#If there are any future edits it will be because I found some grammar mistake

[elevant39]

It´s a wizard and fairy kinda thing

So... I decided to drop another post here... I am so sorry it´s so long... This time about the connection between Wizard 1 and Pixy. (I will refer to Wiz 1 as Lucan for the rest of the post) Mostly because for how little we get, the implications do have a pretty big impact on Pixy as a character (his motives to join AWWNB specificaly). At least that is what I believe. So once again I am need to reference the perfect guide: https://www.skywardfm.com/aczpg-ace-pilot-profiles Now let´s get started. Connection between Pixy and Lucan Thanks to the Perfect guide we can get a really important clue about Pixy and Lucan right from the start. And that is that they are a long time acquaintances. This on it´s own gives us a verry important info about Pixy´s idiology. Pixy most likely had anarchist views before the start of the game. We just never heard about them before Directus because well... Up until that point Pixy didn´t really have a problem fighting in Belkan war. It´s only after he is kinda forced to be part of the counter attack (aka he is on the offensive side) he starts to talk about some of his views. Mission 7 and 8: "Nuclear inspection”, huh? What a joke…"; "Hey Cipher, you hear me? Just look at the view. There’s not much difference between those countries from up here." This does kinda beg the question about how they know each other: Are they long time acquaintances because Pixy always had anarchistic views? Or are they long time acquaintances because Lucan was the one who introduced Pixy to these views? Unfortunately we can only guess because this is all we get from their past. That being said it´s obviose that Pixy does trust Lucan, now I personaly can´t say how mutual this is with Lucan acting like a cult leader and all that. But concidering that Lucan is the only person who calls him by his 1st name in the middle of combat (a furrball no less). And this is the only time something like this happeneds in the game. I honestly wouldn´t be suprised if it was mutual (not to mention with the whole Larry thing it almost feels like Pixy is getting some special treatment from Lucan). However another factor in this is that Pixy is a Belkan war orphan who grew up in a foreign orphanage. Who after leaving became a merc pilot. Meaning that Pixy most likely doesn't have a secondary education, and might not even have primary one depending on how much access to education the orphanage he lived in provided. To tie it back, it makes sence that Pixy would probably trusts Lucan with some of his more philosophical ideas, since Lucan is described as "A deep thinker and has philosophical thoughts. Often pulls quotes relating to philosophy from books and poems." And that is not mentioning that there is 10 years between them. This leads to another conclusion. Lucan is clearly the one who has more intellectual influence in this dynamic. We can actually see this influence if we look at how Pixy talks before Stage of Apocalipse and later in Avalon. Before he is more straight forward with Cipher and PJ. While in Avalon he starts to use more metaphor and more symbolic language (like Lucan). Notebly Lucan and Pixy are the only members that talk about how they will cause a lot of destruction to create the new world. Lucan with his whole "new creation of destruction" and Pixy with his "reset to Zero". Gault 1 mostly talks about his problem how politicians are the one in control and how they never had to go through what they did, Sorcerer 1 is mostly concerned about how borders will create new conflicts in future and how getting rid of them will libare them..

Another interesting connection is that both Pixy and Lucan are the only enemy aces that will use obvious technological advantages against the player in Zero (when I say this I mean something only Belkan magic can explain). Lucan with his Black Widow YF-23 (which somehow has the power to be invisible?) and Pixy with Morgan (I don´t even want to get into to levels of Belkan witchcraft needed for that ECM system).

Now am I saying that Pixy was brainwashed into joining AWWNB? I am honestly not sure, but I would have to say no. Mostly because I think that Pixy is not a case of brainwashing but a case of slow radicalization and how his few connections and world around him as well as his past shaped him into thinking that lauching V2 was a good and moral idea (from his point of view). But that is only how I see it. With all of this out of the way I will focuse on their 2 conversations and what they mean. In game interractions 1) Mayhem Wizard 1: Wizard 1 here, the enemy has broken formation, take them out. Larry, can you read me? Pixy: Looks like you’ve still got the touch. Wizard 1: It’s happening just as you thought, it’s about time we got out of this dead-end job. Pixy: Not just yet. So this one tells us that they know each other but there is something more important. Lucan already gave Pixy an invatation before this mission to join AWWNB and Pixy is considering it. And not turning it down. Meaning that he was probably thinking about joining AWWNB before Hoffnung. That being said just look how casualy this is said in the middle of a giant furball. Implying that they might be more in contact that we think and this is not the 1st time Lucan is suggesting this to Pixy. Also notice that it almost feels like Lucan is trying to push Pixy to accept his offer. Another interesting fact is that after this conversation Pixy´s and PJ´s talks about fighting for peace takes place. If you do keep in mind that Pixy is thinking about joining AWWNB the convo creats another dimension to it. Mostly that PJ is kinda accidentally acting like an intrusive thought to Pixy, basically telling him all the reason why Pixy should join AWWNB while Pixy is trying to grownd himself with every exuse he has. 2) Stage of Apocalypse Wizard 1: Larry, can you read me? Your fairy godmother’s here, Cinderella. Pixy: How could you after what just happened? Wizard 1: [laughs] Today is your lucky day, Larry, just like your birthday. Pixy: And you’re here to pull me off in a magical carriage, huh? to hell, I suppose…

So this dialogue is important because when exactly it takes place. It mostly happeneds right after the 7 nukes are set of, but more importantly it´s also probably happened in the moment that Pixy is most likely in the worst possible psychological state he can be (with Hoffnung before and all that). And right at that moment Lucan just appears out of nowhere and (at least how I read this) starts to reassure Pixy that everything will be alright now that his fairy godmother is there to make things right and pull him of on that carried to that beautiful ball in that fairytale castel that is Avalon. Just like Fairy Godmother did with Cinderella. In her darkest hour she just appeared and helps her and reassures her that everything will be right now that she is here. This is where I once again do need to get into more of a interpretation territory, from what I can come up there could be 3 explanation why Lucan appears at this moment: 1) Pixy already contacted Lucan that he would be joining Meaning Lucan was there to ensure that Pixy would be able to not only join but also to leave to AWWNB,it's just that 7 nukes worked in his favor. 2) Pixy still hasn´t decided yet and so Lucan wanted to give him one last chance to choose and it was an acident that he just so happened to arrive at the perfect moment when Pixy would be most likely to join him. 3) Lucan already somehow (most likely his connection to Gault 1) knew what will happened and just wanted to make sure that Pixy would be in a state where he will not refuse his offer to join AWWNB. Unfortunately this really is up to how you see it. It could be one of them, or a combination of all of the, or it could have been something completely different. I personally fall into a mix of 1 and 2. But this is most likely because of my own personal reading here. That being said every outcome ends the same. Pixy does accept "help" from Lucan and joins him and his organisation. Bonus mission 16: In Wizard squadron fight (knight route), Lucan does mention with his line Pixy, implying that they did talk to each other. "It's just as he said. He flies with aggression." Interesting thing is that only Lucan said this implying that Pixy might have out of the 4 squadron leaders only talk to him about Cipher. With this I believe I already said everything I could from the text it self. However I would still like to talk about some other interesting parallels between Pixie and Lucan that I found.

Parallels of this relationship Morgan and Merlin It´s interesting that Pixy and Lucan seem to mirror the student/mentor aspect of this relationship. Not only is Pixy parallel to Morgan, but Lucan does share some similarities of Merlin too, with his Nick Name “the Blue Magician”. Combine "Often pulls quotes relating to philosophy from books and poems." As well as the fact that you know he literally has Belkan witchcraft on his side (I still have no idea how you can even explain the invisible jets). Cinderella and Fairy godmother I already mentioned this connection in my dialogue 2. I just wanted to mentio it here. That being said this again goes back into the idea that Lucan is the one who holds more authority in this dynamic. Like a guardian over their and ward (at least at that moment). ACE Combat 3 spoiler START Rena and Dision So for those who haven´t playid it. I will be droping some important spoilers here so... yeah.... It´s interesting that they do seem to hold similar position in their organization respectfully. Both Dision and Lucan are leaders (well in Lucan´s case we can only believe that he is, but even then HE is the one who actually has connection to all the interview pilots so make of that what you will). That want destruction of the world Dision for his revenge and Lucan...honestly I do personally believe that he really is just that zealot and believes that is will create a new better world. And Rena with Pixy being the pilots of Super Planes (Rena being the one in charge of Night Raven while Pixy is the last plan of AWWNB with Morgan). The more interesting parallel is also that both Rena and Pixy are recruited and how.

Rena was groomed (and later even brainwashed) to join Ouroboros and be the pilot of Night Raven. Simular thing could be said for Pixy that he was slowly radicalise by war and probably Lucan to join AWWNB and was later choosen to be the Pilot of Morgan. And this is all I could find since I unfortunately have´t played AC3 fully (this is all that I could find from essays and wiki) ACE Combat 3 spoiler END

Ok so another thing my sleep deprived brain forgot to say is that there is also another parallels in how they are after Avalon and their interviews. After Avalon They are both the only members that still try to somehow continue in the ideology of AWWNB. Gault 1 is death, Espada 2 only was there because of Espada 1 and Sorcerer 1 gave up and lives a normal life (as normal as being watch by Osea can allow). On the other hand Lucan continues in his ideas same as before. Even trying to recreate AWWNB and even trying to assassinate the President of Osea. But was later lock up and turned kinda insane. Kinda going deeper into the dark both metaphorically and literally.

While Pixy thanks to seeing ground Zero and help from people (and probably the fact that he no longer is in contact with Lucan) is able to reflect and learn from all of this. He realizes that V2 wasn't the solution and that to fully understand the situation he needs to learn more about why borders exist and why people creat them. He in a sence returns to light (like there is a literal shot where beams of light are shining on him his last speech)

So yeah I somehow forgot the one thing that make me create this post..... sorry about that....

This is really the end (I hope this time), I hope that you all liked reading this brainrot of mine. So yeah... thanks for reading all of this and sorry for how long this was... and how I forgot to put the last part here Have a nice day

#ace combat #ace combat zero #solo wing pixy #joshua bristow #Witness the fruits of my compleat ACZ brainrot #Also sorry for how long this is and grammar mistakes #Also sorry that this took so long if you were waiting for this #Hope that once again I don't sound like an insane person #I can´t believe I am up this late just so I can finally finish this post #There are probably some grammar mistakes but f it #If there are any future edits it will be because I found some grammar mistake #so... that was a lie.. sorry #thanks for understanding #how do you leave out the one think that made you create a post in the 1st place

[altraviolet]

TEG corrections- lessons learned!

I've completed editing the printed copy of The Echo Garden and am now embarking on the slow, painful journey of correcting the typesetting file. (Correcting AO3 is going to be even worse... ugh) Most of my TEG edits could've been easily avoided if I had known some grammar/advice stuff, so I'll pass what I learned on to you:

✦ how em dashes work. This long line — is punctuation you use for several things, but here specifically I'm referring to when dialogue is interrupted by action. Ex:

"Aquafend told me all about those"—Powerflash waved the gun at Soundwave's torso—"things of yours. You keep those inside!"

✦ capitalize the first word in dialogue after a comma. Ex:

Ratchet said, "What is the problem?"

✦ homophone or really similar word mix ups. The three I had trouble with:

rein vs reign (specifically, 'free rein' is correct, not 'free reign') reticule vs reticle (reticules are little purses. reticles are the dashes in Perceptor's special eyepiece and the circle thingies on SW's HUD) poured vs pored (specifically, 'pored over data pads' is correct, not 'poured over')

✦ establishing internal rules to keep things consistent. Unlike the above, these are things that don't have formal rules, but that I didn't firmly establish in my mind until after I'd done them several ways, so now I have to go back and correct/align them. I've bolded the choice for the final, corrected version in the examples below:

NeoCybex vs Neocybex 2938-Mirage vs 2938 Mirage .:grammar rules for how comms work. First word of the first sentence isn't capitalized purposefully:. alt-dimensioners vs alt dimensioners Movie Night vs movie night Security Team vs security team

And more...

I have to correct soooo many things over soooo many words xD But! I did, indeed, learn all the above lessons and don't anticipate making them again in the future :)

Also, if anyone's curious, my edits will be 99% grammar/consistency issues, as discussed above, and 1% for clarity. By clarity I mean:

-there are a few places where I've found a word that works better for the sentence, so those have been changed ("completed" changed to "developed," because that is the feeling I had meant to convey, and that word works better, for example)

-there are a few superfluous sentences I'm removing

-nudging a few sentences to make them easier to read (instead of splitting up a sentence with a lengthy italicized chonk in the middle of it, moving the unitalicized piece all up front so it's no longer split)

There won't be any changes to plot or anything major like that. There are many places where I've noted, "Oh, I could change THIS and it would be better!" but I've resisted haha. I want the fic to stand as a record of my ability at the time I did it, minus the literal grammar mistakes above, and plus the few minor changes for greater clarity.

#echo garden related #writing advice #I was shocked to learn freaking poured vs pored and reign vs rein #like dammit #how did I get this damn old and not learn that correctly #oh well #at least now I know for the future! #and so do you :)

[daisysolovely]

Aemma Targaryen 2

Aemma’s dragon

Hiiii, first of all, I want to thank you for all the feedback you’ve giving on the last part of Aemma’s story. I was so insecured and anxious when I posted it but your supports helped me tremendously and leaded me to this post. Secondly, this is another story about Aemma and her journey to claim her dragon. I hope you guys enjoy it and if you can, please let me know what you like or dislike about this story. 

I think this part will help you understand futher why Aemma didn’t hesitate to take the hit that meant for Aemond and it will also explain for a lot of thing for the future part ( if there is any). It took place when she was a child. But don’t worry, I’ll writing the story taking place after Aemond’s event as well. This one just haunted my mind for so long that I need to write it down ASAP XD 

This one is very long btw and I think I might not done it justic but I’ll try to edit it after. 

Summary: Aemma’s insecurity leaded Daemon to help her and the only thing to sovles a problem in Targaryen’s style is...dragon. 

P/s: I am not native English speaker so please forgive me if there is any grammar mistake in it, I’ll try to edit it. I am unexperience writer as well so feedback would be highly appreciated. 

Aemma’s series: Losing an eye, A ruby eye, A Pawn, A Proposal

Anyway, enjoy~~~

 Every since Aemma was born, she had been surrounded by darkness. Yet, she didn’t fear darkness like some did. She embraced it instead and found the silver lining in it. For instance, the princess took pride in her hearing abilities and often told her sister and father she could hear their footstep whenever they were near. And she would often reward with praise. Even her brother, Aegon thought she was a genius. 

Aemma dragged her brother along with her to the garden. She loved hearing Aegon describe the shape of the cloud even though she might not be able to imagine it. She would never know what a horse look like or a bird look like. But she appreciated Aegon’s effort and his excitement. It filled her with warmth and love. 

“That one looks like my dragon.” Aegon pointed out as he excitedly exclaimed. The boy’s dragon had hatched not long after his birth and he had been eager to talk about his baby to everyone. 

But the prince quickly shut his mouth when he realised he had just hit a touching topic. Even at the tender age of 6, the boy had learned what he should say and what not to, due to the court’s influence on the boy. He eyed his sister warily, concerned about how she might react. 

Much to his surprise, Aemma smiled and sighed in contentment. “I wish I could know what a dragon looks like.” She muttered. “They must be very majestic, aren’t they?” 

“They are.” Confirmed Aegon. 

“I wonder if Rhaenrya would let me ride her dragon with her, that would be wonderful.” 

“When mine becomes big, we can ride together.” The prince suggested and successfully made the princess's smile wider. 

Aemma loved Aegon as she did with her family. But during that time of her life, the young princess adored her younger brother, even more than she did her sister and brother. He knew how to make her day, say the right thing and all in all, was a great sibling. For young Aemma, that was enough. 

The mention of the dragon, however, stayed with Aemma throughout the day. No matter how hard she tried, the cursed princess couldn’t forget about that conversation. That was when she started to notice things… or rather, words. 

The hearing she used to pride in, started to betray her. The young princess began to notice what others had talked about behind her back, thinking she was out of earshot. And a seed of doubt was planted in her young mind. 

It started with questioning herself… 

Aemma was a Targaryen and proud to be one. But a Targaryen was known to bond with their dragon. Why didn’t she have one then? Was it because she was cursed? And why she couldn’t see like the rest of her family? Was it because her mother died giving birth to her? 

Aemma couldn’t understand, and the young child didn’t know how to verbalise her concern. But the longer she doubted herself, the quiet she seemed to grow. You would think that with how doting Rhaenerya and the king were toward Aemma, they would pick up the sign immediately. That didn’t happen, however. Even at a young age, Aemma was skilled in hiding her true emotion. 

The princess started to hate her hearing ability and wished under the moon for it to be taken away as god did with her eyesight. The princess prayed every night to her mother and apologised for causing her death. In the young Aemma’s mind, it was all her fault.

____

The Red Keeper was celebrated for the third name day of the second prince, Aemond. And there were more noble arriving to cheer and attend the happy event. To everyone, this was a time for celebration. But for Aemma, it was disastrous. 

The young princess loved her brother, naturally. But she was extremely overwhelmed with her surrounding, finding herself bumming into people more than usual and the noise was just too loud for her liking. 

When people gathered, they talked as well. 

“Have you met the young princess?” Asked a noble lady. 

“Ah, the cursed one?” Another lady said in a whisper tone. 

“Yeah, that one. The one without a dragon.” The first one said, her tone slightly mocking. “She kept bumping into people and walls, I’ve seen her tripping more than I could count.” The lady told her friend. 

“What do you expect from a blind princess?” 

“Honestly, if she wasn’t a princess, she would be downright worthless, wouldn’t she? Don’t even have a dragon and couldn’t walk decently to save her own life.” 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the topic of her marriage would become a burden for the King and the queen.” 

The other snickered. “I doubt she could be married off, not suitable to be wife material, wouldn’t she?” 

“One might marry for her money.” 

And the two laughed cruelly, clerking their goblets to cheer on their conversation. 

Little did they know, the mentioned princess had heard every single word they said. 

Aemma’s face fell, she gripped her dress and whimpered slightly. The young girl kept telling herself not to cry for the Targaryen wouldn’t tolerate weak links. But her existence was a weak link and burden itself, wasn’t it? In her defence, Aemma had tried to walk on her own, and she did. The other day, she had just walked to the Throne room all by herself and her father even praised her. She simply couldn’t control herself sometimes… But they were right, she supposed. 

How was she supposed to marry anyone? She couldn’t even walk straight… And she didn’t have a dragon… 

Was she really a Targaryen? 

Unknowingly, a tear ran down the young princess’s cheek, then another and another. Soon, she went full sobbing while sitting in a corner. She was surrounded by waves of laughter and giggling, a joyful and merry place. 

Suddenly, the princess could hear a few heavy footsteps walking toward her and the train of tears stopped almost instantly. The young princess hugged herself tightly, preparing herself for what was to come. This was a stranger, she was certain as their pace was foreign to her. 

“Aemma?” Asked the stranger warily. “I am Daemon, your uncle…” He said softly while kneeling at the princess’s level. Despite knowing her disability, the Rogue prince still looked into her eyes as if he was talking to a normal person. The only different thing was the prince was softer than usual. 

To say Daemon was shocked to find his niece in the garden this late at night was underestimated. But to see tears on her adorable face? The Rogue prince was concerned, however, he was cautious about approaching her for they had never officially met before. He was exiled after her birth and he doubted the young princess could recognise him. Besides, the prince was worried about how she might react toward strangers. He understood that one could be on very high guard if they couldn’t see. 

“Uncle Daemon?” She whispered.

Aemma had, of course, heard the tale about her Rogue prince. In her mind, he was a mighty warrior who went to war for their family and the best swordsman they would ever have. Nobody had ever informed her of the Rogue prince’s notorious reputation or how ruthless his personality could be and that was probably a good thing too. 

Naturally, she was elated to meet Daemon. The princess had always wanted to meet him. Sadly, however, she couldn’t find it in her to greet her uncle with a gleeful attitude. 

“That’s right.” The Rogue prince hummed softly, his hand going to fix her hair slightly. “What happened, princess? Did anyone do something to you?” 

Despite his soft tone, the fire in Daemon’s eyes was anything but. 

Aemma’s pouty lips trembled and she burst into tears again once Daemon asked. Her uncontrollable and sudden cry surprised the Rogue Prince. He went to caress her hair while not knowing what to do.

“Am I a Targaryen, uncle?” She asked out of the blue and caught Daemon completely off guard. 

Why in the seven hells would she even doubt that? The man thought to himself. One with eyes could see how Targaryen she was, with perfect silver hair and beautiful violet eyes that resembled her sister, but a lighter shade. 

“Konir sagon daor sesīr iā másino, dārilaros” That's not even a question, princess, Daemon said as his fingers twirled with the end of her silver hair. The Rogue prince chuckled upon seeing her confused expression. “Have nobody taught you High Valyrian, zaldrītsos?” Little Dragon. 

Unexpectedly, the princess shook her head. She had heard her sister and father talking in the language before and Rhanerya even told her about the glorious tale of their ancestor and their origin. Yet, Aemma had trouble trying to learn the language, something that she was deeply ashamed of. 

“How’s about I teach you some?” The prince suggested and he seemed shocked by his proposal as well. But it was too late for him to take it back now. 

“Really?” The princess asked hopefully, her eyes seemingly glistening up. 

“Yes, I will teach you and when I finish, you will tell me what troubles you today. What do you think, zaldrītsos?” 

Aemma bit the bottom of her lips, seemingly to be deep in thought. Yet she showed no sign of hesitation, only an act of wanting to negotiate. “We got ourselves a deal, then.” She then smiled. 

“Yes, princess, we got a deal. I intend to keep my end of the deal so I hope you will do the same.” Aemma could hear a hint of amusement in his voice and dared to say he was jesting her. For a moment, she wished she could see the infamous Rogue Prince’s handsome face. Aemma bet his smile would be very pretty. 

“I’ll.” The cursed princess insisted confidently. 

—---

For the next few days, Aemma spent her days learning High Valyrian with her uncle. And it was proven to be a challenge teaching Aemma the language. The princess blushed every time she couldn’t recall the word she learnt last time but Daemon, surprisingly, encouraged her and waited slowly for her to memorise it. 

Even a few times, Aemma had improved tremendously thanks to Daemon, who was so proud of his niece. A part of the Rogue Prince was also impressed by how patient he was. 

“Have you remembered the phrase?” He asked Aemma, the two sat in the garden, a knight observing the pair from afar. The Rogue Prince took a sip of his goblet as he watched the young princess mumbling repeatedly the phrase he taught previously. “Don’t be scared, we can learn again if you don’t remember.” 

Aemma shook her head, a determined expression on her beautiful face. “I think I got it, uncle.” 

“Sȳz riña, tell that to your father when you see him. I’m certain he’ll be pleased.” Good girl

“You think so?” The princess questioned nervously. She found spending time with her uncle oddly soothing, contradicting the impression she had from the tale about him. The prince was kind, and patient to her and the young Aemma was grateful for it. A part of her, however, felt guilty for spending all her time with her uncle. She should have shared him with Aegon, who she hadn’t met since Aemond’s name day. The young princess thought that her brother might want to play with their uncle as well and internally scolded her for being so selfish. 

She shouldn’t hog him to herself… 

“I know so, zaldrītsos” Little dragon. The prince suddenly cleared his throat and Aemma immediately raised her head to the level of his voice. “Now, I think it’s time for you to keep your end of the deal.” 

Aemma dropped her face and fidgeted with her fingers. She didn’t know how to voice her though and doubt clouded the young princess. But she wasn’t going to break her promise… Her beloved sister had taught Aemma that a promise was not to be broken or she wouldn’t be trustworthy. 

“Why don’t I have a dragon, uncle?” She asked, her innocence showed through her young voice and the naivety on her face made the question sound painful to hear. “Was it because I am cursed?” 

Daemon clenched his jaw tightly. How on the seven hells did Aemma have this absurd idea? The Rogue prince wished to know the person daring to say such absurdity and he vowed heads would be rolling when he found out. At that moment, the prince successfully connected the dot and frowned deeply. “Is this why you ask if you were a Targaryen, zaldrītsos?” 

The princess shamefully nodded. From all the days she had spent with her uncle Daemon, she saw a lot of Targaryen’s traits in him and the young princess admired her uncle, wishing she could be as mighty as him. She admired how confident he was, wanting to carry herself with the same attitude. To the young Aemma, her uncle was the ideal Targaryen, a model to look up to. But that would soon change with times when she began to see the world clearer… 

Sighing, Daemon shifted in his seat and leaned to be closer to the young princess, his hand brushing through her silky hair. “I want you to understand that with or without a dragon, you are a Targaryen, it runs in your blood. Who dares to question it will answer before the Dark sister.” He said. “And you might not have a dragon now, but be patient. I am certain when the time is right, you will meet your dragon.” 

“Really?” The princess bit her lips, she wished to believe Daemon’s words but her head kept denying it, drowning her in self-doubt. “But I am the weak link, will I even be worthy of a dragon?” 

“You are not a weak link and you will never be!” Daemon shouted suddenly, slammed the table and sent the princess flinching. The Rogue prince took a pause upon the realisation of his overreacting, he sat back down and went to brush Aemma’s silver lock, tucking it behind her hair. For some reason, Aemma’s hair always rested messy. “Do you want to hear a secret?” The prince lowered his voice for dramatic effect and the young princess was immediately intrigued. She had always been a curious little thing. “You are the bravest girl I’ve ever known.” 

The young princess blushed at the praise from someone she admired so much and beamed from ear to ear. She mumbled a thank you to her uncle, and appreciated his compliment as somehow, she felt so assured. Perhaps recognition from someone as strong as Daemon was that priceless. Even years later, she still felt pride whenever she recalled this little moment. 

Needless to say, Aemma was over the moon. All of her doubts seemed to disappear for now. 

Daemon smiled upon seeing Aemma’s reaction. She was a sweet nature child who had the purest soul he ever had the pleasure to encounter, a complete contradiction to her other sibling, Aegon who Daemon detested ever since he was born. The prince watched his niece, his head’s gear seemed to run restlessly until he clacked. 

“Princess, do you want to ride Caraxes with me?” He invited the princess, knowing she wouldn’t turn down the opportunity. She had expressed her interest in dragons from the past few days they spent together, particularly in the tale of his adventure on Caraxes’s back. 

So, Daemon took his niece’s hand and guided her to the dragon pit. On the way, he didn’t forget to warn her how loud the dragon could be and that she should stay back before he allowed her to encounter Caraxes. Aemma was eager, nodded at every instruction and her step felt lighter. 

Caraxes growled loudly as a greeting when he spotted Daemon from afar, the dragon leaned closer to touch its companion. “Nyke jaelagon ao naejot rhaenagon someone” I want you to meet someone. Having the dragon’s agreement, Daemon went to get Aemma, standing closely behind her while guiding her to Caraxes. 

Caraxes was sceptical about the tiny human at first, seeming to be on guard as he watched the young princess getting closer to him. But like any Targaryen, the dragon was soon to accept her, leaning for the young princess to pat his head. 

Meanwhile, the young princess was smiling from ear to ear. She slowly patted his head, trying to figure out his form in her mind. And surprisingly, Caraxes allowed her to pet him as well. Daemon watched the exchange with a smile, but his stand was wary, ready to get in action if Caraxes decided to harm the little girl. 

Soon, Daemon helped Aemma on Caraxes and the two were off Red Keeps. The Rogue prince had something in mind and he need confirmation. 

—--

Daemon flew to Dragonstone with Aemma sitting before him, the princess couldn’t stop laughing the entire trip, and constantly asked him about their destination. 

“It’s a surprise, princess.” He said. 

The Rogue prince even allowed the young princess to take the reign and stirred it with him. He was understanding and encouraging the young girl when she felt timid and insecure due to her disability. “How about we do it together? How does that sound?” Suggested Daemon and earned himself a nod from the cursed princess. 

The pair landed near one of the smoking caverns of the Dragonmont. Daemon left Caraxes behind while carrying Aemma in one hand, another a torch. 

“You need to be quiet, alright?” The prince muttered to his niece who nodded in return and adorably placed her hand on her lips. 

Aemma was curious, she had been the entire time. Not knowing where she has stressed the young princess out and she had to constantly remind herself to trust her uncle. He wouldn’t harm her, she would know if he wanted to. From what she had learned, Daemon wouldn’t even bother to harm her. Her chance of becoming her sister’s heir is little to none. Therefore, why would he hurt her? 

If Daemon was aware of his niece’s thoughts, he would laugh out loud. Unlike what the court believed, Daemon didn’t want the throne to himself, not if it meant he would be chained down. Hence, he wouldn’t harm the little princess. Besides, he liked Aemma. That was a convincing reason enough. 

The Rogue prince started to sing and Aemma recognised the melody almost immediately as it was the lullaby her sister used whenever she tucked the cursed princess in bed. The young girl perked up in her uncle’s arms, trying to decipher her surrounding with sound. It didn’t take long for her to a roar was heard from afar, scaring the young princess. 

Aemma buried her head in her uncle’s neck while making herself focus on her uncle’s voice instead. This was terrifying, the young princess found and she wished to be out of that place immediately, especially when the loud noise hurt her hearing. 

Slowly, Daemon put his niece down at a far enough distance from the creature, not forgetting to instruct Aemma. “Stay here and don’t move, princess. I’ll be back soon.” He said, leaving a kiss on her temple before moving toward the sound direction. 

Sitting still, Aemma tapped her fingers on her lap, trying to stay calm while paying attention to the smallest sound she could hear. But so far, the sound of the creature Aemma recognised as the dragon was anything but. The young princess figured this dragon must be larger than Caraxes for the latter wasn’t as loud. 

Why did her uncle bring her here? Aemma thought to herself. 

But she was quick to know the answer. Aemma was picked up by her uncle again, this time, he moved slower until the two were close to the dragon. 

“Vermithor, this is princess Aemma.” The prince presented the cursed princess to his grandfather’s dragon and watched in awe as the said dragon observed the princess in Daemon’s arms.

Slowly, Vermithor leaned closer to sniff the young girl, sending her to still while Daemon laughed, and assured her it wasn’t dangerous. After what seemed like forever, Vermithor nudged Aemma and placed its head in her hand when she offered it. Confusing at what had just happened, the young princess absentmindedly pet the large dragon, not knowing she was petting one of the largest dragons the Targaryen had. 

Daemon contentedly smirked, “I thought so.” He said to himself, putting his niece down and watching the exchange between Vermithor and Aemma. 

The moment Aemma was put down, she was immediately attacked by Vermithor. The large dragon nudged her and let out a growl as a greeting. “Rytsas” Aemma said softly, as she caress the head of Vermithor, a warm feeling ran through her, taking over every inch of her skin like a wide fire. And she knew… just like that, she knew she had her dragon. “Uncle!” She exclaimed out of joy. 

“I know, congratulation, princess.” Daemon replied. “Now, no more doubting yourself?” 

The princess nodded eagerly, beaming brightly. 

Daemon had thought about the Grey ghost and the possibility of Aemma claiming the dragon for its soft nature. But the Rogue prince changed his mind. Aemma was special and a wild dragon was a difficult case for any normal dragon rider to claim. So, he thought about Vermithor who was growing tolerant of the presence of humans and more willing to accept riders. The rogue prince decided to take a gamble and brought Aemma here. It paid off, it seemed. 

In the rogue prince’s mind, being dragonless was what drove Aemma to her distressed state. Therefore, by helping her claim a dragon, the prince successfully treated her problem. 

If only it was so easy… 

—-----

Meanwhile, back at Red Keep, the King went feral when he noticed his brother and second daughter’s absence. His anger went spiralling upon the notice of Caraxes in the sky. 

When Viserys ran to the dragon pit, he was in for a surprise. Behind the king was his first son, Aegon who was concerned for the cursed princess’s wellbeing and blamed him for not protecting her. The two didn’t expect what was to come. 

The king and the prince watched in awe as Aemma sat on Caraxes with Daemon, and Vermithor trailing closely behind. It didn’t take much to figure out the situation. 

Aemma claimed Vermithor! 

Aegon cheered in delight, pride-filled his eyes as he watched his sister getting off Caraxes. While the king was equally proud, standing with his eyes heated up at the sight. Viserys never think there was a day when Aemma would be able to claim her dragon. It wasn’t because he doubted his daughter, but for her disability, the king never dared to dream of a day like this. 

Under his watchful eyes, his brother whispered something to his daughter, causing Aemma to giggle. Aemma spun around, seemingly to be in search of something. “Father?” She asked. 

“I am here, love.” It didn’t take Aemma long to figure out his direction as the young princess turned on her heels and moved quickly toward him, causing the king to walk forward, his arms ready to catch his daughter if she fell. 

“Avy jorrāelan, kepa” I love you, father. The word came out of her effortlessly, giving the impression of fluency when in fact, she had struggled with the phrase hours ago. Once she said it, all doubt and fear seemed to fade. 

For a second, Viserys thought he misheard his daughter and the man was on cloud nine. He took the girl in his arms, whispering sweet nothing in her ears while smothered kisses on her forehead. “Avy jorrāelan tolī, issa dōna riñnykeā.” I love you too, my sweet child. 

They hugged for a second before the king left the princess to her brother who hugged her when given chance. “You have a dragon!” He said. “I am so proud of you, Aemma.” 

“Thank you, Aegon.” 

“But now I can’t ride with you.” Aegon pouted. 

“I think I will still need some assistance.” Aemma immediately offered.

“I will do it.” The prince jumped in instantly, joy filled his tone. He was pleased that he was the one she asked, his sister obviously needed him. 

Unknowingly to Aegon and Aemma, their brother, Aemond was watching from afar, hoping one day he could achieve the same thing. 

Meanwhile, Viserys walked toward Daemon, his facial holding the same furious expression as previously. “You took her without my permission.” 

“I don’t need your permission, brother.” 

The King didn’t say anything, only studied his brother… After a moment of intense silence, he decided to confess. “But thank you… for everything you’ve done for Aemma. She is very happy thanks to you.” He said while eyeing the young princess who was gleefully talking to Aegon. 

“No need to thank me, I only did what I wanted.” And what the rogue prince wanted was his niece’s happiness. 

The two men were having the same goal and different approaches, Aemma’s happiness. If only they knew… that happiness wouldn’t last for long and never came back afterwards. 

#hotd #hotd fanfic #daemon x reader #aegon x reader #rhaneyra targaryen #house targaryen #house of the dragon #aemma targaryen #idk what else to put in the tags #idk what im doing

[irregularcollapse]

17 and 19 for the writer asks! (I know 17 is so general -- it's like writing?? discuss -- but I'm super interested in your editing process, especially for longer fics)

thanks soooo much hehehe love these

17. talk about your writing and editing process

lmao writing? discuss. SO alright process. i approach writing long fics the same way i approach writing original fiction, there's just a lot less pre-prep because the characters etc. are already defined, so anything i plan will largely be plot, theme and structure-based. i focus on story beats and what the flow of events is. i don't worry too much initially about separating things into chapters, because this sort of happens naturally once i've figured out where the different arcs are within the whole journey.

it also often works out that particular things take longer to tell in the writing than i intended in the planning - for example, i had it loosely in my head (not on paper) that i would get to Laurent's introduction in ASTTE in chapter 2, but then in the writing, i needed more time to destabilise Damen's mental state and put him under the Comte's thumb, to make it really clear why he doesn't just go "fuck this" and try to leave as soon as Laurent starts insulting him.

i mostly write chronologically, but i will write ahead if specific inspiration strikes and i need to make sure i get it down correctly, which then becomes a matter of filling in the gap between what follows the chronology and the future scene i've written. this can also be helpful for keeping on track, because you've got in mind where the character will be, and the concern becomes getting them there.

editing! it's not a perfect system, but i do my best with what i've got. i send any new writing to my beta reader so we can chat about what works/what doesn't, and any typos/errors she finds she'll note for me as well. i make those edits as soon as we've talked about them. i also generally re-read what i wrote the day before, when i sit down to write, and may make some edits then.

i do edit fic differently to original work. with original work, i'd write a whole draft and then do a series of full edits. with fic, i prefer to do a sort of rolling edit, particularly if i reach a writing block. i'll go back and reread everything from the start, in a different format to the one i'm writing in; for original work, i'd print it out and write on it, but with fic, i export as a pdf or epub and annotate via highlights and comments. this is a dual proofread and edit read: the former looks for technical errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation), while the latter looks for style, coherence, and cohesion.

another key part of the edit read is reading it aloud. you'll be so surprised by how much you catch when you're forced to slow down and look at every word: typos, awkward sentences, unintentional repetition, clunky phrasing, dialogue that just doesn't roll off the tongue - it's honestly my #1 piece of editing advice, no matter what you're writing. read aloud.

i do this multiple times while working on a longer piece, and will also do a cursory proofread before posting each chapter. things still get missed! i found a typo in EIAT the other day, and another mistake that seemed quite glaring to me and i couldn't figure out how i didn't notice it before. but, people are fallible. two individuals reading a 200k+ word piece of writing are bound to miss some stuff, and that's just how it is - especially when you've already read something so many times.

i think what a lot of readers forget about fic in comparison to published books is that published books will have had multiple rounds of multiple people reading them: alpha and beta readers, test readers, proofreaders, agents, editors, the author themselves, etc. etc.

meticulous editing takes time and people, and while i do put in the time, it's only me (and a friend who has a very busy life in her own right) and a metric fucktonne of words. so this is my soapbox moment to say, i wish we could all extend more grace to hobby writers who have typos or other innocuous errors in their work.

19. the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

LUCKY FOR YOU, i answered this here so you don't have to put up with any more of my rambling lmao

(questions from this writer ask game!!)

#asks #ask game #my writing #if you do have any specific questions about writing or process! #for real send them any time! #i love to talk about this kind of stuff

[kjagasanpijrtu]

Thought I'd make a showcase of some of my conlangs, so I'll start with the one I'm working on rn

Or mesako! Jenojarko Ajir gi mo do heni'a'in.

[oɾ mɛsɐˈko] [jɛnojɐˈɾko ɐˈjiɾ ɡiˈ moˈ doˈ hɛniˈʔɐʔin]

Translation: "Hello! My name is Ire and this is my language."

This is Fjatli, or Sfarokchosti [sfɐ.ɾo.k͡xoˈs.ti] if you'd rather use the endonym. It's inspired mostly by the grammar of the Muscogee language but with a good few liberties taken, especially with my use of a German-esque orthography, and in its lore is spoken by an indigenous people who are known for their relationship with luck, their beautiful and intricately styled hair, and their perseverance against all odds

Much like Muscogee, Fjatli is polysynthetic. So words take multiple and often many prefixes and suffixes, so often entire sentences can be contained in just one word (which is actually a help since Fjatli doesn't have any pronouns at all)

Eraba. : Eat.

Erabata. : I eat.

Erabanita. : I am eating.

Anerabanita. : I want to be eating.

Jo'anerabanita. : I want to be eating you.

This is a weird example (and there are certainly more useful examples) but it shows how verbs work in Fjatli. Nouns, adjectives and adverbs operate similarly but aren't as complex (however this is still a WIP so I'm planning on expanding all of them.) I'll show an example of ownership and definiteness in nouns

Fjer : Friend

Cafjer : The friend

Fjerin : My friend

Fjerag : Your friend

Fjerob : Their friend

Fjerimin : Our friend

The main word order for Fjatli is generally VSO whenever other words are needed. So "the animal wants to eat a fruit" would be said in the order of "wants to eat the animal a fruit" similar to Irish, Welsh, Classical Arabic, and many Polynesian languages. Also make sure not to forget subject and object markers, similar to Japanese. Here's a full breakdown

A'aneraba ja cacoxot do t'ano.

[ɐʔɐnɛɾɐˈbɐ jɐˈ t͜͡ʃɐt͜͡soǃoˈt doˈ tʼɐnoˈ]

[It wants to eat it] [sm] [the animal] [om] [fruit].

And you can expand on this by putting indirect objects before the verb. Combine this with Fjatli's verb aspect system that can still give a detailed description of events in time without any tenses at all, and you get my absolute favorite sentence I've translated for this language: "I bleed through my instrument"

Isorogin chonsoho'inerta.

[isoˈɾoɡin xonsohoˈʔinɛɾtɐ]

[My instrument] [I have and often bleed through]

This is what I love so much about polysynthetic languages, like in just two (albeit pretty long) words this language can say something that takes English upwards of eight words to fully convey. Especially since the verb in that last sentence takes advantage of the perfect habitual aspect (where the verb has been completed and will be several times in the future) which can't be easily communicated in English

This was just an introduction to the basics of Fjatli, there's even some stuff in the greeting at the top of this post that I didn't get into so maybe if there's demand I'll make a follow-up that explains more (as a gift to anyone who notices that there's click consonants in this language). I also made a writing system for it and I'm not gonna let anyone live in peace until they've seen it because it's so cool (I say that about all the writing systems I've made)

Or menoko, fjerin!

Edit 1: fixed some glaring spelling mistakes (I wrote this at 4am and I'm not entirely sure it wasn't a fever dream)

Edit 2: finally found out how to do smol text

#did I make a conlang with no pronouns or tenses to challenge myself? #yes #guilty as charged #conlang #constructed language #langblr #language #linguistics #language arts #conlanger #conlanging

[soojinscherries]

Can you tell us the details about faline or y/n please??

I wrote this out in my notebook a while back, and it's based off of what google would give if you looked someone up.

--

Fauna

(Japanese singer)

Faline Yazawa, better known by her nickname and stage name Fauna, is a Japanese singer, rapper, and songwriter based in South Korea. She is a member of South Korean girl group I-dle, which debuted on May 2, 2018 under Cube Entertainment.

Born: Febuary 13, 2000 (age 22 years), Osaka, Japan

Height: 5'0'' (Soyeon's favorite detail)

Full name: Yazawa Faline

Hangul: 동물군

Kanji: ���物相

(^ might be wrong ^)

Parents: Yazawa Hana

--

Now other facts, that an average fan would have to dig a little deeper to find (bold), or only her close friends know (reg).

--

Faline is an only child, she was born in Osaka, Japan, and moved to Toronto when she was one. Her father, a real prick, left as soon as her mother (Hana) told him that she was pregnant. Hana was 18 at the time of birth, and she raised Faline with some money that her dad gave her after her own mother had kicked her out of the house for being a "Disgrace to their family". Faline never knew who her dad was, and was perfectly fine not knowing.

She did get some trouble at school, because some kids thought it was weird that she didn't have a dad and no one would play with her. The Faline met Elizabeth Hyun, a Korean/Canadian girl, and they instantly became best friends. They stuck together all through elementary, middle, and high school, well, not all of high school. (<- will be explained as the story goes on)

Other friends Faline meets in middle/high school:

Ein Hartvig, Danish and a cool guy, they met after Elizabeth and Elizabeth's soon-to-be boyfriend and Ein's friend set them up on a date, knowing that they already kind of knew each other from being in band together, but not knowing that they both were gay, but it kinda worked out in the end 'cause Faline and Ein continued on as best friends, even on into Faline's idol life. Also the person who taught Faline how to speak Danish. (Fans found out about Ein and Faline being friends when Ein called Faline on his live stream *not sure what to call this show, like whether it could be something almost like Seulgi.zip or Miyeon's show* to prove that they are friends to some Nevies who were in chat). Faline also worked at Ein's dad's car shop.

Caroline/Yujun Chung, Korean, her and Faline had something going on back in high school, even fans suspect it, but what happened in the janitor's closet, stays in the janitor's closet wink wink. And if you asked either of them, they'd say their relationship was never set in stone, so more like fwb. Caroline and Faline met through band, they both played trumpet and sat next to each other in class. And it was obvious that Caroline had a big, fat crush on Faline, but the ladder barely noticed, already having her eyes on someone else. (My mind is blanking here, but that is about it with Caroline)

Then there's Jonas, don't have a last name for him yet, but just know that he's a prick <3

That's about all I can give without spoiling too much of the story. I'll have to figure out how exactly I'm gonna post these, cause I really just wrote them as short snippets, not following any order- But that's a problem for future me, so stay tuned :)

edit: Forgot some minor details, like how when she was 15, she moved back to Japan, and how she decided that she wanted to be an idol on the whim--her Korean skills are a little better than Shuhua’s, she has more mistakes in writing than in speaking, and focuses on her pronunciation a bit more than grammar. She joined Cube the same time Miyeon did, and Miyeon was her first friend in Korea, so she’s also the member she’s closest to in I-dle. She didn’t come to Korea with 0 knowledge of Korean, having 2 close friends who were Korean, she knew a little bit from what they’d teach her sometimes, so she knew some basic stuff. 

She also has a black Maine Coon named Lucky, and a Cockatoo, that lives with her mom back in Canada, named Joy (Yes, named after Red Velvet’s Joy--Faline is a b i g Luvie) :] Might give her a third pet, I kinda want her to be one of those people, like Lisa, who has so many pets that it’s almost absurd- Originally the third pet was going to be a cotton candy corn snake named Zaki, but idk if that’d be too much? Prolly not, I-dle is already chaotic, having the fictional member have a snake shouldn’t be a problem-

#answered

[daphnejane]

Hi DJ! Some questions for you (I had trouble narrowing it down I want to know *all* the things)

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

🤲what do YOU get out of writing?

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited! (I mean, I think you know which one)

Hello there! Thanks so much for playing! I love these things. Also, I just answered some different questions here. 😊

from the fic writer asks

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

Oooooh, tough one. I think a tie between plot and characters. A plot can be great, but if the characters suck I'm going to nope out, and vice versa. Oh wait, that's for reading and this is meant to be from the writer POV isn't it? 😅🤦‍♀️ Some of those things can have different levels of importance depending on the piece, but I would say the technical stuff is always super important. My grammar isn't perfect, but I do make an effort. And if I find mistakes after posting, I will correct them.

🤲what do YOU get out of writing?

With fanfiction, it's usually scratching an itch. That's how I ended up writing Locklyle. 😅 I really wanted more of their story—what does their future look like—that canon doesn't give me. So I'm making one up haha. It's also a creative outlet and a great way to hone my writing skills. I have started probably 5 original projects but haven't been disciplined enough to finish any of them. Maybe one day!

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited! (I mean, I think you know which one)

Hahahaha yes, I think I can guess which one you want to know more about! I did share a snippet of it here in case you missed it. I got the idea for this Locklyle fic about halfway through The Empty Grave and started writing. Then the ending made me question the whole timeline of my fic, but I decided it's fine because this is ✨fanfiction!✨ Basically it's about them getting older and losing their talents, how that changes their investigations, and what it means for their future. It fits several of the prompts for Locklyle week (stumbled into this fandom just in time!) so I am busting my ass to get it done by Sunday! It's a little bit firsts, a little bit denial, a little bit love languages, and some domesticity thrown in too. Keep reading below the cut for a snippet! I will warn you that it's not been edited yet.

Thanks again for the ask! 🥰🥰

We tried to go back to sleeping apart—honest, we did—but slowly, we came to an unspoken arrangement. I'd wake up from another dream of the Other Side and show up at his bedroom door, clutching my pillow tight against my belly, awkwardly waiting for him to say something. He never did, just pulled the covers back and made room for me. At some point in the intervening months, it became a nightly habit for me to sleep in Lockwood’s room. And I don’t mean in the armchair, though he certainly tried. But now it seemed natural to slip into bed next to him, the warmth of our bodies heating the blankets, shutting out the cold of haunted places that threatened to sink into our bones. My pillow stayed in place next to his.

Everything was above board. We might as well have kept a rapier between us. Not that I wished otherwise. I only mean to say there wasn’t any funny business, and that’s that. Sure, sometimes our hands found each other in the dark, but even school children hold hands. I might have woken once or twice with my palm clasped in Lockwood’s, held to his chest as we lay flat on our backs. People can't control what they do in their sleep. It didn't mean anything. And there was the time I woke up from a dream of Dark London with his long limbs wrapped around me. You know when you wake up suddenly with the feeling you’re falling from a great height?

“It’s all right, Luce,” his low voice said in my ear. “I’ve got you. You were shivering.”

I settled back into his warmth and drifted off.

Shaking off the memory, I spit into the sink and rinsed out my mouth. My point is, we never talked about it. Never acknowledged aloud that something had changed between us. We simply got in bed, said our good nights, and went to sleep. But now I had broken that silence, and he… He seemed pleased at the thought of going to bed together. When he said it like that, come to bed with me, it was more than just our usual banter.

Finished with my bedtime routine, I descended the stairs to Lockwood’s room. Suddenly self-conscious in my tatty t-shirt and worn shorts, I hesitated on the threshold. 

Lockwood looked up from his glossy society magazine and flashed his signature megawatt smile. “That’s rule number one broken, Luce.”

“This isn’t a haunted house,” I grumbled. “Not anymore, anyway.”

He had new bedsheets. Blue. I knew they were for me. The covers were folded back on my side of the bed, just waiting for me to slip in.

“Thought you might’ve changed your mind.”

I flapped my arms and stepped into the room. “Not a chance.” Avoiding his eye, I sat on the edge of the bed and swept my legs up, half turned away from him as I shoved them under the coverlet. I made a show of fluffing my pillow.

“You alright, Luce?” 

“Of course,” I said brightly. I heard the rustle of paper—Lockwood setting the magazine aside—and then the lamp clicked off. “You can keep reading if you like. The light doesn’t bother me.”

The mattress shifted beneath me. I was almost rolled toward him. “It’s okay. I can sleep now that you’re here. Good night, Lucy.”

“Good night, Lockwood.”

We lay in the dark without speaking for some time before either of us found our rest.

#ask meme #fanfiction #writer #fanfiction writer #locklyle

[shunkani]

Chapter 132 Levi/Hange Analysis

Summary: An attempt to explain the sentence in chapter 132

Levi: I see your one sided love with Titans still goes unrequited, four-eyes.

Hange: ...We’ll be getting along soon enough.　（…すぐに仲良くなるさ）

Disclaimer: this is just interpretation and not meant to be taken as official proof of romance between Levi and Hange in Attack on Titan. This is theory and nothing else. I’ve read multiple tweets and essays to compile my own thoughts.

I personally do not have any qualms with other ships, and this essay doesn’t discredit other Hange or Levi CP’s. Also, sorry but this essay has no pictures. 

Lesson_____

A quick Japanese lesson (and language comprehension); I will try to make it painless. I make no assumption on the reader’s Japanese level/English grammar understanding and will be talking about it as is.

When は is combined with another particle, it puts emphasis in a way such as English has intonation. Since Japanese does not stress tone (like how one says the words sarcastically/meaningfully/sadly/cheekily) it uses particles to do this job.

So, when Levi says, “相変わらず巨人とは片思いのままだったなクソメガネ“

It means literally, “As always, still an unrequited love with Titans, four-eyes.”

Naturally, “Your love for Titans is one-sided, as usual, four-eyes.”

In Japanese, using には or とは creates a third, invisible option that is outside of the realm of the sentence.

When you use に or と or even は by itself, it creates a one dimensional statement. When used with other particles combined with は it creates another, outside dimension to the sentence. A third suggestion or comparison. は can be used as a comparative or stress particle as well as a topic marker.

quick example.

I didn’t go to the library with him. ->彼と図���館に行かなかった.（ Forward statement. It is as it is. ）

I didn’t go to the library with him. ->彼とは図書館に行かなかった （Implying I went there with someone else, but not him. ）

Just like you’d expect, English speakers understand the implications of stressing “him.” Just as Japanese speakers understand the implications of とは etc. If we stressed library(図書館には）instead of “boy” (彼とは）then it’s implication is that we didn’t go to the library with him, but maybe somewhere else. I hope this is clear. 

____

Okay, on with the analyses. Just a note again, but I’ve naturalized any Japanese so that it’s not literal, but the meaning is the same so it’s easier to comprehend for native English speakers. I’ve changed “I” to “we” considering I formatted to fit essays.

From  ストリキーネさん’s essay

Like others have said, Levi’s words feel like his true confession. Whether it’s romantic or not, it’s up in the air, but while making small talk and commenting about his long time comrade in arms, it seems like this comment is loaded with unlabeled feelings, like “You gross me out, but I feel something special for you and I get you.”

It feels natural to say “You still have unrequited love for Titans.” right after the banter of Hange and Pieck’s exchange.  {note: 巨人に片思いのままだな is using に here, not とは, so it feels natural to say に）

So why did he use “とは” and not ”に”？

If there’s official announcement that say’s there’s no meaning to it, or that it’ll be corrected in the official volume, then this sentence will be meaningless. But if it’s intentional or even unconscious decision, we get the impression that he is recalling a third person (”me” ie Levi) among Hange and the Titans. 

 Moreover, hearing “four eyes” was unexpected and we can only imagine it was surprising for Hange too. Since we might have never expected that we’d hear “four eyes” in the original manga again, it’s perplexing, but feels filled with something like nostalgia. 

With Hange taking over as commander and the world rapidly changing, we get the feeling that there’s a distance between them, at least from what is shown to us from the story. 

Because of this short exchange about Titans, all at once we are brought back to “An eccentric, Titan-loving section commander,” and “Captain who’s fond of four-eyes,” and it’s moving. 

There’s a little pause (note: talking about the “...” before Hange starts talking) at the end of Levi’s lines and the start of Hange’s dialogue. One wonders if it couldn’t be a mix between surprise and relief on Hange’s end. 

Also, as many others have said, Levi is answering Hange’s “I’d prefer if we live here together,” from the forest, to the best that he can. There was no reason to look back at that scene in relation to this because Levi seemed to have brushed off Hange’s shocking statement, but since everyone was referencing that scene, a second re-examination was in order. (Note, the author actually said something a little more personal, so I condensed it to match a more essay-like statement)

Levi could have been surprised.

Someone who he’s known for a long time, and supported each other, and can admit that (Hange) can be troublesome sometimes, but also they hit it off well, yet each of their own responsibilities have become heavier and the world is in this state... in a situation like this, when suddenly alone together in a quiet forest, he might think Hange has stopped thinking if seriously suggesting to run away and saying things like “let’s live together.”

Under circumstances like this, if it were us, we’d likely want to do it, but remember we have responsibilities, maybe we don’t know what the other person feels, perhaps we’d rather we never heard it, so we pretend not to. In Levi’s case, perhaps pretend to sleep (pretending to not be able to hear it) or when he wakes up, change the subject completely.  

It’s unlikely that Levi could give an answer on the spot, and would want time to figure it out. 

(There’s more to the essay but it’s thoughts on relationships between people and some other things that don’t apply to the quote)

ーーーーー

Notes concluded from various twitter surfing:

Many JP fans think Levi’s statement alluded to the forest scene. It’s like his clumsy answer to Hange’s proposal, since he didn’t give a direct answer. Actually the essay above felt his answer was cold and ignored Hange. But Hange doesn’t seem displeased about it. 

As many have said, Hange and Levi are definitely “adults” in this world. They both understand it’s not feasible to do the things they want to do, because their duties supersede that. Hange carries the immense duty of commander, and both hold the responsibility to stop Eren or fight for humanity as a whole. 

It’s rather evident to me, even as an ordinary reader, that Levi did not want Hange to go. In fact, Hange says, 行かせて, “let me go.” and anticipated Levi would try to stop Hange. Mind you, it’s not “release me” but “I have to do this, so don’t stop me.” It took him three panels, focused on his dead-like eyes to finally say “Dedicate your heart,” something he’s apparently never said before. To me, “Dedicate your heart” is a self-sacrificing quote when applied to the Survey Corps. Pretty much “go in bravely, and don’t expect to come back.” Levi is a “Live and come back’ type. The strange thing is that Levi puts his hand on Hange and says it.. in Hange’s place..? It’s a salute before battle, but here it feels like a gentle sentence. Why it was delivered that way? I hope that Isayama will answer these questions in future interviews. 

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Another thing, Levi says みててくれ to Hange, a now deceased person. Levi has never asked anything from the dead. He’s mentioned fulfilling his promise to Erwin about killing Zeke, but some have found it strange for Levi to ask Hange to “Watch me (kill Zeke.”) (edit: the point is that Levi asked Hange to keep watching him, so it seems that his promises and goals may have changed)

One user said something pretty sad. “For Levi, I think Hange is treated as a MIA. Even if there’s no chance of survival, if Levi looks at Hange’s death, Hange has ended for him right there. So since Hange hasn’t ended, he said “ watch out for me.” That’s the reason why Levi, who’s looked at dead soldiers in the eye, didn’t look at Hange.”

It’s simply, Levi didn’t say “Rest in peace,” or “Goodnight.” but “See ya, Hange. Keep looking out for me.” 

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Going back to the quote about Titans, the summary is, that in Japanese, Levi’s speech seems incredibly nuanced because he uses language that suggests that Hange and him have come to a mutual feeling, and it’s simply by stating “with Titans” (but there’s a mutual love with me). That’s why the above essay questions if this isn’t a misprint or mistake, or perhaps it’s nothing at all. (I want to point out, that one user suggested it could refer to Eren, but it seems unlikely) 

This is his “answer.” And Hange says...”...We’ll get along soon enough.” 

There’s a “...” before Hange says that, indicating a pause, whether out of surprise by being called “four-eyes”, or carefully thinking on how to respond to “とは” 

Some other notes before I close this up, I thought this was a nice thought on LeviHan:

Hange was introduced while talking and having contact with Levi and Hange exited while talking and having contact with Levi. Really, Hange’s story started and ended with Levi. 

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I apologize if this seems everywhere, I’m not particularly fond of writing, but for Hange’s last chapter, I feel like English speakers should get in on what Japanese levihan fans were saying. 

終わり

#levihan #snk132 #essay

[thelucyverse]

How to Interact with Fanfic Authors - for Beta Readers

I wanted to make posts both for fic authors and beta readers, because I realized in several recent interactions that some helpful unwritten rules of fandom seem to have become lost to people who are new to it.

This isn't meant to be a call-out post against anyone to say 'you did it wrong!' (really, how could anyone be mad if you just didn't know any better), and there aren't even any definite rules for anything - but I just thought these things might be nice to know and helpful to share around. This part will be @ the betas, the post for authors can be found here :)

Selecting a story to beta read

If you already stumbled across someone asking for a beta reader, you can skip ahead to the next part.

What and why do you want to beta read?

Are you looking to improve your skills in finding grammar and spelling mistakes because you want to be a teacher or a parent? Are you just bored and looking for something to do? Do you want to help your friends, or anyone who happens to need help right now? Do you have time today, for an hour, or are you willing to edit 100k over the next weeks? What content are you comfortable reading and editing? Do you want to be able to show others that you beta read a story? All questions you should ask yourself and find an answer to before you go about contacting any fic authors.

If you want to practice grammar and spelling, you want to beta a story of an author who is only looking for that, and not a deeper check.

Depending on how much time you have, you should look at the wordcount of fics and only agree to beta those you have time to do in the time-frame given by the author.

To help people you know, you could ask writers you are friends with to let you know when they need a story to beta (don't ask too many at the same time, or you will get swamped in work), or make a tumblr post saying any writer mutuals of yours can ask you whether you currently have time to beta. Many fandom discords also have a @/helper role that will ping you when someone is looking for beta readers or other help. If you want to help anyone, go to the next step, otherwise skip that one.

Finding stories or authors

On tumblr and ao3, you can check out the 'beta reader wanted' tags and similar ones like 'to beta', 'fic beta wanted', 'looking for beta reader', etc. If you are looking for a specific fandom on tumblr, you probably have to be willing to scroll for a while, as most people don't tag things with '[fandom] beta reader wanted', and even if you would have to check many different tag variants to even find a single fic. On ao3, you can search for a fandom or pairing and then filter for the beta tags (one at a time).

On ao3, some authors also allow beta work of completed stories - but make sure to only do it on works of authors who are comfortable with this, do not give unsolicited advice or criticism! No matter how 'helpful' or 'constructive'! Comments with beta work without the author asking for it in notes or profile are anything but nice.

Most authors won't be mad at you if you point out a typo or two, but still check the notes of the fic and the author's profile for whether they actively state that they do not want this kind of beta work, and if you do end up leaving a comment, make sure to a) include something you liked about the story, so the author doesn't just check their inbox to get disappointed with a 'here's a typo' message, b) ask whether they want you to keep doing so in the future or rather not, and c) always stay polite.

For anything more than a single typo or grammar mistake, you should ask the author - best in a dm if you can find their tumblr - whether they are looking for a beta reader for this story of theirs that you enjoyed reading. Still leaving a nice comment on the fic first will help your beta/author relationship along, trust me :) Again, before you ask to beta, check the notes and profile or of they have an about section on their tumblr or other sites to find out whether your help might not be welcome, as perhaps for them a fic, once posted, is not going to be edited anymore.

You can also specifically look through the profiles of authors you like, to check not just for whether or not they are alright with corrections and/or constructive criticism, but also for whether they are actively looking for a beta reader!

Working with a fic author

Once you are in contact with an author, you need to find out whether you are really compatible, to then work together well.

Preparation: clarifying what you can, should and will do for the author

What does the author want you to look for? Examples can be found on the post for fic authors. Most authors will tell you without prompting, but some might not know that clarification is necessary/ are so used to their kind of betaing that they didn't think to/ plain forgot about it. In this case, you shouldn't just make assumptions - even if you worked with the author before, they might want different things for different fics, depending on length or how important a story is to them etc, so ask what exactly they want you to do.

Make sure the instructions cover the kind of beta work, the format (directly in the text, tracked editing functions, comment next to the text or direct messages), the content of the fic if there is anything you wouldn't want to read (rating, pairings, warnings), and the time frame in which they need the work to be ready to post.

Once you know what is wanted, really think about whether you are able to do as requested. If you can't - whether because you won't finish it in time or because you can't or don't want to do the kind of beta work they need (I for example hate to only beta spelling and grammar without also correcting wordflow, I would do it for a short fic but I won't agree to beta something longer if I can't bring in my own opinion at least a little), and honestly say what you won't do and why. If it doesn't work out, they will just have to look for a new beta, and there's no shame in that.

The actual beta work

Only do as much as the author asked you to, and do that well! You know what works best for you - reading the entire text first, then going through it again to beta, or starting with the corrections and suggestions immediately. Don't correct or suggest things they haven't asked for, it is not a curtsy but might even be hurtful unsolicited criticism.

If you aren't sure about something, for example a grammar rule, either look it up or honestly tell the author that there may or may not be a mistake there and they should check it out.

Be nice! Phrase your comments in a friendly way, and unless the author told you not to, you can even write additional notes pointing out things you especially liked.

Don't expect the author to accept all of your corrections and suggestions into the final text! You may think they would improve the work, but it is their decision, and maybe they have a specific writing style they want to stick to, or any other reason to ignore a suggestion. Don't argue about any of this.

Being credited as beta reader

Do you want to be credited for your beta work? If so, you should tell the author in advance so they can decide whether or not they agree to this, and to the way you will be credited, whether in name mention only, @ on tumblr or link on ao3.

Let me know if I missed anything, and I will add it to the post!

The post for fanfic authors about dealing with beta readers can be found here.

#beta #fandom lesson #beta reader #beta readers #ao3 lesson #fanfic lesson #on fandom #fandom rules #fandom rule #fanfiction #fandoms #not lverse #harry potter #the old guard #good omens #tagging some fandoms i've noticed problems earlier #star trek #fanfic writing #fanfic reading

[melaningifs]

saying this on a totally different account because of my paranoia. and sorry for any grammar mistakes im pissed off </3

but i think you might as well just don't give these guys the attention because that's just what they're seeking. that person didn't have to reblog the post but did it anyway just to tick you off.

i know its incredibly tempting to tell these guys off and whatnot but it only causes the situation to escalate and often makes you feel drained. these guys aren't worth it just let them sit in their trashy rooms staring at their computer screens waiting on your response.

you should focus on doing what you love and making other people happy. i promise you acknowledging the joy people get from your work is more worth it than regarding whites that get butt hurt seeing an asian character with dark skin.

these guys aren't making a difference. they aren't doing anything to make other people feel good. they're wallowing in their own self hate and hate seeing other people out there doing better things, so they take it out on others. unfortunately these people exist and there's nothing you can do about them. let them get mad let them be cruel, because at the end of the day there isn't a single difference they're making through creating useless drama on the internet.

im asian and i have dark skin and i love looking at your work. i love looking at characters i love and feeling represented through your edits. i wish anime would do a better job representing those who aren't pasty east asians and stop trying to appeal to whites. anti-blackness and general racism is a global issue and honestly its a huge problem in the anime industry..

anime does not represent real asians. it does not represent our cultures and appearances. white people should not have to be angry on our account. they're used to seeing themselves in all sorts of content, but feel invalided when any character of color exists in media.

real asians come in many different skin tones. we aren't just pale skinned horned up japanese school girls sorry. stop speaking over us just because you hate that black asians and asians of darker skin exist.

i am sorry this is happened and unfortunately it's going to be a common occurrence running a blog like this. please don't give these people the attention. know that you are making a great difference and that is a good thing.

No worries !! And you’re totally right, I always responded to poke fun cause I always found trolls really silly but I’m now realizing it’s definitely not the best approach ^^;;; ignoring them is probably the best way to deal with people like them, their the worst but they’ll never get me down >:D it fills my heart to hear that you can enjoy and feel represented through my edits !! I really do hope that in future there will be much more diversity in their characters so that more people can feel represented in anime ^^;;; there are some but it feels like just a handful T^T And you tell em !! I’ll do my best ! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send this, I’ll take it to heart ! I hope you have a wonderful day and stay safe ! 💕💕💕

#💌

[hd-learns-korean]

Musical Monday's Week 3!

Hello All! Happy Monday, I hope you had a brilliant weekend and are on track for a beautiful week ahead.

Today I'm back with another music inspired study post.

No jokes when I say this song is FIRE! I love it so much!

Song: My First and Last (마지막 첫사랑)

Artist: NCT Dream

Song Recommended by: tell-tale-taeil

My thoughts on this song: If you wanna dance around and sing like you're staring in your own Kpop concert, then this song is for you! It's so good and has such a feel good vibe to it. Love it. 🎤🎵😍

Notes: I am not 100% fluent in Korean and use these study posts to help me practice writing and translating. I've done my best to quadruple check info, but there still may be some mistakes. If you spot any, or a better way to translate please lemme know so I can correct them! Thank you!

Translation notes: I have included a mixture of my own sentences, papago translations and Naver dictionary examples. Where sentences are not my own, I have labelled where they are sourced from.

Right then party people, shall we get this study session started?!

VOCABULARY:

보이다 be seen/ come into sight/ appear

Present Tense: 보여요

Past Tense: 보였어요

Future Tense: 보일 거예요

Nominal: 보임

흥미를 보이다 show interest/ express an interest (Naver)

요즘 그는 피아노 연주에 흥미를 보여요. He is interested in playing the piano these days.

본을 보이다 set an example/ serve as a model (Naver)

모범을 보이다 set a (good) example for somebody (Naver)

미나 씨는 이 아이들에게 좋은 모범을 보이고 있어요. Mina is setting a good example for these children.

첫선을 보이다 make a debut (Naver)

저희가 2월에 첫선을 보일 거예요! We will debut in February!// We're going to perform for the first time in February!

열의를 보이다 Show enthusiasm (Naver)

그의 정말 열의를 보이고 있는 것 같아요. I think he's showing real enthusiasm.

시큰둥한 반응을 보이다 show a lukewarm reaction. Show an indifferent reaction. (Naver)

가수에게 관객은 시큰둥한 반응을 보였어요. The audience showed a sour reaction to the singer. The audience gave a lukewarm reaction to the singer.

적히다 be written down/ be noted down/ to be blacklisted

Present Tense: 적혀요

Past Tense: 적혔어요

Future Tense: 적힐 거예요

Nominal: 적힘

저기 있는 카페 간판에는 뭐라고 적혀 있어요? What's written on the cafe sign over there? (Modified Naver example)

메모에 전화를 건 사람의 이름과 전화번호가 적혀 있었다. The caller's name and phone number were written on the memo. (Naver)

죄성합니다, 이름은 명단에 안 있는 적혔어요. I'm sorry, your name is not on the list.

설명 explanation/ account/ give an explanation (of)

설명 자막 A subtitle/ a cut-in (Naver) Description Subtitles

화면 아래에는 설명 자막을 있어요. At the bottom of the screen there is an explanation caption. (There are subtitles at the bottom of the screen)

오늘에서 무슨 봤는 간단히 설명해주세요. Briefly explain what you saw today. (My version)

오늘 본 내용을 간략하게 설명해 주세요. Please briefly explain what you saw today.

(papago version)

장황하게 설명하다 Give a long winded/ lengthy/ rambling explanation. (Naver)

장황하게 설명하지 마세요. Don’t give me a long winded explanation.

개략을 설명하다 give an outline/ general explanation (Naver)

부러워하다 envy/ be envious of

Present Tense: 부러워해요

Past Tense: 부러워했어요

Future Tense: 부러워할 거예요

Nominal: 부러워함

저는 미나의 요리 실력을 부러워해요. I envy Mina's cooking skills.

저는 유나의 노래 재능을 부러워해요. I envy Yuna's talent for singing.

알딸딸하다 tipsy (Informal)

Present Tense: 알딸딸해요

Past Tense: 알딸딸했어요

Future Tense: 알딸딸할 거예요

Nominal: 알딸딸함

난 좀 알딸딸해. I’m a little tipsy.

난 좀 기분이 알딸딸하다. I feel a little tipsy.

취하다 be drunk/ Figurative use = To be enchanted/ to be intoxicated/ be immersed in

Present Tense: 취해요

Past Tense: 취했어요

어젯밤 넌 진짜 취했어! You were really drunk last night!

그 아저씨가 취한 것 같아요? Do you think he’s drunk?

그 아저씨는 취한 것 같아요? Does he look drunk?

확실하다 sure/ certain/ confident/ positive/ definite

Present Tense: 확실해요

Past Tense: 확실했어

Future Tense: 확실할 거예요

확실한 입장을 취하다 To take a firm line/ stand on (Naver)

확실한 투자 a sound/ solid/ secure investment (Naver)

사장님, 확실한 투자인 것 같습니까? Boss, do you think it’s a solid investment?

확실한 증거 conclusive evidence (Naver)

확실한 것은 말할 수 없다 I cannot say for certain (Naver)

살펴보다 examine/ search for/ look into

Present Tense: 살펴봐요

Past Tense: 살펴봤어요

Future Tense: 살펴볼 거예요

문이 잘 잠겼나 살펴봤어요? Did you check to see if the door was locked?

면밀히 살펴보다 minutely examine (Naver)

되돌리다 restore/ return/ give something back/ set back/ put back

Present Tense: 되돌려요

Past Tense: 되돌렸어요

Future Tense: 되돌릴 거예요

집주인이 계약금을 되돌려 주지 않았서 난 지금 진짜 화나! I'm really angry right now because the landlord didn't return the down payment.

살피다 take a good look at/ watch/ observe/ inspect closely/ judge

Present Tense: 살펴요

Past Tense: 살폈어요

Future Tense: 살필 거예요

표정을 살피다 study/ read somebody’s face (Naver)

미나는 사장님의 눈치를 살폈어요. Mina checked her boss’s mood. Mina tread on eggshells around her boss.

심중을 살피다 take a look at what’s in one’s heart/ read a persons mind. (Naver)

할머니, 왜 창밖을 살펴고 있어요? Grandma, why are you looking out the window? Grandma why are you peeping out of the window?

의향을 살피다 Sound out/ try to find out somebody’s intentions (Naver)

Miscellaneous Interesting Things I Found In This Song:

Difference between 살펴보다 & 살피다:

Both mean to 'look'

However 살펴보다 is a compound verb comprising of 살피다 + 보다

살피다 = To look

Therefore 살펴보다 gives the meaning of to look more closely/ to examine.

Both practically mean the same thing.

GRAMMAR:

ㄴ/는 것 같다

It seems that….

I think that….

To express a guess that has some substance to it. The speaker is fairly certain of the facts.

Usually something the speaker knows but doesn’t want to seem tactless or blunt, the speaker is trying to be polite.

Speaker is politely and gently giving their opinion

Can also be used to express that the speaker has already experienced something.

Note: ㄴ 것 같다 Shows past tense for verbs

았/었/ 했 는 것 같다 Shows present tense for verbs

ㄴ 것 같다 present tense for adjectives.

To say I thought that, I felt that: Conjugate ㄴ/는 것 같다 into ㄴ/는 것 같았어(요)

Examples found in this song:

Oh 내게도 온 것 같아 Oh I think it came to me too

너에게 취한 것 같아 I think I’m drunk on you

ㄹ/을 것 같다:

The speaker is less certain of the facts

A vague guess

The speaker is being presumptive about the future

with a noun = N + 일 것 같다

ADJ./V = ADJ./V + (으)ㄹ 것 같다

Examples found in this song:

가슴이 곧 터져 버릴 것 같아 I feel like my heart will burst soon – it seems like my heart will burst soon.

I will be creating a separate grammar post for the grammar listed above, otherwise this post would be too long!

However I'd like to recommend a youtuber that covers this topic and her video is really good! It helped me grasp the topic and she gives a really useful and in depth explanation with great examples!

Check out this video on Youtube by youtuber Korean Jream

“Korean Noun Modifying Form ~(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ, with 것 같다 | Intermediate Korean Grammar"

There we go everyone study list complete! I hope you had fun studying with musical monday's and found this post helpful. Did you like the song choice? I hope so!

As always everyone

Stay safe, have a beautiful day, and Happy Studying! X

Sources: Naver dictionary, Papago translation, verbix.com, Korean Jream (Youtube)

Image Source: Background Image is not my own, it is sourced from unsplash.com. All credits go to the original creator. However I have edited it and added my own text.

#langblr #studyblr #korean langblr #korean studyblr #nct dream #korean vocab list #musical mondays #don't mind me i'm just casually dancing round my room listening to this tune! #such a dance bop!

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

❛ FOUR DAYS ❜

with Nestor Oceteva.

Request: Nestor x Reader smut???? Any scenario just have smut

BY @firebenderwolf

Warnings: Nsfw, smut and that's all.

Word count: about 1.5k

Aurora says: this writing hasn't been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I'm sorry about that!

Gif credits: to the author, I found it on Google.

Masterlist.

Slowly, you start to feel somewhat awake, because of the feeling of two arms pushing you closer to a warm body. Slightly opening your eyelids, you find a forearm surrounding your neck, while the other is wrapping your waist. And as always, a leg over yours to avoid that you move too much. You're a little surprised to find Nestor lying on the sofa, behind you, when it's still daytime. Stretching a hand to the side table to check the hour on your phone. It's almost half past four. Too early for him to be at home. You can't help but smile sleepy, turning under his grip to watch him rest peacefully. He's wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants, with his curly hair loose and a little wet. Sliding an arm under his neck, you stroke his left cheek with the fingertips of your free hand. Because of a light sight coming out from his mouth, you know he's already waking up. Gently touching his lips with yours, you kiss him in an ephemeral and fleeting gesture. This time, his throat utters a disappointed growl, tangling his fingers in your hair to pull you closer to his face making you laugh with a low tone. Caressing his lips again, Nestor leans a little to finally catch them.

Releasing your legs from his, you toss one over his waist, shortening the distance left. His left hand toures down your body until reaching your ass, squeezing it with his ringed fingers, as you begin to move your hips slowly and unconsciously looking for more friction against your husband. His lips are teasing you, whenever you try to find his tongue, making you sob a little desperate. Nestor loves to play, when it's been more than two days without any pleasant touch because of his work and how tired he comes back home. This time it's been almost four days. He knows you're totally hooked to him, being a nuisance any time he has the opportunity.

“If you continue… I'm gonna put all your shit in a suitcase, to kick it to Mikey's house”.

The mexican laughs loudly, covering his mouth with a hand, taking the advantage to sink your face into his neck. Your teeth quickly find his skin, warmly biting it until making him groan, sideways seeing Adam's apple in his throat going up and down. His fingers tighten your hair, at the same time that your tongue wets his skin, scrubbing his body against yours.

“Don' play, baby…” You plead with a honeyed voice.

“I'm done with this game, princesa”.

Creasing the folds of your shirt to lift it up over your ass, Nestor pulls your panties down by your legs, throwing them to the other extreme of the sofa, before doing the same with your shirt. At another time, he would tease you a little more with his fingers or his mouth, but almost four days is too much waiting. Helping him with his pants and his boxers, coming undone them with his own legs to push them away, he guides his erection to your center; perfectly positioned for him. Slamming you without hesitating, he presses his pelvis against it as much as he can, making you cry out on his lips. Your tightness is already suffocating him in pleasure with every thrust, and every move he does.

“Fuck, baby… I missed you”. He whispers with a broken tone of voice because of the gasps borning in his throat.

Turning you on your back over the sofa, Nestor settles himself between your legs, running your neck with his lips to kiss it, whilst your hand roams his muscled back all around. Ending up placing one of them on his ass, you push him deeper every time his cock digs into your wetness. You can't describe how good it feels, or how desperate you were for feeling him completely filling you up. Traveling down his mouth to catch one of your nipples, he pinches the other with two ringed digits, moving his tongue over it with the tip making some perfect circles. Your moans flood the living room, as he goes faster hitting your g-spot without mercy.

Sometimes, his job is too much for you to handle it, finding him some nights coming back home with open wounds waiting for you to be fixed up, or not seeing him for more hours than expected. But finally, it's worth it when he shows you how much he has needed you, in many ways. This is your favorite one, pleasing you as much as he can. Tangling your legs on his, you give him a better angle to deeping his thick cock to your limits.

“Fuck, Nestor…” You babble with both eyes closed and your back slightly arched, looking for more, needed for more.

“I love how… tight you are after some days, baby”. He groans nailing his hands on your hips, pounding you harder against the sofa. “You like't, baby? You missed my dick, ah?”

“Yes…”

“How much, baby? Tell me”.

“Too much, Nestor… My fingers aren't the same”. You confess to your husband, totally submerged in a bubble of pleasure.

“Fuck, princesa… Were you that anxious for me?” You just nod, feeling his lips touching yours, drowning there your moans. “I'm going to make it up… to you for the rest of the day”.

Putting a hand around your throat, his free arm almost covers your waist. His pelvis crashes your pussy, soaking him and part of the sofa because of the wet he produces in you in moments like these. The rude dance of his body against yours is pushing you to your limits, tucking his tongue among your lips looking for yours in a dirty and desperate kiss. Nestor knows exactly how close you are, just needing his cock to take you to the orgasm, making him feel proud just like every time he fucks you; slow and gentle, or hard and fast. No matter how.

The heat begins to wrap your whole anatomy, from your tiptoes to the roots of your mane, slightly scratching his back with your nails.

“Oh, god, Nestor… Fuck… Please, don't stop”. You beg him, moving your hips keeping in steps with his.

“Cum all over my cock, princesa… I wanna feel it”. He demands speeding up, making you squirm under his grip.

And you can't hold it for much long, falling into the edge when a warm lash runs down your backbone, flowing into your center like an explosion of pleasure. You can't help but scream out his name, with your eyes highly closed.

“That's it, princesa… Fucking cum for me”. He grunts squeezing your body under his grip.

“Fill me up, cariño”. You mutter totally out of control, desperate to feel himself emptying inside you.

Nestor just needs some deeper thrusts to please you one more time, pushing and holding his cock inside you, almost out of air barely breathing and his lips anchored on yours. Your hands nailed on his ass, pressing him against your throbbing pussy while he spills his seed completely.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, princesa”. He tries to say as much as he can. “You like't, ah? Fully soaked by my cream?”

“Yes, baby”. You groan nodding, biting his bottom lip, not wanting to move a single inch of your anatomy. “I missed it too much, Nestor…”

“Hold it a little more, mi amor… You feel so fucking good suffocating my cock”. Your husband begs you, collapsing on your chest but tightly clinged to your back with both arms.

Traveling your hands to tangle them in his black curly hair, you surround his waist with your legs, making him gasp when he discovers he can be a little more buried deep inside your wet and warm pussy, narrowing his sensible skin. Kissing you so filthy that he could make you cum again just like that, his phone starts to ring. Snorting he stretches a hand over the table, palming it until finding it, sinking his face into your neck reluctantly. You know that if Miguel calls him, he has to answer. And you hate him right now more than ever.

“Hey, brother, are you busy?”

“Fucking much”. He can't help but moan softly when you tease him, closing your legs somewhat more around his body.

“Are y—”

“Yes, Mikey, I'm between my future ex-wife legs, if she doesn't stop of fucking move”.

“Traumatizing”. The other man whispers horrified. “Just calling you to give you a day off. Don't answer my calls wh—”.

“'key, hermano, bye”. Quickly hanging up and throwing the phone somewhere over the carpet, Nestor pulls out himself after freeing himself from your legs, to slam you harder.

“Holy fuck!” You cry out between some laughs.

“I'm gonna… punish you in three minutes”.

✨ Tag list:

@starrynite7114 ​ @chibsytelford ​ @dazzledamazon ​ @mara-mpou ​ @sammskellington ​ @gemini0410 ​ @1-800-imagines ​ @briana-mishell24 ​@sassymox @aquamento @sadeyesgf @viviansafizada @samcrobae @jade770 @witchy-wish @rebel-without-cause-x @xx--day-dreamer--xx @spiced-reads @tita127 @ifoundmyhappythought @enamouravecleslivresetlechocolat @angelxshiba @destynelseclipsa @sheeshgivemeabreak @abbiesthings @knowles-morgan @lady-pswrld @minnicelli @marquelapage @bigcreatorwombatdreamer @jadesamhart @mycupoffanfiction @claytoncardenasbabymama @thesandbeneathmytoes @phoenixhalliwell @thewarriorprincessxo @sugary-x-sweet @multiyfandomgirl40 @imanerdychubbyqueen @iambabyharry @firebenderwolf @itsanofrommesir @noz4a2 @peaches007 @edonaspanca @irenne-stans @skyofficialxx @emoengelfurleben

If you want to be tagged, send me a message!

#mayans mc x reader #mayans mc #mayans mc imagine #mayans x reader #nestor oceteva x reader #nestor oceteva imagine #nestor oceteva

[evandearest]

The Garden of Eden | Part IV: Betrayal

Pairing: James March x reader (you) | ~Part: (4/4)~

Summary (Part Four): Warnings are to be remembered, although most stored away for future use only to be forgotten. Cycles repeat to teach lessons; to warn of future events. Threats may remain even if not for the blind eye to see. However, ignorance might be the biggest threat of all.

Warnings (in this part): murder, blood, death, poison, religious twists, dark themes

Word Count: 5,018 (haha this part ended up with the most words... to end it off I suppose!)

Notes: This is the last part of the Garden of Eden! I just want to say thank you to all who read - especially @etoile-writings , for supporting me. Please go check out her series Adam and Eve, as it is a literary masterpiece and she deserves so much recognition.

I have seriously had so much fun writing this - it really has been my pleasure. I also want to apologize to all those who may have been waiting for awhile for the final part! Disclaimer: I tried my best to edit the grammar and everything in this but this is the best I could do! I hope there’s not many mistakes I may have missed. Please ask any questions and give me all your comments about this finale - I’d love to hear any and all thoughts! I also hope everyone is safe, healthy, and happy :) Feel free to send in other requests, whether it be AHS or Supernatural.

Also a heads up - keep a look out for the final review and analysis if you are interested. It is still in progress but it should be out within a couple of days at best.

A few side notes - the Countess and James are still legally married here, as they are in the show, but in this situation it is only because they haven’t gotten the chance to divorce. This part may seem to have very long sentences, but I just wanted to let you guys know that it is a writing technique that I used to create mood, tone, and theme. That’s all, thanks!

Tag List: @etoile-writings @haileyybird @ietss

Something about the young couple in the bar had your mind reeling. Their hands remained interlocked on the table, both of them staring at one another with all the joy and adoration that only true love can bring. Their relationship was new and exciting. The honeymoon phase was always so perfect. You remembered how that had felt with James; so invigoratingly energizing. It was enough to make you feel as if you ruled the world; love blinding a vision of truth. It was, for many years, what you had considered paradise to be.

Paradise.

You realized now that it never had been perfect with you and James. There were so many things standing in the way, so many hidden threats. When you were younger, it had been your parents and their obsessive need to marry you off like an object to a rich man. Even as he had began his journey to success, James’ social status as new money hadn’t seemed good enough to them. When you had first gotten back with James only just around a month ago, you had thought that you’d conquered everything. You had been blind to the truth which was right in front of you once again. You should have expected some kind of change in James. It was inevitable, after all that time spent apart.

But now, however, right at this present moment... well, now, everything was out in the open. Now, you and James truly understood one another. Now there really was nothing in your way. You could see no obstacles ahead, no threat, so long as James was by your side. All you saw was James, and all that clouded your mind was your admiration and devotion to him. He was your everything; your soulmate, your leader, your God. He had dragged you from the fire and brought your paradise back to you; good, true, and everlasting this time around. Your precious Garden of Eden, controlled by none other but you and your God.

Your God; who had been the utmost of clever in his recent schemes. He’d been outraged when he did it, but it wasn’t to say that he wasn’t brilliant. He was of excellent prosecution; his statement out in the open and clear. A Sunday morning: police finding piles of dead bodies compiled with numerous copies of nothing other than the book of God himself. It was sadistic and morbid, but it was perfect. It was everything that James needed to say. He was on the verge of something momentously renowned.

Once James was finished, no one would ever forget his message: religion was the worst thing to happen to society. It controlled the will of man, when truly nothing in creation could stop anything. Everyone was put equal on the Earth to sin, to live in the most pleasurable way.

It was the entire reason Adam and Eve had been cast down. They were sinners, except the garden was a place controlled by God’s rules. They had wanted to control their own lives, so God banished them to Earth. James, however, had created his own paradise; his own Garden of Eden. He had climbed so far above all other men that he now controlled the garden. He had to prove to others the ridiculousness of holiness--for all were meant to sin. Religion was, essentially, suppression. To some, it may seem horrible, but to you, it was art. A simple expression of belief that most didn’t understand.

Voices floated into your ears, startling you out of your thoughts. Soft echoes through the lobby of your beloved’s name piqued your interest, your feet immediately carrying you to the railing without much thought. You left your drink on the bar’s counter--still full, but long forgotten. Your eyes landed on four men clad in black suits, shiny gold badges on their shoulders reflecting light from the chandeliers above. You scanned the area, noticing a certain maid standing close by, listening in, much like you were.

“We have suspicion based upon evidence that Mr. March was involved in the murder this past Sunday. We have already taken the time to get a warrant for his arrest,” one of the officers explained to the receptionist at the front desk. Time seemed to take a standstill, your heart seeming to stop completely as your brain registered the man’s words. No, this couldn’t be happening.

The cycle was repeating again. They were trying to tear you apart again.

You didn’t understand how this could’ve happened. He said he was careful, and you could never see James making a mistake with something this important. He was detail-oriented, his brain practically ran off of the certainty of perfectionism. He would never let a small mistake ruin everything for him.

The entire empire he’d built, and everything you’d rebuilt, was about to be destroyed all over again.

Your body seemed to catch up with your mind as you sprung into action. You twisted around, your feet pushing you forward only to come to a halt at the close proximity of the once unknown presence behind you. Your eyes widened, a sharp breath escaping your lips at the stop you made compared to your sudden momentum. You stared into the eyes of none other than The Countess, clad in only the most extravagant clothing and makeup.

“That’ll be a hard one to get out of,” she said, although her face was seemingly expressionless. You stared at her, your frenzied brain jumping to the first conclusion you could make.

“Did you...” you trailed off, your breathing suddenly heavy. James couldn’t have made the mistake, so that means that somebody else had to of given the police some kind of tip in order for them to seek James out. The woman standing before you was quite possibly the number one suspect. “Did you do this?” Your voice held tones of disbelief and anger.

Would Elizabeth really go to such extent when she hadn’t even expressed a major disliking? She hadn’t talked to you at all since that first time, in fact the only interactions you’d had with one another were passing glances. She’d seemed to have just steered clear of anything to do with you or James. You had no idea what she had thought, but you had supposed that she didn’t care about you and James, otherwise she would have spoke her concerns. Had you been wrong about her? Could a simple mistake end it all over again? Elizabeth scoffed, her face hardening.

“Oh God no...” she said wryly, a small sarcastic grin forming on her lips as she looked at you quizzically, “what would I get out of it now? As I am still his present wife, I don’t need James dead to use his money. And besides, now that he has you he no longer bothers me.” She was smug as she spoke to you. She grinned, all teeth and mischief, her eyes sparkling. “It’s a winning situation for the both of us if you ask me.” She paused, her grin falling slightly as her gaze wondered off to peer down into the lobby.

“I could bet I know who the rat is, though,” She said, turning back to you. “I’m wagering it’s his loyal minion. That poor woman has been in love with James since the beginning of time.” She paused, her eyes intense as they rested on your face. “And based on your expression you think so too.” She smiled at you and then turned, walking slowly away from you. “Good luck,” she called back to you without turning around, your eyes watching her back as she went.

You stood contemplating her words for a moment. Elizabeth was smart and straightforward, and from what you could tell if she had a problem she would speak her mind. And what she had said made sense. Miss Evers was in love with James, but her love was unrequited, and that’s why she constantly seemed at odds with you. She could never even have a chance to be with him, so long as you were around.

Your feet carried you quickly as you raced to the elevator. The police were still conversing with the receptionist, but you knew it was only a matter of time before they found out where James was. You recalled a conversation you’d had with him in the morning, concluding that he had to be caught up attending to his hobby.

The police would find him in his office, in the middle of his business, and it would all be over. He would be taken from you once again.

You didn’t even knock upon arriving; you opened the door and closed it quickly behind you. You turned to face James, in all his blood-covered, god-like glory. You took in the scene of James’ office quickly, your eyes tracing over every detail. A large bin sat in the center of the room, a rugged corpse contained within it. James had been busying himself with pouring a substance over the body, of which could only be acid, as it had sizzled upon impact with the dead man’s skin. At your arrival, James halted his methods in confusion.

Several items were scattered across the floor, one of which catching your interest. The glass of the vase; a damp spot surrounding the area where the unaltered mess remained. The roses remained too, the petals wilting from lack of nourishment. You paused, your mind trying to puzzle out their unmoved position. Miss Evers had to have been in here since last night, so why wouldn’t she move them? She might have been scheming, but she was extremely adamant on being neat when it came to James’ specific rooms. You couldn’t see her ignoring it, and yet here it was sitting puzzlingly. You were caught off guard for a reason not entirely known to you. Something about their appearance had you alarmed, a string of words suddenly ringing out in your head; perhaps a memory brought to the surface.

“If you betray the rose, the rose no longer profits you.”

The old woman was suddenly prevalent in your mind, her warning dawning upon you, your heartbeat stuttering at the looming echo of her words. James was waiting for you to explain yourself--the police were coming--Miss Evers had betrayed you--everything you and James had worked so hard for was crumbling down around you. Your heartbeat was fast, the pulse beating quickly, perhaps the reason for the pounding in your head.

You looked James in the eyes, studying his features. He was so handsome--even before you knew him, that day in the garden when you had first seen him--you had marveled at his beauty. And that was before he’d become such a man; his features sharp and masculine, beautifully sculpted by the gods. His dark brown eyes and hair, so dull yet so prominent--a symbol of his darkness. You could stare at him for eternity and never bore, your love for him everlasting.

And yet, here you were at the end with no escape, hell a threat once again hanging above your heads, looming just around the corner. Just a few more minutes and everything would be over. Just a few more minutes and you’d be lost again, stranded without your guide; your purpose--your God.

“James,” you gasped, stumbling slightly as you made your way to him. You’d just managed to get to him before you fell over slightly, your arms reaching out to grasp onto his tightly. He caught you, keeping you level as his face filled with concern. The pounding in your head was intense, beginning to drown out your thoughts and quicken your breath.

“Darling, tell me--what is it?” James demanded, his voice panic-stricken. He lifted your chin to look you in the eyes, his widened orbs meeting yours with intensity.

“I-it’s--the- the police,” you barely managed to get the words out, clinging onto James like he was your lifeline. Nothing seemed right; your thoughts suddenly taking too long to form into words, your breathing heavy, vision blurry, and it was becoming much harder to stand. What was happening? You stared into James eyes, shifting all your focus into him. “They’re here to arrest you.” One hand gripped his arm firmly as you brought the other to rest upon his cheekbone, leaning chest to chest as your body began to collapse into him. He held you steady, forever the one and only thing to truly support you. “They’re going to take you from me,” you sobbed, an onslaught of tears overcoming you. “Again,” you cried quietly, gasping for air.

The door opened, your heart skipping a beat at the intrusion, your mind going straight to the thought of the police. Your eyes landed on Miss Evers instead, confusion settling on you once again. She’d gotten what she wanted, hadn’t she? Why was she here now, to prove something? You wished you had the strength to question her, to say anything, but everything felt heavier and heavier as more time passed.

“Tell me,” James barked at her just as she’d closed and locked the door, “what in all creation is happening? Speak right this instant, and quickly.”

“The police are here,” Miss Evers explained, James grip on you tightening as you leaned onto him for support. He glanced down at you, worry glinting in his eyes as you just barely managed to look up at him.

“Darling,” he whispered, “what is happening? Are you ill?” A moment of silence passed as you tried to respond, your mouth opening but no words becoming audible. A moment of silence passed, the only action being James assessing you. Your words couldn’t seem to form, a burning spreading through your entire body. It was unlike anything you’d ever felt. You began to wonder yourself if you were somehow ill.

“It was supposed to be me!”

The maid across the room suddenly shrieked, desperation clouding her judgement as she flung her arms up in the air. “I was the one for you!” She sobbed, stumbling slightly as an expression of hurt formed upon her face. “I always loved you, and these women--they never did! They used you, and I always cared!” James eyes widened, shock coming across his features. He stared at the woman, contemplating her words.

“But you never saw,” the woman said sadly, her head hanging in shame before her face went emotionless. “And so I did the only thing I could.” She looked at him, dead in the eye, a type of malice suddenly overcoming her. “You’d be surprised how easy it was.” Her eyes settled upon your frame, your head moving slowly to get a glance at her. You stared, blinking rapidly as your vision faded in and out. You could barely comprehend what she was saying, but you felt as James’ breath quickened. It was taking all of your willpower to stay awake--you needed to, for James.

“What?” he stated, his voice deeper than you’d ever heard it, a rage within his eyes even you had never seen before as he stared at her. He was tense, as hard as a rock, glaring daggers at the woman who had seemingly betrayed him.

“I--,” Miss Evers hesitated, obviously intimidated by his fury, but decided to continue. “I’ve found that you have a secret stash of cyanide in the bar.” She faltered once again, her eyes shifting away from James and to the floor. “I wanted us to be together, and she-” she pointed at you, “-she was always in it for the money! They all are, all but me!” She burst into tears, falling onto her knees in hysterics. Your eyebrows furrowed as you racked your brain to gather all of the information. She poisoned you at the bar. You remembered brief flashbacks of the one tiny sip you’d taken of your previously forgotten drink.

James seemed to be shaking as he gently moved you to sit in a chair by the wall, turning away from you for only a moment. Your eyelids began to flutter as sleep beckoned you, visions of James’ movement around the room the only thing to hold your focus. A loud pop suddenly reverberated off of the walls as it rang out, causing you to sit up slightly from your slouched posture, your eyelids flying open to search for the source. James stood over the body of his betrayer, smoking gun resting within his palm.

You felt so weak, your thoughts jumbled, unable to focus on only one. Only now you knew it wasn’t just an overreaction. You’d only taken a mere sip of the drink from the bar, but you supposed now that it had been enough for the poison to go into effect. You wondered briefly how she’d gotten the cyanide into the drink in the first place, and exactly how much she had put in for it to have such a potent effect on your body.

Your eyes traveled to her corpse, and to the fresh blood splattered across the wall from the headshot. You blinked, barely registering what had just occurred before you. You were too dazed to process the incident, even if you understood what had occurred subconsciously. Relief was the only thing you felt; relief for one less thing to worry about standing between you and James.

Eyes shifting slightly to the left, you stared at the browning roses, the sweet old lady’s warning once again echoing, a distant memory brought to the surface of your mind. James crouched in front of you, suddenly the only thing in line of sight, his lips moving but you couldn’t hear his voice over your own in your head. The roses were dead. You left them on the floor. You betrayed them for--

You sprung up once again as a loud banging at the door shocked you back into your senses. James glanced briefly at the door before turning back to you quickly. He pulled you out of the chair, holding you up and close to his chest as he stroked your hair tenderly.

“James,” you just barely whispered as he shushed you.

“I know, darling,” He said reassuringly, pulling back to look into your eyes. “It’s all going to be okay, dear. It’ll all be over before you know it.” He smiled charmingly as you nodded weakly, holding tightly onto the cloth of his shirt to maintain stability. And you believed him in that moment, as he always seemed to find a way.

One way, or another.

You rested your head on his chest, closing your eyes as the pounding on the door increased. Or maybe it was the pounding in your head; at this point you couldn’t decipher what was real and what was just a figment of your imagination. Cold metal pressed against the skin of your temple, your brain too bleary to question it. Mere seconds passed as you contemplated moving, but suddenly it was as if everything had settled away. James’ warm body faded from your grasp.

-🤍-

Your eyelids fluttered open, eyeballs moving back and forth as you tried to become familiar with your surroundings. You recognized the familiar room immediately, for it was your bedroom when you had first moved into the Cortez. You felt strange. Zen, almost, but maybe that was just because the pounding was gone. You felt... disconnected. It was the most out of touch with yourself you’d ever felt.

You climbed to your feet from the floor, thoughts running rampant at what was unknown to you. Where was James, how did you get here, how long had you been here, and why did you feel so cold? Flashes of what seemed to be both years ago and only moments ago clouded your mind, filling you with dread. Scenarios of what could be frightened you and sent you into a state of panic, pushing you forward.

Out of the room you went, through the quiet and empty halls, searching, searching, searching--no fixed destination ahead except something, anything, that could lead you to your James.

It seemed that days had passed before you finally found the lobby of the hotel. Navigation through the building was proving to be much more difficult than you remembered. Why was it taking so long?

The lobby was sparsely populated, unlike the usually crowded area that you were used to. You glanced around, noticing only a few people in the bar, the receptionist, and someone asleep on the sofas. Your feet carried you to the hotel entrance, pushing the first door open, the sunlight peeking through the opaque glass surprising you. If it was the daytime, then why was the hotel so empty? On ordinary occasions people came and went like flies; the Cortez was a hotspot in the city of Los Angeles, after all. Your hands reached out to push open the door to the outside, the metal handle of the door cool against your skin, and then suddenly nothing. In front of you was the door no longer; profound confusion coursing through you as you stared at the walls of your bedroom once again. You had been there one second, and in the next it was as if you had been teleported back in time.

And so the cycle repeated for what seemed like years; many times set adrift through the halls, eventually to the lobby where the sunlight no longer shone through the windows and unusually few people inhabited. You were reaching forward for the handle of the first door for what seemed to be the hundredth time, only to freeze at the call of your name from a familiar voice.

“Y/N.”

Your name sounded of honey dripping off his tongue. It was like hearing that voice for the first time again. All your worries deflated and anxieties subsided--for you had found your God once again. You turned to face him, to see his face--the face you had longed to see for what felt like years but may have been minutes. You still didn’t entirely understand the detachment from your body you felt; it was as if you no longer had a life source, no blood running course or lungs cycling air. You felt out of place and trapped at the same time.

Just as your hopes had soared, they plummeted at the sight of the bare lobby. Emptiness sat instead where you had expected James to be, crushing all sense of direction. You wanted to cry, to scream, to tear the hotel to shreds with your bare hands. But just before you gave up all hope completely, your eyes caught on the tiniest of details.

Barely noticeable, unless payed close attention to; unless already a prominent object in one’s mind. Small, dainty, white petals lay scattered in high correlation, leading on to an unknown but obviously specific destination. You treaded lightly as you followed the path closely, afraid any disturbance would somehow make them disappear.

Unease settled through you, possibly just a usual feeling as of late, but considerably appropriate when meeting the isolate hallways once again. You began questioning your sanity; was this just yet another repeat in the cycle? You’d been lost for so long, was this just another loop? What was the energy here, and why did it not feel like you and James’ beloved Cortez, the place you called home? You felt like you were stuck in a punishment of some kind; a purgatory; a hell.

And at last, you arrived; the room in which this cycle had began, or ended. The office of James Patrick March: Room sixty-four. You paused, contemplating, before making a bold decision and gripping the handle, opening the door and entering the room. There you stood in what was once James’ office, now empty of most furniture, only few items remaining. And there it remained: the vase on the table in the center of the room, petals leading straight to their source.

Inside sat the very white roses themselves, southern California glory and all. They looked just like the ones in that very first garden: huge, bright and beaming, petals spread with all the beauty and radiance of nature and purity. And just behind them stood their God; the master of the garden who held the utmost control in his realm. Your God, who’d saved you from hell; who’d broke all cycles.

The feeling you felt at sight of James did not fail to excite you just the same as it had on that first day years ago. Something about his presence next to yours soothed you, for you knew that he was still there, that he hadn’t been taken from you, that no matter what had happened you were still okay so long as he stood next to you.

You rushed forward and into him, basking in his embrace. His arms wrapped around you, but the challenge once again presented itself: an unignorably apparent absence of warmth. It’d been just before you’d first woken up what seemed like years, or maybe just hours ago, that you’d been in his embrace just the same, his warmth seeping into you and igniting your soul as you had faded in and out of consciousness. But now, you couldn’t feel it. You felt his body wrapped around yours, but nothing inflaming, the detachment from your own warmth just the same. It was missing, a shell of a comfort that used to always be present; something you had gotten entirely used to, for to be absent of warmth was to be dead...

You gasped, pulling away from James to look him in the eyes, the reality setting in and the drunkenness fading away. Your mind was becoming clear, all clarity suddenly bestowed upon you.

“James, are we...” you froze in panic, for it felt as if you didn’t have lungs, the normal rise and fall of the simplicity of breathing gone... the feelings of life were all gone...

And it clicked.

“James,” you whispered, your eyes tracing over the details of the room. The blood stains on the floor and walls were the only evidence of foul play left. You felt strange, for people didn’t normally expect to see the place of their death after the fact. Realizations settled over you as you stared at the room, just as you had initially when entering to warn James of the police, the truth of the events that had happened finally dawning upon you. In your poison-induced state of mind, it’d been hard to realize. You had been dying, the poison slowly but surely shutting your body down. You’d barely processed it when James had held the gun to your head and pulled the trigger, ending your pain.

“Yes, darling?” James replied to you, bringing you back to your conversation. You stared at him longingly. Although you didn’t entirely understand why you were still here, or the concept of the afterlife, you were glad to have James next to you. A moment of silence passed as you tried to pinpoint what you wanted to ask him exactly.

“I have so many questions,” you said, deciding to just speak your mind. You furrowed your eyebrows, blinking rapidly as you tried to sort out your thoughts. “I-I’m so lost, James.”

“Of course you are, dearest,” James said reassuringly, his hand brushing the stray hairs away from your face. He stared at you sadly. “I’m terribly sorry for all that happened, you must feel perplexed beyond understanding my dear.” He paused, his eyes traveling over your features as you stared up at him, listening intently. “This was simply my only choice, darling. You were succumbing to the poison’s grip long before I finished your pain. Miss Evers...” He trailed off, his jaw clenching tightly. “Nevermind that. I came to a conclusion upon the authorities’ arrival, and that was that if I was damned to be put away I might as well flee with you, my queen... it was the only right option.” He smiled down at you softly.

You smiled right back at him, your love for him the only warmth left inside of you now that you no longer had your body to call home. You basked in the feeling of being close to him as he pulled you to his chest, his lips leaving a soft kiss against your scalp. Even if you didn’t feel warmth, simply the love you had for him was enough. He tenderly stroked your back, calming your nerves. It amazed you how he could ease your mind so easily, if only just a little. However, you couldn’t shake your thoughts away. Sure, you could just let it all go, but the truth of the matter was simple.

Your entire life had been a cycle. A cycle of undeniable foolishness; you’d been ignorant of the truth for all of your living years. Oh, how it angered you. You hated something truly for what seemed like the first time in your life. You hated yourself; you’d let yourself believe false truths just to live in an illusion that you thought was happiness. You were naïve. And ultimately, that was what had ended you.

You’d ignored all warnings and left the roses to wilt, betraying the one thing that had always been on your side. You’d ignored all threats and committed yourself to making paradise in the land of the evil; it was simply impossible. The Garden of Eden wasn’t a place for the living. It was a place of freedom, and so long as you’re living, you can never truly be free. For in life, one threat always remains: death. You could never truly be protected. You could never truly have paradise.

But with James, in the Cortez, in the paradise he’d created for you... even death didn’t stand a chance. It was a gateway to greatness; a place where nothing truly stood in your way, where no threats were great enough. You couldn’t be harmed, or imprisoned, or separated here; you were finally utterly invincible; real Gods. Hell and Earth were no longer a threat. It was your true paradise that James had promised you.

Your Garden of Eden.

---------

Series Masterlist: The Garden of Eden Series

Main Masterlist

#american horror story #ahs #evan peters #james march #kit walker #kai anderson #jimmy darling #kyle spencer #rory monahan #evan peters imagine #evan peters x reader #james patrick march imagine #james patrick march #james march smut #james march x reader #james march imagine #tate langdon #ahs imagine #ahs hotel #ahs: hotel #american horror story hotel #american horror story imagine #the countess #elizabeth march

[entamesubs]

Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS Blu-Ray: Episode 4

Google Drive ONLY (for now)

Support us on ko-fi

Blu-Ray episodes will come out one at a time every Friday, until I’m done with the full first season (1-13).

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

Please use either MPV or MPC-HC to view the Blu-Ray episodes. I do NOT recommend using VLC.

Please check the post for episodes 1&2 to see why.

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

!! This is NOT a final release !!

If there are any corrections you wish to make, please put them through the ask box. This includes any typos, grammar weirdness, or if you have a better way to word a sentence. Once it goes up on Nyaa, the subs will be LOCKED and can no longer be edited. I will consider it the final and best version I can put out.

If you see any mistake at all, please do not hesitate to send me an ask about it.

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

Extended Translation Notes

Gakuto’s characterization

RoadRush:

“I am supposed to be stopping their chaos [...] How could I do such a thing?!”

Original Japanese: 「遊我くんたちの暴走を止めるべき立場にありながら [...] 私としたことが…」

The original RR subs make it seem like Gakuto is appalled at the fact that he’s been going along with the crew, but in reality the original Japanese points to Gakuto being appalled at his lack of responsibility (as in Gakuto himself is frustrated that he, himself, has not done anything despite the fact that he should).

The bolded Japanese from above is what I’m highlighting as the key to understanding him here.

立場にあり = someone in (my) position 私としたこと = someone like me

The translation I decided to use instead, and which I felt conveyed his inner turmoil better, was “I’m someone who should be stopping them, and yet... [...] I, of all people...!”

Gakuto is very concerned with his position and duties, which is the main focus for this episode. He is a character who is hyper-aware of his place and what kind of person he should be (that is, someone who strictly follows the rules and enforces them). The conflict he feels here is because of that hyper-awareness, not (primarily) because of the fact that he’s been “having fun” or “swept away” by Yuuga’s antics, it’s that someone like him shouldn’t be “swept away” in the first place.

I hope this makes sense and that this translation gets across his characterization a lot better.

Further Gakuto characterization

RoadRush:

“I have to draw the line somewhere!”

Original Japanese: 「きちんとけじめをつけなければ｡」

This is actually a translation I liked a lot, with “draw the line” being something very clear and also easily got across his newfound determination. It’s the reason I decided to keep the “draw the line” phrase in my final translation.

However, there is one important part of his sentence: けじめ, which I bolded above. It means “distinction”.

My final translation was “I must be decisive and draw the line somewhere!”

Gakuto uses the word “decide” and “decisive” a lot. You’ll see it the most in his summoning chants, where he keeps “deciding” not to stop, or “deciding” to follow a road, or “deciding” to find something new, or that he alone must “decide” his resolve, etc. At this point, being “decisive” is a huge part of his character and who he is as a person. The main theme of Sougetsu Gakuto is being able to lead, to decide, and, as we see in episodes 24, 33, 50, and 57, to be someone worthy of the Sougetsu name and inheritance by making these “decisions” and having the power to do so.

For this reason, I decided (haha) to put in his keyword here and tie this line further to his characterization in future episodes.

“Yametekudastop”

“Does Gakuto actually say this?” No, but he makes a pun just as bad as this one. This is a great pun to convey just how weird his “Yameruler” pun in Japanese is as well.

Thanks English!

トイレには神様がいますからね “Since a kami is always in the restroom, you should...”

This is a fragment of the full sentence, though its implied that Gakuto is trying to say “[I cleaned the restroom with care,] because a kami is in there”. To make this sound more natural in English, my final translation was the sentence you see above in bold, which adds a “you should” for context.

This sentence may seem strange to a lot of people, even more so if you don’t know what exactly a “kami” is. I wanted to elaborate on that in this translation note, and also the reason why I left “kami” untouched.

A “kami” does not uniformly mean a “god” or “deity”. In some contexts, yes, someone can be referring to such a being. In others, a kami can also be seen as a “spirit”, not necessarily of divine origins, who exists in a myriad of spaces for a myriad of reasons.

The “kami” Gakuto says exists in the restroom is not a god in the way English speakers would see it, but a spirit that has found a home there. However, I felt that the word “spirit” did not really encompass the importance of the word kami and why Gakuto was so careful with it, while the words “god” or “deity” placed too much importance on it.

For further context, I’d honestly just recommend the kami wikipedia article, which goes a lot more into detail than I can here. For heavier reading, and if you’re interested in this sort of stuff, I recommend the books Shinto - A Book of Prayers and The Essence of Shinto: Japan's Spiritual Heart.

黒子 (くろこ) Kuroko / “stagehands”

Wow, Kuroko Tetsuya himself from the acclaimed basketball manga and anime, Kuroko no Basuke! Okay I’m joking.

A “kuroko” in Japanese means a “stagehand”, though they have very a specific job in Japanese theatre that is different compared to what you might know of stagehands in Western theatre.

The job of a “kuroko” is to be invisible, which of course is not a literal thing. This simply means they help move things along on the stage, appearing center at times, while still not being perceived by the audience. This is where the “kuro” part of “kuroko” comes from—traditionally, they wear black clothes and cover their faces with a black sheet on stage, so that when they appear, the audience will not focus on them and instead blend them in with the background.

A kuroko does such things like moving scenery and props as a normal stagehand, however they may also play non-human parts in plays sometimes, being something like an animal or spirit when needed (usually with the help of a minor prop, not with a costume). They are the “invisible stagehands”.

Gakuto’s entire aesthetic themeing with Ranze and Rinnosuke is basically kabuki, a form of Japanese theatre that places more emphasis on aesthetics than on story.

A popular genre of kabuki is known as jidaimono, or historical plays, which dramatize a major historic event (like a war), which is how Gakuto’s various “Rulers” tie into this theme. Of note, Yameruler’s defense position animation is very much like how one in kabuki would try to “disappear” off stage (by holding a fan in front of his face), Kimeruler has elements of kabuki makeup in his design (though heavily watered down), and Semeruler’s summoning animation is a very common kabuki pose for combat.

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

For people interested in the raw BDMV vs encoded final video comparisons, click here. (Click the image in the center to swap between “raw BD” and “encoded”).

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

Credits

Translation, timing: entame Proofreading: angelthinktank (Yona) Encoding: PelvisBass

#yugioh #yugioh sevens #yugioh sevens spoilers #ygo sevens #sevens spoilers #entamesubs release #BD release #E004

[taylor-fiction]

Your Selfless Love’s the Only Hoax I Believe In

heya. guess what. so i never really had the inspiration to finish writing the original quarantine fic that i had. so i’m still working on that. however, i did get inspiration from peace and people’s linking between it and hoax and so this happened. it isn’t fully edited, just your basic grammar and spelling that word catches, so if you see any mistakes please let me know so i can fix it, i will definitely do that tomorrow anyway.

anyways, let me know what you think. criticism is always welcomed (if you’re doing it nicely).

~~~

She had accepted, a long time ago, that she would end up alone, maybe have a few long term relationships, but nothing worth sticking around for, not a forever, so when Joe first brought up the subject of marriage, of life together, a forever, a year into their relationship, she freaked out, to put it lightly.

She created a huge fight, whether to prove herself right, to test him, or to prove herself wrong she didn’t know, but he stayed, and he apologized. He came to her, and he hugged her, and he told her he loved her and that he’s sorry for upsetting her if she felt like talking about marriage at this point was taking it too fast. And then, she just knew.

She never had a guy apologize to her, even when one was due. But then again she also never had a guy care about her as much as he did. He loved her, not for the fame, or the money, or her body. He loved her mind, he loved her personality, he loved who she was in private when she allowed herself to be vulnerable and remove the persona everyone knew.

He saw Taylor, the 26-year-old who loved cats and all things glitter, the one who would mumble stuff into her phone at all hours of the day, whose mom was her best friend and always spoke her mind. The person that loved so deeply she often got hurt.

He saw her flaws and loved her for them, not in spite of them.

And she loved him just the same. She loved how ordinary his life was, how he went to university, and had school friends and never gave a second thought to walking down the street to the grocery store. She loved how his mom suggested they take a walk around the park when they first met because there was still time until dinner, not even realizing that such a thing wasn’t possible to Taylor. She loved his brothers and the relationship he had with them. She loved how caring he was and how selfless and kind he is. She loved everything about him. Even things that she always found agitated her with past boyfriends, she didn’t care about them when it was him. Like how he would sometimes speak before swallowing his food, or how he would kiss her in the middle of her sentence, telling her that it was just because, she loved how he sometimes disagreed with her. But he always listened to her, she never had to worry about that, she never had to worry if he loved her, or if he was truthful, because he always was, almost to a fault.

So yeah, maybe she should have seen this coming, but a year in, she didn’t know how things are supposed to be at this point. She only ever got here once previously and she knew for a fact it wasn’t a good reference point, especially with how many times Joe proved her wrong up until now. How he stayed when she tried to break it off when the paparazzi found out about them, how he accepted her with all her baggage, how he never doubted in his mind about her.

She was worried that they were going too fast, but then again, things have never felt more right than when she was with him. So a year in they were talking about marriage, and kids, and life together, and they moved in together. And he was everything she wanted and everything she didn’t know she needed. He was gentle where she was rough, he was quiet where she was loud, he was the complete opposite to her, in a way, but he was also so similar to her.

And then, one day, three years in, she looked over at him and realized she was looking at her forever, and it terrified her. The thought of forever. The weight of it and its meaning. Forever meant accepting that maybe she was wrong, maybe she did deserve to be happy, maybe there was someone out there for her, and he wasn’t just out there, he was right here, lying next to her on the couch watching a movie with their cat on his stomach and his legs tangled with hers, only wearing his boxers looking so soft in the soft light coming in from the hallway.

And she realized that inviting forever into her life also meant letting in pain, and loss, and death. Because forever means till death do us part. It means growing old together and seeing the effect of old age on the person she loved most. It means losing someone you love. It could be tomorrow, it could be at 80. And that realization terrified her.

But this time, she didn’t try to run. She talked to him until the middle of the night, until they were so tired their eyes hurt. She shared her fears and her worries, and he shared them too. And they held each other and calmed each other down and kissed each other and soothed the worries. Because she may not know what tomorrow holds, but she knows that with him she can weather the storm.

So when he proposed, three and a half years in, right when a pandemic was starting to affect them, she guessed she shouldn't have been surprised, because, in a way, it was always coming. It was always a question of when, with him, not if. It was always when is he proposing, when are you getting married, when are you having kids. No one ever asked them if they thought they would get there, because it was a given they would, they were always asked when. And she liked it, she liked how the people around him could see how amazing he was to her, how he was it.

He was there, on one knee, with pizza boxes around him, on a blanket, in the middle of their living room, having an impromptu picnic at home because there’s a shelter-at-home order. His hand was shaking a little, and he had tears in his eyes, and he was telling her how much he loves her and how much she means to him. How he can’t imagine life without her in it. And it wasn’t how he wanted to do it, he said, he had this thing planned, he was going to have her family nearby so they could celebrate, and he was going to set up this nice date for her, somewhere private, just the two of them. And she was laughing, and she had tears in her eyes, and she loved him, so much, because she knew, even though this wasn’t what he planned, it was better than what she could have hoped for. So she bent down, didn’t even let him ask it, and kissed him.

And then he whispered the most beautiful set of words he could have ever uttered, “Will you marry me?”

She doesn't remember saying yes, but she guesses she did because he was sliding the most beautiful ring she has ever seen onto her finger, and he was kissing her, and he showed her how much he loved her, over and over again, all night long.

And she was happy. In the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty that surrounded them, something that only three years ago would render her an anxious mess, unable to function, she was the happiest she has ever been.

And then, the next day, the realization hit her. And the anxiety. That everything they talked about, the future and the kids and the forever, it wasn’t just some hypothetical, something that they would make happen one day. That one day was here, and she had the ring to prove it.

She didn't realize how deep she had gotten herself, and it scared her. The thought that without noticing she was willing to give him everything. She was willing to work through her fears and insecurities in order to have a child with him. When did that happen? When did he change her mind about what she thought her future held? When did she start thinking about forever with someone else? When did he get her to see that she could have more?

And he came up behind her, not even noticing the panic on her face, simply thinking the silence was from concentrating on the lyrics she had in front of her, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind, and he kissed her temple and whispered “I love you” into her ear, and just like that she was okay. She was still scared, terrified even, but she knew she would be okay with him by her side.

And now here she was, a month short of being 4 years together, with a ring on her finger, planning a wedding with the love of her life, her 8th album, one she wasn’t planning on putting out for a long time but somehow it came about in those few months of quarantine, is out and doing better than she could have dreamed. Here she is with the most cliche thing that can happen to her in lock down. Fucking pregnant.

These last few months they have been a little careless with protection, knowing that kids were something they both wanted. They walked about it, of course, and decided that if it happened, then it happened. And now it did. And she’s terrified. She guesses she shouldn't be surprised, she did miss her period last month, she was feeling constantly nauseous and was a little on the emotional side, even for her.

Life was amazing, in an unexpected, messy kind of way. The kind of way where you're both terrified and excited for tomorrow. Where you both love where your future is heading but also want to fix so much.

And now, looking back on it, the direction her life took these last 4 years shouldn’t have surprised her. She now has a private life, with the love of her life, she's happy, for the first time in her life planning the way the next two years are going to look for her isn't anxiety-inducing, it excites her, it makes her anxious to reach there. It makes her want it to be here already.

Because she would weather all the storms in the world if it means she gets to end the day with his arms wrapped around her, his love surrounding her, and their child, now growing inside her, growing up right in front of her eyes.

#personal #text #taylor swift fanfiction #taylor swift fanfic #taylor swift #joe alwyn #taylor and joe fanfiction #writing

[snowdice]

Folds in Paper (Chapter 2: Green Light)[Folds in Time Universe]

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Relationships: Janus/Patton, Remus & Roman, eventual Logan/Virgil (maybe more)

Characters:

Main: Janus, Patton, Remus

Appear: Remy, Emile, Virgil, Logan, Roman

Summary: Janus, a disillusioned senior agent working for the Time Preservation Initiative, struggles to find meaning in a world where time travel could change everything about your life’s history in less than a moment. When time distortions start popping up, threatening the timeline and the fabric of reality as he knows it, it becomes a race against the clock to fix the damage before everything unravels. And the problem with time travel… you never how long you have before the clock strikes 12 and your time is up.

With a partner who has more mysteries in his past than Janus had anticipated and an enigmatic free agent time traveler mucking about time always with a clever pun or a time appropriate pet name on his lips, Janus will need to figure out what went wrong with time, and more importantly, how to fix it.

Notes: Time travel AU, mystery, enemies to lovers, alcohol

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – to-morrow we will run farther, stretch out our arms farther…” (F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gastby)

This is a fic I’ve been writing on study breaks that you have probably all already seen at this point. I’ve slightly edited it for wording and grammar, but not for content from my previous posts. Feel free to send in asks to direct it because I’m not 100% sure where this is going and you can help decide if you feel so inclined! You can see the process I went through to build this at this link.

Part 1

The morning was just as torturous as Janus had expected it would be. He chewed through another pop-tart, this time bothering to actually check and see that it was a cinnamon-sugar one and drank three cups of caffeinated orange juice. Then, he waved his hand through the air and selected the first saved location on his device. He popped up directly behind his desk where he’d been standing the night morning before.

Someone, probably Remus, had shut his integrator down. He swiped a finger across the power button, and it flickered back on, scrolling through its morning start up routine.

The machine scanned through all of the data in the three main system it was connected to and sorted all information into things that concerned him, could concern him, and did not before then sorting the first two categories into order of importance. As it did, he set up his screen reader so he would hopefully not start the day with more of a migraine than he already had. It took about 3 seconds for everything to turn on and settle.

Sitting down in his desk, he dismissed the notification that Remus had finished and submitted the report from their mission the day before, before looking through the next things on his list. A mission had been scheduled for him today, and the details were in his inbox. A piece of time travel technology had been accidently dropped by an archology student in the 1890s during a trip. It was an earlier model of emergency time travel given to time travelers that would dump them back into the Registration Office in the year they originated. It wasn’t extremely dangerous, but could pose some problems, especially if someone who didn’t know what it was activated it.

Surveillance agents had tracked it down and found that it had been picked up by a local and sold. Though no one from that time had known what it was, they had identified that it was made out of a precious metal and it had been crafted into an expensive necklace. Janus and Remus were supposed to retrieve it today. It had been pinpointed that the most opportune time for the extraction was 1923 during a masquerade ball held by those who had bought the necklace. It was a fairly low stakes mission.

He wasn’t set to leave for another couple of hours, so he clicked through the rest of the important notifications and then set off to meet his missions coordinator, Rhi, in her office.

Rhi and Janus got along fairly well. She was a well put together woman who took her job incredibly seriously. It was fair as her job was to organize all information and materials from every other department and make sure the agents she was assigned to got and understood all of it. A mistake from her could lead to an agent’s death or something far worse.

This, of course, made her relationship with Remus… interesting to say the least. Janus could never place whether they were nemesis, frenemies, or mortal enemies, and he doubted he would ever know.

“Okay, but it’s the 1920s America,” Remus was already in her office arguing when Janus arrived. “There were so many gangsters! I could be a gangster. I would make a fantastic gangster! Just give me a gun, a snazzy suit with a white hat, and a buttload of alcohol. I will be running Chicago with Al Capone in five minutes.”

“Al Capone didn’t become a crime boss until 1925 and you are going to 1923,” Rhi said, sounding bored, “you aren’t going to Chicago, and as I have already stated, your cover is already decided.”

“But-”

“It is nonnegotiable, Agent Clockson,” she said firmly. Remus pouted, but seemingly accepted his fate.

“May I come in?” Janus asked.

“Please do,” Rhi said. “You have been to the 1920s before, correct?” she asked Janus.

“Yes ma’am.”

She tapped the screen on her desk in response. “In the last two years?”

“About two months ago,” he responded. She tapped something else.

“Any blacks, reds, or yellows?” she asked.

“All green.”

“Great. Do you need a refresher course on basic cultural or linguistic procedures?”

“No.”

She pushed one more thing and then swiped the check-in document over to him. He glanced at the report stating he’d had no incidents of any level the last time he visited the 1920s and had opted out of the optional refresher course, and then pressed his finger against the screen to sign it with his fingerprint.

The document returned to her side of the desk automatically. “Okay,” she said swiping another document from her left over to be in front of her. She twisted her wrist to copy it and slid copies to Janus and Remus. “Here are exact details on the time, place, and event you are going to, as well as details about your cover.” Janus scrolled through his quickly. It wasn’t as detailed as some he’d had considering this was a brief in-and-out mission, but he still took care to memorize everything on the page.

As he and Remus read through their things, Rhi got to her feet and turned to the storage compartments behind her desk.

She grabbed out two packages and when they’d both signed that they’d read and understood the paperwork, she slid them across the desk to them. “These have everything you need,” she said. “Clothes, money, and an invitation to the party you’re off to attend. You are to get changed now, have a last check in with costuming to make sure everything is in order, and then report to decontamination in 23 minutes. You’re set to leave in 38 minutes. Any questions?”

“How much-?” Remus started.

“None, agent,” Rhi said.

“But-”

“No alcohol,” Rhi said. “It is the prohibition era in the United States anyway.”

“Like there’s not going to be alcohol at the rich people party,” Remus said sullenly.

She pressed her lips together. “It is an in-and-out mission,” she said to both of them, and then turned to glare at Remus. “Do not get arrested.”

“I don’t know,” Remus said joyfully. “I think I still have room for a 1920s mug shot on my wall.”

“Behave,” she said, “or I’ll report you for the cat you smuggled in from the 1800s.”

“You’d never,” Remus said. “You enjoy the cute pictures of Diesel Fuel I send you every day too much, and you know it!”

“Just… don’t get arrested.” She turned to Janus. “Don’t let him get arrested.”

“I’ll do my best,” Janus promised, standing. “Now come on, Remus, we need to get changed.”

“You just want to see me naked,” Remus replied with a wink, but he did stand.

“If I see you naked one more time in my life Remus, my eyeballs will fall out of their sockets,” Janus said, waving to Rhi as he pulled Remus out of the door.

“Kinky.”

Janus’s eyeballs almost did fall out right then and there with how hard he rolled them.

They got changed quickly, Remus complaining and saying if he couldn’t dress like a gangster, he should at least be allowed to wear a flapper dress. Janus had long ago learned to ignore his ramblings. He did seem enthused about the included mask for the masquerade. It was a silver fox shaped mask with green accents that reminded Janus of the Egyptian God Anubis.

Janus’s own mask, on the other hand, was only designed to take up the left half of his face. It was mostly golden with a black swirled design. Attached to the side, there was a plume of golden tipped white feathers. He had to give it to the costuming department, they did have good taste.

Once they were both dressed, they were poked and prodded by one of the costumers to make sure everything was accurate, fit right, and had been put on correctly.

After that, they went to the decontamination area to have themselves and everything they were taking with them sterilized so they didn’t accidently take any pathogens to the 1920s. They also received an oral vaccination to be sure they didn’t pick up anything from the 1920s and bring it back.

Then they were ready to go. The correct time-space coordinates had already been sent to their timepieces. With a push of a button, they were off.

Want to read more? Click below!

AO3 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

#sanders sides #janus sanders #patton sanders #remus sanders #moceit #analogical #(eventually) #virgil sanders #roman sanders #logan sanders #remy sanders #emile sanders #folds in paper #folds in time universe #adriana writes