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narrators-journal · 2 years

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Pretty Kitty

Another Ao3 request! This one asks for a fic of an aged up Ash being turned into a female purugly and being scooped up by Team rocket. Nothing odd happens, it’s just a goofy scenario, but it was a ton of fun to write!

In all of Ash's twenty years as a professional trainer, you'd think he'd have learned not to under estimate the odd magics and powers some people could have. He'd come across almost every possible flavor of pokemon and trainer, he knew better. Yet, there he was. A pudgy, fluffy feline fuming on the side of the route path. Misty'd be laughing her ass off at me if she saw me like this. He thought grumpily, his coiled, spring-looking tail lashing behind him. Though, he wasn't truly mad, more just disappointed in himself. He'd fought plenty of hex girls and magician trainers, he should've known nothing good could've come from one of them being bitter at their defeat to him. Despite that though, Ash was now forced to wait for Pikachu to fetch one of his friends for help, unable to ask a trainer himself or keep up with his beloved companion pokemon. So, he spent the time waiting under the cover of the roadside plants and feeling out the new form he was stuck with for for an indeterminate amount of time. Finding that while he did have a bulky body, most of the mass that made up his feline body seemed to be the thick purple-grey fur that covered most of his new body with the exception of his chest and around his stomach, where the white fur that made up the markings on his body grew longer and fluffier than other parts of the pelt. Not only that though, he found that he could also twist and curl himself around pretty fluidly, just like any other cat pokemon he'd seen, which proved to be a fun way to wait for his companion and help. "Oh, hello there, beautiful." A familiar female voice suddenly cooed, startling the purugly into a mad scramble back to his paws, fur fluffing up more when he spotted team rocket. Namely, he was faced with Jessie, who was crouched down in front of his hiding spot with James and Meowth standing a bit further back onto the dirt path. "Don't be frightened, I'm not going to hurt you," She assured gently when Ash growled. Shit, do I know any attacks? Can I use hyperfang on her? The changed man panicked, watching one of his nemesi offer her hand for him to sniff. Sadly though, he couldn't think of how to achieve that move, so he tried something easier. Gathering as much power as he could into his legs, Ash threw himself at Jessie, hoping to knock her back like he'd seen his pokemon do when they used Tackle. However, all he did was earn a small 'oof' from the redhead and knock himself unsteady. "Jessie, maybe you should leave her be. She's obviously not happy." James suggested, getting a scolding from his crimson-haired coworker, "James, she might be abandoned, or lost. It'd be cruel to just leave her here." With that, the woman took advantage of the fact that Ash had just knocked himself slightly silly to scoop the feline up and stand up again, "We'll leave a note in case a trainer comes looking for her, until then, I'm keeping her." Meanwhile, Ash tried to wriggle free of her grip, trying to hop back onto the beaten path and maybe book it back towards the town Pikachu was surely at. However, when she gently reached down to scratch beneath his chin, all of the fight seemed to drain from his body at how nice it felt. Wait, shit, I need to get away. I can't let her pet me. He reminded himself with a shake of his furry head, but Jessie just kept stroking his fur, and she held him surprisingly gently. All of which made it shockingly hard for him to want to squirm free. In the end, the hexed trainer gave in and let the member of team rocket carry him off after James had left a note under a rock where they'd found him. The entire way back to town though, Ash flip flopped, sometimes wriggling for freedom, but seemingly always thwarted when Jessie would scratch under his chin and coo compliments to him. All the while, he realized, Meowth watched him curiously, as if the other pokemon could tell he was losing the fight with his new forms nature. Eventually though, the purugly was finally released into a hotel room with one last affectionate scrub of his desaturated coat from the red-haired woman. This is it! I can bolt for the door and get out of here! He thought, swiftly turning back to the door to try for freedom. Sadly though, he wasn't fast enough, only managing to headbutt the door as Meowth pulled it shut behind himself. "Hey there! Don't go knocking yourself out." The bipedal pokemon snorted, Keep it up and I'll knock you out instead. Ash hissed, making the pokemon laugh, maybe a bit too hard though, since James came over to check on them. "Meowth? What's so funny?" The sapphire-haired team rocket grunt asked, nudging Ash away from the door with his foot while the tan feline slowed his laughter enough to speak, "Eh, nothin'," He said with a wave of his paw, pausing to look at Ash with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes "She's just quite the fiery Purugly, quite creative with her temper." He hummed, earning another hiss from the changed trainer. Are you aware that I'm a trainer?! The fluffy feline questioned, but Meowth simply strolled over to a chair and sat down to flick through television channels. However, the hexed trainer was not about to give up, following the pokemon to his seat to continue the interrogation. Meowth! You know I'm a guy, don't you? You know damned well that I'm a trainer too, huh? Ash nagged, but the only attention he got from his angry meows and hisses was Jessie coming over to soothingly stroke his fluffy fur, "Meowth, is she being aggressive towards you?" The woman asked, but the snarky pokemon shook his head, "Nah, she's just mad I shut the door before she could run off," Why are you calling me a girl?! You know I'm a guy, tell em I'm a male! Ash's point only earned him an annoyingly smug look from the creature when Jessie left. That couldn't bode well. With one final huff and glare to the pokemon, Ash stomped off to sit between the wall and one of the hotel beds, now doubting his own beliefs. That hex girl could change my form, obviously, so...did she change my gender? He asked himself, looking himself over more thoroughly than he had before. With no hints found in just his looks, he checked his nether regions, and sure enough. He was somehow changed into a female Purugly, which, was more confusing than anything, but at least explained why Jessie and James referred to him as a she. Meowth though, was surely doing it to try and mess with Ash. Which, was annoying, but the feline did work for Team rocket, Ash expected him to be a villain. In fact, it seemed Meowth was the only one of the trio acting how Ash thought they should. James didn't quite ignore the pudgy feline, but he wasn't openly affectionate to him either, while Jessie was the complete opposite. Despite the fact that she thought Ash was a lost or abandoned pokemon, the woman absolutely doted on him like he were her own. "Don't get attached, if she's got a trainer it'll be harder to give her back." James warned the woman while she dished out some poke-food for Ash when she fed her own team, "I'm aware, but I don't want her to feel unwelcome." Do I feel unwelcome? Ash mused, mostly tuning the team rocket members out again as he picked at the food offered to him. No. I actually don't. He realized, mulling that thought over for a while. He still wasn't a fan of the three antagonists, he knew that, but Ash couldn't entirely look down on them anymore. They did steal pokemon, aiming for his Pikachu whenever they could, but Jessie had meant well in taking him in, that was obvious. Man, a bit weird to grow to like these guys after all the shit they've done. Ash thought, finding himself a spot in a corner as the trio settled down for the night not too long after the pokemon were fed. Meowth though, stayed up longer than the other two. Instead of sleeping, he came to sit in front of Ash, his eyes dimly seeming to glow in the moonlight that trickled into the dark room from the window, "Alright, now I can answer your questions without crushin' their perception." He said quietly, making Ash's ears perk up, "Yes, I realized you were male as soon as you spoke to me, and yeah, I recognize ya voice, twerp. You might be older, but I know it's you." he answered, and this time, Ash was the one who refused to respond outside of his spring-looking tail lashing. "However, not only is it fun to see you be grumpy and helpless, Jessie and James think you're female, and I don't wanna explain to them how they're wrong. I think it'd kinda break Jessie's heart at this point, y'know?" Ash huffed at that, Yeah, she's gotten attached to me. He conceded, Meowth nodding, but I doubt I'm gonna stay like this forever. What's your plan for whenever this curse wears off? He asked the feline, who simply shrugged, "I can't say, but they're my friends. I don't wanna hurt them if I can help it. So, you're gonna be stuck with us until your little pals call to claim ya, or you change back, I suppose." With that and a stretch, the tan pokemon got up again, "Could be worse. Take it from me, you don't wanna be livin' on the streets." That was the last thing he said to the hexed trainer before finally finding a spot to lay down for the night, leaving him to huff and think over his situation until sleep finally snared him.

#Pokemon #Ash ketchum #Team rocket #Satoshi #Ao3 ask #magic #transformation #Ash gets turned into a purugly

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bgn846 · 4 years

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D4 FFXV Drabble - One Shot

Featuring Gladio and Ignis. in which Ignis has a bad day at the office, punctuated by an attempt on his life by the office vending machine.

The mechanical whir of the machine broke his momentary stupor. Sighing heavily, Ignis gazed through the scratched glass panel of the vending machine, waiting for his selection to drop. It was a pathetic excuse for dinner, he knew it, but there wasn’t much else he could do. His meetings for the day had gone long, and he’d gotten behind. The only way to catch up was to work late.

Staying at the office was a trick he’d learned early on, it prevented any excuses on his part for not doing his job. The second he’d set foot in his apartment all chances of work would be lost. The need for rest would take over and he’d be screwed the next day.

Gladio and Noct would scold him for this type of behavior but he needed to make sure things were done properly. In other words, he had to do it himself. When the machine stopped making noise Ignis looked down in the collection slot and frowned. The dark plastic pit that should have held his processed food package was empty.

Daring to take a peek inside the machine where his item had been housed, showed it was stuck. Wedged firmly between its neighbors in the machine, it wasn’t going anywhere. The first thought that crossed his mind was to kick the machine. Some form of self-preservation kicked in and prevented his foot from moving. After staring for far too long, another idea came to him. Find more money and buy something else. Losing a couple bucks to the vending machine wasn’t the end of the eos.

However, after he’d torn his desk apart and fully emptied his wallet it became clear he had no more cash. This vending machine was too old to accept credit cards so he was out of luck. He did consider the notion that a different machine on another floor in the citadel might take credit. The idea of leaving to go buy terrible food was a worry. He might simply keep walking, and end up at his car in the garage, if he left the floor. Groaning out loud he pushed himself up from his desk and went to analyze the situation again.

Another indeterminate amount of time passed as he glared at the offending machine. Finally he decided on a plan. His arm was long; he might be able to reach the item if he stuck his hand in through the bottom. The fact that the machine was outdated worked to his advantage in this scheme. The door wasn’t tamper proof.

Sustenance was literally within reach, all he had to do was stretch another inch. The last inch proved the most difficult. Something about bones and tissue not stretching, despite willing them to do so, meant Ignis could only scrape the packaging with his fingernail. Yelling in frustration he forced his arm into the tiny space ignoring the pain it caused.

The movement was enough to dislodge the item and it fell gracelessly into the bin. Releasing a giddy laugh at his success, Ignis balled his fist up in a victory stance. Unfortunately he moved his arm too quickly, and subsequently smacked the metal rack that held the food in the machine. What happened next was truly terrible. Ignis didn’t know vending machines could enact revenge.

The spiraled coil of metal that held the food in place had moved during his small celebration, and hooked itself on the band of his wrist watch. Panicking slightly as it pulled his arm Ignis tried to pull back but he was stuck fast. Apparently, this machine was not happy at having been tampered with.

The discomfort he’d felt before was now amplified and he wasn’t sure what to do. Maybe he could unlatch his watch and get free. The angle he’d gotten stuck meant his other free arm was again, just out of reach. Astrals, he was going to be stuck here the whole damn night. People would come in the next day, and find him passed out. He’d probably lose his arm in the resulting rescue mission.

This wasn’t acceptable, he needed help. Shoving his pride aside at having been played by a damn vending machine, Ignis worked to fish his phone out of his pocket. The pain was getting worse and if he didn’t hurry he’d have to call the crownsguard office to send someone. That was his last resort, he other options before things got that dire.

Pulling up the last number dialed he hit send and waited. The line rang and rang but Ignis prayed he’d would pick up. Right as he was about to give up, the line connected. Gladio’s out of breath voice greeted him a second later. Thank the six, the man must have been training late, that meant he was on the grounds.

“Gl-gladio,” Ignis hissed through his pain. “Please tell me you are still at work.”

“Iggy, what’s wrong, you sound off.”

Unsure if he should describe his misfortune over the phone, Ignis opted for a brief summary instead. “I’ve had an accident in the break room on my floor, I need h--,”

Gladio didn’t even let him finish, “I’m on my way right now, are you bleeding?”

“No,” he gasped, “I’m – six, this is embarrassing,” Ignis lamented.

“Stay calm, I’m on my way. I might lose you on the elevator ride but I’m coming okay.”

“Thanks,” Ignis managed as he sat on the floor and waited. Gladio, bless the man, talked to him the whole time. The shield covered as many mundane topics as he could in the short five minute trip over to Ignis’ office. It was enough of a distraction that Ignis could block out the pain, and the disturbing fact that his arm was starting to go numb.

Gladio’s suspicions about losing the connection while in the elevator were true, and Ignis was forced to breathe deeply in an effort to calm his nerves. When the elevator just outside the break room, dinged, signaling his arrival. Ignis nearly cried for joy. Leaning his now, sweat covered brow, against the glass Ignis called out to Gladio. “I’m in here!”

Gladio’s panic stricken face appeared a second later. “What the hell happened?” He asked as he took in the sight before him.

“The machine is trying to kill me,” Ignis spit out. “My watch band--,” he wavered as a new wave of painful sensations flared in his arm.

Gladio had rushed over and was already sitting on the floor next to him. “Shit, uh, I’ll get you free, give me a second.” He announced while shoving his muscled, tattooed arm in through the bottom. Gladio thankfully was at the right angle to reach his abused appendage. The shield made quick work of undoing his watch band. The second he could feel his arm move freely, Ignis ripped it out of the machine. Hissing in pain he cradled his arm to his chest.

Maybe he’d pulled a muscle with this ridiculous stunt, he wasn’t sure yet. The faint, but familiar pull of magic, in the back of his mind, drew Ignis’ gaze over to Gladio. “What are you doing?” he asked in shock.

“You’re hurt, and I’m not taking no for an answer.” Gladio huffed as he took Ignis’ good hand, and forcefully crushed a potion bottle in it.

Relief from the pain was instant. He wanted to chide Gladio for wasting a potion on him, but his mind was currently too distracted to let him. A hand on his shoulder made Ignis snap out of his daze. “Huh? Were you talking to me?” he asked weakly. Gladio’s expression was a mix of concern and anger when Ignis looked up. Oh dear, had he interrupted something important? Perhaps he should have called someone else instead. “Sorry for troubling you so late, I didn’t mean to ruin y--.”

“Nope, not gonna work,” Gladio interrupted. “Nothing to be sorry about, you are always welcome to call me for help. Seeing you in pain like that was hard,” he sighed. “Promise me you’ll always ask me for help when you need it?”

Caught off guard by the sincerity of the comment, Ignis took a few seconds to gather his thoughts. “Yes, of course I’ll always call you. Sorry I’m tired and this hasn’t helped my cause.”

“You look exhausted Iggy, why are you still at work?”

“I had things to finish up,” he offered.

“I’m sure none of the things are an emergency, right?”

Pursing his lips, Ignis glared at Gladio. Leave it to the man to pick apart his reason for being at the office late. “I still should finish up before I head home.”

“Sure, if you say so. Let’s go back to your office and you can tell me what the hell happened.”

Humming in agreement Ignis worked to get up off cold linoleum floor. Once he was upright the room began spinning. Gladio was by his side once again, with a strong arm around his waist. “Oh dear,” Ignis muttered more out of irritation than anything else.

“When was the last time you ate?” Gladio asked with a raised eyebrow.

Laughing nervously Ignis tried to turn around and reach for the discarded item in the vending machine. “That was supposed to be dinner,” he joked, though the mood wasn’t quite right for it.

“Please don’t fight me on this,” Gladio begged. “I know you’re not a stupid person Iggy, but you are done for the day, okay.”

“Really?” he tried, “no more?” Deep down Ignis knew Gladio was right but he still had so much work to do. “How will I catch up tomorrow?” he asked dejectedly.

“That is a whole other issue that needs addressing. Why don’t we go back to your office and pack things up for the night and go home.”

Nodding in defeat Ignis let Gladio lead him back down the hall. He felt slightly better and things had stopped spinning, but Gladio still had an arm around his waist. Only when they’d reached his office did the shield relinquish his hold. Carefully gathering his items while Gladio patiently waited, gave Ignis time to think of all the work he really was doing. Maybe Noct and Gladio were right, perhaps he needed to take it easy.

When they were ready to leave Gladio once again pulled him close and they walked out of the building together. Before he could break the somewhat comfortable silence that had developed, Gladio spoke up.

“No arguments, this is what’s gonna happen,” Gladio huffed. “First, I’m driving you home. Second, we’re ordering delivery so you don’t have to cook. Third, you’re taking the day off tomorrow; call it a mental health day.”

Ignis could feel Gladio’s body stiffen once he’d finished talking. Clearly the man thought Ignis was going to fight him on what he’d said. However, all of what had been listed sounded perfect. Not driving, eating something warm that didn’t come from a metal and plastic box, and taking some time to recoup lost energy was a wonderful idea.

“You don’t mind driving me?” he checked with a small smile.

“Huh?” Gladio’s eyes were wide in disbelief as he processed what Ignis had said. “Seriously, you’re not gonna fight me on this?”

“No, you’re right. I know you and Noct are always berating me for working too hard. It appears I need some help with that endeavor,” Ignis admitted sheepishly.

“So I can drive you, and order you food, and you’ll stay home tomorrow?” Gladio checked with an ear splitting grin.

Ignis nodded and offered Gladio a smile of his own. He wasn’t prepared for what happened next. Gladio actually whooped in the parking garage, and gathered up him in a bone crushing hug.

“You won’t regret this Iggy, I’m gonna text Noct later and we’ll figure out a way to help you with your work load. You’re doing the job of like three other people right now and you don’t need to, it’s not fair.”

“Yes, I’ve been made aware,” Ignis chuckled wryly.

“Come on, times a wasting,” Gladio enthused as he herded Ignis over to the passenger side. “Do you mind if I shower at your place while we wait for food to be delivered.”

“Not at all, though you might have to wake me up when it arrives.”

“Easy, I can so do that.” Gladio announced.

The ride back to his apartment was quiet and calming. The remainder of the evening was spent falling asleep on the couch in between activities. Dinner was amazing, and so much better than the protein bar he’d been trying to excavate from the vending machine. Gladio ended up staying the whole night. Something about Ignis attempting to work meant he had to keep an eye on him. For the first time he didn’t mind the attention. His friends were trying to help and there was nothing wrong with that. Besides, he owed Gladio the full story of how the vending machine tried to eat his arm.

#ffxv #gladio #gladiolus x ignis #ffxv fanfiction #hurtcomfort

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imagine-loki · 5 years

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Gifted

TITLE: Gifted (Sequel to Giftless)

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: 9/?

AUTHOR: nekoamamori ORIGINAL IMAGINE:

Imagine that you are Stark’s niece and you secretly share a strong relationship with Loki since he entered the crew. One day you get hurt so bad during a mission that you are about to die. Loki knows a spell that will save you and share his immortality with you but you and he will be linked forever sharing thoughts, pain, emotions…

RATING: T NOTES/WARNINGS: Also on AO3 click here

It took way too long to wash all of the blood and dirt and grime off of you and out of your hair. You wondered how on Earth you had gunk in your hair, but it was there and it was disgusting. And it was better not to ask. So you took your time making sure you got all of it out.

You may have also been procrastinating the lecture from Tony.

You caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror when you finally got out of the shower and indeterminate amount of time later. You looked like hell and were going to have to ask Loki to heal some of this bruising. Otherwise, you weren’t going to be able to move soon. You sighed and threw on a tank top and pajama pants. They were easy to put on and you were spending the afternoon and evening in the tower anyway. Maybe you’d sneak out after Tony’s lecture to watch the rest of the filming with the crew, but otherwise you weren’t leaving.

You padded across the hall when you were dressed to go find Loki, since he wasn’t waiting in your bedroom or sittingroom where you had expected him to be. It was strange. You were so used to him being constantly around. He’d been on guard duty so often when you didn’t have powers.

It was so strange, in fact, that you drew a dagger on your walk across the hall, afraid something was wrong.

Tony was in Loki’s suite with him. That was definitely wrong. You heard their voices from outside Loki’s door. Loki was giving Tony a report on what had happened earlier and they actually sounded calm for once. You didn’t believe that was right.

You slipped into the room without trouble as Loki’s shields always recognized you with no hesitation. You didn’t even think they bothered to alert him anymore if it was just you. You sheathed your dagger again, now that you didn’t need to worry about Loki. You padded silently into the room and walked straight over to Loki on his couch. Tony looked away from his conversation and gasped when he saw you. Loki smiled up at you, though his expression dropped when he saw you too.

“It looks worse than it is,” you tried to sound reassuring, but your voice just sounded tired. Your energy rush from that morning when you had a full-night’s sleep was long gone, and the adrenaline from the emergency had gone with it. “I could use a bit of help with the nasty bruise on me ribs, though,” you offered the peace offering to Loki.

“Let me see,” he commanded gently. You weren’t offended by his tone and lifted your shirt to just below your breasts so your ribs were visible. It was still high enough to make Tony growl.

“Tony…” your voice held a warning tone. Loki’s cold hand glowed green when he held it against the bruise and you practically sighed in relief as the pain ebbed. The swelling vanished and the bruise’s dark purple color went with it. You lowered your shirt again when he was done. “Thank you,” you said warmly, grateful for the help.

“Let me see that arm.” He was stuck in healer mode so you let him get on with it without fighting him. Besides, the arm hurt from where you landed on it. It was healed just as quickly.

When he was done, you curled up next to him and listened to him give his report, laying your head on his shoulder and closing your eyes. They could deal with the boring report stuff without your attention.

“Tony, can you do your lecture at me while I’m napping?” you asked him tiredly.

“I lectured your boyfriend instead. It was way more enjoyable than lecturing you when you’re not conscious,” Tony replied and you could hear the smile in his voice.

“You just don’t like him,” you murmured.

“True,” he chuckled.

“Darling, you can go lie down,” Loki suggested gently. “Much as I enjoy you using me as a pillow, you would be much more comfortable in a bed. I can put up with your uncle’s company for awhile, even though it is not nearly as pleasant as yours,”

“Kat, go rest,” Tony added.

You nodded and blearily stood. You hadn’t been expecting your energy to crash that fast. You were more worn out than you had admitted even to yourself. Loki stood with you, a gentleman as per usual.

“You can rest in my bed. It is closer,” you didn’t care that Tony wouldn’t be pleased with this plan. It wasn’t up to him. Loki led you to his bedroom. He paused, knowing Tony was upset, but his desire to take care of you was way higher than his desire to stay on your uncle’s good side. So he walked you to the bed, an arm wrapped around your waist so you couldn’t fall and tucked you into his bed. He normally would have joined you for a nap, but he would be good while Tony was already pissed off at you. He kissed your forehead. “Rest well, love.” you thought he was relieved that you weren’t fighting him for once. You curled in his bed, surrounded by blankets and pillows that smelled like him, even a year later. The stuffed dragon you had given him so long ago was on his bed too, so it naturally got cuddled while you finally got some rest.

It was quite a few hours later when Loki woke you again. “Love. Tom called. The cast is going out to dinner tonight. They would like to know if we wish to join them,”

You sat up and nodded enthusiastically. “That sounds like fun,” you told him brightly. He smiled and offered you a hand. You took it and let him haul you out of bed. His magic changed your outfits back to the costumes from filming. You gave him a questioning look.

“They are still dressed in costume and asked for us to as well,” Loki replied. That sounded reasonable enough for this film cast and crew. “Are you feeling better?” he asked. You nodded and gave him a real smile as you headed outside.

You made it back out to where the filming was still going on. “You still know your lines, right?” the director demanded when he saw you.

“What lines?” you asked. You hadn’t been told about any lines.

“You didn’t tell her!? You said she’d do it!” The director yelled at Loki.

“Loki… what’s going on?” you wanted to be included in the mischief.

“They would like for us to reenact the comic con scene for the movie. It was so very popular. They were going to have some of the extras attempt it, but since we are here, the director kindly asked if we would do it.”

You nodded you agreement easily. “Sure. It’ll be fun,” you replied with a grin. You had done the skit a couple of times now with Tom and Kelly. “Same lines as comic con?” you asked the director while you were moved into position. He confirmed it was similar and you grinned at Loki. This was always such fun. Loki was led up on a platform that would be green-screened into something more impressive later. You couldn’t believe you were doing this for the actual movie.

You could, however have a little more fun with it. Loki gave you his Cheshire cat grin moments before he teleported onto his mark, legitimately startling the crowd of extras.

“People of New York, look how far you have fallen!” He announced. They murmured confused, shocked. “Look how you huddle, waiting for your saviors to come. They are not coming to rescue you this day. All you have is me! Yes, I have turned from your precious Avengers and defeated them all! I am Loki of Asgard and you am burdened with glorious purpose. Swear loyalty to me, swear your city over to me, and you shall live in riches in your kingdom. Kneel to your overlord!” he boomed. You saw in the glint in his eyes that he was enjoying every moment of this. His expression and delivery were perfect, too. “I said KNEEL~!” He used magic to amplify his voice even more than he should have been able to. At once the crowd of extras dropped to their knees in front of him, more in shock than anything else. Loki took a moment to look extremely pleased with himself.

That was your cue. You straightened your spine and snapped once. Loki took that cue to teleport you onto the platform a few steps from him. You couldn’t do it yourself right now. “LOKI!” you shouted as you stomped toward him. He looked over at you, shocked and acting sheepish and embarrassed.

“Are you trying to rule these mortals without me?” you demanded. You did have to change the script a little from the original, but not much.

“Of course not, my love!” he protested, rising from his bow and trying to look innocent. “I would not!”

You looked out at the crowd, trying to look calm and gentle and kind.. “Was he, dear mortals?” you asked them, calmly, sweetly, gently. They all spoke up in agreement at the same time. You held up a hand to silence them. They quieted immediately. “There is your answer, Loki,” you replied, turning back to him.

“But, darling~” he started.

You glared, your hands on your hips. “Don’t you ‘darling’ me, Loki Laufeyson. Back home with you, now!” you ordered, pointing off the platform and off stage.

“My love, they need someone to rule over them!” he protested.

You snapped your fingers and pointed again off stage. “Be gone with you. They shall have their ruler,” you turned back to the crowd. “Won’t you, my dears?” They all bowed down to you while Loki skulked off toward off stage.

“IMPOSTERS!” Came a roar from the crowd. Tom and Kelly, who stormed up towards the stage at the back of the auditorium. The crowd turned to them, feigning confusion. “Foolish mortals allowing yourselves to be tricked by such amateurs. I am the true Loki of Asgard! One of the Avengers and will never turn away from this city!” Loki took your hand and teleported you off stage. Moments later they called the ‘cut’ of the take.

You and Loki both erupted into giggles at how fun that had been. Tom and Kelly came over to congratulate you too. You had to do a couple more takes of the scene to get it perfect, but it was fun so you didn’t mind. The rest of the cast came up to applaud you once the filming was done for the day.

Tom came up beside you and whispered one word in your ear. “Assemble,” you grinned over at him.

“Same place?” He nodded and the main cast started disappearing slowly, trying to be sneaky. You failed miserably, but had a great dinner together in costume with all of the weapon props. At one point, you were sitting at the head of the table with all of the props at your feet like offerings. You laughed when all the actors bowed down to you, and Loki who was standing just beside your ‘throne’. This was going to be such a hilarious blooper reel. There were other funny pictures from that evening, but that was definitely your favorite.

#Loki #Lover #Submitted fic #submission #gifted #chapter 9 #nekoamamori

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dramioneasks · 5 years

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HP FESTS: DramioneFanfictionWriters (Part 2)

DFW's First Birthday GOGO Fest 2019:

The Minister's Decree by LadyKenz347 - M, 5 chapters - Ten years have passed since the Battle of Hogwarts and birthrates have steadily declined. In order to save the Wizarding World, the Minister enacts a Marriage Law.And Hermoine Granger is ready to burn down the patriarchy to make sure that doesn't happen.

Tempo by bionically - G, 4 chapters - Draco's good deed is punished. How bloody typical.On the verge of a suitable marriage, a chance meeting with a mysterious time witch gives Draco a chance to review his options.

Quite the Declaration by Frumpologist - M, one-shot - Glimpses into Draco and Hermione’s evolving, secret relationship.

Bare One's Soul by Felgia_Starr - E, one-shot - Ten creatures around the world have been chosen to study at Scholomance to become the most glorious warlock the world has ever seen. There, Hermione meets Draco Malfoy of the Purebloods, the most infuriating boy she's ever put her eyes on and the only one with whom she feels a connection.What happens when they bare their souls to each other?

Ichor and Aureum by fandomfairytales - E, one-shot - Based on the prompt/ gorgeous aesthetic by Felgia_Starr so, I've done my best to give it a little bit of everything (the only thing I couldn't work into this franken-prompt-fic was an accidental marriage what with the word limit).

Hermione Granger and the 'I'm sorry but I have to work with WHO?' by highlyintelligentblonde - G, one-shot - Hermione's Head Girl, Draco's Head Boy- neither of them know the other is though. What could go wrong? ;)

To My Wife by MykEsprit - T, one-shot - Draco admits to an obsession.

Game On by BiscuitsForPotter - M, one-shot - As co-Head Boy and Girl, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger just can't seem to get along. Hermione won't let Draco have a say and Draco refuses to listen. In an effort to force them to work it out, Professor McGonagall sets up a series of non-traditional detentions to get them to work together and communicate better. Her chosen method: board games. What could go wrong?

Of Love and Ducks by frecklesandbroomsticks - T, one-shot - Draco and Hermione take a trip to Paris. Things don't quite go as planned.

You make me see clearly now by ruthy4vrsmoaked - E, one-shot - You make me see clearly now... the rain is gone.She never asks permission to seat at his table. She just sits, drinks her tea and eats her cake. He has no other choice than to endure her unsolicited opinion on his life. The start of something none of the two expected.

Golden by msmerlin - M, one-shot - In a world where magic is forbidden and bounty hunters are on the prowl, Hermione must try to outrun the Crownland's most notorious hunter, The Harrier, when her secret is exposed. Magic Suppression AU.

A Game of Chance by TheLastLynx - M, 4 chapters - Hermione barely registered Harry calling out after her to let in someone he was apparently waiting for. So when she rushed out, deep in thought, she smacked straight into the tall person standing just outside the door. ‘Careful there, Granger,’ someone with a pleasant baritone said, chuckling under his breath. ‘No need to hit on me.’ Hermione’s head snapped up. The pointy face of Draco Malfoy looked down on her, something like humour brightening his pale eyes. She raised her chin, ignoring the heat in her cheeks. ‘Don’t flatter yourself, Malfoy.’ These past weeks, the London Muggle casinos have seen unprecedented losses. When Number 10 gets concerned and starts pressuring the Ministry of Magic, the D.M.L.E. tasks Hermione Granger with investigating the poshest of them all, Les Ambassadeurs. Is it all just an unlucky streak or might be magic to blame? And why does she keep running into Draco bloody Malfoy at the most unfortunate of times?

Magic in the Air by otterlyardent - not rated, one-shot - On his twentieth birthday, Draco has the first of many dreams, meant to lead him to his soulmate. The other problem, however, is that he's quite certain his dreams revolve around two women. Add in a request from Hermione Granger to assist her with a case, and Draco finds himself in a right mess. Canon divergent. Soulmate AU.

Healing Properties by MrsMast - T, one-shot - Hermione needs a cure for Dragon pox. She decides to go to the one man she knows that can help.

Wise Words by CourtingInsanity - T, one-shot - Both stuck in a war they didn't start, Hermione and Draco forge a strong bond on the night Dumbledore falls.

Not My First Mistake by savedprincess85 - M, one-shot - Hermione is a hard-working lawyer. Draco is a rugby player. Will they hit it off when Harry tries a bit of matchmaking?

DFW Trope Fest 2019:

The Essence of Veela by Elena78 - T, one-shot - Hermione doubts herself before she starts her new job at the Ministry and finds herself caught up in a predicament of Molly's. As she tries to resolve her part in this situation, a personal one arises.

The Dream Connection by Pureblood_Muggle - M, one-shot - Hermione is going stir crazy. She's having dreams about Draco Malfoy of all people. If only she could figure out why!

A Wide, Dark Sky by perilous_circumstance - T, one-shot - Set an indeterminate amount of time in the future, the wizarding world is travelling across Space. Hermione is a veteran of the Second Wizarding War and a Junior Auror aboard the giant Station, the large starship that houses the main parts of the Ministry, Hogwarts and other communal parts of the wizarding community. She is battling residual trauma leftover from the War, as well as a painfully awkward attraction to her former-Death Eater colleague, Draco Malfoy. When they are sent on a routine shuttle mission and disaster happens, Hermione is forced to confront her feelings for the insufferable git.

Near the Dragon's Eyes by fandomfairytales - E, 3 chapters - Late bloomer. That’s what they called her, adding yet another title to follow her other asinine monikers.With magic as strong as hers how could she possibly be anything else?What a joke. Of course, she took it all in stride; pushed herself harder, striving and struggling to make herself worth more than her lack of Alpha, Beta or Omega designation. But even the abject awe or generalised jealousy she inspired didn’t prevent the surreptitious glances or whispers behind hands about the girl who simply 'wasn’t witch enough.'

Soteria by Felgia_Starr - M, one-shot - 150 years after Voldemort won the Greatest War, nothing has changed. The Rebellion is still fighting against His regime. The Salvation is still defending their benevolent Dark Lord. Several generations came and went, but the world remains the same. Who knows? Maybe things will change soon. Maybe when fate forces Prince Draco of the Salvation and Hermione of the Rebellion to meet in the only neutral zone in the world, something different will finally happen.

Pinned by bionically - E, WIP - Draco doesn't know what he's expecting when he follows Blaise down a dark alley, but it certainly isn't this.For a man with an addictive personality, this isn't going to turn out well.

CATastrophic Love Potion by rennaissance_woman - not rated, one-shot - What do you get when you cross a bored feline and an owl on a mission.

Hello. (Is it me you're looking for?) by weestarmeggie - M, one-shot - A series of meetings that can only be described as "meet cutes" lead Hermione to her one true love just as a spell cast on Halloween the previous year predicted.

Finding Granger by TheImperfectionista - T, 6 chapters - When the Ministry introduced the Pureblood Reparations Act, Hermione found herself with a tax bill for being Pureblood. Despite being told she qualified for an exemption, the witch began a search for the truth of her ancestry with the most unlikely financier of her journey.

Questions Later by Pandorascube - M, one-shot - Hermione's life of isolation changes with a mysterious stranger's appearance.

Broken Barriers by Snowblind12 - M, one-shot - Tensions run high when Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts after the fall of Voldemort. As Head Boy and Girl, how will they ever get along? A story about tradition, booty shorts, and learning to trust.

Higher Love by PartyLines - M, one-shot - Hermione Granger learns about love in the conviction of Draco Malfoy.

The Unlikely Governess by Art3misiA - T, one-shot - The Malfoy children are little terrors. They drive away every Governess Draco hires.Will a certain curly-haired witch be able to tame his wild offspring, or will it all be a disaster?

Revenge by TriDogMom - M, one-shot - Hermione has a secret- she liked revenge.

More Than One Way to Win by scullymurphy - M, 7 chapters - “That’s damn near impossible, even for me,” Blaise shook his head. “I think we’ve hit the bar. Is there anyone who would be more difficult to shag?”His words were hanging in the air when Draco felt a magnificent plan spring fully formed into his mind. Could it work? He thought it could. A grin split his face and he said, “I know someone.”“Who?” Theo demanded. “Granger.”“Oh fuck ME, I can’t believe we forgot her!” Theo was really slurring now. “She would never let any of us get within ten feet of her precious, pristine knickers. Not that I wouldn’t love to,” he leered. “But yeah. Impossible.”“Impossible, you say?” Draco tilted his head to the side and regarded his extremely pissed friend. “Would you care to wager on that?”

Dark Affair by Kaarina_Riddle - T, one-shot - Dark Draco! Hermione and Draco have a secret affair and someone finds out what will they do? Will they be caught?

Regards, Hermione Granger by HufflepuffMommy - M, one-shot - Hermione and Draco form a relationship through writing letters while Draco is in Azkaban.

DFW 20/20 Challenge 2020:

Bookworm to Badass by Pandorascube - T, WIP - Guess who will rescue our Draco-in-distress?

Hindsight by floorcoaster - T, WIP - It's a New Year and Hermione decides it's time to make some changes.

Fireworks by Felgia_Starr - T, one-shot - Pressured by their managers, Draco and Hermione come together one evening during the Midnight Kiss Ball, a yearly get-together of greedy record labels, eating up business deals like they’re treats, disguised as a New Year’s Eve party for artists to celebrate their success during the year.

Grave Awakening by savedprincess85 - T, WIP - Hermione is mourning. Harry wants to help her. No one knows exactly what happened to Draco. One chapter a month for the year 2020.

The Green Pheonix by Gidgit2u - M, WIP - A betrayal at the beginning of sixth year causes Draco to swear allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix.Having recently come of age and as both hold the position of Prefect, Hermione is the perfect choice to become the Order’s handler of the grieving Slytherin.Despite years of hate and animosity, Hermione and Draco need to overcome their past and put aside their differences in order to help defeat Voldemort. As the war crescendos, the two must fight prejudice on all sides as they discover they may not be as different as originally thought.

Pretty Petty by TriDogMom - M, one-shot - "Damn right I'm pretty." "I said petty."

All Things Unsaid by TheImperfectionista - T, one-shot - "Many of the faces he knew from work, but he never liked any of them or had a desire to sit with them in the canteen for lunch. That was one thing he never told her. She was the only colleague, he enjoyed working with."

This fest is ongoing.

#DramioneFanfictionWriters #Fests/Exchanges/Challenges

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ankhlesbian · 6 years

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FE Rarepair Week: Day 1

Prompt: Snow, for @ferarepair-week

Fandom: FE Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Pairing: Faye/Silque

AO3 Link: Here

Length: ~2k

Title: in a polaroid picture

A gust of wind howls by, biting at Faye’s uncovered skin. She shivers, wrapping her arms around herself. Her usual outfit has served her well so far during their journey across Rigel, but the days just keep getting colder and colder. Silque glances over at her, frowning.

“We should be able to procure warmer clothes next time we find a village. It’s the right season for it, after all.” Faye nods in agreement.

“It never got this cold in Zofia.” she says mournfully. “Do you think it’ll snow?” Ram Village never saw real snow. Even if a few sad flakes did start falling, they never stuck to the ground for longer than just a couple of minutes.

Silque tilts her head towards the sky, full of swirling wispy clouds, and hums thoughtfully. “It might.”

Faye watches her closely. She seems much more animated than usual, her eyes twinkling. She’s… excited?

“How long has it been since you saw snow?” She knows Silque has been to Rigel before, a long, long time ago. Silque hesitates.

“Years, I suppose. I don’t remember much from my time here. Most of my memories are from growing up on Novis Isle.”

“Do you miss it?” It’s perhaps a rude question, but the piercing cold and the somber grey sky above and the muted grass beneath their feet has Faye feeling oddly pensive. Silque’s lips quirk upwards, not quite a smile.

“Of course. But if I had gone back, I’d just be doing what I was doing before the war. After everything, I couldn’t go back to sitting around. There’s people who need healing, people who need guidance now that Mila has left us. Besides, I enjoy getting to see the world.”

Faye can understand that. Before deciding to join Silque, she had gone back to Ram Village to see her parents. It hadn’t changed at all, but it still seemed emptier. There wasn’t much there for her, not anymore.

“Ah yes, who wouldn’t want to enjoy this glorious view?” She says, instead of voicing any of that. She gestures out at the barren landscape around them. Silque elbows her, but she’s smiling, for real this time.

“Don’t be so crass! There’s all sorts of wonders out here.” And as if on cue, something cold and wet hits Faye’s cheek. She gasps, touching the spot instinctively.

Silque giggles, and then it turns to laughter as she sees Faye’s face. Her head is thrown back, blue hair all the more vibrant thanks to the shining white snowflakes falling down around her. It’s a positively radiant sight, and Faye finds herself laughing too. She raises her hands to the sky, trying to catch a snowflake. Her lingering homesickness dissipates, and she wonders how she ever thought she liked Alm. He never made her feel like this, like this moment alone was worth a lifetime of loneliness.

They goof off for the next few minutes, mission forgotten. It’s like being a child again. Of course, they eventually tire of throwing snowballs at each other, and reality sets in. It’s getting late, and the snow shows no sign of letting up. The wind is also picking up, blasting ice into their faces.

“I think it’s a blizzard.” Silque says, voice shaking despite her attempt to stay calm. Faye’s own teeth are chattering. She takes a moment to compose herself.

“It doesn’t look like it’s gonna stop. We need to find a cave or something.” she agrees, because they’ve both looked over their map, and they both know they’re too far from any towns to seek shelter there.

The terrain isn’t rocky enough for caves, but they do manage to find what appears to be an old shed. The windows have been shattered, and the wood looks like it’s rotting, but the roof is intact and it’s better than nothing. They stumble inside and slide to the ground, resting their weary legs.

Faye cups her hands around her mouth and breathes out, rubbing her hands together. Silque is doing something similar, and she also adjusts her headdress, tugging it down over her ears.

They sit shoulder to shoulder, the warmth comforting. Faye cranes her neck so she can peer out a window without having to move. All she can see is white. There’s a nice little pile of snow collecting underneath the windows.

Her body complains, but she forces herself to get up. Silque furrows her brow, opening her mouth to protest.

“I’m going to block off the windows,” she explains. There’s scattered wooden planks on the floor, and some tarps, and even some spare tools on old shelves. She doesn’t dare touch those, for fear of accidentally chopping off a finger, but she manages.

“Hopefully that’ll keep the chill out.” She settles back down beside Silque. The cold seems to slow down even time, for the moments trickle by slowly, until finally the sun is set, and it seems her efforts were in vain, because now her and Silque are both shivering nonstop. Silque’s cheeks are a rosy pink, which would look quite nice if the situation wasn’t so uncomfortable.

“Here,” Faye says quietly, taking off her cape. She wraps it around both of their shoulders before retying it. Silque’s practically sitting on top of her, but she doesn’t think either of them mind. She may even get feeling back in her fingers. Without thinking, she reaches out for Silque’s hands, grasping them tightly. Silque doesn’t complain, only readjusting her arms to a more comfortable position.

“I really wish I had decided to keep studying black magic with Kliff now.” Faye complains. Healing spells are useful, but none of those will create a nice, sizzling, cozy fire.

“It’d probably just sap your energy, anyways.” Silque offers. “It’s not like white magic. Maintenance is harder. Black magic is just meant to harm a foe, then fade. No longevity.” Faye turns her head to look at Silque, and finds her face embarrassingly close to hers. She quickly turns away.

“I didn’t think you knew much about it.” Faye knows her way around multiple weapons, thanks to Sir Mycen, and picked up white magic during the war, but as far as she knows, most priories don’t make a habit of teaching black magic.

“Well, it certainly isn’t standard. But there was a library in town, and only so much to do as a bored child in the Priory.” The image of a young Silque carefully sneaking around the watchful eye of older clerics to read makes Faye smile.

“I bet you were a real troublemaker.” she teases.

“Not as much as you were.” Silque fires back. “Alm’s told me stories, you know. Something about you being banned from learning dark magic.” Faye had hoped she would just think it was a deliberate choice, and not a strict rule imposed by Sir Mycen.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Silque raises an eyebrow at her. Faye caves.

“I may have set one of Sir Mycen’s sheep on fire,” she admits. Silque starts to laugh, but she breaks off into a fit of coughing. Faye wraps an arm around her, awkward from their positions, to help stabilize her.

“I’m fine.” Silque says, only wheezing slightly. “Would you tell me another story, one from your childhood?” Faye nods, resisting the urge to bite at her lip.

The talking is a good distraction, but time keeps on ticking. Faye can feel the cold air sapping her energy, can feel it right down to the bone. Her stream of words trails off, despite her best attempts at wrangling her brain into order.

“Faye?” Silque is worried, her hair tickling Faye’s chin as she scrambles. Silque presses her fingers to Faye’s neck, and somehow, they feel even colder than her own skin.

“M’fine.” She mumbles, sluggishly swatting at Silque’s hand. She isn’t looking at her, but she swears she can feel Silque’s unhappy frown. Silque grips her hand, holding it close to her chest.

“You are wearing less layers than me.” Faye isn’t a chaste woman of the cloth, though. “We should keep talking. Let’s talk about- about Alm?” She wants to talk about something Faye’s interested in, she recognizes. But Silque hasn’t been present for her internal monologuing. Alm is old news. She thinks she only liked him because he would never like her back. A good reason to show interest in no other boys.

“That’s okay. How about you? Life on Novis Isle? You’re prettier than Alm, anyways.” That last bit just kind of slips out. Thankfully, Silque seems more concerned with the talking idea.

“Well, I didn’t spend a lot of time with Celica and her friends, but—”

Faye lets her voice wash over her. It’s soothing, and entirely counterproductive to staying awake. Silque’s head is nestled into Faye’s shoulder, and it’s so easy to just let her head fall on top of Silque’s. So easy to just shut her eyes and shut out the numbness she can feel. She focuses on Silque’s voice, low and sweet, until she can’t focus on anything any longer.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Faye jolts awake an indeterminate amount of time later. Miraculously, she doesn’t feel quite as cold anymore.

“Thank the Mother,” Silque breathes, from where she’s standing above Faye. She reaches out, gently grabbing Faye’s face with a hand, tilting her head to the side as she examines it with a critical eye. “I was afraid the cold had taken you.”

Faye pulls herself to her feet, stretching her arms upwards. “I wouldn’t let the weather take me out, not after surviving an entire war.” Silque doesn’t look convinced, but she does seem relieved that Faye’s in good spirit.

“You’ll probably have to tell me about your childhood again later, though.” she admits sheepishly. “I fell asleep before you got to the interesting stuff.”

Silque rolls her eyes. “It would be my pleasure.”

Outside, the sun is shining bright. It makes it hard to see, since there’s piles and piles of snow reflecting the light.

“It should start melting soon.” Silque says from beside her. “Then we can slog our way to a village.”

They stand in comfortable silence for a while, admiring the sight. The landscape is much more interesting when covered in snow. There aren’t any trees nearby, but Faye bets any evergreens look stunning right now. She glances at Silque out of the corner of her eye.

She remembers complimenting her, and she’s sure Silque remembers it too. Maybe she just thinks Faye was completely out of it. She could let it lie, let the two of them sweep it under a rug and move on. It would be a risk to bring it up again. But it was a risk to leave Ram Village with Alm wasn’t it? And a risk to leave a second time, to accompany Silque on this journey. Risks pay off.

“It’s certainly very pretty out,” Faye says abruptly. Silque is startled out of her own inner monologue, and looks over at Faye. “But not as pretty as you.”

“Faye—”

“I mean it. I’ve had a lot of time to think, lately. And I’ve realized that I like you. You’re caring, and good at healing, and you tell the best stories. And you were patient enough to put up with me, back during the war. I don’t want to lose you.”

Silque looks stunned. Is it that much of a shock? Anyone from the Deliverance could tell you that Silque was worthy of all sorts of praise. Her face goes red, and it takes her a few tries before she’s able to reply.

“Are you sure?”

Faye crosses her arms. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.” Silque rubs the back of her head, scuffs a foot across the ground awkwardly.

“Of course. I did not mean to imply anything untoward about your character. It was just… unexpected. I’m honored.”

“Just honored?” Faye can’t keep the disappointment from her voice, but she has to know. She isn’t going to sit through another bout of unrequited love.

“…More than honored.” Silque amends, finally looking up and meeting Faye’s eyes. “I’m a bit delighted. I think you’re wonderful, too, Faye.”

Despite the weather, Faye feels warm all over. She beams, and Silque’s face softens.

“That’s a good look on you.” she says, voice going quiet as she steps closer. She reaches a hand out and brushes her thumb over Faye’s lips.

“You always seemed miserable, back then. You deserve to be happy.” Faye takes her hand gently by the wrist and lowers it.

“I am happy.” Her volume lowers to match Silque’s, adding a level of intimacy to their conversation. Her eyes drop to Silque’s lips, dart back up to her eyes, then dart down again. They both lean in at the same time, and then their noses crunch together audibly, right before their lips touch.

They both recoil, clutching at their faces. And then they’re both laughing, just like yesterday, and Faye can’t help but think that she could live the rest of her life like this.

#ferarepairweek #rarepairweek #faye/silque #silque/faye #faye (fe)#silque (fe)#it writes

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welshwoman1988 · 7 years

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Poor Unfortunate Souls: The Potion

Okay, this world has literally sucked me into the dark depths and I don’t think I’m getting out any time soon...

@pale-silver-comb, I have updated again!

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, and now a Part Seven!

And the AO3 link for those that prefer it!

(ALSO TRIGGER WARNING NOTE!!! There is a brief description of a panic attack that only lasts for a few paragraphs. You can stop reading at “DEREK!” and continue on at “After a wave, two...” if you would like to skip that part.)

Happy reading!

Derek makes his way to Stiles’ cave, a slew of emotions boiling in his stomach as he swims over the various corals and shale before stalling at the entrance to Stiles’ domain, unsure if he should just enter or if he should wait until Stiles calls him into his home…

“Are you just going to float out there, or are you going to come in?”

Stiles’ appearance is just as surprising as the last time, only because he seems to be practically vibrating with… it seems like joy and excitement? His tentacles are twitching and flickering out like they have minds of their own, and he also seems to be fighting off some sort of grin or smile…

It makes Derek feel a little bit better, quells the roiling emotions a bit, and he sighs out a laugh as he follows the sea witch back into his house with a playful quip.

“Someone is a little eager…”

“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to use my magic and most people are pretty skittish when it comes to actually following through on their requests, so by the time they make it back home, they’ve convinced themselves that they’re better off without whatever it is that made them seek me out in the first place. I usually never see them again.” Stiles shrugs as he moves towards the back of the cave, something telling Derek to stop at the enclave that holds all of Stiles’ trinkets, his tail flicking as he eyes the merman statue in the corner. “You’re the first person who’s actually stuck around in… three years? Huh…has it really been that long…?

Stiles returns to where Derek has been waiting, but the joy that was there seems to have dimmed into a strange sadness that makes Derek speak before he can really think about what he’s saying.

“Well, I don’t plan on leaving for a while yet.”

“Of course not, you still need my spell, after all!” Stiles quips, almost physically shrugging off the strange mood that had overtaken him as he shows Derek a potion in his hand with a little shake, reminding the prince of the showmers that visit the castle every now and again.

“Now, this is the potion that will give us the legs and biology of one of the Landers, but the really tricky part is spelling it for a certain amount of time; it used to be that there was only a three-day limit on the spell and a Mer had to give up something in exchange-”

“What kind of ‘thing’ would I have to give up?” For the first time since meeting Stiles, Derek feels a twinge of anxiousness about the sea witch and wonders if he should have taken Boyd up on his offer to come with to see Stiles…

As if sensing the change in Derek’s mood, Stiles immediately begins waving his arms in a negative gesture, his words almost tripping over themselves in their rush to get out.

“Oh no, no, no, no, no! You don’t have to give up anything with this! I was just saying that in the old days that a Mer had to give up their voice, or that their feet would have extreme pains, or something equally as horrible. I was just trying to brag about how I managed to fix that little problem and instead I’ve just made you uncomfortable… Poseidon damn me to the depths.”

Soothed by the fact that Stiles wasn’t trying to cause him any undue harm, Derek is once more intrigued by the bottle and the magic that he has yet to see. “Why did the Aquids have to give up pieces of themselves for this to work? How did you make it so that doesn’t need to be done?”

Stiles squints at Derek like he’s trying to see if he’s playing a trick on him, before explaining in a slow voice that grows in enthusiasm and confidence the longer Derek doesn’t shy away.

“Well, part of the reason was that some sea witches were just kelp droppings and they mutated the spell to cause the most hurt to the poor Aquid that managed to find them, while a few times it was because they didn’t have the right ingredients or the Aquid decided in the middle of the transformation that they didn’t actually want to go through with the deal.”

“Stiles…” Derek is unsure how to tell the Aquid that he’s starting to feel doubts; not because of Stiles himself, but because he’s not sure if this is the right thing to do. His conversation with his mother has left him feeling keelhauled for a few days now, finding out about the curse from Laura hadn’t helped at all, and all this information that Stiles is giving him is making him feel like he got bowled over by an undertow.

Again, it seems like Stiles can read his mind and the Aquid is swimming close to rub a soothing hand down his arm. “Hey, it’s okay. There’s a big difference between backing out completely and being a little nervous. Like I said, the potion is all brewed and all I need to do is cast the spell for the amount of time. I can cast it to be only for a day, to let you get used to how it feels, then you can come back another day and we can try for longer.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Derek doesn’t understand it; why have there been such vicious rumors about Stiles when this is what the Aquid is really like? They can’t have popped from the sea bed like a startled octopus, they had to have come from somewhere, and it’s making his head hurt the longer he tries to make sense of it.

Stiles is no help at all, blinking at him and looking a little hurt by Derek’s question. “Um, because you’re upset? I may be a right mollusk about some things, but I- I don’t want you to fear me… Not you. Never you.”

This time, it’s Derek that’s left blinking in surprise, all that he can think to say is, “Show me the spell. Make it for only a day.”

Stiles hesitates for a second, almost as if he was going to ask Derek if he was sure, so Derek gives him what his sisters call his ‘murder face’. Stiles just rolls his eyes and laughs, which goes to show that Derek was right when he said they were being ridiculous.

“Alright, alright. On with the show, I guess…”

Stiles closes his eyes and begins to mutter under his breath, the bottle in his hands shining like an eel’s shockers and casting an unearthly glow across Stiles’ skin. While Derek on some level knows that he should be pulling away from this, should worry at the strangeness of everything and how he has no exact knowledge of what Stiles is doing, he can’t help but move closer to warmth that comes from it and stretch out his hand to see if the glow feels as strange as it looks.

It’s as soon as Derek touches Stiles hand with his own that he realizes that this might have been a bad idea, but he’s too busy feeling like something sharp and jagged hit him in the chest to give it or the fact that he can dimly hear Stiles screaming his name to give it any more thought.

“Come on, Derek! Don’t be such a Sourgills!”

“It’s against the rules! You don’t know what could happen! If we get caught-”

“We’re not going to get caught, I know a secret way in!”

“Yeah, you know who says ‘I won’t get caught’? Mer who get caught all the time! And what do you mean ‘secret way in’?”

“I mean this!”

“…oh…”

“It’s okay, Sourgills, you can say that I was totally right and you should never disagree with me ever and that-”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, kelp brain, we still haven’t made it inside yet.”

“Oh, we’ll get inside, and then you’ll have to spend all your summers telling everyone how sad you are you can’t be as wonderful as me.”

“Yeah, I’ll just have to rely on my modesty to make friends.”

“What, are you saying I can’t be modest? Come on, Derek! I’m the most modest person there is! Derek? Derek!”

“DEREK!”

He wakes with a jerk, fins thrashing in an attempt to get away from whatever it was that was holding him down, gills constricting to get in more water, he needs to breathe, he can’t breathe…!

“Easy, easy…” The voice is soothing despite the piercing pain in his temple, the hands on his skin gentle enough to avoid aggravating the way his entire being feels flayed open, his head automatically turning towards the sound. “Come on, big guy, you need to breathe for me, you can do it…”

His head shakes in the negative, gills struggling and failing, he can’t, he can’t, he can’t, he can’t, he can’t…

“Yes, you can. I’ll show you, okay?” The water moves around him and then there is warmth pressed all along his side, a plethora of arms holding him close and keeping him from drifting away. “Just like this, okay? Breathe in for me…”

It’s a raspy, choking inhale, but he does it.

“…and out, slowly. Go slowly.”

It burns and claws at his chest, but the air leaves his lungs and rattles past his gills.

“That’s it. You did so well. Now, again, okay? In…”

It barely makes it to his lungs, but he keeps the air in, keeps it there and waits for…

“…and out, just like that. That’s good, you’re doing so good. Breathe in again for me, big guy…”

So it goes, for an indeterminate amount of time, as Derek tries to regain his equilibrium. He tries to wrap his mind around what happened, but every time he gets close to understanding, it seems like something in his mind shrinks away and he needs to lean into the warmth holding him as he fights to breathe again.

After a wave, two, an entire tide going in and out, Derek opens his eyes to see Stiles looking down at him with an expression of fear that he’s too slow to wipe away as Derek extracts himself from the Aquid’s tentacles and gets his body right side up.

“Wha- what happened?” Derek leans against an outcropping, both grateful and ashamed that Stiles’ hands haven’t left him, that the Aquid is still close enough that Derek can still feel the warmth of his skin.

“You somehow managed to react with the magic I was casting and it knocked you halfway across my home.” Stiles seems just as jittery as Derek is, his hands flexing like he’s trying to keep from reaching out and his tentacles keep swiping small passes along Derek’s tail.

While it’s flattering, that Stiles seems to be feeling the same pull that Derek is, it’s also a little frightening that he seems to have as little a clue as to what happened as Derek does. It makes him shiver, which in turn draws Stiles closer, the Aquid no longer hiding the way his tentacles are sliding over Derek’s form as if looking for an injury the sea witch cannot see…

“That’s what I get for touching something I really shouldn’t,” Derek quips, trying to lighten the heavy air between them, shaking his head at the small snort that Stiles gives his comment. “It was weird, it was like I was remembering something, something about going somewhere that was against the rules…”

Beside him, almost unknown to Derek, Stiles goes very, very still.

“…but it was odd, what the Aquid with me called me. ‘Sourgills’.” Stiles reaches out and places a hand on Derek’s shoulder, making the Mer look over to him in confusion as he slightly shakes his head. “Nobody has ever called me Sourgills, not even my sisters, so why…?”

“It might have been the magic, messing with your memories.” Stiles says, but something in his voice is… off. Like a tone a parent might use to keep a child from being upset or finding out a hard truth. “I’m sure you’ve done plenty of things against the rules as a kid…”

“No, I haven’t…” Derek tries not to let that information embarrass him when Stiles gives him this absolutely fond look, like he was an otter that did a particularly clever trick. “I don’t know where this memory came from, but I just know that it’s part of what everyone is keeping from me…”

“What do you mean?” Now Stiles is the one that is looking skittish, removing his hands from Derek’s form and taking his warmth with him, but Derek bites down on the whimper that wants to escape him and focuses instead on the need to talk to someone who isn’t under some kind of curse…

“My mother and Deaton… it’s almost like they know something I’ve forgotten or are expecting me to remember something I don’t…” Derek runs a hand through his hair as he tries to gather his thoughts. “It’s like… Deaton keeps watching me like he expects me to grow another head and my mother… The stress of whatever kind of secret they’re keeping is making my mother fade by the day and I need to know what they’re keeping from me and why everyone is magicked to keep them from telling me!”

“And you thought that going to the Land Above would help you find the answers?” Stiles is now looking at him with an expression that cannot be called anything less than hungry, which makes an odd shiver travel the length of Derek’s tail. “You didn’t think that I might be the one that cast the spell?”

“No, I know that you wouldn’t do that. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do…” Derek rubs at his chest, the old ache flaring up again, a sensation of both missing and not missing something important hitting him all the harder due to them talking about this, instead of trying to push it under the seabed like every Mer and their mother have done whenever Derek brings it up. “It’s the same feeling that tells me that there is something out there for me, something that keeps pulling me toward the Land Above, calling me to the Shore…”

Stiles’ throat works like he’s trying to say something, but in the end, he simply holds the bottle up, a light purple glow covering the contents inside.

For the first time since he had this idea, Derek… hesitates. The last time he tried to interact with Stiles’ magic, he was thrown across a cave and had that strange memory implanted into his brain.

Stiles doesn’t look surprised, although he can’t hide the disappointment quick enough that Derek misses it, but Stiles is already moving the bottle away before he can apologize for his reaction.

“It’s alright, you were hurt the last time that you tried to touch my magic, although I’m pretty sure it was because it was trying to protect itself from something that might have damaged the spell-”

Derek doesn’t know whose more surprised when he snatches the bottle out of Stiles’ hand, but it’s a little funny how quickly Stiles’ jaw drops when he downs the contents in one long swallow.

He doesn’t have long to pay attention to that, because almost as soon as the last of the potion makes it down his throat, he’s finding it hard to breathe and it seems like he’s having a difficult time swimming, his tail feeling somehow like it’s going in two directions instead of one…

“Thetis take it, Derek!” Stiles’ voice sounds so far away-and strangely… wavy?-even as Derek can feel strong arms wrap around him and pull him upwards toward where he had seen the sun flickering into the cave, the light almost darker than he thought it was a moment ago. “You were supposed to wait until I explained everything! I really could do without you-”

Stiles’ voice cuts off then, because for the second time in as many tides, Derek loses consciousness.

#eternalsterek #Fic: Poor Unfortunate Souls #Mer!Derek #Sea Witch!Stiles #We're getting into the thick of it now!#Victoria Writes #Victoria Writes Fanfiction

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