#faction: the inner circle

[marcmarcmomarc]

RWBY Audio Description notes

This will be the type of DVS that has the narrator taking breaths from how much they’re describing. Think the American DVS track for Monsters University.

Be sure to read the Ultimate Guide to Audio Description on u3playmedia.com.

Narrator: Leilani Jones Wilmore (The Nightmare Before Christmas, the Monsters, Inc. duology, the Finding Nemo duology, Shrek 2, the Cars trilogy, the High School Musical trilogy, Ratatouille, Cars Toons: Mater’s Tall Tales, Up, The Princess and the Frog, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story 3, The Social Network, Gnomeo and Juliet, Brave, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, The Radiator Springs 500 1/2, Annie, Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Despicable Me 3, The Boss Baby: Family Business, Sing 2, Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Category 1: character descriptions (incomplete)

Team RWBY (name revealed: 1x8)

Ruby Rose (name revealed: 1x1)

“A person in a red hood and flowing cloak” (the “Red” Trailer)

“The young girl” (recurring until her name reveal)

TBA (Volume 4 Character Short)

TBA (7x3)

“The silver-eyed Huntress” (recurring after 7x4)

“The silver-eyed girl” (recurring)

Weiss Schnee (name revealed: “White” Trailer)

“A young girl in white with a barely visible scar over her left eye” (the “White” Trailer)

TBA (4x2)

TBA (7x3)

“The heiress” (recurring)

Blake Belladonna (name revealed: “Black” Trailer)

“A young girl wearing a bow” (the “Black” Trailer until her name reveal)

TBA (4x3)

TBA (7x3)

“The mysterious girl” (recurring throughout V1)

“The cat Faunus” (recurring after 1x15)

Yang Xiao Long (name revealed: “Yellow” Trailer)

“Sporting a tall stature, purple eyes, and rugged yellow hair…” (the “Yellow” Trailer)

“The biker” (throughout the “Yellow” Trailer until her name reveal)

TBA (4x3)

TBA (7x3)

“The yellow-haired Huntress” (recurring after 7x4)

“The fiery girl” (recurring)

Team JNPR (name revealed: 1x8)

Jaune Arc (name revealed: 1x2)

“A blond boy” (1x1)

“The blond boy” (1x2 until his name reveal)

TBA (4x1)

TBA (7x3)

“A grown-up Jaune with long hair and a beard faces the girls.” (9x5)

“The strategist” (recurring)

Nora Valkyrie (name revealed: 1x4)

“An energetic redhead” (1x4 until her name reveal)

TBA (4x1)

TBA (4x10, young Nora)

TBA (7x3)

TBA (8x3)

TBA (recurring)

Pyrrha Nikos (name revealed: 1x4)

“Pyrrha, a tall girl with long red hair” (in 1x5)

“The celebrity” (recurring)

TBA (recurring)

Lie Ren (name revealed: 1x4)

“A boy with pink eyes” (1x4 until his name reveal)

TBA (4x1)

TBA (4x10, young Ren)

TBA (7x3)

TBA (recurring)

Beacon Academy Staff

Professor Ozpin (name revealed: 1x1)

“A bespectacled man” (1x1 until his name reveal)

“The ashen-haired headmaster” (recurring)

Glynda Goodwitch (name revealed: 1x1)

“A bespectacled woman” (1x1 until her name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Peter Port (name revealed: 1x10)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Bartholomew Oobleck (name revealed: 2x9)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Atlas Military

James Ironwood (name revealed: 2x2)

TBA (4x2)

TBA (7x1)

“The bearded general” (recurring throughout the Solitas arc)

TBA (8x1)

“The general” (recurring)

Winter Schnee (name revealed: 3x3)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

TBA (8x5)

Penny Polendina (name revealed: 1x15)

TBA (debut)

TBA (recurring)

TBA (7x1)

Caroline Cordovin (name revealed: 6x8)

“A short old woman” (6x8)

TBA (recurring)

Nubuck Guards

TBA

Fenix Atar

TBA

Ace-Operatives (name revealed: 7x1)

Clover Ebi (name revealed: 7x3)

TBA (debut)

“The alpha” (throughout 7x3 until his name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Vine Zeki (name revealed: 7x3)

TBA (7x3)

“The pale Ace-Op” (throughout 7x3 until his name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Elm Ederne (name revealed: 7x3)

“A big muscular Ace-Op” (7x2)

“The muscular Ace-Op” (throughout 7x3 until her name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Harriet “Hare” Bree (name revealed: 7x2)

“An Ace-Op with a mohawk” (7x2 right after her name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Marrow Amin (name revealed: 7x3)

TBA (7x2)

“The Ace-Op with the wolf tail” (throughout 7x3 until his name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Happy Huntresses

Robyn Hill (name revealed: 7x5)

TBA (7x1)

“…the woman from the posters in Mantle…”, “…she glares at the approaching truck under her white hair.” (7x5)

“Robyn extends a hand wearing a glove exposing her index finger.” (7x5)

TBA (recurring)

Joanna Greenleaf (name revealed: 7x5)

TBA (7x4)

TBA (recurring)

May Marigold (name revealed: 7x5)

TBA (7x5)

“May, the teal-haired Happy Huntress” (7x6)

TBA (recurring)

Fiona “Fi” Thyme (name revealed: 8x2)

“A woman with sheep ears” (7x4)

“The sheep Faunus” (recurring until 8x2 and afterwards)

TBA (recurring)

Team STRQ

Summer Rose (name revealed: 3x1 on tombstone, 9x10 on-screen)

TBA (6x13)

“A Huntress” (9x9)

“The Huntress” (9x10 until her name reveal)

Taiyang “Tai” Xiao Long (name revealed: 3x12)

TBA (4x3)

TBA (recurring)

Raven Branwen (name revealed: 4x4)

TBA (2x11)

TBA (2x12)

TBA (recurring)

Qrow Branwen (name revealed: 3x3)

TBA (3x3)

TBA (7x3)

TBA (recurring)

Salem’s Inner Circle

Salem (name revealed: 4x8, 6x2 on-screen)

TBA (3x12)

TBA (4x1)

TBA (recurring until her on-screen name reveal)

TBA (6x2)

TBA (6x2, post-Grimm pool)

TBA (7x13)

TBA (recurring)

Tock

TBA

Dr. Arthur Watts (name revealed: 4x1)

“A skinny man with a bushy mustache” (4x1)

TBA (recurring)

Tyrian Callows (name revealed: 4x1)

“A man with scars across his front” (4x1)

“…revealing a scorpion tail” (4x6)

TBA (6x8)

TBA (recurring)

“The scorpion Faunus” (recurring)

Hazel Rainart (name revealed: 4x1)

“A big man” (4x1)

TBA (recurring)

Emerald Sustrai (name revealed: 2x1)

TBA (2x1)

TBA (recurring)

Mercury Black (name revealed: 2x1)

TBA (2x1)

TBA (recurring)

Cinder’s Faction

Cinder Fall (name revealed: 2x1)

TBA (1x16)

TBA (3x1)

“A glass mask covers her scarred, closed eye socket, and her hair barely extends past her neck.” (4x1)

TBA (6x2)

“…wearing a black catsuit, cape, and eyepatch” (6x13)

TBA (recurring)

Roman Torchwick (name revealed: 1x1)

“An orange haired man wearing a bowler hat” (1x1)

TBA (recurring)

Neopolitan (name revealed: 2x4)

TBA (2x4)

TBA (3x1)

TBA (3x7)

TBA (6x5)

TBA (6x13)

“…a waitress smirks under her green eyes.” (7x9)

“The short fighter” (recurring)

The White Fang (name revealed: 1x1)

Adam Taurus (name revealed: “Black” Trailer)

“A young man with bull horns sticking out of his hair” (debut in the “Black” Trailer)

TBA (6x11)

TBA (recurring)

Sienna Khan (name revealed: 5x2)

TBA

Corsac Albain (name revealed: 4x5)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Fennec Albain (name revealed: 4x5)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

White Fang Lieutenant

TBA

Ilia Amitola (name revealed: 4x9)

“…revealing themself as a young girl with chameleon-like spots across her skin” (4x9)

TBA (recurring)

Yuma (name revealed: 5x5)

TBA

Trifa (name revealed: 5x6)

TBA

Deery (name revealed: 2x4)

TBA

Perry (name revealed: 2x11)

TBA

Tukson (name revealed: 2x1)

TBA

Other Antagonists

Jacques Schnee (name revealed: 4x2)

TBA (4x2)

TBA (recurring)

Vernal (name revealed: 5x3)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Leonardo Lionheart (name revealed: 5x1)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

The Hound (name revealed: 8x4)

TBA

TBA (8x8)

TBA (recurring)

Shay D. Mann

TBA

Xiong Family

Hei “Junior” Xiong (name revealed: “Yellow” Trailer)

“A suited man” (the “Yellow” Trailer)

TBA (recurring)

Miss Malachite (name revealed: 6x2)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Miltia Malachite (name revealed: “Yellow” Trailer)

“Twins” (alongside Melanie in the “Yellow” Trailer)

Melanie Malachite (name revealed: “Yellow” Trailer)

“Twins” (alongside Miltia in the “Yellow” Trailer)

Team SSSN (name revealed: 3x2)

Sun Wukong (name revealed: 1x16)

“A person with a yellow monkey tail” (1x15)

TBA (recurring)

Scarlet David (name revealed: 3x2)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Sage Ayana

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Neptune Vasilias (name revealed: 2x2)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Team CRDL (name revealed: 1x8)

Cardin Winchester (name revealed: 1x8, 1x11 on screen)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Russel Thrush (name revealed: 1x8)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Dove Bronzewing (name revealed: 1x8)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Sky Lark (name revealed: 1x8)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Team CFVY (name revealed: 2x8)

Coco Adel (name revealed: 3x4)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Fox Alistair (name revealed: 2x12)

“A boy with pure white eyes” (2x12)

TBA (recurring)

Velvet Scarlatina (name revealed: 2x8)

“Cardin pulls on a girl’s rabbit ears.” (1x11)

“The rabbit Faunus” (recurring until her name reveal and afterward)

Yatsuhashi Daichi (name revealed: 2x8)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Menagerie

Ghira Belladonna (name revealed: 4x5)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Kali Belladonna (name revealed: 4x5)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Argus

Saphron “Saph” Cotta-Arc (name revealed: 6x7)

TBA (debut)

“Ruby looks at Jaune and Saph’s similar light blue eyes.” (6x7)

Terra Cotta-Arc (name revealed: 6x7)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Adrian Cotta-Arc

“Saph’s son” (debut)

TBA (recurring)

Atlas

Willow Schnee (name revealed: 8x8)

“Weiss’ disheveled, heavy-eyed mother” (7x8)

TBA (recurring)

Whitley Schnee (name revealed: 4x2)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Klein Sieben (name revealed: 4x2)

“A balding man” (4x1)

“His eyes turn red.” (4x2)

“As he sneezes, his eyes turn blue, then orange.” (4x2)

TBA (8x7)

TBA (recurring)

Ancient Times

Ozma (name revealed: 6x3)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

God of Light

TBA

TBA (recurring)

God of Darkness

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Jinn (name revealed: 6x2)

“…black hair appears behind a bare blue rear end. Qrow averts his eyes as chains wrap around a nude torso. A tall blue genie-like being wearing only jewelry and ornaments stretches and looks down at the awestruck group.” (6x2)

TBA (recurring)

Ambrosius (name revealed: 8x13)

“A blue muscle-bound genie-like entity” (8x13)

TBA (recurring)

Team ABRN (name revealed: 3x1)

Arslan Altan

TBA

Bolin Hori

TBA

Reese Chloris (name revealed: 3x1)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Nadir Shiko

TBA

Team BRNZ (name revealed: 3x1)

Brawnz Ni

TBA

Roy Stallion

TBA

Nolan Porfirio (name revealed: 3x2)

TBA

May Zedong

TBA

Team NDGO (name revealed: 3x2)

Nebula Violette

TBA

Dew Gayl

TBA

Gwen Darcy

TBA

Octavia Ember

TBA

Team FNKI (name revealed: 3x5)

Flynt Coal (name revealed: 3x5)

“A hat-wearing trumpeter” (3x5)

“The trumpeter” (throughout 3x5 until his name reveal)

TBA (recurring)

Neon Katt (name revealed: 3x5)

“A pigtailed skater” (3x5)

“The skater”/“The rainbow-spewing skater” (recurring throughout 3x5 until her name reveal and afterwards)

TBA (recurring)

Kobalt (name revealed: 7x5)

TBA

Ivori

TBA

Maidens

Amber (name revealed: 3x6)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Fria (name revealed: 7x5)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Other Characters

Oscar Pine (name revealed: 4x4, 4x7 on-screen)

“A freckled boy” (4x1)

“The farmhand” (recurring)

TBA (6x8)

Maria Calavera (name revealed: 6x2)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

TBA (6x7, young Maria)

Zwei (name revealed: 2x8)

“A black and white corgi” (2x8)

“The corgi” (recurring)

Dr. Pietro Polendina (name revealed: 7x1)

TBA

TBA (recurring)

Shopkeep

“An old man” (1x1)

“The old man”/“The old shopkeeper” (recurring)

Ciel Soleil (name revealed: 3x5)

TBA

Henry Marigold (name revealed: 4x6)

TBA

Li Ren (name revealed: 4x10)

TBA

An Ren (name revealed: 4x10)

TBA

Saber Rodentia

TBA

Mata (name revealed: 5x5)

TBA

Dee (name revealed: 6x1)

TBA

Dudley (name revealed: 6x1)

TBA

Forest

TBA

Councilman Sleet (name revealed: 7x8, 7x9 on-screen)

TBA

Councilwoman Camilla (name revealed: 7x8, 7x9 on-screen)

TBA

Lisa Lavender (name revealed: 1x1)

TBA

Captain

TBA

Matte Skye

TBA

Higanbana Waitress

TBA

Rhodes

TBA

The Ever After (name revealed: 9x1)

Little/Somewhat (name revealed: 9x1 as Little, 9x10 as Somewhat)

“A mouse” (debut)

“The mouse”/“The tiny mouse” (recurring)

“A bipedal mouse” (9x10, post-Ascension)

Curious Cat (name revealed: 9x3)

“A turquoise cat” (debut)

“The cat” (recurring)

TBA (9x10)

Jabberwalker (name revealed: 1x2, 9x7 on-screen)

TBA

Jinxy (name revealed: 9x2)

TBA

Red Prince (name revealed: 9x3)

TBA

Herb the Herbalist (name revealed: 9x4)

“A three-eyed caterpillar” (9x4)

“The herbalist” (recurring)

TBA (9x9, post-Ascension)

Blacksmith

“The blacksmith” (recurring)

TBA (9x9)

Juniper (name revealed: 9x5)

“A jackalope” (9x5)

Alyx (name revealed: 9x6)

TBA

Lewis (name revealed: 9x6)

TBA

Minor Characters from Vale, Patch, and Beacon

Crow Bar Bartender

TBA

Cross Continental Transit AI

TBA

Detectives

TBA

Minor Characters from Atlas

Businessman

TBA

Blue Four

TBA

Businesswoman

TBA

Schnee Corp Operator

TBA

Trophy Wife

TBA

Husband

TBA

Madame

TBA (recurring)

Step-Sisters

TBA (recurring)

Father

TBA

Child

TBA

Atlas Huntress

TBA

Minor Characters from Mantle

Drunk Mann

TBA

Drinking Buddy

TBA

Real Thirsty Moms

TBA

Shovel Mom

TBA

Mantle Child

TBA

Fiona’s Uncle

TBA

Disgruntled Grandmother

TBA

Minor Characters from Menagerie

Worried Mother

TBA

Menagerie Guard 1

TBA

Menagerie Guard 2

TBA

Menagerie Guard 3

TBA

Faunus Civilians

TBA

Minor Characters from Mistral

Heather Shields’ Daughter

TBA

Mistral Pilot

TBA

Mistral Police Captain

TBA

Mistral Woman

TBA

Ramen Shop Owner

TBA

Red Haired Woman

TBA

Minor Characters from the Vytal Tournament

Paramedics

TBA

Minor Characters from outside the Kingdoms

Blacksmith

TBA

Dying Huntsman

TBA

Just Rite Bartender

TBA

Mayor

TBA

Young Blacksmith

TBA

Tall Boy

TBA

Medium Boy

TBA

Short Boy

TBA

Minor Characters from Ancient Times

Salem’s daughters

TBA

Minor Characters from the Ever After

Mouse Leader

TBA

Ever After Townsperson

TBA

Toy Soldiers

TBA

Toy Guard

TBA

White Pawns

TBA

Hawker

TBA

Teapot Lady (name revealed: 9x5)

“A teapot with eyes peeking from under its lid” (debut)

Paper Pleasers (name revealed: 9x7)

“A star-shaped Afteran made of paper” (debut, blue Paper Pleaser)

“A red Paper Pleaser” (debut, the Paper Pleaser called Ruby)

Genial Gems (name revealed: 9x9)

TBA

#rwby #audio description #descriptive video service #leilani jones wilmore #team rwby #team jnpr #beacon academy staff #atlas military #ace ops #happy huntresses #team strq #salem’s inner circle #cinder’s faction #the white fang #xiong family #team sssn #team crdl #team cfvy #menagerie #argus #atlas #team abrn #team brnz #team ndgo #team fnki #the ever after

[milksnake-tea]

The Stellaron Hunters were a group renowned and hated across the galaxies, both feared and respected by the factions. But under those skillful manipulations and operations, was an organization as put together as a monkey circus. You should know this best, as a member of this menagerie.

stellaron hunter!reader (no specific pairings)

contains: cursing, possibly ooc, written before version 1.2, just a bunch of silly shenanigans, unedited, can be read as romantic and platonic !!

word count: 3.7k

a/n: i had to rewrite this like... 4 times bc tumblr kept deleting it :// anyways night dancer got me through this piece so :D u can tell i have a blade preference but listen he's hot

Before we get on with the sillies, let's lay down some groundwork.

Every Stellaron Hunter has a specific role in mind. Blade is the feral dog that you throw at people, Kafka pisses people off (and shoots ig), and Silver Wolf gets past all defenses.

You're the expert on espionage and disguise. With the power of masks, voice changers, and makeup, you can become basically anyone if you put your mind to it. Even people with completely different builds than you, you could pull off - as long as the holographs don't start glitching out.

You're often paired with Silver Wolf in order to infiltrate various bases. Silver Wolf can transcend any physical barriers, while you sweet talk your way into the inner circles of any leaders. Sometimes, you implant ideas into people's heads in order to guide them towards a certain path, sometimes you just do it for the fun of it.

Your favorite victim so far has been the Express. Ever since the Trailblazer joined, you've entertained yourself by posing as them or other members of the Express (the only ones you can't figure out are Welt Yang and the conductor, Pom-Pom).

And it was surprising, how easily you could trick March 7th and Dan Heng. You had no idea where the original Trailblazer was (probably up some poor soul's dumpster), but frankly, you didn't care.

You somehow managed to trick the two for the better half of a day. It wasn't until you didn't jump at the sight of the first trashcan on the Xianzhou Luofu that the duo realized that something was off.

"Who- Who are you?!"

March stepped back, Dan Heng already drawing his spear. But you weren't going to give in so easily. No, you wanted to see just how far you could take this.

"Guys?" You feigned hurt and confusion as you faced the two. "What're you..."

"Don't play dumb," Dan Heng cut you off, thrusting his spear under your chin. "You're not them. The real Trailblazer would've started ransacking that trashcan by now."

What kind of freak-

"C'mon guys, I have taste," you sighed, crossing your arms. "The trashcans here don't compare to the ones at Belobog. They're not as shiny."

"Trailblazer said that appearance doesn't matter when it comes to trash!" March shot back, her bow appearing in her hands. "Enough games, who are you really?"

You paused for a moment, contemplating your options. You could try to bullshit your way out of this, but you sincerely doubted you would be able to. What kind of freak personality did Silver Wolf program into the vessel, anyways?

You sighed, making the two tense up. Your face, still that of the Trailblazer's, twisted into a condescending sneer, before you doubled over in laughter.

"Ah... Damnit, and here I thought I was doing well!" You stretched your arms, March backing away from you. "Well, that just goes to show, I still have much to improve."

With a snap of your fingers, your disguise melted away, revealing your true appearnce.

"You're-!" March gasped. "You're one of the Stellaron Hunters!"

"Am I really that famous?" you pondered, leaning back on the railing. "And here I thought Kafka or Silver Wolf were more popular."

"What're you trying to pull," Dan Heng growled, "pretending to be the Trailblazer? What did you do to them?"

"Oh, nothing," you replied simply, popping your bone. "I just sent them a coupon for that restaurant down the street. So don't worry yourselves, I'm just here to have a little bit of fun."

Before the two could comprehend the stupidity of their companion, you jumped onto the railing, balancing on your toes.

"Well, it's been fun, Nameless." You waved cheerfully, taking a step back into the open air. "Let's meet again sometime soon, yeah?"

"Wait!" They rushed to the railing, adamant on catching you - but you had already vanished.

The world might see you as a complete weirdo, but honestly, you aren't even the worst of the Stellaron Hunters. In your humble opinion, you're the lesser evil compared to your comrades.

If you're going to survive in this job, you have to get used to Kafka bullying you. Don't worry, she does it to everyone, it's not just you. But signing up to become a Stellaron Hunter also means you sign up to a life of relentless teasing.

You roll your eyes at the feeling of a familiar gun barrel against your head. Kafka holds it against your temple firmly, but you know her finger isn’t anywhere near the trigger. It’s not like you’re Blade, who somehow survived getting thrown off a four-story building.

“Now who do we have here?” Kafka muses lazily. “A potential spy from the IPC? Or perhaps, one of the Xianzhou Cloud Knights?”

“Don’t fuck with me, Kafka,” you turn around, unimpressed. With one move, you pulled off your mask, glaring at her pointedly as you grab a bottle of water. “I know that thing isn’t loaded.”

“Oh, it’s you, [Name],” Your senior gasps mockingly, removing the gun. “When did you come in? I could’ve sworn an intruder-”

You throw the bottle at her. She dodges because of course she does.

And Kafka isn't even the least of your worries. At least she has a sense of financial responsibility.

There's no doubt that Silver Wolf is integral to the workings of the Stellaron Hunters, especially with her hacking abilities. She's certainly skilled with her work, and she has saved your ass many times before.

But sometimes, you have to play babysitter to her, because homegirl may or may not have a gambling addiction, especially when it comes to whatever those gacha games of hers. Whenever she visits the city's nearby arcade or casino, either you or Kafka have to be around so that she doesn't end up gambling all of your funds away. You would get Blade to do it, except he couldn't care less about your financial problems.

“Let me go! I’ve almost got it, I know I do!”

Silver Wolf kicked at your shoulders wildly as you hoisted her up. You paid her no mind as you left the arcade, Blade walking in tow. You kept a firm grip on his sleeve, making sure he didn’t run off and start any trouble. You saw the look he gave the claw machine. If you hadn’t dragged Silver Wolf away, he would’ve likely broken the thing out of impatience.

“I was so close!” The girl on your shoulder whined, like a kid who didn’t get their favorite toy.

“You already spent 500k on it,” you replied bluntly. “It’s a scam, don’t you know?”

“So what?” Silver Wolf retorted. “I would’ve won!”

“Yeah,” you shifted her up, your shoulder getting sore. You weren’t really built for hard labor. “After you spent another hundred thousand credits, sure.”

“I wasn’t!” She’d stopped fighting you, now hanging limply so that her entire weight pressed down on you. “I could’ve hacked it-”

“Really? You’d put that much effort into a claw machine?” Before Silver Wolf could argue, your phone dinged, as did Blade’s and Silver Wolf’s - successfully interrupting your bickering. You glanced at Blade as he checked his phone for the three of you.

“It’s Kafka,” he reported, typing out a quick response. “She says it’s time to go back.”

“Tell her we’ll be there in 10 minutes, if Silver stops her tantrum,” you said, looking pointedly at Silver Wolf. The hacker kicked you in response. 

“I am not throwing a tantrum,” she huffed. You rolled your eyes.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

Speaking of which, Blade is like your guard dog. A very intimidating guard dog. With a sword. And attitude issues.

Come to think of it, he's more like a cat if anything.

When he's not being launched at the faces of various enemies, Blade often finds himself acting as your shadow. He just follows you around, doesn't say anything, and the second he smells a whiff of a threat, the sword comes out and you have to talk him down before someone calls the cops.

It seems that you’re the only one unaffected by the suffocating tension clogging up the clothing store. There’s an obvious circle of space surrounding you and Blade as you browse through various suits, intent on finding one that would fit the man standing behind you. Elio’s next script required that Blade and Kafka go to a dinner party, and knowing Blade, the man didn’t have any clothes other than the ones you and the other Hunters got for him.

It wasn’t that Blade didn’t have an eye for fashion, rather, he simply didn’t care much for it. Shopping wasn’t exactly his cup of tea either. His hands itched for action, but he did have to admit that this was better than sulking around in his room all day.

You pulled out another suit that had caught your eye, a simple black one with a bronze lapel. It would fit the vest you’d already picked out for him. Holding it out in front of Blade, you squint as you try to picture what it’d look like on him.

Decent enough. You hummed in satisfaction, turning the suit around to show it to him. “What do you think?”

Blade shrugs, only giving the suit a brief glance. “It’s fine.”

You sigh, giving him a look. “Do you like it?”

“It isn’t the worst thing you’ve put me in,” he says nonchalantly. You huff, lightly hitting his chest. For a second, a glimmer of a smile flickers onto his face at your action.

“Watch your attitude,” you reprimand playfully. “Otherwise I’m giving you the shittiest suit I can find in here.”

“You wouldn’t,” Blade says easily as the two of you walk toward the cash registers. “Your heart couldn’t bear to do that to a face like mine.”

“Cheeky brat.”

You remember the day Blade was first brought to the base, picked up by Kafka and Elio like a stray cat. He had a strange resemblance to that of a drowned rat, being absolutely sopping wet.

Your seniors just kinda dropped him off into your room with the only instructions being "Make him look presentable", which didn't give you a lot to work with. You weren't sure how you were going to fix him, but after a lot of bathing, hair drying, and brushing, you soon discovered that the drowned rat had a pretty face.

So basically, you're the only reason why he looks remotely presentable.

And quite frankly, Blade does not make it easier on you. He doesn't care about how he looks, only how his enemies look - and that's dead and unmoving. Sir somehow manages to fuck up his fit every time he goes on mission, coming back with his very expensive clothes, mind you, covered in blood, and his hair messed up.

The audacity of him, to just walk into your room unannounced, clothes completely torn and hair a mess, and plop himself down on your perfectly clean chair and wait for you to fix him up. Granted, you'll do it (you wouldn't allow any of your comrades to leave without a decent haircut), but that doesn't mean you won't rattle his ear off with a scolding.

“Just what did you do to it this time?”

You grumbled as you cut away at Blade’s hair, the man in question sitting in your salon chair and scrolling through his phone. He had just come back from a mission, and this time he somehow managed to cut off the bottom half of his long locks, resulting in a horrendously uneven cut.

“You’re literally so photogenic and then you go and do this?” you huffed, blowing his hair into his face with a blowdryer.

“You can fix it, can’t you?” Blade didn’t even look up from his screen as he texted Silver Wolf, likely using this as an excuse to escape her pleas to game with her.

You scowl, venting your anger as you brushed his hair, cutting a few extra strands. “Just because I can, doesn’t mean I always have the time to do so! Now sit still.”

Oh, and another thing? There's no such thing as privacy when you're with the Stellaron Hunters.

You first learned this when you came back from a particularly grueling mission, early on in your career with the Hunters. You were covered in blood that wasn't (or was it?) yours, drenched from the rain and safe to say, not in the greatest of moods. All you wanted was to take a shower, and preferably, take an undisturbed nap on your warm bed.

Unfortunately, Kafka had other plans.

You opened the door to find her lounging on YOUR bed, IN THE DARK, ruffling through your makeup collection like it was normal. She didn't even seem bothered when you flicked on the light, didn't even acknowledge you until you threw a knife at her.

And what did she say when you made it abundantly clear that she shouldn't be in here? Nothing. She just scrunched up her nose and told you to take a shower.

And that is how you learned that having your own room is utterly useless because every single Hunter could pick a lock. You could try to use an electric one. Silver Wolf sure did. And to her credit, it worked, until a certain dog named Blade came around and just kicked the door down.

Out of all the Stellaron Hunters to creep around in your room, Sam was by far the worse. You could handle Kafka going through your makeup, or Blade judging your taste in books. You can deal with Elio having his fucking shoes on your bed because he's your boss and honestly what are you going to do against an actual seer? Exactly. Nothing. At least his shoes are usually clean.

But Sam? He doesn't visit so that he can go through your things, or just hang around. No. He comes around with the pure intention of scaring the shit out of you.

He just waits?? Outside your door?? In the dark?? Until you open it and he jumps you. It usually ends with someone getting punched, but honestly, it's nothing either of you couldn't handle.

Silver Wolf likes to pretend that she isn't as bad as the other because in her words, she "gives you a warning". Said warning is "You better be decent" before she barges in and starts rambling about the new game she bought.

One time you were not decent and someone had to pay the price. That someone was not you.

There is one good thing that comes out of all this invasion of privacy. Because whatever the others do to you, you get to do right back to them. 

“What does this button do?”

“Don’t touch that.” Kafka playfully whined as Silver Wolf snatched away the console in her hands. The hacker was less than pleased, having returned to her room only to discover that she’d been chosen as the Hunters’ victim for today.

You lean against Kafka’s shoulder, pouting alongside her at your latest toy being confiscated. “C’mon Silver, let us have some fun at least.”

“After you two invaded my room? Not a chance,” she replied, tossing the console to somewhere you and Kafka couldn’t reach. Kafka merely hummed at the loss, leaning back onto Silver Wolf’s messy bed.

“You know, you should really clean up around here,” she commented. “They nearly killed themselves tripping over a stack of DVDs.”

“Agreed, although I wouldn’t mention that last part,” you said, picking up another one of Silver Wolf’s consoles. This one had a fighting game on it. Silver Wolf rolled her eyes as you quickly busied yourself with fighting the boss she had left off on.

“If you don’t want to get hurt, then don’t come in,” she said, plopping down on the bed next to you. Kafka smiled.

“Sure, but where’s the fun in that?” she asked, watching you tap away at the screen. “It was just a suggestion, no need to get all worked up.”

“I’m not, but okay.” Silver Wolf hissed as your character took damage. “If you get my character killed-”

“I won’t,” you retorted, swiftly defeating the boss. You tossed Silver Wolf the console. “See?”

“You’re half dead,” Silver Wolf deadpanned.

“Doesn't matter. I still won.”

Your group chat is an absolute mess, with no one understanding Silver Wolf's slang or dialect. Blade's outdated brain short-circuited the first time he touched a phone, while Kafka just silently accepted her fate. You often have to translate because Silver Wolf sure wasn't going to.

Gambling Addict: Ykw blade

Gambling Addict: This is why u pull no bitches

Gambling Addict: Bc if [name] didnt yassify u 

Gambling Addict: U would have zero rizz

Gambling Addict: Negative rizz actually

You: I see no lie here

Gambling Addict: So stfu about my social life at least i can pull bitches

DONT PICK UP: [Name], translate

Gambling Addict: [Name] i have ur closet at gunpoint 

You: She means Blade can't attract maidens bc he has as much charisma as a blobfish

You: Also stfu silver I know you can't shoot for shit

Gambling Addict: [NAME]

Gambling Addict: Actually no, ur right

DONT PICK UP: Oh, I see

You: I'm always right 💅✨

DONT PICK UP: That does sound like Bladie

Gambling Addict: Listen

Gambling Addict: All i know is that blades been real quiet since i said that

Blade: Silver Wolf.

Gambling Addict: And so he speaks!

Blade: Count your days.

You like to fuck with the others by pretending to be them. Blade nearly murdered you because one time you got bored, and decided that slandering his nonexistent image would be ample entertainment.

In minutes, you turned yourself into Blade's lookalike, and spent the afternoon prancing around in a maid dress because what else were you going to use it for? Unfortunately, that also put you as a target for Blade's wrath. Fortunately, you have a lot of experience escaping people you pissed off.

Silver Wolf still has the pictures. Kafka laughed her ass off until you did the exact same thing to her. And that's when she started shooting.

"I can't believe you did this," you sniffed dramatically, fake tears falling from your face. In your hands was what used to be your pride and joy, the beautiful maid dress that you'd spent millions on (lie).

What used to be a gorgeous garment with frills and lace, was now in tatters from Kafka's bullets and Blade's sword. The two aforementioned culprits weren't the slightest bit guilty as they watched you lament over your clothes.

"You should've thought of that before you started walking around like that," Kafka blew at her smoking gun. Blade nodded firmly in agreement, holding his sword close to his chest.

"It was cute!" you huffed, shaking your head. You weren't actually mad at them. You could always buy another dress to mess with them. Besides, you already got what you wanted.

Your gaze met with Silver Wolf's, who grinned back, holding her phone in between her fingers.

None of the Stellaron Hunters know basic first aid, and that includes you. Most of you just slap on a few bandages, some weird smelling ointment, and call it a day. Silver Wolf doesn't even do that, she just downs three bowls of rice and walks off the broken arm like a Sunday hangover.

But one day, just as your luck would have it, you came back to base with an injury that you couldn't just bandage away. No one knew what to do, and you were bleeding out fast. So what did this hardened group of criminals do?

They googled it. They fucking googled it.

Silver Wolf deadass just searched up how to fix you while you were bleeding out next to her. Kafka, to her credit, did hold your hand to try and comfort you (albeit mockingly), and Blade just stood back and watched. If Elio foresaw a way to help you, well, he didn't say anything.

But it all turned out all right in the end. Eventually, Silver Wolf gave up and simply shoved a bowl of her fried rice in front of you. You still don't know how or why, but it somehow worked. It shouldn't have, but it did.

The scene in front of you reminded you of a bunch of school children watching a chemistry experiment for the first time. The Stellaron Hunters crowded around you, eyes trained onto your closing wound with unnerving fascination. Even Blade, who rarely had any emotion at all, was watching you with the faintest glimmer of awe.

"What the hell did you put in that thing?" you turned in disbelief to Silver Wolf, the only unphased person in the room. The hacker was already somewhere else, her thumbs tapping rapidly as she played another one of her rhythm games.

"Trash."

"WHAT." You almost throttled her before she quickly teleported a safe distance away, clutching her phone to her chest.

"Kidding, kidding, no need to get all worked up!" She sighed, clearing a level without looking.

"Just some solid water and protein rice, that's all."

"You mean ice?" You swatted at Kafka, who was poking at where your wound used to be.

"No."

Safe to say, the Stellaron Hunters are an... interesting bunch, to put it lightly. They're all assholes, including you, and seem to thrive over inconveniencing each other. The only time you all can somewhat work together is when you're acting out one of Elio's scripts.

But you'd be lying if you said you hated working at this job. You live for the thrill of things, and being a Hunter was the most fun you've had in a long, long time, even if your coworkers occasionally annoyed you to death.

None of you would ever say it aloud, but you wouldn't trade each other for anything in the world.

#honkai star rail #honkai star rail x reader #hsr #hsr x reader #hsr blade #hsr kafka #hsr silver wolf #honkai star rail blade #honkai star rail kafka #honkai star rail silver wolf #blade #kafka #silver wolf #reader insert #y/n #reader #scenario #long post !! #stellaron hunters #series : a day in the life #archives 🏵️

[luminecent-sky]

The Aeon of fate — Explained [as much as they can explain at least.]

A/n: I've been cookin up some lore during the Christmas season and boom. Lore drop time! Don't ask why it took so long/j

[Opening research logs....]

[Aeon records:]

[The Aeon of Fate — All recalled information and records available.]

The Aeon of Fate, colloquially known as 'Moirai'.

-- Other titles include:

The Weaver

Destinyseeker

Parcae

Holder of a thousand strings

-- Has no known date of existence, currently theorized to have formed thousands of Amber eras ago, back when the first forms of sentient life began to wander the universe. Many believe that there are/were three different beings sharing the mantle of 'Fate'. None have found proof of this.

-- Though any known past emanators no longer exist, their records show the extensive reach and power of the Aeon. Said to be able to erase any traces of existence, to turn the tide of battle on a whim, to remove and add entire dynasties with a simple thread.

-- The emanators were usually prophets, seers, and divine priests, describing the Aeon as a veiled figure spinning thousands of strings or a being made of strings, constantly weaving together and fraying apart.

-- Those who tread the path of Fate are those who seek to guide others and interpret the world, diligent people who feel a deeper connection to the universe.

-- Previous emanators of the path were highly sought after, commonly abducted and forced to serve kings and act as advisors due to their knowledge.

-- However they began to die out, most simply dropping dead while others managed to write down the last few prophecies and sights they had. The last known emanators of Moirai, were the three sisters, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, Whose only surviving prophecy spoke of how the Aeon has found the final thread of the cosmic tapestry, before all three promptly killed themselves.

Factions:

The Thread Weavers - People who believe that the Aeon left one last unfinished tapestry depicting the fate of the last amber era, they search for any thread that can lead them to the tapestry.

Spools of Fate - The inner circle of the thread weavers and members of this circle were known emanators, the ones who led the pursuit on finding the threads of fate. Was led by the three sisters before their deaths. [All new vassals of the Aeon are considered spools due to their direct contact with them.]

#writings from the cosmos: star rail #sahsr #sahsrau #universe: aeon of fate

[digenerate-trash]

Gonna call this the "forgotten" AU.

Though some kind of military force dolvile is fucked. Either by their own goverment or something else. It doesn't really matter because the town doesn't actually know what's happened. No one knows why they're targeted but in an instant the world is changed.

Suspiciously there's no human military. It's all turrets and disembodied attacks-

But all that matters is that you need to survive!! And luckily for you everyone wants you in their faction. So you have options.

Whitney. Probobly has the biggest faction. He demands absoloutle loyalty. Weather your a scout or part of the inner circle. Whitney doesn't hesitate to throw people off the roof if they don't comply. He's not the most friendly leader. But he's a strong one. And even though people in his group fail to get a lot of food and water- everyone is protected. Your safe from other students in whitneys faction.

Robin is probobly the second biggest (but there's a lot of in and out) everyone is welcome here and Robin has control of the cafeteria and the water main. He was one of the only people who grabbed keys when the chaos started. This means that everyone in his faction has easy acsess to water. And Robin isn't afraid of sharing. He even trades water for books and other forms of entertainment from sydneys faction. Robin also isn't opposed to sharing with whitney. But whitney keeps threatening to take over the water supply. And Robin thinks that's good for no one. Still whitney sends scouts to "steal" water from Robin. But Robin is still happy to share. His main priority is making sure people stay calm. He firmly believes that they'll be rescued. But they need to be alive for that to happen.

Sydneys cult faction is the smallest. And sydney is rarely seen. People in his faction are relatively healthy. Though no one knows why. When the members leave the library for supplies they're mute. Students who used to be lively and happy people now refusing to talk. Memberß also seem to be marked up. Writing on their arms and faces. Joining sydneys group is rumored to be harsh. And some members are never seen again.

Kylar is a Rouge. But he's happy to accommodate. Rouges are allowed to do what they want. Though they're only welcome in Robin's territory and the unclaimed parts of the school. Rouges will sometimes get paid in food by Whitney to venture into more dangerous areas of the school and report back. Or sometimes even Sydney's territory. Though usually Rouges are seen as pretty expendable.

#dol #whitney the bully #sydney the faithful #kylar the loner #robin the orphan #forgotten au

[felassan]

You probably answered this question at some point before but

Who do you think will be the one companion to carry over to da:d from the da:i roster? (like Oghren, Anders and Varric)

Perhaps Solas becomes the ~secret companion~ à la Loghain🤭🤨

hello! no complaints here, I love any excuse to dragon some ages ◕‿◕ for this, my speculation is that (a possible Loghain-style scenario for Solas notwithstanding) despite the tradition, there won't be a strictly-carryover companion. not in the companion-to-companion way anyways. and that instead, we'll have someone like Harding as a companion (metaphorically carrying the torch from DA:I and acting as the 'Inquisition perspective' in the party, ascending a fan and dev fav from extra to main, including a lady dwarf, including a familiar and friendly face, including someone who was in the Trespasser final table 'we gotta do something' scene and who was in the recent The Missing comic but who hasn't had lots of screentime yet unlike Varric. also she can't die or leave in DA:I etc) and meet a few other DA:I companions in the game as NPCs of note (faction leaders? advisors? quest givers?), like Varric and Dorian. not sure what the basis for that speculation is though beyond the 'We need to find people he doesn't know' thing, especially since as with Charter, Solas does know who she is. but she isn't from DA:I's Inner Circle at least.

#dragon age: dreadwolf #dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #dragon age #bioware #video games #mj replies #mila-is-dead #solas #dragon age: the missing #dragon age: the missing spoilers #speculation only ofc #based on a nebulous feeling hh :)

[ratmobstudio]

Los Aquillios, CA. 1968. It’s the hottest summer on record since ‘32, and the heat is not the only thing starting to get under everyone’s skin.

You’ve spent your entire life as an associate to the Verano crime family— one of the three biggest mob factions this side of the West Coast. This life has brought you respect, a steady income, even a family who treats you as one of their own.

But you’ve grown tired of constantly looking over your shoulder, of the bloodshed that paints the streets far too often for your comfort. You know as well as anyone that there are only two ways to leave the life: disappearing into the harsh clutch of witness protection or in a bodybag.

Fortunately, you’ve discovered a third way: making enough money on your own to vanish into thin air. 

Yet when your plans collide with two different men, the trajectories of your fates will be changed forever.

Play as a down-on-his luck mobster with several secrets that could result in a one-way trip to the bottom of the river.

Make allies and enemies among the people you’ve known your whole life. Burn bridges or stick together, sink or swim.

Shape the MC’s personality and worldview.

Forge relationships between a cast of shady characters, each with their own flaws, and earn your reputation among the city’s crime factions.

Try to claw your way out of the mess you’ve dug for yourself, kid.

Walter “Angel Eyes” LaTorre [M] | Verano family associate

Your childhood best friend, Walter is now nothing but a thorn at your side— and everyone else’s. A degenerate gambler relying on his boyish charm and enthusiasm to get by,  there’s nothing Walter likes better than to spend money that isn’t his. But time is ticking, debts are unpaid, and you’ve always been one to help a friend in need. Haven’t you?

Carmine Pitera [M] | Verano family made man

Balanced on the edge of the family’s inner circle and egged on by the ever-burning ambition in his gut, Carmine is a cunning and dangerous mobster. He’s been around the block since long before you ever came on scene. With nine lives almost up, Carmine has started looking at you differently, and you’re not quite sure if you should run.

Ophelia Gallo [F] | Civilian

A femme fatale found at every bar the Three Families' own, Ophelia delights in the air of danger and allure that has permeated every inch of her life. The daughter of the don of the Perricone family, what she isn’t given, she’ll take— even if it’s detrimental to her. She’s set her sights on delving deeper into the dangerous world her father occupies, and she wants you as a guide. 

[Full Character List]

Demo TBA + Ch1 in development

#interactive fiction #if wip #interactive fiction intro #wip intro #if games #twine game #dev log #interactive novel #wip; otl

[fictionadventurer]

Because @maltheniel has enabled me, I'm going to tell you about William Henry Seward.

If you had the American history education that I had, you might have heard of a thing called Seward's Folly--also known as Alaska. Seward was the Secretary of State who was mocked for buying America territory in what appeared to be a barren wasteland, until he was vindicated by the discovery of oil and gold and a jillion other useful natural resources. If you had the education that I had, this is the only thing you heard about him, but the more I look into the Civil War, the more baffling this is, because this guy is everywhere in the political scene of the time.

Seward was an extremely vocal anti-slavery Whig from New York. He started as a US Senator in 1849, and he became part of President Zachary Taylor's inner circle, influencing him to support measures to keep slavery out of the new territories. After Taylor died, the question of slavery in the territories dominated politics for the next decade, with the conflict getting more heated and the positions getting more polarized. The Whig Party fell apart because of disagreements over the issue; Seward held on for as long as he could, but eventually joined the newly-forming Republican Party, and became well-known for his eloquent speeches against slavery.

When it came time to choose the Republican nominee for the 1860 presidential election, Seward was by far the top candidate. All but a shoe-in. Unfortunately, some of his anti-slavery speeches were a bit too eloquent, and gave him a reputation for being much more radically anti-slavery than he was. A significant portion of the party doubted he could win a nationwide election when slavery was such a divisive issue. This gave Lincoln's team a chance to pitch him as a less-radical option, which allowed him to come from behind and win the nomination.

Seward was extremely gracious about the loss, immediately publishing letters announcing his full support of Lincoln as candidate, and putting his own campaign manager to work getting Lincoln elected. Privately, though, he was seething. He had been in politics for decades, helped to build the party, and then lost his chance at the presidency to a guy who'd been working as a backwoods lawyer for the last twelve years.

But he knew his politics, and knew it was better to support the party's candidate than to oppose him. Lincoln offered Seward the prime Cabinet position of Secretary of State--he was qualified for it and deserved it--and Seward accepted. Seward hoped that he'd be able to help select the other Cabinet members, so he could pick people from his own faction who he'd work well with. Then he, with his extensive connections and political experience, could be the real head of the administration, with Lincoln as a compliant figurehead.

Lincoln was having none of it. He listened to Seward's suggestions, but he'd basically already chosen the people he wanted for his Cabinet, across all factions of the party. While he made use of Seward's expertise and trusted him as Secretary of State, he was going to be head of his own administration and be the one making all the final decisions. After a rocky start, Seward came to recognize that Lincoln had a shrewd mind and good judgement, and he became Lincoln's loyal supporter and a good friend.

But there was a persistent idea that Seward was the real power behind the throne, sparked partly by the prominent role he took in Washington between the election and the inauguration. States started seceding almost as soon aa Lincoln was elected, and Seward was the one who had to hold things together in Washington while Lincoln was tying things up in Illinois. He was getting reports from informants, watching out for Southern spies, and keeping Lincoln abreast of what was going on. He gave a stirring speech to Congress urging the Southern states to keep the Union together, offering all sorts of concessions to mollify them, such as amendments preventing the federal government from interfering with slavery. It was a highly controversial speech, and his wife, Frances, raked him over the coals for it. She understood, earlier than almost anybody, that this crisis would turn into a long war about slavery, and that they couldn't afford to bend on that issue, even to keep the Union together. (Lincoln privately approved of several measures Seward talked about, but publicly said little, preferring to see the public's response to Seward before taking official positions.)

Seward was a little bit like a Civil War version of Evil Chancellor Traytor. Under both Lincoln and Johnson, rumors persisted that Seward was the shadowy figure who was really in charge, secretly manipulating the president into making unpopular decisions, even though most of the time, Seward had nothing to do those decisions, and often disagreed at least partially with what the president chose to do.

Best example of the effects of this misconception is the time Seward came under attack during the middle of the war. The war was going badly, and since people couldn't directly attack the president, they started going after Seward. Chase, the Treasury Secretary, told some members of Congress that Seward was the reason the Cabinet couldn't get along, and that he was always trying to take control. These senators wanted to meet with the president and force him to get rid of Seward. When Seward heard about this, he gave Lincoln his letter of resignation, not wanting to cause problems for the administration. Lincoln responded by allowing the senators to join in a Sewardless Cabinet meeting. When confronted with both the senators and the Cabinet, Chase was forced to admit that his stories had been exaggerated, and the other Cabinet members rallied to Seward's defense, resenting Congress' meddling. Lincoln refused to accept Seward's resignation, and Seward returned to the Cabinet, having been saved by Lincoln's political acumen.

I'm going to skip ahead so I can tell you the craziest part of the story. Four days before the Civil War officially ended, Seward got into a carriage accident that left him bedridden with a broken jaw and a bunch of other injuries. When told of Lee's surrender on April 9th, Seward said (through a broken jaw, after barely surviving a painful accident), "For the first time in my life, you've made me cry." (Which is both touching and an incredibly badass claim, given what he's just suffered.)

Five days later, John Wilkes Booth shot the president at Ford's Theater. Everyone knows (or should know) that part of the story. What I didn't know was that his conspiracy also called for Seward's assassination. Booth knew his Shakespeare and didn't want to leave Seward alive as a Marc Antony to eulogize the dead tyrant. (He also wanted to kill Andrew Johnson, but that assassin chickened out, and it's not really important to this story).

While Booth was at the theater, his co-conspirator went to Seward's house under the pretense of delivering medication. When Seward's son wouldn't let him go upstairs, the assassin tried to shoot him and broke his skull with the gun. The assassin then made his way to Seward's bedroom--where, I need you to remember, Seward was still bed-ridden--and stabbed him five times in the face and neck. Like, sliced away flaps of flesh. The only reason Seward didn't die was because the splint for his broken jaw deflected the blade away from his jugular vein. And because his other son and bodyguard made it into the room and forced the assassin to flee.

Chalk this one up in the "Parts of American History I'm Furious No One Told Me About" column.

While Seward was recovering, they hid the president's death from him, thinking he wouldn't survive the shock. But he figured it out three days later when he saw the flags at half-staff through his bedroom window, and realized that if Lincoln were alive, he'd have been the first to come see Seward after the attack.

Of course, Seward survived (badly scarred) and went on to buy Alaska. Which is an interesting story. But not half so interesting as all the stuff that came before it.

#history is awesome #presidential talk #answered asks #maltheniel #i really tried to keep this short #but there's just too much that i find interesting about this guy #like i said he was involved in everything political at the time #and you've got to talk about a lot of it to get across just how involved he was #like i had the whole post written out and then realized i hadn't even talked about the between-administrations thing #i can't leave that out! #so even though no one wants to read that much about william seward i want to tell you that much about him and it's my blog so there #i also have to add that it was very satisfying to head to wikipedia #and find out that his first political party was specifically an anti-mason party #and that he got criticized for his support of catholics #he's a career politician so there's a lot to disapprove of but i very much like both of those things about him

[sp-spellboundau]

Introducing: the South Park Spellbound AU

Lore Dump ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Within the town of South Park and its surrounding areas lies a secret community of witches and other supernatural beings. These witches are somewhat forcfully governed by a small collective of the most powerful witches in the area, known as the Inner Circle. Though the identities of its members are unknown, their presence is felt throughout the South Park Supernatural Society. They work to keep peace between supernatural groups, protect less powerful beings against the Society of Witch and Monster Hunters, and provide support for new witches - at least that’s what they say.

Nearby is Greenbrook College. Though it is relatively obscure in the human world, it’s a premiere college for supernatural beings. Under the guidance of the Inner Circle, a large population of bright, young witches, vampires, and werewolves are taught - unknown to their non-magical peers. At Greenbrook, alliances are formed, friendships are made, and students can develop their supernatural abilities.

There are five main factions at Greenbrook College:

1. Coven of Life, lead by High Priestess Wendy Testaburger

2. Coven of Death, lead by High Priest Michael Liu

3. Sisterhood of Roses, lead by High Priestess Bebe Stevens

4. The South Park Vampire Society, lead by Vampir Makowski

5. The Werewolves of South Park, leader unknown

- - -

(thank you so much for reading 🖤 this stuff takes a hot minute to make so any support is appreciated)

#sp spellbound au #be gay do witchcraft #south park #south park fanart #south park au #tweekxcraig #tweek tweak #craig tucker #sp tweek #sp craig #sp creek #sp goth kids #sp henrietta #henrietta biggle #mike makowski #pete thelman #sp pike #sp pete #sp mike #sp michael #pete x mike #vampir makowski

[nottyourlover]

Broken Bonds - ch 2

a/n: prolly 4 ch's now :) sorry this took 800 years i kinda put off writing this bc i didnt want to disappoint but here it is.

ALSO SORRY THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE ~7 WEEKS OF HIATUS AFTER THIS.

series summary: as azriel leaves for a long mission in vallahan, you find that clinging onto old bonds does nothing to heal them.

contains: angst, still mental health themes, pregnant y/n, off-page death, language. slowburn ???????

word count: 8506 (oh gosh)

ch 1 // ch 3

***

Many weeks passed, and with each day, the void left by Azriel's absence grew wider, but luckily you found yourself surrounded with some of the best people in the world, you thought. As always, Feyre was wonderful; she helped you get out of bed, she re-ignited your passions. She listened to you vent about your relationship, gave you advice and she constantly surprised you, always with a little gift from a new store in The Rainbow. However, one of the best surprises you received didn't come from Feyre.

About two weeks after Azriel's departure you had received a letter from your childhood friend Aiden and his now fiance, Malakai. You couldn't believe it, because it had been centuries since you'd seen Aiden, let alone been contacted by him, but on the other hand you saw Malakai weekly. He was Cassian's right-hand man, and you learnt from him after the wedding that Aiden had become a healer who travelled around Prythian, practicing in all the courts. Their jobs were different in every way, but they complemented each other perfectly.

It was unexpected, the letter, but you couldn't have been happier to hear from them, especially because the envelope held an invitation their wedding.

The wedding was a modest celebration, but all the Inner Court members attended to show their support for the happy couple. Kai had known Cassian, Rhys and Azriel for years, since training together for the Blood Rite, and had stayed in touch for centuries after. He was now Cassian's Lieutenant General who commanded the Night Court's forces where Cassian was otherwise preoccupied with Inner Circle business. You knew him from the occasional training session, and you were glad that the two of you had gotten a lot closer after the wedding. He had become fast friends with the rest of the Inner Circle, and after the wedding Aiden also befriended them. It was almost laughable how you had managed to miss that the male Kai talked so fondly about, the healer that had stolen his heart, was your friend. Your Aiden.

Even if the last few months of your own life were less than ideal, the newly-wed couple had become your rocks, and you knew they would eventually become amazing parents since they were so doting towards you and your baby.

You were still early in your pregnancy but careful nonetheless. Although you still planned to work for as long as you could in an attempt to maintain some sense of normalcy, you quickly realised that it was going to be somewhat of a struggle hiding your pregnancy from the rest of the Inner Circle for any longer. Training was not any easier as no one suspected anything, and Mor and Cass still held their monthly game nights when they drank like there was no tomorrow.

Under Feyre's insistence, you had lessened your field work and so majority of your days consisted of writing letters to the other High Lords and leaders in attempt to strengthen alliances and unite the various factions within Prythian, hoping that it would create a better world for your child to grow up in. Due to past efforts, relations with the Day, Dawn, Summer and Winter courts were strong, and you were certain you had their support. The Spring Court with Tamlin, and Autumn with Beron were other matters, however. Perhaps you would ask Feyre to use her sway with Lucien who could convince Tamlin to at least reply to one of your letters, but you had recently heard Lucian say that he had not visited Spring in a long while, instead opting to stay with the Band of Exiles. Then you thought about High Lord Beron. He was a grumpy, disagreeable High Lord, and also a problem for another day, you had finally decided.

The first week and a half after Azriel's departure, you had rarely gotten out of bed, even when Feyre had tempted you with tarts. You felt bad that Cassian looked so regretful when he couldn't cheer you up when you neglected morning trainings those first few weeks. He thought it was because you were missing Azriel, and you were, but even more so, you were worrying over your pregnancy. When Feyre had finally managed to get you out of the house, the two of you mainly walked up and down The Rainbow, visiting the old bookstores and trying all the new bakeries.

Aiden was staying in Velaris for his honeymoon, but he still insisted on working, the kind male he was. You found happiness in visiting his healing clinic, helping him organise records and patient data. Listening to stories of his travels had inspired you like nothing else could. He told you about the catacombs under the Dawn Court, the unique architecture and history of Day.

His stories made you miss your mate, of the adventures the two of you had planned for the future, but you vowed that one day you'd travel with Azriel again. You tugged on the bond softly, something you had been doing since he left to feel connected. You weren't even sure if he could feel it though, since he never 'replied'.

Over the course of around two and a half months, you started to feel lighter. When you thought of your mate's return you started to feel optimistic. Maybe a break was the right decision, no matter how unplanned it initially was.

***

You had been spending most of your Sundays in Aiden's clinic, him helping with the pregnancy and keeping you company. You were browsing his bookshelves when you stumbled upon a book about Illyrian anatomy. It hadn't fully dawned on you yet that the child you were bringing into this world was likely going to come out with wings, but Aiden assured you the birth was not going to be too difficult seeing that you were half-Illyrian yourself. Your father had been an awful person, but at least he gave you the gift that would allow you to start a family with the one that you loved.

Obviously, a lot of trauma and pain occurred at a health clinic, but there was lots of warmth and beauty too, and it was becoming more apparent to you than ever. The young fae that lived in Velaris would occasionally come knocking to sell their sweets, or on quiet afternoons, Aiden would seek them out and give them some harmless (but hilarious) potions that would do crazy things, like temporarily turn their bodies invisible, colour their hair an electric blue, or even make them grow scales. Aiden was the finest healer in Prythian, and you were disappointed he could not stay for much longer than his honeymoon period before he needed to return to the road.

One such Sunday, the 12th week of your pregnancy had finally arrived. You were looking at your reflection in the full-length mirror, hand on your stomach.

You were showing. This was real.

You admired the swell of your stomach under the light, flowing dress. You looked... healthy. Glowing, even. Your features were not so hollowed out anymore, your cheeks fuller and eyes brighter, filled with shine. You felt better than ever.

But it was heartbreaking that your mate's absence had caused this, in a roundabout way. You closed your eyes, taking in this special moment. You reached to tug on the bond, and you swore you felt a glimmer of warmth before the string in your mind felt cold once more.

Aiden's voice dragged you out of your haze. "Y/n, are you ready to do the scan?" he asked, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

An "ultrasound" is what Aiden had called it. On his travels to the mortal lands, he had studied in the most advanced medical institutions on offer and was bringing this human technology to Faerie. This ultrasound was supposedly a sort of test they did on mortals with child, to verify the health and gender of the baby, and he was going to perform one on you today with the help of some of his healer magic to help.

"Just lay back on here, your dress should be stretchy enough for you to just lift it up..." Aiden trailed off as he fiddled with a tub of gel and a weird device, he explained he was going to lightly put on your stomach.

"In the Mortal Lands, they have these screens that show the mother the baby, but since I couldn't lug back a large computer, I'll compensate with a simple incantation. Unfortunately, this does mean you won't be able to keep any physical images of your baby."

You frowned slightly. You didn't even know it was on the table, to keep pictures of the little one growing inside you. You sighed a little as you readjusted the pillow and Aiden got to cleaning up. They would've been nice for Azriel to see, you supposed.

"Oh. That's okay, there's nothing you can do about it," is what you settled on saying. It had been centuries since the you had seen Aiden again, and after being somewhat abruptly pushed into each other's lives again... it was awkward, sometimes.

"I trust you," you added, "But exactly how many times has this magic-and-mortal-device combination been used for ultrasounds?"

Aiden flashed you the same boyish grin that got the two of you out of trouble when you were younger and given that your mother was... well, who she was, that was a difficult feat indeed. It was one of the reasons you had stuck with the slightly infuriating male who stood before you today; he would always protect you. Of course, this was until you had lost touch. "Well..." he pretended to do a thinking pose. You hoped he was joking.

You narrowed your eyes at him, but you doubted he could even see you. "Aiden? This is safe, right?"

"Just kidding, y/n. Of course, it is safe for use and has been trialed numerous times."

"Not funny." You muttered to yourself.

Under Aiden's instruction, you lifted up your dress until it was just under your bust. The masses of fabric were somewhat blocking your vision, but even so, you lifted your neck slightly to try see what Aiden was doing.

"It's interesting how mortals compensate for not having magic, this gel is especially interesting," he mused. He had become such an intellect, always curious and ready to learn. You were somewhat shocked to see what he'd made of himself, so different from that class clown you used to know.

You couldn't do more than make what hopefully came out as a sound of interest, as you weren't really able to see what "gel" your friend was even referring to.

"This might feel a bit cold," Aiden said, before he applied a thin layer of a wet, smooth mixture to your stomach. "It'll help this little machine to see your womb."

"Sure," you reply. What else could be said?

"Oh! Wait." You add abruptly. Aiden stopped his movements instantly. "I... don't want to know the gender." You finished, chewing your lip slightly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yet. I mean, yes. I don't want to know yet. I'll find out when everyone else does, whenever that is."

Aiden sent you a confident smile. "Okay, y/n/n."

After that, he seemed to sense your nervousness, and so after the gel was applied, Aiden placed a comforting hand on yours, which were busy pulling at the seams of your dress. The clothing suddenly felt too thick, and the breezy material no longer cooled your skin, but instead made it itch, and the back of your neck felt hot. He changed the positioning of your bed with a small flick of his wrist, in a swift motion. Slowly, your upper body rose to a sitting position while your legs stayed flat. This way, you could see what was happening.

Then you heard it, and suddenly, there was too much to say.

Unmistakably, there was thumping. Muffled thumping that seemed to echo around the room.

Aiden had big grin on his face. He met your eyes only for a moment before returning to the task literally in front of him. You realised he was concentrating hard on a small floating projection, a clear screen that showed all sorts of charts and figures. In the center of the clear screen there was a black rectangle that had something moving in it. Different shades of greys and white danced across the screen in pixelated motions but they all moved together, as if they were forming something whole.

"Is that...?" you asked softly. You couldn't get the words out, because your heart was in your throat. It was difficult to see, from the weird angle that you observed the screen in, but it couldn't have been anything else.

Just like when you were kids, he read your mind.

"Yes, y/n," he breathed softly. His fingers floated across the keyboard on the bedside table. which you suspected was somehow connected to Aiden's magical projection.

The perfect mix of fae magic and mortal engineering.

At last, Aiden spoke.

"That's the heartbeat."

***

It had been 2 weeks since that first ultrasound, and you were talking with Feyre about breaking the news to the rest of your friends. The two of you were sitting in the courtyard, the late afternoon sun casting its warm, friendly glow. You marveled at the beauty of the gardens a "Oh, I'm so excited for you! Your baby is going to be spoiled like crazy," your friend exclaimed fondly, a big grin on her face.

Hearing Feyre's enthusiasm calmed your nerves immensely, and you reached for your High Lady's hand. "I wish Az was here," you admitted, "if he was, I'd do something bigger. I think I'm just going to tell everyone at dinner."

Feyre's glance softened at the mention of your mate. "That sounds good, but y/n, I hate to mention this now but when are you going to tell Azriel?"

You bit your lip, averting eye contact. "I'm not sure, actually. Whenever's best, I suppose."

"You can be honest with me, y/n/n. I just think you should tell him."

"Of course I'm going to tell him."

"But your baby's going to be born before he gets back, surely you're not going to have him come home blind-" Feyre said insistently.

You started to get a little annoyed. "I will tell him, Feyre. He will not 'come home blind'."

But were you sure? Would Azriel even reply to your letters? Would he care enough to write more than his usual 5 sentences? A pain ran through your heart as you recalled the last time you wrote was about a month ago. He hadn't replied. You didn't want him to be distracted on the mission, or worse, hurt himself because he was worrying.

Feyre could read your expression. "Are you really thinking about lying to your mate? About your child. His child, y/n. It's Azriel's too."

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. "Gods, Feyre. You think I don't know that? Stop pushing this, it's my decision and if I want to leave it until he comes back... then that's on me." But deep down you knew she was right.

Your words just hung between you as the conversation ended. You didn't believe what you just said, and by the silence that fell, you could tell Feyre didn't either.

The two of you sat in your respective chairs and avoided eye contact, Feyre was fiddling with the sash on her dress, and you were looking into the sky, eyes squinting as you immediately regretted staring straight into the sun.

"Feyre, darling?" called Rhys' smooth voice. You glanced at your wristwatch, which indicated Feyre and Rhys' meeting was about to start. You sighed a little; you would have to apologise later.

"Here, Rhys!" Feyre quickly gathered her things but put a comforting hand on your shoulder as she passed. "Bye, y/n."

Then Rhys whisked Feyre away, leaving you alone in the courtyard.

You didn't want to keep sitting in the courtyard rethinking your conversation with Feyre. Or perhaps was it an argument? You quickly left the gardens as soon as the sun started setting, in hopes you would bump into another one of your friends. You walked towards the door to the main house and luckily, the moment you turned around after closing the door, there was Kai, gathering some items in a satchel, looking like he was about to leave.

You wondered if you should bother him as he looked busy, but before you could sneak off, it seemed that Kai used his big-brother senses because he turned around and spotted you.

"Y/n! My favourite person." He beamed, tucking strands of his golden hair behind his ears.

"I think Aiden might take some offense to that statement." You approached him smiling, yet slightly embarrassed he had almost caught you jumping over a couch.

"I'm sure he agrees with my sentiment." Your friend smiled.

"Going somewhere?"

"Just off to the Night Markets to buy a sheath for Aiden's present. It's a dagger, from my last mission overseas," He cocked his head slightly, as if trying to see if you were okay. "Would you like to join me?" Kai broke into a beaming smile. "We can get ice-cream."

You couldn't help grin as his words lit you up. The two of you used to always get ice-cream together, it was your thing. The ice-cream stores in Velaris changed their flavours daily, always a mix of aromatic spices and exotic fruits that somehow blended perfectly together. It was well-known amongst all your friends that Night Court ice-cream was one of your favourite things, and almost every birthday you got a tub of your favourite flavour, whatever it was. It reminded you of happier days, and some of your favourite memories consisted of you, laughing along with Kai over large cones of the sweet, icy treat.

"Really? I'd love to!" This is exactly what you needed to help you take your mind off your disagreement with Feyre. "I hope I'm not intruding though."

"You could never intrude. Besides, I could use another set of eyes. You've seen my wardrobe; I don't exactly choose the most stylish things." He bumped your shoulder affectionately.

You snickered. "That I have. Then you're lucky I took pity on you and offered my services to you."

Ever the drama queen, Kai lowered himself into a deep bow, "I thank you then, y/n."

Being with Kai had lifted your mood almost instantly. You had confided in him through your highs and lows, and when you had shown such intimate parts of yourself to another, it was easy to settle into comfortable companionship. He was like an older brother to you, one of your closest friends.

You watched Velaris' bustling marketplaces in awe as Kai soared through the air, his wings flapping. It had been a while since you had come out to see the signature Night Markets, but it was just as breathtaking as you remembered. There were crowds everywhere, and each store had twinkling lights. It was dark now, the light from each stall was illuminating the air around it, the mountains were shining a soft white from the snow, and you felt like you had returned home to the familiar sights, sounds and smells.

Kai led you to a few shops, and gods, it was lucky you were there. Somehow, he managed to pick out some of the strangest, weirdest designs that there were. It took almost 20 minutes of convincing before Kai discarded a sheath that was covered in ridiculous dyed fur that also had googly eyes stuck to the front, with eyebrows that jiggled when you removed the dagger.

"It's like an adorable fluffy animal!" He exclaimed.

"Kai, no. It looks like a mutilated toy rodent. I think I see bugs moving in the fur, and it smells like Cassian after training."

Kai whistled. "Harsh critic."

You shrugged, looping your arm through his to drag him back through the door. "I just saved your marriage, my friend."

Eventually you two of you picked a simple design. A sleek black design with silver buckles that was functional enough to store a pen or two, as well. Perfect for Aiden. Knowing him, he probably would use the sheath to store some of his equipment for operations, and the like.

"Thanks for helping me tonight," Kai smiled. "I owe you one."

"Don't mention it. All you ever need to owe me is some ice-cream." You almost jumped when you saw the old gelateria where the two of you frequented decades ago. Had it really been decades?

Kai seemed to be thinking the same thing because the moment the two of you sat down, he smiled, wistfully asking, "Do you remember the last time we came here?"

You hummed in thought, trying to come up with an answer. "I don't think I do. Must've been to celebrate something?"

Kai grinned. "No, not to celebrate. I remember," he started.

"Shocking how someone so old has a better memory than me." you smirked.

"Hush, y/n/n. Surely you remember, as it concerns your favourite person."

"My favourite person? So, not you then," you laughed.

"I'm wounded." Kai replied, deadpan. "No, anyway. I mean Azriel. You came to me after a big fight with Azzy."

You opened your mouth in shock. "I can't believe you still remember that!"

"Well, hard to forget," he said, dryly. "I had never seen you so upset." His expression turned pensive and worried, as if he was sensing the truth in your expression, which had turned from shocked to anxious with one sentence. He was sensing that maybe you weren't letting on exactly how saddened you were regarding the situation with Azriel. Of course, only Feyre and Aiden knew you were with child, and this factor contributed greatly.

"You know, because now you two are doing a lot more than just argue..." Malakai tried to lighten the mood, and for a second it worked. Then he did that stupid thing that mortals do; he made a "kissy face"... and then some.

Your eyes widened, but you had a big grin on your face. "Gods, Malakai! You did not just do that in public!" but your friend just smirked, innocently shrugging his shoulders. You wouldn't stay mad at him anyway. Never could.

The two of you finished your cones in silence.

"Let's walk around for a bit," Kai said, wiping his hands with a napkin.

"Okay, sure."

You and Kai walked behind the bustling marketplace to a lone bench where the two of you used to come all the time. It was your spot.

"I do have something to tell you, though."

"Oh yeah?" Kai looked as if he was trying to guess your news.

You took a breath in to steady yourself. "I'm telling you before most of the others... because I trust you. And I love you, you've always been..." another small inhale. "Maybe you can help me figure out what to do."

Kai swiveled so he was facing you more. "Of course," he smiled. "You know I'd do anything for you."

You smiled gratefully. "You may know that Azriel didn't really leave me on the best terms... Well, uh, he didn't leave me, specifically, you know, but I just mean that we'd argued before he left." You rambled. "A lot, actually. We argued a lot."

Kai put a comforting hand on your arm. "You don't have to tell me if you're not ready," he said gently, kindly.

Kai kindness overwhelmed you, but lately it had felt like Feyre was treating you a bit like a broken doll, and she was just waiting for you to finally crack. Being doted on wasn't a bad thing, but it felt suffocating especially now, and you felt Feyre's time was wasted when you realised that only one thing would make you feel better about this situation, you were too much a coward to do. It should've been easy, telling Azriel he was going to be a father. You were good at writing, letters especially. So why couldn't you tell Azriel?

Everything is just more complicated when love is involved.

You cleared your throat. "Sorry. I'm fine. I'm ready to talk about it, I promise."

"Okay," Kai nodded. "No pressure."

"I'mfourteenweekspregnantandAzrieldoesn'tknow." The words spilled out like a waterfall. A small brook, perhaps. All in one motion but in a low whisper. There was no going back now, but it seemed Kai hadn't heard your jumble of words.

"You're... what?"

"Pregnant. I'm 14 weeks pregnant and Az- Azriel doesn't know." you were dangerously close to tears, but you felt a million times better now that you had told someone else.

Kai was silent for a dangerously long time. Then his mouth curved into a small grin. "Wow, y/n. I'm so happy for you!" and then he clarified, upon seeing your slightly startled expression. "I know you've been wanting to start a family for a while now, and you're the most deserving person to have your dream come true." He took a deep breath in. "I'll admit it's difficult that Azriel doesn't know, but you're strong, and we can work through this together."

You had started to cry. "S-sorry, I'm happy too, I- I don't know what to do. I've been k-keeping it from you for so long, and I just don't know what to do." Your voice broke.

"You don't need to apologise, I get it. It's going to be difficult, y/n, but you don't need to do it alone."

"You've kept a pregnancy from Aiden before?" you sniffed.

He smiled softly, wiping a trickling tear. "No, but I know relationships take work. What you and Az are going through is only natural, and you're both the strongest people I know. I see the bond you two have, and it's like no other I've seen." He stretched over the table to wipe away a tear falling down your cheek. "It's beautiful, y/n. I know you, and I know Az. He will support you, and whatever you choose, so will I."

You sniffed again, wiping away more tears. Gods, there were a lot of tears on your face. Kai pulled a large, thick handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to you.

"Aiden makes me carry it around, the massive thing. A real inconvenience. However, I've been told it makes an excellent torniquet." the warrior shrugged.

You managed a laugh. "Thanks."

Kai's expression softened. "Are you happy?"

His question caught you by surprise. "I've been processing these part few weeks. We were fighting because just noticed Azriel got increasingly unenthusiastic about our dates. About me," you felt the lump in your throat as you spilled your heart out. "S-sometimes I feel the b-bond go cold. Since he's been gone I can barely feel it, Malakai. I have to reach oh-so-far for something that should be permanent. Something that should be natural, and easy."

Kai wrapped you up in a hug, and you rested your head on his shoulder.

You took a pause. "But am I happy? I think so. If I can work this out with Az, then I will be. Really happy." You smiled slightly at the thought.

Kai nodded knowingly.

"Looks like you've only gotten wiser with age," you noted, slightly sad. Where'd all the time gone?"

"I guess we've both just gotten busier these past few centuries. You were sorting out your... confusing friendship with Azriel," you let out a laugh at that. Confusing was certaintly one word you could use to describe the relationship you and Az had before mating. Kai continued. "Well, and then you found out you were mates, but I was busy training here while trying to keep my relationship from my parents."

Your smile dropped a little. "But they were at your wedding, are you guys still okay?"

"Thanks for your concern, but we're all good. It's just that when I was younger, I saw how the villagers treated my sister when she confessed to me she favoured females, and word got out. It was a miracle no one blabbed to my parents before she finally told them decades later," he smiled. "I'm lucky my family are so supportive."

"I have a pretty great family too," you squeezed his hand.

The two of you sat in silence for a beat, smiling.

"Wait, before you said '"most" of the others know about your pregnancy. Who else knows?" Kai asked after a moment.

"Well, Madja, obviously, and Feyre and Aiden."

"My Aiden? He kept this from me?" The Lieutenant's eyes looked like they were going to bug out of his head. Aiden was definitely about to receive a stern lecture about how his wedding vows promised no lies.

You laughed. "Well, smart guy, your Aiden is a healer, and I couldn't exactly go visit Madja because Rhys is always there on High Lord business, and Cass occasionally brings his soldiers there for checkups, you know this. Besides, Aiden's clinic is more private, and I like getting priority service," you replied, smug.

Kai sighed, "And here I was thinking that I was the only one getting that service. When you think you know someone." he tutted.

"Well, people surprise you." You couldn't help but bitterly think "Just like my mate did."

"But I know your news before Cass?" When you nodded, he did a celebratory fist pump. "I always knew I was your favourite. $5 for me, baby."

"Don't be silly, I love you Illyrian babies all equally. Wait, you guys bet on me?"

Kai snorted, choosing to ignore your latter comment, but the gleam in his bright blue eyes told you all you needed to know.

You just rolled your eyes. "When do you think I should tell the rest of our friends?"

Kai composed himself as he realised you were jumping back to serious conversation. He cleared his throat, and said, "Well, you want to tell them all together, right?"

When you nodded, he continued. "So, logically, unless you want to tell everyone while they're drunk playing board games, or drunk, dancing at Rita's, I'd say your best bet is at our group dinners, but you know, tell them early, so they're not too drunk." He gave a small smile.

"That's what I was thinking. Gods, when's the next dinner again?"

You counted what day of the week it was in your head. If you guys usually gathered for dinner on Fridays, but the Velaris Night Markets occurred on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays... but Thursdays were when Feyre and Rhys had their meetings (which you remembered Feyre had gone to that afternoon), it would mean that the next family dinner was...

"Tomorrow," Kai finished helpfully. "Friday."

"That's soon," you tried not to sound too panicked.

"Luckily you have me to help you then."

***

The Inner Circle sat around the grand dinner table in the beautifully adorned dining room of the Night Court. The soft glow of candlelight danced on their faces, creating an atmosphere of warmth and camaraderie. Feyre and Rhysand were engaged in a lighthearted banter, their eyes filled with affection, while Mor, Amren, and Cassian laughed along, their spirits high. Nesta had her hand on Cassian's shoulder, and Elain was talking with Nuala. Aiden and Kai were sitting across from you, Kai's eyes trying to meet your own. Tonight would be the big night.

As the conversation lulled, your heart pounded in your chest, your hands clammy with nerves. Taking a deep breath, you gathered your courage, your voice slightly shaky but resolute, and cleared your throat to gain everyone's attention. Feyre's eyes met yours with a flash of concern, then understanding. You sent her an unsure smile and nodded slightly, notifying her that you were ready to share the news with your family.

"I... um, I have something important to share with all of you," you began, your eyes flickering with a mix of vulnerability and determination. You looked towards Kai and Aiden; both of them looked ecstatic, and you could tell Kai was reigning in his emotions. The room fell into an expectant silence as every member of the Inner Circle turned their gaze towards you, their expressions a blend of curiosity and concern.

Your eyes darted around the table, locking with each person's gaze, drawing strength from their unwavering support. You continued, "I'm pregnant."

The room erupted in a cacophony of reactions. Cassian's jaw dropped; a half-chewed bite of food forgotten in his mouth. Rhysand, startled by the unexpected news, coughed and choked on his wine, while Feyre, caught between annoyance and concern, hit his shoulder. She caught your eye and sent you a look that apologised for Rhys' behaviour.

"He doesn't mean it like that!" she mouthed. For the first time in your life, you hoped your expression betrayed your thoughts. "I'm sorry", you were trying to convey. "I love you". Feyre nodded once and smiled, and you knew she understood.

Mor was the first one to say something. She let out an excited gasp, clapping her hands together. "Y/n, that's amazing! You're going to be a wonderful mother," she exclaimed, her eyes shining with genuine joy.

You felt everyone else's eyes on you. Amren had narrowed her eyes, and Varian was looking quite uncomfortable. Oh dear.

You felt a bittersweet mixture of relief and apprehension wash over you as you glanced around the table, searching for comfort amidst the tumultuous sea of emotions. Everyone looked pleased though, it seemed the extra 5 seconds of processing time had done wonders. Even Amren had a slight smile on her face now, and Varian looked less... strange.

Rhys, having gathered himself now, spoke next, a beaming smile on his face. "I'm so happy for you, y/n! You and Azriel deserve this. How'd he take the news?"

You hesitated, your eyes dropping to your plate, tracing the intricate patterns etched onto the fine China. You could feel the glances of Feyre, Aiden and Kai on you.

"I... uh.... haven't told him yet," and then there was silence in the room again.

The weight of your words was sinking in for your friends.

"I don't want to get into it now, and- and ruin our evening," you said, voice shaking slightly. Perhaps you'd already ruined the evening, if the heavy silence was any indication. "But we haven't exactly been on the best terms lately. We were fighting all up until he left, and I- I can barely feel the bond anymore. He hasn't written me back in a month.

With that bomb dropped, you looked up to the ceiling, blinking away tears.

"I'm scared."

Cassian, recovering from his initial shock, reached across the table, placing a comforting hand on your trembling one. "We're here for you, y/n," he reassured you, his voice filled with sincerity and warmth. "And when Az comes back, we'll figure it out together. You won't be alone in this. I can't believe it. You're pregnant." He finished with a joyous laugh.

Aiden chimed in, "We love you, y/n. As long as we're here, you don't have to do anything alone."

"You have the best support system possible; one that has been formed through years of hardship. No bond is stronger than this group bond, y/n." Kai continued. "Your pregnancy will be a beautiful thing."

Nesta spoke up next. "You can count on us for anything, y/n/n. I know you must have concerns, but now you don't have to carry them alone." You sent her a grateful smile, to which she returned.

"It'll fly by, the 10 months. Enjoy the process. Plus, you'll look great with the pregnancy glow." Feyre laughed.

Then Elain cleared her throat - daintily, if that was possible. "I'm happy for you too, y/n. Your child is lucky to have you as a mother, and... I know we're not too close, but you can count on me." She smiled; her cheeks rosy as all the attention turned to her.

You were in shock. That was the most you'd ever heard Elain speak, especially in front of everyone. You reached across the table and lightly put your hand on hers.

Surprisingly, Amren said, "You're in capable hands, y/n. It'll be such a joy having another Nyx around." The table chuckled at her sarcasm, but you knew she meant it with no malice.

"That means more than you could know. Thank you, everyone."

"You know how Azriel is. He may draw back, but he is always there for the ones he loves and trust me when I say you're on the top of his list." Mor said. "I don't know how he'll react to the news,"

Your smile dropped a little. Thanks for the confidence boost, Mor.

"But I know that every relationship has its ups and downs. You've been there for him since the day you arrived, and he's been there for you, too. I can promise you that this experience will only help the two of you grow closer." Mor's words were sincere.

As the Inner Circle rallied around you, offering support, reassurance, and a safe space to share your fears and uncertainties, you felt a flicker of hope ignite within you. Even Varian had bowed his head in respect. In that moment, you realized that you were not alone in your journey. With your loved ones by your side, you knew you had the strength and resilience to face whatever lay ahead. When the time came to reveal the news to Azriel, they would help you navigate the delicate path, giving you the support and courage, you needed.

And so, amidst the clinking of cutlery, the sound of Feyre's exasperated sigh as Cerridwen chased after Nyx (who'd run into the room looking for his mother), and the warm laughter that filled the House of Wind's dining room, you embraced the love and acceptance that you had received, finding solace in the knowledge that no matter the challenges you faced, you would never have to face them alone.

You tugged on the bond once again. Once. Twice.

And then you felt it. A pull from Azriel. Stronger than you'd felt in months.

***

"You guys really didn't have to plan all this," you smiled fondly at your friends, who insisted on throwing you a baby shower. Feyre later told you that she spent almost an hour explaining the mortal concept to Amren and Cassian, the latter thinking it was about hygiene. It had almost been 3 weeks since you told your friends at that fateful dinner, and they had embraced your news with love and kindness, just as Aiden, Feyre and Kai all insisted they would.

"Nonsense, y/n. You deserve the best baby bath achievable." Cassian beamed.

"Shower, Cassian." Feyre reminded him.

"I just showered," Cassian rolled his eyes. Nesta slapped his shoulder, and he quickly stopped his jokes when she gave him a kiss. You suppressed a snicker as you watched her. Cassian looked at her so lovingly, and Nesta, however annoyed she may be, always returned that look with equal fierceness.

You looked to your High Lord and Lady. Rhysand was sitting in a plush armchair, and Feyre was perched on his lap, his hand draped across her waist, fingers fiddling with a loose thread on her cream sweater. Nyx's addition to their family had only made them closer, and you could only pray that your little one could provide the same effect.

It was obvious to a total fool that Varian was irrevocably in love with Amren. His gaze was constantly on her, his eyes soft and longing, as if he knew something everyone else didn't. Amren rarely shared personal stories with the Inner Circle, but maybe she'd told the prince of Adriata something she hadn't yet shared with everyone else. You had a feeling Amren was going to find her eternal happiness with him. After all, he was here casually lounging with the Night Court's elite Inner Circle, wasn't he?

Then you looked to the pile of presents that your closest friends had prepared for you. The pink and blue streamers your friends had pinned around the room. Feyre said she was incorporating another tradition into this baby shower, something called a 'gender reveal', that she said was a celebration where loved ones of the mother gathered so she could make the gender of her child known. The room laughed as Rhys recited some adorable thing Nyx had done that morning, and for a second you were just lost in the haze. These wonderful people had chosen to spend time with you, and all vowed to support you.

The baby shower and gender reveal passed in a blur. It was just a mess of happy memories. You opened and accepted everyone's gifts (even the sharp "toy" Amren had gifted for "teething purposes". Perhaps Azriel would like that one.), and Nuala, Cerridwen and Elain had done an amazing job with the cake, which had either pink or blue frosting inside.

Since you wanted Aiden to keep the gender a secret, you had no idea what colour was in the cake either, and you were equal parts excited yet slightly nervous. If you thought hearing your baby's heartbeat made it real, celebrating this moment with your friends made it unreal. This was truly, really, definitely, happening.

You cut into the cake and it was...

"Pink!" you exclaimed. "Pink! She's a girl!"

Your friends whooped and cheered, Feyre rushed up to hug you, and Cassian immediately bobbed down to your stomach.

"A baby girl! Aw," he cooed. "Uncle Cass is going to spoil you!"

You laughed at Cassian, but he had lifted the mood tremendously. You couldn't believe it. You were having a girl, and you knew she would be perfect.

After the celebrations, Kai came and found you flipping through a photo album. It had detailed most of your and Azriel's relationship, and now there was a chapter all about your pregnancy.

"Thinking about him?" Malakai asked.

You smiled sadly, thinking about the huge milestone you had just celebrated without him. "I can't help it. I miss my mate." and sent another tug down the bond.

This time, it wasn't reciprocated. Something felt different, this time. You almost thought you heard a cry of pain.

***

“You know, maybe it would help to get out of here a little,” Cassian said one day at training. You were in the middle of sparring with him and Nesta, sweat dripping down your face, but you could tell they were going easy since the birth of your daughter only 5 weeks prior.

"Yeah, y/n,” Nesta smiled as she thrusted the dagger upward. "No harm in a holiday, you work so hard."

You stopped, mid-jab into where Cassian's shoulder would've been as you considered the idea. You hadn't left the Night Court for leisure in over three decades, and a small part of you did long to explore the other courts. Back when you and Az still talked of the future, the two of you had dreamed of holidaying in all the seven courts.

>>>>

"Do you ever think of the future?" you asked, playing with your mate's hair. Azriel paused his reading and thought.

He hummed softly, replying, "Of course, one with you."

You smiled, hands resuming their tousling of Azriel's hair, "I think one day I would like to travel. See all the places that the stories told me about when I was younger."

"That sounds perfect," Azriel replied, now fully sitting up and facing you. His book was discarded, and his hands were drifting up and down your arms. "I am content everywhere with you, but I hear the Winter and Summer courts are especially beautiful year-round."

You made a noise of happiness. "How much wine do you think we would need to buy Rhys for him to gift us one of his luxurious holiday homes in the Winter Court?"

Azriel's laugh ricocheted through the empty house, "My darling mate, I bet it's more wine than we can afford."

You laughed softly, "Well, I guess we better start saving. When I mend relations with Spring and Autumn, we must visit all the courts! Oh, just imagine it, Az."

Azriel's eyes softened. "Have I ever told you how much I admire you?"

You tilt your head, "You tell me every day, Az, but I think I admire you more." you said in a whisper, as if it were a secret, but how could it ever be, with a mate like Azriel?

Azriel smiled but shook his head. "Your job is amazing, y/n. Co-ordinating all these alliances, responding to our people's concerns and solving their problems. Velaris would really be nowhere without you."

You blush under Azriel's heated gaze, and say, "Well, someone's got to make the bribe money for Rhys' wine."

Azriel laughed deeply, the sound warming your soul. "Well, good thing I make up for my immense lack of income with other skills."

You watched the corner of Azriel's mouth curl up in a smirk. "Wouldn't you agree, my love? Or would you like a reminder?"

>>>>>>>>

When you named your daughter, you cried.

Cerise. Cerise Beatrice Singer.

Beatrice was your mother's name. A mortal name. She was half fae, as her mother was mortal. The courts gossiped for your entire childhood, from when you were six up until at least seventeen. They didn't even stop when she died. Seventeen was the year where you couldn't take it anymore. The year you finally left your 'family' and fled into the centre of Prythian. You travelled around from court to court for 2 years until one day, you arrived in the Night Court.

The people of your old village called her horrible names. They'd hiss at your mother as she walked across the street, throw all sorts of things at her. They were horrified that a mortal walked the streets of Prythian freely, no matter the fact she had never actually been in the Mortal Lands. No matter the fact she grew up the same as them. No matter the fact that she learnt the same faerie customs in the same faerie schools. No matter the fact that she grew up eating faerie food and wearing faerie-produced clothing.

No matter any of that.

Once, there was a rumour that you heard at school. People were saying your mother used witchcraft to lure herself a man "as great as that scum's father". You hid behind a wall, eavesdropping. The voices were muffled, the pitch all weird, but it was clear they were talking about you. Aiden was there with you. When he saw you were on the verge of tears, he told you to cover your ears and he hugged you tight. But even his hugs were never as tight as your mother's.

You are remembering thinking that you had never heard such foul language coming from 11-year-old children. You had dared a peek into the classroom, and when you saw the towering figures huddled, you realised. It was the teachers. The teachers using slurs and the teachers belittling the one woman who actually cared about you. About everything.

Decades from that day you thought of your past. You thought that, maybe it was true that once, your father had felt love for her. Beatrice bore him 4 children, after all. You knew your mother married him soon after meeting, and when she would brush your hair, back when you were young and the world was simple, she would tell you stories about how he courted her. Oh, how he courted her. Before the age of eight you used to wish for a love story like theirs. But as you grew up, it was plain to see that he felt nothing for her. In the end, one of your father's drunken rages had led to her death, and she died protecting you.

She cared for you when no one else did, in your family. Not your older siblings, and certainly not your father.

When you named your daughter, you cried.

Love and passion. That's what her name meant.

You were going to make sure love was all she felt from her family. Cerise was going to grow up with love. You loved her, your true family loved her, and Azriel would love her. You were sure.

Her raven hair was just like his, her eyes were like his too. Sometimes a piercing green, sometimes a calming brown. Beautiful, just like her father. She had your mouth though; Feyre had told you. When she smiled it was like the sun brightening the sky after a storm, and you had never seen anything better. She loved to laugh, her small eyes crinkling at the corners, her nose twitching. She was beautiful.

Cerise, she had wings. Small, baby Illyrian wings, but wings none the less. Wings like Azriel. Not wings like your father, but wings like Azriel. Majestic and powerful, with the ability to give what you had lacked; freedom.

>>>>>>>>

It had almost been 9 months since you told your friends at that fateful dinner, and they had spared no expense, treating you and Cerise like royalty.

Feyre could tell you were drained from your new motherly duties and said she would be happy to take care of your daughter for as long as you needed, but you had refused her offer.

"Oh no, Feyre, that's so kind," you smiled gratefully at your friend. "It's okay though, I will pick a place suitable for the both of us."

You had picked up Cerise from eager Auntie Mor's that morning and had decided. It was time for a holiday.

Feyre's eyes were scanning your face, waiting to pounce on any sign of hesitation. "Besides," you continued. "You have Nyx to think about!"

Upon hearing her son's name, Feyre beamed. "Yes! Oh y/n, I am so excited to have them grow up together." Her eyes softened. "It may seem hard now, but I know you'll be a great mother."

You reached for your friend and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Feyre. I learn from the best."

When you pulled back Feyre grasped your hands, grinning excitedly. "Now for the fun part. Let's pick a holiday destination; where are we sending you!"

Rhys walked in about an hour after you and Feyre decided to research to find Prythian's best Court for a vacation.

"How about the Day Court?" He suggested. "Helion loves you, and I'm sure both you and your daughter would enjoy the sunshine."

You looked at Feyre who was beaming.

"That sounds perfect."

That's how you ended up holding your daughter, watching as Helion - ever the show-off - had insisted you fly to the Day Court in his finest white carriage, led by the horses with manes of flame. When Rhys had heard about this plan, he just rolled his eyes, telling you that once, he had banned Helion from coming into the Night Court in that carriage, but Helion's loophole was to take you out of the Night Court in it.

"Go easy on the flying, okay? You have a post-partum mother and a baby on board," you said to Helion, only half-joking.

Helion raised one dark eyebrow at you in reply. "Of course. I promise you a mellow ride." He smiled and turned his attention back to his horses. A quick tug on the reigns from Helion, and the three of you were gone.

@ladyescapism 💗💗

edit: I ONLY JUST REALISED I DONT USE READ MORE OMLLLL

edit 2: WEDDING VOWELS LMFAO

#broken bonds #azriel angst #azriel fluff #azriel shadowsinger #azriel x y/n #azriel x reader #azriel fic #azriel x you

[tiannasfanfic]

The One I Love

Tianyou Zhao x Reader (Fluff)

| Main Masterlist | AO3 Link |

Summary: When the Geomijul headquarters burns to the ground, the only life you've ever known is ash. Left with nothing to your name, you're given refuge at a bar called Survive and you find youself thinking back on how you met the man you love.

Rating: General Audiences

Author Notes: Gender neutral Reader, they/them pronouns (if any). Tianyou Zhao x Geomijul!Reader. No physical description, race or cultural heritage mentioned for Reader.

CW: Mentions of canon violence and canon typical violence; non-graphic mentions of injuries; suggestive non-graphic mentions of sex.

Word Count: 6,676

The unthinkable had happened.

Ijincho’s Great Wall of Muscle was close to falling down all thanks to an unexpected invasion by the Omi Alliance.

There was a surge of infighting within the Seiryu Clan. Chairman Hoshino had done his best to quell it, but many of his men had defected to the Omi and left them severely weakened.

A coup had occurred within The Liumang, resulting in the leader, Tianyou Zhou, getting captured and tortured by his second in command, who had also defected to the Omi.

Geomijul’s headquarters had nearly burnt to the ground when the Omi stormed in, including the computer systems that made up their vast information network, which had severely crippled all three factions in the process.

Granted, it wasn’t the Omi who set the fires, but they may as well have. The leader of Geomijul, Seonhee, had her hand forced to protect their biggest secret. A secret so big that even you, an officer and trusted member of her inner circle, had not been aware of until the very end when you were briefed and ordered to help evacuate the nearby residents.

Being a part of the rear guard didn’t mean you were completely out of the action though. A handful of Omi officers had come around in an ambush from behind to stop the retreat. You and the others leading the evacuation were far from sitting ducks though. All of you had varying degrees of combat training, both with and without weapons.

While a few lives were lost in the fight, none of those were the civilians you’d been sent to protect. It was a small victory, at least, yet you couldn’t be happy about it. Not when the only life you ever knew was nothing but ash.

And that was how you found yourself sitting in a bar called Survive with a swollen jaw, a black eye, a sore body, no home, and no job.

You didn’t understand how it all came to this. None of it made any sense. How could you start out the day with a decent life and now end it with absolutely nothing? It was aggravating, to say the very least.

And the more you thought over your last conversation with Seonhee, the more aggravated you got.

“What do you mean my services are no longer required?” you’d asked in dismay. “Aren’t you going to rebuild?”

She had just returned from meeting with Geomijul’s new allies, with whom she had sent Joongi Han to help. Good people she could trust were now in short supply, so to send you away made little to no sense.

“That is the plan,” Seonhee replied. “But our information network is our top priority, not our other services. This is your best chance to get out. I know this was never the life you wanted.”

She had you there. The two of you were old childhood friends, having grown up and raised through the ranks of Geomijul together, so she was aware of your thoughts on the matter. Being an only child, you had inherited your position as the chief accountant for the Geomijul from your father, just as he had inherited it from your grandfather. Your family had a natural talent for numbers, and that paired with your formal training and modern technology, you were one of the best in Ijincho.

Well. Calling yourself an accountant was a bit of a stretch. While you were the first in your family to have any official certifications in that line of work, what you did was far less legitimate.

Your actual job was keeping all the financial records for the whole district. All the businesses, both real and front, reported their finances directly to you. You did regular audits, kept the accounting tidy, and manufactured fake books that would easily pass inspection by government officials.

Back in your father’s youth, Seonhee’s predecessor realized they could make extra money off your family’s expertise with numbers and expanded the Geomijul’s offerings of information to include financial advising. What that meant was, when the Seiryu Clan or the Liumang needed accounting assistance or comprehensive financial audits beyond what their own people could accomplish, they contracted you out for a hefty fee.

It was decent work, and you liked what you did, but you would’ve been much happier with a regular job at a legitimate accounting firm in the city. While the pay wouldn’t be as good, sometimes you wanted more simplicity and less paranoia. You always had to be on your guard, always looking over your shoulder for people lurking in the shadows. As one of the select few faces of the Geomijul that were known to the other two factions, just going about your daily life carried a large amount of risk.

To say it was exhausting was putting it mildly, but, at the same time, it was all you ever knew. You would have to start over, begin your life fresh. Outside of your certifications, you had nothing you could put down on a resume. You had no work history, no references, and no good explanation as to why you had neither. A background check would come up empty, your credit report too. The chances anyone would give you a chance were slim to none. A blank life history like that for someone your age usually screamed “I was a criminal” to prospective employers.

You relayed all this to Seonhee and begged her to reconsider, but she stood firm.

“We will provide you with as much as we can in that regard,” she replied, her tone indicating her mind was made up. “I know it isn’t much, but this is a chance hardly any of us get. Now you can lead a normal life, settle down with a good man. It’s what you’ve always wanted.”

A bark of laughter left your throat at her words. You couldn’t stop it, nor did you try.

“A good man,” you repeated, shaking your head. “Like that will ever happen.”

Seonhee stepped forward and patted you on the shoulder reassuringly.

“You never know what the future may bring,” she said, smiling at you as if she knew something you didn’t.

You raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, but she offered no explanation. She simply gave your shoulder one last squeeze, then walked away.

At times, you couldn’t help but wonder if she knew.

You did have a good man, but settling down together and living a normal life would be impossible.

Presently, you were brought out of your thoughts by the bartender of Survive setting a glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen on the bar in front of you.

“I’ve got herbs marinating that will ease your wounds,” he said. “It needs a bit more time to meld together, but this should help in the meantime. I sent Iroha out to pick up supplies for you. Once she’s back, we can get the extra room ready for you. It’s not as big as the one Kasuga and his friends share, but it should do until you get on your feet.”

“Thank you,” you said. “I really am sorry for all the trouble.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said, waving off your thanks as he walked away. “Any friend of Kasuga’s is a friend of mine.”

Calling you Kasuga’s friend was a bit of a stretch. You’d only met the man twice, once after the attack on Geomijul and the second not even a half hour ago when you walked through the door to the bar. But he’d taken a liking to you, it seemed, and vouched for you when you asked if you could stay there as if you’d known each other for years.

You chuckled softly to yourself and shook your head. Kasuga was something else, that was for sure.

As he was leaving the bar to meet with Chairman Hoshino, he’d thanked you for all your help despite the fact you’d done little to aid him in his cause. In all reality, you were the one who should’ve been thanking him.

If it weren’t for Ichiban Kasuga, Tianyou Zhao, the love of your life, would be nothing but a corpse rotting in an unmarked grave right now.

But had no way of knowing this, of course. No one knew about the two of you. That’s just how it had to be for both your protection and Zhao’s.

It wouldn’t have looked good for the leader of the Liumang and a high-ranking officer of the Geomijul to be in a relationship together. The balance would appear skewed, as if your love would tip the scales in favor of one faction or the other. And none of the factions could risk you spilling the confidential information you’d learned over the years by working for all three.

It had been a huge gamble you both had taken by entering a secret relationship, but one you couldn’t say you ever regretted. Your time with Zhao had been the happiest of your life.

The whole thing started a little over three years ago when the Liumang had thieves within their ranks.

Normally, thievery was taken care of in-house, same as with the Geomijul, but these thieves were cleverer than most. Despite massive sums of money disappearing, sometimes even overnight, no one could find their trail. They had combed over the financial records repeatedly, interrogated anyone with access to these records, and always came up empty handed.

Finally, with no other options, a representative contacted Geomijul for help and you were contracted out for a modest fee.

The contract was initially for thirty days with the option to renew it in thirty-day blocks if finding them proved complicated even for you. Considering the magnitude of the theft, you felt thirty days was an overly optimistic timeframe. You were going to be combing over all the financial records for the Liumang from the last year, including all businesses operating within their area, as well as for the organization itself. This was going to take a long time and a lot of patience.

Anytime a contract took you into Liumang or Seiryu territory for more than a day’s work, they wanted you on site until the job was finished. It was too much of a risk having you come and go freely, but you didn’t mind. Both factions always treated you as a welcome guest, even if your freedom was a bit restricted during that time.

You were set up with a modest apartment in the district, all your daily living necessities provided at no cost to you. All you brought with you was a few changes of clothes and your regular toiletries. Your workspace was set up in an unused office on the ground floor of Qing Jin, the high-end restaurant that served as Liumang’s headquarters. They gave you a day to get unpacked and settled in, then after that, you went right to work.

Every morning, a guard escorted you from your apartment to the restaurant, then escorted you back that night when you were done for the day. You had a habit of losing track of time while working, so you always ended up falling into bed close to the wee hours of the morning. You didn’t mind though. The one day a week you had off was more than enough to catch up on sleep, send out your laundry and write up your progress report for the higher ups.

Unfortunately, your progress reports during the first few weeks didn’t have much to report. These thieves, whoever they were, were good. Outside of standard accounting errors where someone forgot to carry a number or subtracted an expense wrong, you didn’t find any major discrepancies.

No one bothered you while you were working, at least until you were going into your fourth week. It was at that point, someone decided to check in on you. But you were so focused on your work that you didn’t hear anyone enter the office, nor did you hear your name being called. You didn’t become aware that you weren’t alone anymore until you felt a hand on your shoulder.

It scared the hell out of you.

You jumped so hard you nearly turned over your chair, a loud shriek leaving your mouth that also startled the man in question. The man jumped back from your chair, startled himself by your scream. You stared at each other for a few seconds before you both started laughing.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya,” he said through his laughter and held up his hands.

“It’s alright,” you said, pressing one palm to your chest and taking a deep breath to calm yourself. “It happens. I get a little too focused on what I’m doing sometimes.”

“That ain’t a bad thing,” the man said, a good-natured grin coming to his face as he looked at you over his glasses. “You’re a hard worker, that’s a rare thing to find sometimes.”

While you’d never spoken to this man before, you had noticed he was there at the restaurant nearly every day. It was hard not to; his leather jacket and relaxed way of dressing made him stick out like a sore thumb among the flashy suits all the other men wore.

At that point, you’d never met the leader of the Liumang before and, thus, had no idea who it was you were talking to. You just assumed he worked at the restaurant.

“Speaking of hard work, have you taken any breaks?’ he asked. “Have you eaten today?”

You blinked a few times, the question catching you off guard.

“Yeah, this morning,” you replied. “I had a sandwich before I came in.”

The man looked at his watch and tutted at you.

“You got here almost nine hours ago,” he said. “You seriously haven’t had anything since then?”

“No,” you said, shaking your head. “It’s fine though, I’ll eat after I’m done for the night. That’s what I normally do.”

The man tutted at you again, shook his head in disapproval and left the room without another word.

That was strange, you thought to yourself.

No one had ever bothered to check in on you before. You didn’t think more of it though, just shrugged and got back to work.

Sometime later, the man came back, knocking loudly on the doorframe this time to announce his presence.

“Who’s hungry?” he stated.

Looking up from your work, you blinked a few times in surprise.

“Huh?” you said.

“Dinner’s ready,” he replied. “Time to eat.”

“Oh, that’s really not necessary,” you said, then gestured to all the paperwork on the desk. “I haven’t had any luck finding what I’m looking for, and I don’t want to make your boss think I’m slacking off.”

The man blinked at you a few times, then a grin spread across his face.

“Actually, it was the boss who sent me down here,” he stated. “He noticed how hard you’ve been working and wanted me to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

Your mouth dropped open a little and you gawped at the man.

“Really?” you asked.

“Yup,” he said, nodding. “After all, it’s much easier to think when you have a full stomach.”

He took a few steps into the room and then bowed grandly, gesturing out the door with one arm.

“Now, come have dinner with me,” he said. “Bosses orders.”

You couldn’t argue that, so you left the desk to follow the man.

The restaurant was closed for a deep cleaning thar day, so there weren’t any customers or even many employees about. He led you up the stairs to the second floor, where you found yourself at a table loaded down with food.

“Once I got in the kitchen, I realized I didn’t know what you like, so I made a little bit of everything,” he stated as he pulled a chair out for you and gestured for you to sit.

You stared at him in shock for a moment before taking the offered seat. He pushed your chair back up to the table as you sat.

“Are you the chef here?” you asked.

“Something like that,” he said, walking around the table to take a seat across from you. “Now dig in, I can hear your stomach complaining from here.”

It was true. As soon as all the delicious smells hit your nose, you realized exactly how hungry you were.

Most evenings after that, you had dinner with him. It wasn’t always at the same time, but it always happened the same way. He’d come to ask if you’d eaten, you’d say no and then, next thing you knew, you were sitting at a table filled with enough to feed an army even though it was just the two of you.

The conversation was light the first few times you ate together, mainly basic topics like food and what you both liked to do outside of work. That’s how you found out cooking was a hobby of his rather than his job, but something he really enjoyed doing. Much like you with accounting, being a chef was something he would’ve loved to do had he not been in the Liumang.

After your contract was renewed for another thirty days, the two of you began opening to each other about more personal topics. As it turned out, you both had remarkably similar childhoods. Both of you were born into your factions and were expected to follow in your respective father’s footsteps. While he never told you exactly what his father did, and you never asked, it sounded as if he was higher up just as yours had been. It was clear that you’d both had big shoes to fill and, being the dutiful children you were, were still doing your best to live up to those lofty expectations.

While he didn’t outright say it, his tone and body language while talking about it gave away the same discontent with things that you felt. Life was good, yes. Neither of you could complain, nor did you have any right to, but you both knew there was more to life than what the factions provided.

In those weeks, you found yourselves growing closer with each conversation. He was easy to talk to, easy to open yourself up to. You felt a deep connection with him, a kinship you’d never felt with anyone outside of Seonhee, but in a way that was more than just friendship. Anytime you were with him, you felt a spark inside that had the potential to grow into an inferno should you both allow it.

It was a shame, really, since you knew nothing could come of it.

Halfway into your second month with the Liumang, you finally made a breakthrough in tracking down the theft. You began to pick up on their trail. It wasn’t much at first, just a small pattern in the numbers that was so subtle you almost didn’t notice it. But once you did, you began to get an idea of how they got away with it for so long without being noticed and how far back it went.

Rather than making your job easier, finding the evidence made it even more complicated. The Liumang had to pull more financial records for you dating back to the last three years and you had to go back over some of the records you had already done to re-examine the accounting errors you’d found. A lot of them ended up tying it in with the theft, but without knowing the pattern, they had looked kosher your first time over them.

These thieves were good. Some of the best you’d seen, in fact, if not the best. Whoever this mastermind was, they were just as good at numbers as you were.

Your contract was extended again by another thirty days as you became absorbed in your work. With your workload increased, you found yourself staying even later than before, sometimes working through the night, and only getting a short nap on the small couch there in the office. The fancy dinners came to a stop for a while, but your new friend always made sure you took a break to eat. Even on the days you didn’t see him, someone always brought up a takeout container of food for you to graze on while you worked.

But pushing yourself like that had a major drawback. I quickly wore you out. Soon you were exhausted, not only physically but mentally as well. You weren’t taking days off anymore and it was catching up to you. This job was far more in-depth and rigorous than anything you’d encountered.

The boss eventually noticed that your work had slowed, but rather than crack the whip like you would have expected, the opposite happened.

One night when your friend grabbed you for dinner, rather than the normal selection of water and tea to drink, there was a bottle of wine at the table.

At first you protested, insisting you couldn’t drink since you had more work to do, but he waved them off.

“One drink with dinner won’t kill ya,” he stated as he filled up a glass and set it in front of you. “You’re way too stressed out; you need to unwind and relax. Boss’s orders.”

As much as he used the boss as an excuse to get you to do things you normally wouldn’t do while on a job, you had to wonder if they really were orders from his boss, but you gave in since you weren’t in any position to question it.

As the two of you ate and the conversation flowed, one glass turned into two. The conversation turned flirty and two turned into three. With that second refill, he took the seat next to you rather than returning to his own. And then, the next thing you knew, you were sitting in his lap sharing a slow, deep kiss.

There was no denying the spark anymore, and it was clear he felt it too. While there was lust in the way his lips moved against yours, there was no sense of urgency, no rush to do anything more. He was taking his time just as you were, holding you close but loose enough you could easily pull away if you wanted.

You weren’t sure how long you were like that before his lips parted from yours. At first, you felt some disappointment, but that didn’t last for more than a second before he shifted downwards towards your neck. Your breath caught in your throat as you let your head fall back a little, giving him better access.

“You know what?” he muttered against your skin, waiting for you to hum in acknowledgement before continuing. “You should take the rest of the night off.”

His words made your heartbeat faster, but you couldn’t help a small chuckle.

“Now that I’m pretty sure the boss would frown on,” you said, softly tracing the tips of your fingers over the back of his neck.

“Trust me, he really won’t give two shits about that,” he muttered quickly, then nipped at your collarbone. “Let me take care of you tonight, baby. Please.”

It was tempting, so very tempting. He was making you feel things you hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever.

Before you could answer though, a thought occurred to you. It is something you always meant to ask him, but it always slipped your mind when you were together. Now seemed as good of a time as any since you were seriously considering taking him back to your room.

“You know what?” you said, then waited for him to hum in acknowledgment before continuing. “You’ve never told me your name.”

His lips were beginning to trail down to your chest when he suddenly froze at your words, then slowly pulled back to look at you. For the first time since you met him, he looked nervous.

“I’ll tell you my name,” he said, swallowing heavily. “But promise you won’t freak out?”

You tilted your head at him curiously.

“Why would your name freak me out?” you asked, then smiled as your voice took on a teasing tone. “Are you a famous celebrity living in hiding?”

Rather than get a laugh like you expected, he looked away from you. He was quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed as if thinking hard.

It was only then that you finally realized he had been hiding something from you.

“Something like that, yeah,” he said finally then sighed. “All right. My name is- “

Before he could finish his sentence, from downstairs you heard the front door of the restaurant burst open and several pairs of feet urgently running towards the stairs.

“Boss!” a loud voice called. “Boss, where are you?”

Quite suddenly, you found yourself deposited back in your seat as your friend jumped to his feet. He grabbed his glasses off the table then and quickly moved around the table to his original chair across from you.

“Act natural,” he said quietly, putting his glasses back on.

His entire demeanor changed at that moment. Gone was the relaxed pose and easy-going attitude you were accustomed to seeing, replaced by an authoritative energy and piercing gaze.

By the time four gruff looking men made it up the stairs, you both had gotten yourselves back to the appearance of having dinner together.

The men looked around frantically, saw you two at the table and hurried over.

“Boss,” the man in the lead said and you recognized it as the one who called out from downstairs. “We’ve got trouble over on Ijin Street. It’s those shit sucking bikers again.”

“Little fuckers don’t know when to give up, do they?” he replied, shaking his head. “Get Mabuchi down there, he’ll take care of it.”

“That’s just it boss, they’ve got him and some of his boys cornered.”

You took a bite of your food and kept your face neutral as you watched your friend jump out of his chair so fast it nearly tipped over. His demeanor changed again, his calm facade slipping into one of anger.

“Then why the fuck didn’t you lead with that?” he snarled, quickly jumping to his feet, and grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair. “Round up as many of the guys as you can. This shit’s gonna end tonight!”

Now that they had their orders, the men scrambled back downstairs to carry them out. Your friend started to follow, putting on his jacket as he went, but stopped just before he left the room, and turned back towards you.

“I meant what I said before,” he stated, his voice still authoritative but softer now as he addressed you. “Take the rest of the night off. You deserve it.”

Speechless, you simply nodded. Then flashed you a grin and a wink and followed his men.

Even if he hadn’t given you the go ahead to take the night off, there wouldn’t have been any way for you to focus after that. Realizing you had fallen for none other than the leader of the Yokohama Liumang, Tianyou Zhou himself, had shocked you to your core.

Presently, a commotion in Survive startled you out of your thoughts and you looked over towards the door. Iroha had returned from her shopping trip. You watched as the bartender went over to help her lug a new sleeping mat upstairs. That meant your room would be ready soon and you would be able to get cleaned up, changed, and finally get some rest. Just that alone thought made you aware of just how exhausted you were. It had been a very long night, and you couldn’t wait to fall into bed. Honestly, if given enough time alone, you could’ve easily fallen asleep right there at the bar. To keep that from happening though, you returned to your thoughts and remembered the remainder of your time spent with the Liumang.

You didn’t see Zhao again until your job was done. After the night you learned of his real identity, it only took two more weeks for you to figure out who was responsible for the theft. There were six men total that were behind it all and they were quickly taken care of. With that done, all you had left was to complete a final audit and make sure the books could pass a government inspection, which only took a couple of days.

While you were waiting for the car that was coming to take you home, Zhao came downstairs and dismissed the guard who had been waiting with you.

“I’ll take it from here,” he said. “I have one last thing to discuss with them before they’re off.”

He waited until it was just the two of you before speaking again.

And this time when he spoke, it was as the man you shared dinner with all those times, not the leader of the Liumang.

“I’m sorry about lying to you,” he said, then chuckled nervously. “But when I figured out you didn’t know who I was, I thought not knowing might make it easier for you to relax.”

You waved off his apology with a smile.

“It’s okay,” you said. “You were right, I would have had my guard up the whole time.”

He nodded, chuckled, then started rubbing the back of his neck.

“Would it be okay with you if I asked for your phone number?” he asked.

You raised an eyebrow.

“Is that even allowed?” you said. “I mean, we’re technically not even on the same side here.”

“What people don’t know won’t kill ‘em,” he said, then winked at you with a grin. “Or us.”

You couldn’t help but grin back at him and slipped him one of your fake business cards with your very real personal cell number written on the back.

Since you had to keep the whole thing a secret, it was like a long-distance relationship in the sense that most of it occurred through text messages and late-night phone calls. Occasionally, Zhao was able to slip away from his bodyguards to sneak off to your apartment, but those times were very few and far between. It was extremely dangerous for him to enter Geomijul territory, yet he always managed to slip in and out without being noticed. He never could stay the night though, just a few hours at most. You’d fall asleep in his arms, then wake up alone the next morning. While it made you sad, you wouldn’t have traded those few hours with him for anything.

Another commotion in the bar roused you from your thoughts again, this time from Adachi and Nanba enthusiastically greeting someone. You assumed it was Kasuga returning from his meeting and turned to greet the man as well. Instead, you saw it was Joongi Han who had arrived.

Sliding carefully off the barstool, you got to your feet to greet your old friend, but you froze in place as you watched another man limp into the bar behind him.

It was Zhao. And your heart broke at the sight of him.

The Liumang traitors had put him through hell, the results of the beating they had given were obvious. He moved slowly, a slight wince on his swollen lips as he walked, one arm hugged tight across his abdomen in an indication of broken ribs. His face was battered and bruised, scabs and dried blood caking areas of his skin.

It was obvious he was in a lot of pain, but little showed on his face. The man was an expert on hiding how he truly felt unless you knew how to read him.

Your first instinct was to rush over to him, to take him in your arms and comfort him, to take care of him in his time of need. It took everything you had, a willpower you didn’t even know you possessed, but you managed to stay rooted in place.

Zhao nodded a greeting to the others, then his gaze quickly swept the room, as if searching for something. When his eyes landed on you, they widened in shock, his expression looking as taken back as you felt. You hadn’t looked in a mirror yet, but you assumed you probably looked about as bad as you felt.

The reservations you had about rushing over to him he clearly didn’t share. He strode right over to you as quickly as his injuries would allow and, in full view of everyone, pulled you into a tight hug. It made you both gasp in pain, but you didn’t care about the pain. All you cared about was the man holding you in his arms.

“Should we be doing this here?” you muttered against his jacket, holding it tightly in your fists as if afraid he’d disappear.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” he said, then pulled back slightly to look at you. “I’ve stepped down from the Liumang. Seonhee oversees both factions now.”

That surprised you and your mouth dropped open.

“Seonhee?” you repeated, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

It took a moment, but things finally started clicking in your head.

“Then that means…we’re both civilians now?”

Zhao smiled a little and brought one hand up to caress your uninjured cheek.

“Yeah, we are,” he said softly. “We don’t have to hide anymore, baby.”

The effect of his words was immediate. Suddenly the mask you always wore around others was gone and the walls you’d built around yourself to protect yourself from outsiders came crashing down.

You couldn’t stop yourself from kissing him, tears of happiness and relief streaming down your face. The force of the kiss made you both wince, but he only pulled you closer, returning it with just as much passion.

You were so engrossed in one another that neither of you heard Han grumble to Namba about how he now owed Seonhee a thousand yen thanks to you two.

It wasn’t long before Kasuga returned from his meeting. By the time he’d filled you all in on what happened, your room had long since been ready, so you and Zhao retired upstairs for the night. While there wasn’t much room, the space was only a little bigger than your average walk-in closet, it was more than enough for the two of you.

Between the broken ribs and the lingering effects of a dislocated shoulder, getting his jacket and shirt off was slow going, but you managed. After filling a small basin with warm water from the sink in the other room, you helped clean him up. Once the dried blood and dirt was washed away, you applied the herbal poultice the bartender made to his wounds and bruises, then wrapped them in bandages.

While you insisted that he rest, Zhao insisted it was his turn now, wanting to take care of you as you did him. You changed the water in the basin since you could move around a little easier than he could, but once that was done, he took over as caregiver. He helped you undress and gently cleaned your wounds, softly kissing your neck and shoulders as he went, and dressed your injuries just as you did for him.

By the time he finished, your body felt electrified, and you couldn’t help but find his lips with yours. The kiss was softer than the one you shared downstairs, soft enough it didn’t hurt. He was more than eager to return your affection, his hands trailing gently along your body, caressing all the places you loved to be touched.

Considering the state you were both in, physical activity should have been the last thing on your mind. But at that moment, the need for physical touch and comfort overrode all common sense and logic. Soon you were under him on the bed. He held most of his weight off you with his good arm, your bodies close but not crushed together. His thrusts were slow to keep from hurting either of you, even slower than the times he’d teased you and taken his time with you. But, despite that, neither of you were able to last long. The fact it had been weeks since you’d last seen each other combined with the fear you’d lost one another to build a foundation for quick, earth-shattering orgasms. Afterwards, you passed out in each other’s arms, exhausted and hurting like hell, but happy.

When the next morning came, you were lulled up from sleep by a severe pounding in your head. You made the mistake of cracking your eyes open and then immediately shut them again with a groan. The tiny window in the room had no curtain, allowing bright sunlight to beam directly into your eyes. The sharp pain it sent into your brain caused your eyes and nose to water. It took a little while but eventually the pain began to recede back down to a throb. As it did, you became more aware of your body, and you wished you were still asleep.

You felt like total, absolute garbage.

From the top of your head to bottom of your feet, every single part of your body hurt horribly.

But then you became aware of a different sensation, one that was a contrast to all the pain. It was soft, a very gentle stroking feeling on your upper arm that was soothing.

You risked cracking your eyes open again. While it still hurt, you were prepared for the light this time, so it wasn’t quite as bad. Carefully, you tilted your head up and found yourself looking at Zhao’s smiling face. You were still laying in his arms, your head against his chest.

“Morning baby,” he said softly.

“Morning,” you whispered, then you smiled. “You’ve never stayed the night before.”

“First time for everything,” he replied with a chuckle, then he softly kissed you on the forehead. “Now I can always be by your side.”

While your heart swelled at his words, a thought occurred to you that made your smile falter and you looked away from him.

Now that you were both normal, everyday civilians, your lives were about the drastically change. Things were about to become much, much harder for the both of you. While The Geomijul had never been the wealthiest of factions, The Liumang, however, were a different story. They easily rivaled The Seiryu Clan in terms of finances, even if it didn’t appear that way on the surface. From birth until now, anything Zhao desired could be his. From the everyday necessities of life to fancy cars, dinners, and women, all he had to do was snap his fingers and it would be his.

Sensing your sudden turn of mood, Zhao lifted his free hand to gently take ahold of your chin and tilt your head up, so you were meeting his gaze once again.

“Hey now,” he said softly. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

You started to nervously chew on your bottom lip but stopped when you accidentally bit down on the scab that was running right down the middle. It made you wince, and Zhao tutted at you with a chuckle.

“It’s just…won’t you get bored?” you finally asked. “We’re not going to have much of anything. My whole life burnt to the ground, everything I own is now in this room.”

He shook his head.

“I’ve never cared about any of that,” he said, stroking your arm again, but this time in a gesture of comfort. “But getting to wake up with you in my arms…now that’s something grand. I want to be here with you. I want to be by your side, now and forever. You’re the one that I love, and now I have the chance to love you the way I want to. The way you deserve.”

There were no more words needed at that point, neither from him nor from you.

The kiss that followed said anything that remained unsaid.

#tianyou zhao x reader #tianyou zhao #zhao tianyou #yakuza imagines #yakuza fanfiction #yakuza headcanons #ryu ga gotoku #yakuza #yakuza like a dragon

[insurrection-if]

Insurrection: HAWKS

Insurrection: HAWKS is a character-driven work of interactive fiction set in a world where superpowered beings must grapple with their purpose, persecution, and promise of godhood. A world where you, and your fellow agents, may be all that stands between it and fate’s insurrection.

You have inherited a soul-touching power through the Gifted bloodline: more specifically, the Gift that allows you to become a blood-eating copycat. Now, you must use the ‘Gifts’ of others—or your own skill—to save the world from a delusional man and the rebellion behind him . . . all while avoiding the pitfalls of losing your heart, mind, and soul.

Warnings (prone to change): Blood / Bleeding & Minor Cutting (Not Self-Harm Related), Minor Character Death, General Violence, Prejudice / Discrimination, Abuse / Abuse of a Child (Vague, Mentioned, NPC Backstories - Not MC-related), Abduction, Sexual Content

ROs | CARDINALS | Characters of Note | Mechanics | Factions | Demo TBA | Forum TBA

Revolutionaries. Terrorists. Heroes. Villains. Martyrs. Beasts.

These are the titles branded onto the CARDINALS. They are no strangers to the judgment of the masses. It is to be expected as a rising organization fighting for the rights, and perhaps even the supremacy, of the Gifted. They know that there is something tainted in their hearts, and something pure about their dreams. It is a common reality among their small sect of humanity: those who have been granted hereditary abilities once associated with fiction, from origins unknown. Self-possessed abilities that bear the strength to topple the world or rule it.

They are your brethren, these Gifted.

But you are not a CARDINAL.

Welcome, Agent Mockingbird, to the HAWKS!

In this sector of an international agency known as WINGS, you are to serve on the front lines of the world’s greatest threats of insurrection. Primarily, undermining and counteracting the CARDINALS at every turn.

At least, that is what your superiors (captors) hope you will do.

Are you ready to stand against the CARDINALS? You must prepare yourself to face against the personalities of the Inner Circle, as well as their own deadly Gifts. Led by a man losing his grip on humanity. Commanded by a Grim Reaper with a lost love for life. Guided by a healer with a savior complex. But the three central leaders of this rebel organization aren’t the only notable threats out there.

All eight of the Inner Circle, and an additional newcomer, stand between you and the stability of the world. And as you quickly unveil the nature of their latest plot, you may find yourself opposed to what will be humanity’s saving grace or final tragedy. Fate has written you off as a withered pawn. But fate has little say when its ethereal order falls to a dream’s insurrection.

Are you ready to stand up to—or for—the HAWKS? Will you push back against the organization, or pick fights against the agents within it? Will you embrace the WING’s cause as your own, or choose to embrace the people who serve that cause? Perhaps you’ll find love with a fellow Specialist Agent— a love that will be condemned by those who stand against your kind. Or maybe you will fall for a Supervising Agent and suffer the burden of a forbidden romance.

Every Gifted has a Gift. It’s in the namesake. Yours concerns blood-eating. Gross, and slightly creepy on paper, but it’s invaluable to your new team at Division-01. Consuming the blood of a fellow Gifted grants you a temporary possession of their own unique gift, with an added twist.

Whoever’s blood you consume connects you to their psyche, their soul. A consequence that may bring opportunity and harm depending on how you play it.

Be careful when deciding whose blood to use when in perilous danger. There may be a long-term impact from being too reliant on a specific person’s soul.

Customize your protagonist: name, gender, personality, body type, facial appearance, region of origin, tattoos and marks, former career, and more!

Choose the core emotion of your psyche: sadness, anger, fear, joy, or apathy.

Nine ROs: a regretful romantic, a shy visionary, a stern leader, a conflicted protector, a dutiful soldier, a lively wildcard, a soft-hearted hot-head, a curious tinkerer, and a lost soul.

Minor Romances: Other characters who may have an attraction towards you but, for one reason or another, will not manifest into fully committed long-term partners. Their feelings, however, may persist alongside the development of your official relationship - a troublesome predicament for some and a challenge for others.

Determine your allegiance to the CARDINALS, the HAWKS, neither, or both.

Tailor your personality! Are you a stoic optimist that’s shy yet eager to protect your friends? Or are you an honest loner with a cruel streak that’s known for their humility? Whatever feels true to you!

Wield powers once thought to be unimaginable— with the unintended consequence of tapping into the psyche of your team! But remember, there’s a chance that the Gifts of the HAWKS will not be the only ones you taste. Exercise caution where you may. Or . . . don’t. The choice is ultimately yours.

Discover the motivations behind the CARDINALS Inner Circle. Extend to some your hand in friendship, earn the respect of a few, or make the personal hit list of others. Maybe even find everlasting love with one (at your own risk). Just know that some are more dangerous to provoke than their peers.

Live by your ambition, or sacrifice your deepest wants for a new purpose (or person).

Earn the respect, friendship, contempt, or love of the HAWKS and CARDINALS - and choose whether to honor or betray these developing bonds.

Tame or Be Overcome by your Gift in accordance with its origin.

Play a hand in how Gifts are perceived and developed in those around you.

When the CARDINALS test the limits of reality and fate, you must take a stand. Be that through your friendship, your love, your desperation, your authority, your manipulation, or your bloodthirst.

View the full character profiles linked here to see Artbreeder images of an RO’s likeness, background details, and more! Below will be descriptions about the main ROs and an explanation on minor romances.

Eight of the ten fellow HAWKS on the team are available for romance. From the CARDINALS, a certain bachelor is open to finding love. Yet two other CARDINALS may find themselves open for a brief tryst, if you manage to impress or endear yourself to them enough. And another prime adversary may feel her heart vulnerable to your affection but will find the courage to deny her wants. In other words, alongside the central and typical RO cast there will also be the function of minor romances.

Non-ROs may develop an attraction towards the MC but will not be available for an established long-term relationship. Their attractions may persist after the MC has been locked into an official romance route with varying consequences. Multiple minor romances may be activated at once as well, though some require more conditions than others. Additionally, if the conditions are met by a certain point, the player will then decide whether to approve / activate the minor romances or deny them. After the player has confirmed one (or more) they can determine as the story progresses how much they reciprocate that attraction - though if locked on an official RO this might lead to some unfortunate exchanges.

Minor Romances Include:

Curadora: The right-hand of CARDINALS leadership and self-considered healer. Known for her mercy and secrecy, Curadora finds herself falling further and further from the ideal she has struggled to project for her people.

Dearil: The left-hand of CARDINALS leadership and self-declared deity of Death. Known for his cruelty and vengeance, Dearil seeks to sow destruction and chaos through the vessel of the CARDINALS—if he must advance their agenda to do this, then so be it.

Lempo: The most successful recruiter and thus a high-ranking leader within the CARDINALS. Once infamous for her fallen cult, Lempo has devoted herself to delivering as much pleasure and joy as she can to the world.

Retriever: A fallen hero, or so he declares himself to be, and a current elite soldier within the CARDINALS. Retriever sees potential for haven to the helpless within the CARDINALS and, in addition to his sense of debt to Curadora and her peers, he has decided to assist the organization as a form of personal redemption.

Bones: If you decide to establish a crush-based relationship (mutual or one-sided) with him in childhood, Bones is deeply conflicted upon his reunion with you. You, a dreaded HAWK, and he as the protege to Dearil. Old feelings resurface, and he will try desperately to have them crushed.

MAIN RO CAST:

Akil Elmahdy | M | 32 | Supervising Agent | Longer Profile Here

Your Commander in Division-01 of the HAWKS. A high-born academic that became disillusioned with the diplomatic career his parents expected him to carry on. At a young age, Akil developed a strong ideal towards the potential of the Gifted as a force for global betterment. This ambition evolved into his drive to reform the HAWKS from within to act more as a nurturing guide to Gifted talents and morals— a prime example of peaceful and cooperative Gifted-human relations. Brutal tragedy, however, cemented deep cracks in his vision. In the present, Akil is tormented between what he believes to be the reality of the Gifted and his past hopes that seem so brittle in his heart.

Akil is not the most sociable or charming personality to encounter. As a leader, he instead relies on his ability to rationalize his solutions to others and proves his trustworthiness through delivered success. Solitude is his haven, and most relationships tend to be tiresome for him. His entire life seems to be consumed by his work, leaving little room for his personal hobbies that have been uncomfortably abandoned for so long. Calculating and stern, Akil does not court popularity when it does not suit his ambitions.

Yet, come to know him more, and you will uncover a gentle reverence in his touch. A buried passion in his lectures. A shy aversion in his straying gaze. Come to love him, and Akil will fear all he has ever served. He will come to fear himself as his devotion wrangles free from his grasp until it finally breaks away to serve you above himself.

Takenaka Kamiko | F | 32 | Supervising Agent | Longer Profile Here

A renowned Supervising Agent that an unfortunate few underestimate due to her unconventional rise to the position. Kamiko has experienced first-hand the brutalities the Gifted may deliver upon the helpless. She bears the scars of her past cowardice, her ignorant hesitance, when faced with your kind. For years, she worked to ensure that her weakness could never again be exploited as it had been then. For years, she sought to defend the public from the potential horrors the organized Gifted in her nation threatened. It is unclear why she, then, transferred to the HAWKS at so late an age. While there may be no question about her capabilities, many find themselves suspicious as to her motivations for the change.

Stoic and reserved, Kamiko is a quiet mystery to most. Her presence lingers in the background, constant and vigilant as she remains watchful for the slightest threat. Those that earn her trust, perhaps even a sentiment of friendship, find themselves under her firm and undying protection. In her mind, she best serves others as an unbreakable tool to be used as long as, in the end, she can aid in creating some greater order in this dangerous world. Kamiko is prone to action before thought when lives are at stake, relying on educated assumptions to deduce the danger of a situation or person. Otherwise, in a more settled social environment, she finds herself to be overly analytical to every gesture and intonation, wary of another’s true intentions.

Under her cold surface, Kamiko deeply buries her personal desires. Truly, she wants nothing more than for the people she loves to realize their full potential of happiness—whether or not that vision of happiness includes her by their side. Self-sacrificial to a fault, she gives herself entirely without expectation for anything in return.

Sigmund R. Heinrich | M | 29 | Deadly Wind | Longer Profile Here

Born with a silver-spoon in his mouth, Sigmund deserted his groomed inheritance to pursue a freedom (or, in his words, escape) abroad. His new life would earn him a despised reputation among the Gifted as a relentless mercenary willing to do anything for a check, an accusation he would casually protest. Bathed in his ever-rising notoriety, to the point the mention of his alias alone could still a room, Sigmund startled the world with his sudden declaration of sole loyalty to Curadora. In the present, he would openly declare this to be his sole regret in life.

Betrayal scars his past and has shaped Sigmund into his current self. He is distrustful towards outsiders, overly protective of those under his guard, and masks the vulnerabilities he has. Sigmund has mellowed, or (more accurately) learned to suppress, his more cocky and aggressive tendencies since his early mercenary days. To those unfamiliar to him, he may be gruff or dismissive to avoid any close relationships. Yet, to those that have trudged their way closer to him, Sigmund reveals his more humored nature whose bluntness softens with conscious effort. Sigmund exhibits no virtue better than loyalty yet has come to be more sparing in who he gifts this to.

Recovering from a recent and disastrous engagement that imploded upon itself, Sigmund has asserted that he bears no interest in love. He has become conflicted between his yearning to free himself from all bonds that pin him beneath another's whims and his deep longing to find an attachment that is loyal and true. Others have used him, have proven their words to be brittle until broken. To withstand such a torture again . . . It would be much too soon.

Imka N. Altena | F | 23 | All-Seeing Eyes | Longer Profile Here

Imka's life prior to her capture had little to note upon with its idyllic comfort in the mundane. She filled her days with idle daydreams and vision of wondrous places always near but never to be reached. Her deepest desire for a love devoted and true with another was grand enough for her, and her trade as a seamstress was a satisfaction she would have never dared to lose. A shame it all unraveled so disastrously, dangerously, with her reported kidnapping once her father’s true nature came to light. Abducted by him to the Netherlands, Imka would survive the frantic chase that followed the shocking upheaval of her life. Despite the grief she feels towards her father's actions, she has thus far refused to aid the HAWKS with his capture.

A moment in her presence would reveal the extent of her shyness. Imka finds herself awkward around strangers and bears a constant nervousness towards how others may perceive her. Keeping to the Golden Rule, she tries to extend generous amounts of kindness to everyone she encounters . . . even when she finds herself frightened or unsettled by their presence. Sweet and naive, Imka worries over the smallest things that may inconvenience another. Oddly enough, Imka is known possess a calm and serene presence when around her friends alone in contrast to her otherwise excitable emotions.

Imka has little to no experience with romantic relationships. Much too self-conscious and shy to approach any of her interests in the past, Imka never garnered many known admirers in her youth either. Once, or perhaps it was twice, in her adolescence had she been asked on a date only to learn it was a joke being played upon her. Still, Imka holds out an optimistic ideal towards the idea of love . . . even as she becomes more and more uncertain about finding it for herself in the future.

Elouan B Roux | M | 25 | Enchanting Light | Longer Profile Here

Largely unwanted and often left to fester, Elouan quickly learned to survive by whatever means he could. In time, he came to depend upon the exploitation of those around him with an effortless charm and easing grace. Once lowly and weak, Elouan accumulated admirers and connections alike to aid in his schemes for wealth and power throughout France. he was not one to idle by in the shadows, and so Elouan capitalized upon the small and deadly bit of fame he had acquired to satisfy his ego that had been beaten and bruised so callously throughout his boyhood. Quickly, horrifically, it would all crumble to his only true love. Elouan met his freedom's end with a tired acceptance and false smile.

Elouan veils the man he used to be beneath an air of charm and grace, exercising restraint in his words and expressions with familiar expertise. A subtle confidence radiates from his frame. He employs flattery to sweeten others and executes quick wit to dethrone some. Elouan likes to keep his ambitions quiet and feigns humility when he thinks it may earn him favor. Really, Elouan tries to remain adaptable to his audience at any given moment. Yet, surprisingly, he has also come to learn to be more genuine in the company of the HAWKS, and gradually all the sentiments and emotions he has long suppressed have threatened to slip out more often than he would prefer.

Elouan had quite the reputation as a casanova in the past. Sometimes his romances where little more than shallow plows, and most carried flimsy significance in his heart. People thought it a joke when his engagement came to be, but when the truth became undeniable it shocked any that knew him. It would be this engagement that would tear down all he had built himself up to be, poisoning him until he condemned all the past behind him. Elouan keeps wary of romance now as he foresees nothing but unworthiness and destruction to come.

Jacinta “Jae” Freitas Carvalho | F | 28 | Bloody Puppetry | Longer Profile Here

Jacinta knew her life would not be an easy game from an early age, but she found herself determined to be victorious by its end (. . . . though she has yet to decide what 'winning at life' truly means for her). Raised by her maternal grandparents, the only ones that truly felt like family to her, Jae would never fully recover from discovering their gruesome deaths. Vengeance and vices distracted her from the pain that grief brought to her, and soon Jae found herself adapting to a more dangerous lifestyle to meet her wants and ends. Mere survival did not suit her tastes, and she learned to balance revenge with whatever rewards she sought.

Jae tries to not let the little things bother her, often waving aside petty responsibilities in pursuit of her own fun-loving desires. Playful and teasing, she employs her fair share of sarcastic wit and nudging charm to toy with those around her. Most sacred to her would be her sense of pride, one deeply rooted in her fierce independence.

Jae does not believe in real-life fairytales or happy endings. She laughs at the thought of being swept off her feet and has a tendency to abandon her relationships when it proves to be too serious. Following her divorce, which she bears no heartbreak over, and her on-and-off relationship with Niccolò, Jae would be content to settle with a friend rather than a supposed soulmate.

Niccolò | M | 120 | Automation Heart | Longer Profile Here

Over the years, Niccolò has gradually taught himself withhold the fact that he is—in fact—an artificial intelligence given a soul through the Gift of his inventor. A possibly immortal creation since he has yet to experience death after a century and beyond. Traveling aimlessly through the decades as a wayward vagabond had been an ideal existence for him, one made most rewarding by the characters he encountered and the lifestyles he adopted in their short-lived company. Even within his captivity among the HAWKS, Niccolò finds joy in the globe-hopping missions and diverse Gifted he may encounter . . . even if these meetings often ended in either disappointing escapes or begrudging arrests.

Curiosity and a deep desire to develop his own sense of humanity drive Niccolò to explore everything the world has to offer. In his time on the surface world, he had undertaken countless expeditions to better understand the complexities behind human temperaments. His inquisitive nature sometimes misguides him and his taste for adventure can cause unintended trouble. Niccolò simply likes to keep busy, whether it be through conversation or tinkering, as he tries to enjoy every moment given to him.

Niccolò has been told he experienced 'being in love', though he hasn't quite bought into those tales yet. To him, it is still as mysterious a notion as it had been upon his initial conception. It is one he longs to obtain, and it is one he can envision being ignited by you. You, a true fascination like none he has ever seen before.

Mutya I. Lumaban | F | 26 | Mind Projection | Longer Profile Here

Hot-headed and soft-hearted, Mutya faces the world with a set brow and vague frown. Since her earliest memories, she has remained intensely devoted to her adoptive family. She found her purpose in this world by their side as she and her elder siblings formed a rogue ‘peacekeeping’ unit with international patrols. Not quite comfortable with the title of hero, as she shirks at the thought of being a paragon or ideal for anyone, Mutya still knew in her heart that she was meant to make a difference with her life. Her induction into the HAWKS has taken a part of herself. Has taken her from all that had been familiar and safe: her family, her service, and her sense of contribution to the world.

Mutya refuses to reveal her softer side to others, one that is more sensitive than she would ever let on. Though her emotions may rise and sway with ease, she harshly guards them from those that may take advantage of them. It is with time that her compatriots learn her bark is far harsher than her bite, and that beneath her short-temper lies a heart frightened by its own empathy that may blind her from her one desire: to survive another day so she may be with her family once again. As much as she tries, a heart and soul as passionate as hers cannot always be quelled into silence. So deeply does she invest her heart into a cause, a person, or an ideal within another that Mutya sometimes finds herself blinded by a rigid single-mindedness. She is resilient, proud, and determined in all she does and accepts that she cannot cater to herself to the entire world if it means compromising what ideals and values she holds herself accountable towards.

Before her capture, Mutya afforded little time to the notion of settling down with another. Or, perhaps in truth, her reservations towards finding a romantic connection may have held roots in her fear towards opening herself up to someone that could so quickly turn around and us this to break her, to hurt her as no other could. So, she keeps her passion to herself, biding the days until she stumbles upon a miracle who makes her feel safe. Makes her feel like a human rather than a guardian or soldier.

Fyodor Kazimirovich Yahontov | M | 27 | ??? | Longer Profile Here

After confrontational dealings and questionable debate, Fyodor is happy to announce himself as the most recent (and potentially most dangerous) CARDINALS initiate. Misery and destruction stain his past, but beyond the occasional empty stare and sudden tears he will do everything he can to drown those memories with laughter and friends. Fyodor is frightened by his own mind, his own soul. He believes himself to be bestowed with a higher purpose, one he has thus far struggled to uphold. Eager for friends and a home, he hopes that the CARDINALS will appease the turmoil that has come to mark his fate.

Quick to attachment and eager to please, Fyodor proves to be a serious threat whenever he strays towards questionable company. Though he shrugs at comments on his gullible nature, he has a tendency to put his blind faith in complete strangers the same way he would with a lifelong friend. Almost childish in his easy wonder and admiration, there is a sort of innocence that contrasts harshly with the violence that has largely defined his life this far. Honest to a troublesome point, humored by the smallest things, and optimistic in dire circumstances, Fyodor has long struggled to withhold his smiles when he takes so much delight from his surroundings.

Fyodor believes deeply in the concept of soulmates. Forbidden from love by his dear friends, he has coped with his aching desire for someone to care for him in the way a soulmate does by insisting that he has yet to encounter ‘the one’. More than anything, Fyodor wants to be cherished. To have his heart entirely in another’s grasp, and to receive the entirety of his lover’s heart to cherish in return. A distant dream, yes, but it is one that comforts him greatly through the most dreadful nights.

#masterpost #cog #choice of games #if wip #cyoa #interactive fiction #choice script #hosted games #if game #insurrection #insurrection:hawks #dashingdon #interactive novel #insurrection if #hawks if

[dostoyevsky-official]

Prigozhin’s Rebellion, Putin’s Fate, and Russia’s Future: A Conversation With Stephen Kotkin

I have long been calling the Putin regime “hollow yet still strong.” It remained, and remains, viable as long as there is no political alternative. Now, we might see just how hollow the regime is. Putin has unwittingly launched a stress test of his own regime. He had already lost his mystique with the bungling of the aggression against Ukraine. Mystique, once lost, is near impossible to regain. The old cliché about the emperor and clothes. He still possesses enormous power, rooted in structures he built around himself, such as his Praetorian Guard, and those he unbuilt—his razing of the landscape of political possibilities besides himself, and severe repression to demobilize the populace.

There is one thing that all dictators properly fear: an alternative. And Putin, shockingly, after years and years of indefatigably suppressing alternatives, of promoting nonentities to his inner circle to ensure no one could threaten him, has allowed one to take shape. Pinch me.

Authoritarian regimes build up formidable military and security services, but these are purposely divided against themselves by the leader, to control them, to make them dependent on him. The leader deliberately gives them overlapping jurisdictions, heightens their inherent rivalries at every turn, and sits back and watches, usually with glee. But in this case, Putin has conjured up his own nemesis.

I’ve been saying for some time that the way to get Putin’s attention, to destabilize his regime, was to identify and recruit a defector from the inside, a Russian nationalist, a person who appeals to Putin’s base, but one who recognized the separate existence of a Ukrainian nation and state. Preferably a defector in uniform. And Putin has gifted us a candidate.

[...] No matter how Putin responds, it seems like he’s at risk of losing his grasp.

[...] This could peter out quickly. Putin is a survivor. A sense that the Russian state is at risk could rally the various rivalrous factions around him.

Here’s the bottom line: even if it is now snuffed out, an alternative was allowed to arise. All this unfolded in real time, on video, over months and months. Putin did not intervene earlier and allowed things to get to this point. Stunning. Either he has descended into utter incompetence or he has less operational control than his media machine has been letting on. Or both. I expected him to be better at Authoritarianism 101. I expected him to understand this was the one threat in real time. I expected him to end the games, end the pitting of rivals against each other to control them, because it had become dangerous to him personally. I overestimated him. I would not want to make the opposite mistake and underestimate him now, though. 

What is the right historical parallel here?

I already mentioned 1917, because Putin himself evoked it and not the Soviet implosion of 1991, which he lived through and has reflected on often. But the remarkable aspect for me is not just the eerie sense of the distant past that appears so close, yet again, but the tech and media revolution. I look at that Ukrainian TV production company running this war, I look at the production of the January 6 hearings here in the United States—Liz Cheney’s hearings were run by a TV producer, with powerful effect—and I think, “This is how you do national security most effectively now: with smartphones, videos, memes.” All those written and emailed policy briefs, all those meetings of principals and deputies form the sprawling national security bureaucracies, all that spying and cloak and dagger—and, boom: Telegram and a pair of thumbs.

[...] Behind the scenes, of course, it’s 24/7 very close monitoring of everything and anything, and intense consultation. Twelve hours, 24 hours, 36 hours, of nail biting. But after all the Sturm und Drang, we could be right back where we started: Putin in power in Moscow and Ukraine facing a counteroffensive that will be very difficult to pull off.

#kotkin

[snakegorl212006]

Feast with the 7 lords (pt2)

leona smirk “better watch what you're saying. If i didn’t know any better, I’d assume you’re starting a fight with me” Leona states “how barbaric.” the beautiful lord commented “based on my calculations, each of us gave the donors equal amount for there blood” a boy with flaming blue hair spoke. ‘Is that a robot’ you wondered as you looked next to you. “Come on guys, lets just feast and celebrate.besides you’re making the tension worse, It's suffocating in here” the white hair lord sighed. “So tell me y/n how do you like it on the property. It’s pretty eerie but surprisingly comfortable” he adds “well.. I like it here so far” you replied as you ate a piece of your food “oh i forgot, My name is Kalim al asim, I lead the Scarabia Covenant. It’s super nice that you came to join us this late at night” Kalim stated. He was more welcoming than all the others. You couldn't help but gain a small smile from Kalim’s warmness to you “y/n I’m curious. How much did you know about this meeting” the beautiful lord asked “not much to be honest” You replied “well once malleus gets here, we’ll be discussing about the blood shares and the odd circumstances that were emplaced on us” the red haired lord explines “In english, we’re talking about how each of us will get your blood equally without any war or conflict between each faction” the flame haired boy whispered. “But what about the blood I've already given. Was that not enough for you” you asked as you stood up “well, for our inner circles, we need more than just a pint of blood of your quality” Azul explains “we already discussed that we each get to have you to keep at our own properties but the timing is to be discuss” Azul adds much to your discomfort and shock. “But what about me” you asked.Silence filled the room until a laugh was heard “what about you?”

#twisted wonderland vampire au #twist vampire au #leona kingscholar #azul ashengrotto #kalim al asim #vil schoenheit #malleus draconia #ortho shroud

[cosmica-galaxy]

Can the matriarch react to the actitude from the brown cameraman towards the human?

They will be jealous of that?

Survei is shocked by the sudden interest of the brown cameraman. Didn't he like the tv matriarch?? What happened that changed his perspective so much in such a short about of time?? Still, watching the human and browncoat hanging out...filled her with a sense of slight...irritation? Maybe it was because he was so invested in tv woman but then turned on a dime to favor the human? What if he changes interests again and dumps the human?! Maybe that's what's bothering her...it has to be it. Speaker woman takes notice of the two and for a brief moment, there seemed to be a scratch in her music playing. Huh. How odd...maybe it was just the general shock of seeing the browncoat hanging out with someone else? He's usually looking for the tv woman or serving on the front lines...so why is he with the human of all entities? It makes her feel puzzled...and strangely jealous. Maybe it's because she's pretty busy and has to lead her faction, and it cuts into her time to talk with the only human on base, or maybe she wishes she would have more time like browncoat does. Still, something seems to rub her the wrong way when she sees the human and browncoat hang out and hug a lot. But why...she couldn't really decipher. Tv Woman is NOT impressed with the sudden change of interest. It's not that she covets his attention, as she rejected him multiple times and it was becoming a rather problematic issue she had to look out for, but the fact that he exchanged his love sickness of her into love sickness of THEM makes her internal core boil. The human is pretty much the coveted "treasure" of the alliance and one would have to be incredibly oblivious to that fact. Lots of units, many which the human had protected and saved in combat, all have affections for them. More so, the human has some that are in their "inner circle" that they trust wholeheartedly. Seeing such a...desperate unit cling to their side and soak up their affection like a sponge is enough to make her hiss static. Is she jealous? Maybe. Is she irritated? Certainly. What an unneeded obstacle to get work done...and interfere with their conversations.

#haxorus imp #hax speaks #cosmica galaxy #cosmica-galaxy #anonymous #anon asks #anon ask #skibidi tag

[goodomensgotmeeffedup]

Mafia AU Aziracrow Ineffable Husbands

So a massive crime family split into two factions, one run by Lucifer and one run by Gabriel. They are enemies and they're always trying to come out on top of each other. The original kingpin, a terrifying lady boss who went by the codename God, has retired and just let's her family run amuck. She can't be bothered anymore.

Anyways, Crowley is a member of Lucifer's gang. I don't know what their name is but something Hell flavored I guess. Lucifer is the head, Beezelzebub is the 2nd in command, and Crowley is definitely upper level. He's been doing this a long time, and he's tired. He doesn't want to do this anymore. He wants out. They're willing to let him retire but he has one last mission which is to find a way into their inner sanctum.

An inner sanctum that has an old antique book shop as its cover.

It's perfect, really, hardly anyone ever goes in. Gabriel and his inner circle are free to go and come as they please without much worry of eavesdropping and such from civilian ears. The man they have guarding the shop is quite clever as well. Bookish looks, gentle smile, sweet as could be. Very friendly, a good Samaritan. Even when police manage to get inside making inquiries, none of them ever make further than the front desk because how could someone like this ever be part of something so terrible as the mafia?

But here's the thing, the bookshop manager? Aziraphale is his name, he actually has no idea about the people who own the building. He doesn't know what they really do. He has no clue that he's actually running the cover operation of a very violent mafia. He truly thinks he's just a simple bookshop owner. He loves books so much- he's willing to ignore any vaguely questionable things he might see.

Crowley starts trying to hangout with Aziraphale and become friends with him. Anything to get him into the back rooms. That's all he has to do. Gabriel and his gang are planning something big. If Crowley can figure it out, he can be free. One last mission.

He wasn't planning on falling in love. That was definitely not part of his plan. He eventually comes clean to Aziraphale and this is how he finds out that he has no idea about any of the gang activity.

"How did someone like you end up doing stuff like this, angel?"

Aziraphale doesn't believe him at first. Gets upset and angry and tells him that he never wants to see him again. Storms away.

Crowley is left sitting there alone, stunned, hurt, and angry. He speeds off in his classic Bentley and doesn't calm down for a coupl3 hours. It doesn't sit right with him to be fighting with Aziraphale, and he understands. He does. Especially if his angel truly had no idea about any of this. It's a hard pill to swallow. He drives to the bookshop to make amends.

He finds an inferno.

#crowley #good omens #aziracrow #aziraphale #good omens season 2 #ineffable husbands #ineffable partners #good omens season 2 spoilers #spoilers #crowley x aziraphale #mafia au #human au #crowley is a human #aziraphale is a human #human crowley #human aziraphale #good omens human au #good omens prompt #good omens mafia au

[digenerate-trash]

Whitney's inner circle is the people who can perform house/nursing/cooking activities the best. They can mend clothes, actually cook something decent, and know a thing or two about healing wounds without it resulting in an infection. They are most valuable.

Ironically though, they'd be nothing without the scouts. They actually fetch food, get decent intel, might be able to raid the nurse's office, manage to get clothes from the other factions. The scouts are the most essential tool. But they often disappear, especially after attempting a mission on Sydney's faction.

Both circles rely on eachother to work, and it's an almost militar-like comradery. Sure some teasing exists, especially from their leader. But the trust there is difficult to match in the other factions.

My best guess at the most valuable member in the factionis one both good at scouting, and is also good at the inner circle activities. Those members can heal themselves while on missions and are overall most resourceful. However they are very rare. Someone very good at that is probably close to Whitney in the chain of command.

oh to be a part of the inner circle and only having to worry about sexual harassment and sewing

the dream honestly

id patch up scouts and kiss Whitney sloppy before going back to my little house husband chores

#forgotten au #i love that were cobbling together this au with out little hands #team work baby #everyone is welcome to add their own ideas btw I love yall #asks