#they will have burned out their most powerful member too soon | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fieldofdaisiies · 2 months

Text

Whispers of the Forgotten | pt. 4

pairing: azriel x reader | type: angst | words: 2,6k words | masterlist

You are alone. The room is dark. Silent. Not a single noise audible. Not a single candle burning. Nothing but deafening silence and darkness, almost like an endless void.

And you. You are alone with your thoughts. Your fears. Your memories.

Nesta has left a moment ago, the wooden door is now closed, the room dark. She had asked you a few times if it would be alright to leave you alone, and of course, you said yes. You decided that you like Nesta. She has a powerful aura around her and is definitely not one to mess with. You would have loved to talk to her a bit more, but you couldn’t keep her here.

But damn, do you hate being alone now. You said you would be alright, but deep inside you knew you wouldn’t, but you didn’t want to keep her here. You couldn’t do this to her.

You are miserable and considered one of the most dangerous beings in this world — what would she do here? With you. She definitely has better things to do...

But now that you are alone, the room suddenly scares you. Being alone does. You didn’t want to keep her here, but you also don’t want to be alone.

Your curl your fingers towards your palms, drawing blood when your sharp nails pierce into your flesh. But the pain…you don’t even notice it anymore, having done this so many times over the past centuries. Whenever you were scared, or panic.king It was not in order to harm or hurt yourself, but to remind yourself that what is happening to you real, not some wild nightmare or hallucination, that you haven’t gone mad.

You lift your gaze and turn your head slightly, your neck aching. You realise quickly that you can’t stay here. You don’t want to stay here. Not alone. Not in the dark. Never again. You can’t do this. You can’t stay here right now.

No one told you you had to stay in your room, only in the Library. So the Library is where you want to be. Outside of this room. In the light. Surrounded by books and maybe one or the other person – the priestesses.

You shoot to the door and rip it open, dashing toward the first light source you spot. The large, towering bookshelves at the end of the corridor are lit and this is where you are heading right now, tired feet still carrying you over the floor rather quickly.

Once surrounded by many books, the scent of the old pages seeping into your nostrils, you inhale deeply and close your eyes for a moment, trying to level your breathing and still your mind.

The Valkyries once had breathing techniques you still like to use. Mind-stilling techniques that helped you to not go insane in your time in the Prison.

You hand reaches out and you brush over some books.

It is a soft, female voice that startles you slightly when you hear it behind you. “You must be, Y/N.”

You spin around and are met with a beautiful, tall female with teal eyes. She kindly smiles at you and you nod.

“I‘m Gwyn. I also live here. Welcome to the Library.”

You meet her gaze and stop dead in your tracks. "Gwyn?"

"Yes," she says, "actually Gwyneth Berdara, but I prefer Gwyn. Just Gwyn."

You look at her in slight surprise, feeling both nostalgic and sad. Your friend, a former member of the Wild Hunt, was called Gwyn. He is dead now.

"You are not scared?" You don't want to think about him, the friend you have lost. Another person who left the world too soon.

You swallow around a lump in your throat and your sharp fingernails brush over the spine of a book. You are thankful for the sweater Nesta has offered you on your way down here, having seen how much you shivered, now hanging loosely over your shoulders, the nightgown beneath still the same you have been wearing for centuries.

"Of you?" Gwyn asks with a smile and takes one step closer. You almost want to warn her to not get too close, but you know you would never hurt her. It’s only what you’ve heard your whole life. Don’t get too close to the demon. Stay away from the evil female.

The Bloodthirsty Baroness comes at midnight to steal your soul and leave you to bleed out. The Silent Reaper executes you before you can defend yourself. Not once have you done such a thing - only tales and legends made you seem like this demonic monster. You only ever avenged victims, took care of those who hurt them, and devoured the revenge you exerted. But you never hurt someone only to hurt them.

"Yes, of me." You meet her eyes again and see how she shakes her head.

"I have a lot of respect for you, but scared? I know you won’t harm me, so I'm not scared."

"Because the High Lord would kill me for it."

Her warm, soft palm lands on your chest before you have time to react. It startles you, massively, and you nearly choke on a breath. Your eyeballs threaten to fall out of their sockets by how wide your eyes are open — she is touching you. You are not irritated or shocked about the audacity, you are confused, startled, about her...kindness.

She smiles when she takes in the shock on your face.

"I am not scared of you because I know you have a good heart. Right in there, you are good, and I don’t have to be afraid of you, with the High Lord’s protection or without it. I know you wouldn’t harm me."

She pulls back her hand and you almost want to reach for her and just pull her into an embrace. She reminds you of your sister and right now you would give the world for just a simple hug from your sister. Or just a simple hug. Just someone caring enough for you to hold you.

“The fangs? The claws, the—”

“Incredibly amazing assets and most definitely very handy in battle. And as I said, I have a lot of respect for you, I can feel your power and I know what you are probably capable of. I am incredibly impressed by you and your powers, but they don't scare me.”

You almost want to laugh about the powers part. Because right now...you don't have them. Not with the amulet not being in your possession, not with some training. Every ounce of power you had, slowly drained from your body during the imprisonment.

But you shake your head and inhale deeply. You don't want to let your anger and frustration show right now, it wouldn't be fair when Gwyn has only been kind to you.

With a little chuckle slipping through your lips you shake your head. “You have a heart of pure gold, Gwyn.”

She only smiles politely, but a faint blush stains her cheeks. “You want company this evening?”

A sigh of relief leaves you. “There is nothing I would rather want." You sling your arms around yourself. "If you don’t mind, of course.”

───── ⋆⋅ ☽☾ ⋅⋆ ─────

The following day – armed with several books Gwyn helped you collect in the Library– you start to read up on Koschei, on spells and curses, on anything that could be important.

You dive into one book after the other, each one captivating you so much you forget about the time and world around you as you gather information, noting things done or remembering by heart. Your mind is sharp, fully focused on the book, eyes scanning every single word, taking it all in. There is so much that is important, you let your head fall back and then you inhale deeply.

Hopefully, they will give you back your amulet soon. You need it and you also want it back. It has been in your family’s possession for centuries, until Azriel–

You don’t dwell on this thought, straightening up and focusing back on the task at hand – going through yet another book and some pieces of parchment that come along with it.

By the special request of Rhysand High Lord of the Night Court, you are always working upstairs, in the living room of the House of Wind. It doesn’t bother you; most of the time you are alone, some tending to business inside the house, others training (Gwyn told you so) on the rooftop.

Sunlight brushes your skin and you revel in the feel of it. You haven’t felt, nor seen, sunlight in so long it now feels like balm against your skin. It is so good, you haven’t felt that alive in so long.

You are still kept somehow locked in, but it almost feels like freedom. You are allowed to roam freely in the House of Wind and the Library. You haven’t got your powers back, but as long as you are in here, you don’t need them. You only need a bit of sunlight, some wonderful conversations with Gwyn, a soft bed to sleep in and good food. It is enough and slowly contentment crawls back into your body – nothing you’ve never thought to ever happen again.

But now there is hope for you to find happiness again. Not with Azriel, and also not with him in your life, but there will be a way to avoid him somehow. Once you have your powers back and Koschei is defeated they might let you leave. You would go to the continent or even further away. As far away from the male who caused you that much pain as possible.

“If you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

The voice startles you and you almost shriek, jumping up in your chair, snatching the book close. Your heart races like a wild horse and you whip around to look at Nesta.

There is a smile on her face, one that is too kind and empathetic – you are not used to that sort of friendly behaviour towards you.

“I am fine.” You'r answer is too quick. Too tight, and Nesta purses her lips.

“You may pretend to be, and you are damn good at it, but I know you are not.” She closes the door behind her and moves toward the table, bracing her slim hands upon the surface, manicured nails tapping against it. “What you have gone through…I think none of us can imagine, but I don’t want you to have to swallow it all up.”

Her throat bobs when she swallows. “I know what it does to someone, not opening up or not having anyone to talk to.”

“I don’t need anyone to talk to.” You meet her gaze. “I don’t need anyone.” You want this statement to be strong and steadfast, but your voice gives you away, breaking slightly towards the end, so you quickly add. “All my life, I’ve been alone. I was orphaned when I was a babe, later no one ever cared about me, then my powers manifested and everyone got scared and they started to fear and hate me.”

“You were part of the Wild Hunt.” Nesta interrupts you and you don’t like it. But her statement surprises you. How the hell does she know? Well, Rhysand has probably told everyone. How he knew? Either from his father or Azriel.

“I was.”

She claims the seat across you and you fight the urge to roll your eyes.

“I’m sure they cared about you.” Neither of you looks away and power stretches out between you. You are both strong-willed and powerful, neither of you is giving in now. You wonder if she really only wants to help you, be there for you. There is not a kernel of bad blood inside her body, your soul detects nothing, and so it makes you truly think she might only want to be nice to you. But why?

“We didn’t care about each other. We tolerated each other, had our backs when we went out for the hunt, but that was it.” Slowly, you scrape a talon down the cover of the book.

“Did you give yourself your nicknames?”

Does none of them have manners? No knocking, no announcing oneself, just showing up.

You turn to Gwyn and raise your brow at her. You can’t be mad at her, she was too kind to you the other evening, and her words have strung cords within your heart you thought no longer to exist. So, inhaling deeply and calming your heart, your decide to be polite to her.

“The Bloodthirsty Baroness.” Gwyn walks up to Nesta, nothing but curiosity shimmering within her teal eyes. "The Silent Reaper."

Your eyes flick to her and in a smooth, polished voice you say, “I earned myself the titles.”

Neither Gwyn nor Nesta show a reaction but a chill courses through the room, cooling the temperature at least two degrees.

“But probably not for the reason you think," you silently add. You move the book away from you and flex your fingers, then curl them towards your palms. “I wasn’t bloodthirsty for innocent people, I only took revenge for those who could no longer do so. My hands were drenched in blood, but it wasn’t spilled in vain.”

“See,” Gwyn says with a small smile and slumps into the chair next to Nesta. “I knew you had a good heart.”

A cold chuckle parts your lips. “I wouldn’t quite say that I have a good heart, but I’m not quite as cruel as the legends and stories paint me. And the silent part is definitely true - always appearing at midnight, taking the souls of those with me who deserved it. No noise could be heard, no one could be seen and no trace was left behind.”

A smirk appears on Nesta’s face and she slowly bows her head. “Are you alright with being here?” She changes the topic and you are incredibly thankful for it. Or would be, if she hadn’t asked this question.

You can’t quite say no, because being here is not the worst place you have ever been at, but then, with Azriel always being somewhere around, it kind of is (not as bad as the Prison though…)

“It is alright.”

“I asked if you are alright.”

You chuckle again and give your head a shake. “I’m alright.”

Now, Nesta dips her chin and seems content with your answer. Insufferable, you think, but you have to admit you actually like her. She partly reminds you of yourself.

There is a little spark inside your mind, just a very small thought, a fleeting moment, that lets you think what if. What if you stayed here and became friends with Nesta and Gwyn. You could see yourself being friends with them and–

You immediately cut off your string of thouhgts.

This is bullshit. You won’t stay here. The first chance you get, you will be gone. Far away and never return. People who live here have hurt you, and you will never find forgiveness for them.

“Shall we let you work again?”

With a smile you dip your chin at Gwyn. “That would be nice. I’ve found quite some things already.” You don’t really know why you share so much, but you are all in this together, so why keep things from them. And so you continue, letting them in on what you have found out already, sharing some bits and pieces with them that could be of interest.

When the sun already starts to set outside and Gwyn and Nesta leave for training with the other priestesses you are for the first time reminded how much time you have spent bent over the books this day.

“Nesta,” you call after her once she is nearly out of the door.

She slowly turns to you, waiting, but Gwyn is already gone, her humming filling the otherwise silent corridor.

“Thank you for offering me to talk to you whenever I need it. And thank you…just thank you.” You smile a little sheepishly but she returns it with a bright grin. “Anytime,” she says and you add, “If you get a chance, just tell Gwyn thank you from me again as well.”

She bows her head and is gone in the next moment.

With a small, barely-there smile on your lips you focus your attention back to the task at hand. Spending so much time researching seems like a good thing to make time pass, you realise and reach for yet another book. It is big and has a thick velvety binding. Your fingers stroke over the golden lettering that says something about darkness and its creatures.

When you flip it open the first lovely being revealed to you is the Naaga. You haven’t seen them in a long time, you think, but you have had both good and bad memories with those little beasts. You flick through more pages, getting lost in every little word you read, reminding you of a time long ago.

So enthralled by the knowledge you gather from the book, you haven’t noticed that someone opened the door, nor that someone has walked in.

Not someone – Azriel.

"Can we talk?"

tags (crossed-out I couldn't tag) : @juulle987 @marimorena06 @danikasthings @younxii@nightcourtwritings @mrofontaine @lunalilyf @whor-3-crux @tired-all-the-time @anni-was-here @ummmmmwat @azbracadabra @j-pendragonx @hollyismentallyillhelp @famousbasementpainter @bsenpai @lena-davina @red-highlady @thesugatoyourtae @azrielsbabyg @aroseinvelaris @moony-thoughts @wrensical003 @cherryjain17 @moonfawnx @crushedcloudsx @devilsfoodcake22 @valeridarkness @azrielscertifiedslut @mulansaucey @cynicalpotato95 @hanasakr @high-bi-andreadytocry @eerievixen @feyretopia @moonlightazriel @randomness-it-is @brekkershadowsinger @eliieee23 @girasoli-e-sorrisi @illyrianvalkyriecarynthian @kennedy-brooke @highladyofillyria @theworthlessqueen @marina468 @topaz125 @illyrian-dreamer @azriels-mate123 @eos-princess @courtofjurdan @a-frog-with-a-laptop @insufferablebookaddict @callmeblaire

#azriel x reader #azriel x you #acotar x reader #acotar #azriel

327 notes · View notes

yanderes-galore · 3 months

Note

Hi again! For pokemon, could you do a rivalry-ish situation, with an overprotective platonic Genesect with it's trainer, versus a romantic yandere Ghetsis, please? And reader is very wary of him, and doesn't trust him at all. Thank you!

I'll try my best, sure!

Overprotective! Genesect vs Yandere! Ghetsis

Pairing: Platonic (Genesect)/Romantic (Ghetsis)

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Violence, Kidnapping, Threats of injury, Attempted murder, Isolation, Forced relationship/Dubious companionship.

Genesect was a Pokemon altered and created by Team Plasma.

As a result, it most likely hates humans/Team Plasma.

An idea of how this dynamic can go is this...

Genesect escapes the labs of Team Plasma and finds you.

You are a Pokemon Trainer who is collecting Gym Badges with your friends, so essentially a role similar to the Black & White protagonists.

You fight against Team Plasma whenever you can, which catches the eye of Ghetsis.

When Genesect meets you, it watches from the bushes for awhile.

It doesn't trust humans after what it went through... so it observes how you interact with your own Pokemon companions.

Eventually Genesect may jump out of hiding and attack you.

Despite your fear you prove yourself in battle, tossing a ball at the strange Pokemon by the end of it.

This is how Genesect becomes your Pokemon.

It takes time to get used to you, but upon seeing how your other Pokemon act around you... it feels comforted.

You aren't a bad human.

In fact, soon Genesect begins to rely on you and listens to you in battle.

You find the Pokemon interesting and may even assume its origin is Team Plasma related.

It's a Bug Type... but also oddly cybernetic.

It's unique... but you care for it all the same.

Now, Ghetsis originally saw you as a nuisance.

You keep foiling his plans like some sort of vigilante.

Although... his interest increases when he sees you with the escaped Genesect.

You've managed to tame the living weapon to work for you.

He grows intrigued by your bond yet also hates it... and now finds himself with a new obsession over you.

Ghetsis finds you... attractive and powerful due to your team.

With Genesect under your control he finds some admiration for you within him.

Yet you are very wary of the Team Plasma leader...

Genesect even shows aggression towards Team Plasma members, another factor adding to your theory on its origin.

You don't trust Ghetsis, he's too charismatic for his own good.

When he talks to you he's very manipulative, always tempting you to join him.

Why fight him? He can give you power if you join.

When you disagree or Genesect defends you... Ghetsis feels fury burning within him.

You always manage to slip through his grasp.

He has a feeling Genesect is helping you, too.

He can't get anywhere near you without the threat of being shot by Genesect's cannon.

Genesect has a feeling Ghetsis is trying to do something with you.

It fears that he may be trying to experiment on or hurt you... so it defends you with its life.

Ghetsis doesn't intend on harming you... when he has you, at least.

Until he gets you in his arms he doesn't care how much harm comes to you.

Due to how deranged Ghetsis can be... he could break a limb on you or knock you out cold until he gets what he wants.

But when he has you he'll isolate you away... treat your wounds... and keep you to himself.

When he has you in his grasp he'll even take control of Genesect.

After all, that Pokemon has caused enough damage anyways.

But if Genesect oversteps... well... Ghetsis could always just have it killed.

After all... such a Pokemon has kept him away from his beloved.

Genesect can try its best to defend you... but Ghetsis will find away around the issue.

Ghetsis will have you in the end... he promises that...

Even if he has to squash a bug and you come to him broken.

#yandere pokemon trainer #yandere pokemon #overprotective pokemon #overprotective genesect #yandere ghetsis

84 notes · View notes

maenecoon · 1 month

Text

i may or may not have a reverse kidnapping fic idea that i've been brewing up the past week or so -- just deciding how things will go and how i should proceed with some stuff but here's a teeny snippet!

(for context: chay is a low-level gang member that has been hired to kidnap wik. chay doesn't know wik is kimhant theerapanyakun, aka third son of the most powerful crime syndicate in thailand. so that's fun!!)

Chay and Wik, trapped in a three-by-two-meter space.

Soon, the engine starts with a low hum, and the truck starts to move. Wik’s slump figure, seated against the side of the wall, lolls his head toward the metal flooring. Without a thought Chay’s fingers curl around his idol’s unnecessarily-toned bicep, tipping him to rest against Chay’s shoulders instead.

“You're too pretty to get hurt, P’Wik,” Chay mutters, as though he isn't part of the group who’s put Wik in this situation to begin with. Sighing a soft apology, he picks up the rope and starts attempting to tie.

Wik’s hands are rough, the backs of them littered with veins bulging in ways enough to make Chay blush, the soft of his palms filled with guitar callouses and other blisters. He holds them for a few moments, letting himself indulge in the fantasy of itー it's all so fucked up that this is the way he's finding out how Wik’s hand feels against his.

Shame burns bright and hot in the space between their palms and Chay jerks his hand away, moving to grip his wrists instead. Still he struggles to hold them together with one hand as he loops the rope around them with his other hand, fingers clumsy and slow.

#baby kidnapper chay #he's trying his best but he's usually the rope bunny #not the rigger #kim will just have to teach him a lesson or two #kimchay #kimchay au #kinnporsche the series #mae's kimchay kidnapping au #it's really not angsty #more unhinged4unhinged vibes #also a little silly #bc chay's just turned on by everything wik does #he's having a gay panic #kidnapped by one direction vibes

58 notes · View notes

idv-sunsxin3 · 2 months

Text

Pavia, Diggers // Car Ride

Note // Same prompt as the one with Horropedia except is with the other 2 glasses sillies (separately) this time/ lh

Warning// a bit suggestive on Pavia's part??? Maybe.

____

(When he's driving)

Guys, we should make a debate in where Pavia either drives on a Lamborghini or a Ferrari/j

There are times he drives normally for the sake of keeping a low profile at times... and there are time when he is a fast driver, not more said.

Would most likely get a speeding ticket... well, if the officers ever managed to catch him. 😭

Even if he doesn't put seatbelt on himself, he would be the type of lover who would nag you to put them on-

(not like you're complaining as you grip on something as if your life depends on you;;;/ih)

He likes to linger his hand on your thigh and give it a squeeze whenever he drives- crazy.

He would do the same when so much traffic happens, to at least subside his frustration on the road. Italian cursing at how long it's taking;;; definitely the grumpy driver type.

Sometimes, he likes to put bags underneath your legs during the ride, saying that "it's safe if it doesn't shake around"-

But no!!! In reality, he does that just so he can grab one of your legs and spread it open before reaching out, whatever he needs to take out - this man.... 😭

The good side of it is that Pavia's 5 wolves are often tagged along as they sit on the back seat--- Pavia for some reason helps them open the windows sometimes so they can stick their head and stick out their tongues while the car moves- its a very funny sight when it's 5 dogs in both windows of the car;;;;😭🤣

The wolves are at least trained enough to be careful- and they would know when to get their heads back in whenever Pavia warns them that he'll roll up the windows again with the power window switch.

"Hold on tight, baby~ this will be a pretty bumpy ride."😈

If you really appreciate your life a lot, you might as well ask if you both can just take a taxi./lh

Yet i feel like knowing him, he won't take no as an answer;;; <//3

____

(When he's a passenger)

Mmm if he ever is in a car ride with you along with other party members Vertin assigned, he probably wouldn't like the fact how close he is to touch other people during the entire ride---- even if he doesn't show it, I guess the menacing death smirk might give it away(it does).

As long as it's just you beside him, he won't be too salty about it--

He won't give you a break from how clingy he is tho- he wouldn't keep his hands to himself if he's not the one taking the wheel;;;;

Pulling you close, sneaking a hand on your knee, make you cuddle against him, have his chest touch your back as he whispers flirty Comments on your ear- technically trying to make others get third wheeled and calling them single in many different ways;;; 😭

Like Horropedia, he's most likely the "are we there yet" passenger....---- except in a more grumpy impatient vibe as if he doesn't want to stay in this vehicule any longer--- he's not burning it down just because you're here/ih

"Come on, little girl...- How long do we have to stay in this car?"

The Italian grumbles, trying to get his sly hands busy by playing with your hair a bit through his calloused fingers. His arm is resting heavily on your shoulder.

"Soon." That's what the young girl answers with a calm tone, already used to the intimidating energy the older one tends to bring.

Pavia ends up leaning his back into the cushion, sighing as you tiredly pat him by the shoulder. The small gesture of comfort is unknown if it is playful or sincere.

Suddenly, the other seems to have other plans. He catches you off guard by lifting you smoothly with his hands on your waist before placing you between his lap.

He whispers on your ear, a quiet voice with a hint of rasp and longing.

"Stay close to me for now, so I don't have to talk to these poor teammates here...-"

____

(When he's driving)

Diggers driving an old-fashioned volkswagen that has a lot of colorful graffiti paint all over it seems very in character, in my opinion. He even has this colorful van decorated with a lot of stuff in his insight 2-- Which was what most hippies drove before.

Not only is it affordable and durable, but it's also spacious in the back that he can make it as a comfy place to rest.... which is also where you usually nap together or have these quiet cuddling sessions.🥺♥️

He usually keeps the vehicule in a peaceful area where it's not near the city, like a grassfield or in the middle of a forest.

I'm not sure if he'll be a full licensed driver, but I feel like he would drive at a less extreme speed for the sake of stress--- prefers to drive and see how empty the road is and how peaceful the landscape would be- rural areas specifically.

And when he finds the perfect spot to settle, you would stay there for the night or even a couple of days.

Diggers probably like acoustic music or something that gives a "groovy" impression. Yet, he is very flexible enough to let you go crazy with the radio box- pick a song, or music, whatever hat interests you--- whether he knows the tune or not, he might try to sing along and enjoy the different kinds of vibes with you djdbdbdb-

You and Diggers plan to move the van out to another rural field within london- most likely a village your boyfriend seems to have known.

The moment you finished packing what you need at the back of the van, Diggers calls you back from the driver seats window.

"Darling! You're done?" The voice of your boyfriend resembles one of an ecstatic puppy.

"Yeah!"

"Come inside!"

As you were about to hop into the passenger seat- you got surprised by a.... big pile of flowers sitting on your seat???

Oop- some of them fell off the moment you opened the door.

"I- what??? What is this???" You laugh softly, already imagining the jolly grin Diggers might be wearing from the other side of the mountain of flowers.

The pile looks like they're 100 roses.

"Oops--- forgot to give you these. Surprise!" He bubbly says as he leans on the steering wheel lazily.

"...." You pause, sighing out after recovering from the laughter, "Oh g- thanks, baby-- but how can I even see your face like this??? Where do i sit???" 🤣

As if the option of the back seat was out of the window, Diggers responded:

"How about my lap?"

You both now started laughing again like the dorks you are,,,/lh

____

(When he's a passenger)

He's most likely the type to play some tunes on his guitar, entertaining and serenading those who surround him as he sits in the vehicle

Is actually very nice that he gets to go somewhere without worrying about the gasoline cost-- /ih

He'll be fine sitting anywhere- but he'll be more pleased if he gets to sit right next to you- where he believes he should be <33

He'll have an arm behind your neck while chilling, sometimes holding hands just to play with your fingers while talking to someone.

Maybe even spend the entire car ride trying to teach how to play the guitar- having you on his lap as he guides your hands on where to place the strings. 🤭🥰

He would be most likely a tolerable passenger, a pretty peaceful one. He'll even would try and nap the entire ride if he can.

Though, whenever he spots a police car passing by through the window- I can imagine him immediately crouching so he doesn't get spotted, very self-conscious by the fact there are some officers looking after him,,, maybe;;; <//3

He trusts any driver as long as it's anyone that is not Pavia.... Convince me otherwise--- 😭

He would freak out and scream when the speed is too high- even cling on to you.

His grip is firm that you don't even know whether he is trying to hold on to you so he doesn't get thrown off or because he wants to cover you from any incoming crashes---/ih

You'll have to comfort him a bit after that;;

I'll never forget about the drive thru headcanons <333

//Them ordering take out at a McDonald's drive thru with s/o. If you don't eat McDonald's, just imagine it/ih

___

//Pavia//

Arches eyebrow... and wearing this look of "pookie, out of other restaurants, you decide one of the most low-quality ones???"/ih

Also not him having beef by the fact the ice cream in McDonald's sucks- the machine is even broken in almost every restaurant--- sobs;;;

At the end, he brought you there anyways, because you made him/ih

The reason why he would buy you a happy meal is probably because you're baby--- you don't even know if it's sweet or insulting./ih 😭🫠

Whenever you want to order but the cashier cant hear you when he's the one who's in the driver seat- I can imagine you guys with this meme./ih

Pavia is creepily respectful enough to keep this funny straight look while technically facing your butt, it's crazy;;; 2x

Next time, Pavia will drag you to somewhere better now that you finished dragging him to such "monstrosity of creepy clowns, grimace shakes, and broken ice cream machines"/j. More better than Olive Garden even---;;;

___

//Diggers//

"Ehhhh-- what would you like to order, sweetie?" :)

"Anything is alright."

"...."

"....."

*turns back to the window* "1 hamburger, 2 French fries- and a milkshake, please." :)

Most hippies don't seem to like materialism- but food is food, he wouldn't even dare to say no to if you want to order food at places like McDonalds dbbdbdnd;;; Like, most prices there were like less than $1 (plus tax) back in the 1960s...- 🤔🤯

(I feel like you would boss out of this by paying for him at times- like this is probably better than the McDonald's from 2020s/ih)

Man, happy meals were only first introduced in 1979- so they weren't a thing yet for a while in Diggers' timeline. If they ever get premiered, He would buy you one for you whether or not you like it- he just likes how there are chicken nuggets and juice boxes inside colorful boxes that seem to be meant for children-- yet for him, it doesn't matter. You will have it anyway, even if he's broke;;😭🥺

The first boxes when they were first introduced were circus wagons. The first toys were tops, stencils, wallets, puzzles, and erasers. Initially, meals included a hamburger or cheeseburger, fries, a soft drink, and cookies.... yum.

Pampering you with food is one of the wholesome things I can imagine - even eating it while being inside his van at some parking lot. Feeding each other with these silly dorky grins,,,,

#pavia reverse 1999 #reverse: 1999 #reverse 1999 #r1999 diggers #r1999 pavia #r1999 x reader #r1999 #reverse 1999 diggers #diggers x reader #pavia x reader #reverse: 1999 x reader

58 notes · View notes

denimbex1986 · 5 months

Text

'It should come as no surprise that Russell T Davies, the man behind Queer As Folk, the one who first made Doctor Who tangibly gay, has returned to the franchise with what might be its queerest outing yet. But even we were surprised by quite how integral LGBTQ+ themes would be to the story this time around.

Much has been made of David Tennant and Catherine Tate's return, yet it's Yasmin Finney's brand-new character Rose who's at the heart of this Star Beast special.

Donna's daughter befriends The Meep first, and she's also the one who saves London when The Meep reveals itself to be evil. What's special about this is that it's Rose's trans identity specifically that proves key to her victory.

When we last saw her mother, Donna had absorbed some of the Doctor's energy, creating a 'metacrisis' that would have killed her if the Doctor had not erased her memories. But when she's reminded again of the Time Lord's existence in this latest episode, Donna survives intact, and that's because when she gave birth to Rose, she unknowingly split that energy between them, halving their potentially devastating impact.

As Donna's memories return, Rose's innate Timelord energy is then activated too, enabling her to stop Meep with newfound knowledge and abilities from her position on the ground.

Rose's non-binary identity stems from The Doctor's. (The show finally acknowledges them to be gender-fluid after they presented as both male and female over the course of the franchise). That means the source of Rose's power comes directly from her nature as a non-binary individual, positioning her as a hero because of her gender identity and not despite of it.

That's not to say Doctor Who shies away from the difficulties trans people face in real life. Earlier on in the same episode, bullies deadname Rose in the street and soon after, Donna's own mother, Sylvia, accidentally misgenders Rose as well, despite her good intentions.

Donna's response to all this? "I would burn down the world for you, darling," and honestly, that's how we feel after seeing some of the negative feedback these scenes have received online.

Despite scoring strong reviews from critics and the majority of fans, it seems not everyone is celebrating Doctor Who's much-lauded return.

On Rotten Tomatoes, trolls are review-bombing the episode, bringing the audience score down to 41%, which is a huge contrast from the critics rating of 89%. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and the episode won't be to everyone's tastes, but when comments suggest the show 'needs to stop pushing talk of pronouns onto kids', it's safe to say most of these opinions are grounded in hate and ignorance.

Imagine being shocked that a show about an alien who regularly changes their body and gender would dare acknowledge such concepts?

In the days following the special, a hashtag named #RIPDoctorWho continued this backlash on X/Twitter, to which Doctor Who casting director Andy Pryor said the following:

"Just stopped by to say that on @bbcdoctor who (or any of our work) we don't work hard to cast inclusively for publicity. We do it because we like stories. & stories should speak to all of us & include all of us. And if one person feels a little less alone, then."

With more queer cast members on the way, including Neil Patrick Harris as the villainous Toymaker and Ncuti Gatwa as the new face of The Doctor himself, the future of Doctor Who is looking queerer by the day.

But it's not just the future that's queer.

To those who baulk at more inclusivity in future seasons, we can't help but wonder: What show have you been watching this whole time? Because Doctor Who is super queer — and it always has been.

Yes, even before Jack Harkness slapped a guy's arse or Bill Potts fell for a puddle named Heather, the Classic era channeled queerness with how it defied the establishment and stood up for those who need it most. It's hard to exaggerate how much stories like this resonated with LGBTQ+ people at a time when positive representation was almost non-existent on screen.

It's no wonder then that a sizeable chunk of Doctor Who's fandom identifies as queer, even if the show wasn't able to address LGBTQ+ fans directly until (queer lifelong fan) Russell T Davies regenerated the franchise in 2005.

But now, all these years later, The Star Beast ushers in a new chapter for Doctor Who where the show can finally live up to the inclusive ethos it's always striven for.

That's not to diminish the positive steps other showrunners have taken in the interim. 2015's 'Sleep No More' featured Doctor Who's first trans actress, Bethany Black, and season twelve's 'Praxeus' successfully flipped the 'Bury Your Gays' trope, although the less said about how season 13 handled #Thasmin the better.

And it's not like everything is suddenly perfect now. Rose's metacrisis abilities could feed into sci-fi tropes around trans/non-binary identities being considered "alien", plus the inclusion of Rose's deadname has garnered a mixed response from the trans community online.

While some argue this has given trolls the opportunity to use that name venomously against her character, others point out that transphobia is a reality the show shouldn't shy away from.

The moment when Rose calls the Doctor out for assuming Meep's pronouns might feel a bit-on-the-nose for some too, although if this kind of talk immediately heralds the end of the franchise for you, you might want to cast your mind back a few decades to 1972's 'The Curse of Peladon' where the Doctor and Jo discussed Alpha Centauri's pronouns at length.

But still, seeing trans and non-binary identities celebrated to this degree is very much welcome regardless, especially in a family show with such a huge fanbase like Doctor Who. This is the kind of storytelling that saves lives, trolls be damned.

And now, with the impending arrival of more trans actors and characters in Yasmin Finney's wake — including Jinkx Monsoon, Mary Malone and Pete MacHale — Doctor Who's next season promises to be more inclusive than ever before.

If you have a problem with that, remember that your hero, the good Doctor, would never discriminate against trans people, or any other marginalised group for that matter either. So why would you?'

84 notes · View notes

ballerinainskzville · 1 year

Text

OT8 when they’re sick, skz

Bangchan: refuses to rest with all his power. “Baby, you’re not missing out on anything if you take a nap. You can’t continue working like this”, you’d argue with him and he would disagree. “There’s still so much to do!”, he’d disagree. “You have the next 4 comebacks planned out, missing out on one day doesn’t hurt anybody” He then would only give up and go to bed to about further upsetting and worrying you. Would fall asleep instantly and snore, tiredness taking him in

Lee Know: he’d be his usual teasing self, just less energy. You’d make him chicken soup to feel better and he’d pretend like it’s too sour. But end up eating multiple bowls. Even sick, he’s requested all of your attention. “Promise me to look after my kids when I die”, he’d say before he’s going to sleep.

“Lino, you’re not dying”

“Who can guarantee that I wake up? I need to know my kids are taken care of”

“What about me?”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way. The kids are important”

“So I’m not important?”

“I didn’t say that”

Changbin: would require tons and tons of cuddles. One big whiny teddy bear that wants to be looked after but would hate making you do something for him like cooking soup. You’d still make one and he’d compliment you over and over, expressing his gratitude for having you in his life and what he’d do if you weren’t his girl. Debated with you if going for a light walk as exercise would be good for him. Ending up watching action movies.

Hyunjin: definition of whiny would carry his name. Lots of dramatic sighs and complaints. He’d want you to stay further away in case you’d get sick too but stay in the same room. You’d read a book and he’d draw you reading. He’d sneeze and drag his pen accidentally along the page, ruining the sketch. Annoyed, he’d put the sketch block away. His furrowed brows would only soften once you shuffle closer and scoop him up in a tight hug into which he’d melt. “I want to kiss you but I don’t want you to get sick”

“Then get better soon”

“Ha, that’s a good idea. Never thought of it”

“I’m a genius, I know”

“If that makes you feel better about yourself”

“Shut up, Hyun”

“Make me”

“I can’t. You’re sick so I can’t kiss you”

He’d pucker up his lips in an attempt to steal a kiss.

Jisung: he would have trouble asking you to look after him. First, he’d pretend like he’s only tired and needs sleep. Waking up with a fever, he’d panic about what to do and ask you for advice. You’d then sit by his bed, wiping his face, neck, and arms with wet cloths to calm him down after giving him some medicine. He’d sigh with closed eyes and apologize over and over for being sick. You’d make him a light meal and soup and you’d end up watching his (secretly) favorite Barbie movie

Felix: similar to Jisung, he’d pretend like he isn’t sick at all to avoid you worrying about him. Until he begins to burn up and feel nauseous, admitting he needs to lie down because he’s not feeling well. You’d sit next to him, holding his hand while he’s sleeping, playing with his hair while you’re admiring the Star constellations on his face. He’d jerk up awake and then a sigh of the warmth. Feeling vulnerable while he’s sick, he refuses to change out of his sweaty clothes until you assure him that it’s fine and that he’s in trusting hands. Yours. He’d then let you help him and change into fresh clothes with your help before laying down again.

Seungmin: he’d ask you to stop by the pharmacy to grab some medicine. Asking if one of the members is sick, he’d simply say it’s for him. To prevent you from falling ill too, he’d ask you to stay in another room but you’re at each other to catch up on the day. He’d lay in bed, his eyes taking up most of the screen while you’re sitting on the couch of the living room. He’d quiz you to distract himself from nausea and talk until he’d fall asleep over ft. You’d end the call and make him some soup to eat once he’s up again.

Jeongin: he’d ask you if the certain headache is normal and when you’d disagree, he’d simply say “then I’m sick”. Would tell you not to worry and stay home but you’d come over to his dorm to look after him too. He’d have weird food requests, his stomach still hungry as always, and would tell you to just order the food under his name instead of bothering to cook. Which you’d still do. He’d compliment your cooking and apologize for being sick. Feeling bad that you’re looking after him when you were supposed to have a date at the arcade.

309 notes · View notes

deadlymagicbeans · 1 year

Note

May I please request fluffy domestic headcanons for Sparda boys? Just quiet home life with their SO, they deserve it so much :'-)

**Hey Anon! it'd be my pleasure! these boys deserve a long nap and some cuddles as their lives are so chaotic haha. Thanks for requesting this! - Bean**

Devil May Cry: Dante, Vergil, Nero Domestic Headcanons with their S/O

*Gender neutral pronouns for S/O*

Dante:

Considering he's out for jobs a lot to pay the bills, when on his off days he's very laidback and not wanting to do anything at all. Most of the time he's begging his S/O to come lay with him when they're up and about, He's a cuddle monster and will not let his partner go once he has his grip on them.

Loves the quiet moments he gets. whether him and his S/O be cooking (aka forcing him to save money instead of spending it on pizza much to Dante's whining), laying in bed watching old reruns of corny romance movies with them or just spending the day away doing nothing at all, he cherishes them. He's a very busy man and has seen the horrors from literally hell and back, so for him to spend a day doing nothing and to be around the person he loves the most it gives him a glimpse of a life of normality he craves oh so much.

Wants to wake his S/O up with breakfast in bed, as you know it's what a normal domestic couple would do right? but every time this man sleeps in way past 1pm to the point he gets briefly upset if he finds out his S/O was up before him which spoils his plans. (he's catching up on like 20+ years of sleep, he's knocked out cold.)

Loves to take bubble baths, it's a luxury he didn't have until he had his shop (and when his water bill is paid), but only saves them for times when he can share them with his S/O and cause you know water ain't cheap?

Overall he loves the quiet home life him and his S/O have when life isn't constantly trying to throw deadly demonic curveballs at him but he wouldn't change it for the world.

Vergil:

Relaxing? Vergil? no chance, this man is always up and ready to pounce whenever the next threat or fool tries to challenge him. But with a S/O he will calm down just a tiny bit but still always on high guard.

When he's truly comfortable, he seeks to be alone. but the only exception he'll accept is with his S/O, Most of the time it's him sat reading a book with his S/O fast asleep hugging him.

He has a stash like Dante. but this time it's books, piles and piles of Books. You won't find him reading any romance novels anytime soon though as he finds them in his own words "Distasteful".

He isn't the best at a normal domestic life as he's pretty much never had one up until now. The concept of a "day off" is absurd to him, there must be no time off in the seek for greater power... but that can wait for a few hours while he stuck to the bed by his S/O's demanding cuddles (get this man to sleep, he needs it).

He would never say it out loud but he secretly loves to spend time with his S/O alone in those peaceful moments, gives him a small life outside his normal life (if you could call it normal). Heck even over time he might open up to his partner more and more with his physical touch and life. (only alone that is, if anyone else comes in *Cough* Dante *Cough*, Vergil immediately is back to his normal standoffish self)

Nero:

Nero is the only Sparda family member with the most normal balance of hunting and home life than the other two, so overall Nero spends the most amount of time in his off time with his S/O. but it still isn't that much.

Wouldn't confess it it publicly but he loves the closeness of domestic life, too others it may seem mundane but to Nero? it's the closest he'll ever get to a normal life and he'd be damn sure nobody will interrupt it.

Loves doing stuff for his S/O, like cooking (also i see Nero being the only one not to burn down a building by just turning a oven on), chores etc. his outward appearance may him him grumble but this man will want any chance to be around his S/O more.

Nero loves to cuddle or do anything that involves the chance too, sleeping? yes, watching a new series together? also a yes. but ever try to bring it up in front of anyone else and he'll deny any of that happened (Everyone knows he's lying).

Doesn't have a "stash" like the other two but loves video games, he has a small collection of games he personally enjoys but unlike the others Nero is willing to let his S/O play a game or two while he watches them. He thinks it's cute to watch them rage at a boss fight, just don't get him to do it because if he finds it hard then he might have to buy a new remote.

#devil may cry #dmc #dmc5 #dmc nero #nero #vergil #dmc vergil #dante #dmc dante #fanfiction requests #fanfiction #headcanon #domestic life #fluff #open requests #nero x reader #dante x reader #vergil x reader

392 notes · View notes

charlotte-official · 7 months

Text

THE STEAMBIRD - ANOTHER RECAP SPANNING ABOUT 10 DAYS

10/9 - 10/16

UTA proposes to Diluc for.. ‘unknown reasons’ and opts to believe that Diluc is a Tsundere when Diluc rejects his advances. He’s planning the wedding right now.

MONDSTADT FATUI HARBINGER CLONE TRIES TO MARRY PROMINENT FATUI HATER

Diluc Ragvindr, Owner of the Dawn Winery, was bombarded with a proposal by the Fatui Segment, UTA.

The two are notorious for having squabbles like an old married couple.

When ‘proposal’ is said, it means a literal marriage proposal.

That’s right. UTA, segment of the second Fatui harbinger, proposed to Ragvindr, who is well known to hate the Fatui with a burning passion.

A notable quote from this exchange is: “What does that have to do with selling my soul to the devil incarnate with my hand in marriage”

Ragvindr agreed to marry UTA if he went and choked on an insignia.

Diluc most likely said this with the intent of making UTA choke and die so he wouldn’t have to marry UTA and wipe out a key stander in the Fatui’s ranks.

It did not work. UTA lives on.

UTA is currently planning the wedding anyway. He’s already started sending out a ‘hypotehtical’ guest list. And picking out marriage jewelry.

Jewelry and not ring because Ragvindr claims he, besides not wanting any of UTA’s stuff, said he has too many rings and doesn’t need one.

UTA suggested a necklace or earrings, but Ragvindr rejected both saying that either way he didn’t want anything to do with UTA and his.. gifts.

Kaeya finally gets down from Dragonspine and is currently recuperating from hypothermia at the camp at the foot of the mountain. Will the brothers reconnect?

KNIGHTS OF FAVONIUS CALVARY CAPTAIN FINALLY MAKES IT DOWN DRAGONSPINE AND IS RECUPERATING FROM HYPOTHERMIA

Kaeya Alberich, Calvary captain of the Knights of Favonius and adopted brother of Diluc Ragvindr, after being stuck on Dragonspine with Lisa Minci, KoF Librarian, has finally made it down the mountain and is now recovering.

For a brief recap, Kaeya had gotten stuck on the mountain while descending with Chief Alchemist Albedo. This was because the two were stopped by a cryo cicin mage, who attacked them and while Albedo went to go get help, Kaeya fought for his life to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

The reinforcements in question was Lisa Minci, who ordered Albedo to call upon Diluc Ragvindr also, because the power of her electro vision alone wouldn’t be enough. Lisa and Kaeya hold out on the mountain, and Kaeya slowly freezes to death.

Soon after Diluc arrives on scene and saves the day, racing down Dragonspine with his adopted brother in his arms.

Flash to the present, Kaeya has woken up after passing out from hypothermia and we await to see if the two brothers will reconcile and get over the past disputes and reconnect as brothers again.

☆advertisement☆

☆DOCTOR, PAY YOUR DEBTS, I’M GETTING TIRED OF THIS.☆

☆from: @pantalone-official☆

Blue Oni Takuya gets stabbed by a ronin named Nogata on Yashiori Island. UTA and Arataki Itto are racing to his rescue.

BLUE ONI GETS STABBED BY RONIN

Takuya, honorary member of the Arataki Gang and Blue Oni, while strolling through Yashiori Island, reminiscing of past memories, was assaulted by a ronin.

The ronin, Nogata, pounced onto Takuya and stabbed him.

Takuya cried out for help and Arataki Itto, leader of the Arataki Gang, answered the call, saying he’ll come and chuck his bull, Ushi, at the ronin until they die.

Actually, besides Arataki saying he’ll come and beat up the ronin and save Takuya, clone of the Second Fatui Harbinger, segment UTA, also said he’d come to Inazuma and beat the life out of the ronin for Takuya.

As of right now, though, nothing has actually happened yet, but we all hope that Takuya will make it out alive and recover.

At the time of this article being published, editor Charlotte had approved this issue.. But the last time she was seen was earlier in the morning and since then a Fatui Agent went into her office through the front door.. But she hasn't been seen yet despite her saying she wanted to keep her eye out for some more stories to cover this week. She said to release the issue nonetheless if she didnt come back out with revisions. Since she hasn’t, we, the Steambird, are releasing this week’s issue now!

Ooc: Charlotte got slashed by the fatui agent and i have yet to be gotten back to by fatui agent anon so for now we’ll leave it like that

#the steambird #diluc ragvindr #dottore #genshin #kaeya #albedo #diluc #diluc ragnvindr #kaeya alberich #genshin impact #fatui harbingers #arataki itto #itto #genshin itto #charlotte genshin impact #lisa genshin impact

35 notes · View notes

beeejayy · 1 year

Text

Back with more soul eater au . Sun eater. Omori eater. Uhh. Soul omori.

Anyways me ranting about this au down here .

First, soul eater premise so I don't confuse people!

"Death City is home to the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami—Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul."

Omori spoilers probably too

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

Aubrey, Hero and Sunny are all meisters! What does that mean? It means their job is to turn their friends into death weapons, they're all partners and fight together!

Sunny: Sunny wants to become a miester for his sister, he's only doing it because Mari wanted him to be by her side and not leave him alone.

Hero: His parents wanted him to be born a weapon but since he never did he still wanted to do something so he became a meister and wants to be one of the first to make one of his friends (Mari) a death scythe. Hero prefers using Mari's scythe form the most since their wavelengths get along the most and they're just both good as a team.

Aubrey: She always wanted to be a weapon, it sounded the coolest to her but she is just a human. But, she can see souls! What does that mean? It's called Soul Perception, Aubrey herself possesses a keen sense of soul perception in which is due to the fact that she possess greater courage then others when fighting fear. Not only can she sense souls herself, but also attributes and estimated capabilities and later even the emotional state of others. (I totally didn't copy and paste what soul perception means) Aubrey is extremely jealous of Kel due to the fact he can turn into different weapons and she can't even be one. (Will get into Kel soon.) Aubrey and Kel are the best pair but also cannot work together. Their wavelengths never match and they can barely use soul resonance, when they fight their souls reject each other which causes Aubrey's hands to burn and Kel to feel very ill and his nose bleeds. Aubrey's hands are burnt because of how many times this happens!

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

Mari: She is the only Scythe in the group! She is a perfectionist and her soul is the most determined out of everyone. Mari can actually use her scythe as a piano!

Basil: Basil is gardening shears! (Yeah I know, real original) When he and Sunny first paired up they had a fight over trying to do witch hunter (a fighting technique to kill witches) and Basil accidentally hurt Sunny and now Sunny has less eye coordination! Basil works best with Aubrey because of how long the two have been working together. (I'm still considering giving Basil black blood so he can be stranger but I don't know.)

Kel: (Kel's weapon choice was hard for me so I did just take another character's abilities and gave it to him but it works well with him.) He is classified as a "shadow weapon" who has the power to transform into a variety of ninja weapons including a kusarigama, a shuriken, a ninjatō, knife and a smoke bomb. His ability was passed down by previous family members. His parents wanted it to be for Hero but they couldn't control that! Kel can use his soul to resonate with whoever wields him! It reflects his character and how he can befriend anyone. Each person has a preference of Kel's weapon ability that they like to use. Mari uses Kel's smokebomb form, Aubrey uses his Kusarigama, Basil uses his Shuriken, Sunny uses his knife form (obviously) and Hero uses the ninjatō! Hero is the only one who can use it, its full name is the uncanny sword. One of the Uncanny Sword's known abilities is "Soul Possession", in which exploits the fears in people's hearts to possess the body and soul of the person who carries it. In the end, it absorbs the person's soul entirely. Another is Shadow Manipulation, the Uncanny Sword is capable of controlling a meister's shadow at will for a variety of effects. Hero is the only one who can use this weapon form because using it takes the users soul and Hero has the most experience with this form.

All of them are a group and switch between using each weapon because they can't pick only one pair together (by them I mean me)

#wow i ranted a lot #sorry .#dont have to read you can just like jt for fun art :]#i jist went a bit craazy #omori #soul eater #my art #omori fanart #omori au #hero omori #sunny omori #aubrey omori #mari omori #kel omori #basil omori #too many thoughts in head

59 notes · View notes

chimcess · 2 years

Text

Birdie Shoppe || pjm (I)

Pairing: Jimin x Reader Other tags: Werewolf!Jimin, Witch!Reader, Shifter!Reader, Shifter!Jimin, A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha!Jimin Genre: Supernatural!AU, Werewolf!AU, Angst, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Smut, Word Count: 11k+ Synopsis: Within the four realms of Lustra lay the Bangtan forest home to the Foxglove pack of the north and known as the “land of magic.” It is also home to the Birdie, a powerful witch from a cursed bloodline who is one of the sacred guardians of the forest. Y/N is the 123rd Birdie, a young girl who was given her position too early and asked by the goddess herself to fulfil a task none had ever done before, become the Grand Witch of the Foxglove pack. Now a woman, Y/N is revered as the most loved and powerful Birdie of all time, but hiding under the surface is a woman who has to battle between her duty and her heart. Warnings: Long-hair Jimin (yes, this is a warning), Cursing, Violence, Mentions of blood, Descriptions of blood, Descriptions of gore, Main Character Near Death, Main Character Badly Injured, Slow burn romance, Talks Mating Ritual, Talks of Heats and Heat Suppressants, Did I say long-hair Jimin? (think The Witcher), Penetration, Oral (f receiving), Marking, Knotting, Spiting, Cuddling, Big Dick Jimin, Face licking, nuzzling, Soft sex, Soft Jimin, Impregnation kink, Breeding kink A/N: Hi there! So this was originally meant to be a one-shot but it was beginning to get far too long, so I’m splitting it up into parts. I’m not sure just how many there will be but so far there’s at least another part coming. This is my first time writing a/b/o so please forgive any mistakes there might be. I tried to add in lore and foreshadowing but more will come later. There’s no smut in this part, but it will come, so the warnings above are for future chapters. I decided to put them upfront for anyone who’s interested in reading further. I really hope you like it and my inbox and asks are always open.

Prev. | Next | Masterlist

Another howl echoed through the forest. Just a few more minutes. I felt the familiar itch at my ankle and quickly scratched at it before beginning to pace once more. I had to make it. They said they would wait for me. They had to. I was the only person who could bless the children of the moon. It was my sworn duty to Lilith. I nibbled on my nails and checked the windows again. Pulling back the curtains, I could see the sun was almost completely gone. I began pacing once more. The others would have to meet me at the clearing.

For the last thousand years, my family had given their allegiance to the moon goddess, Lilith. Though it had started as a peace treaty for them to live in the Bangtan forest, home to the wolf pack of the Foxgrove, it had slowly evolved to what it is now. Each generation had to pick a sacrifice, a child who would replace the old, and the next member would come along when the time was right. We were called Birdie’s, the forest witch of the grove who kept the pack healthy. I was the chosen one for my family and Lilith had bestowed upon me the highest honor one could imagine.

After the grand witch of Foxgrove passed the pack had been left with no one to initiate the change within their young. It was a ceremonial occasion where they partied and danced after a long, tiring incantation process where the boys would become men. The pack was lost, and Lilith came to me. Auntie had only been dead for six months. I was 13 when she appointed me, 3 years too soon, and I had blessed the wolves every year since. It was the only time I was allowed out of my cottage as a human.

Tonight, was the celebration of Kim Taehyung’s birthday and the marking of his change. It took 18 years for a wolf to present confidently. I had a strong feeling the Kim child would be the youngest alpha in the pack. Yoongi, the kitchen witch who lived in a lifted home on the pond, thought he was a beta. However, I had far more contact with the pack than he did or any other witch in the forest. I was the only outsider permitted on pack land. I continued to pace. I could not be late.

Finally, I felt it. The thin, indestructible chain that kept me inside during my day began to chime. A faint, iridescent glow began to encase the silver and I felt a wave of pleasure flow through me. It was a cool sensation, and my ankle was caressed by an invisible hand. The chain broke and I stepped out. It stayed open and would until I made my return at dawn. I snatched my lantern off the hook beside the door, put on my pack of magical items, slipped on my shoes, and whispered a spell to make my cottage stop doing magic. It was too draining to keep the house going while I was far away, and I would need all my mana to get through the night. It was why I had decided against a summoning spell and opted for Meteor Powder.

I heard the birds in the trees talk with one another. My friend Patto, a yellow-crowned night heron, was perched on the bird bath the pack had gifted me when I was appointed. I knew he would know if I blew him off and did not want to upset my friend. I would keep it brief and then use the powder to get to the pack quickly. I missed my wings. Patto sang a little song when he noticed me approaching.

“Human tonight?” He asked, jumping.

“It’s a man’s coming of age ceremony,” I clarified, wrapping my shawl around my head.

The winter air was crisp and nipped at my ears.

“I won’t keep you then, Y/N,” Patto took flight.

He quickly came closer, nuzzled into my cheek, and flew off into the night. He was on the hunt for prey no doubt. Patto was a spunky fellow and a wonderful hunting partner though we were often after different things. He was quite good at finding my favorite bugs.

Remembering time was of the essence, I pulled out my bag of Meteor Powder. It was a chalky, lavender-colored powder that was used for teleportation. While it was less effective than an incantation or door charm, it was my best option for pack duties. I had to draw a detailed picture of where I wanted to go, something I had been working on all day in preparation along with my magic bag, and then throw the powder onto the sheet. I took out the paper with the ritual site drawn on it and placed it on the ground, took five steps back, and threw a large handful of the powder on it. Instantly, the page was light up into a bright purple flame. I said, clearly and with conviction, the name of the place I wanted to go for good measure and hopped onto the flame.

When I opened my eyes, I was in the middle of the ritual cave. I thanked Lilith for allowing my magic to work and started to set up the cave for the ceremony. Men and women were very similar as far as what candles were needed as well as the items I needed to collect on my nightly adventures, but there were key differences. This also changed once their wolf began to speak to me. Most in the pack presented beta. For this rank, the process was straightforward except for the colors of paint I had to mark them with. If they presented omega, a traditionally feminine wolf would require the witch to finely grind pearls and mix them with the paints. Male omegas needed sage to burn while I painted them. I knew that when I helped the only male omega in the last 100 years, Jeon Jungkook. Then there were alphas.

In the Foxgrove pack, there were currently 3 alphas. Kim Namjoon was the voice of the people and kept their village prosperous. Jung Hoseok was the pack member I spoke with the most. He was a kind, gentle spirit who kept up with trading and pack affairs. Picking up all the pack’s goods was a part of that. And finally, there was Park Jimin. He was the alpha I had the least amount of contact with. I knew he oversaw war and treaties as well as pack runs, but other than that he was a mystery to me. He was the prettiest pack member and the only unmated alpha left. Hoseok had told me he was shocked he had not found his mate yet. As was I, Lilith was known to be the most loving towards her alphas and often gifted them a mate. The thought put a sour taste in my mouth

I had sworn in all three of the alphas and was honored to do so even if the supplies needed for them are much harder to find. Unlike the other two, alphas not only required special paint but incantation as well. The Birdie and the pack alphas were the most connected as our spirits were the closest to the moon goddess herself. The only woman who outranked me was the Luna, Cho Sol. During the ceremony, it would begin the same, but I would know very quickly if the wolf was an alpha as we would become spiritually connected as the ceremony continued. The spell changed dramatically as I needed to ensure that the connection was severed once the change was complete. I needed to ensure my safety as a wolf can get confused and mistake me for its mate. It would be catastrophic. The paint needed to be mixed with both my blood and the blood of the alpha for the shift to complete. Alphas and omegas always fully shifted during their ceremonies.

After finishing my alter, I pricked my finger with my bone knife and began to draw a circle. A wolf was made to stand in the middle before I sealed it off with salt and peonies. It was a trap and stopped them from escaping. The old grand witch used to chain them to the rocks, but I found that to be cruel. Once I was satisfied with the circle, I knew it was time for me to paint myself. As the pack’s grand witch, I was made to follow the same customs as they did. Women were to crop their hair short if they were not human and wore specific ceremonial fabrics and colors. Sol always left a fresh bralette and skirt, the same their warrior women wore, and I slipped them on easily.

Using magic, I chopped my hair into a short pixie cut. I could grow it back tomorrow and I never wanted to disrespect the elders. Then it was time for the paints. The women who could shift all wore similar face paints, however, each family had different colors and symbols that represented their house. Similarly, I adopted my version of the face painting. My colors were blue, red, and black representing the raven, but it changed with every Birdie. I painted my entire face navy blue before fading the black color down my forehead. After drawing the thick black mask around my eyes and a long white line down my neck, I began to fill in my chain with red.

I hummed while I did this, imitating my bird calls, and swaying my body. I needed to begin the relaxation processes and think like my bird. Getting in tune with my animal side helped the ceremony move along much quicker than it had in the past. I placed ruby red and orange jewels strategically across my face. I formed Aquila over my entire face. After putting on my ceremonial jewels, I started to cleanse the cave with herbs and spells I mumbled under my breath.

I heard people approaching the cave and quickly blew out the herbs I had been burning. I had to wait for Taehyung to be sealed in the circle before I could light the candles, so I let the cave stay shrouded in darkness. None of the wolves would mind and humans were forbidden from watching the coming-of-age ceremony. It was pack law. Luna Sol was the first person to enter the cage and I kneeled on my hands and knees where I sat. I could faintly smell wolf scents since I was connected to the forest in many ways, however, they were not strong since I was not in the pack. I just knew they were wolves. I always chose to stay bowed until asked to stand. It was better this way.

More and more wolves flooded the cave polluting the air with their scent. My prey instincts wanted me to run, my hands lightly shaking from the spikes of fear that rippled through me, but I stood my ground. For Lilith, I could do anything, and nothing scared me. Not even predators. Finally, it had gone silent. It was starting now.

“Bless this child, Birdie,” I recognized the voice as Elder An.

He was a great, big white wolf when he could still shift, but now he was a small, frail-looking man with a large beard and fluffy eyebrows.

I stood slowly, careful to not make eye contact with Taehyung. He was breathing heavily with anticipation. He was going to be an alpha. I could feel it. I made quick work of sealing off the circle before finally lifting my head and lighting all the candles with a simple lift of my hand. An orange glow illuminated everyone, and Taehyung was on his knees in the circle. At the coming-of-age ceremony, the men and women were to strip naked so painting the symbols would be easier. I did not pay attention to his genitals and instead focused on his eyes. I began the chant.

Being a forest witch was one thing but being the Birdie was another. I had never met my birth parents and was raised by my grandmother’s sister who never met her family either. The gift could skip a generation or two if the spirits did not see what they were after. All of us were born with the mark, a blue jewel in our forehead that would fall out once we were appointed. That would become the chain that tied us to the cottage and stripped us of our real name. Only the birds and animals were allowed to use it as it was seen as dishonorable to refer to us as anything but Birdie. We also chanted differently than other witches. We did not speak. We sang.

Taehyung’s wolf stirred, and I knew I would know soon. I was aware of the anxiety in the room. Everyone was hopeful that he would be the fourth alpha for the pack. It would place them at the top of the hierarchy in the area. A surplus of alphas or omegas meant status in the wolf world. Even I was hopeful for his present. Then it came all at once.

The husky, woodsy scent of an alpha hit me like a truck. Though I had done this three times already it never got easier. However, Jungkook had been the last wolf I guided through the change, and the sickeningly sweet omega pheromones he admitted made Taehyung’s feel like a gentle breeze. I could hear small celebrations happening around us. The real party would be when this was over. The incantation changed flawlessly.

I grabbed the bowl of white paint I had prepared and the bone knife. Silver was strictly forbidden to enter the village under any circumstance. I continued to sing and sliced the palm of my hand and dripped my blood into the bowl. I walked over to Taehyung and bravely snatched his hand. This was why I used the circle. I was able to get his hand out of the circle and when he went to attack me, he was unable to break the seal. I sliced his hand and placed the bowl under his wound. Taehyung howled in anger. He was in too high of a state to be in pain. His wolf snarled at me, and my bird chastised him while I began to bless the paint.

I got a new paint bush and made my way back to Taehyung. I used magic to force him on all fours. It did not break my concentration. I drew the pack’s symbol on his back, two large trapezoids that ran parallel to one another, and then created the Aquila constellation on the back of his neck. I felt my hands heating up and chanted for Lilith to bless the wolf through me before touching him. Taehyung screamed in pain while his wolf growled at me. I was branding him with the symbols forever. They became black instantaneously and the ceremony was coming to an end. I removed my hands and lifted my hands to blow out the yellow candles and lit up the blue ones. I walked back to the altar and kneeled before it. Raising my arms side to side, I chanted and felt my back begin to burn. My chanting did not waver even as the black wings ripped through my back, and I was in unimaginable pain. I could not stop singing.

Two large, metallic black wings sprouted around me as blood pooled around my calf. I reached, with shaking hands, and plucked a single black feather from them. Placing it on the alter, I cupped the feather with my hands and continued to chant. It began to lift itself from the alter and spin. I moved my hands and lifted my arms straight up. The feather followed and began to glow the same way my chain did. My head felt like I was splitting in half as a blue jewel grew from my forehead and fell. I did not allow it to hit the ground and lifted it onto the altar where it joined the feather. As I said the final words of the incantation the jewel disappeared. I felt my wings start to retreat into my back and the feather floated down. Then it was over and silent.

It only took seconds before the cave erupted in cheers. I felt a tired smile tug at my lips, and I leaned onto the rock in front of me. I was exhausted but I still had one more thing I had to do before I was permitted to leave. I used the rocks to support myself and stood up before grabbing the feather. It was tradition for the wolf to keep the feather of the sacrifice. It used to be a bird that was killed at the alter but I used my own body as the sacrifice. Slowly I walked towards the circle where Taehyung lay in his wolf form. He was massive and a rust color. He was proud of himself. He had made his pack proud. I forced myself to stand up straighter and walk over completely ignoring the aching in my back and the blood that spilled from my wounds

“Kim Taehyung,” I spoke, “The goddess has blessed you with this gift.”

I kneeled and used magic to blow the salt away. I placed the feather out in front of me and Taehyung hesitantly reached forward. To be given a gift from Lilith herself was a big deal. I had been given many gifts, something that I never took for granted, and I knew this would not be Taehyung’s final gift. He was true-hearted and courageous, two traits the goddess looked upon fondly. He finally took the feather in his teeth and I smiled at him. Waving my hand, I made quick work of changing him back into a human and clothed the young man with the robes Sol had laid out beside mine. The elders would award him his alpha sash. Taehyung smiled at me, and I marveled at the innocent, boxy grin he had.

“Thank you,” He was sincere.

“Thank Lilith do not thank me,” I replied, nodding at him, and going to stand up.

“Are you staying for the ceremony?” Taehyung stood up much quicker than I could presently.

I would be lucky if I could clean the cave and go home let alone celebrate with wolves.

I shook my head, “Sadly, my time is limited, and I must be going. Congratulations Alpha Taehyung.”

I finally stood up and bowed to the alpha before using magic to make quick work of the alter and tools. Wolves, like witches, were not embarrassed by nakedness so I did not feel uncomfortable undressing. The bloody clothes stuck to me uncomfortably and I was thankful to be out of the blood-stained outfit. Unlike wolves, I got cold very easily and usually never left my cottage in the winter except for ceremonies. I used the last of my mana to change myself quickly. After calling out to Luna Sol if it was alright that I packed my candles and getting the okay, I packed those as well. I was ready to go and prepared more Meteor Powder and another drawing. This time it was of my home.

The few wolves left in the cave were the other three alphas. I paid them no mind. It was best to stay out of wolf affairs when possible. Even as a close and trusted ally, I was still an outsider and not welcome without permission. I stayed updated through the forest. I could find out everything about everyone on my trips and I enjoyed staying informed. Morla, a tortoise who lives just outside of the village, was a great source of information. She knew just about everything. I looked away from the alphas and untied my bag of powder.

“Excuse me, Birdie?” I would know Hoseok from anywhere.

I stopped what I was doing and look back at the alphas. I had all their attention. I fought with myself not to steal glances at Jimin. He was so rarely seen that it felt wrong not to. However, I had self-control and would not disrespect Hoseok. You are always required to maintain eye contact with any alpha who addresses you directly. Hoseok was smiling at me.

“Alpha Hoseok, “I greeted, bowing, “Can I help you with something?”

“Both Namjoon and Jimin have lists of potions they require.” He clarified.

Now that he brought the other alphas up, I was to meet both of their gazes and bow. I started with Namjoon since he was far more inviting. He had a mono-lid, which usually made a wolf more intimidating, but he held a gentle warmth in his gaze that calmed me.

“Alpha Namjoon,” I bowed.

I rose again and finally looked at Jimin’s. His eyes had a feline quality to them and were sharp. I knew his eyes were a warm brown in the sun but within the darkness of the cave, they were pitch black. Despite the moon being the only thing illuminating the cave his skin glowed. He was the palest member of his village, and his silver wolf matched his hair which was waist-length and perfectly straight. He, like all the other warriors, kept their hair long to show their place in society. My heart danced at the sight of him and I forced my eyes away.

“Alpha Jimin.”

Hoseok clapped.

“So,” He began again, “Here are the lists. I’m picking up the usual.”

“Would you like extra heat suppressants again? As far as I am aware your mate is still in her homeland visiting family.” I briefly glanced at the lists.

“You are all seeing,” He joked. “Yes, I will need some again this month. I have already factored that into the number written down.”

I nodded and placed the papers into my sack.

“I will need at least four days to prepare everything. I will be useless tomorrow and possibly the day after.”

“Of course, Birdie.” He replied.

Namjoon hummed and chimed in.

“Our pack is forever indebted to you and your servitude. Please rest.”

“Thank you, alpha, I will rest easy now.”

After bowing again and saying my farewells, I went back to my drawing and again got my powder. I said that I wanted to go to my cottage for extra measure again and threw the powder. I hopped into the flames and ended up across the clearing from my cottage. Groaning, I threw the powder into my bag and said a small spell to get me to my front door. I glanced at the sky and realized still had two hours of freedom and decided to use it.

Going inside, I took off my shoes and put all my ceremonial gear on the small shelf by the book. I realized I left my lantern inside of the cave and quickly penned a letter to the pack to ask Hoseok to return it upon his next pick-up. I called out to Shiloh to send the letter off. She was a barn owl who lived in the tree next to my kitchen window and had become my familiar. She delivered in exchange for treats and if I told her where mice burrows were. Normally, a nice bowl of crickets sufficed. I quickly put the kettle on before going to change into something more comfortable and wash off. This was the only time I was able to change without magic and I savored the feeling every time.

As I tugged my shirt down, the kettle began to whistle, and I made my way back to the kitchen. I took it off the flame and fetched a cup from my cupboard. It was not often that I had this much time left after a ceremony. Taehyung’s wolf did not resist me at all aside from the uncomfortable parts. That was a normal reaction, however, all three of the alphas took until dusk was just on the horizon. Lilith had allowed me to finish the ceremony, but my wings never went back in, and I felt my skin ripping open from feathers pushing their way through. That was my blessing.

All shifters had been blessed by the goddess. While to many we were seen as slaves, I knew they were the gifts bestowed upon us. The wolves were cursed to change into the beasts of the forest, sworn to protect the land from all who dared enter it, and in return, Lilith kept their village plentiful, and their people blessed. This included extended life spans. Similarly, the role of the Birdie was a sacred gift. We were hand-picked by the Goddess herself, much like a pack’s Luna, and would be at her service for all our days. In return, she gave us the gift of flight and the ability to speak with animals. Lilith kept me well fed and feared as the most powerful witch in all the realms. The cottage would be here long after I was gone and the generations after me would still be here. I would be transformed into a bird and live forever as a spirit of the forest. This was my purpose.

I placed dandelions and a large tea bag into my cup before going outside to enjoy the air. I was never allowed outside during the day. The chain kept me from leaving my small home at all. When I was a child, I could remember frolicking in the clearing and playing with the rabbits in their burrows. Those were the years I was still Y/N and the forest was my home away from home. Auntie allowed me to play more than any other Birdie had before, but she knew my love for magic was strong. I remember her telling me that I was special and that my deep connection would serve me greatly in the future. Lilith would bless me for my love. She was right. I had done something no Birdie had done in the centuries we served the forest. I had been appointed as the pack’s grand witch and allowed freedom as a human. It kept me hopeful for my future student though I was unaware of how long it would take for them to arrive.

The forest came alive at night, and I submerged myself in all its glory. The sounds of crickets chirping relaxed me and I took a deep breath. It felt nice to get all the blood and paint off my body. I realized that Hoseok and the Luna had been the only members of the pack to see me without the ceremonial gear on. No one else ever came by and the inability to wonder the forest outside of my bird form made it nearly impossible for anyone else to see my true form. This was the life of the Birdie. A quiet one filled with solitude and being one of the forest guardians. A lonely honor only the best received. I took a large gulp of tea and sighed at the warmth it provided.

A rustle in the bushes pulled me out of my thoughts. It had come from my left and I saw two large white dots glowing in the darkness. I smiled and placed my cup down. It was a wolf, probably a younger pup who was curious about me. Many of the children were and Hoseok often spoke about the wonderous ways they described me in the town. I slowly stood up and reached my hand out.

The wolf hesitated before stepping into the light. It was hard to tell its coloring in the dark but I knew it was light-colored. In its mouth was my lantern. I gasped before making my way toward the large animal. This was an older wolf, it was far too large to be a child, but it was not possible to know who it was for sure. I did not see the wolves often enough to tell them apart; they all smelled the same after the change. Its fur glowed in the moonlight.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the lantern.

The wolf touched its nose to my hand. It meant that they understood and were most welcome for the good deed. I pat its nose gently and laughed when it nuzzled further into my touch. I recognized the patch of missing fur on its side and realized that this was not the first time we had seen one another. The wolf had been injured and I healed it. They had refused to shift.

“I’m surprised they allowed you to leave during such a joyous occasion.”

The wolf looked at the grass and I laughed in disbelief.

“You snuck away, didn’t you? Bad wolf. What would your alphas think?” I joked.

The wolf made a chirp-like sound and I realized it was laughing. Shocked, my jaw dropped, and I simply stared at the wolf. This made it laugh harder, flop onto the ground, and roll onto its back.

“Alpha Jimin would be very displeased with you, pup,” I mocked, bending down to rub at the fur on its chest.

The wolf hummed in satisfaction.

“That’s not very fair of me,” I mumbled, “I hardly know the man. He’s just intimidating is all.”

The wolf was staring at me, and I snapped out of my trance. Wanting to forget about my outburst, I let another large grin take over my face and began scratching the wolf’s chest. The wolf wiggled happily, and its large tongue flapped out of its mouth. When I scratched at its ribs, its leg began to kick.

“Aren’t you the cutest thing?” I laughed. “I hope you’re feeling better now. That’s a nasty scar.”

I heard Shiloh call out to me from the tree. The sun was going to be up soon. I sighed unhappily before looking at the wolf. They seemed upset that I had stopped giving them attention. I gently scratched behind their ear and smiled softly.

“I have to go inside now,” I said.

The wolf whimpered and quickly paced its head into my lap.

“It is a part of my duty, little wolf,” I stressed.

It finally moved. Wolves knew the importance of duty. Their entire village ran off the duty of the pack, its members, and their devotion to Lilith. I gave the wolf another pat before standing up and making my way back to my cottage. The wolf followed and we walked in silence as the door was only a few yards away. The wolf stood a good six inches above me when it stood on all fours. I picked up my teacup and used magic to open my door. I put the lantern on its hook and charmed my cup to go to the sink on its own. The little thing began to hop in the air.

“It’s time for you to go, friend,” I said, placing my hands on my hips.

The wolf came close and nuzzled its large head into my chest. I rubbed its neck and scratched behind his ear. An indescribable sadness overtook me at the thought of it leaving. I felt myself tearing up and laughed at my melodramatics. This wolf was not my friend, was a stranger, and only came here to bring me my lantern in return for me saving its life all those months ago. I should not allow myself to grow fond of it or cry about it leaving. I was not that lonely, I told myself.

“Go on now,” I pushed its head away lightly. “Before the pack realizes you’re gone. Alpha Jimin begins his rounds soon.”

The wolf nosed my hand once more before running off. As I closed the door, the chain on the floor began to move towards me. I walked towards it, and it wrapped itself around my ankle once more. The cooling sensation went through my body again. I quickly did my alter ritual before heading to my room to sleep. I knew I would not be available until tomorrow and gave Shiloh the go-ahead to set my sign to closed. Sleep came easy and filled with dreams of brown eyes and fur glowing under the stars.

My shop was filled with bottles, sacks, and labels. When Hoseok said that they needed more than normal he had never said it would be this much. I was unsure if I would be able to fit much more in the room let alone if he was going to be able to carry this back to the village alone. I quickly labeled all the male heat suppressants and move on to the female ones. Omegas had their supplies just as alphas did but that would not take long to complete. There were only 4 alphas and 7 omegas in Foxglove and the colors were striking for each respective wolf. It was the painstaking process of making enough suppressants for all 187 betas for the month that made orders time-consuming. Shiloh had flown to Yoongi’s house to gather extra supplies for me as I was running low.

Namjoon needed new medicines for the children and elderly. They had finally gone through their three-month supply I had sent off many moons ago and I was having to restock their entire inventory. I enjoyed mixing medicine since it was so easy. It was what Jimin had asked for that I needed to seek help for. I wrote to Hyun-Jin, a young witch who lived with his mother in the swamps to the south. They would have the toads I needed. With Shiloh being out I relied on another friend of mine, Delinah. She was a doe who used me for protection from mountain lions.

What made Jimin’s order so difficult to complete was the fact that many of the supplies necessary to make it were not in my domain. He was looking for a healing potion that wolves could take without needing to shift, portable heat suppressants, and a camouflaging potion. The only healing potion that would work without a witch being there was one of the most difficult and time-consuming recipes a witch could make, and I had all my resources searching every nook and cranny of Bangtan. The heat suppressants would have to be in tablet form, something else that would take a while for all 15 wolves in Jimin’s party, and the camouflage was something I had never made before. For the first time in years, I was having to reference Auntie’s Grimoire and adjust it accordingly for my purposes.

Shiloh sang and I rushed to her window to take the sack of supplies Yoongi had sent back. Yoongi wrote me a letter as well to explain why some things were missing. The sea witch coven had been taking a lot of his supplies for their month of ceremonial rituals. Shiloh would have to get the rest from someone else.

“Alright girl,” I started, running my hand through my hair.

“What now?” She deadpanned.

“You need to make a trip to Seokjin’s for the remaining supplies on the list.”

“The solar witch?”

“Yes, Shiloh.”

I began preparing another sack along with a new list. Yoongi had given me plenty, but Jimin’s order was still incomplete. Delinah was due back any minute with the toads and I could begin the fifteenth, and hopefully last, trial of the camouflage potion.

“Why must you send me there?” She whined, flapping her wings in agitation.

“Because he always has a surplus of herbs and flowers and I need them to make my order for the pack,” I replied, securing the pouch around her neck.

“He’s going to demand I sun-bathe with him or better yet, he’s going to insist his bees play with me and I’ll have to deal with the most insufferable creatures in the. Or maybe the mangey mutt this time? I swear, his animals are the only ones I know who are just as pig-headed as their owner.”

“Shiloh,” I scolded, putting the letter inside the bag. “Seokjin is one of the most brilliant witches in the world and is a master at shadow work. So yes, you will go to him and play with his bees if he asks. If not, you can forget about the mice I was going to give you.”

The owl did not respond before flying away. I went back to the kitchen and started up the flame to my cauldron again. Using magic, I charmed all the potions I had completed and packaged to sort themselves and get into their bags before beginning to brew the camouflaging potion. The toads would be the last to go in this time, so I was not worried. I knew Delinah was close as the forest around me let me know. After adding only half of the amount of worm wort as I had been, the deer let herself inside through the open door and placed the jar on my countertop.

“Stir this, please,” I asked.

The doe nodded, walked over, and began to stir the wooden spoon with her teeth. I quickly put on a pair of gardening gloves and braced myself for the task to come. While there were many substitutions, for this potion, I was required to use three whole toads. I had tried to get around it with other alternatives however it had ended up not working, wearing off in seconds, or I needed to physically use a spell to make their form come back. I was hopeful that using the correct ingredient would help stabilize the recipe.

I quickly placed the frogs to sleep with a short spell and took three out of the jar. They were all fat, angry-looking things but their coloring was perfect. Hyun-Jin followed my instructions perfectly. After making a small prayer to Lilith and thanking the forest for its sacrifice, I threw the three frogs into the potion. Delinah and I traded places and I saw the potion turn grass green. I began to chant and soon enough, as was intended, the potion turned clear like water. I cheered, jumping up and down in excitement, and threw my arms around the deer beside me. She nuzzled into my neck and gave me a good lick.

“Good job, Y/N,” She said.

“Thank you, Dee,” I went to my cupboard and got out a large sack filled with cabbage heads. “I’ll have apples next time.”

Delinah happily took the sack and made her way outside. I started to bottle the potion. I knew I had gotten it right this time since it had done everything it was supposed to do in the cauldron, unlike all my other trails. I did not want to put my familiar through another potion crisis again. Shiloh loathed testing potions for me. I went to the already packaged boxes of heat suppressants and curled the ribbons with my favorite bone knife. Like many forest witches, I collected both bones and knives. During my nights I foraged and brought back things I thought were useful. My favorite thing to do was make sure my packages looked neat and professional.

Auntie did not care so much for these things but when I began to decorate boxes and bring home skulls and bones, she never stopped me. It had gotten to a point where I would sit for hours and make packaging boxes and pretty bows and stickers. However, now that I oversaw it all, I only made cardboard packing boxes lined with thin tissues of varying colors and charmed the objects to do all the work for me. I normally matched the potions within and placed a card explaining what it was for and how to use them. Then, I would toss in a magical card that would take anyone to my shop immediately in case of emergency except for the hours I was unavailable, and then it would automatically send them to Yoongi’s instead. On the outside, a stamper would stamp the box with a large bird, a brush would paint the Aquila constellation along both sides of it, and a matching-colored ribbon would wrap itself around the entire thing. However, I knew I would opt out of the decorations for Jimin’s packages. They would need to be as discreet as possible as requested but I would still place the constellation on the sides.

As I continued to place the finishing touches on all the completed orders, I heard the bell above my door ring and large, booming footsteps right after. That would be Hoseok and he had someone else here if the second pair of footsteps was anything to go by. I quickly abandoned my ribbons and dusted off my apron before going to greet the alpha.

“Good afternoon, Alpha,” I greeted, not paying much attention to him in favor of charming the camouflage potion to begin packing.

“My apologies for the orders not being ready. The things Alpha Jimin was requesting are very time-consuming and challenging to make. However, once my familiar returns with some herbs I need then it’ll all be ready to go.”

I was a whirlwind in my cottage. One second, I was curling ribbons and in another, I was writing out cards for boxes. Hoseok was used to the informal way I addressed him while in my home and I was certain whomever he brought along with him was well informed of my rudeness. I was far too busy to care if some wolf believed I was not a good host.

“I apologize for the strain I have caused you,” A sweet, melodic voice spoke up.

My body froze for a moment, as did everything else in the room before it started up again. I quickly turned to the two men and bowed deeply. My heart was racing like a hummingbird’s wings.

“I am so, deeply sorry for disrespecting you, alpha,” My voice shook. “I had not realized it was you.”

Hoseok laughed and clapped his hands together. He always enjoyed seeing me get flustered and would have a field day talking to Namjoon about this later. It seemed like Jimin was the only pack alpha who paid me little to no mind. I forced myself to look up at the man.

He was dressed casually, more casually than I had ever seen, and his silver hair was tied back into a ponytail. His small frame still towered over me and that menacing aura that always seemed to surround him was intact. Even in the daylight, Park Jimin was untouchable. And yet, a familiar longing found its way into my heart, and I knew I needed to distract myself again.

“How much longer will your owl be, Birdie?” Hoseok asked, completely unbothered.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I mumbled before closing my eyes.

All Birdies have been blessed with gifts, the first of us was the spirit responsible for selecting what the ability would be, and the Goddess making sure our powers could grow and stretch with our talents. Auntie was unable to speak with other animals aside from other owls but was gifted with such skilled defensive magic she was considered the phoenix of the north. Normally, Birdies do not need to learn defensive magic but her affinity for it made it hard for her to stop the craft and we dueled often. That is how I learned I was unable to perform any high-ranking spells since it depleted too much of my energy. However, my gift was much more in line with what I needed.

Animal scrying is the ability to see any animal’s point of view. Of course, depending on the animal the senses that they use are vastly different and it can limit my ability to see. I relaxed my entire body and slowly felt myself floating off the ground. My body was at its most fragile right now, but I trusted both men to not harm me. The same could not be said for others. Slowly, the room began to fade, and I could hear birds chirping all around me. Opening my eyes, I could see the tops of the trees and in the far-off distance was my cottage. Shiloh could not smell but her sense of hearing was impeccable. I was certain she would be here in a few moments and left her little mind by closing my eyes once more.

When I opened them, I was back on my feet and inside the cottage. Both Hoseok and Jimin were staring at me as if I had grown a third head and I stifled a laugh. Oh, I loved when that happened. Scrying was a strange gift and not many were used to seeing it.

“Shiloh will only be two minutes,” I finally replied.

“That was freaky,” Hoseok commented, walking around, and touching every single box of herbs I owned.

The cottage had not always looked the way it was. Auntie had kept it neat and organized. She never had too much or too little and kept it cozy enough for the both of us to lay by the fire together in the winter. However, not that I was alone I found it impossible to keep the same structure. Where we used to lay was now a large table with herbs and flowers of all kinds, huge crystals, and jars upon jars of specimens that were needed for potions. Beside it was the bookshelf filled with Auntie’s spell books. The rest of the Birdie Grimoires were in the cellar as there were too many to keep in the main room. My little kitchen and potion mixing station were overrun by bottles, boxes, and decorations including more magical items. My bone collection sat in a display case beside the front door and my knives hung over the mantle of the fireplace.

“And that was rude,” Jimin scolded Hoseok.

I had to force myself to keep moving as though nothing had happened. However, the ruse did not stop my body from lighting on fire at the implication. Park Jimin defending me? I was unsure how much of that I could take.

“It’s alright,” I whispered, “I left my physical being so I’m sure it looked very odd. Though I can’t say I’ve seen it myself.”

“What happened anyway?” Hoseok got to the bookshelf of grimoires, grimaced, and then went back to digging through the boxes.

“Scrying,” Jimin answered before I could.

Shiloh returned then, angrily shouting about the “stupid dog” and his “even dumber owner.” I quickly went to tend to my familiar. She looked disheveled and scowled when she saw me. The center of her face, normally a perfect cream, was caked in dirt. I gasped and rushed towards her, scooping her up in my arms just the way she liked it, and put on the most pitiful voice I could.

“Oh, darling,” I wailed, “Whatever happened to you?”

And just like any other time this happened, Shiloh dramatically went limp in my arms and closed her eyes in mock fatigue. She was on fire with anger and wanted to rip out the eyes of whoever harmed her. For me, though, she was just trying to get extra mice.

“The witch, Jean-” She began.

“Jin,” I corrected, softly.

“Jin. Oh, that monster!” She placed her wing across her forehead. “He let his godforsaken, loudmouth, drooling like a bumbling idiot mutt out on me!”

“Max?” I gasped, placing a hand over my heart.

“Indeed,” She cried, “He told him to play with me while he got your things ready, and the dog decided to use me as a toy!��

“Oh, Shiloh, I am so very sorry,” I faked, bringing her closer to me.

“The horror! The shame!”

I took the pouch off her neck and placed it on the counter before carrying her into my bedroom. The owl continued her fake crying all the way there. I had to give it to her, she was an excellent actress. However, she was also an owl and my familiar so running off to the theatre was not an option she had.

“And then the bees, I was forced into a position to ask them for them. Me! Shiloh, the Birdie’s one and only familiar, asking those mongrels for help. Never send me back there again, Y/N I beg of you!”

I rolled my eyes and helped her squeeze her way into the small opening of her nesting box. While she usually slept in her large, cone-shaped nest outside, when she stayed awake during the day to help me, I allowed her to sleep in my room. I had built it as a child. I gathered the wood and my auntie helped with cutting, screwing, and dangerous things that a four-year-old could not do herself. It was a nice size, 4x4, and solid wood with a hole large enough for her to squeeze through in the upper right-hand corner. The inside was filled with dirt and sticks just as the owl liked as well as a stuffed animal, I had given her when we became connected. I heard the owl sigh and she rushed to the dark side of the nest.

Chuckling, I went back into the kitchen and called out to Delinah from the window. She was still eating the cabbage I had given her. The fawn looked at me.

“Whenever you’re finished would you mind asking Irene, she’s one of the sea witches, if she could spare a vole or two? Shiloh is being dramatic again.”

Delinah laughed. All animals do it but not many are easily detected. I had known the deer since she was a small fawn, so I knew the sounds from anywhere. Behind me, I heard Hoseok’s loud footsteps and remembered who I had in my house.

“Of course,” She responded.

“Great!”

I quickly spun back around and began to fix my hair. I had yet to grow it back, but the nervous tick was still in full force. Hoseok was still looking around completely unbothered while Jimin was rooted in the same spot he had been in since coming inside. I was worried had angered him with my antics. While Hoseok was both used to and fond of the shenanigans that went on in my home the other alpha was not. He was known to be quick-tempered and easily annoyed by any sort of nonsense, but his stoic expression gave nothing away. I twirled a strand around my finger.

“Sorry, again,” I awkwardly laughed. “My familiar is a bit of a drama queen.”

“How is Shiloh?” Hoseok wondered, finally breaking himself away from the hundreds of items around him.

I returned to the counter and started pulling out the items Jin had spared me. Just as I thought, there was what I had asked for and more within the back including a note.

Birdie, How splendid of you to drop by. Of course, I am aware that Shiloh had come in your absence, but I will be expecting you over tonight in return. I’ll brew your favorite tea. I’ll have the ingredients below but feel free to write any revisions you may find. I have packed everything you asked for: 2 sunflower stems 12 sunflower seeds 3 baby’s breath bundles A small comb of honey 10 sprigs of vervain I have also added some other goodies in return for all of the wonderful gardening tools you made me this year. I know you use a lot of mint and sage so expect plenty of it. I’ve also started to grow lavender to balance out the sea coven’s needs for Yoongi. Tea: 2-3 cups honeysuckle flowers (whole) 2 cups water Wild honey to taste Much love, Seokjin

I quickly put my cauldron on the flame and began to write back the witch. Unlike Yoongi, Jin was a great pen pal and wonder to have tea with. He, like myself, could speak with animals so we were able to talk while I was a bird. However, he was usually asleep when the sun went down as it was his prime energy source. Without the sun, Jin was just a man.

Jin, Thank you very much for the supplies. The mint is lovely and so glad to hear about the lavender. Remember full-sun and well-drained soil are best for it. If you need any other pointers Yoongi would be the better man to ask. Everything I know from him and my inability to go out in the sun does not bode well for my gardening career. Also, neutral to alkaline soil. I’m positive they will be lovely. You’re too kind to me. The tools were a gift for being such a wonderful person and a greater friend to me over the years. Pass my thanks on to Max. Shiloh came home with her dramatics again. Haven’t I told you to stop picking on her? The dog aspect already bothers her, and the bees, but cuddling is far from her preferred activity. Tea sounds lovely but I prefer the honeysuckle crushed. May Lilith bring you joy, Birdie

“As dramatic as always,” I finally responded, folding the paper, and stamping it with a wax seal. “Auferetur,” I commanded, and the paper incinerated into a fire and was gone.

“Sometimes I forget she’s not a person,” He joked, coming to the counter to watch me work.

The alpha enjoyed seeing the process of potion making even if he did not pay much attention to the details. I used to attempt to explain what I was doing until I realized he just thought the cauldron was cool. I used to be the same when as a child, but things change very quickly in this life.

“Well, she’s technically a spirit, but yes she is an owl,” I threw in the vervain sprigs.

Tablet heat suppressants were difficult to make due to timing. As soon as they were done, they were to be taken off the heat and placed into mold immediately. They solidified within 3 minutes and were ready to go in 10 once the moisture was gone. Next was the baby’s breath.

“Is everything in your world a spirit?” Hoseok cocked an eyebrow.

“Hyung,” Jimin warned.

He did it again. Of course, I did not need Jimin to save me from the other alpha. They were both at my mercy while inside and it was impossible to imagine Hoseok ever attempting to harm me. He reminded me more of Max than any wolf and his heart-shaped smile and dimples only added to his puppy-like nature. Still, I was touched by the gesture. I was reminded of the poor way I had spoken of him last night and felt ashamed of myself. I did hardly know the silver-haired man.

“Just about,” I used my magic to make the molds appear on the counter and enchanted them to line up in a single file line all around the cottage.

“Isn’t it hard to do all of that at once?”

“Hoseok,” I slipped, forgetting my manners, “I’m the Birdie. Do you truly believe that little of me?”

“Well, no,” He laughed, “I’ve just never seen any other witch do it before.”

“Do you see other witches often?” I enjoyed the small talk.

He was wonderful at it. Jung Hoseok was a master charmer and one of the politest gentlemen in Lustra. His mate, a woman I did not know very well and only saw in passing, was a beta. It was a rarity for any alpha to mate with any other preset besides omega, however, they had grown up together and fell in love young. Their wolves had always gravitated toward one another, but the feelings were not known until after they had both gone through the change. I was proud to have been the one to bring them together and help them through the bonding process thereafter. She would have come to help Hoseok today, but I knew she was taking care of her ill mother back in her hometown Viridi Gramine. They both were kind and Hoseok was a joy to have around.

“Only the grumpy man who lives close to the pond.” I snorted.

“Yoongi the kitchen witch?” I confirmed, amused.

Min Yoongi was another close friend of mine. While not as personable as Seokjin or the sea witch coven, he was reliable and ready to help at the drop of a dime. Of course, he complained more than anyone else I knew and loathed uninvited guests, but I knew it was because he had not had proper time to make them a meal. He became reserved so he would not let on how much he enjoyed company since it was so rare on his edge of the forest. It made me happy to know that Hoseok’s visits were not limited to me and the kitchen witch would feed off his great energy.

“He’s a kitchen witch? Could’ve fooled me.”

“He’s unorthodox, that’s for sure,” The potion was finally complete, and I quickly began lifting portions and filling the molds. “However, he is not a very sought-after host so he can be clueless about manners or formalities. I’m afraid you’ll have to pardon him on my behalf.”

The molds would fly off and onto the counter once I filled them. The entire house smelled of vervain and I knew I would never hear the end of it. Shiloh was very particular, but I had grown used to her babbling. She hardly ever listened to any of my warnings until I reminded her that her reincarnation as a moral relied on her being a good familiar. And yet, she would always find a way to make my life harder. Still, I could not deny that the owl was my best friend. Or that I would be devastated if she did not get her to wish granted. I wanted more than anything for her to become the beautiful blonde she had always dreamed of. Even if she liked to fly in like a bat out of hell and moan about bees attempting to make friends with her.

“What makes him a kitchen witch?” It was Jimin who asked the question this time.

It was a common question for non-magical people. While I would never consider a pack member a mortal, I knew better than to lump them in with us. Guardians but all of their mysticism came from their shifting abilities, and since most wolves thought that they were untouchable, they never did learn about magic regarding others. Witches, however, were expected to know everything there was to know about it. At least, that was my job.

“Well, all witches have the same base knowledge, but we can also have specialties,” I explained.

“And his is cooking?” Jimin’s eyebrows knitted together.

I shook my head.

“Something like that. It’s how he goes about cooking. Yoongi keeps a small altar in his kitchen, cooks with special herbs, and even stirs his food in a particular way depending on the magic he is attempting to pull from it. He keeps a special cookbook that is completely different from his book of shadows. There’s a fine art to kitchen witchery.”

Jimin hummed in acknowledgment This was the longest we had ever spoken, and I found it much easier when I did not have to look at him. I could not remember when these feelings began but it had to have been years ago at this point. I could recall the warmth surrounding me during his presenting ceremony and how his wolf went frantic to get close to me. Of course, that was normal, and I paid it no mind, but I still allowed myself to wonder. My infatuation has only grown since then, a fact he had to be aware of, and I was grateful he never commented on it. Even the custos of Bangtan was a gentleman. Another wave of shame overcame me.

“What kind of witch are you?”

“I’m a Lunar witch,” I replied curtly, making sure to keep my eyes away from Jimin.

“Can you explain that one as well?”

Once all the molds were filled and, on the counter, I made a large gust of wind come inside to speed up the curing process. While I may be enjoying this, I knew they were busy men and I had already taken a large portion of their day. Hoseok, I knew would not care but Jimin had important duties to always attend to.

“Well,” I started, “Lunar witchcraft is just the opposite of solar. We get our power from the moon, prey to it, and perform all our rituals and ceremonies based on the phases. I’m strongest during the night which is why I’m able to help with the shifts the same way your grand witch had.”

“Are all Birdies moon witches?” It was Hoseok who asked.

While I was pleasantly surprised he had been listening, I did not let it show. He would most likely close his ears the second he grew bored.

“No, usually they’re forest or green witches. I’m the first lunar witch.”

“Why?” Jimin asked.

Just as I had thought, Hoseok was back to touching things and wondering out loud. I never minded. He was unusually quiet today and I guessed that Jimin had something to do with that. He always said the younger man was far too serious and concerned about unimportant things. However, now talking to him, I found that hard to believe. If he were so strict, he would have demanded I move quickly and would not be asking me pointless questions about the magic he would never have to worry about.

“After the previous Birdie’s death, things were strange for me for a time. I was not ready and began to prey tirelessly for Lilith to bring her back. Once I began to do moon ceremonies in her honor is when she approached me to become a grand witch and to be a true grand witch I had to convert to lunar witchery. It’s not that complicated.”

The suppressants were set and powdery. For good luck, I took one out of its mold and smashed it between my fingers. The tablet gave away quickly and turned to sand. I checked the color of my fingertips. If I was successful, the tips would be clean. If something had gone wrong, it would be stained purple as it would be impossible for it to dry properly. They were clean and I began to package the tablets.

The enchanted items made quick work of the boxing and I took my time to write the note card. Since these suppressants worked differently than the liquid version I needed to be highly detailed in my instructions. Unlike liquid suppressants that acted immediately and for long hours, the tablets had to be taken two days in advance every four hours. Once the heat was on, the blood should have enough of the medicine in it to be able to take them twice a day without any worries. Even if I had made them before the young wolves always found a way to mess the schedule up.

“Alpha Jimin,” I called out feeling uncomfortable.

“Yes?”

“I made plenty just in case,” I shuffled back and forth, “But Luna informed me that all alphas who are unmated get an omega of their choosing to spend their heat with.”

A lull happened and I felt my breath picking up. My blinking became far more rapid, and I knew I was sending out waves of anxiety. As a shifter, I had my scent though I was nose blind to it, and no one had ever commented on it besides my auntie. She had said it was like vanilla and lavender, but that was long ago. I could only imagine the signals I was sending out to the two men and when Hoseok froze up, I unintentionally sent out a huge gush of my scent.

Jimin’s eyes were almost black when I looked up at him and it sent terror through me. The prey within me trembled and it caused the shaking to overcome me as well. I shrank away from him, my fight or flight response on high alert, and I knew Shiloh would wake up soon if I did not calm down. I became smaller, closing in on myself, and pulling my head back. My hearing was sharper and the colors around me began to warp. Instead of seeing 3 colors, my vision changed, and the UV waves became visible to me. Jimin flinched and in my current state, I began to shake my neck and a loud, menacing hiss came out of my throat.

That snapped me out of my panic. I had never done that before, and it seemed to have frightened the two men. When I looked this time, Jimin’s eyes were normal. I collected myself before relaxing. The waves were gone, and my ears stopped ringing. Neither one of the werewolves made a move.

“I’m out of it today,” I finally said, breathless.

“Are you alright?” Hoseok asked, his face showing his concern.

I nodded and took another deep breath.

“Anxiety is not good for a prey animal,” I explained.

“I’m sorry I frightened you,” Jimin spoke, and I turned my attention to him.

I nodded and closed my eyes. In the other room, I heard Shiloh asking if I was alright. I quickly let her know that I was fine. I had not had a response that violent in a long time. His eyes… Fear shot through me once more, but I forced myself to calm down. This was Jimin, not the black wolf from my nightmares. Another deep breath.

“No, no,” I slurred my speech. I was so tired. “Your eyes...”

I faintly hear Delinah come inside but I felt like I was underwater. Everything became hazy and my knees buckled. I hit the ground, but I hardly felt the impact. My breath slowed and the voices in the room were far away. Shiloh’s voice began to fill the room, but no one could understand her. Briefly, I felt a warmth envelop my hand and I moved closer to it. I felt cold, so cold, and soon was unable to move. The warmth spread to my face, and I let out a breath at the contact. My eyes closed and even though the voice beside me asked me not to, I fell asleep.

206 notes · View notes

calamity-aims · 2 years

Note

Hiii Cal how about “You need to stop this. I can’t watch you burn yourself out anymore.” which just speaks of Fox

Thorn is furious.

Thorn is furious, and the whole of the Coruscant Guard knows.It's hard to miss, given that it's so infrequent. Thorn's anger is rare but all the more vicious for it; Fox always said he just saved it up until one day he'd blow his bucket straight off from the pressure.

Jokes like that probably won't land now, though. Not unless Fox wants to add more broken bones to his tally.

"Commander Thorn," he says, flat as anything. "Aren't you supposed to be on sleep shift? I have you down as-"

"Don't fuck with me, Fox," Thorn warns, and snatches Fox's datapad neatly out of his hands.

Fox snaps, "Thorn, what the hell."

Immediately he knows it's the wrong thing to say.

"What the hell? You're damn right what the hell! You-" and here he levels an accusing finger at Fox- "You were literally trampled in that riot, Hedge said you had six broken bones, and now I find out you've been working for two straight shifts?"

"None of my fingers were broken," Fox tries, "So I can still sign off-"

"Shut UP," and Fox does. Thorn braces both his hands against Fox's desk and lets his head hang low, sweaty blond curls dangling down. Exhaustion curves the lines of his spine. There's a few new scratches and dents along the red-painted pauldrons - those will have to be painted over soon. The senators don't like their clones to look scruffy.

When Thorn speaks, his anger's drained away, leaving only a tired sort of pleading in his voice. “Fox. You need to stop this. I can’t watch you burn yourself out anymore.”

"I-" Fox starts. Stops.

It's not like he wants to be here, sat at his desk while his broken bones ache and a migraine pulses through his eyesocket and down to his teeth. But he'd been warned, hadn't he, a comm message from the Chancellor blinking on his HUD the instant he'd woken up in the medbay.

[CC-1010: Coruscant Security Force has reported the failure of your troopers at the most recent riot. If handling your responsibilities is too much, I am more than happy to appoint members of the CSF to direct supervisory positions over the Coruscant Guard.]

Fox can't let that happen. He'll work himself to death before he lets some bozo from the CSF have any more power over his Guards. They already abuse what power they do have, pushing cases and patrols that they don't want to do off on the Corries. Throwing their weight around, ordering his Corries to run stupid little errands, to stand still while they push them around. Or worse.

Fox doesn't even want to know what they'll do with direct power over him - they've tried it before, but he's managed to stand his ground. For now.

Thorn's still slumped in front of him. He works hard, just as hard as Fox does. They all work double shifts most days, they're all sleep deprived, they're all usually a little injured, be it in the line of duty or just a mean-spirited Senator. Fox doesn't want to burden Thorn any more than he already is, but he's running out of options.

"The Chancellor's displeased with our current performance," he says finally. "If I can't handle this, he'll put us under the command of the Coruscant Security Force."

He doesn't need to tell Thorn exactly how terrible that would be - his commander's face goes pale and worried.

"Can he do that?" Thorn croaks. Fox shrugs.

"Does it matter?" The Chancellor does what he pleases. Ultimate power and all that. Technically the Guard should be under the purview of the Jedi, but somehow that's not what happened -Jedi didn't want the added responsibility, maybe. Too busy with the real soldiers.

That's fine. Fox can handle this. He's been handling this. They'll be fine.

Fox just needs to keep working.

#hiiiii Gaea <333 #calamity writing #calamity answers #commander fox #commander thorn #coruscant guard #tcw

209 notes · View notes

sentinelpri · 3 months

Text

Feather In The Wind (Valentine's Day Special 2024)

The first Valentine’s Day that Dabi spends with the Paranormal Liberation Front is a peaceful one- at least compared to what he’s used to. After a childhood full of pain and trauma- ruined holidays and cold nights spent outside pushing himself to the edge with his individual training while his father ignored him in favor of abusing Shouto- being in his own large, lavish room within the confines of the base is… Interesting, to say the least.

There’s no booming yells reverberating through the walls, no ashes or burn marks on the floor, no slaps echoing through the hallway. His old family is dead and gone to him, instead replaced by Toga who barged into his room with Twice just over an hour ago to share a sushi dinner with him on his bed.

He isn’t sure he considers the members of what was once the League of Villains a family or even a group of friends, but they’re people who share his ideologies, and they love him more than anyone else ever has. So, when they come knocking at his door with dinner to make sure he’s fed, he doesn’t deny them, nor does he rush them out. He figures there’s no better way to spend the day of love than with the few people who truly love him. That’s why it’s nearly past two in the morning by the time they finally fuck off and leave Dabi with the takeout container trash and a soy sauce stain on his wrinkled bedsheets.

It’s a quiet night, so Dabi finds himself going out to the balcony with a cigarette in hand. He lights it with his quirk and lets out a sigh as the cold air consumes him. Snowflakes fall over him in quick succession, melting on his hot skin and clothing, leaving him damp but still warm due to the insulating nature of his quirk. He takes a few long drags from his cigarette and watches the smoke he blows out puff up in the frosty air.

The base that they all stay in is a large tower that oversees the rest of Deika City. It’s a quiet and peaceful town with most of the members being part of the liberation front. They go to bed early most nights so they can wake up even earlier come morning to train for the cause… Dabi almost wonders if the gullible grunts Re-Destro and Shigaraki have gathered and molded are just as bad as the society of heroes they’re fighting against. They blindly follow their grand commander, not questioning his authority or morals, blindly agreeing with everything he says even when it’s not in their best interest. Dabi supposes he’s not much better, though. He’s never agreed with Shigaraki’s morals a hundred percent, but he’s never dared call the man out- especially now with his newfound power, he and this organization could end Dabi in a heartbeat.

It doesn’t matter, anyway, Dabi supposes. While Shigaraki is going mad with power and while his objective becomes more and more questionable by the day, they both want the same thing in the end; to destroy heroes and the terrible society they’ve made since their manifestation.

He isn’t sure why he bothers. His life has been a living hell for a long time and soon enough, he’s going to go up in flames like the rest- probably by his own doing… Hopefully by his own doing. Dabi laughs to himself, mulling over it all. Then, something small comes into view. At first, he thinks it may be a piece of trash or even some sort of animal, but it gets closer until he makes out the familiar shape.

Dabi blinks and burns his cigarette out, abandoning it on the floor of the balcony so he can narrow his turquoise eyes at the red feather that’s just landed on the railing. Is it a coincidence? No, it must be from Hawks. It’s too large to be from a bird. But what does it mean? Is it a signal? A warning? Some sort of fucked up joke? He’s well aware that the pro hero frequently uses his feathers for spy work and wonders if he should light the damn thing on fire, but then he sees something else in the distance- no, someone, and he quickly puts together who it is.

Hawks is flying towards him in a downward trajectory. At least three fourths of his feathers are gone and some of the ones remaining on his left wing are singed at the ends. His jacket isn’t over his shoulders despite the freezing temperatures, instead balled up in his hands and pushed up against his abdomen. The blond’s whole outfit is tattered and there’s blood on his hands and face as he weakly flutters towards the tower.

After what feels like forever, Hawks gets close enough that he’s hovering about ten meters above the balcony. A harsh gust of wind seems to knock the last of Hawks’s energy out of him and send his body falling down to where Dabi’s standing.

Part of Dabi wants to tell the poor bastard to get fucked and go inside so he can enjoy the rest of his night, but before he can think better of what is arguably a poor decision for him to make, he finds himself reaching out and catching the pro hero in his arms. Hawks crashes into him with a pained groan, wrapping an arm around Dabi’s neck. His wings have given out and he’s too weak to do anything else, so Dabi wraps both arms around him in return to support his weight.

“...Hawks,” Dabi breathes out, too shocked by Hawks’s entrance to say much else. He drags the man inside through the screen door of his suite before the two of them can be caught outside like this by Shigaraki or any of the other lieutenants, locking the door behind them and quickly glancing out the glass of the door to make sure they haven’t been seen. A quick sigh of relief falls from between his lips when he realizes that no one was outside or nearby, but that relief is replaced by confusion the second he notices Hawks is too weak to walk as well. “What-?”

“I… I didn’t know,” Hawks starts, voice raspy. There’s clearly something wrong aside from the basic injuries and exhaustion that are already apparent. Dabi thinks he may have to press for that information as he sets Hawks down to sit on the edge of his bed, only for Hawks to pull his crumpled up jacket off of where he’s been holding it against his stomach to reveal a massive burn wound. It’s ghastly and large, just on the left side of his abdomen, bleeding and fresh. It looks like there’s shards of varying sizes in it, perhaps shrapnel from an explosive or some sort of weapon-based quirk. “I mean, where else could I have gone? You’re not my first choice, but you were nearby and I’m sure this is your area of expertise.”

“You could’ve gone literally anywhere but here… And you chose to come here to Deika city,” Dabi sighs. On top of soy sauce stains, he’s also going to have blood stains on his sheets. That’s going to be a fun lie to come up with if anyone sees his room before he has the chance to wash them… Huffing, the white-haired man goes into his connected bathroom and grabs the first aid supplies. Thankfully, he’s so used to burning himself from overdoing it with his quirk that he has to treat second and third degree burns regularly. When he returns, he sets the supplies on the edge of the bed and glares down at Hawks. “First aid isn’t exactly my forte, dumbass. Best case scenario, you’re going to lose a ton of blood. Worst case scenario, you’re going to die of an infection in a few days.”

“Calm down,” Hawks says with a dismissive wave. “I trust you. You know that.”

“That’s bullshit,” Dabi points out, because truth be told, their relationship is complicated. Hawks may or may not have killed Best Jeanist and brought him to be turned into a Nomu- that much is true, but if Dabi is anything, it’s a good judge of character. He’s well aware that while the other man isn’t completely brainwashed like a lot of the other pro-heroes, he’s at least misguided and intent on staying complicit in allowing them to continue upholding their vile hero-centered society. On the other side of things, Dabi knows that Hawks understands him as well, and that they can’t truly be friends let alone anything more than that… At least they shouldn’t be. Yet, they both frequently toe the line of what is and isn’t appropriate for a relationship that’s supposedly based around their work. “And even if it weren’t… Neither of us should trust each other.”

“Just try your best,” Hawks shrugs.

“Fine. Take off any of the clothes covering your injuries and lie down,” Hawks does as instructed, removing his clothes painstakingly slow for someone who’s supposed to be having a dire medical crisis. First, his shattered visor and headphones, then his boots, followed by his socks, then his tattered shirt and pants. The only things left on are jewelry and his boxers as he lies down on the end of Dabi’s bed. Dabi sits beside Hawks’s left hip on the mattress, his first aid kit in hand. His eyes flicker between the bloody jacket on the floor and Hawks’s injury. “Be prepared for this shit to hurt like hell.”

“Whatever happens happens.”

With that, Dabi gets to work.

“Oh, yeah, because that’s exactly what I need right now- a dead hero on my hands.”

“Think of it this way; I’m sure Shigaraki has explicitly ordered you not to kill me despite your suspicions about my loyalty to the cause, so now you have extra motivation to keep me alive.”

“Tch, fine,” Dabi rolls his eyes for what feels like the millionth time that night as he puts a pair of gloves from his first aid kit on. He rinses Hawks’s wound with saline and dampens some gauze with the same solution. “Only for you would I keep a pro-hero in my god damn bedroom…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hawks shakily replies with a wince.

“Nothing, just know that you’ve only got tonight. You try to mooch off of me any longer than that and I’m kicking your sorry ass out of here.”

“Fine, fine.”

An awkward silence falls upon them. Dabi continues to work, slowly but surely, packing the wound to the best of his ability. Part of him wonders if he should’ve recruited Toga- she wouldn’t rat him out for keeping Hawks here, and she would certainly be much better at tending to the hero’s injury, but part of Dabi wants to be the only one to do this for Hawks. Dabi’s mind races; why would Hawks come here, will he be okay, what does this sort of intimate interaction mean for them, what if Shigaraki finds out about this, and most importantly-

“Who did this to you?”

“Huh?” Hawks blinks, seemingly baffled by the question. “Why do you care?”

“Just tell me who did this to you,” Dabi demands. “I want to know.”

“Tch, what are you gonna do? Kill ‘em?”

Dabi feels his cheeks burn red. In order to keep himself from meeting Hawks’s eyes, he focuses on the wound a little more than he needs to, paying extra attention and being especially gentle with how he covers the packing job. Just to be safe, he tapes an extra layer of gauze over it and pulls out some tape bandages.

“Maybe,” Dabi answers, perhaps a little slower than he should for it to be believable. “Now sit up so I can finish up.”

“Since when do you care so much?”

“Does it really matter? I assume you were trying to capture whoever it was anyways.”

“Yeah, I was trying to apprehend her to turn into the police, not kill her,” Hawks says. He tenses as he forces himself to sit up straight despite the evident pain that’s telling him not to. “Don’t tell me… You’re upset that I’m hurt?”

“So what if I am? You rocked up to my place at two in the morning on Valentine’s Day expecting me to play nurse- I think I have the right to be just a little pissed,” Dabi retorts, wrapping the tape bandages around Hawks’s mid-section to fully cover the wound on his side.

“I’m surprised you’re keeping me here… And that you helped me in the first place,” Hawks sighs and lays back on the bed as soon as Dabi finishes. Against his better judgment, Dabi joins him. The two men lie on their backs, staring up at the ceiling, side by side, far closer than two friends- two enemies- two comrades, should be. Hawks turns his head so he can look at Dabi, and while Dabi doesn’t return the heated stare, he can most certainly feel it burning holes into him. “Why?”

“Because it’s you,” He whispers before he can think better of it. Dabi, usually so calm and so collected, feels himself falling apart. He reaches out to hold Hawks’s hand. Everything that follows is nothing but uncharacteristically impassioned word vomit. “And I don’t know what it is about you that I like so much, but I couldn’t just let you fall and snap your neck or crack your pretty little head open on my balcony.”

“Heh, you like me?” Hawks teases, intertwining their fingers and giving Dabi’s palm an affectionate squeeze.

“It’s not like that,” Dabi raises his voice and snatches his hand away. Briefly, he wonders if this was a mistake. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Yeah? So what if I am? What are you gonna do about it? I’m already injured as it is- you’d have to tear a limb off or kill me for things to be any worse than they are now.”

“You’re annoying.”

“Thanks for this…” Hawks responds. Dabi looks over to see the man smiling at him. “I owe you one.”

“No shit. Seriously, why’d you come here in the first place? Even if you were nearby, let’s not pretend that your injury was life-threatening enough to make you desperate.”

“Would you believe me if I told you that I don’t have anyone else?”

“Really? No family? None of your pro hero friends? No fan girls to spend the day of love with?”

“No,” Hawks answers. He rolls onto his uninjured side- into Dabi- and places a hand on his chest. Dabi freezes at the touch. “I’m not very close with my family and my ‘pro hero friends’ aren’t my friends, they’re my coworkers. The fan girls are… A little much, too. It’s not smart to get attached to any of them.”

“And yet you’re attached to me? Or, attached to me enough that you felt safe coming here, even knowing who I am and what I’m capable of.”

“I didn’t say that I was attached to you at all, Dabi. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

“But it’s obvious,” Dabi points out. “Just like I’m attached to you… You wouldn’t have come here and trusted me to help you like this if you didn’t feel something for me.”

“And you would’ve let me crash on your balcony and die in the freezing cold or ratted me out to Shigaraki and the others if you didn’t feel the same way.”

“So, what? Does that make us friends now? I know you’ve been trying to get buddy-buddy with me for a while. I bet you’re real happy now.”

“Friends? Let’s not pretend it’s that easy,” Hawks says with a sardonic laugh. “We both know it’s not.”

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not. We both know how this ends, anyway.”

“Then don’t argue semantics with me, you prick.”

And for a moment, the two men share a glance; a moment of peace wherein there’s no hero and no villain, no war, no anything or anyone but the two of them. Gold burns into icy blue. Dabi assumed he’d lost his heart long ago, but he’s sure it skips a beat when he feels Hawks’s calloused hand over it through his clothes.

“Dabi?” Hawks starts, love and adoration radiating off of him in potent waves that make Dabi nauseous.

Dabi reaches over to place a hand on top of Hawks’s.

“Yeah?”

“What are we after this?”

“...I think we both know the answer to that,” Dabi says, because he knows deep down that this won’t work. It never could. They don’t have a chance. Putting a label on this would just upset them even more when it inevitably has to end. “Let’s not make this more complicated than this needs to be… I mean, let’s just enjoy each other while we can.”

“Right. I guess we shouldn’t let this change anything… Well, aside from the obvious, that is. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page! I’d hate for you to catch feelings and-”

Annoyed by Hawks’s bluffing, Dabi interjects.

“I never said that I hadn’t caught feelings, you idiot; just that we shouldn’t label whatever it is that we are,” Dabi rolls over to face away from Hawks. He’s unsurprised when Hawks scoots closer and tosses an arm over his waist. “You better be out of here by the time I wake up tomorrow.”

“Trust me, Dabi, you won’t even know I was here in the first place.”

Dabi scoffs and closes his eyes, unable to shake the uneasiness that comes with someone holding him so sweetly. And, for a moment before he drifts off into sleep, Dabi briefly wonders if this is what love- or friendship, or whatever the hell this is- is supposed to feel like, like someone trusting you to take care of them and offering you affection in return, like the scent of burnt skin and blood and sweat lingering on his bedsheets.

When he wakes up the following afternoon, Dabi is so groggy that he almost forgets what occurred the night before until he sees red splotches on his bedding. He glances over at the other side of the bed to see that it’s empty, but that there’s still a few strands of blond hair left behind on one of the pillows. Then, he rolls out of bed so he can check the bathroom and balcony.

As he expected, Hawks kept a promise for once and left before Dabi woke up. Disappointment threatens to wash over, but at the very least, Hawks was kind enough to leave a red feather on the balcony. Dabi steps outside and picks it up before the winter wind can blow it away, a fond smile threatening to take over his lips as he takes it in, knowing that Hawks will be back soon enough.

What a beautiful Valentine’s Day gift.

#bnha hawks #hawks #mha hotwings #bnha hotwings #hotwings #my hero academia fanfiction #my hero academia #boku no hero academia fanfiction #boku no hero academia #bnha dabihawks #dabihawks #bnha dabi #touya todoroki #toya todoroki #valentine's day #valentines day #valentine's day 2024

14 notes · View notes

foreveranevilregal · 7 months

Text

Encantober Day 16: Grief

*Trigger warning for death and death caused by illness*

Julieta closed the door quietly behind herself. It had been a hard day. She’d given a house call to a young man who was gravely ill with…well, she honestly wasn’t sure with what. Most of the time, knowing the cause wasn’t as important, since as soon as she got her food down people’s throats, they began to feel better. But this poor man couldn’t eat. No matter how much she and the rest of his family tried to coax just a few bites into his mouth, he wouldn’t eat. Each time, he gave a few halfhearted chews to humor them, then spit it out. Unable to use the strongest tool at her disposal, she tried to think of other, nonedible, remedies that could heal this young man. The hours ticked on as she tried unsuccessful option after unsuccessful option. Finally, having exhausted her options, she watched him close his eyes for the last time.

It wasn’t her first time losing a patient. It probably wouldn’t be her last either. Over the years, she’d lost so many people, unable to save them from whatever ailment befell them. Of course, she knew better than to rely solely on her food for healing; it was powerful but not foolproof. Yet there were times when even her best efforts weren’t enough. When she would have to pull her eyes away from the patient that was no longer suffering and meet the tear-filled eyes of their family members.

Sometimes they didn’t blame her.

She always blamed herself.

If only she had done more! If she’d just remembered one more remedy, or recognized the symptoms sooner, or tried harder, or-

Julieta shook the thoughts out of her head. Going over her mistakes wouldn’t bring back those who were gone. Tomorrow, with a clearer head, she could dissect what she did wrong and do better the next time. Tonight, she would perform her little ritual.

It hadn’t started out that way. At the beginning, when she would lose people, she tried to bury the guilt, the sorrow, the grief. She had to keep her head clear for the next case, she reasoned. But as the tally rose, the grief bubbled over. She needed a new way to cope. So, she decided, if she hadn’t been able to save them in life, she would honor them in death.

She took out the little candle she had stowed away in her dresser. Agustín had asked her about it when she first got it, but then she got more candles to mask it and he figured she just liked candles. But this was a special candle. It stood tall at the beginning, barely able to fit in the little drawer lying on its side. As time went on, it shrank gradually, imperceptibly, after each time she lit it. But she had lit it more times than she wished to remember.

She set the candle on the table, lighting it carefully with a match. For a minute, she watched the flame flicker, focusing on the young man she had lost today. His name was Tomás. She mouthed the name silently, saying a prayer for his soul. After she was finished, she let the flame burn a little bit longer before gently extinguishing it.

Wisps of smoke curled delicately through the air as the candle grew cold. Julieta sat there in the dark, unable to speak. Tears streamed down her face in the only place she would allow them. Her family wasn’t allowed to see her like this. They were all such kind, sensitive souls…this kind of distress would be too much for them. She had to be strong in front of them.

But right now, she was alone, and she let the tears flow freely. Eventually, they dried up, and she found she could speak again.

“Goodbye, Tomás.”

#julieta madrigal #encanto #encantober 2023 #encantober #grief #tw death #tw grief #tw illness #foreveranevilregal writes #writing encanto #writing julieta madrigal #i know this is different #but i know she'd be devastated

13 notes · View notes

bearbluebooks · 8 months

Text

Shadow and Song

The sleepy town of Prythian is too small for two sindicates to exist. Territory is in short supply, you either die conquiring or defending it, there is no in between. The Night Court Maffia and Autumnal clan have been caught in a generation's long struggle for territory. Hewn City, Night Court headquarters, is run by a mysterious Azriel, who keeps his distance towards everybody but a beautiful copper-haired singer. What happens when the latest fight for territory finds its way into Hewn City and the angelic singer is caught in the crossfire? Will it be Azriel or The Monster that saves her?

Read on AO3 or under the cut!

This work was written as a gift for my dear friend @trashforazriel. One of the kindest people I have ever met and who deserves all the light in the world. Thank you for always supporting me, friend, this one is for you <3

The air was on fire. Not the literal sense, he knew what that felt like, his burned hands were the permanent reminder of that. This was the heat of battle. A familiarity less visible but just as present in his mind.

As a member of the Night Court Maffia, Azriel was no stranger to violence. Hewn City, Night Court headquarters, and the most popular club in Prythian was proof of that. Even though it was established as a safe haven, bodies ended up in more places than just the dance floor.

He felt in his bones that tonight would be no different. Tensions had risen between the Night Court Maffia and the Autumnal Clan for decades. Territory was scarce in Prythian, you either seized or safeguarded, and there was nothing in between.

The newspaper talked about discoveries of a new planet, Azriel hoped it would grant more peace, but he knew it would cause more greed. Territory meant money, money meant power, and power meant control.

The original war started between the heads of each organization: Beron from the Autumnal Clan, and Zephyr from the Night Court Maffia. Power was hereditary, so naturally like his black hair, the Maffia was inherited by Rhysand from Zephyr.

Whilst Azriel was a brother to Rhysand, like the Night Court, he was just another inheritance.

As a child, Azriel was recruited as a spy for Zephyr. It started out as a peaceful undertaking. He followed competitors and suspected traitors and reported back. The more useful he proved himself, the more violent his assignments became.

He soon became the torture master of the Night Court, earning the name Monster of Hewn City. Although he hated the name almost as much as he loathed himself after every torture session, he appreciated the alter ego. It allowed him to live in relative peace as Azriel. Away from the screams, the violence, and the death.

He would often get lost in memories of his past and responsibilities of the present, the lilting tunes of music that played in the background slowly brought him back to the world in front of him.

Rhysand insisted on having a whole orchestra present every Thursday night. Trumpets, a harmonium, and a theremin occupied the entire stage.

Rhysand was right about the magnetism of the orchestra, it did bring a lot of people in every week, but it was not the music that brought those males in. It was the delicate hands that played the piano, the magnetizing voice, and the angelic female to whom both belonged.

Her most popular piece was something he often heard but which somehow never sounded the same. Sometimes, when business was slow, he would accompany her on the piano. He had asked his mother one day to teach him the tunes for exactly these moments. The rarity of peace she provided was what he came to live for. The smile she would give him every time they would play together.

Every time she started singing, the piercing angelic voice carried him into a different world where only they existed. Slowly, the world faded to black, and the only thing left to see was her. Only her.

Tonight she was wearing a teal-colored dress that contrasted her copper hair in such a way it was impossible not to stare- as proven by every person in the club who was staring. He wanted to punch every single one of them in the face, so they wouldn’t be able to look at her anymore, and the only eyes on her would be his.

In his mind, his hand often roamed where only his eyes were allowed.

Tonight was no different. In his mind, he ran one of his scarred fingers up her leg that exposed so much of her bare pale skin. Up up up where he would take his time to place soft kisses on the soft skin of her stomach. Then he would take his touch to her perfect breasts. He would worship them as if it was the last time he was allowed their sight. Then he would move his fingers to caress her neck. He would take those gloves off her hands, and suck on one of her slender fingers, never losing eye contact, to tease her about what else he could do with his tongue.

Even though it felt like sacrilege to touch something so celestial with his violent hands, the attraction was stronger than the impiety. And he would gladly go to hell if it meant one moment in heaven.

It would have angered him that so many people received the gift that was her uncovered beauty if he didn’t appreciate the sight of it so much himself.

This place of violence didn’t deserve her presence of beauty. Her illuminating light in the omnipresent smoky darkness.

To underline his point, he lit another cigarette and walked to his usual spot hidden in the corner at the end of the bar. Where he could observe her light, but never obscure it.

He was alone in the bar tonight, most nights Rhysand worked in his office, not to be disturbed, and Cassian had his obligations as a bouncer at the front of the club.

His domain was the bar and the club. Tables littered the space and every seat was filled with servants ready to worship their goddess. It provided the perfect vantage point. He could see her, and every person in the crowded space. He could assess the threats before they arose, and handle them if needed.

He hated how he could never focus all of his attention solely on her, but some sick bastard always found his way in. Ready to take what they thought was rightfully theirs.

He gladly reminded them they should keep their disgusting thoughts and hands to themselves, and if anybody crossed that line, The Monster would give them a private lesson in manners in the shadows of the back alley. He would punch, punch, punch common sense in the worst of them. And if that didn’t work, he always had truth-teller, his ally in the pursuit of duty and integrity.

If she was anybody’s, she would be his. And he would happily remind everybody of this.

He took another inhale of his cigarette, hoping the nicotine would calm his nerves. He already saw another male undressing her with his eyes. Time for another appearance of The Monster.

But it was not the nicotine that spread the calm warmth throughout his body, it was her eyes that found his.

The whole world stopped, even her voice faded to black. Only they existed in this plane of shared recognition. She smiled and he couldn’t help but also move the corners of his mouth when a sparkle appeared in her eyes.

Those teal eyes reminded most of the sea, but it reminded him of her. he dreamt of those eyes. He pictured those eyes on him when she didn’t look. And he cherished the moments she did grant him her gaze.

Tonight would be the night.

He would confess his feelings and claim her in more than just his dreams.

He would ask her to stay a little bit longer, when all other people had long left the space and worship was solely reserved for him. He would give her the flowers he brought every night and this time they would not end up in the trash but in her hands.

He could already imagine the ways her eyes would light up at the gift of her favorite flowers- lilies.

She would hold them in her delicate hands and her other hand would be in his scarred one. Together they would walk along the Sidra, where he would stop at his favorite spot next to the bridge where he would confess everything.

How her laugh eased all tension from his body. How he recognized her copper hair from across every space- even after death. How her name was a prayer on his lips and her eyes the portal home.

Dreams were his preferred reality because of her.

Everything always came down to her.

Gwyn. Gwyn. Gwyn.

“Gwyn. You’re coming with us.” A heavy voice said from across the room. Shattering the spell in an instant.

His eyes quickly scanned the space in search of the threat, when he found the large auburn-haired male standing next to the door, commanding Gwyn like a dog.

Over his dead body.

“You know Beron forbade you from coming here.” The voice bellowed. It would have been quite impressive how loud his voice carried throughout the crowded space if it wasn’t so annoying.

“Eris what the fuck are you doing here?” Azriel said as he walked over toward the next alleyway occupant.

He spread his wings wide, to obscure Gwyn from sight and to give one final warning.

Suddenly gunshots replaced the sound of Gwyn’s angelic singing.

He never moved so fast in his life. His legs moved before his mind could tell them where to go.

His whole being was permanently single-mindedly focused on her and for once it was actually useful.

Time stopped as another bullet split the air.

He jumped in front of Gwyn in what felt like slow motion.

Suddenly, the air lit up in a flash of bright light. And everybody around them stumbled over their feet. The light came from Gwyn. How did she do that?

He seemed to be protected from the light in a sphere of darkness, and he quickly made use of the distraction as he threw truth-teller against the male who almost touched Gwyn.

But Gwyn had already punched the red-haired male in the face. He didn’t think he could be any more turned on than when he saw her play the piano. Gods was he wrong.

He had to force himself to focus on the fight in front of him because his cock was giving him different orders.

“Gwyn are you okay?” he quickly said to her presence behind him.

“Do you have another knife?” she yelled back.

He laughed as he handed her a couple of the knives he always tucked in a sheath on his back.

Together they stood back to back in the middle of the crowded room, circling the wide space. Assessing the next threat.

They didn’t have to wait long as a couple of the Autumn bastards encroached on their circle. As if they could reach each other’s minds, both their knives at the same time, hitting their targets straight in the heart.

He was too late though, because Eris made his way across the room. “NO, I told you I don’t work for him” Gwyn yelled into the empty space as she was carried on his back. Kicking her legs against his back.

Azriel’s heart suddenly beat fast. His breath quickened. It was as if his body wasn’t receiving enough oxygen.

His muscles tensed up.

He needed his body to act, not whatever the hell was happening now.

The world flashed by and he could hear Gwyn scream in the background.

As if a flip was switched, suddenly survival mode kicked in, and The Monster was back.

His eyes quickly scanned the room for auburn hair, Eris was surrounded by five males. Easy.

He removed the bowtie and undid the first couple of buttons on his shirt, now he could breathe again. There was a pool table behind him, so he grabbed one of the cues and snapped it in half on his leg. He swirled the two broken pieces in circles in the air to create momentum as he punched the two nearest males in the face with all the force he could muster.

They immediately fell down onto the ground. Weak bastards, he thought as he stepped over the two incapacitated bodies.

He dropped the cue’s on the ground. His fists worked just as well.

The next male turned around with force, and as he prepared his gun, Azriel punched him in the gut, then his hand, and then his face. The male went down in an instant.

Another male moved behind Azriel and held him in place by encircling his shoulders. The last male prepared to punch him in the chest. Cowards.

Azriel made use of the support the male gave him as he kicked the male standing opposite in the chest. The male stumbled back into the tables behind him. Next, he kicked the person holding him on the foot whilst he moved his head with force onto his chin. He could hear some teeth break and a muffled “FUCK”.

“AZRIEL” a voice screamed from the door.

Eris was fast. But Azriel was faster. He moved like a shadow in the wind towards the last place he heard the angelic voice. He could just catch the copper hair turning around the corner as he raised his voice louder than he ever had before “ERIS let her go.”

“Now why would I do that, brute?” a maniacal voice answered.

“You’ll die tonight if you don’t.”

“And who is going to kill me, heir to the Autumn clan? Some low-life bastard like you? Don’t be ridiculous.” He said as he started to turn around to face him.

But Azriel wasn’t talking about himself.

“ARGH” that same voice bellowed as a knife struck him in the back.

Azriel hurried towards them just in time to catch Gwyn when Eris fell to the floor with a loud thud.

“Are you okay?” both asked simultaneously.

He laughed.

Tonight was still the night.

He carried her in his arms towards the back of the club. Towards his office which he knew was safe.

He quickly redid his bowtie and shirt buttons, he needed to look his absolute best.

The office was small but elegant. Several bookcases filled the space behind his mahogany desk. The baroque blue wallpaper accompanied the beige couch perfectly. He sat her down on it and took up the empty space next to her. She immediately moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. She looked up as she said, “so, you come here often?”

He smiled and put his hand where he had wanted to put it ever since he met her: home.

#gwynriel #azriel shadowsinger #gwyn acosf #gwyn x azriel #gwyneth berdara #acotar fanfiction #a court of silver flames #acotar #acotar alternate universe #ao3 fanfic #gwynrielfic #maffia #1930s #Azrielsmokescigarettes #gunsblazing

19 notes · View notes