#the way arthur holds him so protectively makes my heart hurt

[arthursfuckinghat]

Jack, Arthur and Weetabix 𑁦𐂂𑁦 Horseshoe Overlook

#looka jacks scrunched up lil face #the way arthur holds him so protectively makes my heart hurt #in a good way #I just know he thinks of isaac #and what could have been #oh arthur #rdr2 #red dead redemption 2 #mick squeaks #arthur morgan #jack marston #weetabix my horse

[hopelessromantic5]

Arthur is found by a little old witch in the woods, and is cared for.

But the witch realizes that her magic is no good on him.

She hovered her hands over Arthur’s body, with her eyes closed. Arthur could see the light cascading out her fingertips but he could not feel anything.

“Ah.” She said, smiling at him sweetly. “You are protected by one very great indeed, young warrior. My magic cannot even help you, let alone could it hurt you.” She giggled, as if this was something funny.

Arthur, high on pain and unable to move at all without searing hot flashes of it, was a tad put out.

“Is there something wrong with me?”

She shook her head.

“The opposite. The magic that protects you is more powerful than any I’ve felt, in all my years. And there were a lot of years, believe me. The person watching out for you, Arthur Pendragon, must care for you a great deal. Especially in knowing how you feel about the subject of sorcery.” She rattled these things off as if it were idle chitchat, as she went about the room collecting herbs and creams and throwing them into the pot in her hands.

Arthur was extremely confused. About everything that was said, but definitely one thing.

“You know who I am?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t invite anyone into my home without knowing who they were.”

“You helped me anyway? Knowing my father executes magic users?”

Arthur could not find it in himself to be afraid, he knew he was in no danger, and she’d just said she couldn’t hurt him or heal him with magic. So that’s good at least. She could’ve left him for dead, another reason to be thankful.

He had no intention of mentioning any of this healing excursion to his father.

“You would not turn me in. I know you have a true and noble heart. You are the Once and Future King.” She smiled over her shoulder at him and continued on her way.

Arthur played back the entirety of what she’d mentioned previously and his brows furrowed even more, if possible, giving him a slight headache.

He didn’t mean to appear rude but the question just came tumbling out of him.

“Someone powerful is stopping you from using magic on me? With magic?”

She turned back to her work station, which faced Arthur’s bed, and nodded again.

“Your guardian angel.” She smiled again, very sweet but also secretive. A smile of knowing things that Arthur had yet to even begin to comprehend.

Arthur was struck back to his fathers voice saying that same phrase. And all the numerous times he’d come away from a battle he thought lost, with nothing but a few scratches.

Someone was saving him.

Time and time again. Someone was always there.

But who?

The woman’s head snapped up from her working hands as if reading his thoughts. But still no malice was found in her eyes, only concern.

“Heed my words.” She began. Nothing good ever started with that. “They are not your foe. They have been there time and time again, you know it. In your heart of hearts. A moment will come when you must make a choice. If you turn this into a war, as your father did, everything you hold dear will be lost. Your kingdom, your happiness, the color of the world through your eyes. You will see nothing but grey ash.” A tear slid down her cheek and Arthur could feel them welling in his eyes, though he didn’t know why.

“But,” she smiled wetly. “If you choose to trust your heart, and open it to them willingly, you will prosper. Even in death, you will not truly die, as so many men do. You will be the Once and Future King, and your soul will live forever.” Arthur blinked, and he felt the wetness because he knew he was crying. But he didn’t feel sad, he felt ecstatic. Like it was bursting out of him, but he couldn’t move. Because everything was still broken and sliced open, making him vulnerable to everything. Even the feelings in the air, which Arthur usually held a dutiful immunity to.

“Who?” He managed to croak out, when he regained his princely manner.

“I will not tell you, Arthur. And you would be wise not to go looking. The answer to your question will come in its own time. For now, keep learning.” And then she winked, like Arthur was supposed to know what that meant. And how was he supposed to just keep going with the knowledge that someone close to him, or someone who thinks highly of him, has protected him even in knowing they could be caught at any second, knowing they would die. All to save Arthur.

At the thought, he wondered why his life was worth so much. Yes, knights uphold their honor and would fight and die for Arthur or Uther. But Arthur didn’t meet many sorcerers with loyalty of that kind.

Or maybe he didn’t really meet any sorcerers. Unless they were heading to the pyre and looking down their last minutes.

Of course, the sorcerers he’d come in contact with didn’t fancy a chat, because Uther never offered it. There was never a question. Magic equals death. It didn’t matter if it was healing, or helping a dying crop, or growing a shade tree for the children.

In the low light of the old woman’s tent, everything made perfect sense.

But it didn’t.

Because, not very many people knew that Arthur didn’t always agree with his father on these matters, Uther would never allow that to be made too public.

Maybe guards had heard something and whispered their secrets to handsy maids, or stable boys. Whatever the preference.

It would be entirely possible for the staff of the castle to know things that they shouldn’t.

So that narrows it down to about…three hundred people give or take.

Lovely.

Arthur took a deep breath and heard the old woman’s words in his head.

So he stopped thinking of it, stopped trying to find an answer and just waited for it to come to him. Or for death. Whichever came first.

The next day, as he woke, he almost startled realizing he wasn’t in his bed, and wouldn’t see Merlin first thing, but then didn’t because it hurt too much.

“Do not fret. It is almost time for you to go, Arthur Pendragon.”

“What do you mean?”

Then he heard it. A faint voice. Like music to his ears.

Yelling his name.

Oh thank heavens.

Merlin found him.

He always found him.

A pang of…something hit his heart before he could stop it and it upset him deeply.

But then the smile returned, because he was about to go home.

The woman came and helped him up, dressed his various wounds with her mysterious poultice once more, and then turned to look him straight in his ocean blue orbs. Right into the very depths of him. Hers were almost clear, like the sky.

“I know you have love for your father, but he lives in fear every day of his life. All of his decisions are made out of that fear. You cannot be the King your people need you to be if you follow in his footsteps. Choose love instead. Always. Even when it’s most difficult.”

She walked him out of the canvas tent and into the cool winds of spring morning.

“I wish you the best of luck, my King.” She bowed her head. The first sign of respect for any title, she had ever shown him. He almost blushed because of it. And he felt proud. To have someone like her rooting for him.

He would think about that old woman and what she told him, for years to come.

“Arthur?” The voice was getting closer. Then a lanky body burst through the line of trees and found him standing there, strapped together with bandages.

Arthur turned back to introduce the woman to Merlin, but she was gone.

And so was her tent.

It had all vanished.

For a moment he thought he was insane. But looked down at the helpful linens that were holding ointments on his carved skin, and knew that he hadn’t made it up.

“Arthur!” Merlin ran straight for him, but stopped a few feet off, clearly seeing he was hurt.

“Thank God you’re alive. I mean I knew you were, I knew you wouldn’t leave without sending me to the stocks one last time for good measure.” Arthur was smiling, he could feel it. He’d missed his friend. More than he should’ve.

He wished he could hug him, but as previously stated, he could barely move.

“I could go for a hug,” he admitted. “But I can’t really move anything without…ya know, pain.” He was still a little woozy and wanted to just get on with the journey.

“Guess I’ll have to help you on your way then.” Merlin sighed, but smiled anyway and looped Arthur’s good arm around his shoulders.

Then they walked.

And walked and walked and walked.

And neither of them said anything.

Arthur was lost in his own thoughts about destiny and the people that would one day rely on him for protection and peace.

Merlin had issues of his own he was meddling through, Arthur assumed.

And when the limping boy realized they’d been walking all day in complete silence, and hadn’t stopped once.

He finally voiced a question.

“Were you wounded?”

“What?” Merlin asked quietly.

“In the battle. Trying to get away, were you wounded?” Arthur’s eyes scanned his body and did not see any marks on his pale skin.

“No, I got away unscathed. Can’t say the same for you though.” He looked down, assessing Arthur’s own wounds.

“Did someone help you?”

“Yes.” He answered shortly. “An old woman. She was very kind.”

“She looks like she knew what she was doing. So I’m glad.” Merlin didn’t ask any more questions, Arthur was grateful.

“How did you find me?”

Merlin looked sheepish for a moment, but schooled it, and managed to get the redness out of his neck before it spread to his face.

He shrugged.

“I’m not really sure. I just had a feeling. Like I said, I knew you weren’t dead. So I just, kind of, followed my gut. And it led me to you standing in a field all by yourself.” He chuckled, as if the scene were funny.

“Hmm.” He said. Then looked around, and noticed there was water running somewhere.

“There’s a stream nearby, and it’s getting dark. We’ll stop and finish the journey tomorrow.”

“Alright. I’ll gather wood for a fire.” Merlin led him to a log and leaned him up against it for support.

Arthur could only watch as Merlin went about gathering dry wood where he could find it.

In the process of that, Arthur fell fast asleep.

In the darkness, Merlin crawled to Arthur and began to heal all his many wounds. Black smoke rising from them as they closed and left nothing but a scar.

Arthur would think the old woman’s poultice worked well. And they would be able to get home that much quicker.

Before Arthur opened his eyes the next morning, he knew something was different.

He tested his leg and it moved without delay or surging pain. His arms in the same strong condition.

His eyes flung open, and he ripped the bandages off to reveal closed skin.

Arthur might be a bit dull sometimes but he knows fairly well that nothing of any mortal nature could heal him so quickly.

But the old woman. She’d said no one could touch him with magic. Helpful or otherwise.

So what had done this?

His eyes glanced his surrounding and found only one clue.

A body curled in on itself with dark curls springing out.

Merlin.

But it couldn’t be. Merlin might not be as much an idiot as Arthur usually claimed. But he was no sorcerer.

Was he?

The pieces started clicking together. Merlin was always the one to conveniently drag him to safety.

He’s always the one there when unexpected victories are won.

Merlin.

Of course.

Something in Arthur must’ve known. Because he was not surprised even for a second. It almost seemed right in his mind. Merlin. Magic. Of course.

But that means Merlin’s been the one risking his life every single day, just to do what? Muddle about and polish armor? Muck out the horses?

If Merlin was as powerful as the old woman said, why did he stay? And why didn’t he trust Arthur with his secret?

Merlin started to rouse.

Arthur had to make a decision.

Confront him or act oblivious?

#merthur #merlin #merlin and arthur #arthur pendragon #merthur fic #merlin bbc #hurt Arthur #wise old woman in the woods #sorry it’s a bit long #from the drafts

[red-riding-wood]

Hi! :) first of all, I love your blog and your writing is amazing!

I'm obsessed with peaky blinders for years now and i would love to request a fic about arthur shelby (cause he's my comfort character :') is it possible that you write a fic/imagine about him and a younger female reader (in her early 20s) that had a traumatic past and as a result resorted to unhealthy coping mechanisms (hurting herself, drinking,.etc.). Arthur and her are dating, he gets more and more protective over her cause he wants to keep her safe and as they get more intimate with each other (smut) and he notices her scars etc., he tries to make her feel more comfortable by praising her. So a mix of feelings, smut and a slight power dynamic (arthur is more dominant/caring and the reader is a little insecure). I hope that makes sense!

Also, if the topics make you uncomfortable/you don't like to write about said things, i can totally understand that you turn my request down. :)

~sending you positive vibes ! ♡

Ruined

moodboard by @shelbydelrey

Arthur Shelby x F!Reader I Peaky Blinders

Warnings: smut, mentions of self harm and scars, allusions to past sexual assault, angst, reader has body issues

WC: 2415

AN: Thank you so much for the request and the support, anon! It means so much to me and I'm SO sorry it's taken me so long to get this written. You've been in my thoughts a lot and I hope you're doing well! Actually was holding onto this one for a little while, too, because I didn't think the smut was very good, but I'll give myself a break because it's been a while since I've written anything spicy. Also, apologies for cutting it short; it was getting to be quite a long oneshot. I hope you like it!

---

“He wasn’t even looking at me, Arthur.”

“Nah, Y/N, you didn’t see him. I’ve seen enough bad men in my life to know he was up to no good,” Arthur disputed, aggressively hanging his overcoat on the rack.

You sighed, and closed the gap between the two of you; your hands went to the stubble of his cheek, and you sought his gaze with your own.

“Arthur,” you said, softer this time. “Just because I…” Your words hitched in your throat, your tongue bound from speaking of the assault as if admitting it would make it real. “… just because I’ve been hurt in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.”

Under your touch, he settled, if only slightly; it had been proven, time and time again, to tame the beast inside him. But his chest still heaved, and with a gentle finger you wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

“Arthur,” you said again to ground him, as his gaze began to wander anywhere but your face. “I hate seeing you like this, picking fights everywhere you go.”

Sometimes you wondered if you had made him worse. Ever since you’d started dating the eldest Shelby brother, he’d found more and more excuses to punch or bludgeon whoever looked at you the wrong way. Though your touch may have soothed him, your existence only stoked the fire that burned bright in his damaged soul.

“What am I supposed to do, then, eh?” he said, exhaustion working its way past the thorns of his tone, and his forehead brushed yours, unruly locks of brown hair tickling your lashes. 

You inhaled his scent – the sharp spice of his aftershave, the sweat of his ire, the musk that was so uniquely him that you couldn’t help but feel at home each time you breathed it. Your heart fluttered in your chest, and you cocked your head at him slightly as an idea formed in your head.

“Maybe some kind of…” You drew a finger from his jaw down the bare of his chest before it disappeared beneath his shirt, and you swallowed as your heart beat faster against your ribs. “… physical therapy?”

Winter-blue eyes clouded in lust, and his Adam’s apple bobbed along his throat. Despite seeing him for a while, the two of you hadn’t gone all the way yet, but it wasn’t that you didn’t want him, or didn’t trust him. You had always been afraid that, when he saw the scars on your flesh, he would discard you for another young woman who didn’t ruin her body.

Ruined, indeed, you thought, with a bitter jolt in your chest. Your eyes lowered from his winter blues so that he wouldn’t see the self-hatred in your eyes.

“Now, don’t tempt me with that, love.” His breath fanned the hair from the side of your face as his hand slid from your shoulder down to your hip. “That somethin’ you want?”

Repressing your anxiety and your sullenness, you drew closer to him, pressing yourself against the heat of his body as you tried to formulate a verbal response.

“Hm?” His fingers tipped your chin back up to look him in his eye.

You nodded, biting your lip as your hips connected and you felt him hard beneath his trousers.

“Yes,” you breathed.      

“C’mere, then,” he growled playfully, his hands scooping your legs up. You wrapped your thighs around his waist for balance, and you chimed out a giggle as he carried you to his bedroom.

Though you knew he tried to be gentle, he practically threw you down on the bed, but you didn’t mind. A puff of air escaped your lungs and you sank into the mattress, your head spinning and heat pooling between your legs. Your pointed toe ran down his waist, not wanting to part from him even for the seconds it took for him to shed his shirt. You tried to prop yourself on your elbows to get a better look, biting your lip. A grin stretched apart his lips as he looked down at you, undoing his belt. And he said, with that gravel in his tone that you’d come to adore,

“Going somewhere, love?”     

You shook your head, but you managed to sit up, your breaths cast across his navel as you looked up at him from bright, playful eyes. “Not without you.”

Your fingers ghosted over his, knuckles rough against the softness of your palms. They stilled, and you pried them from his belt, your index slipping between the hem of his trousers and the heat of his flesh, your heart skipping a beat when you felt the coarseness of his hair.

Arthur’s breath hitched in his chest as you rose, on your knees, to place kisses along the ridge of his collarbone, tasting his sweat on the tongue you dragged down his clavicle to the center of his chest. An animalistic groan rumbled beneath your lips as you cast his belt aside and tugged the buttons from his trousers.

“Seems I’m not the only eager one,” he rasped as his fingers wove through your hair, seeming to light a trail of fire from the nape of your neck to your scalp and sending a shudder through every nerve of your body. For a brief moment, you stiffened, the sensation of his fingers tightening around your hair familiar to you in a way that had once been most vile but, in this moment, you were most ashamed to find thrilling. You reminded yourself that he wasn’t pulling as hard, and that at any moment if you asked him to stop he would. You reminded yourself that this time it was Arthur. And it was okay for it to feel good.

Heat suffused your cheeks at his words, and you cast a small moan just above the hem of his trousers, having worked your way down in loving kisses. His hand loosed from your hair, and his other came around to tilt your chin back up to look at him, hair flopping in front of those lustful eyes and the light of the chandelier framing his head in a halo, like he was some kind of fallen angel.

“As I much as I want you to continue…” he said, voice coming out ragged. “… I want to see what we’re dealing with.” His fingers ran along the outline of your breasts beneath your shirt, another shiver passing through you as his thumb brushed a pert nipple.

“I want to see you, love,” he said, thumb dragging down to the lip of your breast, your heart rate increasing the further he explored. You wanted to sit still, and be a good girl for him, but the pounding in your ears and the clamminess of your palms just wouldn’t subside.

You shuddered this time out of fear, that jolted through your veins, intense and cold and criminally contrast to the heat that inundated every other fibre of your being. But you hid it well. How could he had known he’d just traced over a scar you’d never shown him?

Your stomach twisted as you wondered what he would think when he saw them… all of them. And while you wanted nothing more than to be laid bare before the man who owned your heart and your soul and who deserved your body, and you wanted to give him it, you also couldn’t help but wonder, what if he thought you were ugly? What if he thought you were ruined?

And in that moment you scorned yourself for ever laying a blade to your thighs, or your stomach. You hated yourself for ruining something you could never have back, something that would’ve been beautiful had you not squandered it, time and time again.

“Arthur.” Your lip trembled, and your hands were shaking as they left the hem of his trousers. You panted out your breaths, your head even lighter than it had been before. And on your lips you could taste the words you yearned to say, to tell him why you ached so badly to do this but feared so cruelly unveiling a gruesome body that he did not deserve.

But all that came out was, “I’m scared.”

Something in his eyes softened at that, and any trace of his grin vanished as his weight sank into the mattress beside you. His hands were on you, but not in a frightening way; one ran across your trembling back and the other rested reassuringly on your thigh. You felt yourself leaning into his touch, as if it would vanquish any trace of fear or doubt that made your body tremble with such pitifulness. As if it would cleanse your impurities and make you whole again.

Arthur’s words seemed to catch on his tongue, and a flicker of his own uncertainty darted through those winter blues. ���You’re not… scared of me, are you?”

“No, Arthur.” You cupped his cheek in your hand now, forcing his gaze to yours, even if yours was brimming with unshed tears. “I want you. And I trust you. I just…”

I’m ruined.

The words froze before they could even reach the back of your tongue, instead strangling your throat, your eyes bugging wide as you swallowed against them. All the while, Arthur’s gaze dragged solicitously across your face, and this time, he was the one to press his forehead to yours, his fingers tangling gently in your hair and rubbing soothingly along your back.

“Y/N,” he said, his heavy breath tangling with your short, frenzied ones. “So long as you ain’t scared of me, you don’t have to be scared of anything. I’m going to take care of you.” His lips dragged to your neck, placing a gentle yet firm kiss along your clavicle. “You don’t have to worry about a thing, love. Just let me take care of you.”

A soft moan stirred from your lips as you felt the heat of his lips on your neck, and your heart pounded in your core. Physically, you had never felt so conflicted, but his words, they were all you needed to hear. You trusted him, and that was what was important. Whether or not you deserved to be taken care of, that was a whole other demon, but Arthur Shelby had a way of making you want to submit to his every whim, to let him do with you as he pleased. This was how you would take care of him.

“Is that a ‘yes’?” he said.

You licked your lips, and said, “Yes.”

“Good girl.”

His hands lowered you to the bed, his stronger, sinewy frame looming over you and making your heart pound wilder in your chest. You licked your lips again, mouth dry, and swallowed back your fear as you felt his fingers begin to undo your blouse, revealing more of you until you were certain he could see what you had so desperately tried to hide. But his kisses were trailing between your breasts, and you helped shrug the garment off as he was absorbed in his work. Had your heart not been beating so fast and had your stomach not been turning so much in fear of what he would soon discover, you would’ve enjoyed the attention a lot more.

And there it was. He hesitated, the bristle of his moustache lifting from your skin and a hot breath exhaling across the scar, still fresh, still burning from the other night.

Your heart practically stopped.

“Y/N…” he breathed, the stubble of his chin brushing your skin to indicate that those blue eyes were on you. You peered back at him reluctantly, expecting horror in those eyes.

And they were filled with adoration.

“Is this what you were scared about, love?” he murmured against your stomach.

“Yes.” Your breath came shattered from your chest, still not quite able to believe your eyes.

For a moment longer, he held your gaze, with a pity you weren’t sure you wanted, but a love that eased your frenzied heart. And then, saying nothing, his lips brushed the scar ever-so-gently, as if to pay it reverence, and though the wound stung, you didn’t care in the slightest.

He still wanted you.

Once he had spent time on the first scar, he let his lips trail all across your stomach, with a surprising tenderness, his fingers gripping your hips tightly but in such a way that felt as if you were safe within his touch. He laid kisses across older scars, that had been slashed across your stomach, and as his lips grazed the lowest, you rocked your hips against the bulge in his trousers, drawing a moan from him and casting it hot against your belly.

“Don’t stop,” you murmured. “Please don’t stop.”

“Y/N, you’re fucking perfect. Have I ever told you that?”

“No,” you laughed, a tear pricking your eye but your anxiety and your tension all dissipating in wake of the sensations that the heat of his lips and the firmness of his hands and the tickle of his moustache sent racing along your skin.

“Well, you’re fucking perfect,” he said, as he pulled your skirt from your waist, and you helped kick it off, your legs instinctively crossing over to shield the scars along your thighs.

He seemed to notice this, and cast you a reassuring look before prying your knees open with strong fingers, and saying, “I’m going to have my way with every bit of you, love. Gonna kiss you everywhere because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever had in my bed.”

Your head rolled back into the sheets as he began kissing and running his hands along your inner thighs. Chapped only slightly, his lips were hot as hellfire but soft as heaven as they explored each scar in a way you never had. In a way that was loving rather than shameful.

“Arthur,” you moaned, bucking your hips impatiently as his lips fell in the crook of your thigh.

“What’s the matter, love?” he asked, coming up between your legs and cupping your cheek in his hand.

A streak of a playful grin pulled at your lips, and you whispered, “Fuck me.”

That devilish grin that you knew so well plastered itself across a handsome face, and as you felt him shift his trousers down, he murmured into your ear,

“Told you wouldn’t have to worry, love. Because if that wasn’t the plan for even a goddamn second…”

---

MASTERLIST • REQUEST

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[fluffypotatey]

*smashes in like the Kool-Aid man*

PENDRAGON SIBLINGS YOU SAY????

I have. So many Feels. About Themst™

The complexity?? The layers?? The angst?? Hello??????

Their relationship is just So Much, because you are right, it's all tangled up in miscommunication and missed opportunities, and so many problems that can be sourced back to Uther "War Crimes" Pendragon, who wouldn't know a healthy relationship if it bit him on the ass.

If Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin, then Arthur and Morgana are edges of the same blade.

Because it's the lonely childhoods, the shared grief, the friendship, the vulnerability, the fondness, the teasing, the envy, the jealousy, the almost romance, the protectiveness, the betrayal, the loss, the hurt, the refusal to let go and the desperate hanging on, and the love, the love, the love.

Indifference is the true opposite of love.

Hate is love that's gone rotten.

“If Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin, then Arthur and Morgana are edges of the same blade.” oh fuck….

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUCK

WAIT HOLD ON WAIT LEMME PIGGYBACK ON THAT BESTIE @0hheytherebigbadwolf (tagging you bc it will be a couple days after you sent this ask)

(Also, for anyone wanting background context on what me and bestie are bouncing off on: voilà)

OK OK SO

we are all familiar with King Uther being the greatest (worst) dad of all time, correct? places such high expectations on his “only son and heir” whilst never officially acknowledging Morgana as his daughter until the very end?

F+ father of the year :)

he is not above sending his children into the dungeon if they disobey him as seen here:

(Jfc he even put Morgana in chains like wtf)

also, he is not above using emotional guilt towards them when he deems it necessary (aka one of the only times he actually acknowledges them as his children)

UTHER (1x02 Valiant) I trust you will make me proud.

UTHER (1x08 The Beginning of the End) I’ve treated you like a daughter. Is this how you repay me?

UTHER (1x12 To Kill the King) You are the daughter I never had.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) You would believe a sorcerer’s lies over the word of your father?

not to mention that when Arthur or Morgana try to reason with him or argue with him since they are the only ones with the status to do so, he pulls rank

UTHER (1x12 To Kill the King) May I remind you that you are speaking to your King [...] Take care, child, or I’ll have you restrained.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) I am your king and your father. You will show me some respect!

UTHER (2x06 Beauty and the Beast) We live in dangerous times, I cannot allow you to undermine my authority.

UTHER (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You have caused this to happen, Arthur. My decision is final.

ngl i could include more but i have already spent hours searching for shit (YOUTUBE WILL DIE BY MY HAND THAT STINGY BITC—) but y’all get what i mean: Uther is an abusive fucker and it has messed up the conditions of Arthur and Morgana

now, about the double edged blade…..

as previously established, Uther is a fucking dick and wants his children to obey him but also adore him. with this behavior, the Pendragon siblings react in two ways: with anger & contempt or submission and remorse

way #1

i’m gonna start with Morgana because anger is the easiest to pick out throughout the show. in the first episode of the first season, our introduction to Morgana’s character is her lecturing Uther about executing the man Merlin witnessed upon entering Camelot (such a warm welcome for Emrys, mh?)

MORGANA I just don't think chopping someone's head off is cause for a celebration. That poor mother. UTHER It was simple justice for what he'd done. MORGANA To whom? He practiced some magic, he didn't hurt anyone. UTHER You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like. MORGANA How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?

early on, it is easy to pick up on Morgana’s resentment and anger at Uther, who she believes is blinded by his fear of magic and his need for control (which she isn’t wrong about). also, we find that she isn’t one to back off when poking the bear (Uther). she does it constantly in seasons 1 & 2

MORGANA (1x03 Mark of Nimueh) Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!

MORGANA (1x08 The Beginning of the End) How can this child be your enemy? He's just a boy. UTHER He is a Druid. MORGANA Is that such a crime?…What have these people done to you? Why are you so full of hate?

UTHER (2x04 Lancelot and Guinevere) How many men would you have me sacrifice to save a servant? MORGANA  As many as it takes!

to be honest, i wouldn’t be surprised if screaming, arguing and berating Uther about his morals and ethics is her way of proving that she is not weak or submissive to his actions. i mean, Morgana grew up in a household the complete opposite from her time in Camelot. Gorlois, the man whom Morgana considers to be her father and one and only family member, was said to be “just” and “kind” and someone that Uther even considered a good friend who openly kept him in check. Morgana, until the age of ten, understood parental love and empathy unlike Arthur, who spent his whole life without any good or healthy substance of it.

the culture of Camelot and Uther’s wrath is not something Morgana was ever able to fully acclimate to as Uther himself pointed out in 1x12. She “was at odds with [him] since the beginning” and could never picture herself as a Pendragon (point further proven in 4x05: she looked revolted when Queen Annis compared her to Uther) because she didn’t share in their idea of magic = evil and a king = absolute control.

ironic in terms of future plot events, isn’t it :’)

way #2

compare that to Arthur: man’s respressed af. keeps all his emotions under lock and key if they are anything but haughty and serious. y’all, Arthur even says it himself how he “[can't] disagree with Father [Uther] in public.” whenever Arthur finds himself at odds with Uther, he holds his tongue and waits until he can disobey secretly (2x05 when he leaves to rescue Gwen, 1x08 when he helps Morgana sneak out Mordred in the dark of the night, 2x08 when he sneaks out to meet Morgause for more info about his mom, etc). it is only the rare moments when Arthur feels impassioned enough to speak up without fearing any retribution does Arthur talk back at him (so satisfying 👌)

ARTHUR (1x03 Mark of Nimueh) [Morgana’s] right, Father. You hear the word magic, you no longer listen.

ARTHUR (2x08 Sins of the Father) This is what fuels your hatred for those who practice magic. Rather than blame yourself for what you did, you blame them….You hunted her kind like animals! How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?!….You speak of honour and nobility! You're nothing but a hypocrite and a liar!

ARTHUR (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You can't forbid my feelings any more than I can. I won't deny them any longer, I love her. I love Guinevere.

we can even compare how the two react to Uther’s violence towards them

(ahahahahahaaaaa what a wonderful dad)

on the left, you see Arthur’s face right when Uther crushes the morteus flower needed to heal Merlin (his manservant/friend/????) and on the right, is Morgana after Uther discovers she was harboring a Druid child in her chambers and she refuses to listen to his reason.

notice how both faces are remarkably similar 👀

however, Arthur’s look of shock and dismay come from his hope that Uther would do the right thing. that he would help save Merlin’s life from dying of poison. that he wouldn’t use this as a method to teach Arthur “what it means to disobey and cross the king.” he truly did hope, just like he always does with the people he holds close. Arthur cannot help but hope and trust that those close to him will not betray him and yet so many do. hence the remorse

looking at Morgana, her shock comes from the fact that this might be the first time Uther reacted to her words and actions in a physical manner. my suspicion is that most of the time, all Morgana previously got was Uther reprimanding her and yelling at her to stop questioning his methods (bc, let’s be real, she was the favorite child.) never has he lifted a finder on her like Arthur and i have proof (cue transcript!)

AND! and, Arthur is constantly warning Morgana about not angering Uther any further because of the consequences she might face (consequences this boy is very familiar with) when Uther deems it necessary to “teach” his children obedience.

UTHER (1x04 The Poisoned Chalice) You have to learn there's a right and a wrong way of doing things. I'll see you're let out in a week. Then you can find yourself another servant.

UTHER (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You have caused this to happen, Arthur. My decision is final [...] This is for your own good. - UTHER She will die. The enchantment will be broken. You'll see I was right.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) I am protecting you from your own foolishness!

so educational 🥰 but see, because Uther presents his punishments as lessons, Arthur himself views them as just a fucked up but meaningful way of his father’s concern because “yeah, I am the first born son and only heir to the throne. of course I need to learn not to do silly things like disobey, talk back to him, be my own person.” <- I’m paraphrasing here

Arthur does and has never seen a way out of the life thrust upon him by Uther (see 3x06). succeeding Uther as king, marrying a noblewoman of high standing for heirs and alliance strength was always expected of him. Arthur never saw a way out of this. even when he and Gwen were in their secret relationship phase, Arthur had to remind himself that this would never last. he loved her and knew she loved him, but there was always that reminder (that sounded a lot like Uther) in the back of his head telling him that it would never last so long as he was prince. he had a duty (constructed by Uther) to serve Camelot and going against his father would mean (in his eyes) that he is going against Camelot (as Uther always presented it to be).

so unlike Morgana, he did not kick and scream but stood firm because that was what he believed was stronger. if he stayed in his lane and did his part, then he would be a good king, maybe even a better one than his father, for Camelot. however, the show proves that differentiating himself from Uther actually made him the better king and more respected, but this is not the meta for that. I am getting side tracked.

OK: so we’ve established parental issues between the two siblings. now onto their very complex, complicated yet beloved dynamic

sO, as i mentioned in this post (because i am lazy and too tired to copy/paste the evidence from there), these siblings do care for one another. they just go about it in the most hilarious and repressed and in-denial way (hilarious to me 😤)

when we meet them, it’s established that these two have known each other for some time. enough for them to bicker and have banter, you know, as you do with a Pendragon. also, should add, neither character are ever aware they are blood-related until s3 (because of some weak-ass bitch named Uther), so you have that very, uh, interesting subplot in s1 that everybody forgets about until you rewatch it. (honestly, I have so many questions. number 1: why???? number 2: it’s only in s1—was it scrapped??? is it like it never existed???? what was its purpose to the plot??? bbc explain yourself—)

however, despite how much it is shown that they do care for one another, they’re relationship in s1 is still undefined and vague as if they also don’t know how to accurately define what the other means to them. it’s very similar to the whole “i really love this person so much but is what i’m feeling platonic, familial, or romantic?” because….you know, guy and girl besties who are close are typically expected to grow romantic feelings for each other, so tbh i would not be surprised if both mistook their love as romantically inclined in the beginning bc, reminder, neither of them were aware they were siblings until much later.

[and this is ALL i am saying on this subplot. i do not want to cause any negative discourse, so if anyone has a few choice words about it, either keep it to yourself or feel free to talk about it with people you know. personally? not a fan of the ship and never will be, but i am not here to post about that.]

anyway, have some featured receipts showing Arthur and Morgana slipping up and showing how much they care for each other.

SEE!!!! LOOK AT HOW THE CARE!!!! SEE HOW THEY WORRY FOR THE OTHER AND WISH TO PROTECT THEM FROM HARM!!! (and see how even when they’re on opposite sides there is still that same love. just more warped and corrupted T^T)

^worried/protective Morgana

^Arthur’s face after Merlin informs him that there’s an intruder heading to Morgana’s chambers

Morgana is very aware of Arthur’s trusting nature. Arthur is very aware of Morgana’s empathy and righteous nature. they understand each other so well which is why Morgana knew just how to harm Arthur in later seasons and why Morgana’s betrayal hit Arthur so hard. it’s also why he never stopped trying to reach out to her in s4 & s5. as @merlinemrys said in this lovely post, the show’s driving force is love. love of all kinds. whatever conflict it is, love is there at the center of it all and, in Arthur and Morgana’s case, it does not save them (just like how love does not save Merlin or Arthur from what lies ahead, as the op of the post pointed out).

that is what makes their relationship/love be like a double edged sword!! that is why they are edges of the same blade!!! they protect and fight for what they believe in and for the people they love, but the same blades cut deep and twist their wounds into a lasting scar.

it is because of Arthur’s love for Morgana that he cannot help but hope and mourn the woman he once knew. it is because of Morgana’s love for Arthur that her feelings of hatred are so strong and ugly.

like honestly,

look at them T^T compared to before

their relationship is so tragic T^T because we knew them before it all went wrong. we knew they cared and understood each other. we knew that for some time, they only had each other to rely on for a friend, a crutch, a breather for when the royal life was too much. both of them were fighters and strive to honor their values. both of them had once leaned on the other for support, had wanted nothing but happiness for each other.

fuck, they didn��t even get the chance to really be siblings because they found out too late, and by then Morgana was on a war path and Arthur only found out at the last minute.

like fuck, man

two sides of the same blade: forged with love, yet used for blood

screencaps brought to you by me, @sourdough-morbread, and farfarawaysite

#i will spare you the gorey details of me trying to fine decent screencaps & screenshots for this fucking post or else i’ll get pissed again #(i am considering whether it is worth it to go to war with youtube) #special thanks to my bestie mor for being there for me at the gorey times and helping me find more screenshots #fucking love you bestie 💕💕💕💕 #also only including s1-2 bc i am tired and they are the ones where we get pendragon siblings not trying to kill each other #forgive me for always bringing up uther and the pendragon sibs’ upbringing with him it will happen again #also after hours of rereading transcripts and rewatching clips of bbc merlin: it is so obvious that uther cared and treated Morgana like hi #own child more than Arthur. like jfc he let’s her get away with so much stuff he is way for gentle with his words towards her #when he realizes that he was too cruel or rude like bro…..where tf was that for arthur #it just adds to the complicated sibling dynamic because there is the added jealousy and resentment of knowing a parent loved another more #literally most of Morgana’s time with Uther was her at odds with him and yet he views her as his child more #well no ducking dur that Arthur ‘i-would-do-anything-to-receive-my-father’s-love-attention-and-pride’ Pendragon resents Morgana for #always being the one Uther goes easier on and finds ways to turn a blind eye for like wtf #also during my research i was reminded of how done dirty Gwen’s story was by bbc #loses her father to a king fearful of magic barely gets to mourn him bc she now has to keep up the smithy and her maid job; reunites #with her brother who’s been AWOL for some years and still they don’t get a moment to talk about their dad and mourn TOGETHER #her storyline is pushed aside by s4 bc now she’s fulfilling the role of Arthur’s love interest and oh yeah they still need to incorporate #the lanceot/guinevere scandal and then banish her for some episodes without even letting her brother be mad about it like ????? #anyway #continued saga of fluffy rereading transcripts -> uther: ‘it’s been a long time since Ygraine…since anyone’ me: ducking liar >:( #[sir leon begins the slow clap] king you dropped this 👑IT IS 1AM HELP 😂 #place your bets on where my laziness for evidence came in! (I honestly don’t know lol scavenging evidence is all a blur) #spent 2 days on this post lol #me: ok i think that’s enough evidence for this argument…………ok maybe ONE more won’t hur— #me after day 2: ….am i done???? am i free???? #pendragon siblings coming behind me with a steel chair: nah mate! #me: FUCK THERE’S MORE #bbc merlin #merlin meta #pendragon sibs

[tetralea]

Hi Dori, do you have any idea on teen-soap-drama vibe karting Charles x Max? (Woooooorshiping eyees🥺)

Loool, angsty teen drama. 💃

Do you have that moment when your heart breaks because your crush is talking to someone else they seem to be interested in? Well, I assume one of them at least once experienced that, and maybe it resulted pushing each other off track, maybe even the third party, it’s not nice and they can’t communicate so fluid yet, because they are learning English only, mostly Charles, baby just can’t express himself as he would like to all the time.

It goes on for a few races, their battles are getting more intense because Max talked to another boy like that and Charles is seeing red, they are not that young at that point maybe 16 or so. People around them getting boyfriends and girlfriends and Charles know what that means, as much a 16 yo can know lol he know enough, that if Max was his boyfriend he could hug and kiss Max and Max would talk to him more and not to that other boy. Charles goes overly dramatic to make Max jealous and makes a hickey on his own shoulder, like the angsty teen he is, and kinda tries to show it off in the race and also hide it from the parents. So there are boy rumours that he slept with someone, well, clearly, since they have a hickey. (I don’t know where I am going with this but hold on.) The parents are worried and try to talk to him but he is all sweet smiles and denying everything.

It doesn’t work, like at all, Max couldn’t be bothered seemingly, which hurts Charles even more and he decides that this can’t go on like this. He changes tactics, he tries to woo Max, leaving small gifts for him, like chocolate or a sandwich which Max said he liked and Charles asked his mom to make it even if Charles doesn’t like it particularly and his mom gave him a look he wouldn’t yield. So, yeah every race he gifts something to Max but in secret and tries to see his reaction, maybe one time he messes up. He leaves the foil wrapped sandwich at Max’s cart, but since Arthur is also there their mom put labels on it, and now he left a gift for Max with ‘Charles’ on it. Poor boy has a heart attack when he realises, he tries to get it back but it is already too late, Max got it and eating it, smiling, pushing the label into his pocket to hide and protect it.

Later he corners Charles, and Charles is stressed and babbles and Max is not the best at social interactions either. So he says something like “you lost your sandwich and I ate it” like it is an insult, when in reality he wants to thank Charles so he adds, “it was delicious btw” only after realising that it didn’t help much lol but Charles is smiling so much, because Max liked the food!! He liked his gift even if seemingly he thought Charles lost it. So Charles keeps leaving things for him and now it’s more a cute way of courting than anything hehe and they try to “accidentally meet” after or before races to chat a little and Charles tries everything from, “you have something on your clothes” till “I bet my hand is bigger” to initiate any kinda touch between them. Until one time they are both out early from the race and Max takes Charles hand and pulls him into a shed where the park stores go karts for the public and it smell like oil and tires and it’s dirty, but it’s the most private place he could think of.

“I’m sorry I’m not giving you gifts.”

“How do you know they are from me?” Charles tries the play dumb strategy in vain.

And Max just gives him a look and pulls out the old liber from his pocket. “I know.” He gives Charles a small smile, and Charles is red from forehead till his neck and Max finds it very sweet. “It was on them a few months ago.”

“Why did you keep it?” Charles asks too sharp and too fast and Max shrugs, because how could he tell Charles it makes him all warm and happy on the inside when he looks at that small paper with his name on it? He would this he is stupid or in love and no one wants that.

“Look, I just wanted to say I can’t give you gifts all the time but I can give you something in return.” Suddenly his voice is clear and determined and Charles is a bit confused. “I haven’t gave it to anyone else so I hope it makes up for all the food your mom made.” It sounds much dumber than it did in his head but Charles tilts his head so it doesn’t matter.

“Okay.” And Charles shouldn’t sound as expectant but he does and steps closer a bit.

“It’s not something you can keep but I can give it to you later too if you like it.” And Charles is nodding, and licking his lips and he is so nervous. “Can you close your eyes?” And thee is an awkward second but Charles does, his fingers gripping the seem of his suit, and he barely can breath. And suddenly he can feel Max close, really close, and then there is something touching his lips and it takes him a good second to realise Max is kissing him. Well it is more of a peck, maybe a little more the plump lips capturing his but not for long. He feels Max’s hand on his neck to keep him in place and he makes a sound he wasn’t sure he was capable in theses situations. Max pulls back a bit unsure and scared.

“I don’t think it makes up for all the sandwiches.” And Max is scared shitless. “I mean it’s not enough, I mean…” oh and fuck it he can’t say it, his brain is not working mostly not in English. He grabs Max and pulls him close, one hand on his waist, the other on the back of his neck kissing him timidly. It’s new, and odd and wet and warm and mostly wet, and tingly and neither of them wants it to end. They told their heads almost at the same time and Max’s hand goes into Charles hair making it into an even bigger mess and Charles whimpers and he shudders when Max’s tongue is touching his. He has no idea where all this is coming from, how the hell he knows how to do it, it if it is even good the way he does it, but Max is pulling his closer so that is a good sign. They just hold each other, trying to get closer and closer, their bodies are hot and every piece of clothing becomes annoying, it’s strange, and they are a bit sloppy and get braver and try new things some of them has a good reaction and some doesn’t. They are both panting, lips glittering and swollen when they break apart.

“Is it fair for the food?” Max asks, be he has to make sure.

“Yes, if you do this ever time I give you food it’s okay.” Charles nods grinning and kisses Max again because hello it feels hella good and they get so lost in it, also it is hard to know when to end it and it just drags out. “I haven’t, I haven’t done this either before.” Charles blurts out. “And if you do this to anyone else I’ll ruin all our races forever.” It supposed to be intimidating but Max is just giggling and agrees he won’t.

When they emerge from the shed they are both flushed and lips red a little, trying not to grin like idiots. It becomes a habit of course, the best pre and after race ritual any of them could have imagined.

#lestappen #dori writes

[angelynmoon]

"It was forged in a Dragon's fire." Merlin grinned at Lancelot.

There was alot Lancelot wanted to ask about that, like how Merlin got close enough to a Dragon's fire and lived to tell about it but Merlin was already handing the Dragon's blade to him and taking Lancelot's.

"You're better off using it, Kilgarrah will have to sulk about it." Merlin told him.

Again Lancelot had questions, like the Dragon had a name and it was still alive, but those would have to wait since he had a Warlock to protect.

Lancelot decided he liked the Dragon's blade and he wondered if he could request his own, surely the one in his hand had been meant for someone else, likely Arthur, but it felt right in his hand as Lancelot defended Merlin from the Immortals' swords.

Then they were in the throne room and they should have known it would be guarded.

Lancelot looked at Merlin and nodded, the Dragon's Sword ready as they continued, so focused were they on getting to the Cup that they didn't register the sound of the warning bell ringing as they fought.

Lancelot letting out a gasp as he took a hit to his shoulder, luckly not on his sword arm.

Merlin looked at him but Lancelot shook his head, motioning to the Cup, he'd be okay, the others might not be.

Merlin knocked the Cup from its podium as the doors burst open, the men whose blood now spilled across the throne room floor exploding in bright light as the Cup clattered to the ground.

A shout of rage left Morgause and she threw Merlin at a wall.

Lancelot forced himself up to get between them when Merlin laid on the floor gasping, he hoped nothing was too injured, Lancelot had seen men be thrown like that and never walk again, he couldn't let Morgause hurt Merlin.

"Get out of my way, boy." Morgause snarled.

"No." Lancelot said, ignoring Merlin's quiet gasp of his name.

"I am a High Priestess of the Old Religion." The woman smirked as Arthur and the other Knights entered the room from behind the throne and Morgana entered the same door Morgause had, "What do you hope to do against me?"

"Sir Lancelot, your Oath." Merlin said as he shifted to sit against the wall he'd been thrown into.

Lancelot glanced at him, Merlin was giving him the same look he'd given him when he'd Knighted him, so proud, so loving, even as his arm rested across his chest, he likly had several broken ribs.

"Your Oath." Merlin said again.

Lancelot nodded and turned back to Morgause and Morgana, who now stood next to her sister, hand up preventing Arthur and the others from coming to their aid.

"And I am a Knight of the Old Religion," Lancelot said, taking in the way Morgana frowned and Mogause stiffened, "A Knight is sworn to valor, his heart knows only Virtue, his blade defends the helpless, his might upholds the weak, his word speaks only truth, his wrath undoes the Wicked."

As he said the last line Lancelot swung the Dragon's Blade at Morgause while she incanted a spell that hit the Shield Merlin had cast over him.

The Blade hit Morgause in the stomach.

And she laughed, "No mortal blade can kill me!" She shouted.

Lancelot tore the Blade out of her, watched her stumble back.

"Then you should know that this Sword was forged in a Dragon's fire." Lancelot said as he watched her fall.

"NOO!" Morgana screamed as she grabbed at Morgause, her cry echoing against the walls, shaking them, making dust spill down.

"Merlin!" Lancelot cried as he turned to gather him up, the man still sitting on the ground.

"Lancelot." Merlin whispered, "We can't leave Morgana, we can't."

"Percival." Lancelot turned to the large man who had fallen into step next to him, "Grab Morgana."

Thankfully the man did not question him as he grabbed the woman and threw her over his shoulder.

Merlin pressed a hand on her ankle and she screamed as her magic was locked away, though the damage had been done and the Castle still shook.

Lancelot felt the moment Merlin passed out and swung him fully into his arms, Gwaine taking his sword so he could hold Merlin better against him as they ran.

Once in the Courtyard Gwen and Gauis both ran to them as the Castle continued to shake.

"What happened?" Gauis asked as he motioned Lancelot to lay Merlin out.

"Morgause threw him into a wall, it must have hurt him badly because he did not stand back up." Lancelot explained.

"Let me go, you peasent." Morgana shouted as she fought Percival's hold.

"Why did you bring her?" Elyan asked, glaring at the woman.

"Lancelot told me to grab her." Percival shrugged, making Morgana yell more at being jostled.

"Morgana." Arthur said quietly.

Morgana glared at him, "Don't think being my brother will save you."

"I miss you." Arthur said softly, "You used to be my best friend, the person I could confide in, where did that woman go?"

"She never existed." Morgana snarled, "She was lied to and hunted and betrayed."

"Arthur." Merlin said sluggishly as he woke, "The bracelet, I think Morgause enchanted it to manipulate Morgana."

"When did you discover this?" Gauis asked as he forced Merlin to stay laying down.

"When she first stared wearing it, Gwen said she wasn't acting the same, she was restless and quicker to anger, so I researched it and had Lancelot look in to personality enchantments in other kingdoms, sometimes they are used to make opinionated women dolcile." Merlin explained.

"You think Morgause enchanted it to make Morgana angry." Lancelot concluded.

"Yes. The Morgana we knew would never turn on the lower people." Merlin said softly.

Arthur and Gwen looked hopeful.

"Fine." Gwaine said and stormed over to wrestle the bracelet off of Morgana's wrist.

She fought him until the metal was no longer against her skin and then she went still.

Percival pulled her off his shoulder to set her on her feet and followed her down as she crumpled.

"What have I done, Arthur, Arthur, I'm so sorry." Morgana said as she began to sob, "I killed so many people, I tried to kill Uthur!"

"Well, a lot of people have tried to kill Uthur." Merlin joked.

"Merlin!" Gaius scolded, even as he let Lancelot help him sit up so he could wrap his ribs.

"I'm still angry at you!" Morgana shouted at him, being held back from throwing herself at him.

"Yeah, that's fair." Merlin agreed as he put a hand over Lancelot's where he'd grabbed the Dragon's Blade.

Morgana stilled, "'That's fair'?"

"I poisoned you, admittedly it was to break the curse on Camelot that Morgause used you to anchor, but still, I hurt you and it's okay to be mad at me." Merlin told her.

"Oh." Morgana exclaomed softly, "She wouldn't have done that if she really loved me, would she?"

"No, Morgana, she wouldn't have." Gwen said softly as she sat next to her friend.

"I hurt you too." Morgana said, "I'm so sorry, I tried to kill you because I was jealous."

Gwen paused, not sure what to say.

"I'm going to teach you everything you need to know to be a good Queen, and maybe you can forgive me?" Morgana asked, hopefully.

Gwen smiled and pulled her into a hug, "You're going to be my sister when I marry Arthur, I suppose I have to."

They both started to laugh quietly.

Arthur cleared his throat, "Unfortunatly, Morgana did use Magic and Magic is against the Law in Camelot."

"Arthur!" Gwen cried as she clung to Morgana.

"Lancelot." Merlin said, making Lancelot sigh as he stood between Arthur and Morgana, Sword in hand.

"Sir Lancelot." Arthur frowned.

"I can't let you harm her, Sire, it goes against my Oath, she's," Lancelot looked down at her and her fearfilled, teary eyes, before turning back to Arthur, "She's helpless, Sire."

"She's a Witch." Arthur argued.

"I bound her Magic, Arthur, she'll only Dream until I realease her." Merlin said as he stood up, ignoring Gauis' protests, coming to stand with Lancelot.

"Lancelot, you are a Knight of Camelot, stand aside."

"Yes, but I am a Knight of the Old Religion first, I swore an Oath to defend the helpless." Lancelot told him.

"You said something like that to Morgause." Gwaine said thoughtfully, "she seemed unnerved by it."

"Because the Old Code is binding, to go against it is to forfit your life." Gaius explained as he stood to go tend to Uthur, who stared at nothing "When the kings of old realised that many Noble Houses could not survive taking such an Oath they got rid of it's use."

Arthur looked at Lancelot and his position in front of Merlin and Morgana and at Gwen's pleading eyes.

"Fine, but she goes nowhere without an escort, if she does she'll be locked in the dungeons for a week." Arthur said, frustrated.

"What about her Magic and the Law?" Leon asked, having been silent until now.

"Oh, fine, I guess I'm lifting the Magic Ban as well, it wouldn't do to spare only the Royal family, I'm not a hypocrate." Arthur cried out.

"Well, there's one thing in your favor then." Morgana teased.

Arthur pointed a finger at her, "Do not make me regret this, Morgana."

"I won't." Morgana promised as she clung to Gwen.

"As for you Merlin, when were you going to tell me you had Magic?!" Arthur shouted.

"To be fair, I've never told anyone." Merlin said.

"Don't make me put you in the stocks." Arthur threatened.

"Don't make me set my Dragon on you." Merlin countered making everyone turn to look at him.

"I'm sorry, your Dragon?" Gwaine asked.

Merlin paused, "So, um, I may or may not be the Last Dragonlord since my Father Died and I inhereted his powers."

Merlin shrugged and winced as his hand came up to cradle his chest.

"We're going to have a long talk later." Arthur sighed, "For now, let's salvage what we can and make a camp. Merlin, you and Gwen babysit Morgana, Percival, you Babysit Merlin and Gwen."

"Yes, Sire." Percival nodded.

"Everyone else, split up, see what you can find, and be careful." Arthur told them, pleased when they split into pairs without him needing to tell them to.

Gwen stood to help Merlin sit down and pulled him close to her and Morgana.

"So, tell us all about how Sir Lancelot took your virginity, was he sweet and gentle or does that hide a more rougeish nature?" Gwen asked.

"Gwen!" Morgana cried, offended.

Merlin almost sighed in relief at getting out of answering.

"You know you're supposed to start by asking what the first kiss was like." Morgana said and turned to look at Merlin expectantly.

"Well..." Merlin began, knowing there was no escape as even Percival was looking at him curiously.

Eventually they would fall asleep, after giggling over the men they loved or in Morgana's case the knight she was never allowed to pursue, perhaps, in time she might be able to win his heart as he'd always held hers but for now they slept and in the morning a new beginning would rise with the sun.

--

A/n: is this an excuse for Morgana to not be evil? You betcha. Is it also me wondering why Merlin didn't give the Dragon Sword to Lancelot, you know the skilled swordsman, and fixing it? Yep. Yeah I know it was probably Kilgarrah making hin promise but he can just be a sulky Dargon about it. Also Merlin does get Lancelot his own Dragon Blade for the Anniversery of his First Knighthood. The other's whine about it so Merlin teases them by getting them daggers and calls the baby swords since they're being babies about it. They get anniversery Swords too but baby swords first.

#a knight #part 3 #mercelot #merlin/lancelot #knights of the round table #arthur pendragon #guinevere #morgana #merlin bbc

[anamizuiro]

IkeVamp x Genshin brainrots I thought about

(I'm sorry for the sudden switch up in interest, my hyperfixations changes sometimes)

Notes: i used to play genshin but not anymore. So i got updates mostly through youtube

Tags: brainrot, drabble, crossover, may have some incorrect things

- Vincent would hesitate harming the slimes. Who doesn't? They are adorable, despite their attacks can hurt, depending on which element of slime you're facing. He always have this urge to touch them, pet them, or even hug them. So, Theo need to remind him that they have to kill these slimes.

"Vincent, step away from that slime"

"But, Theo, they are adorable!" He raised a small hydro slime up as if he was picking up his raccoon pet, "See? Look at their face"

"...you're making this harder than it should, Broer."

(I'm willing to say that Vincent silently cries in bed after completing the commission)

- Arthur would look at the crystalflies and the seelies and went "Hah! Look at that Theo. Fairies does exist here!", laughing at his face while Theo just rolls his eyes while crossing his arms.

- Jean would join the "Melusine Protection Squad". At first, he was confused with these little creatures. How they are so friendly with everyone around, especially someone like Jean (literally one of them greeted and waved her hand to him while he was taking a stroll on the streets of Court of Fontaine), and the way they walk (or skip?) like a child...

Next thing he knew, he found himself interacting and talking to them. Never once he didn't hear a melusine or two saying "Good morning, Monsieur Jean!" Or "It's sunny today, Monsieur Jean. I hope you're having a good day!"

Congratulations, Jean. They have adopted(?) you.

- Shakespeare will have his plays held in the Opera Epiclese. You bet that everyone will attend, because who's not curious about this mysterious playwright who came out of nowhere and held a play? And then the play was much better than they thought, too!

Some theatre group would probably ask him for advices after watching one of his plays. Or even better, aside from being a playwright himself, he also works as an advisor for theatre group. For free! (And yet they are still willing to pay him)

- Teatime with Comte and Zhongli is a frequent activity. When Comte first visited Liyue, he first met Zhongli sitting on a table next to his, sipping his warm tea while listening to the old tale of Rex Lapis.

When Zhongli adds something to the tale being told, Comte was... intrigued. He thought "this fellow seems to speak as if he once lived there"

Honestly, I don't think he'll be surprised if it turns out his guess is correct.

Perhaps through 'the power of reminscing and warm tea', is the reason they still drank tea together til this day.

- Isaac and Alhaitham will probably bond(?) through 'the power of knowledge'. He's literally a physicist, a professor, of course Alhaitham will be interested with whatever information coming out of Isaac's lips (though he doesn't know Isaac is a professor, he just think that the pink-eyed young man is a very dedicated knowledgeable person)

You might found yourself walking in to their science talk. Like Kaveh did. (He nearly got a heart attack when he saw Isaac because who the fuck is this guy and why did Alhaitham invite him without telling him?! This is the second time something like this has happened!)

- would Napoleon laugh at Cyno's jokes? Would he tumble, wheezing and trying his best to hold his laughter?

- Dazai would probably be interested in the books published by Yae Publishing House. He was just walking in the streets of Inazuma, reminscing his homeland...

and suddenly came across a bookstore, he looked at them and went "oh they have novels here. Wonderful!"

He and Yae Miko will probably be the prankster duo the moment they found out that they have a similiarity (poor Isaac and Gorou)

- Would Leonardo be interested with testing the glider? He invented many concepts in the past (literally made a sketch of a parachute in his old notebook too), so when he see something similar to it, how invested is he with it (how it works etc etc)?

- Bet, Napoleon and Arthur is listed on the "most sought out men in Fontaine" type of list. Arthur being the flirt and the smarty he is and Napoleon's (accidental?) natural rizz.

Napoleon was just helping a stranger, and then said stranger ended up losing focus because his alluring rizz mode is activated.

Arthur pulls out the Sherlock mode and all of a sudden they are impressed.

- Vincent will paint the Fontaine sea creatures after exploring the sea of Fontaine. He found them so cute and lively (the otters are a sweet bunch of fellows who follows him like little pups)

Theo saw how his brother was smiling so happily when he draws and when he checked what's on his sketchbook and found cute sea animals, he is screaming happily on the inside because gosh his brother must have the time of his life exploring.

- Lyney and Arthur wit battle when? They have the smarts though in difference ways. And Arthur respects how he's a magician so i'm sure he won't spill out the secrets of Lyney's tricks. He even admires Lyney for it too! (hehehe Sherlock Holmes vs Arsene Lupin game ref?)

#✨️ ~ brain sparks #ikevamp #should this have its own new tag? #ikemen vampire #ikevamp crossover #ikevamp x genshin #ikevamp napoleon #ikevamp arthur #ikevamp shakespeare #ikevamp dazai #ikevamp comte

[pryce0]

Heyo, I'm the anon of complicated, I loved it sm!! John's grumpiness and the build up between them, the "we'll talk at camp"!! *chefs kiss

Plss write part 2, I need it!!!!

Complicated (John Marston x GN!Reader) - Part 2

gif by: deactivated :(

word count; 1,086

Part 1: here

masterlist: here

a/n: HI HI HI IM SO SORRY THIS IS SO LATE BUT I REALLY GOT INTO WRITING THE ENDING I HOPE YOU ENJOY

——————

The anxiety on the way back was overwhelming. John isn’t the chattiest person, but he doesn’t ever really shut up too much. But the entire walk back? Silence. I didn’t say anything myself neither, his silence was honestly scary. How badly did I mess up, I wonder? He just seems so grumpy. I hope I didn’t get on his bad side.

By the time we return to camp, the sun is setting and the wind is blowing ever so slightly. It picks up leaves and has them settle a few feet away from their original positions. I glance around the camp as I use my horse brush to brush through the horses’ manes, their soft neighs and their huffs are comforting. I find myself searching for John who hasn’t reappeared after we returned. My gut twists as I turn to the horse I’m currently attending to. It’s Arthur’s horse who huffs louder than usual, knowing I usually have a treat for her. I laugh gently at her sass, rubbing my brush through her mane. “You want a sugar cube, don’t you?” I coo quietly. I rustle around in my pocket and pull out the cube and offer it to the horse which settles her down, her hooves pressing against the grass. My eyes trail the saddle and the bags on her, absentmindedly wondering how much the saddle cost. “Hey.” John’s low raspy voice fills my ears. I quickly turn my head to see the man who has an unreadable expression, but his body suggests that he’s anxious. I offer him a sweet smile. “Hey.” I say in return, putting the horse brush away in my own satchel. He sighs and rubs the back of his neck. “Mind if we, uh.. Take a walk?” He suggests, and this man stuttered. John fucking Marston stuttered. My smile widens and I tilt my head, my heart fluttering a bit. “Sure thing, Marston.”

He takes me down the trail a bit away from camp and I can’t stop glancing at him. Is it really that important to him that we had to be alone? God, every time I look at him I can feel my face and neck heat up. He’s so.. pretty. Is that weird to say about a man? I love the way his hair falls, the way he smiles, the way he grimaces.. The newly obtained scars look good, too. Of course, I wish he never had gotten hurt in the first place, but we can’t change the past. I notice the way his eyebrows are twitching, the way his fingers are fidgeting. “Y.. you brought up how it must be hard for me to care for new folks.” John started, hesitancy in his raspy voice. I glance around us before looking back at him “I mean.. yeah. I don’t expect it to be easy for you to care about people y’don’t know like that.” I reply, my voice holding no anger. I understand. This lifestyle is a harsh one and you want to protect yourself as much as possible. “You have a family, a wife and all.”

John sighs and stops in his tracks. I don’t notice until a few seconds later, I look over my shoulder and see this poor man nearly melting into the ground. I smile to ease the tension and fully face him. “What is it, John? Are you alright?” I ask. John sighs again which racks up my damn nerves! “Look, I’m not good at this whole thing and I gotta say it now before I don’t say nothin’ at all.” He grumbles, crossing his arms and looking at me. “Abigail and I aren’t together anymore, we haven’t been for a good few months.”

Oh. Oh. “..Oh, John, I didn’t know. I, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to bring anythin’ ba-“

“Goddammit [Name], let me finish, will you??” He snaps gently, which makes me shut up. I can’t help the heat that rises to my cheeks. Typical Marston charm, huh?

John rubs his face before continuing, glancing at me and the ground interchangeably like he’s a little boy getting in trouble for stealing a candy bar. “We haven’t been together for a long while. We worked it out, we.. co-parent, or whatever she said. We still fuckin’ bicker over everything, but we’re good. I’m trying to be a dad.” His voice gets so soft as he finishes his sentence. John looks at me so expectantly as the crickets of the evening fill my hearing. My heart skips a beat as I walk towards him. Is this a good time to confess? God, what if he isn’t ready for another relationship?

I need to say something. I crave him, I want to be by his side so badly, I want to laugh with him during celebrations without feeling deep guilt, I want to hold his hand when we are alone, I want to cuddle up next to him at night.. I want him. I want all of him. All of his troubles, his worries, his good moments, his fears. Everything. I want him.

Instead of words, I step even closer and cup his cheek, pressing my lips to his. Oh my fucking god, I’m kissing JOHN MARSTON, AM I OUT OF MY MIND??

Apparently, I am. His lips are so soft, but I can feel the divet from his scar. A soft noise leaves him and he at first doesn’t reciprocate, which makes me panic and I nearly pull away before one of his hands rest on the back of my neck and the other on my lower back and his lips move against mine, hungry and searching like. I smile in the kiss and I wrap an arm around his neck as I give him my silent confession, giving him all of myself which John seems to graciously accept.

There’s nowhere I’d rather be right now, and I’ll never forget this night. I won’t forget the way his lips feel against my own, the way he smells of cigarettes and shaving cream from that morning, he also smells of dirt, but who doesn’t? My heart skips a beat as he pulls away, but not too far from me. Our noses barely graze against each other as I smile like an idiot, making eye contact.

“…Okay?” I whisper, terrified of ruining the moment. John’s hand moves into my hair and gently grips it, possibly to ground himself. “Okay.” He murmurs back, glancing at my lips before pressing another kiss against my lips.

#rdr2 #red dead redemption 2 #red dead redemption two #john marston #john marston x reader #gender neutral reader #gn!reader #john marston x you #kissing #fluff #canon john marston behavior #ok maybe a little ooc #let him be happy #rdr2 john #rdr2 community #rdr2 fanfic #rdr2 fandom #sweet ending #happy ending

[alphashley14]

One of Us

A Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated/Mystery Skulls Crossover

<Prev Next>

Chapter Fifteen

Brainsick

Ricky suddenly felt like a meddling kid again. 

Rather fitting, considering he was now trapped inside the body of a seventeen year old. But this particular bout of deja vu wasn’t the good kind of nostalgia. 

Not so differently from back then, he was frozen, trembling in front of a ghost. But it wasn’t a person in a costume this time. 

And this time, he didn’t have Brad’s bravado to help him feel brave. Judy wasn’t hiding in the shadows to spring a trap. He didn’t have words of wisdom on his shoulder… and Cassidy wasn’t here to catch him, jumping into her arms. 

No - now he was the only thing standing between the new Mystery Incorporated and a monster - a real-live ghost! Ricky’s heart was pounding out of his chest, every instinct he had was screaming, Run! RUN! 

But something else was shouting above the fearful static in his ears, desperate to be heard.

It’s Lewis. Even if he’s dead, even if he’s a ghost, it’s Lewis, and he’s my friend!

He lied to me! Another scarred, paranoid, ever-frightened part of him wailed. 

His next thoughts flew through his head extremely quickly.

It’s a real ghost! Not like the Dead Beats - a dead person walking the Earth!

The Mystery Skulls were upfront that they were keeping secrets.

It was a trap from the start! 

He probably just didn’t want to scare us.

Arthur had to have known about this.

BUT WHAT IF HE HURTS THE KIDS?!

It’s LEWIS!

She loved those kids.

I love those kids. 

HE’S GOING TO HURT THE KIDS!

But it’s Lewis… 

Vivi was saying something. The words passing through his ears were finally registering in his brain. 

Behind him, Daphne was hugging Fred’s arm, Scooby was trembling in Shaggy’s embrace, and Velma was mumbling incoherently, her arms around Scooby’s neck, shaking her head in denial. 

“Calm down, everyone. It’s Lewis. It’s just Lewis. He’s been like this for as long as you’ve known him. He isn’t going to hurt anyone,” Vivi insisted.

“Please… don’t be frightened.” The ghost pleaded. Lewis’ entire skull moved when his expression changed, the black eye holes moving with his brow as if he was drawing his eyebrows together in sadness. But his jaw didn’t move when he spoke on account of the fact that he didn’t have one. Rather, his voice was disembodied, deep, and had an eerie sort of echo to it. 

Lewis moved forward, and Ricky’s heart jumped to his throat. “You stay back!” He spat, holding his arms out protectively in front of Fred. 

And Lewis stopped. 

“I am not going to hurt anyone,” the ghost said. “I would never hurt my friends," Lewis’ voice went back to normal as, in a flash of pink fire, he resumed his mortal illusion.

“L-like guys… it’s him. That’s the ghost from this morning!” Shaggy trembled. 

“Oh! So not only are you dead, you’re also the so-called ‘basement ghost’ that attacked Shaggy!” Fred exclaimed angrily. 

“... Yes. I am, and I’m sorry. I know I apologized as if it was not my doing earlier today Shaggy, but I really am sorry for blowing up at you this morning. You were already so scared and I only made it worse,” Lewis apologized, head down.

“Like, ya think?” Shaggy shouted, putting Scooby down. The shock was wearing off, and all that was left was anger, fear, and confusion. 

“This can’t be happening!” Velma said, nervously pulling at her hair. “It’s impossible. There’s no way. There have to be projectors and special effects somewhere…” 

“It isn’t a trick,” Lewis said sadly. “I am the ghost of Lewis Pepper. No illusions. No masks. Well, I suppose, unless you count this one,” Lewis said as he resumed his skeletal form. “I know I deceived you all. But I didn’t do it out of any ill-intent. People see the true face of my spirit and they’re terrified. Putting on an illusion as if I’m still human allows me to walk among the living as I once did - solving mysteries with my friends… and making new ones too.” 

“Are we, Lewis?” Scooby asked coldly. “Are we friends?” 

“What else was I supposed to do?!” Lewis demanded. Realizing he was getting angry, he opted to resume his mortal illusion rather than let the flames flare any more than they already were, though his eyes remained black. “How do you think our first meeting would have gone if I was honest with you from the start? ‘Hi, I’m Lewis. I like to solve mysteries and I think we’d be great friends. By the way:’” And without saying anything else, Lewis took his head off to prove a point.

“Let’s just calm down everyone,” Mystery said gently. Grumbling, Lewis put his head back on. “I know it’s shocking, but we’re here to have a conversation.” 

“You lied to us,” Fred said. “You’ve been lying to us from the beginning! Why should we believe anything you say now?!” 

“Like, yeah! Why should we?” Shaggy agreed fiercely. Scooby nodded beside him. 

“Because they’re right.” 

Mystery Incorporated turned to Ricky in genuine shock. “They’re what?” They echoed, dumbfounded. 

“I mean how dishonest were they, really?” Mr. E asked, having long-since dropped his arms and relaxed a bit. “Think about it: How many times did Cassidy and I lie to you back then because we thought it was what was best for you? Yeah, we were wrong to do so. But they at least had the courtesy to be honest about the fact that they were being dishonest.” Ricky stepped over to Velma and gently took her wrists in his hands to stop her nervous hair-pulling, then lowered her hands down to her sides. “We all knew we were about to find out something… important,” he said thoughtfully as he smoothed out Velma’s hair and fixed her little red bows where they’d gone askew. “We’ve known for most of today that they were withholding something big. And before then, they’d met you what? Twice?” 

Velma was finally calming down, the new information finding its place in her worldview. Ricky gently straightened her glasses on her face and patted her gently on the back before stepping out of her personal space and turning back to the others. “We shouldn’t turn on them now just because we didn’t like what we learned. Not without at least giving them a chance to explain themselves - it’s not like they’ve betrayed us. Nothing has changed. I mean… come on… It’s Lewis.” 

“But how can we trust a single thing they say?” Fred asked. 

“Because you said the exact same thing to Angel the day she told you her name was Cassidy Williams. And we all regret not listening to her when we had the chance.” 

That shut them up extremely fast. For a moment, no one said anything. 

“So like um… you’re dead?” Shaggy said after a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Lewis sighed, “Yes. I’ve been dead a little over three years now.”

“So um… Jeepers- you really have been like this the whole time we’ve known you?” Daphne asked nervously, still glued to Fred. 

“That’s right,” Lewis nodded. 

“And you can just… switch back and forth between yourself and- I’m sorry… which one is ‘yourself’?” 

“Technically,” the ghost said, resuming his frightening appearance, “This is the real me. It took me a while to be able to make myself look like I once did. And I was only able to perfect the human disguise with practice and after learning some tricks from… a friend.” 

“So then, if you don’t mind my asking,” Velma gulped, “how did you die?” 

“L-like yeah… Like, Mystery said something about muh-muh-murder…” Shaggy gulped. 

Lewis hesitated before he answered, nervously scratching the back of his skull. “That’s… can we save that one for another day?” 

Ricky answered before anyone else could. “Sure Lewis,” he said, glancing over at Mystery. “It was… a very personal question. So take your time.” 

Mystery smiled at Ricky gratefully and gave an encouraging nod.

“Okay then,” Velma said. “So you’re the ‘Master of the House’, huh? Is it because you’re the most powerful spirit in the house?” 

“Sort of,” Lewis said. “The fact is, I sort of… made this house.” 

“What?” 

“The Dead Beats and the suits of Armor are… extensions of me.” 

“Lewis is an extremely powerful spirit,” Vivi explained. “In fact he’s so powerful that there’s a lot of leftover energy just around him at any given moment.” 

“And there was even more of it when I was freshly-dead and couldn’t conserve or control it yet,” Lewis added. “I explained to you all before that the Dead Beats are tied to me, but it’s deeper than that,” a couple of Dead Beats came up around Lewis for a snuggle as he spoke about them. “The fact is, I created them. The Dead Beats were created out of that energy and from my emotions and intentions. As for the suits of armor… you might want to brace yourselves.” 

“Like, what could you possibly tell us that’s more shocking than this?” Shaggy exclaimed, gesturing to Lewis’ entire person. 

“You all seemed surprised to learn that we had a mansion. Or even that the house was here,” Lewis said. 

“Yeah,” Ricky said thoughtfully. “I know my way around real estate in Crystal Cove. But this? A spooky, classy, spacious old place like this in such a convenient remote location… it honestly doesn’t make sense that I didn’t know about it. Not saying I would have bought it, but I definitely would have considered it.” 

“Not just that,” Velma said, “but it occurred to me earlier that this place looks too lived in for the amount of time you’ve been in Crystal Cove.”

“Jeepers - that didn’t even occur to me Velma!” Daphne gasped. 

“Come to think of it,” Fred said, “I would think that my Mayor-Dad would have turned a spooky place like this into a tourist attraction a long time ago.” 

“That’s because as of about a week ago,” Lewis cringed, “it wasn’t here.” 

“Come again?” Velma asked.

“What if I told you that the house you’re standing in - from the foundation to the roof - is a supernatural structure? This entire house is a manifestation of Lewis,” Vivi said. 

“It sort of works like a pocket-dimension. Mostly it exists in the Neitherworld, but Lewis can bring it out of the Neitherworld and set it up on any patch of land with enough space. Think of it like pitching a tent,” Mystery explained. 

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Ricky exclaimed. All of Mystery Incorporated was looking around very closely at their surroundings. But try as they might to see any discrepancy, everything looked so real!

“Wait- you mean you made all of this? Just- made it magically appear?” Daphne cried.

“In a sense… yeah. It’s not as simple or easy as ‘pitching a tent’, as Mystery put it. But yes. Basically. I can move the house wherever I want. I usually leave it in the Neitherworld, but I put it up any time we’re traveling and need a place to stay for a prolonged period of time.”

“Then the suits of armor-” 

“Were created along with the house to serve the purpose of protecting it,” Lewis explained. 

“Fascinating,” Velma exclaimed. “So then… what about the painting ghosts?” 

“I actually didn't create the painting ghosts,” Lewis said. “Over time I’ve sort of… collected them. Think of them like really weird foster dogs.” 

“You’re going to need to explain it better than that,” Daphne said. 

“They’re very weak human spirits,” Vivi explained. “That were either displaced, wandering with no place to haunt, or that we took pity on and decided not to exorcize for whatever reason on a case. Or sometimes we take them in if we need their expertise for whatever reason.”

“Weak spirits are attracted to me because of the same excess power that created the Dead Beats. They can use that power to make themselves more perceivable, and I contain them within the paintings of the house whenever the house is set up in the living world.”

“I know you all have no frame of reference, but I really can’t put it into words how powerful Lewis is compared to most other ghosts. He’s easily in like the top one percent,” Mystery explained.

“For most spirits, outside of the Neitherworld it takes a tremendous amount of energy to even be able to do a simple trick, like appear as an apparition, or to make so much as a single object move. I mean have you ever watched those cheesy ghost hunting shows on TV? Some of those are fake, but a lot of them are real. Apparitions are rare and most investigators freak out if they so much as see a door move. Consider that, then look at what Lewis can do.”

“Like, I have a question,” Shaggy said. 

“Yeah?” 

“Like um… you’re dead. And like, you don’t actually have a body. But you had dinner with us. So… how do you eat?” Shaggy asked. 

Lewis looked surprised, then he busted out laughing at the question. 

“This isn’t a joke! It’s very serious business!” Scooby cried. 

Once Lewis stopped laughing, he explained how an older and more powerful ghost had taught him how to “eat” human food by breaking it down into its barest molecules within his "body" and absorbing its energy. Lewis couldn’t taste nearly as strongly as he could when he was alive, but he could get a hint of the flavor. 

“Like, you mean that you make such amazing food and you can hardly even taste it?” Shaggy cried, dismayed. 

“Sad yet true - makes me love spicy food even more than I used to. Stronger flavor means I can taste it more. And Vivi and Arthur occasionally let me possess them for a little bit so that I can enjoy food properly. I’m lucky to have friends like them.”

“Okay then. For now, I just have one more question…” Fred said, his eyes narrowed. 

Lewis gulped. 

“... How exactly would one go about trapping you?” Fred asked excitedly. “I can’t imagine anything I have working on a real ghost. So how much about vessels or blessed objects is true? Or is there such a thing as ghost traps? Oooh!!! How would one even make a ghost trap-...” 

As Fred went off on his tangent, Lewis smiled, realizing that things were going to turn out alright. Ricky, shaking his head and smiling fondly, sat down on the couch next to Mystery. And the rest of Mystery Inc. resumed their seats as well. 

They talked for at least another twenty minutes before Mystery gently redirected the conversation back to the board and back to the matter at hand. 

“So,” Lewis explained, “this is how my trifecta is broken - I’m dead. So how is my body supposed to get swapped when I don’t have one?” 

“I mean like, yeah. That makes sense.” Shaggy gulped with a shrug. 

“Sorry about what we said earlier by the way,” Fred apologized. 

“It was just… a shock,” Ricky added. 

“Really, it’s fine. Compared to how others have reacted in the past, you actually handled it really well. If I had a nickel for every time someone tried to exorcize me…” Lewis sighed, rolling the lights in his eye sockets that served as his pupils. “So… are we still friends?” 

Mystery Incorporated looked at each other. 

“Yes. We’re definitely still friends,” Daphne said. 

“Totally!” Said Fred.

“Reah!” Said Scooby, wagging his tail.

“But like, I’ve never been friends with a dead guy before. So this is like… totally awesome but also like, super weird.” Shaggy laughed.

“You’re going to need to put up with a lot of questions,” Velma said, adjusting her glasses.

Once the excitement about Lewis being dead calmed down, he resumed his mortal illusion and the Dead Beats fetched all of the living some water. Then it was Vivi’s turn. 

“I would first like to start with where Lewis left off, because he set it up nicely for me to explain how I diverge from the pattern.” 

“Please don’t tell me you’re dead too,” Scooby whimpered. 

“Pffft, no. I’m very much alive and human. That being said, I do have abilities. But before I get into that - after analyzing what we know about the other groups, our current theory is that my divergence has nothing to do with what I can do.

“As you now know, the Mystery Skulls have and have always had four members and not five. However, since learning about the pattern, the boys and I have debated over which role I fit into. It’s as plain as the noses on their faces that Lewis, Arthur, and Mystery each fit into Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby’s roles respectively. Which leaves me in either Velma or Daphne’s spot. But the thing is, it’s really blurry which of them I would fit into, and therefore which of us is ‘missing’. I have traits that could put me into either category. Which has led us to believe that whatever magic is surrounding the pattern has compensated for our lack of a fifth member by putting me into…” 

Vivi licked her thumb and erased the line between the Velma/Cassidy and Daphne/Judy columns in the Mystery Skulls row, then wrote her name in between them. 

“Both of them!” 

“It’s a longshot, but it definitely makes sense,” Velma said thoughtfully. 

"So that's how my 'trifecta' is technically broken - I intersect between two of them and if Nova-or-whatever tried to swap me, it would probably lead to some crazy four-way swap between myself, Daphne, Judy, and Velma. And who wants to be swapped with Judy? Never even met her, but just from what I've heard, HAH! I sure don't!"

“But that doesn’t answer the new big question of the hour,” Ricky said. “If you’re living and human, then what exactly can you ‘do’?” 

“I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised that everyone wants to know about that,” Vivi half-laughed, her bat resting lazily on her shoulder. “My truth is kind of a long story - before I get into my abilities, I would like to start off by telling you how and why I have them.

“It all began hundreds of years ago near the end of Japan’s feudal age with my ancestor - Mushi.” 

Vivi took one page out of the folder, holding it to her chest, then dropped the rest open on the coffee table for the others to see. The folder’s contents were a bunch of printed scans of old paintings and documents, all of the same bescarfed warrior of an ancient time featured in the painting in the library.

“As I told Daphne earlier, Mushi was an accomplished warrior of the Onna-musha. What I did not tell Daphne was that while Mushi was strong, she was also gentle, good, and kind. In an era that could be ruthless, she showed mercy defended the weak. She also had a great respect and connection with the Yokai and the spirit world. So much so that one hard winter the spirits saw fit to bless her with a gift.” 

“A gift?” Mystery Incorporated echoed in surprise. 

“But like, what kind of gift can a bunch of like, ghosts and magical creatures and stuff give anybody? They’re like, dead. And like, I don’t think they have money,” Shaggy asked. 

Mystery barked a laugh. “Ha! Do they have money? That entirely depends on which Yokai you look at. Some are poor, some don’t want or need money, and some are quite wealthy. Some are privy to the greed and lust of man, others are above such things. And as far as gifts from the spirits go, Vivi doesn’t speak of any mere trinket. 

“Please understand: in Japanese mythology, (which has a substantial amount of truth to it), every human (or otherwise sentient, human-like mortal being) has a god living inside of them that is their spirit. And when they die, that god is released and can either be reborn into a new life, can pass on into the spirit world or some other afterlife, or can roam the Earth as a ghost for whatever reason. A gift to a living mortal from the gods is a rare and important thing. Sometimes such gifts can be a curse that one would do anything to be rid of. Other times, it’s a blessing the likes of which money cannot buy. And sometimes… it can even be a bit of both.” 

“Fortunately for Mushi,” Vivi interrupted, glaring playfully at Mystery’s smirk, “in her case it was a blessing.” 

“What kind of blessing?” Daphne asked, leaning forward with curiosity. 

“That,” Vivi said, “is what I’m going to show you. If you’ll all follow me right this way…” 

Vivi led them out of the room and a short way through the mansion. All the while, Vivi explained to them how while she was not Mushi reborn into a new life, three years ago, because Vivi had more in common with Mushi than the rest of her family, Mushi’s spirit had seen fit to pass her powers down to her along with some of her memories. 

“So you have superpowers? That’s awesome!” Fred exclaimed.

“Like yeah! Totally cool!” 

“I guess, kind of,” Vivi shrugged, her bat resting across her shoulders. “Along with Mushi’s power, I have her strength and a lot of her muscle-memory, which has allowed me to master a lot that would normally take even a talented martial artist much longer.” 

“Where are you taking us?” Velma asked.

“Outside,” Vivi replied. “It can get kind of destructive if I go overboard and I want my demonstration to be a good one. That, and I don’t want to clean it up.” 

“Why would you need to clean it up?” Ricky asked. 

“You guys don’t do ‘wait and see’ very well, do you?” Vivi laughed. “I suppose until we get there, I can at least tell you-” And Vivi told them about the ease with which Vivi had always been able to sense and understand the supernatural. How she could get a general read of auras and could feel the flow of energy throughout the universe similar to the way Lewis could, being a ghost. 

“That’s part of why we’ve been able to come so far in understanding this curse in the short time we’ve been here,” Vivi explained. “Save Arthur, we can just… sense it. This powerful negative presence in and around everyone and everything in this town and the surrounding areas. But what exactly we’ve been able to observe about it based off of that is another conversation for another time.” 

“Like, is this how you knew I wasn’t Arthur this morning?” Shaggy asked. 

“Yep.” 

“What do you mean, Shaggy?” Daphne asked. 

“Like, this morning when I woke up Vivi knew that I wasn’t Arthur like, literally immediately. Granted like - I was super freaked about my arm being gone. But like, I still thought it was kinda weird how fast she realized I wasn’t Arthur. And like, speaking of which, can um… can Mystery do that auras thing too? Cuz like, he looked at me this morning and was the first to realize I’d been body-swapped. And it was like, super weird.” 

“I’m not going to spoil what Mystery… can do for you, but let’s just say that when it comes to what I told you about auras, Mystery is a lot better at it than me.”

The dog raised his head proudly and added a bit of a prance to his step.

Just then, they opened a door that led to a beautiful yet spooky conservatory. The glass walls and ceiling, save those attached to the rest of the house, were pink with black iron frames, and featured many of the same skull or heart patterns as the rest of the house. And the plants were… exotic. Velma for one already had a million questions forming, but chose not to ask them yet. Vivi led them through, past a koi pond (but the fish were translucent, glowing, and definitely ghosts), past a small collection of bonsai trees and a plant with rather suspicious-looking flowers, past a seating area, and past a set of black metal tables and chairs. Upon the table was a radio, and one of their songs was playing. 

"-I'm feeling like I'm going cra-zy! 

I'm feeling like I need some more time,

To think it over, with you.

Yeah baby~!

"So just leave me alone,

Sometimes I think I'm all right…

Just needing an escape,

Some time on my own,

Don't act like my time is over!

'Cause no one ever really

Dies dies, dies, dies, dies, dies, dies, dies…"

At those last two lines all six of their guests not-so-subtly glanced at Lewis. 

No kidding.

The music drifted off as they walked away from it, and Vivi opened a set of ornate glass doors into an equally lovely yet macabre courtyard and garden at the back of the mansion, surrounded by a high stone wall and thick black iron gates. 

“I’d say this is enough space.” Vivi said thoughtfully, shifting her weight onto one hip. Mystery And Lewis stood off to one side and Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, Scooby, and Ricky stood in a row, an air of tense and eager anticipation about them as they watched. 

“When Mushi received her gift,” Vivi began, “it was at the harshest point of a particularly unforgiving and frigid winter. She was in the middle of a sacred forest, separated from her comrades, her horse gone, near-freezing to death but still chasing after the yokai she was hunting. The spirits were impressed by her determination, and they had grown a fondness for her from her years of maintaining their temples and seeing that they were treated with the respect they deserved.” 

Vivi moved her bat from her shoulder and spun it around her arms and around her neck with the practiced ease of a master. “So, to save her life and give her the power to restore order,” There came a sudden chill in the air, as if they were standing in the frozen woods with Mushi, even now. And the bat, still spinning hypnotically around Vivi, began to glow an icy blue. “-They gave her the ability to harness the very cold that nearly killed her. Mushi’s gift, my ability… is cryokinesis.” 

And that was when the bat ceased its dance as the handle landed expertly in Vivi’s hands. She turned around and gave a mighty swing, and a blast of pure cold burst out of the bat and raced across the lawn, leaving spikes of ice in its wake before it finally struck a large, dead bush with such force that with a loud crash like breaking glass, it burst into millions of glittering frozen particles the very same instant it froze. 

Six jaws dropped. Smirking, Lewis and Mystery engrained the utterly priceless looks on their faces in their memories. 

There was a long beat of stunned silence as what they’d just seen hit them. icy glitter drifted down like snow, and Vivi turned back to them and released a breath so cold that they could see it swirling through the air before it dissipated. Then she spun the bat once more as it ceased its glow and let it land back on her shoulder. 

Please stop staring at me with your mouths open and say something, Vivi pleaded inside her head as she covered up her unease with a smile. 

 Then all at once, the six of them exploded. 

“THAT WAS AWESOME!”

༻˚⁺･⚉｡○✼༓☾⦾♫෴♡💛♡෴♫⦾☽༓✼○｡⚉･⁺˚༺

“Supernatural-gifts-that-give-you-superpowers” turned out to be somehow an even more shocking, awe-inspiring, and question-worthy revelation than “btw-the-guy-you’ve-spent-most-of-today-with-is-dead”.

Then again, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, Scooby, and Ricky had at least been introduced to the concept that ghosts are real before finding out about Lewis, and they’d been telling them about ghosts and having them read texts about them all day. So perhaps that cushioned the shock somewhat. 

And they couldn’t be angry at Vivi because the brunt of the anger and confusion had already been let out on Lewis. 

Unfair. 

But, that’s just how it happened. 

Vivi performed a number of tricks for them, at their insistence. And answered questions for almost an hour. Lewis joined in as well, showing them a number of his talents with magic pink fire, making the topiaries come alive, among other things. 

Mystery just watched with a smile, happy to let them have their moment. It would only be a matter of minutes now before they found out about him, and he found himself feeling rather anxious about it. 

Anxiety used to be a rare occurrence for him.

Then again, back then Mystery had never known loss - not that he had much to lose. 

But now, he pondered as he watched his little ones laugh and marvel at their gifts, now I have everything to lose. 

Hiding one’s true self was considered by many of his kind to be a deeply human trait, but the longer Mystery spent in their company the more he realized just how hypocritical that stance was. 

After all, Mystery was far from the only Yokai who, for one reason or another, hid their true form behind an ‘ordinary’ mask for some reason or another. The reason he’d taken on this one a little over twenty years ago just happened to be so that he could protect Mushi’s granddaughter the way she had protected him all of those centuries ago. 

But… the reason he kept it had evolved over the years. First he had just one little one to look after. Then somehow it became three. Then twenty years ago, no matter how hard he’d tried not to grow fond of them from afar… 

Mystery had failed to save four. 

Yes, Mystery decided as he watched the wonder dance across Shaggy's- Ricky Owens’ face, he’s the biggest source of this anxiety. Because once you know what I am, it won’t be long before you piece together that I too was here in Crystal Cove twenty years ago… 

And it’s my fault that you disappeared.

༻˚⁺･⚉｡○✼༓☾⦾♫෴♡💛♡෴♫⦾☽༓✼○｡⚉･⁺˚༺

Eventually, inevitably, Shaggy said, “Like Lewis is a ghost and Vivi has superpowers! There’s like, no way Mystery could surprise us any more than this, right?” 

The Mystery Skulls sort of froze and looked directly at each other. 

“... Right?”

“You-u-u totally just jinxed it,” Ricky said, giving Shaggy the side-eye.

And just like that, everyone’s attention was caught and Mystery was in the spotlight. 

None of them had ever seen the little dog look so nervous. 

“Let’s uh… Let’s go inside for this one, Mystery said, leading them back into the conservatory.

He led them to the seating area and placed his front paws on the table to turn the radio off, before returning to them. “I’m going to be very blunt about this with you all, because there’s no beating around the bush.” 

Then Mystery took a deep breath and confessed.

“I’m not a dog.” 

Fred started laughing, but he hastily stopped when he saw the way Mystery was looking at him. 

“Oh. You’re serious.”

“I would argue, but as of today we’ve established that body-swapping, aliens, other dimensions, ghosts, the afterlife, and magical creatures all exist.” Ricky tossed  his arms into the air and laughed, whole-heartedly believing that he was prepared for whatever he was about to find out. “So go on, out with it!”

Had he gotten to know Arthur a little longer than a few hours, he may have been blessed with the following piece of wisdom:

Rule number one of being an expert in the paranormal: never assume you’re an expert in the paranormal. The paranormal will see that as a challenge, and it will find a way to surprise you. Often in a way less-than-pleasant. 

“As you all know,” Mystery began, clearing his throat, “Vivi’s ancestor, Mushi, was a great warrior who was very close to the spirit world. What she didn’t tell you is one of the greatest legends about Mushi - a legend that’s depicted in a painting that’s currently hanging in our library.” 

“I saw that painting! Vivi told me about it!” Daphne said. “It’s of her and the fox spirit, right? Oh- what was it called again?”

“... A Kitsune,” Mystery replied quietly. 

And that’s when Vivi came up behind him and dropped a single picture onto the table - the one she’d removed from Mushi’s file earlier. 

This one was different from the painting. 

They had seen fit to leave the painting up because the artist had missed a few crucial details when making it. Namely, the distinct spot on his back, his mane of black fur… and the unmistakable tufts of red behind each of his ears. 

Mushi wasn’t in this picture.

No - it was of him. 

And it was painted by a friend of hers - a friend that had seen him. 

So such details were not omitted in this one.

They, his children of Nibiru, stared at the picture in stunned silence for several long moments, the cogs in their heads turning as dots connected and they each reached the same conclusion. Then by some unspoken signal, six heads slowly turned to look at him.

Ricky’s eyes were blown as wide as saucers. “No way…” He muttered quietly. 

“I wasn’t always such a good dog,” Mystery confessed, voice hardening as he braced himself for the inevitable. 

And without another word, he stood. 

The transformation happened so fast and with such fluidity that something that should have appeared so unnatural and so wrong… didn’t.

It happened in a flash of red light. They briefly glimpsed Mystery rearing briefly on his hind legs, tossing his magnificent head into the air before the light covered him completely. 

Ricky really shouldn’t have been so shocked after everything else he’d seen today, but all the same he and the kids shot to their feet and stumbled back with shock. 

Then the light cleared. 

And no sight had ever made Ricky feel such awe, wonder, and terror all at once… As the beast that stood where his friend had just a moment before. 

Once more, he felt like a meddling kid again. 

Lewis being a ghost had been a shock. 

Vivi having the powers of a long-deceased warrior had been a surprise. 

But this! 

Seven tails swayed hypnotically to and fro, like a metronome to the beat of six hammering hearts. 

Ricky suddenly felt very small in a world that he was learning was a lot bigger and a lot weirder than he’d ever imagined it was. Hell, even Scooby looked small next to this- 

“Fuh-fuh. Fuhfuhfuh- Fox!” the Great Dane trembled.

Kitsune, He corrected silently. Trickster. Shape-shifter. Liar….. friend…?

I’ve been fooled by an animal who I thought was my friend before, that same paranoid, ever-frightened voice reminded him.

And fooled again, he had been.  

Because Mystery wasn’t “man’s best friend.” 

He was a kitsune. A yokai. A beast of legend!

A monster.

And so, this chapter wraps up in the same way it began!!! Muahaha! Chapter 15 was definitely a fun, albeit difficult and at times frustrating, challenge. Because I mean, this is the reveal that we've waited fourteen chapters for. For real anyone who's been reading this since the beginning be like: "WE DID OUR WAITING! SEVEN MONTHS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!" Also I checked my Ao3 to see when I posted the first chapter of One of Us just for the sake of that joke and wow - has it really been seven months? How time flies. I somehow didn't realize I've been working on this that long. Lol Anyway - I definitely felt a lot of pressure to make the big reveal for each of them as satisfying and worthwhile as possible while also adding to the characters and driving the story forward. And what better way to make Mystery's as dramatic as possible than to leave you on... A CLIFFHANGER?!

Also if I got anything about Japanese mythology wrong in this chapter, feel free to correct me. I only have like a surface-level understanding of it but I love stories and I love mythology so you would not be annoying me AT ALL if you wanted to refer me to any legends/lore that you think would interest me. And before anyone asks - I haven't forgotten about Arthur and Marcie. I know it's been a couple chapters since we checked up on them but fear not - I have... PART of a plan! Seriously. If all goes according to plan and the characters don't stage open rebellion, then I know what the chapter songs of the next THREE CHAPTERS of One of Us are going to be. This doesn't happen to me often. Let me enjoy it. 😆 And again - If you notice things or have predictions/opinions, PLEASE SHARE THEM. The reason why I'm not saying more is BECAUSE I like hearing your thoughts! I like having conversations! I'd love to talk about this fic and SDMI or Mystery Skulls with anyone who wants to!

Lastly, I just wanted to give a big shout-out to nikicherry1234 and spiraleel-blog for the amazing fanart they've done of this story. I love ALL OF IT and I can't even put into words how touched I am that you loved it enough to put hours of your time into drawing it. 🥹

Chapters 1-14 of One of Us are presently posted on Archive of Our Own.

Chapter 15 should be posted on Ao3 tonight or tomorrow morning.

#One of Us #fanfiction #scooby doo mystery incorporated #sdmi #mystery skulls animated #mystery skulls #archive of our own #THE REVEAL YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR #lewis pepper #mystery skulls ghost #mystery skulls lewis #vivi yukino #mystery skulls vivi #mystery skulls mushi #Japanese mythology I guess #msa #msa mystery #kitsune #ricky owens #mr. e #norville shaggy rogers #shaggy #shaggy rogers #fred jones #daphne blake #velma dinkley #scooby doo #scooby #one of us chapter 15

[andiwriteordie]

👋👋👋 tell me your idea for the Merlin/Byler au? 👀👀👀👀👀

toy of COURSE i will tell you my idea for a merlin/byler au. i will like to say first though. because i need somebody to know and i'm being whiny. that i just slammed by finger into my door and it HURTS OH MY GOD.

anyways, first of all, i wrote this half asleep at 5 something in the morning, but this is what i imagined as the opener:

This is a tale of two young men, born to meet one another and to always be by each other’s side. Two sides of the same coin, some might call it. Destiny, others might say.

But destiny is a delicate thing, its strings woven loose yet tight, and the decisions one makes can often begin to unravel those threads, changing them into an entirely new tapestry all together.

This tale is an unusual one.

Because this tale is one that begins where it ends.

so the idea that i was thinking of was to start with how merlin ends, where like we meet will and mike at the end of their story together. will would be like merlin (Most Powerful Warlock™️) and mike would be like arthur (the noble king/knight destined to lead and guide), except destiny is unraveling at its seams. mike is dying, and will can't do anything to save him. even with all his power, he can't save mike's life, so will just holds mike as he dies.

will, like merlin, would be immortal in this, and he would get to hold onto the promise given by the dragon at the end that mike would return—that their destiny and their story together is not yet complete. when the world needs him again, mike is going to return, and until then, all will can do is wait for him. and so, will says goodbye to his best friend and the person he loves most (though the two of them never explicitly say it to one another, which is part of the tragedy), and he leaves the lake alone.

we flash forward, around 1,500 years later to the year 1970, and some way or another, will gets some sort of magical dream that lets him know that soon mike is going to come back, and that he has a choice: he can choose to essentially die and be reborn so he can mike grow up together, because destiny will always bring the two of them together, or he can continue to wait and just find mike again and

the choice gives will an out of sorts. a chance to start over, and though he initially thinks it would be best for mike if he just waits those years until mike is older and it's time for their destiny to kick into full gear, he's prompted by whatever magic-y figure is presenting him with this choice and he's encouraged to make a choice that is for him too. because will has been alone all this time and his heart is heavy, so being reborn would give him that chance to start over and to begin again. it's promised that when destiny does arrive and the time is right, will and mike will both learn of their shared past again (something we'll say with a mix of will's magic and just the general magic existing in the cosmos and stuff), so will agrees to this.

march 22, 1971. will byers is born. a little over 2 weeks later, on april 7, 1971, mike wheeler is born. destiny begins to weave its tapestry again.

the next scene, we see will around late 1983/early 1984 in the direct aftermath of his kidnapping into the upside down. his dreams consist of the trauma he experienced in the upside down of course, and though the memories themselves are foggy, he keeps coming back to his last few hours in the upside down, being intubated and nearly dying. and in foggy memories and moments interspersed between will's near death experience, he begins to dream of his and mike's past life together. these dreams only show fragments—will using his magic and protecting mike's life, mike as a brave knight and a king protecting will in return. it's easily shrugged off by will as him projecting. after all, they're a cleric and a paladin in dnd, right? so that makes sense.

(that doesn't change the terror though that will experiences when his dreams begin to show himself—several years older, weeping as mike dies in his arms. that grief feels paralyzing, and the dream keeps getting interrupted, flashing back and forth between the upside down and his old memories).

next scene, we pick up late 1985/early 1986 in lenora hills, california. will is trying to adjust. he still has nightmares, but they're less focused on the upside down now. the dreams of himself and mike in their past lives are clearer—amplified by the mind flayer's connection from 1984. but there's no way they could be memories, right? how would that even work? and will doesn't have magic. el has magic, not will. he's just will. so will keeps this part of his life quiet, not telling anyone.

one day though, we see a soft willel moment where el opens up to will about losing her own magic—how it feels like a part of her is missing. she's always been forced to use her magic in violent manners, and it scared her for a long time. but now that it is gone, there's a strange sense of warmth lacking. like an old friend is missing, and she just feels different. this prompts will to ask her what it's like... having magic, and so el does her best to explain it.

and it's familiar. there's a tingling in the back of will's next, and something inside him whispers, "this is familiar. you knew this already. you know this. you do."

he tries not to think about it too much.

next scene. november 6, 1986. the world is ending, will byers is living in mike wheeler's bedroom, and one night changes everything.

for the first time, the dream of mike's death comes back in full clarity, and will relives it again. the feeling of desperation and of loss and of love. watching the light fade from mike's eyes and seeing him take his final breath. the dragon's promise to him—that mike would return and that will's job was to simply wait and be ready for him when he arrives. saying goodbye to mike, watching his body disappear in a boat across the lake, further and further from will's view until—

will wakes up with a gasp. he can't see it, but his eyes are glowing a bright, familiar golden. the lights mike's bedroom all shine brighter than they ever have before, and then, they explode.

"shit!" will hears, because mike's awake too. he woke up barely a minute before will did, and he's kneeling down next to will, staring at him with shock in his eyes.

the two of them sit there in silence for moments that feel like an eternity, shattered glass surrounding them, and the moonlight streaming through the window. the memories are back, coming to will all at once. the floodgates have opened, and will remembers. he remembers.

and judging by the look on mike's face, he remembers too.

they move in perfect unison together, and they just embrace. because they both know. they both remember. and the two of them just sit there, and they cry together, because they're will byers and mike wheeler right now, but they've been will and mike for years and years and years before that. and they're together again, and the world is huge and overwhelming, but for just a moment, the only thing that matters is that they're together again.

second to last scene - the next morning. mike's room is now repaired, thanks to will's magic. they're sitting on mike's bed together, knees knocking against each other, shoulders pressed against one another. they have so, so much history together, and how do they even begin to try and fully understand all of it? plus, there are still so many things that will never got to tell mike, and mike, he's a bit hurt that will never shared those things in their first life, but he thinks he understands. he understands why will had to hide those parts from him. but he wishes will didn't have to.

will's eyes flicker to the painting he'd made for mike, now hanging on his wall. ironic, huh, that he would paint himself as a cleric, a wizard... and mike as the knight leading the charge. destiny must think it's funny. he's been carrying the weight of his lie with him since march of this year, and now, he sees how much the weight of his lies hurt mike when they were alive the first time. how he could've saved them both so much grief, and how maybe if he had opened up to mike and trusted him... things could've been different.

this situation... it's not quite the same, but the fear feels the same. it's the same for will, feeling like he has to hide a part of himself from mike, out of fear of rejection, out of a fear of losing mike, out of knowing society doesn't accept people like him.

but this is his second chance, right? how many people get a chance to make amends like this? and will is older now, and he's wiser too. he remembers the 1,500 years he was alone, and in just one night, he's changed. he's not quite the young, scared 15 year old that he was. he is, but he isn't. he's also someone who has lived and watched people die and who has waited and who knows how much he's always loved mike.

so, will chooses to be honest with mike. they talk about the magic first and the lies there, but it's a segue into the conversation about the painting. mike knows that it wasn't from el. but he thinks that will just lied to be a good friend. they fought about it, and in the end, they left it be—just a point of contention and tension in the same way the rain fight was.

will tells him everything—the true intention behind the painting. how he, will byers, has always admired mike wheeler and how mike's his best friend and how the feelings just developed into something more. but also how he, will, fell in love with mike... a long, long time ago. how he knew it, but also knew they'd never be able to be together. how he'd accepted that his place was simply at mike's side, protecting him and guiding him as best as he could. how he was content with that, but deep down also always dreamed of something more when they were alive together. how his years without mike only solidified the fact that will loves mike truly, deeply, fully, and how he plans to be here for mike, in whatever way that looks like and whatever way makes mike happy.

it gets quiet in the room. and mike looks a little stunned at first, still trying to take in all of will's words. patience, though, is something will has learned over his life, and he gently tells mike that he doesn't have to say anything right now. that mike can take the time to think about it too—

and mike cuts him off by kissing him.

it's short and desperate but also hesitant and a little fearful. mike pulls away, his eyes wide, and he looks young. they're both still young, even though they've had entire lives as adults (and then some more for will lol). and he quietly admits that he, mike wheeler, has been so confused recently. because he's been told his whole life that boys... aren't supposed to love other boys like that. that he shouldn't have these feelings for his best friend, so he's been hiding and running from this part of himself—the part that does have feelings for his best friend, will byers.

but also, that he, mike, the one who knew will long ago had fallen just as deeply in love with him while they were together. it was never an option to love will like this. mike always had his life planned out and written for him—the knight, the prince, the king. he had to have an heir. he had to rule their kingdom. he couldn't be with will.

but god, he could keep will close. maybe it was selfish to keep him so close while knowing he loved will as something more than they could ever be, but then again, mike thinks he's always been a little selfish. and he could swallow back that lump in his throat that formed every time will smiled at him or made a teasing joke or did anything really, because every moment with will made mike feel like he was falling more and more in love.

he almost told will, that day... when he died. he almost said that—instead of the "thank you" he gave will instead. but something stopped him. a feeling that... their story wasn't over yet. that a better time would come to share those words with will.

and so, mike looks will in the eye and in the softest, most gentle voice, he confesses his love for will.

the two of them kiss again. will's magic makes the lights glow again, and mike laughs, making some comment that this is going to take some getting used to. will points out that it's been a good 15 years since he's used his magic... so it's gonna take some getting used to for him as well.

it becomes clear to both of them that they were brought back together for a reason—and that reason has to do with the upside down and with henry. henry's powers, like el, are magic based, and so now, the playing field is leveled with will's magic. hell, the scales have tipped in their favor because of will's magic. this is their destiny. this is how they're going to save the world. and you see a moment of weariness from will, who recognizes this, and recognizes the burden they're sharing.

mike gently pulls him close, pressing a kiss to will's forehead, and he just tells will that they can figure all of this out later. destiny's waited this long, right? they can be selfish. they can just be together.

and so, the scene just ends with them sitting there, arms wrapped around each other, and sitting in peaceful silence. and nothing else matters other than the fact that they're together.

the final little part would be a section to mirror the opening part, talking about destiny. how these two were brought together and born to find each other. how destiny's tapestry is still being woven and how choices will impact that. and how the tale isn't over yet, but that there's hope in the ending of this story, because will and mike are together once more.

pHEW did i just outline this whole fic in your ask? yep. that's the merlin/byler au that i was thinking of this morning. i have some slight thoughts on how i could expand the world (making other characters line up/parallel other merlin characters and being reincarnated versions of their past lives), but idk i haven't given too much thought to that and probably wouldn't go as far as to write that! but this oneshot... yeah, definitely adding it to my list lol.

#byler #byler ficlet #byler/merlin au #andi's asks #does this count as cleradin #i feel like it’s pretty damn close

[tiodolma]

You know that moodboard you reblogged of Merlin and Morgana not being able to sleep? You know what occurred to me?

I'm thinking of season 3. These two with their love/hate thing and UST going on and their fights about evil plans, and you know... What if in one of those heating discussions, Morgana accidentally blurts out that she felt something and a lot of things for Merlin before the poisoning fiasco and then Merlin admitting the same.

And like both are in their minds... 😳 Oh, crap, what did I just said? So, both flee from each other, because this isn't good at all and neither can now sleep because of the whole situation. 😂😂

..... ok meta time

I think morgana has been honest enough even in s3 though (heck through s4-s5). Merlin is the more guarded one.

Based on Colin Morgan’s interpretation in many interviews, Merlin was the one who was self-aware enough that he loved her and deeply cared for her at some point. The show confirms that sort of acting decision coz he’s also always revealing his true feelings for her in front of kilgharrah and gaius. (plus the other character/actors have talked about it)

Meanwhile Katie Mcgrath doesn’t characterize Morgana in that way: that Morgana was self-aware enough that she loved him. I am of the opinion that Morgana was still on her way to falling in love with him when Fires of IDirsholas happened. All we know is that she deeply feels for him to the point where even Morgause didn't seem to know the whole depth of her feelings. KM insists that Morgana only wanted Merlin’s honesty and trust. We can see it In the show. Morgana had always told Merlin what she felt about him.

So if there was one who should admit their feelings then it should be Merlin.

Morgana already laid out everything she felt for him from S1-S3: “you are the actual hero here!” “I am your friend” "i don't feel so alone here," "i trust merlin” "you’re a good friend” “i have magic, merlin” “I now know what i am”. “i am afraid merlin” “i get that you only wanted to protect your friends” “i am upset that i was poisoned and you hurt me” “why should i care about people who dont care about me?” “Uther hates me and everyone like me” “you dont know how it is be be an outsider” “i thought we were friends then why are you against me if you understand me like what you claimed” “how can you hope to understand” “i dont really get you.” “Make me understand, merlin” "you're just a pathetic lowly serving boy to me," "you're a thorn in my side," "you condemned me to live in this poor state."

Meanwhile merlin is always like "i care for her", "i trust her," "she should be told that magic can be a force for good and it can be a gift" "she has a good heart," "she’s my friend," "i know her," "i feel sad for her," "she’s undergoing a hard time," "i understand her most of all," "i shouldnt have trusted her," "i dont wanna be bitter, angry and so full of hate like her," "i will never be like her," "i thought we were the same”

---but he says these only To the dragon and Gaius.

See how they contrast? With regards to to his feelings for Morgana, Merlin is only honest to his bosses, meanwhile Morgana is honest of her feelings for Merlin towards Merlin himself.

Merlin and Morgana were never meeting/fighting on the same ground.

It's honestly heartbreaking, especially since Merlin never holds back on saying the same wonderful words of affirmation to Arthur, to Gwen, to the Knights, to Freya, to literally everybody else.. but he could never say them to Morgana's face.

btw saying only "i understand" and not much else sometimes isn't enough anymore.

....

I honestly do not know what else Morgana could say that will push Merlin to honesty. I think she might as well strip herself naked and he still wouldn't give in (and s4 showed us that he can and will use that kind of weakness against her. he already used her nightmares against her after all).

All I’m saying is that Morgana had always been so so so vulnerable and raw in front of him. Normally that would give an opening to the other person to let down their guard and rely on her. (see agravaine, helios, aithusa, mordred)

But Merlin never did that. He had so many chances to tell her the truth and be vulnerable himself but he never allowed himself that kind of right in front of her. We know that he desperately wanted to but he couldn't because had been repeatedly and ceaselessly warned/conditioned/brainwashed/manipulated that it was the worst idea, that going against his job orders will have consequences.

.....

But as they are in s3? where they are just free to pursue whatever goals they have independent of each other... with how radicalized and extremist they both already are? With how Merlin has already lost at least 4 loved ones for the sake of protecting camelot and destiny (sunken cost fallacy and all that)? nah. I can't see him being honest to anyone, especially enemies who have done and said things he morally detests, anymore.

Personally i think the only way for merlin to finally tell her his truth is to trap both them in some situation where they have to work together, or where morgana’s magic isnt enough , or where they both have no magic, or where the have joint responsibility of another life. THEY HAVE TO BE TRAPPED. TRAP THEM TOGETHER.

#bbc morgana #mergana #merlin x morgana #merlin critical #essays #this prompt is challenging #look i tried #but merlin has to have serious self introspection to admit that he was wrong #merlins not the type to fold when tortured #we've alraedy established that merlin would rather forget himself and die rather than live in freedom

[paperstorm]

10 random lines

I am LATE but I was tagged by @cinnaluminum @reyesstrand and @rmd-writes

Rules: pick any 10 of your fics, scroll somewhere to the midpoint, pick a line (or three), and share it! Then tag 10 people.

He tastes like mint. Must’ve chewed some gum or a Tic-Tac before coming over to ask TK to dance, and TK resolutely sets that information down and doesn’t pick it up again because if he has to think about there being intention in the way this man approached him, he might have to stop kissing him. Back to the habit after kicking it (911 Lone Star)

“Dude, I was born in Manhattan,” TK defends. “Lived there my whole life until three months ago. Nobody I grew up with knows how to drive, having a car on the island makes no sense unless you’re super rich or have some kind of kink for sitting in traffic for an hour to go 10 blocks.” Life's a game of inches (911 Lone Star)

Merlin seeks Arthur’s lips for a messy kiss, tilting his hips to change the angle and pushing Arthur inside just a bit deeper, rubbing, sending resplendent waves of pleasure through him. He wants so badly – aches, really – to be everything Arthur could ever need so Arthur never has to look anywhere else. Golden Hour (Merlin)

“I couldn’t remember every kiss, not 800 years of them, but I remember that one,” Joe continues, in a dreamy voice. He is more emotional than Nicky. Quicker to anger, and indignance, and ferociously protective of those he loves. His fire burns quick and hot, and when it melts into languid moments such as this, where he’s introspective and soft-hearted, it’s Nicky who aches to protect him. Nothing But a Song (The Old Guard)

Nile surprises them with her poker skills, in the evening when Joe breaks out a pack of cards and they sit around the table with an old radio on in the background. The nights were long and boring, sometimes, when she was stationed overseas, and she took a considerable amount of money off all her commanding officers in the months she was there. It’s that baby face, one of them had complained, you never think it’s lying to you until it is. Hands Battered but Hearts Survive (The Old Guard)

They struggle to pay the bills and sometimes they run out of hot water before both of them have had a chance to shower and they have to hide their love away to keep it safe from people who would want to hurt them if they knew, but despite all that, they’re happy. It aches and it aches and it aches in Bucky’s chest to think of how much he took it for granted, how many times he should have told Steve he loved him but didn’t, how likely it is that they’ll never have that again. Bucky’s not as simple as he’s been pretending. He doesn’t believe the advertisements, the campaigns that promise they’ll be gone six months and home as heroes by Christmas. That’s what they said last time, and millions never came home. Parallel Sinking Ships (MCU)

Steve sways a little on his feet as Bucky works, and Bucky sees the crash coming. Steve must have been running on sheer adrenaline since the end of their latest mission, perhaps spurred on by grief over the people he hadn’t been able to save this time and anger at himself for his perceived failings. He’d managed to get himself to Wakanda and to Bucky on nothing but leftover fumes, and they’re very quickly running out. Through the Monsoon (MCU)

“Do you want to know the moment I hated myself the most, in all this?” Nick asks. Pieces of himself, he figures. He knows better than anyone how tough it is to be so see-through. To know that despite all his best efforts, he’s utterly transparent. Maybe he can be transparent on purpose; maybe that will make Charlie feel safer in the notion of confessing. All Of These Moving Parts (Heartstopper)

Sitting here, holding TK’s arm in his hand, he feels like he can sense TK slipping away right here in front of him, filtering through his fingers like sand. No matter how he tries, Carlos can’t seem to grasp him tight enough to keep him. And maybe that’s always been the problem. Maybe he’s never known how to do that. Collateral damage (911 Lone Star)

“If we’re playing around, if we’re having fun and you want me to be a little rough that’s fine. I love that, too. Not when you’re this upset. I can’t …” He runs out of ways to explain the way that makes him feel, to imagine being rough with TK while he’s crying and using the mix of pleasure and pain to distract himself from his grief. Of him associating Carlos with hurt in a moment like this, of him believing he doesn’t deserve to be treated gently, maybe because someone died while TK was there and in the dark recesses of his mind he thinks he should be punished for that. Silent (911 Lone Star)

I'm not sure who's done this already but I will tag @musette22 @riricitaa @bubblesandroses8 @chaotictarlos @theghostofashton and @tailoredshirt

#tag meme #fancition #paperstorm writes #who me having written fic for like 15 different fandoms more likely than you'd think

[a-canceled-stamp]

🦋Summer Fanfic Recommendations🦋

I am still grappling with the fact that summer is, in fact, over. In order to say goodbye to arguably my favorite season of the year, I've decided, completely unprompted, to make a rec list of my fav fanfics I read during (and slightly prior to) the summer of 2023. Cause why the heck not.

(The first time I'm doing one of these, apologies if the format is a bit wonky or if there are any other errors!)

⊱┄┄┄┄𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼 𓋼 𖤣𖥧 𓋼𓍊┄┄┄┄⊰

God of War - 🪓ᛏᚺᛖ ᚲᚤᚲᛚᛖ ᛖᚾᛞᛋ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ🏹

Bear Necessities by rosysoleil Summary: Atreus becomes trapped in his bear form and Sindri reluctantly agrees to help turn him human again. Comment: Set after God of War: Ragnarök which, if you’ve played the game, should tell you all you need to know lol. Am absolutely obsessed with this one, y’all. Characterization on point, intriguing plot, incredible writing. The one God of War fic that refuses to let me go. (WIP)

Malevolent - ⛥⛧this too shall pass⛧🕯️

It would be a long drive home by Croik Summary: Arthur Never Makes the Deal with Kayne AU Comment: *Incoherent noises.* Holy moly, this one is good. Amazing writing, captivating plot, just an overall joy to read. The ending made me crave more.

Lacuna by Calamitatum Summary: After Addison, John gets a body and Crazy Shit Happens (not necessarily in that order) Comment: *increased incoherent noises.* BITCH. This fic broke me. And it ain’t even finished yet. Such excellent content, an absolute must-read. (WIP)

Tuck me in by Croik Summary: After getting his own body, John finds it difficult to adjust to one of the most basic and most anticipated new options for him: sleep. Comment: Cuddles. Solve. EVERYTHING. Am so in love with this fic. I hold it up gently for everyone to see.

formaldehyde (or, The Case of the Missing Lilly) by SupposedToBeWriting Summary: Prohibition with a hint of demons and detective-ing Comment: If you could see my reactions as I was reading this fic you’d understand the hype. Absolutely fantastic piece of art. Just. Aaaaah I love it. Quite long but I barely noticed. Hooks you in and refuses to let go.

Batman (DC) - 🦇we live in a society—🃏

HOPE THE LOVE WE SHARED CAN RESURRECT THE LAST. by orpheusaki Summary: Jason survives Ethiopia and returns home; this is the beginning. Comment: The ending made me cry and demand a refund, but like, in the best of ways. Major Character Death. This one HURT y’all, proceed with caution.

Papa Whiskey Bravo by PsychedelicBumblebee Summary: Dick almost dies while on patrol, and Bruce quietly loses it. Comment: aaaah urgggh this one hurt. A LOT. Which seems to be the ones I end up enjoying the most. Beautifully written. ScaredShitless!Bruce is always a win. Gets you right in the feels.

Don’t hold your breath, I don’t think we have much time left by Chemical_Processes Summary: On a quest to rid Harvey of Two-Face, Duke gets critically injured, forcing Bruce and Harvey to work together to keep him alive. Comment: This ficccccc omg. Absolutely obsessed. Love me some Duke content, and the Bruce & Harvey dynamic is to live for. Protective!Bruce is best Bruce. You might be cautious after what I just said about this author’s other work, but don’t worry! This one sparks joy.

And we’ll be carry each other by FishFromMars Summary: Timmy goes to a safehouse after a mission ends with the death of two of his best friends. Comment: what can I say? Reverse Robins AU is an immediate win in my book. Also Damian being a Good Brother makes me feel stuff, man. Something something poetic cinema something. Really well written as well. Very sad, I love it.

my shoulders are heavy already by a_alene Summary: Damian is not sick. Dick is not having a crisis. Also, freezer pops. Comment: Sickfic, which already tells you it's gonna be some good soup. So incredibly sweet but also very oof. My heart constricted several times while reading this. Damian and Dick’s dynamic and relationship is just so…🥺 I love them, your honor.

The Long Way Home by itsnatalie Summary: Jason and Tim are forced to work together when they’re trapped inside a murderous labyrinth. Things get crazy, y’all. Comment: !!! this. fic. It’s one of those fics that’ll stay with you long after you’ve read it. The longest fic on my list, but oh my god it’s so worth reading. And that’s coming from someone who doesn’t usually read longer fics. Seriously, this shit SLAPS

⊱┄┄┄┄𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼 𓋼 𖤣𖥧 𓋼𓍊┄┄┄┄⊰

And there you have it. This was so fun! I'm thinking of doing one of these at the end of every month, starting in September. But then again consistency ain't a strength of mine so I make no promises :3

I'm always looking for new fics to read (especially ones with a father & son duo and a sprinkle of h/c - emphasis on the comfort part) so if you know of a fic you want to recommend (your own work included) you can leave the details in a comment!

Stay readin' my dudes

#fanfiction #fic recs #fanfiction recommendations #god of war #malevolent podcast #batman #Faye's recommendations

[cainluvr69]

Fantasia of the Bookstore Following Footsteps into the Future Chapter 8

Previous Chapter

Arthur: …Lord Oz. Do you mean to say that it's not currently dangerous? Because if so, then I refuse to give up on it just yet.

Hugo: Arthur…

Hugo's eyes widened. Cain clapped a hand on Hugo's shoulder, trying to encourage him.

Cain: I'm with Arthur on this. You're the one the previous generation is trusting to keep that bookstore in top shape, right? That trust is exactly why they left such precious memories in your hands. And I know you'd regret it for the rest of your life if you didn't measure up to their expectations.

Hugo: B-but…

Hugo was hesitating. But Arthur's eyes were filled with determination as he met Hugo's gaze.

Arthur: Were I in your place, if that were my journal… In honor of the person who gave it to me, I'd refuse to give up on it until the very, very end. Hugo. Will you persevere to the end with me?

Thoughts of the Sage's manual floated to the front of my mind. If that was the book that had transformed, what would I do? Even if it was the best, safest option available to me… Destroying that book, packed full of all the proof of the bonds that tie me to my wizards, would feel like I was losing a part of myself.

Akira: Oz, I feel the same way. Isn't there some way we can avoid harming that book? I'd feel a lot better if we could recover it without hurting it.

Oz: … Presently, the book is wrapped in a vast amount of magic. What appear to be wings are in fact that magic given form. If we were to prune said magic bit by bit, it should be possible to halt its rampage.

Cain: So basically it's fine to attack the stuff around the book? Little by little, of course.

Oz: Correct. However, the heart of the magic's physical form is still the book. One must take care in attacking it, lest the book be harmed. You should be aiming solely for the magic surrounding it, and gradually wearing it down that way. In doing so, we should be able to return it to its original form without damaging the book itself.

Oz's gaze fell to Arthur. It seemed like something had occurred to him.

Oz: …My magic is one that turns all to dust in but a moment. I am not especially good at magic that would allow me to take my time in saving it from itself. Arthur. If you wish to protect that book, you must bring things to a close with your own hand.

Arthur: …!

Arthur startled a bit, as if he wasn't expecting Oz to say that he'd be leaving everything to him. There were no signs of doubt or hesitation in Oz's expression. His red eyes betrayed no emotion at all. But I felt as though those eyes were telling Arthur something. They said, "I believe in you."

Oz: I am the one who taught you. I know the power you hold better than you yourself do. …Ever since the day I gave you that journal, you have continued your studies unfalteringly. Show me what you have learned.

Arthur: …Yes! Just leave it to me!

Arthur's smile, full of confidence and delight, shone like the sun. And then his expression hardened as he began contemplating how to go against the bird.

Arthur: We should face it in a smaller area. That will make it more difficult for it to move around. I'd like…two, maybe three more people to help me with this.

Cain: I'm going. I'll cover you.

Riquet: I'll go as well. Let's turn that bird back into a book with the three of us working together.

Hugo: Can I… Can I please go too! My magic isn't very strong, but that's still one of the books I took care of at the shop. I want to do as much as I can while I still can.

Arthur: Yes, of course! That'd be a big help!

Shylock: So the fight will take place inside? Please be careful to not bring this place down around our ears.

Oz: Your worries are unneeded. <Vox Nox>

The moment Oz said his incantation, light shimmered throughout the building. With a sound like a fingernail tapping metal, the light burst and scattered.

Oz: I have placed a ward on this building. No matter what attack you may inflict on it, you will not be able to break it.

Chloe: O-on the whole building…?!

Murr: Can't expect any less from Oz. Everything he does is dramatic!

Oz: Arthur. It is aiming for you. Should this take too long, you will exhaust your magic reservoirs. You must not hesitate, and at the same time, you must prepare yourself for this to be a long battle.

Arthur: Thank you very much for the words of advice. I will approach it with full caution. Please watch me, Lord Oz. I'll definitely bring that book back to where it belongs!

Oz faced Arthur, his gaze settling on Arthur's strong expression. And then with a wave of his staff, the barrier surrounding us unmade itself.

Oz: Go. Put your strength to the test.

Arthur & Riquet: Yes!

Cain: Yeah!

Oz's voice was the trigger for the Central wizards to step forth. Their brooms appeared in their hands, and then they flew off like fired arrows--their path to the bird was straight and true. Shylock watched them as he took his pipe, his magical focus, in hand.

Shylock: Now then. Shall we Western wizards do everything in our power to support them? Murr. Please give us some mist to ward away the corrupted magic and prevent that bird from collecting anymore of it.

Murr: Oooon it!

Rustica: Then Chloe and I shall slow this bird's sprightly dance to a leisurely and romantic waltz.

Chloe: Got it!

Shylock: Well then, shall we begin? <Invibelle>

Murr: <Eanul Lambru>!

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Chloe: <Suispicibo Voitengok>!

With the Western wizards' support behind them, the Central wizards plucked the feathers from the bird's shadow, one by one.

Arthur: <Pernoctant Nixzo>

Cain: <Gladius Procella>

Taking care to not damage the book itself, and without using any strong spells, they were slowly chipping away at the magical power that made up the bird's shadow. With his lack of magical strength and lack of skill at handling a broom, Hugo remained on the ground. The ringing of his bell and gusts of magic wind weighed heavy on the bird's wings, helping the three wizards as best he could.

Hugo: Ah…! I'm so sorry, Riquet. It was moving in that same direction!

Riquet: It's fine! <Sunrotea Edif>

Riquet's spell called forth a massive tornado, and the bird was sucked in, spinning around inside of it.

Cain: Good going, Riquet! Pulling it into the middle of a tornado will do a lot for weakening it.

Arthur: Cain, the next attack should finish things. The book should be exhausting its magic reserves pretty soon.

Cain: Gotcha. Then I'll lead the bird to you, and you can finish it off.

Arthur: Lead it? Absolutely not. The bird's even more aggressive at this point. That's too dangerous, even for you.

Cain: I'm more than used to that on the battlefield. Please, believe in your knight. Because I believe in you, my master.

Arthur: Cain…

Cain: My lord, Prince Arthur. Please, your Highness, lead us to victory.

Contrary to his polite words, Cain placed his fist against Arthur's chest. His lord couldn't help but smile at the gesture, one better suited for a cheerful big brother rather than a knight with his master.

Arthur: Alright, I'll leave it to you! There's a spell Lord Oz taught me when I was young, one that I went over time and time again in my journal. If you can give me enough time to draw the magic circle, I'm sure that spell can finish things.

Cain: Alright, then I'm off!

Riquet: Lord Arthur! I've almost hit my limit keeping it in the tornado…!

Arthur: You did great, Riquet! Cain, you're up!

As soon it was free from Riquet's tornado, the bird dived at Arthur, but Cain's magic blocked its way. The bird let out a piercing scream at being blocked from its prey. Though it was erratic and disoriented from being weakened, it decided to aim its anger at the person who had stopped it: Cain.

Next Chapter

#.mhyktl #.eventtl #.central fantasia

[khaleesiofalicante]

Arthur's chapter. That's it. That's the tweet.

THIS BOY IS GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME ISTG.

Also, the song rec ma'am. the song!!!

“Jaden,” Lance said. “Shut up.” This man gets me in ways I can't explain.

Love me how from all words he still chose David😭

“He just needed to relax a little. I think it got triggered by anxiety,” daddy told them. “My brother used to get them when he was a kid.” I am so normal about this piece of information 🙂. Definitely not screaming

Istg this boy can't get any cuter!!🥺🥺

WEL IDK ABOUT DAVID BUT MY HEART IS HURTING AFTER MAX CAME SAID SOME BEAUTIFUL SHIT AND LEFT :))

“See? I didn’t know any of that,” Jaden said. “I don’t speak French.”

“That sounds like a you problem,” Lance pointed out from the kitchen.

I sometimes wish I could be there and do many sassy comments to Jaden, but no need to worry because Lance has my back 😍

Are you kidding me??? Dernière Danse is one of my favorite songs!!!! ARTHUR SINGING IT SOMEONE HOLD ME

Fist of all, fuck Victoria. Second of all, Kincaid and Arthur>>>>

They are so cute and innocent they make my heart ache ok?!?😭😭

I will protect Harry with every inch of my body from now on😌

Love me some good communication and parent-kid interaction!!! Also, my boy is smart!! He knows something is up!!!.

AJ and Magnus: David doesn't hate you. People don’t write shows about the people they hate

David: I don't hate you

Max: ....Yeah, he definitely hates me

THIS IS FOR LEGAL REASON A JOKE

Arthur being a swiftie is a knowledge I will hold close to my heart 😍

Nooooo!!! Arcaid!!!! I have met this ship five seconds ago and they are already suffering??? In more than one universe??? 😭

Istg, my boys are hopeless romantics😔 Lance I love you but wtf?

LIGHTWOOD-BANE SIBLINGS ARE MAKING ME CRY AGAIN!! There's something so personal with siblings saying "hey" "hey" "I love you" "love you too". No I will not elaborate

“Will you solve my case?”

“I will try.”

They are going to find out and tell Max and it's going to be a big thing right?? I am so scared and excited omg

Song rec: fingers crossed by Lauren Spencer Smith

FIRST OF ALL, THAT SONG IS IN THE IALS PLAYLIST AHHHHH.

Arthur, wherever he is, brings a certain sense of softness with him. It was much needed. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Fun fact: The song is one of my favorites (way before it for popular because of young royals) and was always my choice for Arthur. He has a lot of angsty song recs lol.

WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THE UNRAVELING OF THINGS AND I AM EXCITED TOO.

#IALS

[ofpineapplesanddawns]

Can you write something more for human (cyborg?) Arthur and Peter? Maybe Peter insisting on gifting Arthur silver crucifixes or things, or uv lights in his fancy legs, because he has lost everyone he cares about to vampires and so he just needs Arthur to be as safe as possible?

Oh, oh that breaks my little heart that Peter is so worried for Arthur like that.

Sure, I can write this!

On with the fic!

--

"I'm wondering if I can commission someone for another set of legs for you." Peter said, tapping a painted fingernail on the counter.

Arthur frowned, glancing down at his legs. Currently they were the original pair Peter had gotten for him, hidden under his uniform. He looked back up at the actor, who was now circling his finger around the rim of his glass, as if trying to make it sing, it's not crystal, it won't do that.

"I rather like the ones you've gifted me, Peter. And the other set that are more... athletic, yes? That's what you said?"

"Yeah, more cushion in the heels and knees to help if you have to run or somethin'..." Peter mumbled, looking both embarrassed and a bit worried.

Arthur set aside the bottle he was in the middle of fitting with a cap for pouring and came to stand in front of Peter across the counter, looking at him carefully. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothin'."

"Dear boy, you know you can tell me anything. I'm not just your bartender, I'm your friend, and your boyfriend."

Peter squirmed. "And that's what makes it so awkward."

"Whatever do you mean?"

Biting his lip, Peter slumped against the bar, hiding his face in his now-folded arms. Arthur was quick to move the glass before it could tip over. "I'm just worried about you."

"Why? I'm quite capable of moving around on the legs you've gifted me with no problem. In fact, I'd let you know if there was something wrong."

"No, no, it's not... it's not that." Peter lifted his head. "I was thinkin' of gettin' you another set of legs for night shifts, with lights. Not, uh, not the LEDs in the ones you're wearin'. But... UV lights, in case if..."

He glanced around. The bar was empty, but from what Arthur had come to learn, Peter was very, very paranoid, always worried as if something was waiting around every corner for him.

Considering the incident behind the bar, and what Peter had explained, that was possible.

"In case if vampires tried to hurt me again?" Arthur asked carefully and Peter nodded. "That's very sweet of you, Peter, but I'm more than capable of fighting, I'm not sure if the UV lights would do much work if they're hidden under my pants anyway."

"I guess. Still, it could be helpful."

"I don't want you spending money like that, it's sweet of you to care, but I'll be fine."

"Nnnnn..." Peter shifted on his seat, sitting up to scratch at the exposed bit of neck and chest from his artfully-torn shirt, then he paused. He quick fumbled a bit with his necklaces and removed one from around his neck.

Holding it up, Peter presented Arthur with a beaded rosary, red and black in color, with small silver-looking beads mixed in. The crucifix itself was rather simple in design, just a cross with three holes to indicate where the nails went.

"This is a special rosary I had gotten blessed at the Vatican by the Pope himself when I went to get St. Michael's blessed stake. It was soaked in holy water for seven days and nights, just to be sure, and it's pure silver. If... if something were to happen, I want you to have it as protection, if I'm not close enough to help."

Arthur blinked, staring at the rosary as it sparkled in the lights above the bar. He reached out, carefully taking it from Peter, before placing it around his neck and under his shirt. It was still warm from where it had been against Peter's skin under his shirt. "Are you sure about this? Wouldn't you feel better wearing it? You're the hunter, after all."

"I've got other blessed objects I wear, and lots of silver too. I always make sure it's pure silver, it works best that way." Peter replied. "'sides, I'd sleep better knowing you had something to protect you."

"Again, that's very sweet, Peter. But I must ask, why are you so... worried about me? Not that it bothers me, I just want to make sure."

Peter looked uncomfortable, and rather sad. "Cause anytime... someone gets close to me and becomes important to me, bad things happen to 'em because some bastard vampire decides they're gonna be dinner."

Oh.

That rather explained a lot, especially after the the attack on Arthur behind the bar. "I'm important to you?" He asked, that bit having really caught his attention.

"Course you are!" Peter exclaimed. "You're my boyfriend, and I really, really like you, Arthur! I don't want anythin' bad to happen to you!"

Arthur reached over, cupping his face with his hands, gently stroking a freckled cheek with his thumb. "And I don't want anything bad to happen to you as well, Peter. You're very important to me as well. If you wish to protect me, I want you to promise you'll protect yourself at the same time, alright? It doesn't do either of us any good if... if you're harmed."

He had seen the injuries this job does to Peter, hell, he had to stitch up that nasty gash in their early days of knowing one another. He didn't want things to get worse for Peter if he's trying to protect the bartender.

Peter looked at him, eyes wide, but he nodded. "Y-yeah, I promise."

"Thank you." Arthur pulled him a little bit closer, kissing him on the lips.

--

Poor Peter, he just wants Arthur to be kept safe from his world (but then again, I just want to keep Arthur safe as well in general, so...)

#arthur x peter vincent #john's drabbles #good omens extended universe