a messenger. “King Ragnar there is a man here looking for you”

“Who?”

“He says he is Lord Eddard Stark brother of Her Grace Lyanna Targaryen”

Suddenly everyone’s worst fear came true. The man was either going to take Freyja away or he came with terrible news, this wasn’t going to be a pleasant visit.

They all stood as Lord Stark came in with several guards with his house sigil on their breastplate. He was a man of Ragnar’s age, his face solemn with a trimmed beard. He had the same dark grey eyes as his sister except his were more grim looking, his hair a dark brown and long, and the fine leathers he wore made him stand out more in a room full of Vikings. Accompanying him was another man with chin-length black hair and a short boxed beard. He wore the same grand dark leathers as Lord Stark but they did not look related.

“King Ragnar” Lord Eddard spoke in a low sad voice.

“Lord Stark” he answered, “what brings you here?”

Bjorn hid his mother and the baby by placing himself in front of them. He didn’t care who he was, no one was taking Freyja away from them if it wasn’t Rhaegar. He couldn’t trust any Westerosi noble right now.

“My sister and her child” Lord Stark scanned the room for her but he didn’t see her among the crowd of foreign faces. “Where is she?”

Ragnar swallowed the painful lump in his throat and looked at his wife and son. Bjorn cast his eyes down and Aslaug gave him a simple nod. He turned back to Ned Stark, “My Lord I am very sorry but...Her Grace passed away giving birth to her daughter”

The room went silent. Ragnar could tell this man was just like him, the Lord wouldn’t break in front of them. He had to keep his composure for his men and the people in the room. He wanted to show them how strong a Stark of Winterfell really was. Still, he could see the tears threatening to spill. Lord Stark blinked them away. “Where is my niece? Is she here with you?” There was a tone of desperation in his voice and Ragnar felt bad for him. The baby was the only thing that reminded him of his sister and didn’t want to lose her too.

“Bjorn, it's alright my son,” Lagertha said gently and after much hesitation, the tall blond moved to the side so Lord Stark could see his niece.

The look on Ned’s face was of both relief and happiness to see his sister’s legacy alive and well. He approached Lagertha and extended his arms out to her and she gladly put the baby in his arms. Freyja stirred and stretched her little arms opening and closing her fists and letting out little coos before fluttering her eyes open. He smiled at her, his too big finger tracing her little face, she kicked her feet and tried to touch his face. Her indigo eyes locked with his greys one look into them was all it took for Lord Stark to know she was safe with these people.

“What’s her name?”

“Her Grace named her child Y/n Targaryen but we chose Freyja Thorsdottir to hide her identity,” Bjorn told him, his heart thumped madly against his chest. He wasn’t sure if Lord Stark was going to take her or what but Bjorn hoped he wasn’t.

Ned let out a chuckle, “I knew it. Lyanna always wanted to name her first daughter Y/n”

Aslaug nudged Ragnar and pointed to the dagger and paper on the table. They had to tell him and Ragnar wanted to ask about Rhaegar and how were they able to find them.

“How did you find us, Lord Stark?” His wife asked.

“Lord Varys, Master of Whispers, sent us a raven letting us know of Lyanna’s whereabouts. He said his little birds told him they saw you leaving on a boat during the attack”

Lagertha had been right. Someone was watching! It angered her. It meant the same man told them where baby Freyja was. “He must be the reason Robert Baratheon knows where the princess is”

Ned looked up shocked, “Robert knows where you are? How do you know?”

Ragnar picked up the dagger and paper. Ned returned the baby to Bjorn and took the items from him, he scanned through the paragraph then studied the dagger. His face grew grimmer. “This blade...it’s Valyrian steel and the hilt dragonbone. Who was it?”

“The man is already dead thanks to the help of a direwolf but we don’t know who he is all we know is that such a fine blade did not belong to him but someone else” Ragnar took the blade back from him and studied it again. He had to hide it somewhere else before it fell into the wrong hands. His best friend crossed his mind again. “Do you know where Rhaegar is? Is he well?”

Lord Stark shrugged and shook his head, “No one knows where Rhaegar is”

Ragnar frowned, “What?”

“No one has seen him since the sacking of Kingslanding. Now a fat man sits on the Throne demanding to be called King” Ned Stark spat out the word ‘king’ as if it was the most disgusting thing in the world.

“Who are his allies?”

“Us the Starks, houses Lannister, Tyrell, Martell, Arryn and a few more I cannot name and we are asking for the help of the Golden Company” Ned studied them up and down, “I’m guessing you are also our allies”

“Yes!” Bjorn said rather quickly “We have been allies with the Targaryens since I was a boy. I want us to join the fight”

Ned shook his head. “I’m sorry but I rather you stay here protecting the heir to the Iron Throne. I have a few things to give to the princess if you don’t mind and I will send her more when I can”

Ragnar and Aslaug thanked him relieved he wasn’t taking her back with him to Winterfell. Here they would protect her. A few guards came in with trunks made of dark oak and when Aslaug lifted one of the lids she was shocked by the finery in them. Embroidered blankets, fur blankets, bonnets, little socks and shoes, beautiful smocks. Her heart sank when she realized how different baby Freyja would look from her sons, the older she would notice the sooner she would ask where she came from and Aslaug was not prepared for that moment. She closed the lid and thanked the Lord for such things one last time.

When they went to the docks to bid their goodbyes to Lord Stark, they all noticed a fiery red light from the sky, They all looked up to see a red comet flyby illuminating the very early morning. Strange how such things occur when you least expect them to. To a lot of the villagers, this was a sign of the Gods telling them everything was going to be alright but Aslaug knew better. This was a sign that the Promised Queen will save them all and the Gods were on her side.

Everything the Seer had told her was coming true. She only hoped that when the little princess came of age she married her favorite son, she already had a plan up her sleeve to make her son the future King of Westeros and it involved a little potion.

@lettersofwrittencollective @blonddnamedhandz @colie87 @faeeryy @i-only-signed-up-for-fanfiction @mellxander1993

#blood of the dragon fanfic #sigurd x reader #ivar x reader #hvitserk x reader #game of thrones fanfic #game of thrones writing #game of thrones and vikings #vikings fanfic #vikings imagine #game of thrones imagine

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trishmilburn · 5 years

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An Exploration of The Untamed’s Romance & Mystery, Episode 2

Disclaimer: This post and others in this series will be filled with loads of spoilers if you haven’t seen The Untamed, the Chinese drama based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). My chief interest in doing this series is to chronicle the development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but I also highlight the progression of the mystery that helps bring them together. Keep in mind that I’m writing these posts with the knowledge of what’s going to happen throughout the series and having read the novel. If you’d like to read my post on Episode 1 first, you can see it here.

On to Episode 2 (as I listen to the lovely soundtrack to The Untamed)…

Having left Mo Manor, we see Wei Ying traveling through the beautiful countryside with his donkey companion. While resting at a roadside well, he hears people approaching and soon ascertains some of them are fellow cultivators. One of the guys in the group says to another that his compass still isn’t working. Wei Ying learns from them that they’ve heard about a soul-eating fiend at nearby Brahma Mountain, but another guy says there has been no strange movements in the Compass of Evil (yet something else invented by Wei Ying that is still in use, along with those Spirit Attraction Flags from Episode 1). First guy mentions that Wei Wuxian (aka Wei Ying) is his idol. Now that’s not something you hear every day.

Another one of the travelers, a woman named Ah Yan gives Wei Ying an apple to get his stubborn donkey to move, and thus the nameless donkey becomes Little Apple. A little while later, after Wei Ying climbs to the top of a hill, Ah Yan joins him and starts dancing while facing Great Brahman Mountain, at one point striking a pose that is foreshadowing for what’s to come. Her mother tells Wei Ying that Ah Yan hasn’t been right since she recently lost her husband and father.

Wei Ying hears people calling for help, and when he arrives he finds several people hanging in the air inside Immortal Binding Nets. A teenage guy shows up, and we the audience know this is Jin Ling, even if Wei Ying doesn’t at this point. Jin Ling recognizes Wei Ying as Mo Xuanyu (remember, he’s wearing a mask and Jin Ling was just a baby when Wei Ying died so wouldn’t recognize him anyway). Little does Jin Ling know that he’s talking to basically his uncle. Wei Ying isn’t a Jiang by birth, but he was raised alongside Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli (who is Jin Ling’s mother), and Yanli especially considered Wei Ying her brother.

When Wei Ying puts a paper man talisman on mouthy little Jin Ling’s back to keep him down, Jin Ling is furious and warns Wei Ying that he’s in trouble when his uncle gets there. During this conversation, Wei Ying, not knowing who Jin Ling is, gets in a couple of digs about his parents or absence thereof, which understandably upsets Jin Ling. And then the uncle arrives, and Wei Ying is stunned when he hears Jiang Cheng’s voice. And the intervening years have just made Wei Ying’s adoptive brother more bitter and harsh. There’s no hint of the playful, smiling side of Jiang Cheng we’ll soon see when the show goes back in time to show us the characters’ formative years and the beginning of the love story between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.

Jiang Cheng is upset that Jin Ling let Wei Ying (who he doesn’t know is Wei Ying yet) get the better of him, but the fact that this unknown person has used evil sorcery means that he must be immediately killed and fed to the dogs. Jin Ling thus starts to attack Wei Ying, but his sword is knocked away by a blast of familiar energy from Lan Zhan’s guqin (a type of zither). Lan Zhan arrives with the Lan disciples while the soundtrack plays the beautiful zither music associated with him.

Showing some of his natural humorous personality, Wei Ying thinks to himself, “I should have checked my horoscope for any bad luck before heading out today.”

Jiang Cheng accuses Lan Zhan of being in the woods to look for someone (we all know he means Wei Ying) and mentions how Lan Zhan has done a lot of traveling around the world the past 16 years (also looking for Wei Ying or some piece of his soul). When Lan Jingyi asks Jiang Cheng what he means by that, Jiang Cheng says Lan Zhan knows what he means. And there’s no denying this infuriates him.

Lan Sizhui directs the conversation away from the tense moment between these two men who obviously do not like each other. Sizhui notes that the monster hunt they were all taking part in was supposed to be a fair game, but Jin Ling put nets all over the mountain. Wei Ying is amused when someone in the Lan clan uses the muting spell on Little Lord Mouthypants (Jin Ling). Still stewing, Jiang Cheng looks at Jin Ling and says that if he doesn’t capture the thing wrecking havoc on the mountain to not bother coming to see him. Poor Jin Ling, even though he’s annoying in these early episodes, you grow to love him because not only was he orphaned while a baby, his uncle is an unforgiving ass. His character is one about whom I changed my opinion the most, and you’ll see why in my future posts.

When everyone else leaves, Lan Zhan looks toward where Wei Ying is hiding behind a tree. But when Wei Ying turns away, Lan Zhan lets him be and walks away. He either knows in his heart or at least greatly suspects that he’s Wei Ying, but he doesn’t have conclusive proof yet. And obviously Wei Ying isn’t ready to reveal himself to him. It’s got to be hard for Lan Zhan to walk away when he’s that close after all those years of grieving and looking for some piece of Wei Ying to hold on to.

Next we see Wei Ying walking beside a river. He takes off the mask as he bends down beside the water. In the reflection he sees memories of Jiang Cheng scolding him about assisting him and Yanli saying that she, Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng would be together forever. But that’s not true because he’s lost them both. He overhears someone on the road nearby say that both the Jin and Jiang families are spoiling Jin Ling too much, to which a woman replies that it’s understandable since he lost his parents when he was just a baby. Another man notes how Jin Ling’s dad died because of Wei Wuxian and then his mother, Yanli, also died because Wei Wuxian. The painful truth of Jin Ling’s identity hits Wei Ying hard, and he slaps himself for the comments he’d made to Jin Ling about his missing parents.

The Lan disciples encounter an old man in a graveyard, and Jingyi asks why he’s sneaking around. After learning he’s the caretaker for the graveyard, Sizhui asks if anything strange has been going on in the area. The man says they should check out the Goddess Temple up the mountain, but it’s not until they walk away that he reveals that the dancing goddess statue can move.

Wei Ying sees Little Apple eating Spirit Gathering Grass that can collect the spiritual energy from the soil near cultivators’ graves. He soon shows up at the same graveyard and encounters the same old man, but Wei Ying can tell that the area is masked with a black aura. When the old man tells him this is the Wen clan’s graveyard, he sees a vision of Wen Qing, a woman he knew in his past. She tells him that this is her ancestors’ graves, and Wei Ying realizes the young disciples are headed for a bigger danger than they realize.

The Lan and Jin disciples are in the Goddess Temple, talking about local legends that say the people in the area come to the temple to pray to the goddess who grants wishes. Jin Ling, being his smartypants self, says he wishes the entity causing all the trouble would reveal itself to him right then. And thus the dancing goddess statue starts to move. Wei Ying shows up, starts throwing talismans at the statute and tells the kids to get out of the cave. Once they are outside, he tells the Lans to send up a signal flare to call Lan Zhan, but the disciples realize they don’t have any. They used the last ones during the battle at Mo Manor and didn’t replenish them. Remembering all the trouble he got into as a teen studying in Gusu with the Lans, Wei Ying teases the boys that they’re going to be in trouble when Lan Zhan finds out.

Wei Ying tells them how he knew the goddess statue was the one eating souls – soul-eating beasts and fiends thrive off absorbing spiritual consciousness that has not departed from dead people. If there are so many dead people buried nearby, why take souls from the living? Something be fishy.

We next see a brief scene of Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan sitting at different tables at what looks like a rural tea house/eatery. It’s abundantly clear that they do not like each other, which is understandable. After all, Jiang Cheng is the reason that the man Lan Zhan loves fell to his death and he’s had to mourn his loss for the past 16 years. This was made even more heartbreaking considering how until he met and started falling for Wei Ying, Lan Zhan was a very closed-off person. Some would say he was even emotionless, but he really had a big heart hidden away. But Wei Ying gradually wormed his way into that heart, filling it, and to have him suddenly ripped away forever was unbearably cruel.

Then we’re back to Wei Ying telling the boys about how Ah Yan prayed to the goddess for her husband, and her spiritual consciousness was taken. Her father, seeing this, went to pray for his daughter to get her spiritual consciousness back. She did, but it was damaged when the goddess spit it back out, and her father’s was taken instead. Ah Yan’s experience was why she was able to pose and smile like the goddess statue.

Wei Ying realizes Jin Ling is missing just before the goddess statue shows up outside chasing some of the Jin clan members. Jin Ling flies through the air and starts shooting arrows at the statue. I have to admit, this looked pretty darn cool. Wei Ying thinks, “Something’s not right. Lan Zhan and I sealed her up.” He takes Jingyi’s sword and cuts a section of bamboo to make an improvised flute, his musical weapon the same way Lan Zhan’s is the guqin. Jin Ling is about to be trampled by the goddess statue when, to everyone’s surprise, including Wei Ying’s, his flute playing causes Wen Ning, aka the Ghost General, to show up. Wen Ning was the first fierce corpse Wei Ying created as the Yiling Patriarch. I must pause here to just share how much I love Wen Ning’s character and Yu Bin’s portrayal of him. Even though he can be unbelievably deadly in his Ghost General persona, he’s an adorable cinnamon roll of a guy with the world’s biggest heart otherwise. It’s a wild contrast. Anyway, the kicking-ass version of Wen Ning saves Jin Ling and destroys the goddess statue, but still everyone except for Wei Ying turns on him. Seeing this, Wei Ying realizes he needs to play a calmer tune to cool Wen Ning’s bloodlust and lead him away from the others.

And the playing of that particular tune is the confirmation that Lan Zhan needs to know for certain this is Wei Ying. It’s a song Lan Zhan wrote and played for only Wei Ying at a moment when the two were in a dangerous situation (which we’ll see in a later episode). It’s a love song named “Wangxian,” a combination of both of their names, though Wei Ying doesn’t know that or that this is how he’s finally revealed to Lan Zhan who he is. (Note: On the soundtrack, this song is called “WuJi” and is sung by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, who play Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.) Lan Zhan shows up and grabs Wei Ying’s wrist. Wei Ying stops playing the flute and looks into the eyes of the last person he saw before he died, the person who tried to save him, the person who evidently has been searching for him ever since that moment he fell off that cliff. Lan Zhan looks at Wei Ying as if convincing himself he’s real, that he’s finally found him.

Wen Ning flies off and when Lan Zhan turns to pursue, Wei Ying drops his flute and this time he’s the one who grabs Lan Zhan’s wrist, his eyes pleading with him to let Wen Ning go.

All this Wen Ning action and obvious touching and feelings between Lan Zhan and the masked dude is too much for Jiang Cheng, who has arrived just in time to make a hateful ass of himself. Convinced the masked dude is Wei Ying, and determined to get rid of him once again, he uses Zidian, his weapon that usually resides on his wrist as a bracelet but can turn into a whip of purple lightning, to prove Wei Ying’s identity. You see, Zidian has the ability to separate a soul from a body they’ve seized. When he tries to use the whip on Wei Ying, however, Lan Zhan steps in between them and sends out a wave of power from his guqin, blocking Zidian. This is the second time that Lan Zhan has protected Wei Ying in this episode, and you’ll see him protecting him a lot more. It’s his thing – protect Wei Ying at all costs. After all, that’s what you do for the person who owns your heart. Wei Ying, the adorable dummy, makes a break for it. Jiang Cheng, seeing another chance, slashes him with Zidian. But when Wei Ying gets up and no soul pops out of the body, Jiang Cheng is stunned. How did Zidian not work? The technicality he doesn’t think of is Wei Ying didn’t seize Mo Xuanyu’s body. It was willingly offered. Big difference.

Furious, Jiang Cheng makes a move to strike him again, but Jingyi steps forward and says it’s already proven that Wei Ying hasn’t possessed Mo Xuanyu’s body, that Wei Ying is dead. To which Jiang Cheng asks him how he knows he’s dead. Jingyi says, uh, weren’t you the one who killed him? And thus begins my love of the Sassy Lan.

During all this, Wei Ying wishes he could go back to 16 years before, back to his home at the Lotus Pier in Yunmeng. And with that wish we are taken back to that happier time, where we will stay for quite a while as we see the characters’ teen years and how this whole story started.

We see Wei Ying lying in a boat with a big lotus leaf covering his face. Jiang Cheng and Yanli are teasing him to wake him up, telling him they’ve arrived at a town in Gusu on their way to study at the Cloud Recesses with the Lan Clan. As they walk through the streets of the town, Wei Ying spots a vendor stall where carvings of little animals on sticks draw his attention. He immediately zeroes in on a bunny one, and this is also foreshadowing. Bunnies will play a part in his story with Lan Zhan. Another bit of foreshadowing is when Jiang Cheng tells his sister that he’s afraid Wei Ying will cause chaos at the Cloud Recesses. Yanli, being her sweet and caring self, responds that Wei Ying just has a lively personality and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

But even the sweetest, most fun-loving people can be driven to take dark paths when they are backed into a corner and lose too much.

#the untamed #wei ying #wei wuxian #lan zhan #lan wangji #xiao zhan #wang yibo #wen ning #yu bin #jiang cheng #jin ling #lan sizhui #lan jingyi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation

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angelofberlin2000 · 5 years

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by Natalie Finn | Fri., May. 17, 2019 3:00 AM

When Keanu Reeves was asked the other night, "What do you think happens when we die?" interviewer Stephen Colbert probably wasn't expecting such a deep—or assured—answer from the movie star.

"I know that the ones that love us will miss us," the 54-year-old actor said sagely, rendering the Late Show host unusually speechless.

It was a sincere, thoughtful response—vintage Reeves, really—from someone who's had reason to think about such things.

"I haven't really thought about my career future, or what was going to happen, until really recently," he also told GQ in February. Asked why he started thinking about it, he replied, "Death!"

Watch https://www.eonline.com/videos/289305/how-keanu-reeves-training-for-john-wick-3-compares-to-the-matrix

How Keanu Reeves' Training for John Wick 3 Compares to The Matrix

The still eerily youthful-looking Reeves, who's back in theaters Friday in the third installment of the blockbuster John Wick franchise, has become a brand unto himself, the name "Keanu" signifying not just movie stardom but also a certain kind of performance and even a state of mind: chill, zen, blissfully checked out ("Sad Keanu" meme notwithstanding). His name—which has lent itself to a comedy about a cat and a recent hit song by Logic, and which of course a studio exec wanted him to change when he first came to Hollywood—does mean "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian, after all.

But still waters run deep, and despite being in the public eye for more than 30 years, he's one of the least-known people whose chiseled face you would recognize anywhere. Few play it as close to the vest as Reeves, who, though he does the occasional interview and shows up to fulfill his side of the bargain in promoting his films, does not talk about his personal life. And not in the way that most celebrities don't really talk about their personal lives.

As in, it's entirely unclear if he even has one, although—look at him—he must.

"I came to Hollywood to be in movies," Reeves told Parade recently. "I feel really grateful that I've had that opportunity, but I'm just a private person, and it's nice that can still exist."

He doesn't even publicize his charity work, but his causes include children's hospitals, fighting cancer, the arts and the environment.

"I always find it surreal that complete strangers come up and ask me personal questions," he told Parade back in 2008. "I don't mind speaking about work, but when the talk turns to 'Who are you?' and 'What do you do off-screen?' I'm like, 'Get out of here.' I've been in situations where people have felt they had a relationship with me or something and I didn't even know who they were."

Not that Reeves is an anti-star. He lives in the hills above West Hollywood, spent plenty of time enjoying the local nightlife in his youth and has starred in countless quotable action movies—and gets paid handsomely for them, enough so that he can take off and do passion projects like his first (and only, to date) directorial effort, 2013's The Man of Tai Chi, or show up unheralded on a Swedish sitcom (Swedish Dicks, now on Pop) or in any indie film he so desires, like the recent Destination Wedding, an acerbic comedy that reteamed him with Bram Stoker's Dracula co-star Winona Ryder.

He's perfectly congenial yet usually looks somewhat serious, but not because he's taking himself seriously—more as if he wants to answer even the most lighthearted of questions with respectful gravity. But hey, as Stephen Colbert just found out, if you ask Reeves a potentially loaded question, prepare to get an answer.

Asked by Parade in 2008 if he believed in aliens, because he was playing the alien Klaatu in a remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, he replied, "Some days I do. Some days I don't. There's so much unexplained and unexplainable phenomena that's presented to us. But beyond that, the cosmos is so vast. We can't be the only sentient entity. It might not look like us, but it's going to be out there."

His signature Keanu cadence used to be mistaken for a sign of vacuity, but Reeves attributed however he came off in interviews to his overall discomfort with talking about himself.

"I've never played stupid to keep someone distant," he told Vanity Fair in 1995. "I don't play stupid. Either it's been a failure on my part to articulate, or my naivete, or ingenuousness, or sometimes it's the nature of the form... And you know, I find myself more able to give an explanation of a project five years later than in the middle of it. It's so present-tense! I can tell you how I feel, but its context is harder to explain... Sometimes when I'm interviewed I'm not ready to do that. So you say...'excellent!' And you know what, man? It's OK."

It certainly was.

Ted Theodore Logan, Johnny Utah, Jack Travern, Neo, John Wick: all characters that had to be played by Reeves. He's done everything from Shakespeare to sports flicks to A Scanner Darkly, and soon you'll be hearing his voice as Duke Caboom, a motorcycle-riding stuntman with a wistful backstory, in Toy Story 4, which will probably sneak in to top The Matrix Reloaded, which made $742 million worldwide, as his single highest-grossing movie.

"So I made Duke a little more gravelly but still tried to give him energy and a big personality," Reeves shared with Entertainment Weekly in March. "I just thought that Duke should love what he does. He's the greatest stuntman in Canada! I wanted him to be constantly doing poses on the bike while he was talking, to have this great extroverted passion."

He turned down Speed 2 to play Hamlet onstage in Canada. He was one of the first big stars who memorably jammed on the side with his own band, Dogstar, in the '90s and now he co-owns a custom bike shop called ARCH Motorcycle in Hawthorne, Calif, because he loves motorcycles as much as you think he does.

"Riding can be a place to think and feel. It's a way to work things out," he recently told Parade, noting that inclement weather doesn't stop him. "I like riding in the rain. It's a little more sketchy." He rides mainly alone, but he and the ARCH crew cruise Pacific Coast Highway on Sunday mornings.

And if motorcycles provide one soul-soothing salve for Reeves, acting provides another.

"In acting, you're constantly discovering new feelings and thoughts and exposing yourself to them," he told Parade in 2008. "I guess it could be considered psycho-therapy. All I know is that, as an actor, I can tell you a story that you'll listen to. Maybe it won't just entertain you, it might also teach you something. I think film has the power to change your life if you want to let it.

Combine his real-life inscrutability with his is-it-genius-or-does-he-just-do-the-same-thing-every-time approach to acting, and he's become more myth than man—and that, too, is a huge part of his appeal. He's just so Keanu.

"I don't own a computer and I don't e-mail," he said in the 2008

Parade

interview. "I'm fascinated by people who freak out when they don't get an instant response to an e-mail. It's like they expect as soon as they send an email to get the answer back and if they don't it's like awful. I just hope people won't totally lose the ability to write letters because it's a good way to communicate."

He preferred typewriters, Reeves said—and we can only hope he and Toy Story star Tom Hanks had a chance to talk about typewriters together.

"I only have good things to say about him," Swedish Dicks star Peter Stormare, who met Reeves doing Constantine in 2005, which led to the actor's role on his show, told GQ. "Once a year, we'll have a beer together and talk about life and things. He's very private. He leads his life the way he wants to lead it. And I guess it can be lonely sometimes. But I think he's just like me. There's a comfort in being alone sometimes, especially when you're working on something."

"We bonded over motorcycles, bass guitar, and Harold Pinter," Alex Winter, the Bill to his Ted, also told the magazine. "Reeves had a really good book collection."

Reeves was born in Beirut, to a Hawaiian father and English mother, but they divorced when he was about 2. Mom Patricia remarried in the US., but after that didn't work out she settled with a 7-year-old Keanu and his younger sister, Kim, who was born in Australia, in Toronto. Reeves reportedly hasn't spoken to his dad since he was 13.

"We were latchkey kids," he told Esquire in 2017. "It was basically 'leave the house in the morning and come back at night'. It was cool." But, he told Parade, "Even for a runaway English girl, my mother gave us a proper upbringing. We learned manners, respect for our elders, formal table settings. I also learned a nonprejudicial, nonjudgmental acceptance of other people."

His favorite part of school was doing plays and studying Shakespeare in English class, so he dropped out at 17 to try his hand at acting.

"My attendance record was very bad. I was lazy," Reeves told Vanity Fair. "I knew I wanted to act when I was halfway through grade 11, I guess, and school wasn't important."

His first acting job came on the Canadian series Hangin' In in 1984. Then he moved to Los Angeles and made his big-screen debut in the Rob Lowe-starring drama Youngblood in 1986. Later that year he won his first major role in the gritty teen crime drama River's Edge, which went on to win Best Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards.

So it was off to the races for Reeves, who in the next five years made a wildly diverse array of movies, including the very-'80s comedy The Night Before, Dangerous Liaisons, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (and its sequel, Bogus Journey), Parenthood, Point Break and My Own Private Idaho.

He was very much living the fast Hollywood life, and it wasn't all charmed.

In 1993, River Phoenix died of an accidental drug overdose—another painful thing Reeves didn't want to talk about, but he spoke fondly of his friend and My Own Private Idaho co-star.

"I enjoyed his company. Very much," Reeves told Rolling Stone in 2000. "And enjoyed his mind and his spirit and his soul. We brought good out in each other. He was a real original thinker. He was not the status quo. In anything."

As for Phoenix's death, "It's something he thinks about all the time, something he never really talks about," a friend told People. "Friends know not to go there with him."

In 1994 his estranged father, Samuel, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug possession in Hawaii, but was released in two. "Jesus, man. No, the story with me and my dad's pretty heavy. It's full of pain and woe and fucking loss and all that s--t," he told RS around that time. In 1995, he told Vanity Fair, when asked why he didn't want to know more about his dad's case, "Why would I want to find out what I didn't know?" He called the situation "pretty incredible," and that was that.

Reeves has a massive scar on his abdomen from when he suffered a rupture spleen in a motorcycle crash while riding in L.A.'s Topanga Canyon in 1988. He went into a hairpin turn going about 50 mph.

"I call that a demon ride," he reflected to Rolling Stone. "That's when things are going badly. But there's other times when you go fast, or too fast, out of exhilaration...I remember saying in my head, 'I'm going to die.'"

"I remember calling out for help," he continued. "And someone answering out of the darkness, and then the flashing lights of an ambulance coming down. This was after a truck ran over my helmet. I took it off because I couldn't breathe, and a truck came down. I got out of the way, and it ran over my helmet."

Also while his star was on the rise, his sister Kim battled cancer for years starting in the late '80s. "He helped me through," she told Vanity Fair about her brother. "When the pain got bad, he used to hold my hand and keep the bad man from making me dance. He was there all the time, even when he was away."

Actor and Dogstar bandmate Roger Mailhouse told Rolling Stone about Reeves in 2000, "He's a really giving person. He'd give you his last shoe. Really smart, too. He's incredibly booksmart. He's a really interesting person who doesn't talk a lot of s--t."

Asked how his friend had changed over the past decade, i.e. the '90s, Mailhouse said, "I don't worry about him as much. I used to worry about him. Because I think of him as one of my best friends in the world, was he going to crash his motorcycle, or this or that. We did some wild things. I guess it's just growing up. I don't know—maybe it had something to do with River Phoenix, maybe. Losing someone close to him. But now I'm just proud of him. He's getting to do it the right way."

For years you'd be much more likely to see Kim or Patricia on Reeves' arm at a premiere or other big event—such as when he got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005—than any girlfriend, and the actor hasn't been publicly involved with anyone for years.

Not that he hasn't been linked to a bevy of his co-stars, including Sandra Bullock and Charlize Theron, but if he's in a serious relationship, it's not with a celebrity.

On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2013 he was wearing what anyone would take for a wedding band on his left ring finger, but no revelations ever sprang from that accessory choice.

When Parade asked recently if he remained a bachelor, Reeves replied (squirming a bit, according to the magazine), "Well, I'm not married."

Through the interviews he's given over the years, a theme running through them is the visible discomfort he starts to evince when the conversation veers toward the too-personal. And some topics are just off-limits altogether.

Reeves started dating actress Jennifer Syme after meeting her at a party in 1998 and they were expecting a baby together—but the child, a girl they named Ava, was stillborn at 8 months. They laid her to rest in January 2000, according to People, and broke up weeks later.

Read

Sandra Bullock Almost Starred in The Matrix Instead of Keanu Reeves

They remained close up until Syme, who suffered from severe postpartum depression, died in 2001 when she crashed her Jeep Cherokee into several parked cars on a L.A. street and was thrown from the vehicle. In 2002, her mother, Maria St. John, sued Marilyn Manson, who had thrown a party that Syme attended that night, for wrongful death, alleging he had given Syme the cocaine that an autopsy found in her system.

"After Jennifer was sent home safely with a designated driver, she later got behind the wheel of her own car for reasons known only to her," Manson, who knew Syme through filmmaker David Lynch and had worked with her on Lost Highway, said in a statement.

The rocker continued, "This lawsuit, which is completely without merit, will not bring back Jennifer's life. It serves only to reopen the wounds and the pain felt by all who loved Jennifer. It is a pity that St. John sullies her own daughter's reputation by filing this baseless claim."

They reportedly reached a settlement out of court, but Manson maintained he had nothing to do with Syme taking drugs that night.

Reeves has never spoken publicly about his relationship with Syme, which certainly fits right into how he was before, let alone since. But he grieved. And he eventually had something to say about that.

"I think, after loss, life requires an act of reclaiming," he told Parade in 2006. "You have to reject being overwhelmed. Life has to go on."

The actor continued, "Grief changes shape, but it never ends. People have a misconception that you can deal with it and say, 'It's gone, and I'm better.' They're wrong. When the people you love are gone, you're alone. I miss being a part of their lives and them being part of mine. I wonder what the present would be like if they were here—what we might have done together. I miss all the great things that will never be."

So he knew exactly what he was talking about when he told Colbert, "I know that the ones that love us will miss us."

Calling it "unfair" and "absurd," Reeves told

Parade

, "All you can do is hope that grief will be transformed and, instead of feeling pain and confusion, you will be together again in memory, that there will be solace and pleasure there, not just loss."

"Much of my appreciation of life has come through loss," he concluded. "Life is precious. It's worthwhile."

He said at the time that he would like to have a family, and reiterated the sentiment a couple years later, but Reeves told Esquire in 2017 with regards to "settling down": "I'm too… it's too late. It's over." Asked to clarify, he added, "I'm 52. I'm not going to have any kids."

Famous last words from a litany of 50-something men, and he was reminded of that. Reeves just said, "That's a whole other… But no. I'm glad to still be here."

"I'm every cliché," he continued. "F--king mortality. Ageing. I'm just starting to get better at it. Just the amount of stuff you have to do before you're dead. I'm all of the clichés, and it's embarrassing. It's all of them. It's just, 'Oh my God. OK. Where did the time go? How come things are changing? How much time do I have left? What didn't I do?' I'm trying to think of the line from the sonnet… 'And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er / The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan / Which I new pay as if not paid before.'"

"So, yeah," he added, reportedly with a smile. "I'm that guy."

In turn, Reeves can't help but come off as the solitary figure he so often plays in his films, from Constantine to The Matrix to John Wick. Heck, even Duke Caboom sounds a little melancholy.

At the same time, you're just as likely to see him in a romantic tear-jerker or a quirky comedy as a shoot-em-up. He's played heroes and hustlers, sweethearts and cruel villains, teachers and slackers, doctors and lawyers.

"For me, it's just continuing to be able to work with great artists and tell stories that people enjoy," Reeves told Parade. "I was always hoping, even when I was young, that I could do different things," he says. "I'm really grateful for that. I'm

Though he had no idea John Wick would be such a hit, Reeves was in top form in the 2014 action extravaganza as a retired hit man who goes on a revenge spree after gangsters kill the beloved dog that was a gift from his late wife.

It made almost $89 million on a reported $20 million budget. Sequel time!

"You hope and you dream but the reality is even sweeter," he told E! News in 2017 about the first film's surprise success when he was promoting John Wick: Chapter 2. "It's great to be involved in a project that has so much affection."

Chapter 2 made $172 million worldwide.

Now back for John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum, Reeves has revealed that he started training heavily about three months before filming began to get back into dynamo shape, and he still goes whole-hog (or horse, in this movie's case) in the action sequences, right up until a car runs into him.

"I'll do some fight scenes and then John Wick will get hit by a car," Reeves explained to Colbert on The Late Show, "and that's Jackson Spidell, who's an amazing stuntman." Spidell has been Reeves' stunt double in all the John Wick movies. "He gets hit by the car, then I'll get up from the car, then I'll do a whole bunch more of, like, gun-fu and whatever, jujitsu, judo—and then, if I get thrown off something, Jackson does his thing."

Even more exciting for some fans, however, depending on whether you like your Keanu dark or more dude-like, is the news that he and Alex Winter are finally set to start shooting Bill & Ted Face the Music, the much-discussed follow-up to 1989's Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and sequel Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, which came out in 1991. The years-in-the-making comedy is tentatively due out in 2020.

And so on his latest press tour, Keanu Reeves left his usual trail of breadcrumbs. They may not lead you straight to his door, but they'll definitely keep you on the path.

#keanu reeves #Inside Keanu Reeves' Inscrutable Private World-Tragedy Motorcycles and Epic Movie Stardom

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smilesthroughfandoms · 5 years

Text

Every Single Star vs. the Forces of Evil episode in one sentence or less

I’ll probably post a more in depth-review later this week, as I have opinions literally no one wants to hear but I will proclaim anyway, and then I’ll probably also due a revision of my ‘Past Queens Connection to Star’ post from way back in season 2. Cause that needs an update.

Anyway, enjoy!

Star Comes to Earth: Princess Cinnamon Roll that Could Kill you comes to earth and meets Misunderstood Safe Kid.

Party With a Pony: Spoopy Wardens hunt for the glitter pony while Star gets ice for Marco’s sweaty back.

Matchmaker: In which we learn it was probably a bad idea to give Star the wand in the first place.

School Spirit: Star misunderstands football and Marco tries to get Ferguson to blow his whistle not in that way.

Monster Arm: “Not my bowels! I love my bowels!”

The Other Exchange Student: Star is jealous of the meatball man from Bakersfieldville.

Cheer Up Star: “It’s supposed to be ironic!”

Quest Buy: Very accurate depiction of what it is like to work in retail.

Diaz Family Vacation: Both Marco and Star see new sides of their dads but that’s not necessarily a good thing

Brittney’s Party: Star and Marco party on a bus that Ludo hijacks

Mewberty: Star gets horny and snares boys in her web but not in that way

Pixtopia: Marco messed up and Alfonso marries Ferguson’s rebound

Lobster Claws: “… You can’t eat children.” “Really? Not even the annoying ones?”

Sleep Spell: “Camera Phooone!”

Blood Moon Ball: We’re suppose to ship them now, right?

Fortune Cookies: Love is never the answer kids

Freeze Day: Father Time offers Star and Marco some mud before riding away on his wheel-mobile pulled by giant time-hamsters I am not making this up.

Royal Pain: King Santa Claus destroy mini-golf

St. Olga’s Reform School for Wayward Princesses: Princess Prison sure is a nightma–OH MY GOD ARE THOSE CLUBS?!

Mewnipendence Day: No wonder monsters hate Mewmans so much.

The Banagic Wand: Star still doesn’t get Earth and like all of us, Marco is always hungry.

Interdemensional Field Trip: Miss Skullnick fears the “Big Change” while Marco sends Jackie cat memes

Marco Grows a Beard: Ludo is out, Toffee is in, and Marco will probbaly be terrified of beards forever

Storm the Castle: “SURPRISE!”

My New Wand!: DIP DOOOWN

Ludo in the Wild: Wait, since when did Ludo become badass?

Mr. Candle Cares: “Star and I have recently become smooch buddies… On the lips.”

Red Belt: Marco searches for a meaning in life and Star searches for hammer.

Star on Wheels: *epic remix of Marco saying Star is in trouble*

Fetch: Marco can’t open juice and Star runs away from her problems and sending thank you cards

Star vs. Echo Creek: Star gets high and destroys a police car

Wand to Wand: Both Ludo and Star are terrible at magic also major ship tease

Starstruck: Star and her idol Sailor Super Saiyan destroy a park and Marco is 100002% done with this shit

Camping Trip: King Butterfly has a mid-life crisis and tries to control an eagle

Starsitting: They’re gonna be great parents some day.

On the Job: Buff Dad is best dad and buff babies are adorable

Goblin Dogs: “You might think this line is long, but listen to my goblin song!~”

By the Book: Ludo and Star still suck at magic and Glossaryck is a bigger troll than Alex Hirsch

Game of Flags: And I thought my family was dysfunctional...

Girls’ Day Out: Janna is back and is still awesome btw

Sleepover: “TRUTH! STAR HAS A CRUSH ON MA–” *cue fandom freakout*

Gift of the Card: R.I.P. Rasticore Chaosus Disastorvayne… He couldn’ get his fucking chainsaw to work

Friendenemies: Star becomes one with Christmas tree while Tom and Marco go on a date and sing a romantic pop ballad.

Is Mystery: Meatfork is apparently a family name and Ludo is really starting to freak me out tbh

Hungry Larry: “He’s still hungry…”

Spider with a Top Hat: He tries and he is awesome and that’s all that matters

Into the Wand: SPAAAAADESS!!!

Pizza Thing: Marco is OCD about mushroom and Pony Head buys skinny jeans

Page Turner: Moon, how did you miss Toffee in the orb he was right there!

Naysaya: Marco is a mood in this episode

Bon Bon the Birthday Clown: Honestly my favorite episode overall

Raid the Cave: Glossaryck is the true neutral asshole.

Trickstar: Weird Al is a treasure and I’ll mes up anyone who makes Marco cry!

Baby: Aw, look at the little deadly baby, I love her!

Running With Scissors: Marco gets a new edition to his shipping harem and she is so cute!

Mathmagic: Why did the chicken cross the road?

The Bounce Lounge: Marco is definitely the mom friend.

Crystal Clear: The Chancellor guy is amazing and Rhombulus just needs a hug and wAS THAT ECLIPSA IN THE BACKGROUND?

The Hard Way: “SURPRISE!” 2.0

Heinous: Oh, so that’s how Marco got all that money.

All Belts Are Off: This is the negative side of “Pro-tag teen hangs out with older adult figure” trope done splendidly

Collateral Damage: Marco how do you not know what a possum is?

Just Friends: I’m fine! *blows up sign to prove just how fine I am*

Face the Music: This song is actually a banger

Star Crushed: Looking back, I’m starting to think the writing peaked at this episode....

BATTLE FOR MEWNI EDITION!!!!!

Return to Mewni: This is… just an exposition filler. Not much else to say….

Moon the Undaunted: B4! B4! B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 B4!

Book Be Gone: Seriously, did Glossy take trolling lessons from Alex Hirsch this is hilarious!

Marco and the King: This is the “Pro-tag teen hangs out with older adult figure” done slightly better

Puddle Defender: Aw, look at the little buff babies, they’re getting so big!

King Ludo: The mime stole the show.

Toffee: Yeah, I think the writing peaked somewhere around here...

Scent of Hoodie: Huh, so Ponyhead can be written as likeable, who would’ve thought?

Rest in Pudding: The colors are not doing the censors any favor here, huh?

Club Snubbed: I literally yelled “Phrasing!” whenever they dropped the title

Stranger Danger: Is she the new antagonist of the series? I can’t tell

Demoncism: Tom is a wonderful baby boy and Ponyhead is written as likeable, part 2!

Sophmore Slump: *sobbing* Jackie deserved better, dang it!

Lint Catcher: I’m starting to wonder if there is any competant authority figure in Mewni

Trial by Squire: I think the writers were all like” You think these guys will ship anyone with Marco?” and decided to test that theory.

Princess Turdina: I got more lore out of this episode than I thought I would.

Starfari: Welp, she makes me uncomfortable.

Sweet Dreams: *Sailor Moon-ing intensifies*

Lava Lake Beack: Proof that this fandom will ship anyone with Marco at the slightest inclanation

Death Peck: Rich Pigeon is my new favorite birb and Ponyhead is written as likeable for the third time

Ponymonium: Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Night Life: The writers made so many new ships they had to get rid of an old one!

Deep Dive: “Chicken butt”

Monster Bash: Well, that explains the cheekmarks.

Stump Day: I think they just made an episode based around a picture from that bookcover.

Holiday Special: *insert every cheesy Christmas/Holiday episode trope here*

The Bog Beast of Boggabah: The title is fun to say and the episode is average at best.

Total Eclipsa the Moon: Seriously, I’m supposed to think she’s an ultimate villain.

Butterfly Trap: In which we are all Sean, don’t lie we were all him at the end

Ludo, Where Art Thou?: Dennis is best brother, hands down.

Is Another Mystery: *sniff* I got more emotional over this episode than anyone else did and I’m not sure how I feel about that

Marco Jr.: I… I just… Why? What’s the point?

Skooled!: Epic advertisment fakeout combined with wonderful character development and lore with a shock ending makes a 8/10 episode.

Booth Buddies: Old Man McGucket ships Starco, proceed to react accordingly

Bam Ui Pati!: Ponyhead is kinda likeable in this episod–nevermind she’s back.

Tough Love: Oh man, it’s happening! It’s happening guys here we go!

Divide: We are going to war everybody–And they’re all dead. That was quick.

Conquer: They should have paid Alex HIrsch to voice Glossaryck at this point, it’d be more in character for him.

Butterfly Follies: Proof that someone will always complain about politics no matter what.

Escape from the Pie Folk: Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that he kinda resembles Eclipsa more than Festivia?

Moon Remembers: I was expecting a freakout but was pleasantly surprised

Swim Suit: I’m starting to get a bad feeling about Rhombulus

Ransomgram: Why is everyone in this dimesnion hot?!

Lake House Fever: She’s a good mom

Yada Yada Berries: They missed an opportunity to have a Seinfeld actor guest-star, just saying

Down by the River: I’m glad that she can relax

The Ponyhead Show!: And Ponyhead is offically no longer likeable, can someone toss her into an abyss please?

Surviving the Spiderbites: SpiderSlime is canon proceed to react accordingly

Out of Buisness: How did this place go out of buisness???

Kelly's World: Man, they’re really setting these non-Starco ships up to fail, huh?

Curse of the Blood Moon: Pfft, yeah, sure, Starco won’t be canon at all!

Princess Quasar Caterpillar and the Magic Bell: I think Ludo has the most consistent character arc out of the entire show’s history.

Ghost of Butterfly Castle: Moon, Star is your daughter and Star supports Eclipsa, why would you not tell her?

Cornball: This episode has a heartwarming lesson that I hope more people come to realize

Meteora's Lesson: I’ll take any Toffee scenes I can get

The Knight Shift: I honestly don’t remember what happened n this episode

Queen-Napped: Seriously, can someone please dropkick Ponyhead into an abyss?

Junkin' Janna: The JanTom interaction I’ve been waiting for

A Spell with No Name: These types of episodes stopped being charming awhile ago

A Boy and His DC-700XE: I think Tomco has more ground to stand-on then Starco at this point

The Monster and The Queen: Don Panchito voices Globgor! There’s hope for this show yet!

Cornonation: They’re the best couple/parents/anything around!

Doop-Doop: I honestly think Rick just put Morty through some flux-capacitor or something

Britta's Tacos: Hey, remember these people that we suddenly brought back? No? Me neither!

Beach Day: This feels like a Season 1 episode and it’s nice

Gone Baby Gone: I want a TV show aout them now! Disney, please!

Sad Teen Hotline: Mr. Diaz is way to invested in Star’s love life.

Jannanigans: Hello last minute Janna character development!

Mama Star: So that’s how Mewni came to be--and I don’t care anymore

Ready, Aim, Fire!: Let’s get that finale ball rolling people!

The Right Way: Ok, that spell is actually pretty badass.

Here to Help: There, Starco’s finally canon will you guys just shut up now!

Pizza Party: Moon you idiot you ruined everything!

The Tavern at the End of the Multiverse: Toffee was right all along... I think we all knew that in some way

Cleaved: I expect nothing substanial and that’s what I got

#star vs the forces of evil #svtfoe #svtfoe2 #svtfoe3 #svtfoe4 #battle for mewni #smilesthroughfandoms #Don't repost without my permission #seriously don't #these are my opinions #scary i know

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stardust-and-blades · 5 years

Text

Lost future au pt. 7

okay I lied there are a few more scenes I’d like to do before the letter revealTM

#SorryNotSorry

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

It was 3 in the morning, and Keith couldn’t sleep.

He tossed and turned, shocked to see Lance did not so much as stir or curse at his boyfriend for all the movement. He was known to be a deep sleeper; so deep his alarm has to be set a whole hour before he is meant to wake up simply because he wouldn’t budge. There would be times Keith would have to smack him with a pillow to make sure he did not get a third ass chewing from his boss. No matter how much Lance pushed for an afternoon shift or night shift, they love scheduling him in the mornings.

It’s no wonder he crashed at Keith’s plenty of times. His apartment was closer. And with them being official for eight months, Keith’s home suddenly became Lance’s.

He didn’t mind. It was nice not to come home to an empty bedroom, wondering if he should adopt a cat just to ease the loneliness.

But as he and Lance grew closer, Keith became incredibly anxious. Not because he was thinking of breaking up with him, god forbid. He may not be able to fully say ‘I love you’ yet, but it doesn’t mean he cared for Lance any less.

No, what made him anxious was the future. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something gnawed at him; whispered to him daily that he is running out of time. That he needs to take precautions, for if he doesn’t he would be setting Lance up for the same pain he endured from the loss of his parents. He didn’t want that. He wouldn’t wish it on his worst enemy.

Keith turned to his sleeping Lance, the boy’s limbs sprawled out and an arm reaching for Keith. When he felt the sheets instead of a warm body, Lance opened one sleepy eye and mumbled a groggy “Keith? Come back to bed...”

Keith smiled gently at his significant other, taking his hand and combing his hair out of his face.

“Go back to bed. I’ll be a minute.”

“Mmmkay...” Like that, he was out like a light. Keith carefully removed his hand from Lance’s, waiting for him to snatch him back up and prevent him from going anywhere. For a moment he was sure Lance would iron grip him, but he simply squeezed Keith’s hand and rubbed his thumb on the inside of Keith’s palm. He did nothing after that, Keith free to move about.

He did not want to let go. He wanted to curl up next to Lance and forget his thoughts; cast them to the wind and live each day by slow day. But if he didn’t do what is on his mind now, he may never do it. Who knows what fate has in store for him.

Better safe than sorry.

Keith shuffled to the desk not far off. He messily searched for the small lamp, fumbling for the erected switch on the back. He flicked it on and opened a drawer, extracting a pen and paper. He sat on the creaky chair and wracked his brain for what exactly he would like to say, the subject grave yet needing...needing...what?

He clicked the top of the pen several times, chewing on his lip. He wasn’t a wordy person. Never had been. That’s Lance’s job. Keith was all about action, yet this was the only thing he could do. Was capable of doing.

He looked towards the shelf with his hippos, thinking back to that terrible day. His tiny arms around two very big stuffed animals. A smiling lady dropping him off at a foster family. The kids running to their parents after school, engulfed in long awaited kisses and hugs.

Then, he got it.

He began to write, and did not stop until dawn, when his eyes were the heaviest and when he knew he could nap the rest of the day as Lance headed to his job for the morning.

Lance no doubt would wonder what kept him up.

It’s a good thing insomnia is something he can use as a cover.

As the sun broke through the surface of the window and Lance’s alarm went off for the second time (the first Lance chucked the clock on the floor), Keith finished the letter and hid it in a notebook of his.

He did not hesitate to crawl back into bed and hide himself in the embrace of his best friend; his partner; his life. He pushed away what he wrote and allowed himself to truly live in the moment. To take in Lance’s sweet scent, the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the smooth, undisturbed brow.

Keith closed his eyes. For once--just once--he prayed to be wrong.

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

“Here,” Hunk says, breathy and nervous. He holds an envelope towards Lance, the front inscribed with his name in Keith’s handwriting. Lance stares down at it, confusion taking hold of him.

“What...what’s this?” He doesn’t dare touch it, as if it would burn him in an instant. His mother, sitting by his side on the couch and also in the dark, grew weary. Her son hasn’t been recovering well, but just today he ate a full meal without trouble. She fears he will go back to his poor diet and continue to call into work, the mourning period they granted him growing strain.

Hunk avoids his eyes. Rather, he flips and cracks the cookie Lance’s mother gave him, not really hungry.

“It’s a letter. From Keith.”

Lance’s tired gaze sharpens, dashing to Hunk’s soft, conflicted orbs.

“What?”

“Keith. He...he gave me this years ago.” Hunk explains, Lance’s mother going still and her mouth hanging open. “When you two were getting serious, he began to take precautions. For this. He asked me to hold onto this in case a day comes where he wasn’t here anymore. I was going to give it to you before the funeral, but...you were in enough pain.”

“Yeah, and I’m totally doing swell now.” Lance says, sarcastic and bitter. He stands up a dark look shadowing his face. “Keep it. I’m going back to bed.”

“It’s five in the afternoon.”

“And I’m done with this conversation.” He slowly walks to his room. “I’ll see you later.”

“Lance, sweetie,” His mother calls out, hushed and dripping in worry. Lance stops, tilting his head in the direction of her voice. He has never heard that tone from her. Not since his father passed, his mother deep in grief but holding on for the sake of the family. She begs him with her gaze to come back, to hear what Hunk has to say. Out of all people she should understand how he is feeling, so why is she looking at him as if he were heading to his own demise?

“Please. Look at the letter. For weeks now I have been looking after you, and the grief is eating you alive. It has invaded your heart and is turning it to ash. While I do not know what is said in the letter, I know Keith wouldn’t want to leave you like this. He wouldn’t want to leave you dying on the inside; blaming yourself for what happened. Please, my sweet boy. Look at what he left for you.”

“You don’t understand--”

“But honey, I do.” She whispers. She stands up, walking over to him and taking his hands in hers. Rivers of sorrow swim in her eyes, yet they never leak out from their prison.

“Lance, do you remember the day your father died?”

Lance is quiet for a moment. “Yes...”

“And do you remember the week after the funeral? The day of my birthday?”

“Yes.”

“I want you to tell me--to tell Hunk--what happened that day. What I received and what you said to me.”

Lance, bristles, awkwardly looking at Hunk. He never told the story. Never bothered to, since it happened when they were just about ready to enter college. Lance did not want to bother Hunk at the time, he was really busy traveling across the state checking out which college was the best for him to spend his four years. He heard about his father’s passing, yes, and he sent his condolences. Offered to cease his college hunt to spend a couple days with the mourning family. But Lance, the youngest of the family and the one closest to his mama, told him he would be fine. Technically Lance wasn’t fine, but he had to be strong for his mother. Had to be there for her, and he wanted to do it without outside help. His mother always portrayed a large amount of strength, but at the time he had to switch places with her and be the son she needed.

Now in exchange, Lance’s mother is being strong for him.

“You received flowers that day,” Lance whispers, Hunk having to inch closer to fully understand what Lance was saying. “It was your birthday, and you were delivered roses. It was what dad did every year--that and a loving note and a trip out to your favorite restaurant. Except he couldn’t take you out that time. Or anymore afterwards. And...and...”

Lance tries his hardest to continue the story; to do what his mother asks. But a flood of tears overwhelms him, Lance shoving the edge of his hands against his eyelids, turning away from his mother. He hasn’t thought of his dad in a long time. With him and Keith, Lance wonders how he made it this far.

His mother cups his face in her hands, turning him to face her and cease hiding. she bends his head to meet hers, their foreheads touching as she wipes away his tears. It reminds her of when he was a toddler, crying as soon as he tripped and made contact with the ground. His exorcised his lungs, the high shrills of a baby Lance coursing through the hallways and bleeding into his siblings peaceful spaces. His mother did the same thing as she is doing now, holding her son and whispering gentle declarations of praise and love for his efforts to walk. Her son does not need to learn how to walk like then, but he does need help in standing back up when life has pushed him down.

“He said in a letter surrounded by two dozen roses ‘My love, if you are receiving this, I unfortunately left the earth before you. While I may not physically be able to show my adoration, I will do it in spirit and send you two dozen roses until you meet me again in God’s embrace. Do not dwell on what could have been, my dear. But remain in the now, and take our children in my stead out on the town. Smile like the old days in Cuba when we bumped into each other on the beach. Laugh like the time I dropped ice cream on a cyclist as we talked for long hours on the balcony of a hotel. Dance like we did on our wedding day, full of merriment and your belly consumed by butterflies and our first born. Go out among the stars and know I am walking beside you, bathing in the light of your soul. Do not stay sad, my love, for we will reunite again.’ “

“Me and Veronica took turns consoling you.”

His mother lets out a shaky laugh. “Yes, but you two also did what seemed impossible: you made me smile during a horrible time in our lives. Afterwards, you and your father helped me pick myself up when I felt lost among a sea of grief.” She combs her hands through his hair. “I don’t want you to remain in the dark. Neither does Keith. So please, my dear son, look at what he left you, because just like your father he has left you the words you need to read. To breathe again. It may hurt, but in the end it may leave you with less of a hole in your heart.”

Lance slumps, giving in to her wishes and allows her to pull him back to the couch. He silently held his hand out to Hunk, his friend placing it in his palm.

He takes a breath, holds it, and opens it.

Dear Lance,

#shania writes #lost future au #klance #klangst #keith kogane #lance mcclain #hunk garrett #lance's mother #VLD #voltron #I want to name his mother Celia but maybe that is just my 'dreaming in cuban' brain #hold onto your butts this ride aint slowin down #take my shitty writing rip

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