#is this how they build friendship???? swords???? its their love language | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

arty-shadow-morningstar · 3 years

Text

Con Man's Daughter

Posting this because there isn't enough biodad! John Constantine content.

[Masterlist]

(Part 2)

-----

I feel like this should be a Damianette story or just platonic relationship after Jon got aged-up to seventeen and Damian wanted a friend his age but doesn’t want to admit it.

So basically there is this big bad in Gotham using magic that Batman was fighting at the time and enlisted John Constantine to help out.

John realizes that the villain is using a Miraculous.

“Oh. I think I know how he gets his powers. And lucky for you, Bats, I know an expert on this special brand of magic.”

And he did the smart thing and called up Marinette who at the time was already Guardian and was looking for other lost Miraculouses like in the Treasure Hunter AU I wrote.

He calls her at a really bad time. She was in the process of being chased by the guardians of the place. Monsters and evil spirits.

“Hello, Dad. What do you need and can you do it quickly?”

“Hey, sweetheart, it’s me. How is my little cupcake up to these days?”

“You called at a bad time.” Gunshots.

“WAS THAT A GUN I HEARD? WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, YOUNG LADY?!”

“Somewhere in Japan. Getting a Miraculous. And why can’t you call me to check in on me and not ask me to help you with whatever mess you got yourself into.” More gunshots sounds and it was telling that Marinette was using a gun.

“Where did you get a gun? And don’t you have school?”

“It’s summer break. Don’t worry Maman and Papa know. Well, the fact that I am in Japan anyways.” Marinette sounded a little out of breath. Roaring and horrifying sounds at the other end. “Can we do this later?”

“As it happens, there is a villain going around Gotham with what I think is a Miraculous.”

Swears on the other end.

“Oi. Watch your fucking language, young lady.”

“How about a No and move the fuck back, old man. I am coming over right now.”

“Old man? I am not that old-” as a magic blue portal opens up in the Bat Cave.

And a red Chinese dragon comes out with someone riding it.

Its rider was a black-haired girl. She had a trench coat similar to Constantine's. I imagine her with a fedora. Like Carmen Sandiego style but not red. Sometimes red but only when she has to steal it from a museum or high security places and she leaves a name card with the name Carmen Sandiego. A sword strapped to her back and a dagger to her thigh.

She had a gun in her hand which she used to shoot the monsters as it was halfway through the portal and yelled out the spell to close it.

“Brilliant entrance but you are in lots of trouble, little lady. What were you thinking about going to another country unsupervised? And isn’t there still a butterfly problem in Paris?”

“One, I wasn’t unsupervised. I had Tikki, a billion years old being and a sort of god. Two.Well, it got boring trying to track Hawk-bitch down. And I found this legend about a guy with a Miraculous who disappeared in the temple and thought hey, more miraculous could mean another edge to defeating Moth-man.”

More bickering and John grounding Marinette who was acting very nonchalant about it.

Okay, at this point, I should say that Batman and Robin are in the background trying to make some sense.

Batman is surprised to find out that Constantine has a daughter who is also involved in magic like her Father but an apparently more specialised kind called the Miraculous. He is a little miffed that he didn’t know about John having a daughter. He did consider it weird at first that she had a slight french accent unlike her father’s Liverpool accent although she pronounced some words like he does.

He also connected some dots that she is also the Parisian heroine, Lady Rouge who Wonder Woman introduced to the League a while back and had declined to join the Young Justice or Teen Titans until everything in Paris was resolved.

Damian on the other hand was suspicious of the new arrival and came to the same conclusion as his father about the daughter thing.

Batman after a few minutes, clears his throat.

The Constantines stop arguing.

“Bonjour. Batman. Robin. Pleasure to meet you. I am Mari Constantine and yes, I am this homeless looking man’s brilliant daughter.” “Hey”

“Well, Mari. Your father thinks you can help us with this new criminal turning Gotham upside down. Literally in some cases. He said that you might be able to help us.” Batman said as he pulled up zoomed in picture of the Miraculous.

Mari looks through the Miraculous grimoire and tells them all about it and power-ups, basically the most effective thing to defeat the guy is to get the Miraculous off them. Plus a spell that would make the Miraculous ineffective if casted within a certain radius of it.

“Thank you for the information, Mari. Constantine, let’s go.”

Mari made to follow them.

“You young lady are grounded and staying here.”

“I don’t need another supervillain using the Miraculous which are my responsibility as Guardian to retrieve them for their own misuse and wreaking havoc on the city. And what if there is an akuma in Paris? I can’t go there if I am grounded in the Batcave although it is a cool place to hang out.”

“You can portal back to Paris but you are not going to follow me. Understood?”

“yes. crystal”

“Good. After me and Batsy get the Miraculous, you can do your Guardian duties.”

Damian snickers. Until Batman cut his mood short, “You are staying behind too. Robin.”

“But Father, why? I am much more capable than Constantine.”

“Hey!” Both father and daughter.

Damian is staying behind too because of the Miraculous power or other reasons and keeps an eye on Mari.

Damian stays behind and there were some protests about mari mad about having a babysitter and Damian doesn’t want to be a babysitter. Despite the two of them being around the same age.

“I got an eye on you so no funny business.”

“Okay, Dad, I am not going to have sex with Robin.” Mari said with a shit- eating grin. Robin definitely didn’t blush.

“I hate you sometimes.”

“I love you too, Dad. Go save the world. Byee.”

John eyes her suspiciously because she is not one to give up that easily usually.

He casts a spell to watch her as they leave. and which she totally knew about.

“So...I have one question.”

“Tt, ask and don’t bother me anymore.”

“Is Batman Bruce Wayne?”

Damian looks up, totally caught off guard.

“I am going to take that as a yes.”

Puts sword at her neck. “How did you find out?!”

“Opened up Google Maps and saw that we are under Wayne Manor. Connected the dots. Also I already knew when Dad made a bet with me once to find out Batman’s secret identity but he never did confirm it for me. And can you please not tell your father about this? I don’t feel like being interrogated by the Bat in the future yet.”

“Father must know about this.”

“I saw you looking at Scarlet here. An animal lover then? You can give her some belly rubs. She deserves it after helping me outrun those monsters.”

His silence was brought. To pet a dragon.

One thing after another and he ends up bringing out his pets-Jerry the turkey, Goliath the dragon-bat, Titus- and her introducing him to her other pets like a hellhound, griffin and other mythical creatures who mostly roam free but come to her when she calls for them and also the kwamis, at least the ones who came with her.

After 30 mins have passed, “So Robin how do you feel about disobeying our fathers?”

“I am in.”

“Depends. Are we going after the (villain's name) ?”

“Yes.”

Awesome montage of them getting rid of the spell John casted and flying out of the Batcave on their respective giant flying pets to the villain’s base.

Meanwhile, their fathers are not doing so well and are trapped in a death trap. John can’t say the spell because the villain made him unable to talk.

“At least, the kids are staying put.”

Cut to Damian and Mari jumping off their pets and onto the roof. Taking out the guards posted there and going into the building all sneakily and also taking out the guards that come their way.

They dropped into the room where their fathers and the villain is.

“Why am I not surprised?”

Villain starts an evil monologue about his mastermind plan to which Damian cuts it short by trying to cut him down with his katana. Mari goes to deactivate the death trap.

They are evenly matched with Damian’s training and the Miraculous.

Mari steps in as Damian was about to be killed. Taps on the shoulder of the villain and when he turns around, gives an awesome right hook that knocks him out.

Takes away the Miraculous and curses him. Wiped the dude’s memories of it.

“When I said stay in the Batcave, I meant stay behind at the Batcave. What point of being grounded, don’t you understand?”

“You mean, Oh, Mari, light of my life, my wonderful daughter, thank you for saving my ass. You are the best.’ by that, right?”

-----

Mari and Damian exchanged numbers and email addresses.

As she was about to leave the Batcave, “It’s been nice meeting you, Mr. Wayne.” and leaves with a wink.

John ‘ungrounds’ her for the look on Batman’s face.

-----

After this, Marinette and Damian become friends who bitch and vent to each other about their alter egos and various villains of their respective cities. (In codes, just in case) They also share updates about their pets and love of drawings.

They have that type of friendship where they trade favors. Mari calls Damian to Paris sometimes to help out with the akuma of the day and Damian sometimes calls her in when Bruce doesn’t let him go investigate a case so he can sneak out by magical means or as back up for when his brothers were too annoying to deal with.

It’s summer break so no missing school.

John and Bruce are aware of their friendship and some of the shenanigans the pair gets into behind their back.

-----

Right. how this all started...

John and Sabine first met when the latter was still in college somewhere in France. John was tracking down a demonic entity which was targeting Sabine for some reason and she was the next target.

John saved her life and exorcised the demon. There was a heat of the moment thing and they had a one-night stand. There were a few more flings and hook-ups after that night.

And nine months later, Marinette Cheryl Cheng-Constantine was born.

When Sabine first found out, she called John to come over and he thought that it was a call for another hook-up and was very surprised to find out that it was not and that he was going to be a father.

They both like each other but do not want to be in a relationship together so they both remained as friends and John agreed after some strong-arming at the very least to meet his daughter before he goes to do his job. And pay for child support. And help Sabine during her pregnancy.

Pregnant Sabine was someone you don’t want to mess with. And John has never met a demon or anyone scarier than her.

He was at first not into meeting his child and there was a self-pity party he threw himself with how the child was going to live a bad life because he was the dad and how he destroyed every good thing in his life.

That’s why he is going to meet the baby once and leave maybe a letter and the occasional birthday present and stay out of their life. Forever.

The day Marinette was born and it took one look into her eyes for the HellBlazer to fall under the spell and all of his plans to stay out of her life to burn away.

At first, he tried. He really tried but he couldn’t do it.

Lasted 4 months before he came back, wanting to place protection spells on her and sigils around the house to keep away the forces of Heaven and Hell and other entities so they won’t use her against him as a bargaining chip.

Sabine calls him to babysit. He could have refused and Sabine would have easily found a babysitter. He moans and whines about how he is a great mage and not a bloody babysitter. Sabine retorts that it is actually called parenting since he is Marinette’s father. He grumbles but in the end, agrees.

The great John Constantine is wrapped around the little girl’s finger.

He was around for some of Marinette’s firsts. Her first word was “John”.

It made him cry. He wasn’t a good man and he doesn’t deserve someone this precious. His daughter doesn’t deserve someone like him as a father but fate made it that way and what can you do about it.

After an exhausting week of doing the usual and coming back from Hell, he saw that Sabine had sent him a video. It was Marinette taking her first steps.

Chas swears that in all the years that he has known John Constantine he has never seen the man look so happy.

------

When Tom came into the picture, John was there to take care of a toddler Marinette while Tom and Sabine went on dates.

Insert John threatening a much bigger Tom while holding a baby Marinette with wide eyes and hugging a teddy bear with the same coat as John’s. (It was something Sabine brought on a whim and to tease John when he came around.)

Tom is supportive and treats Marinette like his own flesh and blood.

John resolved to leave for good now that Tom would be there to be a father figure for Marinette.

That plan fell into the drain the moment he was going to leave for what was supposed to be the last time before Sabine pulled him back and knocked some sense into him.

His face was a big giveaway. Sabine knows that despite his claims of being a terrible father for Marinette, he was a good one and damnit she was going to make sure that Marinette would get to know her actual father.

Tom later made an awkward talk with John about how he was not going to replace John’s role as Marinette’s father.

Marinette was the flower girl at Tom and Sabine’s wedding. John was there too.

During bedtime, John would read her stories and use his magic to make it come to life. Although he would feel a little drained afterwards, it was worth it to see her smile.

Sometimes he told stories about his tamer adventures. (After cutting out some of the inappropriate bits)

------

When Marinette was about 5 or 6, Sabine was out on an errand and Tom was at home with Mari and helping her with her homework. There was a crash downstairs at the bakery. Tom went down to check it out to find John lying on the ground.

With a weak cough, he said, “Close the door. Close it.” Before losing consciousness

Tom did before a man with pitch black eyes slammed against it.

Thankfully John had installed heavy wards around the bakery when it first opened.

They held against the demon on John’s tail. Tom brought John inside and unsure of what to do, grabbed a rolling pin on the counter.

The man outside started pounding on the glass door and every time his hands touched the door, light glowed outwards, showing the invisible magic barrier around the bakery. Sparks and steams fizzled with every pound.

Despite the reddening and burns of his hands, the not-human didn’t slow down.

“ʝօɦռ....ʏօʊ ӄռօա ȶɦǟȶ ɨȶ'ֆ օռʟʏ ǟ ʍǟȶȶɛʀ օʄ ȶɨʍɛ ɮɛʄօʀɛ ɨ ɮʀɛǟӄ ȶɦʀօʊɢɦ ȶɦɛֆɛ աǟʀɖֆ. օռƈɛ ɨ ɢɛȶ ʏօʊ,” He laughs, the sound sends chills down the large man’s spine, “ȶɦɛʀɛ ǟʀɛ ֆօ ʍǟռʏ ȶɦɨռɢֆ ɨ ɦǟʋɛ քʟǟռռɛɖ ʄօʀ ʏօʊ.”

Tom knew that Marinette’s father was a con man. Come on, Master and Practitioner of the Dark Arts and Occult. But he was a good father nonetheless despite all his flaws and Sabine liked him enough so that was good enough for him.

Before today, magic was just the sleight of hands and use of fancy tools to sell the illusions. Now, with a could-be-a-demon knocking on his door to get to the father of the girl he sees as his daughter, he’s not so sure.

“Tom? Qu'est-ce qui se passe? (What’s going on?)” A little voice came from the stairs, “Dad!” Marinette padded across the floor to the body of her passed out father.

She shook him awake and there were a few soft slaps to the face.

“Dad, what’s happened?”

John mumbles, “Demon…. possessing some rich guy….. Exorcism…. Doesn’t like me very much…Don’t worry...wards going to hold.”

John manages to stand before falling down and Tom catches him before he hits the floor. He has a concussion. Tom turns to Marinette, “Go, Hide and don’t come out until It’s safe.” which she did

Unfortunately, a while later, Sabine returns from her night out and the demon upon seeing Sabine. “ɛӼƈɛʟʟɛռȶ..”

The demon possessed Sabine and the previously possessed dude hit the sidewalk with a thud.

“ɨռȶɛʀɛֆȶɨռɢ....” The voice coming out of Sabine didn’t sound like her mother which scared Marinette a lot. “օքɛռ ȶɦɨֆ ɖօօʀ օʀ,”the demon pulled a knife out of thin air, ,“ȶɦɨֆ ɮօɖʏ ɢɛȶֆ ɨȶ.”

Tom hesitated until the demon put the knife on Sabine’s neck and put enough force for a thin line of blood to be shown.

He opens the door and the demon knocks him out. Stepping over his unconscious body and looking down on it, “ʄօʀ ȶɦǟȶ, ɨ ǟʍ ɢօɨռɢ ȶօ ʟɛȶ ʏօʊ ʟɨʋɛ ʊռȶɨʟ ɨ ǟʍ ɖօռɛ աɨȶɦ ʝօɦռ, օʄ ƈօʊʀֆɛ.” and cackles. The sound was so wrong and unnerving and little Marinette tried very hard for her sobs not to be heard.

Too bad the demon had super hearing. “Come out, my little blossom. Maman is home. Why don’t you come out and give me a hug?”

It sounded so much like her mother and she nearly believed that it was her mother and not some entity in control of her body.

But she knew better from John’s stories of dealing with demons and how they would use the voice of loved ones to lure them out and into a trap. (Definitely not something one should tell as a bedtime story but Marinette was very different and had an unconventional childhood with John Constantine as her father.)

Wait...she got struck with an idea but she wasn’t sure if it would work.

Before she could do anything, the door of the cabinet she was hiding in was opened and she was dragged out.

The demon lifted her a few feet above the ground by the collar of her dress.

It heard Marinette saying something. “աɦǟȶ ǟʀɛ ʏօʊ ֆǟʏɨռɢ ƈɦɨʟɖ, ֆքɛǟӄ ʟօʊɖɛʀ?”

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica.” Marinette was now screaming the words at the top of her lungs. She repeated the spell over and over again with fierce determination.

John, being his paranoid self, taught her the spell for an exorcism, just in case. Demons spared no one, not even a girl.

It screamed “NO….” as Sabine’s body contorted in strange angles before a dark shadow seemed to be dragged down into the ground. It made a desperate attempt to possess John before it was pulled away and disappeared. There was no sign that there was a demon attack.

After John woke up, he managed to piece together that his 5-years-old (Sorry 5 and a half) daughter sent a demon back to hell.

He was a very proud dad. (He was a tad worried about the consequences from this event and demons hold one hell of a grudge. He wanted his daughter to live a very safe and happy life. The bakery’s wards also need an upgrade.)

He also got the job of explaining what he actually did to Tom. And lots of reassuring.

Sabine, on one hand, was not happy that Marinette knew how to do magic. That is until John told her that he did it just in case so she can protect herself and later it was agreed that Marinette can learn some Magic spells and charms to better protect herself and when she is older, she can decide if she wants to continue or not.

----

(Part 2)

#bio!dad john constantine #maribat #damientte #damainette #platonic daminette #maybe?#minor swearing

721 notes · View notes

doodler-jpeg · 3 years

Text

Ring Pop Proposal [BadBoyHalo]

UM UH HI HELLO ARE THOSE CANDY RINGS CALLED RING POPS OR AM I BAD AT REMEMBERING BUT I WOULD LIKE SONEONE TO PROPOSE TO ME WITH THIS ONE DAY EVEN IF ITS JUST IN A PLATONIC WAY

THIS IS JUST A CRACKFIC I GUESS SO TAKE THE FUNNY.

VALENTINE’S DAY TRANSLATES TO THE DAY OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP IN SPANISH SO HAH TAKE THAT, LONELY BITCHES. I LOVE YOU ALL PLATONICALLY >:] MWAH HAVE A KITH

THIS REALLY FELL OUT OF WACK AT THE END. IT WAS LITERALLY JJST TO DO SOMETHING FOR VALENTINES DAY. UH, YEAH. INKNOW ITS THE TWELFTH BUT IM TOO LAZY.

⚠️CUSSING, RAGE OUTBURST⚠️

Pronouns: they/them

You hummed as you finished building your base on the SMP. Placing the last block, you grinned and walked off of the roof, placing a bucket of water down to block you from damage.

“Okay, chat. I think that’s where the house building stream ends. We’re gonna look for some netherite in the next stream. So, uh, bye!” You quickly decided to raid Bad before you began roaming around the bloodvines that were scattered about the SMP. You leaned back in your chair as you looped your playlist and headed off to your mine to look for some gold.

As your music played in the background, you didn’t notice the creeper sneaking up behind you until it was too late. You jolted back in your chair in surprise as the death message popped up . You inhaled deeply, clenching your fist tightly before you respawned and hurriedly typed a small, polite paragraph to that creeper in the game chat.

<[Y/N]> DEAR CREEPER. FUCK YOU. HOW FUCKING DARE YOU SNEAK UP ON ME IN MY MOMENT OF VULNERABIILITY AND FUCK ME RIGHT IN THE ASS. I DIDNT XONSENT NOR DID I APPROVE OF SAIS INTERCOURSE, AS I AM MERELY NINETEEN, SO IF YOUD KINDLY GO FUCK YOURSELF WITH A FIRE ASPECT THREE SWEEPING EDGE LOOTING TWO SWORD RHAT WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.

<[Y/N]> MY FUCKING STUFF NONONONONONONONONONNONOONONONONONO WHERE DID I DIE DWHERHWWHEEWHEREHWERE OH MY FUCKING SHIIITITITITITITITITITI TITTTYIED, I WANT TO JMPN ON A CADILAC AND SLAM MY HEAD AGAINST A WINDOW WHAY DID THAT CREEPER HAVE TONCFUCK ME.

<[Y/N]> IM SO SORRY BAD, IM BERY MAD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I HAD A FEW THINGS I NEEDED ON ME. IM SORRYL ILL SJIPP YOUA RING POP AS A PROPOSAL.

<BadBoyHalo> O_o

<BadBoyHalo> But a ring pop does sound nice OWO

<[Y/N]> WHEN IM FINALLY TWBEYTY INWOULD LIKE TO MARRY YOU LEGALLY. MAYBE SKEPPY TOO BUT RIGHT NOW ITS JUST YOU. I WANT PLATONIC KITH KITH NOW >:[ <BadBoyHalo> as long as I get the ring pop :D

<[Y/N]> ANYTHING FOR YOU YOU BEAUTIGUL MUFFIN NOW I MUST GO BEFORE MY STUFF DESPAWNS. LOVE YOU

You laughed at the interaction. It was canon that your character had a crush on Bad’s to the point of turning to the egg for guidance. What made things bad, however, was that you had to keep that front on every stream or else, you know, you’d loose your clout.

You hurried down to your mine and found where your stuff had dropped, hurriedly picking it up and putting on your armour. Turning around, you were surprised to see Bad’s character and you let out a quiet shriek.

<BadBoyHalo> when are you gonna gimme the ring pop. Rat wants one.

<[Y/N]> I LIVE IN FUCKING WASHINGTON, I FONT KNOW HIW LONGN ITLL TAKE, BUT ILL DRIVE OVER JUST TO SE EYOU

<[Y/N]> ILL GIVE TOU AS MANY RING POPS AS YOU WANT BB :]

<[Y/N]> this is all canon btw, I’m going to give you a ring pop as a marriage gift and you’ve already accepted. There’s no taking it back.

<BadBoyHalo> .-. But

<BadBoyHalo> youre nineteen.

<[Y/N]> IM IN MY TWENTIES IN THE LORE DONT WORRY. I MAY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO BE TUBBOS PARENT BUT ILL RISK EVERYTHING TO BE A HOT PILF

<[Y/N]> PILF = PARENT ID LIKE TO FUCK

<[Y/N]> Debby Ryan smirk.

<[Y/N]> ;]

<[Y/N]> wait you never said language to me

<[Y/N]> OvO

<[Y/N]> I’m blushing irl hold on.

<[Y/N]> I’m gonna order those ring pops just for you bb. Where do you live. Dm me. Not in game though because you’re still streaming but in discord.

You stretched in your chair as you waited for a response, laughing to yourself as you went to order the ring pops. Bad dmed you and you typed in the address, typing in your credit card number before you payed.

<[Y/N]> It has been done.

<[Y/N]> good night my new husband. Be prepared to deal with tubbo’s shit. Kith kith

You didn’t get a response from Bad, so you logged out of the server and turned your PC off. You threw yourself onto your bed and wrapped yourself in blankets.

You’re canonically married to BBH now, bitch. Take that, simp. HA. You can’t refuse because you were the one that proposed >:] I don’t know what I’m doing with my life.

How he didn’t language you is a secret I’ll never tell though. ;] you know you love me, baby-

#mcyt #mcyt x reader #mcyt x you #mcyt imagine #badboyhalo #badboyhalo x reader #badboyhalo x you #badboyhalo imagine

245 notes · View notes

mimedking · 3 years

Text

A little Bagginshield Masterlist

A small collection of some of my faves :)

Canon and Canon sort of.

A Black-feathered Omen by birdkeeperklink. Complete - G - 14k You need an AO3 account to view this work!!

Thorin is used to his raven wings being badly received by new acquaintances, but that doesn't mean it still doesn't hurt when Bilbo Baggins does nothing but gape at him when they first meet. And what right does he have to gawk at Thorin's wings when he doesn't have any at all?

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes by diemarysues. Complete- G- 64k

Bilbo Baggins has been plagued with dreams for some months, always filled with the same stranger: big hands, strong arms, dark hair. It seems a mystery until he figures that it is a Dwarf, though this only narrows down his search to every Dwarf in Erebor.

When he overhears mention of a special party in the Mountain he wishes briefly that he can attend. But that's ridiculous. He's a Hobbit, not a Dwarf. Turns out that's not a problem when magic is involved.

A Home for my Heart by Moonrose91. Complete - M - 54k

For things Bilbo could not change, he was condemned to a life of isolation, with the belief that none could love him. And then a Dwarf came to Hobbiton.

Against the pink sky blackberry tangles by vtforpedro. Complete - G - 14k

In which young Bilbo and Thorin meet at a blackberry thicket and grow older together, sowing a love of their own, whether they are near to each other or apart.

Alone this Yuletide by Emsiecat. Complete - G - 91k

After becoming increasingly irritated by overtures of romance from various Shire residents following the death of his mother four years ago, Bilbo is more than ready to resort to desperate measures. That is, up to and including pretending to be in a serious relationship with a certain surly blacksmith currently inhabiting the Bindbale Woods.

It's a good idea after all; all they have to do is pretend to be in love over the Yuletide period and Bilbo's family and suitors will surely leave him alone after that. It's perfect! And nothing can possibly go wrong, right? Certainly nothing as preposterous as falling for one another for real...

An Ode to Broken Things by Wizards_Pupil. Complete - NR - 41k

Headed to Greenwood to see the healer Thranduil, Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey hitch a ride with thirteen dwarves headed to Erebor.

Bilbo had hoped it would be like the adventures he read. That there would be orcs, sword fights, torture, revenge, trolls, chases, or escapes.

He had never expected miracles or true love.

Hand Me Your Hand by Resacon1990. Complete - G - 1.2k

"You touch my hand," he says, surprised at his boldness, "a lot."

"And what of it?" Thorin's voice is quiet, but his eyes are flashing darkly as Bilbo swallows again and gives him a small smile.

Oak and Mistletoe by HildyJ. Complete - M - 62k

After a life dominated by a strange form of sickness, Thorin is sent to the Shire to seek a cure only Bilbo Baggins can offer.

Roads Paved With Golden Song by drunkonwriting. Incomplete - G - 20k

Bilbo Baggins gains all sorts of unexpected things during the Fell Winter--a shaky accuracy with a bow and arrow, the ability to make a meal with no more than a handful of weeds and some water, the position as the head of his family's household . . .

. . . and an injured dragon left to die in the snows of the Old Forest.

Slapped With the Truth by somanyofthekids. Complete - E - 57k

Bilbo is a (mostly) reformed burglar and a guide with peculiar gifts. When Gandalf arrives with a proposition involving 13 dwarves, a dragon, and a resurrection of those burglary skills, of course he's going to say no.

Shire Treasures by aquileaofthelonelymountain. Complete - M - 7k

When a journey takes him from Erebor to the Blue Mountains, Thorin decides to visit Bilbo. What he doesn’t expect, though, is to become the babysitter for a hobbit boy who sees a lot more than Thorin is willing to admit to himself.

The Handkerchief by MordorIsCalling. Complete - G - 10k

Thorin unclenched his palm and straightened the handkerchief between his hands. It was but a simple thing - just a white cloth with blue flowery patterns at the edges. It was not in the best state, either; it had lost much of its colour and some stains wouldn’t wash off, no matter how hard Thorin tried. Despite his best efforts, it was becoming rather battered indeed.

After all, it had been three years.

The Pursuit of the Whole by AlamoGirl80. Complete - G - 28k

"Love is the pursuit of the whole" - Plato

Some things, Bilbo learned, are simply not meant to be parted.

A case in point.

Alternate Reality AUs

Faunts and Satyrs by HiddenKitty. Complete - G - 63k

In which the Dwarves are Satyrs, because Reasons

I've Grown a Hedge Around My Heart by pibroch. Complete- G - 44k Thorin is a stubborn hobbit!!! :))

"Thorin was the essence of so many Buckland oddities, distilled into one misfortunate young hobbit, much to his infinite embarrassment. Built like a stork, his father had said once, in an example of Thrain Brandybuck’s usual tactless humour. All beak and legs."

Thorin Brandybuck, just recently come of age, still lives in his family’s smial in Buckland, with his parents and two younger siblings. Thorin is an odd duck amongst his relations and neighbours-- unsociable, grumpy, shy, and awkward. And beyond that, he looks rather strange even for a Bucklander, strongly favouring the thick, dark haired build of his Stoorish blood. It defies all sense and reason why Bilbo Baggins, an exemplar of all the respectable traits Thorin lacked, would ever desire a friendship with him.

Bilbo, as Thorin discovers, is not always as sensible as he appears.

We Shall Be Monsters by Erinye. Complete - E - 69k Not everyone’s cup of tea, please be warned before reading.

Haunted by the loss of his loved ones and the decline of his family’s fortune, Doctor Thorin Eijkenskialdi conducts unspeakable experiments in the last remaining property of the once formidable Durins’ estate. Rumour has it that he has grown obsessed with the idea of conquering Death, and that he is fostering some great evil behind the high walls of his castle - something he should be afraid of in the first place. Enters one Bilbo Baggins - is it redemption or damnation?

Frankenstein!AU, featuring unhealthy obsessions, a trip too many to the graveyard, gothic romance, and a reasonable amount of screaming.

Modern AUs

In June and June and More June by Dragonslaeyr. Complete-G- 88k

When Bilbo agreed on a trip to Erebor to clear up the last of his mother's estate, what he didn't count on was falling in love with its gorgeous landscape, the fiercely proud people, and yes, the delicious food. Now if only he could figure out why everyone was acting so strangely around his neighbours...

One-Sided Conversations by northerntrash. Complete - M - 95k

"Thank you for listening," Thorin said, getting to his feet. "I hope to be able to return the favour, one day."

The man on the bed didn't respond, but since he'd been in a coma for longer than Thorin had known him, that wasn't entirely surprising.

Teach Me Your Ways by airebellah. Complete - G - 63k

Thorin sat in a bookstore reading to his nephews. He struggled to read the foreign English text, but he would do anything to please his nephews. Including humiliating himself in front of a cute man with a small boy of his own.

Thorin Durin, forced from his home in war-torn Erebor, struggles to adapt to England’s language and customs. Bilbo offers to help, and amongst many a cultural confusion, their relationship quickly grows beyond simple language lessons.

What Happens in Gondor by lilithiumwords. Complete - E - 28k

When Professor Bilbo Baggins sent Kíli Vinson's paper home with a bad grade, he never imagined that his relaxing office hours would be interrupted by Kíli's terribly rude uncle.

Whom, incidentally, Bilbo had met before and knew rather, er, intimately. (Or The one night stand that Bilbo will always regret leaving behind.)

#bilbo baggins #thorin oakenshield #bagginshield #thilbo #fic rec #some of my faves #please read them #someone talk to me about them #I am really into them #and for what #i have more if you're interesteed #a lot more #please be interested

95 notes · View notes

born-for-eachother · 3 years

Note

Hello. May I ask you something? I don't understand what makes Inukag so special? Or why do you all ship it so much? I know, inukag is official and all but Kagome is actually a bad person to Inuyasha. She is violent and toxic to him. She doesnt care for his feelings. She doesn't trust Inuyasha. Her jealousy towards Kikyu is far beyond understandable. Yes, Inuyasha loves Kikyu and Kagome, yes Kagome has all reason to be jealous but she absolutely doesn't care for Inuyashas feelings and always puts her feelings first. The relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome is unhealthy in my eyes. I hope you don't mind that I shared my opinion with you

Hi, Anon!!! Of course I don’t mind you sharing your opinion with me. I am all for open discussion, especially with opposing views; it makes for good conversation! I get it, InuKag isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and I won’t be here to change your mind; just explain why I ship it and explain why I respectfully disagree with some points here. Sorry this is gonna be long because I love getting questions and writing meta LOL

Sunrise changed alot about Inuyasha and Kagome’s dynamic in the anime. I’m not sure if you've read the manga but alot of crucial moments are in there; less sit commands, Inuyasha and Kagome communicating more and understanding their emotions, more intimacy, etc. This is largely due to Sunrise wanting to play up the love triangle for “dRaMa” and tone down the romantic tones in InuKag’s relationship but at the end of the day, the manga came first, meaning its the original canon.

The sit command is severely overused in the anime (especially when Kagome was pissed) but I chalk it up to it being a running gag from Sunrise and for it to not be taken seriously; just like how Inuyasha bonking Shippo on the head is a running gag too. I’m not saying Inuyasha deserved every single sit he’s been given, because he didn't, nor do I think Kagome was in the right every single time but I do think Sunrise wanted to use that in place of InuKag actually communicating verbally. I hope that makes sense!

I do not think Kagome is toxic at all to Inuyasha; quite the opposite. If you are referring to their mutual bickering, Inuyasha is just as much at fault as she is. They’re both hotheads with short tempers haha. Inuyasha himself has said that Kagome soothes his soul, he likes seeing her smile, and feels at ease with her. He called her his home and said upon meeting Kagome, he regained his lost heart. (Again...manga content)

That’s huge.

After Izayoi died, Inuyasha had nowhere to go, everywhere he went, he was subject to discrimination by humans and demons. His only living family rejected him and constantly called him a piece of shit and attacked him. Kagome’s language and actions to Inuyasha when she’s consoling him or encouraging him mean so much to him. She became that home to him because he’s familiar with her, she’s predictable (meaning he never has to look over his shoulder) she never leaves his side and her scent is another huge part of that. The very essence/aroma of Kagome feels like home to him. A half human, half dog demon found home in a woman from the future.

She is very healthy for him, she shows him that its ok to not be ok, you can build real friendships without worrying about ulterior motives and you can be yourself. Kagome really helped him with self love and while I don’t think she healed every nook and cranny of his tormented soul, she healed alot of it. He made it clear early on in the story that he wanted to become full demon to feel powerful, to feel like he is worthy of respect. But that changed rather quickly. You see, when he fell in love with Kagome, he fell deep. And in falling for her, he dropped his agenda of becoming full demon to get stronger for himself, to wanting to become full demon to protect Kagome (said by Miroku in ep 24).....to not wanting to become full demon at all and just wanting to stay by her side. He wanted to use tetusaiga for (again) selfish needs/personal gain to wanting to use the sword to protect Kagome. And it all comes back full circle when he confesses his love for her in TFA ep 26 through the sweetest monologue ever; stating all what she taught him!!

Also, touching upon the “toxicity in putting her needs above his”, when Kagome was possessed by Tsubaki and in movie 1 by Menomaru, both times she put his needs above her own and told him to flee for his own safety. He responded by saying he's not leaving her side and if he cannot protect her, he isn’t afraid to die for her. And both times Kagome is in immense emotional distress in resisting hurting the man she loves.

Kagome was jealous of Kikyo just as Kikyo was jealous of her. It was just more prominent/shown with Kagome. Kikyo wished it was her who healed Inuyasha’s heart; she said so herself, she also questioned Inuyasha asking him if Kagome meant more to him than she does (to which he does not reply). Kagome may have had a hard time with the love triangle but being the hormonal 15 year old girl she was, she tried her best. She did encourage him to go after Kikyo or to help her; on more than one occasion.

Despite the dark emotions she acknowledged within her heart, what did she do?? Obtain the bow at Mount Asuza to save Kikyo, purify Kikyo at the waterfall after she was attacked by Naraku, cry over Kikyo’s final death (and Kikyo comforting her mentally). Kagome has a big heart, she is in love with Inuyasha, who returns her feelings but he also cared for Kikyo, and had that obligation to her. Inuyasha also has a big heart. And every time Kagome did Kikyo a favour, you who who appreciated that? Inuyasha. He loves how kind Kagome is, in fact, whenever he’s thinking of her, she’s smiling in his head.

Kagome and Inuyasha had communication issues and sometimes were too impulsive but I think that's what makes them so lovable. Its because its all not sunshine and rainbows with them. They bicker like an old married couple but they also aren't afraid to die for each other, to protect each other, and show each other affection. Inuyasha is healthy for her too; he shows Kagome a new perspective in the world, something beyond her bedroom window in the modern world. He challenges her and invokes her fighting spirit. They’re each other’s best friends and are soulmates. They love each other very much and chose one another in the end and when it mattered most throughout the series.

This is why I ship them. Again sorry this was long LOL.

#inukag #inukag meta #inuyasha #kagome #ugh these two #I love them so much #asks #anon

147 notes · View notes

crowsent · 4 years

Text

a fuckton of things i want in da4

a few words censored bc tumblr will swallow this in the void if i dont. long ass fuck list ahead

a romanceable dwarf

more romanceable elves/qunari

more elf/qunari/dwarf companions

consistent writing for once

more nb representation

good hair. please just give me good hair options. give me long hair. give me luxurious flowing locks. give me braids. give me good fucking hair options

let me shittalk the chantry

dalish elf npcs that impact the plot in unique ways

dalish elf companions that are proud of being dalish

if it is set in tevinter maybe uh. maybe address the issue of systemic oppression (and slavery) of elves???????

a return of the friendship/rivalry system in da2 but improved. maybe instead of a friendship rivalry sliding scale its friendship/rivalry/animosity sliding scale. bc rivalry is more like. two people pushing each other to be better than they were before. friendly competition. hes an idiot but hes my idiot kind of deal. animosity would be just regular disapproval. i liked the crisis cutscenes in dai so high animosity would be the same as low approval and might make the companion leave still, but theres more variety with high approval. high approval “friendship” would be the “were best friends and we share many opinions and agree on almost everything” while high approval “rivalry” being “we disagree on almost everything but goddamn it youre my friend and ill follow you into the fade if i have to” so you can have a high approval with someone instead of being a kissass

actions and choices having consequences again

multiple endings again (epilogue slideshows dont count)

dialogue wheels with descriptions that match what you actually say

characters from rivain, antiva, anderfels, etc

gifts. bring back the gifts. i want to give my companions gifts

maybe. maybe a focus of non-andrastian religion for once?

let me shittalk the chantry

i know its a stretch, but maybe. diverse skin colours. please?

nd characters that are written respectfully and treated w dignity

please bring back the talent wheel from dao and da2

more bi romance options

more wlw romance options

more mlm romance options

ace romance options

nb romance options

background romances

let me shittalk the chantry

far fetched but maybe a polycule?

i lowkey LOVED the fast-paced feel of da2s combat so maybe bring that back in some form? maybe improved to mesh with the tactics of dai to give players absolute freedom of playstyle whether they want to be like me and rush into every encounter or play more strategically

companions with unique companion abilities

would be nice to explore cities

would be nice if the open world were a little smaller so it doesnt feel empty all the gd time

more mage spells. mages felt like just another class of fighter to me in dai. they dont really have any awe-inducing wow factor like in dao or even da2. if the narrative wants me to believe that mages are powerful and dangerous and that it takes multiple templars to hunt down an apostate, maybe show that? give me strong mages

remove the jump ability. its pointless

a narrative that addresses the oppression that the chantry and templars perpetuated please

bring back the attributes

make the choices in dai matter. mages governing themselves? i wanna see that

let me shittalk the chantry

please bring back the healing magic for fucks sakes

multi-class system between rogues and warriors?

multiple specialisations that feel like specialisations and not just skill tree+

player-only skill trees

hardening

companion quests that affect their abilities and further dialogue

actual morally grey choices instead of this stupid mage freedom vs templar oppression narrative that is in no way morally grey but is presented as such and thus leaves the conflicts and narratives set up by dao and da2 to be fucking meaningless

bring back the tactics

would be nice to have an origins-esque prologue again. maybe one that would determine future events in game just to give your character better narrative cohesion with the plot

an approval/disapproval system but for companions with other companions. bringing certain companions together may bring them closer or make them pissed off with each other which affects banter maybe quests maybe combat

give me a fucking mabari bioware. give me back my fucking mabari

day/night cycle

a nightmare mode where you have to finish the main quest on a time limit. it is absurd that dai expects me to believe that i have all this time to do wartable missions that can take literal real life DAYS to finish and still thwart corypheus’ plans in time. bullshit

that said. no more wartable missions. waiting for a countdown to finish isnt very fun

let me shittalk the chantry

kal-sharok. ive been hearing about it since dao let me fucking see kal-sharok

dwarven politics

politics in general. my fav dao quest was the succession crisis plotline in orzammar/the landsmeet and wewh in dai

npcs i can talk to. even with generic dialogue like in dao. makes the world more alive

using the environment to your advantage. far fetched but i would love to be able to pull down boulders if were in the mountains or freeze water to get to places as a mage

home base customisation but the customisation choices you make actually. mean something. and do something. or at the very least give more companion dialogue/banter/approval change

laconic and ergonomic codexes. like. sorted by what kind of codex it is, etc etc but then you just get a brief summary of the codex and the option to read more about it so i dont spend eternity scrolling through cards looking for a specific codex entry. cool aesthetic dont get me wrong but real irritating to deal with. also. maybe. the pc making comments about the codex if you do read more about it? like a dalish elf saying “they got it all wrong” when reading a codex about dalish elves written by a human??? that would a) give character to the pc b) incentivise people to actually read the codex to see what was so wrong about it c) summarise the codex for people who want to learn the lore but dont want to spent the entire game reading text

maybe have the merchants in your home base close to crafting stations so you dont have to take a fucking hike if you miscounted the amount of elfroot you need?

let me shittalk the chantry

avvar companion maybe??? interesting lore right there

bring back stat requirements for weapons and remove the class restriction for most shit. obviously a dagger would be better for a rogue than a longsword and a mage would do better with a staff than a sword and shield but its not about efficiency. its about the roleplay. its about the options. give me the option to make a mage with wildly inappropriate stat distribution

bring back sustained mode abilities

traps. bring back traps. bring back the option to stealth into an area, trap the fuck out of it, and go from there

have the three available classes in kind of a rock paper scissors scenario. warriors do real well against rogues who do real well against mages who do real well against warriors. so you can plan your party depending on who/what youll face AND how much their approval will change during the quest you take them on

let me shittalk the chantry

actually resolve the plot points introduced in dai

a more threatening villain. the inquisitor thwarted every attempt made by corypheus in dai. he was not threatening at all

queer characters. background, companions, etc. queer characters

mounts were meh in dai. maybe. make them faster? or less cumbersome? or have your companions on mounts too so theres still banter?

i liked the armour tinting. let me have armour tinting from the beginning

i would really like mages to move and attack at the same time bc lowkey standing in one spot is uhhhhhhh kinda boring

let me check companions friendship/rivalry levels

would be nice if the narrative acknowledged that elves suffered greatly at the hands of the chantry and stopped victim-blaming them

more taverns. specifically like tapsters in dao where theres a dwarf just reciting something in a language i cant understand and if you look its a ballad/poet about dwarven culture and that was a real nice touch let me have that

dalish elf clan. dalish elf clan that does not get murdered please and thank you

meaningful quests. more cinematic dialogue

make found gear / quest reward gear more valuable than crafted gear

game modifiers like in dai were real nice. i want more

let me shittalk the chantry

quests that can be resolved in multiple ways. like connors fate in dao. and for those ways to impact further quests

companions with varying moral alignments

companions that are mutually exclusive (like alistair and loghain) but are both good companions so itd really make you think

a pc that IS NOT a “chosen one” vanilla da2 is my fav dragon age game for one reason and one reason only and that is because hawke is just some random refugee who escaped lothering. no chosen one magic at all. just an ordinary person who is a real good fighter. and that appealed to me more than this “you are the only one who can do it” narrative

let me meet more elvhen gods

if the setting is in tevinter, GIVE ME FUCKING ARCHITECTURE. give me the high spires, the archways, the buttresses, give me statues lining city gates and magic infused into the buildings. tevinter is a land ruled by MAGES give me magical architecture. give me floating buildings. give me fire floating as orbs above the streets like lamps. GIVE ME ARCHITECTURE

SHALE

let me shittalk the chantry

PIERCINGS GIVE ME FUCKING PIERCINGS BIOWARE

more main quests, longer main quests

if it is set in tevinter maybe. maybe address the fact that tevinter has been at war with the qunari for a while? on and off war is still war. and maybe give us the option to influence the outcome of that war?

more voice options. instead of just american voice or british voice, do the thing in dao again where there are multiple voices of different tones to further cement the pcs personality

more armour designs

biased but uh. can. can taliesen jaffe va a character?

i already said qunari companions but specifically saarebas companions

blood magic

FINISHING MOVE ANIMATIONS

please do not let it be as long as inquisition. inquisition was a SLOG in later playthroughs

body sliders. what if i want a tall but lanky qunari? what if i want a buff as shit elf? body sliders

more eye options

let me call out companions

btw bioware. if you really wanted cullen to be a good guy. maybe handle his fucking redemption arc a little better instead of retconning all the terrible and creepy shit hes done in the past k thx

can female walk/run animations not have. so much swaying hips? no one moves like that

personality dialogue that affects future dialogue like in da2 but meshed with the wider range of emotions introduced by dai

keep the race/s*x lock on romance candidates like in dai. keep the fact that some characters can only be romanced by certain races or s*xes

nb and genderqueer options for the pc

cutscenes of companions interacting

ngl i lowkey liked the random encounters of dao so maybe bring that back

my fav quest in dao is the landsmeet / orzammar succession crisis questline but you know whats my second favourite? the rescue mission if the warden gets captured and you have to play as your party members. give me that again

more creepy/dark shit. dai was too lighthearted for me esp after da2 and dao

let me shittalk the chantry

broodmothers. in hd.

red lyrium broodmothers. in hd

companions with different backgrounds. different faiths. different statuses. different families. etc

maybe make the pcs appearance make an impact on the story? like how bull says he likes redheads, but even if you are a redhead, he says nothing about it????? maybe keep track of which slider the player picks so that can affect the story?

i love my inquisitors but maybe. dont. bring the inquisitor in as anything more than an advisor/npc in this game? let me fall in love with a new pc???

if theres gonna be a homebase like skyhold where youre not in armor. maybe give us better clothing?

a kind of gear skin mechanic similar to ac:odyssey where you can change how the gear looks but keep the stats. so you can equip that higher level armour and keep the look and aesthetic of your old armour and you unlock the skins/looks of the armours you discover/make so you can be both powerful AND aesthetic

i enjoyed the nobility/underworld/arcane/etc knowledge in dai unlocking more dialogue options so maybe keep/expand on that but make it more accessible by side missions or companions or something that isnt the abysmal perk system in dai

let me shittalk the chantry

customisable walking animations. does the pc walk straightbacked? slouched? with a swagger? please

since there will undoubtedly be an obligatory fade sequence, maybe have an option for nightmare demons that ARENT spiders. thank you

slap on subtitles and conlang some languages. i want to hear elvish. i want to hear tevene. give me the languages

more dragons. esp if they look vastly different

more bard songs

i am completely biased here, but i would like to hear laura bailey as a va for a character. preferably a voice option for the pc

hey maybe have the true ending actually included in the base game and not in a dlc (tresppasser cough cough)

better val royeaux

please remove the had to do it to em idle animation tis distracting

on that note, more idle animations. maybe some unique to companions?

very trivial but. unique stair climbing/descending animation

bring back talking to companions on the road. maybe with some dialogue that can only be said on the road???

if banter is interrupted, make like rdr2 and pick up where the banter left off

more vallaslin designs please?

if theres another formal scene like dai maybe. give us. decent clothing. or better yet, decen clothing OPTIONS. i wanna decide how i look in a ball full of haughty orlesians

mage vs templar conflict resolved and addressed please. it is NOT resolved in dai. what we got was sequel bait and a slideshow. resolve it please

let me shittalk the chantry

a pro-mage anti-circle circle mage companion like anders

religious person who doesnt victim-blame elves in the codex or in game or anywhere please

characters more like leliana who question the chantry and acknowledge its corruption and greed

unapologetically sapphic companion

idc if its tevinter i dont want to fucking see queer people being disrespected

a true tal-vashoth companion, one who escaped from the qun

have quest decisions affect whether or not a companion will turn hostile to you or not

if IF solas will be redeemed, please do the redemption arc right

more horn options for qunari

an apostate mage who doesnt use me for their personal agenda whilst hiding something from me (morrigan, anders, solas) thanks

i really dig the whole “leader of an army” thing dai was trying to go for. but you didnt actually. lead. anything. would be nice to have that option. command soldiers. send them places that affect further quests. would even use the wartable for its intended purpose. planning wars. battles. like. you get sent word that there are bandits harassing villagers. you can set up an ambush with your soldiers or confront them headon, and theres a new mini-location on the map like the manor you meet vivienne in where you can go deal with the bandits and depending on your choices, there are actually soldiers with you in a field, or traps in a narrow pass, or even in a city. id rather the wartable shit dont return but if they have to, at least this way youre not just waiting real life time for a bunch of text to appear

i am real fucking excited for the possibility that da4 companions can just fucking die on you. good shit. give me that angst

missions that certain companions would refuse to go with you to. you know. so you actually have to use other members of your party instead of the same 3 (three) people all the goddamn time

disabled characters (i want a character who suffers from the same chronic bad leg disease as i do is that too much to ask)

kinda touched on by the da2 combat point but let me do close combat damage with the staff

no multiplayer. and if there is a multiplayer, dont tie it with achievements

let me fucking explore weisshaupt

(i dont think solas will be the endgame villain of da and i dont think da4 will be the last da game but still) again. for emphasis. resolve the plot points dai brought up

full-body scars and tattoo options

companions and npcs changing their opinions about things over time. eg: a pro-circle mage wanting instead for circles to be abolished after a specific side mission or a main quest decision etc

keep the multiple companion quests. and maybe change what kinds of companion quests are available further down depending on choices made in previous companion quests

please for fucks sake give us more characters of colour

let me shittalk the chantry

#dragon age #dragon age 4 #da4 #long post #its 3 am and i am once again putting on my clown wig bc bioware will fucking disappoint me again

74 notes · View notes

bigbraincel · 3 years

Text

About: Feren

I was tagged by @curiousartemis and learned all about Imryn Dyre! I love this sweet doctor man and I wish him the happiest of endings with Mr. Waterdeep.

Name: Eys’feren Sylvhare

Alias: Feren is a simpler and less regal form of Eys’feren, so Feren’s noble background can remain unknown.

Age: 22

Species: wood-elf

Zodiac: aquarius / aries / cancer / capricorn / gemini / leo / libra / pisces / sagittarius / scorpio / taurus / virgo / unknown (idk if this is applicable to dnd lore but he gives me leo vibes)

Abilities/Talents: Feren is a druid/ranger of middling talent, but has a strong enthusiasm to develop his skills. He talks to animals with ease and tends to thrive in the wilderness, which is where his druidic magic is strongest. He’s a decent cook, knowing how to make a lot out of a little and how to work with what nature provides. This doesn’t mean he’s a stranger to city living, in fact, he’s travelled to many of the cities in Faerûn, getting by on a smile (or sleight of hand). Being able to (talk shit) think on his feet has enabled him to survive many close calls. His skill as an orator enables him to sell artefacts of variable quality in a low-end but cozy shop in Baldur’s Gate. Singing was a common past-time in his clan so he can carry a tune if the mood takes him.

{𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙}

Alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

Religion: non-religious, although is partial to Silvanus.

Sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath

Virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience

Languages: He can read and write in many Elven languages, but has a habit of mixing them up. Although he can speak common very well, he cannot read or write it. Anything else is unknown to him, beyond a turn of phrase he may have learned in the city slums. He knows pretty much every swear word in all languages though.

Family: His parents lived in an ancient and secluded clan in the starwoods of Cormanthor, bordering the ruined elven city of Myth Drannor. Feren greatly takes after his mother, who was said to have the look of Corellon with her shimmering blonde hair. He was very close to them both when he was little, although they could be distant at times as they bore the responsibility of ruling their clan. Their deaths broke him.

Friends: Feren has no shortage of friends, having known many inhabitants of the Lower City in Baldur’s Gate for many years. Looking deeper, however, reveals that these friendships tend to be quite shallow, as none of them know much about Feren at all -- save for his employer Guffwin Barebones, owner of Guffwin’s Antiques. He’s the closest thing Feren has to a guardian.

Sexual Orientation: heterosexual / bi-/pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other

Relationship status: single / dating / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating / it’s complicated. (He’s... cautiously receptive to a relationship, but is more comfortable with something casual.)

Libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent

{𝑃ℎ𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙}

Build: twig / bony / slender / average / athletic / curvy / chubby / obese - I’d say he has kind of a stocky build but he’s still thin; he doesn’t eat much

Hair: white / blonde / brunette / red / black / other

Eyes: brown / blue / gray / green / black / other

Skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / very brown / other

Height: 5'4″/162cm

Weight: 120lbs/54kg (i’m bad at visualising height/weight)

Scars: very faint scars on the backs of his thighs.

Facial Features: He is generally considered quite attractive, said to resemble Corellon’s gender ambiguous visage. He has full lips, a heart-shaped face with a sharp jawline. In summer, freckles line his cheeks and the bridge of his slightly upturned nose. His eyes are a deep greenish-blue with full, blond lashes. Despite keeping his hair short, he can never quite tame it, and it usually hangs over his face and ears. Some days he might weave flowers and braid parts of it.

Tattoos: He has no tattoos as he doesn’t want to be easily identifiable, but longs to one day tattoo the intricate markings that were common in his clan.

{𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒}

Dogs or Cats? He loves all animals, but after being raised with dire-wolves he has a deep fondness for canines in particular.

Birds or Nugs? In this case, he would prefer a creature of flight to one of the earth.

Snakes or Spiders? He likes them both but has a strange affection for spiders.

Red or Blue?

Yellow or Green?

Black or White? either ig?? 🤷‍♂️

Coffee or Tea? He’s used to collecting herbs for tea drinking, not to mention coffee makes him a little too jittery.

Ice Cream or Cake? These tend to be luxury foods which Feren hasn’t tasted much in his life, so as soon as he gets a taste, he’s obsessed. Ice cream only wins because he’s fascinated by cold food.

Fruits or Vegetables? He finds vegetables more filling and tends to snack on fruits. His favourite fruit is moon fruit, and not just for the benefits.

Sandwich or Soup?

Magic or Melee? Depends on the setting mostly, but as he gets more powerful he comes to depend on (and enjoy) magic the most.

Sword or Bow? He’s decent with a bow, but he has a deep attachment to his ancestral sword Skallga, descended from the Sylvhare and blessed by Tar’Ael Veluuthra. It was a gift from his mother.

Summer or Winter? He despises winter. He’s spent enough nights on the streets to know its bite. Summer is not just beautiful, to him it is the essence of life itself. He eventually comes to appreciate winter when he finds a stable home.

Spring or Autumn? He’s weary of the months when it starts to get colder. Spring is a lot more of a hopeful time for him.

The Past or The Future? Feren is someone who very much lives in the moment. Most of his life has involved winging it, he’s not great at abiding to firm plans. Secretly though, he is still deeply haunted by his past and most of his future entirely revolves around it in some way. It’s a bit circular at this point. Ahem, @aghxst, @rosewaterhag, @sunflowerwizard, @aredhairedhunter if you guys have any OCs you wanna talk about have at it. ilu guys <3 <3

#oc #oc rambles #writing #bg3 #dnd #feren

12 notes · View notes

nadiaportia · 3 years

Text

Ximena Rubalcaba

art by magician-of-the-lantern

The disgraced exile with a past she’d rather keep hidden.

Other bios: Sayelle | Deirdra | Heloisa | Cibela

Full name: Ximena María Magdalena de Rubalcaba y Saavedra

Meaning of name:

Ximena: Basque variant of Simone, meaning “one who has heard”

María Magdalena: Spanish variant of Mary Magdalene, derived of “of Magdala”, a village whose name means “tower” in Old Hebrew

Family:

Heloisa and Cibela de Rubalcaba: Ximena’s elder sisters, Heloisa by 6 and Cibela by 12 years. In her youth and early adulthood, due to being closer in age she spent more time with Heloisa than with Cibela, to whom she did look up though as a role model as well as Cibela being more introverted like her in contrast to the very extroverted Heloisa. Cibela was mostly absent during her childhood, whereas she and Heloisa spent most of their free time, and tutor-free time together.

Marisol de Rubalcaba (deceased): Her mother and the former Marquesa de Rubalcaba. Having immense favouritism for her firstborn, Marisol was rather distant towards her younger daughters but would try to be an affectionate mother towards them.

Valentín Saavedra (deceased): Ximena’s late father and a sea-faring merchant prince from the higher Cartagense bourgeoisie. Like his wife, Valentín favored his eldest daughter yet tried to encourage all of his daughters’ ambitions and work. Ximena is said to be similar to him in terms of personality.

Esmerelda de Rubalcaba: The matriarch in-all-but-name of the Rubalcaba family, Marisol’s older sister and Ximena’s aunt. Esmerelda is arguably the most central maternal figure in her life, even more than her own mother, and her primary tutor. She was the one who recognized Ximena’s affinity for magic and gave her vital support when she entered the Magician’s Guild.

Agustín de Rubalcaba: Esmerelda’s only son and Ximena’s cousin. A diplomat that wasn’t under his mother’s wing unlike his cousins, he is very affectionate towards Ximena and fulfills the role of an older brother for her as well as being her only connection to her family after her exile.

Segismundo: Ximena’s familiar whom she found in the rainforests of Northern Calpacia sometime after her exile as a hatchling and nursed him back to health. Their connection is deep and he is both trusting and protective of her.

Others: Constanza de Rubalcaba (maternal grand-mother, deceased), Cristobal de Rubalcaba (maternal uncle, deceased), Máximo de Otxoa (maternal grand-father, deceased), Jaime Saavedra (paternal uncle), Genoveva Saavedra (paternal aunt), Dulcinea Saavedra (paternal grand-mother, deceased), Leonardo Buendía (paternal grand-father), Catalina Saavedra (paternal grand-aunt), Aníbal Heßling de Cordovero (brother-in-law)

Nicknames: Xime (used by both friends and lovers), Ximenita (used by family, especially since she is the youngest among her generation), Marilena (exclusively used by her mother and her aunt)

Favourite meal: Tamales de pollo

Favourite drink: Cartagense liquor

Favourite flower: White Plumeria

Favourite color: Cerulean

Birthday: 20th of November

Age: 37 during the events of the game

Zodiac: Scorpio

MBTI: INTP

Patron Arcana: Death and the King of Cups

Upright: Death reaps that which has run its course, allowing new life to grow in the space left behind.

Reversed: Death turns his back on his duty, allowing things to fester and rot in his negligence.

Upright: The King of Cups is generous and compassionate, yet never allows his emotions to overwhelm his sense.

Reversed: The King of Cups manipulates the emotions of others callously, twisting them to fit his own agenda.

Gender: Cis female

Sexuality: Bisexual

Height: 1,65 m // 5′4″

Appearance:

Ximena is of rather slender build. Her skin is medium brown with a warm undertone and she has a round face with a rounded chin. She has a beauty mark underneath the outer corner of her left eye and an upturned nose with a low bridge. Her eyes are a color similar to dark honey and she has full lips. Her eyebrows are thick and dark, groomed but not thinned, and she has bags underneath her eyes. Her black hair is long and curly with the occasional grey hair, especially near her temples.

She usually wears golden hoop earrings and several golden rings on her fingers. She wears a bit of eyeliner and darkened lipstick.

She gives off the impression of being rather serene and after her exile purposely tries to change the way she spoke and held herself in order to appear less like an aristocrat and more like a commoner.

Visual Inspirations: Tessa Thompson and America Ferrera

Languages spoken: Calpacian, Prakran, Firenti, Karnasso, Galbradan, Hjallen, Nopali, Nevivish, Venterran, Oriolà, Zadithi and the Common Tongue

Magical abilities:

due to the Cartagense Magician’s Guild being rather pragmatic, she is not as versatile in her skills but honed those that she is good at so well that it makes her a master in the area

high intuition and good knowledge of people, to the point that she can feel when someone is lying to her

very perceptive and aware of her surroundings

fire-based offensive magic; used to replace her profound lack of physical combat skills

Love interests:

Out of the Main 6, while I mostly ship her with Lucio (since I am rewriting his route with her as the primary main character) and Asra (her ex), her dynamics with Nadia and Portia could leave the possibility for romance open.

Isidora: An OC of mine who was once very close friends with Xime as well as colleagues on whom she had eventually not unrequited feelings.

In general, like with most of my characters; if they’re compatible sexuality- as well as personality-wise, feel free to ship them with your OCs or MCs! Hit me up with a message and we can discuss the details!

Backstory:

Born into the influential aristocratic Rubalcaba family based in Cartagenth, the capital of the Calpacian Empire in the West, Ximena received an extensive education and since she had the most affinity to magic within her family, a vast tutoring in magic while her sisters were put on other carreer tracks. The Rubalcabas have had a presence ever since the founding of Cartagenth thanks to Fairuza, one of the city’s original founders, and then with Xochitl I., who was rumored to be the primary force behind the union of various kingdoms into what became Calpacia. They have centuries long history of being close to Calpacia’s sovereign, the Zaan, and involvement in politics, the military and on very rare occasions the Magician’s Guild of Cartagenth, where Ximena was meant to eventually become Head of the Guild and a vital instrument in the plans her aunt Esmerelda had for her, her sisters and the fate of all of Calpacia.

Mostly due to their riches, privilege and upbringing, the climate in Ximena’s family was a rather toxic one, with a centuries-old legacy hanging over them like a Damocles sword and envy, entitlement, jealously, sabotage and power struggles running rampant among them. Esmerelda’s desire to cement her family’s position and ensure their survival in the cut-throat environment in the Cartagense court as well as wanting to function as the driving force behind the pillars of powers saw her mercilessly using her family and to see them as little more than pawns to be utilized to achieve the desired goal.

Being maneuvered like a puppet made Ximena resent her family; her sisters for refusing to lean against it or even relishing in it, her parents for tolerating this and her aunt for being a manipulative force of nature. The straw that broke the camel’s back occurred weeks before her coronation as Head of the Guild where a vision came to her during a reading and showed how she would use her magic and that of the Guild to help in fighting a total war against everyone who refused to kneel to Cartagense’s power, resulting in the deaths of countless people - and herself as one of those who were supposed to carry on this blood-stained legacy. The refusal to partake in such future atrocities and the secret reveal of plans by the War Council to actually provoke a conflict and throw the country into total warfare caused Ximena to have her status as noblewoman taken from her and be banished from Cartagenth… or clean up her act, beg for forgiveness and mercy from her family and have the chance to correct her mistakes. That choice presented by her aunt in a final confrontation was refused and so Ximena, once a lady, now a nobody, fled Cartagenth.

Having to pretend to be a commoner was difficult at first but soon became a necessity, as well as having to adopt a different identity to make it beyond the Calpacian borders. Meeting her familiar and having someone in whom to confide absolutely everything was a much needed outlet for her, and some years her only constant companions were Segismundo, for whom she would’ve laid down her life, and the fear of being discovered by Calpacian spies even outside of the empire. She met Asra when contemplating to escape to Hjalle and from there on to the eastern countries beyond Nevivon and continue to live her life in anonymity, but decided to return with him to Vesuvia, a city of which she knew Calpacia fostered no diplomatic relations with. Her relationship with Asra at some point transcended mere friendship but even when that ended, they always remained amicable with each other and arguably the most important person in each other’s lives. The building in which Asra and she eventually opened as their ship was a gift from Agustín who was the only person from her old life Ximena ever contacted through magical and untraceable means. In Vesuvia, she also met magician and professional medium Sayelle bint Zahir from the city state of Bizatena at the Eastern Coast, and another exile from their respective home country, Deirdra Margalit of Calpacia’s neighboring kingdom Oriol.

She died from the Red Plague at the age of 34 while trying help Julian, with whom she had common friends, to find a cure for the illness that had already claimed thousands within the city. The efforts of those close to her did little in preventing her passing, and yet she woke up a year later with no memory of her previous life, her friends and the bond to her familiar being severed beyond repair.

More art:

feat. Heloisa by @missrabbitart | full post

feat. Lucio by @cherrygirl666 | full post including the uncut nsfw version

#the arcana #the arcana fan apprentice #the arcana oc #other people's ocs #ximena rubalcaba #i heard from multiple people that they couldn't assess the other bio since it was a subpage on my blog and mobile doesnt fuck w that #so there we gooooo... repolished and with an actual structure LOL

20 notes · View notes

watchingtheroad · 4 years

Text

Awakening in Arles

Damen and Laurent meet. Six years later, they meet again.

Auguste Lives AU, Love at First Sight, First Kiss

[Inspired by this AMAZING artwork from @saltroclus of Laurent and Damen’s respective panic and pining upon seeing the other for the "first" time.]

Laurent, age 14–>20 Damen, age 19–>25 Auguste, age 25–>31

POV switches from Laurent to Damen every scene, with a surprise one at the end ;)

[AO3 Link]

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

Laurent was in the library, sitting among his dearest friends, apart from his brother Auguste and prize-winning horse:

His books.

There were hundreds of them lining dozens of shelves along the walls, and because his father was King of Vere, all of it belonged to Laurent by extension.

He was thrilled and fortunate to have so many. Laurent loved to live through stories, to be transported to other worlds in his mind and go on magical adventures without ever leaving the palace. He had a hunger to learn everything he could—every language and battle strategy, and an endless number of useful facts to share with Auguste. From the moment he learned to read, he had promised himself he would devour them all, even the boring ones, because knowledge and stories were never really boring to Laurent.

Except on the day the Akielon Prince came to visit Arles.

As a demonstration of trust and good faith, he had come ahead of the Akielon King Theomedes and arrived without splendor or festivity, hopping off his horse with a modest guard of only two men at either flank. Laurent had not even left his rooms to greet him. He knew he had come for Auguste. Theirs was the business of heirs, not second sons.

That morning, Laurent carried on as usual. He sat in his favorite chair in his favorite corner of the library with his favorite snacks. With his legs folded comfortably beneath him, he tried to focus on his studies.

They could not hold his attention.

Cruelly, he could hear the faint sound of commotion, laughter and the clanging of swords drifting in through the open window.

He tried to resist.

Really, he did.

His curiosity took him over to look out.

Down below in the courtyard, Laurent saw them—his brother and the Prince of Akielos. They were sparring, a small crowd gathered around to catch a glimpse of the Princes and their budding friendship. It was an important symbol for their countries. Once disputing, now reaching peace. Laurent knew the significance, even from the periphery as he was. Not long ago, whispers of war frightened him to nightmares. Despite his unwavering confidence in his older brother, he could not risk Auguste leaving for battle and never returning to him. He would not survive it.

Watching the two of them, Laurent felt especially relieved that their nations would be signed into a peaceful alliance within the week.

The Prince of Akielos was… imposing, physically. Younger than Auguste, Laurent knew, but taller, wider, with a longer reach, and very, very skilled. Auguste was the best fighter in Vere. The Akielon Prince was rumored to be the best fighter on the whole continent. It was unsettling in more ways than Laurent could place.

His clothing was sparse, an Akielon custom. His accent was heavy, detectable even at a distant height, deep and strong. His laugh was—

Captivating. Laurent thought he might go and hear it up close.

His pulse bounded as he walked, a massive book in tow, as fast as his legs would carry him. He knew he must hurry before his mind changed and he chickened out of his plan: He would casually read resting against a tree nearby where they were sparring.

He would not be watching the Prince of Akielos at all. Only reading.

As he approached, Laurent made himself as unobtrusive as possible, his eyes careful on the broad back of the Akielon Prince. He had not yet made it to the tree, and so looking at him was still permitted.

His upper body was distractingly bare, his complexion dark and golden warm, with thick, curly hair to match. Everything else seemed to fade to black as Laurent looked him over, once, then again, admiring the way his muscles flexed beneath smooth skin. He was unlike anyone Laurent had ever seen.

As Laurent made to move past them to his chosen tree, horrifically, Auguste yelled to him, blowing his cover:

“Laurent! You came out of your room, little brother!” It was not as shocking as Auguste’s voice suggested. Then— “Come and meet Damianos.”

Laurent simply could not, but now he must.

The Prince of Akielos turned.

Laurent’s mouth dropped open, a muted gasp escaping him, and without his permission, his feet brought him over to them.

The Prince was smiling, brighter than the sun that shined in Laurent’s eyes. A dimple adorned his left cheek. He said, in perfect Veretian, “Good morning, Your Highness,” and gave a bow of his head. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

Laurent had a funny feeling fluttering in his stomach, heated all over. The Prince’s mere presence was quite nearly more overwhelming than his… everything else. Had Auguste honestly needed to call his name? Did he live to humiliate him?

Through his internal crisis, Laurent answered in his best Akielon, “Hello, Damianos. Welcome to Arles.”

“Akielon!” the Prince said, delighted. He had been practicing for the visit. Then, much to Laurent’s surprise, he added, “Damen. Call me Damen.”

“Damen,” Laurent repeated, smiling. The Prince had not even permitted Auguste to call him that. Laurent’s cheeks were surely the shade of the apples he had fed his horse with breakfast that morning.

“Did you come to watch us?” Auguste asked, reaching out to ruffle his hair. The nerve. Laurent wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

“I came to read,” Laurent deflected, gesturing with his book.

“And what have you come to read?” the Prince—Damen—asked. His tone held kindness and something akin to genuine interest, and Laurent was, again, taken aback. He did not expect the Prince to be so warm. Whatever the rush of feelings was inside Laurent, he had never experienced it before.

“Oh, um—” Laurent stumbled his words, silently wishing for death. He had read the book countless times but could suddenly, uselessly remember nothing. “It’s just a silly story about a Prince on an adventure.”

“I happen to love silly stories about princes on adventures,” Damen said, using the towel a servant had brought to wipe the sweat from his neck and shoulders. “Perhaps you’ll tell me about it later?”

“Of course,” Laurent nodded, his smile growing wider despite his efforts to conceal it. Ill-timed or not, he took that as his cue to leave, backing away slowly then turning quickly to retreat in case Damen changed his mind.

“Well then,” Auguste chuckled, calling to him again, “See you around, little brother!”

Laurent threw a half-wave over his shoulder, utterly mortified. Again with the little brother. He was trying to make friends with the Prince of Akielos! Auguste was not helping!

Once he arrived at his chosen tree, Laurent positioned it between them, taking a deep breath behind the safety of its wide trunk as he sat and leaned his back against it. After collecting himself, he opened his book to think about the best parts he might share, if asked by someone.

If Laurent peered around the tree a few times for another look at the Prince as he read, that was no one’s business but his own.

+++

Damen rode into Arles for the first time in six years, with Nikandros and a single guard at his back just as he had come before.

The countryside was vibrant, the breeze sweet and floral in the summertime. Damen felt rejuvenated upon his arrival. It was fun to escape Ios for a change, and to leave his country entirely was an adventure, especially for one as…stimulating as Vere. Another visit was long overdue; only this time, the King of Akielos would not be following behind him. It was a trip for catching up, not business, and Damen trusted the Veretians.

They were, in a shocking turn of events for both countries, the closest ally of Akielos. Since the signing of their treaty, peace and friendship prevailed, which was a stark contrast from the violent past his father had taught him about growing up.

And so, over the years, the Kings corresponded through letters, as did the Princes. As for the Prince of Vere’s younger brother, Damen sent him books once in a while. More silly stories about princes and other things with simple handwritten notes inside, inspired by their first meeting. He had hoped he liked them. Now Damen could ask.

As he rode toward the palace, he passed a set of stables, grand and ornate as he remembered everything else in Arles. There were stablehands working, noblemen waiting for their mounts to be saddled. He wondered how many horses the building held and to whom they all belonged.

Then, a young man walked out, his stride so graceful, as though moving on air. His hair was striking, golden yellow, with longer strands framing his lovely face. He carried himself with an arresting elegance, his expression neutral with an aura of unattainability. He was, indisputably, the most breathtaking individual Damen had ever seen. Since his last visit to Vere, he had warmed to the idea of men, bedding them when it suited him, but never had one bewitched him quite so strongly, so quickly, without a word or an act beyond walking.

Damen stopped his horse in her tracks, squinting at him in the sunlight. He looked oddly familiar, but of course, Damen knew no one from Arles of his own age. He had not been there in a half dozen years. Suddenly, he wished to know this man from Arles.

That singular, acute desire drove him off his horse without a second thought.

“What are you doing, Damianos?” Nikandros asked, alarm dripping from his words.

Damen barely looked at him. “Nothing. Go on to the palace. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Will you?” Nikandros pressed, dubious as ever.

“Yes,” Damen answered. “Take my horse. You’ll barely notice I’m gone.”

“I’m sure,” Nikandros grumbled, and if he said anything more after taking the reins from him, Damen was too far away to hear it.

He turned the corner where the young man had gone, finding him with his sword in an empty arena around the opposite side of the stables. Meant for training horses, he was training himself.

As he approached, Damen said, in soft Veretian, “Hello there.”

The young man looked, blinking a few times in quick succession, then looked again with a secret in his eyes.

“Hello,” he said back, also in Veretian, a smile pleasantly threatening his mouth.

“Do you keep a horse here?” Damen asked, unfortunately the first viable question to cross his mind through his nerves. It was unusual for him to experience them in any pursuit.

It was exciting.

“Have you come to police the stables?” the young man returned, tilting his head to one side in question. It was interesting he seemed to pay no mind to Damen’s status, obvious as it was with the red cape and golden lion pin at his shoulder. Damen did not care. He could do anything short of cursing his mother’s grave, and Damen might accept it.

He was gorgeous, even in confusion, his eyes intensely blue and penetrating right through to the center of him, it seemed. His features were delicate in some ways, stronger and more distinctive in others. The sharpness of his cheekbones and jawline, the plush curve of his lips, his flawless skin…

“No. Of course not. I just—” Damen faltered. “I’m only curious about you.”

He lowered his gaze. Damen interpreted the flush that rose to his cheeks as a sign of encouragement. He eventually said, “I keep many, but only one is truly mine. Her name is Dauphiné.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” Damen said. His accent flowing from that pretty mouth only served to enhance it all. “I would like to know the name of Dauphiné’s owner as well, if he would like that in return.”

His smile grew wider, more amused than Damen thought warranted. “You don’t remember me at all, do you?”

Damen furrowed his brow. “What do you mea—”

“Damianos, my friend!” Auguste’s voice boomed from behind him with impeccable timing. Damen wanted to shoo him away. “I see you’ve found my little brother already!”

Damen recoiled at his words, stammering, “I’m sorry—Your little—What?”

Little brother.

Damen was stunned. It was as though the ground shifted beneath his feet, the world turning on its head to reconcile what he previously knew with who stood before him and what he saw and felt now. This was not a stablehand or a nobleman waiting for his horse. He had not cared that Damen was the Prince because he, too, was the Prince.

He was completely blind not to see it.

The blushing fourteen year old he met six years ago had grown into a man. A very attractive man.

It was Laurent. And he was laughing, silently to himself.

Damen could not locate his voice to speak.

“Yes, Your Highness, he found me, but I was just leaving. I’m sure you two have fascinating things to attend to after all this time,” Laurent said, walking past where he stood in shock next to Auguste on his way out. Cooly, he murmured, in much-improved Akielon, “Welcome back to Arles, Damianos.”

Damen could do nothing but stare, open-mouthed, after him.

+++

[THE REST IS HERE ON AO3]

#captive prince #capri #damen x laurent #auguste lives #cp fic #love at first sight #first kiss #first time #my fic #the art is SPECTACULAR #pls go look

100 notes · View notes

rosaliekali · 4 years

Text

I have feelings about why I’m just not a fan of Napoleon and Leonardo’s routes despite liking the characters and I need to write them out. These are just my opinions so take them with a grain of salt, but I narrowed down why I’m just not a fan to some points. It’s fine if you disagree and think they are the best routes in the game, but these are just some of my own criticisms.

Very, very long post ahead. Obviously, it will contain a lot of spoilers.

I’ll start with Napoleon’s route. Napoleon’s route just has so much going on that it is not able to really accomplish much. There are so many plot points to the route that the writers can’t give each point the time it deserves.

The first plot point is the route’s goal to humanize Napoleon. “The Emperor” / “The Nightmare of Europe” are some of the titles Napoleon holds, and the game tries to get readers to see him as just a man. MC goes in not knowing much about him and begins to see him as a person in order to show readers that even he is just a man that can fall for MC, but the route just doesn’t do it properly.

Sure, we start out fine. MC finds little things within Napoleon which do show us he is just a man, his laughing fits / his love for chicken / his tendency to oversleep / his love for the children he teaches, but it’s just not really pulled off correctly. The way that it tries to humanize Napoleon for most of the route is just through surface level stuff. Little quirks he has which give MC a very basic comprehension of who he is as a person. Nothing too deep or advanced. Then, when we start to get somewhere on humanizing him-delving into his past and early life-we’re shown the scene with Napoleon pulling his sword out and calling himself the Nightmare of Europe again.

This scene pretty much threatens to undo the humanizing the route attempted in the beginning. It shocks MC and there’s a part of her that has to grapple with who Napoleon presents himself in moments of danger and who he is with her. Honestly, this isn’t a bad thing. Had Cyikemen given MC ample time to figure things out and process the two Napoleons she knows, it could have pulled off everything else seamlessly because MC would then accept that Napoleon is a complex person and that she can still see the human parts of him that he has shown her thereby really making him human-but it just doesn’t manage this. The route has so much other stuff its dealing with that MC pretty much just shoves this memory aside and continues on with her romance of Napoleon. It fell flat when I read it and didn’t accomplish the humanization it tried in the beginning.

To be fair, I will give the writers credit for this plot point because it did start off well and it was genius to have Sebastian serve as MC’s friend in this route because he really helped her see Napoleon as a man by counseling her and speaking to her about his past, but I personally just didn’t feel like it pulled off what it aimed for.

The second plot point is the demi-vampire arch. Napoleon is not a full vampire at the start of the route, he is still half human. As the route progresses he begins to change into a full lesser vampire and the game tries to make this a major shift in who he is. However, reading the route...I just didn’t care.

I get that the writers wanted to mirror the whole ‘humanizing Napoleon’ with ‘Napoleon wanting to stay human for MC so she could think of him as a regular man,’ but I don’t think they managed this. The reason for this is because we’re not really shown much of a difference between Napoleon and the other residents. Sure, he’s half human and closer to MC biologically...but why should we care? MC grows to trust him first because she knows she doesn’t risk being bitten at his side, but it’s not like the other residents are much of a danger to her. She trusts them too eventually, pretty quickly might I add, so it’s not a big deal. Plus, Napoleon is pretty close biologically to the others too. There’s not a huge difference between Demi-Vampires and Lesser Vampires. What Napoleon has to face in terms of romancing a full human isn’t all that different as to what the others face in their routes.

The writers tried to make his transformation this big deal probably to tie it into the fact that Napoleon only ever wanted to be seen as a normal man, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Plus, it’s not like it was this major thing with MC either. So the whole arch just felt unnecessary in my opinion and apparently other routes haven’t felt the need for it either considering Napoleon doesn’t undergo much of a transformation outside of his own route.

The third plot line is the villain arch. This one I don’t have much to say. I think it was done properly and I did like the sadness it brought with it. I will give the writers points for it, I just wish it hadn’t been crammed in with the other plot points. Not much commentary on this.

Finally, the last plot point is the romance itself. This is the one I really didn’t feel. MC is a great character, she’s from a modern era and confident / highly educated with a knowledge of several different languages / well traveled / charming / witty /etc...but we don’t see that in Napoleon’s route. MC just doesn’t stand out or make herself seem special. I know that this is normal in Japanese Otome’s, cultural differences and all, but this isn’t a problem in some of the other routes. The fact that it was present here just made the route fall flat.

Yes, Napoleon didn’t want to be an Emperor and really just wanted to be a simple man-but I just don’t understand why he would fall for such a simple MC. Napoleon would have no doubt have had access to women more beautiful, charming, educated, etc. than her as a human. However, because Cyikemen erases all previous lovers in their games, we can assume he never truly fell in love until MC. For me, this just isn’t realistic. His MC isn’t as established as the others, this route doesn’t make her shine like other routes, so him falling for someone who is so simple compared to the other women he would have met before just didn’t really make sense.

I feel like we could see why MC fell for him, since we were shown her thoughts, but its a mystery why Napoleon fell for her so fast. Sure, she saw him as a normal man which is what he always wanted...but that’s not really enough to build a relationship out of. Perhaps a friendship or something but not this big love story Cyikemen wants to present. I mean, even Jean asks Napoleon at one point why he fell for MC since he doesn’t see anything really special about her and I was inclined to agree.

The route just doesn’t really show us a good romance or a good MC which is unfair considering how good her character is in other routes.

So, really, Napoleon’s route just had too much going on at once and couldn’t really manage to do it all at once. It was dealing with so many different plot points that it couldn’t really flesh it out well. I love his character, but I just wasn’t a fan of his route.

As for Leonardo’s route...oof. I love Leo, he’s one of my favorites, but his route fell all kinds of flat.

For one...why do we care that he is a Pureblood? Sure, he’s eternal and will outlive MC and mourn her forever in comparison to the others, but this isn’t a major thing in his route. MC finds out he’s a pureblood pretty late in the route and its just smoothed over. We aren’t given much of a reason to care for it and it’s not something really pressed on us.

Quite frankly, the game tried to make it this BIG SHOCKING reveal...but it wasn’t? It didn’t really affect the story much, didn’t drive a wedge between them, and it wasn’t all that surprising. I could guess Leonardo was a pureblood when I first started reading the route because of how pressured he is too marry (the game never specifies it but it’s obvious he meant he was pressured by family because who else would care so much about him marrying?) so we can guess he’s still prominent enough in society which corresponds to him still having ties to people like family, he is great friends with Comte and I could guess they knew each other for much longer than the others plus there wasn’t much of the dynamic we see in the other residents in terms of Sire / Sired, and it’s revealed in other routes pretty early on. Sure, the others don’t know he’s a Pureblood either in his route (except for Will) but it’s not a secret in other routes besides his. If Cyikemen wanted it to be this big shocking secret...it didn’t work?

Now, what the game did do pretty well was dealing with the fact that Leo was closed off before MC because he was tired of losing people. We could sense his heartache and how lonely he was, it was a good idea to also add in the watchmaker’s death to highlight this and have MC realize Leo was crying internally that day too, and I’ve spoken about how Lumiere was also a nice touch, so I will give credit there. They did a good job in that sense, but it wasn’t perfect. I feel like the event story where MC reads his letters may have pulled that one off better than his route, but that is not to say the route did a bad job.

The arch with his villain was also okay. I feel like it wasn’t as good as Isaac’s arch or Vincent’s, but it wasn’t bad. Not much to say here either.

The plot point I really have a problem with is the fact that the love story between them is just so...unrealistic? When you have a character so closed off from people, it’s not a good idea to show them falling in love with MC that fast. I mean, Leonardo specifies MC is the first person he has ever loved and the last he will ever love...but we don’t see why?

Leonardo has never let people in, so what makes MC so different? Like Napoleon’s route, she doesn’t establish herself as a strong character here. There is nothing about her in this route that would compel a polymath, genius like Leo to fall so hard and fast for her when no other woman before has enticed him. Him falling for her and admitting it as soon as chapter 7 comes out of nowhere. MC just isn’t complimentary to his personality and we aren’t shown why he falls so fast considering we are told he has never fallen in love before.

It’s never a good idea to show such a closed off character as falling so fast for MC. It makes the love story feel cheapened. The funny thing about this though is that Arthur’s route could have encountered this problem too, because Arthur wears a mask and has never fallen in love before, but his route didn’t have this problem. Why? Because we are shown why Arthur fell for her.

Arthur’s MC compliments his personality in every way. They have a chemistry the moment they meet and we feel it. We get why he falls for her because he is drawn to her right away. Plus, we see why Arthur wouldn’t fall for other women before MC. All of the other women surrounding him in his route are shown as symbols of lust and one night stands, none of them really stands out as a romantic rival because they all look at Arthur and see a lustful man. No one really tries to get to know him as a man with a heart besides MC. The other women serve as a foil to MC’s character and they show us why Arthur was able to let her in but not the rest-because she was different. She saw him for who he really was and he fell for her-

Leonardo’s doesn’t do this. We don’t know why Leonardo fell for her when there would have been thousands of women before her that he would have met. Women that probably complimented his personality better and women that probably would have made better partners. Him choosing MC above them is just not something we can understand outside of the magic that is an otome.

Finally, the power imbalance between Leo and MC is also pretty frustrating. I’ve talked about how the MC in Leonardo’s route just isn’t really confident or mature compared to him, and yikes! Forget about the fact that he is immortal and centuries older, just see him as a human for a second, there’s still a large difference between them. Leonardo essentially renders MC as a child or as someone not as emotionally mature. There’s a power imbalance there due to inexperience.

Don’t get me wrong, age gaps aren’t bad when it comes to consenting adults, but the power imbalance here was a great example of what it should never be. MC can’t hold a candle to the experience Leo has and Leo keeps seeing her as this innocent thing he has to protect. And you know what makes it worse? The game knows this.

Too many event stories / side stories operate under the story line that MC feels intimidated or inexperienced with sex and seduction compared to Leonardo. She never feels confident compared to him and has to make him see her as an equal partner because he often tends to make her seem more childish than she is. It’s a world of yikes and the fact that the game knows this yet continues to push the narrative between them is an even bigger yikes. Arthur’s route avoided this by making his MC as confident and experienced as him, but Leo’s really didn’t care to fix it.

His route just isn’t that well written. The fake relationship plot is a nice plot to have, but it’s pretty wasted here. The other residents don’t really buy them dating, why would they date after 1 day after all?, and it’s not really played off nicely. Plus, the love story is just so unrealistic and yikes that it just fell flat.

I love Leo as a character but his route just wasn’t it.

---

I was just not a fan of either route to be honest. Thankfully, the other routes are better.

#cyikemen #cybird #Ikemen Vampire #ikevam napoleon #ikevam leonardo #route critique

49 notes · View notes

wanderingworldwarrior · 3 years

Text

Of Twisted Emotions - Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Mountain’s Peak

The trek with Loki is long and arduous. It’s filled with pitfalls, icy slopes, and avalanches of blue. It’s a tricky climb, which you had both anticipated.

Some conversations send each of you plummeting towards the mountain’s base. Sometimes one of you pushes the other down, unintentionally or otherwise. They are unavoidable – these accusations and careless words. There’s an undercurrent of pain that will forever flow through both of your lives.

The slate isn’t clean. It never can be.

But you climb, inevitably helping one another over each treacherous danger, intent on moving towards normal, towards familiar. Building on what is left.

You start with periodic conversations. And when things don’t hurt as much – when staying in touch begins to feel natural – you find that the prince’s voice fills your head every day.

And while it isn’t always easy, it is at least easier.

- - -

You catch wind of the plans for Thor’s coronation from the other soldiers in the camp, although you do not dare to hope. You’re hesitant to bring it up with Loki, but the topic is inevitable. A lot rides on this event for the both of you.

I wonder if Thor’s advisors will convince him to keep me imprisoned, Loki ponders one night. Even he can’t deny the danger I pose after… everything.

You roll onto your back and stare up at the star-dotted sky. One of Asgard’s moons is full, and the light doesn’t lend itself to sleep. But Loki is always ready to talk. What else is he to do?

And everyone knows he loves to talk.

I think it’d take a lot of convincing, you reply. Thor’s been trying to get Odin to let him talk to you. I figure he’ll take the throne and then come knocking. You purse your lips and then ask, Can someone knock on the cell barrier? Or would it zap them, or something?

You can’t hear Loki sigh, but you know he does. Insufferable, he says at last. I sit here fretting over my freedom, and you have nothing to offer but unimportant musings.

You grin at the stars, although you have to admit he has a point. Yeah, yeah, sorry. Look, I know you have your doubts, but I… I don’t know, I think it’ll be okay.

You don’t give voice to the fact that this foolish hope is all the two of you have left.

And perhaps such a thing is not so foolish after all. Because things do indeed change under Thor Odinson’s rule. They change swiftly.

The very evening Thor becomes king, Loki is moved from the dungeons to his old rooms. Although still confined to his quarters, it is a vast improvement, for which he’s grateful.

Loki runs his fingers across one of his bookshelves, tracing each novel’s familiar spine, and shakes his head at the notion. Grateful to his brother, the king…. These are strange times indeed.

It is the day after Thor is crowned that a blue raven flies into your camp with a royal scroll in its beak. It searches for your unit’s leader, and when its message is delivered, the bird fades into the dark blue magic it was birthed from.

Then, at last, Destin hands you the scroll, its wax seal unbroken. Your pardon from Thor, King of Asgard.

It doesn’t truly set in at first. You reach the end of the message and realize your chest hurts. Every bit of emotion you’ve been carrying has decided to ball up right behind your rib cage.

You read it again. And again. And once more, so that you’re certain you’ll never forget the words. It’s in the middle of your last readthrough that you realize there’s tears in your eyes. Your hands shake, making the words harder to follow. Asgardian speech is full of long sentences with flowery language, but you know exactly what these paragraphs mean.

You’re going home.

- - -

As you enter the city, you pass a troop of soldiers heading out. You spot familiar faces, although none you wish to speak with. You return your attention to the gate, but have yet to walk through when you hear your name from a familiar and welcome voice.

“Bjorn!” You can hardly believe your eyes, and you move to meet him halfway when he breaks from the group.

“Warrior!” he greets you, his tone as warm as his smile. You briefly clasp forearms and grin at one another as he states, “Oh, it is good to see you alive and well! You know how rumors spread.”

“Boy, do I,” you say with a grimace. “Although, I guess a lot of it may not be rumors this time.”

“Unfortunately, our paths haven’t crossed at a time for conversation,” Bjorn says, sounding a bit miffed at the situation. He pauses and covers a cough with his arm, then frowns as he says, “We march to quell a small rebellion in the west.”

“We should talk when you get back,” you tell him. “I know you had a lot go on while I was away. And… well… there’s a lot from my end, too. If you want the whole story.”

“I very much want the whole story,” Bjorn states. He glances towards the tail end of his troop, which is slowly growing further and further away. He rests his hand on his sword hilt as he turns back to you. “Warrior. I want to apologize.”

The kiss.

“No need,” you tell him, not unkindly.

People act on impulses, especially under tense and urgent circumstances. You know this more than most.

The kiss was a frantic “what if”. What if you wanted to start over? What if you could let go? What if it was something more than friendship?

But it wasn’t. It isn’t. You both know this.

Bjorn acknowledges these unsaid things with a nod. “I hold you in high esteem, my friend. You’ve fought by my side. Saved my life. I do not care what Asgard whispers.”

You hold Bjorn’s gaze, and at long last, truly match his smile.

- - -

None care to visit Loki, save for Thor and Frigga. Occasionally Odin.

And now you.

The first time you’re allowed to see him, you feel snakes writhe in your stomach. Even the sight of his door is overwhelming.

Thor had instructed the guards to let you speak to Loki alone, and although they aren’t pleased, they do allow you to step over the threshold without them.

You feel your breath catch in your throat when you see him.

Loki stands across the sitting room, clothed in royal garb once more, which further pushes the feeling of familiarity. Your footsteps die six feet away as you search his gaze.

Gone is the burning man with a stranger’s face.

In his place is your Loki. Perhaps thinner than he should be, and he could undoubtedly use some more sleep, but he seems… alive again. His eyes, you can’t stop yourself from studying them; that shrewd, green gaze you know so well.

Your mind calls up varying memories of the Loki you’d found on Earth, comparing each to the man in front of you and discarding them one by one. There is no blue. No twisted hatred. You know he’s not the same as his old self, but you decide to cross that bridge when you get there. Neither of you can go back to who you were before it all. You’ve made your peace with it.

Hopefully, he can, too.

Loki says your name, scrutinizing you as much as you are him. He’s guarded, but you know him well enough to see he’s nervous. The realization makes your shoulders relax, although the tension in the room remains.

You take a tentative step forward. Then another. When you keep moving, he steps forward as well.

And when you meet, you’re wrapped in his embrace. He’s rigid and unsure, but his hands still gather you close. You press your face against his chest and your fingers tighten in the back of his shirt.

“You’re home.” His voice is hushed, meant only for you to hear.

“You’re an asshole,” you choke out, your voice strained from withholding tears. “I fucking missed you.”

And he laughs softly in your ear.

- - -

Talking it out is neither fast nor fun. It takes days, weeks. It’ll take more. But each step forward gives you both a bit more closure than before.

Your chosen place for these talks is the fancy settee. Your legs dangle over its edge, your boots lightly tapping on the side of one of Loki’s many bookcases as you stare at the sitting room’s ceiling. You’re surprised there aren’t books up there, too.

You both talk of the scepter. Its voice. Its impact. Loki explains what he can recall of the Other, and you tell him of the voice you heard in New York and Asgard’s infirmary.

You both talk about Willow and The Avengers. Loki’s chaotic plan and the meaning behind it.

“I wanted it all,” he says one day, pacing past the settee as he explains. You vaguely remember when he’d said the same thing at the top of Stark’s tower. “The cube. The scepter. Earth. Asgard.” He pauses, and when you look up, you find him staring at you. He blinks and starts to pace again. “You.”

“Oh,” you say.

“All of it,” Loki tells you. “It seemed possible, as mad as it sounds. It seemed… simple.”

“It did make things seem really simple,” you agree, turning away to frown at the ceiling again.

After some more discussion, there’s a lull in the conversation. Loki walks to the chair closest to you and sits. He leans forward and rubs a hand across his face.

You see the gesture from the corner of your eye, and it worries you. It’s no secret that he’s not sleeping well. You sit up and stretch your arms, arcing your back until it pops. “It’s late,” you tell him.

When he doesn’t reply, you look over and realize his eyes are caught on your glove.

“It’s late,” you say again, softer this time, dropping your arms and breaking his gaze.

You don’t think he’s going to reply, but then….

“Don’t go.”

The following silence is heavy, but you know you have to break it.

“I’ve got my own prison rooms to report to,” you say, habitually tugging at your glove as you stand.

He doesn’t say anything until you get to the door.

“I’m sorry.”

You hesitate at the door… and then open it. “Me, too.”

- - -

Periodically you meet with Thor, who has wholeheartedly welcomed you back.

“The council is perhaps a bit displeased that I’ve allowed you within our walls,” he tells you. “But I am king, so they may stay displeased.”

As precautious as Thor’s advisors are, they have convinced him to keep guards posted in the passages between the guest wing and the rest of the palace. It wouldn’t bother you, but you hate having to ask to go to the training grounds every day.

Because you know you need to train.

“The threat is real,” Loki tells you one night. “This ‘peace’, it’s not a reprieve. Thanos and those that follow him continue to plot in the shadows.”

It is your turn to pace Loki’s sitting room. “We have to be ready.”

“We aren’t,” he tells you flatly.

You bite your lip, worrying the skin until it hurts. Your hands ball into fists and then relax, over and over as you walk. The magnitude of it all, the lack of control… it’s daunting.

Your pacing lands you close to the settee, and so you force yourself to sit. “It feels like we’re sitting ducks.” Loki only stares at you from his chair, which makes you sigh. “You said that… that Thanos and the Other thought we’d be dangerous if we worked together. Which is why they pushed that separation.” You ponder in silence for a moment, and then ask, “Does that still count? Like, will it make any difference?”

“That was when we had the scepter and the Tesseract,” Loki reminds you. “Now, we’re removed from both, and you’re….”

He falls silent. You thread your fingers together and lean over, propping your elbows on your thighs and resting your forehead against your hands. You can feel the leather glove against your skin, cold, and now (unfortunately) familiar.

You hear Loki get up, and you figure he’s about to start pacing now that you’ve stilled. Instead, you feel him sit beside you on the settee.

He’s kept his distance since your initial embrace, but now you feel the light touch of his fingers on your forearm.

Your chest hurts. “It’s late,” you say, voice hushed.

“It is,” he agrees.

His fingers travel towards your wrist, the sensation leaving chill bumps in its wake. When his touch finally reaches your hand, you slowly lower your arm until it lays across Loki’s thigh, palm up.

Instead of pulling off your glove, he slips his fingers through yours. The pressure makes your wrist ache, but it isn’t as bad a pain as it has been.

“Don’t go,” Loki asks of you.

You’re silent for a long moment, staring at your hand in his. You sigh and lean your head on his shoulder. Time passes, although you’re not sure how long you sit with him.

But inevitably, you squeeze his hand, rise, and walk to the door.

- - -

You feel like you’re talking in circles. Thinking in circles. There’s too many questions, too many problems, and not enough answers. Not even close.

Training doesn’t help quiet your mind tonight, and instead of walking the familiar halls towards your room, you walk instead a different set of familiar halls.

“This is pointless,” your cranky guard states. “He’s no doubt asleep at this hour.”

“He’s not,” you reply, and knock on Loki’s door.

He is indeed awake.

Loki must have been in his sitting room, because he answers within a few, short seconds. You don’t miss the guard’s huff of annoyance as Loki closes the door behind you.

The prince says your name as you walk towards the settee.

“My mind won’t shut up,” you tell him. When you sit, you realize your heartbeat’s running on useless adrenaline, and your nerves are making your leg bounce. You run a hand through your hair and suck in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“I can relate,” Loki says, taking his seat beside you.

You look around the room and realize the only light is coming from a candle next to the chair Loki likes to read in. “Where’s your book?” you ask.

“I… wasn’t reading tonight,” he tells you.

“What were you doing?”

There’s a stretch of silence, and then he nods. “Reflecting,” he finally decides.

“You should be sleeping, you know,” you tell him.

“Hypocrite,” he names you.

You run a hand through your hair again, mind still scattered. You realize there’s pressure on your thigh, and you find Loki’s placed his hand on your leg to stop its bouncing.

It works. Even with your leg still, his hand stays.

You know you need to calm down. The threat isn’t here, after all, and there’s no way for you to physically fight this feeling of trepidation.

You take another deep breath. “What were you reflecting on?” you ask him.

He’s quiet for a while, long enough for you to regret asking. But then he sighs and says, “On us.”

“Yeah?” you ask. “Got any specifics?”

You watch him as he stares at the flickering candle next to his vacant chair. Shadows play across his face, changing his features with every shift of the small flame. The silence is strangely comforting, and you can feel your heartbeat slow as it decides it no longer wants to break free of your ribs.

“Specifically,” Loki finally says, his words slow and laden with exhaustion, “how neither of us could kill the other. Even at our lowest. Even when it was the most beneficial, the most logical solution… neither of us did it.”

He turns to face you, candlelight reflected in his eyes. You can’t read his expression, especially not in the dancing shadows. You think on his words, and then say, “I’m glad. Guess it says something, huh?”

“I suppose it must,” he says softly, breaking from your gaze to stare across the room once more. He absentmindedly traces imaginary lines across your thigh as his mind chases different trains of thought.

You catch his attention again when you take his hand. He stares, frown pronounced as his fingers interlace with leather. “Do you wear this to sleep?” he asks, thumb skating across your glove.

“Yeah,” you say. “It kinda… glows. So… yeah. Sig got me a pair of cloth gloves, so I use one of them instead of this leather one when I need to sleep. They’re thinner.”

“I see,” Loki says.

You extract your hand from his, hesitate, and then carefully pull on each of the glove’s fingers. You slip it off and set it aside, and then offer your dimly glowing hand to Loki.

“Does it hurt?” he asks you, morbidly curious.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” you say, hoping to wipe the pained look off his face.

“Had I not –”

“Don’t,” you warn him. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

His lips press into a thin line, but he acquiesces.

Loki holds your hand in both of his, feeling the strange, solid magic that hums beneath his fingers. You aren’t used to the sensation of touch with your hand of light, as you try to keep a glove on when at all possible. It’s almost… cathartic to feel Loki gently press his fingers against your palm, his thumb carefully sliding across the back of your hand.

“Are you…” he begins, but seems at a loss for words.

“Am I?” you ask. His troubled look prompts you to guess, “Am I… okay?” When he subtly nods his head, you let out a short laugh. “Kind of? I’m… fine. Eventually, I’ll be okay. It’s a part of me. That’s it. It’s just a part of me now.” You stare at your hand, Loki’s fingers a black silhouette against the light. “Are you okay?” you ask him.

“As you’ve said,” he tells you smoothly, “I will be.”

Loki releases your hand so you can slip on your glove, and when it’s in place, you flex your fingers out of habit. You glance at him and then say, “Glad we didn’t kill each other.”

You stand up, Loki following suit. You’re already turning towards the door when you say, “It’s la–”

“Late,” Loki finishes as he catches your wrist.

You look back at him, at his fingers closed around the cuff of your glove.

“I know I’ve no right to ask,” he says quietly. “And yet, I ask.” Loki closes the distance between the two of you, and your heart stutters as his nose brushes yours. “Don’t go.”

Maybe it’s because it’s late.

Maybe it’s because you didn’t kill each other.

Or maybe it’s because you still love him.

But ultimately, you figure the reason doesn’t really matter.

This time, you kiss him.

- - -

You and Loki can walk the city, so long as guards shadow your steps. You don’t really care for it, but to some extent, it does help soothe your restless spirit.

At first, the public was confused. The rumors that had spread through Asgard were undoubtedly exaggerated, and they certainly misconstrued parts of the truth (although the truth itself doesn’t paint either of you in a good light). But it is not as if the two of you have ever been especially beloved by Asgard, not nearly on the level to which the people hold Thor. And Thor has freed you, the Asgardians tell themselves, so surely you must be able to keep that murderous nature in check. The both of you have been held accountable for crimes against Midgard, not Asgard.

So, as the people grow accustomed to seeing the two of you, while many still cut unsavory glances, the hatred has somewhat dulled. Indifference is mostly what you see. You have not impacted their lives, and so they continue living.

The whispers are worth being free of the palace. They’re worth the trips to Sigrid and Asmund’s, where you feel normal and welcome. They’re worth dropping by the sorcerers’ guild, where none of the members seem to think any different of Loki – if anything, they’re eager to learn what secrets he’s gathered from his morbid misadventure.

However, these pleasant bubbles of the past cannot mask the grim situation brewing in the galaxy. One of which Thor’s council has now been made aware of and are eager to discuss. And on this day, they want you there.

You thought you’d be more nervous as you step into the council’s war room. It’s a large room, like most are in the palace, with a long table in its center. Thor’s at its head, and while he’s kept Odin’s council intact, he’s added Sif and what remains of The Warriors Three to his circle of advisors.

“Warrior,” Thor greets you with a smile.

“Hey,” you answer, offering him a weak grin as you waver near the door. “You, um, wanted to see me?”

Hogun crosses his arms, the expression on his face mirrored by the members of Thor’s council, save for Sif and Volstagg.

“Aye,” Thor says, motioning you forward and nodding his head towards one of the empty chairs. “I’ve something to ask of you, my friend.”

And as you listen, you realize that Thor does have a plan for you, after all. He’d pardoned you for his own personal reasons, you have no doubt, but now he’s found a way to truly free you. One with which none on his council can argue.

“Okay,” you state, and you’re pretty sure your body feels significantly lighter. “Yeah. I accept.”

That night, when you visit the prince, you repeat Thor’s words with an eagerness that stems from your desire to do something. At last, you can stop agonizing over circumstances beyond your control. You no longer have to be a faux prisoner in Asgard’s halls.

Loki doesn’t seem particularly pleased with the plan, though you know he will not stop you. But when you reach the end of your explanation, and silence reigns, you abruptly cease your pacing and hold his gaze. “Come with me.”

His thoughts seem to pause, shift gears, and rapidly head down a different path. “Truly?” he asks you.

“Yes,” you answer, as if it’s simple.

And maybe this time, it is.

“You could no doubt accomplish such a task alone,” Loki says, his tone nonchalant as he considers the idea.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

A smile slowly spreads across his face, one you aren’t sure you’ve seen in over a year. At last, he says, “Neither do I.”

- - -

At the mountain’s peak, you find yourself in a ceremony.

Your dress is emerald green, the fabric silky against your skin. You’re glad there’s a slit in its long skirt, so you can actually walk. The bodice fastens around your neck, leaving your arms and back exposed. The dress belt has thin, silver spirals and swirls that are interspersed with small gems.

The dress makes you more nervous than the ceremony itself, but Frigga is the one that had it made for you, so there’s no way in hell you can refuse to wear it. She’s gifted you a piece of jewelry to go with it; a golden bracelet winds up your wrist, forming a snake with green, jeweled eyes. On your other hand is a lace glove, your hand of light showing through its intricate design.

The queen has even given you a scabbard that fits the dagger you made for the ceremony. The dark leather is embossed with geometric patterns and swirls, and it sits comfortably on your hip, attached to your dress belt.

At least you have that part of the wedding to look forward to.

You figure most of the people gathered are attending for the feast rather than the ceremony, and you don’t blame them. You aren’t keen on a wedding, either. But you said you’d do it, so here you are.

You end up alone with Sigrid in one of the palace’s dressing rooms, which allows you a brief moment of relief after the whirlwind of Frigga’s servants, who had assisted you in dressing. Sigrid makes a fuss about your hair when she helps you don your bridal crown. You had no plans on wearing one, which Sig had apparently foreseen and set about correcting over the past week. And while you know next to nothing about plants and flowers, you can tell Sigrid’s put a lot of care into the ceremonial crown.

“It’s perfect,” you tell her warmly, taking her hands in yours so she’ll stop fretting over your appearance. “Love you, Siggy. Thank you. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

Sigrid knows you mean everything. She has stayed with you through the worst and the best of it – from that ugly blue dress to this gorgeous bridal crown. Sigrid’s smile is dazzling, and when she hugs you, you’re struck by the fact that she’s almost taller than you are. She laughs pleasantly and tells you, “I love you, too.”

“You look gorgeous,” Willow’s voice states from near the door, and you turn to find your best friend has finally arrived. “Sorry I’m late!”

Will’s tired eyes hint at too many restless nights, but her broad smile is genuine as she crosses the room to hug you. A lot of hugs today, you think. Hopefully it’s not a trend that will continue throughout the rest of the evening.

“Are you ready?” Will asks as she releases you.

“No. Yes?” You sigh heavily and shake your head. “This ceremony shit means a lot to people here, so I’ll go ahead and… participate.”

“Oh, you’re going to dislike it, I’m sure,” Sigrid pipes up, hiding a little laugh behind her hand. “But it’s going to be lovely.”

“Agreed,” Will says with a grin, and she gently pats you on the arm in a show of comfort. At least you think it’s comfort, until you see a mischievous shift in her expression, and she says, “Come on, Princess, it’s wedding time!”

Sigrid has to hide her face, either from trying to hold in laughter or from the look you’re giving Willow.

You’re nervous until you see him.

You walk through the crowd of Asgardians, the evening breeze ruffling the ribbons and flowers in your crown. The sound right next to your ears drowns out the murmurs of the people gathered, although you can still feel too many pairs of eyes on you.

One eye is especially heavy; Odin is present, although you’re sure his attendance is by Queen Frigga’s design. Most of this wedding is, after all.

The sight of Will at the front of the crowd gives you something to focus on and further assuages your fears as you make your way towards the center of the courtyard.

The circular wedding pavilion is large, crafted of white marble that seems to gleam in the evening sun. Golden fabric flows down the structure’s pillars, and vibrant flowers line its sides. Soft lights bob through the air, and while they remind you of fireflies, you realize they’re made of magic. A wide, flat dais sits in the pavilion’s center, which is where Loki waits.

You feel like you can finally breathe when you reach him. He looks… regal. Like true royalty. In classic Asgardian fashion, his ceremonial outfit is (in your opinion) overly intricate and detailed, yet today you can’t be bothered to pretend you don’t notice how well he wears it. You note the sword belt around Loki’s waist, and you subconsciously brush your arm against the sheathed dagger at your hip.

Loki looks sharp. He looks dangerous.

He looks happy to see you.

Loki has known from the beginning that you are a foreigner, not only to Asgard, but to the entire realm itself. But you fit in amongst the humans and Asgardians, so much so that he hasn’t dwelled on the fact in quite a while. But you don’t look anything like a human in this moment – not to him. You’re otherworldly. And he’s admittedly a bit stunned.

As you draw closer, Loki notices belladonna in your bridal crown, woven with ribbons and nestled next to dark, red roses. The crown’s metalwork is carefully detailed, although the design is simpler than some he’s seen. His mother must have asked it of the makers, knowing such a thing would be more suited to your tastes.

When you join him on the dais it’s clear to him that you’re uncomfortable, but you’re smiling at him anyway. This ceremony isn’t going to mean much to you – your bond with him has been long established within your own culture, after all – but the fact that you’re going through it all for him is incredibly satisfying.

Upsetting Odin is also satisfying, that Loki will concede.

Thor is officiating, which Loki had been adamantly against during the wedding planning. He relented only when it was pointed out that nothing could make the union more official in the eyes of the law than if the law himself was officiating. And so, Thor stands with the two of you on the dais.

You think the ceremony is similar to Sigrid and Asmund’s, aside from Thor’s excited, booming voice. You quote the same texts they did, and you ask for the same kind of blessings from the fates. Whether you think said fates are listening or not doesn’t seem to matter.

There are holes in the wedding where your family should be, so you’ve asked Willow to give her blessing instead. She’s closer than family to you, anyway. You’re surprised when Thor himself chimes in with his blessing during this part of the ceremony, and when you look over at him, you have to blink a few times to stop any tears from falling.

Queen Frigga voices her approval when it is time for Loki’s family to speak, although Odin is notably silent. Thor carries on and gives his blessing again, completely unbothered.

“Aye, this is the part I’m sure you’re excited for, Warrior,” Thor tells you, and then loudly proclaims that it’s time for you and Loki to present one another with the blades of your ancestors.

Loki meets your eyes and draws his sword, and for a moment, you’re taken back to your fight against him in Stark Tower. The difference between the memory and the present is truly astonishing.

What a journey it has been, Loki’s voice says in your mind.

Aloud, he states, “I chose this one for you.”

Your eyes are drawn to the sword – silver, of course. Its hilt ends in a sizable, pointed diamond, which catches the light in interesting ways has Loki turns the blade towards the wedding guests. Its hand guard is sleek, the metal sweeping back over its grip, and you note that it seems surprisingly functional for a decorative, old sword.

“I present to you one of the swords of the family Odinson,” Loki says, although you can feel flashes of… somethingwhen he says the family name. “It is to be a symbol of our union.”

He passes you the blade, and you realize… it’s sharp. He’s had it sharpened. This isn’t something to hang on a wall, meant for decoration, this is something you can strap to your hip and actually use.

“It is to show that while I may wish to protect you, I am well aware that you can protect yourself,” Loki says, and although the smile on his face is dangerously close to a smirk, you can hear the sincerity in his tone. “It is to show that I will fight at your side, and that your battles are mine as well.”

You can feel your face flush, but that doesn’t seem to dissuade him. Loki’s smile widens, the expression playing with your heartbeat as he continues. “You are stronger and fiercer than any woman I’ve known.” He pauses and considers his words, and then takes your free hand. “I love you. My vow is ever the same. While you live, I want you. Be it through Ragnarok or rapture, by the bite of a blade or the soft touch of time. It matters not. It never has.”

You stare at him, overwhelmed with… feelings. You’ve never been good with them, but right now they’re culminating in a mantra that parades through your thoughts: I love you. I love you. I love you.

Fucking hell.

Loki squeezes your hand and then releases it, and you realize it’s your turn.

How am I supposed to follow that up, jackass?! you think to him.

He watches you, completely settling into smirk territory as you unsheathe the dagger you’ve made for him. You’re careful, ensuring your hand of light doesn’t touch it – if you accidentally destroy the weapon, you’re going to lose your mind, you just know it.

It took forever to craft the blade with your powers on the fritz. You had almost given up at least three times, although your determination won out in the end.

You’d tried to make it fancy, since you’re literally giving it to a prince – specifically a prince of one of the most stupid, fancy worlds you’ve ever been to. The black dagger has a curved, sharp tip, and its hilt holds the spirals you’ve seen on other Asgardian weapons. Wrapped across the guard and down towards the blade is a snake, the blade itself seemingly jutting from the snake’s jaws.

Okay, now you have to talk. You stare at Loki for a moment and then suck in a breath. “So, I, uh, don’t have a family sword, or whatever, and I know you don’t even use a sword. And I wanted to make you something you could use, so I made this dagger.”

You flip the dagger and hold it by the flat of the blade to show Loki the handle, which he appraises with a raised eyebrow.

Oh, right, there’s like a script to this ceremony stuff. “I present to you this dagger,” you state. “It is to be a symbol of our union.”

You offer him the handle again, and this time he takes it. Loki gives the dagger an experimental spin, and the familiar sight makes you grin. Now, what were you supposed to say, again? “I guess it’s… to show….” You can’t think of the words, and everything you’ve practiced before sounds dumb now.

You glance at the crowd, and then at Thor. The silence is stretching, and you can’t stand it anymore, so you just speak.

“I chose you,” you tell Loki, and the truth of it sets in after you say it. “Repeatedly.”

By deciding to live. By refusing Odin’s ultimatum, and staying in Asgard.

By agreeing to marry Loki, and then waiting for word after he vanished.

By sparing his life.

“And… well… I think we both fought hard to get here today,” you say.

Loki’s green eyes…. You never thought they’d mean so much to you. Especially when he’s looking at you like this.

“I chose to love you,” you tell him at last. “And I’m glad I did.”

- - -

The two of you had decided against rings. You can remember that conversation clearly.

And yet at the feast table, Loki hands you a golden ring strung through a silver chain. “To wear, if you want,” he explains nonchalantly. “I know you said your people have no outward signs of these ‘bonds’, so I thought it easier to tuck a ring out of sight around your neck rather than on your hand.”

“I don’t have a ring for you,” you tell him, frowning. “You weren’t supposed to –”

He pats the center of his chest, and your frown grows more pronounced. “But… isn’t each person supposed to get a ring for the other?”

“Indeed,” Loki agrees with a sly smile. “The lack of reciprocation has undoubtedly wounded me. What a slight, having to procure my own wedding band! Although,” he adds, dropping his voice and losing the dramatic sarcasm. “I’ve thought of some ways you could make it up to me.”

And he kisses you, slow and purposeful, until you clue into the cheers and whistles from the rest of the feast hall. “Oh, my God,” you tell him in a hushed whisper, pushing on his chest.

“Yes?” he asks, his eyes glinting mischievously.

You groan, fight back a smile, and grab your glass, truly glad that honeyed mead goes down smoothly.

- - -

Willow catches up to you after the dancing starts. Loki has broken away to speak with his mother, and you’re chatting with Sigrid and Asmund.

Will taps you on the shoulder and has to speak louder to be heard over the music. “I have to go soon!”

Sigrid and Asmund hear her, and bid you both farewell so the two of you can say goodbye without an audience.

“I’m glad you came,” you tell her, and you wrap her in final a hug. “I’ve missed you! And I’ll keep missing you.”

“I miss you, too, friend,” she says as she pulls away. “I’m happy for you.”

“I’ll write to you once we make it,” you tell her. “My power’s still all weird, but I think we should be good if I make some stops along the way.”

“Let me know if you need me,” Will says. “Seriously. I don’t like trooping through your portals, but I’ll come drag you both out of that dark place if I have to.”

“Thanks,” you tell her with a smile.

Will readjusts her bag strap, and then seems to realize something. “Oh!”

“Oh?” you ask as she digs around in her bag.

“Here!” she states, and promptly hands you a… bracelet?

You hold it up, a bit lost. It’s made of a bunch of beads on a black elastic band, and when you turn it over you realize there’s letters on some of the beads.

‘BEST FRIENDS’

“It’s from Tony,” Will explains. “He said it’s a wedding gift? And that he ‘sends his congrats to the pair of penthouse destroyers’.”

You’re torn between laughter and guilt, which inevitably comes out as a snort. Before you can respond, you feel Loki’s hand on your arm, and he reads aloud, “Best friends?”

“It’s from Tony,” Will says again, her voice pitching upward in an almost-question this time.

“Healer, why are you giving us garbage on our wedding day?” Loki asks. He goes to grab the bracelet, but you pull it away.

“You’re just jealous you didn’t get anything,” you tell him, not for the first time.

“Oh, actually, he did send you something,” Willow tells Loki, and she extracts a piece of paper from her bag. “Here.”

“What is this?” Loki asks, frowning as he turns the paper over to read it.

“An itemized bill,” Willow says.

All right, guilt is winning out this time. “Did he charge me, too?” you ask, leaning closer.

“No,” Will says. “It’s addressed to,” she pauses as Loki crumples the “bill”, “Emerald City.”

You can’t help but laugh, Will chuckling along with you. Loki scoffs, not nearly as amused.

If it wasn’t your wedding day, you’d slip the ‘BEST FRIENDS’ bracelet around your wrist just to spite him.

But it is your wedding day, so you tuck it into your dress pocket.

“Write soon,” Will says. “Be careful. And at least try to stay out of trouble.”

“I promise we’ll do our best?” you tell her, which makes Loki roll his eyes.

Willow turns to go, but hesitates and looks back at you. With a sad smile, she says, “Tell them ‘hi’ for me, okay?”

When you nod, she returns the gesture and walks away.

- - -

Back at your table, food finished and glass empty, you prop your head on your hand and turn to Loki. “So, we’re married.”

“We are,” he agrees.

You consider it for a moment, and then ask, “Do you feel any different?”

Loki thinks it over, and you watch as his eyes flit across your face. After a moment, he says, “It pleases me.”

You laugh. The feast hall is slowly emptying, so the sound seems louder than it should.

“Do you?” he asks.

“I guess it pleases me, too.”

- - -

It is Thor’s orders that give him freedom, yet a part of Loki still resents it. At this point, this resentment is almost a reflex, and he figures he’ll never be rid of it. Not anytime soon, at least.

You, on the other hand, are eager; the weight of your travel pack is like an old friend, one you only now realize how dearly you’ve missed.

“Gather warriors,” Thor urges you at the end of the rainbow bridge. “Anyone you can trust. Any who wish to fight for their lives, for the lives of those they love, or for the good of all worlds.” When you nod, Thor looks to his brother. “If what you speak of Thanos is true –”

“It is.”

“– then we need assistance. From anywhere and everywhere.”

You nod again, and Thor briefly clasps his brother’s shoulder before watching you and Loki disappear into Heimdall’s golden observatory.

- - -

The Bifrost has never been kind to you, and this trip is no different.

Loki helps you to your feet once the colors stop swirling, and you lean on him as the two of you peer around the area. You’re in a forest, with towering trees and a canopy that almost completely obscures the sun.

Camping out for a few days is necessary for you to regain your strength. Reaching your planet is not an easy task, especially not with the Ordinat rebuilding. They’ll have surveillance set up on as many worlds as they can, so you can’t be flashy with a Bifrost entrance. Heimdall has sent the two of you as close to your world as is feasible, but the rest of the venture is on your shoulders.

Fully rested at last, with everything packed up, you stand beside your extinguished fire and look over at Loki.

“Are you ready?” you ask. “We have to make a few stops along the way. I don’t want to risk going such a large distance all at once.”

“Am I ready?” he asks slowly, pretending to think on the question.

You nudge him with your shoulder, and he rolls his eyes.

“I’m serious,” you insist. “My world is… dangerous. There’s powerful, scary things and people, and a lot of them will want to murder us on sight, so….”

“Powerful, hmm?” Loki asks, and you recognize the brief look of hunger on his face.

“Yeah,” you confirm. “There may be opportunities to acquire some interesting stuff, but I make no promises. Probably not cube or scepter powerful, but still.”

Your sentence is lost on Loki as a twinge of anxiety hits his chest. His ambitious expression fades as he searches your face. The realization that you’re nervous to return to your world, so much so that it’s bleeding into his own emotions, unsettles him more than your warnings of dangerous beings. Adversity does await, yes, but he’s ready.

“Are you?” he asks.

“Huh?”

“Are you ready?”

You roll your shoulders and adjust your travel bag, then tug your glove further up your wrist. The sword Loki gave you is in its scabbard, belted to your hip. You can feel your golden ring on its chain, sitting against your chest.

You reach for Loki’s hand, and he takes it.

Everything’s as it should be.

Your nerves fade, which puts you both at ease. You stretch out your hand and tear a rift through reality.

“Yeah,” you tell him. “I am.”

As the two of you walk into the dark, a journey ends.

And another begins.

---

Thanks for going on this adventure with me! This officially marks the end of the "Of Different Emotions" series. Can you believe that? Wowsa If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them! I'll be slowly replying to comments on this chapter and the last chapter, so be patient with me! So much in my life has changed since the beginning of this series, and I'm honestly both sad and happy to see it end. Thanks again to all of you who have supported me through this, whether you joined this wild journey from the beginning, middle, or end! Love you guys

-W

@littlemisssyreid @thedoctorlivesthroughbooks @imthinkingaboutthis @verryfuckingpunny @shadows-echoes @auria223 @white-chocolate-mocha-fan @agentpiku @bookscoffeeandracoons @lokibarncs

Masterlist

Discord

#loki x reader #loki odinson #loki fanfiction #fanfiction #loki/reader #reader insert #marvel #OTE Update #of twisted emotions #the end

2 notes · View notes

ymir-me · 4 years

Text

Soulmate dry your eye (’cause soulmates never die)

A/N: Hello everyone, happy Royai Week!!! This is my first English fic and I made it for the “Old Wounds” prompt, I hope you’ll enjoy it! Thank you @the-inarticulate-chikin for being my friend and beta, love you so much <3

AO3

@royaiweek

Summary: Fuhrer Roy Mustang has to deal with some old wounds, luckily General Riza Hawkeye is always by his side.

The mess hall was crowded as it usually was at noon, the familiar sound of chattering breaking into the hallway when Fuhrer Roy Mustang opened the dark wooden doors. It was so loud he couldn’t hear the storm raging outside anymore, the rain had been pouring down since the early morning and the wind was so strong it bended a tree he could see from his window.

His new rank came with responsibilities, sure, but with some privileges too, like a personal chef and a private room where to eat his lunch in peace and quiet. He had never took advantage of this opportunity once and continued having lunch with his subordinates at the same, old, chipped table. He merged in that crowd sneaking past people, trying to avoid being recognised and start the usual chain of salutes, small talk and unnecessary gossiping.

Waiting for his turn to take his bowl of stew, he scanned the room looking for his team and finally spotted Havoc, Catalina, Fuery, Falman and Breda, uproariously laughing their hearts out at a joke, and judging by the expression painted on Havoc’s face, he was the victim of that joke. The old lady working at the cafeteria greeted him and served his portion, that looked slightly more abundant than the others’, and handed him a little loaf of bread to match it. With his usual womaniser smirk, he thanked her and went his way with his fragrant stew bowl, already savouring the tasty meat and fresh vegetables.

Suddenly, a sharp pain struck through his right hand making him lose grip on the tray, which fell on the floor loudly causing everyone to turn towards his direction, thus ruining his undercover mission. The stew spilled everywhere and the bread started filling with the hot liquid. Not that he cared about the mess in that moment, kneeling on the floor, squeezing hard the aching hand with the other, his breathing quickened and teeth clamped. That pain wouldn’t go away and latched onto every one of his nerves, strangling them. He could feel them throbbing, begging him to set them free from that torment.

Those were the wounds that King Bradley inflicted on him with his swords, moment before opening the Portal of Truth. The Philosopher’s Stone he used to heal Havoc’s legs and to restore his own sight had been long used by Dr. Marcoh and its power wore out before he could use it on his hands. Or General Hawkeye’s throat. Roy had accepted it, fully confident he could have healed all the same. He was wrong, of course. He later discovered how delicate hands could be and how hard was to recover from literal holes carved in his palms. A small gathering of people approached him, visibly worried for their Fuhrer’s well-being, but before he could even speak a familiar voice stepped in, inviting everyone to go back to their business. Hawkeye squatted in front of him, over the stew puddle, and rested a hand on his shoulders.

“Perhaps you need a hand, sir?” she whispered teasingly. He rewarded her with a strangled laughter, finally lifting his gaze from the ground.

“Make it two, Hawkeye. They both hurt like a bitch right now.”

“That’s what I thought. Let’s go to the infirmary, sir.”

Roy had always hated the infirmary and yet he had to see it far more than he would have liked. The sour green and white walls were painted recently and he wondered why they chose the same colors again. Shouldn’t they ask the Fuhrer first?

“Sit, sir. I’ll be right back with some ice for your hands,” Riza gestured towards the doctor’s chair and he obeyed, but sat on the desk. The General let out a defeated sigh but didn’t argue, she then vanished behind the door of the ice-house shuffling the medicine vials, looking for some ice cubes.

The pain in Roy’s hands had numbed down, turning into a dull ache reverberating through his fingers and wrist, up until the elbow. Trying to give himself some relief, he tried to massage the center of his right palm, where the reddish scar was, failing miserably since the other hand wasn’t collaborating either. Letting out a frustrated groan, he abandoned his task shortly after, and started scanning the room to focus on something that wasn’t that pesky sensation.

Hawkeye finally came back, mission accomplished, and grabbing a clean handkerchief from the inside of her uniform she wrapped the ice in it.

“Open your hands, sir,” she ordered, handing him the cold, little bundle. She rested the back of his hand over hers and put the ice on his right palm, then grabbed the other hand and placed it over the cloth. She gingerly cupped them both, helping him holding them in place. The cool sensation of the wet handkerchief soothed the pain instantly and the Fuhrer sighed, relieved.

“Thank you,” he said, sternly. “I really made a fool out of myself, didn’t I?”

“I don’t think so, sir. You can’t control the weather and barometric changes make the old wounds hurt, it’s a normal bodily response.”

“I suppose, it happens when it rains. I guess water still makes me useless,” Roy grinned.

She gave him a fleeble smile and fell silent for a few minutes, both enjoying the companionable silence, lost in their own thoughts. Riza’s hands were warm and soft against his and the contrast with the cold ice was giving him an unfamiliar yet pleasant sensation. He could feel his hands going number and number, to the point he couldn’t feel his palms and fingers anymore.

“Are you feeling any better, sir?” Riza’s voice was almost a whisper, as if she didn’t want to break that comfortable atmosphere the silence had created. Roy lifted his gaze and found hers already on him: he was the Flame Alchemist, his flames could create an intolerable heat, but her deep brown eyes were threatening to melt him on the spot, like one of the ice cubes he was currently holding.

“I can’t feel them anymore, to be honest. I guess that’s positive,” he shrugged, still not retracting his own hands, seemingly wanting to absorb Riza’s body heat until he caught fire himself. Because she, her body and her soul, reminded him of fire whose tongues could both warm and mistreat with its licks, motherly and dangerous, both blaze and hotbed.

“Good, we can switch to some exercises to warm the hand up,” Riza’s hands opened his, carefully removing the dripping handkerchief. She quickly tossed it in the sink and sat again on the chair facing the desk on which Roy was sitting.

“You know how much I hated those exercises,” he eyed her, lifting an eyebrow. “I don’t even remember how to do them.”

“Well, good thing I do remember. Let me help, sir. Please,” she said, and it sounded more like a pleading. Roy could sense something was wrong with her, he should have known better: she was acting weird since they had arrived at the infirmary, her body language betraying her stoic expression; that vein on her temple raging was proof of her uneasiness.

A thunder shook the building, the floor trembled below their feet and the rain started pouring harder and faster than before. The wind slammed the window open, Riza felt her back and hair dampening with raindrops but didn’t move from the chair she was sitting on.

“You’re gonna catch a cold if you keep staying like this.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you from that madness,” she finally spoke, her voice no more than a whisper. She looked so tiny now, sunk in her shoulders, sheltered by her winged fringe. “I’m sorry I failed you… I’m sorry I couldn’t follow you into hell.”

Roy froze on the spot, flashes of those black hands dragging him through the Portal of Truth, all those information forcefully shoved in his brain, the world around him suddenly going from blinding white to pitch black.

He shook his head lightly, trying to get a grip on himself. Last thing he wanted was to make her feel worse than she was already feeling. A whirlwind flared up in his mind, he couldn’t stand to see her in that sorry state, but what was bothering him more than everything was that she was right. What he saw was actual hell, and he was glad she didn’t get to see it. She had already seen enough of it.

He lowered his eyes to his hands, her thumbs were drawing circles over the red scars while applying a light pression, expanding the movement gradually until she reached fingers and wrists. She knew what to do, she had followed every medical examination attentively back when they were at the hospital, both recovering from their wounds. Riza made sure to learn every stretch of the fingers, hands and arms, every point where to apply pressure, and was meticulously repeating them by heart.

In those small gestures there was everything he meant to her: hope, devotion, redemption, friendship, connection… Love.

“You know, you were there,” When he spoke, he couldn’t help but to touch her hair, pushing the damp strands from her forehead and cheeks. She lifted her head, startled by his words; her cheeks had dried up already and her expression shifted into a giant question mark, which Roy found very funny since it was hard taking her by surprise. “Over my Portal of Truth there were engraved two serpents and a Sun, which looked really similar to those on your back. The Elrics told me their Portals were different from mine.”

“That’s just the Flame Alchemy,” she argued, arching an eyebrow.

He scoffed, for the first time in his life he was about to checkmate Riza Hawkeye. “You didn’t do your homework, General. Those serpents are meant to represent water and femininity, the White Queen in alchemy embodies these elements and she’s also seen as calculated and controlled. Does it sound familiar to you? You were there, Riza. You were there with me, you’re always with me.”

A tiny smile finally dawned on her face, softening her expression. She stopped massaging his hands and started bending genty each finger and once she was done, she switched over to the other hand, giving it the same ministration.

Then. Then she did something Roy had never expected: Riza drew his hands near her face and placed the tiniest, sweetest kisses on both his palm, over the scars.

And Roy felt like he was on fire. If she really was water, in that moment she was boiling hot. He knew he was blushing like a teenager in love and he also knew she noticed, because of the playful smile she was giving him.

“Thank you, sir. I appreciate your words. Do you feel better now?”

He could tell how relieved was feeling now. He squeezed lightly her hands in his, dwelling in their warmth for a few seconds more. Then, he let them go. The storm had finally calmed down, but she was still wet from the rain poured down on her back and hair.

“I am, thank you. Now let’s go get some lunch, I’m starving,” he said while making his way to the infirmary door, eager to take a breath of fresh air and calm his racing heart.

“Yes, sir. Can I ask you a question?” He turned towards her and nodded, encouraging her to go on.

“What does the Sun mean? And why was it engraved along with the serpents?”

Roy swallowed, caught off guard by her way-too-specific question. Should he explain that the Sun, associated with the Red King, was meant to represent him and thus the intertwining of those elements was specifically addressing the marriage of the two? No, like hell he was explaining that. He felt his ears flushing even harder than before. It looked like Hawkeye was about to checkmate him once again. In that moment, he realised he had forgotten she had studied alchemy at some point in her life; she had intentionally cornered him. The only choice was to leave the game. “Dry up and meet me at the mess hall, Hawkeye. I can’t run a country on an empty stomach.”

He quickly closed the door behind him before she could get the chance to reply and heard her unmistakable, clever and crystal clear laughter expanding through the room on the other side.

P.S.:

That part on Riza’s tattoo was inspired by this video, if you haven’t seen it yet GO SEE IT NOW IT’S THE BEST!!!

Title taken from the lyrics of “Sleeping with Ghosts” by Placebo

#royaiweek20 #royai #soulmate dry your eye ('cause soulmates never die)#royai week 2020

36 notes · View notes

nad-zeta · 4 years

Text

Match up 🌅

Hello! I hope you’re doing well during these uncertain times ^^ I found this blog after my tumblr break and I’m always hungry for ikemen content so here we are. I’m also happy to see more fans of harry potter, the arcana, castlevania, and black butler!! But intros aside, may I request for an ikemen series matchup?? (any boy from the three games im okay) Thank you!!!

I’m gonna break this down into categories so I wont get confused as I write it and I hope it’ll be easier on your part too ^^

About me: she/her, Aries sun/Gemini moon, intp-a, Slytherin, enneagram 5, love language touch

Interests: writing, drawing, watching cartoons/anime/musicals/stageplays, history, culture, philosophy, fandoms in general ^^

Personality: I see myself as an aloof type of person until you become a close person to me, then I’ll never shut up about my interests that can go from fluff to nsfw to angst in a snap. Basically a mess inside and out. I also have quite the temper once you reach the end of my patience so I try my best to keep a cool head (keyword: try) ^^ I also dont have a filter when it comes to swearing and can be apathetic at times so I try not to be around children too much. However if you ask me for advice or just plain comfort I don’t mind and will do my best.

It’s probably obvious from my previous description but I’m very awkward around people and I find it hard to connect, but once I do find people who I can relate to I try my best to keep the friendship ^^

I do value the opinions of people who matter to me and try to learn from it. As for dealing with problems I fluctuate from taking them head on or just outright ignoring them. I also have this tendency to bottle up my emotions until I can’t anymore and it all comes flowing out… I’m also not easily grossed out by things unless its bugs then pls get me out of here. Good food is a surefire way to lift my mood!!

Fun facts abt me ig

1. I dream to be a diplomat once I graduate

2. I get way too engrossed in analyzing politics

3. Im just a nerd for languages (know a lot of words but cant speak)

4. I have a sweet tooth, but I cant stand too sweet sweets (dark chocolate all the way)

Hi love! Thank you so much for the request <3<3! I hope you enjoy it and have a super good day! And soz for making you wait soooooo long for this O.O! Also i hope this satisfies your thirst for more ikesen content <3<3

Content warning: swearing or should i rather say one swear word lol

So I match you with……………….. Nobunaga

So I was definitely between three bois that being Nobunaga, Shingen and Yoshimoto

The first time Nobunaga meets you after you rescued him from the flames of the burning building, he is in awe. He is amazed at how a mere woman was able to pull a man x2 her size from a burning building. He was even more intrigued with your aloof personality and at the fact that you had no interest in receiving any reward or compensation for saving his life. He at that moment decided that you must be some sort of lucky charm sent from the heavens to protect him. He took you back to Azuchi Castle with him and named you as the Oda princess. Mamabear was incredibly suspicious of you, of course, no shocker there given your cold, distant unapproachable exterior. It didn’t help that you slapped Nobunaga’s hand away after he tried to make an unwanted advance, causing mama bear to fume at you. Your patience was wearing thin with the man who now held a sword at your throat, threatening you. Luckily Nobungaga defused the situation before you could complexly loose your temper.

You work incredibly hard for the castle and its people, you took pride in your work, and it definitely showed. Even Nobunaga was impressed with the excellent work you were doing and has noticed that since your arrival things around the castle has been running much smoother. He summons you to his room to thank you and to give you the opportunity to *ahem* warm his bed. To which you just replied “No fucken chance in hell”. He narrowed his eyes and asked why not, to which you just answered, that you had only just met a week ago and that you weren’t that type of girl. Nobunaga was shook he had never been refused before, he also found your lack of filter genuinely amusing. The way you would just swear and just say whatever was on your mind.

You looked around his room and couldn’t help, but notice is vast collections of historical artefacts. Your eyes lit up in curiosity at all the fantastic pieces. Nobunaga couldn’t help but smile at his lil lucky charm who seems to have made herself at home in his room now looking at all his collection of art and trinkets. He would walk up behind you and explain the origin and backstory of each of the pieces. The two of you actually spent the whole night talking about history and different cultures. And that is when you accidentally let it slip that you were from the future. This definitely caught Nobunaga’s attention. At first, he didn’t believe you, but after you showed him the contents of your handbag, he was convinced.

You found yourself slowly but surely opening up to the man as time progressed. You nightly visits to drink tea in his room and chat for hours had become somewhat of a regular occurrence. Nobunaga absolutely loved the way your eyes lit up whenever you would talk about topics that interested you. He also loved how open-minded you were, listening and valuing his opinion. And you loved how open-minded he was, the two of you learned a lot from each other, through these regular tea dates.

Nobunaga had found out that you loved stageplays/musical so he would often find you randomly in the middle of the afternoon and drag you with him to one of his random nearby territories. He wouldn’t tell you where you were going, just simply put you onto of the horse and ride. He loved the way your eyes lit up as you neared the stage and figured out his plan. He would always reserve the best seat for the two of you and ensure that Masa had made the two of you the best snacks to munch on during the show. You count help but smile a bright, radiant smile at the sweet raven-haired man.

You looked over at him, devouring the sweets that Masamune had managed to sneak into the basket. Both of you loved these trips away cause it meant that the two of you could indulge in sweet sugary candies away from the watchful gaze of Mother dearest. After the show, the two of you would spend hours discussing it over even more sweets, at one of the nearby tea houses. Needless to say, the two of you had spent so much time together its no wonder that you were head over heel for each other.

Your relationship with the devil king started off a little rocky cause of your crazy awkwardness, but luckily Nobunaga actually found it really cute and lived for those moments when you would say or do something super awkward and turn a deep shade of red. For you see, this feared ruler is also a bit awkward and clumsy when it comes to love. For example, when he asked you to become his one and only queen, he did so in the cutest way possible. While the two of you were having tea after a show, he started to doodle a little picture on a napkin, at first the two of you were drawing the equivalent to memes and giving it to each other for a good laugh, but then he gave you something you never expected. A clumsy doodle of himself confessing his love for you, you couldn’t help but smile and kiss him right then and there. After all, you can go from fluffy to NSFW in 0,2 seconds, luckily the two of you kept things PG in the teahouse.

Nobunaga loved how diplomatic you were and after you told him about your dream of becoming a diplomat, he was right there by your side supporting you. You had found out about the conflict between him and Shingen and of course you just had to do something. You at this point had Nobunaga wrapped around your little finger, so when you requested that he share custody of the Kai with Shingen, he agreed as long as you act as diplomate between the two.

One day a powerful daimyo and his daughter came to visit. To say that you didn’t like the pair would be an understatement. The woman would constantly pine for Nobunaga’s affection and make your life a living hell. You couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous, sad and frustrated as since they came to visit you hadn’t seen Nobunaga at all. Of course, you bottled up all these emotions and put on a smile, pretending like everything was okay, but honestly, you were ready to bust. You reached your tipping point at the banquet. You hadn’t seen Nobunaga all week as he has been in and out of councils. You waled into the hall to see the woman all over Nobunaga. You went to take your seat beside Nobunaga like you had done for countless banquets and that’s when this woman made the rudest comment towards you “Um excuse me you filthy maid, the servants quarters are back there, and if you don’t leave Nobunaga and me alone I will have to call a guard over to escort you to the dungeons”. Honestly, you were shook, even if you were just a maid, that didn’t give her the right to act so rudely, just because she has some fake ass title. You slammed your fists on the table finally losing your temper and boy oh boy did the insults fly. TBH you even threw in a few insults from their home language, just to prove that you aren’t just some daft woman.

Needless to say, the woman was looking around to the fellow warlords to help her out of back her up, but they were all way to busy howling in laughter at their princesses foul language. Finally, the woman looked to your lover for aid. He simply chuckled and started to speak. “It seems there has been some misunderstanding as to who this woman beside me is” He looked down at the daimyo’s daughter giving her the cockiest grin. She was now looking at you with a devious smile, thinking that Nobu was about to summon you away.

“For those who do not know, I will make my intentions clear and known. This woman beside me is my dearest fireball, the love of my life, my equal and my queen, she is and will be the only woman in history fit to rule the world by my side.” He took your hand in his and gently tugged you to fall into his lap, he then kissed your temple and continued “To her, I give my heart, body and soul” He then pulled out a beautiful ring and asked, “Will you marry me, my dearest love”. To say the daimyo’s daughter was shook would be an understatement. You simply nodded, while wrapping your arms around your fiance’s neck to meet his lips in a passionate kiss.

Other potential matches……………..Shingen

Hope you enjoyed it dear ^_^ ❤🥰@hilarythemermaid

#oda nobunaga #ikesen nobunaga #nobunaga oda #ikemen sengoku nobunaga #matchups #ikesen matchup #match ups #matches #nobunaga matchup #submission

25 notes · View notes