#something about fortune tellers. time travel and this home

[colourme-feral]

Our Skyy 2 x Never Let Me Go (2023) and Love Upon a Time (Official Trailer) (2023)

#our skyy 2 #our skyy 2 x never let me go #love upon a time #parallels in qls #something about fortune tellers. time travel and this home #never let me go #never let me go the series

[daughterofcain-67]

𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 (𝚙𝚝. 7)

(Soldier Boy x Female Reader)

(masterlist)

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Suddenly driven by the urge to find you, yet conflicted about the fact he would have to kill his own son, Ben sets out with Butcher and Hughie to go to the Vought tower and put an end to this once and for all.

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: SPOILERS!!! Final episode of season three, but this series will continue after that episode. I don’t think there’s any major warnings. Little short but this will be continued. Hope you enjoy!

All you could see was white all around you as you sat alone in the room. Captivity wasn’t your idea of a fun time, then again who likes to be held captive against their will? Maybe with the exception of those with Stockholm syndrome, you assumed it would be no one’s idea of a vacation necessarily.

You sat with your back against one of the walls and your legs crossed in front of you. Your eyes were closed as you tried not to focus on your current situation. Instead you were wondering if Ben really did find Mindstorm, and if he was able to get a little more closure and revenge that he wanted. You wondered when he would get to Black Noir, or if he could even get to him in the Vought tower.

Then you began to wonder if Ben would really be able to kill Homelander. You wanted him to be able. To take the hero’s powers away and show everyone that without his powers, Homelander was just an image of Vought’s imperfections. You wanted to know what their reaction would be when they found out their star-spangled mascot was nothing but a useless puppet, like most if not all supes, who just got paid to be glorified for nothing.

After that, your mind started to wander off to the aftermath of your life with Ben after killing Homelander…

Would he get caught yet again? Would he be sent out of the country yet again to a place like Russia? You wouldn’t put it past Vought to do something so cruel. You couldn’t imagine all of the horrible things Ben went through. Well, you could because you went through something similar, but the government wasn’t out to kill you.

The Russians were trying to kill Ben, and they had a lot longer of a time with him. The government didn’t have nearly as much time with you. So you couldn’t imagine just the amount of torture Ben had gone through for such a long amount of time, only to be left alone in a vault like he was some antique in the lab.

You wouldn’t let anything like that happen to him again. You couldn’t let yourself live with that if Vought took him away again. Back then you couldn’t do anything about it, but now you could.

You only hoped that Ben would be careful enough to not let it get to that point.

Then you tried to start thinking more positively. After all, you weren’t a fortune teller. You had to have some sort of hope in you after all.

So maybe you were over thinking and nothing would go wrong with Ben. Maybe he’d be okay after all and his little quest to kill Homelander would go smoothly. He was experienced at least somewhat when it came to some battles, even if he didn’t actually storm Normandy like Vought wanted everyone to believe.

You wondered what life would have in store for you if that were really the case. What would the future hold if both of you came out of this okay after all?

You were pretty confident you’d need a new hidden cabin in the woods somewhere. After all, you didn’t want Vought finding you again if they didn’t destroy your old home anyway. But you wondered where you would go, you wondered where Ben would want to go.

With Vought out of your hair and Homelander gone, you could go anywhere in the world you wanted to go. Would Ben want to go out of the country with you and start a new life?

Maybe you could go somewhere beautifull…

You heard Ireland was beautiful. You’ve never visited the country and you would love to see what it was like. Maybe you and Ben could travel the world before you decided to find a new home and settle down. Maybe have that family Ben always seemed to dream about.

There were so many positive ideas that came floating in your mind and they seemed to be a dream away. You weren’t sure if you could really have any of those fantastical outcomes, but it never hurt to have that hope.

After all… you dreamt that Soldier Boy would come back. Now he was back in your life so unexpectedly. What other things would come true for you?

The sound of the door opening brought you from your thoughts but your eyes remained closed because you knew all too well who was coming through that door. Judging by the stomps those boots made, Homelander wasn’t too happy. Then again, when was he ever happy and not plastering some fake smile for the public eye.

“Still don’t know where Soldier Boy is. Hate to break it to you, Kiddo.” You sighed with exasperation.

“I’m not here for that.”

“Oh really? No threats if I don’t give you some kind of top secret location?” You sassed with a smirk.

“Did you know?”

What the hell kind of a question is that? How were you supposed to respond?

“You need to be a little more specific than that, Kid.” You remained in the same spot, never opening your eyes to look at the ‘hero’ as you tried to go back to your own thoughts.

“Did you know about Soldier Boy being my father?”

This is what made you open your eyes. You looked up at the supe who had his hands on his hips, awaiting an answer coming from you.

Ben was Homelander’s father? How did that happen? And when? It was certainly a sudden shock, one you hadn’t anticipated to hear that morning - at least you were assuming it was morning. You were losing your concept of time after being locked up in the same place for so long.

“Do you realize how much of a perv he was back in the day before he and I started getting along? He was the one that started Herogasm remember? You can’t honestly believe you’re the only kid he has out there, can you?” You laughed, hiding your surprise.

You wondered if Ben had any idea about this. He couldn’t have known, otherwise he wouldn’t have been so accepting of the idea of killing Homelander?

“Oh please, I was born in ‘81. You two were close during that time, I know it. So did you fucking know he was my father, or didn’t you?”

“I didn’t know.” You finally answered after a few moments of silence.

“So how did you find out? You look equally as shocked.” You said while Homelander ran a hand through his bleached hair.

“I… I got a call sometime last night from… from him.”

You lifted a brow. Ben called Homelander? He must’ve gotten home and you hoped he got Dan after all. So did Mindstorm break the news to him? Was that the reason Vought took him away from you? Damned them. It was exactly something Vought would do so you couldn’t put it past them.

“He said it was some sort of… genetic experiment.” Homelander revealed. You rolled your eyes at the way he seemed so shocked at the news. Was he really that stupid when it came to this organization?

“Are you fucking kidding me? Of course they’d have genetic experiments. Most heroes don’t live that long. Vought must’ve wanted Ben to have some kind of early retirement because they were creating you. Some replacement.” You scoffed.

“Oh don’t act like you aren’t effected by it. Doesn’t it bother you that your precious Soldier Boy has a son and it wasn’t a result of something from you?” He asked and you rolled your eyes.

“Kid. Don’t try to use that shit with me.” You scoffed.

“You think I’m affected by that? If I was I wouldn’t have bothered getting close to him after Liberty, or Crimson Countess. But you? You were nothing but some kid that came out of a damn tube. You’re nothing but an experiment. You are not Soldier Boy’s son by any long shot, and you likely never will be because he hates pathetic men like you.”

You noticed Homelander’s eyes glow red at your last comment and you smirked. He wouldn’t be so affected by it if it wasn’t the truth, “Sweetie, if you kill me, your daddy’s gonna gut you like an animal.”

The color of Homelander’s eyes went back to normal and he looked away from you for a moment. You noticed that he seemed to be having a difficult time wrapping his head around this whole thing. Then he started getting some sort of notification from Ashley and you heard him let out a groan of annoyance.

“Fucking Hell!” He exclaimed.

“Something got your panties in a twist there?” You asked with your head tilted before he looked over at you.

“This isn’t over. I’ll find where Soldier Boy is. And he won’t even know you’re here. He’ll never find you and you’ll spend the rest of your days locked up.” He said and he stormed out of the door.

You looked through the glass as Homelander walked off and you looked down at your hand. You flattened it out before slowly turning your hand into a fist and the building started to shake as if you were indirectly trying to tell Homelander he could try to keep you here for a while, but you’d never stay here.

So many things have happened within the last several hours and he didn’t know how to think of any of this. Everything felt so complicated.

Mindstorm was finally dead, and Ben was glad to have finally killed that fucker. Yet he still couldn’t believe that he was a father. That complicated things immensely, yet a deal was still a deal, right? Then there was the fact that you were missing. Ben was absolutely livid at the very idea that something may have happened to you, and you suddenly became his top priority, no matter the complications and the conflict ion he was feeling about all of this.

After the phone call he made to Homelander, telling him that he was the supe’s father, he had been drinking. He ended the phone call quickly and he knew he was still determined to get you back. He had this gut feeling Homelander was the one that had you. Ironic because you were always so cautious of where he went and who could see him, and you failed to think that you now had a target on your own back.

As Ben stepped out of his room with a little hangover remedy in his hand, he could briefly hear Hughie and Butcher talking about him.

“Listen, do you think he’s going to kill his own son? That’s a lot to ask of him. No wonder he was so hesitant to tell us after Mindstorm broke the news.” Hughie said.

“Well Homelander ain’t really his son. Deep down he knows that. He’s nothing but a glorified lab experiment.” Butcher said.

Ben clenched down on his jaw. He knew Butcher was right. He had a task to focus on, and he knew you would want him to stay focused. He knew they would have to go to the Vought tower anyway because it was more than likely that Black Noir was there. As he stepped out, he saw Butcher glance over at him.

“Mornin’ sunshine.” Butcher’s accent thick as he spoke.

“We’ve got a lot ahead of us. We’ve got to go to the office and get more temp V, then we’ll get our asses over to Vought so we can kill two birds with one stone. Then our little team up’s complete.”

“We’re still searching for Y/N.” Ben corrected sternly.

“Well yeah, of course that too.” Butcher nodded as he put his black coat on.

Ben turned and started heading to the room to grab his shield once more and he downed the rest of that little remedy and he tried to focus. You would want it that way.

He didn’t know what Vought was doing to you. Who knew if Vought actually destroyed those records the government had on their experiments with you. You were right, they were all a bunch of liars. No wonder you took to Grace Mallory. But Ben was still worried that maybe now that they had you in their clutches, would Vought really put you through that hell again to find a way to take a hero’s powers?

It was the uncertainty that gave Ben hell. He knew you couldn’t be dead. There was no way you could be dead and he had to believe that. But he knew the way Vought treated their heroes, and how their supes treated each other and got away with it. So who knew what Homelander would do to you.

Once Butcher and Hughie were ready to hit the road, Ben walked out of the door with them as he tried to keep his cool. He took the box of those cigarettes Butcher gave him with the weed and he lit one up whenever they got outside.

When they got to the car, Ben decided that he’d lay down and maybe sleep off the headache that was quickly forming. He could feel when the car was stopped and Butcher went to pump gas. The runt went to go to the bathroom and Ben eventually fell asleep.

A few hours later when Ben woke up he realized Butcher was still driving and he noticed Hughie was no longer in the vehicle with them.

Odd…

“Where’s the cockchoker?” He asked as Butcher started to reply.

“Ah well, you were right about ‘im, Mate. At the gas station he took off.” He said and Ben’s brows narrowed.

“We needed him to get to noir.”

“Oh I wouldn’t worry too much about that one. You said it yourself, Noir’s loyal to Vought so he’ll be there and so will Homelander. Two birds with one stone. All’s well.”

Ben wasn’t too sure if he was willing to believe that whole story. He wanted to believe Butcher was right and things would go smoothly, but so far in Ben’s life nothing has been smooth sailing. Whether he liked it or not, Ben had a feeling Hughie would go back to his little girlfriend and something could go wrong.

“Just wake me up when we get to New York.”

Ben laid back down and looked at the ceiling of the car but he wasn’t sure he’d be going back to sleep so easily. So instead he tried to think of you just as he did when he was in that fucking box in Russia.

He closed his eyes and he could see you in the very cabin you resided on the first night he was able to see you again. He could see you wearing that little necklace he gifted you what felt like eons ago, but you also had a golden band around your finger.

You would be in the kitchen making some sort of dessert and he could see himself walking into the kitchen. He’d say something a little inappropriate in a joking manner and you would roll your eyes pretending to be disgusted but you’d chuckle nonetheless because you knew his sense of humor.

But then, down the stairs there would be a sound of little feet running down to greet the both of them. A boy, one that looked nothing like Homelander. Instead, this would be the perfect mixture of you and him. And Ben would lift his son up into his arms and let him dip his finger into the batter of whatever dessert you were making despite your protests that your son would spoil his dinner.

Ben would shut you up with a kiss and then he’d make his son promise to eat his supper before he’d take the boy out to the backyard to play some sport whether it was football or baseball since he’d be too young to handle a gun.

It was a perfect life all inside of Ben’s mind and he desperately wanted that future. And he would stop at nothing to make sure he’d get you back.

Eventually Ben did finally fall asleep but the nap didn’t feel quite long enough, even if it was already dark outside. He didn’t realize just how worn out he’d been lately. Ever since he came back he’s been going nonstop to get the revenge he wanted on Payback and now to kill Homelander.

Ben squinted and looked around him, realizing Butcher had already pulled up to a building, likely the one that had his temp V shit. Ben groaned a little as he got out of the car and when Butcher popped the trunk, Ben was able to grab his shield and the two of them walked inside.

“Are you sure you’ll be able to do this?” Butcher asked and Ben looked over.

“What? Kill Homelander? You said it yourself, he’s not really my son.” Ben said, even if he did have some sort of doubts about it.

Anyway, the two men walked up the stairs and Ben noticed that they seemed to have a good view of everything. Ben noticed a table full of different alcoholic substances and liquors.

“Have at it. Calm before the storm after all.” Butcher said.

Ben glanced over at Butcher but then he shrugged and went ahead and poured himself a drink as well as one for Butcher, who accepted. Then Ben walked out towards the window where he had the view of the Vought tower.

“Supes are nothing but circus monkeys… Your little girlfriend was right about that. I’m glad she went to Mallory in the beginning.” Ben could hear Butcher say, Ben assumed Butcher saw him looking out of the window.

“You ever seen the Soldier Boy movie?” Ben asked as Butcher was looking at a map of Vought.

“Must’ve missed that classic.” Butcher said.

“I guess it is a classic now.” Ben hummed a little.

“It’s about a kid that lived in poorer parts of South Philly.. discover’s he’s got these super powers to match his little heart of gold. It’s a load of bullshit. All of it.” Ben said and he sat down.

“My dad was never poor, hell I even went to boarding school. Got kicked out of boarding school for bein’ a fuck up.” Ben began and Butcher looked over at him.

“Made sure you remembered you were a fuck up, huh? What’d he do, beat you to hell?” Ben shook his head.

“Couldn’t be bothered by it. Said I was his own personal disappointment. Not a lot I thought I could do about that. As I grew older I realized that I could go to some of his golf friends and they got me into the Vought trials for enlistment. I thought could be my chance at meeting more than just some sort of fuck up to my parents. Vought shot me up with their blue liquid shit and they made me a hero.”

“What’d the old man say to that?”

Ben recalled having this similar conversation with you at that New Year’s party you mentioned in one of your letters. He thought it would get a little easier to talk about and in a way, it was a little easier because now Ben’s father was long gone. It’s not like he had anything to prove to a dead man.

“Said I took a short cut. That a real man wouldn’t have cheated to be a hero.” Ben said as his jaw clenched and he looked down at his drink and cleared his throat.

“None of the supes are born with their powers, but I guess you’ve gathered that already. At first I thought I was doing what was right. Most naive kids do. None of us start off as bad guys.” Ben said before he looked at Butcher again.

“Then one day, when you’ve gone to too many parties, done pointless movies, did everything you were asked to do and yet you still don’t save as many lives as you hope to save, you realize Vought is all about business and money. That’s when you begin to stop giving a fuck, you begin to indulge in the lifestyle of a circus monkey as you call them, because you stop believing in any morals. You stop believing there really is good, and if there is you’ve already been so corrupted to the point where you doubt you can spread that goodness. One day you look in the mirror and realize… you aren’t the man you wanted to be.”

Butcher was quiet for a moment, thinking about his own past. He was always his little brother’s protector. It was sort of his job in a way until one day he had enough of it. And that would forever be one of the biggest regrets of his life.

“I don’t think Homelander had that much of a choice in deciding if he wanted to be a circus monkey or not. The whole world used to look up to him, Hell I even looked up to him at one point. But then one day, it all turned to shit.” Butcher said.

“Trust me, kid. Times are just as complicated and shitty now as they were back in my day. It’s not easy finding out that a kid you didn’t even know you had is Vought’s most beloved puppet. It’s harder to see that they couldn’t have made him better.” Ben sighed.

“What about you? Any kids?” Ben finally asked.

“That’s a bit of a complicated one too.” Butcher said.

Ben looked down, the news from Mindstorm still eating at his mind. He wasn’t sure he wanted to kill his own son. Homelander is the only blood that Ben had left, the only sense of family even if he was just some lab experiment.

“I knew I had a few running around somewhere. Never thought I’d actually run into one of them. I’ve always wanted them, thought I could do better than my old man.” Ben said.

“I’m pretty sure that’s either the hope of the parent, or the fear of turning into their parent keeps them from having kids.” Butcher said, knowing his reason was the latter. What happened to Becca was out of his control though.

“But you have to realize that Homelander isn’t yours. You didn’t name the lad. You didn’t raise him. I know he’s the only blood you got left, Mate, and I know it’s a hard pill to swallow. But Homelander was created in a damned test tube all for the purpose of taking your place. You’ve got to get that through your skull.” Butcher said before he walked over to Ben.

“Don’t you realize that Homelander is the very fucking reason Vought left you to rot? Homelander is the very reason the Ivan’s had you, tortured you, burned you. They filled you up with shit you never asked for all because Vought wanted you dead so they could make a way for a guy in a fucking cape. Not to mention the fact the he was probably the one that fucking took Y/N in the first place and now she’s in that tower going through who fucking knows what.”

Ben went quiet and he tried to think. He knew the reason Butcher was saying all of this was partially because of the deal he made so they could kill Homelander. But he tried to think of what you would have said in that moment.

You knew him better than anyone, and he knew you were so against Vought and all of their bullshit. Would you have said the same thing if you were in Butcher’s shoes?

“I’m going to get some air.” Ben said and he set the glass down and walked out of the front door.

After a few moments, Ben thought he could hear something. This time he wasn’t hearing things in his mind from the PTSD or whatever the fuck Hughie called it. He knew what he heard.

So Ben walked back in the building and as he made his way up the stairs and back to the office, he could hear two girls fighting. Something about killing Homelander and doing whatever it takes. Homelander must’ve been a piece of work if so many people wanted him dead. That was honestly… disheartening at best. Maybe even a bit…

Disappointing.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Some red headed notch in civilian clothes said and Ben lifted a brow.

“No, but I will.” Ben said, truly not giving a fuck about who came to the office.

“You heard ‘him, Lad. Get in the safe.” Butcher said and looked at Hughie.

Ben took a glance at some guy who was glaring at him like he wanted to skin Ben alive personally. It wasn’t the first time Ben had ever gotten that look and he knew it wouldn’t be the last time.

Once everyone was in the safe, Ben started walking out of the door so he could go to Vought. Then he realized that Butcher was trying to stop him.

“Hey. You ready for this?” Butcher asked and Ben hummed a little.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Ben said and they started making their way to the tower.

When they made it to the tower, Ben Butcher and who he now knew was Queen Maeve, wouldn’t be expecting the incoming trouble from Hughie, Starlight and the others in the group.

Although it was getting to the point where Ben knew he shouldn’t take things at face value with this group. He wouldn’t be surprised if the blonde one figured out a way to break out of the damned safe, or any of them for that matter. He learned after his experience with Payback not to underestimate anyone.

Once Ben and Butcher made it to some sort of office, he heard the two of them exchange a little small talk. Something about scorching the earth. He didn’t know and didn’t really give a rat’s ass to know what they were talking about.

“Where’s Noir?” He asked sternly.

“Dead. He… didn’t tell me about you. Dishonesty is.. is something I just can’t tolerate. Queen Maeve there, she knows all about that.” Homelander said and motioned to the redhead

“And where’s Y/N?”

“How should I know anything about her? She was the one attached to you by the hip, wasn’t she?” The Supe asked.

“I just want to talk… That’s all.” Ben didn’t budge or initiate the fight. Neither did Butcher or Maeve.

“Besides, we could never be a family with her. I know you and I want the very same thing. Our teams never gave us that. Instead, every one of them stabbed us in the back. Sooner or later, Y/N will stab you in the back too.” Homelander said and Ben wasn’t sure how he should feel about that statement. Homelander didn’t know anything about you.

“It could be just you and I against the world. We would be an unstoppable duo. Both of us are practically unkillable. We could bring Vought back to its former glory. Just you and me.”

Ben thought about it before he looked over. Then he started walking over, “The only people that could kill us is each other. How would that end?”

“It wouldn’t happen. And what would even make you say that? Him?” Homelander motioned to Butcher. “He’s nothing but human. Flawed. He does’t stand a chance against us, no one does.”

“Don’t listen to that bloody lab rat. He’s trying to twist your mind around.” Butcher said, trying to interfere.

“Remember, he’s not your real son.”

“Yes I am! I am your son! I’m your blood! That’s all that matters in the end, doesn’t it?”

Ben stood silently as Homelander than motioned for a little boy to come to his side. He looked exactly like Homelander, a spitting image really. “This is Ryan. My son. Your grandson.”

Grandson? He was a grandfather too?

Everything Ben had ever wanted was right fucking here in front of him, minus you of course. That was the only issue with this revelation of family. You had no part in it.

“Hi Grandpa.”

Those simple two words made Ben lean back, stunned really since he had never thought he would even hear those words in his life. Let alone a simple ‘hi dad.’

Butcher’s words continued to echo in Ben’s mind. Homelander was nothing but a lab rat, an experiment that came from a tube. He had no bond with this man, he had no bond with his son either. He was just another supe and some random brat. But he can’t completely ignore the shared blood in their veins. How could he?

“We’re all any of us ever needs. We’re a family just the three of us. We can raise Ryan here to be a better hero than the both of us combined so he could take our mantle one day.”

But this very man, this pathetic piece of shit that was the one that had the audacity to take you away from him. The only woman that ever loved him for what he truly was, despite his own imperfections and disappointing qualities. You loved him for who he was. And Homelander took you from him.

Ben walked over to Homelander before he spoke again, “It’s a shame to know that I’ve missed… so much.”

He could see the hope on Homelander’s face. He really thought Ben was going to give him some sort of approving speech, but Ben had to face the truth of what his son really was.

“I wish I could have raised you. Father to son. I could have raised you to be a better man so you could be a better example for your own son…” Ben said as he placed a hand on his own son’s shoulder.

“But instead you’re this… this… weak, sniffling, attention starved cunt that wants everyone’s approval.”

“Weak? But… But I’m you.”

Ben’s lips pressed into a thin line. Homelander was right. He was Ben, all of the parts of Ben he wished he never had to deal with, “I know… You’re a fucking disappointment. One who took away Y/N, and that’s something I just can’t move on from.”

Suddenly, Ben’s hand was attached to Homelander’s jaw as he intended to break it, but the fucking brat tried to push Ben away. Quake and Butcher both held Homelander still as Ben focused every ounce of his energy into his chest so he could use it to finally kill Homelander.

Butcher tried to tell the brat to move, but suddenly, two little red lasers shot from the kid’s eyes as Ben’s chest began to glow. It threw Ben through the glass and against the wall, clearly taking him off guard. What the hell just happened?

Ben slowly got up with a grunt and dusted himself off from the glass. As Homelander was telling Ryan to go upstairs, Ben used his shield to shove the kid into the bookcase.

“Little Shit. Must take after his old man.” Ben said and rubbed his jaw. Then he started to let the energy in his chest begin to glow again while the hero was tending to the brat. This was the moment now that Homelander was distracted. He could take him down as well at the little runt that was getting in his way.

That was when tables started to turn, Butcher’s eyes began to glow too with the temp V still in his system. Ben lifted his shield to block Butcher’s attack and he peered over the shield. Ben was at a loss for words. After all that talk about “a deal’s a deal” this was a change. Didn’t Butcher want the bastard dead?

He didn’t have time to ask many questions before the fight insued between him and Butcher, eventually Homelander joined in too.

You had been hearing rumors that Maeve escaped. So Starlight was right after all about Homelander doing something with her. You knew Homelander must’ve been pissed when he found out that information. You wondered just how much his world was beginning to fall apart all around him.

Suddenly, all of the lights seemed to go red. A lot of people were beginning to panic and the doors of these cells were opened. You were freed! But why? What the Hell was happening? There was only one solution you could possibly come up with.

Soldier Boy.

You quickly got up and you saw all of the prisoners Vought had contained were escaping. You followed all of them, the flow of the crowd seemed to be evacuating the building.

“What’s going on? Why are we running?” you asked one of the lower workers.

“There’s an attack on the tower. Soldier Boy’s real and he’s going to kill all of us! He’s with that Butcher guy Homelander hates so much.” Someone said and you stopped in your tracks as everyone else ran out of the door.

You bit your lip as you tried to think hard of where Soldier Boy and the others could be. Homelander must’ve known Ben was there by now, what if things turned sideways again like they did in Vermont? You ran past the meeting hall but you had to do a double take. That was when you noticed that Black Noir was dead.

Your eyes widened because you knew Ben was at the last name on his list. And what if Starlight made her way back to the tower? What if she convinced the rest of Butcher’s team to put an end to Ben?

You didn’t want to think of that outcome but you could feel all of the adrenaline rushing through your veins.

You had to think fast and you started making your way up to the very top of the tower, deciding to use the stairs since the elevator must’ve been occupied by everyone trying to rush to the lobby from whatever floor they were on so they could rush inside.

You were suddenly held back by two people who made you stop running and when you looked over you saw that it was both Hughie and Starlight.

That was when your worst fears were becoming realized.

“Hughie?! What the Hell?!” You questioned.

“We have to kill him, Quake. He’s dangerous and he’s going to kill so many people! You saw what he did in Vermont.” Hughie said and you glared at him before you fought your way out of his grasp since you could tell he was surprisingly not on the temp V shit.

Then there was starlight and you saw her eyes were starting to glow and your eyes narrowed as you took a hold of her hands, gripped them as tightly as you could and you twisted her wrists, successfully breaking the both of them and you could hear her cry out in agony. She wasn’t the only supe in the room after all. The yellow glow went out of her eyes and you lifted your leg, kicking her to a wall.

Then you marched over and hovered above the ignorant blonde.

“Where the fuck is he?”

“H-He’s with Butcher. He’s going to kill Homelander and anyone else within a hundred foot radius of here. We have to stop him.” Annie said, looking up at you with pleading eyes as if she was begging you to listen.

“What exactly were you going to do with him. What weakness did you find.” You said with a certain darkness in your voice.

“I can’t tell you that.” She said and you wrapped your hands around your throat.

“Listen, Little Girl. At this point, Homelander is the least of your worries,” You tightened your grip on her throat, “if you don’t tell me what the fuck you found out, I will kill you, MM, Frenchie, Butcher, Hughie, mmm… I will kill anyone you’ve ever cared about if you dare take him from me again.”

“V-Vapor. F-Frenchie said it was a vapor that could weaken Soldier Boy. Some kind of toxin.”

“What was the name of the toxin?”

“I-I don’t remember.”

“You’ve learned to lie well. What the fuck is the name of the toxin?”

“N-Novichok! I-It knocks him out and puts him to sleep. L-Like an anesthesia. I-It won���t kill him but it’ll give us time to evacuate these people.” Starlight said.

You heard the name and you thought you’ve heard that name before. You recalled it was a theory you had in one of your papers when you were trying to think of what could have possibly happened to weaken Soldier Boy and taken him away. You didn’t think something like that could be true. For you it was pure speculation, a long shot.

“Try to stop me and I’ll break your fucking neck.” You seethed before you threw Annie next to Hughie before you started running up the stairs as fast as you could to get to Ben and Butcher before anything disaster out happens.

Unfortunately, you realized you were too late. Not only was Homelander fighting Ben, but so was Butcher. MM made it too and so did Kimiko. Kimiko was trying to fight Ben with hand-to-hand combat and she was starting to fail miserably. MM was using some big looking gun to shoot Ben, but obviously it wasn’t working. Butcher and Homelander were using their powers to try and fight him off.

Your eyes widened the very moment you saw Ben’s shield break into pieces. You knew this was serious and things weren’t looking good.

You raised your hands and the building started to shake as you started to use the material, the concrete of the building and you took chunks of it and you started to throw it at Homelander and Butcher.

Ben saw concrete and pieces of the building began to fly and he saw you there. You were alive, and you were there! But the very moment that he was distracted, he felt multiple people tackling him and they put some kind of mask on him. He was all to familiar with what was in the canister and he was instantly starting to feel weak.

“No. I’m not.. going back.. In that fucking box!”

He started absorbing so much more energy and they were finally starting to back off, but this time Ben couldn’t hold back the energy and it needed to go somewhere. The upcoming blast was too intense and he didn’t even realize that someone was knocking him out some window nearby. The next thing he knew, the blast engulfed him and whoever pushed him out.

“NO!” You exclaimed when you saw the man you loved was pushed out of the window.

Your heart was racing so fast, you felt so much more adrenaline course through your veins than you had in a very, very long time.

You stood up and you saw the way Butcher, Hughie, everyone in the room was looking at you and none of them knew what to do next, but Butcher and Homelander were the first to use their eyes on you, only for you to shift the floor in the building and rotate them to where the two were facing each other and attack one another.

MM tried to use the gun on you and the bullets did hurt sure, but they’d do nothing more than leave bruises on your skin. You took a chunk of the concrete in the wall and used it to knock MM across the room and send him flying. You knew it knocked him out but honestly, you didn’t really care.

Kimiko tried to come at you and you took the same chunk of the building that knocked out MM and you used it to knock out Kimiko and shoved her through the same hole in the glass wall that Ben was pushed out of.

You were already starting to feel dizzy from using your powers this much, but you couldn’t stand by this any longer. All of them ruined your life.

They came to your home, brought you out of hiding and Homelander found you making it to where you had to leave. Then when Ben came back, you couldn’t even have him for long before they tried to kill him all over again.

And you were done with all of it.

Your eyes darkened and you used all of the strength you had left and you turned both your hands into fists, raising up in the air. Then with all of the force you had in you, you slammed your fists to the ground.

The entire building started to shake, dust and rubble fell from the ceiling. Then the entire building seemed to drop a layer or three. Everyone started to scramble to their feet and try to find the quickest ways out of the building but you knew it would be too late for a lot of them, the ones that didn’t have V in them anyway.

You did the same motion again with your fists, bringing even more of the building down. Homelander took Ryan and fled from the building, Butcher must’ve still had V in him because you could see him trying to shield MM. But you knew he didn’t have much left in him.

With one more ground breaking smash, the entire building rumbled and it started to lose its foundations, the integrity of the building was now compromised and before you knew it…. The ceiling was falling of all of your heads.

What felt like hours later, you were covered in dust and you were coughing up some blood. You were surprised you were even awake with the amount of rubble that was on top of you. You should have been crushed. You managed to open your eyes and you realized you were unharmed. But the Vought tower was finally brought to its knees. They’d lose everything.

You used whatever was left in your strength to climb your way out of the rubble and when you looked around, you saw that there were ambulances all around. You realized that you used a little too much power and Vought wasn’t the only building you took down. People must’ve been caught in the crossfire.

You were lucky you were covered in white dust, otherwise some news reporters may have recognized you. Some of the paramedics were taking some people out of the rubble, you didn’t care to see who made it and who didn’t.

You started to look around the rubble, no one would really question it because they were all looking for loved ones. You were doing everything you could to find any sign of Soldier Boy. He had to be around somewhere. He had to be okay. There was no way a building killed him, so he had to be here, right?

Instead, you found nothing. You couldn’t find Ben anywhere. You didn’t know if he walked out of this play or if he had the Novichok in his system and he was still knocked out and someone took him. You didn’t know if the energy blast knocked him out because of how much was pent up in him and he hadn’t come to just yet.

You dashed into the shadows, knowing you had a new task at hand…

Find Ben.

No matter what it took, no matter if you’d end up crushing every singly building or destroying every city and killing yourself in the process… you would stop at nothing to find Ben and get him out of the clutches of whoever took him.

Tag List:

@deans-spinster-witch @roseblue373 @nancymcl @jackles010378 @hobby27 @chriszgirl92 @lyarr24 @wirdbeimaufhebengebunden @prettyinplaid94 @globetrotter28 @suckitands33 @capricxnt @k-slla @david-tennant-obsessed-blog @deangirl96 @mimaria420 @ashdoctor @muhahaha303 @angelbabyyy99

#jensen ackles #soldier boy #soldier boy fic #soldier boy ff #soldier boy x y/n #soldier boy jensen #soldier boy x you #jensen ackles soldier boy #soldier boy fanfiction #soldier boy x reader #jensen the boys #jensen ackles the boys #the boys amazon #the boys #the boys ff

[wintertimestoryteller]

Linked Universe X Reader Fairy Tale Collection

@luimagines . Second chapter in the act before it properly picks up into the title proper which is at the end of the act, gotta have that build and set up. It's short for that purpose only plus I don't want it to drag on too much.

Fun Fact: by Medieval Logic, Theaters would exist on LoZ, just be rare.

-Just an Anon on A Stroll 🐚/ Wintertime Storyteller.

Opening Act, Scene II

As Time predicted, you've all reached the village just before midday, it was idyllic and quiet, sleepy in the simple provincial way you hardly could experience back home. It's situated in between the Era of Time and Twilight, so the geography nor the culture had changed so much that you'd need to adapt quite yet, and strangely enough it reminded you a bit of the Kakariko in Legend's time or Four's Hyrule Town, with it's mix of local markets, a bustling farm an hour of it's gates, the citizens house's modest but charming in design and surrounded by the woods, it was a breath of fresh air to any weary travelers on the road, on the edges of being a town but not quite.

There was one very notable feature, though, a strong oak tree on the center of the square which a river cut through, and further out at it's outskirts a theater standing proud and tall, with a stained glass window above it's door in a crystalline, shattered array of rainbow flowers glinting against the early afternoon sun. It was enough to make you pause from where you've been examining the prices of potions and plotting how to best haggle for it's prices (a painstakingly learned skill, but one that's served you well, you send a mental thank you to Legend). Staring trasnfixedly at it with a tilted head, squinting.

The building stood proud and tall on the edges of the village, even above the town hall. Two story and almost like it's own miniature castle, it's walls painted a solemn gray and it's rooftop and structural beams made from dark wood, it's sign was oddly aged from what you could see from the stall though. You couldn't even properly make out the Hylian in it anymore from beneath the little carved raven holding a quill, from one of the windows of the upper floors, you swore you could see two prinpicks of crimson light.Though when you've blinked they were gone, and it could easily be attributed to the shadow cast by the rooftop, a wave of unease shot through your core and your hair stood on end as the very familiar cold of goose flesh overcame you, it made you rub your own arms to try and bring the warmth of the sun back but alas, twas a futile attempt.

Something about that place rattled you to the core with just a single glance, and you didn't like it.

"Cold deary?" Inquired the old lady, snapping your attention back to her and her wares, right, red, green and blue potions were what you were here for, the last ones a rarity but you've all gathered more than enough of the ingredients in between jumps so they wouldn't be as expensive, thankfully, she simply waved off your apologies with a knowing smile, "It's quite alright, must be the storm winds. The fortune teller did say weeks in advance to prepare for it will come today, so make sure to bundle up tight, they give anyone an awful shiver this far from the plains."

"Thank you." You smiled, gratefully passing her the necessary ingredients for the blue potions as she bottled up each of the potions from her cauldron, you catch Twilight's eye from where he's stopping Epona for a drink at the river and wave him over, someone will have to tell the other's sleeping in the open is off the table today, you see Hyrule come back with a pack to him and after a short exchange, it seems Twilight directed him to you. Good, the potions look to be of almost perfect quality from what you can observe, but it's always good to have a second opinion from the main group healer, "If I my ask, is there any nearby inn here we could possibly stay in until it passes? Or maybe a tavern?"

"Oh no, unfortunately not dear. My apologies." She shakes her head at you, finishing up with the red potions and moving on to the green ones, the sinking feeling in your stomach returns as she sighs, "A tragedy happened recently you see, monsters and bandits attacked our village in these recent weeks, while we mostly came unscathed. The inn was not so lucky and took some heavy blows when the men came to defend our home, the poor healer has been besides herself with overworking to fix up the injured, poor thing."

"Excuse me ma'am, if I may interrupt?" Interjected Hyrule as he reaches your side, polite as ever as he smiles, the old woman blinks in surprise but waves him on, "Did you notice anything off about those monsters? Anything unusual at all? And where is the healer if I may? They could probably use the help and I'm not half bad with injuries."

She bites her lip in though, humming to herself, while at it you pass one of the potions to Hyrule to observe, gotta make sure you weren't ripped off after all, "Well... There was an unusual amount of Wolfos and Stalfos for one, Wizzrobes too among the moblins, when the armored bandits were cut by our men. They bled black, like ink you see. The Wizzrobes were the ones to set the inn on fire, riding on beings with the head of a feline, body of a man and a horse's bottom." She sighs, moving onto the green potions, before smiling at Hyrule, "Almost though I'd die on the spot from fright, thankfully my granddaughter managed to grab me away to shelter. In any case, aren't you a nice young lad? Thank you for offering dear, but they should be fine, my granddaughter occasionally helps the healer in between her job at the tailor's. So they should be alright, you and your friends have bigger things to worry about than our woes as you seem like a burdened lot." She laughs, head raised high as she turns back, "If we all survived for so long, we aren't about to start lagging now! So don't trouble yourselves eh?"

You and Hyrule trade a look, your lips twitch at the light flush he gets from the old lady's words (because frankly they weren't wrong) before the good humor is tempered, Lynels weren't around in either Time's or Twilight's eras and between that and the black blood, you'd bet your trusty dagger that the Shadow was behind it, but why here? Why the inn? Hyrule coughs, "W-well, I wouldn't say it would be a trouble... If I can help-"

"Nonsense dear, really. It's quite alright." She sent him a stern look, shaking the ladle at him and making the Traveler rear back a bit, you chuckle, patting his head.

"It's alright 'Rulie, we should probably take her word for it before you get brained. Plus you need to rest a bit anyway." The road seemed to get more arduous as time went on and unfortunately, that meant more injuries, pushing Hyrule when he already did so much for you all would just be cruel. He deserves a break. "Is there anywhere else we can stay to wait out the storm, then?"

"Oh yes, you're quite in luck actually. You see the theater?" She nodded to it, you have been trying very hard not to think about it actually, you though to yourself, tensing up a bit, Hyrule looked over at the building with a blink before looking over at you with a small, worried frown, "The director is a very kind person, they're willing to offer shelter and food to any travelers and performers free of charge. I'm sure if you've talked you could work something out, their theater is the pride and joy of our little village, and quite cozy too backstage."

This all feels... Too convenient, or too suspicious, but hearing the distant rumble of thunder and spotting the circle of clouds in the sky, you soldier on and send a reassuring smile to Hyrule, no matter how uncomfortable the view of that place made you, you refused to let your companions sleep in the rain when it's the clearest option available, you then nod to the old lady, "I see, where can we find them?"

"Usually it would be in the theater, but it's closed today to give the actors some time for rest, so your best bet is beneath the square's tree. They like to sit there and tell stories to the village's children or anyone who'll listen until the moon is high in the sky." Chuckles the old lady, smiling merrily. It makes a part of you uncoil a bit, maybe you're just being paranoid, anyone willing to take the free time out of their day just to entertain kids can't be too bad right? (... Right? Though you've all been proven wrong before), So you nod and turn to Hyrule, handing him the rupee pouch with the payment for the potions, "Thank you then ma'am, can you handle it here, then find Time and tell him about this, Rulie? If he doesn't already know what's going on that is and if it isn't any trouble."

He shakes his head, taking it from you before placing his hand on your shoulder, leaning away from the old lady to talk quietly into your ear, "No problem at all, but will you be okay? You looked shaken back there. If anything we can just wait until the others are done."

You smile, gently squeezing his hand back, "I'll be alright, it was just something that was nagging at me. It's better if one of us try catching them now to talk or else we might miss them entirely before the storm starts and you're better with medicinal items, so let me handle it while you finish up here, okay?" He still doesn't look convinced, "Tell you what, if I run into one of the others. I'll ask them to accompany me, deal? We'll meet by the bridge anyway, so it will save time."

He still looks reluctant, worried in that way you knew Hyrule could get in the way he always made sure to round the members of the group up after battles to heal all of their wounds, in the way you, Legend, Time and Wild practically had to pin him down so he could take a break and let others handle it himself, remember him that he didn't need to keep pushing until he broke and had to rebuild himself from scratch like the kingdom he was named after, before nodding, albeit giving you a stern look and poke to the shoulder, "Alright, but you better be careful you hear? Healer's orders, everyone's well being is important in all ways."

You giggle, saluting, before nodding to the old lady an heading off with a wink, "Sir yes sir!"

Passing through the stalls, you spot Legend and Four at the blacksmith's, Wild and Twilight talking shop with the owners of spice and vegetable stalls, Calamity at their side a silent but observant shadow, eager to learn even if he wasn't the best cook, waving to them (and studiously pretending you didn't notice the sharpening of Twilight's eyes and the traded look with Wild, their instincts unparalled when someone they considered part of their makeshift pack wasn't at their best, you prayed to Farore they wouldn't worry much for a repeat of the Hateno Camp Incident was not something you wanted), soon you cross the bridge and reach the village square, following the sound of a strong and animated voice you presumably find the director.

They looked over all common, at a glance, almost bewilderingly so given the world you've been taken to. With long salt and pepper hair, black rimmed glasses, open dark and light gray coat over a black vest and trousers, they'd could pass by as a citizen in Warriors' castle town, the one notable feature was the blood red gem round their throat in a crimson ribbon and a similar crystalline, feather like ornament on their hair, they made animated gestures as they spoke to the small crowd of enraptured children, oddly enough their coat sleeves reminded you of sweeping wings, flapping this way and that as they made dramatic gestures.

"-The mirror shattered, and the hero could finally, truly, see himself again, returned to his true form and able to see his beloved once more after so long. Held in the arms of the witch at last, they walked hand in hand, towards freedom, towards a new sunset, the end." Concluded the narrator, chuckling themselves at the clapping and slight snickering from the children, they bow theatrically and clap their hands together three times, before winking, shrugging as they turned away, "Of course, that's not the end of their story or of their many many misadventures. Though I doubt any of you little rascals would like to listen..."

"Tell us another one! Tell us another one, Storyteller! No fair! You can't leave it at that" Cried out a little boy from the crowd, making the director laugh before their eyes set on you once they spin on their heel, even with such friendly visage, you can't help the slightly chill of discomfort on your skin before they look at the sky quickly turning cloudy, patting the boy's head after crouching to his side, they wink, "Tell you what, once the storm passes. You all come to the theater, and I'll put in a proper show for you lot, alright? Now scram! Shoo! Your parents must be worried about you little gremlins by now." They shooed them off, to the children's many protests,n qa before leaning against the tree with a smile, "Couldn't help but notice you there, let me guess, have business with little old me? Seems like an awful lot of new faces do, recently."

You take a deep, deep breath, steel yourself with the knowledge that you're all in a very public square, some of the children are watching curiously still and should anything happen, that you can see Wind, Spirit and Wars on your left just exiting the general shop with supplies, any of your friends would have your back should your bad feeling be true, "Yes, hello there, apologies for cutting in, it sounded like they were having fun." That much was true, children loved stories, so making them wait to hear more when they were so clearly exited was a small stab of guilt, the director only laughs, waving you off.

"Oh none of that, they get me almost everyday in the theater and out of it. So I can spare the time to talk to strangers." They offer you a low bow, "The name's Raven, everyone calls me that, now! What do you need?"

"Me and my companions were just passing by, but as you can guess, plans got a bit derailed."

"The storm, yes, plus the monster reports I'm guessing." They tilted their chin to the west, and once you looked over a cringe runs through you, the inn really was reduced to rubble... It reminded you of some of the ruins in Wild's time, for a second there. Yikes, the Shadow definitely did a number in it in compensation for not getting to the rest of the village.

"Precisely, we heard from the potion maker that you offered lodging and meals for travelers temporarily as a result."

"For a price, you'd be correct." They added, smiling and chuckling at your expression, "Oh no need to make that face, that's just how the world works. Though I'm not interested in money, stash whatever is going through your head back in the chest of your mind and slam the lid shut!"

You breathe a sigh of relief, so the old lady wasn't lying after all, though it makes that niggling feeling of unease rise up again, "I see, but then what-"

They raise an eyebrow at you, "Isn't it obvious?" They sigh, shaking their head with a disappointed tsk, "I'm a storyteller at heart you know. Even above my love for theater, is my love for stories, you can stay the night as long as you all stick around to listen to thirteen of my tales to completion as they are performed on our humble stage."

... You blink, "...That's it? That's all you want?"

The person crosses their arms in front of their chest with a hmph, chin raised, it makes the blood red gem on their neck all the more obvious and for some reason, compels you to look away, "I'm half offended that you said 'that's it' of all things, but I'll let it slide. Yes that is indeed all I want." They smile, it's a small, eager thing, they look to almost bound into place with excitement, and the sight made you smile, "Me and the troupe rarely get to perform for new people anymore, you know? The village is small and we rarely get any travelers nowadays. At best we are a pitstop unless something like this happens, can you blame me for wanting to capitalize on it? Boredom is as lethal as a sword to the head and heart I say!"

You giggle with an agreeing nod, "You're not wrong... But are you sure?"

"As a traveler on the road you and your companions would know best I wager, consider this a break for you all and a gift for me. I'm as sure as the sky is blue and the grass is green." They nod, before looking over your shoulder, smiling in amusement at something, before turning to you, "Your friend with the wolf pelt is looking this way, so how about this: You gather all of them and decide what to do, after that, you can all come to me before the storm starts with your choice, my doors shall be open for you."

"Thank you." You nod, before turning on your heel, true to form. Twilight was waving you over, Hyrule by his side and Time on the other, seems he already told them of the circumstances. Your wariness forgotten, you keep an eye on the sky and go forth to discuss the possibility with time.

You miss how the director smiles, teeth a bit too sharp, before they turn towards the theater, their shadow shifts just so, and a black cat comes to join their steps as they pull out a black book and the quill from their head. "Not at all dear, if anything... Thank you."

The clouds seemed to get darker as they wrote and murmured to themselves, a dense layer where there once was a sunny day. And had anyone looked too closely, they'd notice that with the sharp snap of the book closing, came the roar of thunder and the howling of winds.

Opening Act, End Scene II

#linked universe #linked universe x reader #linked universe au #lu x reader #lu chain #because tagging every one would be disorganized inaccurate and messy xD #the director's name is simultaneously a pun and a reference #the story they're telling is made up but it does it's job for now. #they won't appear much after the opening act as most of it will be from the perspective of the boys and reader's #lu hyrule #Twilight Wild and everyone else from last chapter is here too but they don't do much yet.

[blackbutler-readerinsertsandjunk]

Could I request a snake x reader please? Reader is a newer addition to the circus (fortune teller) but was walking around in between patrons and noticed some hecklers ( 2-3 ) were kicking/throwing things at something on the ground. Upon closer inspection, she noticed they were tormenting a poor snake! Not on readers watch! Reader storms over with a wadded newspaper smacking the shit out of the boys and yelling “this poor baby isn’t bothering anybody, unlike YOU!Get outta here you creeps!!” before getting them to leave the snake alone. Thus commences the meet-cute between reader and Snake 💛 thank you

OK BUT MY HEART PLEASE I LOVE THIS........

You’ve traveled with a few different circus troupes in your life so far, but you’ve never really seen one so varied as Noah’s Ark.

Part of you tries not to get too terribly excited. You’ve only been here for a few days, after all, and if things go the typical way, you’ll stay for a couple of weeks, a couple of months, then you’ll drift away to find somewhere else to exist. It feels you never really fit in even among circus performers who don’t ‘fit in’ among societal norms.

Ah, well. Que sera, sera. That’s how life goes sometimes, and you might as well enjoy what company you can.

The crowds around your small tent waiting to see a glimpse of their futures have begun to dwindle. Feeling the need to stretch your legs anyway, you decide to leave your crystal ball and tarot cards for a bit. It’s just after a show, meaning that potential customers will be weaving in and out between all the different talents for at least another hour.

You’re almost jealous as you walk through the fairgrounds. The audience gets to wander around, wanting to get another look at their favorite performer or buy a handful of chestnuts or just listen to the fire-breather playing his harmonica… then they all get to go home. Most of them, at least. They spend some time among ‘the oddities’ of the world before going to sleep under a blanket inside four secure walls.

It’s hard to stay too lost in envy, though. You spot the tightrope walker playing what looks to be a game of follow the leader with some overexcited children who’d cheered when she pretended to fall on that thin wire during the show. She looks kind of like a big child herself, as if she’s in her element playing with them rather than in her element on the tightrope. The knife thrower is entertaining one of the audience members, a young lady who’s walking with a cane ― holding her steady and showing her how to aim at a target with a dull-pointed dart he’s handed her. You get the sense that girl is having the time of her life and is going to get some kind of little trinket as a reward whether she hits the target or not.

All of it brings a smile to your face. The people in this troupe are all so kind, aren’t they? You haven’t met any of the first-stringers face to face yet, but everyone else you’ve met has welcomed you pretty warmly. They seem to be a good bunch.

Your attention is grabbed by something not so kind, though. They sound like loud jeers, the kind people give when they’re laughing at some unfortunate soul’s misery. (Sadly, you’ve become accustomed to that.)

Turns out you’re not far off at all. There are three boys gathered around who you recognize as being among the people to boo when the snake dancer fumbled one of his moves during the performance. (It wasn’t a big deal, he recovered quickly, the show wasn’t ruined, and yet, some folks have to be rude.)

At first it’s not obvious what they’re doing. As you get closer, though, it becomes clear that two of them are throwing rocks and sticks at a decently-sized snake that’s on the ground. The third one of them is standing there with his hands in his pockets, chuckling, encouraging his friends to keep going.

About the time you make up your mind to get involved is the second that one of the boys reels back and actually kicks the poor creature. Although it wasn’t enough to send the snake flying very far, it was clearly hard enough to hurt. The snake was already hissing in response to the assault of rocks and sticks, and this only makes him rear back, before striking forward in an attempt to defend himself.

The boys instantly move back, though they’re all still snickering at the fact that they’re getting the little beast agitated. “Oi, careful! It’ll take y’r whole foot off, y’ moron!”

“Oi, y’rself! Gimme another rock, I’ll show it what for!”

“HEY! Just what the bloody hell do you lot think you’re doing?!” You have no real means of weaponry, so you grab the closest mostly-harmless thing you can find, which is a crumpled-up newspaper someone abandoned on the ground. After rolling it up, you march over and start swinging it at the boys. “You leave that poor snake alone!”

Almost as if they have no shame, the boys screech like banshees at being swatted. “The fuck, lady?! It’s just a stupid snake!”

“And you’re just a bunch of stupid boys, acting like bell-ends!” You get a few good hits in at all of them, and thankfully, the two who were actually throwing things decide to drop their ammunition. “Doesn’t feel so good, does it?!”

“You’re crazy!” The ringleader of this little group of delinquents tries to kick at the snake again. “The damn thing tried to bite my foot off!”

You swat at him again, and this time you actually smack him on the head with the newspaper. “‘Bite your foot off’, my arse! Not only did he not try to bite you until after you hit him, I promise you, no snake is that hungry!”

“Ow, fuck you! What d’you care, anyway?! We’re payin’ customers, and that snake’s just a snake!”

“That snake’s just being a snake! You’re the ones who had to start torturing him! I’d call you all sons of bitches, but your mums probably tried to turn you into decent people and you just didn’t listen! This little snake ain’t bothering nobody, unlike you!” One more thwack that manages to hit all three of them, and your other hand points toward the exit. “Get out! Even if you paid me a hundred fuckin’ pounds to tell your fortunes, we don’t need people like you! Out! Move it!!”

With that, the trio make a break for it, all the while shouting about how you’re a hysterical bitch, but at least they’re gone.

… You think maybe you might have caused a scene. Rather than keep it going, you offer a huff, set the newspaper you were brandishing like a sword down on the nearest table, and crouch down toward the snake.

The poor thing is still coiled up, hissing softly, ready to strike at you because of how he was just tortured. You keep your hands away, and simply try to get a look at him to make sure he doesn’t have any serious wounds. A couple of scrapes, maybe… those will hopefully heal pretty quickly. “Aww, little thing,” you coo. “It’s alright…”

Before you can do much of anything else, the sound of someone’s boots in the dirt beside you catch your attention. A set of pale hands, with a few silvery scales over them, reach over toward the snake.

When you turn to look, you find… him. The snake dancer. There are a few other serpents draped over his shoulders, curled about him, almost pinning his snowy-white hair against his face.

“Shhhh.” His voice is low and even as he lifts the abused snake with both hands. He’s careful not to touch the creature’s head, instead keeping a firm but gentle grasp behind it, and supporting the rest of the snake’s body with his other hand. “Don’t be afraid. I’m a friend, and so is she. She chased off those bad ones who were hurting you. She won’t hurt you. Everything’s fine. You’re safe now.”

Heat rises in your cheeks, and you can scarcely take your eyes off him. You’re mesmerized by this simple man, speaking to the snake as if he’s another person, and you’re spellbound by how his words appear to make the serpent relax.

He was stunning even while you were watching the show from far away.

Up close, he’s beautiful.

He gently extends his arms toward you, seeming to offer the snake coiled around his arms a chance to interact with you. The creature flicks his small tongue in your direction, presses against the dancer’s skin for a moment, and then nuzzles his head against your hand once you lift it.

“How are you doing that?” you can’t stop yourself from asking, as you let your fingers almost pet this snake. “It’s like he understands you.”

All at once, the dancer’s face floods with pink, and instead of being confident as he was just now, he looks painfully shy. “He does.” His voice changes, his head gesturing toward the snake he’s holding. Does he… mean to talk for this animal?? “Thank you. Says…” He tilts his head briefly at the snake, then gives a small nod. “… Poe.”

“Poe? ― Oh, so that’s his name! You’re welcome, Poe. I’m glad you’re not hurt too badly.” You move your finger down to lightly stroke the underside of his face, like you might scratch under a cat’s chin. All things considered, he looks as if he doesn’t mind it at all. You shift your gaze back to the dancer. “So… his name is Poe. Mine’s (Name); I just joined up with you all a few days ago. What’s your name?”

One of the snakes around his neck hisses, and the dancer gives a breath of a chuckle from his nose before clearing his throat. His voice comes out in a cheeky, almost feminine falsetto. “Everyone just calls him SNAKE. … Says Emily.”

You smile, and reach over to cautiously take Poe in your own hands. He seems to be quite content with that, if the way he slithers up to rest on your chest is any indication. “Oh, I see. So that one there is Emily, then? I love it; I’m making so many new friends. It’s nice to meet you, Emily.”

Slowly, you get to your feet, and Snake mirrors the action. “And wonderful to meet you, Snake.” You nod your head toward the rest of the fairgrounds. “I should get back to my little booth. Would you like to walk with me?”

This time, he doesn’t say anything, although you don’t mind. He just gives you a flustered nod. You get the distinct feeling that, rather like snakes in general, he isn’t much used to people wanting to be around him. That doesn’t feel fair to you.

With Poe’s head resting on your collarbone and his tail coiled around your wrist, you fall into step beside Snake, heading back to your tent in a comfortable silence.

You think maybe you’ll have to stay here a while.

#animal abuse tw #Black Butler #Kuroshitsuji #Snake #reader insert #romantic #first meeting #drama #fluff #does this count as hurt/comfort?? aaaaaaa babies- #I LOVE HIM SO MUCH IT CAN'T BE HEALTHY #one hell of a queue #tehgreatboo

[kaimaciel]

Little prompt i've been thinking for a while: time travel stuff but this time it's little port getting transported into 1830 in Brazil. Naturally he's confused and give people some trouble until he's taken by soldiers to Rio de Janeiro. Rio observes the angry boy and realizes oh shit it's Portugal but young?? And orders the soldiers to keep a tight eye on him and make sure Brazil doesn't discover about the boy (he was still very bitter at port at the time and Rio feared that he could do something to the boy).

Rio goes back to his work and hours later comes to check on Port. He's desperate when he hears the boy had escaped and hurries to look after him. At some point he's found by Brazil and tries to come up with an excuse, Brazil just rolls his eyes and tell him to relax. He follows the young country to his room and finds the young boy sleeping in his bed. Rio looks at him confused and Brazil just scoffs

"You could've at least gave the poor kid something to eat.."

Aw! Rio is such a good guy! Best capital ever! 🥺

And Luci even though he must hate Afonso's guts right now, still looked after his well being and took him to eat.

This is how I picture little Port at this age, I love the design from Chi-ron:

Anyway, little Afonso is feeling pretty frustrated and lost at this point. He doesn't know where he is, or how to get home, maybe he shouldn't have touched that mirror from the fortune teller.

So far, no one tried to hurt him, but they locked him up and refused to answer his questions. He just wants to go home... he even misses seeing Tonio stupid face...

When the strange man in green walked into his room, Afonso thought he was going to kill him because he looked so mad. He stood up and tried to fight him, he wasn't going to die crying like a coward, but his stomach growled so loud that the stranger instead took him to eat some strange meal. It tasted pretty good, so Afonso was polite and thanked the man (who he felt was a nation like him).

When they got back to his room Afonso was tired and sleepy, so he crawled into the bed.

"Thank you for the meal, sir. I have a few coins with me. If you could show me the nearest port, I can leave you in peace and return home at once."

"Of course you're in a hurry to leave."

The man was angry again, but Afonso didn't understand why.

"Did I say something bad?"

The man shook his head and told him to go to sleep, that they would talk again in the morning.

"As you wish, senhor."

But the next morning, when he woke up, Afonso was back in the fortune tellers tent, wondering about the strange dream he had.

Centuries in the future, Luciano and Rio opened the locked door of the room only find it empty.

#hetalia #aph portugal #hws portugal #lh brazil #hws brazil

[hyacinthoideshispanica]

Elucien Circus au

Rhys is the ringmaster. During the day, Feyre sells sketches of patrons, and at night, she puts on an archery show. Nesta is a fire dancer, and Elain is a fortune teller.

Lucien's fiance Jesminda was killed in an accident two years ago, and since then, Lucien has been a shell of his former self. The anniversary of her death is coming up, so Jurian and Vassa drag him to the traveling circus to try and cheer him up.

Usually, he might enjoy himself, but right now, he's just going through the motions and aimlessly wandering until he spies a small tent that's out of the way and embroidered with salvia divinorum. There's no one around, so he figures it's a quiet, empty spot where he can stop fake smiling and just have a moment to himself.

He goes in, and it's dimly lit, the scent of jasmine and honey lingers in the air. He takes a deep breath and puts his head in his hands, then jumps when he hears a voice welcome him. He looks up and sees a hooded figure sitting at a small table he didn't notice before. He apologizes for intruding, and the figure laughs, "It's not an intrusion when you are expected."

Lucien is confused and a little creeped out, but then the figure gestures for him to sit, and he does. He can't see the figure's full face but can now tell it's a woman.

"You were expecting me?"

"Indeed. A man with red hair and a scar has been invading my dreams for many weeks now. And now that you are here, I shall see what the future holds for you."

"So, are you going to pull out those weird cards or something?"

"They're tarot cards and no. The cards are not calling me this time. Please simply give me your hand."

Lucien, a little hesitantly puts his hand on the table, and the woman grabs it with both of hers. He figures she's going to read his palm, but she doesn't trace the lines of his palms, muttering things about love or a long life line like he's seen on TV. Instead, she just clasps his hand in hers and says nothing.

Lucien is more than certain this is a hoax, but her hands are warm in his, and the lovely jasmine and honey scent is stronger the closer he is to her. He still can't see her face, but she sounds cute.

Finally, still holding his hand, she begins to speak.

"Born in the light of day but forced to live in the shadow of a cruel man. You've had a difficult life, and you've wandered for a long time, trying to find where you belong. You thought you had finally found it, but then it was ripped away from you..."

Lucien feels like he's frozen. This could not be real. Seers and fortune tellers and psychics weren't real. It had to be an elaborate prank. Jurian and Vassa had to be hidden nearby, feeding her information somehow. How else could she possibly know about his abusive father? Or how he left home at eighteen and traveled around constantly, never content with where he was until he met Jesminda?

Jesminda... today was the third year anniversary, and here he was with another woman holding his hand...

Lucien jumps up and for the first time, the woman raises her head to look at him fully.

Lucien couldn't breathe. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The woman looks beyond him, her brown doe eyes glazed, but they come into focus as she speaks a single word.

"Lucien."

Lucien clenches his fist to keep from shuddering at the sound of his name in her mouth.

"I need to go."

He turns quickly, part of him dying to escape into the sunny, open space free of her intoxicating scent while another part of him is desperate to stay. He's halfway out of the tent when her voice stops him.

"I can hear your heart. When I sleep, I can hear your heart beating... Can you hear mine?"

#acotar #lucien vanserra #elain archeron #elucien #Elucien fic prompt #fic prompt

[bella-goths-wife]

Hello, can i request slashers with a russian s/o that likes to swear in russian a lot? Thank you, have a nice day/night!

Slashers with Russian S/O

Michael Myers

You met Michael when you were staying at the Myers house which had been turned into a holiday home

You were staying there while you were finishing a term of the exchange student program at your college

He had originally been pissed that someone was in his home so he broke in and was greeted with you screaming at him

“какого хрена высокий мужчина” (what the fuck tall man)

You threw a lamp at him and he was just impressed that you had the sheer audacity

He was using his silent sarcasm to be a little bitch about how you threw something at him

After that it was loathing at first sight

He would come every night to haunt you in an attempt to annoy you and you were running out of things to throw at him

You eventually reach the lovers part of your enemies to lovers arc

For this to work he had to try and understand you

Your accent was thick so when ever you had a conversation with Michael you had to slow down your speech to get him to understand

Your ability to drink him under the table also amazed him and you were always up for a drinking contest

You learnt ASL just for Michael because he struggled to understand you and he could only communicate through writing stuff down so it was easier for you both

Your love is extremely passionate and he feels deeply protective of you but he feels less worried because of how you handled yourself with him

Because of Michael and an opportunity through your college you decided to study in America full time until your degree was done

Bo Sinclair

You were travelling through America while on tour with your traditional Russian circus

You were the fortune teller of the group along with your grandmother who ran the circus

You stopped in Ambrose because the village wasn’t far away and they had a field near to it

Bo was entranced by you so he invited you up to the house but you saw this as weird so you brought the circus’s strong man with you

He saw Bo’s weird antics and said to you

“это схематично, мы должны идти” (this is sketchy we should go)

Bo blew up at the two of you for talking in Russian and moved on

He asked for a private fortune telling, to do this you grabbed his hands to hold them and there was an instant spark

You both talked for hours and you decided to go back to your tent when the strong man had gone missing

Bo offered for you to stay the night, you did and you ended up sleeping together

After that you had a whirlwind romance which ended up with you staying behind as your circus left

You taught Bo all of the swear words he could imagine in Russian but it kind of backfired on you because now when you argue he knows what your saying to him

But once you realise why the wax figure of your strong man was so lifelike you were put under lockdown in the bedroom until Stockholm syndrome kicked in

Vincent Sinclair

You were travelling through America because you were studying the arts and wanted to tour museums

Your car broke down so you went into Ambrose and Bo offered to ‘fix’ it

So you went to explore the house of wax and you were amazed, it was all so beautiful

You caught Vincent when he was moving around and assumed his mask was some sort of performance art

You began to compliment him profusely and he genuinely enjoyed your company

He was curious about what you thought and you gave him beautiful compliments

You told him about your favourite piece of art Composition VII (1913) by WASSILY KANDINSKY because of home much it connected you to your Russian upbringing

You also love to compare your countries famous artists and use different styles to give each other constructive criticism

After you go back to your tour, you return to Ambrose and sell your paintings online and do commissioned art and your life with Vincent is a dream come true

Thomas Hewitt

You met Tommy while you were in culinary school in Texas and on your way to the dormitory, you hit something sharp and got a flat tire

Hoyt drove you back to the house and you met Luda may and she adored you the moment you started mentioned your love of cooking

As a thank you to the Hewitts for fixing your car you made them dinner with their specific meat which you couldn’t put your finger on but you still worked with it

You visited the home a few times after that to drop off meals that you had made in class to the family and that’s when your started dating Thomas

You both loved talking to each other and he loved just watching you cook

You know the saying “the way to man’s heart is through his stomach” that’s exactly how Thomas fell for you

He loves you cooking for the family and always compliments it

His favourite meal that you make is one of your childhood favourites, Solyanka, it was a thick soup filled with meat and vegetables and he enjoyed seeing your face light up whenever the family complimented it

He loves when you cook meals from your culture because it makes him feel like he’s understanding your upbringing more

After a year of dating you decided to continue your culinary education while living with the Hewitts and the family couldn’t be happier

As long as you don’t find out where your meat comes from…

Asa Emory

Asa met you when you were a professor at his college

You were teaching Russian history and culture

He saw you as perfect

You were smart, beautiful, classy and you were able to understand him when he talked about things

He saw you as the perfect practical partner

He started creating a 5 year plan for the two of you

The world would see you as the perfect suburban family and you could give him beautiful children

He wanted to be seen as the perfect American couple so he tried to force you to give up your culture which you refused

You broke up with him as soon as you saw his distaste for your culture and then he kidnapped you

He was planning on killing you but he saw all the potential he could lose

He mentally manipulated you into thinking he would be the perfect husband

Which eventually works with compromise that you can keep your culture and he agreed

That doesn’t mean the Russian scribbles in your notepad aren’t intense escape plans

Otis driftwood

You were in America on a exchange student scholarship for athletics

You picked up baby on your way to your schools shabby school accommodation and the family instantly loved you

Of course Otis mocked your accent and how sometimes when speaking English you had to fill in a sentence with a Russian word because you couldn’t remember the English word for it

You actually got your scholarship because of your skill in the Russian combat sport Sambo

so when Otis expressed interest you offered to teach him

He has never been more attracted to you then when you were beating his ass

He loves when you drink together and he especially loves that during sex he makes you feel so good that you instantly speak in Russian because you forgot the English words

All in all your his perfect match

Baby firefly

You met baby when you were on a road trip to gain inspiration to bring back to the fashion magazine company you interned at

You both felt attracted to each other immediately because of how wild her clothing choices were and how clean your looks were

She got to know you more and was interested in your ideas so when you asked her for a date she accepted

She got to know more about you and how you wanted to keep to your Russian roots and reinvent the sarafan and the poneva which were old traditional Russian dresses and how you wanted to bring them back into the industry

She loves your accent and wishes she could listen to you talking forever

You actually teach her some of your language so that you can annoy Otis and talk about him without him knowing

It also helps for if the firefly’s have a captive and she needs to discuss things that could help the captive escape if they heard

She does have to beat up Otis every now and again because he mocks that you struggle with the English language

She actually wanted to do something nice for you so she learnt a recipe for one of your childhood meals and that’s when you realised you were head over heals

Tiffany valentine

You met Tiffany just after she transferred her soul into Jennifer tillys body and she needed to pretend everything was normal so her manager got her an audition

You were the director of the American remake of the famous Russian horror film ‘Viy’ and you casted Tiffany as the beautiful landowners daughter

Tiffany was smitten with you from the moment you layered compliment after compliment about her, apparently you were a big fan

While filming was going on their was a constant chemistry between you two which got the two of you teased by your coworkers

After filming the movie Tiffany asked you on a date and you accepted

So at the premiere you both announced that you were dating

She loved your passion for your job

She especially loved when you ranted about how it was unfair that every good Russian film couldn’t remain celebrated for its original and how every good movie had to be remade to meet an American standard instead of it just being a good movie in it’s original state and language

You were an incredible partner and you became a parental figure to glen and Glenda and sneakily taught them some Russian swear words to bribe them for some alone time with Tiffany

When she does admit who she really is to you, you initially feel betrayed but after a while you accepted it as long as there was no killing around you

She learnt Russian for you because she knew you were frustrated sometimes that you couldn’t speak your own language in your own home without people not understanding

You and Tiffany give glen and Glenda the opportunity to learn Russian but you didn’t want to push them into something they weren’t comfortable

You often cast Tiffany in any film project your working on, even in small parts, to help her keep up her act as Jennifer tilly

All in all you guys become an adorable family

#bo sinclair x reader #asa emory x reader #michael myers x reader #bo sinclair #vincent sinclair x reader #michael myers #thomas hewitt x reader #vincent sinclair #asa emory #thomas hewitt #tiffany valentine x reader #Russian reader #slashers x gender neutral reader #slashers x Russian reader #otis driftwood x reader #baby firefly x reader #otis driftwood #baby firefly #tiffany valentine #gender neutral reader

[actualbird]

Hi, I'm the anon who asked about the new Looming Nightmare card! I saw the content warnings, and I was like, oh it's this kind of story.

While I like my share of whump, I think I'll skip the card since it doesn't really tie into much of their actual relationship from the looks of it, but if you're willing to give a rundown of the story, I do enjoy reading your analyses. If you wouldn't mind, of course.

Thanks!

hi anon!! and....yep.....Looming Nightmare is.....That Kind Of Story JHVSKJHF

and same same, i LOVE whump but this card is just really....

well, i'll answer ur question with a more detailed summary of what happens in the card as well as some of my thoughts below the read more!!

do not proceed if u dont wanna be spoiled!! for general content warnings of the card, check out this previous ask i answered

now...

this summary will be a bit rudimentary and might leave out some tinier details since i watched the card like, almost an entire year ago. but heres what happens

the story starts in a fantasy setting au kinda thing and luke talks to some travelers in the woods. he's looking for mc, his lover, who had gone missing

luke and mc grew up together and started a relationship eventually, but then luke was conscripted into the army as a knight for a few years. during this period, mc sent him many letters but he was not allowed to reply. before he left, he promised mc he'd come back the moment he could, but when he did come back, she was no longer at their home

luke learns from the travelers that theres this big terrible dragon somewhere just destroying villages and kidnapping young women (? i think?? again, not very sure about the details) and luke thinks this dragon had taken mc from their home

so he journeys to the castle where the dragon is currently residing at and then takes shelter first at a nearby cottage. there, he meets a faceless NPC fortune teller and it's revealed hes met her once, before he started his journey looking for mc. back then, the fortune-teller told luke that the price of his journey could be Everything he is, or something along those lines. in spite of that, he still went

now, the fortune-teller tells him that the dragon will be weakened during the solar eclipse which will happen soon. at that moment, it will be the best time to kill the dragon. she also mentions that the dragon has this treasure box of stuff in that castle and thats the thing the dragon values most

anyhoo, luke goes to the dragon and---after a long and dangerous battle where he himself got injured a whole lot, im p sure at some point he was sure he was gonna die but he kept on going for mc---he landed a fatal blow on it. he then goes to the castle, searching for mc

and there he finds nobody at all but he does find the treasure chest and inside, he finds a mirror. in the mirror, he sees mc and her life after he left. due to the fact that luke could not reply to any of her letters, she thought he had died and left her village to go look for him and she grew more and more hopeless as the years went by. the mirror then shows mc picking up the mirror itself, crying, and when her tears hit the mirror, she was transformed into the dragon

the dragon that luke just killed

luke rushes out of the castle and the dragon had transformed back into mc. and shes quite dead, sporting the same wounds luke had inflicted on the dragon earlier

and just when ya thought it couldnt get worse!!!

the fortune-teller from earlier returns and tells luke that she can revive mc, but the price is his own life AND all of mc's memories of him. she will live but never even know he existed

luke, of course, takes this deal. and then he kills himself

and then over these two dead bodies, the fortune-teller reveals herself to be a witch! and doesnt revive either of them

THE END

BUT WAIT

it was all just a dream

mc wakes up and shes back in the canon setting, shes in luke's place and she had fallen asleep and had that Entire Terrible Nightmare. luke asks her if she had a nightmare, and she says yes, so he sings to her to comfort her

THE END (REPRISE)

so! thats what happens in looming nightmare generally!! of course, theres a whole bunch of other details i probably missed/forgot, but yeah

and as to why i didnt rlly enjoy it....

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER THAT EVERYTHING FROM HERE ON OUT IS MY OWN OPINIONS

see, the first time i watched it i actually thought it was okay. like, it fucking ripped my heart out yeah, but it was an Okay Story. but then the longer i let the story sit in my brain i realized that....no actually the entire story is hinged only upon misery that doesnt serve a narrative purpose.

like, i LOVE whump!! i LOVE stories where luke goes through hell, but not solely because hes going through hell. i love it cuz the conflict, hardship, and pain either adds something to his character, adds to the dynamic hes got with characters around him, lets us know something new about him or others, or maybe the hurt leads to comfort and then that comfort lets us learn more about the luke's vulnerability, emotions etc etc.

basically, i love (and to a certain degree, expect) angst in a story to actually serve a purpose. i want the Hurt to actually do something other than just Hurt. cuz if it just hurts, im like.....what was the point?

this is especially pronounced in this story cuz the story isnt even "real". it was all a dream, a dream that mc didnt even get to discuss with luke. i would have been extremely interested and wouldve had a better view of this card if it involved a scene where mc talks about her nightmare. that discussion could tackle so much: mc's intuitive knowledge that luke would go too far if it meant she would be safe, mc's own abandonment issues surfacing in the nightmare's plot, etc

but...that didnt happen. what we did get was luke singing which, i'll admit, is adorable

but adorable isnt enough to save a story that didnt rlly have a point jahvfjkahsvfkjashfa

#breaking news: local luke stan 'zak actualbird reptilianraven' rips into his least favorite luke card KASJHFVAKSJHFA #anon #asks

[myhauntedsalem]

Leonarda Cianciulli – The Soap Maker

On October 15, 1970 convicted serial killer Leonarda Cianciulli died from a brain hemorrhage in a women’s asylum for the criminally insane. She had spent the previous two decades incarcerated for the murder of two women, murders she did not regret, murders even she felt were necessary, for the survival of her children.

Leonarda Cianciulli believed there was a curse on her family, and the sacrifice of three women were needed to lift it.

Cianciulli was born in the small town of Montella in 1894. She was an unhappy child, who attempted suicide on more than one occasion. Her marriage was to be arranged, and she did not like the prospect of marrying someone she was certain not to be in love with.

In 1917, she went against her parents’ wishes and married Raffaele Pansardi, a registry Clerk. The couple moved to Pansardi’s hometown in 1921, and it was at this time Cianciulli believed that her mother cursed her.

She was very worried about this curse, and being quite a spiritual person, Cianciulli sought out the advice and readings of a fortune teller and a palm reader.

The Fortune Teller told her that her children would all suffer from many troubles, and although she would have many, all would perish early.

The Palm Reader told her she saw both a prison and an asylum, somewhere in her future.

Both of these readings turned out to be quite accurate.

While in her husband’s hometown of Lauria, Cianciulli did some short time in prison for fraud. With the shame of the time looming over her head, she and her husband moved to another town, only to have their new home destroyed in an earthquake. After this piece of bad luck they moved once more, and finally settled in Correggio, another small town.

Here Cianciulli set up a small shop, and at times would read other peoples fortunes. It was a happy life until tragedy struck her and her family again and again, as the first of her ‘misfortunes’ came true.

Out of seventeen pregnancies Cianciulli was only able to raise four children out of infancy. Ten of her children died in their young years, and another three were miscarried. She became very protective of her remaining children, and when word came that her favorite son had joined the Italian army to fight in World War Two, she knew she had to do something, lest he be lost to her as well.

Cianciulli figured that the only way to lift the curse her mother had placed on to her was to perform human sacrifice. Three murders were planned and were carried out as follows.

Faustina Setti had been seeking Cianciulli’s fortune telling, as a means of helping to find herself a husband. On her final sitting, Faustina was told that her husband was waiting in another town, and that she must travel or she would be fated to never meet him. She was told not to tell anyone where she was going, and to write postcards for her family and friends to tell them where she had gone when she got there.

Setti made her plans, and on the day of departure went to visit Cianciulli one last time. She had with her postcards written to her family as directed by Cianciulli, to help her with her future.

With everything in place and ready for departure, Setti was offered a parting drink of wine. However, when she drank the wine Setti fell unconscious, and Cianciulli took to her with an axe, killing her. Cianculli then set to dismembering the corpse over a basin in a closet. In her words:

“I threw the pieces into a pot, added seven kilos of caustic soda, which I had bought to make soap, and stirred the whole mixture until the pieces dissolved in a thick, dark mush that I poured into several buckets and emptied in a nearby septic tank.

As for the blood in the basin, I waited until it had coagulated, dried it in the oven, ground it and mixed it with flour, sugar, chocolate, milk and eggs, as well as a bit of margarine, kneading all the ingredients together. I made lots of crunchy tea cakes and served them to the ladies who came to visit, though Giuseppe and I also ate them.” (-stated by Cianciulli at her trial)

The second victim was Francesca Soavi, who was looking for work. Cianciulli ‘saw’ that a suitable job awaited her in the town of Piacenza. Once again postcards to friends and family were written in advance, and the murder, soap making and biscuit baking with the body took place.

Four weeks later a third woman, Virginia Cacioppo fell victim. She too had work found for her in another town, and once again the murder took place exactly as the first two had.

This time Cianciulli added that Cacioppo made for a really creamy soap, and that the biscuits cooked from her remains were especially sweet and that everyone thoroughly enjoyed them!

Cianciulli’s plot was finally undone several years later, when Cacioppo’s sister reported her missing and police arrived at Cianciulli’s house, as it was the last place Cacioppo had been seen. Cianciulli did not even attempt to hide what she had done and admitted everything to police.

During the subsequent trial, Cianciulli spoke quite frankly about everything she had done, and even corrected the prosecutors on details of her crime, going so far as to tell where some of the evidence had gone:

“I gave the copper ladle, which I used to skim the fat off the kettles, to my country, which was so badly in need of metal during the last days of the war…. ”

For the three murders Cianciulli was sentenced to thirty years prison, and three years in an asylum for the criminally insane.

#Leonarda Cianciulli #the soap maker #serial killer #paranormal #ghost and spirits #ghost and hauntings #haunted salem #myhauntedsalem

[janeeyreheresy]

Stupid Girl

All the facepalms by all the regulars of all the Star Treks (ALL of them, including all the new shows and the Kelvin timeline) are not enough facepalms for this.

Jane, at the beginning of the story, was a naïve and inexperienced girl. That is no longer so. She bravely escaped the only home she had, with nowhere else to go, fell to an almost literal rock bottom, met people outside of her previous limited experience--not teachers at girls' schools or servants in country mansions--had long talks with a man other than Rochester, lived by herself in a small cottage, therefore running her own household, getting groceries etc, instead of having staff to rely on with domestic tasks. She inherited a fucking fortune, making the commendable decision to split it with her cousins because she felt they deserved it. Yet she has not learned a thing.

You know why I think Jane chose to divide the twenty thousand four ways? Because she wouldn't know what to do with all that money. She made no use of it. The only activity she found pleasure in was giving Moor House a good scrubbing, top to bottom, to make it ready for Christmas, and buying some new furniture and decorations. She started learning German, because Diana and Mary did so, later Hindi because St John asked her to, and occasionally taught at the Morton school, but that was it. Briefly she considered going to India as a missionary, not because it was something she was passionate about, but on St John's suggestion. 

When she first came to Thornfield, before the arrival of Rochester, she found life there dull and it was dull. But here she is, all the opportunities for excitement at her doorstep, and she doesn't take them. She does no travelling. She takes no trips to other cities, or to London, to museums, or theatre or opera, or just sightseeing. We know she sneers at fashion, but surely she likes some type of clothes, at least she can't be wearing the same thing every day. In that interrogation by Rochester at the beginning, she admitted she's not read many books and those she did were not very learned, but there's no sign of her buying any new books. The Marmion she reads was a gift from St John. She likes painting, but seemingly has no interest in visiting galleries. To put it plainly, she has no fucking life.

She doesn't open her own school, but I'm thinking she doesn't actually want one--at the time, in the gypsy fortune teller episode, opening her own school was the best it could get for her. Now that she has money she has more options, obviously, she doesn't have to go on "schoolmarming" for the rest of her life. (I mean, who would want to...) Except she doesn't even consider any other option. She's still never visited a city. Or the seaside. All her life experience is limited to countryside; to villages and country mansions. The only men she's ever got close to are Rochester and St John. No wonder she has such a scarcity mentality. She doesn't believe life can get better for her. She's not yet twenty, her whole life ahead of her, healthy and of sound mind and rich to boot. Yet she does an absolute fuck all, apart from listening to St John's long monologues. She thinks she will not marry, not because she doesn't need to depend on a man anymore, or out societal pressure, but because she doesn't believe anyone would ever love her, she doesn't believe there is any man for her, despite talking to all of TWO men in her life.

She likes to paint, yet seeks no new landscapes to capture with her brush. Explore the world, or England at least, Jane! Visit York, see the Minster, the Shambles. Go to the Lake District. Go to the coast. (Anne Bronte loved Scarborough, she died there too, poor soul...)

Yeah, so that double fare didn't cause any dent in her finances. I know that. She was still stupid to pay it, though. Whether she got there on the same day, or on the morning of the next would have made zero difference.

Jane continually looks down on other women for being shallow but it's not that she's that deep herself. Honestly, all she cares about is Rochester. Nothing and nobody else exists for her. During the month of their engagement, she worried she was making him her whole world. She knew being that obsessed with him was not a good thing, but she did nothing to change it. Even after she put a physical distance between herself and him. She was in the prefect position to get over an ex. New life, new friends, and even a new fortune. But no. She passes judgements on everyone that crosses her path, yet brags about not getting over a married man. 

There is being in love with someone. And there is being stupid.

The next day, Jane gives an account of what she went through after her escape from Thornfield. Rochester starts asking about St John, as he features so heavily in her narrative (what can I say, I wish he didn't). You know what Jane does now?

She teases Rochester with St John. Because St John was good looking and young and of good character (in Jane's eyes; she likes him, she just isn't in love with him), she is able to make Rochester jealous. Which... girl.

Too little too late. It's like sending a health and safety inspector to Thornfield the day after it burned down. What's the use of it now? She's just travelled all this way to see Rochester, clearly she has no intention to be with another man. She is sitting in his lap, for heaven's sake. 

She should have done this when she was still his governess. When the merry company was there and Rochester was pulling that stunt with Blanche. True, there was no suitable guy for that around, but that wouldn't matter, she could have made one up. Say, for example, she comes back from her day or afternoon off and Rochester asks her what she's been doing and she says "oh nothing much, met an old friend from Lowood today for a cup of tea in the village, he used to give us music lessons, he's on his way to Manchester for a new job but stopped by here so that he could see me, we were such good friends back in the day, you know." Even better, ask for an extra time off when the said friend is passing by, so that she can meet him. It doesn't matter if she'd spend the time sitting alone in a village pub. 

Another one to file under "what could have been".

And it's not that her teasing goes on for long. Pretty soon she spills out the truth, that St John doesn't mean anything to her and neither does she mean anything to him, that he only wanted to marry her because she would make a good missionary wife.

"But if you wish me to love you, could you but see how much I do love you, you would be proud and content. All my heart is yours, sir: it belongs to you; and with you it would remain, were fate to exile the rest of me from your presence for ever.”

Sir. And she used "my master" sixth time (to the reader, not to him).

He tries to protest, pointing out his disabilities. He compares himself to that chestnut tree under which he proposed to her, the tree that was struck by lightning. (The tree deserved better. Rochester didn't.) Jane responds by continuing with that metaphor and he thinks she means they would be friends (she just declared her love for him (again) but okay). 

“Ah! Jane. But I want a wife.”

Of course you do, Edward. Who else will look after you? Mary does all the housekeeping tasks, but it's only a job to her and she has her own husband. 

Marriage is beneficial to men. Married men live longer than single men. Don't believe all the lame "ball and chain" jokes. 

So he asks her to marry him and she says yes. He emphasises that she will have to wait on him, but she's happy with that. 

Of course she is happy with that. She literally walked back into his life carrying him a tray. She'd give her life to serve him. She's always done what he asked her to do, things that were outside her job as a governess. She sat in the drawing room with the guests at Thornfield, she stayed up at night when he needed her to, she kept running to his bedroom the night Richard got stabbed to fetch things, which included a highly suspicious substance (that everyone seems to ignore), she complied with his demand not to talk to Richard, she didn't advertise for a new job when she believed her stint at Thornfield was coming to a close because he told her not to advertise, she keeps calling him "sir" and "master" long after she is not his employee and has her own money. My master, my master, my master, waah-waah-waah. The good, obedient girl, who will help him bury the body. That's Jane Eyre.

And yes, Jane was in no position to refuse her master's orders, especially not as a live-in staff. But she doesn't even wonder why he gives these orders. So much time she spends in her head, talking to the reader, observing Blanche's behaviour, suspecting Grace of arson, pondering Richard Mason's existence, but she doesn't stop once to think about Rochester's motives. Not "why does he make me sit in the drawing room, what's his game?" Not "why should Mr Mason not to talk to me?" Not "how come he has a vial full of liquid from an Italian charlatan? What does he use it for?" The only time she doesn't comply is when she runs away. 

At the beginning, when she arrived at Thornfield, she thought it strange that Mrs Fairfax was so friendly to her, when she believed her to be the mistress of the house. But she showed no such surprise when the real master started behaving like a friend. 

I think it's real shitty of her to not even acknowledge that Grace Poole wasn't the bad guy after all. But if she did, if she, only in her head, said to herself, "I've been a real fool suspecting Grace of criminal activity", she'd have to also acknowledge that her beloved master was a piece of shit.

And it wouldn't kill her if she allowed at least one semi-friendly thought towards Richard Mason. She didn't have to like him, or talk to him if she didn't want to (not because Rochester demanded it), but again, she could have at minimum acknowledged that it was nice of him to care about Bertha, despite everything she was. And if she really cherished the hope of meeting her newly found uncle one day, why didn't she ask Richard about him? 

After they agree they'll marry, Rochester goes on to say that he was wrong in what he did but--let me copy it here:

“Jane! you think me, I daresay, an irreligious dog: but my heart swells with gratitude to the beneficent God of this earth just now. He sees not as man sees, but far clearer: judges not as man judges, but far more wisely. I did wrong: I would have sullied my innocent flower—breathed guilt on its purity: the Omnipotent snatched it from me. I, in my stiff-necked rebellion, almost cursed the dispensation: instead of bending to the decree, I defied it. Divine justice pursued its course; disasters came thick on me: I was forced to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. His chastisements are mighty; and one smote me which has humbled me for ever. You know I was proud of my strength: but what is it now, when I must give it over to foreign guidance, as a child does its weakness? Of late, Jane—only—only of late—I began to see and acknowledge the hand of God in my doom. I began to experience remorse, repentance; the wish for reconcilement to my Maker. I began sometimes to pray: very brief prayers they were, but very sincere."

I don't know. It's at best a half-assed apology. He found Jesus. And it only refers to his demanding her to become his professional mistress. Nothing about all the other stuff, or how awfully he treated the women he had relationships with.

He called her name--loudly--that time she heard him in Morton. But she doesn't tell him she heard him, so as not to frighten him. I can buy it. It's a gothic novel. Still more believable than her collapsing on the doorstep of the people who turned out to be her cousins.

I would have liked it better had he added "waah-waah-waah". 

He swears he will live a clean life from now on.

Not like he has any choice. He can't be running off to London or Europe and chase after women anymore. He can't host parties because: 1. nobody wants to attend 2. Ferndean Manor is a hole and a dump 3. he can't see. Sneak in a 4. what is his financial situation now?

Lovers reunited or not, the real winner of this chapter is the driver who got the double fare. I hope he spent it wisely.

#jane eyre #edward rochester #rochester is a villain #stupid stupid STUPID girl #jane eyre meta

[axispheydra]

Day 3 - Temper

She stood in one of the corners of Ul'dah's Gold Court, watching the dribbling fountain with an even gaze. To an outside observer, it might have seen as if she had fallen asleep leaning against the wall, arms folded over her chest and eyes hidden behind an ornate mask. Most who saw her would think her just another odd traveler passing through the city- it was still unusual to see a Viera in these parts of Eorzea, after all. For those who were privy, however, her presence marked an opportunity, a rare chance to have one's fortune told by a teller with a reputation for a kind of fuzzy accuracy. She would not be able to tell you if you were destined for great fortune, or if your future children would be sons or daughters, but she could divine the weather for the next week, or if you would be pleased with the results of the Bloodsands' next bout. To certain people, such predictions could be invaluable.

The name she gave others was Ora, but none could say if it was her true name or not, as Viera were known to adopt city names for ease of interacting with locals. With the mask she wore, the name she gave, and the deliberate manner of her speech, there were more than a few individuals who simply avoided her, but she made do. In the jewel of the desert, you simply had to have a skill that was in demand, and for traders, there was little more valuable than knowledge of the future, vague as it was.

A Lalafell came to her, an older man with sun-tanned skin and work-worn hands, to ask about the success of his mining operation's next foray, a questionable trek out into the desert sands. At times, risks had to be taken in businesses like these, but a small bit of insurance wouldn't hurt. She nodded, and drew a glowing astrolabe from her back, a tool of the Ishgardian diviners that Ora found helpful in focusing her aether. From her body, to the tool, and through the asker, a thread that reached beyond what they currently saw, and drifted in the currents of the future. The images were vague, as they almost always were, like trying to read a book through a thick fog. To read these sacred words was the bedrock of her art, a creed passed through her clan from parent to child. Most could only dream of reading the texts of the divine authors who wrote the stories of this star's inhabitants, but Ora had a special gift for it. Her grandmother said she might have been the most skilled seer in their clan in a thousand years, so when her visions told her she would be leaving her home behind to travel to Eorzea, she did not question it.

Something came into focus, a blistering sun above blazing sands, the sweat-caked brows of haggard workers. Exhaustion was evident, but expected, upon their faces, and their feet dragged furrows into the sands. A horsebird-drawn cart led the way, though its load seemed suspiciously light.

The vision departed, replaced with another impression. An oasis in the desert, a tribe of Miqo'te standing beside the tired miners. At their feet lay a number of worms, great beasts that burrowed through the desert sands in search of prey. All gathered seemed grateful, joyous even. A small silver lining to a disappointing journey.

Ora surfaced from her visions, folding her planisphere up with a flick of her fingers, and returning it to her back. She was fortunate her journey into the divine realms had not lasted so long this time.

“Well?” asked the Lalafell. “What did you see?”

Folding her arms once more, Ora tilted her head as she considered her answer. “I saw a foray into a great desert, a risky proposition for one's business. I know not what you believe you will find, but I will tell you this: you will likely not find as much as you would hope.”

The Lalafell clicked his tongue, turning away. “Thal's balls, maybe it's not too late, then... If there's no profit to be made, I should cancel the whole thing-”

“You cannot,” she cut in. “I have seen your story already written. I assume at this juncture...” Ora tilted her head from one side to the other, as if sifting through the fog of her visions. “I believe it will be too late to cancel without losing more. The workers' contracts have been signed, the supplies gathered, the drivers hired. If you shut it down so close to the date of departure, then who knows how they will handle it? And who knows what will happen to your reputation?”

“Godsdammit...” he muttered, pacing back and forth before her. “You didn't say it was empty, right? Just less than I'd hoped?”

“That is what is written. But fate is fickle, so perhaps you will find a new path to forge, and your story will be rewritten in a way the gods find interesting. That is not for me to say, however, I will tell you this. On your journey back to Ul'dah, I would suggest you head in the direction of the Forgotten Springs. Such a detour will be worth your while.”

She could not say for sure what would transpire there, but it was easy to guess, and the smiles on their faces meant it was likely the outcome would be prosperous for all involved. Perhaps the Lalafell would be satisfied knowing her had helped his fellow in time of need, or perhaps some kind of reward could be negotiated. Such details were not her concern, however.

“The Forgotten Springs, eh? There's a seeker tribe out there, if I'm not mistaken. What's out there for us?” he asked.

Ora only shook her head in response. “That, I do not know. I only know what I have told you, and nothing more. I hope you find it to your satisfaction.”

He didn't, but most rarely did. People only sought the aid of a fortuneteller when they were uncertain, and their uncertainties always had roots in what they already knew. The Lalafell clicked his tongue again, and produced a bag of gil from his pockets.

“Satisfied? Hah, hardly. Just take your coins, dammit.” He tossed the sack at her feet, and Ora was not above kneeling down to retrieve it.

“It is not my answers you are unsatisfied with, and I hope you will see that soon. For now, however, could you move two fulms to the left? It is nearly time.”

“Wh- time for what? Two fulms? What in the hells are you talking about?” The Lalafell glanced form side to side, still irritated, but his interest newly piqued.

“If you stay, you shall see. For now, I would suggest moving.”

No sooner had the man taken his steps to the left than a highlander man came barreling down one of the city's passageways. He stopped at the entrance to the Court, looking from side to side with a fury on his face which only intensified when he spotted Ora.

“You!” he bellowed across the room. What few passersby there were all turned to watch, but none dared leave before seeing what would unfold.

“Another unsatisfied patron,” said Ora, a small smile on her lips. She said nothing, saving her words for when he man drew closer to her, stopping what seemed like only a handful of ilms from her face.

“You couldn't just give it to me straight, could you? You had to go and give me those vague hints!” he shouted.

Ora remained impassive, though her nose wrinkled from the smell of alcohol on his breath. “You asked if your wife was being faithful. I could not tell you the answer, only that you would discover the truth on your own, and that you would not like it. That you still sought the answer is no fault of mine.”

“With my own best mate!” he howled, seemingly deaf to her reply. “How's a man supposed to recover from something like that?”

“Perhaps he could try it further away from me,” she half-sighed. “If you are not pleased with what I have seen, that is hardly my fault. If you have a complaint, well... I do not wish to hear it.”

The man staggered for a moment, but with a flash, his hands went to the scabbard at his belt. With a snarl, he drew a dagger from his belt, and held it towards her. “All you do is talk in circles, you just can't say anything straight... And that's why I ended up like this!”

Ora took a half-step back, unnerved by the weapon pointed directly at her chest, but before the situation could escalate further, another loud voice sounded from the other side of the courtyard.

“Hey now! What's goin' on here?!”

Ora relaxed, and smiled. “The Brass Blades. What fortuitous timing.”

The excitement had died down as quickly as it began, and the drunk man was taken away by a pair of surly guards as Ora watched, offering no further comment.

But the Lalafell muttered to himself, and finally spoke up. “That was a... lucky coincidence there, wasn't it?” he ventured.

Ora brought a hand to her chin, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips. “Quite so. One could almost believe they were forewarned something might happen here.”

“What you do with that information is up to you, hm? Interestin' way of thinking about it.”

The Lalafell left, evidently now satisfied, and the Gold Court returned to its usual thrum of activity. It wasn't as bustling as the main streets of the city, but that suited Ora fine. She folded her arms and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes and waiting for her next customer. They would come soon, she had seen it written in that divine text. Hopefully the next would not point any weapons at her.

#ffxivwrite2022 #ffxivwrite #ora

[truth-hurt-heart]

*"but most of my frustration comes from the fact that I've had to practically beg you to do these things with me for years or I've had to just put up w the fact that you're set in your ways which is ok."*

It clearly is not okay, so that's a contradictory statement, because you can't move past it and continue to mention the past versus enjoying the present, what's happening now versus how long it took or whatever else you keep saying. It's draining and it's steps backward, and I don't know what you expect me to say to that.

*"And all the friction I've encountered because it feels like I'm forcing you to be a different kind of person makes me question everything about us. I get to thinking that maybe there's someone better out there for you. Someone that doesn't force you to switch it up."*

For the 10,000th time, neither you nor anyone in this world can force me to be a different person. You're not Jesus, and you can't give yourself that much credit. The fact that you live in that space is just super negative. I can't change that; only you can. If you can't see yourself moving past that, then the only person it will affect is you. I'm not, nor will I ever live in that negative space where I will tell my partner that there is someone else out there better for them. If that were the case, would I still be with you? We can all leave and find someone else and something in them that's different that we like a little more than the last one, but that's not everything for me, nor is it my mentality.

*"but to you, it seemed like I wanted everything right away. And that's what bothers me the most: the fact that you think I want everything now, now, now. When in reality, all I want is for us to have a common goal and for us to be able to share and track our milestones as we approach that goal.*

The only reason I say you want things right away is because that's how your actions are. You expect answers to everything now so you can feel better about the future, and to me, that's fake and unrealistic. I don't tell you a "plan," "draw out a blueprint diagram," or create an Excel spreadsheet of "how I will achieve this" because I don't pretend to have all the answers. That's fake to me. I'm not a fortune teller. I will achieve my goals because I have the belief that I will do so. I have the passion and the drive, and that's enough for me. I don't need a "plan" on how. But to you, it seems like I have none of that, but I don't care because I know myself, and I know what I have achieved and will achieve without needing to feel like I have a list of things I need to do. You don't even know how you're going to achieve the "goals" you set in your mind. You've never told me how you're going to get a better job, make more money, afford a home, afford a summer home, or travel. You're always asking me and expecting me to have those Answers when you won't even answer them yourself. Also,

*"*able to share and track our milestones as we approach that goal"*

is crazy to me. This is a relationship, not a project. That comment in itself speaks volumes on so many different levels that don't sit comfortably with me, but okay.

*"what we expect from our journey together. And I know the word "expectation" is like venom but how would we progress through without them?"*

You're the only one in the relationship setting all these expectations on me. Please tell me what expectations I put on you? Ask yourself if that's fair, and also, who do you think you are? Honestly, I think you need to put those expectations on yourself and keep them far away from me as possible. That's uninvited pressure I didn't ask for nor will allow, and I firmly do not believe that is the way you handle "goals," especially when you need to figure things out in your own bubble before you can add expectations to my bubble or this relationship's bubble. You need to realize this relationship nor I will answer the question of what YOU need to do for yourself as an individual separate from me or the union of a relationship. It's completely not fair, but it seems like you don't get that.

*"It's just that I'm tired and I've gotten to this point where all I wanna do is people please and be ok with no reciprocation but my eyes are wide open and want someone else to tag in"*

The people please thing has nothing to do with me so I wont even comment on that but Hmm, someone else to tag in who also has to deal with the pressures of expectations put on them, along with also being in a relationship where their partner doesn't show them love or affection because they have "done it before" or even yet, tell them, maybe there is someone else out there for you? Because I feel like I've forced you too much to do things and as much as that was okay, it's not okay and I can't move on from that because I don't see you showing me you hitting the milestone that will get you to the goals that I created for us with all the expedition on you and not me because I don't know how I will get there so I expect you to figure it out for me because that's the only way I will feel comfortable knowing that I set these expectations on you and knowing that you're meeting them, but don't worry in the process I'll make you know how much I want this for you and for us and I, all the while, living in the past and never seeing the future with eyes that really don't know what I'm looking at because guess what? I can't tell the future! So I will do my best today to make sure tomorrow is better and believe that I will have the goals I want because I know I want them, and that's enough for me since I myself don't have the answers to everything, but I need to be with someone who does or at least makes me feel like we do.... like what?

I truly feel like you need to get over yourself, get off your high horse, and open your eyes to what's in front of you. Again, the expectation you feel that you are so valuable to this relationship is one-sided. You need them; I don't. Figure out how you can live your life with or without them, but I will not be giving you those answers because, as you know, I cannot be forced to do things I don't want to do. Although you feel like you have always forced me to do everything, you also can't force me to feel or create pressure for someone of things I don't believe in. Ask yourself what I need or ask from you and whether you are giving that to me before you continue to ask me to give to you. I will not live in the past, so you can live there all on your own. I will live in today for today and for tomorrow. I will live believing that I will have the life, the money, and the things I want because I know I will not settle, and I know it will happen for me because of the way I'm built, and that's all that matters to me, period.

[soliloquivm]

⸻ LAURA VANDERVOORT SHE + HER / have you ever heard of LANDSLIDE BY FLEETWOOD MAC., well, it describes DANICA EVANS to a tee! the THIRTY SEVEN year old, and ART FORGER was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know them? would you say SHE is more cunning or more PLAYFUL instead? anyway, they remind me of the silence of an art museum , the constant change of identities , the sound of a ticking clock .. maybe you’ll bump into them soon!

cult mention tw

time in notting hill : one year birthplace : catskills , ny sexuality : bisexual relationship status : single

the daughter of an old school ‘doomsday’ religious cult, danica avans grew up on a large stretch of farmland in a small nowhere town in upstate new york, close to the canadian border. from birth, she was taught that the lives of women were meant to be suffered for the only purpose of tending to their men and birthing the next generation. by the age of five, she had learned to feed the livestock, sew and tend to a garden just as any ‘good young woman’ should, and had been promised to be wed to the leader of the cult. there, she lived with her birth parents and extended makeshift family for the next three years until late in the middle of the night, she was taken out of her bed and pulled from the compound. having left the cult just a year before, danica’s aunt had paid a man to kidnap her niece, wanting the little girl to grow up a ‘normal’ life outside of the confines of the compound and vowed to raise the child as her own until she was either able to convince her sister and brother in law to leave the cult themselves, or danica was old enough to make her own decision. together, the two lived out of an rv, traveling the country through canada and down even towards mexico where they picked up odd jobs, dani’s schooling done ‘through the home’ with the added details of the ‘tricks of the trade’, prepping her niece from a young age to be just like her . a con artist. it became clear that as dani grew up, she was an excellent cold reader and her aunt began to use these talents to her own benefit, setting up a small psychic and fortune teller shop for short periods of time in small towns that didn’t know better in order to drain the bank accounts of those less knowing. it was a skill that danica perfected overtime, learning how to play the part, mastering tarot cards, toying with a crystal ball and even palm reading. to her, it was a nice way to earn a quick buck and oftentimes the people left their little shop happy, feeling confident about the day not realizing that they would often leave without their wallets or the cash from it . small things at first , until her aunt got wrapped into something worse. danica was eleven years old when her aunt got herself caught up in a local street gang in phoenix arizona , a place they’d attempted to call home for a few weeks but there was one thing in particular that stood out to them , the small girl, sneaking around the warehouse building without making a peep . they’d found a use for her, took her in as one of their own while holding their aunt on the debt she owed and using danica’s newly discovered skills to pay it off . turned out , she was a highly capable thief, able to bend and twist any way she wanted , slip in and out unnoticed thanks to her aunt’s training on cold reading , eventually — the debt was paid and danica was free to go off on her own . but she didn’t , not until she was sixteen. sixteen year old danica evans left the gang that used her for heists to become her own private contractor of sorts , robbing banks , breaking into museums , art galleries , her lack of an identity puzzled the fbi as they searched for her but by the time they’d get close , she had moved onto another state , another side of the country and all was great for years. too many years it seemed until she met someone that thought it would be a good idea to team up . they had an idea after all , to steal an expensive jewel that was locked away in a bank’s vault and who better to get through the security system than the infamous danica evans ? it's while she's on the run from the fbi that danica decides to stick close to where the best of art can be found - notting hill , london . packing her things , false identities and all , she makes way for the uk looking to perfect her newest niche , art forgery .

#nottinghillintro #« introduction » danica evans

[king-of-better]

Chojin Chapter

15th Night: Shadow -KAGE-

Swimming to shore, something declares it has finally made it, sounds and images flash ending on the old man. In a field, a man in orange and a straw hat comes to a discarded Chinese doll, and declares through the Limpid Channel something is there.

As a child, Kaede is abandoned by the other kids mid game, she awakens, Sho also slept badly, and something is disrupting his abilities.

Keita and Hinoki are travelling to Kamakura for the date, Keita is obviously nervous.

Miyako has a report from Mode Warp, it might have been two months since BPL, or Akamatsu, Sho, Kaede and Sakura, starting from the Sai Expedition disappearing 4 years ago. Umezaki took part in the rescue operations, and while he didn't venture in, he received an Animus Flower from the rescue team and took it with him, then immediately afterwards the rescuers all killed each other, the beginning of the spread of Algernon, which has claimed many victims, including the man who identified it and it was named for. The Animus Seeds which can produce both amino acid types, Umezaki hoped to use to allow humans to love indefinitely, Akamatsu questions what Betterman is if he can actually process the Amino Acids, Sakura calls him a Somnium.

Keita and Hinoki arrive as it's explained Betterman can only process food from the Animus Seeds, which use humans as flowerbeds, concerning Akamatsu.

Hinoki didn't think the food was as good as last time she was there, Keita, struggling, remembers Ushi's advice and takes her to explore caves to create a nice mood, but just winds up reminding her or India, but she admits she can't be miserable about their deaths her whole life. A strange fortune teller offers blessings on their union, with charms for sale, Keita, imagining such a future, is going to take one when a lizard reminds him of Puleto, and thus Chandi.

Miyako continues explaining about Chandi's existence as superhumans created by Umezaki, and that rather than Belladonna being the source of Algernon, it just produced similar symptoms, as such Umezaki is just another victim of Algernon, As he too was infected. She also refutes the suggestion Betterman is a BPL creation, as there is evidence, like the remains from transformations, that is thousands of years old, and they now know of a 2nd one on Lume.

The monk, who has a jewel on his chest like Lamia, is confirmed as a Betterman as he declares he has found Lamia.

Hinoki has a place she wants to go, dragging Keita far away, as Sakura explains that Betterman keeps protecting Hinoki, checking she's safe via Sakura's Limpid Channel. As the rain pours down, the arrive at their destination, Hinoki's old home.

Umezaki sent the D-Types into Ajanta Caves to retrieve Animus Flowers, and used them in his experiments, but the D-Types contracted Algernon and killed each other, the one survivor managed to mutate the control gene and gain self awareness. He used the Behemoths to gather humans for experimentation, taken by Carryants to Rand Medical, the staff controlled like the BPL scientists, and preserved by Salamander to become flowerbeds. The major slip up came with the Ikazuchi Maru, forcing him to use the Revi. This lead to his ultimate downfall, as the team, with help from Betterman, managed to take out his entire operation. However, Heichin and the other victims are still dead, Akamatsu fears it will never end.

Hinoki moved from near Keita when she was 5, to a place near her father's university. Keita accepts she was sort of hoping her family would be there, and was scared to come alone, but she tries to insist that wasn't just it, both quite romantically tense, Keita lightens the mood by getting his revenge by tickling, she plays along, until the old man appears, the sound of his bell interrupting. He recommends they stay there, and that the shadow is the true mastermind.

Sho's dreams are haunted by Kei, and next day Kaede phones Akamatsu to report he vanished. Sakura can sense 3 shadows have come across the sea.

Lamia is confronted by the monk, Bodaiju, who is shocked at him using Forte twice, apparently having learns so from the wind, and so Bodaiju has been sent to him by Pakila, wondering why he isn't pursuing Kankel, but Lamia feels protecting the hopes is more important. When Seeme tries to interject, Bodaiju blasts her with Pectoflex Plume, and if Lamia won't submit, he will destroy him with the Seed of Turba. And having consumed it, Turba and Nebula fight.

16th Night: Revelation -UTUTU-

Sho steals a Main Tech Carrier, breaking out the door of Akamatsu Industries with a wild look in his eyes. Sakura senses Kei.

Nebula uses a sonic wall to block Turba's vacuum wave, but the battle continues.

Kaede stops in front of Sho, and insists on coming with him, both because he can't use the Neuronoid alone, and she wants to confirm the same thing he needs to check.

Sakura tells Akamatsu, Ritchan and Miyako, that 3 shadows, that resemble Tyran, have come. Miyako knows that last December, after showing defects, the prototypes of Tyran, Premier, Deuxieme and Tresieme were scheduled to be dismantled by the France Division, but all vanished, the current Tyran is Quatrieme. While ideas about Main Tech Carriers or unknown Head Divers taking them are thrown around, Sakura says Ritchan is right about them just walking away on their own. Yamajii cannot get Sho to respond, so they plan to call in Keita and Hinoki.

The old man says the barrier between worlds is but a shadow, Keita gets the call but it cuts off, and the man has left them surrounded by bells, an invisible wall keeping them in place. Outside, the old man runs.

Nebula catches Turba in power lines and uses Psycho Voice, but a vacuum wall blocks it, he in turns uses Psycho Calm.

Sho and Kaede arrive in a ruined building, the Main Tech Carrier hits a pothole, and Kaede starts walking off on her own. She is now repeating Gather and Want, commands given by a hooded man in the rain to other hooded figures. Suddenly Premier, Deux and Trois appear, Sho can sense the one who called him in Deux. They board Tyran, but Kaede can tell they're there for her, as the man orders elimination of anyone who stops them taking what they seek.

Sat together, Keita believes the heels are the same, Hinoki snaps, but apologises. She recalls once accidentally damaging a model ship her father loved, and hiding, terrified of being scolded, her brother helped her fix it, and her mother apologised with her, but her father didn't get angry. She once had a whole family's love, but how she is all alone. Keita holds her, almost ruining the mood by recalling Ushi's saying it's easy to take advantage of a crying girl, but she lets it slide.

Bodaiju criticises Lamia for being so weak despite using Forte, as Lamia tells him even if he is defeated he can't save the Somniums, and Bodaiju states the one who uses Forte must have the qualities of a leader, Lamoa insists coexistence, the hope of Vivelve is more important than destroying Kankel, who stole their future.

Tyran punches down Premier, but Kaede suffers some sympathetic pain, they throw Trois aside, but they come at Quatri with Break Synthesise, and Kaede is convulsing. Sho uses a Double Synapse Break on Premier and Deux, to disrupt the Linker Gel. Kaede screams not to kill them, but Sho feels of they were human they would rather die than be left in this state, Kaede collapses as the 2 are irreparably damaged, and Deux confronts Quatri. Looking at his opponent, Sho apologises to Kei for not realising what had happened f him, as they hit the Gel Limit.

Turba prepares another Psycho Calm, Nebula uses Psycho Voice, resonating it to send them flying as they are both being pulled apart.

The hooded figures are confronted by the old man, who unleashes a shockwave, slicing off the cliff edge they stand on, they all fall, Seeme, watching this, calls the old man Yakusugi.

Deux stops moving right as it grabs Quatri, Sho leaps out and opens Deux's Cereb Head, only to be horrified to find it empty, tearing the cockpit apart he finds Kei behind panelling and holds his brother, telling him he loves him, as he tearfully disconnects the pipes that connect Kei's brain to the Neuronoid.

The bells are gone, but Keita and Hinoki are still holding eachother.

Lamia lies unconscious in a river, Seeme calls out for him.

17th Night: Dream -YUME-

Seeme informs Lamia of Yakusugi's appearance, but he needs to rest and doesn't answer her.

Hinoki thanks Keita for coming with her, and goes to kiss, Keita overthinks but does it, only for her to turn into Ushi pushing him to kiss again. He wakes and goes to school, where Ushi and everyone else is a Crashman 11, then wakes again in class.

Akamatsu's noodles attack him, Ritchan wakes him up, as Miyako is there for a meeting, he asks about the pilots of the Tyran prototypes, she confirms there was no pilot from he start, France HQ have officially declared the 3 developed their own egos. Akamatsu is now concerned about Quatrieme doing the same, so Miyako explains the new factor, the 3 prototypes has special control systems made from human cerebral cortices. As she explains further, a hand emerges from what might be Cactus' locker. Miyako explains that ethics and control concerns lead to the 3 being sealed, the Quatrieme instead uses a chimpanzee. It was thought Sho would be able to foresee any malfunction. Kakuseijin uses bottle-nosed dolphins, which is why it worked so well in water. Kakuseijin was also designed to be immune to the possible problems from the start. The meeting is interrupted when a man in a Diving Suit steps into the room, shocking both.

Hinoki isn't comfortable with Keita after a weird dream, but a legion of Chikas appear, tormenting them.

Bodaiju finds the still recovering Lamia, admonishing for resting and letting his guard down, but leaves him when a Revi appears from the sea, using Turba to fight as Heracles and Medusa also appear.

Sho is wracked with guilt over Kei's death, recalling the first death, where he panicked while piloting Premier underwater with Sho and drowned. Sho was told at the time Kei would be one of 12 used in the Deux, Kaede wonders why she was called, then becomes Kei, Sho wakes screaming. Akamatsu, Kaede, Sakura and Miyako are there, as well as, to Sho's confusion, Cactus Prickle. Everyone else laughs with Cactus, to Sho's confusion.

Turba is now struggling against examples of all Umezaki's creations, Nebula appears to help.

Bottom The World is finally reopening, Keita on a Kappa costume, Hinoki in the flopping body, Akamatsu a knight, as are Yamajii and Ritchan. Sho is an upside down Chika, Miyako is that one mascot from Waterpolis, Sakura is another Chika. Kaede is alone, and sees her parents ignore her again. Cactus appears, offering her a place she will always have someone, the fortune teller seems to be driving this. Yakusugi appears before her, declaring the evil in dreams must be destroyed, she sets Medusa on him but he drives them off. She realises he is the one who killed her fellows, and he manipulates fire to destroy her.

Cactus vanishes from Kaede, and everyone wakes up bac at Akamatsu Industries, the charm Keita bought shattering. They manage to work out it was an attack, Kaede knows they were saved, Keita suggests Betterman, Sakura tells them no, she heard a bell.

Lamia and Bodaiju were also both asleep, Seeme telling them Yakusugi saved them from eternal sleep, for now they all understand they need to work together.

18th Night: Famine -KAWAKI-

Miyako bs found the Prototype Tyrans and the amulet both had a psychic material on them, the attack the work of some people infected with Algernon, she is sending her report on this to Officer.

They've come to an organ farm, Akamatsu find it troublesome. They're taken to the Algernon storage, Cactus in particular, he has a Forte flower. Miyako, linking those who have produced Forte seeds, thinks of the Dive Inspection.

The class is on a camping trip, Ushi and the rest of the class thinking Keita has it a little too good as he cooks with Hinoki.

At the organ farm, everyone enjoys a steak dinner courtesy of their host.

While gathering firewood together, Keita gets excited seeing Hinoki bend over, but his device rings, displays a message reading "Tasukete, Kaede" then loses signal again.

Knowing where they are, Hinoki and Keita head to the facility, the Trailer is abandoned, Hinoki insists on going inside to check, the dodd closes behind them.

A sound like eating rings out, js they nervously approach, Keita is scared by a trap, and they wind up yelling at eachother. They then find the dining room ransacked, and find Sakura, repeating that everyone is hungry before collapsing, when asked about the group she says they'll be eaten.

They keep on going, the morgue containers are empty. Sakura suddenly asks to eat Keita who throws her, she then tries to bite Hinoki. They can hear others approach, including Akamatsu and Miyako.

Yakusugi appears, luring the possessed to him, Nd unleashes cold on them, freezing them in place. An attempt to attack the perceived sauce is repelled, damaging the charm, forcing him to run.

Keita and Hinoki find the organ freezing room, Sho and Kaede emerge, having been locked in trying to escape, after everyone became possessed. They run, but Keita and Hinoki turn and try to bite Kaede, Sho also turns, and Kaede runs, recalling being told she alone kept her reason. She looks everyone in and the director tells her to come join their master,but Sho appears behind him, having faked turning to distract the mastermind and get close. He admits the cooling gas causes the hunger, Sho uses his abilities to try and get answers, but the zombies break out just in time. The director runs, but Lamia and Seeme appear, despite the Limpid Channel blocking, Seeme destroys his charm, and he leaps into the pool. Bodaiju takes the seed of Forte from Cactus, to take to Pakila, but then senses Kankel.

19th Night: Mirror -ITUWARI-

Miyako notes persistent efforts to get Kaede, the man they met was a fraud, who leapt into sulfuric acid, and there's evidence of Betterman being there. She accesses data on the Dive Inspection, a photo showing 7 people including herself, Hinoki's father, Cactus, possibly Yakusugi and Umezaki among them, and recalls the Chojin Domei. Lights go out, but she keeps working.

The class is doing a neko maid mirror house for the cultural festival. Ushi managed to get ahold of special mirrors derived from Mirror Coating through his brother's connections, and the girls got Hinoki a special devil themed costume.

Miyako tells Akamatsu and Sho that Mode Warp has no leads on those trying to control Kaede, but when the directory of the Chojin Domei calls to make an offer for Kaede Miyako immediately accuses him of everytjing, and he doesn't deny it, just saying he will contact her directly.

Keita traps himself in the Mirror House, and when Hinoki goes to her him out she can't find him.

Miyako explains Chojin Domeir work in consulting in various fields, making extensive use of dowsers like Kaede, wanting her for her skills. Sho is naturally angry with their use of Kei, and they're making plans with Mode Warp. Ritchan is driving, but the tunnel is too long, a charm has been stuck to the vehicle.

Hinoki and Keita cannot find eachother, and Keita's reflections start moving independently. At her workstation, Miyako's reflection emerges, and starts taunting her, as does everyone else's trying to break their spirits. Lamia is chasing after, Seeme heads elsewhere. Hilariously Ritchan's reflection is acting exactly the same, as Lamia comes into contact with his own just as he is about to reach the Carrier.

After acknowledging his does as real but opposite, and both become Nebula. Seeme trying to leave the tunnel is accosted by her double, who starts demanding she has Lume.

Everyone starts to find resolve from the words acknowledging them and finding the ability to move forwards, but Sakura manages to terrify her double.

After the two Nebulas are defeated Lamia stands alone. Pakila contacts Lamia, saying Seeme is safe and the enemy is human, not Kankel, he uses psychic powers to destroy the mirrors, which is reflects back to the one directing the mirror attack.

Keita and Hinoki finally find eachother and hug in relief, only to be photographed by Ushi, everyone being in on it to get the two together, after they disappeared on the camping trip.

At the airport, Miyako receives the documents she requested in the Chojin Domei.

#betterman

[hopeamarsu]

In The Pale Moonlight

Will Miller x fem reader x Frankie Morales (one-sided, for now) 

Word count 1,3k

Warnings Angst, yearning, one-sided love, unrequited love, unintentional voyeurism, dubious consent, voyeurism. Please let me know if I missed anything

A/N: It’s sad hours again and my heart asked gently for a yearning Will. 

It’s 3:12 am.

Again.

Will slumps back into the pillows, huffing when he registers the blinking red numbers in the alarm clock. He tries to will himself back to sleep, but already knows it’s fruitless. He’s been through this enough times to know that waking up at the ungodly hour of 3:12 am means he won’t be able to fall asleep again. 

It wouldn’t normally be a big issue, he could just pad into his kitchen to get something to drink and into his living room to mindless reruns of night-time TV that consists of shady fortune-tellers and reruns of ancient-yet-comforting TV like Golden Girls and Keeping Up Appearances. But he’s in the guest bedroom of Frankie’s and your house and he hopes you are still asleep. He can’t disturb your sleep, that would be beyond rude of him, Will is already intruding by staying over. No matter how you tried to convince him that it was okay and he was welcome here, anytime and whenever he needed a place to crash. 

“I’m all right, I can go back home no problem.”

“Nonsense Will, we’d love for you to stay. Frankie can make his pancakes in the morning, right honey?”

“Yeah, of course, querida. Ironhead, please stay. We’d love it.”

“I, uh…” how can he ever say no when both of you look at him like that, like he’s seen and loved and heard? It’s too good to be true, he can’t let himself hope. But before he can rationalize it, his trecherous heart answers before his brain can convince himself. “I’ll stay.” 

The soft hug you gift him, your body molding so perfect against his, and the smile on Frankie’s lips will haunt him for days but in the best way. 

The memory fades and he knows he does need to do something, his mind all woken up now and his body used to moving. Will eases himself off the bed, wincing when his feet touch the cold wood floors. Maybe a trip to the bathroom and back will be enough and he can rest, if not sleep. His mind made up, Will steps into the dark hallway. 

The bathroom trip is short, he goes about his business as silently as he can, cringing only a little for the sound of water when he washes his hands afterward. The water and light shut off, he steps back into the hallway and begins creeping back into his room. The guilt of walking around at night licks his spine and he tries to move slowly, yet hurriedly while making as little noise as possible. 

He’s almost home free when Davis, your old dog, trots by him and into the master bedroom, leaving the door wide open in his wake. Will stands frozen in the hallway, having an unobstructed view of your room and your bed. 

Of both of you. 

In your bed. 

Two naked bodies, spooning one another. 

The blanket has fallen off the bodies lying there and offers him a tantalizing image of naked, alluring skin. He sees your bare chest and the strong arm slung carelessly over your stomach. You are both facing the door, eyes closed and faces relaxed. You look good together like this, the dangers and worries of the day long forgotten in each other's arms. You look like you are in love, your bodies craving one another even in slumber. 

His blue eyes take in everything in a second, a relic of times past, and Will can feel himself harden in his boxers at the image painted on his brain. He knows he should avert his gaze and walk back to his room, forgetting how hard his cock is, but something about the witching hour makes him feel reckless. He stands still, letting his eyes take in all that has only been shameful glances in the past. 

Will looks at the way your hip curves and your lower body disappears under the blanket, imagining the warmth he would feel if he were lucky enough to slip his hand between the fabric and your silken skin. His eyes travel upwards, enjoying how large and strong Frankie’s arm looks across your body, how it would protect you from any harm. He thinks whether the same arm would feel protective if it were draped over his own body at night. Together the men could protect you and in turn, you two could protect him and you and he would protect Frankie. The harmony in all that.  

His eyes travel upwards; seeing your perfect breasts bathed in the pale moonlight and how Frankie’s fingers ghost over one of them, how gentle the touch is. Your breast looks even more beautiful when it’s held by Frankie. Oh, how he would love to suck on your pebbled nipples and the fingers holding your flesh. How he could shower love on both of the body parts equally, worship them as they deserve. 

Because he would worship both of you equally, lavish you in love and awe and happiness. He would gladly spend hours taking you apart with his tongue before putting you back together. Then he would turn to Frankie and shower the other man in praise while taking him deep inside, so fully into him that he would feel it for days to come. Sink into a warm heat, let his fingers dance freely until all three of you would be shaking with need. Do it over and over again. 

Will can feel the minutes tick by as he keeps cataloging both your faces, his chance at getting caught increasing simultaneously but he cannot move, not now when he has something to fuel his fantasies for months to come. He cannot stop, nor does he want to, the night hiding his desires. 

He imagines how different both your kisses would be; your soft skin in his palm when he nuzzles closer and Frankie’s scruff tickling him when he finally tastes heaven and the man he has loved in secret for years. Because he has loved Frankie, will always love Frankie and now, in the darkness, he can admit to himself that he has fallen in love with you too.

He loves your smile, your laughter, and your kindness. Just like Frankie, you have captured his heart completely and even if neither of you will ever know of it, his heart belongs to you both. It will always belong to you. 

Will closes his eyes, willing the yearning inside him to quell, and takes a final, desperate look at the perfection of the two bodies intertwined together in a bed where he will never sleep in. Two bodies, not three. Never three. He closes the memory of the pale moonlight dancing on your skin, highlighting both of your beauty, into his mind and forces his feet to move, leaving the dream behind.

He closes the door silently behind him before climbing into the guest bed, burrowing into the cool sheets and the lingering scent of your detergent. This is as close as he’ll ever get and soon he cannot let himself have this either, not now when he knows what’s so close and yet so far out of reach. 

Will wipes his eyes, both angry and sad at himself, and glances at the clock. It’s past four now, the witching hour over and morning closer than before. And come morning, he will lock his emotions inside him, thank Frankie and you for allowing him to stay before going back to his apartment alone. His memories and the images dancing in his mind will be his only companions and the closest he will ever get. With this in mind, Will closes his eyes and tries to ground himself as to not step back into the hallway to chase his foolhardy dream of being loved by the two of you.

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#will miller #will miller fanfiction #frankie morales #francisco morales #francisco catfish morales #frankie morales fanfiction #will miller x reader #frankie morales x reader #will miller x reader x frankie morales #cw: voyeurism #cw: dubious consent #triple frontier fanfiction #m/m/f #fem reader #hopeamarsu

[literaryobsession]

sun and moon || xiao x reader

summary: a wandering tarot card reader from Mondstadt stops by the Wangshu Inn and in the process comes across the infamous Yaksha

warning: not proofread

word count: 1036

chapters: moon, eclipse , epilogue

CHAPTER I - SUN

Intuition brought you to Liyue. 

In fact, in most of your decisions in life, you act on your intuition and of course, the guidance of the cards in your bag. 

Mona often tells you that you need to thank your lucky stars that you haven’t gotten into so much trouble yet because of all the wandering that you’ve been doing. Kaeya shrugs at this whenever he hears it, he always encouraged you to live freely and do as the wind does. 

Upon reading your own cards the other week, you found that there would be so much opportunity for your growth if you tread the unknown path outside of the city you are currently living in. You’ve made a home in Mondstadt after leaving Sumeru and you kept on returning to the City of Freedom since then. 

You’ve been to Liyue countless times but never for too long. After being missing in action for a few weeks from Mondstadt, you’ve always returned. The bed in Mona’s place is much more comfortable than moss and rocks. Your astrologer friend always welcomes you in, especially if you’ve got Mora to share with her. You don’t mind. After all, you know it in yourself that you have to pay for lodging else where and Mona provided you with a cheaper alternative.

That was before your cards told you to go and of course, you did.

It took you nearly three days worth of travel to get to Liyue but you’re so used to sleeping under the stars that you didn’t mind. 

It was a big relief though that you managed to come across the Wangshu Inn. After giving Verr Goldet all the Mora you had, you were given two nights of stay which was something, considering the quality of rooms at the inn.

“Your fame precedes you, traveler.” Verr Goldet smiled at you from behind the counter. “My customer often talks about meeting the fortune teller in the woods. Judging from their description, that must be you.”

You chuckled at this, “People do love coming across me.” You remember camping in the woods, it wasn’t because you liked being a recluse but because you didn’t have money to spend for a night in some inn nearby, and people would happily jog over to you after hearing from friends and neighbor how you helped them with their dilemma.

“You’re quite elusive though. Many travel just to have the chance to spot you and get a reading from you.” The woman then gave you a curious look that told you all you need to know, “Do you thi-”

“Of course. Come over to my room when you have a free time and I’ll read the cards for you.” You nodded, that was the least you can do for her.

You put your bag in your room and freshened up for dinner. Although it was fun to eat random fruits and nuts, you were craving for a hot meal. Then you remembered that you put everything you had in this room so you went to Verr Goldet and asked for permission to read cards for the guests in the dining area outside. She gave you a yes, so you wasted no time.

It didn't take long for people to come over the table you picked. It would be economically better for you to stay in one place since people felt so compelled to pay to have their cards read, but you were a free-spirit and you didn't like getting tied in one place. It made you anxious.

"To get past this, you have to confront your father about your dilemma. He seems apologetic, try and come into terms with him before you make any more rash decisions." You looked around the cards in front of you, trying to see if you can get any more messages for the lost girl.

"Should I? He'd only keep me and my boyfriend apart." She teared up.

You nodded and took another card, wondering if the solution really was to run away from home and elope. "Again, you need to see this rationally. You are much too blinded by your emotions, you have to look at this with a clear mind. Look at the pros and cons of your choices. Take a moment, breathe, and then decide. The archons will guide you."

One by one, the people sat down, shared their problems, and you provided them with answers. Sometimes the cards were sympathetic, but most of the times, they were rash and straightforward.

You managed to get enough Mora to survive for a week or two, absolutely satisfied that the decision to go to Liyue seems like a fruitful one.

When the guests were satisfied, you ordered dinner. Your energy was spent, divination really isn't an easy task and your teacher was not kidding when he said that you need to take a break after sessions.

"Here is your food. This is golden shrimp balls, these will be on the house." Verr Goldet smiled wide at you when she brought your food over. "Is it okay if I come over after you have dinner? I won't waste too much of your time."

"Of course!" You will always be easy to sway with food.

Once you were fed and full, Verr came over. "I'd like to know if my business will be doing well in the future." She inquired. You liked it when people asked direct questions, that way you'd be able to see answers easily.

"Alright. Let me see here." You went quiet for a few minutes, laying your cards in front of you. "Your business will be thriving. You've built this inn for a good cause." Then something made you curious, "An archon is happy with you because of this. I see an agreement... I wonder if the Geo archon is the one giving you all this luck."

Verr's smile turned fond, "Maybe."

"Your life in the Wangshu inn will be prosperous. You're protected."

Then you felt the sudden need to look up, that was when saw the unwavering golden stare of an entity at the top of the inn. The gaze made you shiver.

"That's Xiao." Verr's eyes followed yours, "He's the one protecting us."

#adeptus xiao #genshin impact #xiao x reader #genshin fic #genshin xiao #xiao x you