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jaceyneedsabetterusername · 4 years

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Sex Tape

Pairings: Johnny Depp x Reader

Request: “ If you take requests, would you consider doing johnny reaction to like theirs sex tape getting leaked? Reader may also be a celebrity or not. Whatever you prefer “ - @fanficshitandother

Warnings: Mentions of sex but no actual smut

Word Count: 1800

A/N: Sorry this one is so short. I was having a harder time writing it than I thought I would. I hope you enjoy!

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Shit.

You knew this was a bad idea when he suggested it but no. He just had to have this video “for when he was away filming.” It always ended like this, though, right? It always started out as fun and games until bam! Celebrity sex tape leaked!

The gossip talk show video that your best friend had sent you was still playing on your phone and you watched in silent horror as the red haired woman talked about your sex life to her male counterpart as if she had any actual right to have an opinion. In the top corner was a picture of you and Johnny at the red carpet for the premier of the Crimes of Grindelwald, his arm around your waist and both of you smiling for the paparazzi pictures. “Okay, guys. You are going to want to hear this,” She started, clasping her absurdly long acrylic-clad fingers together and holding onto her knees, “So there has been yet another sex tape leaked and I want you to guess who’s it is.” She looked over to her co-host. He had a push broom mustache that was bleached blonde to match his hair.

The man hummed before waving his hand, which also donned long yellow acrylics, “I swear, Laurel, if this is another Kardashian or Paris Hilton tape, I’m gonna scream. That’s such old news.”

“Actually, it’s someone that I certainly didn’t expect. Johnny Depp and his wife, Y/N L/N.” She dropped the news and the co-star’s mouth dropped.

“Are you serious? Like Jack Sparrow, Sweeney Todd, Willy Wonka, Johnny Depp?” He asked in total shock, “I didn’t expect that either! But you know what? I feel like he’d be really good in bed.”

He and Laurel both laughed, “You’re so bad!” She squealed, hitting him with the paper notes in her hand, “But, between you and me,” She leaned in, as if she was telling an actual secret that wasn’t being broadcast on the internet, “I did see it.”

“And?”

“It was pretty hot, I can’t lie. That Y/N is a very lucky girl indeed.” The pair giggled like a pair of school girls.

You were absolutely mortified. How did this happen? How many people had seen it? Who had seen it? Oh God… all you could imagine was your family stumbling across the video or, debatably worse, Johnny’s kids. This had to be one of the worst moments of your life.

You turned off the video and quickly dialed your husband. “Hello, love.” He greeted cheerily on the other end. The faint sound of cars passing in the background told you he was probably driving home from the meeting he had been at.

“Did you see it? Did you hear it?” You asked frantically.

“What?” He asked, confused.

“The video! The video got leaked!” You ran your fingers through your hair messily, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor.

“What video?” He questioned, not sounding like he fully understood what had happened, but then you could almost feel the weight of realization falling on him, “Wait, our video?”

“Yes! Our video!” You were yelling at this point, not at him but at the situation and thankfully he understood that.

“Okay, okay. We’ll- Hang on my manager is calling. Probably to tell me about it. I’ll be home in five minutes. I love you.” He signed off your call quickly before hanging up without giving you the chance to respond.

While you waited for him to get there, you spiraled down the rabbit hole that was the tabloids and social media. Your phone buzzed off the charts as everyone from your sister to Helena Bonham Carter called you to ask if you were okay. Of course, you weren’t. But it was one phone call from a former college roommate, Sheila, had really gotten your blood boiling.

“It’s okay! If anything, this is just going to make you more famous! Look at all the other celebs who’ve had their sex tapes leaked. They’re like, super famous.” Sheila sounded more excited than she should have, which certainly made you question her motives behind calling you in the first place. Since marrying Johnny, you’d had the unfortunate displeasure of having to cut a few people off from your past who had randomly called you up after years of little to no contact, asking more favors in the movie industry, money, or even just for the clout of saying they knew you. There really was such a downside to this whole marrying famous person thing that nobody ever really talked about - not that you would take it back, though, of course. You loved Johnny more than anything.

Still, when the words left her mouth, you felt a flash of anger swell up, “Contrary to what a lot of people might believe, being famous actually kind of sucks,” You spat angrily, “And call me crazy, but I don’t exactly feel thrilled at knowing the whole world as access to a video of my naked ass!”

“At least it’s a good naked ass, though! Your boobs are looking pretty good too. Did you get them done?” She asked bluntly, still not a care to be heard in her voice. You swore you could almost detect a fake valley girl accent too.

Your mouth dropped open in disbelief at the words coming from her voice, “I can’t believe you.” Without giving her a chance to respond, you clicked the off button before flipping her off through the screen, though you knew she couldn’t see it. The audacity of some people.

The front door swung open, drawing your attention as Johnny hurried into the house, setting his bag down by the front door. “How bad is it?” You asked, knowing his manager must have told him the full extent.

“Do you want the truth?” Johnny saw as panic and humiliation swept across your face, knowing that perhaps that wasn’t the best way to break it to you that it was pretty bad. He stepped forward and wrapped you in his arms, “I told Harrison to take ‘em down. Whenever he found one, he said he’d get it deleted.

You sighed defeatedly, “That doesn’t stop the fact that a bunch of people already saw it.” Your arms wrapped around Johnny’s torso and you allowed your head to fall against his chest, trying to calm yourself with his scent- exotic spicy cologne and old books.

His large hand came to stroke through your hair, “That is true,” He conceded with a heavy breath, “But, it also means that fewer and fewer people will continue to see it.” There was a pause in which neither of you said anything, only took a few minutes to hold onto each other while you thought about the future now, “Y’know, I can’t help but feel like this is partly my fault. I shouldn’t have asked to make the video. I’m sorry, Y/N.”

You shook your head in disagreement, “I agreed to do it too. It’s on both of us. In retrospect, we should have put it on an actual VHS tape or something that would be more difficult to get into the tabloid’s hands.”

You were tired of this - of this constant running from the vultures that prayed off your every misstep just to turn them against you and create headlining stories. You felt like you couldn’t even breathe without a scandal unless the media allowed it. You were just grateful that you happened to marry one of the most private actors in Hollywood, knowing that whatever pressure you felt, more public figures like Angelina Jolie had it much worse. Still, something inside you stirred, a decision that you’d stop living in fear.

Johnny pulled back and gave you that infamous cocked eyebrow look of wonder, one that you’d mostly seen him use as Jack Sparrow. Little did everyone know, it was a gesture he’d picked up on doing in real life as well. “Do we even have a VHS player anymore?”

You chuckled and buried your head back into his white shirt, “I don’t even know. I feel like there must be one laying around somewhere. And if not, I’ll go down to a pawn shop and pick one up just for you to use while filming.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” You leaned back, pulling on his shirt to bring him down closer to your level, “That if we’re going to be making you another one of these videos, it’s gonna be on something that stays only between us.”

Your husband nearly choked on air, “Another one? After what just happened?”

“Only if you want to and only if it stays on something physical like a CD or VHS that we can mutually agree to burn and destroy if anything happens.” You giggled and Johnny joined in with a low chuckle as well, “But… the video was leaked. We knew that was a risk when we made it. But, y’know what? I’m tired of living in fear of the paparazzi and public. They’ve already seen us fuck. There’s not much else we’ve got to lose.”

His dark eyes flashed with mischief before he took off in a light jog down the hall without a word. You followed him, “Where are you going?” You giggled, turning the corner to find him digging through your little Harry Potter closet under the stairs.

When he stood up, he shook his long hair out of his eyes messily and held up an old tape recorder that had to be at least twenty years old. Johnny swayed towards you, jokingly flirtatious as he spoke, “Well, Mrs. Depp, it would seem that you’re in luck because your husband likes to hoard old shit.”

The grey and black machine seemed to stare at you and some hesitation set in again but then you remembered what you’d said: I’m tired of living in fear… there’s not much else we’ve got to lose.

Johnny flicked open the side compartment and his eyes opened in surprise to find a tape still in there. He lifted it from the slide and looked it over, shocked to see that it appeared to be an unused blank tape, “Well, well, looks like we’re in luck.”

Biting your lip, you looked up at him with those eyes before grabbing his hand and running upstairs to your bedroom, dragging him along. “The world thinks they’ve seen us fuck. They only got a preview.”

“Only a preview? I thought we went pretty hard last time?” He countered with a low challenging laugh.

You turned around at the top of the stairs, one hand on the banister as you turned to face him. His body collided with yours, his hand reaching around the small of your back to steady the two of you and you arched your body into his, being sure to brush your body against his groin, “Oh, Johnny… we’re both throwing our backs out tonight.”

#Johnny Depp #johnny depp fanfic #John Shelby #johnny depp imagine #johnny depp imagines

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kessielrg · 3 years

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[Kingdom Hearts] The Shinrai no Kokoro

Summary: In which Sora temporarily makes Sabrina his captain during a trip to the Carribean. No better way to gain someone’s trust than to place them in absolute power, right?

Rating: K

Word Count: 2,691 words

If you liked this story, please reblog!

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It didn’t matter how old he was, where he had gone, or what his mission was as a Keyblade wielder, there was a special part of Sora’s heart reserved for sailing the Caribbean. He didn’t have time to find Jack Sparrow, or see how Elizabeth Swann was doing, though- he had come on a special mission with a very special someone in tow. Not Kairi -to whom he did promise a private leg around the archipelagos-, but none other than the disagreeable Sabrina Sidney.

Sabrina was a friend -a very close friend, if certain people had their way- of Ventus. She was always disagreeing with someone, for no other reason than she could. Ventus (with a few moments to Aqua and Kairi) was the only one she seemed to occasionally open up to- something that Sora (as a friend magnet) couldn’t fathom. Who wouldn’t want to be his friend? How could he not want to add Sabrina to the list of people he could trust in times of need? Her persistence was admirable, and the way she thought certain problems through would impress Sora just enough to be in awe. But she had a chronic ‘can-not-spit-it-out’ problem. So when she just walked up to him earlier today to say she wanted to go to the Caribbean in his vessel, Sora was beside himself.

Among anything, he was excited.

Wearing his pirate attire again after so long felt like a hug. His hands on the ship’s wheel was like shaking hands with a friend. He would belt out in sea shanties if he knew Sabrina would enjoy them. Just enough so she didn’t tell him to be quiet and hide away in the captain’s cabin for the trip, at least. For now, he didn’t. Instead he kept his hands to the wheel as Sabrina occasionally checked the map and compass for their course. Sora liked when she placed her hands on the rail overlooking the lower deck and stood tall as she watched the seas roll past them. Her raven hair would probably be flying if she didn’t have it tied back into a bun, helped by the numerous braids of various widths to keep each flyaway in place.

He knew she wouldn’t admit it, but Sabrina liked to dress up as a pirate too. She wore a long sleeved linen shirt that fastened in the front- the top three hook and eye clasps undone to show a small portion of her chest to give fools with less respect than Sora a small show. The necklace she wore with a medallion sized pendant also helped emphasize the area. Her canvas breeches were cut a little below her knee, with small patches of wear that looked almost strategic. The coat she wore was a deep purple with golden embroidery along the sleeves and edges; the coattails were shorter than Sora’s, only reaching to mid-calf on her.

As she stood tall, you could almost feel the confidence radiate off of her. Sora only caught a glimpse or two just to show admiration. But he didn’t keep his gaze for long- he had a ship to command, after all.

“Doesn’t this feel great?!” Sora declared, hoping to garner her attention. “The wind through the sails, the smell of the sea, nothing for miles but us and three different shades of blue…”

“And the constant reminder you grew up on an island...” Sabrina noted with a dull tone. She looked over at him, the disapproving look on her face proving to be nothing more than a major downer.

“This trip was your idea.” he reminded her, almost in a smug little voice. It didn’t phase her in the slightest. “At least have a little fun, Sabi.”

“I’m not on a Gummi Ship, I don’t have to.”

“You didn’t laugh once on the way over either,” Sora also pointed out. Not long after a wide, mischievous grin crossed his face before he said, “Although I do think it picked up your thoughts on surprising Ven…”

He was barely able to dodge her attempt to whack him. However, his hand was still on the wheel, so the ship violently turned before Sora was quickly able to steady it again. He offered a sheepish grin in a half baked apology. Sabrina huffed before returning to study the maps. Sora’s grin didn’t stop as he looked over her for a moment.

“Oh!” he then realized. “We need to establish this ship’s rules!”

Sabrina looked up again, her expression less than amused.

“What are you talking about?” she questioned.

Sora’s grin got even wider. “You, Lady Sabi, get to be my fine vessel’s captain. But only for today! We’re on a very important mission, and you’ve got the maps.”

“Whatta joy.”

Sora offered her a boastful grin as he gave his nose a little brush. “It’s all for Ven, right?” he mused. “You’ve got the maps for the treasure you’re giving him. It only makes sense to make you captain for the day. Now, where’re we headin’, captain?”

“Keep the course straight,” she told him, looking between the map and the compass, “Eastbound all the way.”

“Aye, aye madam!” Sora agreed with a salute before maintaining their course. The start of a new journey causing a buzz in his body. He was even taking it with one of the most solidary people he knew too! It was enough to almost make him want to sing. In fact…

“Yo ho mateys, away!” the young man almost belted out at the top of his lungs, “There’ll be treasure and adventure today! Heave-ho, here we go, together as a team! Captain Sabi and first mate So-ora, are we!”

Sabrina did absolutely nothing to hide her groan as she buried her head in her hand.

. . .

The duo dropped anchor when they came to a small cove hidden behind a dormant volcano. They both took an oar on their little rowboat so they could get closer in. Sora got out first so he could help Sabrina out, she took his gesture with some hesitation. Just the acknowledgement made Sora happy. He didn’t leave her side once as they ventured further in.

“There.” Sabrina said when she noticed something on a large rock ahead of them. Sora let her go on ahead, but something out of the corner of his eye made him pause.

“Sabrina,” Sora spoke up, “I don’t think we’re-”

He didn’t have time to finish as a loud wail filled the area. Sabrina and Sora immediately recoiled from the sound. When they were able to collect their bearings again, someone else was indeed with them. A siren now sat on the rock. Seeing her caused a chill to run up Sora's spine, and he immediately went to Sabrina’s side. Sabrina, too, had become more apprehensive at the newcoming.

“Who dares to take my treasure from me?” the siren questioned, its voice not quite male or female. Its black and blue eyes flicked from Sabrina to Sora and back again with a dark gaze.

“I am.” Sabrina said without an ounce of hesitation. “What of it?”

The siren raised an eyebrow at her.

“The treasure here, the Shinrai no Kokoro, can only be taken by one who passes my test. Do you accept this challenge?”

To this, Sabrina scoffed. “Well, if you’re going to make it complicated...” she grumbled, her eye roll deliberate as well.

“Very well.” the siren agreed with a nod. The siren then opened its mouth to let out a sound that made Sabrina recoil so badly, she had to cover her ears. To Sora, it had a different effect. His muscles started to relax, his pupils dilated, and his mind took a backseat to the soothing sounds of the siren. Once it was sure he was completely under its thrall, the siren stopped its song.

“That’s your test?” Sabrina questioned. “Some high pitched wail that did nothing?”

The siren smirked at her. It then turned its gaze to Sora and gave a nod. Sabrina found it odd, immediately turning to look at Sora as well.

“Sora?” the young woman asked, cautiously looking him over. “You alright, there?”

Sora summoned his Keyblade. Sabrina let out an annoyed sigh.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Sora raised his weapon and pointed it at her, the tip blazing in preparation of a magic attack. Sabrina immediately protected herself with Barrier before it had the chance to hit her. As she called her own Keyblade, it left her open for a new attack. The possessed young man readied his Keyblade before driving toward her. A sound of surprise escaped Sabrina’s lips as she fumbled out of the way. How she ever avoided that was beyond her- and, unfortunately, the siren was not done with Sora yet.

“Why do you seek the Shinrai no Kokoro?” Sora asked, his voice mingling with that of the siren’s. It was hard to tell if they were simply talking at the same time, or just an effect of the siren’s control over him.

“Because I wanted to give Ventus something nice for his birthday. It’s, like, a week from now. Which you would know.” Sabrina sharply told him, jumping out of the way from a rather hard hitting swing. She quickly turned to the siren to seethe, “If you’re going to possess someone, the least you could do is leech his memories before asking obvious questions.”

The siren simply offered half a shrug in response. Sabrina had some choice words for the creature but didn’t have time to say them as she happened to parry another blow from Sora. The shock of it caused him to stumble backwards slightly.

“Why give the Shinrai no Kokoro to Ventus?” Sora asked.

“Do I really have to say it?” Sabrina groaned. She almost didn’t notice that Sora was preparing to perform Sonic Blade and was nearly hit at the first blow. It would have been a successful dodge had he not clipped her arm on the last strike.

“Fine!” she shouted in aggravation. “It’s because I like him! And since I don’t show that I like people in a ‘normal’ way, these few times when I do would mean more to the people around me. Especially for him. He doesn’t give up on me in a way that isn’t annoying or overbearing, and deserves to know that I do see it. The least I could do is remember his stupid birthday.”

The siren gave a small sound of approval at this. Why was a concept that was going to grade on Sabrina’s nerves for awhile. Not that she had much time to think. Sora, despite not being a ‘master’, still apparently knew enough to have an upperhand while possessed. Maybe the siren was just drawing out his frustrations toward her- if they truly existed. Wouldn’t that be a fun concept? It would explain why his inner mind apparently had no resistance to all of this. Not that Sabrina was going to go on and beg for him to snap out of it either.

What she needed to do was think smarter, not harder. She moved to an area where she could get a better read on his attacks. It wasn’t much, but there was a definite moment where Sora had to configure his body before attacking- like a puppet adjusting its limbs so the strings did not get tied up. It was enough of an opening that when he rushed at her again, their Keyblades let out a loud clang as they connected. Sabrina and Sora were now in a deadlock. Up close, Sabrina could see the haze over Sora’s eyes from the siren’s control.

“Why choose Sora to accompany you?” Sora asked her as he pressed their Keyblades closer together. One of them would have to give soon, their strength was close to being evenly matched in this state. Sabrina did not plan on being disarmed first.

Unfortunately, in a way, she still had to.

“It’s because you’re the only one I trust with this.” she admitted, somewhat in a grumble. “I am capable of seeing when someone wants to get through to me, and I know the Carribean is your favorite world, so of course I would ask you to help. You’re the only one I could ask. I…” (the young woman took a moment to give a small, disgusted groan) “I trust you.”

As the words came from her mouth, the grip Sora had on his Keyblade started to weaken. His pupils returned to normal size as he gave several confused blinks.

“Wait…” he slurred- his voice belonging just to him again, “You mean that?”

“We wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

What Sora did next happened so quickly that Sabrina was caught completely off guard. He dispelled his Keyblade, bringing her to rock forward a bit from the sudden weight change, then he launched himself at her to give a tight bear hug. The force of which knocked them both to the ground. Sora’s laughter filled the cove as he held Sabrina tight. The siren gave a small, approving smile at the display, even as Sabrina started to demand for Sora to get off of her.

Even after Sabrina managed to shove him off, Sora still laid on the ground in a happy -practically relieved- laughter. Sabrina scoffed at him as she got up. She took time to brush her pants and jacket before giving her shirt a little shake to get the sand out.

“You have done well.” the siren approved, earning the attention of both teens again. “Come.”

Sabrina adjusted herself a bit more before taking careful strides to the siren. Sora, his laughing starting to cease somewhat, also got to his feet but he did not stop her. He could quite clearly see the siren hold up the palm of her hand; a ring nestled inside that was silver with green and purple jewels embedded within it. Sabrina opened her hand as well, allowing the siren to let the ring drop on her palm. The siren smiled as she covered Sabrina’s hand with both of its own.

“The boy you give this treasure to will value it above gold.” the siren informed the young woman. “Not because it has any true value on its own, but because he knows it came from your heart.”

“As all sappy gifts go.” Sabrina huffed. The siren offered a soft smile before her form dissolved into a pile of sand.

Sabrina turned around to go back to Sora, letting out a long, tired sigh in the process. She slipped the ring onto her finger for safekeeping. It fit so well, she wondered if whatever magic kept it the perfect size would still work when Ven got it. Sora patiently waited for her to be at his side again. He gave the ring a look as well. It was rather pretty, and for a moment the two of them just admired it. If it had any rare magical abilities to it, he wouldn’t have been the one to know. But it must have had something special to it if Sabrina thought Ventus would like it.

“We’re ready to head out captain.” Sora told her, standing tall as he gave her a salute. Sabrina blinked, looking up at him with a confused glance. It took her another minute more to even realize what he was saying.

“Then get back to the rowboat.” she told him, her usual attitude returning in full swing. “We wasted enough time here as it is. The last thing I want when we get back is Aqua questioning where we went. If Aqua questions where we were, everyone questions where we were, and there goes Ventus’s surprise.”

“Aye, aye madam!” he agreed, finishing off his salute. He then gave a rather gleeful laugh as he started to run back to the ship. Sabrina watched him with a small shake of her head, unsure if she should be annoyed and amused. She looked back down at the ring then back at him.

“Thank you, Sora.” she said, soft and barely audible, before following him out.

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nightingales-posts · 4 years

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Sparrow’s Shape (Bat-Family x Male Reader)

Summary: Sparrow tells his family stories behind his tattoos. Warnings: male reader, fluff, angst A/n: this one is rushed and really bad, I will rewrite in one day ————————————————— • It was a rough mission so all of you were beaten up. • When bat-boys came to the cave Alfred just sighed and got ready to patch everyone up. • You got out of situation almost safe just few scratches here and there nothing special. • So you were walking around helping others alongside family’s butler. • When everyone got their treatment you were ready to go upstairs but stopped when Damian came near your. • He came really close and pulled up your shirt reveling your abs. • Everyone looked at him confused. • But they moved their attention to you when the youngest one pointed to a tattoo on left lower quadrant of your abdomen. • Now your brothers were curious about a drawing on your skin. • It was a small tattoo of four Robins and a Sparrow cuddling together with a Bat flying close. • “Omg, it’s so adorable. Is that us?” Dick asks with excitement in his eyes. • You just cover your stomach putting away Dami’s hands and looking away in embarrassment. • “No! We want to see!” Tim and Damian yells at the same time practically ripping off your shirt. • Now all of them were standing right in front of your abs with hands presses to their chins. • “Guys, it’s awkward and embarrassing, could you move back a little bit?” • “When did you get it?” Jason asks tracing your tattoo with his fingers getting a giggle from you. • You tell them that you made it a year ago just to hold them close when they weren’t near. • When you said that everyone looked at you with eyes watering a little bit even Damian. • In that state your father found all of you: you shirtless and your brothers sobbing near you. • “Do I need to know about this?” • “Y/N is showing us drawing on his skin that has a deep emotional meaning” Damian answers looking at Bruce. • Your Dad examines it and small smile appears on his face when he locates a little bat in the corner. • “Nice one champ” he says ruffling your hair. • “Do you have others?” Tim asks earnings sly gazes from other family members. • “Yeah, a few more” you say taking off your sweatpants. • “Nice flash panties” Jason jokes with a whistle and you gave him a cold glare. • You showed a drawing with a circus tent on your left calf “I got it when I was teen, my second tattoo ever. It’s about Dick, his origins and personality that makes everyone around happy”. • Smile found it’s place on your older brother’s face. • Next one was on your right thigh, it was a bird skeleton with a rose inside “Jaybird is a reason behind this, you know right after the Joker…” your voice went a little dark. • This tattoo was Jason’s idea when he was a teen but he couldn’t make this dream come true so you did it for him. • Single tear escaped Jay’s eye when he looked at you sadly smiling.Bruce patted him on shoulder and Hood even hugged him which surprised everyone. • After, you lower your hand and show another one, red bird sitting on a high tree “Tim’s one, tree represents his high intellect and bird itself is little cartoonish reminder that he is a dork”. • Tim chuckles taking a close look at the drawing. • Then you show one on your another thigh. Tattoo of a big bat and a smaller one “Originally this one was my first drawing and only for Dad, it makes me remember everything he did for us, but then Dami came in the picture and I extended it”. • Identical smiles appeared on Bruce’s and Dmian’s faces. • When you finish all of your familly is looking at you with all love that they have for a keeper of their little bat flock. • “Hey, what’s this one about?” Dick asks trying to read one under your right rib. • “Umm…Nothing important. Forget about this one!” You tell putting your closes on and trying to escape. • “Y/N SHOW US!” All your brothers yell running after you upstairs. • Bruce’s just smile shaking his head.

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arigatouiris · 4 years

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blind no more // zenitsu agatsuma

Author’s Note: I am so excited for this one shot! It’s my first Zenitsu one, because I absolutely love his character. There are not many fics about this poor baby and I just needed to write this to fuel my heart. Also, I’m a sucker for slow burns. Huehuehue~

Word count: 4000

Pairing: Zenitsu Agatsuma x Tsundere! Reader

Warnings: angst, slow burn, fluff, pining

It was true when they say you don’t choose who you love. It was rather strange that she did believe this, but regret also flowed through her veins—forcing her to question having feelings in the first place. However, if it wasn’t even a choice, to begin with, was it even her fault?

When she thought hard about this particular person she adored, she couldn’t even find too many reasons to like him. He was a coward. He was, and he understood this many times, a burden to a team consisting of strong demon slayers. She rolled her eyes when she thought of how he was with women, women he barely knew, not to mention the adorable demon sister of their friend.

Zenitsu Agatsuma didn’t have many reasons for people to like him, but somehow (y/n) (s/n) had found them all.

The strangest predicament wasn’t that she was utterly and devastatingly in love with the golden-haired demon slayer, it was that the only person who knew was Nezuko—Tanjiro’s demon sister. Not even Tanjiro knew she had feelings for their companion, having been incredibly perceptive all his life, he had failed to see this budding tsundere’s growing affection for the cowardly demon slayer. She was tempted to insult him over and over, but nothing could come close to how she insulted herself for actually falling in love with him.

She had many reasons not to love him. Considering the fact that she once overheard him telling Inosuke and Tanjiro that “(y/n) is the only person I’ll never ask to marry me”.

It broke her heard and since Nezuko was nearby, the demon girl comforted her as much as she could. She stood listening to it and went back silently, letting lonely tears spill when no human in the world could understand, not even herself, on why she was crying.

When her crow announced that she had to accompany Zenitsu on a mission, neither of them were thrilled.

Tanjiro was still recovering from his previous mission and Inosuke was off on his own to God knows where; (y/n) knew she didn’t have a choice. She sucked it up and walked ahead, leaving Zenitsu to grumble and follow behind her. However, it was her first mission with the male, she had no idea of his powers, she had no idea who he was in reality, having been closer to Tanjiro before.

Inosuke had let her know that Zenitsu can use his powers when he was asleep, and she knew that there had to be some redeeming quality in him if he was a demon slayer. But—she wouldn’t lie to herself—she found him attractive, she always had. He was the most reasonable in the group, in fact, and sometimes, his sense of reason was astounding. It was perhaps when the three met her for the first time did she notice how accurate his reasoning was, how lonely his eyes looked, how his fear was slowly fading away despite him groveling most of the time.

She had met the three plus one during her own mission, and it was there she was acquainted with them. Zenitsu never approached her unlike how he approached other women, and initially, she was relieved.

This was because he found her intimidating, or that was what Zenitsu had let slip one night to Tanjiro—and she pretended to have not heard that at all.

During their mission, Zenitsu barely spoke to her. She didn’t know why it bothered her, she didn’t know why his lack of attention toward her made her feel insecure even, but it struck a chord somewhere and it hurt deeply. In the past, even her family had told her she would find it hard to make friends with a personality that literally pushes people away before getting to know them; but that was only because of the way the world was. There was no room for vulnerability, and it broke her heart to see how it never went her way.

In fact, (y/n) wasn’t that a callous person. She was soft when the time called for it. There were times she couldn’t stop smiling; she didn’t think she was too intimidating that even Zenitsu, the woman-lover, would find her repulsive. Tanjiro treated her normally, smiled at her and even greeted her whenever he saw her and she returned the favor with happier smiles, but somehow Zenitsu was never there to see it.

His silence made her feel unwelcome and inadequate. She knew how pretty Nezuko was—she was beautiful even, and she could nowhere come close, but nevertheless, because Zenitsu didn’t even smile at her or consider her a friend, it made her feel bad.

Perhaps, she was carried away with her thoughts and that was why she didn’t see the demon come her way. Gasping, she tried moving aside but the demon’s claws scratched at her shoulder, and she let out a yelp of pain—Zenitsu screamed her name before scurrying away in fear, but she wasn’t going to let this slide.

Grabbing her blade, she breathed out slowly, entering a space of absolute concentration, before slicing the demon’s head off in one go. Just as she did, her eyes widened, her heart started to beat faster, and the first thing she did was turn around and spot Zenitsu—her eyes were wide and the second she spotted him on the ground, behind her, she calmed down.

She didn’t mean for it to show.

She didn’t mean for her worry to spill out of her, and a quiet ‘thank goodness’ to slip her tongue. Zenitsu’s eyes widened at her worried expression, which gradually calmed down once she knew he was alright. This moment lasted only a few short seconds before she gulped and turned away, sheathing her sword back in its hilt.

“We should head back.” (y/n) said, and he nodded.

That was all he could do. And she knew it; with the keen hearing sense that he had, she knew Zenitsu probably knew what she was feeling for him.

Zenitsu could hear it.

He thought, at first, that he was mistaken. Not having heard this kind of sound directed toward him before, Zenitsu couldn’t believe he heard it coming from (y/n). He recalled how terribly he had spoken of her a few days prior—thinking of how scary she was, how he would never approach her, how he never saw her as a woman but a scary demon slayer only.

Oh, he felt terrible.

The look of worry in her eyes shattered his heart. In all his life, when he had voluntarily gone searching for it, he had not found it. Yet, here it was, coming from an unlikely source. How could he be so blind?

He heard it. He heard nothing but pure love coming from her for him. His eyes filled with tears at how she avoiding him after their mission, of how she barely met his eye—things that were not unusual. How long had she been bottling her feelings for him? How long has she been quiet?

Did Tanjiro know? Did anyone know? Was he merely imagining things?

He was scared to go up to her and ask her, but maybe, that was where the problem was. Why was he scared? Was she so scary? He watched as she treated her own wound, quietly, and he thought to himself, how can she love someone like me?

When he was about to walk out of the room, feeling foolish and guilt-ridden, he bumped into Nezuko. His usual reaction when he saw her would be a shout of admiration and several attempts to ask her to marry him in the future, but Nezuko shook her head. Zenitsu’s eyes widened.

“Y-You knew?”

Nezuko closed her eyes and it was because of the muzzle did Zenitsu realize she was smiling. She nodded a couple of times before her eyes grew soft.

“Was it... Was it for long?”

Nezuko nodded once more, confirming his suspicions. His eyes hardened, and he clenched his fists by his side.

“I... I was rude to her, wasn’t I? I said mean things... She heard them, didn’t she? That’s why... That’s why she—”He didn’t realize he was sobbing then when Nezuko quietly placed a hand on his shoulder.

With the way she looked at him right then, it answered every question he had. (y/n) knew of his reservations against her, she knew he didn’t feel the same way for her, and she also knew it was entirely one-sided. Nezuko grumbled once before walking away, leaving him to his thoughts.

When he was alone, he thought of so many things he believed his mind would blow up.

Did she think she was unattractive?

Did she love him because of something he did?

Did he showcase how cool he was (when he really wasn’t)?

Has he ever done that?

He shut his eyes when he realized that he had been nothing but himself and somehow, (y/n) had thought that was enough. He never tried to impress her, he never tried too hard with her and yet, she had given him such worried eyes when his life was in danger. She had gotten hurt for him, and saved his life—not once had she complained how much of a coward he was.

Zenitsu started to think of the consequences of his words. What had they made her feel? Are his words the reason why she barely speaks to him?

The next morning, Inosuke returned to the butterfly mansion. Tanjiro was the first to greet him, and (y/n) greeted them both, a smile on her face—a sight that made Zenitsu’s heart burn. He noticed how she waved at Inosuke who waved back even fiercely as if it were a competition. He watched how she patted Nezuko’s head a couple of times (when they were inside), smiling at her. He watched how she conversed with Tanjiro, about something he couldn’t exactly hear. All he could hear was her sound—a soft, warm and loving sound, reserved just for him.

He believed he didn’t deserve her. He had caused her so much pain, he didn’t deserve what he had made her feel. She deserved someone who wouldn’t ever say such mean things, she deserved someone who wasn’t a coward. She simply deserved someone better.

At that second, his sparrow started to chirp. (y/n)’s crow flew overhead and yelled.

“Zenitsu Agatsuma! (y/n) (s/n)! Mission! Mission!”

(y/n) turned with wide eyes to spot Zenitsu already looking at her. Her face reddened slightly before she blinked a couple of times and turned away, and his heart hurt. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it before. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed how cute she was when she was hiding her feelings.

Did he even have the right to think she was cute?

The two gathered their things and Zenitsu watched as she gave Nezuko a hug and waved at Tanjiro and Inosuke (who once again thought it was a competition) and headed out of the mansion with Zenitsu.

“(y/n)—”

“I know you know,” His eyes widened at how forward her statement was. “Just... I know, okay? I know you don’t feel the same way, so please just... Don’t ever bring it up. I regret it enough as it is. I know.”

He was shocked. What could he say to that? He not only heard the sound of how anguished she was at that second, but he also heard insecurity, doubt, and such pure adoration. What could he say to her that would help ease this situation? That he loved her? He couldn’t lie. He knew he didn’t. It couldn’t just come out of nowhere, right?

“It’s dark out. There are wisteria trees all over. We should rest and make our way as soon as the light’s out.” Zenitsu said, not in the same fearful way.

She nodded before looking for a spot to set up camp for the night.

“Can you make a fire?” She asked, after a bit, stunning him. He turned to her with wide eyes and stared at her, not having heard the words she had said.

He was just looking at her face and perhaps, that was why he was so lost. She snapped her fingers twice in front of his face before alerting him again.

“Zenitsu! Can you make a fire?”

“Y-Yes! I can. I definitely can.”

She gave him a funny look before finding a few pieces of wood that they can use.

“Shinobu-san gave me these,” She showed him pieces of dried mackerel that would be their dinner. “They’re very handy during missions.”

Zenitsu watched her. She handed him a couple before taking a bite of it herself, sitting in absolute silence. He could hear the sounds of the forest, the light buzz that filled the air.

“...why me?” He asked, a mere whisper, but she had heard it.

“So you really won’t let it go, huh?” She asked, bitterly.

“No! I m-mean, I don’t mean it in a bad way... I just—”

“You can’t believe someone as heartless as me can love someone? Is that it?” She asked, frowning.

He could hear the pain in her voice. He almost winced.

“(y/n)-chan, I never knew.”

“I know—”

“I don’t think you’re heartless. I was an idiot to have assumed you were intimidating, but you’re nothing close. You were just hurt, you were—”

“Spare me your redemption, Zenitsu. I don’t want you to pity me just because you now know I’m in love with you!”

Both their eyes widened at her outburst. Zenitsu stared into her face, her eyes stuck to his—they were sitting in front of one another. He reached forward, attempting to touch her face, but she grabbed his hand before he even neared her.

“Please...” Her grip tightened around his wrist. “Please, don’t.”

His eyes softened at how she was right then. He twisted his hand, the one she was holding, and held her hand. He pulled her closer to him a bit before resting his forehead on hers.

“I am so sorry for hurting you, (y/n)-chan. I am so sorry. I can never take back what I said, but please. I don’t mean any of it. Nothing can excuse my behavior. I am so—”

He felt her close her eyes and lean against his touch, but she froze the second she realized she was doing so. Her eyes shot open wide, before recoiling away from Zenitsu, as if she did something wrong. Her face was red, her lips were quivering and she looked agitated.

“I-Is something wrong?” Zenitsu asked, confused.

“You don’t feel the same way, so please don’t show me such kindness. I know you like Nezuko-chan, I... Don’t worry about me.”

With that, their conversation ended for the night. The next morning, their mission began. They were to investigate missing children in a small village, and as soon as they stepped inside the village, both (y/n) and Zenitsu knew there was a morbid presence in the air.

“I don’t like this... I don’t like this at all.” Zenitsu grumbled, easing himself around her.

(y/n) could feel the difference between their last mission and now. Zenitsu was talking to her more freely, and she found herself laughing at a few antics of his. He was currently walking right behind him, almost pressing himself to her, not wanting to continue in the mission at all.

“Zenitsu—”

“Please protect me, (y/n)-chan! I don’t want to die! I have so much to live for—”

“Zenitsu, calm down!” She whisper-yelled, before pointing to a strange bucket behind a wall.

Stepping a few steps closer, both of them knew that the bucket was the source. It was placed under the shadow of a wall, beside which resided a tree. When the sun went down, the tree’s shadow would fall on the bucket, permanently shielding it from the sun’s light—until it turned dark.

“It can’t be this easy, right?” She asked, tilting her head a bit.

“Huh?! What do you mean it can’t be this easy?! What’s your problem if it is easy?! Why do you want it to be difficult?!”

She chuckled before turning to him with a mean smile, “Don’t you want to protect me from the big bad mean demon?”

Perhaps, it was the way she said it that snapped him out of his reverie. Holding her hands in his, Zenitsu stared deeply into her eyes.

“How had I not noticed this till now? You’re all I want to protect.”

Her eyes widened before she pulled her hands away from him, clearing her throat and coughing a few times. Zenitsu was still looking at her, earnestly and rather sharply, not looking away.

“Cut it out. We can’t do anything about this until the demon comes out. We can’t be sure. So we wait.”

He didn’t say a word. The sun went down slowly, and despite being in the village, it was only (y/n) who went around asking about the missing children. It wasn’t the work of a very strong demon, this much she could deduce, but a demon that preyed only on little children was worse than others; it fed on the innocence of children. It angered her more than anything else.

The two were currently sitting on a bench, eating onigiri that Zenitsu had packed with them a day before. It was near sundown, so there was not much time left before the demon would show. With his sharp sense of hearing and her strong sense of feeling a demon’s presence, they knew that they could take down the demon easily. However, the wordless silence between them was what was causing them distress.

Zenitsu turned and watched (y/n) eat her onigiri quietly, not saying a word. He watched how her (h/c) hair sat on her head, he saw how lost in thought her (e/c) eyes were, and he watched her movements—the way she held the onigiri and the way she chewed; just watching her sent him into a lull, it was a strange and happy feeling, and he found himself smiling. How had he not noticed how beautiful she was? Why did it take her falling in love with him for him to even notice? She was so unapologetic about her feelings for him, isn’t that what he had always wanted?

Here was a woman who admitted she loved him but didn’t pursue him. He was certain that it was because of what he said that she felt insecure, and if he hadn’t said those mean things perhaps, she might have made a move? Oh, just the mere thought of her confessing to him drove him against the wall; he’d die if it happened, and what a happy death that would be!

“(y/n)-chan,” Zenitsu let out, his voice calm and serious. It alerted her in the same way a demon would have, sending shivers down her spine. “I was blind, but not anymore.”

He looked up at her and smiled warmly, the sunset behind him wasn’t helping her case. Her heart was beating rapidly and her wide eyes were stuck to his form.

“What...” She let out breathily.

“It’s not Nezuko-chan,” He said, before standing up. The sun had gone down now, but the light still remained. “It never was.”

“What are you...”

“Don’t regret it, (y/n)-chan. Please, don’t. I won’t let you regret what you feel for me.”

She felt her throat go dry. There was no way. He didn’t like her. There was no way he could suddenly start feeling things just because he knew she loved him. This was merely pity. This was merely a weird response. She didn’t want him coming to her just because he was lonely.

“And it’s not any of those things,” Zenitsu said, offering her a hand. “And I only ask that you allow me to show you.”

Allow him to show her? Show her what? Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them away. She placed her hand in his and she felt him help her up, their forms near one another, Zenitsu’s smile sitting on his face as if he was looking at the sun. No one had loved him as she had. No one could. He could hear the sounds she produced, the sounds meant only for him, and he knew it—this was all he was searching for his entire life.

When the sun went down, Zenitsu approached the bucket as if it was nothing. (y/n) couldn’t believe the sudden change in demeanor, but she didn’t say a word. There resided hope in her heart now, and she was far too afraid to lose it. In one tap of his sword against the bucket, the demon jumped out, ready to grab him—but it took him merely a second to kill it. She had never seen him fight before, never seen him use his Breath of Lightning; it was so quick, it was as if it never happened.

“That was...” It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Zenitsu turned to her and grinned.

“I think I’m falling in love with all of you, (y/n)-chan. Please let me show you.”

She pressed her hand to her mouth as he walked closer to her. Zenitsu’s hand went to hers, which was on her mouth, and he placed his forehead on hers. Their breaths collided and he could hear all of the sounds her body was producing. It was the most harmonious he had ever felt.

“You’re just... You can’t... How can you fall in love with someone so quickly?”

He placed his hand on her cheek before pressing his nose to her face. She blushed vividly, before shutting her eyes. His hand, which was on hers, went to her waist now and he brought her closer. She grabbed the front of his haori, her eyes closed the entire time.

“All I had to do was look at you, and I was a goner.”

“You’re such a dork—”

“You’re so beautiful.”

She bit her bottom lip. She needed to ask him this before continuing. She needed this confirmed.

“You said... You said you’d never ask me to marry you... Now you’re saying—”

“When I asked all those girls to marry me, I expected a no. I might not have looked like I was expecting them to say no, but deep down I knew it wasn’t possible. With you, I have hope. And I’m not going to ask you for anything until I prove to you how much I do love you.”

“What are they doing?”

Zenitsu and (y/n)’s eyes widened instantly before they pulled away from each other. They noticed four kids watching them intently, before they scurried away with their red faces, out of the village. (y/n)’s crow was not approaching them, and it was nowhere to be found, so they simply intended on heading back to the butterfly mansion. On the way, they stopped by the wisteria trees, where they had camped the night before.

“(y/n)-chan~” Zenitsu whined before sticking to her.

She put her hand to his face and pushed him away, her blush intensifying.

“I-I didn’t say anything yet—”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him, both of them tumbling on the ground. She was laying on him now, her eyes wide. He swung an arm around her and held her there, a satisfied smile on his face.

“Zenitsu—”

“I love you.”

Her face turned red and she buried it in his haori, not intending on seeing his face anytime soon.

“When are you going to let go of me—”

“I love you~”

She groaned. This was going to take a while.

#zenitsu agatsuma #zenitsuagatsuma #zenitsu x reader #zenitsu agatsuma x reader #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #kamada tanjiro #nezuko #kamado nezuko #inosuke #inosuke hashiriba #zenitsu #zenitsu imagine #zenitsu fic #breath of lightning #kaminari no kokyu #ichi no kata

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1001galaxies · 4 years

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Commentary on Netflix’s Cursed: Episode 2

Edited for language, because I have a few younger/more sensitive readers.

THE MONK SPEAKS. HOT DIGGITY DANG.

Well, DAYUM again. The monk meeting Squirrel is delicious. The LOOK in Daniel's eyes. The staging and lighting. A+

“Born in the dawn.” “To pass in the twilight.” I burst out laughing so hard. The cheesiness. But also. When it's DANIEL SHARMAN SAYING THE FIRST LINE, I mean. I M E A N.

Just watch, that’ll be the new 'may we meet again'.

Squirrel is a discount version of Blue from King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, but he's cute, so that makes up for a lot. And he does have some decent lines so far. “Do you hate them because they're so beautiful and you're so ugly.” “Even your horse is ugly.” “And I love horses.”

But, hang on, his line: “You're so ugly.” *looks at Daniel Sharman* *looks at Squirrel* *looks at Daniel* *blinks* Ah, kids.

Dang, they really do give Nimue every single flippin YA teen girl trope in the world, from both fanfic and traditional fic. Wow. That's impressive, even by my standards.

Joss: “Get up you murdering pig...tie him up...I think we've caught the big killer.” Me: You haven't caught anything, and if you think you have the upper hand with the MONK? Oh honey, you poor deluded fool.

Joss: “Ever been dragged by a horse with a hot coal up his bum?” Monk: “Not that I can recall.” Me: Dang, HIS VOICE. Me: Secondly, there are better ways to motivate horses than that, excuse you.

Monk: “I've got no interest in the boy. He's bait.” Joss: “Bait for what.” Me: Oh yeah, here we go, awriiiiiight. Monk: “For YOU.” *kicks Joss*

Who cares that Daniel is the bad guy, he's the only interesting one. Hot DANG, that roll over the horse. HE'S FIGHTING WITH HIS HANDS BOUND. Gives a new meaning to 'hands tied' Also dang. And WHAT DID I SAY, JOSS. You got owned.

Monk: *kills five or six people with //his hands bound//* Me: Now that's what I'm talkin’ about. Me: Wait, he just killed innocent people. Me: Eh, he’s still the best character so far.

How does Daniel manage to sound sexy saying “go.”

Every SINGLE time we come back to Nimue: Me: okay, booooooring.

Obviously, they’re going with the traditional representation of Bors as a brash lout. Eh. Why.

Can I have Bors played by Tom Hopper, please. He was a good Percival, but I'd like to see him play a surprisingly FUNNY and GENTLE and SMART Bors. Twist the traditional representation.

Ah yes. Cursed: LOOK AT US, WE'RE SO ENLIGHTENED AND SUBVERSIVE AND DIFFERENT that we're going to have the guy save the girl the same way 90% of all fantasy saves occur. Much impressed.

I mean, TELL her, Arthur, yes please. She didn't think, that's the problem. She just reacted with the sword. I get she’s a teen, but come ON, why must every single teenager ever—male or female—react with impulsive emotion. Not every single teen in the world always reacts with emotion first.

Well, this heroine rant is like every other YA fantasy heroine guilt-trip rant I’ve ever seen. I get being sad and emotional and being guilt-stricken because of how events have fallen out, but really on the wording? Really.

Arthur: “And I'm not a cutthroat.” And his head tilt. That's cute. Arthur is genuinely likeable so far, which is /good/. Also nice to see the guy taking care of the girl solicitously for once instead of the other way around. I do appreciate that.

And here we have the OH SO ORIGINAL trope where the heroine was bullied as a child and 'oh you made the village boys pay romantic attention to you with your magic' backstory. REALLY. REALLY NOW. I'm absolutely positive I've got YA fantasy heroine bingo at least twice over by now.

Nimue’s mum: “When you were five years old, you faced a dark god alone in the ironwood and survived.” Bingo again.

Let's play a game called: how many times can this show throw out a Game of Thrones reference/imitation?

IRONWOOD. REALLY? REALLY. Here's the thing. a) Game of Thrones did this already and called it the Godswood, and if you think people aren't going to see what you did there, you 100% have another think coming. and b) THE LAST TIME I CHECKED TRADITIONAL FAE LORE, iron KILLED and/or BURNED fae. But THAT is what you unironically* called your SACRED WOOD THAT PROTECTS YOU???? *Only being 2 episodes in, maybe I'll find out later that it was/is an ironic name, but it suuuuuuure doesn't seem like it so far.

Nimue’s mum: “You are not some fragile maid, you are a warrior..." Me: She's going to say 'and you are strong'. Nimue's mum: "And you are strong." Me: See, this isn't even fun. There's no challenge to this. Also, YA fantasy trope bingo again.

Arthur: "It's a rare blade, I'm not sure I've seen its like." AT LEAST THAT is a decent line. Normally, they say “I've never seen its like” with this awed tone, but he's just factually observing. Cool, cool.

ARTHUR WITH THE SWORD. I'm going to be an Arthurian geek for just a minute and revel in this. I know there's more to this story. Much of it is dead boring. But I'm just going to enjoy this minute because //Arthur with the sword//.

I really did not expect to like this Arthur. He's nothing extraordinary yet, but he's fun. Without being a copycat of BBC's Merlin or King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. He's just a young knight (possibly a prince somewhere along the line??) who is genuinely caring, not super arrogant, and just a DECENT AND FUN GUY. So far.

Arthur: “I've seen a lot of lives wasted fulfilling the dreams of the dead.” YES? FINALLY? SOMEONE SAID IT? I'm here for this. Call out that fantasy trope that is all well and good in some doses but is basically THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY SINGLE YA FANTASY ARC EVER, and it's so annoying. Give us some VARIETY now and then.

Nimue to Arthur: “Spoken like a true mercenary.” No, spoken like the only sensible person in the show so far, Nimue, you twit.

AW YEAH. YOU TELL HER, ARTHUR. She's shrugging off everything you say AFTER ASKING FOR YOUR HELP. Geeeeez. It’s so annoying when people do that.

Arthur: “Get an hour of sleep.” Implied: Everything looks better after sleep + you’ll need your strength. Me, who hates sleep: I feel so attacked right now. ...But he’s right.

Merlin is TOTALLY fantasy Haymitch.

Veiled Lady: “You told us the sword of the first kings was destroyed. You lied.” Okay, so MAYBE Merlin's getting mildly interesting...but are they going to do a good job with it? DOUBTFUL.

Veiled Lady: "This affects all of us, not just you. The fae are on the verge of extinction." Um, THEN WHY EXACTLY ARE YOU DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT? Is this another ‘we can’t bend the rules of heaven for mere earthlings’??

Veiled Lady: “If the church acquires the sword of power, then they will decide who wears the crown. Have you forgotten the words?” Merlin: “Forgotten them? I WROTE THEM.” Me: Okay, that's a good delivery. Merlin: “Whosoever wields the sword of power shall be the one true king.” Me: And a nice mocking accent on that, Oooh yeah, I like. Merlin: “But I'm wiser now. There IS no one true king.” Me: Huh. Now see, that's slightly interesting. Give me more of that.

Pretty sure they told Gustaf to model his Merlin on Starz Camelot's Merlin, “but make him fun and drunken.” He's got that whole Fiennes vibe going on, but also definitely fantasy Haymitch. (Someone else on tumblr said Jack Sparrow, and I could see that one too, thought not as much yet. Where I am, Merlin doesn’t seem super keen on adventuring for the sake of adventuring. He has the bitter past and cynicism of Haymitch right now. Maybe he’ll get more Jack Sparrow-y as this goes on.)

MERLIN HAS NO MAGIC BECAUSE HE GAVE IT TO THE SWORD, okay, that right there is a GOOD element, and chock full of potential. Especially his bitterness. And his insistence that he won't touch the sword again. Are they going to do a good job of using it? Dollars to donuts, NO. Ugh.

Veiled Lady: “I sense fear around the sword. But also great power.” And here we have our Galadriel imitator. Dang, I need TWO more bingo cards.

Veiled Lady: “The sword is finding its way to you, Merlin, but which end of the sword, the point or the pommel, is another question.” Me: *snorts* Cute.

Merlin: "The sword was forged in the fae fires, and to the fae fires it shall return. I shall melt it back to its origins."

Let's play another game called: how many times can this show imitate LOTR?

Veiled Lady: "You are aware the fae forges burned out a thousand years ago?" Yeah, cause Frodo and Sam destroyed Mount Doom, guys, go read your history.

Veiled Lady: “Oh dear.” Veiled Lady: “Tell me you're not planning to steal from him. Without your magic.” Merlin: “I still have my wits and my charm.” Veiled Lady: “I fear you overestimate both.” Ahem, the lady has a point.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

- Arthur is still interesting. That could change super quickly, but so far, I like him.

- The Monk is beautiful, and I'm so here for upcoming stuff I won't talk about, but also for his arc period and more interactions with Squirrel.

- Squirrel is cute, but nothing above the average so far. Still, better than almost anyone else on the show.

- Merlin has the potential to be intriguing, if only they use it.

- Obviously, I'm going to keep watching.

Footnote:

I saw spoilers today about the Monk’s arc, and I'm HERE FOR IT, so here, so beyond here for it, GIVE ME THAT RIGHT THE HECK NOW. IT'S THE ONLY REASON I HAVE ANY EXCITEMENT FOR THIS SHOW RIGHT NOW.

THE WEEPING MONK AS *SPOILER* I. CAN'T. FREAKING. WAIT.

#cursed netflix #this show is cursed all right #cursed with hideous writing #but Daniel is still bringing it #I'm here for the Monk and Arthur and Squirrel #yes this got longer than I intended #par for the course with my writing of any kind

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oveliagirlhaditright · 4 years

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My dark Kairi story/KHIV story chapter four: “I Do Not Fear Death”. World: PotC’s Dead Men Tell No Tales.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21456412/chapters/62293999

Author’s Note: So… I think I decided with the Enchanted chapter—and am carrying it over with the rest of this story—that the Disney worlds aren’t going to be one-to-one what happens in their movies, since KH was at its best when it didn’t do that (like with KH1).

Also… when I was first reading this chapter, I felt like Pip wasn’t in it enough—so I kept adding in scenes—but upon editing it, I realize he’s in it TOO much and it’s kind of annoying… But I felt like I couldn’t really cut the scenes out. Like, I decided right when he was about to meet Riku, that he’d been in it enough and that I wasn’t going to have him in it the rest of the chapter… but then I realized I meant to have an introduction between him and Riku right there—and I didn’t want to risk forgetting to do that later, if I left it out here—so I had to change my mind about that. So… just suffer with it in this chapter, I guess (I’m sorry:(). And hopefully it shouldn’t be this bad in the future ones.

Swallow Chapter Four: I Do Not Fear Death

Sora’s PoV

'Kairi... I can feel that you’re looking for me', Sora thought, alone in his prison in a certain place. 'I'm... somewhat worse off than I even was in that Game now... But I know you'll find me. And thanks for never giving up on me.”

And having thought everything he needed to at the moment, Sora succumbed to the familiar lull of sleep again and dreamed of life…

Kairi’s PoV

In order to be strong, Kairi went to one of the hardest worlds she’d heard of from Sora: the Caribbean/

And while she should have been happy about the connection, she'd perhaps found to Sora in the last world... the Princess of Heart couldn't help looking back at what she’d done in Faith and Angel’s world, and only feeling despair. She felt horrible about how she'd treated Angel—and Kairi feared that she still might be led to do that same sort of thing, and it scared her. And she wanted to apologize—but there was nothing she could do about it now. Especially not when Pip was shivering in Kairi's pocket in discomfort, obviously feeling her intense emotions too strongly. So Kairi decided to instead focus on the matter at hand.

And the moment Kairi did just that, she thought that something was wrong... because there were no pirate flags on the sea at all?

"Do you think this can possibly be the Caribbean then, Pip? Given the story I just gave you about this place?" Kairi asked her new friend, who was stroking his chin thoughtfully at her question.

How Kairi wished that Riku was here with her, to help make sense of things (and Sora)... because despite their somewhat rocky relationship, they were still (sadly) closer now than they had been in years…

And Kairi'd so very nearly called Riku, just before she'd heard from Sora in Giselle’s world... but how could she have, when her lust and jealousy had led to a “Heartless version” of Sora there? Surely Riku would have been disgusted by her actions again…

But Kairi opted to not think of any of that now... Instead, she focused on that she was near a bell, that Sora had perhaps described to her once. So, this was Port Royal, then? And the reason there were no pirate ships nearby was because they would be shot on sight, and the pirates hanged for their crimes?

Before Kairi could think about any of her questions much more, she heard a massive ruckus and turned her attention that way. It seemed that the people here were trying to execute a girl about her age?!

Kairi felt her blood boil for that, as she remembered how women had been treated in some places Sora had told her about: worlds so bad, that he hadn't even wanted to think about them. But with how much Sora loved this place, it couldn't have been one of those. Could it?

"Whoa, Kairi!" said Pip, as he jumped onto her shoulder now. "I can literally feel you getting redder in your anger. Calm down, alright?"

"S-sorry!"

But if Kairi was being honest with herself? She now hated this stammering, uncertain version of herself, too. Perhaps her being anyone was just a lose-lose situation, then…

"Pip, we've got to go save that woman!" Kairi shouted, as she ripped at her dress from New York, so she could better run and fight in it. "Time is of the essence!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

And Kairi ran towards the guillotine in the town square. And even from far away, Kairi took in the book the woman was holding—that looked like it had stars on it... stars like the worlds—and prayed that this lady could help her find Sora.

...

The first thing Kairi saw when she was in a sea of people that made her feel very anxious, was that Captain Jack Sparrow was also being tried! It had to be him, based on Sora's descriptions, Kairi thought. The man before her had somewhat dark skin, with eyeliner around his brown eyes and above his mustache and a slight beard? Those were all descriptions that Kairi had heard for Jack. The princess also noticed his dreadlocks, clothes that tried to be fashionable despite being tattered, and his ridiculously large hat.

Kairi ran towards him instantly, and cut off the guillotine that was now mysteriously hanging from his neck. But she knew she wouldn't be thanked for it.

"Come on, Mister Sparrow!" Kairi cried, as she took his hand in hers and began leading him away. "Let us save that woman—and the boy who’s with her?—and be on our way!"

"…That's a fascinating sword you have there, missy. You wouldn’t happen to be a Bonnie Lass of Zola’s, would you? And if you are… by God, you and your lot haven’t aged a day.” Jack spoke to Kairi, as he punched a guard here and ducked under soldiers there, all while apparently examining Destiny’s Embrace.

And while Kairi wanted to be annoyed that he would just assume she was Sora's girlfriend because she had a Keyblade like he did, she was too busy to debate him.

Because a boy who had a light much like Sora's, was about to get a sword through the heart for trying to aid the girl in the blue dress! And Kairi had seen enough pure-hearted boys die, thank you very much... even if she had also been close to killing one herself.

The Light threw herself between the boy and girl, and the ten lances that were coming their way. And she thought that if she died this way, at least she'd go out a hero like Sora had... and maybe she'd even be put out of her misery and get to see him in some sort of afterlife.

But just when Kairi thought it was over for her, because she felt some blades going through her even as she tried to dodge them, she was pulled up and over them... and lived, and joined the ragtag group that had just formed.

And Kairi was eager to follow the older man who had just joined them, telling the group—Captain Jack in particular—that he had the Pearl just before them that they could board, but of course Heartless had to show up at that exact moment... and the nasty Neoshadows, too.

"Oh, fine!" the brunette bellowed as she began to impressively attack the overly-large Shadows with the chains that had bound her—all while Kairi used a quick cure spell on herself, and used aeroga to send some of their enemies flying away from them--"I see you want to grab at me just like men do, and I will give you the award that I do to them."

The boy who was not unlike Sora to Kairi, blushed—as if thinking the woman was talking about him?—and informed her to, "Focus on the fighting right now, Miss Carina," as he kicked at some of the Heartless.

Jack, meanwhile, was stabbing them through their stomachs.

And Mister Gibbs—Kairi was assuming it was Mister Gibbs, anyway—was hitting some over the head with the butt of his sword. But even with all of this, they were getting nowhere fast with the Heartless and the soldiers.

So Kairi put a barrier around herself and her new friends—so nothing could get to them as they ran—and the moment they were aboard the boat, she was instantly demanding answers from Captain Jack. "You- you were right. I am Sora's girlfriend... and he's been lost. Do you think there's anything here that might save him? Especially since he was sort of lost to the sea? Because my name means that... and he died for me."

Jack looked at Kairi with sympathy, she could see, but it was the girl in the blue dress—Carina—who answered Kairi as she seemed to size her up in an excited manner. "The Trident of Poseidon will serve you well, I think, and I'll help you find it. I'm trying to use it to find my father, and Henry is trying to get it to free his own, who is supposedly the Captain of the Flying Dutchman."

Kairi was about to go talk to Henry at this news, but she didn't know if she would've been ecstatic to talk to this son of Will and Elizabeth or not, since those two’s story was so similar to hers and Sora’s, but Kairi didn’t even get the chance to find out how she would have felt, because Mister Gibbs cut off any conversation post-hate, as Jack glared at him. "We will not be going after any legendary artifacts today. It's more than enough that I have Jack here at all, given his bad luck and lack of pulling any weight lately. And I won't be making any of it worse, by repeating the past.”

Almost immediately, Captain Jack Sparrow jumped in to argue, saying, "But we need to, mate, to stop Salazar. You remember his horrendousness from what I've told you, aye? Help me defeat him, and there may be an old magic compass in there for you."

And while those two were fighting over that, Pip jumped onto Kairi’s head and began fighting for her sake, just as it looked like two other male pirates had been about to? "Yo, old man,” said Pip. “Listen to the ladies—and who I'm assuming is your captain—here. For one thing, Kairi's been through enough and deserves her boyfriend back."

But unfortunately, no one was taking Pip seriously... as the captain looked at him with the most displeased look Kairi had ever seen, and deadpanned: "Great. Something else like the monkey Jack."

Kairi sensed that her friend was upset for being so easily dismissed—and she wanted to be there for him, like he just had been for her... but she was too busy making sense of something, that almost had her throwing up over the deck... She'd traveled at least twenty years into this world's future... which shouldn't have been possible, because Henry had just been born when Sora was here a year ago... and now he looked like an adult. That must have been what Jack had been getting at earlier. How had she managed to mess up traveling here so badly... or was this a good thing? Had her heart connecting with Sora's led to this?

Still feeling overheated and like she was going to be sick, Kairi ripped more of her brown dress off with one hand while she held onto the railing of the deck with the other. Near instantly, she felt great about how cool she felt and she breathed a sigh of relief, as Pip went back to hiding behind her hair… and Henry put a hand on her shoulder? "Miss, are you okay?" the young-man questioned. And was it Kairi, or did he sound like he'd gotten used to saying that kind of thing lately, with how easily he could have made her swoon if her heart didn’t already belong to Sora?

"I'm fine... I just noticed something. It's no matter.” And if the look Jack was giving her was any indication, he must have guessed the same thing she had... or just thought Sora was the luckiest man in the world, for having such a young-looking girlfriend.

"Anyway, Henry… out of all of us, I get the sense that Mister Gibbs will only listen to where you want to go. So direct us somewhere ‘nice’, I guess. But once we find the Trident, we’re going for it.”

And then Kairi went over to where the man with the fake eye—and his bigger pal—were stationed, to try to figure out how to help man such a ship.

…

It was when Kairi was being reminded (since she’d known some of this stuff from home) that the left side of the ship was the port and the right was the starboard, that Carina joined Kairi on the deck for fresh fruit and regarded her with a smile.

Meanwhile, the pirates Pintel and Ragetti—who Kairi had recently learned the names of—were kindly trying to fish for her.

"You look like you could use some cheer. Jack Sparrow has convinced Mister Gibbs that we do need the Trident, to defeat some fiend named Salazar, so we're headed in the direction I believe it’s in. And here’s how we're going to find it." And Carina pulled out the starry diary that Kairi had spied earlier, but up close she could tell there seemed to be some ruby encrusted into it.

"What is this, exactly?" Kairi questioned, as she sat up from where she’d been sitting so she could see the book better. "Jewels from the earth here? Do you think the Trident was buried under ground where these ar-" But Carina was already shaking her head “no” before Kairi had completely finished asking that question.

And seeming curious about what Kairi was talking about, Pip came to see what was going on. And Carina shook her head at his appearance, in a sort of bemused manner. “Somehow, I can believe about your talking pet here, but not these monsters Henry is blathering about. Anyway... I was left at an orphanage by my father... and he left me this journal. The cover of it represents constellations, and is said to lead to the Trident of Poseidon, and surely my father. And after studying star charts all my life, I know where this constellation is in the sky… and so we’re heading out that way.”

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kairi queried, as she decided to make herself more useful by swabbing at the deck some. "Wait, actually... what was it you were saying about monsters?"

"She was only speaking of the worst kind," said a voice from beside Kairi's ear. It was Jack... and he seemed grim, as opposed to the usual happy-go-lucky and devil-may-care attitude Kairi had gleaned from him thus far. "Salazar: a ghost who's an enemy of all pirates... including you, lassie."

"A ghost?" Pip asked the question that Kairi had wanted to—and it made her smile--but when she had visions of what this ghost might look like, she definitely didn't smile. He seemed half-human and half-ghost, and parts of his hair and clothes were being torn away from him, into the other realm, as segments of him remained. And that black, villain-type smile from him...

Kairi swallowed, in realizing she felt torn apart like him she was: because didn’t she want to be both a Pure Light and someone who had a cruel heart now?

"You see something, don't you?" Henry asked, as he came up beside Kairi now, clearly having taken in her mystified look. "You see something, the way that I can almost see visions of my parents when I look at you."

Utterly confused, Kairi was about to ask why Henry should see his family when he saw her... but then she thought it must have been because Sora had helped shaped their lives... and she and Sora were very much the same since sharing the paopus. So perhaps that was the reason?

"I-" but just as Kairi began speaking, the nightmare she had just seen came to life as day turned into night: the electrified ghosts appeared out of the ether, and walked through their own ship and onto the Black Pearl. And before Kairi knew it, she was being held captive by Salazar and was the defenseless girl once again.

"You were never the gentleman I was, Sparrow," Salazar drawled in a chilling whisper, that made gooseflesh appear all over Kairi's skin, as she tried to get out of the chokehold he had on her. "So, you surely believed that women on a ship were bad luck. So why do you have two here now? Surely they're liabilities... like this."

"...Please," said Kairi, as a single tear sled from her eyes. "If you really are—or were--just like you say... let me go. I'm not even fifteen yet. And I'm on a mission to save someone..."

And he let her go so fast, that Kairi was first mad she hadn’t tried that same thing on Master Xehanort… But then she was furious that she hadn’t even tried to attack Salazar here, so she charged him now… and swiftly paid the price for it, as Pintel and Ragetti—who had missed everything that was going on, and were happily presenting the fish they’d caught for Kairi—were stabbed through the middle, by Salazar himself and some of his lackeys. And they were coming for the rest of the crew, too, when Jack made the wise decision to careen the ship into an area where you could still see daylight and they were vaporized.

But Salazar, in being far too clever, jumped into the dark ocean with the rest of the crew and disappeared for the time-being, as Kairi ran over to her new friends and tried to heal them again and again and again… but to no avail.

This was what she got for embracing her darkness, wasn’t it? Kairi decided as she cried. Why had she ever thought it was a good idea? And yet… she couldn’t let it go, either. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she couldn’t fight the type of it that was settling into her veins even now, like a cancer, as it begged her for revenge against that man… and she wanted to comply.

“Salazar won't let such a thing happen again," Jack quietly warned them all, as they already began the horrible price of trying to give the two lost pirates a sea burial… Why did death have to be so final? Kairi pondered whilst she shook all over. "It was an accident on his part. The Pearl's speed—to allow us get close enough to the setting sun, coupled with Salazar's shock… it won’t happen again. When he strikes again, and he will, it’ll be fully at night, and when he feels he’s had enough time to nurse his wounds. So, we must be ready. And I’m sorry that I’ve gotten you all into this.”

There was a side of Kairi that wondered if something else had saved them... Sora had told her that the goddess Calypso had blessed him with the power of the sea always being his—or something like that—and she wondered if Sora had been watching over them, and he’d made the waves carry them away in that moment. But she didn’t say it. Not after her friends Pintel and Ragetti died because of her own stupidity, she certainly didn’t—as she wrapped her arms around her torso and just tried to keep herself together right now.

"We need to get to the Trident of Poseidon now. Forget a day’s rest and all of that," said Henry, with an urgency that Kairi had never seen in him before, but that reminded her again of a certain leader: her Sora. Henry seemed to be speaking when Carina couldn’t here, as she was clearly too shaken to talk of the quest that meant so much to her. Instead, she seemed about to go hide in the captain's cabin… or perhaps in her own head. "It's our only chance against Salazar... because believe you, me, I've faced him before and it will especially be no picnic next time. Perhaps with it, we can free our fathers and they can help.”

In the background, away from all of them now, Mister Gibbs was laughing... but to Kairi, he seemed to be doing so without humor. And as much as it somewhat bothered Kairi that he still clearly didn't want to help out, now that they were in whatever they were in... she also felt bad for him. He hadn't wanted to assist Jack for this very reason, so perhaps he would have been well within his rights to refuse.

"Then get back to following the star charts I gave you,” Carina urged. “I’ll hold lantern light over them, so you can do just that.”

No one objected with what Carina had to say, but rather adhered to her commands… all while Kairi stayed locked in her trauma. It seemed to be the story of her life, and she hated it.

"You should go talk to Carina," Pip tried to persuade Kairi now, as he lovingly braided what was left of her hair. "She seemed spooked."

"I know, I want to," Kairi agreed. "But she's busy helping Jack navigate—because I guess it’s Jack now. Gibbs is too drunk to steer—didn’t you here?"

So Kairi went to speak with Henry instead. Not because she sensed she needed to, or anything like that, but rather because she wanted to. She still felt her furious emotions like a festering disease inside of her—and she thought she might do something stupid, like kill some harmless White Mushrooms if she didn't try to calm herself down.

"Henry," Kairi said, as she got in an assembly line beside him, so they could get done whatever needed to be done while still talking. "Your parents knew my boyfriend Sora... did they ever mention him at all?"

Henry smiled rather bitterly for Kairi's words, and it only took her a moment to realize why. Of course! Will hadn't had a chance to be a large part of Henry's life. How foolish she'd been, to forget that.

"Henry, I'm sorr-"

But he was already lifting a hand up in a sign of peace. "I get it, Kairi. Don't fret. Bad memories just returned to me for a moment there. Forgive me. But, yes: my mother in particular spoke of a strong and kind young-man named Sora who had helped them out. Mother thought he had a true heart... and trusted him much more than she did Jack. "

And if anything could have lifted Kairi’s spirits and made her think she was doing the right thing to try and bring Sora back, it would have been what Henry just said. And so Kairi smiled her own secret grin, and spoke. “…Henry thank you so much for those kind words here. You have no idea what they mean to me. And to return the favor, I’m going to tell you that Sora talked to me about your parents. He said how brave and strong your mother was, and how he was proud of her for that… And he was so sad about what happened to your father, and hated that he had such a fate... hated that your parents did, really. And I know Sora would have loved to meet you like I now am. He probably would have thought that you're a mix of the best parts of both your parents." Kairi knew that she thought that... from what she'd heard about Will and Elizabeth from Sora, anyway.

It was somewhat weird for Kairi to talk about Sora in the past tense in such a way. A few months ago, she would have rebelled against the very idea or it. But the Princess promised herself that she only spoke in such ways now, because she would bring him back.

"…Thank you for that, Miss Kairi. Thank you." And Kairi thought that Henry might have said more—Pip was cutely motioning with his hands that he should—if a ship hadn't rammed into the Pearl that very moment.

Fear stole its way into Kairi’s heart, as she thought Salazar must have been back already… but it wasn’t him.

And then Kairi was flying backwards—nearly over the edge—from where this boat was still ramming itself into the Black Pearl, but she thankfully regained her bearings… and not by grabbing onto the railing, like her weak, past self would have, but by summoning her Keyblade and digging it into the deck, until the Black Pearl had righted itself again.

“Oy! You’re wearing a getup similar to that of those Organizers… wonderful,” Jack moaned from beside Kairi, as he surveyed the scene. The person who now seemed to have everyone aboard’s attention, was the man standing on his decent sized, navy blue ship, who wore sky and snow colored robes large, a strange unicorn mask, and had long and silver hair, much like Riku’s old style.

“Who are you?!” Mister Gibbs demanded, as he glowered across the way at the man with the same colored hair as him. Kairi wondered if he was trying to find a camaraderie with the man, since they arguably seemed to be about the same age, to tell him that that he shouldn’t be acting like this… but Kairi couldn’t be sure. “And can you get your stern out of-“

At those words from Gibbs, Kairi noticed Carina laugh for some reason. But then she quickly became unsettled again, though not as much as she had been in having to admit once and for all that ghosts existed.

“I swear if you’re with The Master of Masters—or Organization XIII, like Captain Jack suspected—I’ll-”

But Kairi was cut off when the man literally threw dolphin Heartless her way. One had even smacked into Kairi’s chest, with its razor-sharp fin, and cut a deep gash into her… this day—for it was nearing day again—just kept getting better and better, and Kairi was fairly certain she was just numb at this point. Oh well.

The redhead slashed at every Heartless she could see—and all of her friends were taking a page from her book; Carina was even bravely hitting them with her shoes—but she wasn’t foolish enough to let the man go without answering her.

“Why would you send dolphin Heartless my way?! I’m assuming you know my name means ‘sea’, and so you’re making a reference here… but does that mean you want to hurt me? I thought your ‘Master’ wanted me to use my anger!” Kairi was taking a shot in the dark here, that he was one of the Master of Masters’ pawns, but she thought that he must be. Since the Master of Masters was the only one (until this guy) who was wearing a robe since they’d defeated the Organization in the Keyblade War.

And in another meeting with the Master of Masters that Kairi had had recently, he had told her that he had five followers… all of which who had an animal motif. Why he had told her this crucial information, Kairi wasn’t sure… but she was starting to make some guesses about it all.

“Because my Master isn’t yet sure what he wants to do with you… Kairi, is it? He says that you often cast a great darkness, but also a great light. If it were me, I’d end the threat that you are now… but he’s gentler than I am, so here I test.” The man’s voice was deep and strong, and it reminded Kairi a lot of what Leon had sounded like in the short time he’d helped to take care of her.

And despite how Kairi had been trying so hard not to cry lately (even after others dying because of her, because sadly… what else was new?), she nearly did here… in learning how much she must have fallen to darkness—for this man to be saying this to her—and she wondered what sort of plan of the Master’s she was allowing to fall into place by being this way.

“But why?!” Kairi demanded. “Why be so wishy-washy about me?! What’s-”

But Kairi didn’t get her answer. The Heartless—that were not truly being defeated by her allies, because only Keyblades could do that—were now using their blades to put holes in the ship. Great.

"Miss, Kairi: can you use that special blade of yours to stop this?” Henry asked, as he plunged a sword through a Heartless’ would-be-heart… but only for it to pop up again beside Jack. Kairi dived over the pirate’s head to stab at it—imagining how Jack may have done this to protect Sora in the past, and thus she was paying him back for protecting her boy—and sighed.

More and more Heartless were coming—though Kairi didn’t get it, since the man didn’t seem to be summoning them… odd—and she was trying to destroy them as fast as she could, before they came back (how were they doing so so fast?!) and made more holes appear in the boat.

She used some of her pearl magic to get rid of ten going towards the Crow’s Nest here (well, as best as she could, anyway, since some of them were flopping away from her attacks as if they were break dancing), and used fire to get at some coming for Carina’s hair, and was about to do a third thing… when a mast fell down and landed on the Pearl. And with the massive injuries the Black Pearl had already sustained, it was now being split in two—while everyone screamed—until…

Until that man teleported onto the center of the wreckage and used a force field to keep the Black Pearl from breaking even more, and to even stitch parts of it back together.

“What are you doing?!” both Jack and Gibbs demanded; the words had very nearly been on Kairi’s lips, too, or at least they would have been if she hadn’t seen where Mister Unicorn was going with this.

“You want me to fight you to prove myself, don’t you? Well, here I am!” Kairi exclaimed, as she stood on opposite ends of the man and readied her Keyblade. “Let’s go!”

But Carina took Kairi by surprise. “No,” she said, as she put a hand on her shoulder and walked past her. “You did enough for us in defeating… those things. Let me do this for you!”

“No!” Kairi protested. But the… the monster—he could be no less to Kairi—had already cast a shield around Carina and himself, so no one could get to them.

Carina was being clever—in trying to find a good place to kick Blue in the shins, it looked like; and was the monster actually giving her a chance to do so?—but it wasn’t enough for Kairi. She summoned Thunder, not even caring that she might strike herself, to try and break the barrier and get Carina out of there.

“Here! Let me at it!” Pip shouted, as he got to the top of said barrier and attempted to clobber it with his paws. “I swear I’m good at things, other than just writing. And I don’t want the lady to get hurt!” And Kairi couldn’t believe that some of what Pip was doing was working… he was creating pressure points on the top of the shield. So, what was this? A power of friendship thing, or-

But Kairi didn’t get to finish that thought—or to warp-strike to the top of it like she would have liked to—because just then the fiend had summoned a Keyblade and stabbed at Carina’s arm. And he severely injured it—blood was sliding down down down her arm, as it seemed about to come off—and Henry was bellowing Carina’s name at this point, as he punched the force over and over again, thus creating more wear in it.

Carina wasn’t one who was helpless, however—not even in situations like this—and Kairi could tell she was going to attempt to press the monster’s eyes back into his skull, as he aimed for her neck, if she didn’t do anything.

And Kairi was sick of this—sick of all of this!—because even though she’d been in and seen horrible wars before, it had never been as brutal as this… the people hadn’t attempted to end each other in such horrible ways. It was so much… too much. And it seemed to Kairi that after Sora had been taken out of the world, all light had died with him.

And so Kairi found herself screaming for unicorn man’s fate—she couldn’t believe it!—just as Jack and Gibbs had decided to try and help Carina, instead of trying to save the sinking Pearl at the moment.

“Carina, no! Stop! Please stop! I don’t- I don’t want this amount of bloodshed, and neither should anyone!” Kairi wailed.

Carina listened to what Kairi had said and stopped—and she wore a look on her face there, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d been about to do, either—and fortunately, Unicorn Man didn’t use Carina’s distractedness as a way to defeat her. Instead, he began to make the barrier dissipate as he bowed to her. “You’ve done well, Princess Kairi. The Master will be most pleased. I’m Ira, by the way.”

But not caring about any of that in the slightest, Kairi found herself leaping into the air so she could get to Carina faster now that she was able to go in that direction… but just as she was, someone was diving down and reaching for Carina, too… and the idiots they were, they couldn’t change their trajectory in time and ended up hitting each other instead of getting to Carina.

And feeling a concussion coming on, as she smashed back down onto the deck—but saw him getting up much easier, and already fixing the sinking boat with his own magic—Kairi couldn’t help feeling irritated with the figure.

“Riku, why are you here?!” she snarled. “Did you not trust me by myself here? I swear I’m fine! You may be messing up our chance to find Sora this way… if he’s sending me to places for me and just me.”

And Kairi felt awful after those words had left her mouth—of course she did; and she thought that if that Ira had still been here, he wouldn’t be giving her his blessing anymore—but she also couldn’t deny it was true. But how horrible had she become, to always be hurting Riku like this (she could see it in his eyes), whilst he only built her up these days?

“Kairi-” Riku began, as he helped Henry get Carina to her feet… and now everyone was staring at her. Great.

Kairi bit her lip, and again resisted the urge to cry… or to punch Riku in the arm like she had used to.

“Kairi, I swear I didn’t come here to spy on you. Master Yen Sid said that he sensed a certain power, and I-”

Except that Kairi didn’t believe him. How could she, when she’d been being babysat since everything had started when she was fourteen? the only time they hadn’t babysat her was during the Keyblade War, but maybe they should have. Maybe if they had then, Sora wouldn’t be- he wouldn’t be.

Now, Kairi had thought she’d gotten better and stronger this past year… but now it was apparent that Riku (and perhaps others?) were scared of her darkness. And so, it was back to being babysat again.

She also honestly felt like he was here to steal her spotlight, like always.

And with the strong array of emotions she’d felt since coming here, Kairi was done with it. She was done with everything.

So, before anyone could say anything more to her, or judge her, Kairi leapt into the air and began gliding away… to some island a ways away from them all. And she heard Riku calling her name as she did so, and Jack saying how she’d suspected that Sora would go for a nicer girl… and now she did let all of her emotions out.

…

On the island—that housed rum for some reason; and how Kairi was tempted to try drinking some now, to drown all her sorrows—Kairi fought back the urge to destroy the White Mushrooms around her, like she’d thought about doing before… since for whatever reason, there just happened to be some on this island who were dancing around her and asking for magic.

She probably would have slaughtered them in her fury, if she wasn’t trying to find her old self again, since everyone apparently hated who she was now… and maybe they were right for it.

“Sora,” Kairi spoke to her boyfriend now, as she clasped her hands together and raised her head towards the sky—hating herself for this, too, because why was she acting like Sora was in heaven? She was going to find him before he got there. She was!—“Part of me wonders why I’m bothering with all of this. I’m so different now… maybe you wouldn’t love me anymore. Not that I only want you back so you can love me. I want you back even if you hate me… but I wish I knew how you’d feel about this, even if I don’t think I’d change who I am now… even if you asked.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Kairi thought she could see some ghostly image of Sora nodding his head and smiling at her… thought she knew it was all in her head. But it still made her feel better, so she got off from the log she’d been sitting on and flew back to where the Pearl was.

Well, the Black Pearl wasn’t exactly where it had been—how glad Kairi was, that ships were slow compared to some of the vehicles she’d seen in other worlds now. And when she got there, she saw Barbossa standing beside Jack and among everyone else?! That’s who Kairi assumed it was, anyway, based on Sora’s descriptions of everyone in this world (had she mentioned that this was Sora’s favorite world that he’d been to?)

Kairi landed down in the ship and summoned her Keyblade. She may have been above fighting innocents now, but she also wasn’t going to suffer a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Kairi knew that Sora had said Barbossa had changed for the better the last time he’d been here, but she also didn’t want to risk it.

“It’s okay, Kairi. We’ve got it figured out,” Riku said, as he came up to Kairi and slung an arm over her shoulder. And she appreciated that he wasn’t telling her to dismiss her Keyblade…

"Missy, I'm her' because I promised Salazar Sparra's head. But given that it's still on his shoulders, that there must mean I'm helpin' him with a plan to keep it there, don't it? So, I would quiet yer suspicions if you really want to find the Trident of Poseidon."

Kairi sighed when she’d heard this Barbossa’s explanation of things, but for once it wasn't an aggravated sigh. This captain had rightly pointed out she was too trigger-happy lately, and so she'd calm down.

And Pip, seeming to sense Kairi's resolution, climbed up her arm and patted her shoulder, too, before he went beneath her hair again.

Kairi would have liked to talk to Captain Barbossa more—to try and get them through this little hurtle, as she wished she could have talked to many people on her last adventures. Because maybe that could have helped solve a lot of issues—but before she could, the water below her was literally being ripped in half (so that Kairi was thrown to the other side of the Pearl, as it tried to be torn apart itself… again).

And as it happened, Kairi could see that Barbossa’s eyes were all for Carina. And she had a lot of suspicions there… but she didn’t have time to deal with that right now.

“Kairi!” Riku yelled her name, as she began falling back into the ocean as a part of the ship finally completely broke off and began tipping over. But she refused to be saved by him—or to ever need rescuing again—so she stuck her Keyblade into the part of the boat that was still active and pulled herself back up. And she fell into Riku’s arms as she made her way back towards her friends… but this time, she didn’t care. She’d managed to help herself… and it felt good to be appreciated like this.

But Kairi couldn’t dwell on maybe having fixed her relationship with Riku for too long. Captain Jack and Barbossa had managed to get what was left of the Pearl to a nearby island, and Henry and Carina were getting off there and jumping into the opened-up ocean beneath them, and Kairi meant to do the same.

And before she knew it, she was in that area—with Riku once again shouting her name, as he followed after her—for she had used a variation of Sora’s “quick run” in order to get where she was faster. But though Sora had moved in circles in order to do that, Kairi mostly moved in a straight line… and Riku seemed to be copying Kairi to try and do the same thing. Kairi would have laughed at all of this, if things hadn’t been so sad lately.

Once they were on the ocean floor, Riku asked her the million munny question. “Kairi, what are we doing here?”

Kairi didn’t answer at first. And she could tell by his hurt face, that he at first thought she was doing it out of spite. But as she let Pip climb out onto her arm, she swiftly showed him that wasn’t the case. “Riku, meet my friend Pip. Pip, Riku.”

“Nice to meet you!” Pip exclaimed, as Kairi saw him get into Riku’s face so he could see him better. “Make sure our girl here keeps a good head on her shoulders, okay?”

“…Right,” Riku answered. “Nice to meet you.” And while Riku seemed to do better meeting Pip then Sora had always thought he would with his friends Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet—and whoever else—Kairi could tell he still wasn’t thrilled. And here she did laugh… because that was Riku for you. And she was so glad to have him after losing Sora. She was.

“To answer your question, Riku,” Kairi responded, as she began running after Carina and Henry now—since something seemed to be going on up ahead—“we’re trying to find this Trident that has powers over all sea curses… and I’m wondering if it’ll save Sora, since he gave his life for me. And my name means that.”

While Riku began running with her, Kairi tried to gauge his reaction to her words. How did he feel about Sora having died for her and not him or any of the others? Kairi didn’t know the answer to that… and she selfishly didn’t know if she wanted to. Whatever the answer, it would probably make her hate herself more.

But Riku didn’t really react to her words in the slightest. He simply clenched his fist and muttered, “Let’s go get it, then.” And suddenly he was taking off faster than even she had been.

And up ahead… Kairi saw Salazar—how had he gotten here so fast?! Carina had just figured this all out! Was it because he was a ghost and could teleport?—had seemed to possess Henry and had the Trident, and was attacking Carina with it!

And Kairi understood why Salazar would do this… he knew that if Kairi’s friends got ahold of the Trident, he would be destroyed… so now he was trying to show Carina that if she wanted that weapon, she’d have to kill Henry to get it.

Captain Jack Sparrow darted past Riku and Kairi now, and was fighting against the possessed Henry for his and Carina’s sake. And Kairi had never felt so moved by him.

“Let the boy go, Salazar,” Kairi could make out the captain saying with a calmness that belied the situation. “Your fight is with me… I destroyed you and your men years ago—gave you a fate worse than death, even—and mayhaps I apologize for that. But even so… fight me.”

And Salazar was battling Jack now…. while Carina seemed desperately to reach out to Henry’s heart. “Henry, I know you’re in there…” she cried, while trying to get in edgewise, so she could try and grab the Trident from “him” while Salazar was preoccupied with his number one enemy. “Think of all we shared, and fight back!” Carina pleaded.

“Kairi,” Riku said now, as he spun her away from the scene before her, so she could focus on the matter at hand. “Maybe you should do the same that she’s doing… if you sensed that Sora might be here—and you know how Yen Sid and I think he’s trying to go to worlds you might be in. So, if you came here, he might be—then try contacting him, too.”

And Kairi would’ve—perhaps again becoming the girl who used to try and use light and do support from the side—if she hadn’t just then heard a voice she now somehow knew so well, whispering behind her ear.

“Really, Kairi? Really? You’re so easily going to go back to the delicate girl you were before your beau sacrificed himself for you? I’m disappointed.”

“Leave her alone!” Riku stepped in between the Master of Masters and Kairi, probably so she could continue to try and reach Sora, she thought. “She’s not going to fall into your plan! She’s not going to-”

And Kairi wasn’t going to do that. She was sick of her friends and herself following the Organization’s plan!

So she decided to just completely ignore the Master of Masters for the time being, and instead went to help Jack and Carina against Henry. “I think you were getting through to him, Carina,” Kairi said, as she gave the other girl a one-armed hug before jumping into the fray. “Keep at it… and I’m sure things will work out. But at the same time… you’re a smart girl. If you want to use your head and work something else out, I believe in you there, too.”

“I wouldn’t believe in anything you say, little girl, since I bested you earlier.” And before Kairi could say anything to that—or try to parry his incoming strike—she was stabbed through the stomach by Salazar. (And was Kairi imagining it… or was Riku trying to teleport to her side now, while the Master said an exasperated “Wow”?)

But she’d become too strong to be “bested” so easily… as she was still impaled on the sword, Kairi grabbed a hold of the butt of it and used it as leverage to throw Salazar—who was still holding onto it—hard to the ground. She then did a quick curaza spell to fix the damage. But she still didn’t feel one hundred percent yet.

“Are you okay there, lass? I may have misjudged you,” Captain Jack asked, as he knelt down beside Kairi and put a hand over her wound.

“I don’t think so!” the Master of Masters bellowed towards Riku, as he froze him in place so he couldn’t get to Kairi? What? Did he think the help she was getting from Jack was more than she deserved? Kairi had before thought she didn’t hate anyone more, than those who kept her away from Sora, she now imagined that those who kept her from Riku were just as annoying.

“Hold on, Riku!” Kairi called his way. “I’ll give you a panacea, and-”

But Kairi lost her train of thought, when she saw Carina had again taken a page from her book. She’d jumped towards the possessed Henry, not even caring for the weapon that was in her way, and though it seemed to nearly slice her side to smithereens… but she was able to wrest the Trident out of Salazar’s hands with this motion, and she was using it instantly. “As the one who now has power over all the sea, I command you—gods and goddesses—to release all your curses!”

But perhaps the Trident in and of itself was a curse, because it turned into water… never to be seen again, Kairi presumed.

Then, the sea above them all began to close… and Kairi thought she might faint. She was too injured to make a Corridor of Light to get herself and her friends out of this. And though she supposed Riku could try and use a Corridor of Darkness again—if worst came to worse—she knew the ill effects that it would have on everyone.

And now the Master of Masters was laughing without humor. “I have no desire to have a watery grave. You all work this one out. And Kairi… continue to be strong. Otherwise, I’ll have reason to kill you! And who wants that?!” As soon as he’d said those words, the Master of Masters was gone… but amazingly, he’d let Riku out of the spell he cast on him before he did—maybe he had plans for him, too—and Riku noticed immediately what was happening and muttered a curse.

“We have to get out of here… now,” Kairi stated the obvious. She quickly healed Carina, and then went to Carina’s side to help her pick up an unconscious Henry. What she’d done with the Trident had freed him, so now Salazar was standing in front of everyone again in all of his hideous, undead—yet human—glory.

Captain Jack had just motioned for Gibbs—who was still in the ship above them—to send the anchor down, so they could all ride it to the surface… but now Salazar and his crew were trying to kill all of their enemies, so they couldn’t get to it first.

But there was no guarantee they’d even survive if they made it to the surface, since sooner or later they’d have to face the fate they’d missed out on long ago. And Kairi had to wonder what kind of desperation drove Salazar… was it what existed in her heart now?

And to try and get to her new friends and to save them before it was too late, Kairi warp-striked to try and get back on what was left of the Pearl, so she could then pull them up. And she could tell that Riku was doing the same thing, having been inspired by her to do so. And he was rescuing Jack and Henry before she could blink... Kairi, then, went to rescue Carina... but it was all over.

For just as she had gotten Carina to the surface, Salazar had grabbed ahold of Kairi and was ramming her into the water wall beside her, as the pathway began to close above her. "If it weren't for foolish people like you, no one would have to suffer!" he hisse.

Kairi wanted to argue that—because maybe she was becoming better again—but was unable to, with how much pain she was in and the water filling up in her mouth.

Kairi tried to get her Keyblade into a position where she could use it... but then she accidentally dropped it into the wave and was losing consciousness.

Above her, Kairi could hear Carina screaming for someone to save her... but then Carina starting to change her mind when it became clear that someone was going to have to sacrifice themselves to fulfill her wish.

"What am I to you?!" Carina cried. And Kairi heard the voice of Barbosa answer "Treasure", before he willingly fell on Salazar—and towards his death—to free her from his hold. And then Kairi felt Riku sharply tugging on her arms to bring her to safety, as she sobbed.

…

For the first time in what felt like ages to Kairi, she had chosen to be selfless and stay with her new friends for a few months—foregoing her search for Sora for that long—to help them deal with the aftermath of everything that had happened.

Captain Jack was the easiest. It seemed to Kairi that he was... just lonely, in seeing Will and Elizabeth—and Henry and Carina—together, even if he was secretly happy for them. And once Kairi learned that there was an "Angelica" in his past, she helped chart a path for him to find her on "Rum Runner Island"—the island that maybe she had unwittingly found?—since he still didn't have his magic compass back.

And Jack looked at Kairi with something like warmness in his eyes, when he chose to shake her hand. "Yer a good lass, Kairi. Don't let anyone tell ya different. And you go on and remember it yourself, savvy?"

"Savvy," Kairi replied, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes--since she thought it was proven with Barbossa’s death (and perhaps Pintel and Ragetti’s before that. And- and Sora’s), that she wasn't very good at all.

And it was Mister Gibbs who seemed to notice Kairi was feeling this way. He told her not to feel too bad about Barbossa, since at least she’d tried to help everyone—unlike him, in his eyes. It seemed to Kairi that Gibbs hated his own inaction on this recent quest of his now. Something she could relate to—and since he thought Barbossa had been happy to give up his life for his daughter’s good spirits, anyway. Kairi didn’t have much to say to that, other than trying to put two-and-two together to try and figure out where the compass Jack had lost was at. He’d promised it to Gibbs, hadn’t she? Kairi swore to the man she’d figure it out and come back and get it to him. Someday.

After that, Kairi had gone with Henry, Carina, and Riku to meet Will and Elizabeth. And her heart soared for Henry and Elizabeth being reunited with father and husband respectively... but Kairi wished Sora could have been here, too, with the Trident having been destroyed… but he wasn’t. And Kairi could tell that Riku was just as upset about it.

For days, Kairi trained with Carina—to help her learn how to fight, as Carina now wanted to be a pirate—and while the other lady had informed Kairi that she didn't at all blame her for her father's death, she didn't seem to sense that Kairi thought people around her in general seemed to die, and didn't comfort her about it. But Kairi thought that it was more that Carina just didn’t know how to, since as a scholar… she seemed to spend most of her life in her own head. And that was fine. Kairi got it. Maybe she’d even been the same in the past, somewhat.

Henry, like Gibbs, was there for Kairi, however. One day, when she was jotting down some things she thought Destiny Islands did better in terms of sailing to help the people here, Henry interrupted her.

"You can't blame yourself, you know," he gently reprimanded her, as he laid a hand on her wrist. "I used to blame myself for my parents' situation... and told myself that if I hadn't been born, my mother could have freed my father from his terrible fate long ago, and not be trapped in a life she hated... But I also knew that my parents loved me, and that the lies we tell ourselves can be the deadliest. So you know that, too."

And it was after Henry told Kairi this, and she felt light return to her heart once more, that she finally decided to leave the Caribbean. She'd been dreaming of healing these people, but here they had done that for her.

"You know..." said Will, as Kairi was about to leave alongside Riku, with a knapsack over her shoulder. "Even though I was dying at the time, and it was hard to tell, Sora was very angry about what Davy Jones did to me... and even then, I assumed it was because he didn't want to be taken away from someone, like he didn't want me to have to be taken away from Elizabeth."

"And when Will went missing in searching for the Isla de Muerta, it was Sora, Donald, and Goofy that I trusted to help me find him, not Jack. And I suppose it could be because Sora reminded me of Will—of us—if he had someone like you waiting for him at home,” Elizabeth added on to her husband’s claims, as she winked at Kairi.

"Thank you," Kairi said shyly, before making the rash decision to hug the spouses. And though it clearly shocked them both, they swiftly hugged her back. They were parents, after all.

And to partly thank Will and Elizabeth for that and so much more, when Kairi just happened to see barnacles under their bed, she took them outside and burnt them... so the memory of this Davy Jones would hopefully leave them alone forever.

And it was when Kairi was outside on Elizabeth’s (and now her family’s) beautiful green island, that she found Riku sitting there as he let the wind dance over him.

Pip bound up to Kairi then, as it looked like he'd just been on the gummi ship with Riku, and he excitedly told her, "Kairi! What happened with the Trident seemed to give Riku a vision! He says Sora's in a world of... data? Though apparently, it's not the Tron world or Datascape, whatever that means. Isn't that good news?!"

And trying to hide the fact that she was sad Riku had seen this and not her, too—because hadn't Riku and Master Yen Sid and Riku theorized Sora was trying to get to worlds she'd like?—Kairi sat down beside him and said, "Then I guess we should see if Cid can get our phones to search for worlds with data."

#mine #my work #Shanna writes #my writing #swallow #kairi #sokai #kh #kingdom hearts #swallow chapter 4 #swallow chapter four #chapter four #chapter 4 #long post

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ruffiorocks · 5 years

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Rewatching season 5 of Game of Thrones

Rewatching Game of Thrones

1. Dany has some sense, not 100% on the ball but still not quite up to last weeks standards. She's constantly being advised on how to rule and simply refuses to actually pay attention. She arrives in cities and just assumes she knows how to rule them even though all she has ever lead is the Dothraki. Poor Hizdahr zo loraq 🙁 he tries to advice her on how the city runs and she just won't have it. She threatens to feed him to her dragons purely on the grounds that he is the head of his family. She then tells him he is going to marry her and he doesn't have much choice as the alternative is being a dragons lunch. Dany also openly still sleeps and flirts with Darrio just making herself look ridiculous. Hizdahr still tries to educate her on how the city works and she thinks she knows better. Well the poor guy had a tragic end. Dany tells Tyrion when she meets him she has dragons and that's how she'll take Westeros, hint hint there. She also punishes people by burning them alive whether she knows if they are guilty or not. Dany never really learned to listen to advice. She didn't know how to rule because she never had.

2. Tyrion has some sense, he even said he trusted Varys more than anyone else 😑. He told Dany dragons were not the way to go when it comes to Westeros. He spoke sense nds seemed to stop her in her tracks when he asked her why the common people should support her at all.

3. Jon has what counts as sense for Jon. He brought the wildings past the wall. He was a good Lord Commander.

4. Say what you will be about Qyburn but that guy was loyal to Cersei, probably the best friend she ever had. His death by his own Frankenstein creation was very underwhelming. But he stayed loyal to Cersei to the very end.

5. Stannis just burned that wonderful angel Shireen!! 😭😭 And not one soldier stood up for her! Remember when Stannis was boring and even the characters thought he was borning? But he was the one who probably would have made the best king. He was going to make Jon a Stark. He even gave his ships to Jon to save the Wildlings. Stannis didn't want to be king, he simply believed he was the rightful heir and that it was his duty to take the throne. Remember he knew that Cersei's kids weren't Roberts. So his only legitimate rival would have been Dany and she wasn't around. Renly was a younger brother and therefore a usurper. I believe without Melisandre Stannis would have been much better and level headed, he was taken in by a fanatic. Without her? Renly would still be alive and so would little Shireen!

6. The Dornish plot was horrific!! What were those Sand Snakes? Prince Doran was so boring! He had the potential to be much more exciting. But all his scenes were just him talking. What he was talking about made sense, but he was ridiculous when it came to Elira Sand, he should have locked her up the moment she disrespected him and took it upon herself to send threatening messages to Kings Landing on his behalf. Prince Trystane wasn't much better, all he did was walk in the gardens with Marcella and then lounge around with an entitled, pompous look on his face. He met a crap end as well. They missed such a good opportunity here, in the books Doran has three children. The eldest is a daughter named Arianne and she is his heir. Dorne doesn't practice male primogeniture. Arianne believes that Doran wants his second son Quentyn to be his heir and Quentyn goes off to court Dany. If I remember correctly he believes he can just say hi to a dragon and he pays the price. Arianne then decides she wants to crown Marcella as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Marcella loses an ear at some point. That would have been way more interesting than what we got.

7. Poor Sansa 😭 watching her scenes with Ramsey is still so uncomfortable. But man she still sasses him! The girl has strength and I will stand up for her no matter what!

8. Ollie sucks! We get it his fam were killed by Wildlings, Tormund led the raid. Ollie should have a beef with Tormund then. But he doesn't under and neither do the majority of the Nights Watch that leaving the Wildings beyond the wall will result in more white walkers. It's simple math! Grudges don't mean a thing when you're all dead!

9. Sam got laid lol good for Sam! Also Ghost came and saved Sam from being beaten up and Gilly from being raped.

10. Remember when the Night King was an actual threat? 😂 Remember when Jon and him had the longest stare down in TV history? We all thought that meant Jon would kick his ass at some point. Yeah.... I'm all Team Arya and everything but really? All that for Arya whose arc never included the Night King to be the one who killed him?

11. I have one episode left to go on this season and I can't remember if ive even seen Bran??? That right there says it all.

12. Margery got cocky! She was stupid to antagonise and humiliate Cersei of all people.

13. Tommen was sweet but entirely useless. So easily manipulated by Cersei. He sat around crying that Margery, Loras and Cersei were locked up but didn't actually protest once when Margery was dragged away. Say what you want about Joffrey but he never let Cersei manipulate him after he became king. Joffrey would have done something.

14. Theon got over being 'reek' pretty quickly. Also in later seasons it seems to have been forgotten he's supposed to be missing fingers and toes.

15. I don't entirely disagree with everything the High Sparrow was on about. He wasn't wrong about the wealthy lording it over people. When he said we are many you are the few it's a lesson that still applies today but people don't realise it. Those in power are there because we put them there and we let them stay there. He was a fanatic on other things though.

16. Uncle Kevan Lannister is such an underrated character! He didn't recognize Cersei's non existent authority and left Kings Landing and her to it. Then he came back and dealt with things quite well while she was locked up. Kevan should have been around more.

17. Sooo Margery, Loras and Lancel didn't have to do a walk of shame but Cersei did??

18. Little Finger sucked ass! He sold and tricked Sansa and actually believed she would forget that?

19. Olenna Tyrell is the queen of sass!

20. Ser Allister Thorne was a nob to Jon Snow. But he believed in his duty. He obeyed Jon when he became Lord Commander, he didn't stand with or up for Janis Slynt when he ridiculed Jon. He could have kept that gate shut to Jon and the Wildlings. He even told Jon he had a good heart. What he did was wrong, the same thing applies here as it did will Ollie, bigger picture! But he died with dignity and he died for what he believed in.

21. Why did Roose Bolton have Ramsey legitimatzed? He knew he was getting married and that could result in a legitimate heir. So why run the risk of your psycho bastard son (who you know is psycho) killing your true born heir?

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tilltheendwilliwrite · 6 years

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A Painter’s Embrace

Chapter One

Introduction (Read Me First)

Summary: Set in the Regency Period, this is my submission for @yourtropegirl ‘s Historical AU Challenge (and it’s been a bitch to write. I created a world for you, woman. There had better be cookies!) Please note this is an ABO fic, but it is not your regular ABO style of dynamic. For more information read the Introduction first. Also, this fic will be slower to update as the research takes longer. It will not update weekly!

Pairing: Alpha!Steve Rogers x OFC | Word Count: 5276 Warnings: None

Lady Elizabeth Heartright, the darling of the Ton - the high society set of stuffy and rather tedious people she socialized with - was standing in the ballroom of Iron Court, doing her best to ward off the unwanted advances of many a suitor. She had only just managed to escape out from under the attention of Lord Davenport, the overbearing alpha who seemed unable - or more likely unwilling - to take no for an answer, and she was desperately thirsty.

Just because she was an omega did not mean she would roll over for the first male who snarled at her, and this male had been snarling for quite some time. However, having been raised by an alpha father and a beta mother, and being the Omega Queen she was, she had far more backbone than most women of her type.

It was off-putting to some, but, all in all, she had decided if the males who came calling could not handle a little bite in their omega, she did not want them for an alpha. As she was also the heir to the Heartright fortune, every male with even a modicum of pedigree was hanging off her primaries. Weeding out a few of the less desirable set, those who could not tolerate her… quirks made her life easier.

She shook her wings to free the tension in her shoulders. They’d been held in a defensive position for so long Lizzy was certain she would have a headache to contend with the next day thanks to her tight back muscles.

“Lady Heartright, you are most fortunate to have caught the eye of Lord Davenport. He is a fine alpha,” Martha Winthrop said, swooning slightly at Lizzy’s side.

She tried very hard not to roll her eyes. “I would rather have caught the eye of a mallard,” she muttered, tugging her glove up her elbow and taking the cup of punch offered her by the servant at the refreshment table. Martin’s eyes twinkled merrily, apparently enjoying her pronouncement, but she did not hold it against him. The landed servants of this house all knew they could trust her to keep her mouth shut when it came to their amusements and entertainments.

“Lady Heartright!” Martha gasped, her blue eyes wide in shock and dowdy grey wings fluttering in distress. “Hush yourself. Whatever would your mother say?”

“She would say Lizzy had every right to choose her mate, Miss Winthrop. Now, go away and let Lizzy be.”

Lizzy smiled past the rim of her cup at the approaching woman in sky blue silk. The high waist of her gown was patterned with loops of pearls and heavy embroidery, mimicked on the short, puffy sleeve. Wings of black and grey swept out behind her, a startling contrast to Constance’s bright red hair. Had it been anyone else to speak so to Martha there would have been hell to pay, but, as it was Constance Stark, daughter and heir to Lord Stark the Earl of Iron and host for the evening, Martha bobbed a curtsey and hurried off, her wings folded tightly to her spine.

“Thank you, Constance,” Lizzy said, linking her arm through the proffered one after returning her cup to the servant.

She smiled and led Lizzy away from the refreshments to take a slow turn around the room. “I was actually coming to save you from the advances of Lord Davenport when father waylaid me.” An omega herself, she lifted her wings high and wrapped one around the back of Lizzy, indicating their desire for privacy when the males looked to advance upon them.

Lizzy and Constance had been friends from birth, the Starks and the Heartrights close in both age and distance, so when at the tender age of ten both of Lizzy’s parents were killed in a carriage accident, it had been to the Starks she had gone.

Her father’s will had made it quite clear Lizzy was to be allowed to choose her own path in life and love, as her parents had before her, and Lord Stark had been most accommodating. Yes, it was an oddity in this age, a woman, an Omega Queen at that, being allowed to rule her own life, but Anthony Edward Stark was an eccentric man himself.

An inventor, he had created many a unique trinket. Some of which had gone to help the war effort against Napoleon and his army. Lord Stark was an oddity, but then his wife, Lady Pepper was no better. An alpha and an omega who fit so perfectly their love was blinding, but Lord help anyone who tried to intimidate Lady Pepper.

The woman was as fiery as her hair and wings implied. A vibrant red, Lizzy had heard her take many an overbearing alpha or beta to task with the sharpness of her tongue. Was it any wonder the Ton knew both Lizzy and Constance as spirited women?

Stubborn was the word used by polite company. Pigheaded was the one used behind closed doors. Unseemly most likely as well.

Such was the reason that at twenty and one summer’s Lizzy was still unmated and unwed. She had yet to find a mate to suit her. One for whom she could love and be loved without the restrictions of society. One who could tolerate her strong-headed ways, silly quirks, and stubborn qualities. She would not be meek. She would not simper and cower and walk two steps behind her alpha. She would be his partner in life. Not just a body he could breed his offspring on.

“Take a breath, Lizzy. Your irritation is spiking,” Constance murmured, curling her wing tighter around them.

“My apologies. I was woolgathering again,” she sighed softly.

“You worry you will never find an alpha worthy of you. I understand, Lizzy. I have the same fear.”

It was too dower a subject for such a splendid fête, and Lizzy pushed the distressing thoughts to the side. “Tell me what your father wanted?”

“It appears his honoured guests have arrived. He was going to greet them personally before bringing them into the ball and was stepping away for a moment.”

“This is the Earl of Denton and his friend? The ones from the war effort?” Lizzy asked curiously.

The Earl was spoken of frequently and with great admiration by Lord Stark. He had been a staunch supporter of Tony’s weapons and gadgets, using many of them himself on the front lines of the battle.

“Indeed,” Constance giggled softly, her excitement clear in her scent. “Father is most pleased to meet them after corresponding with them for so long. Tis a shame it is injury which has returned them to us from France, but good fortune the Earl lives only a short flight away.”

Lizzy wondered if some of Constance’s excitement was due to how both males were unknown to them. Perhaps one would make a fitting mate for her friend. For Lizzy herself, she simply hoped neither would chase after her like a hawk after a sparrow. She was tired of the constant barrage of suitors, almost ready to place herself squarely off the market simply to have a break from the incessant banter.

She knew as all omegas did, she was a highly desirable commodity. She was also not blind to the image of herself in the mirror. Her hair had been likened to a raven’s feathers so many times; she often wished she could change it if only to hear a different remark. Her wings, a swans crowning glory dipped in the moon’s shining beams was enough to make her gag. Her eyes like storm-swept skies… Please! She’d read better prose in the trashy novels smuggled in by the landed servants.

“How nice for them,” she commented absently.

“Lizzy, darling, are you feeling alright?” Constance asked, giving the air a surreptitious sniff.

“Stop it, Constance. You know you and I… do that at the same time.” She blushed, refusing to speak about heats in public.

“You appeared so sad, Lizzy. I was worried about you,” Constance murmured, coming to a stop in a slightly secluded corner of the ballroom.

Lizzy sighed and leaned her head against Constance’s shoulder, her best friend’s wings now hiding them fully from view. “I have grown weary of the pretense. At times I think I should simply become the maiden aunt to your offspring and spend father’s fortune on frivolous things. Perhaps I should become an eccentric cat collector.”

“Perish the thought!” Constance scoffed, not a cat person herself. “But I know, love.” She smiled gently, cupping Lizzy’s cheeks. “Do not give up hope just yet. I truly believe something good is about to happen.”

“If you say so.” Lizzy wiped the lone tear from her cheek. “I will forever be grateful to your father for never once pushing me to choose.”

“Mother would pluck his feathers if he tried,” she giggled, returning them to their leisurely strolling.

“Uncle Stark is most vain about his feathers.” The man had large wings of black and red and gold. They were quite stunning and most intimidating when he was in a mood. “At times I think he spends more time preening than even you, dear Const…” Her voice trailed off when the hullabaloo erupted near the entrance.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Stark called out, his wings lifted high as he stood atop the stairs. “It is my great honour and privilege to present to you, Colonel Rogers, the Earl of Denton, and Lieutenant Colonel Barnes, Lord of Winterborne.”

The alpha’s wings swept down, and Lizzy’s breath caught in her throat. “Oh… my,” she whispered, unable to pull her eyes from the blond man in the red military uniform with ropes of gold braiding and lapels of navy. He stood tall and regal at the top of the stairs in breeches of white silk and high boots. Though impeccably dressed, he was outfitted so differently from the rest of the men in the room he quite stood out from the others.

His short cropped hair curled ever so slightly at his ears and over his forehead, while eyes of crystalline blue could be seen even at a distance. When he stepped forward and bowed to the room, she felt a blossom of heat curl in her core for he had the most beautiful golden wings she’d ever seen.

They lifted up, high and wide, spreading out behind him magnificently. Lizzy had never seen so many shades of gold. Everything from deep, rich antique to bright and shiny as a newly minted coin. It wasn’t until his primaries fanned out she noted the shocking touch of bronze along the tips.

Her heart fairly pounded, and she lifted a hand to her throat to contain the flutter. “Constance…” she whispered.

“Oh… my,” her friend sighed.

Lizzy felt a moment of panic. Certainly, Constance couldn’t be as entranced by the alpha - and an alpha he must be with those wings - as she was. When she darted a glance her way, Lizzy nearly sobbed in relief for Constance’s gaze was not on the golden one, but rather the rougher looking dark male at his side.

Lord Barnes appeared the quintessential rake in his red uniform and breeches of black highlighting his thick muscles. He was dressed as the Earl in high boots though his hair was a touch too long to be fashionable. When his wings lifted, brushing along the edge of the Earl’s in a move born of familiarity, Constance sighed at their grandeur. They were the deepest, purest black Lizzy had ever seen. They appeared to absorb the light around him until he was wreathed in shadow and proclaimed him an alpha as well.

In truth, he scared Lizzy a little. There was a hardness to him she was disinclined to be acquainted with. But Constance, her much more adventurous friend, appeared wholly enamoured of the dark soldier.

It was not until the two men made to descend the stairs that Lizzy became aware of the injuries which had seen them returning home. The Colonel leaned heavily on a silver-headed cane, his limp pronounced, while a sling tied across his body hindered the Lieutenant's left arm.

“Come, Lizzy dear. We should make our presence known to them before they are encumbered by any number of fawning females.”

She eyed Constance with amusement. “Are you not simply adding yourself the mix of fawning females?”

“What? No!” she huffed. “As a Stark myself, and you as father’s ward, it is only correct we introduce ourselves.”

Lizzy detached her arm from Constance with a small smile. “You go on. I am going to take in the air on the terrace. It is far too stuffy in here for me.” And with everyone flocking to the newcomers, perhaps she could find a moments peace and a welcome touch of privacy.

“Are you certain you are alright?” Constance asked, torn between coming with her and inserting herself into the growing circle of simpering omegas.

“Go. I will be fine.” She smiled, patted Constance’s hand, and shooed her away.

Once her friend was off in a flutter of feathers, Lizzy turned to the exterior doors and made her way outside to stand in the shadows along the railing.

It was a soft night in the English countryside. The air was fresh and clean, the stars were bright, and she inhaled the satisfaction of it. But it was a short-lived peace for, when she lifted her wings high and wide behind her, letting them stretch after the tightness induced by Lord Davenport’s presence, a hand, big and rough and unwanted, landed on the bare flesh between them.

Her shriek of fear ripped through the night as she spun to face the intruder, snapping her wings around herself protectively to glare at the man for whom she held only contempt.

“Come now, darling. Is that any way to treat your alpha? When will you end this charade? We both know you will be mine eventually.” Davenport leered at her, his hand skimming the edge of her feathers.

“Do not touch me, sir!” Lizzy yelped, stepping back and finding herself trapped against the railing.

He stepped into her, murky brown wings coming up to hide them from view, the alpha doing his best to intimidate her into submitting. “Why should I not touch what is mine, little omega? You keep running from me, but you will give me what I want eventually.”

He gripped her by a wing and yanked her toward him, causing Lizzy to cry out and fear to explode in her scent. “No! Get away from me!”

He dragged her closer and pushed his nose into her neck, stroking it up to scent her and leaving his foul one behind when he licked at her skin. “You smell lush, Elizabeth.”

“Someone, help me!” she cried. Well aware the noise of the ball would likely muffle her plea, Lizzy brought her free wing up, smacking him in the jaw with the hard arc of bone, knocking his face away and his grip from her feathers.

“You will pay for that, omega!” he snarled, eyes tinting red.

She wanted to cower, wanted to back away from the rage, but she would not fall beneath the Will of this heinous male. “Stay away from me!” Lizzy snapped, sweeping her wings down to launch herself to the railing she was trapped against. “Your company is neither requested nor wanted. I reject you, Lord Davenport, and shall be informing Lord Stark of this blatant breach of good manners!”

He made to lunge for her, but a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

“The lady has made her wishes known, sir. It is time for you to abandon your quest.”

“Who the hell do you think you are interfering in business between an alpha and his omega?” Davenport snarled as he spun around, wings raised high, seeking to intimidate Lizzy’s would be rescuer.

Lizzy gasped when the other male’s wings lifted and snapped outward. They fairly doubled that of Davenport’s and were shining shimmering gold. The omega in her whimpered, and Lizzy nearly did as well when she whispered, “Warlord Alpha.”

***

“I would be Colonel Steven Grant Rogers, Earl of Denton, and I would thank you, sir, to stop harassing that omega! She clearly is not yours nor does she wish to be.” Steve felt his alpha surge, the secondary biology which drove him to follow instincts old as time. It whipped out as a lash against the lesser alpha, slapping him with a wall of his Will not many could resist for long.

His instincts had led him here to the terrace when his ear had caught the first muffled scream. When he’d arrived at the door to find the woman needing assistance was the incredible dove he’d seen across the ballroom, his heart had clenched.

She was lovely with hair like ink, skin like cream, and eyes of slate grey, but it was her wings which had drawn his attention. Even across the expanse of the room he could see they were the purest of white, a shimmering alabaster, but stretched to their full extent as she made to escape her assailant he found they were even more remarkable for not only did they proclaimed her a Queen, but the underside gleamed like mother of pearl. A cascade of pastel colours, all soft and glorious, while the tip of her primaries appeared dipped in silver.

His artist’s heart thumped a hard cadence. What would it take to have her agreeing to sit for a portrait? Would he even be able to capture the magnificence of such wings?

Her impassioned snarl was so unlike an omega he’d had to take a moment to find his bearings before making his way out on the terrace to assist her; the pain in his leg momentarily forgotten.

“The Golden Devil…” Davenport whispered, the red leaving his eyes as his wings folded submissively behind him. “I beg pardon, my lord.”

“You should be begging the pardon of Lady…?” He looked up to the ethereal creature standing on the railing like an Egret about to take flight.

“Heartright, my lord.” She bobbed an effective curtsey for one so precariously perched.

“Lady Heartright as it is she you have distressed.” Steve glowered at Davenport until the man snapped a swift bow.

“Miss. I beg forgiveness for my forward actions. I shall inform your Uncle I will be withdrawing my suit. Good evening.”

He straightened, nodded to Steve, and returned inside, allowing Steve to appreciate the beauty before him fully. The shimmering lavender of her gown hugged her breasts. He could tell she would be trim of waist and round of hip even had she not been laced into a corset. The ribbon beneath her breasts was a darker variation of purple, strung with beads and jewels, a match for the bands of her sleeves and the collar of her pretty dress. Pins held up her curls, ones of flowers and butterflies, appearing to fly across the blanket of night her hair had become.

She was utterly disarming.

He had never been so enraptured by a woman at first glance before. Then, the breeze shifted, carrying her scent to his nose and he almost growled. Mine. The stunning dove was his.

His mate. His omega. His Queen. His.

And her fear scented the air.

The very thought of her being afraid of him snapped him out of his haze of scents and instincts. “You are safe,” he said softly, stepping closer, his limp going unnoticed in favour of enticing the little female to him. “Come down, pretty dove.” He held up his hand to assist her, lowering his wings to be less threatening, but leaving them spread out, a hard to resist temptation.

She looked at him suspiciously for a time, one hand repeatedly rubbing over the scent gland on her throat, driving him insane with the desire to do so himself. After what felt an eternity of time, she reached for his hand and took it gently to step with grace and a curl of her wings to the ground.

“Thank you, my lord.”

He lifted her gloved hand to his lips, unable to look away from her eyes. “A gentleman must assist a lady in distress.”

She blushed, the colour highlighting her cheeks. “What a special breed of gentleman you must be. Not many would have stood against Lord Davenport.”

“Aggravating sot,” Steve muttered, earning a surprised giggle. The musical sound made him smile. “Would you sit with me, Lady Heartright? I’m afraid my leg is still not quite healed.”

“Oh! How dreadful of me to keep you standing. Please.” She took his arm and led him slowly across the terrace to sit on a stone bench.

Steve stretched his leg out and rubbed at his thigh, well aware of the spike of interest which floated between them. Unlike him, who’d caught the delectable natural scent of her and knew without a doubt she was his, his high collar, cravat, and heavy waistcoat effectively masked his scent to the point where she had not yet caught his.

“Heartright… Heartright… would you be Elizabeth Heartright, the ward of Lord Stark?” he asked, tilting his head, studying the way the moonlight seemed to shimmer over her feathers.

“Yes. He is my uncle… of a sort,” Lizzy smiled.

“Of a sort sounds rather mysterious. Are you a mysterious sort of omega, Lady Heartright?”

She laughed, bringing her gloved fingers to her lips before rubbing, again, the spot on her throat. It lifted her scent into the air, one mixed with that of Davenport.

His audacity offended Steve greatly. To mark an unwilling omega in such a way was frowned upon. This was not the days of yore when omegas were seen as chattel, property to be owned and parcelled out. They were people, human beings, and should be cherished and pampered, not bullied and forced.

“I hate to be a disappointment, my lord, but I am a plain country girl.” She shook her head, her eyes alight with amusement.

Steve reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled forth a handkerchief scented with lavender. “For your neck, if you’ll permit me?” he asked, motioning to the spot which was bothering her.

Her eyes grew round, and he thought she would reject his offer before a shift came over her, a rise of her secondary nature. She may not have caught his scent, but her omega was not averse to his alpha.

“Would you?” she asked softly.

Perhaps it was forward, but Steve would not allow himself to think of the impropriety when his need to care for the beautiful omega was making his alpha snarl. Evidently, her omega was pushing her to let him in much the same fashion.

Without further thought, he leaned toward her, her scent intoxicating to his senses. It made his head swim, and he longed to tuck his nose in her throat and lick away the offending odour of the other male. Instead, he gently wiped the linen over her skin.

She tilted her head, the act a submissive one which saw Steve biting back another growl. When the scent of the other male no longer lingered on her skin, he pulled away, but not before grazing her jaw with his thumb.

“Thank you, my lord,” she sighed. “His advances were unwanted. His actions even more so.”

“I am glad I arrived before he could force your hand,” Steve agreed.

“Would you explain something to me, my lord?” she asked softly, her fingers twisting together.

“If I can, I will do so.”

“What did Lord Davenport mean by The Golden Devil?” She looked up at him with curious eyes.

Steve chuckled softly and shook his head. “It was a name given me by my men. The French captured Lord Barnes and a contingent of my soldiers. I knew where they were, and knew how to get to them, but was told to stand down and wait for reinforcements. Lord Barnes, James who goes by Bucky, has been my best friend, my brother, since our nursery days and when my parents passed, his took me in. I could not, would not leave him to the French. I disobeyed orders, went in after the contingent alone and freed the soldiers. We fought our way out, taking down one of Napoleon’s strongholds in the process. Bucky had been… well, it is not for polite company.”

“Tortured?” she asked, concern in her voice. “And as for polite company, I find it dreadfully dull. Speak as you will, Colonel Rogers.”

He smiled at her, happy to have her drop the my lord stuffiness. He was too long in the military with men of a rough and tumble nature to hold with such formalities. “Yes, the Lieutenant had been tortured, his injuries great, but I refused to leave him behind. I fought my way through with Bucky on my shoulder. The men said watching me fight, wings high and sweeping, was like watching the devil. After, whenever we went into battle, it was said the sight of my wings alone was enough to send Napoleon’s forces fleeing. We were turning the tide of the war till this took me down.” He slapped his thigh with a sigh.

“And your friend? Was he also injured so?”

“In the same battle. Barnes is a crack marksman. A sniper, but when he saw me go down, he came to assist and took a bullet for his trouble.”

“Oh, how brave but how terrible,” she said, drawing her left wing closer. She winced when it moved, sending pain and distress into the air.

“Are you injured from your ordeal, Lady Heartright?”

“My wing is a trifle tender. I’m afraid Lord Davenport was rather insistent.”

Steve growled, low and deadly, but tenderly touched her sore wing. “Forgive my forwardness, but if anything is damaged…”

“No… I… I understand,” she blushed, extending it out to him.

As gently as possible, he manipulated the bones and tendons. When he finished, assured she was only bruised, Steve was unable to resist running his palm over the sleek feathers. “You have the most beautiful wings I have ever seen. I suppose one would say they were like a swan’s dipped in moonlight,” she stiffened, then sighed as if disappointed, “but I would not.”

“You wouldn’t?” Surprise had her lifting her head.

“No.” Steve shook his head, tenderly tracing a finger over the arch of her wing. “They are like a blanket of fresh snow upon the hills which sparkles beneath the glow of a full moon. A ribbon of a frozen river appears silver beneath the night sky to tip your primaries in its glory.”

She looked at him with eyes full of wonder before they darted down and away. “You… you honour me, Colonel,” she murmured.

A host of emotions rose from her to thrum against his alpha. Happy, surprised, pleased, embarrassed. They seemed to swirl in his nose and stroke his ego, urging him onward in his early pursuit of this sweet omega.

He gently manipulated her wing to touch the interior of her stunning feathers hesitantly. “But this, my lady, this took my breath away. It is as if someone inlaid your feathers in mother of pearl. I have never seen such wonders before.”

She blushed and gently pulling her wing from his grasp so they could sweep submissively down her back. Her lashes fluttered and more pleased, happy, awed appeared in her scent. “I must admit, yours are… quite fetching as well.”

“These?” he asked sliding one forward, so it opened and cut off the light from the ballroom.

“Magnificent,” she whispered. Her hand lifted, but she hesitated before reaching for the top of her glove. She peeled it down, exposing her smooth forearm, only to pause at her wrist. “Please, do not think less of me?”

“I could never,” he whispered and took her hand to pull away each finger of her glove, freeing her of the fabric.

Her hand returned to his wing and gentle fingers, warm and soft, stroked languidly down them.

Steve felt her touch all the way to his soul. His cock jumped when she pressed her palm against his secondaries and jumped again when she traced the edge of one of his bronze-tipped primaries.

“They are so beautiful.”

“Omega,” he rumbled softly.

She turned to him, hand buried still in his feathers. Shy was written all over her posture.

When he held out his hand, she gave hers over willingly. He brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on the bare flesh. “Lord Barnes and I will be in residence a few days to discuss… things of a military nature with Lord Stark. Would it be forward of me to ask to spend time with you while we are here? To… to call upon you, Lady Heartright? Perhaps take in the grounds?”

“Yes,” she whispered, taking her hand back with reluctance to return her glove to its proper place.

“Yes, it would be forward, or yes, you would take a walk with me? Albeit a short one,” he teased gently, patting his thigh.

“Oh, no… I mean yes, I mean…” she cleared her throat, “I would be most delighted to take even a short walk with you, my lord.”

“And here I thought we’d slipped past silly formalities.” He took her hand and got slowly to his feet to balance on his good leg while he tucked her hand in the bend of his elbow. “I would be most pleased for you to call me Colonel Rogers, my lady.”

“Colonel,” she murmured, her eyes sparkling with reflected stars.

“Allow me to escort you back to your Uncle.” He needed to stake a claim before another could, and speaking with her Uncle would expedite things.

“How did you manage to make it through all these people to assist me?” she asked, looking up at him curiously as they stepped back inside.

He smiled softly down at her. “Not many people can stand against me when I put my mind to something, fair lady.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed.” He bent a little closer, aware of the eyes on them. “I always get what I’m after. It’s part of my charm,” he said with a roguish smile.

She laughed in surprised delight. “I’m sure you are most charming… for a Golden Devil.”

Steve only smiled, pleased with her wit as her shyness waned, and lifted his wings to settle one behind hers before casting a glance around the room at the many disappointed faces both male and female. Clearly, they had all been hoping for more from both himself and the darling woman with him.

But it was of little consequence for this Golden Devil would have his sweet White Dove. Nothing and no one would stand in the way of a Warlord Alpha in pursuit of his Omega Queen.

Next Chapter

#yourtropegirlchallenge #historicalauchallenge #a painter's embrace #steve rogers #steve rogers fanfiction #regency era #colonel rogers #avengers au #avengers fanfiction #wings!fic

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~Meet Me In The Hallway~

Chapter 28-Fern Gully

I was laying on the bottom part of Harry's stomach doing my best to distract him with a game I had made up called, "Between Two Ferns."

It basically consisted of me going over all his tattoos and telling him why I thought they were stupid. It started when we had first gotten to South America. The hours in my bed at home had been frenzied and apparently noisy, but the lights were off and I missed a few additions to Harry' s body. It should have been a game for me. Surely, I could play those memory cards that little kids do and try to write down all of the 50+ tattoos the gorgeous idiot had on his body. I had postulated their meaning one night, using my deep thinking wanna be a writer and have read too many classics brain to give full meaning to many of the pieces of art he had chosen. I had then come to find out many of them were just completely stupid. "Oh, I wanted to try my gun." "Zayn likes Pink Floyd, well that album, I think." "Oh, do you not like 'Pingu', love?" These were the deep well of meaning for his forever etchings I'd run into. When we had a whole hotel room with a big white bed to sleep in one night in Rio, I'd been loose lipped from caipirinhas and loose limbed from Harry and told him that my Favorite tattoo had been the 'might as well' tattoo he had covered up with the giant ferns. I'd been emboldened by the alcohol I was slowly learning to enjoy in his presence. He'd been imbibing it liberally and I'd pulled him off Ben Winston to take him to our room. Some part of me meant this very innocently, but the newer, louder part meant every filthy implication of putting him to bed. I also wanted to try something new. The elevator had been empty, and for once it was handsy Melly. "Baby." He'd snorted, "that tickles!" He'd sneezed while I wiggled my fingers over his newly obscured v lines. "Good, now you know how it feels!" I'd giggled like I was the receiver of the tickles and the door had opened and he made a run for the door of our room. He'd swiped himself in and tried to close me out. My first instinct was to fight my way in, like I would with my brother, but instead I used a tactic I had recently discovered. I stuck out my bottom lip a little and looked up at him through my lashes, "Baby," I added a touch of whine to my voice. It really made me want to roll my eyes at myself, but Harry turned to custard when I combined these moves. He pulled the door back open and linked our fingers, pulling. The momentum of the move propelled me into his body and the closing door meant magnetized lips. Harry walked backwards through the living area making the most direct line possible without eyes and while physically connected to someone by teeth and tongue. It felt sexy, but Harry was undeniably clumsy and drunk. I had thought about his flailing limbs and falling habits one day and remembered when Michael sprouted up during puberty. It was like he was unaware of where his body began and ended suddenly. My brother had grown out of this growth induced bumbling. Harry had not. I wonder if from the outside looked like a pinball game as we ricocheted off of sofas and walls to make it to the bedroom. From the inside, the focus was on one another and getting to the room with the softest horizontal surface. The back of Harry's knees hit the mattress and I'd pushed him down. His hat popped off his head and the light from the window hit the sweat on his cheekbones making them glow. The light also caught the points of his collarbones and the ridges of his ribs and even the tips of his hipbones. These points of interest caught my eye too, in wonderfully frustrating ways. I realized then that he was drunk, but I was definitely tipsy. I pinched his right fern. I really wanted to pinch his v lines, but I couldn't see them so well anymore. "Why the fuck did you get these, mate?" I soothed my finger over the now hidden words. I missed them. He shivered at the contact, but frowned at my words. "You don't like them, angel?" He grabbed at my hands and started to sit up. I stopped his motion and pushed him back down. "Are they supposed to be arrows pointing to your dick?" I ticked up an eyebrow. "Because everybody knows where that is. Can't miss it." I cupped him through the damp cloth of his boxers and found him more than half hard. He swallowed and tried to find something to say. I decided to continue to leave him speechless. "Do you just like to keep the accounts that keep track of your stupid tattoos—" "Heeey!" "Busy?" His skin was on fire beneath my fingertips, running a few degrees above the usual and I wanted to be brave. I bit my lip and decided to go with the bold spirit I was feeling. Teasing him with words was familiar and made me more comfortable teasing him with other tools. I'd just hooked my fingers under his swim trunks when he found his voice. "You really don't like them?" The little people pleaser pouted. "Well," I pulled his trunks down watching his glans pop free of his waistband and hit between the two fern leaves. "I miss the less obscured view of your v lines." I leaned down and licked one, until my face was right next to his bobbing dick. I licked down the other way and stopped just above his waiting shaft. It flexed towards me and he whined. "But if it's a map telling me where I should go..." And I licked his tip and he made a new sound I wanted to hear on repeat.

My boldness started to flag when I realized I wasn't sure what to do, so I stroked him in a way that had become familiar and looked at him beseechingly. "Just," he sucked in a breath. "Just put it in your mouth. You'll be amazing, Melody. Just," he bucked into my hands and I wrapped my lips around the tip. His head popped up to watch, "watch the teeth."

So I opened my mouth wider and pursed my open lips and went down until it was uncomfortable and came back up. A natural suction was created and Harry's neck got weak. "That's it, Angel!" So I repeated the motion, and he reached a hand down to where I was holding his base. He moved my hand with his, up and down while I sucked his tip shallowly. Out of curiosity I pulled off to watch him and I stroke over his cock. The foreskin would come up and swallow his flared head and go back down again. I licked his glans and then again when the jacket covered it. His hand was speeding up and he was panting with anticipation. I jerked my hand to get him to let me take back over and chased his prepuce up and down until his hand buried itself into my hair and he quietly humped my mouth. "Angel, Melody, you gotta..."

I opened my eyes wide. He sounded like he was really close, stumbling over his words.

"I'm gonna cum!" He pulled my mouth off by my hair and I loved the yank. He covered the ferns with thick white spurts and I was transfixed. Condoms had kept me from coming into contact with his ejaculate. I ran my fingers through and lay my head on the top of his thigh before bringing some gathered fluid to my mouth. It was bitter, but not unpleasant. He whined watching me.

"Next time, don't stop me?" I asked, I was pretty sure boys liked that from being unwillingly adjacent to a lot of male voices for years. "Melody," he prayed a hallelujah and linked our fingers again over a fern. "Still not sure I like these, but they seem to work!" I pinched his right fern and he yelped out a laugh. After that, I'd lay on his lower stomach sometimes before during and/or after and give him my opinions on things like the word big-stupid, sparrows-love, and padlocks-did a five year old do that? I also liked to do it when he was feeling stressed. It distracted both of us from the unforgiving pace we were going at. It was crazy to be on this beast of a tour. The crowds, the dates-one right after another, with no breaks, the constant promo, and now the 1D boys were also recording an album. Most nights Harry did not make it back to our room until 4 am. He'd fall into bed and lack enough interest to fade into me. The Take Me Home tour had been constant and strained and even crazier than the current circuit we were making around world with the film crew and writing and recording and adding dates upon dates.

It did not seem to be as thoroughly exhausting though. It may have been that those were incremental changes. The boys weren't faced with nearly a year of traveling to start with. Also, they had been fresher then. Fresher faced and had not already made three back to back albums and two circumnavigation of the globe in three years. The excitement of their new lives, fame, and money could have staved off the exhaustion. It wasn't so new now. But the pace remained. And it remained relentless. I could see it on the face of all of the boys. Niall weathered it best, you could bottle his energy. Louis got snarkier, Liam alternated between drinking and exercising, and Zayn withdrew. But I saw the changes in Harry more. To be fair, we essentially lived together, like a roving band of gypsies and Harry and I shared our caravan. When he came in and literally timbered into bed, with few words and no cuddles, I worried a little. One night was worrisome, night after night was problematic. "Fuck!" Harry roared walking in one evening. It wasn't the emotion I missed from him, but any show of personality not on stage was appreciated. However, this was accompanied by a slung bottle of water I had to jump over. "Ahh!" I found myself stumbling and tripping over my own feet. "Shit, sorry Melly! Didn't see you." Ouch.

I let the fact that he saw me rarely go. He came over and pulled me up. I thought he'd hug me, but the waves of emotion radiating off of him were of the don’t touch me variety. I took a step back from him and crossed my arms. "What's up Harry?" I gave him a glance over. "They fucking added a video shoot during our off time!" He ranted and started to pace. "Off time, which we don't fucking get, ever, and I had plans, in LA for meetings, about, like, after. Dammit, I'm gonna look like a stupid kid or uninterested! Fucking managements gonna milk us dry and then let us fade to oblivion. Give us no time to get another career or make other connections." All of his thoughts made sense, I knew they were all frustrated with the scheduling and pace and were continually pushing for more creative control. I had never heard these specific frustrations from Harry though and wondered where they were coming from. I knew in our time apart he had had a whole life I was unaware of and that he met and became close to some important people. There was a time when I'm sure I would have known all about his new plans and hopes, but a lot of the time that we used to spend talking was now spent doing other things, and lately, with recording, even that wasn't happening. At least I got to hold him while he slept. Harry gave a big sniff and coughed before running out of steam and deflating onto the couch below him. The coughs intensified and I thought about that too, worried about that too. He was sick, a lot. He had nearly not made it to me last tour because of his weakened immune system. He needed a break, they all needed a break, but they were just over half way through and I had already heard there would be another tour on the heels of this one. I worried. Mostly for Harry, and the other boys, their health and life and careers. But I also worried about Harry and I. There were things I didn't know, that I should. We weren't talking enough, and our other modes of connection where being belayed by late nights, the need for sleep, and snotty noses. I made my way over to the couch and fitted myself behind his body. I tried to tell him everything with that move. Harry nuzzled into me and found his way to my lap like he'd loved since our first movie date that wasn't a date. My hand was going to his hair as he reached to bring it there. "I'm sorry, H. I know you are tired—" "Honestly Melly, at this point I miss tired. Um, i'm so far beyond it that.." he shook his head and I petted him. "If...." I wasn't sure how to tell him I'd take the cup from him. "Is it weird to tell you I'd be you for any length of time to give you rest?" He rolled onto his back then to look up at my face and his lips turned down and his eyes filled. He caressed my face while he let his frustration leak from his eyes. "No, because then, um, then you would feel like this. And I'd never want that for you." I leaned down to kiss his sweet lips and scoffed when he turned his face. "Harry..." "No, like, you'll get sick, like last time, Angel, and I won't be able to take care of you. Because I'll be fucking gone, like always."

“Baby, is there anybody you can talk to about this? To fix it?” I was scared to ask.

He looked at me in a way I’d never seen. Harry usually looked at me like I was magic, or brilliant, or his. In this moment, he looked at me like I was simple, and not in a good way. “Melody, they don’t care. They only want to milk the cash cow. If I am burned out or washed up at 23, they don’t care. Only I care, or you, or my mom. Maybe close friends, or Jeff?’ There was a question there.

“Who’s Jeff?” I’d heard the name mentioned and seen him pop up in the google alert I’d set for Harry.

“Azoff.” he said, like it meant something. I was going to ask the other questions, I was. I knew that they were important and that there were things that we should say-puzzle pieces missing, but Harry had blown out a breath and settled himself into my lap. “Angel?”

I pulled my attention from where I was staring at his hand, he’d started to wear rings. It was laying on his thigh. “Yeah?”

“Thank you.” His hand cupped my chin.

“For what?” I placed my fingers over his to tangle them together.

“For just…” he closed his eyes. “For being here, for….listening, I guess.”

“Always, H.” I promised and squeezed his hand. “I’m still your best friend.”

His eyes were closed, and I could tell he was nodding off.

The next day, i went shopping with the girl’s, and they all giggled when I bought Harry a ring. Lottie doubted he would even wear it. But Lou, Lou seemed to know him almost as well as me.

“He’ll love it,” she inspected the square lettering-PEACE- “he could use it.” and I nodded along with her.

Harry held me against him when I gave it to him that night. “It’s perfect, Angel.” He slipped it on immediately and we both admired the way it looked against his skin, and then my own.

At the time, it was a sweet moment between us. My wish for him and a promise to be his resting place. I think it still means something to him, he still wears my ring.

I still wear a matching one.

It mattered. It matters, but now I think maybe it was a volley into no man’s land, a lost cause. I was a little child trying to stop a flood by sticking my finger in a dyke.

Because the only way to save us, was to sacrifice me.

I don’t know who you are, but playlist anon-I love you!!!

#harry styles #Harry Styles fanfiction #Harry Styles fanfic #harry styles smut #mmith #meet me in the hallway #one direction #one direction fanfiction #chapter 28

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quranreadalong · 6 years

Text

#17, Surah 3

THE QURAN READ ALONG: DAY 17

Be warned: this section is another mangled Biblical fanfic, like the stuff about Moses in surah two. This one is about Mary, as in the mother of Jesus, and her family. Her family including Imran, who appears in this crossover Exodus/Gospels fic as Mary’s father instead of Joachim. The good news is that this means there will be less hellfire, disbelievers are evil, etc in this section compared to usual.

We begin with 3:35, in which her unnamed mother (Anne) vows to give her unborn child to Allah as an “offering”, and after Mary’s birth begs Allah to protect Mary from Satan. A hadith tells us this means that Mary (and Jesus) were protected from his touch. Allah “accepted her with full acceptance”.

Zechariah (Zakariyya), the future father of John the Baptist, is then appointed the young Mary’s male guardian. Now this is a change from the Gospel of Luke, in which a pregnant Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is Zechariah’s wife, and stays with her for a few months; she doesn’t go there because Zechariah is her “guardian”. But in Islamic and pre-Islamic Arab tradition, young women are appointed a “guardian” or wali from their male family members, who must approve of marriages and such. You might be wondering why Zechariah is Mary’s wali instead of Imran. The Quran..... doesn’t say!

The sira and history books greatly elaborate upon the story of Mary’s early life, since so much of it is vague in the Quran itself. Al-Tabari (volume 4) brings Joseph in as her carpenter cousin, who serves in a temple with Mary. Joseph realizes she’s pregnant, and tells her to run away so she won’t be accused of adultery. She runs to her sister’s house (her sister being Elizabeth), and her brother-in-law (Zechariah) takes her in. So that’s how the relationship is explained there. Ibn Ishaq’s sira contains an interesting story in which both of Mary’s parents die and her new guardian is chosen randomly. Zechariah is her initial guardian, but then a carpenter-monk (yes, a monk in Jewish Palestine, long story) named Jurayj takes her in. More on him in a second.

3:37 says Allah gave Mary food in a temple, which is odd and doesn’t appear in the Bible. The idea seems to come from the apocryphal Gospel of James, which was an inauthentic Gospel (probably written by a Roman-born Christian) that was popular for a couple of centuries. It reads:

And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the hand of an angel.

But anyway. 3:38 continues the Biblical story, with Zechariah praying and an angel telling Zechariah that he will be the father of John the Baptist even though he and his wife are old. Zechariah is rendered temporarily mute.

All of this is neutral and, besides the food part (and Zechariah being Mary’s “guardian”), pretty much just Mohammed recounting the beginning of the Gospel of Luke. We’re now gonna talk about Mary herself. Some angels tell Mary that she has been chosen by Allah:

Allah hath chosen thee and made thee pure, and hath preferred thee above (all) the women of creation.

This is also almost word-for-word from the Gospel ("thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”). 3:43 is a non-Biblical aside of the angels telling Mary to “prostrate thyself and bow with those who bow (in worship)”, in the Muslim fashion. About the only other interesting thing here is that Mary is talking to angels, plural. In the Biblical story, and in other parts of the Quran, it’s just one angel. Lo! Allah hath trouble counting at times, let us ignore it.

3:44 is a hilarious verse where Allah smugly tells everyone that he revealed this story exclusively to Mohammed, which is proof that he is a prophet because how else could he know all of this? Besides the fact that 90% of it is from the Bible and the rest he made up? But I want this to be a nice section so I will call it neutral.

Anyway, right, back to the story. The angels are talking to Mary. They tell her that she will give birth to the Messiah (not the son of God as in the Christian story), who will preach to the people. Mary is a virgin and does not understand how this is possible. But Allah can do anything.

Keeping the virgin birth story has always struck me as odd, given that Jesus is explicitly not Allah’s son in Islam. He’s not anyone’s son, really, besides Mary’s. He doesn’t have a father, divine or otherwise. Allah just made him and then sent an angel to breathe his ruh (spirit) into him, the way he made Adam... why he did this or what it accomplished is never really said. Lo! Allah was just bored that day.

Allah, the angels tell Mary, will mentally teach Jesus how to preach and he will be a prophet. He will perform miracles, like bringing clay birds to life.

This tale is not in the Bible but is in the non-Biblical Gospel of Thomas, which was part of some groups’ traditions at the time, like the Gospel of James:

Lo, thy child is at the brook, and he hath taken clay and fashioned twelve little birds, and hath polluted the Sabbath day. And Joseph came to the place and saw: and cried out to him, saying: Wherefore doest thou these things on the Sabbath, which it is not lawful to do? But Jesus clapped his hands together and cried out to the sparrows and said to them: Go! and the sparrows took their flight and went away chirping.

Then all of a sudden we have a timeskip and we’re talking about the adult Jesus, whose job was “confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you”. Jesus tells people to worship Allah and recruits his disciples since they believe in his teachings. Like all the other prophets, Muslim!Jesus’ message is one of full monotheism and not much else... none of his famous sayings from the Bible feature in the Quran. In fact, adult Muslim!Jesus barely says anything at all, as Mohammed seemed to prefer his childhood tales. But this, like everything else in this section, is a neutral retelling.

This has all been a very boring re-tread, I know. But here’s the new and exciting part! 3:54 takes us to just before Jesus’ last days. There are schemes afoot:

And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers.

What scheme was Allah working on, you may ask? Allah tells Jesus that “I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me”. You see, as we shall learn later, Jesus was not killed in the crucifixion. No... he ascended into heaven beforehand. We will see in surah four that the crucifixion was an illusion with a fake Jesus. Truly you are a great schemer, Allah! (I’ll save this dumb story for the next surah.)

Then--wait a minute, I forgot about this one! I wanted an entire section free of badness! Damn it, Mohammed!

As for those who disbelieve I shall chastise them with a heavy chastisement in the world and the Hereafter; and they will have no helpers.

I’m not even trying to label things bad, but Mohammed gives me no choice sometimes. Kuffar hell count: 1. Sigh. At least it is coupled with a semi-good ayah, where good Muslims go to jannah:

And as for those who believe and do good works, He will pay them their wages in full. Allah loveth not wrong-doers.

I know, I know, I’m being overly generous here. But this was meant to be a happy neutral section! At least we have a neutral recap, with 3:58 calling all of the above a “revelation” and 3:59 saying that Allah created Jesus like Adam, from dust (in Mary’s womb).

Those who doubt the wisdom Mohammed pulled out of his ass are “those who waver”, as we have seen many times. And anyone who questions what Mohammed says about Jesus, well... I’ll let him explain:

And whoso disputeth with thee concerning him, after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, say (unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we will pray humbly (to our Lord) and (solemnly) invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie.

Sure thing, bud. The curse mentioned here is known as the mubahala in Islamic tradition. It supposedly involved Mohammed “inviting” some Christians from the Arab city of Najran to Islam, then getting pissy when they say “wait that’s not how the story went, you’ve got it wrong”, then he makes his family pray with him in order to curse them. This isn’t really found in any reputable ahadith and may be a fictitious account. But since it is, and historically has been, accepted as a real thing by both Sunni and Shia scholars, I’ll quote Ibn Ishaq’s description of the events. It begins:

A deputation from the Christians came to the apostle. There were sixty riders

Ibn Ishaq then attempts to explain why Christians think that Jesus is God, relating to his miracles, the virgin birth, YHWH’s use of plural pronouns, etc. He gets some details wrong about the faith, but only because he is trying to base it on Mohammed’s own mistaken assumptions. Mohammed refutes the Christians’ claims about Allah, though he stumbles on the question of why Allah calls himself “We” if the Trinity doctrine is false and admits he does not know. Then the story continues:

the apostle said to them, "Submit yourselves [and convert to Islam]." They said, "We have submitted". ... He said "You lie. Your assertion that God has a son, your worship of the cross, and your eating pork hold you back from submission.”

Following this is a description of the surah up to what we've already read. Ibn Ishaq then puts this into the story:

Later her guardian was Jurayj, the ascetic, a carpenter of [the Jews]. ... A grievous famine befell [Israel] and Zachariah was unable to support her so they cast lots to see who should be her guardian and the lot fell on Jurayj the ascetic and he became her guardian.

“Jurayj”? Who might this be? While he is not in the Quran, “Jurayj” is actually mentioned in a sahih hadith, where he is again described as a monk living in a monastery. In uh... like 10 AD Roman Judea? Anyway the full story involves a woman falsely accusing him of fathering her child, when in fact the baby was fathered by a shepherd. He is arrested and his monastery is destroyed. But the truth is revealed when Jurayj touches the baby boy and the baby tells everyone who his father was, then the monastery is re-built in apology.

Okay, so obviously the idea that some monk named George lived in pre-Christian Judea is nonsense, but where did Mohammed get this story from and how the hell did “Jurayj” get involved in the story of Mary? The topic hasn’t been explored much by any scholars, as far as I can tell. The name is obviously derived from “George” or “Gregory”, and I’ve come across places listing stories about various saints with similar miracles attributed to them. So Jurayj was based on some tales of a Christian monk. The obvious guess as to how he made his way into the story of Mary, as mentioned by Ibn Ishaq, is that he was conflated with Joseph (thus carpenter-monk).

Uh... right! That was a long digression. Ibn Ishaq then describes the rest of the surah up to the present point. He says that Allah commanded Mohammed to curse the Christians and Mohammed dared the Christians to do the same to him, but they knew “right well that Mohammed is a prophet” and so declined, fearing Allah’s wrath if they dared curse him. Then they went home.

But whatever. It’s pretty bad to curse people for having religious disagreements either way.

Finally, to wrap this section up, 3:62 has Mohammed again saying that this is what really happened, unlike the Christian story, and 3:63 tells us that anyone who says otherwise is one of the “corrupters”. Way to end it on a bad note.

That’s it for the Mary and Jesus business for this surah. What a mess.

NEXT TIME: We return to the regularly scheduled chastising of disbelievers.

The Quran Read-Along: Day 17

Ayat: 30

Good: 1 (3:57)

Neutral: 24 (3:35-56, 3:58-60, 3:62)

Bad: 4 (3:56, 3:60-61, 3:63)

Kuffar hell counter: 1 (3:56)

⇚ previous day | next day ⇛

#quranreadalong #surah 3 #al imran

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italianexotiicbeauty · 7 years

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Cary and jary

otp question meme | @authoritativeprince / @thesamoanspear

[ CARY / pre-break up? yes. ]

Who is the most affectionate? - Mary, holy hell is she ever.

Big spoon/Little spoon? - Big Spoon = Colby. Little spoon = Mary.

Most common argument? Funnily enough?? How LONG she takes to answer HIS TEXTS.

Favorite non-sexual activity? VIDEO GAMES AND PIZZA.

Who is most likely to carry the other? ( Assuming this means in a physical sense... ) Colby definitely likes to carry her around, she enjoys piggyback’s to be honest.

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s? Colby’s favorite feature on Mary is her legs. Mary’s favorite feature on Colby is both his hands and his hair. ( I can’t explain that one, she just really likes how strong his hands feel. )

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?I’d say general behavior around the opposite sex? I know Mary didn’t make any advancements on any male while Colby was “courting” her. I’ll go with the same for Colby, because his A-GAME on her was STRONG AF. ( ;~; and then it all fell to pieces. )

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate? Colb calls her “Mare Bear”. I’m actually unsure where that even came from, but I approve. :D

Who worries the most? Mary, HAVE YOU SEEN HIS JOB!? Despite how GOOD he is at it, THAT JOB IS FUCKIN’ DANGEROUS AS SHIT.

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant? It’s unfortunate that inform you … >_>;; no actual dates have happened enough, because he’s on the road so much and she tends to change her mind frequently. UNLESS IT’S PIZZA. It’s ALWAYS pepperoni and bacon.

Who tops? >_>;; They switch.

Who initiates kisses? Mary

Who reaches for the other’s hand first? Mary.

Who kisses the hardest? Colby.

Who wakes up first? Colby.

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer? Mary.

Who says I love you first? Mary

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?) PROBABLY Mary, if she packed one for him. HAHA! The note? “Kick ass and take names today!”

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first? Colby, Mary was a little hesitant because of his celebrity status and she didn’t want her friends/family thinking she was dating him JUST because he’s famous and has $$. ( BTW; It was never about that for her. )

What do their family/friends think of their relationship? HAHAH. Is it bad I feel like ALL of Colby’s friends gave him the subtle look of “don’t screw this one up”?? Mary’s friends were pretty excited for her, a few were concerned because she didn’t tell anyone right away, due to how she felt about telling them.

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other? Mary.

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking? Mary. COLBY GOT HIS ASS SPOILED AF.

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines? Colby.

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times? Both.

Who needs more assurance? Colby, I don’t know why.

What would be their theme song? ** This right here. **

Who would sing to their child back to sleep? MARY SINGS KEVIN BACK TO SLEEP!

What do they do when they’re away from each other? Work, what else? And on occasion, Mary admits to missing him ;~;

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart - THESE TWO HAD SO MUCH POTENTIONAL. Yes they did but then Colby went and did what he *always* does, and now she’s hard pressed to ever believed he actually cared about her at all. Oh, and that love is for fuckin’ suckers.

one headcanon about this OTP that mends it - despite her anger towards him for what he did to her, she still sorta cares. like enough that she did actually go to Iowa and help him out a little after he re-injured his knee.

[ JARY ]

Who is the most affectionate? - Joe! Heehee. Yes he is.

Big spoon/Little spoon? - HAHA. Oh god. Joe is the big spoon, Mary is the little spoon.

Most common argument? - Who has to walk Sparrow and the new puppy.

Favorite non-sexual activity? - HER KICKING HIS ASS AT AC: IV - multiplayer mode.

Who is most likely to carry the other? ( I think this means physically? ) Ha! Joe definitely loves to scoop her up a LOT.

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s? Mary’s favorite feature on Joe is his hair and his eyes. *___*;; Joe’s favorite feature on Mary is her hands! BECAUSE SHE GIVES A+++ MASSAGES.

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other? - I’d DEFINITELY say the overall want to spend MORE AND MORE time together. Which is why she got tickets to almost every event near/close enough to where she was living before moving to Florida. ( And people would always make note of how much she’d be smiling while working - like smiling out of nowhere cause she’s thinking about him. )

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate? I’m actually not sure if Joe has one for her. I know she refers to him as the “Empire Ruler Of My Heart”.

Who worries the most? Mary. ALL THE TIME. With good reason, his job is dangerous and she’s KNOWN how bad it is ever since those old school commercials about the wwe superstars being professionals, and how bodies were broken, careers ended, and to not try this at home. ( this commercial! ) And it terrifies her, all the time. every single time he steps in that ring, and know who sees the terror the most? Joelle.

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant? Joe does!

Who tops? Mary. (*cackles!* She likes being on top. )

Who initiates kisses? Joe.

Who reaches for the other’s hand first? Mary.

Who kisses the hardest? Mary.

Who wakes up first? They both do.

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer? Mary.

Who says I love you first? Aww. Joe did.

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?) Again, if she packed his lunch that note would read: “DON’T LISTEN TO THOSE BOO’S BABY. YOU’RE ALWAYS GONNA BE MY #1!”

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first? I’m pretty sure Mary shouted it with excitement to her older sister, like the first chance she got. They were pretty hush hush about it because of how the fans can be, it’s why she doesn’t follow back people on Twitter or IG a lot.

What do their family/friends think of their relationship? Joe’s family was pretty shocked at first when Mary walked in the door of his parents’ home for the first time after she moved down to Florida. The shock was because of how small she is, but then they saw past that and ended up loving her to bits. HAHAH. Mary’s best friend and her best friend’s husband freaked the EFF out when she brought him to dinner one time in CT. Like her bestie’s man is a HUGE WWE fan and he nearly had a heart attack when THE BIG DOG walked in the door of their house! Mary was cackling all night.

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other? Mary, oh yes.

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking? They both are actually.

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines? Joe.

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times? Mary, AND IT FLUSTERS HIM SO MUCH.

Who needs more assurance? Joe. Because of how 95% of the wwe universe treats him and it PISSES HER OFF so much.

What would be their theme song? Josh Turner - Your Man.

Who would sing to their child back to sleep? - Mary, and in Italian.

What do they do when they’re away from each other? - Mary is rude af. Poor Joe. Every other day he gets naughty texts JUST so he can reply with a picture of him being flustered. Joe? Dreams about holding her again. ;~;

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart - how attached Mary is to him, literally she starts crying the night before he has to get on the road again. ;~; she absolutely HATES being away from him so much but … alas. ;~; tis the life they lead.

one headcanon about this OTP that mends it - THEY’RE ENGAGED/OR WILL BE AND THAT JOE WANTS TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY.

#asks #answered #memes #[ooc]#[ read more for length XD ]#[ DA BAES. OUR FIRST SHIPS ;~; ]#thesamoanspear #authoritativeprince #SO WHAT IF YOU CAN SEE THE DARKER SIDE OF ME ( mary&colby )#MY HEART BEATS LIKE THUNDER FOR NO OTHER ( mary&joe )

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chalabrun · 5 years

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dance to forget, sareth

Word Count: 1,840 Pairing: Jareth/Sarah Williams Rating: G Warnings: None Summary: Sarah and Jareth never did get to make up for that dance her university was hosting. Here, they get to make up for it in relative peace. A/N: If it isn't obvious enough, I only ship Sareth as they exist in Pika la Cynique's Girls Next Door and the manga sequel, Return to Labyrinth. I don't ship them as they appear in the original movie for personal, probably obvious reasons.

( READ ON AO3 ]

Sometimes, it wasn’t unreasonable to feel as though Sarah Williams’ life deserved a season recap. After all, how did she describe the last few years? Going from childhood antagonist with the Goblin King and then his girlfriend several years later probably felt too quick to them. What was it, a year and a half? Two?

Regardless, there’d always be critics. People outside of the loop who’d criticize and say she forgave the man who was supposed to be her mortal enemy far, far too quickly.

Looking at you, Harry Dresden, Erik, Norrington, Raoul, and so on! Even if their fears weren’t totally unfounded if not completely coming from people used to the egotistical, pervy, stalker-y, immortal and magical—sometimes not—who comprised a unique kind of peanut gallery.

AKA, friends she was grateful for. The kind of conscience on her shoulder Jiminy Cricket could be jealous of. No one turned to wood here, no sir!

“Ow, careful, Chris,” Sarah hissed when Christina Daae gave an excited twist to her chocolate brown locks, having been brought into a casual up-do. Nothing that would give the impression of being a try-hard. Not easy to pull off given her somewhat recent history of rises made by a certain smug blond fae who enjoyed those kinds of reactions from her. “Not that it doesn’t look good, just…ow.”

Christine smiled sheepishly as she let fall the rest of the loose ends at Sarah’s nape, curling that which couldn’t be brought into the loose bun Sarah now sported. “Sorry, Sar! At least you look good enough for GK, huh?” the blonde prodded while admiring her own handiwork for her roommate. With good cause, too.

“Not that I owe it to that ass to look my best or anything,” Sarah groused beneath her breath, intensely scrutinizing her own reflection with a pout. It always was a game of tug of war with Jareth, and in this case, she’d earned major, major concessions this time around when Jareth had overtly announced their nascent romantic relationship to everyone and their mother in their apartment complex and beyond—via a highly publicized snogging, no less! Meaning, this date to make up for Dresden’s sudden interruption of their last one per questioning Jareth what had happened between Christine and Jareth after the masque wasn’t like it was a strike to her benefit in the tallies between them.

Just that he owed her a dance. Lucky her the dance seminar hosted by the drama club she was part of wasn’t a single night affair.

“Alright, all done! Promise me you’ll give me and Lizzy a total play-by, Sarah? Pleeeease,” the prima donna pleaded, all sweet-eyed and innocent. Easy to see through. Even if Erik was still completely weak to it despite dating Mags nowadays.

Sarah managed to crack an amused smile. “Alright, but you guys are paying for the booze, regardless of whether or not Lizzy’s swashbuckling friends decide to come gatecrashing or not.” That was fair. Jack Sparrow was one hell of a sneaky guy where reserves or rum were reserved.

The doorbell rang. Sarah felt her heart leap in anticipation and excitement alike.

“Why hello, Miss Daae. Might Sarah be around?” came Jareth’s usual flowery greeting. Not that it wasn’t a comfort to her these days. Not that she’d admit it, so forget that! He was still paying even for the pervy bubble-spy-crystals and Erik’s ingenious but equally perverted rats with mounted cameras.

“She’s right here, Your Majesty,” Christine chirped as she shepherded Sarah into the apartment foyer, pleased to show off her handiwork. “Have fun, you two! I’m going to be spending the night with Raoul, so bon voyage!” Small reason for her excitement. Ever since Jareth had granted her the crystal passage between one of the apartment closets and Raoul’s Paris residence as concession for the ballroom mishaps, of course she’d been over the moon. Anything if it meant being closer to her fiancé.

“Ah, merci Miss Daae. Happy travels, and all that.” It was an attempt at French, but points for trying. When her roommate finally vacated the premises, the hallway closet awash in an aftermath of glitter, it left Sarah leaning against the door’s threshold thoughtfully.

“So…” she began, glancing at Jareth speculatively, “I don’t suppose you’ll have any magical engagements keeping us from tonight’s date, or anything, do you?” It didn’t hurt to ask. Sarah’s arms were folded, studying Jareth inquiringly.

Jareth, in all his modern, understated aesthetics, seemed to internally flinch at the implications she was addressing. More of a deep sigh and pinching of the bridge of his nose, than anything. “Oh, of course, precious. I don’t suppose any of your friends have anything in mind? As much as I deeply tire with their interference…”

“To be fair, you’re not out of the limelight just yet, GK. Keep proving yourself, and maybe people’ll relent.”

This caused Jareth’s enthusiasm to sag somewhat. “And is it truly their business at all, Sarah? I understand…past events have embroiled them, true, but some affairs I might wish to keep between us. Is that truly so difficult to ask?”

Sarah gazed at him quizzically. Was she dreaming? Did the resident exhibitionist fae really want to keep things between them private? “Y’know, people would be more inclined to honor your wishes if you didn’t turn almost every little thing between us into a publicity stunt, Jareth.”

“I am aware, Sarah, however—aren’t your ilk the sort to have a…certain amount of publicity during dates? Such as our tango to come. Surely you won’t think of that as something exhibitionist.” Steps, baby steps. In mediating between differences between the fae and human, there had to be bits and pieces, she knew that now. Even if Sarah felt endlessly frustrated by concepts that should’ve been easily grasped, it was a start. Well, not a start, but somewhere far along the road they’d been traversing together.

“No, so long as you try and keep it that way. And Jareth? Try not to be too handsy. The last thing we need is people staring and me screeching indignantly, as I have every right to.”

Things had become unfairly tense between them, she knew. With everything going on, the ball having been an epoch of it all, what they had felt lazy and easy. Compared to what was, what could come, she didn’t want to think that far ahead in fear of jinxing them somehow.

Them. It was a powerful realization, but—Jareth loved her. How could she just turn her back to him and what was between them so readily? Regardless of all those past jealousies and the hell he’d put her through.

Forgiveness was hard. The guilty admitting to such was harder.

When they finally arrived on campus, an easier air settled over them. Members alike of the Wibsy and KISS clubs were congregated near a punch bowl and table saddled with many refreshments while the university orchestra was noisily tuning their instruments. Javert hawkishly watched from one of the gymnasium corners while Aziraphale and Crowley occupied their own shadowy corner, the demon inclining his sunglasses in a smug form of greeting.

Jareth and Sarah were still the hottest new item amid the complex, after all. Of course, the others would still hold a vested interest in their day-to-day.

God knew Christine was the leader of that pack.

As the announcer addressed the gathered crowd, Jareth turned to Sarah, taking one of her hands and gracing it with a delicate kiss. “Sarah, might you honor with me this dance? To make up for our last date, and all that rot.”

She had to admit, he was a peerless gentleman when he wanted to be. “I’d be honored to, Jareth,” Sarah simpered, feeling like her younger self. Feeling like that girl still enamored with fantasy and acting and escapism much like her own mother, Linda, was.

“Oh, Sarah,” Jareth said with a wolfish grin, “surely you cannot conceive of my being content with blending in as you like. If this is tango, we shall treat it as such.” A shiver trailed her spine, and by his smirk, the brunette could swear his satisfaction only grew.

“You’d better not get too handsy, Jareth,” Sarah hissed under her breath with a furious fluster, trying to swallow it down. “Like I said before we came.”

As true to his word as a pervy and possessive Goblin King could be, he kept his hands where it was somewhat socially acceptable—as could be where tango was concerned. Truth be told, Sarah soon forgot her inhibitions she was sure to browbeat herself for later in a way that she was swept into his ministrations and intense, mismatched gaze in a form and fashion.

Was this what it’d be like, she idly wondered. The sudden remembrance of his dire threat and fringing, villainous instincts harked to what Christine had gone through welled within her mind. Sure, he wasn’t crowding her space or snarling at any male attention directed her way, but that was because there wasn’t anyone else.

My will is as strong as yours, my kingdom just as great.

Those words beat in her mind like as a second heartbeat as Jareth dipped her dramatically, recalling all those Celtic fairytales her Irish grandmother used to tell her through her mother, Linda. How the fairies could use gratitude and those foolish enough to step into fairy rings against you.

Was this what it was like? To be taken by that legendary Unseelie Court as Jareth had both threatened and promised time and time again.

When the first set was finally concluded, Sarah had to blink away whatever bedazzlement she’d been capsized under and felt herself hauled back up after a dance number she should’ve had no business knowing, but the ineffable trickle of fairy magic seemed to diffuse from her bones like the passing of midnight.

Was this it? Had her glass slipper already shattered?

“…Whoa,” was all she could bring herself to say, blinking and breathing hard. “Did we really do that piecemeal?”

“Denying your natural talent as always, beloved,” Jareth said with a growing smile, “as much as you deny your natural latency for magic.”

Sarah scoffed and extricated herself from Jareth’s arms, huffing softly. “Admit it: I have two left feet and you used magic to make me more coordinated. You don’t have to flatter me, Jareth.”

Jareth’s pointed, dark brows bounced up in surprise. “Do you really think that’s what it is, precious? Just something of my doing? Why, I’m hurt,” he said with a faint smile, enigmatic. Sarah couldn’t tell if it was some admission of truth or not.

Part of her wasn’t sure if she wanted to find out.

“…I’m going to go get us some punch. Wait here.”

“But of course, Sarah. I shan’t move a muscle,” he said with that same smile, she unwilling to look at it. From fear? Uncertainty.

For once, even she wasn’t really sure. As conflicted as her feelings for him always were.

#jareth #sarah williams #jim henson's labyrinth #pika la cynique #gnd #Girls next door #my writing #personal reasons is code for it's because sarah's a minor in the og movie #but an adult in gnd and in the canon manga sequel sooo #that's why

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