#how far i have fallen that i have been sucked back into the fate rabbit hole to want to blog and write about it but

[wonderloste]

“  you’re safe with me. you can let go. breathe. ”  / darcy and ikki !!

ʚĭɞ       ―      my inbox is a circus, i am the clown     /     @dangaer.

SAFEY ISN’T FOR THE SOULESS  ,  FOR THOSE WITHOUT HEARTS  ...  Darcy winces as the sound of his voice cuts through the fog that clouds his mind, fingers gripping tightly at the mussed strands of hair half pulled from its neatened ribbon. He need not open his eyes to see the face of concern that looked down ‘pon him, not when Ikki’s arms have wrapped around his frame, struggling in this position to hold him closer to him, though all he can understandably manage when the object of his worry is crumpled to the floor is resting the rabbit’s head on his chest. His chest burns, clock hands spinning out of his own control and with it, the world itself flies past them, no matter how desperately he reaches to stop his heart, no matter how painfully he wills it. Tears prick at the white rabbit’s eyes and it takes all his self control not to tear at his own ears. Instead, he struggles to release one of his palms from the tangle of hair, instead moving to grip the other man’s shirt, seeking comfort, stillness, anything.

Only a moment passes before he spreads his palm flat against Ikki’s chest, above the slow beating of his heart  :  though, undeniably, he believes those beats may be escalated  ...  fear ?  He doesn’t know, but it makes his broken clock ache, beneath the pain of the fire spreading along his body. Slowly does he open his eyes, head tilting up to catch the gaze of he who stares down ‘pon him with such loving pity  ...  no, kindness. ‘Neath his tears, the rabbit mutters apologies, biting back sobs, though his voice remains hoarse. It occurs to him, then, he must be making quite a scene. Perhaps frightening isn’t the wrong word  :  he isn’t injured, and yet here he lays, doubled over as if he had been shot through the very heart he lacks.

Phantom pains, he wonders to himself  —  he can still feel it, when his mind drifts too far from the present  ...  his heart, in all its bleeding, yearning glory, ripped from his very chest by the claws of a monster who had never known love. The clock, a substitute, but his feelings, all too raw. Machinery cannot contain the emotions of a soulless, empty shell of a white rabbit.

“  —  I’ve made such a mess for you,”  he murmurs, finally, as he finds his voice, strained though it may be. It hurts, but he crawls closer, until he has fallen against Ikki’s chest, arms wrapped weakly around the other’s waist. He half lays in his lap, legs curling around him as best they can  :  it will pass, he knows this, but the world is naught but light and aching, the brightest of all its creatures blinding him in the blur of time that rushes past. He closes his eyes against it again and now, he can hear Alice’s heart as it beats in his chest. Darcy sucks in a breath, then holds it  ...  and counts each heartbeat with intent. It’s calming, a distant, vicarious desire he can latch onto. Let his clock tick in time  ...  little by little, the world will slow its course.  “I’m so sorry.”   Guilt and shame build in the empty cavity of his heart, but there is naught he can do.

“Alice was never meant to soothe the tragedies of someone so grotesque as me  :  my pain is not your responsibility. You did not do this to me.”  Not him, never him. Fate, the stars, the Red Queen, never him. Mayhaps he is taking this incorrectly, looking a gift in the mouth when he had simply meant to soothe him  ...  but he cannot help it. He is not worthy of this. He doesn’t deserve this. He is nothing  —  in the company of everything.  “All I have ever wanted was to be with you.”

The crux of it, at its very core, so simple and yet so very, very complicated.

“I just want  .  .  .  to be by your side. No matter how unworthy, how broken, how empty I am, how pathetic my pain, how pointless my suffering... I just  —  I...”  But he doesn’t apologize again, and instead, falls silent, pressing his lips together. The clock ticking within him steadies in time with Ikki’s heart and, finally, the whirling of the world around them stops to normal time again. His body, no longer overcome by pain, relaxes, as if exhausted. And yet, still, his eyes do not dry.  “I would do it all again,”  he mutters, voice cracked, unsure.  “I would rip out my own heart a million, trillion times for a singular thread of hope that I could have the chance to hold yours together.”

#dangaer #would you like some ~*~CONTENT~*~ #I LIVE #ʚ o. in character ɞ ⁄ you’ll lose your mind wandering for hours‚ may even decide to start talking to flowers. #ʚ c. white rabbit ɞ ⁄ if i only could‚ i'd make a deal with god and i’d get him to swap our places. #◟ ❥ ikki + darcy : we could do it if we tried if only to say you’re mine‚ know you and i shouldn’t feel like a crime. › dangaer.

[fatedtime]

hello i wrote this at 2am in a feral haze. the premise: confessing to Servants who would be Difficult About It until their master starts breaking down in the Lostbelts. 

I'd like to do more but for now here's Bedivere and the Phantom of the Opera.

Bedivere

Oh, he breathes, and his face reddens from the effort of restraining tears because he is so, so very unworthy.

He knows it is neither dream nor trick, because the air is too sweet for a nightmare and you are far too sincere for those sorts of childish pranks. He cannot fathom what must have possessed you to say something like that to him - I love you, Bedivere in a voice that drowns in honey - and he plays dumb because Bedivere is such a very well-practiced liar.

How wretched that he wants you, he numbly thinks as you stutter and stammer before him. How horrible it is that he is such a greedy man.

(As if he is worth even kissing his Master's feet. He is a steward. A servant. A knight. How dare he let such desires bloom within him? How dare he feel as such for his lord?)

It is art, the way he avoids your confession. It's such a fine line to balance - he must not refuse you, because to do so would break your heart, but he must not accept you, for to do so would invoke upon you only shame. He hides in the shadows of plausible deniability, of being the dense, airheaded, gentle and pure Bedivere whose humbleness blinds him to the feelings of others.

He feels no pride when he brushes the topic away with an offer of tea and chocolates and ever more servitude, and you let the subject drop.

When had it happened, he wonders? What had he done? Bedivere is not an audacious enough man to think that he had seduced you, but he knew what a burden you held on your shoulders, and he knew that sometimes feelings of reliance and gratitude could be mistaken for... other things, feelings with a similar palatable sweetness.

That had to be it, he was certain. A mistaken, misallocation of emotion. Because if not, because if otherwise -- 

(His most important and sacred duty was keeping you safe and how could he do that if he shattered you to pieces? And of course he would, how could a man like him not end up doing so, it was his failure that had turned the King of Knights into the Lion King, his selfishness, and if you let him into your heart like that he knew he would do the same to you, he knew it he knew it and that could not be he would never let it be.)

These boundaries were necessary. He was supposed to protect you, among all other things. If you loved him, he could not protect you with everything he had, because the wounds sustained during that protection would wound you as well. 

...He may not even be able to give up what was necessary, at the end, just like with the king he never wished to die, because the idea of a future with you would be too tantalizing to ignore.

And that is why he would lie to you, and suffocate this wretched flower blooming in his heart. Thorns pierced him as he smiled and bowed his head before you. You had lead him to a victory he had sought for over a thousand years, and in his cowardice, he would wield his sword for you forevermore.

***

You were breaking down, and he was watching it happen.

He wondered if this meant that he had learned from his prior failures with King Arthur, that he had even noticed it, or if you simply were too honest of a person to conceal your grief. Neither thought comforted him.

He did what he could to ease your burdens as you tore reality after reality between your fingers, condemning them while fighting for your own version of history. For all of his flaws, he was an astoundingly loyal man, and his trust in you never wavered once.

But still, he kept his distance. Though those words you'd said that day haunted him daily (and sometimes, nightly as well) he always asked himself this: what use was that sort of love under the weight of all your sorrows? You had far more important matters on your mind than pining after a ridiculous fool like him, he was sure and he told himself that his rejection had meant nothing.

Changed nothing.

Even though there were ever so many things he wanted to do, so many moments when he had to practice such restraint. He did not take your hand when the two of you walked side by side, even though - unoccupied - your nails drew blood from your palms. When you stood in the snow-fields of the Kingdom of Beasts, he waited behind you, watching as the wind stung your cheeks and never broaching that gap. How would a hug from him then change anything?

Would it have kept the warmth in you from slipping away?

One day, you looked up at the sky, and began to muse about the relationship between gods and men.

That back then, it had felt so easy to be defiantly human, but more and more you wondered about the righteousness of your cause. Did it even matter? Did this suffering, this agony even matter, or was it something that you long ago should have thrown away? You felt so far removed from other people now, so distant, and you wondered if this is what gods were like - deciding who would live and who would die.

"What separates me from the Lion King?" You cried, slamming your fist against the wall with your teeth bared into a pained snarl. "Preserving my desired humanity at the detriment of everything else in the world? Perhaps, back then, I was nothing but a hypocritical fool."

It was at that moment that Bedivere snapped.

Everything you were saying - he rejected it down to his very core. You were nothing like the Lion King, you could never be anything like the Lion King because you were so wonderfully, beautifully, terribly infuriatingly human and the things you fought for were flawed, broken, illogical, and human just the same. He wanted to scream at you that because you worried about these things proved you were nothing about that imperial woman, that your feelings mattered simply because they existed - that even if feeling was shitty it was also right - but he found that things got a little twisted when it came from the 'putting thoughts out of the mouth' department and, instead, got a little more direct.

More specifically, his mouth on yours.

When his brain finally caught up to his body, he had his teeth on your neck and his hands in some very unknightly places. He would have shoved himself away, apologized, gotten on his knees and begged that you behead him for his impropriety, but the parched soil of your spirit greedily drank in any affection he had to offer and, at this point, you could hardly let him go.

The partitions of distance had worn you away, left you chilled and frozen, and so fervently did you seek touch, warmth, honesty, especially from your trusted ally and the foolish man you happened to love. After tasting it, there was no turning back for you, and quite honestly, none for him either. Barriers had been torn, and in his arms, you cried for how vehemently you felt human once more.

Your mutual search for 'something perfect that will cause no pain' was a doomed one from the start, and wiping frozen tears away, he murmured, "Once more, I fear that I have kept you waiting."

Still, at the end, he faced his own cowardice, and it was enough to hold together a fractured heart for just a little longer.

Oh, there is joy, yes. There is such impossible warm joy, a radiant magma spilling through the ugly, malformed rot of his insides. It's the sort of rabid delight that drives a man to madness, and he sings to choke it down, sings of your beauty and your purity and your praises to the sun and moon and stars alike. It is how he disguises the disgusting urge within him to take you into the dark so he may envelope himself utterly in your light.

Phantom of the Opera

I'd say that you're going to destroy this entire man's career, but the truth of it is this: you are this man's entire career, and that is why the melodious lilt of those words devastates him so utterly.

...It’s not that he mistakes you for her -- Christine, that is, the songstress that he did such terrible things in his desire to claim. He knows you are the Master of Chaldea, and that the entirety of human history is the stage for your song of salvation. The power of your voice - your existence, and your ability to enforce your will upon the world - shall transcend time and space to stand against the Incineration of Humanity. 

It’s more accurate to say that you are his Christine, the thing that defines his existence, because what would the Phantom of the Opera be without a Christine to love?

Oh, he knows his love is a terrible thing. Oh, he knows he is ugly because of it, and so wretchedly he wishes that he could be unrepentant like Kiyohime, could be unabashed like Serenity, could be fanatical in his desires like Minamoto no Raiko. But he knows what will happen if he does that, doesn’t he? He knows what will happen at the climax of this performance if he does not stretch the first and second acts into eternity.

You confess to him, this man that wishes he was truly a monster and not a monster of a man, and he wants to weep from the agony of it, of how much he wants to TAKE.

But he cannot do that. This is why he sings. For if the performance is still ongoing, he can stave off its terrible end, for he does not want to do harm to you, his light, his love, his foolish, glorious master. In the wake of your confession, he takes your hands with hands not meant for it, balancing your fingers on those delicate blades, and responds to it with an aria of how much he adores you in turn.

He may not be able to accept your love, because to do so would lead to him drowning you in the depths of his monstrosity, but the Phantom of the Opera will pour his soul into ensuring that you know that he loves you, he loves you, always and forever it is you, it is you, it is you --

(Even if that mental corruption twists it, and all he can say is Christine, Christine, Christine -- )

And so, he keeps the mask of monstrosity on. This is the part he has been summoned to play.

***

The distance torments him, the dance destroys him, and he recreates the illusions of his existence in a thousand new phantoms as he simply tries to survive as ‘another performance’ in your glory.

He loves you but will not be with you, this man who must admire you from afar. He has his role and you have yours, and the two of you are not lovers, even though the love you each bear for each other is aching in its desperation. Distance defines him, like the negative space in a photograph, and he cannot broach that barrier without the ruination of everything he so rigidly clings to.

This is how things are until the Lostbelts.

What is the difference between singing and screaming, he wonders, as he watches you condemning another world to its fate? What separates those distinctly raw vocalizations of agony? Because it still sounds like music to him, your wretched sobs as he watches you cry, and he can already see the ending to this tragedy, so crisp and clear like a stanza written in blood.

“Why do I have to be so human?” You had asked him, fingers tightening in his cloak. “It seems all I am destined for is the folly of human mistakes.”

It almost breaks him again, when you grab hold of him and nearly beg him to take you away, because he must be wrong, he has to be wrong, for you are not angelic or glorious or a light that will rise boldly forth to protect the world. If he still wants a thing as wretched as you, then he should lock you up so you can incinerate no more worlds underneath the force of your conviction.

“It might even make you a hero,” you breathe into his neck and - no, it does not almost break him, it does break him, but not in a way he ever could have hoped to expect.

The Phantom of the Opera knows that to keep you would be one of the greatest joys he could ever know. He would find some way to do it, and in that prison, he is certain he could return you to a state of glory untainted by the monstrous guilt weighing on your own heart.

But that is the one thing that he must not do.

Taking his mask off, he removes with it his false monstrosity. He is human as he kisses you. He is a human who kisses you to know and be known, to love and be loved, and in the tide of his want, he will let you drown all of your sorrows within him.

You are not Christine, because Christine does not actually exist. But because you are lovely and righteous and kind, he will give his everything to you, for you are the thing he shall love till the end of every world and then his own.

“Know me now, both in body and in soul,” he asks of you in turn, for if the actor who plays the Phantom of the Opera wants any other sort of role, this is the price he must pay. He can no longer maintain his perfect devotion, that perfect idealized love held at an appropriate length, because only a human - a human born with the gift of possibility - could ever change his role as he wishes to do, change his story and with it, your own.

“I will recast myself in a role that can be by your side,” he whispers into the darkness, and he closes the curtain around you with a blanket that blocks out the light. "For you, I shall be a pillar in your grief."

{Your saga will not end in tragedy; this, to you, he swears.}

#fgo headcanon #fate grand order #fgo #phantom #bedivere #me: its christmas what do i want to write? #hurt/comfort that's what #how far i have fallen that i have been sucked back into the fate rabbit hole to want to blog and write about it but #quarantine sucks so i'm allowed some measure of madness i suppose #fgo headcanons

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

Tease Him Just Enough (Ao3)

(Wenzhou one-shot - WoH episode 6 altered scene - NSFW)

I don't know how many of y'all have fallen down the Word of Honor rabbit hole along with me but if you have: I'm now writing for this fandom too and, as usual, I'm taking requests lol

--

He’s staring.

Wen Kexing knows it makes his companion uncomfortable when he does, but for all the staring he’s done before now, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds has been under his Ah-Xu’s disguise this whole time.

He’s beautiful, is the thing, and while of course Wen Kexing has known that from the moment their eyes met, he still can’t help his newfound fascination with the truth under the mask.

And, to make things even better, it’s all for him. Oh sure Zhou Xu doesn’t realize that just yet, or if he does he’s not admitting to anything, but Wen Kexing already knows it, has known it since that first spar with the surety of it deep in his bones - they’re fated, for good or for ill, which means that Wen Kexing isn’t going to let his other half walk around without being told how stunning he is.

He’s just opening his mouth to say as much when Zhou Xu interrupts him.

“What are you looking at?” he demands, waving a little flaming stick around in his direction and it’s so unfairly adorable when combined with his attempt to scowl through the smirk that’s been hovering on his lips that Wen Kexing can hardly stand it.

“You,” he replies with a dreamy sigh. He’s hamming it up of course, because that’s who he is, but at the same time he really does feel like this is all a bit dreamlike, just the pair of them in their under-robes, the firelight burnishing Zhou Xu’s elegant figure coppery warm at the edges as the man glares at him.

“You’re still hallucinating from the dream drug,” his Ah-Xu mutters and Wen Kexing offers up a sweet, eye-crinkling smile that makes Zhou Xu scoff and return his glare to the fire - leaving him free to continue staring.

“Maybe. Or maybe I find myself bewitched by this stunning beauty in front of me.”

His smile only widens as Zhou Xu sucks in a deep breath and holds it, head tipped back as if the moon or the stars will give him the ability to stop getting embarrassed by Wen Kexing’s brazen flirting. He fully expects it to end there - it has in the past, with Zhou Xu giving up on finding a way to counter him, or perhaps rather with him deciding that it’s not worth the trouble because he can already tell that Wen Kexing isn’t going to be dissuaded no matter what he says. Honestly both possibilities are equally likely.

Tonight, though, after another few long minutes that are silent but for the crackle of the fire and the gentle burbling of the river at their backs, Zhou Xu turns to look at him again and this time there’s something new in his eyes, something that makes Wen Kexing go utterly still, his heart giving one solid thump in his chest and the back of his neck prickling as if there’s a threat nearby.

He’s not used to feeling like prey anymore, he hasn’t been prey for a long time, but there’s something about the way Zhou Xu looks at him now that makes him feel cornered. Seen. He’s not entirely sure that he likes the feeling, but it’s exhilarating in a way that he’s quickly coming to understand most things he does with Zhou Xu are.

Whatever expression is on his face makes Zhou Xu snort and shake his head a little with a snicker. Before Wen Kexing can ask what he’s laughing at he’s fixing that too-intense gaze on him again and saying, “Why do you insist on chasing something if you’re not going to know what to do with it when you catch it?”

Wen Kexing is also not used to being taken by surprise anymore, but he can’t help but be by that question. Slightly. Just a little bit.

“Am I going to catch you?”

“Haven’t you already?”

Wen Kexing blinks slowly at that as Zhou Xu watches him. Patient. Expectant.

And...it’s possible that Zhou Xu has a point. With an offer of some sort clearly being made, Wen Kexing suddenly realizes that he has no idea how to actually follow through. Zhou Xu must see it in his face because it doesn’t take too long before he scoffs again and pushes himself up to standing with his hands on his knees, sighing as he stretches a bit with the air of someone about to change the topic.

“Ah-Xu wait!” He scrambles to his feet (gracefully, he’s graceful and poised, damn it) and finds himself met with Zhou Xu’s back for the second time this evening. Or maybe the third? Now that he’s sobered up from the dream drugs back at the coffin home he’s pretty sure he remembers hugging Zhou Xu from behind, and of course he’s still vividly remembering the feel of his bare shoulder beneath his hands, his mouth. Okay, maybe he can do this, find a way to close the distance between them.

Zhou Xu stays still right where he is and Wen Kexing steps up behind him like it’s the most natural thing in the world, his left hand finding a home on his waist and the other on his shoulder, the one that’s not injured. When Zhou Xu makes no move to dislodge him he goes further, slipping the hand on his waist around his stomach and the hand on his shoulder down his chest slowly until he’s plastered against his back, his face pressed into his hair - still a little damp from their impromptu swim - and his heart rate settling into a just-barely-too-quick staccato in his chest as he holds his companion close.

“We should go find something to eat…” Zhou Xu eventually murmurs into the quiet. Wen Kexing tightens his arms further around him and leans down to press a kiss to the side of his neck, slow and careful about it - right up until the moment Zhou Xu tips his head to the side to give him room. All bets are off then and he takes the fire that’s been burning in the hollows of his chest since he put his mouth on the wound in his shoulder and he turns it into passionate kisses and nips along his unblemished skin.

“Later,” he practically pleads under the hinge of Zhou Xu’s jaw. He panics for a moment when the other man shifts in his grip until he realizes he’s turning around to grab his face with both hands and drag him in for a searing kiss, which is so much better than his dumb suggestion that they eat. Why would they need to eat when they could do this instead?

Wen Kexing’s extra argument that they shouldn’t be out in the woods in the dark while their clothes are still damp and they’re without their outermost layers ends up becoming utterly unnecessary as Zhou Xu backs him up against the nearest tree and leans into him, kissing him with a sudden aggression that would be startling were he literally anyone else. But of course his Ah-Xu, always quick with barbs and biting wit, kisses hard and fast like it’s going to be his last.

It’s difficult to keep up with at first, all teeth and tongue, and it’s all Wen Kexing can do to stay upright under the onslaught. But he gets his metaphorical feet underneath himself eventually and then he manages to give back as good as he’s getting, returning bite for bite and repaying Zhou Xu for this new flavor of vulnerability with some of his own.

They don’t need words to communicate that at least right here in this particular moment there’s no one else they would rather have in their arms, pressed up against their bodies, no one else’s tongue who would find a new home in each other’s mouths or any other body their hands would rather explore. Wen Kexing has already known that they’re fated, but for the first time it feels like they’re agreeing to be so. Even if it’s just for a night.

(Not that he thinks it will be just one night for them, but getting Zhou Xu to agree to anything remotely of the kind is like trying to drag a stray back-alley cat into a bath so he’ll take what he can get.)

He decides quickly that he’s going to let Zhou Xu have his way. He could argue if he wanted to, he could bite back a little too hard, push until Zhou Xu gives way beneath him. He doesn’t want to, though. He’s willing to admit that at the moment he’s tired of pushing and nudging and manipulating, and that to be with his Ah-Xu in such a way that things can be simple and straightforward is a much more appealing prospect than bullying his way into his lover’s trousers. They’ll have time for more later, of that he’s sure. (Getting in his trousers, that is. Not bullying him.)

(Maybe a little bit of bullying, too. He just makes it so easy.)

For now he’s extremely content to do nothing but reciprocate the harsh kisses in kind until he can’t help but throw his head back with a gasp when Zhou Xu’s hand is suddenly warm and tight around his length. He’s not even sure when the man managed to get that hand under his robes and in his trousers but he’s definitely not about to complain. It’s far too much friction for comfort, and while Zhou Xu’s enthusiastic reaction to the little mewling whimper that escapes him as soon as he realizes that fact is incredible, he’s still relieved when his partner settles for just sort of..holding. Squeezing.

Normally that wouldn’t be nearly enough to do it for him, but normally he’s not also getting kissed senseless and rutted up against by - well, anyone, but especially not someone as utterly alluring as Zhou Xu. It is, therefore, entirely Zhou Xu’s fault that it doesn’t take long at all before Wen Kexing is clutching his arms around his neck and grabbing fistfuls of his robes to drag him in for clumsy smears of kisses to attempt to muffle himself as he comes. It doesn’t work, of course, mostly because Zhou Xu insists on not letting him land a solid enough kiss to be muffled at all (which he would maybe pout about if he were capable of making a conscious effort of doing anything at all with his face).

He’s practically vibrating in Zhou Xu’s one-armed grip around his waist, his entire body drawn tight and still thrumming with pleasure as Zhou Xu uses his come to slick up his hand enough to finally stroke him properly as he softens, the overstimulation keeping him on edge and whimpering softly but still ultimately unwilling to pull away and end it.

He finally relaxes when Zhou Xu stops stroking him and returns to just holding him in his hand as they kiss lazily, much less greedily than before though Wen Kexing, at least, still feels just as desperate for more of it beneath the lassitude dragging at him. He gradually loosens the hold he has around Zhou Xu’s neck and reluctantly gives up on continuing to grip his robes in his fists in favor of drawing his arms down enough to rest his hands on Zhou Xu’s shoulders - and Zhou Xu promptly hisses quietly in pain into their kisses.

“I’m sorry,” Wen Kexing gasps as he jerks his hand back from Zhou Xu’s injured shoulder as if burned, and then he breaks the kiss to try to focus on pulling his partner’s robe back enough to get another look at the injury, concern written all over his face.

“Don’t worry about that,” Zhou Xu mutters with a little shrug that dislodges his hand before he can get the robe pulled back enough to see. “You know what will help me heal faster? Food.”

Wen Kexing gives up and drops his head to rest against the tree at his back with a soft, tired laugh, though in the next moment he drops his gaze down to where Zhou Xu still very obviously has his hand in his trousers and gives a little roll of his hips to emphasize his next point.

“I’ll go find you something once you’re done pawing at me - ah! Hey!” He laughs breathlessly again as Zhou Xu instantly retaliates by squeezing him just this side of too hard. Alright, noted - not a great idea to tease him when he’s got such a vulnerable body part so easily accessible.

“What was that?”

“I said you’re perfect and amazing and I never want to move from this spot again.” Wen Kexing punctuates that by leaning in to nuzzle the tip of his nose under Zhou Xu’s jaw and kiss at his neck, which earns him a scoff even as Zhou Xu tips his head to allow it. “You should at least let me return the favor before you send me to go wandering through the woods all alone,” he adds quietly. He trails one hand slowly down Zhou Xu’s chest but stops when he meets the resistance of Zhou Xu’s free hand gripping around his wrist.

“No need,” he mutters, sounding slightly flustered, for which Wen Kexing gives him a sharp little nip to the random patch of skin under his lips.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I already..”

“Hm?” Wen Kexing pulls back to meet Zhou Xu’s gaze but finds that the other man won’t look at him and is instead glaring right past his shoulder at some poor tree and he grins slowly, triumphantly. “Ah-Xu,” he calls, drawing it out playfully long, “Did you really just-“

“Alright, enough,” Zhou Xu snaps and Wen Kexing laughs even as his partner withdraws his hand from his trousers, finally, and backs away a step with a huff. Wen Kexing is still chuckling even as he straightens himself out and steps away from the tree. He’s pleased to find that his knees are steady enough that he can walk so he stretches for a moment and affects his best lazy attitude as he starts strolling in the general direction of a thicker patch of the woods surrounding their little campsite.

“Alright alright, I’ll go find you something to eat. Try not to miss me too much while I’m gone.”

He laughs as Zhou Xu rolls his eyes and waves him off but he goes anyway, slipping into the trees where he immediately turns back to watch as Zhou Xu walks down to the river to rinse his hands clean and then returns to their fire to sit down and start fiddling with the Soul Winding Box, brows furrowed over his bright eyes in concentration as he works.

Content that Zhou Xu will be alright for a while and isn’t trying to hide worse injuries from him, Wen Kexing turns to his task with a soft smile on his lips and a resolution taking root in his chest to convince Zhou Xu to do that (or plenty of other things of that nature) with him as often as possible, especially while they have the luxury of traveling alone and plenty of free time on their hands.

#word of honor #word of honor fanfic #wenzhou #wen kexing #zhou zishu #this doesn't mean I'm slowing down on my untamed fanfic whatsoever btw #it just means I now give myself even more projects to work on all at once lol #which is exactly what I need now that my spring break is over and the semester is ending in a few weeks so it's crunch tiiiime

[noodlecupcakeswritings]

A Test of Faith - Chapter 4 (A Priest AU) Kylo RenxOC)

Father Ren has been tasked with looking after the new arrival Sister Cora. Is it lust in the air or a test from God?

Look, this fic is pure fucking depraved priest kink porn. There is no plot. Just porn. I have no excuse. And sorry for starting yet another fic when I already have ongoing ones…but I couldn’t get this idea out of my head. Thanks to @ohiobluetip​ for inspiring this one, she’s a babe and you should check out her work.

Please leave comments, kudos and reblogs if you like it. Let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist.

Warnings: NSFW, DUB CON/NON CON, Forced blowjobs, Oral sex, Confessional sex, Face fucking, Crying, Dirty talk, Sinning, comparison of cum to the holy sacrament...

Chapter 4

Cora Ardmore

The sun was high and there was a comforting cool breeze as The Bishop and I walked through the abbeys gardens. Whilst Snoke was old, he still insisted on going for a daily walk with some company. I was happy to aid him and take it slow for him. It offered me a chance to speak with him privately, to tell him about Father Ren. Snoke had the power to cast him out of the church if he wished. Hopefully, he would believe me. We stopped under the shade of the apple tree’s, Snoke seemed a little out of breath. “I apologize for not catching up with you sooner Sister, I hope you have settled in here well,” Snoke spoke. “It's quite alright your excellency. This is already starting to feel like home.”

“Good, Im glad to hear it. And did Father Ren offer you much help and guidance upon your arrival?” I knew I should tell him; it was practically on the tip of my tongue when we were interrupted by none other than Ren himself. He kneeled before Snoke and kissed his ring out of respect before rising again. “Father we were just talking about you,” Snoke smiled. I avoided Ren’s gaze, looking anywhere but at him. Guilt ate away at me. I’d had my chance to say something and now it was gone. But I would get another chance tonight in the confessional with Father Hux. And there would be no way Ren could interrupt a confessional.

“Good afternoon, Sister,” Ren greeted me, smiling softly. I returned the pleasantry's only to avoid questioning from Snoke. It burned to be in Ren’s presence, reminded me of my sin, how weak I had been. Yet the more I thought about what we had done…how good his fingers had felt inside of me…heat spread across my cheeks and between my legs. So caught up in my thoughts, I didn't realize that Snoke and Ren were looking at me as if they’d just asked me a question. “Sister?” Snoke asked. I needed to make up an excuse and fast; I needed to remove myself from this situation quickly. “Sorry, your excellency. I’m not feeling well. Perhaps it's the heat. Please excuse me,” I muttered.

“Of course, Sister. Father Ren will accompany me from here. Rest,” Snoke replied. I kneeled to kiss his ring, feeling Ren’s gaze on me the entire time. I could only imagine the sinful thoughts running through his head. Getting to my feet, I hurried off to my quarters, closing the door behind me and leaning against it for a few moments. Closing my eyes, I took a few deep breaths, trying to think of anything but Ren's fingers. Like a woman possessed, I squeezed my breasts through my habit, gasping at the sensation. Ren’s hands were so big, he’d cover them easily. No, I would not be tempted. I forced my hands back down to my sides, my gaze falling to the cross on my wall. God would be ashamed of me for succumbing to these sinful desires. I just had to last till tonight where I would confess my sins and Ren’s.

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Night had fallen, and the abbey was silent and still. The candles flickered, casting shadows across the pews. I closed the door of the confessional behind me and waited. Father Hux should be next door, ready to release me from the burden of my sins. There was only silence. Perhaps he was running a little late. The door in front of me burst open and there blocking any chance of escape was Father Ren. I was a rabbit trapped in a fox's lair. Rising from my seat, I had to think quickly. I could either try to force my way out or I could scream. But Ren would overpower me easily. I opened my mouth to scream, but Ren was quicker. He forced himself on me, covering my mouth with his hand. My eyes filled with tears as he closed the door behind him, trapping me in here with him.

“If I take my hand away, will you scream?” He asked, his tone hushed. I shook my head, accepting my fate. His body pressed up against mine, sandwiching me between him and the wall. Having him this close again was dizzying. Cautiously Ren takes his hand away only to replace it with his lips, kissing me hard and possessive, like he wants to claim me. Finally he pulls away, allowing me to breathe. Cupping my cheek, he wipes away my tears with his thumb. “W-where's Father Hux?” I asked. “I convinced him I would take over his duties for tonight. He doesn’t get to have you all to himself, not when you're mine.” He thought Hux, and I were together? No, he thought, we would have done something. Ren was so blinded by his lust for me he didn't want me near another man.

“Father…there's nothing between Father Hux and I,” I stated. “Because you're mine.” His hands moved up to my shoulders and pushed me down on to the wooden bench. Ren towered over me, looking over me as if he were deciding what to do next. Unbuttoning his cassock at his waist, he reached inside and pulled out his large, fully hard cock. I averted my gaze to the floor, refusing to look at it. In the tight confines of the confessional it was closer than I would have liked. Father Ren grabbed a handful of my veil and hair, forcing me to look at it. With his free hand, he traced my lips with the head of his cock. “Prove it. Prove your mine,” he demanded.

Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. What choice did I have? Opening my mouth, he forced me down onto his cock. Ren shuddered at the feeling of my warm wet mouth around his cock. Tightening his grip on my habit, he pushed me further down, making me choke and gag around the head of his cock as it hit my throat. He groaned at the feeling, holding me there for a few moments before finally pulling me off and allowing me to breathe. “Such a beautiful mouth Sister, God clearly intended for it be used like this,” Ren spoke, his voice lower and breathier. I wanted to shake my head at him, but before I had the chance, he pushed his cock back into my mouth. I whimpered, the sound muffled. Ren gently rocked his hips against my face, fucking my mouth.

“Perhaps I have found heaven in your mouth, Sister, or maybe I’ll find it between your legs.” He grunted. Another heat had settled between my legs. I was sickened by how my body was reacting to him using me. Ren’s thrusts became harder, now fucking my throat. The sound of me gagging was so obscene and far too loud. If someone walked past, they would surely hear it. Ren didn't seem to have the same fear as me, moaning and cursing with every movement of his hips. His hips suddenly stilled, and he gasped as a warm salty liquid coated my tongue. Pulling his cock from my mouth, he gripped my jaw, making me look up at him. “Swallow my cum, Sister, swallow it like you would the holy sacrament,” Ren ordered with a smirk. Swallowing the substance caused my body to shudder. The taste was not pleasant. “Show me it's all gone,” He directed.

I opened my mouth for him once more, for him to inspect. Satisfied that I’d swallowed his sin he released his grip on my jaw. Ren tucked himself away before getting on his knees before me. “Does it ache again, Sister? Between your legs?” He asked. “N-no, Father.” I lied. I knew I should have put up more of a fight, but instead I remained still. Ren lifted my skirt and pushed my legs open. He pressed his nose to my clothed heat, inhaling my scent. Ren hummed hungrily as if it were something good cooking in the kitchens. The ache was turning into a throb, desperate for his touch. He pulled my panties off, inspecting them with a soft smirk. “Your wet, Sister. You can pretend you didn’t want to suck my cock all you want but heres all the evidence I need that you liked it.”

Ren pulled me forward more before diving between my legs. His tongue ran up from my hole to my clit, moaning at my taste. I too moaned at the feeling of his tongue. “I knew you’d taste good. As sweet as honey,” He mused. “Please Father. M-more, please.” I pleaded. The ache was too much to bear anymore; I needed him regardless of right and wrong. Ren smiled before lapping at my juices once more. His tongue circled my clit, forcing a loud moan from me. I covered my mouth with my hand, afraid of being caught whilst my other hand fisted his hair, pressing him closer. I felt him smirk against me, groaning at my taste. The sounds he made were loud, hungry and desperate. “Father…oh…Father we could be caught,” I warned, my voice shaky.

I didn't want him to stop, but I also didn't want to be caught. Sound carried easily in this confined space. Ren slipped two fingers into me, making me forget about my anxieties. Yes, this is what I needed. If he was worried about being caught he didn't show it, forcing louder moans from me as he curled his fingers. My thighs were shaking, my stomach muscles getting tighter as that feeling built again. “Please, Father,” I begged again. Ren continued, not showing any signs of slowing. A few more flicks of his tongue across my clit and I was cumming apart at the seams for him. Every single one of my nerve endings were singing with pleasure as he worked me through my orgasm. I gasped and whined his name, my hips bucking for more.

Ren cleaned me up with his tongue before sucking his fingers clean once more with a satisfied groan. His lips were shiny with spit and my juices. He put my skirt back into place and pulled me to my feet. “I have found heaven between your legs, Sister,” he concluded. He kissed me, making me taste myself on his tongue. One of his arms locked around my waist, pulling me flush against him. “I want more. I want all of you. Please, Sister, let me have you,” Ren implored. “Not tonight, Father. We’ve already risked so much in here. Please let me go.” I hoped I didn't sound as afraid as I felt. I needed him to release me. My strength had failed me once more, and I wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

For a moment I thought he wouldn't let me go, but his grip on me loosened gradually. Relief filled me, and he allowed me to leave the confessional first. I didn't run until I knew I would be out of sight. Perhaps a confessional had not been the best course of action. Perhaps the only way we could be relieved of our sins was through punishment.

Taglist: @sweetfictionalworld​​, @sweetsec-93​​, @cltex84​​, @jana-banana-fana​​, @dark-night-sky-99​​, @warriorqueen1991​​, @blackredrose27​​​, @jynzandtonic​​​, @ellelaconiwrites​​​. @bestblondebuddy​​​

#kylo ren angst #kylo ren #kylo ren fic #kylo ren fanfiction #kylo ren fanfic #kylo ren fluff #kylo ren au #kylo ren smut #kylo renxoc #priest kink #priest au #priest Kylo Ren #ben solo #ben solo angst #ben solo fic #ben solo fanfiction #ben solo fanfic #ben solo feels #ben solo fluff #ben solo smut #ben solo au #ben soloxoc #star wars #Star Wars fanfic #Star Wars Fic #star wars fanfiction #star wars feels #star wars fluff #star wars smut #star wars angst

[on-fic-writing-spree]

Chapter 12: Escape

Word count: 3137 words

Notes: y’all can read this on AO3 now too!!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27798118/chapters/68081842

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“I…” Roman hadn’t actually thought that far ahead. Then, an idea came to mind. “There isn’t much I could say that can make you trust me, because that kind of thing is earned, not given. So, how about you ask me whatever you want, and I’ll answer as honestly as I can. No tricks, no fancy words, no lies. But I will tell you this upfront now, that you do matter to me, and no amount of hurt they could cause will ever change that. You matter to me, Virgil.”

Virgil started to look around as they listened, hoping they could find something to at the very least break through the wall. Then they could get to Roman. If it even was Roman. They still weren’t sure, but even if it wasn’t, maybe they could convince whoever it was that they could be useful? Maybe they wouldn’t hate them as much. And Virgil could be okay with that—they had known Roman wouldn’t have felt the same way in the first place, but that didn’t mean Roman and Pride still had to hate his guts, right? “Already lying,” Virgil answered, giving a dry laugh. “Don’t worry Princey, you were always a great actor, but even I know that isn’t true. And that’s... that’s okay. I don’t have to. You don’t choose if I matter to you,” Virgil answered weakly. They grabbed a stick, trying to see if the bricks were held together by cement or something more easily broken as they pressed into the edges. “I won’t bother asking. Either way I won’t leave you here, okay?” they said finally.

“I’m being serious Virgil, you matter to me in more ways than one,” Roman countered, sighing, “but I appreciate you not leaving me here to rot. Where ever are you? Pride said something about a forest, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he was lying to my face.” At least Virgil wasn’t having a break down, that’s a plus already.

“Just shut up Princey, I’ve been through enough bullshit for one day, don’t you think?” Virgil answered bitterly, a bit frustrated that nothing much came of using the stick. They grabbed a small stone, using it to try and break away a weakened edge of the wall. “Some ditzy little garden. I don’t know. Pride made it for me, said it was part of his plan to start over. Guess it was pretty stupid to believe that, right?” Virgil’s voice wavered, and they desperately hoped that Roman would argue with them, saying that it wasn’t stupid, that there was some hope, even if they truthfully knew there wasn’t. They went quiet, chipping away at the stone.

“I don’t blame you for falling for it,” Roman mumbled. “Someone creating a whole magical space just for you? I’m sure anyone would want to stay.” She thought back to the love comment Pride had made, and decided it wasn’t the time to bring that up. “I surely would have, without a doubt. I’m just glad you haven’t fallen under their spell completely,” she said, a note of true sincerity in her comments. “I was worried about you.”

“When have you ever worried about me?” they scoffed, hitting the wall harder now. They couldn’t take forever and they knew that. They had managed to get a small chunk loose, using their fingers to pry it from its spot and wriggle it out. “Roman, truly, if you’ve ever cared about something other than yourself, it sure as hell wasn’t me, and this whole ordeal really proves that.” Virgil didn’t really understand much about Pride, or what was left of Roman, but Virgil wasn’t too worried about figuring that out. It was easier to play bitter than to sit their sulking and being hurt.

“Not nearly enough, to tell the truth,” she replied, the feeling of shame creeping up on her. “And… you’re completely right. I hate saying it but,” she scrunched up her face, “I’m not exactly the shining beacon of kindness I pretend to be. I left you alone for years with the others, I didn’t try to reach out, and there’s a million ways I could say I’m sorry, but I know it wouldn’t make a difference.” Roman took a breath. “But as soon as we’re out of here, I’m going to spend my every moment trying to make it up to you. That I promise.”

“Living with them wasn’t a bad thing, Roman. Don’t talk about it like it was. They’re the only family I have,” Virgil sighed out, chipping a bit more at the wall. They could hear the door towards the front starting to creak open, and Pride calling for them in a sing song voice. He let out a quiet huff. “Shit—I’ll be back soon. Don’t go anywhere,” Virgil said, before mentally face-palming at the word choice, but they didn’t have time to dwell on it now. They hurried off, taking the bunny with them and threw on a smile. They weren’t a great actor, but Roman was currently depending on them, they’d make it work.

“That’s not what I-“ Roman promptly shut her mouth as soon as he heard the other hurry away. There would be time for this later, assuming Virgil wasn’t about to meet her same fate.

Having quickly adjusted to the new title, Pride waltzed into the garden picnic basket in hand, a sharp eye on the look out for Virgil. As soon as he spotted it, his grin widened. Poor ignorant Virgil, how easy the foolish fell. “I hope I didn’t take too long darling, how are you enjoying things here? I see you’ve become rather attached to one of my creations,” he said sweetly, glancing at the rabbit.

“No, not you weren’t too long! I’ve been playing with Fluffles since you left!” Virgil giggled. Even to force a laugh felt like acid bubbling in their throat. “I hope nothing you had to do was too stressful, or at least that you’re able to be done with it now,” they chirped politely. “Was there any specific spot you had in mind for the picnic?”

“All taken care of, for now at least,” Pride replied, scratching the bunny behind the ears. God, it sucked being nice to it. “And I have a special spot in mind, if you’ll humor me,” they grinned, offering a hand. Here was too close to Roman’s cell for comfort, and Pride wasn’t about to risk those two chatting it up. “I think you’ll find it particularly mesmerizing,” they chirped.

Virgil couldn’t help the fluttering in their chest when Pride reached out his hand, taking it and intertwining their fingers together: Maybe Roman was lying—maybe Pride was trying to protect them from Roman. Who really knew? Virgil wasn’t sure of much anymore. The mere uncertainty terrified Virgil. They didn’t know who to trust, but there wasn’t a reason why they couldn’t enjoy this for now, right?

Pride had carefully led Virgil away to a more secluded part of the garden. “Be careful now, I don’t want you getting lost in here,” they said lightly, and moved a wall of vines away. Behind them was an ornate fountain that spilled over into smaller pools, encircling a clearing of stone, enough space for two with a little room to share. Within the smaller pool koi were swimming about, occasionally hopping out for a moment as if saying hello. They led Virgil to the center and set out a blanket before gently pulling the other down to sit. “So? What do you think?” Pride asked eagerly.

Virgil followed quietly, allowing themself to be lead. They smiled some when noticing the pond, setting down their new found furry friend in favor of looking at the pond, where they could see a wavy reflection of themself in the sparkling water. They giggled softly as one of the fish jumped out of the water, getting a few droplets of water on them. “It’s perfect... like everything else here,” they murmured, looking back to Pride.

“I’m glad you think so,” Pride smiled, opening the basket and offering Virgil a sandwich. “I know you ate earlier, but you weren’t exactly on the shortest of trips, and it’s important to keep your energy up,” he said kindly, eyeing Virgil over. “And this won’t be the last of my surprises, I can tell you that. I have plenty more planned for you, cherub.”

Virgil smiled fondly at the concern, taking the sandwich and moving to sit next to Pride. “Thanks,” they murmured. They ignored the thought that the food could be poisoned, instead taking a bite, as if to say ‘screw you’ to its own mind.

Luckily it was not, because Pride had some common sense, even if Virgil’s anxiety wanted to disregard it. He knew eventually people would ask around regarding Virgil, and it was a safer play to keep it alive rather than dead. Pride himself did not eat, but instead made light small talk about the other adjust to things here, and generally tried to keep up an air of friendly flirting, to keep it distracted.

Doing its absolute best not to pay attention to much of it, they occasionally nodded their head. It was an odd mix, to feel the twist of a knife every time the other flirted, meanwhile feeling its heart flutter all the same. Given any other circumstances, they would’ve broken down and started crying right there, but they had to get Roman out of there. Honestly they weren’t even sure if they were going to bother to save themself. Maybe they deserved this. Pride had to have a reason to hate them, right?

Pride squinted ever so slightly at the other after a while. Something was off, but they couldn’t quite place it. “Angel, are you feeling alright? You look like something’s worrying you, I can see it in your eyes,” he said, cupping the side of Virgil’s face. “If there’s anything I could do to help, please tell me. I hate seeing you like this.” Pride hoped that the charm wouldn't be wearing off so quickly, but he had prepared to take a few more ‘drastic’ measures if they were necessary.

Virgil couldn’t help but flinch at the touch, and god, words could not describe how badly it wanted to just cry. “It’s—it’s nothing. I’ve just been overthinking a little and well... I still don’t get why you’re being so nice. You always seemed to hate me,” Virgil mumbled their quick excuse. “I love all of this, I really do, I just... don’t understand it.” They looked down shortly before looking back at Pride. “But I guess I don’t really need to understand it to enjoy it, right?” Their eyes flickered across Pride’s face, mostly just looking to know that what they said was okay, that they hadn’t terribly messed this up. The moment hung heavy in the air, and Virgil knew they had cut off their own breathing, unable to actually get another breath in while they waited for a response, a signal, any sort of sign that told them they hadn’t screwed this up again.

So it was still broken... Pride felt a bit of relief: it was only stressed, and of course it was. It was only natural. He smiled kindly, “Oh Virgil, I could never hate you. In truth, I’ve made some mistakes in my time… one of them was pushing you away when I should have been there for you. I’m sorry, and I know that isn’t enough, but I want you to be comfortable here, and around me. It must be hard to trust me, and I’m not rushing you in any way, but I hope you can see that I mean you no harm, some day.” Pride lowered their hand to grasp one of Virgil’s, and pressed a light kiss to its knuckles. “You have nothing to fear here.”

Virgil felt their heart jump a little at the kiss, and honestly, they knew they had to pull this off. After a frantic moment of worry, they pulled at Pride’s shirt, pulling him close into a kiss. It only lasted a few fluttering moments, and Virgil themself didn’t know how to feel about it, but they’d have to worry about that later. They threw on a sheepish look, slowly loosening their grip on the other’s shirt and clearing their throat. “I... uh... sorry,” they mumbled.

Pride was taken aback, and momentarily startled, but once Virgil had pulled away, they chuckled. “What did I say about having nothing to fear here, hm? If you wanted a kiss you only had to ask,” they replied cooly, pressing a kiss to its forehead. Pride found it almost adorable how infatuated Virgil was with them, it was certainly useful. “You have nothing to apologize for, love,” they murmured.

Even if Virgil knew there was no truth behind it, they couldn’t help practically melting at the nickname and kiss to the forehead. Roman could be lying, they continued to try and convince himself. They could be happy here, with Pride. Happy and blissful and ignoring the rest of the world. But even then, did they ever deserve it? Virgil pushed the thought down, looking down in his lap where they nervously fidgeted, trying to steady their breathing.

Pride smirked with glee at how easy this was turning out to be. They leaned forward slightly, just enough to be in the other’s space without invading too much. They moved a hand to gently tilt Virgil’s chin up, staring at it with a curious shade of tea rose flashing in Pride’s eyes. “What’s wrong, love? You’re still worrying about something. You can’t hide things from me darling, it’s best if we just talk things out,” they said, a touch of darkness to their words.

“It just feels like a dream, I’m just still scared that I might wake up,” they breathed out. “Can I... can I kiss you again? I just wanna be sure it’s real—“ Virgil would’ve continued his nervous rambling if it wasn’t for a knock at the door.

“Sir, it seems as though you have a few visitors. I’ve invited them in, but they’d like to talk to you. Janus and Remus I believe they said their names were?” Logan called, not opening the door. He knew better than to invade the prince’s privacy that way.

Virgil had to hold in a sigh of relief when they heard Logan. At least they wouldn’t have to keep up the act much longer. If it even was an act. Virgil wasn’t entirely sure, and that in itself was concerning.

Pride turned their head towards the door and frowned slightly, but shook it off quickly. “I should go take care of that. I won’t be long, love,” Pride said, moving away from Virgil, but stopping for a moment, kneeling in front of the other. “And, as for if this is reality or not-“ they pressed a quick kiss to the other’s lips, “I would like to think it is,” they said lightly, standing up and walking towards the door. “Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone,” Pride teased, shutting the door firmly behind them.

Roman was still waiting with bated breath for Virgil to return. Pride had moved the two far enough away that their conversation was nothing more than a whisper to her ears, and it made Roman worried.

Virgil let on a fluttering smile when Pride pulled back. “I won’t,” they promised, counting quietly the steps that echoed in the hall until they heard no more. They stumbled to their feet in a hurry, running back to the wall, searching to try and find where they had started breaking it in. “I don’t know how long we have, so we’re gonna have to be quick,” Virgil remarked, grabbing the rock and going back to chipping away the block. It was a good thing Roman hadn’t fixed up this area in a while because it weakened at least somewhat. When Virgil pushed through a rather large chunk, hissing as they scratched their fingers, they pulled their hand back and tried to kick in the stone with their foot. Virgil had a lot of feelings to figure out, but now wasn’t the time or place, and given that they still didn’t know if they could trust Roman, they wouldn’t be telling her much.

As soon as a hole was made within the wall, Roman could sense the magic that Pride had cast over the garden. It reeked of negative energy, nothing at all like the things she would conjure. But it was still magic, and Roman could work with that. She focused while Virgil was trying to fully break through, on summoning something, anything that could help them. Eyes screwed up in effort, after a long minute of concentration, a simple lock pick clattered to the ground. “Damn, am I glad to hear your voice again,” Roman said softly, genuinely happy that Virgil had returned.

“Sure you are,” Virgil uttered bitterly. They had the sense to know that Roman was only ‘glad’ because Virgil was saving her. “Let’s just focus on getting you out of here,” they added, with a soft sigh. The blocks towards the sides were still perfectly in place, but the ones above it weren’t as sturdy. They walked around for a minute, finder a larger stone and just chucking it at the wall, watching as both the wall and the rock crackled little bits. Virgil picked back up their smaller stone stone, chipping away another few chunks before weaseling their way through the wall, glad for their tiny body frame. “Now what’s the plan? How are we getting you out of here?”

“I was being serious, and I hope you can pick locks because right now this was the only thing I could make,” Roman confessed, nudging the lock pick by his foot. “I know somewhere we’ll both be safe for a while, Pride won’t be able to find us unless we want to be found.” All of this talking was really wearing Roman down even further, but she couldn’t show Virgil that, they needed to be supported right now.

Virgil took the lock pick, actually getting the chains undone rather easily. “Janus taught me,” they mumbled, then headed for the door, hooking their arm around the bars and undoing that lock too. It was a bit more of a struggle, but they got it shortly after, pushing the door open. “Go. He’ll know if I left first. You can get further away. I won’t be much help if I get you caught. I can sneak out later—I’ll be fine.” They didn’t believe that in the slightest, but they gave Roman a reassuring smile anyway, heading back to the hole in the wall they’d created.

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Tag list:

@genderfluidmoma

@sinuous-scakt

@youremotionallystablefriend

@alinatheanimelover

[windup-dragoon]

“I love her.” (for Hien! I don't see enough Hien love on my dash)

Thank you so much @vestaloflight!!!!!! I had been sitting on this idea for a while and now I just have a reason to write it. THANK YOUUU. And I agree, there needs to be more Hien appreciation. Stormblood might have been rough but Hien was still worth it. 

【Ｕｎｒａｖｅｌ】

Ｈｉｅｎ ｘ Ｋｉｒｉｓｈｉｍｉ

Ｗｏｒｄ ｃｏｕｎｔ： １,２８３

Everything felt a blur. His ears rang still with an echo of steel clashing. Enough so that he was certain this would breed the most nauseating headache he has ever had to endure. But by the kami, he yet lived. His body, aching as it was, still drew breath. 

Hien sucked in a lung full of smokey air, coughing through an abrupt pain that blossomed in his ribs. Pale eyes blinked away the haze as he willed himself awake. Out of the whirling darkness that was unconsciousness. While he had hoped he would awaken in his own bed, to the familiar sounds of Doma in the early mornings, Hien frowned at the sight around him. 

Soldiers scurried about, calling for aid and hefting supplies around the camp. Ghimlyt. 

The prince forced himself upright on his cot, gingerly pressing his fingertips to his sides, checking himself for injury. But it was a wasted effort. His chest piece had already been discarded and replaced with fresh bandages. 

“Lord Hien,” Yugiri called softly, having been tending to other matters not even steps away until now. “Pray, rest a moment. Your injuries will only worsen.” 

But by the looks of it, Yugiri was also among the injured here. Her own arm wrapped and cheek bruising just beneath her left eye. Hien gave her a dismissive grunt and a shake of his head. “There will be time to rest after this is over.” 

Yugiri set her eyes upon the ground at her feet. She was was hardly surprised hearing him say as much. “Aye. Truly, ‘tis fortunate that she came to our aid when she did.” 

At this the young prince looked up suddenly, his foggy green eyes beginning to brighten. “She?” He repeated the word before the realization of it set in. “Kirishimi?” 

The hazed edges of his memory began to pull away. In such a weakened state, he had nearly forgotten the events that ultimately lead him to this very cot, nursing broken ribs and an encroaching migraine. Like light pouring in behind a drawn curtain it rushed back to him, nearly stealing the breath from his very lungs as he recalled it. 

A painful vibration that rocked his body as his blade met with Zenos’ own. The shower of sparks with each clash that sizzled and died at his feet in the bloodied mud and dirt. But yet in one twist of the Garlean’s wrist and Hien was thrown back several yalms. He recalled the pain that erupted in his chest as he collapsed there on the spot. They all had succumbed to the Garlean’s might. He had struggled to reclaim his footing, to rise up once more like all of Doma had. But his knees buckled beneath him. All had seemed so hopelessly lost. 

“She came for us.” Hien announced with eyes closed, reliving the moment as if it were still happening. 

He had heard the desperate pounding of a soldier running into battle. Half expecting a stray military officer, Hien willed himself to look up to his defender. Zenos’ new challenger. But his breath hitched at the sight. Hair like moonlight swayed in the dismal heat of the fighting. He had no need to see her face to know in that moment who it was that stood between him and an uncertain fate. 

With a burst of drumming filling his aching chest Hien rose to his feet from his cot. His sheer determination diminishing the pain that plagued him. “Where is she?” 

Yugiri was quiet. No protest for the young prince to rest. Not even an upward glance to meet his eyes. 

His throat tightened. That rabbit heart of his, having beat so fast only moments ago, now felt dead. Ice in his veins. All at once he felt numb, not only to his aches and pain but to the wind and world around him. 

Was this the will of the kami? Had Zenos truly bested her so easily? Was she alone on that battlefield, dying? 

The thought alone tore at Hien. He had promised her. He had told her that everything would work itself out in the end. That they would see a future worth living together, with all of Eorzea and Doma at their side. Had he truly lied to her? 

He still recalled the tremble in her hand as he held it only hours before the fighting had begun. A frightened quiver that only seemed to settle in his grip. He had looked her in the eye and lied. 

“Lord Hien!” Yugiri’s voice was a distant sound to the crushing weight of Hien’s thoughts. He so desperately tried to recall her face beneath closed eyes. To hear the slightest catch in her voice, a hint of a laugh. He loved those moments and now hated it all the same. But a rise in Yugiri’s voice caused him to withdraw from those now painful memories. “My lord, look! Ser Aymeric returned!” 

Hien did as instructed, following Yugiri’s alarmed gaze. His jaw slacked and heart thundered back to life. 

Aymeric, flanked by Ishgardian soldiers, sprinted into the encampment and began shouting for his men. It was not Aymeric’s arrival alone that had caught the Domans interest. But rather what the Elezen cradled in his arms. The prince couldn’t waste a single precious moment and immediately ran to Aymeric’s side.

“Lord Hien,” Aymeric regarded the Doman prince, relieved to see him awake. “You’re awake already-” 

But Hien cut Aymeric short, not interested in anything but the woman limp in his arms. “Is she alright?!” 

Kirishimi’s expression could have fooled him. Made him believe she was simply asleep in the Lord Commanders arms. She always did go on about how much she enjoyed naps. But Hien was no fool. Death could easily wear the same mask. 

Sensing the dread in Hien, Aymeric nodded. “Aye. For now. But I fear there may be little that can be done for her here.” The ebony haired elezen squeezed shut his own eyes, clutching tighter to the fallen warrior in his care. Such a mighty thing, so frail and doll-like. 

“The other scions...” Hien knew to which Aymeric meant immediately. Everyone else around her had already fallen victim to this sleeping curse to which they did not yet wake. Aymeric feared the worse, as he should. 

A trembling hand reached for the woman in the others arms, dusting her icy cheek with a feather touch of his palm. He hated this. This bitter taste of helplessness. It was no different than leaving her to face the newly birthed primal, Tsukuyomi. Never had he run from a fight before until that day. Only Kirishimi and her friends stood to fight. 

“She will be taken to Ishgard,” Aymeric announced, his tone level. “I will escort her personally.” 

Ishgard? How far away was that? Hien cursed under his breath. Why couldn’t they be in Doma? Where he himself could look after her and greet her with a clumsy but heartfelt ‘good morning’ when she woke. What he wouldn’t give to be at her side, now more than ever. 

Aymeric adjusted the motionless Kirishimi in his grasp, stirring Hien and prompting him to withdraw his hand. 

“I love her,” His throat tightened as the words flew from his lips. It was akin to dying a thousand painful deaths not being able to hold her himself. To let her head rest in the crook of his shoulder and against his neck where she could hear for herself just how his heart sang for her. “So please...” 

Although this outburst of a proclamation had taken Aymeric by surprise, he lowered his head in acknowledgement and offered his best mask of a smile. “I understand.” 

#|| Mognet #|| Untold Stories #Hien x Kirishimi #Hien x WoL #THANK YOU #vestaloflight #ignoring the clear loop hole of how did hien get back before she did #cough #also idk if post Shadowbringers will say anything about what happened to Hien or not #but this was just a thought of what if he was around when the decision was made to bring her to ishgard #i mean he doesn't see her again after that unless I missed a quest or something lmao #and this is slight aymeric x kiri x hien so like #pfffft #idk #aymeric lowkey like 'oh no he likes her too' #HIEN ON THE VERGE OF TEARS THINKING SHE DIED #also the story of him holding her hand came from another prompt where before the battle he told her things would be okay #because she was actually scared #and he nearly smooched her but alisaie interrupted #so everything he told her at the campfire felt like a lie if she had died #it never occurred to him that she could die #and seeing her like this is just the realization that she's mortal too???????? #it's all too much for hien #FFXIV writing #Hien Rijin #FFXIV WoL #final fantasy xiv writing #kirishimi yasuragi

[wwwafflewrites]

Five Times Sherlock Shrugged Off John, and One Time He Couldn't

5. Danger

Once in a blue moon, a case would land on the outside of society, where Sherlock Holmes and John Watson would be left hiking through muddy hills and tripping over dampened sticks in search for their suspects.

While cases like this were rare, they were always unpleasant. John found that the icy wind would breathe through clothing, and that the path was never recognizable. Every tree was similar to the next. And while John couldn't navigate the forest, Sherlock definitely could. With his bizarre way of thinking, he could recall their location to the exact meter. So, of course, Sherlock wanted to split up.

"We'll cover more ground, John," Sherlock argued, eagerness bleeding into his tone. "It may even spare us a few hours!"

John pinched the bridge of his nose, "You're excluding the hours you'll spend making sense of where I've gone! That is, if you don't forget me and leave with the suspects."

Sherlock gaped his mouth slightly, seemingly insulted and, if John hadn't known any better, hurt. "I would not." His lips flap for a moment, words dying before he repeats: "John, I would not."

John's lips clip together. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Sherlock's expression was unamused, but determined. "John, as long as you stay on this path, you will be perfectly fine. My path diverges west, but I've studied the maps and calculated the distances. This is safe."

"This is bloody stupid. That's what this is. What if I run into them? Hm? Usually, I would call you, but there's no service within a hundred kilometers! How would you know if I found them or not?" John huffed.

Sherlock grinned. "That's why I've brought flares."

"You… oh God… Sherlock, no."

Sherlock revealed two red flares.

"You have got to be joking."

"I'm afraid not, John." He grinned at his clever stock. "They're quite small, yes? Fit right into your coat. Light, concealable, handy…"

"This isn't… this isn't a goddamn tampon commercial, Sherlock. This is a dangerous, bloody stupid plan, and you're handing me flares. Jesus Christ..." He glared at the detective for a moment, who was watching him with raised eyebrows, rendered silent. "Okay, okay. Fine. I'll take the path. If anything happens, you're going to start listening to me?"

"I swear."

"Swear on what?"

"...I swear… on… on my cigarettes."

"Damn right. Go on then. I don't want to be looking for a pair of wandering lunatics when the moon is up."

John was going to regret this. He could feel it in the marrow of his bones. That churning in his gut and the anxiety in his throat. The altogether ill-feeling in his stomach. This was going to be bad.

John found himself repeatedly checking his gun. Was it loaded? Yes.

Yes, it was loaded.

Or was he checking it wrong?

Yes, it was definitely loaded.

What if it jammed?

It was loaded.

On more check and he would go crazy. John sighed, stopping to look at the stars. Despite his wish to not let the case lead on into the night, he couldn't deny that the hours were ticking by. His feet were killing him, sore from maneuvering around low-hanging branches and thick weeds to stay on his tiring path.

Fortunately, his mind paused it's conflicting thoughts when he noticed something dark along a fallen log. Unfortunately, when he reached out to examine it, his fingers met warm, sticky blood. Warm. This… this…

Alarmed and alert, he heard a growl to his right, and he grabbed his gun. Just barely through the shadows, he caught flashing eyes and a victim rabbit, which had already been flayed and dismembered gruesomely. When the snarling animal approached John, and he pulled the trigger without hesitation. When nothing moved, he crept forward, squinting in the dark to identify the bloody shape. It was a… dog. While it could be mistaken for a wolf, it's coat patterns were sharp, like a German Shepard mix. It was a large one, with powerful jaws and wolf eyes. This was the sort of dog he'd expect to find with a police force. John pitied the dog, however, he was thankful he had trusted his instincts. Through the canines, reddened spit bubbled and foamed. Rabid. These people weren't messing around.

"Sherlock, you idiot," he muttered as he scrambled for his flare.

He hesitated. This would alert his location to not only Sherlock, but the others, as well. Hopefully the gunshot would be enough to inform Sherlock that something was very wrong.

When a branch snapped to his right, he held his breath, back pressed against a disfigured oak tree. These men were as blind as he was. Using it to his advantage, he evened out his breathing and fought his racing heart. He forced himself to think rationally, taking in their build and height like Sherlock would in this situation. One was thicker, sturdier, with a noticeable gut; while the other was taller, not as tall as Sherlock, with thin arms and bony knees. Shoot the larger man, he thought, you can take the skinny one. With his war face on, he zeroed in on one of the two figures, took aim, and fired.

Click. The gun jammed.

John fought ever urge to pull the trigger again and again as he panicked. Every nerve in his body screamed to do so. His hands were shaking and the trigger trembled, but he was still.

The two glanced around, paranoid. The larger one shouted far to the east, calling for backup. Dog howls erupted in the distance.

If Sherlock didn't hurry up, he was leaning toward the rabbit's fate.

Unexpectedly, a wash of red light sparked above the crown of trees, and John flinched as they popped and rattled, but they weren't fireworks; they sounded nothing like gunshots. It had come from farther up, but west some, showing how much farther Sherlock had trekked than John. Curse his short legs.

The group changed their direction, leaving John to investigate the outburst. John could hear more people though. More dogs, more men. It was more than they could take on. What had Sherlock been thinking?!

This was bad. So so bad.

Dying out in the woods. The adrenaline was fuzzy in his brain, rattling and nauseating. His breath was shallow as he struggled to breathe. Distantly, he recalled his therapist's infuriatingly calm explanation of a panic attack. He knew what a panic attack was; he was a doctor, for God's sake. She had warned him that his PTSD might spark up or latch onto a memory. He had denied her words.

What an idiot he was.

The soil in his hands was cold and moist, but dry enough to crumble. He was tense, wheezing into his arm to muffle his noises. His legs were jelly, and his hands trembled. He had to stand. He had to stand. There were flashlights now, waving over the ground, if they caught him-

The beam fell over his shivery form.

 No, no, no, no, no…

"Oh, thank..." Sherlock's relieved voice cut into his panic. "John!"

John's lungs became less constricting and he sucked in a ragged breath. Sherlock was here. They were a team. They would solve this together.

He felt significantly safer knowing he had Sherlock's intelligence with him.

Sherlock grabbed at John's coat, sitting him up. His face was tightly scrunched, examining so intensely John thought he would break something.

John let out a jittery, breathy laugh. "You've lost your cigarettes, just so you're aware."

Sherlock's expression faintly softens, although still stressed. He fumbled through John's coat for the second flare as John rested against an uncomfortable tree trunk. "They're not important anyway," the detective responded, shrugging.

John's eyebrows rose. He knew Sherlock wouldn't be saying so a week later while the man paced back and forth within the apartment. That would be a headache of its own. But it was a tolerable headache.

"And you're not hurt?"

John took a second to reply. "I'll be okay."

It wasn't an answer, but Sherlock didn't push it. Both men knew could observe it himself.

Sherlock was fidgety, glancing at the darkness at every faraway bark or unintelligible shout of criminals. "The Scotland Yard is on its way. I told Gertrude to have his men report the flare. Regardless of whether we are safe or not, I organized it as a safety precaution. Very soon, there will be officers crossing our path. I… I apologize... for all of this. I'll understand if…" Sherlock trailed off, unable to force the words out.

John stared at him incredulously when deciphered what the detective was implying. "For a genius, you're an absolute idiot," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're still my friend."

Sherlock didn't reply, but John could see the relief in his calculating eyes.

He checked his phone. "Well, you won't need to worry about working this case at night any longer," Sherlock said, genuinely smiling.

John froze. Was he getting service? What was he on about? He cautiously asked, "Why?"

"It's three a.m."

John's shoulders dropped, shaking as he laughed. "Oh my God."

Smile still playing along his face, Sherlock eyed the flare. "Can you hear that? It's the Yard."

They both stilled, tuning their ears. Sure enough, they watched the twinkling flashlights far in the distance. Their were a dozen police cars, parked with swirling reds and blues above them. Two ambulances were on scene as well, prepared for the worst.

"Looks like that's our ride," John said.

"It seems so."

#sherlock #sherlock holmes #sherlock fanfic #sherlock fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #john watson #5+1 things

[kiiruna-a]

RESPOSNSE #2 : i fell, i run. for you, to you. ( X ) @minugahanax​

     at two pm, aleksanteri was on his way up the stairs, finding the floor that the front desk had directed him to when he spoke the room number on the text he had gotten from genjiro. his last text. the air felt almost impossible to breathe, & with every step he felt his legs grow weaker & weaker, pulled down by immense gravity unlike anything he had ever felt before. it felt surreal, like he was alice, & he was chasing a white rabbit who could impossibly have been wearing a suit & holding a watch, yet he knew what he knew.      genjiro was really here, in his reality, his whole other life. the city where he grew up, where he went to school, where he drank vodka on staircases, attempted to steal cars, made his career, tried to force himself on dates, graduated, put on his first ever skate at the age of five. the streets where his mother walked around with him & his sisters in a three-baby carriage, dressed in six blankets in the winter. the streets he walked to the grocery store & drove his motorbike to work. it was like two woulds that were complete opposites suddenly came to meet, & aleksanteri was still processing it all.      the man he had fallen in love with would come to become another memory attached to this city that he loved so much. he would keep living here & he would walk by this hotel & he’d see his face, & remember this feeling of spiraling down into chaos. approchering his fate, his death, & his life all at once. “ this is insane... “ he muttered for himself in english, as if he was trying to get back into speaking in the language that he barely ever used since he left (with exception for yelling at his northern american teammates). he was not a man to speak to himself, but he felt a little more collected just this once, like he was giving himself acknowledgement.      at the very moment he & his mother had hung up on the phone, aleks had taken his coffee down like it was a shot of alcohol & jumped straight into the shower. he washed himself more thoroughly than he’d usually ever do, happy to waste a whole hour under cold water, cooling himself down from the outside & through, collecting his thoughts a little better. the whole call had made things feel better, almost exciting, because no matter if things went to hell today... he had a whole new life to look forward to. a relationship with his parents unlike anything he ever had, & maybe even with the world. he wasn’t sure if he wanted to come out to everyone yet, but a part of him also didn’t care as much anymore. no one would fight him; they called him the crocodile for a reason, after all.      he then worked through his whole hair with a hairdryer, which wasted a lot of time as well, & warmed up his freezing, anxious fingertips. when that was done, he braided it up & tied it together with a simple black ribbon. it felt formal, & that calmed him down. after that, he’d smoked again, & thrown his whole closet onto the bed, picking out from a very monotone collection of jeans & shirts what would look best for the reunion with the man who had crushed his heart. he wanted to look good, still ashamed of how he had acted, crying his eyes out the last time genjiro would ever see him ( he had thought ).      he settled for a deep blue button-up shirt on top of a black tank top, & a pair of dark grey jeans to go with it. he put on his wristwatch, thin yet expensive-looking, & a black leather belt with golden buckles. he looked like he would to a nice dinner, or a professional interview, & that was exactly what he was aiming for.      when he had stared at himself in the mirror for long enough, panic had started to slowly raise up again. it was suffocating, yet he took deep breath after deep breath trying to convince himself that there was nothing to fear. no one was out to get him; & even if they were, he could handle it. he had come this far, & he would continue pulling through until he was so scraped up he was nothing but bone.      as a means of reminding himself, he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, & started to stroke his lower arm tattoo. sisu. his every philosophy, motivational speak, motto & favorite quote summarized in a single word. the essence of his being, his soul, his strength. the finnish blood that boiled through his vein & gave him life, which he was so proud of he could burst like a volcano at any given moment. his anger, his sadness, his love. perseverance, bravery, gut.      he had sent a text message to genjiro. wait there. simple, short, & perhaps a little cutting, though he hadn’t meant for it like that. he was saving his words for when they were face-to-face. he was saving it for when they were finally reunited, over a year later. he didn’t want the fake interaction that went on through simple letters, but the raw, clumsy, intense emotion of looking someone straight in the eye & deep into their soul. to be exposed & honest. for once in his life, honest. he was going to look the mute in the face & remember everything from his calm smile at the bar, the the passionate kisses he’d give during sex, & the cold expression when they said goodbye.      the finn touched his lower arm again, although his jeanjacket was in the way of seeing or feeling his tattoo at this very moment, he knew it was there. it helped him feel like his heart wasn’t about to shatter into a million pieces when he walked through the halls, counting the numbers on the door, up & up.      a headache started to creep up on him, but he ignored it. he started to grow dizzy, but he ignored it. he was not going to pull off this band-aid slowly, he wanted to rip it off like it was a leech sucking the blood & life out of him. he didn’t care how much it hurt or how wrong it turned, how much skin he lost in the process; he just needed to get it off, this reunion, & not knowing how beautiful or ugly it was going to get.       eighty-seven. he saw the number, & stopped in front of it, awkwardly shifting his position in front of the door as if he couldn’t wrap his head around in which direction it would open, or where the handle was. the dizziness really felt real now, even though he knew it was only a ghost haunting him from his own mind. it wasn’t real. so, he took one deep breath, & raised his hand. then another, & another. his stomach felt sick & though he had showered just a few hours earlier he was scared that he was sweating. was this how love had felt? no... this was fear of losing it.

     he knocked. three times, firmly. the noises sounded more confident than he could remember himself ever feeling at that point, on week legs & with a stomach so twisted it felt like butterflies would soon throw themselves out of his mouth from how cramped it was. now, he could do nothing but wait.

#( the c r o c o d i l e ) // threads . #( aleksanteri & genjiro ) // his guilty pleasure . #minugahanax #( I AM HIGHKEY PASSING OUT GO D ) #( ALEKS' ANXIETY IS SERIOUSLY GETTING TO ME IDK HOW TO DEAL ) #( THIS WILL BE CHAOS ) #long post //

[deebormzone]

Klingdom Harps 3: Who’s the (Secret) Boss?

Sorry I haven’t written much lately. I recently got the standard English major’s retail job, which sucks away most of my energy. I gotta toughen up so I can produce more insightful content, like this:

I like Kingdom Hearts a lot because it lets me jump and fight and also my friend Jafar is there.

The big KH news, which is a couple months old by now, is that Kingdom Hearts 3 finally has a vaguely estimated release window: 2018. Now I can worry less about whether it will really come out, and more about how much of it will be DLC.

Besides DLC, series creator Nomura has also spoken about the now-traditional secret boss battle. In other Kingdom Hearts titles, there are one or more optional fights, designed to be the most difficult encounters in the game. They’re usually Sephiroth.

In terms of the secret boss, we can’t say anything at this time, but in terms of Sephiroth specifically, my development team are worried that we’ve had him come back so many times so they’re maybe worried it might be redundant at this point. We’re still deliberating on it.

I'm with the development team here. There’s room for more than just Sephy. But assuming they do put a secret boss in KH3 (and since the other big KH games have had secret bosses, excluding one from the biggest Hearts yet would be pretty shameful), who could compete with everyone’s favorite silver-haired genetic abomination?

There are actually a few good options. Here are some dudes I’d like to face in Kingdom Hearts 3 as an uberboss, loosely arranged from least cool to most cool. The only real requirement is that they be either Square Enix or Disney characters.

Crystal Enthusiast: Culex

Culex is a secret boss already! He’s from Super Mario RPG, but designed to look and act like a Final Fantasy boss. It’s implied that he crossed over from the Final Fantasy series to look for strong opponents. I don’t know why he would go looking in the Mushroom Kingdom, but I guess it worked out for him.

With his dimension-hopping and challenge-seeking, Culex would be a good fit for Kingdom Hearts secret boss. This is basically a pipe dream, though. Since he’s actually from a Mario game, it’s pretty unlikely he’d be allowed in. It may be his fate to languish in Mario Land for all eternity...

Principal Samurai: Master Eraqus

Eraqus was a major character in the Kingdom Hearts prequel, Birth by Sleep. He used to teach the protagonists how to use their Keyblades properly. Most of his lessons seem to involve hitting things, but that does tend to build experience in every game in the whole series. Go with what works, I guess.

Of course, he had an unfortunate accident, but that doesn’t prevent him from being a boss. Just call him “Lingering Spirit” or whatever. He’s probably the most likely person on this list to actually appear as a superboss, if he doesn’t show up in Kingdom Hearts 3 in some other form.

But despite being fairly important, his fighting style is sort of basic. He’s got a couple of big moves, but not much else. And even though I usually struggle against him in Birth by Sleep, he’s not that tough canonically. There may be better options.

Evillest Clown: Kefka

Ah, Kefka. He’s the boss of Final Fantasy 6, the clown who usually takes second place on the Final Fantasy villain lists... and sometimes first. This makes him a natural choice for Square Enix superboss if Sephiroth isn’t around.

I’m always down to clown. Kefka’s a manic, psychotic sociopath, which is often more fun to play with than your usual uptight or brooding villain. His fighting style in Dissidia, the Final Fantasy fighting game, is to annoy his enemy to death. Notable achievements of his include blowing up the world and becoming God, making him significantly more successful than your average antagonist. No worries about an underpowered foe here, though I’d rather fight his clown form than his purple angel form.

Somehow, though, I don’t see him getting in. Final Fantasy 6 has had almost no representation in Kingdom Hearts thus far. Is that game even still popular?

That, and the wacky clown personality doesn’t go over well with everyone. It might not fit the “epic boss battle” they’re planning. Shame.

Fallen Mascot: Oswald

I always love the Disney-based antagonists, but it’s hard to pick a definitive one. Maleficent usually takes the lead in villain meetups, but she’s not secret enough to be a secret boss. Is there anyone good left from the House of Mouse, besides maybe Walt himself?

There are plenty of great Disney villains who haven’t shown up yet. Dr. Facilier would fit right in with his control of dark magic. Yzma’s alchemy and sorcery could make for an excellent boss battle. Madam Mim’s shapeshifting could be an intense multi-stage fight. Turbo would jump at the chance to dominate another video game. Hell, they should put Cruella de Vil in the game just because.

The trouble with all of these is that they’re all single-world threats. They don’t hit hard enough to match up to, you know, Sephiroth.

There’s another option, though. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was Walt Disney’s first animated character, but he took a backseat to now-international-icon Mickey Mouse. Sometimes, though, he reemerges - most recently as a dark version of Mickey in the Epic Mickey series.

In Kingdom Hearts, Mickey is (hilariously) a messiah-like hero of light, so Oswald could conceivably be a reverse version. A cartoony Keyblade wielder with dark versions of Mickey’s god-powers. He’s got the prestige and the lore. Why not take him on?

Of course, the same issue that applies to Kefka affects Oswald: he’s innately goofy, which might damage the brooding, trenchcoat image of a secret ultimate boss. Of course, what with Gruff Mickey as he appears in Kingdom Hearts, maybe they’d make Oswald edgy enough to fit. Somehow.

Numberwang: Sho Minamimoto

Here’s one of Nomura’s creations who could use some more time in the spotlight. Minamimoto is a villain in The World Ends With You, a Reaper who hounds the characters. He’s known for making big piles of garbage and shouting mathematical functions at people (“Sine, cosine, tangent!”). Basically, a flawless character.

The protagonists from his game appeared in the most recent Kingdom Hearts as major players, so there’s some small precedent. Also, he turns into a demigod or something by the end of the game, so he’s probably strong enough.

There are a couple of other characters from The World Ends With You who could work here. First is Joshua, but he’s been in Kingdom Hearts already. Next is the actual TWEWY antagonist, but he’s kind of forgettable. There’s also a secret boss in TWEWY who could show up, but he’s only intimidating because you spent the whole game talking to him and assuming his unimportance.

No, the reason I went straight for Sho is because he’s a certified memer. Don’t underestimate that meme magic. I don’t remember much about the main bosses of TWEWY, but I absolutely remember Shouting Math Guy, and being memorable is what counts in a super-secret ultimate boss fight.

Sadly, this is just grasping at straws. In the end, Minamimoto is a little guy from a little game - on a Nintendo console, even. But you know what they say: a dream is a wish your heart makes.

Burn Victim: Darth Vader

Yeah, I went there. Star Wars is Disney now, and all bets are off. Up is down, black is white, the Jedi are evil.

I’ve seen a lot of comments online about how terrible it would be if Star Wars or Marvel got into Kingdom Hearts, but I just can’t understand them. The whole point of this franchise, besides making big buckets of money, is to rampage across a huge range of wacky environments. Adding Star Wars would be super wacky AND good for more money buckets, so they should do it the moment they get the chance. It’s as simple as that.

Let me address Marvel Comics for a moment. There are a number of villains from that universe who could appear in Kingdom Hearts as superbosses, but they don’t appeal to me very much. A comics expert probably has better opinions than I do, but the bad dudes powerful enough to show up seem kind of dull to me, and the interesting ones are too weak.

Planet-eating Galactus would be a good fit for Kingdom Hearts, but what does the big guy even do? Generic lasers and large hand slap? Doctor Doom is a classic, but when he fights mano a mano it ends up being tiny guns and foot dive. M.O.D.O.K.? A true role model and friend to all, but too weak. Magneto is the best cross between power and panache I can think of from Marvel, but beating up a Holocaust survivor probably crosses a few too many lines, even for Kingdom Hearts.

Despite my complaints, I’d be okay with just about anything from Marvel or Star Wars in the Kingdom of Heart. The wackier, the better, I always say. Still, my dreams of wackiness will likely go unfulfilled. The odds of getting any of that stuff in is pretty low at the moment. But what if there’s just enough influence to take just one piece of Star Wars into Kingdom Hearts? One character, for one fight, harder than any other?

Right off the bat, Vader commands more respect than Sephiroth. A lot more. Here’s a character everyone knows, one of the most infamous villains of all time. He fits the role of ultimate boss extremely well. He’s proficient in one-on-one combat, he’s filled with mystic powers, his saber fighting could lead to great Keyblade clashes, and he generally fits the light vs. darkness themes of Kingdom Hearts.

Beyond the Lucasfilm fees, though, there’s one other issue. His live-action-movie fighting style might not translate well to Kingdom Hearts’ hopping-around-and-exploding-into-beams-of-light fighting style. The game might actually be too goofy for Lord Vader. Maybe not, seeing as how Keyblade Dude Sora has faced off against live-action people before (Pirates of the Carribean and Tron), but the incongruity might be too much for the lawyers, if not the players.

There’s just one name left on my wishlist.

No, Darth Vader isn’t final enough to take the top spot. He’s a lousy dad.

My most wanted superboss candidate can only be THE #1 dad of all time.

The Best: Jecht

Jecht is like if sports became a human being. All he does is play ball, go on adventures, and insult his son. He’s perfect.

He stands alongside Sephiroth and Kefka as the more-or-less final boss of Final Fantasy X. There’s already a lot of X representation in Kingdom Hearts - Tidas is in, Wakka is in, Auron is in, YuRiPa is in. Adding the big man himself wouldn’t be much of a stretch. Plus, Jecht’s natural habitat is the stadium, which is where secret optional bosses are often fought.

This is the guy I want to fight as the secret boss. He’s a being of near-godlike power, and is also a dumb asshole who throws a ball at your head while calling you a wimp. He’s got the strength, and the pedigree as the boss of one of the most beloved Final Fantasies. No licencing issues, no nothing. His favorite prey is lame kids, and that’s basically main character Sora in a nutshell.

Best of all, though, is his fight song “Otherworld”, which (if you for some reason prefer not to hear its glory) is just a guy screaming over guitars. It tries so hard, it’s unbearably stupid. But then it tries even harder and loops back around to being really funny, and then loops some more until it’s actually a nice jam.

That closes out my list of potential secret bosses for Kingdom Hearts 3, but there are plenty of options I didn’t cover. In the end, I’ll be happy with any fight that’s fun and has a lot of exploding light particles. With luck, we might even get multiple secret bosses! It’s happened before.

Deeborm signing off for now. Here’s hoping Kingdom Hearts 3 will be worth the wait.

... but it will probably just be Sephiroth again.

#Kingdom Hearts #Kingdom Hearts 3 #I want to fight Edgar from The Aristocats

[seokjinlesbian]

Thank you @blissfulyoongi for tagging me once again <3

Rules: You must answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people!

im gonna put these under a read-more cause this post will be long af otherwise

The last: 1. Drink - tea 2. Phone call - im doing a telemarketing job for my university where i call new students in welcome them and answer their questions if they have any, so it was probably one of them 3. Text message - same as above, some of them text me back instead of calling back lol 4. Song you listened to - really really - winner 5. Time you cried - i dont remember 6. Dated someone twice - nope 7. Kissed someone and regretted it - never kissed anyone 8. Been cheated on - not what im aware of 9. Lost someone special - yup many 10. Been depressed - yeah 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up - nope

List three favorite colors: 12. purple 13. blue 14. red

In the last year have you: 15. Made new friends - yes 16. Fallen out of love - yes 17. Laughed until you cried - yes 18. Found someone who talked about you- no 19. Met someone who changed you - no 20. Found out who your friends are - yes 21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list - no

General: 22. How many of your facebook friends do you know in real life - no idea lol 23. Do you have any pets - yeah a dog at my dad’s place and two cats at my mum’s place 24. Do you want to change your name - no 25. What did you do for your last birthday - we had some relatives over for a birthday party 26. What time did you wake up - depends, on the weekends usually around 11, otherwise when i have to 27. What were you doing at midnight last night - im pretty sure i was doing some kind of work-out lmaooo 28. Name something you cant wait for - for the telemarketing job to be over, for the camping trip with my friends next weekend, for when im going to the uk (im gonna study abroad one semester) 29. When was the last time you saw your mom - earlier today when she came over to visit 30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life - that i wasnt awkward and introverted and was better at making friends 31. What are you listening to right now - for once, nothing (otherwise i always listen to music 32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom - lmao what kind of question is this?? i dont think so? 33. Something that is getting on your nerves - when i can hear people chew their food!!! 34. Most visited website - tumblr lmao 35. Elementary - good! 36. Middle school - sucked 37. High school - sucked slightly less 38. College - i like uni but i hate living far away from my family and sometimes it’s rly stressful 39. Hair color - naturally brown, but it’s dyed blonde with turqouise tips (think ombre style) right now 40. Long or short hair - long 41. Do you have a crush on someone - nope 42. What do you like about yourself - idk, i like that im a kind and caring person i guess 43. Piercings - nope 44. Blood type - no idea, i have forgotten 45. Nickname - dont have any 46. Relationship status - single 47. Pronouns - she/her 48. Favorite tv show - probably yuri on ice or shadowhunters rn 49. Tattoos - nope but i want one 50. Right or left hand - right 51. Surgery - nope 52. Sport - none really 53. Vacation - i would love to go to some big old city and just explore <3 54. Pair of trainers - is this refering to shoes?? 55. Eating - pizza is always a hit but im trying to be more healthy 56. Drinking - sparkling water is my shit 57. I’m about to - help with dinner i guess 58. Waiting for - the new ep of game of thrones so start 59. Want - a bunny rabbit, the opportunity to see all my fave artists live, a really nice apartment (i like my current one but i gotta move when i finish uni rip) 60. Get married - not something i dream about but i wouldnt mind getting married either 61. Career - something related to media and communication since that’s what im studying

Which is better:

62. Hugs or kisses - hugs cause i dont know anything about kisses 63. Lips or eyes - eyes 64. Shorter or taller - taller 65. Older or younger - older 66. Nice arms or nice stomach - nice stomach 67. Sensitive or loud - sensitive 68. Hook up or relationship - relationship 69. Troublemaker or hesitant - hesitant

Have you ever: 70. Kissed a stranger - no 71. Drank hard liquor - yeah 72. Lost glasses/contact lenses - nope 73. Turned someone down - yeah this week actually lol 74. Sex on first date - idk?? 75. Broken someones heart - yeah... 76. Had your heart broken - yes 77. Been arrested - no 78. Cried when someone died - yes 79. Fallen for a friend - yeah

Do you believe in

80. Yourself- depends on the context i guess 81. Miracles - idk 82. Love at first sight - not really 83. Santa Claus - no 84. Kiss on the first date - yeah why not, if it feels right 85. Angles - no 86. Fate - idk 87. Ghosts - i wont say yes but i wont say no either 88. Supernatural - same as above

Other: 89. Current best friends name - idk of i have any best friends actually 90. Eye color - blue 91. Favorite movie - captain america - the winter soldier probably 92. People you can trust - idk i have trust issues lol

im tagging @minyoongiggles @bangtan-boys-squad and @kookieho once again!

#i was tagged #about me

[carolionel]

Bonds in Wonderland Chapter 7

[[[Ok, after months of rereading through past chapters, going through AUs that I’ve been itching to write for, getting back into writing as of last month, AND going through a change in jobs and working on moving, I’ve been needing some Fated Bonds love. The AUs I plan on working on have been reblogged here so I can easily get to them for what I need to make sure I do. Whenever I get a decent tablet again (my last one snapped in half x.x), expect art. Lots and lots of art. I still adore these babies, and I’ll do my best after the rest of my stresses to keep up with them :D @chusset ]]]

Two…

Eloise ran until her lungs hurt, though it genuinely seemed like they were getting nowhere. Her and White Rabbit Klaus would run through a thicket by the castle gates, making sure to keep moving forward, before it cleared right back to where they started, The Red Queen watching on, getting closer with each escape attempt. She was trying to wear them out, and it took until their third try before Klaus realized it.

“Ve can’t keep zhis up!” he shouted, looking back to her. “She’s messing vith us!”

“How do we get out of here, then?!” she asked, grasping her chest, tears streaming in fear. “Is there any other way?!”

“Hey!! Over here!”

They looked over to a voice calling out for them, small and above their heads. The butterfly had been hovering over them, carrying the dormouse with his legs.

“We’ve been tryin’ to get your attention since the flames started!” he shouted, trying to get his voice heard over the fire. “Ya still got that mushroom I gave ya?!”

“Of course!” Eloise said, reaching in her pocket, pulling out two half slices of the mushroom given to her when the butterfly was still a caterpillar. “If I get bigger, I’ll be sure to find a way out!”

“U-Uh, miss? Wh-What if y-..!” the dormouse tried stammering out, stopping once he spotted her eating one of the halves. “O-Oh, dear…”

Eloise paused, looking back up to them, as they seemed to get farther away, but not in the direction she was hoping. She had shrank nearly down to the size of a blade of grass, groaning once she realized, grabbing her head in panic.

“Oh no, no, please!” she whimpered in fear.

“Thieves…” The Red Queen bellowed lowly, waving her hand at the gate they were close to, as it seemed to melt away.

“Give me the ozher piece, quick!” Klaus said in a hurry, reaching down to Eloise. Without question, she handed off the other half, Klaus eating it quickly, before changing to his rabbit form, becoming the size of a small car. “Get on! I’ll get us out of here!”

She grabbed on to his extended paw as he tucked her into his waistcoat pocket, darting through the forest once more, making sure to break through some fallen trees and bushes as he ran.

“W-Wait! What about them?! Are they gonna be ok?!” Eloise asked, referring to the butterfly and dormouse.

“Zhey’re fine, she’s only after us!” Klaus responded, groaning as he broke through another old log. “I have to find out vhere her barrier is, once I break it open, ve’re free!”

Eloise looked around as Klaus paused, trying to catch his breath, not being used to this size as a rabbit. In the brief silence, the flames echoing behind them, Eloise heard a soft whisper in her ear. 

“Go east…” It spoke, as she nodded and pointed.

“East! Hurry!”

“Vhat?”

“Trust me, go that way!” she said, grabbing to the inside of his pocket once more as he ran in that direction, spotting a thicket of rose bushes.

“Ve’re going back!” Klaus called out in concern, though not stopping, as he spotted the castle’s flaming silhouette behind the bushes they were headed for.

“We’ll be ok! Please, trust me!”

Klaus groaned as he quickened his pace, going full speed ahead and holding his breath as he tumbled through the bushes, feeling an intense heat and falling off to the other side. The castle dissipated into a mirage for a brief moment, before disappearing completely, leading into a clearing, Klaus returning to human form, still massive. Eloise peaked out of his pocket, both of them panting, looking back to the thicket.

“Did…did we make it?” she asked, trying to stay hidden, knowing The Red Queen would still probably be able to find them.

“I-I zhink ve did…I…zhiiiihh-” Klaus hitched briefly, some of the rose pollen winding up getting onto his fur and filled the air once he changed back.

“No, no, please! She’ll hear you!” Eloise begged, trying to hide further in his pocket, already knowing he was in the middle of a losing battle.

“S-Sorry, I-I c-…hiiihh–!” he covered his pocket quickly to try and protect her, nostrils flaring dangerously as he twisted away, trying his best to stay quiet in his larger size. “Hiiiiihh-!! Iiih-KSHUuu!!”

His sneeze immediately echoed throughout the land as he held his hand to his face, pinching his nose hard to try and keep from going into a fit. He kept an eye on the castle, waiting for any sign of The Red Queen approaching, Eloise peeking out from over his hand.

“Bless you,” she spoke out, relieved that The Queen didn’t seem to notice.

“Danke…” he responded, not removing his other hand just yet.

Suddenly, an intense heat swept over both of them, as flames erupted in the trees and bushes they had been watching. Klaus scrambled to his feet and darted away, The Red Queen beginning to give chase.

“Thieves!!” she screamed once more, her dress hovering away from her feet with the heat rising from them, as she seemed to set each step she took ablaze. 

Klaus, remaining human to keep his energy focused on running instead of also dealing with being transformed, fought hard to keep his pace as he followed the trail away from the castle, leading into another area filled with wildflowers and trees. Now riddled with allergies, he was soon out of breath from running while going into brief fits, one hard sneeze causing him to fall forward, Eloise tumbling out of his pocket.

“No!!” he shouted, struggling to stand, forcing himself to change once more into his rabbit form, scurrying over to her. “Quickly, get back on! Hey! A-Are you ok?!”

He nudged her, gasping, finally spotting her condition. She had scrapped herself across the ground, her head hitting the base of a tree trunk. Klaus panicked, hopping around her, trying to wake her up, continuously pushing her body.

“Come on…please! You’re almost home, I promise, please…please be ok…” he whimpered, black eyes welling with tears as he curled around her. “Zhis…zhis is my fault…I should’ve…I should’ve never…”

He looked up quickly to a low chuckle approaching him, The Red Queen, body fully enveloped in flames, leaving only a black shadow. She stepped closer as Klaus backed himself against Eloise’s body, raising his back in one last ditch effort to appear intimidating, though faltering greatly with grief and exhaustion.

“Good job, little bunny, you did just as I hoped~ That curse I placed on you kept you two from getting too far…” she said, the flames spreading quickly through the flora.

“Leave her alone! She…she just vanted to go home…” Klaus growled, backing up closer to Eloise’s body.

“She’s a thief! And you’re just as guilty, if you’re trying to help her escape…” she said, holding a hand up to him. “You’ve lost your use to me long ago, all you did was try to suck up to The Blue Queen…I can find a much more…obedient assistant…goodbye, little bunny and thief~”

Klaus watched on in horror as a large ball of fire appeared above her hand, spinning and growing rapidly. She reeled back, the flames a hot white, as Klaus shut his eyes tight, bracing himself.

“Home run!!”

Klaus opened his eyes, watching the sight unfold. Something, or someone, had knocked the fire ball out of The Red Queen’s hand, sending it back in the direction of the castle. He saw above him, two young men spinning down to the ground, hand in hand, one with a scorched branch in the other hand. They landed, grinning to the Queen, the other nudging the first, setting something down next to him.

“Yo, Spencer, why did you shout that?” he asked.

“Oh, because he’s trying to get her home!” Spencer turned, holding his hands up to them. “Home! Run!”

Klaus quickly took the opportunity, scooping Eloise back up with his paws and tucking her into his pocket. “Danke~!!” he called back to them as he ran off.

“Anytime, Twitchy!” Spencer waved back to him, before turning back to face The Queen. “Alright, it’s about time you cool off! Baron, care to do the honors?”

“Of course, Spencer~” he grinned, a readied bucket of water in his hands.

“Still gotta change that name soon…” Spencer grumbled as Baron splashed the water onto her, the flames going out in a sizzle, The Red Queen drenched.

“Yeah! We’re heroes!” Baron grinned, high-fiving Spencer.

“You…little BRATS!!!” The Red Queen shouted, reigniting her flames, the heat wave knocking the two of them away. She turned towards where they were headed, her new fire allowing her to move much faster than before.

Klaus kept his pace as well as he could, trying his best to ignore his curse, turning down a familiar path, the scent of burning tea leaves a relief on his sinuses. He stopped, in the middle of a fog, changing back to human and grabbing Eloise from his pocket.

“Please, please help her!! You’re zhe only ones who can!” he called out, as the fog began to vanish.

“This had better be important…” a woman’s voice spoke.

“You are interrupting our tea party…” a man’s much darker voice finished her sentence, before spotting him at last, smiling wide. “Aha, vell, look who finally had his growth spurt! Our little bunny’s not so little anymore, dear~”

“Ohooohoho~ no he’s not~!” the woman said, standing, her tattered, brown ears up happily. “Should we have an unbirthday celebration custom made for this day?”

“Please! You have to help her, she von’t vake up!” Klaus whined, going to his knees and holding Eloise out to them. The man approached and tilted his head, his tall hat leaning down in front of his face, a magnifying glass dangling in front of his eyes to get a better look at the much smaller woman.

“Zhis is bad, her head’s bruised…young man…vhat happened to her?” the Hatter asked, looking back up to him.

“I-It’s…It’s my fault, I- ve vere running from Ze Red Queen, and-”

“Ze Red Queen?!” the Hatter asked suddenly, pushing his hat back up. “Is she coming now?”

“Sh-She might be, she’s after us, after her! I have to get her home, but she needs to be ok…”

The Hatter watched him briefly, looking to the Hare standing next to him, nodding softly.

“Ve’ll hold her off…you get her to your entryvay to her vorld…give her zhis…she’ll be safe,” he said as he pulled a syringe from his hat, filled with a blue liquid.

“Danke…you be safe!!” Klaus said, beginning to hurry off.

“However…” the Hatter said as the Hare stepped inside their house to get a few things in preparation for The Red Queen. “Understand zhat…once she gets zhat and returns home…she von’t be coming back. It’s for zhe better, ve don’t vant all zhis madness!”

Klaus winced, holding her close to his chest gently. “I…I know…as long as she’s safe…I understand,”

The Hatter nodded and turned, already feeling the heat from the spreading flames. Klaus hurried off, not caring to see what the Hare was wheeling out of their home.

“Keep her safe…keep her safe…” he repeated to himself, trying his best to ignore the rising screams from behind.

Klaus fell to his knees, exhausted, as he looked to the large door ahead of him. Panting, he carefully pulled Eloise out of his pocket, setting her down, growing worried that he was too late. He grabbed the syringe and held it to her, realizing it was too large for her body. Any attempt to inject her would do more damage than good. He gripped his head, realizing he messed up. Again. He leaned forward, face in his hands, as he wept.

He couldn’t understand. Why was he crying so much? Why did he feel so much pain for someone he didn’t know? Who was she, really? Why did he want to succeed for her? Many thoughts ran through his head as he swiped his eyes, still intent on helping her.

“Hey! W-We’re over here!”

Klaus looked up to the sight of a hovering butterfly carrying a dormouse. Yet again. Though this time, they seemed a bit worse for wear. The butterfly’s wings were singed, as was the dormouse’s fur and tail, and the butterfly landed not so gracefully next to Eloise, dropping the dormouse on the way down.

“Vhat are you two doing here?” Klaus asked, sniffling slightly, trying to calm down.

“We can help her!” The butterfly said, trying to get back on his many legs, wobbling slightly. “The Hatter’s gal Hare pal thought you could use this!”

Klaus looked over as the dormouse held up a much smaller syringe, just the right size to help Eloise, with the same fluid inside of it. He smiled wide and laughed in relief, nodding him on.

“Vell, go on, help her! Quick!” he said, the dormouse jumping slightly and hurrying over to her, fumbling nervously with the syringe as he looked to her. Wincing, his hands shook, as the butterfly took notice.

“Uh, I dunno if you’re fit enough to do it, pal, you’re still shaken up from that run-in with The Red Queen,” he said, flying back up to Klaus’ face. “Here, this should help ya,”

Klaus, about to ask what, suddenly felt something small get tossed onto his tongue. He swallowed hard and watched as the ground got closer, rapidly. The butterfly managed to get just the right amount of mushroom to shrink him down to Eloise’s size. He smiled at his new height. Now, he could do some good for her.

He accepted the syringe from the dormouse and stepped up to her, gasping softly. He felt his lip tremble as he got closer, hoping up and down that this would work. In a moment, he tried to focus, suddenly getting quiet, relaxed, still, as he carefully injected the fluid into her arm, watching over her carefully.

Nothing happened for quite some time, as the butterfly, the dormouse and Klaus all watched on, Klaus’ ears falling behind his head. He shut his eyes tight and looked away, turning and walking off.

“It’s no use…I really am a cursed failure…” he sighed shakily, holding around himself as he continued.

“…Don’t say that…Klaus…”

He nearly leaped out of his waistcoat once he heard that voice. Though weak, it was still definitely a voice. Her voice. He turned and hurried back for her, hugging around her tightly, too elated to realize how tight he was squeezing.

“Nhhh…oww~…” she groaned, though smiling and hugging him back until he pulled away.

“Sorry, sorry, I just…I’m so happy you’re alright! I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…” he whined, crying softly against his palm.

“It’s fine, I’m alright…you’re not a failure…we escaped, didn’t we?” she asked, trying to reassure him. He sniffled and nodded happily.

“Ve did…ve got a little help, zhough,” he smiled, wiping his eyes. “You’ve made friends~ zhey all helped you…” he said, turning to the others.

“Well, good to see ya with color in your cheeks again, lil’ lady~” the butterfly smiled, fluttering down to her.

“Thank g-goodness, you’re ok…y-y-you really had all of u-us w-w-worried!” the dormouse spoke, stepping up timidly to get a better look. She smiled back to him, sitting up slightly, before looking back down the path.

“…What happened to her?”

Klaus looked back as well, biting his lip and looking to her.

“She…got stopped by zhe Hatter and Hare…” he said. “I…vasn’t about to stick around and see how zhey did it…”

“Is she ok?”

“Sh-…She tried to kill you..! Y-…” he looked to her expression, noticing how she was genuinely concerned. He sighed and sat by her, looking away. “She is Zhe Red Queen…but also Zhe Blue Queen…she…hasn’t been vell since taking zhe throne…Zhe King tried his best to help her, and so did I…but…she just kept getting vorse…zhe only help she could get vas from zhe Hatter, but zhey don’t exactly have zhe best history…hopefully, now zhat he has her…Zhe Red Queen vill be gone for good…”

Eloise’s eyes watered slightly, as she turned away and wiped them quickly, nodding in response.

“Hopefully…she…was so kind to me…you all were…and…I still promise to come back, I’ll check to see how she’s doing, how all of you are! Something like this isn’t going to scare me off…” she said, strength returning to her body as she smiled.

Klaus smiled back, secretly trying to ignore the Hatter’s instruction of keeping her from returning, before standing up slowly, helping her back to her feet gently.

“Alright…but first, you’re not exactly ‘home ready’,” he said, looking back to the butterfly. “Have any more of zhat mushroom?”

“Not right now, but I can get more. Be back in a flap!” he said, before flying off, Klaus smiling back to Eloise, placing a gentle hand on top of hers.

He still didn’t know just why he cared so much for her, but somehow, the thought of her leaving didn’t hurt as much. He wanted her safe, and if that meant never seeing her again, he was more than happy to say goodbye.

“Let’s get you home,” he said with a smile, watching the butterfly return.

#bonds in wonderland #biw #chusset